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MIDWEST MULTISPORT RACES: Will host running events Feb. 17 PAGE 11
Couple Q&A: Valentine’s Day edition Press Publications asked local couples a few questions about their love story. Dennis and Kathy Erno
2026 Legislative preview
Q: What was your first impression of him? A: “Handsome. A little forward, a little suspicious because I was a little younger.”
Q: How long have you been married? A: “57 years. We met in college. University of Wisconsin River Falls. We were exchanging classes. She was coming from a class, and I was going to a class. And we met on the stairs, and I wanted to meet her because I was attracted to her, so I asked her if she had a sister that went here, which was my opening line. So I asked her out. Our first date was at a Sadie Hawkins dance, which was supposed to be girls-ask-boys. That's how our relationship started.”
Q: What’s the secret to that many years of marriage? A: “Just to know each other very well and don't give up. Discuss if you have a conflict and try to come up with a compromise or whatever.” “We have shared values. We’re both, I’d say, moderate progressives, and we have the same moral and religious and social values.” “And we love each other.”
Joshua Duckett and Kelly Jacobson
Q: What's the secret to happiness in a relationship? A: “We have so much fun. I feel like we allow ourselves to be like the young and funny side and I think the really honest side.”
Q: How did you meet? A: “It'll be three years [of dating] on Valentine's Day exactly. We met online and I asked her out. She declined.” “At first because my friend also didn't have someone, so we wanted to have a girls Valentine's Day.” “So I convinced her to still have that girl's Valentines and come out.” “And it ended up being a really amazing night. We moved in with each other I want to say like a year later and we've been really, really happy.”
Q: What do you guys do for your Valentine's Day anniversary? A: “Sometimes we go back to the first place that we met. Nico's Tacos. But we mix it up depending on weather.” “Nothing too crazy.”
Patti Anderson
Karin Housley
Brion Curran
Heather Gustafson
Judy Seeberger
The 2026 Minnesota legislative session is scheduled to convene on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Key topics are expected to include elections, public safety and environmental protection. All 134 House and 67 Senate seats are up for election in 2026. Learn about local lawmakers’ priorities for 2026 in Press Publications’ Legislative Preview.
See more on page 9
SEE 2026 LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW, PAGE 14
Vadnais Heights joins Minnesota Mayors Coalition for Safe and Stable Communities At this time, Vadnais Heights joins the coalition alongside: • Hopkins • Bloomington • Maplewood • Brooklyn Center • Minnetonka • Brooklyn Park • Richfield • Columbia Heights • St. Louis Park • Eden Prairie • Plymouth • Edina • Golden Valley being asked to absorb costs and community impacts that undermine public safety and local stability.”
Coalition members emphasize that effective public safety depends on trust. When residents are afraid to engage with local government or access services, communities become less safe overall. Through the coalition, Vadnais Heights and other member cities are calling on federal and state leaders to pursue immediate de-escalation, acknowledge the economic and social harm experienced by cities, and consider relief or support for affected communities in 2026. Coalition members will also work together to assess long-term impacts and identify pathways to restore community stability and confidence in public institutions.
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VADNAIS HEIGHTS — The City Council will join Cities for Safe and Stable Communities, a coalition of Minnesota cities advocating for public safety approaches that respect constitutional rights and support community stability. The coalition formed in response to the regional impacts of Operation Metro Surge, which local leaders say is straining city resources, disrupting local economies, and eroding trust between residents and government across Minnesota. “While Vadnais Heights is not at the center of this operation, the consequences reach well beyond city boundaries,” Mayor Mike Krachmer said. “Cities are