White Bear Press

Matoska Park owl safely returned to nest following bizarre fall

BY ERIK SUCHY STAFF WRITER

A mystery at Matoska Park regarding a local owl’s scary fall has gone unsolved.

On March 27, traveling passersby discovered a female great horned owl lying motionless on the ground. No injuries were found after it was brought in and examined at the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center. Still, the nature of the incident has puzzled workers at the center. It is not known what caused the owl to fall from its nest.

“This is still a mystery to us,” said Lori Arent, Minnesota Raptor Center assistant director. “We don’t understand what prevented her from getting back up. That’s an answer we at the Raptor Center wish we had.”

Experts at the center ran medical tests on the owl while she was in care. In addition to the lack of visible injuries, no other mental or medical conditions were found that would have caused the owl to fall. This has only left Arent more confused about what happened.

“There are usually many reasons why large SEE

The Lake Links effect brings neighbors together

BY ERIK SUCHY STAFF WRITER

It began as a dream 20 years ago.

In 2001, Ramsey and Washington Counties developed a regional master plan for a nonmotorized trail network. This plan included a route for residents to walk and bike around White Bear Lake. However, the plan soon disappeared due to a lack of funding, with little hope of revival.

In 2017, Steve Wolgamot and Michael Brooks breathed new life into the project. Both men formed the Lake Links Association, a

nonprofit group whose goal was to restart development on the trail. Community members, local legislators, counties and other stakeholders worked together to restart progress. As a result, two new trail segments were developed. One trail goes along South Shore Boulevard, and the other passes through Mahtomedi. These segments helped give residents safe spaces for both walks and bike rides.

Brooks noted how the South Shore trail has helped bring White Bear Lake residents closer together. “People can now bump

into each other more often, stop and talk,” said Brooks. “This is creating an atmosphere of neighborhood that arguably wasn’t there before.” Lake Links board member Greg Bartz helped get citizens working with Ramsey County and local officials on the South Shore trail. Like Brooks, Bartz is no less amazed by the transformation among residents. “This has created a new reality we haven’t seen before,” said Bartz. We’re seeing a new network of

651-323-4682

Matching grants available for shoreline restoration

The Bald Eagle Area Association (BEAA) is offering matching grants in 2024 for Bald Eagle Lake homeowners who are interested in doing shoreline restoration work or installing rain gardens. BEAA will help homeowners finance projects by providing matching funds for projects that are approved by the Rice Creek Watershed District (RCWD) through its 2024 water quality grants program.

Eligible projects may include the installation of rain gardens or pervious pavers, projects that

Oliver Beck is a strong student and a leader among his peers. He routinely sets the bar with his academic performance and works hard to get the most out of his educational opportunities. Oliver consistently shows his desire to learn instead of learning just to earn a grade. He is intentional in all he does and challenges himself daily by taking on extra work and challenges to go above and beyond teachers expectations. He exudes joy as he engages in the process of learning and it inspires others to join him in that journey. In addition, he is captain of the math team, chess club and enjoys knowledge bowl.

stabilize shoreline erosion or restore degraded wetlands, or the implementation of improved agricultural water-quality practices. For typical projects, the RCWD may fund 25-50% of total project costs up to a maximum of $7,500 if a project is highly beneficial to water resources.

In light of the Ramsey County Conservation District’s March 2012 report for Bald Eagle Lake, which stated that more than 20% of the lake’s phosphorus was coming from the watershed, the BEAA determined that matching grants are an appropriate use of funds to further the mission of making Bald Eagle Lake the best it can be.

The Bald Eagle Area Association has established a $25,000 fund for 2024. This fund will allow grants totaling 30% of a homeowner’s approved project,

up to $5,000 per property. For example, the RCWD could pay 50%, BEAA would pay 30% up to $5,000, and the homeowner would pay the remaining amount. BEAA will follow RCWD’s sequence of approval to grant the BEAA funds.

Interested homeowners should go to the RCWD website, ricecreek.org/grants/water-quality-grants/ to search for information related to the application process. Homeowners should also contact the BEAA board through beaagroup@gmail.com so they can track the application/grant approval process of the RCWD and award the BEAA grants accordingly. Additional details are available at baldeagleassn.org under the Resources/Shoreline Restoration Grants menu.

Nominate a ‘Volunteer of the Year,’ sign up for Manitou Days parade

Every year White Bear Events, the group that leads the Annual Manitou Days community festival, regognizes an active participant in the White Bear Lake area with the Volunteer of the Year Award. The award is given to someone who demonstrates exceptional service in the community. The recipient’s involvement significantly impacts the White Bear Lake community and/or the organizations in which

he or she is involved. Nomination forms are due by Monday, April 22, and can be found at manitoudays.com

White Bear Events is also accepting applications for the 2024 Manitou Days Grande Parade.  Scheduled for Friday, June 14, the Maniotu Days parade draws a crowd of thousands who line the streets of Downtown White Bear Lake for a one-of-akind, community event.  Participation is limited to 100 entries, and is

This is No Joke!

awarded on a firstcome, first-served basis.  More information can be found online at manitoudays. com/parade/ or email parade@ manitoudays.com.

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SSupport local news

everal readers called and sent emails and text messages to express support as news broke last week that a publicly-traded venture capital group will shutter another group of newspapers in Minnesota, including the Hutchinson Leader, Chanhassen Villager, and others in the southwest metro suburbs. Some of these papers have been publishing in their communities for more than 150 years.

Publisher’s View

Carter Johnson

Press Publications’ CEO Matt McMillian has worked for several newspaper companies throughout Minnesota and explained it in a memo to our staff as follows:

“Mainly, there are two types of newspaper owners – families and publicly-traded companies. Families own 4,000-plus newspapers in the country. Public companies own a few hundred. Families tend to think about the long-term good when making decisions. Publicly-traded companies think in short-term three-month timeframes when making decisions.”

I would add that family-run papers have locally-based employees who shop here, volunteer here, pay taxes here, and send their kids to our local schools. We are invested in the community and that is reflected in our work to produce your community newspaper each week.

In 2019 a neighboring group of community weekly newspapers based in North St. Paul ceased operations. As a result, residents of that community along with those in Oakdale, Lake Elmo, Roseville, Mounds View and New Brighton no longer have a local paper. Since its closing, we have entertained the invitation from elected officials to launch newspapers in 3 of the communities. Residents and community and church leaders have called to request we publish their news and events in our calendar because they have limited outlets as effective as the local paper to reach people. At this time we aren’t considering the addition of new markets-especially as Big Tech companies continue to steal content from small town news organizations and sell their own digital ads to reap the profits. How can we compete in a market where these giants have been given an unfair advantage? When a few companies control the content you see on the internet, it becomes an uphill battle for local community journalism organizations like newspapers to succeed. Some of these giant companies have settled with media outlets in Europe, Australia, and most recently in Canada. Until we see a resolution in the U.S., small towns and suburban communities will continue to lose local reporting by journalists who champion local issues.

Twice a year we reach out to readers about our subscription campaign and ask for your support. Some ask why we give the paper away for free in this market. The answer is that our longstanding mission is to bring local news to anyone who wants to read it in the community. Not all of our readers have the resources to pay for the paper they receive, but many do. We have set a goal of 20% paid subscriber support in order to be sustainable in our market. If you have the resources and enjoy reading the content we create each week, we need your help to get there. Please subscribe and encourage your friends and family members to subscribe to the local newspaper. We have set a subscription price that we believe is reasonable, but we appreciate any amount our readers can contribute. Thank you to our long time supporters and subscribers. We look forward to serving you with real, local news in 2024 and beyond.

Carter Johnson is the publisher of Press Publications.

T2024 session is in motion Legislator’s

he 2024 session is underway, and with our first two committee deadlines behind us, here’s what our office has been working on: education workforce and funding needs, public safety support, and consumer and worker protection policies.   In addition to the success of Universal School Meals, our schools saw a historic increase in funding last year. However, after years of being underfunded, more work is needed to ensure that every Minnesota child has access to a highquality education. At the request of our local schools, this year I am carrying the bill to increase equalization of levies, particularly the operating referendum, which aims to reduce taxpayer and

education funding disparities. Centennial and White Bear Lake schools have been advocating for this funding change for years, and I am proud to move the conversation forward at the Capitol. Last year, I worked with stakeholders to pass $300 million in locally controlled public safety funding to every city, county, and Tribal Nation in Minnesota. Our community alone saw $17.2 million in public safety money, which was used to purchase a new ambulance in White Bear Lake, replace body-worn cameras for Lino Lakes officers, hire a new full-time police officer in Centennial Lakes, and much more. This year, I am working on a variety of public safety proposals, including a bill on pension reform for corrections officers in Anoka County, a bill to provide funding for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, and a bill to increase penalties for straw purchases of firearms. A straw purchase occurs when an individual buys a firearm for someone who is ineligible to purchase or possess one. It is one more

step we can take, in addition to other common-sense strategies like safe storage, to keep our children, families, and law enforcement safe from violence. Thank you to the many community members I have met with this session. One of those meetings led to a bill I drafted to protect workers from lead exposure at work. The legislation’s goal is to lower the permissible blood lead levels of a worker, which requires mandatory removal of the worker from lead exposure, and to lower the blood lead levels required before a worker is allowed to return to the workplace. Thank you to the Neighborhood Concerned Citizens Group for their ongoing leadership on this issue.

It’s a privilege to represent Senate District 36. Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions, concerns or ideas. My email is sen.heather. gustafson@mnsenate.gov.

Sen. Heather Gustafson represents District 36 in the Minnesota Senate

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Response to former councilman

The Grant City Council Meetings are live on cable Channel 16 and shown on our website. City Hall is an old schoolhouse with no plumbing, which might explain low attendance.

Contrary to Jeff Shafer’s opinion (Letters to the Editor, March 27), the city website has every agenda, minutes, motions, votes, ordinances, budgets, zoning maps, comp plans, recycling, taped meetings, and more. The Newsletter is not a quarterly publication; it is biannual and includes state-mandated information.

The Planning Commission was disbanded as meetings are rare. Our last land use application was in July 2023. Contract discussions are closed sessions per state law.

KEJ is the only full-time road contractor Grant has had. With 144 miles of roads, it seemed wise. It’s cheaper than buying and staffing equipment as a city-owned road department. We plan for simplicity and efficiency.

We kept our city engineer because he has been with us for 10 years and knows our processes, staff and city. It was not a complex decision.

Shafer feels discussion is limited. Workplace meetings can be challenging, balancing informed opinions with production as the goal. However, we’re a council of equals. My power as mayor is running meetings and adding my voice; that’s it. Do I end unproductive debates? Yes, to get work done in a timely manner. Everyone speaks and gets an equal vote every time.

Come to the Grant cleanup on Saturday, May 4, from 9 to noon, residents only. I’ll be cooking hotdogs!

Mayor Jeff Huber City of Grant

Where did Grant’s rural values go?

In response to Mr. Shafer’s letter, No ‘Sunshine’ in Grant, this is to continue bringing awareness to Grant’s council decisions impacting properties and rural values. Specifically, Conditional Use Permits (CUP): Code of Ordinances, Division 5, Sec. 32-141 (a) Conditional Use Permits: “The city is a unique city of mostly agricultural and low density residential uses and zones. The citizens strongly desire to preserve and protect the rural character (as defined in the comprehensive plan) of their city.”

For 112 years my family has lived in Grant. I own two properties and live here due to its rural character. This enjoyment of rural life ended recently with the council approving a CUP for “storage” on a 1.3-acre lot my properties surround, allowing dump trucks, flatbeds, loaders, trucks and other equipment of an industrial-type business to be run, parked, maintained and staged. By the council’s own admission, the city’s vague definition for exterior storage was applied. The lot is originally zoned as A2-Agricultural.  The outcome is a CUP allowing a business to operate 150 ft from my house and yard, 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday. My household is woken near daily with vehicles idling, air brakes, back-up beeping, loading flatbeds, backhoes running, gravel loaded and unloaded, lights and headlights, dump truck bed doors banging, exhaust spewing and exhaust odors. These impacts continue across the day and at day’s end, making it frequently unbearable being in my yard or working from home.

This letter is not opposing businesses in Grant, but a call to awareness and action on decisions made by our elected officials impacting livability in Grant and rural values. I encourage residents to attend meetings or watch the recordings, attend public input opportunities, read meeting packets

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Local ice cream spot makes best in nation list

Cup & Cone placed 50th on Yelp’s list of Top 100 U.S. ice cream shops. The nationwide rankings are based on total volume and review ratings between January 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023.

Mahtomedi institutions collaborate

Two local businesses are joining forces to bring a new dining and entertainment experience to Mahtomedi. On April 22, Kirkwood’s Smoked Oak BBQ will take over the kitchen at The Dugout Bar in Mahtomedi to offer fresh, pit-smoked

and minutes and write to Council members.

And, vote in this year’s election as three seats on the Council are expiring. Don’t take this voting opportunity for granted. If we’re not paying attention, decisions will continue to be made that don’t reflect Grant’s rural values, and your property could be impacted next.

Lisa Dau Grant

Unusual candidate

He posts a video with an image of President Biden hog-tied on the back of a truck. It wasn’t a Trump supporter who posted it. Trump did. His supporters think it’s funny. Biden has never posted anything like it on social media.

He makes up crude, childish, racist nicknames for people who stand up to him. “Coco Chow”, “Governor Newscum”, “Pencil Neck”, “Pocahontas”, “Horseface”. Most children are punished for calling people names. Trump’s supporters think it’s funny and his ratings go up.

To say candidate Trump acts and speaks like a delinquent middle-school kid is an insult to delinquent middle-school kids. He’s worse.

His false, vulgar and bullying public comments, if made by city council, PTA or school board members, would result in their removal from office. Yet somehow there is a chance this guy will be president of the United States?

This letter is intended for those who are independent and/or otherwise undecided regarding their presidential choice. Diehard MAGA folks will respond with their own crude remarks about Biden’s age, etc. But the world — and even most state and national Republican leaders — acknowledge that Biden is a morally decent human being. And they acknowledge Trump is not.

He sells Bibles to raise money for legal expenses and compares himself to Jesus. It’s hard to imagine any person more unlike Jesus than this guy. He is the opposite of everything Jesus represents. This guy is about hate and vengeance. He threatens and chastises those who don’t bow to him. Jesus loved his enemies. Jesus welcomed all into his Kingdom.  So, sure, vote for candidates that espouse your beliefs. Vote straight-ticket Republican if desired, but in this unusual case of a candidate — the likes of whom we have never seen in our lifetime in terms of filth and decadence —for gosh sakes, do not vote for Trump. Years from now our grandchildren will learn about him in school and wonder how anyone “back in those days” could possibly have supported this horrible person.

George Kimball White Bear Lake

this, we’re all at a point where we all have to work together,” and “as a city, we’re forward-looking now.”

The city staff has inventoried the action items of the program and has already identified several that the city has completed. The next step will be to prioritize the actions items that are most feasible for our city to focus on. I look forward to supporting and hearing more about sustainability initiatives in our community.

Jean Crow Vadnais Heights

Support End-of-Life Options Act

I believe terminally ill Minnesotans of sound mind should be allowed to receive medication they can self-ingest for a peaceful, less painful death, if their suffering becomes unbearable. I’ve been a proponent of this legislation for decades. I am not alone in this position. A majority of Americans (73%) across all parties hold this same view. In the past 40 combined years that it’s been in place in 10 states/jurisdictions, there is not one single proven case of abuse or coercion. Use of medical aid in dying is totally optional for both health care professionals and the patient, and has stringent rules surrounding its implementation. Let’s treat our loved ones as kindly as we treat our pets at the end of their lives.

My personal story involves the very painful death of my husband in 2016. His cancer treatments were no longer effective and dying in pain was his worst fear. He was in a respected hospice facility nearby. We were guaranteed the medications he needed for pain control would be in the building. Hospice failed him. Instead, he spent his last hours in pain, crying out, “help me”. The medications he needed were NOT in the building and weren’t available to him for seven hours. The dispensing hospice pharmacy was only 20 minutes away. Hospice can work, but doesn’t always, and for him the system was broken. Yes, he had kind, supportive caregivers, but they were unable to provide the care he deserved. Hospice isn’t effective or sufficient for everyone. His painful demise was a horrific thing for all of us to witness. If he would have had access to end-of-life medications, he absolutely would have chosen to end his suffering and end his life that day. He was cognizant and capable of doing that. The End-of-Life Options Act would be a great addition to palliative care/hospice programs.

Support the End-of-Life Options Act. We Minnesotans deserve measures to control the end of our life in the manner that best meets our needs. See the link for a summary of HF 1930. www.house. mn.gov/hrd/bs/93/HF1930.pdf

Thanks to City Council

Thanks to our Vadnais Heights City Council for unanimously voting to become a GreenStep City at the April 2 council meeting. GreenStep Cities is a free, continuous improvement volunteer program under the MPCA that offers a framework of 29 best practices of sustainability in a variety of categories. Our city will now have access to a broad array of expert resources and support as we implement sustainability initiatives ranging from reducing energy consumption, improving water quality, creating and preserving green space, and promoting community education and engagement. Participating in the program also puts the city in a better position to access grant opportunities. It was encouraging to hear comments from council members before the vote: “excited we’re taking this step,” “honored to make this resolution,” “this is no longer a nice to have, we need to have

barbecue along with a full menu of pub favorites. The new barbecueforward menu concept will work in Texas-style oak smoked BBQ items such as slow-smoked brisket, pulled pork, ribs and burnt ends, along with a new list of burgers, wings, salads and wraps. The Dugout Bar is located at 96 Mahtomedi Avenue.

Check out latest fashion

GoodThings Clothing will have a Spring Fashion Release event of topselling designer collections from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 18. Enjoy sips and snacks and enter to win prizes.

GoodThings Clothing is located at 2182 Fourth Street, White Bear Lake.

Upcoming Games

April 9-14 vs. Iowa Cubs

April 16-21 vs. Indianapolis Indians

Carole Moore White Bear Lake

COPS&COURTS

WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following selected incidents in Birchwood, Dellwood, Grant, Mahtomedi, Pine Springs and Willernie:

Birchwood

• At 8:01 am. March 11, Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) deputies were dispatched out to the scene of a large bird caught in a soccer goal net on Lake Avenue. After the owl was freed, the Raptor Center was notified and said they’d send someone out to check on it. Grant

• Residents in the 8000 block of 110th Street on March 10 reported a burglary that occurred while they were out of town

• A resident in the 6000 block of Inwood Court N. on March 12 reported the neighbor for killing her animals at the instruction of deputies. Deputies phoned the complainant twice for an explanation, but received no response.

Mahtomedi

• An unidentified person was arrested at 8:36 p.m. March 9 on 72nd Street N. and Hallam Avenue S., after being pulled over for a missing headlight. During the traffic stop, an investigation revealed that the motorist

had an active Order For Protection (OFP) violation. The suspect then tried to flee on foot, but was subdued by deputies.

• Extra patrol was requested after Robert Street residents reported a desk left out on the curb to be trashed on March 10 damaged by unknown persons who came by and trashed it before the trash company could come by and officially trash it.

• Lakeview Cemetery in the 3000 block of Century Avenue on March 11 reported an attempt to create an encampment on the north end of the cemetery by cutting down trees.

Pine Springs

• A motorist was cited at 6:10 p.m. March 9 in the 7000 block of 55th Street N. for driving on a suspended license, after deputies conducted a traffic stop for a possible OFP violation in progress. On further investigation, deputies determined that the respondent was not present, but the driver had committed a driving violation.

Willernie

• An establishment on Stillwater Road called for deputies at 12:29 a.m. March 10 to remove two females from the premises.

RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS

The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office reported the following selected incidents in Vadnais Heights:

• A Vadnais Heights man, 28, was arrested at 2:19 a.m. March 9 for assaulting a woman, 27, during a domestic dispute in their apartment unit in the 800 block of County Road D.

• A St. Paul man, 53, was mailed a citation March 9, after Target loss prevention personnel in the 900 block of County Road E saw him steal hundreds of dollars’ worth of clothing, bedding, shoes, socks and other items on several occasions. The suspect, who had left the store by the time deputies arrived, was also banned from the premises.

• Walmart employees in the 800 block of County Road E on March 10 reported a male customer for tricking a cashier into giving him hundred of dollars that he was not entitled to out of the cash register.

• A White Bear Lake woman reported that someone had stolen four credit cards out

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFS

of her purse while she was dining at Panera Bread in the 900 block of County Road E on March 11.

• A Forest Lake man reported that someone stole his son’s 10-speed bicycle March 11 from the 1400 block of County Road E.

A resident in the 4500 block of Bramblewood Avenue on March 14 reported that someone had stolen thousands of dollars worth of crypto currency out of her online account.

• A Minneapolis man, 43, was arrested March 14 at the intersection of Hoffman Road and County Road E for drug possession, after deputies found him slumped over in the driver’s seat of a vehicle. After performing poorly on field sobriety tests, the subject was taken into custody without incident.

A St. Paul man, 25, and an Afton man, 23, were trespassed from Jimmy’s bar in the 1100 block of County Road E March 14, after they engaged in a mutual fracas. A White Bear Lake man, 34, was arrested for DWI at 2:20 a.m. March 15 at the intersection of I-694 and Edgerton Street, following a traffic stop during which he performed poorly on field sobriety tests.

Mahtomedi man dies, found on sidewalk

White Bear Lake Area

A 51-year-old Mahtomedi man was found dead near a roadway the morning of April 4. According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, they received several 911 calls reporting a man lying on the sidewalk in the 900 block of Woodland Drive in Mahtomedi. Deputies located the man, who was found deceased. WCSO investigators and the Ramsey County Medical Examiner are working to determine the cause of death; however preliminary information does not indicate signs of trauma or foul play. Additional information will be reported as it becomes available.

A Minneapolis man, 34, was arrested March 15 at the intersection of I-35E and County Road E for driving on a cancelled license due to driving behavior inimical to public safety, after deputies who pulled him over learned why he was driving without a license.

• A resident in the 3500 block of Valento Circle reported that someone stole an Amazon package off her front steps March 15. The theft was recorded via Ring camera.

• Employees at a bar and restaurant in the 1100 block of County Road E reported that a man ordered food March 16 , which he ate before walking out of the establishment without paying.

• A resident in the 700 block of Garceau Lane reported that someone had stolen an Amazon package off her front porch March 18.

Statewide tornado drill this week

Washington County will participate in a Statewide Tornado Drill on Thursday, April 11, as part of National Severe Weather Awareness Week. The outdoor warning sirens in Washington County are designed to be heard by people outside of buildings. Residents are urged to research other alert methods such as cell phone capabilities and use NOAA weather radios for their homes and places of business during severe weather incidents.

LUNCH AND TABLE GAMES

WHAT’S HAPPENING

When: noon Wednesday, April 10

Where: Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 3676 Centerville Road, Vadnais Heights

Details: Bring a bag lunch and play table games with friends. Coffee provided.

Contact: 651-429-6595 or cslcvh. org

ZEPHYR GALA

When: 5-9:30 p.m. Friday, April 12

Where: JX Event Venue, Stillwater

Details: Fundraiser for Mahtomedi Area Education Foundation to support and enrich learning experienced for students at Mahtomedi Public Schools.

EAST VS. WEST SHOWDOWN

When: Saturday, April 13

Where: White Bear Lake High School North Campus

Details: High school teams from throughout the Twin Cities, including Mahtomedi and White Bear Lake, compete in 27 lacrosse games.

LAKESHORE QUILTER’S GUILD SATURDAY, SEW-IN

When: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday, April 13

Where: Ramsey County Library, 4560 Victoria St. N., Shoreview Details: Members working on their own quilting projects. Stop in to see what is being worked on.

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

When: 10:30-11:45 a.m. Tuesday, April 16

Where: White Bear Senior Center, Details: Free presentation on how to prepare for and avoid emergency situations.

Contact: 651-653-3121 or whitebearseniorprogram.org

‘MICRONESIAN OUTRIGGER SAILING IN MNI SOTA MAKOCE’

When: 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 18

Where: White Bear Lake Armory, 2228 4th St.

Details: Multimedia presentation about The Native Canoe Program at the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and its effort to research,

teach, and serve the community through the revitalization of Indigenous watercraft from the Pacific and from Dakota and Ojibwe culture and history.  Contact: whitebearhistory.org

EMPOWER ME

When: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday,

April 18

Where: St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 900 Stillwater Rd., Mahtomedi Details: Free imnteractive session on personal safety for children ages 5-10 and adult, led by the director of the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. Registration preferred; not required.

Contact: mahtomedi.ce.eleyo. com

THANK GOODNESS IT’S FOOD (TGIF)

When: 4:30 pr 5:35 p.m. Friday, April 19

Where: White Bear Area Senior Center, 2484 E County Rd F

Details: Adults 50+ can have dinner by Manitou Bar and Kitchen. Register by April 12. Contact: 651-653-3121

ROYAL CANADIAN CIRCUS

When: Various showtimes, April 12-21

Where: Maplewood Mall

Details: Circus perfomances under the big top. General admission seating. See ticket information online.

Contact: royalcanadiancircus.ca

neighbors getting out, walking and talking to each other. It’s such a cool thing.”

Another development was the construction of a rest stop for walkers and cyclists on Bellaire Beach next to the trail. The structure, called Saputo Station, began construction in 2021. It was designed by Wolgamot and retired Mahtomedi architect Bryan Gatzlaff. The station opened in October 2022 and featured a bike rack, information kiosk and repair station. It was dedicated to Wolgamot, who passed away in August.

Further state funding was given to Mahtomedi in 2018, leading to new

additions around the town. City resident and board member Ian Harding helped push for several safety improvements along Wildwood Beach Road and Park Avenue. These included creating road markings along these roads, indicating shared lanes for bicycles and automobiles, often referred to as “sharrows”. Another was installing several “Share The Road” signs and adding 20 mph speed limit signs. These improvements were implemented between the spring and summer of 2022. “I’m very thankful that the city of Mahtomedi has been very responsive in supporting our changes,” said Harding. “It’s important for young people to bike and walk in the community.”

if any, obtained from other sources. Bids will only be accepted via the electronic bidding service through QuestCDN. The City Council reserves the right to reject any and all Bids and to waive any Bids received without explanation. No Bid may be withdrawn for a period of 90 days. For further requirements regarding Bid submittal, qualifications, procedures, and contract award, refer to the Instructions to Bidders that are included in the Bidding Documents.

OF THE SPECIAL PROVISIONS AS THEY AFFECT THIS/THESE PROJECT/PROJECTS

The Minnesota Department of Transportation hereby notifies all bidders: in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Act), as amended and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Subtitle A Part 21, Non-discrimination in Federally-assisted programs of the Department of Transportation, it will affirmatively assure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded maximum opportunity to participate and/or to submit bids in response to this invitation, and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, disability, age, sex or national origin in consideration for an award; in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, and Title 23, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 230 Subpart A-Equal Employment Opportunity on Federal and Federal-Aid Construction Contracts (including supportive services), it will affirmatively assure increased participation of minority groups and disadvantaged persons and women in all phases of the highway construction industry, and that on any project constructed pursuant to this advertisement equal employment opportunity will be provided to all persons without regard to their race, color, disability, age, religion, sex or national origin; in accordance with the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minnesota Statute 363A.08 Unfair discriminatory Practices, it will affirmatively assure that on any project constructed pursuant to this advertisement equal employment opportunity will be offered to all persons without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, membership or activity in a local commission, disability, sexual orientation, or age; in accordance with the Minnesota Human Rights Act, Minnesota Statute 363A.36 Certificates of Compliance for Public Contracts, and 363A.37 Rules for Certificates of Compliance, it will assure that appropriate parties to any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement possess valid Certificates of Compliance.

If you have employed more than 40 full-time employees in any state, on any single working day during the previous 12 months, you must have a compliance certificate issued by the Minnesota Department of Human Rights to bid on any job in this advertisement. Please contact the Department of Human Rights immediately if you need assistance in obtaining a certificate.

The following notice from the Minnesota Department of Human Rights applies to all contractors:

“It is hereby agreed between the parties that Minnesota Statute, section 363A.36 and Minnesota Rules, parts 5000.3400 to 5000.3600 are incorporated into any contract between these parties based on this specification or any modification of it. A copy of Minnesota Statute 363A.36 and Minnesota Rules, parts 5000.3400 to 5000.3600 is available upon request from the contracting agency.”

“It is hereby agreed between the parties that this agency will require affirmative action requirements be met by contractors in relation to Minnesota Statute 363A.36 and Minnesota Rules 5000.3600. Failure by a contractor to implement an affirmative action plan or make a good faith effort shall result in revocation of its certificate or revocation of the contract (Minnesota Statute 363A.36, Subd. 2 and 3).”

This Project has a Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) goal. See the DBE Special Provisions for requirements. DATED: March 14, 2024 BY THE ORDER OF THE CITY COUNCIL s/s Scott Neilson, City Administrator, City of Mahtomedi Published two times in the White Bear Press on April 10 and 17, 2024. US STORAGE CENTERS – WHITE BEAR NOTICE OF SELF STORAGE SALE

Please take notice US Storage Centers – White Bear located at 1828 Buerkle Road White Bear, MN 55110 intends to hold an auction of storage units in default of payment. The sale will occur as an online auction via www. storagetreasures.com on 4/17/2024 at 10:00AM. Unless stated otherwise the description of the contents are household goods, furnishings and garage essentials. Deborah Busse; Michael Bambery; Pakou J Yang; Nancy Hassinger; Cindy Johnson; Joshua Kropp; Glenda Sanders (2 units); Ashley Barrott; Thuy Huyen Nguyen. All property is being stored at the above self-storage facility. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply. Published two times in the White Bear Press on April 3 and 10, 2024.

BIDS DUE: 10:00 A.M., May 9th, 2024

Notice is hereby given that sealed

devices or trick noisemakers

include

party poppers, string poppers, snappers, and drop pops, each consisting of not more than twenty-five hundredths grains of explosive mixture, toy pistols, toy guns, in which paper caps containing 25/100 grains or less of explosive compound are used and toy pistol caps which contain less than 20/100 grains of explosive mixture.

1-5 MANUFACTURER means any person, firm, corporation or partnership engaged in the manufacture of fireworks.

1-6. RETAILER means any person, firm, corporation or partnership purchasing fireworks for resale to consumers.

SECTION 2. LEGAL FIREWORKS

the estimate of quantity of legal fireworks and a letter from the property owner granting permission to the applicant for use of said property. The application also must include a statement that the retail structure is in compliance with National Fire Protection Association Standard 1124.

3-4. An applicant for a permit under this Ordinance shall pay to the Town of White Bear the following fees, which shall not be refundable or pro-rated, per location;

3-4.1. Retailer Permit fee: $100 (retailer sells legal fireworks and other non-firework related retail items)

3-4.2.

the provisions of this Ordinance or has engaged in activities contradictory to the best interest of the citizens of the Town. The Permit issued shall be non-transferable either to different persons or location.

A bi-weekly section where readers will be informed on subjects of seasonal interest, upcoming events and other timely topics.

CLERK’S CORNER – Greetings from the Township! At some point this latest round of winter weather will clear & we will all be thinking about getting our lawns going in the early part of spring. As I have stated over the past several months, White Bear Township was to be operating under the auspices of a legal settlement with respects to the White Bear Lake Level lawsuit; there has been one key change. The State Attorney General has decided not to implement any irrigation bans tied to White Bear Lake until 2025. That being said, we are asking that all of our residents adhere to established Township Ordinance this summer, & please be careful with your water use! Feel free to call our Administrative Offices or watch the Township website for ongoing updates.

TOWNSHIP’S ANNUAL MEETING

REVIEW – White Bear Township held its Annual Town Meeting on March 12. The Annual Town Meeting is where residents in attendance vote to approve a resident

MAHTOMEDI CITY COUNCIL NOTES

to moderate the meeting, the previous year’s meeting minutes, meeting agenda, & preliminary property tax levy.  This year’s meeting was again moderated by Bob Kermes & had approximately 15 residents in attendance. County Attorney John Choi & Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher were also in attendance. Residents received an update on the Town’s finances from the Town Finance Officer, Tom Kelly, after which they approved a 2025 preliminary property tax levy of $6,535,336. The 2024

Annual Town Meeting can be viewed on the Town’s website.

COMPOST BINS & RAIN BARRELS

ARE NOW ON SALE – The Recycling Association of Minnesota is selling compost bins for $76 +tax & rain barrels for $90 +tax. Ramsey County residents can receive a $20 discount on the compost bins by ordering online at RecycleMinnesota.org & entering promo code “RAMSEY.” Pick up your pre-ordered bin on Saturday, April 27

The Mahtomedi City Council at its April 2 meeting awarded the $1.3 million contract for the 2024 street and utility improvement project to OMG Midwest Inc., dba Minnesota Paving and Materials, of Rogers. Bids for the project were received March 27. Of the seven bids received, the lowest bid was submitted by OMG Midwest and totaled $1,394,643.05. The awarded contract is substantially lower than the engineer’s estimate of $1.6 million for the base bid.

• The new pickleball court in Wedgewood Park is now paid for, after council approved the final construction payment to the contractor, Bituminous Roadways Inc., for $1,244.88. The total contract amount for work completed is now $122,688.49.

• The city will be getting its sewer system cleaned after awarding the contract for sanitary sewer cleaning and televising to Pipe Services of Shakopee for $92,922.57. City staff received three quotes for the project on March 26; the low bid was submitted by Pipe Services.

• Each year, liquor licenses for off-sale, on-sale, Sunday, intoxicating and 3.2% off-sale malt liquor come up for renewal, along with gas station licenses and fees. Staff recommended approval of the license renewals, contingent on receipt of all appropriate paperwork and certificates of insurance. Various liquor licenses were renewed for the following businesses in the city: Forster’s Dugout Bar, 96 Mahtomedi Avenue; Wildwood Tavern, 80 Mahtomedi Avenue; Quinny’s Pub, 3140 Century Avenue N.; Liquor Barrel, 3124 Century Avenue N.; Bella Ciao Ristorante, 3156 Century Avenue N.; and Red Luna Seasons, 114 Mahtomedi Avenue. Various gas station permits were renewed for CAPL Retail, LLC dba Express Lane, 1000 Wildwood Road (gasoline filling

PUBLIC NOTICES

in Maplewood. Quantities are limited, so act fast!

ANNUAL TRASH TO TREASURE DAY

– It’s time for cleaning out the yard, the garage, & the basement! Residents who wish to participate in the annual event should place items they no longer want on the curb at the end of their driveways on Saturday April 27, clearly marked as “FREE.” Treasure hunters will have the opportunity to pick up items that are marked as “FREE” at any time that day. Items not taken should be brought in & placed out at the curb on your next garbage day. Contact Republic Services if you need to schedule a pickup for bulky items.

THE TWO TOWNSHIP CLEAN-UP

DAYS ARE BACK – Household Hazardous

Waste Only Collection Day Saturday, May 11, 2024. You can drop off your household hazardous waste items from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Otter Lake Elementary School. Items accepted for FREE are as follows:

station, 3.2% off-sale malt); Holiday Station Store, 780 Stillwater Road (gasoline filling station, 3.2% off-sale malt liquor license); and

• Mahtomedi Automotive Service, 955 Mahtomedi Avenue (pump).

• The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has a grant program for connector trails to be awarded to cities and counties. The city is applying for a grant to improve the 75acre Katherine Abbott Park trail system by constructing 500 feet of paved trail connecting the parking lot to Bichner Lane. This trail is identified in the Safe Routes to School plan as a trail to be completed in the near future. A resolution of support from city engineering staff is required as part of the grant submission and will be included. If the city is awarded a grant by the DNR, it agrees to accept the grant award and contribute a matching grant, as well as comply with all applicable laws, environmental requirements and regulations stated in the grant agreement. The city has secured $20,021 in non-state cash matching funds for this project through the city parks capital improvement project fund.

• Council formally accepted donations of two reclining chairs and kitchen supplies for the Mahtomedi Fire Department. On March 11, the department performed a controlled prairie burn within the city of Grant for Pete Henry, who turned around and donated two chairs to be used in the dayroom. They replaced some broken chairs, said Chief Terry Fischer. Mr. and Mrs. Domine, residents of the city, also donated kitchen pans, plates, silverware and other supplies to the department.

• Council also approved an amendment to the city’s personnel policy-firefighter vacation accrual policy. With the earned sick and safe time legislation that went into effect Jan. 1, this section of the personnel policy is no longer relevant, as paid on-call firefighters and

• The Township board will not enact a lawn irrigation ban this summer. If the regional drought intensifies, however, the governor’s office may still issue an executive action, which is beyond the control of the township board and staff.

• As a reminder, the current Township ordinance dictates that even-numbered houses may only use sprinklers on their lawn on even-numbered calendar days and oddnumbered houses may do the same only on odd-numbered calendar days. Residents may only use sprinklers from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. or 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

If a resident’s water supply is from a private source, such as a well, these rules do not apply.

• South Shore Trinity Lutheran Church will once again have nonexclusive access to Bellaire Beach, where it will host outdoor worship services— weather permitting—in June, July and August on Sundays from 9:45 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.

The church will use electricity

antifreeze, batteries (all types), bug killers, cell phones, cleaners, fluorescent lights, gasoline, mercury thermometers, paint, paint stripper, thinner, old cell phones, pesticides, rate or mouse poison, aerosol spray propane tanks, repellants, used oil & filters, weed killer, & more. Residents of Ramsey, Washington, Hennepin, Anoka, Dakota, Carver, & Scott counties may participate.

Spring Clean-Up Day Saturday, May 18, 2024, is the day you can drop off your other cleanup items from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Otter Lake Elementary School. Items accepted for FREE are as follows: appliances, brush, building materials (small quantities only), carpet, electronics, furniture, lawn mowers (fluid drained), mattresses, tires, scrap metal, & TV’s. Paper shredding will also be available on from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. only. This event is for White Bear Township residents only. Proof of residency is required.

temporary employees now earn one hour of sick time per 30 hours worked.

• Washington County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ryan Corneia attended the meeting to sum up the type of calls the agency received during the past two weeks. Corneia noted the large number of personin-crisis (PIC) calls for service, which amounted to six during the two-week period. “We’re seeing a lot of PIC and mental health calls across the county, so it’s not surprising to see PIC as the bulk of calls we received,” Corneia said. Other calls included one domestic abuse no-contact order (DANCO) violation charge, one juvenile runaway and one domestic violence arrest. “There hasn’t been anything too off the charts, but we’re staying busy,” Corneia said.

• In his report, City Engineer John Sachi said the city is advertising for bids pertaining to the Safe Routes To School Project; the city will open bids May 1. The project includes a pedestrian crossing on Hickory Street and signage at St. Jude of the Lake School. The plan is to start the project this spring and have it completed before school starts in September. The water tower reconditioning project will also start as soon as school gets out, and the CSAH 12 project, an even bigger project, will start April 3 and likely be a major mess, he said.

• Public Works Director Bob Goebel in his report said that the 15 or so inches of heavy snow that fell during the last weekend of March was rough on the plows. “It was a hard push for the trucks, and they did damage some sod,” he said. Goebel added that his department would be making the rounds to repair the damaged sod. Hydrant flushing will begin soon, and the new pickleball court will be ready as soon as the good weather is, he said. The council next meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 26, at City Hall, 600 Stillwater Road.

Loretta Harding

from the Lifeguard Building to power its sound system.

• The board accepted a donation from township resident Beth Artner in the amount of $1,000. The money will be used to plant trees near public buildings.

Township Board Supervisor

Steve Rusek noted that the meeting’s agenda may have mentioned the wrong place. “It says, ‘behind the administrative office building and public works when, in fact, I believe (Artner)… really wants it off the soccer fields to where Tamarack Nature Center cut down all the trees on their property. It’s very barren there…” Town Administrator Patrick Christopherson agreed: “She’s right; it is barren back there.” Chair Ed Prudhon applauded Artner’s citizenship, commenting, “I thought it was pretty generous of her to volunteer that … She’s pretty knowledgeable about nurseries. We could use her input.” The language was amended to give

flexibility to the tree placement. White Bear Township’s computers will integrate CivicClerk Agenda & Meeting Management Software for $11,168 and CivicPlus for Codification & Online Code Hosting Software for $14,950. “The more I look at this, the more it screams, ‘making (Town Attorney Chad Lemmon) happy.’ It’s dialed in to all the legalities of posting, the requirements of maintaining data. Also—the big one—it codifies ordinance.” Christopherson cautioned that the CivicClerk software has a bit of a learning curve and a subscription fee, but said it will save enormous time and money in the long run. Prudhon said, “It helps our staff. We run pretty lean for the population of a township of 11,000 … anything we can help them with some of the workload … and this also gets down to getting rid of paper.”

Logan Gion

Do you see it? Can you feel it? Rest assured; it is coming.

A Tax Freight Train is coming...

And, it’s not this April 15th.

Are you aware that today’s top income tax rates are historically their lowest in 40+ years.

Interest rates started declining in the 80’s, making money easily accessible. Resulting in numerous bull runs since then with the greatest accumulation of wealth over this time period here in the US.

Question. Has the tax bill been paid on this accumulated wealth? No, it has not.

Your largest expense is taxes.

Consider the national debt currently at $34.6T, and rising. Both sides of the aisle spend like crazy.

Where will they look next with their spending to curb the national debt? Your tax deferred retirement accounts are in their sights.

You can plan or you can fail to plan.

We can help.

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A new, self-guided walking group has been started in Vadnais Heights. All are welcome to join on the first and third Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. at Kohler Meadows Park. The group will also meet on the first and fourth Wednesdays at Spooner Park in Little Canada. Walkers will meet from May to October. Learn more and register for free at cityvadnaisheights.com.

Puzzle competition to be held

The city will host its first-ever jigsaw puzzle competition at the Vadnais Heights Commons from 1 to 3 p.m. April 24. Teams of two to four will compete to finish a 500-piece puzzle quickly. Firstplace winners will receive a prize of one different puzzle for each team member. Registration is $40 per group and can be done online at www.cityvadnaisheights.com. Those with questions can email the city at vhinfo@cityvadnaisheights.com.

Sign up for Bald Eagle dinner

All friends of Bald Eagle Lake are invited to the annual fundraising dinner from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Dellwood Country Club. The evening includes food, drinks, games raffles and silent auction. For more details and to

Wanted to Buy WANTED: ALL 1970S MOTORCYCLES Running or not Titled or not Will pick up. Cash in exchange. Sell now before prices fall. Call Dan at 612/720-2142

register, go to baldeagleassn.org.

Black Bear Yacht Club to hold welcoming event

The Black Bear Yacht Racing Association will hold an ice-breaker event for new members interested in joining the organization. The event will take place in the community room of the Boatworks Commons at 5 p.m. April 21. The cost of attendance is $15 per person. Attendance is open to current yacht club members as well as newcomers. Dinner will be provided, and will feature an appearance by guest speaker Norm Schultz. To register, please fill out the form provided at www.bbyra.com. Once completed, please mail the form to BBYRA, P.O. Box 10802, White Bear Lake, MN 55110, or email to bbyra. mn@gmail.com no later than April 10.

Celebrate the Earth

Mahtomedi’s 18th annual RITE (Really Into The Earth) of Spring event will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 20, at Wildwood Elementary School. The free, family-friendly event features local organizations and tables with information and resources. In addition, Washington County will hold a prescription drug take-back event at the location from

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Accepted items include over-the-counter medications for individuals and pets and include pills/capsules, blister packs, creams/ gels, unused EpiPens, inhalers, patches, liquids, powders and sprays. Medications may be kept in original containers or a small bag and are placed anonymously in a drop box. Needles, syringes, thermometers and vaping devices or liquids are not accepted.

Washington County will also host a household hazardous waste and document shredding event the same day at Mahtomedi Middle School from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free for households; proof of residency in Washington County is required. The recycling event is not open to businesses. For a list of items that are accepted, go to co.washington. mn.us/1942/One-Day-CollectionEvents.

Historical Society hosts traveling exhibit

The White Bear Lake Area Historical Society will host the nationally recognized traveling exhibit “Why Treaties Matter: Self-government in the Dakota and Ojibwe Nations.” The exhibit provides a perspective on the history of Minnesota’s Indigenous peoples

through an exploration of the various treaties that still impact the contemporary era. The exhibit will be open to the public April 16 through May 15.

A special members-only preview event will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 15. Members can RSVP by April 12 to  allison@ whitebearhistory.org or by phone at 651-407-5327.

Visit whitebearhistory.org for more information about the exhibit.

Road construction ‘season’ kicks off

Construction has begun on County State Aid Highway 12 (Stillwater Road/75th Street) in Mahtomedi. The project is the third phase of the CSAH 12 corridor improvement project. This project includes new pavement for all roadways and trails from East Avenue/Hallam Avenue to Kimbro Avenue on CSAH 12. It also includes a new signal at CSAH 12 and East Avenue/Hallam Avenue and replacement of the signal at CSAH 12 and CSAH 29.

The project will impact access and commuting to Mahtomedi High School, Mahtomedi Middle School, and Wildwood Elementary School and is expected to continue through the summer.

White Bear Lake Speech Team conveys the power of words

BY ERIK SUCHY STAFF WRITER

The power of words and the performances of the writers who craft them have a special place at White Bear Lake Area High School. They form the core of the school’s speech team. Here, students are excited about the work they create to perform for audiences.

“Being on the speech team has allowed me to connect with my teammates and even my competitors,” said team captain Alexander Her. “It’s also helped me build friendships with my fellow White Bear students and those around the Twin Cities.”

Her, a senior, is in his second year on the speech team. He joined the year before on a recommendation from a classmate. “How they described the team interested me,” Her said. “Once I got in touch with Traci, our head coach, everything took off.”

Her’s favorite genre to write in is

WBL Speech Team Suburban East All-Conference Winners:

• Mariam Elias-Danjuma in Duo

• Praise Oyekunle in Duo Sanyu Mwassa in Drama and Duo

called informative speaking. Here, the student will speak on a topic using facts and statistics to convey a certain point. Her uses this form to discuss social issues. Previously, his work focused on stereotypes in the AsianAmerican community. This year, he is spotlighting how racism affects minorities’ access to different financial resources and education. “I focus on these topics because I know I’m very passionate about them,” Her said.

Her has qualified in the Informative Speaking category for the 2024 Nationals, and is the recipient of the 2024 Anker Anchor Award for Excellence, Empathy, and Encouragement.

Her’s co-captain, Mariam EliasDanjuma, shares similar enthusiasm about her work and that of other team members. “I love sharing my stories with others,” said Danjuma. “Being around those who like telling stories in different creative ways is something I look forward to every day.”

WBL Speech Team MSHSL Section 4AA Speech Tournament Results:

• Alexander Her - sixth place finalist in Informative Speaking

• Sanyu Mwassa - Dramatic Interpretive champion Praise Oyekunle - Poetry champion

• Mariam Elias-Danjuma - Prose champion

When Danjuma first joined the speech team, her work focused on prose interpretation from Black authors. This form of speaking is a 10-minute monologue from a book or literature. This season, she is focusing on different presentation types in addition to prose. One is programmed oral interpretation, combining reading from books, poetry, films and news articles to form one speech. Danjuma’s topic addresses missing and murdered Black women and their representation.

“I think that many Black women’s stories are being told by people other than us,” said Danjuma. “Rather than having people speak over us, we need to speak for ourselves.”

Danjuma placed first in the prose category at the Minnesota State

High School League State Speech Tournament in 2023. That same year, she won first in Dramatic Interpretation at the National Individual Events Tournaments and Champions.

Danjuma is also a filmmaker, a subject she will pursue more fully after graduation. Her short film “Her Eyes Spoke” will premiere at the Nextwave Youth Media Showcase at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival on April 14.

“Whatever you put into it is what you get out of it,” Her said about the best strategies for competing successfully. “It’s about putting in the time and work to give yourself space to improve. It gives you more confidence in public speaking and a platform to share the stories you want heard.”

OBITUARIES

Sandra Jean Larsen

Age 82 of White Bear Lake, MN passed away peacefully on March 29, 2024. Graduate of White Bear H.S. (1960). Sandy spent a lot of her years volunteering at Central Jr. H.S. She loved spending summers at the cabin and was a wildlife enthusiast. Sandy loved gardening, watching the MN Vikings, reading and needle point.

Preceded in death brother, David Otte. Survived by her husband of 63 years, Ron; children, Wendy (Jim) Uzarek, Heide (Jim) Reilly and Lori (Andrew) Braum; grandchildren, Kathleen, James, Owen and Joe; sisters, Linda Gerga, Jennifer Bergstrom, Joann Books and their families; other relatives and friends. A celebration of Sandy’s life will be held at a later date this late spring or summer. Special thanks the entire staff at The Waters of White Bear Lake for their care and support. Sandy was a happy and kind person. She will be missed.

Jack David Shovein

1959-2024 went home to the Lord, March 23,2024. He was called home, in the Santartia Mountains, Medera Canyon of the Coronado National Forest in Green Valley, Arizona. He was on his bike; cause of death is still pending. His love of biking brought him to Arizona. He was a wonderful husband, father, brother and friend!

Preceeded in death by brother Danny Shovein. He is survived by his wife, Jill Thomsen, his son Zachary Kponee-Shovein (Kale), daughter Chloe Shovein (Allen Michael), granddaughter Venus Coco. Sisters, Gayle Walkowiak (Mike) and Sandy Oliver (Tim), brother Michael Shovein (Mary), his bonus sons Jacob and Joshua Thomsen, nieces and nephews, and so many friends.

A celebration of life service will be April 10 at 9-10:30 a.m., prior to a 10:30 a.m. church service at Renovation Church, 12390 Frazier St, Blaine MN. Immediately following, a lunch reception at the North Oaks Golf Club in North Oaks, Minnesota. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up, for Jack’s grandchildren. Memorial gifts to: Jill Thomsen - Memorial, 19 Dove Ln, North Oaks, MN 55127.

CORRECTION

In the last issue, the article “White Bear alum leveling up Hollywood’s sound” contained an error. It should have stated that Jill Defiel is a mix technician, not a sound mixer. We apologize for the error.

Allan R. Zabel

Age 80 of White Bear Lake. Beloved husband, dad, grandpa, great-grandpa. Passed away on March 25, 2024. Survived by wife, Polly; five children, and a large extended family.

Memorial service will be at 1:00pm on Saturday, April 20 at Bradshaw, 4600 Greenhaven Drive, White Bear, with visitation beginning at 11:00am. Memorials preferred to Can Do Canines.

ZEPHYRS SPORTS BRIEFS

TRACK

The Mahtomedi track teams opened with a threeteam meet at Hastings. The Zephyr boys and girls each placed second behind Hastings, with HillMurray third. Zephyr boys winners were Jonah McCormick (110 and 300 hurdles), Eliah McCormick (high jump, 6-2), Alec Mahoney (long jump, 19-5) and Michael Barry (triple jump, 43-1). Zephyr girls winners were Kaili Malvey (high jump, 5-2, and long jump, 16-0) and Natalie Jackson (shot put, 30-9).

TENNIS

Mahtomedi won three matches at Eagan to open the season. The Zephyrs beat Elk River 4-3, Eagan 5-2 and St. Paul Academy 4-3. Sam Rathmanner (at No. 1) and Jack Allaben were 3-0 and Will Lieberman 2-1 in singles. Brandon Pham won two singles matches and a 1-doubles match with Aidan Wald.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Mahtomedi had three all-conference picks after a runner-up season: Ben Carlson, Tyler Swanson, and Micah Schmidt, all seniors. Honorable mentions went to junior Ethan Felling and freshman Willie Roelofs. Carlson was team MVP and Mr. Defense. Other awards went to Swanson (most improved), Mark Graff (workhorse) and Noah Carlson (outstanding attitude). Ben Carlson led the team with 13.9 points, 4.1 assists and 3.3 steals per game, and with 100 free shots in 137 attempts. Swanson averaged 11.6 points and led with 83 three’s in 243 attempts. Schmidt averaged 9.3 points and led with 8.7 rebounds per game. Roelofs averaged 9.0 points and Felling 6.7. The Zephyrs were 12-4 in conference for second place behind Tartan (15-1) and 16-12 overall.

Teammate honored through championship season

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

A Mahtomedi hockey team that capped its season with a

state championship started that season dealing with a tragedy. A teammate, Samson Walters, 16, of Hugo, died in an auto accident on Dec. 2 shortly before their opening game.

“The kids were troopers,” said coach Cory Huberty, referencing how the Junior Gold U16 boys handled it.

“We had his jersey hanging on our bench every game, and we carried it through the handshake line after the games. We knelt after games. We did nine stick taps on the ice. Nine was Samson’s number.”

Some teams knelt with them, including White Bear Lake, he added. Cottage Grove, their first opponent, had patches made for both teams.

Carrying the memory of

Samson through the season, Mahtomedi posted a 38-2-6 overall record, capped by a 5-1 win over Moorhead in the state finals March 16 at South St. Paul. Weston Gahm scored two goals and Kyler Gunderson, Ethan Kutzer and Baylon Schintz one each. Goalie Nico Huberty stopped 17 of 18 shots.

Junior Gold is a program for players who are not on their high school team.

Mahtomedi was 18-1-5 in conference, playing mostly at Harding High School, won two of three regular season tournaments, and went 9-0 in league, section and state playoffs.

Other team members were Ryan Nelson, Gunnard Larson, Joshua Kirkwood,

Bears stymie Mounds View, Stillwater for 2-0 start

Behind solid pitching by Lilly Martin, White Bear Lake softball rolled to victories over Mounds View 6-1 and Stillwater 8-0 to start the season.

Martin, sophomore righthander, limited Mounds View to two hits and a walk, striking

out eight. Maddy Belisle was 2-for-3 with a triple, walk, two runs and an RBI. Aubrey Parker drove home a run with a long double and scored on Paige Tubbesing’s single. Heidi Barber had RBI’s on a single and ground out. Anessa Pena singled, walked and scored twice.

Martin blanked perennial power Stillwater (2-1) at home

on two hits and four walks, striking out six. The Bears made no errors and Belisle ended the game with a diving catch in center. Pinch hitter Amanda Meyers ripped a three-run double. Other key hits were a two-run single by Pena and RBI singles by Maddie Pearson and Aubrey Lund. Belisle was 2-for-4 and Pearson 2-for-2 plus a walk.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Maddy Belisle

White Bear Lake Softball

Maddy Belisle was a spark with her bat and glove to help the Bears softball team win its first two games. Batting leadoff, Belisle was 4-for-7 with a triple, walk, and three runs. The junior centerfielder made standout catches in each game as well. A second-year starter, she hit .235 with one homer on the state tourney team last year. “Maddy brings consistency, confidence, and experience to our team,” coach Jill Leverity said. “She’s always someone the team can rely on to get her job done. Plus, she’s a fun kid to be around.” Belisle was also a defenseman on the hockey team, logging seven goals and 10 assists.

Maddy Belisle

Bears to add boys volleyball

Boys volleyball will be added as an MSHSL-sanctioned sport next year and White Bear Lake will field a team, announced Activities Director Brian Peloquin. It will be a spring sport. Peloquin said the school had a club team this spring. About 40 boys have tried out. A coach has been hired, Luke Lopez, who has been coaching in the Northern Lights club program.

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Tyler Leciewjewski, Finn Hemenway, Jack Stepan, Trent Steenberg, Kyle Plumley, Jack Tarnowski, Brennan Dambowy, Kurtis Withers, and Charles Hauer.

The Mahtomedi U16 Junior Gold team, after their state finals win over Moorhead.

Samson Walters