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LEXINGTON: City council declares dog potentially dangerous PAGE 7
Circle Pines budget, levy expected to increase BY MADELINE DOLBY EDITOR
CENTENNIAL SCHOOLS | CONTRIBUTED
Blue Heron Elementary has received the title of “Best Elementary School” as part of the Quad Community Press Reader’s Choice Best of the Press Contest.
Blue Heron receives ‘best elementary school’ title BY MADELINE DOLBY EDITOR
LINO LAKES — Each year, Press Publications hosts the Reader’s Choice Best of the Press Contest, asking locals to vote for their favorites, ranging from the best cup of coffee to the best florist and everything in between. Rising to the top of the “Best Elementary School” category in the Quad area is Blue Heron Elementary
School, located in Lino Lakes. The school opened in the fall of 2002 and is one of eight elementary schools within the Centennial School District. The name Blue Heron was chosen to reflect the history of blue herons within the Lino Lakes community. Jason Hartmann has been Blue Heron’s principal for the past 13 years. Before coming to Blue Heron, he was principal at a school in North Branch.
CIRCLE PINES — Residents can expect to see an increase in the city’s budget, tax levy and city taxes for 2026. The city’s 2026 budget is expected to be set at $3,723,197, a 1.7% increase from 2025. Finance Director Kate Manson said the driving factors creating the increase in the budget can be attributed to increases in the police department’s budget as well as costs associated with an additional election cycle, building inspections and a wage and compensation study. According to Manson, the Centennial Lakes Police Department is expected to pass along a 6.3% increase, or $219,636, in expenses. The increase can be attributed to salaries and benefits, vehicle replacement and an increase in Metro-INET users. It is important to note that the $219,636 increase is divided between Circle Pines and Centerville, since both cities utilize services provided by the Centennial Lakes Police Department. According to Manson, Circle Pines’ share is expected to increase by $72,929, or 5.7%, from 2025. “Our share is going up only 5.7%. That is because Centerville is picking up a little bit more than what they did in the past,” she explained. SEE CITY BUDGET, PAGE 8
SEE BEST OF, PAGE 5
Blue Turtles Arts and Wellness fosters growth and healing BY MADELINE DOLBY EDITOR
Turtles Art and Wellness because she found doing art, movement and body modalities helpful. She also wanted to create a sense of community, as well as have a space for art and people to be well. “In my own personal work, doing art and movement and body modalities has been super helpful. So even though I already had the therapy office open, I wanted space where people could come do that stuff,” she said. SEE BLUE TURTLES, PAGE 2
CONTRIBUTED
Blue Turtles Art and Wellness offers a beginning wheel throwing course, a clay hand-building workshop and a six-week course on the wheel throwing process.
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LINO LAKES — Blue Turtles Art and Wellness offers a variety of art classes ranging from art journaling to a mosaic workshop. Blue Turtles also provides counseling services to those in need. Before the space became a combined art studio and therapy center, Blue Turtles just offered counseling services. The space, owned by Lexington resident Rachel Resler, opened in September 2024.
Beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, Blue Turtles Art and Wellness will host its first-ever Artoberfest at Lino Lakes Commons Park. The event will feature 40 vendors ranging from digital media to jewelry, tours of the art studio, make-and-take art activities and live music. “We wanted to do something for the community that would be fun. That would show people that there is art and creativity up here in the north metro,” Resler said. Resler, a licensed marriage and family therapist and former teacher, opened Blue
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