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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 VOL. 123 NO. 48 www.whitebearpress.com $1.00
AUGER’S: 100 years under the hood PAGE 3A
Solid Ground: 30 years of bringing homeless home BY SARA MARIE MOORE VADNAIS HEIGHTS EDITOR
There are about 37,000 rental units in the Twin Cities that are considered affordable to very low-income families, but 109,000 families who need them. Solid Ground, a supportive housing agency based in White Bear Lake, aims to decrease that gap. It works with homeless families referred to them in Washington and Ramsey counties. “All the families we serve have experienced homelessness or were at imminent risk,” said Trisha Cummins Kauffman, the organization’s executive director. Many, but not all, have experienced domestic violence. The nonprofit organization has two transitional housing sites — one near Century Avenue in White Bear Lake and another in Maplewood specifically for veteran families. It also has scattered-site transitional housing in Washington and Ramsey counties. Solid Ground provides a portion of the rent. It works with landlords across the area and tries to place families near where they were previously living so the children’s education is not disrupted. In 2018, Solid Ground housed 82 families (107 adults and 190 children) through its five programs, according to its annual report. In White Bear Lake at East Metro Place, it has 20 transitional housing units (for up to two years) and 14 permanent units, Kauffman said. All residents have leases; rent is 30 percent of income and the rest is subsidized through Section 8. Still, Solid Ground wishes it could do more. In Washington County, there is a yearlong waiting list for a housing provider such as Solid Ground. The agency’s biggest challenge is finding developers or landlords that are willing to work with low-income families. “Discriminating against Section 8 is discriminating against poor families,” Kauffman noted. The families who go through their program are given tenant training and landlords shouldn’t be nervous — it’s a guarantee that rent will be paid. Still, the nonprofit has received great support from the community. Solid Ground receives about one-third of its funding from the government, one-third
Water Gremlin speaks out about pollution investigation BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP — A spokesman for Water Gremlin, the manufacturer sidelined for chemical emissions infractions, wants the community to know they are working to make things better. “Water Gremlin has been here for 70 years. We’ve always pictured ourselves to be responsible environmental stewards,” professed Carl Dubois, vice president of international manufacturing.
“When we got the information at the most senior levels that we have a historical emissions problem, we were mortified. We are responsible and we accept accountability for it. Most importantly, we’ve committed to doing everything to make it right.” Part of that commitment has been finding an alternative solvent for the company’s battery terminal coating process. On March 1, Water Gremlin SEE WATER GREMLIN, PAGE 8A
DEBRA NEUTKENS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Carl Dubois is vice president of manufacturing at Water Gremlin.
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Grant celebrates 10th year of rolling rural tradition A young spectator scoops up some candy as some of the dozens of entries in the Grant Heritage Days Tractor Parade roll along Lofton Avenue near the Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter restaurant Saturday, Sept. 7. It was the 10th year of the annual event that, along with tractors, is also open to a variety of other vehicles including bicycles, vintage cars, construction equipment and firetrucks.
SEE SOLID GROUND, PAGE 9A
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