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Letters to Santa

Press Publications has helped deliver over 100 letters to Santa. Each year, Press Publications asks children to drop off their letters to Santa in the big red mailbox outside of the ofﬁce in White Bear Lake, or to mail them in. Some of the desired items this year included: puppies, cookies, Hot Wheels, snakes, dollhouses stuffed animals and more. Perhaps some of the more unique wishes included: fake diamonds, Jeep Gladiators, gumball machines and a hook for a stocking. Be sure to read even more Santa letters online at presspubs.com. SEE LETTERS TO SANTA, PAGES 14A & 15A

Outgoing mayor reflects on years of service BY DEBRA NEUTKENS STAFF WRITER

For the first time in her life, Jo Emerson will be responsible only for herself after her last City Council meeting in January. Widowed last year, White Bear Lake’s mayor did not run for re-election, deciding it was time to pass the baton. "I’m starting a new chapter," Emerson said. "I have no idea what the future holds, but the unknown is not scary. I won’t be bored." That may be hard to believe from a mayor who "never said no," according to longtime former City Manager Mark Sather. "Jo broke a lot of (glass) ceilings," observed Sather. "She was a champion

keynote speaker at Girl’s State for seven years. She lead the city through major projects like Boatworks Commons, the boardwalk and senior housing, and issues like climate change and the never-ending lake level lawsuit, to name a few. Growing up an Army "brat," Emerson has a soft spot for veterans and is a lifetime member of the VFW Auxiliary. She was there when Medal of Honor recipients went ice fishing on White Bear Lake and got goosebumps when one put his medal in her hand. "That was extremely meaningful," she said. Calling her 12 years as mayor the highlight of her life, Emerson ticked SEE MAYOR EMERSON, PAGE 8A

PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

After 12 years, Mayor Jo Emerson officially ends her tenure at the Jan. 11 City Council meeting.

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for women’s rights and individual rights even before she became mayor." And her response in the affirmative to any request made Emerson "a pleasure to work with." "The mayor represented the city’s interests in a positive way on a statewide and national level," Sather added. "Jo did that more than any other mayor I worked with, and I worked with seven." The list of accomplishments and significant events during Emerson’s tenure is long. She served as president of the Minnesota Mayor’s Association and League of Minnesota Cities. She read to elementary students, spoke to high schoolers about local government, attended DARE graduations and was a

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School district receives clean bill of health on 2021 financial audit costs. The changes also include a prior-year adjustment, increasing the general fund by approximately $1.39 million. “We really work hard to make sure that as debt changes, we flatten out the impact on property taxes,” said Tim Wald, assistant superintendent of finance and operations. Property owners can expect to see slight changes, with increases estimated between $13 and $40 for residential homesteads. Other property types may see decreases or varying changes, depending on property value. Before the end of the meeting, the board also recognized the service of retiring board members Kim Chapman and Don Mullin. Chapman and Mullin were presented Bear awards

in recognition and appreciation of their work on behalf of students, staff, families and the community. In other action, the board: • Heard an update from representatives of the Bear Care Health and Wellness Clinic. This partnership with St. Catherine’s University allows students from families with low or no insurance to receive affordable health care. The program is growing and will require more space. It will likely begin to implement a billing system to keep up with costs while working with families to keep expenses low or at no cost for those without insurance. • Approved the proposed calendars for school years 2022-2023 and 20232024.

Celebrations Happy 50th Birthday Beth! Love, Mom

• Accepted 11 Brosius teaching grants from the White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation in the amount of $22,967.30. • Formally selected “North Star Elementary” as the name for the new

elementary school in Hugo. • Approved revisions to school policies related to attendance, wellness, tutoring, waste reduction and recycling, and crisis management.

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As far as financial reporting goes, the White Bear Lake School District has managed to whip itself into shape with a faultless audit report for fiscal year 2021. Jim Eichten of the district’s auditing firm of Malloy, Montague, Karnowski, Radosevich and Co. (MMKR) delivered the good news during the Dec. 13 meeting of the school board. Last year, the financial audit produced six findings of concern. These included best practices issues with payroll, as well as shortcomings in filing appropriate reports and failure to obtain multiple quotes for contract work. All of these issues were absent in the 2021 audit report. “These are exceptional results for the district this year,” Eichten said. He called the results commendable at a time when many school districts are facing challenges related to COVID-19. “To eliminate six other findings you reported last year; it’s great news for this district,” Eichten said. In additional to hearing the results of the audit, the main business of the evening was the approval of the proposed payable 2022 property tax levy. Statistics from the Minnesota Department of Education show that the general education formula

used to fund schools has not kept pace with inflation since FY 20022003. Special education in particular has been underfunded in recent years—a problem that most districts try to solve through a combination of cuts to other budget areas and increases in referendum revenue. The board approved the 2022 property tax levy of 0.37 percent, an increase of $209,384 from 2021. General operating expenses will see an increase of $330,000 under the inflationary increase of the voter-approved operating referendum. However, the general fund for Long Term Facility Maintenance (LTFM) and the voter-approved debt service fund will see some decreases, since the district is eligible for LTFM revenue based on state-approved project

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BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

DECEMBER 22, 2021

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White Bear teacher picks name for new elementary

SOMETHING

Big

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER

When Becky Butters-Levahn passed the construction site of the new Hugo elementary school on a casual bike ride, she had no way of knowing she’d be the one to name it several months later. Butters-Levahn’s suggestion of North Star Elementary was chosen from more than 80 name ideas submitted by members of the community. The name was formally approved at the Dec. 13 meeting of the White Bear Lake Area School Board. Butters-Levahn was joined by her father, Bill Butters, on the fateful cycling outing that took them past the site of the new school on Highway 61, just north of the Hugo Post Office. “We discussed how the new school will be the northernmost part of our school district, and that the North Star has been a guiding light to many generations and cultures,” Butters-Levahn said. The pair also chatted about the Minnesota North Stars hockey team, on which Bill Butters played in the ‘70s. “We thought it would be a nostalgic nod to the state of hockey,” Butters-Levahn said. Butters-Levahn and her family have a long history in the district: she attended Hugo Elementary School as a child and graduated from White Bear Lake High School in 1998. “This is especially an honor for me because I attended Hugo when it was the only school in town,” she said. She recalled that some of her best memories and teachers were there, naming Mrs. Birch, Mrs. Bedard and Mrs. Oswald. Her father also graduated from White Bear Lake, and her mother is a retired physical education teacher in the district. Her brother and his wife are both teachers at Matoska. In 2005, Butters-Levahn began working as a special education teacher in White Bear Lake. She currently works at Lincoln Elementary. “We have a lot of history and background here, so it is truly exciting to be a part of the new community as well as the old,” Butters-Levahn said. Butters-Levahn heard the news from current Lincoln Elementary Principal Dan Schmidt, who will serve as the principal at North Star when it opens in fall of 2022.

IS HAPPENING

BECKY BUTTERS-LEVAHN BUTTERS LEVAHN | CONTRIBUTED

White Bear special education teacher Becky Butters-Levahn and her father, Bill Butters, on the summer bike ride that inspired the name of new North Star Elementary School.

“North Star is a positive name that mirrors the school’s location in the district,” Schmidt said at the Dec. 13 meeting. “It is an orienting star in the Northern Hemisphere that is inspiring and uplifting.” Schmidt also noted the historical significance of the star, providing examples of the directional guidance used by slaves seeking freedom and the importance of the star to some Indigenous communities. The North Star’s relation to nature was listed as another strong tie to the school’s name, as natural elements have been worked into the design of the new building to take advantage of the natural setting of the school. Schmidt also noted that the North Star is part of the Little Dipper, also known as Little Bear. Construction continues on North Star Elementary, located on Highway 61, north of the Hugo Post Office. The project is scheduled to be finished before the 2022-23 school year and will serve students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade in the northern part of the district. The community will be invited in to tour the new building later this summer when the elementary school is completed. “I am beyond grateful that my name suggestion was chosen and will treasure this memory with my Dad,” Butters-Levahn said. Updates on the North Star Elementary project, along with other construction projects throughout the district, can be found at the district website, directly at isd624.org/BuildingOurFuture.

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The challenges of TikTok

ur schools and local authorities are being tasked with deciphering and decoding social media posts like never before. As parents, we need to be code breakers, too. TikTok users – many of whom are teens and young adults - try to become “famous” by seeking likes and views on their seconds-long video posts. Posts that go “viral” may be copied by millions of people. You may have have heard about the TikTok challenges and other challenges posted on social media over the years. Many seem pretty harmless, like the ones that feature dancing, or the ice bucket challenge that raised awareness and funds for charity. The cinnamon challenge, where participants eat a full tablespoon of ground cinnamon, ended with the subject documenting themselves choking and coughing amidst a plume of cinnamon. Participants in the ice cream challenge ﬁ lmed themselves at grocery stores opening containers of ice cream, licking it and putting it back. In the blackout challenge, participants starve their brains of oxygen by choking themselves while capturing it on video Another challenge called Devious Licks came on the TikTok scene in September. Students recorded themselves vandalizing or stealing school-owned property such as paper towel holders, toilets and bathroom mirrors. Why would anyone do this? The answer is that if it gets likes or views, then the person posting it is buoyed by status and social recognition – their chance at “15 minutes of Publisher’s fame.” Last week, we became aware of a View nationwide school shooting challenge on TikTok. In our area, the Mahtomedi and Carter Johnson Centennial School Districts e-mailed parents, outlining actions they have in place to ensure students safety. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reported 29 threats to schools last Friday. None of them were deemed credible, and so far we are not aware of any threats to schools in our circulation area. If all the harmful challenges on social media didn’t get the attention of kids, parents, school administrators and the community before, the school shooter challenge has. Action needs to be taken against companies like TikTok who evidently have little to no public safety measures in place and lack corporate ethics or integrity. These social media platforms are the “wild west” on the internet, and there has been little recourse against them. Why should schools and law enforcement spend time and resources mobilizing a response to a situation that a company should have shut down before it ever started? Parents need to be aware of what their kids are doing on social media. With the proliferation of smart phones, kids have access to the internet and social media apps like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram from a very young age. Pre-teens and teens have always done stupid things, and now they can do them in front of an audience of thousands on social media. We need to continually talk to kids about internet safety and appropriate use of social media. They also need to know it’s OK to tattle about threatening situations at school or online, whether it’s a concern for a threat of violence, a friend’s mental health, or a bullying situation that could result in irreparable harm. We have ratings and warnings about almost everything. Yet there are very few regulations for social media, and our kids are becoming addicted. These companies are using powerful techniques and algorithms to send a steady stream of content geared to our kids that plays into their emotions and weaknesses. Their only motive is generating money from advertisers — they simply don’t care about the harm they are causing. Kids are especially vulnerable, but people of all ages are also being manipulated. As we are (hopefully) coming out of this pandemic, many people are on edge. Anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues are rising and being exacerbated by misinformation on social media. We don’t have enough resources for people to get help they need. What will it take before we as a country stand up to these corporate social media giants? I hope the shock of the school shooting challenge turns to action. Enough is enough. As we celebrate Christmas this week, the challenge I have for my family and for yours is to put down the smartphones and enjoy the spirit of the season, family traditions and time spent with loved ones. Carter Johnson is publisher of Press Publications. Distributed weekly in:

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• White Bear Lake • White Bear Township • Mahtomedi • Birchwood • Dellwood • Willernie • Gem Lake • Pine Springs • Portions of Grant MNA 2014 AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER

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Fred gave Scrooge some sound advice

special energy runs through town this time of year, as it does most places. Local grocery stores have yule logs on display, and cheery red and white poinsettias line shelves at local florist shops. It’s getting late in the season - so says the world - so the forested tree lots have become prairie-like Movers & again after a flurry of Shakers activity. In stores, Shane Hoefer some empty shelves b toys carried remember away by parents and grandparents alike. Families, including ours, find special ways to mark the season. We take our kids Christmas-light looking every year. The city’s beautiful lights downtown add a joyful ambience. The decorated homes and outdoor festivities brighten the darkness, and hint at something greater. The live nativity at St. Stephen’s gives the night an anchor. Back home, the tree in the living room testifies to

happiness and love, the evergreen mystically emblematic of the promise of life in the dead of winter. We sing. With neighbors, in the car, and on social media. Do you? These acts and others like them have become tradition for many in America. They’ve sunk deep roots in our culture, yet like all habits, run the risk of losing meaning in repetition. It’s not a new problem, but lately, it feels more acute. We are a tired people, after these long 20 months. If ever we, each one of us, needed to ﬁnd a source of truth, hope, renewal, and unity, that time would be now. For all the evil brought by the pandemic, the latest variant, Omicron (an apt name for the arch-villain of the Covid story) threatens to divide us further. If we risk becoming Scrooge, we should recall his nephew’s sound advice. Fred, the bedtrodden hero in Charles Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol,” famously reminds Scrooge that Christmastime is good, kind, pleasant - even a time for forgiveness. Yet above all, he says, these things are “apart from the veneration due to its sacred name and origin.” There. That’s the key bit.

Glossy ads and fantastic deals have seduced us into forgetting that the word “Christmas” is a sacred name. An occasion to which Fred says we owe veneration, not just celebration. Christ’s Mass. A church service. As with “the holidays” (holy + days), tradition and mass marketing obscure it’s true meaning. We can begin at home. From a recognition of the Divine in each person. After all, who are we on Christmas morning, in the pageant of giving and then receiving? We are kings, yes, bearing gifts of love. And in the receiving, we stand in for something greater. Before, or maybe after, we can go places. Sure, to be with family. But the true font of healing and hope can be found somewhere else. Take a look through the pages of this paper. The notices are here. Find a church that focuses on veneration. Go there, and you’ll ﬁ nd the source of that energy running through our town lately. Shane Hoefer lives in White Bear Lake with his family, and is active in the nonproﬁt and faith communities of the area.

WHITE BEAR PRESS | LETTER GUIDELINES • Limited to 350 words. at least four weeks must • Submissions must Include lapse between publication. a full name, address and Exceptions may be made for daytime phone number for rebuttal letters. veriﬁcation. • Due to space limitations, • Letter writers must live, work letters that don’t address or have another connection to local issues are not Press Publications coverage guaranteed publication. area. • Repeat letters by the same • Letter writers are limited writer about the same subject to six letters per year and matter will not be published.

Carter C. Johnson ............ Publisher cjohnson@presspubs.com Gene Johnson .... Publisher Emeritus ppinfo@presspubs.com Amy Johnson Shannon Granholm . Managing Editor whitebearnews@presspubs.com Patty Steele ....Director of Sales & Marketing marketing@presspubs.com Zac Hoppe............ Design Manager artmanager@presspubs.com

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DECEMBER 22, 2021

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Would like to read more I always look forward to reading the columns from Paul Dols. He is a gifted writer and thoughtful observer of human nature. His opinions remind us of respectful and kind ways of dealing with conflict and resolving issues that can potentially divide our community. I’d love to read more from this astute and talented man. J. Anderson White Bear Lake

Favorite teacher still encouraging Do you all remember Mr. Galvin, beloved teacher and coach? That’s a silly question isn’t it? Of course

we all remember Mr. Galvin. Everyone in White Bear Lake probably knows or remembers Mr. Galvin. “The best math teacher/coach ever!” He made such a memorable impact. He practiced defense in the hallways, called out OIAWBCBB (orange is a winner, black can’t be beat) as high school students transitioned from one class to another. He built relationships with his students and athletes that will be remembered forever. He’s so amazing that he is still making an impact well after retirement. He sent a letter recently to our ninth grade daughter, Jenna Maloy. He doesn’t know Jenna, but took the time to congratulate her and wish her well as a soccer player and student. He included her clipping from the White Bear

Press as Athlete of the Week and encouraged her to keep working in school and in soccer. Her smile was priceless, and it meant so much to our family. We are grateful for teachers and coaches who inspire and care about the kids, community and beyond. Mr. Galvin is one in a million. If anyone sees him, please tell him that his note means so much to Jenna and our family. Mary Maloy White Bear Lake

Purple Line observations Thank you, Robert Vincent, for your Purple Line observations. There are so many citizens in the community who feel exactly how you do and are afraid to speak out; those who

do are wondering why no one is listening to the community of White Bear Lake. To name a bus line purple after Victoria’s favorite color speaks volumes and indicates it is “her bus line.” Twenty years to change the name, and opted for a name change during public controversy. Very sad. Gloria Hage White Bear Lake

Council member response In response to the letter from Heather Gustafson, the facts of which are questionable at best, she titles the letter “council member doesn’t decide for students.” What she refuses to add to this is that no elected official should make this decision. The decision

to wear a mask should be left to the individual, their family and their doctor. Forcing a healthy person to wear a ineffective piece of cloth on their face all day makes no sense. This is especially true with the vaccine now available for all schoolage kids. Using this logic, the largest school district in the state announced this week that masks will be an individual decision. Heather Gustafson and her group of advocates continue to advocate for radical policies. I will continue to advocate against these radical ideas and instead promote individual freedoms, limited government, and law and order. I look forward to defending these principles in the 2022 election. Greg Urban Vadnais Heights

COMMUNITY BRIEFS and teens. African-American, GLBTQ and BIPOC community-focused groups are also offered. Led by trained peer facilitators, the support groups help individuals and families learn coping skills and find strength through sharing their experiences. Find a complete listing of group meetings and how to join in by going to namimn.org and clicking on “Support Groups”.

The group rehearses at 7 p.m. Tuesdays at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3770 Bellaire Avenue, White Bear Lake. For information about how to join, visit lakecountrychorus.org.

CONTRIBUTED

Calling all voices The Lake Country Chorus has been singing a cappella barbershop harmony throughout the White Bear Lake area since 1969. It will resume rehearsals at the

Kiwanis Club invites new members The Kiwanis Northeast Metro Golden K Club (formerly North Suburban

and middle schools. It also awards three to five scholarships annually to graduates of area high schools. The club is actively seeking new members from throughout the Northeast metro area. They meet every Tuesday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Roseville Skating Center Banquet Facility. All are welcome to attend to socialize and enjoy weekly presentations on various topics. For more information about how to participate in the Northeast Metro Golden K Club, visit thegoldenkayer.org.

White Bear Lake Area Church Directory

All Are Invited!

Find the church that ﬁts your needs.

Traditional Worship IN-PERSON

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CHURCH OF ST. PIUS X

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In-Person Traditional - Sanctuary Sunday 9 am Sunday 9 & 10:30 a.m. Contemporary - Great Hall Sanctuary Saturday 5 p.m., Sunday 9:30 a.m.

Contemporary Worship ONLINE In-Person (at SaintAndrews.org) Saturday Traditional5 pm Sunday10:15 9 a.m. am Sunday Contemporary Great Hall Saturday 5 p.m.

All worship services also available Sunday 10:15 a.m.online At saintandrews.org

St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church

ST. ANDREW’S LUTHERAN CHURCH 900 STILLWATER ROAD, MAHTOMEDI WWW.SAINTANDREWS.ORG 651-426-3261

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St.Jude

OF THE LAKE CATHOLIC CHURCH & SCHOOL

Sacrament of Reconciliation: Friday 7:45 - 8:45 am Saturdays 3:30 - 4:30 pm By appointment

www.stjudeofthelake.org 651-426-3245 | 700 Mahtomedi Avenue, Mahtomedi

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Mass times: Tuesday 6:00 pm Wednesday & Friday, 9:00 am Thursday, 9:15 am (masks required) Saturday, 5:00 pm Sunday, 9:00 am & 11:00 am

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‫ ׎בي׎׏‬Əȅ ۴ Xȇ‫ٮ‬ȵƺȸɀȒȇ ƏȇƳ nǣɮƺɀɎȸƺƏȅ RȒǼɵ 0ɖƬǝƏȸǣɀɎ ١ȅƏɀǸɀ ȸƺȷɖǣȸƺƳ ƏɎ ƏǼǼ ɀƺȸɮǣƬƺɀ١

IȒȸ ȅȒȸƺ ǣȇǔȒȸȅƏɎǣȒȇ ɮǣɀǣɎ ɯɯɯِɀɎǴȒǝȇɯǣǼƳƺȸȇƺɀɀِȒȸǕ

6XQGD\ :RUVKLS Join us on Sunday:

10:15Livestreaming am in-person Worship on and Live-streaming on YouTube: FPCWBL YouTube: FPCWBL

ŚƌŝƐƟĂŶ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇ ďƌŝŶŐŝŶŐ 'ŽĚ͛Ɛ ůŽǀĞ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ͘ www.StStephenWBL.org

1965 East County Road. E, White Bear Lake, 651-777-1107 White Bear Unitarian Universalist Church

IN-PERSON WORSHIP & FAITH EDUCATION Sundays 9:30AM Wednesdays 6:00PM

A Welcoming & Inclusive Faith Community

Sunday Services | In-Person & Online | 9 & 11am: https://wbuuc.org/sunday-worship office@wbuuc.org | www.wbuuc.org ŧ Š

Service times are subject to change during the coronavirus crisis. Contact your local church or check church web sites for service time and online service information.

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South Shore Trinity Lutheran Church

2480 South Shore Blvd. White Bear Lake, MN 651-429-4293 LCMS Pastor Bob Gehrke In-Person worship Pastor Dan Bodin

Traditional Worship Saturdays at 5:30pm and Sundays at 8:00am. Contemporary Worship 1st and 3rd Sundays at 10:45am. Traditional Worship 2nd and 4th Sundays at 10:45am Sunday School & Education Hour at 9:30am in-person

Worship online at sstwbl.org/watch We are Sharing, Caring, & Growing in Christ We’d Love to Have You Come Join Us!

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beginning of the year and has openings for female singers. A part is available for any type of voice. The ability to read music is a bonus, but not necessary.

Free online support groups offered by NAMI NAMI Minnesota (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offers a variety of free online peer support groups for adults and young adults living with a mental illness and their families, friends and spouses/partners, as well as parents of children

Golden K) celebrated 40 years of service to northeast metro communities this month. Since 1981, club members have made a lasting impact on community food support and in the lives of children and youth through financial contributions, volunteerism and ongoing work with community organizations. Club members regularly log around 5,000 volunteer hours annually while raising funds to support community causes. The club works with area schools to tutor students in reading and math in elementary

WHITE BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS

www.presspubs.com

DECEMBER 22, 2021

RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office reported the following selected incidents in Vadnais Heights and White Bear Township:

Vadnais Heights

• An Inver Grove Heights man, 34, was arrested. Dec. 3 in the 1100 block of County Road D for interfering with a 911 call, following a domestic family disturbance. • An Arden Hills woman reported her vehicle broken into Dec. 4 while it was parked in Sucker Lake Park. • A Shoreview woman reported her vehicle broken into Dec. 4 while it was parked at Vadnais Lake Park in the 50 block of Vadnais Blvd. Thieves stole her purse containing a cell phone and credit cards. Fraudulent charges were made on the credit cards. • A license plate was reported stolen

from a vehicle parked in the 1100 block of County Road D overnight Dec. 4-5. Deputies took three other stolen license plate reports during the week. • A Roseville woman reported a purse containing her license and credit cards stolen from the passenger seat of her vehicle parked behind a business in the 1000 block of Highway 96 Dec. 5. • A male and female with active orders for protection (OFP) against each other reported each other for publicly harassing and insulting the other person Dec. 5 in the 1100 block of County Road D after both were following each other’s "story" on a social media platform. • A resident in the 4100 block of Centerville Road on Dec. 8 reported a department store credit card opened in his name and packages

that he didn’t order delivered to his home. • Fresh Thyme in the 900 block of County Road E reported a burglary at 10 minutes past midnight Dec. 10. After deputies responded to an alarm call, they found all doors secured and no one inside. When deputies entered the building, they noticed that the cash room had been burglarized. After deploying a drone and K-9 officer to clear the establishment, deputies observed broken ceiling tiles and a rope hanging down into the cash room. The drone located three holes that had been cut in the roof through which the suspects entered the cash room. Multiple burglary tools were scattered around the back of the business. Despite thieves’ best efforts, the safe was not disturbed, and no cash is missing.

White Bear Township

• A Lino Lakes man whose vehicle was stolen from Little Canada on Nov. 13 reported seeing his vehicle involved in an accident Dec. 3 on I-35 E and County Road J and disabled at the side of the road. • A Forest Lake man reported hardware, cordless batteries and tools stolen from a construction site in the 4800 block of Constellation Drive overnight Dec. 6-7. • Lang Builders reported a burglary overnight Dec. 9-10 at a house under construction in the 5400 block of Bald Eagle Blvd., where a thief broke into the home and stole a hammer. • Mail was reported stolen Dec. 10 from a secure mailbox in the 4200 block of Oakmede Lane after the locked mailbox was broken.

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:

Grant

• An unidentified motorist was arrested for DWI at 1:37 a.m. Nov. 27 in the 6000 block of Jarvis Avenue N. after Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies answered a call to assist with a slumper. On making contact with the

motorist, deputies observed that he was showing signs of impairment and later performed poorly on field sobriety testing. After deputies spotted drug paraphernalia in plain view, they questioned the driver, who admitted to smoking marijuana.

Mahtomedi

• An East Avenue resident reported a theft on Nov. 21. • A passenger in a vehicle driving along Century Avenue at

Woodland Drive was arrested at 1:47 a.m. Nov. 22 on an outstanding warrant and for drug possession, following a traffic stop for a missing headlight. • Residents in the 1000 block of Mahtomedi Avenue reported scholarship checks made out to a college intercepted from their mailbox Nov. 23. Thieves then washed the checks and cashed them fraudulently. • Multiple persons were ar-

rested for stealing a motor vehicle at 6:45 p.m. Nov. 23 on Mahtomedi Avenue and Quail Street, following a pursuit. • A motorist was cited for driving after revocation at 12:33 a.m. Nov. 25 in the 3000 block of Century Avenue after deputies pulled the subject over for a missing headlight.

Pine Springs

• A Wisconsin driver was cited at 7:18 p.m. Nov. 21 in the 6000 block of Hilton Trail N. for

speeding 78 mph in a 55 mph zone by deputies on stationary patrol, who clocked her on radar. After the vehicle passed deputies at an alarmingly high rate of speed, the driver slammed on the brakes. After the vehicle had slowed down considerably, deputies clocked it on radar at 78 mph. The driver admitted to wrongly speeding and said that the vehicle behind her was riding her bumper and trying to get her to race.

WHITE BEAR POLICE REPORTS The White Bear Lake Police Department reported the following selected incidents: • A man was arrested on a misdemeanor DWI warrant after being observed in a park in the 2100 block of Orchard Lane after hours Dec. 10. • Theft was reported in the 5000 block of Stewart Avenue Dec. 10. • A White Bear Lake man was arrested for gross misdemeanor obstructing the legal process with force after being disorderly at a business in the 2700 block of County Road E Dec. 10. • Narcotics were reported in the 3100 block of Manitou Drive Dec. 10. • A check forgery incident was reported at a business in the 3900 block of Highway 61 Dec. 10. • An unknown man entered a restaurant in the 2100 block of Third Street Dec. 10 and stole $360 cash. • A business in the 3900 block of Highway 61 was burglarized Dec. 11. • Criminal damage to property was reported in the 1700 block of Fourth Street Dec. 11. • Officers mediated a verbal dispute between a man and a woman in the 3100 block of Glen Oaks Avenue Dec. 11. • A catalytic converter was stolen in the 1900 block of Buerkle Road Dec. 11. • Disorderly conduct was reported in the 4800 block of Bald Eagle Avenue Dec. 11. • A person was arrested for domestic assault in the 3100 block of Century Avenue Dec. 11. • Disorderly conduct was reported in the 3900 block of Linden Street Dec. 11. • A man was arrested on an outstanding fraud/forgery warrant in the 1900 block of Buerkle Road Dec. 12.

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• A catalytic converter was stolen off a truck in the 2400 block of Orchard Lane Dec. 12. • A resident in the 2000 block of Nicholas Court reported that two counterfeit checks were cashed from his account Dec. 12. • A Ring camera captured a suspect tampering with a vehicle in the 3400 block of Fair Oaks Court Dec. 12. • Burglary was reported in the 5100 block of Long Avenue Dec. 12. • Officers spoke to residents in the 4500 block of Highway 61 Dec. 12 about a neighborhood dispute. • Theft was reported in the 5000 block of Stewart Avenue Dec. 12. • Burglary was reported in the 1800 block of Birch Street Dec. 12. • Three of four occupants of a vehicle stopped near the intersection of White Bear Avenue and I-694 Dec. 12 were arrested on various warrants and for narcotics offenses. The fourth occupant was released with a citation. • Criminal sexual conduct was reported in the 1300 block of Highway 96 Dec. 13. • Officers are investigating a dog versus dog incident that occurred in the 5000 block of Stewart Avenue Dec. 8. The victim canine was euthanized due to injuries sustained in the altercation. • Package theft was reported in the 4000 block of White Bear Avenue Dec. 13. • A package was stolen in the 5000 block of Kelly Court Dec. 13. • Criminal damage to property was reported in the 3700 block of Dennis Lane Dec. 13. • A vehicle and a purse were stolen in a burglary of a residence in the 3900 block of Van Dyke Street Dec. 14. • A purse and a bag were stolen from classrooms in the 3900 block of Van Dyke Street Dec. 14. Photos were collected, but the suspect is unknown.

DECEMBER 22, 2021

WHITE BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS www.presspubs.com

WHAT’S HAPPENING • WHAT’S HAPPENING • WHAT’S HAPPENING • MICHAEL DJUPSTROM’S LAKESHORE CHAMBER SERIES

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22 Where: Hanifl Performing Arts Center, 4941 Long Ave., White Bear Lake Details: White Bear Lake native, composer and pianist Michael Djupstrom, along with violinist Luosha Fang, perform a concert series with a special focus on exploring Romanian chamber music alongside other traditional and contemporary classical works. Tickets $12 general admission. Contact: lakeshoreplayers.org

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE

When: 1-7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27 Where: St. John in the Wilderness, 2175 1st St., White Bear Lake Details: The American Red Cross continues to experience a historic blood shortage and donors of all blood types are needed. Make an appointment online or by phone. Contact: 1-800-RED-CROSS or redcrossblood.org

ST. PAUL HIKING CLUB

When: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2 Where: Costco, 1431 Beam Ave., Maplewood. Details: 5 mile hike on paved trails and streets, followed by treats. Meet at north side of parking lot. Contact: stpaulhike.com

WHITE BEAR MYSTERY BOOK CLUB

When: 1:30-3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 5 Where: White Bear Lake Library, 2150 2nd St. Details: Participants read a book with the same theme and discuss. This month's theme is “Freedon Day.” Contact: 651-724-6007 or rclreads. org

WHITE BEAR LAKE WINTER FARMERS MARKET

When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 8 Where: Tamarack Nature Center, 5287 Otter Lake Road, White Bear Township Details: Twenty farmers and vendors will be selling locally grown and raised items including meats, cheeses, vegetables, baked goods, preserves, fermented foods, microgreens and other healthy living and gift items. Free cider, fires and a food truck. Contact: forksinthedirt.com

Watershed volunteers honored

“CLUE”

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan 13; 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, Jan. 14-30. Where: Hanifl Performing Arts Center, 4941 Long Ave., White Bear Lake Details: Lakeshore Players perform a comedic murder mystery inspired by the classic board game. Tickets $25-$30. Contact: 651-478-7427 or lakeshoreplayers.org

HAIR OF THE DOG VINTAGE SNOWMOBILE RALLY

When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 1. Where: Sal’s Angus Grill, 12010 Keystone Ave. N.,Withrow Details: Annual event with vintage snowmobiles includes 1 mile ride at noon, door prizes, and half-price Bloody Marys. Hosted by Bayport Pathfinders. Contact: facebook.com/events/ sals-angus-grill/hair-of-the-dogvintage-snowmobile-rally

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS: END OF LIFE OPTIONS ACT

When: 12:30-2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12 Where: Boatworks Commons Community Room, 4495 Lake Ave. S. Details: Rebecca Thoman, Board Member with the Minneapolis League of Women Voters will present information on a proposed End of Life Options Act. Zoom presentation available Jan. 13. Contact: lwv-wbla.org

Vadnais Lake Area Water Management Organization recently recognized the winners of its annual award program. The Watershed Steward Award and the Watershed Partner Award celebrate success stories and partnerships in water resources education, management and planning. Katherine Doll Kanne is the 2021 recipient of the Watershed Steward Award. Katherine has been a leader and participant in a range of VLAWMO programs, including “Rainbarrel Bonanza” workshops, where she planned a rain barrel dedication and installation program and monitoring of Leaf Pack macroinvertebrates in Lambert Creek to help improve our understanding about long-term water quality trends. She has also been involved with the Vadnais Heights Planning Commission, VLAWMO Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC), VLAWMO cost-share raingarden and neighborhood demonstration, and local civic engagement on native plants and sustainable landscaping. Jesse Farrell, city engineer for the City of Vadnais Heights, received the 2021 Watershed Partner Award. Jesse was involved in the Lambert Lake Pond and Meander from its conception, helping VLAWMO secure a loan from the MPCA, co-presenting a public information session with VLAWMO and representing the project’s vision and goals to the Vadnais Heights City Council. He has planned carefully with the Vadnais Heights City Council, Vadnais Heights Public Works and VLAWMO to help pursue maintenance of key segments of County Ditch 14; took initiative with the new 2020 general Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit, collaborated with VLAWMO on messaging around yard waste disposal, pet waste pickup, smart salting and other related topics; supported and collaborated on maintaining existing stormwater features as well as pioneering new ones in the city; and has served as vicechair of the VLAWMO Technical Commission. Nomination forms and award criteria are available at vlawmo.org/get-involved/awards and are accepted yearround.

Community science volunteers keep eyes to the sky for Christmas Bird Count The holiday season brings many kinds of gatherings: family dinners, office parties and, for birdwatchers, the time-honored Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). It’s a lively day of exploring local winter landscapes and watching carefully for the winged wildlife that can be found even in the depths of Minnesota winter. The annual bird count will take place across the globe between Dec. 14, 2021, and Jan. 5, 2022. Each count consists of a local group of volunteers who observe areas within their 15mile count radius over the course of a single day. In the northeast metro area, counters can participate in the St. Paul Christmas Bird Count on Dec. 18, or the Northeast Suburban count on Dec. 26. The Northeast Suburban count circle is centered on Withrow and includes the communities of Stillwater, Marine on St. Croix, Mahtomedi, White Bear Lake and Hugo. The data collected by volunteers contributes to more than a century of information that helps scientists observe trends that can tell us more about bird behavior and habitat conditions. “It’s so important for estimating bird populations and trends,” said St. Paul Coordinator Gregg Severson. “It’s been 120 years, just these really long data sets and one of the critical pieces of information we have about bird trends.” “The ups and downs are pretty easy to understand,” said Northeast Suburban Area Coordinator Jim Howitz. “Some of them are quite general. House finches have exploded in the last 50 years, ruffed grouse are down statewide and probably metrowide. Woodpeckers are doing very well, presumably because the trees are getting bigger and becoming diseased and dying as the suburbs mature. Those are results are easily

confirmed by the Christmas counts.” Howitz is looking forward to seeing potential effects of the 17-year cicada emergence in certain parts of the U.S., as birds such as grackles, robins and blue jays likely benefited from this abundant food source. In general, overall trends are showing effects of global climate change. Birds like robins, which usually prefer milder weather, are consistently wintering farther north, while northern birds such as evening grosbeaks aren’t moving as far south as in past decades. “What I expect is we’ll see a lot more of the southern birds,” Howitz said. “Tufted titmice, Carolina wrens, bluebirds. Last year we got yellowbellied sapsuckers, which feed on sap that doesn’t run in the winter. But those show up more with a warming climate.” Last year, several North Suburban counters were able to observe a great gray owl, which was far outside its normal northern range. Counters in the St. Paul area were able to see a mountain bluebird, which typically is found only in the west and southwest regions of North America. “After the big drought out West, there might be western species that might be fleeing drought areas and coming this way,” Severson said. “One of the fun things about the CBC is it’s such an intense focus over a fairly broad area; instead of everyone going to the biggest hotspot, you often turn up things that otherwise might not get seen.” COVID-19 was a large consideration in this year’s planning. The National Audubon Society advises participants to stay socially distanced outside, and to avoid carpooling with anyone outside of their existing family group or social pod. In some places, local coordinators have chosen to exclude or limit new participants, but new counters are welcome in the Northeast Suburban area as long as COVID guidelines are followed.

Severson added that the St. Paul area count is always looking for experienced birders to become count leaders, and invites volunteers. Those who would rather stay indoors can also participate in the count by conducting a feeder watch. If you have bird feeders in your yard, you can contact the area coordinator and receive instructions on how to accurately count the birds that visit the feeder over the course of the day. The final count will be included with the number of birds and species observed by patrolling counters. The Northeast Metro count will take place Sunday, Dec. 26. Anyone interested in signing up for the count can visit www.audubon.org/ conservation/join-christmas-birdcount to find out which count area they are closest to, and which area coordinator they should contact.

GREGG SEVERSON | CONTRIBUTED

A mountain bluebird seen on last year’s St. Paul area count. Western birds such as this one may be more prevalent this winter due to the summer drought conditions in North America.

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BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

WHITE BEAR PRESS

DECEMBER 22, 2021 www.presspubs.com

MAYOR EMERSON: Looking forward to new chapter as 12-year tenure ends FROM PAGE 1A

off other special memories in an interview at the Press office. On her list: Re-creation of the Economic Development Corporation, driving the Zamboni at the new Sports Center ribbon-cutting, attending the fire academy, even rappelling Station No. 2’s tower in the dark (and she’s afraid of heights), and welcoming new homeowners to Habitat for Humanity housing. Emerson recalled a memorable phone call from a grateful Somali woman who moved her family into one of the Habitat homes. The woman had just become a U.S. citizen and called Emerson to tell her she cast her first vote in an election for her. She stood on the roof of City Hall for a video shoot the year White Bear won a “Best Town in Minnesota” award. “I was always up for stuff,” she laughed. Emerson mentioned the time she and U.S. Congresswoman Betty McCollum spoke to a ninth grade class on the workings of government. “A young lady asked us if we’d always dreamed of being in elected office. We looked at each other and burst out laughing,” the mayor said. “It was the last thing we ever thought we’d do.” Yet Emerson admits to always being a “political nerd” who watched national conventions “gavel to gavel” as a kid. She revealed that she’s been asked to run for state office, but her heart has always been in small-town government. As an unexpected recognition of her retirement, McCollum had a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in the mayor’s honor Dec. 3. Another politician, Rep. Ami Wazlawik, read a proclamation to City Council from the Minnesota House congratulating the mayor on her years of service and her tireless support of education, water conservation and environmental issues. A breast cancer survivor, mother of four children and grandmother of 11, Emerson said she’s blessed to have a wonderful family, as well as a city family that has always been supportive. She couldn’t gush enough about city staff. “They love this city. It’s not a job to them but a way of life,” Emerson said. “I’ve always been impressed with their dedication.” Asked if she thinks the political climate is changing, the mayor was blunt when she said the rhetoric is getting ugly. “It’s difficult to have dialogue. I’ve been sworn at and called

FILE PHOTO

A ribbon-cutting at The Waters in 2016 was one of many the mayor attended in the city.

FILE PHOTO

Mayor Jo Emerson takes the lead November 2012 at the start of White Bear Lake’s Shortest Marathon, a benefit event for the White Bear Area Food Shelf.

names, even though I don’t have a vote. (White Bear is a charter city with a “weak council,” meaning the mayor does not vote.) I worry that the civility is gone.” She feels partisan politics are creeping into local government, and Emerson finds that trend alarming. “And don’t get me started on the mask mandate (during the pandemic). I have no tolerance for people who fight that. I couldn’t be with my husband when he died.” The mayor also chaired the Rush Line policy advisory committee, a position she accepted by default. People assume she is pro-Rush Line, although Emerson claims no one ever asked her position. She said there are things she likes and things she doesn’t like about the project. As for opponents’ claims that crime will increase, the mayor said it already exists in White Bear, “and they come in a car.”

Above all, she does want the town to stay safe, Emerson said, noting a remodeled public safety building is a huge step in that direction, another project she championed. Now that she’s retiring, Emerson will continue exploring her family roots as a genealogy buff and may pick up more volunteer hours with the White Bear Historical Society. “I love history,” said Emerson, who visited Plymouth rock over Thanksgiving with two of her children and six grandchildren. She shared the fact her ancestors crossed the Atlantic on a ship called “Fortune” in 1621 and founded Chatham, Massachusetts. The family attended the 400th anniversary celebration of the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving. At a reception for Emerson at Boatworks Commons community room earlier this month, Sather talked about the retiring mayor and her accomplishments. “It’s fitting we are in

CONTRIBUTED

The mayor, left, City Manager Ellen Hiniker and Councilman Bill Walsh participated in live fire training in 2018.

this building because of the challenges we had (with the Boatworks Commons project),” he said. “There was a time no one liked this project.” Sather told Emerson, “It’s been an honor to work with you. Thanks so much for what you did. And to your family, you get her back now.” As for the civic-minded mayor, she is grateful for a job “that gave me opportunity to do things.” If there’s a regret, it’s that she didn’t build a Pioneer Manor South. “It’s been a lot of fun, but it’s time to do something else while I still can,” Emerson said. “I look forward to not having any responsibility. I expect it will still be a full-time job.”

Controversial bus line receives key federal approval ST. PAUL — The Metro Purple Line, aka Rush Line, has passed another hurdle toward completion. Last week, the 15-mile bus rapid transit (BRT) line to White Bear Lake received approval to enter the project development phase of the Federal Transit Administration’s New Starts program. The highly competitive federal program funds major transit projects around the country. Coinciding with the approval is a transition of project leadership from Ramsey County to the Metropolitan Council. "The Metropolitan Council is proud to prioritize this East Metro investment," said Chair Charlie Zelle in a press release. "With our local government partners, including Ramsey County, we look forward to seeing significant economic, social and environmental benefit the Purple Line will bring to our region." Staff have heard concerns about ridership projections and how the project will impact the Bruce Vento regional trail, noted the Met Council release. In response to those concerns, Project Director Craig Lamothe said, "It’s reassuring that the FTA requires reassessment of ridership as the project advances and especially before the Met Council submits its final application for federal funding." Critics like Tim David, a White Bear Lake resident who leads an anti-Rush Line coalition, said the

approval is "one of the many steps this project needs to go through. The thousands of residents and hundreds of businesses that oppose this project expect Met Council and the FTA to recognize that this proposed project is unwanted and unneeded, and will not realize its ridership estimates post-COVID." The anti-coalition group wants the project paused to wait for completion of a University of Minnesota transportation study that examines the effect the pandemic has had on public transportation ridership. Project planners expect the Purple Line will see about 7,000 average weekday rides by 2040, a projection calculated pre-pandemic. Next steps for the Purple Line BRT involve seeking federal approval early 2023 to move into engineering, allowing design work to be completed. The FTA will then review the project’s scope, schedule and budget. In 2024, a federal funding application will be submitted and construction will begin. The Purple Line is expected to open in 2026. The FTA and Ramsey County will each pay about half of the total project cost, estimated at $475 million, with opening operating costs shared equally by the Met Council and county. As currently planned, the bus line will serve 21 stations, mostly following Robert Street and Phalen Boulevard from St. Paul’s Union Depot, then Ramsey

County rail right of way shared with the Bruce Vento Regional Trail and, finally, Highway 61 north of I-694 into downtown White Bear Lake. The safety of trail crossings at local roads will be improved through co-location of the line and the Bruce Vento Regional Trail, according to the press release. Met Council member Susan Vento, whose district includes much of the line, was quoted as saying she was "pleased that the Metro Purple Line will preserve the trail named after her late husband, U.S. 4th District Congressman Bruce Vento. "Bruce would have just loved it," she said. Supporters called the project "a boost" for employers who believe fast, frequent, all-day BRT service will attract and retain workers. "A lot of jobs cannot be performed at home in this corridor, which has three hospitals and a shopping mall," observed Shannon Watson, vice president of public affairs for the St. Paul Area Chamber. "That is not likely to change, making the Purple Line a lifeline for people going to work, outpatient visits and running errands." Added County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt, "Purple Line BRT is a key transportation solution to help our vibrant East Metro communities stay competitive and connected to the entire region." Debra Neutkens

DECEMBER 22, 2021

WHITE BEAR PRESS www.presspubs.com

Proposed property taxes won’t change WHITE BEAR LAKE — The preliminary tax levy of $8,080,000, approved in September, stands as adopted. The levy amount could be lowered but not raised since that earlier approval. As reported then, the proposed levy reflects a $347,000 increase in overall general fund operations over last year’s levy, a $163,000 levy to support 2021 debt service obligations and $200,000 to support the gradual migration of engineering department operations out of the construction fund into the general fund. The general fund is what keeps the city humming. The fund provides police and fire services, planning and zoning, public works and other general government operations. Property taxes, as City Manager Ellen Hiniker reminded, provide 55%

of the fund’s revenue. Police consume 40% of the general fund pie with public works taking the next biggest bite at 18% and general government eating 14%. Fire accounts for 9% of the total. So how did property values fare? A city’s portion of property taxes are dependent on two things: an increase or decrease in a property’s market value and an increase or decrease in tax rate. Overall market values in the city increased by 2.2%, or about $66.8 million. That is down from last year’s 7.2% increase. More specifically, the increase in value based on property classification was 2.4% for residential, 5.2% for apartments, 0.6% for commercial and 0.9% for industrial.

A median-value home in White Bear Lake is priced at $260,300, a $4,700 jump from 2021. The impact of the tax levy on that home is $548 in 2022, or $55 more than last year’s median-valued home. Keep in mind that’s just the city portion of the property tax statement. Hiniker pointed out that a median-value homeowner pays $18.25 per month for police services; $3.65 for snow removal; $4.11 for fire and $2.74 per month for the parks department. "It helps put things in perspective about what people are paying for," she said. The proposed budget for 2022, $52.9 million, was also approved by council at the Dec. 14 meeting. The general fund accounts for 24% of the budget, or $12.9 million, and reflects an increase

in expenditures of $814,000, with personnel costs accounting for about 77% of the increase. It was noted in the finance director’s report that proposed revenues for 2022 show greater optimism than last year based on the economy’s current and projected performance. Permit revenues, for one, will add to city coffers over the next few years. Building permit revenues for three school district projects tied to the 2019 bond referendum came in at the end of 2020. That number was $358,000 more than expected. Revenues related to these projects will expand in 2022 as work at North Campus continues. The city also received its first half of $2.78 million in American Rescue Plan Aid in July. There are limitations in how the

money can be spent, but the city has three years to do it. The aid cannot be used to offset the tax levy. It can be used for revenue replacement and things like water and sewer infrastructure or premium pay for critical workers. The city calculated a revenue loss from the pandemic at $2 million. Council Member Doug Biehn thanked staff for its work on the budget. "Our city has done a fantastic job getting things done without spending money," he said. A copy of the 2022 budget is posted on the city website. The Truth in Taxation public hearing preceded the council’s vote on the levy. No one spoke. Debra Neutkens

Two city leaders bid adieu at final council meeting BY DEBRA NEUTKENS STAFF WRITER

WHITE BEAR LAKE — First came the Minnesota House proclamation from Reps. Ami Wazlawik and Peter Fischer congratulating Mayor Jo Emerson upon her retirement. The proclamation tabulated Emerson’s quick involvement in city organizations and commissions after moving to White Bear Lake in 1988, culminating in her run for mayor in 2009. Her many civic duties were noted, as well as her support of education, history, housing and environmental initiatives, management of city finances and the mayor’s efforts to make the city a more welcoming and inclusive place. The proclamation declared that her tireless work as mayor has made the city a better place to live. "House representatives," read Wazlawik, "commend the mayor on her outstanding service to the city and extend their best wishes upon her retirement." Then one by one, several female leaders in other cities stood at the podium in a surprise appearance to both congratulate and thank the mayor for her years of public service and leadership at the state level. Mounds View Mayor Carol Mueller and Wyoming Mayor Lisa Iverson both acknowledged how Emerson helped pave the way for them. Iverson said

Emerson was the reason she is now president of the Minnesota Mayors Association, an office the White Bear Lake mayor once held. "I have followed you for the last five years. I would always listen to what you had to say at events," Iverson said. "Your leadership and mentorship has been felt around so many mayors and council members. I wish you the best." Mueller told Emerson, "We appreciate the wisdom and guidance you bestowed on so many women in city government." Mueller also thanked outgoing Councilman Doug Biehn for his 25 years of dedication to law enforcement and his work on both the Ramsey County League of Local Governments, of which he served as president, and the county 911 dispatch policy committee, which she said will be losing a vital member. Council Member Dan Jones got emotional when he thanked Emerson for "being my friend and showing my daughters how to lead. You’ve showed everyone that glass ceilings don’t exist. "You are a special person," he told the mayor. "It’s been an honor and privilege to learn and be mentored by you. You are direct but not blunt, and sweet but not sugary. Thank you for your time." Next was a presentation of the traditional white bear statue to retiring City Manager Ellen Hiniker. "When we selected you (as city manager), we knew you’d do great things, and you did," Emerson told her. "I now look forward to the next chapter in your life."

DEBRA NEUTKENS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Mayor Jo Emerson, right, presented the customary white bear statue to retiring City Manager Ellen Hiniker at her last City Council meeting. With Hiniker are her son, John Richter, and husband, Bill Short.

Hiniker kept her comments brief, admitting she requested no bon voyage parties or receptions in her honor because, "I get too emotional." She thanked her husband, Bill Short, former clerk of White Bear Township, and her son, John Richter, both present in the chambers, for their support, and said she was ready for her next

adventure. Hiniker also addressed the council, telling them it was "my distinct pleasure to serve you." And to her staff, Hiniker added, "You rock." Her last day was Dec. 17. Mayor Emerson noted that she will be back in an official role at one more council meeting Jan. 11 to pass the gavel to the new mayor.

WHITE BEAR LAKE CITY COUNCIL NOTES WHITE BEAR LAKE — There will be raises all around for nonunion city staff, who will see a 3% bump in their paycheck Jan. 1. Another 1% will be added mid-year. According to an updated compensation plan approved last week by City Council, effective Jan. 1, 2022, the city manager retains the highest responsibility level and hence occupies the largest salary range, $135,400 to $157,400. Next in the responsibility hierarchy is the public works director, who makes between $124,900 and $145,200. The police chief and finance director are tied for third on the list with a salary range of $121,400 to $141,100. Finally, the fire chief, community development director and assistant city manager are listed next highest with a salary range of $114,400 to $132,970.

It was noted the city’s salary policy is set at a rate to develop and maintain wage structures that attract and retain qualified and desirable personnel. In other business Dec. 14, the City Council: • Heard a short report from the Welcoming and Inclusive Community Task Force. The 18-member group was asked by Mayor Jo Emerson to develop a narrative around these questions: What does it mean to be a welcoming and inclusive community; do residents have a sense of belonging; and what is the city’s role to further foster a sense of community? As stated in their purpose, access to municipal services and community assets must be inviting to all, regardless of race, culture, age, sexual

orientation, gender, physical ability, socioeconomic status and longevity in the community. A full report is expected end of January for presentation to council at its Feb. 8 meeting. • Approved a general obligation capital improvement bond for $14.3 million to fund the public safety building project. As previously reported, the building’s remodel, a pet project of the mayor, includes replacement of the existing fire apparatus bay at the north fire station, construction of a police squad garage and interior modifications for better fire and police operations. Wold Architects estimates costs at $12.5 million. A 7% contingency fee was added at staff’s recommendation to provide ample margins during unpredictable market conditions. The finance

director noted the bond issue amount can be reduced but not increased after opening project bids before the bonding process begins. • Adopted the 2022 fee schedule. Added for 2022 is a fee for collection of recyclable materials. Also, ambulance rates are increasing by 3% and Pioneer Manor rental rates increase 4% April 1. Sewer rates are going up 3% to sustain the fund’s financial stability. Same for water usage rates, which also increase 3% to account for 2022 operational costs. The residential infrastructure fee that replaced the lake level litigation fee in 2021 will be $6 per quarter. • Authorized the city manager to execute 2022 contract with Northeast Youth and Family Services in amount of $52,400, or $2 per resident. Services

include a shared mental health worker who assists the police department. • Approved request by Aaron Briggs for a special home occupation permit at 1919 Fourth St. Briggs plans to operate a personal training business out of a detached garage. • Approved request by Reid Larson for a setback variance in the 1800 block of Clarence Street in the Ramaley Park neighborhood. Larson was granted a 7-foot variance from the 25-foot setback required along a side abutting public right of way (on Fourth Avenue) to construct a single-family home. Larson lives at 1831 Clarence St. next to the vacant lot. Debra Neutkens

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Upon a new year and this Holiday season, we pause to remember the lives we have lost. Our thoughts and prayers go out to our family, friends and neighbors still mourning the loss of loved ones. Together we honor their memories and wish everyone peace.

Caroline May (Bartels) Foss

John (Jack) L. LeMay

Richard (Dick) Dale Edwards

Charlotte (Axelson) Smith

Phyllis Jane Watters

Robert Clarence Watters

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January 9, 1935 – October 6, 2021

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OBITUARIES

Constance (Conee) Koch

Phillip Harden Smith

Age 98, of White Bear Lake. Passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. Conee was a long-time member of St. Mary of the Lake, White Bear Lake. She was very active in the parish, sang in the choir, sponsored many RCIA candidates and participated in the Archdiocese Deacon Program. She was a member of the Cursillo community. Her quick wit, contagious laugh, and loving hugs will be remembered by many. She lived her life with a strong faith in God and love for her family. Her beautiful smile will remain in our hearts forever. She is preceded in death by her husband Donald Koch on Oct. 27, 1968, and an infant son. Survived by sons Michael (Dianne), Charles (Helen), John (Kimberley), Thomas (Barbara). 11 Grandchildren and 4 Great Grandsons. Special family friend Donald (Spike) Danielson. A special heartfelt thanks to the Pillars of White Bear Lake and St. Croix Hospice for their compassionate care. Mass of Christian burial will be held on Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021, at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Of The Lake, 4740 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake, Minnesota with visitation one hour prior to the funeral. Private burial will be held at Ft. Snelling cemetery. Memorials preferred to St. Mary of the Lake, White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Arrangements by Honsa Family Funeral Home. www.honsafamilyfuneral.com

Phillip Harden Smith, Age 85, Mahtomedi, Minnesota, died peacefully surrounded by family on Dec. 11, 2021. He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis Paul and Anna Catherine Smith, and his sister Judith Smith. Survived by angel partner Helen Smoyer; sons Louis (Nadia Najarro) Smith; P. Brett Smith (Jody McCormick); and daughter Lisa Smith (Kraig Bruer); grandchildren Parker, Rheo, Keegan and Shea Bruer and Eva Najarro Rys (Andrew Najarro Rys) and Daniel Najarro Smith. Born and raised in Hartford City, Indiana, Phil skipped the 5th grade, played the clarinet in the high school band, and earned a scholarship to Purdue University, where he earned his B.S. in Engineering in 3 years, and then graduated from Indiana University Law School at the age of 23. Phil married Anne Fulton of Hartford City and together they brought Louis to Minneapolis where Brett and Lisa were born. Phil joined the Merchant & Gould patent and trademark law firm as its third attorney in 1959, which later became Merchant, Gould, Smith and Edell. He decided to concentrate on trademark law and grew the firm’s highly successful practice in this area. Highlights of his work included the registration of Softsoap and the round Honeywell thermostat as trademarks, and protection of the Munsingwear pen-

guin. Phil combined many interests and relationships when he wrote the patent registration for the Honeycrisp apple. He authored a leading text, Intent to Use Trademark Practice, in 1992 and was a leader in the U.S. Trademark Association. An avid gardener since childhood, Phil was a founder and the first President of the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and an active leader in the Men’s Garden Club of Minneapolis and the Royal Delphinium Society of England. His love of fishing took him to building a family lake place on Clearwater Lake near Annandale, Minnesota and a mountain home in Big Sky, Montana. Phil was also a talented woodworker, sculptor and painter. His work with his hands also included masonry, carpentry, plumbing and electrical wiring. He loved international travel and gardening with his second wife Wanda (Kennobie), including trips to New Zealand, the Caribbean and Europe. Late in his life his angel partner Helen Smoyer appeared, and she brought out the very best in him in the midst of his struggles with addiction and Alzheimer’s disease. While he frequented international meetings of intellectual property attorneys and rubbed elbows with high society in Britain, Phil was most at home in diners with construction workers for early morning breakfast conversation about carpentry and masonry. Memorial service on Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022, at 2 p.m. at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska Minnesota (masks required). Memorials preferred to the Arboretum or to Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation, PO Box 64348, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0348. Arrangements by Crescent Tide 651-315-8214.

Marion Ann Greene

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Age 94 of White Bear Lake, went home to be with her Lord on Dec. 16, 2021. Preceded in death by husband Daniel; parents Joseph & Viola Chenoweth; brothers Joseph & Milton and sister Lucille. Survived by sons Steve (Kitty), Mark “Travlr” (Kathy), Michael, Daniel, Jon (Laurie) and Christopher (Angela); 24 grandchildren; 37 ½ great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren; brother Francis Chenoweth; numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Catholic Prayer Service Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021 at 11 a.m. Visitation Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2021 from 4-7 p.m. and one hour before the service on Wednesday all at Mueller Memorial, 4738 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake. Interment St. Mary of the Lake Cemetery, White Bear Lake. Arrangements with muellermemorial.com, 651-429-4944

BUSINESS BRIEFS pets, so he makes sure to look out for his groomers, paying them more than the national average. For Countryman, happy groomers means happy pets. The salon will be located at 995 Wildwood Road in White Bear Lake.

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Haute Dog to debut in early 2022 Dennis Countryman of Stillwater is bringing his luxe dog grooming salon to White Bear Lake. Haute Dog Salon already has a location in Edina, and thanks to a high demand for quality dog grooming, Countryman will expand his business to White Bear Lake this coming February. The salon runs under a stress-free philosophy where groomers and dogs spend their entire session together, so there is no kennel time for the pooches, just pampering and expert styling. Countryman wants to keep a high level of service for his customers and their

Hy-Vee store and apartment complex planned for Stillwater The owner of the 35.3-acre property located on the southeast quadrant of Manning Avenue and State Highway 36 plans to develop the property as a mixed-use planned unit development (PUD). In the first phase, which will occur after the construction of the new interchange at Highway 36 and Manning Avenue is completed, the construction of a 95,000-square-foot Hy-Vee store, a Hy-Vee convenience store with fuel sales and a drivethrough coffee shop, and a market-rate apartment facility with 200 units will take place. Due to additional infrastructure needs, the exact timing of this project is unknown at this time. Washington County is considering the construction of a new frontage road (58th Street) between Manning Avenue and Stillwater Boulevard in 2025 to serve this area. The city of Stillwater will continue to explore options to advance this project more quickly and is planning additional water and sewer extensions in the area in 2023.

DECEMBER 22, 2021

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CITY OF GEM LAKE RAMSEY COUNTY, MINNESOTA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS REGARDING HOME OCCUPATIONS IN THE CITY OF GEM LAKE MN CONSOLIDATED LAND USE ORDINANCE NO. 131 AND HOME OCCUPATION ORDINANCE NO. 85 The Gem Lake Planning Commission will consider amendments regarding language to Home Occupations in the Gem Lake Consolidated Land Use Ordinance No. 131 and the Home Occupations Ordinance No. 85. There will be a public hearing on January 11, 2022 at the Planning Commission Meeting. The Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at 4200 Otter Lake Rd, Gem Lake. December 16, 2021 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Mayor Published one time in the White Bear Press on December 22, 2021.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 624 WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN 55110 MINUTES NOVEMBER 8, 2021 Abbreviated Minutes-complete information available from the Superintendent÷s offlce or online at www.isd624.org. A meeting of the White Bear Lake Area School Board was held on Monday, November 8, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 112 at District Center, 4855 Bloom Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN. This meeting was open to the public and a recording is posted on the website. PROCEDURAL ITEMS 1) Chair Mullin called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2) Roll Call - Present: Arcand, Beloyed, Chapman, Ellison, Mullin, Newmaster. Absent: Thompson. Ex-Offlcio: Dr. Wayne Kazmierczak. 3) Pledge of Allegiance. 4) Beloyed moved and Newmaster seconded to approve the agenda as presented. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 5) Arcand moved and Chapman seconded to approve the consent agenda consisting of: a) Approval of minutes for regular Board meeting on October 11, 2021, and October 25, 2021; b) Payment of invoices based upon a random sample, all of which met the standards and guidelines as set by the School Board; c) Passage of resolution regarding acceptance of gifts with thank you letters directed to the donors; d) Approval of fleld trips; e) Passage of resolution to approve personnel items. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. Thompson arrived at 5:32 p.m. PUBLIC FORUM - Cassidy Johnson. INFORMATION ITEMS 1) Student Recognition - Participants in the 2021 MNJBN State Tournament for Fishing, the State Meet for Boys Cross Country and the State Meet for Girls Cross Country were recognized and congratulated by Dr. Kazmierczak. 2) Art, Culture, and Education (ACE) Study - Rita Trapp from HKGi Planning reported on the results of a study that the district engaged in with the City of White Bear Lake, the White Bear Lake Center for the Arts, and Hani‡ Performing Arts Center to look at the potential of an Arts, Culture, and Education District. 3) Superintendent÷s Report - Dr. Kazmierczak spoke about a district COVID-19 update, Veterans Day programs, the Fall Musical, and Coffee with Dr. K. He concluded with information about November recognitions, and employment opportunities. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1) Update on Sale of 2021B Alternative Facilities Refunding Bonds - Greg Crowe, Senior Municipal Advisor with Ehlers, reported on the sale. 2) First Reading of School Board Policies; a) Policy 503, Student Attendance, b) Policy 533, Wellness, c) Policy 541, Tutoring of Students, d) Policy 805, Waste Reduction and Recycling, and e) Policy 806, Crisis Management Policy. The policies listed above will be on the December 13, 2021 or subsequent agenda for a second reading. OPERATIONAL ITEMS 1) Chapman moved and Newmaster seconded to approve the action on Resolution Canvassing Returns of Votes of the School District General Election. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 2) Beloyed moved and Thompson seconded to approve the action on Resolution Authorizing Issuance of Certiflcates of Election and Directing the School District Clerk to Perform Other Election Related Duties. Voice vote: Ayes,

all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 3) Arcand moved and Chapman seconded to approve the action on Resolution Designating Polling Precinct Locations for the 2022 Elections. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 4) Newmaster moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the action on 202223 Secondary Course Proposals. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 5) Chapman moved and Ellison seconded to approve the action on Acceptance of Ryan Art Grants. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 6) Beloyed moved and Newmaster seconded to approve the action on Resolution Ratifying the Sale of General Obligation Alternative Facilities Refunding Bonds, Series 2021B, in the Original Aggregate Principal Amount of $8,280,000. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 7) Ellison moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the action on Health Insurance Rates. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 8) Beloyed moved and Arcand seconded to approve the action on School Board Policies, a) Policy 514, Bullying Prevention. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. BOARD FORUM ADJOURNMENT - Arcand moved and Beloyed seconded to adjourn the meeting at 6:37 p.m. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. Submitted by: Jessica Ellison, clerk. Published one time in the White Bear Press on December 22, 2021.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 624 WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN 55110 MINUTES NOVEMBER 22, 2021 Abbreviated Minutes-complete information available from the Superintendent÷s ofﬂce or online at www.isd624.org. A work session of the White Bear Lake Area School Board was held on Monday, November 22, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. in Room 112 at District Center, 4855 Bloom Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN. This meeting was open to the public and a recording is posted on the website. PROCEDURAL ITEMS 1) Call to Order - Chair Mullin called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2) Roll Call - Present: Beloyed, Chapman, Mullin, Newmaster, Thompson, Arcand. Absent: Ellison. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1) Elementary Transition Process - Matt Mons, Director of Human Resources and General Counsel, gave an update on the stafﬂng transition process for Hugo, Oneka and the new elementary school. 2) Attendance Boundary Public Input Process - Tim Wald, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, provided an update on the process for gathering feedback and recommendations from district stakeholders. 3) 2021-22 Revised & 2022-23 Preliminary Budget Timelines - Tim Wald and Andi Johnson, Director of Finance, presented an overview of the FY 2021-22 revised budget timelines and FY 2022-23 preliminary budget timelines. 4) Update on Naming Process for New Elementary School - Tim Wald and Dan Schmidt, Principal of the new elementary school, presented on the process used to develop the recommendation for the name of the new elementary school. ADJOURNMENT - Arcand moved and Mullin seconded to adjourn the meeting at 6:15 p.m. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. Submitted by: Angela Thompson, acting clerk. Published one time in the White Bear Press on December 22, 2021.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 832 MAHTOMEDI, MN 55115 MINUTES NOVEMBER 10, 2021 A Regular Meeting of the Board of Education of Mahtomedi Public Schools was held November 10, 2021, beginning at 7:00 PM in the Mahtomedi District Education Center-Community Room, 1520 Mahtomedi Avenue, Mahtomedi, Minnesota 55115. CALL TO ORDER-Meeting called to order at 7:11 p.m. by Chair Lucy Payne. ROLL CALL OF ATTENDANCE-Present: Kevin Donovan; Julie McGraw; Lucy Payne; Kelly Reagan; Stacey Stout; Tony Vosooney; and Superintendent Barbara Duffrin, ex-ofﬂcio. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA-Vosooney moved, Stout seconded, approval of the agenda. Carried 6-0. APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT AGENDA-McGraw moved, Donovan seconded, approval of the actions recommended on the consent agenda. Carried 6-0. DISCUSSION/INFORMATION ITEMS-A) The Board Member Calendar

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was reviewed. B.) School Board Organization Meeting Information per Chair Lucy Payne called on the Organizational meeting that will be in December 2021. C.) Second Reading of Policies- Superintendent Barbara Duffrin has had no board member reach out for questions. Duffrin will ask for approval of these policies at the December 9, 2021 meeting. ACTION ITEMS-Approval of Donations/ Grants-A) The October and November donations will be approved at the December 9 School Board Meeting. B.) Approval of 2022 —2023 Financial Timeline - Motion to table to Financial Timeline Approval to the December 9, 2021 school board meeting. Payne moved, Donovan seconded, approval to table until December 9, 2021 meeting. Carried 6-0. C.) Approval of Northeast Metro Intermediate School District No. 916 Joint Powers Agreement. Superintendent Duffrin spoke on how this Joint Powers agreement was modernized from its original 1969 agreement. The new version is streamlined compared to the older more cumbersome version. McGraw moved, Vosooney seconded, Approval of Northeast Metro Intermediate School District No. 916 Joint Powers Agreement. Carried 6-0. D.) Approval of Resolutions Canvassing Return of Votes of the School District Special Election and Authorizing Issuance of Certiﬂcates of Election and Directing School District Clerk to Perform Other Election Duties. Vosooney moved, Stout seconded, Approval of Resolution of Votes of the School District Special Election. Carried 6-0. E.) Approval of Resolution Canvassing Returns of the Special Election- Renewal of Capital Projects Levy. McGraw moved, Stout seconded, Approval of Resolution Canvassing Returns of the Special Election- Renewal of Capital Projects Levy. Carried 6-0. F.) Approval of Policies - Superintendent Barbara Duffrin asked for approval on Policies with no changes. Vosooney moved, Reagan seconded, Approval of Policies with no recommended changes. Carried 6-0. G.) Election of School Board Treasurer-Chair Lucy Payne nominated Kevin Donovan to ﬂll the role of Treasurer as of November 17, 2021, vacated by Tony Vosooney until the organizational meeting in January 2022. Payne moved, McGraw seconded, approval of Kevin Donovan as the new Treasurer. Carried 6-0.ADJOURNMENT- Stout moved, Reagan seconded, adjournment. Meeting adjourned at 8:39 p.m. Submitted by Julie McGraw, Clerk. A full version of the minutes is available at www.mahtomedi.k12.mn.us. Published one time in the White Bear Press on December 22, 2021.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 832 MAHTOMEDI, MN 55115 STUDY SESSION MINUTES NOVEMBER 29, 2021 A Study Session of the Board of Education of Mahtomedi Public Schools was held November 29, 2021, beginning at 7:00 AM in the Mahtomedi District Education Center- Community Room, 1520 Mahtomedi Avenue, Mahtomedi, Minnesota 55115. CALL TO ORDER-Meeting called to order at 7:03 p.m. by Chair Lucy Payne. ROLL CALL OF ATTENDANCE- Kevin Donovan; Julie McGraw; Lucy Payne; Kelly Reagan; Stacey Stout; Paul Donna; Superintendent Barbara Duffrin, ex-ofﬂcio. Also present: Jeff Priess, Director of Finance and Operations, Adam Gemuenden, Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds; and the SitelogiQ team. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA. Carried 6-0. DISCUSSION/ INFORMATION ITEMS- A.) Facility Assessment Review —O.H. Anderson Elementary. SitelogiQ presented a slide show reviewing the building mechanical framework at O.H. Anderson Elementary. SitelogiQ broke down the age of speciﬂc mechanical units, the life expectancy of systems and current concerns with building anatomy. Additionally, SitelogiQ offered recommendations on air and ventilation quality along with areas of improvements at other district buildings. SitelogiQ also displayed a breakdown of cost per year on projects including when plans should start and end. A proposal of reinvestment cost to the district was given at $8,552,000 including costs of $1,106,540 if the district were to delay the project. Next steps would be board approval, bond sale resolution and a revised 10-year LTFM (Long term facilities maintenance) plan. A). ADJOURNMENT- Carried 6-0. Meeting adjourned at 8:20 a.m. Submitted by: Julie McGraw, Clerk. A full version of the minutes are available at www. mahtomedi.k12.mn.us Published one time in the White Bear Press on December 22, 2021.

MAHTOMEDI SCHOOL BOARD NOTES The Mahtomedi School District levy, payable in 2022, has been set at approximately $16.1 million. Action on the matter followed a public hearing during the Truth in Taxation presentation at the Dec. 9 school board meeting. The 2022 levy increased by 6.2% over the 2021 levy of $15.1 million. The 2022 budget will provide funding for the 2022-23 school year and is made up of the general fund at $10.7 million, Community Education at about $282,200 and debt service at $5.1 million. The payable 2022 levy includes the capital projects levy (technology levy) that was renewed by voters on Nov. 2 and the operating referendum Tier 2 increase of $275 per student additional authority, said Jeff Priess, director of finance and operations. The $275 additional per student increase amounts to just under $1 million, Priess said. Take this $1 million out of the budget, and the levy would be flat, without an increase over last year, he said. Dec. 28 is the deadline for districts throughout the state to certify their final adopted levies to their home county auditor and to submit a certificate of truth in taxation compliance to the Department of Revenue. As soon as the 2022 budget and levy was finalized and approved, the district turned right around and started preparing the 202223 financial timeline. The 2021 Legislature approved basic formula increases for the 2021-2023 biennium with an increase of 2.45% for 2021-22 and 2% for 2022-23. The funding that the state provides to Mahtomedi schools is 54% of the district’s total revenue, Priess said. Pupil units for 2022-23 show a 2.23% increase and provide a total state funding of $24.7 million for the

district. Basic revenue per pupil unit will be about $6,862 for 2022-23, up from $6,728 in 2021-22. The number of adjusted pupil units will be up in 2022-23 to 3,600 pupils, compared with 3,592 pupils in 2021-22. The dollar increase from 2021-22 to 2022-23 will be $538,231, or 2.23%, Priess said. The district will add a project to the Long Term Facilities Mainenance (LTFM) 10-Year Plan, after the board revised the plan to add HVAC work at O. H. Anderson Elementary School. The O. H. Anderson indoor air quality and infrastructure revitalization project will convert the heating system to hot water, add new high-efficiency water boilers, install a central chilled water system, install new air handling units with dehumidification, replace ductwork with new variable air volume systems, upgrade other systems, replace the ceiling system, add ionization to air handling units, perform mechanical system asbestos abatement and more. A bond sale will be held this winter, and construction will take place during the summer of 2022. The board also approved the professional service agreement with SiteLogIQ to manage the project. There has been a change on the school board, after new Board Member Paul Donna was sworn in. The community elected Donna to replace Tony Vosooney, who was appointed to the board in 2021. Donna’s term runs from Nov. 18 to the first Monday in January 2023. Three board members received honors from the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA), a professional organization for school board members. Vosooney earned the Leadership and Development Certificate, Board Member Julie McGraw earned the President’s

Award for professional development and Board Member Kevin Donovan made the All-State School Board. Donovan was selected to receive the 2022 MSBA All-State School Board Award, the group’s most prestigious award, in recognition of his outstanding contribution in education. Out of 2,300 school board members in Minnesota, Donovan was one of only seven board members to receive the award. Superintendent Barb Duffrin described Donovan as a connector. "People trust Kevin, and nothing brings him more joy than connecting with students and marveling at their accomplishments." The district has completed its annual policy updates after voting 4-1 (Donna opposed) to approve changes to nine policies. Donna said he voted against approval because he was new to the board and needed more time to study the policies and ask questions. Board Chair Lucy Payne said he would have an opportunity to speak with the superintendent or study the policies during the next annual review. Board members passed a resolution to help MSBA beef up its advocacy at the federal level by seeking state funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) program from the Minnesota Legislature. Following the end of COVID-19 lockdowns, the community is ready to get out of the house. "All kinds of people are knocking down doors to get back into the school building," said Community Education Director Kate Andersen in her report. The buildings have seen 7,153 hours of use in 2021, up from 2020, but down compared with the pre-COVID-19 era, she said. Over the past year, 5,340 community members were served,

which is still significantly lower than pre-COVID-19. New offerings will include day trips to the Chanhassen Dinner Theater and Wabasha, creative writing, Spanish, adult and midde school yoga, boys’ volleyball and American mahjong. Andersen said. The Early Childhood brochure will be available Jan. 1, and the winter-spring catalog is now available online. Middle school and high school students who don’t drive to school or take the bus will soon have a safe way to walk to school, after the board gave Andersen authorization to apply for a Washington County grant to construct a walkway into the campuses of both schools. The district continues to monitor Washington County COVID-19 case numbers. "When county levels are high, we see increases in student and staff absences," Duffrin said. The district’s mitigation layers serve as the best method to reduce absences, keep school case numbers low and keep students learning in-person, she said. The district will continue to notify families of positive cases in class or on the bus. The student vaccination rate for ages 5-11 is 37%; for ages 12-15, it is 75%; and for 16 and above is 76%, Duffrin said. The board formally accepted $992.53 in donations from the community during the month of October. The board next meets at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 6, in the District Center, 1520 Mahtomedi Ave. Loretta B. Harding is a contributing writer for Press Publications. She can be reached at news@presspubs.com or 651-407-1200.

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Letters to Santa Dear Santa, For Christmas I would like Cars and tow trucks Books about cars Fire trucks Hot wheels tracks Crane Thank you Santa! Tommy Dear Santa, For Christmas I want Roblox gift card x 2 More clothes Fake dimonds Some dolls Some winter stuff Some pillow cases Painting stuff and eislel and brushes Canvises Slime factory Make your own slime Some new blankets More toys Cute pictures for my room Cats, dogs, snakes From: Callie Dear: Santa Cluse Hi. How are you doing. I am doing good. I was willy good this year and I am doing great. I willy want coloring books and music and movies. Music I want Black Street Boys Brittey Spears TLC Moves Frozen Two Christmas movies family That is all I want for Christmas Day! Thanks Santa Cluse soo much Love always and forever! Jamie Dear Santa, I want kinetic sand rainbow mix. Dear Santa, I don’t have a hook for my stocking, so I might get one. I love you, Rudolph and Santa. Luv, Beau Dear Santa, I want some new tights. I would like some stuffed animals. Can I have some balloons? Love, Sloaney (5 ½) Dear Santa, Please bring me a blue toy and cookies. Num num num. Love, Junie, Age 2 Dear Santa, Thank you for the presents from last year. I would like the biggest dinosaur ever! Love, Lewis, Age 3½ Dear Santa, I want a purple dog stuffed animal and I want you to bring me a horsey stuffed animal. Love, Izzy (4 ½) Christmas List I would like a Xbox Permanent Marker and a 2 mine TV Starwars Blanket Paint set and Marker Set Series Dog Man and Wimpy Kid Love, Roland

Dear Santa, This year, please bring me one ( Or more!) of the following: 1. Big Marshall Truck with fire hoses and a kitty 2. Marshall Stuffy 3. Toy helicopter 4. Big, giant, giant train 5. Reading Lamp 6. Ryder stuffy 7. Heart Balloon 8. Chase Pillow Love, Brekken Lego Minecraft treehouse Nintendo switch controllers Minecraft caves and cliffs for Nintendo Switch Super smash bros for Switch Lego Minecraft – the pig house Lego Minecraft- the end battle Lego Minecraft- the coral reef Lego Minecraft the ruined portal Jakks Pacific Mario Bros U Plush Super Mario Bros Wave 7 Shy guy White and Gold Air Jordans -Ray Dear Santa, I want for Christmas is a skate American girl doll and an lol doll and a dog for Christmas. Love Jade Dear Santa, I’ve got two things I really want this Christmas if you can’t get this it’s fine. It mite be weird but I want a Dad and this one mite be expensive I want a real life house that’s huge with a made and my own room too and yea that’s what I want for Christmas. From Jazzmin Dear Santa, Here is my list. Pik mi Pops Num Nums Hamsters in the house Minnie mouse toys Tonies Rusty rivers toys Swivel chair blue Cutie cars Paw patrol toys and dvds Puppy dog pals toys Douglas stuffed animals

Love, Miles

Toby’s Christmas List Pack of baseballs Pack of hockey pucks Size “ 7 “ Roller blades Size “ medium” hockey helmet with cage mask Size “13” hockey gloves Green biscuit snipe Hockey Jersey “Wilds” Hockey wrap around. Fosters Christmas List Madden 21 PS4 addition Fiskars x 25. Axe Starwars battle front 2 ps4 addition. X shot nerf gun hawkeye Hockey helmet size “small” with cage and size “11” hockey gloves Bb gun 22. cb caps dirt bike SantaI love you and I want a ﬂashlight bookmark and a water bottle. thank you Love, Lachlan Age 6

Dear Santa, This year I have been Nice. One kind thing I did this year is: Sent candy to soldiers across sea. Raised money for animal shelters w/ my lemonade stand. I would love if you brought me: Dollhouse The wake up Daddy game Glitter Babies Fancy Nancy Doll Love, Vivienne Dear Santa, Mrs. Claus & Rudolph I hope you have a really nice Christmas. Ive been good this year. I share with my sister sometimes. How good have you been? If I get coal this year, I will give it to my dad for his grill. Silas Age 5 My Wish List Hot Wheels Race Track Set Monster Trucks Pop-It Mat Jurassic T-Rex Nerf Gun Power Treads Hyperdrive Zipline Disney Eye Found It Aerobic Sonic Fin Football Slippers Silas Dear Santa, I’m good. We have our Christmas Tree up. I hope I get to see you. I want an Ipad. Play-doh Disney Princess Dollhouse Barbie Ice Cream Play Set Bluey Heeler Play set Fur Real Wavy the Narwhal Magic Mixies Magic Cauldron P.s. Say hi to Mrs. Claus and Rudolph Sylvie Age 3 Dear Santa, I been extra good today. Send Money. Santa, I am going to tell you what I want for Christmas. I want a real live bear that is black. That is nice and kind to me and never roars at me and can sleep with me and never never never gets in trouble with me because I think my Mom & Dad will kick em out. Santa I want something else for Christmas. I want every package I open to be a TOY! If its not a toy, put Mommy things in it. Santa, I got a question. Do you only send toys? Or Do you send wild animals? Santa, when I go out for dinner. Can I sit on your lap? I am going to dress to match you tonight! I want a special thing dear Santa. Maybe not a wild bear he wont trust me maybe bring a puppy that will love me and adore me all day. Dear Santa, could you bring another animal? Maybe our cats die you can bring me a kitten. Mommy doesn’t like cats. Merry Christmas Santa . I love you. Ava (age 5) Dear Santa, I would like a Jeep Gladiator please, a green one Thank you, Love Andrew ( age 3 ½)

Dear Santa I’VE BEEN A GOOD GIRL My Christmas List Minnie Paper Doll Minnie Mickey Car Barbie Princess My name is Maeve and I am 6 years old. This year I’ve been really good. Something good I did this year was help by friends that were hurt. I would like to give love and kindness to others. This year I might like to receive and iPad. My Christmas wish list year is LOL Mansion, Barbie Dreamhouse, Cloudeez, doll things, purse pet and surprises. I also have a question for you! Is your house made out of snow? With love and gratitude, Maeve Dear Santa, My name is Nell and I am 9 years old. This year I’ve been good. Something good I did this year was help my family. I would like to give peace on earth. This year I might like to receive is a jumbo pop it. My Christmas wish this year is is Iphone Fidgets A phone case Slime Rainbowcorn Crafts Sewing kits I also have a question for you! Where do the reindeer stay in the summer? With love and Gratitude, Nell Dear Santa, My name is Olin and I am 10 years old. This year I’ve been really good. Something good I did this year was to be kind to my sisters. I would like to give kindness to people. This year I might like to receive some ﬁdgets, remote control items and games. I also have a question for you! Do you like chocolate chip cookies? With Love and Gratitude, Olin Dear Santa, My name is Sydney and I was wondering do you eat a lot of candy at the North Pole? How many elves do you have? For Christmas I would like Art Materials, new pajamas, white board for my room, lego sets, ﬁdgets, a Nintendo switch and that is all. But you do not need to get me all of them. And I love your dangly hat. I want one more thinghockey nets and sticks. Love, Sydney ( age 9) Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 years old. This year I have been Nice. My Christmas wishes are: A big bluey stuffy A baby yoda & Nintendo Switch An RC Car & Harry Potter House Merry Christmas Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies and milk! Love, David at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, I was good this year. I would like a bike and a robot and a gumball machine, oh and a treasure map. Merry Christmas Love, August ( Age 5 ½)

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Red Venom Carnage Baby Yoda Spiderman Figure Groot Toy Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Theo at Kids Under Construction Preschool Dear Santa, For Christmas I would like a Naomi costume, Anna costume, a harp and a guitar. I hope you have a good night. From Zoey (5)

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year, I have been Nice. My Christmas wishes are: A Stuffed animal Merry Christmas Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies and milk! Love, Hazel at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Present pet – Sparkle Princess More markers Scooter Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Rory at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 years old. This year, I have been Nice. My Christmas wishes are: Slime & a Santa book Suckers & stickers Stuffed elephant & new masks I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies and milk! Love, Julia at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 years old. This year I have been nice and naughty. My Christmas wishes are: Piggie & Gerald Books Connect Four Minecraft Costume Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Ethan at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year, I have been Nice. My Christmas wishes are: Alligator Robot Lightning Ball Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies and milk! Love, Brexton, 5 years, at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, My Christmas wishes are: Makeup Kit American Girl Doll A suitcase Real Wand Electric Scooter Superhero Doll & Spider Girl Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Oona at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa This year I would like a robot. With buttons to make it talk, and a green face, and also, I don’t know if you guys can do this but could you make it do commands pleas Thank you! P.s. Mr. elf is a good elf With a green face Orang front Blue legs And one more thing Santa, I would like to be 3 feet and also I would like wheels for feet From Zeke

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Legos Switch games Hatchimals Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Julian at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, I don’t really want anything but there is one thing. I want 3 boxes of Christmas cookies. I don’t care what kind and if you have room and time it would be nice to have a rabbit. If you can’t get it it’s ﬁne, I just want it. Happy, Merry Christmas! Love Evie

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: A triceratops Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Ophelia at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, For Christmas I would like a wonder Woman costume, a Hermione costume, a Elena doll, unicorn Pop it, a Anna doll, and a ﬂute. I hope you have a good Christmas. From: Nora (7)

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: A magical unicorn! Magical ice powers! A Sophia necklace

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Spider Man RC Flying Figure

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Jasmine dress-up set Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Lydia at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, I dot want to much for Christmas. I jast want a happy Christmas. I just want a pet ﬁsh. From your friend Jovie. Merry Christmas.

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: A real Unicorn! A real kitty Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Vivian at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Spiderman 4 wheeler Marshmallow men in my sock from Ghostbuster movie Blues clues Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Grayden at Kids Under Construction Preschool

Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Dinosaurs (10) Elfs (2) Dog (a real one). I will name him Fred! Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Foster at Kids Under Construction Preschool Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Lego Jurassic World Cruiser Lego Edomonis Lego Moving Crane with motors Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Thomas at Kids Under Construction Preschool Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: games atomic play set helicopter\ Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Wyatt at Kids Under Construction Preschool Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Ghost busters & dinosaurs Case for my hot wheels cars New hot wheels + baseball stuff Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Clark at Kids Under Construction Preschool Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Doll with a doll house and car Spiderman Robot Spiderman Car Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Alvin at Kids Under Construction Preschool Dear Santa, This year I would like a batman monster truck RC Thank you, J

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Dear Santa, This year I have been nice and naughty. My Christmas wishes are: Big Spiderman Toy Spiderman Ball Julk toy Snowman toy Venom Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, John at Kids Under Construction Preschool Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Elsa toy – sing along Elsa doll Big Ariel doll Toy phone Easel for my artwork Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Maysen at Kids Under Construction Preschool Dear Santa, My name is Kelby and I am 5 years old. I have been on the nice list all year! This year for Christmas I would like: Makeup set Paint set Fidgit Pop-it Snow cone machine Thank you Santa! Kelby Dear Santa for Christmas I would like is some dogman books and a sonic exe ﬁgure and a million boxes of dark chocolate trufﬂes tee hee. And a lego pick up truck, and some lego spaceships, and a put together sling shot, spiderman super web slinger and customizable electronic light saber and lego spiderman at the sanctum workshop and lego spider man drone duel please. I’ve been a good boy and my brother Joey likes monster trucks and consterucshin veicles and a blippi doll. He’s been a good boy too. Love, Wally

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Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 5 years old. This year I have been nice. My Christmas wishes are: Paw Patrol Bouncer Pet toy turtle/dog that comes with a shaver Sunny Star scout My Little Pony Merry Christmas, Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies & milk! Love, Bridget at Kids Under Construction Preschool

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Dear Santa, This Christmas, I am 4 ½ years old. This year, I have been Nice. My Christmas wishes are: A T-rex robot & stickers Christmas Decorations Shark Robot & Capture Net ball Merry Christmas Santa! I’ll be waiting for you on Christmas Eve with cookies and milk! Love, Elliot at Kids Under Construction Preschool

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CABOOSE: Local landmark to be restored PAGE 10B

Above: Dominic Stetz, Lucas Younce, Dylan Allshouse and Josh Heyne assumed the roles and responsibilities of the shepherds as they minded goats near the manger.

PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Lively Nativity interactions Above: Meadow Gibas approaches Joseph and Mary (Eric Stetz and Jodie Millard) to wish the baby Jesus a happy birthday during the annual Living Nativity scene outside St. Stephen Lutheran church in White Bear Lake.

Above: Brianna and Ethan Dickel were in the center of a flurry of activity as they got a closer look at the goats, donated for the community event by the Sustainable Safari petting zoo. At left: Pianist Steve Holtz wears blinking lights while playing a lively selection of holiday classics for children and adults.

At right: A carved, sculptural Nativity scene, set up behind glass inside the church, was on display for visitors coming inside to warm up with hot cocoa and dessert treats prepared by volunteers.

Reference the holiday faith listings for details about upcoming Christmas Eve and Christmas day services.

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ZEPHYRS SPORTS BRIEFS

Girls basketball: Zephyrs rout Tartan Mahtomedi picked up two road victories last week, with scoring nicely spread out in each game. The Zephyrs (4-2) cruised 72-29 against Tartan on Tuesday as Zoie Centers netted 13 points, Ella Kletti 12, Sonya Potthoff 11, Mya Wilson nine, and Savanna Stockness and Anna Greene eight each. They prevailed 68-63 over Fridley on Friday with Centers netting 16 points, Wilson 14, Stockness 12, and Klettl 11.

Gymnastics: Zephyrs notch 3rd win The Mahtomedi gymnasts are 3-0 after defeating Two Rivers 132.425 to 125.825 at home Thursday. Tess Mathson, senior captain, won all-around (34.85) and vault (8.95), and took second on bars (8.55) and floor (8.55). Abbey Bush won bars (8.875) and placed third in all-around (33.55), vault (8.55) and floor (8.25). Erin Steinman scored 32.50 allaround and Kendall Hines 31.075. Steinman was third on beam (8.6). Girls hockey: Zephyrs lose 2 on road Mahtomedi lost away games to South St. Paul 4-0 Friday and Hopkins/St. Louis Park 2-1 Saturday. South St. Paul (3-5-1) outshot the Zephyrs 47-12, with goals by four different players. Zephyr goalie Kaitlyn Galeazzi made 43 saves. Against HSLP (4-6), the Zephyrs led 1-0 on a power play goal from Victoria Nelson (assisted by Karen Miller) in the first period but gave up third-period goals by Sofia Hoffman and Sophie Hayes. Ella Heath in goal for the Zephyrs (2-7) made 20 saves.

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Boys hockey: No. 1 Hermantown vanquishes No. 3 Mahtomedi 3-0 Mahtomedi’s No. 3 ranked hockey team was blanked by top-ranked Hermantown 3-0 on home Saturday at St. Croix Rec Center. The perennial Class A powers were deadlocked 0-0 for 29 minutes before Ty Hanson, a Gophers’ recruit, got Hermantown on the board late in the second period. Kade Kohanski scored in the third period and Hanson added an empty-netter for the Hawks (6-0). Hermantown outshot the Zephyrs (4-3) by wide margin, 43-16. That was Mahtomedi’s only game of the week.

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Fox just shy of breaking school record Brody Fox, a 2020 Mahtomedi High School graduate, was one point shy of breaking the University of Wisconsin-Stout’s men’s basketball team’s single game scoring record Dec. 13. Brody Fox The 6’4” sophomore scored 42 points on 60-percent shooting percentage (15 for 20). He recorded six dunks. The school single game scoring record is 43 points. Fox recorded what would have already been a career-best 17 points by halftime, and tossed in 25 second half points. He also went 12 for 18 from the free throw line. His free throws in the final seconds of the game broke the 124 point scoring record for Stout which had been held since 1971. Fox notched his first collegiate double-double, finishing with a career-best 13 rebounds. He also dished off a career-best five assists. For the season, Fox has come off the bench in all 10 games, averaging 13.8 minutes per contest. He is averaging 9.7 points, 3.1 rebounds and has seven total assists. Bruce Strand

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Senior’s switch gave Zephyr gridders a leg up BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

A standout placekicker has usually been the one missing aspect in Mahtomedi football, one of the top programs in the metro area for decades. That changed this year when Joey Heinsch left a strong soccer team to spend his senior season on the gridiron. “I started thinking about becoming a kicker when I felt like I had gotten everything out of soccer that I possibly could have,” Heinsch said. “My friends on the (football) team were always pushing me to play football, because they saw my potential, and would always remind me that Mahtomedi has never been a ‘kicking team’ before.” Heinsch, 6-foot1 and 160 pounds, contributed 67 points to Mahtomedi’s 103, state runner-up season. He drilled six of eight field goals,

with a long of 38, and was 49-for-53 on extra points. He was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Jordan Hull, who racked up 18 touchdowns. He also blasted 41 of his 76 kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. “After I had decided to not play soccer, I immediately began to work on place-kicking, because I knew that it would be something I would come to really enjoy and be good at,” said Heinsch. Heinsch’s holder was quarterback Charlie Brandt, and his snappers were Sam Garry on extra points and Gavin Greeder on field goals. He praised them all for making his job easier. Asked about his range, Heinsch reports that he made one from 61 yards in practice, just to “be on par with Justin Tucker,” referring to the NFL’s best kicker. He is looking into kicking in college, and working on advancing his skill level.

Heinsch’s many touchbacks made opponents start at their 20-yard line. And when he didn’t reach the end zone, he had a chance to make some tackles like a real football player — which he did, although the coaches cautioned him about being too eager. “I managed to get four or five tackles on the kickoffs,” he said. “We would replay the film after a game and I would get lectured by the coaches about being the ‘safety’ (staying back) and not going up so far for the tackle, though they appreciated my enthusiasm.” Heinsch played football once before, in ninth grade as a wide receiver and cornerback. He switched to soccer and was a starter at midfielder and defender as a sophomore and junior. His sister, Lauren, was an all-state soccer player on two state champion teams and now plays for Northern

BRUCE STRAND | CONTRIBUTED

Joey Heinsch, working with holder Charlie Brandt, tallied 67 points on extra points and field goals.

Iowa University. His brother Jack played football and hockey. The Zephyr soccer team he left also had a great season, placing third in the state, but Heinsch had “no regrets.” Football was a “wholesome, family atmosphere,” he said, and “the most fun and enjoyable season I’ve ever had.” Coaches, he added, made him feel

important and cared about, both on and off the field. Coach Dave Muetzel said it was a luxury this year to have a points-generating kicker who could also make opponents start on the 20. “He is definitely a college prospect if he wants to pursue it.”

BEARS SPORTS BRIEFS

Nordic: Bears squeeze in one meet White Bear Lake’s Nordic team opened Dec. 14 with a conference meet at Les Bolstad Golf Course. “We were

Week*

fly,1:01.99), Calvin Weier (500 freestyle, 5:46.94) and Anthony Parada Romero (diving, 160 points). Relay winners were Calvin Fortman, Cleary, Jenkins and Weier in the medley (1:56.22) and Fortman, Ethan Vander Veer, Cleary and Jenkins in the 400 freestyle (3:44.20). Wrestling: Bears win 2 of 3 in quad White Bear Lake won two of three dual meets in a home triangular on Friday evening. The Bears defeated East Ridge 51-30 and Cretin-Derham Hall 66-9, with each opponent forfeiting several weights, then lost to Blaine 53-30. Winning all three matches were Isaac Kolstad, Christian Carlson, Porter Drost, Matt Sloan and Tate Bosman. Winning two of three were Noah Ludwig, Gabe Kessel, Jackson Halko, and Theron Carter. Bruce Strand

WHITE BEAR LAKE GYMNASTICS Grace Squires, White Bear Lake gymnastics senior cocaptain, led the Bears to a pair of dual meet wins last week, winning all-around with 37.00 against Roseville and 36.75 against Park, placing first in six of the eight events. A state qualifier and all-conference honoree each season since ninth grade, she placed eighth on beam and 12th all-around at state last year. Squires is strong on all events and especially uneven bars, where she closes with a giant swing, then a blind full pirouette in the handstand position, then a double black flip dismount. “Grace is a great gymnast and teammate,” coach Kelly Rivers said. “She works hard everyday and never settles for less than her best. She takes corrections well and is respectful to her coaches and teammates.”

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Alpine: Levins wins at Wild Mt. Patrick Levins, White Bear Lake senior, was the individual winner in the 25-team Wild Mountain Invitational to open the Alpine Ski season on Friday at Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls. Levins’ time was 1:00.96. The Bear boys placed 11th while the Bear girls placed 18th. Team champions were the Blaine boys and Minneapolis Washburn girls.

Swimming: Bears top Rangers in opener White Bear Lake won the dual meet opener against Forest Lake 96-82 Thursday evening in the YMCA pool. Aidan Cleary won individual medley (2:16.62) and breaststroke (1:09.38) and helped two relays place first. Also placing first were William Jenkins (butter-

s chosen by press staf *Athlete f

Girls basketball: Bears are 5-3, topple Forest Lake, Stillwater White Bear Lake staved off Stillwater 67-66 there Friday evening, after clipping Forest Lake 55-34 at home Tuesday, lifting their record to 5-3. At Stillwater, Lauren Eckerle tallied 21 points and Nevaeh Hughes 17 points with eight rebounds. Stillwater, down by 10, pulled within 66-63 before Hughes grabbed a rebound, got fouled, and made one of

Boys basketball: Bears defeat Rangers, Zephyrs; lose to Ponies White Bear Lake, 4-2 after a busy week, lost a nail-biter to Stillwater 59-58 at home Thursday, in between road victories over Forest Lake 68-54 Tuesday and Mahtomedi 63-48 Saturday. Against Forest Lake, Jack Janicki tallied 20 points, Wyatt Hawks 16, Jack Misgen 13, and Jeremy Kolb nine. Against Stillwater, Janicki logged 22 points, seven rebounds and 10 steals. He missed a 3-pointer with about 15 seconds left. Each team had the ball twice after that and didn’t score. Misgen had 16 points and Hawks 10. Stillwater star Max Shikenjanski hit 25 points and snagged 10 rebounds. Against Mahtomedi, Janicki pumped in 29 points. Misgen and Kolb added 11 each. The Bears led 36-18 at halftime, shooting 9-for-12 on three’s. For Mahtomedi (1-2), Cole Armitage netted 18 points, shooting 8-for-13, and Javan Harvey 12. The Zephyrs were missing their scoring leader, Owen Carlson, who’s expected to sit a month with a sprained knee, coach Keith Newman said.

able to squeeze in one race before the snow completely disappeared,” coach Doug Cran said. The Bear boys placed fifth and the girls seventh among seven teams. The Forest Lake boys and Stillwater girls won. Leading the Bear boys were Tanner Hoel in 18th place, Micah Fritz in 21st and Ian Ottaviani 29th among 104 entrants. Leading the Bear girls were Madelyn Bystrom in 22nd place and Megan Ryan in 23rd. “We have taken the results from the first race to set our focus towards the skiers’ and team’s goals,” Cran said. “We’re looking forward to seeing what a couple weeks of a concerted ramping up of training will show (in January meets).”

of the

Gymnastics: Bears post wins over Roseville Area and Park White Bear Lake won twice last week, outscoring Roseville Area 131.6 to 123.6 Tuesday and Park 137.225 to 132.05 Thursday, both on the road. The Bears are 3-0 and ranked No. 12. Against Roseville, Grace Squires won vault (9.025), bars (9.45), beam (9.125), floor (9.4) and all-around (37.00). Laney Gunderson was second in each, totaling 33.125. Against Park, Squires totaled 36.75 and Gunderson 36.45 as the Bears. Squires won bars (9.4) and beam (9.03) while Gunderson took vault (9.1) and floor (9.35). Josie Mlejnek scored 31.625, and was fifth on beam (8.225) and floor (8.55). Riley Robovsky was fifth on vault (8.35) and bars (7.95).

two free shots with :08 left. Amber Scalia sank a 3-pointer for Stillwater before the clock ran out. Scalia had 24 points and Amy Thompson 21 for the Ponies (3-2). Against Forest Lake, Hughes shot 12-for-19 and totaled 26 points and nine rebounds. Eckerle added 12 points. Greta Krieger led the Rangers (2-4) with 16.

Athlete

Boys hockey: Bears beat T-G, St. Cloud; lose to Moorhead White Bear Lake won two of three games last week including a split on a weekend road trip. The Bears beat Totino-Grace 3-1 at home Monday with Jackson Kohnen making 37 saves. Outshot 38-24, the Bears got goals from Tyler Bishop (power play), Tyler Kotzmacher, and Nolan Roed (empty-netter). The Bears traveled to Moorhead on Friday and got thumped 4-1 while outshot 41-23. Roed had the Bears goal. A hat trick by Brady Borgestad powered the Bears (4-3) against the St. Cloud Crush (2-4-1), a new pairing of Tech and Apollo. Also scoring were Joe Belisle, Charlie Olsen, Bishop (short-handed) and Tyler Kotzmacher. Bishop assisted on three goals and Olsen on two. Nicholas Pettman in goal made 17 saves.

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CLUES ACROSS 1. Autonomic nervous system 4. At or near the stern 7. Adenosine triphosphate 10. Polynesian garland of ﬂowers 11. Chinese revolutionary 12. Green veggie 13. Large group 15. Swiss river 16. Semiaquatic mammal 19. Wrongdoers 21. Home to Disney World 23. Spanish doctors 24. Newborn child 25. Absence of difﬁculty 26. Large, stocky lizard 27. Earned top billing 30. A long wandering and eventful journey 34. Water (French) 35. Brew 36. Winged horse 41. A usually malignant tumor 45. Alfred __, American actor 46. Austrian river 47. A reminder of past events 50. Connected with 54. Status 55. Dean residence 56. Egyptian city 57. Boxing’s GOAT 59. Straits along the Red Sea 60. “The Partridge Family” actress Susan 61. Get some color 62. Facilitates hearing 63. Commercials 64. A team’s best pitcher 65. Patti Hearst’s captors

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DECEMBER 22, 2021

WHITE BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS www.presspubs.com

A contemporary Christmas carol Special to the Press by Ted Field. Ted is a Mahtomedi resident and parishioner at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in White Bear Lake. Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is the classic story about the redeeming grace of Christmas. This is a more contemporary story about Christmas’ redeeming grace When I was growing up, my family kept a Christmas tradition every year of caroling in our neighborhood. My parents would invite aunts and uncles, cousins and nieces, to our house to sing Christmas carols to the neighbors on our street. On account of being away at college, sometimes I would miss the event, but one year I got home only a few hours before it would begin, just in time to be part of it. When I entered the house, my mother and father were at the kitchen table arranging copies of the hymns we would sing later. “Who’d you get a ride with?” was the first thing my father asked me. “Tommy,” I replied, going straight to the refrigerator. “I invited him to join us but he has a date. He missed his girlfriend.” “And you didn’t?” my mother asked. “Of course I did.” I reached down and hugged her. “But now I’m here.” “Smooth,” my father said. During dinner. the other carolers showed up. In total, there were nine of us, with enough voice variety to sing the harmony parts of some hymns. We gathered on the sidewalk in our winter coats and scarves and stocking caps and admired the galaxy of Christmas lights on the homes lining both sides of Sycamore Street. It was a warm night, so I took off my gloves and stuffed them in my pockets. My father delivered his customary pre-carol pep talk. “Remember what we’re doing,“ he said. “We’re taking a solemn oath to bring the good news. Tonight, we are the Lord’s angels announcing Christ’s birth.” My mother humored him. “Okay, Gabriel, lead us onward,” she said. We would sing to every house on the block, down one side of the street and then the other. A dozen hymns for a dozen homes, two hours total at most, including time to accept the invitations at a few to step inside for refreshments and a chance to warm up, which for the adults meant their insides, too. At most houses, porch lights would come on and couples would come outside for a few minutes to hear their personally sung carol. They would thank us and then send us off with shouts of “Merry Christmas!” We sang “O Come All Ye Faithful” to the Spencers and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” to the Schmidts, who served us hot chocolate and cookies in their living room before we went on our way again. We crossed the street and sang to the Taylors, “On Jordan’s Bank the Baptist’s Cry,” one of my mother’s favorites. Most neighbors were welcoming and thanked us. The opposite could be said for Frank Brophy, who would be the sixth neighbor on our route. Every year he stayed inside with his porch light off while we sang in the darkness on his front sidewalk. He was always home. We knew he was inside. There was always a light peeking around the curtains

hanging in his picture window, but he never came to the door. Not once. Frank Brophy and I had a history. For years he had been at odds with other neighbors, and kids in particular. In the daytime, outside in his driveway or yard, he could be friendly, waving to passersby, but in the evening he never attended neighbors’ parties or gatherings and instead refused their invitations without the courtesy of an RSVP. Keeps to himself was how he was politely described. Nobody knew much about him, except that he was a widower living alone. There were rumors he was a drinker. What was known for certain was that he complained about everything in the neighborhood, about cars parked in front of his house, or loose dogs running in his yard, or crabgrass creeping onto his lawn from his next-door neighbor’s, or any noise after dark that disturbed him. Things were worse for the kids in the neighborhood. Frank Brophy had no tolerance for kids riding their bikes across his driveway or running onto his lawn to claim the footballs that bounced errantly from the street. Over the years, by my count, he had seized a half dozen footballs and whiffle balls. Then there was the kite that crashed-landed on his roof—we lost that, too. Worst of all was Tommy Harrell’s remote-controlled car that veered off course and disappeared into Brophy’s open garage. The boys on Sycamore Street retaliated with acts of nasty vandalism, using weapons like soap, toilet paper and raw eggs. We scribbled threatening messages on his sidewalk, and discovered that while chalk will disappear in the rain, spray paint never does. My father made us sand and scrub the concrete until it was clean again. The carolers moved to the front of Brophy’s darkened porch to sing “Silent Night.” When we were done, my father commented that it was a waste of Christmas’s best hymn. After pausing to see if Brophy would make a surprise appearance, the carolers moved on. I held back for another moment, my thoughts awash with memories of my friends’ long-ago battles with Frank Brophy. And a secret I had been keeping for some time, a secret about our last crime against Brophy. It happened five years ago. Behind Brophy’s house was a new cul-de-sac and houses that were built after I went away to college. Before that, the space was just a vacant lot that had been the best baseball field for blocks around. The size and shape of the lot were perfect, with the wooden fence across Brophy’s backyard serving as the left field wall—referred to by my friends as the “Brown Monster,” off which countless doubles and triples had caromed but too far from home plate for anyone to clear with a home run, or so we thought in our younger years. I was the one who made sandlot history. I was 16 at the time. In the last game we would ever play on the sandlot, I tagged one of Charlie Spencer’s hanging curves and sent it on a high arc toward the fence. All eyes followed the flyball as Tommy Harrell raced back until he ran out of room and stopped to watch it sail high out of his reach and over the fence. I had crushed it. Touch ‘em all, my teammates

hollered. I waved my arms and started to take the first step of my home run trot when we all heard it: a loud crash and the unmistakable sound of broken glass sprinkling on wood, presumably Brophy’s backyard deck. I didn’t touch ‘em all. I didn’t touch a single base. We grabbed our bats and gloves and scattered like mice. Within seconds, the lot was empty, with not a single trace of the baseball game we left behind. We didn’t finish the last game played on the vacant lot. After that, we walked a mile to the high school to play. My home run was kept secret from everyone, including our parents. My friends and I vowed to never say a word about what had happened to anyone, and if we discussed it at all amongst ourselves, it was in a whisper, referring to the incident as the unsolved crime. After reflecting a while on the unsolved crime, I ran to catch up with the other carolers. We sang “We Three Kings Of Orient Are” to the Fitzpatricks and then went inside for hot cider and Tom and Jerrys. There were four houses left on the block when I suddenly discovered I had dropped a glove somewhere and told the others not to wait for me as I started a retreat to find it. With the help of a flashlight, I retraced my steps on the sidewalk. In front of Brophy’s house, with my eyes and flashlight beam directed downward, I heard a voice. “Was it the left hand?” The voice came from the house. Startled, I looked up to see a shadowed figure on Brophy’s front porch. “What?” “I asked if it was the left hand. The glove you’re looking for.” It was Frank Brophy. “Yeah. I dropped it somewhere.” Brophy raised his arm. “I got it right here.” I froze, uncertain what to do or say next. In my mind’s eye I saw a hail of footballs, baseballs and kites falling onto his yard, the only things that until this moment had connected our separate lives. Now a glove. My friends and I used to speculate what Brophy might have done with all the stuff he took from us. Did he toss it out with the trash? Or did he build a shrine in a spare bedroom to showcase the spoils of our wars? Cautiously, I approached the house. I was reaching toward him, about to say thanks, when Brophy asked, “So, how’s college?” I flinched before answering. “Fine. It’s good.” “Glad to hear it. You’re in your third year, right?” “Yeah ... third year.” I took the glove and stuffed it in my pocket. “Say, I’ve got something for you,” he said. “Why don’t you come inside for a minute?” I stopped breathing. I had never set foot inside the House of Brophy. None of my friends had. In our youth, besides talking about a shrine of stolen kid stuff, we had joked about what the rooms in his house might look like, decorated as scenes from an Edgar Allan Poe horror story, maybe a tell-tale heart beating beneath a floor, or a pit and a pendulum in a dark basement, or a raven kept in a cage. But I felt I had no choice but to accept his invitation to go inside with him. The house was warm and the

living room wass small, crowded with a card table le in the middle, around und which three midddle-aged men sat. at. On the table were re knives and pieces es of plastic, jars off paint, brushes and tubes of paint int and glue. The men looked up and one of them asked, “Who’s your friend, Frank?” “This is Ted. He lives across the street. He’s one of the carol-ers.” “Well, then, Frank,” a second nd man said, staring ng at Brophy, “what kind of friend are you to not go o outside and listen to him sing?” ng?” “I could hear them okay,” Brophy replied. “It was ‘Silent Night.’ Remember? Maybe next Christmas we’ll all go outside and listen.” “Frank, Frank, Frank ...” the man continued, “every year, the same excuse. What do we have to do? Push you out the door?” “Anyway,” Brophy said, “I invited Ted to come in for a gift I’ve been holding for him.”“Ted, take off your coat and stay awhile,” the third man said. “There’s eggnog and cookies in the kitchen and we could use a hand.” “What are you guys doing?” I asked. “Making Christmas ornaments. We give them to the homeless shelter and orphanage.” “Ted has lived across the street his whole life,” Brophy said. “Now he’s in college. Studying to be an engineer.” “Is that so? Well, Ted, how about doing some engineering for us? We’re pretty good with our hands but weak at design. We’re making too many stars and angels. Got any ideas?” “I don’t know,” I answered, shrugging. “Maybe people in a homeless shelter would like an ornament that’s a house, like the one they hope to live in someday. Can you make little houses, maybe houses decorated for Christmas?” “We can make anything,” was the reply. “Ralph, why don’t you turn your inn into a rambler? Put a wreath on it. Nobody’s going to guess it’s supposed to be an inn.” “Why don’t you stay and help us?” Brophy asked, handing me a paper bag. “Thanks, but I should get back to join the others. And thanks for finding my glove.” I held up the bag. “And the gift.” “Well, you’re welcome to come back after the caroling is done,” Brophy said. “We’ve got a long night ahead of us.” We exchanged goodbyes and I went outside. I ran to catch up with the carolers in front of the last house, the Hartman’s, next door to ours. We sang “Joy to the World” and called it a night. Back home, I sat at the kitchen table and opened the bag and peered inside. “What is it, Ted?” my mother asked. “What did Frank give you?” I reached in and pulled out an odd-looking piece, a glass cylinder with colored plastic on the top and bottom and its sides

decorated with wreaths, and … what was it? It was a Christmas tree ornament. Handmade. The glass cylinder had tiny garlands and ribbons glued all around the outside of it. And mounted inside was … a baseball. The cylinder was big enough to enclose a baseball. But not a new white one. This one was scuffed and brown and some of its stitches were frayed and loose. I held it up and turned it, staring at the baseball inside the glass. There was something else. I stared at the cylinder and noticed something peculiar. But I didn’t say anything about it. And then everything rushed back as a secret memory. The unsolved crime. The last baseball game. Touch ‘em, all, Ted. I saw it as an encore in my mind, but this time my conscience was like a wide screen. “Frank Brophy made that?” my mother asked. “Well, isn’t that something. Where do you suppose he got the idea? Here, let me see it.” In slow motion, I handed it to her. “My, that’s wonderful,” my mother said, spinning the ornament. My father looked over her shoulder. “Well, look at that,” he said. “The glass is cracked. That’s too bad. You didn’t drop it, did you, Ted?” I didn’t hear him. He kept staring at the ornament with glazed eyes. “Ted?” his father repeated. “What’s the matter?” I felt the smile crawl across my face, slow and small. It felt natural, coming up from within and growing until it hung ear to ear. I thought about calling Tommy Harrell. He wouldn’t believe this. “Nothing,” I finally said. “It’s okay.” “What a thoughtful gift,” my mother said. I thought she doesn’t know the half of it. She got up and went to the living room and hung the ornament on the tree. My father put his arm on his wife’s shoulder and said, “I guess Frank knew how much Ted likes baseball.” Together, they admired the gift. “Ted,” he asked, “are you sure you didn’t drop it?” My reply was the sound of the front door slamming behind me. “Ted?” I stood on our front step and looked across the street. On Frank Brophy’s front porch, the light had been turned on.

WHITE BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS

DECEMBER 22, 2021

WHITE BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS

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