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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBE NOVEMBER 6, 2019, 2019 VOL. 124 NO. 4 www.whitebearpress.com www.whitebea $1.00
GRANTS: Made possible by generous neighbors PAGE 14A
District court judge allows conditional restart for Water Gremlin
WWII vet surprised by his longevity BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
There aren't many WWII veterans left; especially one with his memory intact. At 97, Dick Arcand of Gem Lake is rare for other reasons, too. Other than his service in the U.S. Army, he has never left town. His recollections of area history are invaluable, as is his treasure trove of memorabilia. He's been interviewed before. Arcand was raised by his grandmother on a Portland Avenue farm after being orphaned at 7. He attended Beach School #26 until eighth grade then went to White Bear High School where he lettered in football, graduating in 1941. But back to WWII. Two years out of high school, Arcand was drafted. It didn't matter that he was married with a baby at home. He got hitched to a classmate named Shirley Hoffman July 16, 1941. They had become better acquainted a couple years earlier when Shirley asked Dick to skate with her at the Hippodrome. She was the daughter of Henry Hoffman, Gem Lake's first mayor and owner of a produce business at Hoffman Corner. Shirley was the family's documentarian. Back then, she probably called it scrap booking. Dick's Army years are lovingly chronicled in a remarkable album full of photographs, newspaper clippings, greeting cards and bits and pieces of history; like her husband's train ticket when he traveled from Piccadilly Circus in England to Chester. England was Dick's destination after a short training stint at Camp Barkeley, Texas. He expected to work as a clerk for the U.S. Army, but the powers that be decided the war effort had too many clerks. What the Army needed were barbers. Armed with comb, scissors, clippers and straight-edge razor, Arcand learned his craft on board a Dutch ship called the Volendam on his way to England. His barber skills were less than exemplary at first.
BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR
ST. PAUL — District Court Judge Leonardo Castro allowed Water Gremlin employees to return to work Nov. 5 after attorneys for the company and state agencies hashed out an action plan to keep lead dust from leaving the plant. The judge also made it clear he wouldn't hesitate to stop operations if he is not satisfied with the company's efforts to comply. In a joint statement by the Minnesota Department of Health, Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) and Ramsey County Public Health following the Friday hearing, agency officials said they "appreciate the court's action to begin the process of ensuring that Water Gremlin employees and their children are safe from lead poisoning. "These first steps by Water Gremlin are important, but not sufficient, and as the court made clear, will need to be followed by more permanent solutions." The agencies agreed that progress has been made in addressing "serious health concerns" but more work is needed. "Our priority during the coming days will be to effectively monitor Water Gremlin's implementation of the court order and be certain Water Gremlin management and consultants understand clearly what must be done to resume operations safely," the statement read. The company was shut down Oct. 28 after elevated lead levels were found in a dozen children of employees. The district court was then asked to hear the labor department's request to extend the stop order indefinitely. Water Gremlin attorney Thaddeus Lightfoot, an environmental specialist with Dorsey & Whitney LLP, told the judge his client "has moved heaven and earth" to create an acceptable plan for restart. Dubbed the Clean Exit plan, it's divided into three phases. Phase I consists of activities the company will implement in 30 days or less. In the very short-term, employees were to receive third-party training on lead reduction and hazard SEE HEARING, PAGE 9A
SUBMITTED
Above, Dick Arcand was a barber with the 81st Hospital Field Unit that followed Gen. George Patton’s Third Army. This picture was taken in Bavaria, Germany. At right, the Gem Lake veteran displays the U.S. Army scrap book his late wife Shirley compiled after the war.
SEE VETERAN, PAGE 8A DEBRA NEUTKENS
Army instills veteran with service mentality would do. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to continue that (tradition) and to serve my country,” he said. “It wasn't something that you thought about in our family, it was just when do you leave to do it. I took a lot of pride in that.” Loeks later found out that his biological family (he was adopted through the foster care system at a young age), including both of his parents and his sisters, also had a tradition of Jeff Loeks serving in the military — specifically, the Army. Upon leaving the military, Loeks moved to Denver to
BY SHANNON GRANHOLM THE CITIZEN EDITOR
With a list of service projects that could fill a novel, it is no surprise that Army veteran Jeff Loeks will be recognized with an award later this month. Loeks is a 2019 Wilbur Thomas Community Service Award recipient. The award is presented annually to HealthPartners team members who strive to improve their communities through outstanding volunteer service. Loeks, a White Bear Township resident, is no stranger to coverage in Press Publications' newspapers. Numerous articles have been published about him, all with the common theme of service. Loeks served in the Army’s 3rd Ranger Battalion from 1988 to 1992 and was deployed to the invasion of Panama and Desert Storm. Serving in the military is a tradition in Loeks' family. “Since I was 5 years old, I just knew that that was what I
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