White Bear Press by Press Publications

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

WHITE BEAR LAKE — The City Council continues to weigh its options, if any, to make an impact for those who are affected by ongoing federal agent activity in the area.

The City Council previously directed city staff to dive into possible legal options for the city to consider and present them at a work session for discussion.

“I want to thank those of you who have reached out to express their care and concern for our community. I have appreciated all the emails, calls and actions over the last few weeks more than you know,” Mayor Mary Nicklawske said.

“I'm so honored to be representing a city that cares about its neighbors, supports its local small business, reaches out to its schools and has organizations that go above and beyond to support those in our community who are affected by the actions of the federal ICE officers.”

City Manager Lindy Crawford presented the eight options, outlined in detail in a staff memo, to the council. (See pullout for more information.)

“I'm going to be very candid; they are not all good options. Just because they are options does not mean that they are enforceable or anything more than symbolic, and that may be hard for some of you to hear, but that's the reality of it,”

SEE COALITION, PAGE 20

District says goal of expanded parking is to ‘not be a burden’ on neighbors

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

WHITE BEAR LAKE — District 624 wants to add 162 parking stalls across three locations on its high school campus.

Wold Architects, on behalf of the district, is requesting a conditional use permit (CUP) amendment to expand the parking lots located at the high school. The city granted the original CUP in 2021; it was subsequently amended in 2023. The district now looks to expand parking in three separate areas on campus, specifically by adding 56 stalls to the Bald Eagle Avenue lot, 25 stalls to the Division Avenue lot and 83 stalls to the 8th Street lot.

The Planning Commission voted 5-2 to recommend approval of the CUP to the council. Community Development Director Jason Lindahl noted that much of the discussion centered on the Bald Eagle Avenue lot and one of its access points. While the access from the street to the new parking lot on Bald Eagle Avenue is not proposed to change, there is a new connection proposed from the south portion of the lot to the abutting drive lane. Lindahl said that the city’s engineering and planning departments do not support the second access because there are concerns that it would change the flow of traffic and create unnecessary turning and stacking conflicts and could lead to

SEE DISTRICT 624, PAGE 17

CONTRIBUTED

The district plans to expand parking in three areas on the high school campus. (8th Street lot not pictured.)

Korey Dropkin, along with teammate Cory Thiesse, won the silver medal in mixed doubles curling in the Winter Olympics. Dropkin is the son of Birchwood residents Keith and Shelley Dropkin.

Dropkin began curling at the age of 5, inspired by his family's involvement in the sport. Keith, Shelley and their son Stephen are all members of the Saint Paul Curling Club. Dropkin grew up in Wayland, Massachusetts, before moving to Duluth to pursue his Olympic

aspirations. Dropkin graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and is now a licensed realtor, working in northern Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Madelyn Lee has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the Ms. Hockey Award, presented by Let’s Play Hockey and sponsored by the Minnesota Wild, the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association and Tradition Companies. Collectively, the 10 semifinalists have scored 231 goals and added 193 assists

for 424 points. Lee is a captain of the White Bear Lake High School girls varsity hockey team. This is Lee’s third year as a prime scorer for White Bear Lake. She has signed to play with St. Cloud State University.

CURLING | CONTRIBUTED

Silver medalists Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin.

CONTRIBUTED

Madelyn Lee

WHAT’S HAPPENING

BLACK HISTORY MONTH SHOWCASE

When: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18

Where: WBLAHS Performing Arts Center

Details: Free celebration featuring African Americans and the Arts, presented by the WBLAHS Black Student Union.

REDEEMER PRIMETIME

When:: 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19

Where: Redeemer Lutheran Church atrium, 3770 Bellaire Ave., White Bear Lake

Details: Environmental consultant Gary Schroeder will discuss ways people can preserve natural resources and reduce pollution by reducing waste, conserving water, and choosing sustainable products and local programs and initiatives that are available. Coffee served at 9:30 a.m. RSVP

Contact: 651-429-5411

SWEETHEART DANCE

When:: 5:30-76:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20

Where: Mahtomedi Middle School gym

Details: Evening for kids and a special adult to enjoy dancing to music played by a DJ, face painting, crafts, photo booth, and pizza. Registration information online.

Contact: mahtomedi.ce.eleyo.com

‘THE GRUNCH’

When:: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20; 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21; 1 p.m. Sunday Feb. 22

Where: Ashland Productions, 2100 White Bear Avenue, Maplewood

Details: Oneka Elementary students perform the story of Grunches, grumpy 6th graders who want to ruin the annual school musical. Tickets available online. Contact: ashlandproductions.org

MOM'S MORNING OUT

When:: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21

Where: St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 1965 East County

Line Road, White Bear Lake

Details: Free childcare, meal and fun for kids ages 2-9. Registration required. Contact: 651-777-1107 or office@ststephenwbl.org

VADNAIS HEIGHTS FOOD SHELF DISTRIBUTION

When:: 9-10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 and the third Saturday of the month

Where: Vadnais Heights Commons, 655 E. County Road F Details: Distribution of food to any family in need and considered low income. May register day of event. Contact: 651-246-3638 or cityvadnaisheights.com/ foodshelf

VETERAN SUICIDE AWARENESS WALK

When:: 2:22 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22

Where: White Bear Lake VFW Post 1782, 4496 Lake Ave. Details: On average, 2.2 veterans die each day by suicide. Honor veterans at a 2.2 mile walk from the VFW to Matoska Park and back.

Contact: 651-426-4944

ST. PAUL HIKING CLUB

When:: 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22

Where: 645 Warner Ave. S., Mahtomedi (parking at OH Anderson School)

Details: Hike the Gateway Trail followed by chili dinner.

Contact: stpaulhike.com

CHART TOPPERS & SHOWSTOPPERS! FROM BROADWAY TO BILLBOARD

When:: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22

Where: Hanifl Performing Arts Center, 4941 Long Ave., White Bear Lake

Details: Smash hits from Broadway musicals presented by James Rocco & friends. Ticket information online.

Contact: 651-478-7427 or lakeshoreplayers.org

BRAIN HEALTH, MEMORY AND EARLY DEMENTIA WORKSHOP

When:: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25

Where: St. Andrew's Senior Community Center, 900 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi

Details: Free program about brain health, memory and dementia, followed by pay-as-you're-able lunch at noon. RSVP.

Contact: 651-762-9178 or saintandrews.org/seniors

WILLY WONKA JR.

When:: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27 and Saturday, Feb. 28; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 1

Where: Central Middle School Community Auditorium, 4855 Bloom Ave.

Details: Lincoln Elementary students perform the musical based on Roald Dahl's “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” Tickets can be purchased at the door.

BUSINESS BRIEFS

Lake Country Booksellers joins day of support

From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, more than four dozen authors will sign copies of their latest books at 24 bookstores across the state for “Authors for Minnesota Day.” One of the participating bookstores will be Lake Country Booksellers, located in downtown White Bear Lake.

The day is designed to support local independent bookstores, while raising money for two organizations fighting for civil rights. Those who visit Lake Country Booksellers on Saturday, Feb. 28, can get a free, signed book by Minnesota authors Bill Souder and Lorna Landvik while supplies last, in exchange for an on-site donation to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota and/or the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota Immigration Rapid Response Fund.

Lake Country Booksellers is located at 4766 Washington Ave.

Mall co-owner purchases former TGI Fridays

Amor Zhao, co-owner of the Asia Mall in Eden Prairie, has purchased the former Maplewood TGI Fridays building for approximately $2.2 million. Zhao plans to turn the building into a Taiwanese chain 85C Bakery location.

The new bakery will be located at 3087 White Bear Ave.

OPINION

Road rules

There is a section of a road I frequently travel on where I’m beginning to wonder if it’s going to take a serious injury or death before any changes are made. It’s a moderately busy road with a speed limit of 40 mph that intersects a branch of the popular Gateway Trail that crosses through a few of the communities in our coverage area. There are relatively unobtrusive signs that indicate to motorists that there is a trail crossing. These signs give drivers a notice but, to my understanding, they still allow motor vehicles the right of way at this crossing. On the other side of the equation, I also bicycle on the trail, which in my opinion is one of the nicest in the area, so I’m keenly aware that there are stop signs on the trail at this road crossing. When I’m on my bicycle I stop at these signs, look both ways — just like my mother taught me all those years ago — and cross when it’s clear. Unfortunately, many of the bicyclists who use this trail appear to view these stop signs as mere suggestions or don’t even seem to see them at all. I’ve witnessed all sorts of variations of confusion and potential danger at this crossing, ranging from large groups of cyclists speeding across the road without even slowing down, to a confusing mix of cars and bicyclists, some stopping, some rolling forward, each either questioning or believing that they have the right of way and are properly following the law. Whether driving a car or biking, I choose to deal with this intersection with heightened awareness and caution. Things have been pretty quiet over the winter, but now that the days are getting longer and spring is getting closer, there’s sure to be an uptick of traffic on all of the interconnected roads and trails in our communities.

Trail safety resources

The simple pleasures of riding a bike and walking outside are definitely among the activities we can look forward to as spring approaches and it never hurts to revisit some of the fundamentals of safe and courteous trail behavior. A good local source of information is the lakelinks.net website. According to the website, The Lake Links Association is a citizen-led nonprofit organization promoting safe routes for active mobility through the communities surrounding White Bear Lake and beyond through advocacy, action, education and collaboration. A number of essential area trail corridors, including the Gateway and Highways 96 and 12, come together in White Bear Lake. Of the eight corridors, The White Bear Lake trail corridor is the single most complex. To navigate the completion of a trail around White Bear Lake, the cooperation of five communities, two counties and a state agency (MNDOT) were needed. Over years of effort, the Lake Links organization has helped move forward impressive progress on the route around the lake, but negotiations concerning a couple of challenging pinch points are still in progress. The information found at lakelinks.net includes route maps, trail etiquette on shared-use paths and safety tips. Board member Mike Brooks has also helped clarify issues concerning Minnesota bike laws and safe trail behavior with columns and letters to the editor he has contributed to the Press. The rules of the road might also be used in an allegorical sense to help emphasize that it’s in all of our best interests to know and understand the laws and rights that have been enacted over time to help maintain order and keep us all safe. Unfortunately, we’re currently witnessing the chaos, confusion, fear and negative consequences that can result when laws and rights are misunderstood or, at worst, flagrantly and deliberately ignored.

Dols is the photojournalist/website editor for Press Publications.

War with Iran is not inevitable

The warning signs are flashing again. Troop movements. Naval buildups. Escalating proxy clashes.

Talk of “decisive action” and “limited strikes” that history tells us are never limited for long. Once more, the United States is drifting toward war with Iran as if momentum alone were strategy.

Movers & Shakers

Tom Snell

This is not strength. It is negligence.

What makes this moment different—and more dangerous—is that Iran is already under severe internal pressure. Its economy is unraveling. Corruption is rampant. Young people are openly defying authority. Women are refusing to submit. Protest movements keep returning despite mass arrests and lethal force. This is not a regime at ease. It is a system struggling to hold itself together.

War would not exploit those cracks. It would seal them shut.

A foreign attack on Iran would instantly hand victory to the most extreme elements of the regime. Nationalism would surge. Reformers would be silenced or jailed. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps would expand its grip over politics, the economy, and society. Every missile fired would strengthen the very forces that thrive on repression and permanent confrontation.

This is not speculation. It is a pattern the United States has seen

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repeatedly across the Middle East. Yet there is still another path—if we are willing to take it.

Iran is approaching a pivotal moment. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is elderly, and his eventual death will trigger the most consequential leadership transition since the early days of the Islamic Republic. That transition could harden authoritarian rule for another generation. Or it could open space—however fragile—for reform.

The United States cannot dictate Iran’s future, and it should not try. But it can send a clear, consistent message: America supports an Iranian-led transition toward accountability, constitutional limits on power, and democratic participation—not imposed regime change, and not endless repression.

Inside Iran, reform-minded clerics, technocrats, and civil society leaders still exist, despite years of crackdowns. Some argue that Iran can remain culturally and religiously Iranian while ending absolute rule. Others have quietly discussed whether a future Supreme Leader could emerge who is religiously legitimate but politically restrained—someone willing to return real authority to elected institutions. Whether that specific idea succeeds is less important than the principle behind it: legitimacy must come from consent, not fear.

A more democratic Iran would not suddenly become a U.S. ally. But it would be less aggressive, less paranoid, and far less likely to gamble on regional war. Open systems absorb pressure. Closed systems explode.

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Due to space limitations, letters that don’t address local issues are not guaranteed publication. Repeat letters by the same writer about the same subject matter will not be published.

The greatest obstacle to reform is the Revolutionary Guard, which profits from isolation and thrives on conflict. That reality demands precision, not panic. Broad sanctions that punish civilians only strengthen the Guard’s narrative that Iran is under siege. Targeted accountability for human rights abuses, paired with pathways for reintegration into the global community, offers a far better chance of weakening its grip over time.

America still has tools short of war—and they matter now. Supporting access to free information and secure communications. Expanding educational and cultural exchanges. Backing international human rights mechanisms that spotlight individual abusers rather than entire populations. Coordinating diplomacy that rewards reform instead of strangling it.

What we must stop doing is behaving as if war is unavoidable. Once the shooting starts, Iran’s reform movement will be crushed. The window for peaceful change will slam shut. And the same officials who warned that war was the “last resort” will explain why it became unavoidable.

This is a closing moment. Not a slogan. Not a theory.

The question is simple: will we help Iranians who want a different future—or will we once again let fear, inertia, and the drumbeat of war decide for us?

History will notice the difference.

Tom Snell is a local resident and former director of the White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce.

GUIDELINES

Submissions containing libelous or derogatory statements will not be published. Submissions containing facts not previously published in the Press must be accompanied by factual verification.

• All letters are subject to editing. Deadline is 5 p. m., Thursday of

the week prior to publication. To submit a letter, e-mail it to whitebearnews@presspubs.com, fax it to 651-429-1242 or mail or deliver it to Press Publications, 4779 Bloom Ave., White Bear Lake, MN 55110.

Paul

Angle of View

Paul Dols 4

WHITE BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS | LETTER

Thank you for war stories

I recently attended an event at the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society in which a longtime resident, Darryl LaMire, spoke about his experience in the Vietnam War. It was an interesting reflection on the emotions and contributions of a young husband and father in a time of foreign conflict. Darryl's selfless contribution to the war effort and unwavering support of his infantry fellows was a new and refreshing aspect of this time in our country few may remember. We should all take a moment to consider the contributions made by citizens such as our Vietnam vets, many of whom are still in our community, and realize conflict is not new and will likely be with us as long as we humans occupy this earth.

Fred Ames White Bear Lake

Watch for election fraud

My mother passed away almost 35 years ago and yet recently she received in the mail a 2026 membership card from the Republican Party of Minnesota. Rather bizarre, to say the least. Does this mean that "2026 is the year Republicans take control of Minnesota!" as quoted in the mailing, by allowing fraud and using fake voters in the upcoming elections? I guess the election judges best be alert on detecting GOP ghost voters.

Lael Ramaley Mahtomedi

Voters remember

Welcome to the third-world nation of the divided states of America! Where are the Republicans that represent us? In hiding? Afraid to speak up against Trump? Or do they condone the illegal tactics of ICE? Minnesotans need to remember who stands against illegal tactics and who condones illegal actions (silence says volumes). Who believes the lies of the Administration, or the truth of your own eyes? United we stand, divided we fall. Is this great experiment of freedom over?

Remember to vote, vote, vote!

School board not listening

Bob Hanson White Bear Lake

In the Jan. 21 press article, “School board weighs selfevaluation amid dispute over procedures,” I find irony in the quote from a board member “… we must model our behavior we expect of our students and publicly uphold our policies.”

Part of Policy 209, which is referenced in the article, is to “Listen to the opinions and views of others (including, but not limited to, other School Board members, administration, staff, students and community members).” In addition, we teach in our schools that everyone should be “seen, heard and valued”. The school board fails on both accounts. The board should start demonstrating the values that we teach our students and not cherry-pick policies that support silencing the community and other board members.

On numerous occasions, Jessica Ellison and other board members have scolded Dan Skaar for doing research while preparing for board meetings. They imply that the board should rely solely on the information presented to them by district staff. How can we improve as a district if we live in a vacuum?

When we value diversity, that should be more than skin deep. We should encourage dialogue and respect differences of opinions. Many of the board members have backgrounds in education, which is important when overseeing policies that impact the classrooms, but it’s also important to understand how to operate a financially sound district as well.

The majority of the work session on Jan. 26 was spent reviewing the district’s annual financial audit. We had a significant finding that involved the double payment of a curriculum subscription for more than $500K due to a combination of human and software error. There seems to be an attitude that it’s the auditor’s job to find errors instead of being proactive with our procedures. Dan’s experience as a CPA is invaluable to understanding the impact of these findings.

Financial issues directly impact the effectiveness of our district. Large overpayments mean less money for our teachers and classrooms. Taxpayers deserve transparency and accountability for our hard-earned money. Whether the money comes from federal, state, or local sources, it all comes from taxpayers.

Rebekah Bradfield White Bear Lake

Reflect on history

In response to last week's letter titled "Cooperate with Law Enforcement" and others. When speaking of the actions of ICE agents in the Twin Cities, you "commend their restraint." What restraint would that be? The restraint used to fire three shots at an unarmed woman who was simply moving her vehicle? Or the restraint used to fire 10 shots at a detained man lying on the ground, whose weapon had already been removed? Just today, a car was rammed at high speeds by ICE agents in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood, sending the driver to the hospital and posing unnecessary risks to surrounding properties and individuals.

The murder of Renee Good and Alex Pretti were both gross overreactions to minor infractions committed during a protest. These are the results of a hastily trained, unchecked, and overzealous group of "officers" running rampant in streets they have no connection to. Not to mention a MASKED group of individuals, using political immunity and a high degree of armaments to instill terror in both immigrant and citizen alike.

Now I know the "Nazi" allegory is touted as a tired metaphor of the left. However, a group of politically protected,

heavily armed troops deployed by the government to eliminate/remove so-called "undesirables" in areas of political opposition sure sounds like a story out of 1930s Germany.

The United States government cannot deprive any person, citizen or noncitizen, of life, liberty, or property without fair, legal procedures. This right to due process is enshrined in both the Fifth and Fourteen Amendments of the United States Constitution, a document which, if I recall correctly, the Right still claims to support and uphold.

If you want "illegal immigrants" removed from this country, they are entitled to a trial just the same as you or me. The deprivation of due process, ripping people from their homes, separating children from their families, and detaining or shipping them off to other countries without being able to speak to a lawyer, is inherently un-American.

Reflect on history, and your values as an American, before so easily condemning your fellow man.

Policy choices squandered surplus

Last week our state Sen. Heather Gustafson and our Rep. Brion Curran provided their goals for upcoming 2026 legislative session. Let’s reflect on what they previously accomplished. Just three years ago, in 2023 they both supported a welcome mat of tax-funded benefits and erased the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. This is the result of their specific policy choices which contributed to the chaos, corruption and fraud we are all witnessing in our state. More specifically, they supported drivers’ licenses for all, explicitly including those without legal status. And they refused to include a commonsense measure like a label stating, “Not eligible for voting.”

Additionally, they provided taxpayer-funded free college tuition to illegal immigrants and extended health care and paid medical leave benefits to those who are here illegally. Their policy choices squandered an $18 billion state surplus. Then they voted to raise taxes by $10 billion, and now we’re facing a $6 billion deficit.

Jack Barett White Bear Lake

Terry Nyblom

Vadnais Heights

COPS&COURTS

WHITE BEAR LAKE POLICE REPORTS

The White Bear Lake Police Department reported the following selected incidents:

Officers mediated a dispute between roommates in the 3500 block of Century Avenue N. Feb. 5.

• A White Bear Lake man was arrested following a domestic dispute in the 2100 block of Randy Avenue Feb. 5.

• Officers responded to a Bitcoin scam that resulted in the loss of $3,900 in the 1700 block of Elm Street Feb. 5.

• Officers responded to disputes Feb. 6 in the 3500 block of Century Avenue N. and the 3900 block of Hoffman Road.

• Officers responded to disorderly conduct in the 2100 block of Orchard Lane Feb. 6.

• A Mankato man was arrested when he was found to have an active gross misdemeanor warrant following an investigatory stop on his vehicle in the 1900 block of Buerkle Road Feb. 6.

• Officers responded to a noise complaint Feb. 7 in the 3400 block of Rolling View Court.

• A St. Paul woman was arrested for DWI following a traffic stop near Interstate 694 and Century Avenue Feb. 7.

• Theft was reported Feb. 7 in the 1800 block of Buerkle Road and the 2000 block of County Road E.

• Burglary was reported in the 1800 block of Buerkle Road Feb. 7.

PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEF

False alarm on Goose Lake

At approximately 1:20 p.m. Monday, Feb. 16, the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) was dispatched to Goose Lake for report of someone who may have fallen through the ice.

According to RCSO Public Information Officer Steve Linders, the Water Patrol Unit responded, searched the area extensively, and determined no one fell through the ice.

• Officers responded to a suspicious person in the 4800 block of Centerville Road Feb. 7.

A Minneapolis man was arrested for DWI following a traffic stop near the intersection of White Bear Avenue and White Bear Court Feb. 8.

• Officers assisted with a pursuit Feb. 8 where the driver was eventually taken into custody in Shoreview.

• A White Bear Lake man was arrested for DWI following a traffic stop in the area of Highway 61 and Whitaker Street Feb. 8.

• Damage to property was reported in the 3100 block of Karth Road Feb. 9.

• A subject of a West St. Paul KOPS alert was picked up in the 4800 block of Cook Avenue Feb. 9.

• Harassment was reported in the 1300 block of Highway 96 Feb. 9.

• Officers responded to a juvenile incident in the 3500 block of White Bear Avenue Feb. 9.

• A Birchwood Village resident was arrested for DWI following a singlevehicle accident near the intersection of Cedar Street and East County Line Road Feb. 9.

Disorderly conduct was reported Feb. 10 in the 3600 block of Linden Avenue and the 4600 block of Centerville Road.

• Officers responded to a dispute in the 3500 block of Rooney Place Feb. 10.

WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following selected calls for service in Birchwood Village, Dellwood, Grant, Mahtomedi, Pine Springs and Willernie:

Birchwood Village

• Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies routinely patrolling Lake Avenue at 1:09 a.m. Jan. 21 observed a vehicle parked at a city park with the engine running and its lights on. When deputies encountered the occupants inside the vehicle, they discovered a couple who were not dressed. The pair received a citation for being in the park after hours.

• Deputies on their overnight patrol of suspicious behavior and winter overnight parking violations at 2:02 a.m. Jan. 21 came upon another vehicle that was taking up half the roadway in Birchwood Lane. This time, the vehicle was unoccupied and received a citation under the windshield wipers for violating the overnight parking ban and for violating the Birchwood ordinance requiring vehicles to leave at least 12 feet of access on the roadway.

Grant

• Deputies received a complaint Jan. 21 about an inadequate amount of salt being dropped on icy roads on Manning Avenue N. and 75th Street N. WCSO dispatch handed off this call to the county public works department.

• After receiving an abandoned 911 call Jan. 21, deputies dutifully arrived at the address in the 8000 block of Jamaca Avenue N. to conduct a welfare check and found the homeowner holding

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

• Deputies arrested a 27-year-old man from White Bear Lake Jan. 11 for theft and an active warrant after he was caught by loss prevention employees at a business in the 800 block of County Road E East attempting to leave the store without paying for merchandise.

• Deputies issued a theft citation Jan. 11 to a 42-year-old St. Paul woman after she was caught by loss prevention employees in the 800 block of County Road E East attempting to leave the store without paying for merchandise. Deputies arrested a 39-year-old man Jan. 12 on an active warrant after encountering him at a gas station in the intersection of I-35E and County Road E East and learning that he had warrants out of Scott County. Deputies arrested a 42-year-old man from St. Paul Jan.12. on an active warrant for domestic assault after finding him asleep in the driver’s seat of a vehicle in the 3200 block of Highway 61.

• A 36-year-old man in the 1000 block of County Road E East reported Jan. 13 that he and his dog were bitten by a dog while out for a walk. An animal control officer responded, documented their injuries and began an investigation.

• Deputies made a traffic stop Jan. 13 on a GMC Envoy near the intersection of Rice Street and I-694 and arrested a 43-year-old man from St. Paul, who was behind the wheel, for driving after cancellation.

• Deputies issued a trespass notice and theft citation Jan. 13 to a 43-year-old man from Portage, Wisconsin, after he was caught attempting to steal merchandise from a business in the 800 block of County Road E East.

the landline phone from which the call came. However, she had not been trying to talk to dispatch but had been on the phone with another party for the past several minutes. Although the phone presented itself as a mystery, no other suspicious activity was observed.

• A suspicious vehicle reported in the 10000 block of Kimbro Avenue Court N. at 4:49 p.m. Jan. 22 turned out to be Amazon delivery employees who couldn’t move because their vehicle was stuck.

• In the Case of the Chicken Coop Conflagration, deputies were dispatched out to a chicken coop fire on Lake Elmo Avenue N. and 75th Street N. Jan. 23. No word was received about whether the chickens made it out of their residence in time.

• A motorist on Dellwood Road and Jamaca Avenue N. was cited for a moving violation at 2:31 a.m. Jan. 23.

• Deputies were summoned out to a level railroad crossing on Keystone Avenue N. and 118th Street N. Jan. 24 to fix a stuck crossing arm that was preventing traffic from moving. With no train in sight, deputies were able to muscle the stop arm back up but could do nothing about the flashing lights. The railroad company was notified and employees were en route.

Mahtomedi

• A motorist on Mahtomedi Avenue and Hickory Street was arrested for DWI at 2:53 a.m. Jan. 18, following a traffic stop during which the driver completed standardized field sobriety tests.

• Almost one year after construction of a new apartment complex began at the lower end of Old Wildwood Road, a suspicious vehicle belonging to

• The manager of a fast-food restaurant in the 3400 block of Rice Street reported Jan. 13 that a customer requested the key to the bathroom and didn’t return it, raising concerns about the business being burglarized. The incident is under investigation.

• Deputies responded Jan. 14 to a report of an in-progress burglary at a bar in the 3800 block of Labore Road, searched the building and found evidence of a break-in. No suspect information is available at this time. The incident is under investigation.

• Deputies responded Jan. 15 to a two-vehicle crash near the intersection of Centerville Road and Highway 96 involving a Mazda CX-5 and a BMW X3. No injuries were reported. One of the vehicles was towed due to damage.

• Deputies responded Jan. 17 to a report of an accident with injuries near the intersection of County Road E East and Interstate 35E between a Honda Accord and a Ford Fusion. One of the drivers complained of chest pain, was examined by medics and driven home by a family member.

White Bear Township

• A 45-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man from McGrath reported Jan. 15 that someone broke into their rented storage locker in the 2300 block of Leibel Street and stole a purse worth $4,000, a tote bag worth $3,000 and a Chanel bag worth $10,000, a Versace coin pouch worth $500 and a black Gucci belt with a silver buckle worth $1,000. The incident is under investigation. Deputies responded Jan. 15 to a single-vehicle crash near the intersection of Centerville Road and Meadowlands Drive involving a Chevrolet Bolt driven by a 70-year-old woman from Maplewood. There were no injuries reported.

construction workers was reported for being at the site at 8:20 a.m. Jan. 18.

• A motorist was cited Jan. 19 for failing to stop at the stop sign on Wildwood Road and Birchwood Road.

Wildwood Road residents on Jan. 20 reported unauthorized people for possessing sexually explicit photos of them and threatening to release the pictures to other family members.

• Deputies conducting a traffic stop in the 900 block of Warner Avenue N. Jan. 20 issued a citation for speeding. They also issued citations for unknown offenses on Long Lake Road and Century Avenue at 12:23 a.m. and 12:53 a.m.

• A caller from an undisclosed location phoned with a question Jan. 21 about whether a person needs to pay a fee to the sheriff’s office to have a security system. And the answer is no; a resident does not to pay a fee to have a security system at this time.

• A caller on Jan. 22 reported receiving an invoice from Century College in the 3000 block of Century Avenue saying he owed tuition and that the State of Minnesota would garnish his wages if he didn’t pay. The complainant said he never attended Century College.

• Forest Avenue residents on Jan. 23 reported a burglary that had taken place the previous week. A detached garage the complainant rents out had one of its doors damaged in the process. This type of damage had occurred previously.

Willernie

• A Chatham Road resident on Jan. 19 reported being victim of a fraud with financial loss amounting to approximately $515,000.

SHANNON GRANHOLM | PRESS PUBLICATIONS Emergency crews respond to Goose Lake for a report of someone who may have fallen through the ice.

Traffic safety programs save lives, drive down traffic deaths

Minnesota saw a more than 20% drop in overall traffic deaths last year thanks to a combination of first responder work, road safety infrastructure investments and focused enforcement, according to the annual Advisory Council on Traffic Safety (ACTS) report.

The advisory council recently submitted its 2025 report to the Minnesota Legislature, detailing the results of programs focused on reducing overall traffic fatalities. The report highlights what is happening on Minnesota roads and breaks down successful traffic safety efforts and programs, and areas where more work needs to be done.

“There is no celebration until there are zero traffic fatalities on Minnesota roads. To accept anything less is to ignore the very real pain felt by 370 Minnesota families in 2025,” said Mike Hanson, director of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and ACTS vice chair. “What is encouraging is that more lives are being saved, and we can use this report as a tool to focus on the investments that are working.”

“Everything we do is about preventing the crashes that instantly change lives, and it takes a coordinated effort to make sure everyone makes it home safely,” said

The 2025 count represents the fewest fatalities observed since 2019. According to the Advisory Council on Traffic Safety’s annual report, there were an estimated 370 fatalities in 2025 compared to 475 in 2024.

ACTS Chair Brian Sorenson. Sorenson is a state traffic engineer with the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Office of Traffic Engineering.

“Last year reinforced that there are things we can do to help save

lives. Now is the time to take stock and really push forward with the lifesaving interventions that we know can reduce the risk of these crashes.”

“This year really represents the beginning of the Advisory

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Council’s initiatives and seeing what they can do to make transportation safer,” said ACTS Vice Chair Catherine Diamond. Diamond is the director of the Minnesota Department of Health’s Injury Prevention and

We tied one long-standing high temperature and bested another-long standing record. We tied the record high on Friday, Feb. 13 of 51º set back in 1890 and bested Saturday’s, Feb. 14, 1882 of 50º with 54º. Runners were out, motorcycles were out and people were out. Snow cover took a beating with many south facing slopes snow-free and a crusty 1-2 inches in backyards. Brother-in-law, Scott tapped his maple tree and reported it was flowing very good. Zach took over measuring ice thickness on Bald Eagle Lake and reported 24-25 inches. Astro note: Saturn sets with the moon on Thursday, Feb. 19.

White Bear Lake Area

Mental Health Division. “Now is the time to take what we have learned and make even more progress.”

Report findings

According to the report traffic fatalities are down by 20%; and the 2025 count represents the fewest fatalities observed since 2019. Other findings include:

• Adjusted to the number of vehicle miles traveled, Minnesota is the fourth-safest state in the nation for traffic fatalities.

• Crashes related to the big four traffic

behaviors (impaired, distraction, speed and unbelted drivers) all dropped.

• Programs helping to save lives include: Rural High-Risk Roadways and Safe Road Zones; Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) Safe Road Coalitions; Affordable teen driving education; and the Impact Teen Driver program. To view the full report, visit https://tinyurl.com/2paddb4k.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety

Rotary

We are proud to select Grace as the Mariner Middle School Academic Achiever. As her name suggests, Grace is a blessing in many ways. A few of those are: her positive attitude, her kindness, self-determination, dedication, willingness to try new things, and helping others. She works hard in her classes and doesn’t give up until she’s mastered the material. Grace has a quiet determination that sets a powerful example for others. She is taking advanced classes in her 8th grade year and is involved in multiple activities, including being a dedicated cellist. It is an honor having her in class and in our school community!

Grace Newstrand

Mariner Middle School

FINANCIAL PLANNING

Tips to build a robust emergency fund

Budgets and financial planning may seem easy when expenses are expected. But what happens when an illness forces a person to be out of work for a month or when a leaky roof necessitates costly replacement? Loss of income or large expenses may not be managed as easily as routine utility bills or grocery costs. Large or small, unplanned expenses seemingly crop up at the worst times. Building a secure emergency fund can help people weather the storm of unexpected expenses.

What is an emergency fund?

How much do I need?

Review expenses to identify ways to save

Individuals can devote more savings toward an emergency fund if they routinely assess spending and then figure out where they can pare down. Non-essentials, such as dining out, streaming video services, travel, and other luxuries, can be reworked to potentially free up more money for an emergency account.

Address debt and prioritize building an emergency fund

The financial resource and investment service Vanguard says an emergency fund is an amount of money set aside in a dedicated savings account for the purposes of providing a financial safety net. The money can be used to navigate unexpected medical bills, a job loss, car replacement, or other sizable expenditures. Without savings, even a minor financial shock can contribute to a situation that is challenging to overcome. If such expenses generate debt, that can

How much do I need?

The amount needed in an emergency fund varies depending on each person’s situation. However, Morgan Stanley suggests having enough to cover three to six months’ worth of expenses. The amount may vary if there are multiple income streams and should be affected by the number of dependents a person has.

How do I set up an emergency fund?

How do I set up an emergency

using a basic savings account or money market account and linking it to a checking account. The money should stay safe and liquid until it is needed. It should not be invested in stocks or even bonds, where balances can be affected by market risks. If the emergency fund is linked to an existing account, one can set up automatic deductions from the checking account to go toward deposits into the savings account. This is known as automatic recurring

Some people must balance building an emergency fund with paying off existing debts. Many financial experts suggest setting up a small emergency fund first, and then beginning to pay off highinterest debt with the ultimate goal of setting aside more money for the emergency fund. Any money saved on interest from paying off highinterest debt can be funneled back into savings down the road. An emergency fund can protect individuals from taking on debt and facilitate a quick rebound from

Veteran Suicide Awareness Walk

Every day, 22 veterans die by suicide. On Feb. 22, our community will walk together to honor their lives and raise awareness that can save others.

Join members of VFW Post 1782 and Auxiliary on Sunday, Feb. 22, for a 2.2-mile walk at 2:22 p.m. beginning at VFW Post 1782, 4496 Lake Ave. S, and continuing to Matoska Park before returning to the Post. After the walk, participants are invited to the Boatworks Commons Community Room for warm beverages, treats and access to suicide-awareness and prevention materials. Additional parking is available in the public parking ramp accessed adjacent to Acqua Restaurant.

“Died by suicide” is the pre -

ferred, more respectful, phrasing instead of using “committed suicide.” Suicide is often linked to mental illness, which can be difficult to recognize. Suicide

warning signs may include: Aggressive behavior

• Increased alcohol or drug use

• Withdrawal from family, friends or community

• Dramatic mood swings

• Impulsive or reckless actions

More urgent red flags include:

• Stockpiling pills or obtaining a weapon

• Giving away possessions

• Organizing personal affairs

• Saying goodbye to loved ones

To learn more or register for the walk, visit VFWPost1782.

org. On the home page, there are links at the bottom of the page under “important upcoming event.” To register, visit http:// www.vfwpost1782.org/run22. html. Questions may be emailed to wblVFWAux@gmail.com.

If you notice signs of suicidal thoughts or behaviors, seek help immediately or call 988. Veterans should select option 1 for support from responders trained to assist veterans.

Please walk with us on Feb. 22 as we remember those who died by suicide and to support the families and communities forever changed by suicide.

Sara McFee and Deb CourtsBrown, VFW Post 1782 and Auxiliary

WHITE BEAR LAKE

5. Must be 21 or older to enter.

CITY BRIEF

City receives finance award

Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to the city of White Bear Lake for its annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, 2024. The report was judged by an impartial

CONTEST 2026

6. Deadline to enter is: March 26, 2026 at noon. Entries will not be accepted after the official Ice Out is declared.

7. Ice Out is declared when there is no more visible ice on White Bear Lake.

What can you win?

Grand Prize. Prizes are gift cards donated by these Ice Out 2026 sponsors. How do you win?

All entries with the correct ice out date will be placed into a drawing. First ticket drawn will be awarded the grand prize. Runners up will be drawn until all prizes are awarded. You must pick up your prize/redemption slip at Press Publications before May 31, 2026.

panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting. The city of White Bear Lake has received the award annually since 1990.

andArts Culture

EMERGING ARTIST: ETHAN ANDERSON

BY LOGAN GION CONTRIBUTING WRITER

White Bear Lake Area High School Senior Ethan Anderson admits that percussion is just hitting things. “But there’s 10,000 ways to hit a table, let alone one drum,” he added, quickly creating a syncopated rhythm with his fingers on a coffee table, “When you take a big ol’ drum set, there are tens and tens of thousands of ways to hit that drum set.”

Ethan began “hitting things” at age five—namely the piano. After his parents bought him a pair of drumsticks with Mickey Mouse heads at Disney World, Ethan began practicing percussion on buckets. He got his first drum set for his seventh birthday. Then, during COVID, he began composing songs.

“Everyone was supposed to do two or three measures,” recalled Ethan’s mother, Michelle Anderson, “and all of a

sudden, he wrote out an entire song.”

In high school, Ethan received the Woody Herman Jazz Award from WBLAHS former Band Director Jeremy Rockford. He has been lead stick in WBL Drumline three years running, and earned four superior ratings at Minnesota State High School League’s Region 4AA Solo/Ensemble Contest.

In recent years, however, Ethan feels that he has enhanced his connection with percussion as an art form. He credits this growth to WBLAHS current Band Director Shannon Anderson (no relation to Ethan or Michelle).

“With Ms. Anderson, instead of just playing at a higher level, I’m able to play at a deeper level,” Ethan remarked, “and understand what the notes are saying.” Ethan recently showed his community the depth and height of his abilities when the Minnesota Music Educators Association—after a rigorous audition process—selected his composition “The

Still Moments” to premiere at their Midwinter Clinic.

Ethan started working on “The Still Moments” in tenth grade after trying to mimic a guitar riff on marimba. “I added more to the beginning, but the main foundation of where the song starts is off of those five notes on marimba,” Ethan said.

WHITE BEAR HIGH SCHOOL JAZZ BAND’S NIGHT CLUB SCALES UP

BY LOGAN GION CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jazz music has evolved. While big band and swing music are still cornerstones of the genre, jazz often crosses over with pop, funk, rock, latin and more. Therefore, White Bear Lake Area High School Jazz Band Director Shannon Anderson felt the annual Night Club event needed to evolve too.

Originally, Night Club mimicked a WWII-era USO show during which the North and South Campus Jazz Bands took turns playing sets of music during a dinner hour and subsequent dance. Anderson recalled that, starting in 2009, the format began shifting. This year, a variety of groups will play.

Anderson increased the amount of collaboration between the bands because many high school students enroll in multiple music programs. “We have lots of kids that cross over,” she commented, “now that we’re in one

CONTRIBUTED

The 44th annual Night Club will be Satuday, Feb. 21.

building … and we’re also in this beautiful music suite where we all see each other a little bit, even just in the hallway.”

The old Night Club format also did not give the student musicians a chance to enjoy the event. “If you’re doubling on another instrument, you can find yourself playing almost the whole night,” Anderson said. “That’s a lot of playing and not a lot of dancing.”

Before the dance officially starts, Jennelle Donnay from Awakened Dance will host a 30-minute, beginner-friendly swing lesson. Then, both

WBLAHS Jazz Bands will perform, followed by the Alumni Jazz Band. Jazztet will collaborate with The Mothers Band, and MMC Jazzed from the McNeely Music Center will headline the evening. The dance will close with all the bands performing a closing number.

Clearly, one thing about Night Club that has not changed is the good time it promises. “It’s the best-kept secret dance,” Anderson remarked. “It’s a lot of fun.”

The 44th annual Night Club runs from 6:35-10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21 at WBLAHS Student Union 5045 Division Ave. Door A, White Bear Lake. For more information, scan the QR code.

LAKESHORE PLAYERS AND CENTURY COLLEGE CLOCK ‘10-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL’

BY LOGAN GION CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Ten plays, 10 minutes apiece—the community favorite “10-Minute Play Festival” is back, but this time, Lakeshore Players is teaming up with Century College to make it happen.

“The purpose was to get more of the community involved and get more of the college students involved,” said Abby Koel, who directs five of the plays. All 10 plays are original material and have never previously been performed. Lakeshore Players received over 200 submissions from playwrights around the world, with one from as far away as Japan. Then, Lakeshore chose 20 semifinalists for a read-aloud, at which community members offered feedback. From there, Koel, along with Director Allison Meuers and Production Manager Quinn

Masterson, gathered the public’s thoughts and chose the final 10.

By nature, the large number of plays necessitates a large cast. Thus, some actors appear in more than one play. “If you only have a small role, we want to make it worth your time, so we want to give you another role in another place. You don’t have to come out every week and just say one line,” Koel explained.

Koel added that the festival shows actors’ ranges of ability as well as her own. “You get to do comedy, you get to do drama, you get to make important statements about the world,” Koel said. “I think it’s so much fun.”

The 2026 10-Minute Play Festival runs Feb. 20-March 1 at Century College West Campus Theater, 3401 East County Line N., White Bear Lake. For tickets and details, visit lakeshoreplayers.org.

Describing “The Still Moments,” Ethan noted, “It’s easy to imagine the things that make you sad, angry, lost and afraid. For some, it’s also easy to think of the things that make you happy, hopeful and grateful. But what’s difficult is finding the things that make you still … ‘The Still Moments’ seeks to inspire that feeling.”

The WBLAHS Wind Ensemble recorded “The Still Moments” on Feb. 13, but Ethan will conduct the piece during an encore performance at 7 p.m. Monday, May 18, at the high school’s Performing Arts Center. After that, Ethan plans to major in percussion performance at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Until then, and likely long after, Ethan plans to continue hitting things. “I definitely goof around a lot in the percussion section—all with a good purpose,” he acknowledged. “All of percussion is seeing what sounds you can make and how to make it musical.”

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS SUMMER STOCK AUDITION SIGN-UP OPEN

Auditions are 5-9 p.m. April 15 and 16, and callbacks are 4-10 p.m. at Hanifl Performing Arts Center, 4941 Long Ave., White Bear Lake. To book an audition slot, visit childrensperformingartsmn.org/program/disneys-newsies-summerstock-intensive

DISNEY’S NEWSIES: THE MUSICAL Ages: 16-25

Dates: Rehearsals begin June 29. Performances are Aug. 7-16.

Details: Industry professionals will immerse participants of this five-week intensive production in acting, voice and dance classes. Cast members will also have opportunities to receive an actor website, professional headshot, private vocal coaching and performance workshops.

CALENDAR

SWEETHEART DANCE

Location: Mahtomedi Middle School, 8100 75th St. N., Mahtomedi

Dates: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20

Details: Calling all parents, grandparents or special family members of children ages 3-9—spend an evening filled with dancing, face-painting and crafting. Capture your memories of the night in a special photo booth. Pizza will be available.

MARINER BLACK HISTORY SHOWCASE

Location: Mariner Theater at Mariner Middle School, 3551 McKnight Road, White Bear Lake

Dates: 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26

Details: Middle school Black Student Union members are showcasing student works and performances in celebration of Black History Month. The event is open to all members of the public.

‘LIFE ON THE RUN: GANGSTERS ON WHITE BEAR LAKE’

Location: White Bear Lake Armory, 2228 Fourth St., White Bear Lake

Dates: 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 10

Details: Notorious, danger-

ous and enjoying lake life on White Bear Lake? Join the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society as they dive deep into some of the area’s most wanted guests. No registration is required.

MUSIC OF THE DECADES: THE 1960S

Location: White Bear Lake Armory, 2228 Fourth St., White Bear Lake

Dates: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 12

Details: Folk Revival MN will take a tour of music in and around the 1960s, diving deep into how and why our music developed and changed during this pivotal generation. No registration is required.

‘THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST’

Location: Hanifl Performing Arts Center, 4941 Long Ave., White Bear Lake

Dates: March 13-March 22

Details: Oscar Wilde’s “trivial comedy for serious people” sees mistaken identities, alter egos and sharp wit. The timeless comedy skewers romance, society and the absurdities of British Victorian life in a brilliantly farcical romp. Learn more at lakeshoreplayers. org/earnest-season-73.

CONTRIBUTED

Ethan Anderson

School board debates changes to consent agenda policy

BY MAYA BETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A procedural debate is resurfacing amongst board members of the White Bear Lake Area School Board as they discuss revisions to Policy 203.6, which governs how items are removed from the board’s consent agenda.

The consent agenda allows the board to approve routine items, such as meeting minutes and financial reports, in a single vote. Board members may request that an item be removed for a separate discussion.

Under the proposed revision to the policy, a board member seeking to remove an item from the consent agenda would be required to make a motion, receive a second and obtain majority approval from the board.

School Board Member Dan Skaar raised concerns with the proposed revision, arguing that requiring a second and majority vote could make it more difficult for minority viewpoints to receive public discussion.

“This policy in effect suppresses Robert's Rules, which looked for fairness for all to be

heard. I think it's unprecedented, undemocratic and it's just a bold attempt to silence those who have a different point of view,” Skaar said.

The policy discussion follows disagreement from the board’s Jan. 12 meeting over whether a board member could move an item off the consent agenda without a second or vote. At the meeting, Skaar attempted to move an item off the consent agenda for separate discussion.

The board ruled that the item would not be removed.

Skaar said he consulted both Robert’s Rules of Order experts and the Minnesota School Boards Association and was told that, typically, any board member may remove an item from the consent agenda without requiring a second or vote unless a district policy explicitly states otherwise.

Board Chair Scott Arcand said that if a procedural error occurred, it was his ruling — not the board as a whole — that was out of order.

Board members in support of the revision say the intent is not to silence discussion, but to reinforce established agenda-setting procedures.

“When we have board members that are trying

to pull things off the consent agenda, it appears from my perspective that people are trying to create their own agenda items,” Board Member Christina Streiff Oji said.

According to Streiff Oji, this reduces the efficiency of the board and disrupts meetings.

“Questions can be answered, things can be pulled off and on, agenda items can be added,” Streiff Oji said. “But one board member, since I've been on this board, does not add agenda items each week.”

Others were in agreement.

“There are ways to get things on the agenda, and perhaps some of the things you've (Skaar) introduced haven't been agreed on, but maybe they just weren't appropriate agenda items,” Board Member Kathleen Daniels said.

The proposed revision to Policy 203.6 will return for a second reading and possible adoption in the board’s March 2 meeting.

Maya Betti is a contributing writer for Press Publications. She can be reached by emailing news@presspubs.com.

PUBLIC NOTICES • PUBLIC NOTICES • PUBLIC NOTICES

OFFICE OF THE MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME

Pursuant to Chapter 333, Minnesota Statutes; the undersigned, who is or will be conducting or transacting a commercial business in the State of Minnesota under an assumed name, hereby certifies:

1. The assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted is: Duque Wear

2. The street address of the principal place of business is or will be: 2136 Ford Parkway, #5408 Saint Paul, MN 55116

3. The name and street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name, including any corporation that may be conducting this business.

Duque De Alaten Ventures 7362 University Ave., Ste 310-5 Fridley, MN 55432

I certify that I am authorized to sign this certificate and I further certify that I understand that by signing this certificate, I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in section 609.48 as if I had signed this certificate under oath.

Dated: February 2, 2026

Signed: Paul Suhfor Ngu Published two times in the White Bear Press on February 18 and 25, 2026. OFFICE OF THE MINNESOTA SECRETARY OF STATE CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME

Pursuant to Chapter 333, Minnesota Statutes; the undersigned, who is or will be conducting or transacting a commercial business in the State of Minnesota under an assumed name, hereby certifies:

1. The assumed name under which the business is or will be conducted is: Signature Sporting

2. The street address of the principal place of business is or will be:

3674 Labore Road, Saint Paul, MN 55110

3. The name and street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name, including any corporation that may be conducting this business.

Elite Operations, LLC

3674 Labore Road, Saint Paul, MN 55110

Dated: January 15, 2026

Signed: Leonard Cacioppo

Published two times in the White Bear Press on February 18 and 25, 2026. INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 624 WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN 55110

MINUTES JANUARY 12, 2026

Abbreviated Minutes-complete information available from the Superintendent’s office or online at www.isd624.org.

A meeting of the White Bear Lake Area School Board was held on Monday, January 12, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in Boardroom 200 at the Sunrise Park District Service Center, 2399 Cedar Avenue, White Bear Lake, MN. This meeting was open to the public and a recording is posted on the website. PROCEDURAL ITEMS 1. Chair Arcand called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call - Present: Streiff Oji, Arcand, Beloyed, Daniels, Ellison, Skaar. Absent: Thompson. Ex-Officio: Dr. Wayne Kazmierczak. 3. Pledge of Allegiance. 4. Ellison moved and Daniels seconded to approve the agenda as presented. Skaar moved to amend the agenda to include a discussion on AP Physics. There was no second. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. Thompson joined the meeting at 5:33 p.m. 5. Reorganization of the Board - Ellison nominated Arcand as Chair, Ellison nominated Thompson as ViceChair, Ellison nominated Daniels as Clerk, and Ellison nominated Beloyed as Treasurer. There were no further nominations, Arcand was elected Chair, Thompson was elected Vice-Chair, Daniels was elected Clerk, and Beloyed was elected Treasurer by acclamation. 6. Ellison moved and Streiff Oji seconded the Approval of Tabled Portion of November 10, 2025 Minutes. Skaar moved to change the wording of the tabled portion of the November 10, 2025 minutes. There was no second. Roll call vote: Ayes, Streiff Oji, Thompson, Arcand, Beloyed, Daniels, Ellison. Nays, Skaar. Motion carried. 7. Streiff Oji moved and Daniels seconded to approve the consent agenda consisting of: a. Minutes for Board meeting on December 8, 2025; b. Monthly invoices, all of which met the standards and guidelines as set by the School Board; c. Resolution regarding acceptance of gifts with thank you letters directed to the donors; d. Field trips; and e. Resolution regarding personnel items. Skaar requested to remove A-7b, Monthly invoices from the consent agenda. Thompson objected to the consideration of the request. Streiff Oji seconded. Objection roll call vote: Ayes, Streiff Oji, Thompson, Arcand, Beloyed, Daniels, Ellison. Nays, Skaar. Objection carried. *The chair was out

of order for allowing an objection vote. Consent Agenda roll call vote: Ayes, Streiff Oji, Thompson, Arcand, Beloyed, Daniels, Ellison. Nays, Skaar. Motion carried. PUBLIC FORUM - Dianna Delaney, Rebekah Bradfield, Lori Humble, Tom Snell, Ryan Vernosh, Kris Roberts-Crowe, Raia Konn INFORMATION ITEMS 1. Student Recognition.2. Superintendent’s Report. 3. Overview of Welcome to White Bear and Update on Registration Information for 2026-27. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Roles and Responsibilities of School Board Members. Thompson made a motion to purchase a copy of Robert’s Rules for Dummies for all members of the board. Beloyed seconded. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. OPERATIONAL ITEMS 1. Daniels moved and Thompson seconded to approve the action on Tentative Agreement – 202527 Fiscal Years Clerical School Service Employees SEIU Local 284. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 2. Streiff Oji moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the action on Tentative Agreement – 2025-27 Fiscal Years Principals’ Association. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 3. Ellison moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the action on Tentative Agreement – 2025-27 Fiscal Years with Non-Affiliated Groups. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 4. Daniels moved and Streiff Oji seconded to approve the action on Tentative Agreement – 2025-27 Fiscal Years White Bear Lake School Nutrition Association. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 5. Thompson moved and Streiff Oji seconded to approve the action on School Board Members’ Compensation for 2026. Roll call vote: Ayes, Streiff Oji, Thompson, Arcand, Beloyed, Daniels, Ellison. Nays, none. Abstention, Skaar. Motion carried. 6. Ellison moved and Daniels seconded to approve the action on Appointment of Intermediate School District 916 Representative for 2026. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 7. Daniels moved and Thompson seconded to approve the action on Appointment of BrightWorks Representative for 2026. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 8. Ellison moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the action on Regular and Work Session Meeting Schedule for 2026-27. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 9. Thompson moved and Daniels seconded to approve the action on Official Publication for the School District for 2026. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 10. Thompson moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the action on Appointment of Compliance Officers. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 11. Daniels moved and Streiff Oji seconded to approve the action on Local Education Agency Authorization. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 12. Ellison moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the action on Designation of Legal Counsel. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 13. Ellison moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the action on Official Depositories for the School District Funds and Authorized Bank Accounts and Signatures. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 14. Daniels moved and Streiff Oji seconded to approve the action on Annual Authorization Allowing Administration to Contract for Budgeted Items. Roll call vote: Ayes, Streiff Oji, Thompson, Arcand, Beloyed, Daniels, Ellison. Nays, none. Abstention, Skaar. Motion carried. 15. Ellison moved and Streiff Oji seconded to approve the action on Annual Resolution to Increase Micro Purchase Threshold. Roll call vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. 16. Ellison moved and Beloyed seconded to approve the Action on School Board Policies: a. 402, Disability Nondiscrimination Policy; b. 423, Employee-Student Relationships; and c. 611, Homeschooling. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. BOARD FORUM LABOR NEGOTIATIONS *This portion of the meeting may be closed to consider strategy for labor negotiations, including negotiation strategies or developments or discussion and review of labor negotiation proposals, conducted pursuant to Minn. Stat. 179A.01 to 179A.25. Daniels moved and Thompson seconded to go into closed session at 7:26 p.m. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. Skaar moved and Ellison seconded to go into open session at 7:38 p.m. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. ADJOURNMENT Beloyed moved and Skaar seconded to adjourn the meeting at 7:40 p.m. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. Submitted by: Kathleen Daniels, clerk. Published one time in the White Bear Press on February 18, 2026.

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 624 WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN 55110 WORK SESSION MINUTES JANUARY 26, 2026

Abbreviated Minutes-complete information available from the Superintendent’s office or online at www.isd624.org.

A work session of the White Bear Lake Area School Board was held on Monday, January 26, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. in Boardroom 200 at the District Service Center at Sunrise Park, 2399 Cedar 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 Arcand called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call - Present: Arcand, Beloyed, Daniels, Ellison, Skaar, Streiff Oji. Absent: Thompson. DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Lakeaires Elementary Update. 2. Lincoln Elementary Update. 3. Fiscal Year 2024-25 Annual Audit Report. OPERATIONAL ITEMS 1. Beloyed moved and Ellison seconded to approve the action on Fiscal Year 2024-25 Annual Audit Report. Roll call vote: Ayes, Arcand, Beloyed, Daniels, Ellison, Streiff Oji. Nays, Skaar. Motion carried. ADJOURNMENT Ellison moved and Streiff Oji seconded to adjourn the meeting at 8:00p.m. Voice vote: Ayes, all. Nays, none. Motion carried. Submitted by: Kathleen Daniels, clerk. Published one time in the White Bear Press on February 18, 2026.

or https://tinyurl.com/ ISD624ParkingAddBiddingDocs

This project includes: parking lot additions including paving, striping, signage, concrete curbs, landscaping, site lighting and associated civil and electrical work at two locations: White Bear Lake High School Sunrise Park 5045 Division Avenue 2399 Cedar Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 White Bear Lake, MN 55110 American Reprographics Company, 4730 Park Glen Road, St. Louis Park, Minnesota 55416 (952) 697-8800, facsimile (952) 697-8803 will provide complete downloadable sets of the Bidding Documents to prospective bidders and subcontractors. The downloads will be available February 17, 2026. A deposit check in the amount of $25 made out to ARC for each set downloaded via the internet at https://www.e-arc.com/location/st-louis-park/ and clicking on the PlanWell icon, then the Public Plan Room icon, select 2026 Parking Additions.

Make proposals on the bid forms supplied in the Project Manual. No oral, telegraphic or telephonic proposals or modifications will be considered. Submit with each bid, a certified check or acceptable bidder’s bond payable to Independent School District #624 in an amount equal to five percent (5%) of the total bid. The successful bidder will be required to furnish satisfactory Labor and Material Payment Bond, and Performance Bond.

Bids may not be withdrawn within thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of opening bids, without the consent of the Owner. The Owner reserves the right to accept any bid or to reject any or all bids, or parts of such bids, and waive informalities or irregularities in bidding.

A pre-bid walkthrough will be held on March 3, 2026 at Sunrise Park. Attendance is not mandatory, but encouraged. Meet at the west entrance at 1:00 PM.

The Owner requires Substantial Completion of the project on or before August 21, 2026.

Board of Education, Independent School District #624

Published two times in the White Bear Press on February 18 and 25, 2026. STATE OF MINNESOTA, COUNTY OF RAMSEY DISTRICT COURT, SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASE TYPE: CIVIL, OTHER NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE UNDER JUDGMENT AND DECREE (REAL PROPERTY) Court File No.: 62-CV-25-8334 CrossCountry Mortgage, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. Denysha Camille Ward and the United States of America by and through the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Defendants. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that under and by virtue of a Judgment and Decree entered in the above-entitled action on December 17, 2025, a certified copy of which has been delivered to me directing the sale of the premises hereinafter described to satisfy the amount found and adjudged due of $349,308.50 in the above-entitled action, as prescribed by the Judgment, the undersigned Sheriff of Ramsey County will sell at public auction, to the highest bidder, for cash, as follows: DATE AND TIME OF SALE: March 19, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. PLACE OF SALE: Ramsey County Sheriff, 360 Wabasha Street N, Suite 111, St. Paul, MN 55102 LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTY: Lots 13 and 14, of Block 13, Fairview Addition to the City of St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota PROPERTY ADDRESS: 467 Case Avenue, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55130 PROPERTY ID: 292922240154 THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES Section582.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITYH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT ABANDONED, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED. Dated: 1/13/26

WHITE BEAR LAKE CITY COUNCIL MEETING NOTES

• King’s City Restaurant, located at 3959 Linden Street, recently received liquor license approval since the establishment is now under new ownership, Kia Xiong. The license will be valid through the end of the business cycle on March 31 with an opportunity to renew.

• St. Anne’s Academy, located at 2445 County Road E East, has requested a conditional use permit (CUP) amendment to construct an approximately 6,300-square-foot building on site to expand the school. The original CUP was granted in 1988 to allow a portion of the church facility to be used for a school. The new building would provide 13 classrooms with a total capacity of 314 students. Both city staff and the Planning Commission found the standards for a CUP had been satisfied and recommend approval of the request, which council granted.

• An agreement with Ramsey County is now in place for a Critical Corridor Initiative Grant to fund pre-project wayfinding and placemaking design work for the upcoming downtown street reconstruction project. In anticipation of a future street reconstruction project, community development and engineering staff applied for funding to support some of the concepts outlined in the 2025 Downtown Mobility and Parking Study. Specifically, staff requested funding to support placemaking efforts, including design and implementation of wayfinding signage; street furniture and enhanced standard infrastructure such as lighting; and marketing efforts to promote downtown as “open to business” during the 2027 construction project. The application was successful, and Ramsey County has awarded the city $50,000 for the project.

• Twice a year, the Community Development Department visits the council to share its bi-annual report. Community Development Director Jason Lindahl said the overall takeaway from the report is that although overall building inspection activity is down about 3% from this time last year, it is leveling back out to normal level of activity prior to the “postCOVID bump.” Lindahl added that the city also saw a lot of activity in 2022 and 2023 related to the large projects in the school district. Other highlights include:

- There has been a slight decline in code enforcement activity. Lindahl attributes that to staff

turnover during the last quarter. That position has since been filled, so he expects that activity will “likely get back to normal.”

- Zoning activity saw an increase of 7.5% compared to 2024. Most of that increase can be attributed to the meetings/ inquiries/ questions category.

- When it comes to rental licensing activity in White Bear Lake, 78% (264 units) of the activity relates to single-family homes compared to 22% (74 units) for multifamily. Lindahl noted that in Mahtomedi, 84% (80 units) is single-family homes and 16% (15 units) is multifamily.

Council Member Kevin Edberg wanted to know when the council could expect to see more information about the breakdown between shortterm and long-term rentals. Lindahl shared that standards for short-term rentals were originally included in the recent zoning code update but were removed from the final draft. The council directed city staff to bring back both zoning standards and licensing standards for rentals in “one package.” Lindahl noted that should be before the council during the first half of the year.

Last Winter Market sets record

• Assistant City Manager Rick Juba presented the annual report for the Sports Center. In 2025 there were 12 high school hockey games, seven youth hockey tournaments and approximately 100 youth hockey games. In terms of ice time utilization, ice rental/ hockey used 1,586 hours, skate school 1,292 hours and public skating 938.

Juba said the solar panels on the building have now been fully operational for two years and have achieved a little more than $50,000 in energy savings costs for that time period. Juba noted that they won’t have a full picture of the year’s revenue until the audit is complete. “From what we can see, it was a normal operational year,” Juba said.

Juba reminded the public that the 33rd spring show, themed “Enchanted Skates,” will be held April 24-26.

The next City Council meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24, at City Hall.

• The board has approved a revised fiscal year 2025-26 budget and a projected fiscal year 202627 budget. Finance Director Andi Johnson and Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Tim Wald presented updated figures reflecting rising special education and transportation costs, enrollment trends and a projected general fund balance below the district’s 8% policy target.

• School administrators are estimating that approximately $1 million in operational adjustments are planned for next year to help restore fund balance.

• The board is approving its annual resolution directing the administration to make recommendations for potential reductions in programs and positions.

• The board has accepted bids for two long-term facilities maintenance projects. An approximate $1.18 million contract for the Sunrise Park Elementary roof replacement has been awarded to McPhillips Bros. Roofing Company, and a contract around $1.4 million for the Mariner Middle School roof replacement was awarded to Central Roofing Company.

• The board has approved a trail and parking lot easement exchange with the city of Vadnais Heights involving property near Vadnais Heights Elementary. The agreement allows for future trail connectivity and potential parking and safety improvements.

• The board has approved official depositories for school district funds and authorized bank accounts and signatures for 2026.

• Superintendent Wayne Kazmierczak provided updates on upcoming district events, including Black History Month celebrations, student music recognitions and community engagement opportunities such as Coffee with Dr. K.

The White Bear Lake Area Schools School Board will hold a work session at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23 at Sunrise Park District Service Center, 2399 Cedar Ave., White Bear Lake. Its next regular meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday, March 2.

Maya Betti

WHITE BEAR LAKE AREA SCHOOL BOARD NOTES

Shannon Granholm

A rendering of what the new addition will likely look like.

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

St. Anne’s Academy, located at 2445 County Road E East, will construct an approximately 6,300-square-foot building to expand its school. The new space will include 13 classrooms for a total capacity of 314 students.

The above chart breaks down how many rental units, both single-family and multi-family, exist in each of the city’s five wards.

At right: Wool, polymer clay and wire sculptures of a Texas Longhorn and Impala by Narina Stepanova.

Above: A bronze sculpture titled “The Nurturer II” by Jon Kamrath.

At left: A ceramic sculpture by Samantha Hernandez titled “Mary” displays a peace sign.

Layered photographic pigment prints on silk titled “Standing Strong” by Kristine Hinrichs create a subtle sense of movement.

Hugo American Legion Post 620: Community hub honored for quality and heart

BY SHIVAM VASHISHTHA CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In honor of Fish Fry season, the Press will feature some Readers’ Choice Best of the Press winners and finalists of the Fish Fry category in our coverage area.

For the Hugo American Legion Post 620, the Best of the Press recognition isn’t just about food — it’s about community.

“We’ve spent the last year and a half building our staff and promoting consistency and quality,” said Club Manager Marcy Brake. “It’s recognition of the effort that we’ve put in, and it’s a big deal to us because we’ve been working very hard at it.”

Post 620 rose to the top as a winner in 13 categories for the 2025 Best of the Press Readers’ Choice Best of the Press Contest in The Citizen market. Since Fish Fry season, it’s important to mention that the Legion rose to the top of the Fish Fry category with its Friday special. All year round, not just during Lent, customers can enjoy crispy Bluegill filets.

“It’s not heavily breaded. We dredge and season in in house and then serve it with our award-winning fries, tartar sauce and a lemon wedge,” Brake detailed.

At the heart of Post 620’s success is a simple philosophy: everyone is welcome. Staff members pride themselves on making the Legion not just a gathering space for veterans, but a place for all community members to share a meal, catch up with friends and enjoy the familiar

The Citizen Readers’ Choice 2025 Best of the Press categories won:

• Best Fish Fry

• Best Appetizer

• Best Appetizer Selection

• Best Bar

• Best Cheese Curds

• Best French Fries

• Best Hamburger

• Best Happy Hour

• Best Lunch

• Best Salad

• Best BartenderCarley Brake

• Best ServerBrittany Viskoe

comfort of good service. “All are welcome. Everyone deserves a good meal and a place to commune together,” Brake said, adding that the Legion frequently donates food to a contact who provides it to the homeless.

Kitchen Manager Janel Marier said community connection is central to what sets the Legion apart. The team regularly interacts with guests, listens closely to feedback and tailors offerings to what customers are looking for. From providing samples to mingling with regulars, their focus is on engagement and genuine hospitality. That community-first approach is reflected in their expanding menu. The Legion recently introduced a new lineup that’s already gaining fans — including a raspberry cream cheese and jalapeño jelly hamburger that’s turning heads, and a

comforting beef stroganoff that’s quickly become a favorite. “We just released a new menu, and both of those items are part of it,” Marier noted. “We’ve also started serving breakfast every Sunday starting at 10 a.m.”

Beyond the menu, Post 620 continues to build on its reputation as a lively community hub. The banquet hall is busier than ever, hosting events from bourbon

tastings to Halloween parties and even NFL “Salute to Service” gatherings with the Minnesota Vikings. The Legion also regularly welcomes live music acts like Hollywood Avenue and looks forward to its annual Rib Contest in April, part of the national American Legion Family Day celebration.

Brake says local contests like Best of the Press help spotlight businesses that

people might not have discovered otherwise. “It’s really important for bringing awareness to the community,” she said. “It’s good marketing, and helps people realize there are great places right in their own backyard.”

Shivam Vashishtha is a contributing writer for Press Publications. He can be reached at news@presspubs. com.

The Hugo Legion rose to the top of the Fish Fry category with its Friday special. All year round, not just during Lent, customers can enjoy crispy Bluegill filets.

Chamber recognizes local businesses with awards

Joseph (Brad) Cameron

Celebration of life will be held at the White Bear Lake American Legion Post 168 on Sunday, February 22, 2026 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Vicki Jean Peterson

September 24, 1952 - February 9, 2026

Vicki Jean Peterson, age 73, passed away on February 9, 2026, in Hugo, Minnesota.

Born on September 24, 1952, in Viroqua, Wisconsin, Vicki was the daughter of Irene and Charles Orrin Simpson. She carried with her a deep appreciation for family and connection throughout her life.

Vicki is lovingly remembered by her husband Gary and her son Troy (Donna Marsh), with whom she shared many cherished moments. She also leaves behind her sister Paula (Jim) Delap; brothers Charles (Tracy) Simpson and Maurice (Jean) Martin; sister in law Susan (Duaine) Dregne and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her nephew Nicholas Delap.

Known for her warm spirit and love of conversation, Vicki was a natural storyteller who delighted in sharing memories and laughter. She especially enjoyed bowling and bingo, often spending time at the lanes or bingo halls with friends and family.

Her presence brought joy to those around her, and she found great happiness in the simple pleasures of life—especially the time spent with Gary and Troy. May her memory bring comfort to all who knew and loved her.

Special thanks to Alyssa, Amy, Stephen, Emily and Macy with St Croix Hospice for their care over the last couple years.

John Dennis Sullivan

congestion in the area that eventually spills out onto Bald Eagle Avenue and negatively impact the neighborhood. For that reason, city staff recommended that this access be eliminated from the plans.

“Staff has had ongoing conversations with the district on this, and we really haven’t come to a consensus,” Lindal said. “We have had good conversations, they have been productive, but we haven’t come to the same conclusion.”

would be used by staff on school days and serve as field parking after hours.

“The goal of the project is to alleviate any congestion and parking on city and neighborhood streets. We don’t want to be a burden to the neighbors,” Wald said. “We recognize that we have a big footprint, and we bring in a lot of people to the campus, and we are in a neighborhood.”

district, recommended leaving both accesses and adding a gate. “They are capable of handling traffic over there,” he said.

Council Member Kevin Edberg wanted to know why the parking spaces weren’t accounted for in the early design phase.

Wald explained that at the time the district needed to bring the CUP to the city, the district had yet to acquire all the properties. “We had to move the project forward,” he said.

Out of the suggested options, Wald said the district and its consultants “feel good” about the gate option. He explained that for afterschool events, the gate would be left open until district staff determines it needs to be closed. “We don’t want vehicles stacking onto Bald Eagle,” he said.

City Engineer Paul Kauppi noted it wasn’t the stacking that the city staff was concerned about, but rather the turning movements in and out of the lot.

Age 80, of Dellwood passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Tuesday, February 10, 2026. John was born on October 3, 1945, in Minneapolis to Archibald and Margaret Sullivan. He attended De La Salle High School and, following drafted service into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, graduated from St. Cloud State University. John married Kathleen “Kathy” Sullivan, with whom he shared 51 years of marriage. A dedicated employee of 3M for 36 years and lifelong MN sports fan, he was also a lover of long walks, whether in the woods, at the beach or on the golf course. John is survived by his wife, his children Laura (Matt) Moody and Mark (Angelina) Sullivan, four grandchildren (Theo, Calvin, Ellie and Johnny), sister Joanne Halek and many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his parents, sister Carole Kaiser and brother Michael Sullivan. A celebration of life will be planned for a future date in the summer. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Minnesota Hospice. Arrangements by Honsa Family Funeral Home. 651-429-6172.

The district suggested a few different options to the council that the district could implement to manage that access point. One option would be to have a staff member manage the access during peak after school event time periods; another option would be to close the access using temporary control devices like traffic control barrels or delineators. The final option would be to install a gate that would prohibit access during peak periods.

Council Member Andrea West asked Lindahl what his thoughts were on those options. He responded, “It seems to be the acknowledgment that they could limit the access, I think this actually supports staff’s conclusion that it really isn’t necessary or appropriate in this location … From staff’s perspective, it acknowledges that it isn’t really necessary and has the potential to create more challenges than advantages on the site.”

Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations

Tim Wald explained that the Bald Eagle lot

“If somebody is coming eastbound on that south entrance into the school site and wants to take a left into the lot and they start making that movement, and somebody is in the lot making a movement, they are at a 90-degree angle to oncoming traffic,” he said. “If somebody is circling in that lot and doesn’t find a spot, wants to come back out and heads back toward Bald Eagle, they have a super tight turning radius, potentially even turning into oncoming traffic. It is just the tightness of that intersection.”

Ultimately, the council voted to remove the sixth condition from the CUP, which would require the district to remove that second access. The council approved a resolution that will allow that second access, provided the district installs a gate so it can prohibit access during peak after school event time periods.

Managing Editor

Council Member Steve Engstran, who said he would abstain from the vote because he works for the

Entirely Bonkers Media Co

Sustainable Safari

Frandsen Bank & Trust

Oneka Ridge Golf Course

Longtime White Bear Lake prosecutor set to retire this month

White Bear Lake City Prosecutor Robb Olson will retire this month after 25 years of service as the city’s lead prosecutor. Throughout his career, Olson has been known for his commitment to justice, strong community ties and a deep respect for local law enforcement.

Olson graduated Cum Laude from the University of Minnesota in 1984 and began his legal career in business litigation. In 1998 he moved his law practice to White Bear Lake, driven by a desire to work in the community he called home. In 2000, while practicing with the law firm Meslow

& Olson, he was appointed White Bear Lake city prosecutor. In 2010 he joined the firm of Geck, Duea & Olson, where he continued to serve the White Bear Lake community as a municipal prosecutor, estate planning, and family law practice. Over the years, Olson expanded his prosecution services to include the cities of Lino Lakes, St. Paul Park, New Brighton, Isanti, Cambridge and Braham. He earned a reputation for his commonsense, “tough love” approach to prosecuting domestic violence and DWI cases, always prioritizing public safety and accountability. In addition to his courtroom work, Olson has provided annual training for local police officers to ensure they remain up to date on the

newest statutes related to domestic violence and DWI enforcement. He has long expressed his appreciation for law enforcement by offering complimentary will and estate planning services to police officers in the communities he serves. Olson has also been heavily involved in the White Bear Lake community. He previously served as a member of the White Bear Rotary Club. He also coached numerous youth sports teams, including traveling basketball, baseball, softball and T-ball.

As he enters retirement, Olson looks forward to spending more time with his family, including his wife of 50 years, and his 12 grandchildren, and enjoying a well-earned next chapter of his life.

Seasonal Maintenance

White Bear Township is accepting applications for Seasonal Maintenance Worker positions to assist in routine maintenance work including, but not limited to, the following: general maintenance of parks, streets, water, storm water, sanitary sewer, etc. Up to 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday, 7 AM to 3:30 PM (subject to change between Memorial Day – Labor Day).

Salary range from $18 to $21/ hour, depending on qualifications. A valid driver’s license with a good driving record is essential. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and be able to pass pre-employment drug screening.

Applications are available Monday – Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM, at Township Administrative Office, 1281 Hammond Road, White Bear Township, MN 55110 or online at www.whitebeartownship. org. Application deadline: Open until positions are filled.

CITY OF MAHTOMEDI SEASONAL FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT

MAINTENANCE WORKER

The City of Mahtomedi has openings for up to (4) full time Seasonal Maintenance Worker positions. All positions are for 67 days. Duties include assisting the Public Works Department with street, water, sewer, and park maintenance. Must have a High School diploma or GED, the ability to lift/move 25-100 Lbs., be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. The pay range is from $18.00/hr. to $20.00/ hr. depending on qualifications. Applications will be taken until positions are filled. Applications can be obtained at City Hall, 600 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi, MN 55115 or at its website at www. mahtomedimn.gov. Mahtomedi is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

MAHTOMEDI VOLUNTEER FOR CITY COMMISSIONS

The City of Mahtomedi is accepting applications from residents interested in serving on advisory commissions. Openings for three-year appointments exist on the Planning Commission, Parks Commission, Environmental and Finance Commission. The Commissions serve as advisory bodies making recommendations within their areas of responsibility to the City Council.

If you are interested in serving the community in any of these capacities, please contact City Hall at 651-426-3344 for an application form. Applications are also available on the City’s website at www.mahtomedimn.gov. Applications will be taken through March 2, 2026.

JERENE ROGERS CITY CLERK

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HOUSING OPPORTUNITY all real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Ho using Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preferen ce, limitation or discriminat ion based on race co lo r, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or nationa l origin, or an intention, to make any such preferen ce limitation or dis-

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Robb Olson

S E R V I C E

COALITION: City Council contemplates joining Safe and Stable Communities

Crawford said.

Anderson encouraged the council to keep in mind the potential negative consequences the city and its residents may face down the road if it pursues any of the presented options. “A lot of these options may not be more than symbolic … Making your city more vocal or more a part of this could actually negatively impact residents or citizens,” Anderson said. “It could create more immigration enforcement or targets in your area because there is some anecdotal evidence of that. I say that because I want to make sure this council goes into this discussion with its eyes wide open about all of this and potential impacts of these things.”

Anderson said creating some of these ordinances creates the expectation that those ordinances are enforceable when they might not be.

“You are putting law enforcement in a very difficult position … They are going to be in the way of immigration efforts, and they could be argued to be not necessarily opposing that, but potentially obstructing those efforts, and that's not viewed upon favorably,” he said.

Council Member Andrea West inquired about the city’s authority. “As we're thinking about what to do that can make a difference, I think we need to keep in mind what kind of power we actually have as a city,” she said. Anderson responded, “As a city, you are very limited in what you have authority over. You have the authority that the state Legislature has given you, and you have the authority that your charter gives you, which doesn't really get into the things that we are talking about (here).”

Council Member Kevin Edberg asked Police Chief Dale Hager to provide another update on recent ICE activity in White Bear Lake. Hager described the activity as “really light.” During the two-week period (Jan. 27-Feb. 10), he noted two incidents that may or may not have involved ICE agents. In the first one, he says they heard a “rumor” that something happened, but he said that since they weren’t called to the scene, they have no way of verifying if it actually happened or not. The second scenario involved someone reporting a possible ICE vehicle. The police responded to the area but were unable to locate the vehicle. “We have no idea who it was … very little substance to work on,” Hager said.

Council Member Ellen Gurrola said she thought it was important for the city to take a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one. She said out of the eight options, the only one she felt fell into that category was joining the coalition. “That option is kind of the only one that I would say is an option; that’s

just for me personally, based on my experiences, that’s worth exploring,” she said. She added that there was something to be said about being “stronger in numbers.”

Nicklawske added, “I think that it would not hurt us or anybody to have our hand at the table and to know what's going on with other cities and what we can and can’t do and have people advocating for our constitutional rights as a city and as people of the city.” She said she was undecided on whether the city should be a full member of the coalition or an ally.

Nicklawske agreed that by joining a coalition with cities across the metro and state, it would create less of a target on the city of White Bear Lake.

West wanted to know more about the difference between being a full member and being an ally. Crawford noted that the coalition was still forming and rapidly evolving, but she wasn’t sure about what those different levels would mean other than the fact that one level would not cost the city money.

West said she was concerned about the “gaps” of information. “I'm concerned about what we would be practicing or saying that we can support that we might not actually support,” she said. “I think it is a great idea for businesses and cities to get together and to use that power of a group to influence and to make changes … I am not convinced in this moment that I’m totally comfortable with putting our name down, even as an ally, without more information.”

Council Member Bill Walsh said he would not support any of the options, and he didn’t feel like the council should discuss the topic. “I wish we weren’t discussing this at all. I think this is completely out of scope. Not something that the City Council should deal with or can deal with,” he said. “… I don’t think we can do anything or should do anything.” He added, “I don’t see the role of White Bear Lake to even be here.”

Gurrola said the topic should be discussed because it was having a direct impact on people at the city level. “My family has been significantly impacted by it. For the last four weeks, I haven’t let my spouse drive my children around because we believe right now, he could be pulled over and detained because of the color of his skin,” she said. “When there are things at the federal level that are impacting people so significantly at the city level, it is worth discussing because we are here to support our residents.”

West pointed out how rare it is to have an audience present at a work session which, along with the communication council members have received, should indicate that the community is “very concerned.”

Nicklawske commented, “I

Options for the City Council to consider (in order of lower risk/easier to enforce up to higher risk/more difficult to enforce):

1. Memorialize a policy limiting federal access to nonpublic areas of city-owned property, specifically spaces within City Hall or the public safety facility where city staff work that are not open to the general public. Crawford noted, “For that reason and because city staff have already been guided to follow the Fourth Amendment, such a policy does not appear to be necessary from an operational standpoint.”

2. Engage in lobbying efforts to support state and federal legislation and consider joining the Safe and Stable Communities Coalition. Crawford noted that there are two levels of support: as a member of the coalition, which is estimated to cost the city $5,000, or the no-cost option of joining as an ally. “A benefit to this option is consistent messaging and approach to federal immigration options amongst cities and legislators across the metro region,” Crawford said. As of press time, approximately 17 cities have joined the forming coalition, including the neighboring city of Vadnais Heights.

3. Adopt a resolution supporting or condemning certain actions. “Other cities have done this, such as Roseville or Minneapolis. Due to the fact that this may not accomplish much, and it may put the city at odds with the federal government with unknown impacts, I'm reluctant to recommend that option to the City Council,” Crawford explained.

4. Support ongoing litigation related to federal immigration activity. City Attorney Dave Anderson explained that there is an ongoing lawsuit initiated by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, along with the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, which requests to curtail federal immigration action. The city of White Bear Lake could consider being an amicus party, or friend of the court, by filing a brief to offer its unique perspective as the city of White Bear Lake to potentially influence the court’s decision.

“Being involved in that litigation could impact feelings of the federal government for the city. Whether that is good or bad, I think that's a policy call for the city to make,” Anderson said. “Ultimately, there are ongoing discussions about whether taking on a more formal stance, whether it be through litigation or otherwise, would put

a target on your back from the standpoint of federal funding, grant dollars, just day-to-day things.”

5. Issue a policy that states that the city and its police department will not enter into agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement known as a 287(g) agreement, which authorizes officers to perform limited immigration enforcement functions. Crawford explained that the police department’s Immigration Violation Policy (Policy 413) clearly states that city police officers don’t enforce immigration law. “Because that policy already exists, enacting another one seems unnecessary,” Crawford said.

6. Adopt a policy or ordinance that directs city employees not to inquire about immigration status except when required by a program or by law. Crawford pointed out that some cities have gone this direction but are presently the subject of a lawsuit brought by the federal government. “While that type of policy may show trust between residents and the city, it would demand staff and consultant time and would not change any actions of the city nor city staff,” Crawford said. “I’m worried such a policy would not have a tangible impact.”

7. Enact an ordinance restricting immigration staging on nonpublic city property. “The city generally has legal authority over its own property and may regulate the use of that property by ordinance, though it cannot discriminate against the federal government,” Crawford said. “An ordinance would prove difficult, if not impossible, to enforce and it may lead to unwanted confrontation between the police department officers and federal officials.”

8. Consider an ordinance imposing operational requirements of all law enforcement, including federal agents, operating within the city. Crawford noted that it was unclear whether the city had legal authority to impose affirmative requirements on federal law enforcement agencies. “(It may) expose the city to a legal challenge … Any ordinance such as that will be difficult, if not impossible, to enforce in practice, and so for those reasons, that ordinance is also unlikely to have the desired impact. I would not recommend such an ordinance or policy be enacted.”

represent the people of the city, and I'm hearing people are scared. I got an email from somebody the other day that said they haven't gone out of their house since Christmas, except to try to go get groceries. They are not an immigrant, but they are afraid of the unmarked cars and masked people and the people in our community that are pulling up and just taking people. People are telling us these things are happening. We have the responsibility to discuss and talk about how we can help them with that and what we will and will not allow to happen in our city.”

Council Member Kevin Edberg described the situation as an “octopus that has more than eight legs.” He said, “We've not had this kind of a situation in modern times. I’m not finding very many easy answers for what we as a city can do,” he said. He added that although he wasn’t opposed to the idea of joining the coalition, he would not be inclined to do any of the options laid

out by city staff.

“I'm not opposed to spending the money to be a part of a greater solution (the coalition). I’m also not naive enough to believe that if the federal government wanted to single out individual communities for action, they have plenty of opportunity to do that, and we should not be silent about the potential impact of them choosing to do that. That is the cost of this crisis that we are facing … There may not be many things that we can do now.”

The mayor and City Council did not direct city staff to place the coalition item formally on a future agenda. However, Nicklawske said she would “give it some thought” and try to learn more about the coalition before the next meeting and perhaps entertain another discussion and possible action at a regular meeting.

Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or whitebearnews@presspubs.com.

CONGRATULATIONS 2026 BEARS CHEERLEADERS

We are so proud of our athletes for representing our school well on the biggest stage!

The White Bear Lake Cheerleading Team coached by Bree Sherrick, Zoe Bushard, and Katie Johnston competed at the National High School Cheerleading Championship in Orlando Florida February 6-8th. They competed in the Small Varsity Non-Tumbling Division placing 3rd in Game Day and 14th in Traditional Routine. The Bears had to compete in three rounds of competition to clinch the Bronze Medal. When asked what her favorite part of the experience was, our Senior Captain, Katelyn Kaehler said “Getting to share it with my best friends! Hearing our name announced as bronze medalists was incredible!”

Pictured From Left to Right Top Row: Coach Zoe Bushard, Coach Bree Sherrick, Reyna Piper, Cora Morin, Mikaela Caliendo, Anna Lindholm, Avery Bach, Makenzie Schmoe

Middle Row: Riley Knabb, Addison Pierce, Willow Maxwell, Gretchen Hayes, Victoria Dowdle, Hannah Doan, Lacey Rancour, Coach Katie Johnston

Bottom Row: Eleanor Piri, Holly Anderson, Katelyn Kaehler, Bri Caliendo, Alison Carnes

Graff reaches 1,000 while leading Zephyrs payback win

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Mark Graff scored his 1,000th point and led Mahtomedi to a payback win over St. Thomas Academy 86-55 at home Wednesday evening.

The Zephrys, 19-3 and ranked fourth in Class 3A, then routed North St. Paul 78-44 on Friday and St. Paul Highland Park 83-57 on Saturday.

Graff, senior guard, needed three points to reach the milestone and got it with the first of his five 3-pointers. He finished with 33 points and seven rebounds.

“He is an amazing leader on our team and in our school,” coach Keith Newman said about Graff, also the football team’s quarterback. “He contributes in so many ways in his sports but also as a leader in the building. Truly a person who has many gifts and uses them well to help both himself, but more importantly others.”

Graff, currently averaging 20 points, is the third Mahtomedi player to pass 1,000 this season, following Willie Roelofs and Grace Prose, both juniors.

Mahtomedi (17-3) had lost to STA (10-11) on their court Jan. 9. In the rematch the Zephyrs trailed 12-7 before going on a 25-1 run.

Roelofs tallied 23 points (7-for-7 at the line) and six rebounds. Noah Carlson notched six points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals, and held STA’s top scorer Lars Osteraas to seven points. Against North, Carlson had 22 points, Roelofs 20 (six rebounds, six assists), Graff 19 (5-for-6 on three’s) and Joey Wright seven points, six rebounds and four assists. Against

BEARS SPORTS BRIEFS

BOYS HOCKEY

White Bear Lake won its last two conference games to finish the regular season 11-11-3 overall and 9-4-2 in the Suburban East for fourth place. CretinDerham Hall (14-1) was champion. The Bears nipped Forest Lake 1-0 with Rian Marquardt scoring in the first period, assisted by Nash Roed, and goalie Riley Helmberger making 20 saves. The Bears beat East Ridge 4-1, striking for three goals in 3 1/2 minutes in the second period, by Max Butters, Gavin Veneruzzo and Hunter Doroff. Doroff added an empty-netter, Helmberger made 23 saves and Gavin Whippler and Magnus Benz each had two assists. The Bears are seeded third in Section 4AAA and face Roseville on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Aldrich Arena.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

White Bear Lake won 73-46 at Stillwater, led by Chloe Theissen with 22 points. The Bears (9-15) also had Sophie Menier with 14 points and Maddy Thompson with six points, five assists and seven rebounds. Stillwater is 8-16. The Bears lost to CretinDerham Hall 71-37.

ALPINE SKIING

Cooper Feirn of White Bear Lake placed 70th of 88 entrants in the state Alpine meet at Giants Ridge. Feirn’s times were 38.77 on the red and 56.45 on the blue for a 1:35.22 total. Angus Levins placed 86th with 39.51 on

1,000th

Highland Park, Roelofs logged 21 points (10 rebounds, three steals), Graff 18 points (eight rebounds, seven assists), Carlson 14 points and Wright 11.

red and had a DQ on the blue. Josie Guidinger placed 75th of 88 girls with times of 41.60 and 1:05.06 for a 1:46.66 total.

BOYS BASKETBALL

White Bear Lake (6-16) defeated Stillwater (10-12) at home 60-47. Nick Cardenas logged 17 points and five assists, and Will McQuay 16 points and four assists. Johnny Woods held Stillwater’s top scorer to 2-for15 shooting. The Bears lost to St. Paul Central 71-62. The Bears lost to conference leader Cretin-Derham Hall 90-60 on Feb. 10 as Raider stars Ty Schlagel and JoJo Mitchell hit 26 and 21 points, respectively. Zach Turner had 12 points and Cardenas and Piper had nine each for the Bears.

WRESTLING

White Bear Lake picked up one win in Section 4AAA, over Irondale 42-32, before champion Stillwater shut them out 69-0 in the semifinals. Winning against Irondale were Muayeng Lee, Maxwell Kelly, Indiana Kane, Nokolai Milligan, Donovin Wolfgram, Joseph Smaker and Alex Semeliis, all by pin. The Bears finished 6-10 in dual meets. They will host the section individuals tournament Saturday.

Bruce Strand

Bear gymnasts are section champs

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

The White Bear Lake gymnasts captured the Section 4AA championship and will compete at the state meet Friday in St. Paul. Grace Mueller will compete in all-around.

At North St. Paul, the Bears tallied 137.025 points (just under their season best 137.925).

Cretin-Derham Hall was second with 135.275 and Mounds View/ irondale third among eight teams. Mueller, a sophomore, was vault champion with a 9.575 score. She placed second on floor (9.10), third all-around (36.675), fourth on bars (8.55), and 10th on beam (8.45).

“Grace had the vault of her life,” said coach Sarah Crist about “a beautiful pike tuck that was stuck cold … She really put it all together in this meet.”

Harlie Peloquin, sophomore, was sixth all-around (34.35),

seventh on bars (8.40) and beam (8.55), eighth in floor (8.80) and 12th on vault (8.60).

“Harlie has made a huge comeback this year,” said Crist, noting all of her top-eight finishes. “She has worked so hard and never let anything hold her back.”

Mira McQuay, sophomore, qualified on balance beam with 9.05 for fifth place. She was 13th on vault (8.55) and 14th on floor (8.575).

Crist was voted section Coach of the Year. The Bears were also section academic champions with a GPA of 3.956.

The state meet at Roy Wilkins Auditorium will start at 11 a.m. Friday for team and Saturday for individual.

Mo Conroy was fifth on beam (9.05), 10th on floor (8.70) and 11th on bars (7.925). Maddie Erikson was 11th on vault (8.625). Arianna Minor was 15th on vault (8.50).

Gymnastics: Zephyrs have 4 state qualifiers

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Mahtomedi placed second of five teams in the Section 4A meet Thursday and had four state qualifiers — Addi Eitel, Cassia Hartman, Margo Bruner and Lucy Otto. Breck, the host, won with 141.725. Mahtomedi scored 138.325, Lakers 138.15, Simley 114.475 and South St. Paul 111.925. Breck had the top two all-around in Cata Fabrega (36.375) and Abigail Getnick (35.65). Eitel was

sixth (34.65) and Otto seventh (34.50). Eitel tied for first on vault with 9.325. Otto was sixth (8.65), Kelly Bohm ninth (8.40), and Maria Tkachuk 10th (8.375). Otto placed third on floor exercise (9.20). Eitel was seventh (8.925), Bruner eighth (8.875) and Schroeder ninth (8.775). Hartman placed fourth on uneven bars (8.65). Otto was seventh (8.20), Eitel 10th (7.775) and Lily Bush 11th (7.75). Bruner was fourth on balance beam (9.075). Tkachuck was eighth (8.925), Adele Schroeder 10th (8.65) and Eitel 11th (8.625).

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Addi Eitel

Mahtomedi Gymnastics February 18, 2026

Addi Eitel, Mahtomedi senior gymnast, was vault champion at both the Section 4A meet, where she tied for first with a 9.35 score (career best), and the Metro East meet with 9.265. Eitel had a career best 34.65 at the section for sixth place. She has won vault in five straight meets, including Mahtomedi’s invitational where she was also third on beam and fourth on bars. Eitel upgraded her vault this year to a difficult Yurchenko full-twist on and full-twist off that has a 10.0 start value. She will finish her prep career at the state meet Saturday in St. Paul.

BETH DONAHUE | CONTRIBUTED

Mark Graff scored 33 points including his

against St. Thomas Academy.

CONTRIBUTED

The Section 4AA champion White Bear Lake Bears.

MAHTOMEDI & WILLERNIE

Mahtomedi Skate Party

PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

A wide range of ages and skill levels were represented outside on the rinks behind the District Education Center during the recent, rescheduled skating party in Mahtomedi. The free event, sponsored by the Mahtomedi Parks Commission and Mahtomedi School District 832, also featured warm beverages, pizza, hot dogs and cookies.

ZEPHYRS SPORTS BRIEFS

NORDIC SKIING

Ethan Albrecht placed 11th among 160 entrants in the state Nordic Ski meet at Giants Ridge – earning all-state recognition. The Mahtomedi senior’s times were 14:14.9 in freestyle (15th place) and 14:20.9 in classic (10th place) for a total of 28:35.6. He qualified for state with a second-place finish at the section meet. The state champion was Logan Drevlow of Hopkins in 27:02.3.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Mahtomedi lost to DeLaSalle 62-46 at home and beat North St. Paul 84-28. The Zephyrs are 8-16. Against DdLaSalle (192), Grace Prose sank 25 points, shooting 5-for-8 on three’s. Berkley Blaisdell had nine points and five assists, and Delaney Dumermuth seven points and five rebounds. Against North (1-21), thirteen players scored. Prose had 33 points, and Blaisdell and Mackenna Feustel 10 each.

WRESTLING

Mahtomedi was runner-up in the Section 4AA tournament, losing in the finals to South St. Paul 43-22 after defeating Cretin-Derham Hall 36-28 and St. Paul Johnson 46-27. Going 3-0 for the Zephyrs were Aidan Carlson (three quick pins) at 127 and Aidan Boex (one tech fall) at 172. Winning two of three were Elizabeth Carlson (pin, tech fall) at 107, Joey Sebeck (one pin) at 114, Mac Schultz (one pin) at 139, and Henry Johnson (two pins) at 152. Nabbing one win each were Lucas Iverson at 145, Owen Eigen at 160, Sam White at

189 and Andrew Moran at 215 all by pin. Mahtomedi finished 10-16.

BOYS HOCKEY

Mahtomedi closed the regular season with a 4-3 win over St. Cloud Cathedral (14-11), getting goals from Devin O’Donnell, Trevor Rogosheske, Kaden Gagnelius and Will Seevers, who broke a 3-3 tie with 5:38 left. Ryker Dunbar made two assists. Goalie Jackson Chesak made 20 saves. The Zephyrs (14-9-2) are top seed in Section 4A and will open Thursday at 5 p.m. against Osseo or St. Paul, at Aldrich Arena. The Zephyrs were 5-2-2 in the Metro East for fifth place behind four Class 4A teams.

GIRLS HOCKEY

Roseville/Mahtomedi’s season ended with a 6-2 loss to No. 2 ranked Centennial/Spring Lake Park in the second round of Section 5AA. The Marauders finished 11-13-3.

Bruce Strand

TOM WEBER | CONTRIBUTED Ethan Albrecht placed 11th in the state meet.