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VOL. 45 NO. 51 www.vadnaisheightspress.com $1.00 2021
Press of theHeights Press Vadnai
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Special section inside
2022 BUDGET PROPOSED: Residential taxes to see slight increase PAGE 3B
First grade teacher at Vadnais Heights Elementary voted Best Teacher
Festive fall decorations At right: A canine scarecrow named “Tober,” perched on a bale of hay along Washington Square, is among the dozens of Scarecrow Stroll creations currently on display in downtown White Bear Lake. The scarecrow displays were created by local businesses and organizations in conjunction with the Fall Fest celebration. Below: Olive Branch Oil and Spice Company owners Janet Richards and Bruce Bushey put the finishing touches on the spooky scarecrow on display in front of their store last week. Find more photos online at presspubs.com.
BY CADEN CHRISTIANSEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The classroom has been a challenging environment to navigate for students, teachers and parents across the state of Minnesota over the past year. As COVID-19 continues to change how and where students are able to safely learn, a local Vadnais Heights teacher has been recognized by Press Publications readers for his outstanding work. Mark Theissen, Mark Theissen a first grade teacher at Vadnais Heights Elementary, is the winner of best teacher. Teaching was not on Theissen’s radar when he attended the University of MinnesotaDuluth. After graduating with a degree in criminology, he took on substitute teaching jobs in a St. Paul elementary school and it was there SEE BEST TEACHER, PAGE 7A PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Anti-Rush Line group skeptical WHITE BEAR LAKE — Just like the first time when they made their presence known, the No Rush Line Coalition is pushing for a reassessment of the nearly $500 million bus rapid transit project. "We’re not against buses. We prefer smaller buses that go where the people are," said coalition member Carol McFarlane, a White Bear Lake native and former legislator. McFarlane and coalition co-founder Tim David have been campaign-
ing for a downsized project for several months now after making a first appearance at Marketfest in July. The group of citizens who make up the nonpartisan coalition represent multiple communities along the 15-mile Rush Line route between St. Paul and White Bear Lake. Their message remains the same: They are not opposed to public transportation, they just want the "right fit" for users and the communities it serves. To review, the Rush Line project plans 89 buses, 60-foot, articulated models, every weekday from
Union Depot in St. Paul up Hwy. 61 to a turnaround station behind Beartown in downtown White Bear Lake. Bus numbers are reduced to 76 on Saturdays and 68 on Sundays. Seven new dedicated bridges will be built to accommodate the transit line, including a new bus bridge over I-694. Especially disconcerting to the group is a plan to turn 8 miles of the Bruce Vento Trail into a bus expressway with adjacent walking path. SEE ANTI-RUSH LINE, PAGE 7A
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