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Same Local Coverage Since 1854. | 2 Second Ave. S., Suite 135, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379 Vol. 169, No. 26
Solarz retiring from board of education Process to fill vacancy already underway BY TOM FENTON STAFF WRITER
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The Sauk Rapids-Rice Board of Education has an unexpected vacancy as longtime director Jan Solarz announced her retirement at the board meeting Sept. 25. Solarz’s last meeting will be Tuesday, Oct. 10. n “I have had the honor Ja to serve the Sauk Rapids and Rice communities on the board of education since Jan. 1 of 1997,” Solarz said in a prepared statement. “I have had many amazing things happen at this table, including hard conversations, hard decisions, hard compromises and best of all, working with great people. I am thankful for everyone who trusted me to sit at this table and represent them. It’s just time to slow down.” The process to replace Solarz will begin immediately. The board is seeking statements of interest from those looking to potentially ll the vacancy. The statements must be received at the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District of ce, 1833 Osauka Road NE, Sauk Rapids, by 4 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11. Statements can be dropped off at the of ce, sent by mail or by email to christie.young@isd47.org. A date for group-style interviews has yet to be determined, but those selected to be interviewed will be contacted by a school of cial. Interviews will be open to the public. The appointed board member will serve the remainder of Solarz’s term, which expires Dec. 31, 2024. That seat will be on the ballot for the general election Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. More information about application procedures can be found on the district’s website at isd47.org or by calling Christie Young at the district of ce at 320-258-1809. “The state statute requires the seat needs to be lled, but it will not go to election because we are within 90 days of (Election Day), so we cannot get it on the ballot,” Butkowski said. “We will hold interviews and the board, minus Jan, will appoint the vacancy for the seat. We will continue to release information to the public on what that’s going to look like as we dot I’s and cross T’s on the next steps with this.”
School board page 5
of the local newspaper A publication’s journey from production to recycling BY HANS LAMMEMAN STAFF WRITER
the pages of its publications. Herman Lensing, a full-time journalist in Stearns County since 1986, said he views his position reporting local news as a recorder of history in his community. “Our job is a little tricky sometimes,” Lensing said be-
Though most people simply think of newspapers as tween typing paragraphs for a their source of information sports story. while drinking morning coffee Newspaper page 2 or relaxing at home, each copy has a long and arduous journey before arriving on newsstands and in mailboxes. At Star Publications, the newspaper begins with the story. On-scene reporters armed with notepads and cameras gather details and ask questions while deadlines loom in the back of their heads. Sauk Centre-based Star Publications produces four community newspapers — Benton County News, Sauk Centre Herald, Sauk Rapids Herald and The Star Post — as well as two regional rural-living newspapers, one multi-county shopper, a vestate newspaper that covers the Rita Herbrand picks up a copy of the Benton County News Sept. 26 from the dairy industry and 58 special post office in Foley. Star Publications publishes four community newspapers in central Minnesota. sections that are inserted into
PUBLIC NOTICES The newspaper of today is the history of tomorrow.
PHOTOS BY HANS LAMMEMAN
Joe Carlson folds stacks of recently printed newspapers Sept. 22 at Sauk Centre Web Printing in Sauk Centre. Carlson estimated that his facility produces between 30,000 and 100,000 individual copies per week.
• Mortgage Foreclosures (2) - pg. 15 • Sauk Rapids-Rice Reg. Board Meeting, Sept. 11 - pg. 15 • City of Sauk Rapids Reg. Minutes, Sept. 11 - pg. 16 • City of Sauk Rapids Summary of Publication Ord. No. 2023-812 - pg. 15 • Assumed Name - Accelerate Integrative Family Wellness - pg. 15
OBITUARY Tyler Dene Schmehr Pritchard
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