Under a cloudy sky and sprinkling of rain, 750 students and 150 staff members of Kennedy Community School participated in a Walk-a-thon May 11.

With the theme: Walk across America, the goal was to raise money for the school and see if walkers could actually log enough miles to go across the United States. They did it. The school logged 3,455 miles.

Citywide garage sale set this weekend- The St. Joseph City Wide Garage Sale, sponsored by the St. Joseph Jaycees, will be held today and Saturday, May 18-19. Maps are available at Sentry Bank and all gas stations in St. Joseph.

World War II veteran Al Pflipsen is quick to tell you his military service is not as interesting as others. He says this because he never made it overseas and served from 1944-1945.

That didn’t matter to the line of children from an Alabama school waiting to greet him and more than 60 veterans visiting Washington, D.C. recently. Pflipsen was one of five St. Joseph residents who was selected to board an Honor Flight April 28 to D.C.

Condition of city streets. Overall appearance of the city. Quality of services provided by the city.

These are just a few examples of city concerns residents can comment on when taking an online survey of city services.

The city is participating in the survey, which is offered by the League of Minnesota Cities.

photo by TaLeiza Calloway Twenty-one students were awarded $250 scholarships to attend college from the St. Joseph Area Dollars for Scholars program. They are (front row, left to right): Emiliana Cofell, Rosalie Kremer and Mariah Lyon; (back row) Matt Bedel, Sam Bechtold, Amanda Maricle-Roberts (Sartell), David Flynn and Joshua Loso.

Nothing can prepare oneself for death, according to poet Mark Conway of Avon.

Conway is the director of the Literary Arts Institute at the College of St. Benedict. He has just been honored with a prestigious McKnight Artist Fellowship Award.

In 1958, Ellie Studer married her husband, Darol. They held their reception at the St. Joseph VFW—the building that is now the former site of the Central Minnesota Credit Union at 35 College Ave. N.

David Court, son of Marilyn and Francis Court, St. Joseph recently graduated, with distinction, with a bachelor’s degree in human resource development and a minor in human resources and industrial relations from the University of Minnesota. He has been accepted for continuing studies by the University of Minnesota School of Law.

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA  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: Mill Stream Village. 2.

STATE OF MINNESOTA
COUNTY OF STEARNS

DISTRICT COURT
SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
COURT FILE NO. 73-PR-12-4290
NOTICE OF AN ORDER
FOR HEARING ON PETITION
FOR FORMAL PROBATE
OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

That song, “Kids,” from the musical comedy “Bye Bye Birdie” keeps popping up in my mind.

“Kids, I don’t know what’s wrong with these kids today.

Kids, who can understand anything they say?

A few miles away from St. Joseph, an unknown person or group of people held down a cat and shot the animal in the face with a BB gun.

Who would do such a thing?

The report was published in a local newspaper, and a Sartell family still wants an answer to that question. They deserve an answer. More importantly, they deserve justice.

King of Pop. The greatest entertainer who ever lived. Inventor of the Moonwalk. These are just three of the many titles given to the late Michael Jackson. He was an amazing singer, performer and one of the most giving philanthropists this world has seen.

For sisters Rachel and Raina Ruff and their friend Maggie Hamerlinck, volunteering for the annual Walk for MS (multiple sclerosis) is a routine event. This year’s event May 6 was no different for the Kennedy Community School students.

Seventh-graders Rachel Ruff and Hamerlinck and fifth-grader Raina greeted walkers with bottled water, oranges and crackers while thanking them for their support.

Farmers’ Market opens today
The St. Joseph Farmers’ Market opens today, Friday, May 11 and runs every Friday through Oct. 19. Hours will be from 3-6:30 p.m. The market is located north of St. Joseph on County Road 2 next to the Wobegon Trail Center (near Resurrection Lutheran Church). Come and purchase locally grown produce and more while enjoying the great outdoors. All are welcome.

Residents interested in the planting of a community garden in St. Joseph will get what they want – but they’ll have to wait until next year.

About 30 area vendors exhibited work and presented products during the Cinco de Mayo Extravaganza at El Paso Bar and Grill in St. Joseph. The first-ever event was held to raise money for Stride Academy, a K-8 public charter school in St. Cloud. They have two sites, one is a building that houses grades K-5 and another holds grades 6-8 in a middle-school building.

The St. Joseph Saints baseball team is a little closer to getting a new electronic scoreboard after a recent vote by the city council.
St. Joseph City Council members voted 5-0 May 3 to approve a building permit for the project.
“I’m shocked,” team manager Pat Schneider said after the vote. “I’m very pleased.”

Energy Avenue, a nutrition club, has returned to St. Joseph and is under new ownership. Co-owners Joe Marcoux and Laura Schultz opened the business April 12 at 14 N. College Ave.

The return of the business stems from demand, timing and location. With Schultz days away from graduation and the couple deciding to open a nutrition club, St. Joseph fit their plans.

The Newsleader is inviting St. Joseph residents to share their favorite photos with our readers. Four times each year a name will be drawn at random from among those who submitted photos, and a gift card to a local business will be awarded to the winner.

It didn’t take long for people to get used to eating pizza or a Philly cheesesteak out of a breaded cone during a recent tasting event. Cone Castle, the first of its kind worldwide, opened this week and introduced the community to its signature food and dessert cones.

“We’re really excited to be here in St. Joseph,” said co-owner Jason Neuerberg. “The community has really rallied around us.”

STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF STEARNS DISTRICT COURT SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FILE NO. 73-PR-12-4290 NOTICE OF AN ORDER FOR HEARING ON PETITION FOR FORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS In Re: Estate of Grace I. Lovell, Decedent.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

Five St. Joseph students recently won awards in this year’s national Spanish exam. All are students at St. John’s Prep.

Nothing says spring like graduations and Mother’s Day. Both are worthy causes for celebration beyond the arrival of when commencements occur and the second weekend in May arrives.

Ellie Studer, St. Joseph - This past week I learned once again how disrespectful some people can be. I had placed a sturdy metal bench in front of the (Minnesota Street Market) co-op in memory of my sister who had passed away in 2009.

Wouldn’t you know it? We should have seen it coming, and – sure enough – here it is: Emails may be hazardous to your health.

Such “hazardous” warnings about everything from soup to nuts inundate us daily. When you come right down to it, they might as well tell us “life is hazardous to your health.”

I’d like to someday change the common quip, “It’s the thought that counts” to “It’s time that counts.”

Mother’s Day is a bittersweet holiday for many, including myself.

It was two years ago this weekend I lost my mom. While others are bustling about trying to find the perfect gift for their mothers, I’m just trying to find the strength to get through the weekend intact.

Nothing says spring like graduations and Mother’s Day. Both are worthy causes for celebration beyond the arrival of when commencements occur and the second weekend in May arrives.

They are such great occasions that when we can combine both, it makes the month of May that much more special. What mother would dispute that one of the best Mother’s Day gifts she can receive from her child is to see him or her walk across the stage and get a high school diploma or college degree? Not many.

Wouldn’t you know it? We should have seen it coming, and – sure enough – here it is: Emails may be hazardous to your health.

Such “hazardous” warnings about everything from soup to nuts inundate us daily. When you come right down to it, they might as well tell us “life is hazardous to your health.”

Ellie Studer, St. Joseph

This past week I learned once again how disrespectful some people can be. I had placed a sturdy metal bench in front of the (Minnesota Street Market) co-op in memory of my sister who had passed away in 2009. The bench has been broken beyond repair.

I’d like to someday change the common quip, “It’s the thought that counts” to “It’s time that counts.”

Mother’s Day is a bittersweet holiday for many, including myself.

It was two years ago this weekend I lost my mom. While others are bustling about trying to find the perfect gift for their mothers, I’m just trying to find the strength to get through the weekend intact.

Staci Theisen of St. Joseph and Kari Roberts of the Brainerd area thought about raising money to help their friend Jodi Rajkowski and her two sons Blake and Chase. Rajkowski lost her husband Ron in an auto accident in October. When Staci called to see if Jodi would mind if she and Roberts hosted an event for her, Rajkowski said she preferred a fundraiser be held to benefit Stride Academy, the school her children attend, Theisen said.

Students at Kennedy Community School can tell you why prescribed burns occur.

When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service burned about 46 acres surrounding the school recently, they weren’t worried by the orange flames spreading before them. They had learned of its necessity in advance.

Bromenschenkel sets citizen meeting- Stearns County Commissioner Mark Bromenschenkel invites the public to a citizen meeting from 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 5 at Cafe Renaissance, 2140 Frontage Road N., Waite Park.

When some people hear of a new social group dubbed “Drinking Liberally,” they probably think it must be comprised of chronic alcoholics sick-and-tired of their AA meetings.

Not so. Oh sure, Drinking Liberally members quaff a few brews when they meet, but mostly they share ideas, talk, debate and have a good all-round time while remaining open-minded.

A gazebo. Benches. A rock garden. Trees.

Those are just some of the suggestions that sprouted for potential improvements to Cloverdale Park. Another idea city officials weighed was the addition of a community garden, but they determined the location was not the right size and a bit too remote from the neighborhood park, some members said.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

Two St. Joseph high-school aged students, both home-schooled, have roles in the current production of West Side Story at the Paramount Theatre in downtown St. Cloud.

The show is a production of GREAT Theatre.

More than 500 walkers registered for the American Heart Association Heart Walk held last Saturday, April 28 at CentraCare Health Plaza, St. Cloud.

Bragging rights accrue instantly to anyone who is related to someone who was aboard the RMS Titanic when it sank in the North Pacific shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, April 15, 1912.

On the evening of May 1, a motorist struck a dog with his car on C.R. 50 south of C.R. 51 in Collegeville Township. The driver attempted to find the owner but was unsuccessful. The driver brought the dog to a local veterinary clinic who later called the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office.

This year’s Knight of the Year is a member of the Father Werner Council and daily lives out the Knights of Columbus tenets of unity, charity and fraternity. He serves the Church of St. Joseph with passion and gives generously of his time and talents.

Sienna Kuhn, a student at the College of St. Benedict, was recently honored as part of the winning team of the CSB/St. John’s University Student Employee Team of the Year for her work with the CSB/SJU Bookstores. Kuhn is the daughter of Jill and Tom Dubbeldee Kuhn. She is a senior art major.

Boys and Girls Club’s Director of Operations Tom Wicks with Peter Fuchsteiner, Mark Sakry and Carol Wellen receives recognition for 25 years of service during the club’s annual Service to Youth staff appreciation breakfast April 13.

Marking 75 years of service with the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict is Sister Marold (Leona) Kornovich  with Prioress Michaela Hedican. Sister Mary George (Hedwig) Ortmann also celebrated 75 years of service.

A news story about Tanzania in the April 13 St. Joseph Newsleader mentioned the troubles in that country that led to the evacuation of two College of St. Benedict students.

I call them the “Ramen Shoppers.” They never fail to fill me with sympathy and sadness.

You can see them in the grocery stores of all college towns. They are typically between the ages of 19 and 24.

Some right-wing extremists want to throw out baby with bathwater.

The latest example of that all-or-nothing attitude surfaced recently, again, when so many radical Republicans rapped Earth Day as some kind of demonic rite of spring.

Darlene Dingmann, St. Joseph

I was shocked and surprised to learn the old credit union building will be torn down for yet another better, bigger building for the city offices. Is this being financially responsible? Why was nothing said about this before – Why not a vote taken by the public?

We have all heard the phrase, “Battle of the Sexes.” That is a consistent theme in the romantic comedy “Think Like a Man.”

The movie is based on the 2011 best-selling book written by actor, radio host and comedian Steve Harvey, which is entitled “Act like a Lady, Think Like A Man: What Men Really Think about Love, Relationships, Intimacy and Commitment.”

The rain was no damper on efforts to help clean up Millstream Park recently. About 70 volunteers and members of the St. Joseph Summer Recreation program stepped up to pick up trash along the Wobegon Trail, the ball fields and other surrounding park areas in celebration of Earth Day.

St. Joseph Park Board Chairman John Anderson said area cleanup events have become a tradition but organizers took a break last year. This year, he was happy to see the turnout for Earth Day.

Stress management for nurses - In celebration of Nurses Week, a free continuing education seminar for RNs and LPNs entitled Stress and Stress Management will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 8 at Bayada Pediatrics, 2351 Connecticut Ave., Suite 320, Sartell. The seminar will address understanding stress and what solutions are available to assist professionals and laymen alike in decreasing stress levels. Earn one credit hour free. To register or for more information, call (320) 251-0668 or visit www.bayada.com.

Kennedy Community School is among more than 70 schools recently named as U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools. The announcement came earlier this week.

Minnesota is among 29 states and Washington, D.C. with schools receiving the first-ever awards. Other state schools honored include North Shore Community School in Duluth and Garlough Environmental Magnet School in West St. Paul.

For the last two weeks, an expectant Robin has made the front yard of the Newsleader office her home.

Construction workers from K. Johnson Construction of Sauk Rapids looks on as the former Del-Win Ballroom is dismantled April 5.

contributed article - The Family of the Year for 2012 exemplifies service to the church and community and is loved and respected by many. The Mastey Family teaches us the value of responsible Christian living. They generously serve each other and others with love that extends out to their church and the community. Marvin has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for 32 years. Marvin and Carol have been married for 45 years. They were selected as a monthly winner of Family of the Year by the Supreme Office of the Knights of Columbus.

Celebrating 60 years of service are the following Sisters: Colette (Darlene) Primus, Rachel (Mary) Krippner, Myrtle Schmitz, Mary Frances (Catherine) Gebhard, Clara (Cabrini) Antony, Kathryn (Blanche) Casper and Philip (Elizabeth) Zimmer; Herman (Stella) Tschida, Juliana (Rita) Lauer, Gen (Kevyn) Maiers, Prioress Michaela Hedican; Emmanual (Audrey) Renner, Ingrid (Janet) Anderson, Loraine (Betty Mae) Bischof and Monica (Gloria) Mai. Marking 75 years of serviceare Sisters Marold (Leona) Kornovich and Mary George (Hedwig) Ortmann.

Norm Hansen, St. Joseph, was recently selected to the board of directors of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

Hansen is a retired military officer and former owner of Kitchen Tune-Up Business, St. Cloud.

How dare Dick Clark die? He wasn’t supposed to die. He had no right to die.

When we baby boomers were young, that’s what we’d say, “Dick Clark will never die. He never ages. He’ll stay young forever.”

That youth-obsessed delusion was our Peter-Pan goal once upon a time: never grow old, never die. That was then when the world was brand-new, energetic, brimming with hopes and promises; this is now when the world is old, wrinkled, on its last legs. Then, carefree-happy and naive; now, older, sadder, wiser maybe.

April might have marked National Volunteer Week, a time to hail the contributions of citizens who donate their time, but giving back to your school, church or community is something that should be done and celebrated year-round.

It started last spring when a reader called into the Newsleader office to ask, rather matter-of-factly when the staff was planning to clean up its two-mile stretch along County Road 3. After all, he assured us, the Newsleader name was on the Adopt-a-Highway signs bordering either end of the tract and we should be responsible for the work if we were getting the credit.

Efforts continue to preserve a historic monument commemorating the Sioux Uprising near Centennial Park in St. Joseph. Built by the Works Progress Administration in 1941, it stands at the corner of 2nd Avenue NW and Birch Street.

Barnes hosts Mary Kay open house - A Mary Kay Cosmetics spring open house will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, April 20 and 21 at 34937 County Road 4, St. Joseph. For more information, call Joyce Barnes at 320-251-8989.

St. John’s University will be led by one of their own in the coming months.

A search committee selected 1981 alumnus Michael Hemesath to serve as the school’s 13th president – a move that for the first time shifts the 155-year tradition of leadership from that of the monks to a layperson. Hemesath will take his post July 1.

The St. Joseph Farmers’ Market is closed. But not for long.

The market is taking a break in preparation for its outdoor season. Though April 13 marked the end of the winter market, traffic was steady as young visitors claimed their honey sticks and families purchased meats for dinner and croissants for dessert.

Matthew Reichert was recently selected as the next principal of the St. John’s Preparatory School.

Reichert has been filling in as acting principal since July 2011. He will continue as acting principal for the rest of this school year and will begin duties as the principal on July 1.

A former St. Cloud resident, Jim Graves, was endorsed last Saturday as the DFL candidate to challenge incumbent Rep. Michele Bachmann for Minnesota’s 6th District congressional seat in the Nov. 6 election.

Graves, who was endorsed at the 6th District DFL Convention in Blaine, is the owner of Graves Hospitality, a company that builds and maintains upscale hotels. In the 1970s he founded the AmericInn chain of motels, but he sold that chain in 1993. Graves lives in Minneapolis. He graduated from Cathedral High School and studied at St. Cloud State University.

The St. Joseph City Council voted earlier this month to spend about $9,000 to demolish the former Central Minnesota Credit Union building.

The move will not only create space for proposed expanded city offices and a community center but is expected to save the city some money, too.

Residents are invited to the next meeting of the St. Joseph Park Board to share suggestions for future upgrades to Cloverdale Park.

Park Board Chairman John Anderson said the board will hold its next meeting at 6.30 p.m. Monday, April 23 at the park, weather permitting, to brainstorm ideas for improvements to the park.

Members of the Newsleaders staff raised $440 for the March of Dimes this year. A team of four staff members and their families walked five miles in the annual March for Babies April 14 in St. Cloud.

On April 16 the St. Joseph Fire Department responded to a laundry room fire located at 709 College Ave. S., St. Joseph. Upon extinguishing the fire in the laundry room, neighboring apartments were checked for signs of fire.

While checking the apartments, firefighters discovered a marijuana grow in apartment 7. The Central Minnesota Violent Offenders Task Force was contacted by the St. Joseph Police Department to investigate and later execute a search warrant on apartment 7 inside the building.

Luke Teigen, son of Cliff and Marcia Teigen of St. Joseph, was recently named to the National Honor Society at St. John’s Prep.

Why am I still riveted by anything to do with the sinking of the H.M.S. Titanic, as if that disaster happened just yesterday? I’ve been pondering that question for the past week, prompted by the centennial of that ship’s sinking on April 15, 1912.

Whenever I happen to channel-flip through TV and glimpse something about the Titanic, I always think, “Oh, not the Titanic again! Enough!” And then, like an instant hypocrite, I start watching, once again, and within seconds I am, once again, mesmerized. I have the same magnetic reaction to another disaster – the assassination of J.F.K.

Although Minnesotans – famously so – are a weather-hardened species, this past winter, which was practically “balmy,” has probably spoiled us to some extent.

But let’s not fool ourselves. A benign winter is not necessarily the harbinger of a balmy, pleasant summer. A drought is possible, as are destructive floods. A lethal heat wave could develop, not to mention – heaven forbid – killer tornadoes.

by Reps. Tim O’Driscoll (R) and Denise Dittrich (DFL)

Many times those who hold public office are labeled as being too partisan and not willing to work together to solve problems.

We’d like to share with you a story of how the Minnesota Legislature is working together in an unprecedented bipartisan fashion this session to bring about change that will benefit public schools in the state of Minnesota.

by Sen. Al Franken - It has been two years since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act, and even though it won’t be fully implemented until 2014, millions of Americans and Minnesotans are already enjoying benefits from important provisions in the law.

Public Hearing City of St. Joseph  The St. Joseph Planning Commission shall conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m.

contributed photo Far left: Maggie Niebur plays with children at the St. Agnes orphanage in Tanzania. photo by TaLeiza Calloway Near left: Maggie Niebur (left) and Ashley Irons are 2011-2012 volunteers in the Benedictine Women’s Service Corps.

City compost site is now open - The city’s compost site is open for the 2012 season. Hours are 2-8 p.m. Wednesdays, 4-8 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. The St. Joseph compost site is open to city residents and St. Joseph Township residents.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in close collaboration with St. Cloud Area School District 742, will conduct a prescribed fire on a 46-acre parcel of restored prairie adjacent to the Kennedy Community School, 1300 Jade Road, St. Joseph, to improve prairie restoration and reduce the hazardous fuel load.

Bello Cucina, an Italian restaurant, is one step closer to opening in St. Joseph, thanks to two approvals by the St. Joseph City Council. The business is scheduled to open April 23.

Those gearing up for the annual St. Joseph Lions Fourth of July Parade are in for a change this year.

If entrants thought they had a grand vision for floats before, they are being asked by the parade committee to be even more creative this year in showing their community pride.

Larry Hosch is the newest member of the St. Joseph Economic Development Authority following a recent council vote.

The St. Joseph City Council voted 5-0 in support of Hosch’s appointment to the board. The 34-year-old was one of four contenders to fill an open seat. Other applicants included Doug Danielson, Tanya Finken and Mike McDonald.

Above left: Current and former members of the St. Joseph Jaycees pause for a pose with the Easter Bunny April 7. From left to right: Deedra Deuhs, Zack Kuntz, Rose Janssen, the Easter Bunny (Karen Kuntz), Tim Nelson, Kayla Meyer, Jennifer Burns, Janelle Thell and Mike Thell.

More than 1,350 meals were served during the 30th annual fish fry which was recently held at the All Saints Academy.

Alex Schleper coordinated the event, which brought together 95 parents, 35 fifth- and sixth-graders and some college students from the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University, who served as volunteers.

The kindergarten class at All Saints Academy would like to thank the St. Joseph Police Department for catching and returning their lost gingerbread friend.

CASE TYPE: MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE BY ACTION DISTRICT COURT SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court File No. 73-CV-122949 STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF STEARNS State Farm Bank, F.S.B., Plaintiff, vs. Unknown heirs of Ida A.

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA 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. Desired name: Choice of a New Day. 2.

Five St. Joseph students recently competed and scored in the 85 percentile or higher on the 2012 American Association of Teachers German Exam.
The students are as follows: Thomas Skahen, freshman, son of Jennifer and Sean Skahen,; Robin Swingley, sophomore, son of Catherine Petters; Andre Estevez, sophomore, son of Ellen Estevez and Joseph Estevez; and Anna Meyer, daughter of Susan and Joe Meyer; and Elizabeth Larson, junior, daughter of Deb and Keith Stumvoll, St. Joseph.

St. Joe is not “small”
but is a thriving city,
a true hub of growth.

I wrote that haiku in celebration of National Poetry Month. That’s the month of April for those who might not be aware of it.

Betzy Gaetz, Owner, Anton’s Restaurant, Waite Park

As the state slowly inches out of the recession, Minnesota restaurants and their 178,000 employees are still facing daunting challenges.

For many, the month of April means it’s “tax time.” With the 17th of April being just days away, there are some who are scrambling to make sure they have filed their taxes, don’t owe the government and if they do, have paid their taxes by now.

Jay O’Donnell, St. Joseph

I generally don’t read Dennis Dalman’s column in the St. Joseph Newsleader because they are so blatantly one-sided. I do find a use for his sections of the paper. On cold winter mornings when I need to fire up my wood stove, they work quite well. His column in last week’s edition of the Newsleader, “Death raises question in gun crazed culture” did get my own fire going and I had to read the column.

When drummer Jeff Vee had to leave town shortly before a CD-release event for songwriter Adam Hammer, Hammer didn’t have far to look for a replacement.

Ten-year-old Bennett Velline, the nephew of Jeff Vee and grandson of rock legend Bobby Vee, came to the rescue. He went from being expected to play 12 bars of drums to playing the entire set during the CD-release concert March 28.

Easter Party set for Lab School - The St. Joseph Jaycees Easter Party begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 7 at the St. Joseph Lab School. Kids can enjoy crafts, pictures with the Easter Bunny and a large candy grab. All children will take home a toy and enter their name into the drawing to win a bicycle. One bike will be given away for each of the three age groups: birth to 3, 4-5 and 6 and up.

As if the smell of fresh flowers is not enough to greet customers at Floral Arts in St. Joseph, there was the added aroma of wood-fire-baked artisan bread luring visitors during a recent open house event at the business.

Floral Arts hosted its first open house with the theme, “Welcome Spring,” as part of an effort to strengthen its marketing and – of course – celebrate the season.

Seven gold plaques have been added to the wall above the service counter at the St. Joseph Meat Market. Last year, only one plaque was added to the wall, but the wall is now running out of space to hold the business’s many state and national honors.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

As if concern about economic recovery is not enough to worry about, job seekers have something else to add to their list of woes.

Not only do those seeking employment have to think about how to get their resume to the top of a pile, but what they should and should not be asked to disclose during a job interview. Legally speaking, everything is not on the table.

It has been said children are our future.

They are, and it is because they are that it is so important to protect them and their rights as human beings. We should do it at all costs, because there are countless cases where an action might have been ignored and the outcome was fatal.

by Judge William Cashman

Any person who is a victim of harassment may seek a harassment restraining order from district court. The parent, stepparent or guardian of a minor may seek an HRO on behalf of the minor. No family or household relationship is necessary to seek an HRO which, makes HROs different from orders for protection.

CASE TYPE: MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE BY ACTION DISTRICT COURT SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court File No. 73-CV-122949 STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF STEARNS State Farm Bank, F.S.B., Plaintiff, vs. Unknown heirs of Ida A.

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA 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. Desired name: Choice of a New Day. 2.

The murder of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., has rightfully raised howls of outrage far and wide.

His senseless death, hopefully, will not be forgotten. Maybe, just maybe, we can all learn something from it and start facing head-on the problems caused by this gun-crazed culture.

Twenty residents at Arlington Place Assisted Living Community recently celebrated with a Hawaiian luau.

Grand opening set - Healing Journey Thrift Store is having their Grand Opening 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. March 30 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. March 31. Profits benefit the Quiet Oaks Hospice House. They are located at 1313 2nd St. S. Waite Park. Healing Journey recycles treasures for transitional care.

Area wood ducks, wrens and bluebirds will be living in style after the annual Birdhouse Night at the American Legion in St. Joseph earlier this month.

The event is sponsored by the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club and has attracted hundreds of families and community members for the last 19 years. Such was the scene March 19 with the sounds of wood panels shifting and drills roaring through the Legion Hall.

Two bills, both mainly authored by Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell), passed the Minnesota House of Representatives on the same day last week – March 20.

Both bills moved on to the Minnesota Senate for consideration.

The making of maple syrup is a tradition in the St. Joseph area.

It needs a good freeze-thaw cycle to help lock in the taste that many love to add to their pancakes or French toast. Boiling down the sap of the maple tree makes pure syrup.

Some truckers feel as if they are living their lives under a microscope, wondering from day to day who is going to harass them next.

That is the opinion of Joyce Brenny, who spoke on that subject last week during a “Salute to Women in Trucking” truck show in Louisville, Ken.

Local musicians, Adam Hammer and Dave Cofell, recently held a listening party at the Local Blend to celebrate the release of their solo CDs.

Listeners were able to hear selections from Hammer’s “Broken Like You” and Cofell’s “No Substitute (For You)” solo CDs.

One of the first things Scott Wierschem will tell you up front is that he likes wrestling. The second is that he is St. John’s University’s wrestling team’s biggest fan.

His love for the team has nothing to do with the fact his nephew, Chad Henle, is a member. As a former champion wrestler himself, the Spicer resident admits to always having a love for the sport.

The St. John’s Prep Knowledge Bowl Team One recently placed first in Region 7 Finals. Team Two placed fourth.

Team One will move on to the state tournament April 12 and 13. The tournament is held at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd. Team One members include: Isaac Bohart, senior, son of Andrew and Patty Bohart of Lincoln, Neb.; Emiliana Cofell, senior, daughter of Monica Cofell of St. Joseph; Hank Dudley, senior, son of Eric and Tanya Dudley of Cold Spring; Christian Gaetz, senior, son of Rick and Rose Gaetz of St. Joseph; Brenden Wichman, junior, son of Robert and Sharon Wichman of St. Cloud.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, one definition of the word courtesy is “polite behavior.”

Some might think to themselves, I know what courtesy is supposed to look like, but a sad reality is it is becoming harder and harder to spot when it comes to customer service.

The weather this winter has no doubt been a little warmer than expected. Many might not complain about this. Others still long for the snow that has been absent.

The warm weather has not only affected the scheduling of events or natural processes but has forced the implementation of spring burning restrictions. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources started to enforce burning restrictions Monday for much of the state including the central region.

We humanoids in this arrogant world need a nasty reminder every now and then that we ain’t quite as smart as we think we are.

For example, can anything be quite as stupid as building a nuclear power plant at the very edge of an earthquake fault zone?

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA 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. State the exact name under which the business is or will be conducted: Lewis Electric Motor Repair Inc. 2.

CASE TYPE: MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE BY ACTION DISTRICT COURT SEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Court File No. 73-CV-122949 STATE OF MINNESOTA COUNTY OF STEARNS State Farm Bank, F.S.B., Plaintiff, vs. Unknown heirs of Ida A.

Some might think a reminder to wear your seatbelt is unnecessary. Some might even think to themselves, “I already know it’s important to wear a seatbelt in the front seat.”

Larry Hosch, State RepresentativeMondays can be a double-edged sword. For many, Monday’s are a dreaded day where we leave the weekend behind and start another long week of work. For me, I have been lucky enough to be given the immense honor and opportunity to represent approximately 40,000 people in Central Minnesota as well as the whole state.

Why is the United States so afraid of learning good things from other countries?

Take health care, for example. Many Americans have been bamboozled into thinking the United States has the best health-care system in the world while the rest of the countries have horrible socialistic systems where people – if they’re not waiting in line – are dying in droves because of vicious death panels. Meantime, millions and millions are wishing to come to America for the finest treatments.That characterizatio...

Kenzie Cotty, courageously fought and won a battle with cancer – only to have to fight the same battle all over again.

The 18-year-old Collegeville Township young woman, a senior at St. John’s Prep School, is completely prepared to endure another surgery, more chemo therapy and – this time around – radiation therapy as well.Cotty was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma on July 8, 2010. It was a diagnosis that radically changed her and her family’s plans.

To Isaac Ramirez, the image of spinning tops looks cool. So he took a picture of it.

Adreya Connor uses her surroundings for motivation. The 7-year-old took snapshots around her school. Images included the flagpole and the playground.

For Rep. Larry Hosch (D-St. Joseph), the decision not to seek re-election came down to one important factor: family. The 34-year-old announced March 10 he will not run for a fifth term as representive for District 14A.

“The biggest reason is it’s gotten too hard to be away from my family,” Hosch said. “It’s time to live a normal life for awhile.”

Plans for a proposed housing development received several approvals from the St. Joseph City Council this month.

A fresh look. Increased user-friendliness. More efficiency.

These are just some of what’s expected from planned upgrades to the city’s website. The St. Joseph City Council gave city staff the green light to engage Civicplus to redesign the site.

Construction of the the College of St. Benedict Centennial Commons housing units are scheduled to be completed by August.

According to Dean of Students Jody Terhaar, room selection will be based on seniority. Students will select rooms in March.

The St. Joseph City Council voted to support efforts to purchase an electronic scoreboard for Memorial Park (Schneider Field) but with conditions, and less money than requested.

City council members denied a request for use of sales-tax funding but agreed to allocate $7,500 in park dedication fees for the project once all other contributions to the project are received, city administrator Judy Weyrens said.The estimated project cost is about $20,000 when weighing factors that include the type of ...

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA 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. State the exact name under which the business is or will be conducted: Lewis Electric Motor Repair Inc. 2.

Area figure skaters are busy practicing and preparing for the 39th St. Cloud Figure Skating Ice Show entitled “Skate the Day Away.” Skating performances are scheduled for 1:30 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 24; and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 25 at the Municipal Athletic Complex in St. Cloud.

Eighty skaters, ranging in age from preschool through 11th grade and representing 35 area schools, will participate. Locally, five of the skaters attend Kennedy Community School and four attend St. John’s Prep School.

New chapter to host meeting March 22 - A new “Drinking Liberally” chapter will hold its first meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, March 22 at the American Legion in St. Joseph.

When it comes to pageantry, St. Joseph native Bethany Beniek maintains a strategy.

Her approach is to go in expecting nothing but always hoping for victory. What’s most important is remaining herself throughout the process.

Phil Jones, the police chief for Cold Spring, recently announced he is seeking the Republican endorsement for Minnesota House of Representatives District 13A.

The City of St. Joseph is within District 13A, which used to be District 14A until the recent redistricting process. Larry Hosch (D-St. Joseph) is now serving his fourth term as representative for District 14A. He recently announced he will not file for re-election. So far, no democrat has filed to run in newly created District 13A.

The College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University are among recent winners of the 2012 Sen. Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization. The honor is awarded by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Joe Rogers, director of the Center for Global Education at CSB/SJU, said every year institutions are invited to apply and this is the second time CSB/SJU has applied. While he was confident about their application, he was a little surprised to learn the news of their winning. The announcement came kind of late so he admits to having been a little anxious.

Those who want to contest violation tickets in St. Joseph have to go to St. Cloud to appeal offenses.

While the process has been in place for about a year, a vote by the St. Joseph City Council taken last month formalized the process in writing, said Judy Weyrens, city administrator.

When driving down First Avenue in St. Joseph, it’s hard to miss the castle-shaped structure standing at 118 First St. NW.

Construction of the anticipated Cone Castle restaurant is underway, and the restaurant will soon be unveiled. The business will offer everything from pizza and salads to ice cream – all in a cone.

Have you ever heard the expression, “Appreciate the little things?”

No doubt it’s something you have heard a friend or loved one say when encouraging you to take a break from a rigorous schedule, or they might have said it as a gentle reminder.

Saturday (March 17) marks the end of Sunshine Week.

You might be asking yourself, “What is Sunshine Week?”

This week marks a time when transparency in government is stressed, highlighted and celebrated.

Ellen Wahlstrom, St. Joseph

A special-use permit for a fourth used-auto sales establishment was approved by the St. Joseph Planning Commission over strong objections from the abutting neighbors. The site for the car lot is located on the east side of 8th Ave N.E.

Yes, we understand a used-car-lot use was grandfathered in when the site was annexed to the city. However, the problems of that poorly run car lot were also grandfathered in.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

St. Joseph residents Amanda and Amelia Walz are winners – scholarship winners that is.

The twins are preparing to attend Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa this fall and thanks to the college’s annual Scholarship Day event, the trip will be a little easier.

In a competition with students from nine states, Amanda Walz was awarded a $2,000 scholarship and free text books for her first semester after participating in the event. Amelia Walz also was awarded free textbooks for her first semester.

Commissioner to host open meeting - Mark Bromenschenkel, Stearns County commissioner from Sartell, will host an open meeting for his constituents in St. Joseph from 10-11 a.m. Saturday, March 10.

The meeting will take place at The Local Blend, a coffee shop on main street.

Bromenschenkel’s Commissioner District 2 includes Sartell, St. Joseph, Waite Park; and the townships of LeSauk, St. Joseph, St. Wendel and part of Collegeville Township.

St. Joseph resident Cy Pfannenstein recently exhibited for KASM –WQPM AM and BOB FM radio station at the Central Minnesota Farm Show held at the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.

KASM-WQPM AM1150 and AM1300 are the local agricultural news, weather, sports and information stations for central Minnesota and BOB FM 105.5 is the classic country station for St. Cloud and central Minnesota.

Christian Gaetz has always liked the sciences.

Whether it’s math, physics, chemistry or biology, it doesn’t matter. That’s his world.

This might explain why the 17-year-old St. Joseph resident said he isn’t nervous about an upcoming 3.5-hour exam to become a finalist for the U.S. Physics Olympic Team.

Plans to close the Waite Park-based mail-distribution center cannot proceed until the U.S. Postal Service decides to change its service standards covering first-class mail.

Currently, the service standard for a first-class letter to and from a city in Minnesota – say, Sartell to St. Joseph – is expected to be next-day delivery. A letter from Sartell to – say, Dallas – is expected to take three days.

The public is invited to share ideas and opinions about the growing importance of bicycling throughout Minnesota.

The open meeting will take place from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, March 14 at the Whitney Senior Center in St. Cloud. It will be hosted by officials from the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The meeting, which is one of eight in the state, is intended to gather ideas from residents about ways to make bicycling safer as a usable transportation option; ways to make improvements on trails; ideas for future bicycling accommodations; and barriers to making improvements.

Every 10 years in the United States, a series of mapping-earthquakes shakes all of the 50 states, rearranging the boundary lines of Congressional and Legislative districts – the way actual earthquakes can change landscape features.

Some might say a city’s website is an introduction to a community.

If so, St. Joseph has plans to roll out the red carpet and brush off its doormat.

They say you get what you pay for.

Not these days you don’t.

Nowadays you can spend an arm and a leg and still end up with a piece of junk.

Daily activities can consume our time. There are truly not enough hours in one day – even though we all get 24.

Whether it’s going to work, going to school or caring for aging relatives, time is precious. It can also be scarce.
With this in mind, it is important to consider the hundreds of people who find or make the time to volunteer with their local church, a child’s school or favorite charitable organization.

Cathy Hanson, editor of Minneapolis Area Local American Postal Workers Union - The announcement by the U.S. Postal Service that the post offices in Waite Park, Bemidji, Duluth and Mankato are slated for closure would severely impact mail service in Minnesota and be especially harmful to residents and businesses that rely on timely delivery of mail.

The photo on the front page of the Feb. 24 edition of the Newsleader was of Centennial Commons a new student housing complex for the College of St. Benedict.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

Ten-year-old Parker Cox, son of Kevin and Coleen Cox of St. Joseph, holds $50 in prizes from the St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club Fishing Contest held Feb. 25. During the contest 1,300 fish were caught and returned to the lake.

Margaret (Margy) Hughes encourages people to work together and to take pride in their St. Joseph community.
She has put a lot of energy into civic projects that welcome people downtown.

“In the 11 years I’ve lived in St. Joe, I’ve heard about what people who lived here all their lives have done,” Hughes said. “In a small community you have to work together and to have pride in something.”

Farmers’ Market at MN Street Market - Vendors from the St. Joseph Farmers’ Market will once again be selling at the Minnesota Street Market (formerly Loso’s Store) from 3-6 p.m. Friday, March 2. Local and organic foods in downtown St. Joseph! www.mnstreetmarket.com.

Dollars for Scholars applications available - Applications for Dollars for Scholars will be available to pick up at the Newsleaders office located at 32 1st Ave. N.W., north of the St. Joseph Meat Market or Sentry Bank.
The application deadline is April 27 and must be mailed to the P.O. Box on the front of the application or delivered to Doug Danielson at Sentry Bank.

Despite an ailing economy, the local Salvation Army raised an impressive $218,000 last year, an increase of $29,000 over 2010 and $45,000 more than in 2009.

That’s the good news.

The not-so-good news is that – because of an ailing economy – the need for Salvation Army help is also on the increase.

Margy Hughes admits Bob Zimmerman got the last laugh.

Hughes, a St. Joseph resident, was a member of the Hibbing High School Student Council and gave a thumbs-down when Zimmerman auditioned for the school talent show one year in the late 1950s.

“He got up on that stage, stood by the baby-grand piano and just pounded and pounded on the keys,” Hughes recalled. “He was just pounding away and screaming out some song, trying to sound like Little Richard, I think.

For many people a birthday can be a day where it is all about them.

Some might throw a big party or even request lavish gifts.

None of that interests Kenzie Finken. On her eighth birthday – celebrated Feb. 7 – she didn’t think of herself only but of those less fortunate.

A St. Joseph man was uninjured after falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a Waite Park business last week.

Timothy Cooney of St. Joseph crashed his truck into Traut Wells in Waite Park at about 9:19 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20. Traut Wells is located at 141 28th Ave. S in Waite Park.

If you’ve ever had a bout with cancer, as I have, you know how virtually impossible it is to find an insurance plan that is even remotely affordable, unless you’re rolling in dough. And who is these days?

About a year ago, I had a cancerous growth removed from one of my vocal cords. I was lucky. It was early-stage. After surgery, I was home the same day with a slightly sore throat. No chemo, no radiation required. Very lucky.

Cynthia Smith-Strack is quick to tell anyone economic development is a process – not an event. It is something that takes time to blossom and sustain itself.

Smith-Strack, the St. Joseph Economic Development Authority’s consulting director, presented the EDA’s annual report for 2011 to the city council last month. Economic development has been an active process in the city of St. Joseph. Here’s why:

Eric G. Bing, Guest writer - One of the world’s largest foreign aid organizations recently announced it will be forced to make substantial program cuts this year. For hundreds of thousands of people, the consequences could be lethal.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced late last year it had failed to raise the minimum $13 billion needed to support current operations. This is terrible news – fully 70 percent of anti-retroviral HIV/AIDS drugs available in poor countries are provided by the fund.

Darol Studer and Marlin Eich encourage people to join the St. Joseph Area Historical Society. They especially would like to see younger people join.

Studer is the St. Joseph Historical Museum curator and one of the founding members. Eich is the current president. Studer, with a twinkle in his eye, said his age is between 75 and 80 whereas Eich freely admits he was born in 1943.

St. Joseph Summer Rec to hold registration March 3 - St. Joseph Summer Rec registration for boys and girls ages 5-14, will be held from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, March 3 in the St. Joseph Community Fire Hall.

St. Joseph Farmers' Market at the Minnesota Street Market - Vendors from the St. Joseph Farmers' Market will once again be selling at the Minnesota Street Market (formerly Loso’s Store) from 3-6 p.m. Friday, March 2. Local and organic foods in downtown St. Joseph! www.mnstreetmarket.com.

    photo by Christian Bursch Construction continues on the Village at CSB, through a mild and warm winter. It will be a senior housing complex.

The St. Joseph City Council will hold a public hearing March 1 to update qualifications for serving on the city’s Economic and Development Authority.

Efforts by St. Joseph Township residents to get the state Public Utilities Commission to change the route of a high-voltage power line away from them were unsuccessful.

The commission on Feb. 16 voted to leave the portion of the route from St. Cloud to Fargo as is – something Rob Undersander and other residents opposed.

A vision for expanded city offices and a community center in the city’s downtown is a little closer to taking shape after a recent city council vote.

Elected officials unanimously voted to start negotiating a contract for architectural services with Hagemesiter Mack, a St. Cloud architectural firm, for the design of a potential government campus. St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens was authorized Feb. 16 to start negotiations and bring back a draft for council approval.

The Meyers of St. Joseph – Joe, Pete, Todd – have caused a worldwide interest in their new product – the “Mud Hen.”At a recent trade show in Las Vegas, the Meyers were pleased with the keen interest in the “Mud Hen,” a portable machine that can recycle slurry water on-site for concrete projects.

In her six years as the owner of Lucky’s Place, Janet Hansmeier has made a lot of cats happy – not to mention the happy families who adopted them from her cat shelter.

That’s 500 happy cats and several hundred families, including some in the St. Joseph and Sartell areas.

City of St. Joseph Public Hearing The St. Joseph City Council shall conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m.

City of St. Joseph Public Hearing Villages at CSB The St. Joseph Planning Commission shall conduct a public hearing at 7:15 p.m.

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA 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. State the exact name under which the business is or will be conducted: Creekwood Acres. 2.

RESOLUTION 2012-004 RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING SUMMARY PUBLICATION OF ORDINANCE 14 (Penalties and Fines) RECITALS: Whereas, on Feb. 16, 2012, the City Council for the City of St. Joseph amended Ordinance 14, entitled “Penalites and Fines;” and Whereas, the City of St.

Walter Hudson, the chairman of the North Star Tea Party Patriots, will speak at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28 at Michael’s Restaurant in East St. Cloud.

The St. Joseph City Council voted 4-1 to move forward with hiring a lobbyist to assist area cities, despite a lack of support from all neighboring communities.

Wacosa seniors donated about 1,399 hours of their time during 2011.

Six St. Joseph students recently received the Community of Learners Scholarship for the 2011-2012 academic year from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

They are the following: Kelsey Anderson, Mary Bachman, Samantha Braegelmann, Derek Cash, Alex Halupczok and Erin Krueger.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

Feb. 1 marked the start of Black History Month – a time when the world pauses to reflect on the struggles, triumphs and contributions of African-Americans. It is a time when students learn a little more about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and Mary McLeod Bethune. It is a great time of discovery and reverence.

The right-wing extremists are at it again. Like termites, they are determined to unravel and then destroy all the rights the people in this country have secured through so many struggles. In the past year, they have tried to whittle away access to voting by creating all sorts of registration barriers, including the need for photo IDs to prevent election fraud – the most dubious need ever to come down the pike.

I never understood algebra before, but I am learning fast. Our oldest son just got his first apartment, and he furnished it with everything we owned. If I have the math right, it means we are one more son away from an empty nest and bankruptcy. I’ve come to the conclusion the only difference between a burglar and a child moving out is: a burglar wants your good stuff, but the child wants all your stuff.

Surrounded by family, Tracy Omann-Smith, arranges flowers in a vase on Valentine’s Day. “This is the busiest Valentine’s Day I can remember,” Omann-Smith said as she waded through flower petals coating the floor. Customers consistently enter and then exit with gifts for loved ones; arrangements leave to be delivered; and designers delicately and expertly place flowers in arrangements.

Collaborative concert set Sunday at SFX - The Youth Chorale of Central Minnesota and St. Cloud State University Concert Choir will perform a collaborative concert together at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26 at St. Francis Xavier Church, 219 2nd St. N., Sartell. Tickets are available at the door.

Third-grade students in Jodie Kragness’ class recently got to do more than read about artifacts that date back to more than 7,000 years.

On Jan. 3 and Feb. 3, Dr. Debra Gold, an anthropology professor at St. Cloud State University, and SCSU students Erica Beacom, Minda Lee and Amanda Robinson spoke to the class at Kennedy Community School about just what it takes to be an archeologist.

The St. Joseph City Council voted 4-1 to spend up to $10,000 to hire a lobbyist to advocate on behalf of area cities in their request to the Minnesota Legislature for more time to consider a sales-tax extension.

Specifically, the lobbyist would help area communities, including S. Joseph, pass an extension of the local-option sales tax that will expire in 2018, according to city documents.

To attract new board members, the St. Joseph Economic Development Authority now meets two hours later.

In an effort to provide a more convenient meeting time for board members, the EDA now meets at 5 p.m. at St. Joseph City Hall. The EDA meets every fourth Wednesday of the month.

The St. Joseph Fire Department recently gained three new members.

The department welcomed firefighters Cory Molitor, Mike Folkerts and Ronald Schmidt. The pay-per-response firefighters replace retirees Jeff Karnik, Bill Wasner and Brian Orcutt.

Judy Purman, director of sustainability at the College of St. Benedict, recently led a discussion at the Minnesota Street Market about practicing sustainability.

Members of the audience were encouraged to participate in discussions on various ways people could practice more sustainability.

The sustainability movement at the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University, while working toward the goal of a “zero carbon footprint,” is challenging everyone, everywhere to set the same goal.

Dan and Josie Muyres are quick to tell you their 1-year-old daughter, Madeline, would not be alive today without the March of Dimes.

Madeline’s twin sister, Megan, died shortly after complications from birth, and it was the March of Dimes that provided not only resources for medical care but comfort and support. The Muyres are the Ambassador family for the St. Cloud March for Babies this year.

The College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University have signed the St. Francis Pledge for improved climate changes.

Judy Purman, the director of sustainability at CSB, said she received more than 30 emails from the college community and others who wanted to know if the college had considered the pledge.

A story about the Foster Grandparent Program (Feb. 10 Newsleader) requires a correction.

Frugals was nominated for the Best of Central Minnesota.

Sara Nentl, St. Joseph, was recently named to the dean’s list at St. Cloud Technical and Community College. To be honored, students must earn a 3.5 grade-point average or higher.

Tracy Karasch, St. Joseph, recently graduated with a bachelor’s in nursing from the College of St. Scholastica, Duluth.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

History. Love. Action-packed flight sequences. That is just some of what can be expected from the movie, Red Tails.

The Minnesota Legislature is now considering an important bill that would crack down on cruel and unscrupulous cat and dog breeders.

Such a bill is long overdue.

We have all heard horror stories throughout Minnesota of “puppy mills” where dogs are hideously mistreated – crammed in cages, ill-fed if at all, forced to be outside in all weather, beaten, abused and generally treated like garbage.

The Newsleader has received several letters to the editor lambasting this newspaper for expressing what they term partisan, name-calling articles on the newspaper’s “Opinion Page.” Some of these letters, ironically, use the same name-calling they claim to abhor.

Readers apparently miss the big bold words on the top of the one page where opinion is not only allowed but encouraged – the OPINION Page.

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA 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. State the exact name under which the business is or will be conducted: Creekwood Acres. 2.

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA 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. List the exact name under which the business is or will be conducted: Town & Country Excavating. 2.

The pages of SPILT Magazine represent the voices of the under-represented artist.

From poetry to drawings and various forms of graffiti art, it is a colorful expression of individuality and creativity – all of what Luke Muyskens knew was out there but was not being shared with the world. So, he decided to help highlight it.

Mayor to host town-hall meeting - St. Joseph Mayor Rick Schultz will host a town hall meeting Saturday, Feb. 11.
The meeting is slated from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Local Blend. The purpose of the town-hall meeting is to give residents the chance to discuss city issues and ask questions about local government.

On April 28, 2010, Kurt and Kathy Robbins brought their daughter, Arianna, to confirmation practice at St. Boniface Church in Cold Spring.

When they returned home – Kurt driving the car – they stopped at the garage. Opening the garage door with the remote opener, Kathy saw son Jonathon standing inside the garage, but in a split second she thought it was odd because he was standing in such a strange posture. Within another split second Kathy heard her husband cry out: “Jonathon! No!!”

A masked man robbed some drugs from the Coborn’s Pharmacy in St. Joseph Monday, Feb. 6.

Police are seeking information from anyone who might have clues to the crime.

With winters like this, can palm trees be far behind?

With a sense of astonishment, people throughout central Minnesota have been asking similar questions. Some are calling it the “winter that wasn’t.” Others are grumpy because they don’t have a cold, snowy winter to grumble about this season.

Park planning is budding in St. Joseph and the city officials want to hear from residents.

As St. Joseph Park Board members ponder possible improvements to Cloverdale Park, community members are asked to share suggestions to help shape a vision. At 0.48 acres, the park is in a residential neighborhood and sports some playground equipment.

Darlene Bechtold and Betty Lansing are foster grandparents at Kennedy Community School who help mentor students.Both women are senior volunteers with the Central Minnesota Foster Grandparent Program. Bechtold has been a foster grandparent for six years; Lansing has been with the program for five years.Bechtold is 72 and has been married to her husband, Herb, for 52 years. They are the parents of four adult sons – Brian, Bruce, Brad and Brent.

CERTIFICATE OF ASSUMED NAME STATE OF MINNESOTA 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. List the exact name under which the business is or will be conducted: Town & Country Excavating. 2.

How many married couples do you know who fight over who GETS to do the housework?

Yes, that’s the answer I expected: “None.”

Well, do I have news for you. My next-door neighbors, Richard and Marty Dubbin, actually argue about who gets to do dishes, scrub floors, dust and wash windows. Imagine that: arguing about who GETS to do those chores. They’re both crazy, if you ask me.

The good news keeps getting better. The national jobless rate, little by little, is decreasing. It is now at 8.3 percent.

According to the Department of Labor, 243,000 jobs were created in January, following a good December. The rate is now the lowest in three years.

Mary B. Mahler, based in St. Cloud, is a judge for the 7th Judicial District Court.

You need a lawyer. The natural reaction is to hire the most ruthless attorney you can find. By this article, I hope to persuade you to hire the most professional attorney you can find because professionalism in the courtroom is more persuasive to jurors and judges than the pounding of fists on tables.

Bill Scherer, a member of the band Fabulous Armadillos, speaks to K-3 students Jan. 27 at the St. Joseph Lab School.

St. Joseph Farmers Market at the Minnesota Street Market

The St. Joseph Farmers Market will be at the Minnesota Street Market this Friday, Feb. 3 from 3-6 pm. Stop in for local, organic produce, products and art. Don’t forget Closet 2 Closet next door. Support local farmers and local businesses! 23 W. Minnesota Street. 320-363-7733.

Hip Hop duo Pop Vultures (left to right Kid Crimson, Free and DJ Delirious) perform recently at the Local Blend.

For Sartell resident Brian Jose the arts are about more than putting on a good show. It’s about how an artist not only engages the audience, but the community beyond the stage.

Seven-year-old Ryan Stolt of St. Cloud waited patiently for his green wooden car to be released onto the track. The Cub Scout was so excited to see it fly by him he almost jumped across the track.

“He’s loving it,” Shirley Stolt said of her son. “This is his first year.”

Family members of loved ones suffering from mental illness are invited to attend a free educational course to help gain a better understanding of mental illness, to build a resource and to develop communication skills.

A man who drove daily to work in Fargo couldn’t remember one day how to get from West Fargo to East Fargo.

The poor man had a sudden panic attack, thinking he had suddenly developed a bad case of Alzheimer’s disease. Much to his relief, doctors determined he was suffering from a severe shortage of vitamin B-12. After taking supplemental shots, that man was just fine.

PFLAG of St. Cloud/Central Minnesota will meet from 1:30-4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12 at the Unity Spiritual Center in Sartell.

The non-profit organization stands for “Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.”

Drunk-driving patrols in Stearns and Sherburne counties will be beefed-up through September under a new initiative ordered by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

That is because those two counties are among the highest in Minnesota for alcohol-related deaths and serious alcohol-related accident injuries. The other 11 counties are Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Olmsted, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, St. Louis, Washington and Wright.

The first grassroots step in the American political process – caucuses – will take place throughout the nation at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.

by John Hoff, news@thenewsleaders.com

I have been to the poorest parts of Mexico with church groups. And I thought I had seen poverty. But the poverty of Afghanistan makes Latin American poverty pale by comparison.

Registrations are open for an ice-fishing tournament on Little Rock Lake that will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota.

Sponsored by ING Direct, the tournament is set for noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11 on Little Rock Lake just south of Rice. People of all ages are welcome to participate. There will be games, refreshments, door prizes, raffle prizes and prizes for the biggest fish caught.

A “Central Minnesota Wellness Expo,” will take place, free, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4 at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.

The new expanded convention center was formerly the St. Cloud Civic Center in eastern downtown St. Cloud.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.

Christian Gaetz, son of Rick and Rose Gaetz of St. Joseph, recently solved a physics challenge posted in The Physics Teacher magazine and will be recognized for his accomplishment in the March edition. Gaetz is a senior at St. John’s Prep. He is the only high school student to be recognized.

Few words in all of literature are as moving as these from Charles Dickens: “Please, sir, I want some more.”

That line, of course, is spoken by Oliver Twist, the hungry orphan who, holding up his empty bowl, dares to ask for “seconds” in a vicious workhouse, only to be sarcastically rebuffed by the fat, over-fed goons who run the place.

If the recent Florida Republican primary is any indication, we Americans are in for a very vicious, extended season of political mudslinging. Candidates Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney acted like rampant gunslingers, firing explosive accusations at each other. Their behavior was as reprehensible, as immature and as embarrassing as the nastiness of neighborhood bullies. Unfortunately, that behavior is almost certainly an indication of what is to come once candidates all through the nation square off...

Jim Graeve, St. Joseph

Next Tuesday, Feb. 7 grassroots democracy takes place at 7 p.m. at the new Kennedy Community School.

Democrats will convene to elect more than 50 delegates from the city of St. Joseph to the Senate District Convention to be held later in March.

Jim Monroe, executive director, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees - The recent jobs bill offered by Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL legislative leaders is exactly the kind of leadership the state needs to keep moving in a positive economic direction. Clearly, our democratic leaders are listening to the people of this state, who want sound economic proposals that will put Minnesotans back to work.

Most people want a little spice in their lives – but apparently not in their food.My family took a vote on that very subject and came to the conclusion that kitchen spices are best left to the experts. Henceforth, I am only allowed to use salt and pepper under close supervision. That vote came about as the result of my five-alarm spaghetti.

Kennedy Community School recently held its annual Family Fitness night to encourage family participation in fitness activities.

Facilitated by Barb Gabler, a physical education teacher at Kennedy, Family Fitness Night is part of a month-long Fitness Fever project. During the night, families rotated among fitness stations to have fun together while engaging in physical activities.

Scouts to hold pinewood derby - St. Joseph Cub Scout Pack 84 will hold its pinewood derby Saturday, Jan. 28 at Kennedy Community School. It is an event were scouts build model cars and race against each other. Check-in starts at 8:30 a.m., the race at 9 a.m.

Peggy Lahr was not surprised when she received the call that Apollo High School’s Hall of Fame wanted to honor her daughter, Jennie. The school had been trying to get in contact with the 29-year-old St. Peter resident and third-grade teacher.

Jennie (Lahr) Friedrich was a finalist for induction into the Apollo High School Athletic Hall of Fame. The class of 2000 alumna was one of five inducted Jan. 20 and recognized Jan. 21 before a basketball game between Apollo and St. Cloud Technical High School.

Martha Kierzek will never forget her Christmas trip to Wisconsin this year. And just in case the memory gets foggy, she keeps a newspaper clipping featuring her great-grandson Kyle Schultz in a green folder close to her recliner.

Kyle, 12, of Holmen, Wis. gained media attention when he nabbed a 19-point buck on his second hunting trip.

Howard “Howie” Zimmer was recently awarded the “Hospy” Hall of Fame Award by the Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association.

Zimmer has been in the hospitality business for 40 years. The award was presented to him in recognition of his “lifetime of achievement conducted with honor and dignity in Minnesota’s hospitality industry.” The award represents the MLBA’s highest honor.

The first Catholic Worker community in St. Joseph is one step closer to realization.

The St. Joseph City Council unanimously voted to grant a special use for the property at 35 Second Ave. SE. While there was some concern about the occupancy of the property, approval of the permit was based on the home allowing a maximum of eight people.

Karl Terhaar, the current principal of the St. Joseph Lab School, is preparing for the changes his new role as president of the newly formed All Saints Academy elementary Catholic school system will bring.

Terhaar has been the principal of the St. Joseph Lab School for the past five years. He is now the administrator of the three schools that have consolidated to form the All Saints Academy. These schools include the St. Joseph Lab School, St. Joseph School in Waite Park and Sts. Peter, Paul and Michael Elementary School in St. Cloud.

Despite an application from a non-city resident, the St. Joseph City Council voted to hold off on filling an open seat on the city’s Economic Development Authority.

St. Joseph resident Sandi Meyer, who recently opened Healing Journey Thrift Store, combined two of her loves – nursing and working in a thrift store.

The 35-year veteran nurse opened the store Jan. 5 with the goal that sales would benefit Quiet Oaks Hospice House in St. Augusta. She worked there for about three years but quit in November – the month she got the keys to her store at 1313 2nd St. S. in Waite Park.

The St. Joseph Planning Commission shall conduct a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb.

The St. Joseph Planning Commission shall conduct a public hearing at 7:15 p.m. on Monday, Feb.

This race for the Republican presidential nomination is better than having a front-row seat at the circus. See the goofy car jam-packed with colorful clowns go round and round. A clown falls off, then gets back on. Two more clowns fall off and try to get back on.

Hockey – make no mistake about it – is a fast and rough game. And like all games of that nature, it has the potential to cause injuries.

About a month ago, a player on the Benilde-St. Margaret’s hockey team – Jack Jablonski – was slammed hard against the side-boards during a check from another player. Sadly, Jablonski suffered an injury to his spinal cord, and he might never be able to walk again.

Mike McDonald, St. Joseph - At the Jan. 19 city council meeting I asked why the council was considering paying dues to a group, the Coalition of Greater MN Cities, out of the Refuse Fund rather than out of the city’s General Fund. The attachments to the city agenda indicated our city was mostly interested in the labor relations expertise within the Coalition that could be purchased as a member of the group.

Fourth-graders at Kennedy Elementary just finished their final performance of their immigration program they did with GREAT Theater during the last three weeks. St. John’s Preparatory School, recently delivered more than 2,400 donated items to the St. Joseph Food Shelf.