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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2019
VOL. 123 NO. 47 www.whitebearpress.com $1.00
CREAM AND CURDS: Breakfast on the farm PAGE 3A
Manufacturer continues to weather media storm BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Late summer sun angling Christine, Cenley, Cadence, Cendall and Michael Kurr soak up some late summer sunshine while casting their lines into White Bear Lake from a dock in Dellwood last week. The family dog “Epic,” a Harlequin Great Dane, joined them on the early evening outing. For meteorologists, autumn begins on Sept. 1. If you want summer to stretch out a little longer, the astronomical season is based on the autumnal equinox, with the autumn season beginning on Sept. 23 this year.
WHITE BEAR LAKE — Every day there seems to be more news on Water Gremlin and its modus operandi. Last week’s headlines started with a WCCO report that the township manufacturer of fishing sinkers and battery terminals was moving its coating process out of state by contracting with a Hudson, Wisconsin, company. A day later, that company, Hi-Tech Finishing, announced it was terminating the arrangement, noting it was not aware the chemicals used in the process were “unsafe and unhealthy.” A letter from the CEO said they became aware of this fact Aug. 26 after being advised by local media. On Tuesday, Aug. 27, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) held a community meeting at Central Middle School to talk about its investigation and answer questions from frustrated residents who want answers on how and why Water Gremlin remains in business. MPCA Commissioner Laura Bishop kicked off the meeting, acknowledging that Water Gremlin’s pollution problems “landed on my plate” her first week on the job. SEE MEDIA STORM, PAGE 8A
District asks community to invest in aging facilities BY SARA MARIE MOORE VADNAIS HEIGHTS EDITOR
WHITE BEAR LAKE — The average age of school buildings in the district is 50 years. The district’s proposed $326 million bond referendum, which will be on the ballot this fall, will provide updates at all district schools, a new elementary school in Hugo and a renovated, one-campus high school. Taking care of district building upgrades is the responsibility of the community, according to Assistant Superintendent of Finance and Operations Tim Wald. The state provides funding for teaching and learning, but building quality is the decision of the community.
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“All school facilities are entirely the responsibility of the community, so if we are going to build a new school, that becomes our community’s responsibility,” Wald told a group gathered at last week’s White Bear Rotary Club meeting. The district has systems in some schools that are 50 to 70 years old. It hasn’t built a new or renovated secondary school since 1974. “At some point you have to ask the taxpayers, are we ready to invest in our facilities?” he noted. The bond referendum was also put forth due to growing enrollment. The district projects that more than 2,000 new students will move into the
DEBRA NEUTKENS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
School superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak presented “Referendum 2019 Ballot” at the Aug. 28 Rotary Club meeting.
SEE BOND REFERENDUM, PAGE 9A
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