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VOL. 22 NO. 15 www.readthecitizen.com $1.00
CENTERVILLE: Darrin Mosher leaving City Council PAGE 8
One year later: Mason Fike’s road to recovery
Hugo establishes committee to plan for veterans memorial BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
HUGO — The city is a step closer to seeing one of its visions come to life for Lions Volunteer Park. The city has formed the Lions Volunteer Park Veterans Memorial Subcommittee, which will plan for a veterans memorial to be located on the southeast corner
BY TYLER QUATTRIN NEWS INTERN
On the night of July 27, 2024, lifelong White Bear Lake resident Mason Fike was walking with his girlfriend, Katie Klaphake, when an assailant emerged from a nearby house and attacked him with a knife, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office. First responders arrived at the scene near his home on Southwood Drive to find Mason suffering from 12-14 stab wounds. Katie was applying pressure to his abdomen and talking to him to keep him conscious. On the way to Regions Hospital for emergency surgery, paramedics lost Mason’s pulse four times. “It was a miracle that he survived,” said Mason’s father, Jeff Fike, recalling what doctors told them after CONTRIBUTED surgery. The attack came the same Nearly a year after week the Fike familywas St. John’s University in the process of moving to senior Mason Fike experienced a near-fa- temporary housing following a kitchen fire, which tal stabbing near his caused smoke damage home in White Bear Lake, the Fike family is throughout their house. A year later, 21-year-old sharing their story for Mason will be the beneficiathe first time. ry of the 37th annual Tour De Bar, a White Bear Lake community bike ride and fundraiser on Aug. 2. Proceeds will support his continued recovery, including medical expenses related to post-traumatic stress disorder. The aftermath of the attack has been a complex road to recovery for the Fike family. Mason and Katie both say they are still healing, especially mentally, and that there’s still a long way to go. “We are actively progressing towards where we want to be,” Mason said. “There are hard moments, and there are moments where maybe we’re starting to get back to the place where we were the night before this happened. I wouldn’t say we are perfect, but we are not bad by any means.” The couple continues to go on walks together, but Mason, still navigating Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome symptoms, said they no longer walk at night, and he can’t go near where the attack happened.
of the park, north of the City Hall parking lot. Parks Planner Shayla Denaway explained that the overall site plan for Lions Volunteer Park was approved in February 2021. At the time, discussions entertained the idea of a veterans memorial. “It was a loose concept that the parks site committee was discussing,” she recalled, noting that the
project would be driven by the community and include partners such as the American Legion and Yellow Ribbon Network. Denaway said the city was recently approached by members of the Legion who voiced an interest in getting started on the memorial. The Legion identified five people; SEE VETERANS MEMORIAL, PAGE 2
Music in the Park: One month to go
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Attendees at a previous Music in the Park installment enjoy a performance from On Tap!, near perfect summertime temperatures, early evening sunshine and snack options from the El Norte Food Truck. Mean Gene and the Woodticks are scheduled to perform Tuesday, July 29 at the Hidden Spring Park pavilion in Centerville.
SEE ROAD TO RECOVERY, PAGE 15
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