Press Publications 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 9 CIRCLE PINES, MN
Pharmacist owned. Transfer now and enjoy the best service south of the lake.
651-289-4300 2008 County Road E at White Bear Avenue
WEDNESDAY, JULY 12, 2017
VOL. 121 NO. 39 www.presspubs.com $1.00
STING: Mahtomedi man arrested for sex trafficking PAGE 6A
A boy in the boat: Rower restores single racing shell BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
If you see a rowing shell shortly after dawn on White Bear Lake, chances are good it’s Randy LaFoy. The Birchwood resident moved near the lake years ago to sail, but now relies on zero wind to enjoy a favorite pastime. Surprisingly, LaFoy has never seen another scull — the term for rowing with two oars — on White Bear Lake. “You would think that more people would be doing it. It’s a poetic and romantic kind of boat; a throwback to the Fitzgerald era,” he observed.
The lone one-man rowing shell was built by George Pocock, a British builder famous for his classic racing boats. His cedar shells are said to have set the standard for most of the 20th century in collegiate and Olympic rowing. A shell made by Pocock was used in the 1936 Berlin Olympics by an eightman rowing team from the University of Washington. Their stunning gold medal win in front of Adolf Hitler is celebrated in a book called “The Boys in the Boat” by Daniel James Brown. LaFoy bought his Pocock shell, built in the ‘50s, from a Birchwood neighbor SEE ROWING, PAGE 8A
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
The Pocock racing shell was completely refurbished by Randy LaFoy, who has been rowing on White Bear Lake for eight years. The long restoration process was often described as “one step forward, two steps back.”
Summertime spritz
3 fires hit White Bear Lake area within a week BY SARA MARIE MOORE VADNAIS HEIGHTS EDITOR
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Paul Chapin of Bald Eagle Lake in White Bear Township creates a shimmering wall of water while skiing in the slalom event during the Greater Midwest Open Saturday, July 8. He was among several local athletes who participated in the event, which returned to Island Lake in Shoreview after a 10-year hiatus. Paul is president of the USA Water Ski Foundation, a past national champion, and has been competing since age 11. See tournament results starting on page 2B.
Three residential fires occurred within the span of a week in the White Bear Lake area recently. A house fire occurred in the 1900 block of Florence Street about 9 p.m. June 26. The two residents were safely evacuated, but the home suffered about $100,000 in damage, said White Bear Lake Police Chief and Interim Fire Chief Julie Swanson. “We don't know the cause of it yet,” Swanson noted. “It may have been electrical. We have had a tough time figuring out the cause.” The fire department was notified through a fire alarm alert while the residents were evacuating, Swanson said. A shed fire occurred four days later in the 2100 block of Regent Drive about midnight. The homeowner reported the blaze and their neighbors tried to extinguish it, Swanson reported. The fire department extinguished the fire, but the shed was destroyed. All occupants of the house
SELECTION STARTS FOR NEW FIRE CHIEF A li ti Applications closed l d JJuly l 3 ffor a new White Bear Lake fire chief. City Manager Ellen Richter said 23 applications were received from “very qualified individuals.” The next step is to administer a written exercise to narrow the selected top candidates to finalists, who will then be interviewed by two committees, one comprised of staff/administration/chiefs from outside agencies and the other of fire department members and retirees. According to Richter, plans are to have a new chief in place in early September, after Labor Day.
were also evacuated but the fire did not spread to the house. “The cause of the fire has not been determined,” Swanson noted. A third fire occurred two days later in Dellwood. The kitchen fire was reported about 6 p.m. in the 60 block of Glen Edge Road, Swanson said. “The homeowner came SEE RASH OF FIRES, PAGE 8A
NOW A FULL-SERVICE TIRE & AUTOMOTIVE SHOP! M-F 7AM-6PM • SAT 7:30AM-2PM • CLOSED SUN
3001 Hwy 61 N., Maplewood, MN
651-483-2601 • www.venburgtire.com
NEWS 651-407-1233 whitebearnews@presspubs.com
ADVERTISING 651-407-1200 marketing@presspubs.com
CIRCULATION 651-407-1234 ppcirc@presspubs.com
CLASSIFIED 651-407-1250 classified@presspubs.com
PRODUCTION 651-407-1239 ppcomp@presspubs.com