Vadnais Heights Press

COMMUNITY EVENTS: Blood drive, senior lunch,

Volunteers gear up for cleanup

The 23rd annual late winter lake cleanup is scheduled for 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 7 on White Bear Lake. Since the event’s inception in 2004, over 1,700 volunteers have pulled nearly 7,000 pounds of trash off the lake. Volunteers will clean up designated sections of the lake. If ice conditions are not safe, it will switch to a land-based cleanup. A clean up is also scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, March 8 on Bald Eagle Lake.

BY MAYA BETTI CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Press Publications and the White Bear Country Inn are set to host their 41st annual Wedding Show from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 15. The event brings together top local vendors in a low-stress setting, giving brides and their guests a chance to explore everything from venues to cupcakes without the crowds or high fees of big city shows.

Patty Steele, general manager at Press Publications, said the show is especially appealing to first-time attendees.

“First-timers are looking for an easy, convenient show that has a lot of good local vendors,” Steele said.

According to Steele, the Wedding Show offers just that.

Up to 25 vendors will be on hand, including longtime favorites like Unreal Arrangements, Midwest DJ and Creative License, as well as newcomers, such as two balloon décor companies.

Attendees can browse offerings from photographers, florists, DJs, venue

BY MADELINE DOLBY QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS EDITOR

Every year at the beginning of March, daylight saving time will spring our clocks forward an hour, depriving us of an extra hour of sleep and taking away the opportunity to be exposed to sunlight during the earlier part of our day.

“When we move to daylight savings time and everything is pushed back an hour, it affects us in the morning and in the evening,” said Dr. Akinbolaji Akingbola, assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

According to Akingbola, standard time is ideal for sleep due to the earlier evenings and the earlier sunrise. Standard time is observed for approximately four months, running from the first Sunday in November to the second Sunday in March.

“With the later daylight, we tend to stay up later so we have more difficulty falling asleep in the evening because of the extra hours of sunlight,”

SEE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME, PAGE 14

coordinators, bakers, décor specialists and club services. They can also sample cakes and cupcakes, view floral arrangements and explore wedding apps. The show also features unique vendors such as Doggy Social, which

provides professional wedding-day dog care, and a press-on nail art specialist.

“It’s the perfect opportunity to gather ideas, ask questions, and envision a beautiful, personalized wedding right here in White Bear Lake,” said April

Timp, the inn’s catering and special events director.

The event also includes giveaways and prizes. Gary LaRue, an award-winning vocalist and longtime emcee, will call out basket prizes throughout the day, including a free room and dinner at the White Bear Country Inn. A cake walk will offer other prizes, and the first 50 brides will receive swag bags filled with goodies.

Brides and ticket holders can also enjoy lunch at Rudy’s with a $5 discount and enjoy the restaurant’s famous Bloody Mary bar.

“It’s exciting that I get to showcase our venue as a seamless, one-stop wedding destination — ceremony space, reception, Rudy’s Redeye Grill for incredible food, and the Best Western for guest lodging — all working together in real time,” Timp said.

Brides can attend for free by registering in advance by visiting Press Publication’s website. For more information, call 651-407-1213.

White Bear Township to host Wall That Heals this summer

BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

It’s been more than 50 years since the U.S. pulled its troops out of Vietnam, but The Wall That Heals is working to ensure that those who served their country will always be remembered. This summer, White Bear Township will work together with the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society to honor Vietnam soldiers and veterans by hosting The Wall That Heals at Polar Lakes Park this August.

The Wall That Heals is a threequarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The exhibit honors the more than 3 million Americans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces in the Vietnam War, and bears the names of the 58,281 men and women who went missing or lost their lives in Vietnam.

The installation is managed by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to recognizing the

individuals who served their country and providing healing and education to those who visit the exhibit.

The display will be installed at Polar Lakes Park for four days, Aug. 6-9, 2026. This event will also include a mobile education center that provides additional context to educate visitors about the Vietnam War.

Township Board Chair Ed Prudhon commended the White Bear Lake Historical Society for pursuing this opportunity. “This is another feather in the cap of the township that we’re hosting this,” he said.

He explained that the wall will be on display 24 hours a day and staffed by volunteers for the entire duration. The township has formed a new commission specifically dedicated to planning this event.

“It’s a huge undertaking, but it is quite an honor to have it here, so we’ll make it happen,” said White Bear Township Clerk-Treasurer Patrick Christopherson.

VFW On The Lake Post 1782 White Bear

March Calendar 2026

WHAT’S HAPPENING

LIFE ON THE RUN: GANGSTERS IN WHITE BEAR LAKE

When: 6-7 p.m.Tuesday, March 10

Where: White Bear Lake Armory, 2228 Fourth St.

Details: Deep dive into the areas most wanted guests. Contact: whitebearhistory.org

SECRETS TO DESIGNING A MODERN ESTATE PLAN

When: 10-11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 5

Where: White Bear Lake Senior Center, 2399 Cedar Ave.

Details: Learn how estate planning tools work to create a personalized plan that ensures peace of mind and security. Register online.

CHURCH BRIEFS

Catch up with former pastor at Primetime event

Get reacquainted with Pastor Karsten Nelson at the Redeemer Primetime speaker series at 10 a.m. March 19 at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Pastor Nelson was an associate pastor at Redeemer 18 years ago. In his presentation titled “The World of Karsten – And the Wider World,” he will share about his life and about faithful living in the world. Coffee is served prior to the

Contact: communityservices.isd624.org/ adults-seniors/programs

ANNUAL LATE WINTER CLEANUP ON WHITE BEAR LAKE

When: 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, March 7

Where: Frozen White Bear Lake

Details: Local Scouting groups partner with the White Bear Lake Conservation District, area Geocachers and

program at 9:30 a.m. RSVP by contacting the office at 651429-5411. Redeemer is located at 3770 Bellaire Avenue, White Bear Lake.

St. Pius X hosts fish fries

The Church of St. Pius X will host two more Lenten Fish Fry Fridays from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 13, and Friday, March 27. Curbside to go is available in the northeast parking lot. St. Pius is located at 3878 Highland Ave., White Bear Lake.

community volunteers to pick up trash on the frozen lake before the ice melts. Becomes a land-based clean-up if ice-out is early.

Contact: wblcd.org or 651-269-0976

LUNCH FOR SENIORS

When: Noon Tuesday, March 10

Where: Vadnais Heights Commons, 655 County Road East

Details: Lunch catered by Jimmy's; register online.

Contact: 651-204-6000 or cityvadnaisheights.com/register

SHOREVIEW COMMUNITY GARDEN CLUB MEETING

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 11

Where: North Oaks Community Room Suite 100, 100 Village Center Drive

Details: Former Master Gardener Barbara Ronningen will speak on Plants for Shade, not hosta. Social time at 6:30 p.m.; public welcome.

Contact: shoreviewcommunitygardenclub.org

ESTATE PLANNING

When: 10-11 a.m., Thursday, March 12

Where: St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 1965 East County Road E, White Bear Lake

Details: Learn about estate planning, estate administration, elder law, get answers to questions, and find resources to get started with planning. RSVP

required. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Contact: 651-777-1107 or office@ ststephenwbl.org

MUSIC OF THE DECADES: THE 1960S

When: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 12

Where: White Bear Lake Armory, 2228 4th St.

Details: Explore exhibits and enjoy a “tour” of folk music from the 60s era with Folk Revival MN. open house style. Contact: whitebearhistory.org

TRIVIA BINGO

When: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Friday, March 13

Where: White Bear Lake Senior Center, 2399 Cedar Ave.

Details: Take a nostalgic trip through the 50s, 60s and 70s with a fun twist on the classic game. Call to register. Contact: 651-653-6121

'THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST'

When: March 13-22

Where: Hanifl Performing Arts Center, White Bear Lake Details: Live performance of Oscar Wilde's timeless comedy that highlights absurdities of Victorian life. Ticket information online. Contact: lakeshoreplayers.org

‘I

didn’t want to wake up the dragon’

Afew weeks ago, my alarm to get up for work didn’t go off. The night before, I had forgotten to plug my phone in to charge and it died sometime in the night. Thirty minutes after I was supposed to wake up, my mom hesitantly knocked on my bedroom door, slowly opened it and proceeded to ask me if I had meant to sleep in late.

With my head shoved under a pillow, I mumbled that I had not meant to sleep through my alarm nor sleep in. After she told me I had slept an extra 30 minutes, the grey fog that always seems to fill my brain first thing in the morning disappeared and I rushed through my morning routine to make it to work on time.

As I waited for my coffee to finish brewing, my mom asked how I had managed to oversleep because it was something I had never done before, not even in high school. I simply told her my phone had died and I use the alarm clock feature on my phone to wake me up.

During the conversation, she said “I was a bit hesitant to wake you up. I never know how you’re going to respond… I didn’t want to wake up the dragon.”

For anyone who knows me, I genuinely love to sleep. I also am an extremely hard sleeper. I hate waking up early unless absolutely necessary. And I hate being woken up by someone else.

One night in college, at probably around 2 a.m. the fire alarms in the duplex I lived in started going off unexpectedly. I stumbled out of my bedroom, extremely annoyed by the disruption to my sleep, and was met with my roommates sitting on the living room couch asking how I had just woken up. Apparently, they had been going off since 1 a.m. They were amazed that I didn’t hear them since one was in my bedroom.

My family has learned the hard way not to speak to me right after I wake up. I need time to “thaw” before interacting with those around me. If I don’t, for reasons I still don’t know why, I am extremely defensive and everything annoys me.

They also have learned not to wake me up early unless there is a good reason. My older sister used to wake me up at 6 a.m. on Christmas morning to open presents. When I became a teenager, I became vicious when she woke me up. I remember yelling at her that she could let me sleep for an extra hour because the presents would still be there. You could say that was when the “dragon” was born.

On Sunday, March 8, we will set the clocks forward an hour for daylight savings time. My mind is already reeling about the fact I am going to lose an hour of sleep. It won’t affect me for too long, but I do struggle to fall asleep that first week of the time change. I had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Dr. Akinbolaji Akingbola, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, about the effects daylight savings time has on sleep. He provided a lot of good tips and tricks to help combat the change. You’ll find my full interview with him in this edition of the paper. I hope you find it as insightful as I did.

Hopefully his tips and tricks will help tame “the dragon.”

Dolby is the editor of the Quad Community Press.

You can’t have one

without the other

Freedom and civil rights are inseparable, and I don’t think we talk about that enough. I fear freedom has been reduced to a slogan associated with the armed forces. While the armed forces defend our country, the framers of the U.S. Constitution understood lasting personal freedom and liberty comes from strong civil rights protections.

Movers & Shakers

Samrock

My journey as a civil rights advocate began when I joined the Army National Guard in high school. I enlisted to experience my freedom, as I saw military service as an avenue to expand my horizons outside of my small town, pay for college, travel and meet people different from me. My experiences as a female service member in the Middle East during Desert Storm, in Guatemala and several U.S. states made me keenly aware of the link between freedom and civil rights. I was grateful to live in the U.S. where equality and liberty felt permanent. However, life experiences over the next 30 years erased any naivety that these protections are applied fairly and consistently.  They only work when we the people hold each other, our elected representatives and our government accountable.

Civil rights define, protect and enforce the limits on government power. Our civil rights can be found as amendments in the Constitution.

• Limited to 350 words.

• Submissions must Include a full name, address and daytime phone number for verification.

• Letter writers must live, work or have another connection to Press Publications coverage area.

• Letter writers are limited to six letters per year and at least

Carter C. Johnson -

The Bill of Rights protect individual liberties of speech, religion, press, gun rights, due process, fair trials and protection from cruel punishment by limiting government power. Civil rights are essential to freedom as they protect individuals, guarantee equality, enable democracy, safeguard private life, prevent tyranny and support peaceful change.

Having a list of civil rights is great but in the absence of strong protections, freedom under those rights is theoretical. Only when civil right protections are strong is freedom durable and communal. They are not obstacles to order but rather the foundation making a free society possible. The framers of the Constitution understood this. In The Federalist Papers, James Madison argued that freedom cannot survive without legal protection, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”  Madison believed people abuse power, majorities can oppress minorities and officials can violate rights.  Madison, Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson firmly believed that freedom survives only when rights are protected by law, courts and engaged citizens. They designed the Constitution to make civil rights operational, not symbolic and built a system to defend freedom.

Something the framers did not believe was freedom was selfsustaining.  Instead, they believed freedom had to be practiced by a virtuous and informed public. Madison warned that free governments collapse when citizens become passive. Power always tries to expand, officials respond to pressure, and silence

enables abuse so citizens must monitor government and speak out.  When citizens stop paying attention, rights weaken, even if laws remain on paper.

Protecting our civil rights to live in freedom is our responsibility to each other.  Voting is the most basic civic duty and as a volunteer with The League of Women Voters, I believe that all voices be heard at the ballot box.  Voting allows citizens to remove officials who violate rights, support civil rights legislation, and shape courts through elections.  Low voter participation weakens rights protection.

Defending civil rights can be incorporated into our daily lives to create a culture of liberty.  We can challenge discrimination at work, support fair policies at school, question unlawful searches, report misconduct and teach children about rights. Supporting civil liberties organizations, independent media, legal aid groups and community advocates with our time and resources makes a difference.

I had the privilege to defend my country by serving in the Army National Guard but now I serve in organizations that advocate for freedom by protecting civil rights.  The League of Women Voters understands civil rights survive not because they are written down, but because citizens insist they be honored.  Freedom thrives when ordinary people choose to speak up, show up and stand up for the freedom and dignity of one another.

Kim Samrock is Hugo resident and a member of the League of Women Voters White Bear Lake Area.

WHITE BEAR/VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS | LETTER GUIDELINES

four weeks must lapse between publication. Exceptions may be made for rebuttal letters.

• Due to space limitations, letters that don’t address local issues are not guaranteed publication.

• Repeat letters by the same writer about the same subject matter will not be published.

• Submissions containing libelous or derogatory statements will not be published.

• Submissions containing facts not previously published in the Press must be accompanied by factual verification.

• All letters are subject to editing.

• Deadline is 5 p. m., Thursday of the week prior to publication.

• To submit a letter, e-mail it to whitebearnews@presspubs.com, fax it to 651-429-1242 or mail or deliver it to Press Publications, 4779 Bloom Ave., White Bear Lake, MN 55110.

Night Club history

I read the article about the 44th annual Night Club and wanted to provide you with some additional insight.

The concept of the White Bear Night Club was conceived by Mark Levenson, who was the band director at Mariner High School when it opened in 1972. The very first Night Club was held in the spring of 1973. I personally played in the Stage Band Night Club for the years 1973, 1974 and 1975 at Mariner. I know that the Night Club tradition was carried on after that at Mariner.

Mark Levenson was a brilliant band director and never receives credit for starting the Night Club tradition in White Bear that continues to exist today.

The 44th annual Night Club may be from the time the two schools combined, but it actually started a decade prior. There are still a number of the members of the original Night Club in 1973 who still reside in and around White Bear Lake. Mark Levenson resides in the Twin Cities.

Scott Bocklund Pine Springs

Superintendent demonstrates leadership

We’ve all seen or heard about the flyers referencing Dr. K that were posted near WBLAHS. Let’s be clear about what they are: antisemitic. That kind of hate has no place in our community. The individual responsible clearly understands this, which is why the flyers were posted anonymously.

During his time as superintendent, our district has achieved significant milestones. We successfully passed a bond referendum that made our combined high school campus a reality. That referendum did not pass by chance; it succeeded in large part because of Dr. K’s hands-on, in-person outreach and engagement with the community. The district’s 2019 bond referendum campaign was even recognized with the Northern Light Award from the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators.

Under his leadership, the district also established a formal Equity Commitment and developed a comprehensive Strategic Plan. Both initiatives were shaped through meaningful input from engaged members of our schools and the broader community, reflecting a collaborative and transparent process.

Financial stewardship has remained a priority as well. The district recently earned its 25th consecutive Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association, along with the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association

of School Business Officials.

These honors reflect consistent accountability and strong fiscal management.

There is a reason Dr. K was named Minnesota Superintendent of the Year in 2021. His record demonstrates dedication, leadership, and a sustained commitment to our students and community.

Amanda McFarlane Vadnais Heights

Missing Debi a year later

On March 27, it will be one year since my wife Debi was hit and killed while in the crosswalk at the intersection of White Bear Parkway and Birch Lake Boulevard. The driver who hit her had his cruise control set at 40 mph. He was arrested and, among other things, charged with DUI.

When the story was printed in the papers her name had not yet been released. Except for phone calls and word of mouth, Debi bled pretty much in anonymity.

Recently the long and often disappointing process of litigating this case has begun.

Whatever the outcome, a life sentence has already been handed down: I, my family and everybody who knew her will never again enjoy the love and happiness Debi brought to our lives. She is loved — she is missed.

Bob Lenzmeier Blaine

No more state spending

Upon reading Terry Nyblom's letter to the editor in the Feb. 18 White Bear Press, I thought, “Terry nailed it.” I consider myself a moderate conservative — not far right by any means, and definitely not left at all. Watching the seemingly drunken spending of our tax money by the Democratic triumvirate a few years back sickened me. The resultant legislation that came from it is bleeding all the responsible taxpaying public. I fear that the backlash from the public to the recent insanity brought about by our federal government is going to result in more of our money being poured into relief programs from the state for people who should be seeking justice from the federal government. I would encourage those people to get a lawyer or to join a class-action lawsuit.

It's an election year, and the grandstanding by the self-righteous politicians who feel they can win votes by throwing (our) money at problems just to make people feel good is another potential path to additional fraud.

As far as the people who came to our state and stayed illegally are concerned, please correct your status by doing the right thing by applying for U.S. citizenship. You may be scared to go about your day safely

but supporting you on the public dole through left-wing feel-good programs is breaking my back.

Think, people, think!

Greg Lees White Bear Lake

Pursue diplomacy over prolonged conflict

Tom Snell’s article published on Feb. 18 offers a thoughtful analysis of the potential outcomes of conflict with Iran. He warns against President Trump’s significant and expensive military buildup in the Persian Gulf and other regions. Snell argues that a U.S. attack would reinforce authoritarian rule in Iran, leading to increased suffering for the Iranian people. I believe such action could entangle the U.S. in another prolonged conflict, like Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, or Korea — wars that have strained our financial resources. The proper strategy is to pursue diplomacy that includes Iran in the world community, not to isolate it. We do not seem to realize that the nuclear accords reached an agreement between the West and Iran, which gave power to the Iranian middle class that could begin to build the force and structure for a constitutional democracy, an idea deeply rooted in Iranian history. That idea bloomed for a brief moment in 1953 when Mohammad Mossadegh was elected prime minister. However, he was quickly overthrown in a coup orchestrated by the CIA. The Shah then took power and aligned Iran with Western interests, thereby enabling increased U.S. involvement in Iranian affairs, particularly over oil and Iran's strategic position near the Soviet Union. We meddled in their affairs, careless of untoward effects

on the Iranian people, ultimately paving the way for theocracy.

None of that history is resonant in the popular American mind. It should be, were we not so singularly concerned with the price of eggs. What should we be concerned about with regard to the overthrow of the Iranian government?

The national debt is at $38 trillion. We are spending almost a trillion dollars a year in interest, and nearly as much in funding the military. Eventually, unchecked, the debt and servicing it will cause serious social problems in our country. Yet here we are, on the precipice of another costly war. We need to press our interest for a future in which we can pursue our happiness for generations to come.

Response to Nazism letter

Please congratulate Larry Mahoney of Vadnais Heights for the most disingenuous letter so far in 2026. He begins by letting us know that what’s happening in American today is not Nazism. This is a true statement that really requires no further elaboration. But Larry then goes on to use the words Nazi, authoritarian, totalitarian and Gestapo 14 times to smear the current administration in a four-paragraph letter. No wonder they say the flip side of Minnesota Nice is passive aggression. He is right on one final point, but not as he intends it. Taking Minnesota back from the left does indeed require refusal to be intimidated.

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COPS&COURTS

WHITE BEAR LAKE POLICE REPORTS

The White Bear Lake Police Department reported the following selected incidents:

• A Forest Lake man was cited for a misdemeanor stop sign violation following a threevehicle crash with minor injuries at the intersection of County Road F and McKnight Road Feb. 18.

• A citation was issued Feb. 18 to a driver involved in a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of White Bear Avenue and Buerkle Road.

• A suspect violated a domestic abuse no-contact order by stopping at a Crestwood Place address Feb. 18.

• A citation was issued to a man for license violations following an accident with minor injuries at Highway 61 and County Road E Feb. 18.

• Criminal damage to property was reported in the 3200 block of Karth Road Feb. 18.

• Officers responded to a dispute in the 1700 block of County Road E Feb. 18.

• A Stillwater man was arrested on seven active felony warrants following an investigative traffic stop in the 3100 block of Century Avenue Feb. 18.

• A Roseville man was arrested for DWI following a traffic stop near White Bear Avenue and Lydia Avenue Feb. 19.

• A tire was stolen in the 1500 block of Park Street Feb. 19. Officers responded to a civil dispute in the 3500 block of Century Avenue N. Feb. 19.

• Officers executed a search warrant in the 1800 block of Buerkle Road Feb. 19.

• Officers mediated a child custody dispute in the 3500 block of Century Avenue N. Feb. 19.

• Officer mediated a dispute in the 2200 block of County Road E Feb. 19.

• Disorderly conduct was reported Feb. 19 in the 3900 block of Hoffman Road.

• An Oakdale man was arrested

on an outstanding warrant after officers located him after finding his vehicle unoccupied on County Road E East Feb. 19. He also had drugs on him, so fifthdegree drug charges were added.

• An Oakdale man was arrested on a warrant on Jay Lane Feb. 20.

• An Oakdale man was arrested for DWI following a traffic stop near Third Street and Banning Avenue Feb. 21.

• Disorderly conduct was reported in the 1900 block of Buerkle Road Feb. 21.

• Harassment was reported in the 1700 block of County Road E Feb. 21.

• A Hugo man with a juvenile passenger was arrested for DWI and child endangerment after being stopped for speeding at Highway 61 and Whitaker Street Feb. 22.

• Officer assisted with evacuating pedestrians at the Maplewood Mall Feb. 22 following a shooting incident.

• Officers responded to a dispute in the 3100 block of McKnight Road Feb. 22.

• A juvenile incident was reported in the 2400 block of Orchard Lane Feb. 23.

• Harassment was reported in the 1900 block of Ninth Street Feb. 23.

• A driver was issued a citation following a two-vehicle accident at White Bear Avenue and Spruce Place Feb. 23.

• A White Bear Lake man was arrested following a domestic incident in the 3700 block of Highland Avenue Feb. 24.

• Harassment was reported in the 3400 block of McKnight Road Feb. 24.

• A driver was cited for failure to yield following a three-vehicle accident on Otter Lake Road at Highway 96 Feb. 24.

• Harassment was reported in the 1700 block of Buerkle Road Feb. 24.

• Fraud was reported in the 3300 block of Glen Oaks Avenue Feb. 24.

WASHINGTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office reported the following selected calls for service in Birchwood Village, Dellwood, Grant, Mahtomedi, Pine Springs and Willernie:

Grant

• Student-on-student harassment was reported Feb. 3 from Mahtomedi High School in the 8000 block of 75th Street N. In other school news, an odor of natural gas was reported in the science hallway less than an hour later. The Mahtomedi Fire Department and Xcel Energy arrived to vent the area and found no threat to staff or students.

• In the Case of the Gallivanting Goldens, a resident in the 6000 block of Lake Elmo Avenue N. reported two golden retrievers on the loose Feb. 6 and secured them in his garage. As animal control was unavailable, the caller said he’d hold onto the dogs until the owner contacted him. And if that never happened, he would contact companion animal control.

• Residents in the 11000 block of Irish Avenue N. flagged down deputies to help a vehicle stuck on an icy hill on Feb. 6. Deputies directed the driver to back up and roar up the hill without stopping. The driver, a contractor for T-Mobile, did just that and got free. An hour later, a neighbor reported the T-Mobile van as a suspicious

RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office reported the following selected incidents in Vadnais Heights and White Bear Township:

Vadnais Heights

• Deputies responded Jan. 26 to a business in the 800 block of County Road E East and spoke to loss prevention employees, who told them that a group of people came into the store and left without paying for merchandise.

• Deputies arrested a 41-year-old man from Minneapolis Jan. 26 in the 1000 block of County Road D East for violating an order for protection and an active warrant after responding to call from the woman who took out the protection order against him.

• Deputies issued a theft citation Jan. 27 and arrested a 19-year-old woman from St. Paul after she was caught by loss prevention employees in the 800 block of County Road E East leaving the store without paying for bread, yogurt, carrots and cereal, totaling approximately $17.

• A 25-year-old man from Stillwater reported Jan. 28 that someone struck his Toyota Tundra while it was in a parking lot in the 3400 block of Willow Lake Boulevard, damaged the front end and drove away without leaving a note or exchanging information.

• A deputy was responding to a medical emergency Jan. 29 when the squad he was driving hit an icy patch of the road near the intersection of Vadnais Boulevard East and Edgerton Street, slid and

vehicle.

• A man trying to access a house in the 9000 block of Lansing Avenue N. at which he said he had approval to stay for the weekend at 8:17 p.m. Feb. 6 asked deputies for help with the lock code he couldn’t get to work. When deputies said that wasn’t within their abilities, the complainant called for a ride to a hotel instead.

Mahtomedi

• A driver on Hallam Avenue S. on Feb. 1 was arrested for multiple offenses following a traffic stop for a revoked license plate.

• Ongoing noise complaints from a multifamily dwelling on Stillwater Road have spilled over into February as deputies received this week’s complaint at 3:20 a.m. Feb. 3. Deputies arrived on scene to speak to the complainant, but could not hear any noises. Deputies responded to three reports of loud noise Feb. 7 from a Stillwater Road apartment complex. The first occurred at 12:46 p.m. during which deputies tried to mediate a civil matter and advised the complainant to seek a harassment restraining order. The second call happened at 11:23 p.m. involving two women arguing in the parking lot. When deputies arrived, the two women went inside the residence, refusing to talk to deputies. The third call came

struck bushes in the ditch. No injuries were reported.

• A 37-year-old man in the 4100 block of Kaitlin Drive reported Jan. 29 that someone enrolled at Century College was using his name, as a tuition bill of more than $2,000 was sent to him from the college. The incident is under investigation.

• Deputies issued a trespass notice and citation for disorderly conduct Jan. 30 to a 57-year-old St. Paul man after he used a large megaphone to shout obscenities at customers as they walked into a store in the 900 block of County Road E East. A 75-year-old St. Paul woman in the 800 block of County Road E East reported that someone entered her unlocked Buick Verano while it was parked outside of Walmart and stole her disability parking placard. The incident is under investigation.

• Deputies responded Jan. 31 to a two-vehicle crash near the intersection of County Road E Est and I-35E and issued a citation to a 20-year-old woman from White Bear Lake for giving false insurance information to them after she pulled into an intersection with a red light and was struck by another driver’s vehicle. She was examined by medics.

A 55-year-old man in the 1200 block of County Road E East reported Jan. 31 that he received 17 harassing phone calls and voicemails from an unknown caller through the night. The incident is under investigation.

in at 11:40 p.m. about people yelling and screaming at each other. When seeing deputies, all parties said they were separated and had calmed down, refusing to give further information. Deputies advised everyone to keep it that way.

• Ledgestone Drive residents reported finding a purse outside on their sidewalk on Feb. 3. Deputies used the identification found in the purse to leave a voicemail for its owner. In the meantime, deputies entered the purse into evidence in the property room for eventual release to the owner.

• Employees at the Holiday gas station on Stillwater Road reported ice stolen from the ice bin on Feb. 3. Deputies with an arrest warrant for a suspect on Quail Street Feb. 4 discovered the suspect had fled on foot before they arrived.

• An employee cell phone was reported stolen Feb. 4 by a resident of a treatment center on Quail Street.

A motorist on Stillwater Road was arrested for DWI at 2:20 a.m. Feb. 6 following a traffic stop for expired tabs. During the stop, deputies administered standardized field sobriety tests, which the driver failed.

• On Feb. 6, a Wildwood Road caller who had earlier received a written warning phoned questioning whether they needed to take any action on the warning.

• Deputies responded to a report of shoplifting Jan. 31 at a business in the 900 block of County Road E East and issued a theft citation to a 16-year-old male from Hugo, who was caught by loss prevention employees attempting to leave the store without paying for a hard drive, USB adaptor and other electronics.

White Bear Township

• A 31-year-old woman in the 5100 block of Mead Road reported Jan. 26 that she received a phone call from someone pretending to be with the U.S. Marshals, who convinced her to send more than $4,000 to him. The incident is under investigation.

• A 60-year-old woman in the 5800 block of Bayberry Drive reported Jan. 27 that someone stole a significant amount of cash that her late husband had been saving in the house before he passed away. The incident is under investigation.

• Deputies arrested a 22-year-old man in the 2200 block of Buffalo Street Jan. 28 who had an active warrant. No further information is available at this time.

• Deputies responded Jan. 29 to a theft report at a grocery store in the 1000 block of Meadowlands Drive, spoke with loss prevention employees and collected evidence related to a man and woman who left the store without paying for merchandise. The incident is under investigation.

Pine Springs

• A motorist on Highway 36 at Hilton Trail N. was cited for single-lane violation and verbally warned for cell phone use on Jan. 30.

A westbound motorist on Highway 36 at Hilton Trail N. was cited for failure to provide proof of insurance following a traffic stop for hands-free violation. A second motorist was cited Feb. 7 for the same offense at the same location following a traffic stop for an unreadable temporary tag and for fog line violation.

• A driver weaving across multiple lanes was arrested for DWI at 12:16 a.m. Feb. 7 in the 6000 block of Hilton Trail N.

Willernie

• As motorists continue to ignore the stop sign at Stillwater Road and Warner Avenue N., deputies continue to conduct stop sign patrols at that intersection and cited four motorists from 9:45 to 10:58 p.m. Jan. 30. Any of those drivers who also displayed expired registration were cited for that offense as well and paid an extra fine into the bargain.

Chamber staying busy with ribbon cuttings

The White Bear Area Chamber of Commerce continues to host ribbon cuttings for new businesses as they move into town or existing businesses that relocate. Most recently, the chamber hosted ribbon cuttings for Helix Chiropractic, the Women Collective and Oldies & Goodies.

Cup and Cone announces opening

It’s a sure sign that spring is coming when Cup and Cone announces its opening date. For 2026, the business plans to open Friday, March 20. This year marks the business’ 53rd year of operation. For more information, visit www.cupandconewbl.com.

Carbone’s back open for business

Carbone’s Pizzeria and Pub, located at 1350 Highway 96 E in White Bear Lake, was shut down temporarily due to a power outage on Thursday, Feb. 26. The outage lasted approximately three hours and shut down the kitchen.

Royal Credit Union announces new business banking officers

Royal Credit Union recently announced Mitch Anderson, Alicia Reinhardt and Peter Twite as business banking officers. In this role, Anderson, Reinhardt and Twite will support new and existing business members with lending needs and build relationships by offering tailored financial solutions that empower local businesses to achieve their goals and drive sustainable growth.  Anderson is based in the White Bear Lake office, and serves White Bear Lake, Hugo and surrounding communities. Anderson joined Royal in 2019 and has held a variety of positions, most recently serving as the Hugo branch manager. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from St. Cloud State University. Anderson is active with Vadnais Heights Economic Development Corporation’s North Metro Young Professionals as well as the Hugo Business Association.

Who: White Bear Lake High School Class of 1986 What: 40-Year Class Reunion

When: Saturday, June 20th, 2026

Where: White Bear Country Inn

Reconnect with old friends, share memories, and catch up on four decades of life, laughter, and stories worth retelling.

Spread the word!

If you know a classmate, let them know. For details, updates, and registration:

White Bear Lake Area

• Northern Attire

• Sugar Fairy

• Flowers Forever

• Tipsy Tini

• Dellwood Country Club

• Unreal Arrangements

• Creative License

• Doggy Social MN

• Hosted Hospitality

• Midwest Sound

• Big Wood

• Jen Bloom

• TST Creative Catering

• Mary Kay Cosmetics

• Complete Wedding & Events

• Five Star Bath Solutions

• North Star Medical

• Calla Lily Event Rentals

• Kake Kreations

• White Bear Country Inn

• Simply Captured Photography MN

Smokey’s fish fry remains ‘the best’ 3 years running

BY MADELINE DOLBY QUAD COMMUNITY PRESS EDITOR

In honor of fish fry season, the Press will feature some Readers’ Choice Best of the Press winners and finalists of the “Fish Fry” category in our coverage area.

During Lent, the aroma of sizzling fish fills the air as local churches welcome the community to their weekly or monthly fish fries. Throughout the season, some area restaurants join in the tradition and serve up their own special fish fry offerings in celebration of Lent.

Smokey’s Pub N’ Grill, located at 552 Lincoln Drive in East Bethel, established in 2012, has a unique approach to craft smokehouse foods and classic American dishes. The same can be said about its fish fry.

Smokey’s Pub N’ Grill has secured the title of “the best” fish fry in the Quad Community Press Readers’ Best of the Press Contest for the last three years.

“The care, the love we put into the dish. Doing it from scratch really sets it apart from a lot of places,” said Chris Leibel, co-owner and pit master of Smokey’s.

The restaurant uses wild-caught Pacific cod and batters it by hand in a variation of an old Leibel family recipe. Leibel said a few years ago that he and Jeremy Huspek, co-owner of Smokey’s, altered the recipe to make the batter not quite as thick.

“It’s really good. We thinned it out a little bit. We did some different variations of it,” Leibel explained. “What we use now … We knocked it out of the park and our customers love it.”

•

•

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One of the changes they made to the recipe was battering the fish in light beer. Before the switch, Leibel said

Smokey’s was using an IPA for its fish fries. When you order the fish fry, you’ll receive three, four-ounce filets of cod, Memphis mustard coleslaw and a choice of fries or tater tots. The dish also comes with Smokey’s homemade tartar sauce. Smokey’s offers a fish fry deal on Fridays all year long. During Lent, which runs between Feb. 18 and April 2 this year, the restaurant features a special fish fry promotion each week. Huspek said that the restaurant typically goes through five boxes of fish on a single Friday during Lent.

A few weeks ago, Leibel said

Smokey’s uploaded a video on social media showing the process of how the restaurant makes its fish fries, and the response from customers was great.

“The feedback was awesome. We had people say, ‘I was just there. The fish was amazing.’ All the feedback has been really positive,” he said.

Quad Community Press Editor Madeline Dolby can be reached at 651407-1226 or quadnews@presspubs.com.

White Bear Lake joins coalition as ally

BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR

WHITE BEAR LAKE — In a 3-2 vote, the City Council has decided the city will join the Safe and Stable Communities Coalition as an ally.

The council has previously discussed its legal options to respond to Operation Metro Surge (see “White Bear Lake City Council discusses options in response to Metro Surge,” Feb. 18, 2026, White Bear Press).

City Council Member Ellen Gurrola requested that one of those options, specifically the coalition, be discussed further.

“What I kept coming back to is how can I support our residents better, and to me that comes with having more information,” Gurrola said. “I think if we join as an ally, we are saying that we want to continue to get these updates, we want to continue to know what is going on. It doesn’t necessarily tie us to every single thing that they are saying they want.”

She added that by joining as an ally, the city can make sure they are “paying attention.”

“I’d like to join as an ally to stay involved in those conversations, because I know we have residents who need more support,” Gurrola said.

Council Member Kevin Edberg wanted to know if City Manager Lin-

dy Crawford or Mayor Mary Nicklawske had learned any more about what joining as an ally would entail. Crawford noted that there is no cost to the city to participate as an ally, but it would likely cost $2,000 to $5,000 to join as a full member of the coalition, depending on how many cities end up joining. As of press time, 21 cities were full members of the coalition, and one city was an ally.

“(Being) an ally is really just staying informed. It doesn’t mean that the mayor or myself would be part of press conferences or anything like that, whereas a full membership may include that,” Crawford explained.

“What I kept coming back to is how can I support our residents better, and to me that comes with having more information,”

are doing is a very important thing to do, being a part of something that is trying to make things better, both for our city, our communities and even larger.” West added that it was also about supporting the rule of law and the Constitution.

Ellen Gurrola City Council Member

Council Member Andrea West said she agreed with Gurrola that the council should join the coalition as an ally.

“One of the things that I’ve been thinking about is the strength of coalitions and what we can accomplish together versus what we can accomplish alone as an individual city,” West said. “Knowing what other cities

White Bear Lake Rotary ACADEMIC

Rotary Matters wblrotary1@comcast.net

“I think that (joining as an ally) is a bit of a step towards that to just say ‘yep, we do support the Constitution, we support our communities … the city of White Bear Lake, all the members of our communities no matter what their backgrounds are, what the color of their skin is and also our surrounding communities,” she said.

Council Member Bill Walsh said he would not support the city joining the coalition as an ally.

“Of all the things to go to the Legislature for and ask for money for, I wouldn’t put this at a high level. I just don’t have it as a top priority. There are other things that we could … ask for that would be more important to

me,” Walsh said. “I think that money is just going to go to lobbyists who are going to run around the Capitol and try to get money for the coalition. I’m a no.”

Nicklawske noted that the coalition was not just about money. “It would be nice to get some money to help our businesses that have suffered through no fault of their own, but the coalition is also trying to ensure that this doesn’t happen again,” she said, noting that the coalition was looking into policies including federal agent masking, visible badges/ identification for federal officers and prohibiting federal agents from targeting schools and bus stops.

“Unfortunately, we are in an odd situation right now where the federal government isn’t following (the Constitution), so we need to try to get some policies put in place to help us make sure that as a city we can make sure that is happening going forward,” Nicklawske said.

Ultimately, the council voted (Walsh and Council Member Steve Engstran opposed) to join the Safe and Stable Communities Coalition as an ally.

Managing Editor Shannon Granholm can be reached at 651-407-1227 or whitebearnews@presspubs.com.

Manz Wildwood Elementary

Caitie is new to the district as of this year and was chosen because of her work ethic, kind personality and her daily work effort in all subjects. Academics come fairly easy to Caitie right now and when asked how she feels about participating in reviewing things she already feels she knows, waiting for others to catch on, or helping a classmate with their work she says, “Even if things are easier for me right now, I know there will be a time things feel hard and we aren’t supposed to know everything so we should tell ourselves it’s okay when we don’t.” Caite says that a favorite part of her day at Wildwood is when she gets to have free choice time and she’s glad she’s here and so are we!

Educational Foundation awards 2026 Glasrud Family Fellowships

The White Bear Lake Area Educational Foundation (WBLAEF) recently awarded five Glasrud Family Fellowships to teachers in the White Bear Lake Area School District. Fellowships are awarded to teachers for personal professional growth with the hope that these awards will allow teachers to pursue professional development opportunities that would otherwise not be possible.

Lindsay Mosso and Mike Bickel, Mariner Middle School, AVID grades 6-8

The instructional leadership team will attend the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Summer Institute held in Orlando, Florida. AVID Summer Institute is a nationally recognized professional learning conference focusing on developing educators’ capacity to implement higher-quality, research-based instruction practices. Through this threeday institute, the team will participate in sessions centered on strengthening reading, writing, collaboration, organizational and critical thinking across the content areas. This experience is designed to strengthen the consistency and effectiveness of Tier 1 instruction across the Mariner building.

Salvation Army launches annual Meals4Minnesota food drive

The Salvation Army Northern Division has launched its sixth annual Meals4Minnesota Food Drive to restock nine Twin Cities food shelves as demand remains high. The drive runs through March 27, with 50 dropoff locations across the metro area. These include participating Blaze Credit Union branches, Warners'

Abbey Knisely-Rengel and Christina Bommarito, Matoska International IB World School, speech/language grades K-5

The school-based speech/language pathologists will attend a conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, that teaches educators about the support system necessary to respond to children as a community. They will learn to differentiate between anger, rage and aggression and their causes in students. They will learn how to create effective interventions to address behaviors and underlying issues to create a safer, more supportive education community. The pathologists will also learn additional tools to utilize when students act out to be supportive in positive ways.

Ally Lohse and Madeline Forsythe, Central Middle School and WBLAHS, social workers

The National School Social Work Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, brings together national and international professionals for specialized training. Training sessions will increase knowledge and sharpen skills in promoting belonging via innovative approaches to youth wellness and emotional needs, advocating

for the homeless youth, and parent attendance support sessions, truancy intervention panels and court referrals. Guest speaker Michele Gay will present her personal story and recount lessons learned since the Sandy Hook tragedy. She will discuss practical strategies and best practices for intervening in pathways to violence.

Ann Myers, WBLAHS and ALC art grades 10-12

“Intersections” is a 12-day intensive fibers course at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle, Maine. It teaches new ways to bring contemporary weaving into classroom practices. The fellowship directly supports the Design, Fibers, and Modern Craft course that is currently piloting at the ALC.

Stellian stores and Salvation Army sites. A $25,000 matching gift from a local family foundation will double early financial donations. Cub Foods will also do a round-up campaign at its Minnesota stores in March to support the effort. Officials say food shelf visits have nearly tripled since before the pandemic as grocery and housing costs remain elevated. For more information or a full list of dropoff locations, visit https://centralusa. salvationarmy.org/northern/it-takesan-army.

THANK YOU!

Twin Cities Live at Rudy’s Redeye Grill

A special thank you to Kim Schoonover, owner of Indulge Spa, for making the connection with Twin Cities Live producer Mandy during a lady’s getaway weekend at Grand View Lodge. Through that introduction, Twin Cities Live produced an incredible five shows highlighting the Greater White Bear Lake community.

Rudy’s was proud to host the live show on Thursday, February 19th, and we’re grateful for the collaboration that helped showcase everything that makes our community so special.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the incredible local businesses who generously donated products and services for our gift baskets. Your support helped us create beautiful baskets for the Twin Cities Live hosts, Elizabeth Ries and Ben Leber, as well as additional baskets for our door prizes.

Your generosity truly showcases the strength, collaboration, and community spirit that make White Bear Lake so special. We are grateful for your partnership and proud to promote our amazing local businesses together!

Below are the companies that provided items for these baskets: Graham Jewelers

7 Vines Vineyard

GoodThings Gifts & Kids

Fillory Design Co.

White Bear Historical Society Cup and Cone Lakeshore Players Theatre

Keys Café

Children’s Performing Arts

Oneka Ridge Golf Course

Pine Tree Apple Orchard

The Minnesotan Co.

White Bear Center for the Arts

Oak & Iron

Rudy’s Redeye Grill

White Bear Country Inn

Thank you for everyone’s efforts! White Bear ROCKS!

Kelly Coorough and Alyssa Larson, Matoska International World IB School grades 1-2

This project will connect classroom learning to real-world history through an immersive experience in Boston. Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) is all about building background knowledge through real places, stories and histories. Boston is one of the best cities in the USA for this experience because it is dense with early American history that weaves through all the grade levels. CKLA works best when the teacher understands the why behind the history. The experience encourages teaching history through human stories rather than facts alone.

From your grandchildren, with love, Andy, Matt, Kirsten, Lauren, Jordan, Nikki, Nathan, Maddie, Justin, Sophie, Sam, Aaron, Caroline, Easton, Megan, Mitchell, Nick R., Emily, Adriana, Eli, Nick P., Lexi, Nick D., Anna Rose, Izzi, Jeremy, AJ, Charlotte, Brooklyn, Riley, Carter, Blakely, Emmett, Benjamin, Lucia, Shiloh, Maxwell, and Callan.

VADNAIS HEIGHTS PRESS www.presspubs.com

STATE OF MINNESOTA, COUNTY OF RAMSEY DISTRICT COURT, SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT CASE TYPE 2: CONDEMNATION COURT FILE NO. 62-CV-26-502 JUDGE REYNALDO ALIGADA, JR. PETITION County of Ramsey, Petitioner,

v. K&T Properties, LLC., Lowry Finance Company, Advance Shoring Company, CFE Properties, LLC., Robert L. Brackey, Metropolitan Council Wastewater Services, Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc., 1280 Jackson LLC., Michelle Robinson, B. Bros. St Paul Properties, LLP., Soo Line Railroad Company, Kil-Ben Arlington, LLC., Saint Paul Family Project Limited Partnership, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul, Family Housing Fund, McDonough Organization With Respect and Equality for People (M.O.R.E.), Royal Credit Union, City of St. Paul and County of Ramsey, and all other parties unknown having any claimed right, title or interest in the premises herein, together with the unknown heirs or devisees, if any, of the parties that may be deceased, and including unknown spouses, if any, Respondents. IN THE MATTER OF THE CONDEMNATION OF CERTAIN LAND TO: THE DISTRICT COURT ABOVE NAMED

The County of Ramsey brings this Petition and respectfully states and alleges:

I.

That this proceeding is taken pursuant to law in the name of and on behalf of the County of Ramsey, State of Minnesota, by John J. Choi, the duly elected, qualified and acting County Attorney, at the request of the Board of County Commissioners of Ramsey County, as shown by County Board Resolution No. B2023-052, dated April 4, 2023, a certified copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A and made a part hereof.

II.

That the County of Ramsey also deems it necessary, expedient, and for a public use and purpose to obtain by “quick take” condemnation under the right of eminent domain the permanent easements and temporary construction easements in the lands as described in this Petition, together with all structures, trees, shrubs, grass and herbage to be damaged thereby.

III.

In the attached Exhibit B, where “fee title” is identified, the interest being conveyed is fee simple title.

IV.

In the attached Exhibit B, where a “permanent easement” is identified, the interests being conveyed include all rights necessary for the construction, operation, and maintenance of all public right-of-way and utility uses now known or adopted in the future. Such rights include, but are not limited to, the right: to remove and use all plants, trees, ground cover, and natural growth now existing, or later planted or grown; to permanently grade or alter the grade of the land, and to remove and use all earth and other material not reasonably necessary for lateral and subjacent support; to limit or allow the location, number, and related characteristics of access from the remainder property to the public right-of-way; to store equipment or supplies; to access, both ingress and egress, from the most reasonably convenient rights-of-way; to remove any physical improvements or fixtures that interfere with its use as a public right-of-way; and to exclude from the area any use or improvement that conflicts with the rights conveyed herein. Reasonable and convenient access to the remainder will be maintained.

V.

In the attached Exhibit B, where a “temporary easement” is identified, the interests being conveyed include all rights of possession and use, for a limited period of time, necessary or incidental to support the related construction project, including the right: to stage equipment or supplies; to access other portions of the construction project; to make minimal permanent alterations to the grade of the land that do not substantially impact the remainder; to remove (and restore in substantially similar condition) any plants, ground cover, or physical improvements; to access, both ingress and egress, from the most reasonably convenient rights-of-way; and to install any temporary improvements. Reasonable and convenient access to the remainder will be maintained. The term of the temporary easement shall be for 24 months beginning on April 15, 2026, and ending April 15, 2028, or for 24 months from the date when granted pursuant to order of the district court, whichever is later. In addition, the interests identified in this paragraph include the option of the Petitioner to extend the temporary easement for up to two twelve-month terms to be held consecutive to the original term and to each other at the monthly rate determined for the initial term.

VI. Personal property not specifically identified as being acquired, including, but not limited to, fencing, irrigation systems, pavement, curbing, or signage, or trees, shrubs, plants, or ground covering, is not included in this petition, except to the extent the above rights provide for the removal, replacement, use, or repair of such property. It is the intention of the Petitioner to address any claim of damage related to personal property destroyed, removed, lost, or otherwise damaged, but not repaired or replaced in substantially similar condition, in accordance with applicable relocation laws, including Minn. Stat. § 117.50 - .56 or the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970, as amended, and any regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

VII.

That the purpose for which said interests in land described in this Petition are being acquired is for the purpose of a roadway project for the Jackson Street reconstruction project which shall replace the deteriorated roadway and replace two aging bridges. Additionally, along the project pedestrian infrastructure will be installed and a connection between the Trout Brook Trail segments will be established.

VIII.

The taking in this matter is to obtain rights sufficient to support the construction and maintenance of a public highway, including related facilities. Unless specifically identified, pre-existing utility, pipeline, access, and other easements or interests shall remain in full force and effect and shall only be impaired to the extent necessary for the County of Ramsey to construct and maintain a public highway, and related uses, on the land being acquired. For any parcel being taken by this condemnation proceeding that is subject to preexisting utility, pipeline, access, or other easements or interests, the County of Ramsey shall work as needed with the easement holder to adjust facilities to accommodate the construction or to adjust construction plans to minimize related damages.

IX.

It is the intent of the Petitioner that reasonable access, in at least one direction, to the main thoroughfare will be maintained for any remaining interest of a property from which a temporary easement is taken.

X.

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, should tests or evaluations undertaken by or on behalf of the County of Ramsey indicate the possible presence of pollutants, contaminants, or hazardous substances on any of the property described in this Petition, the County of Ramsey reserves the right to defer effecting the transfer of the interest to any of the property as described herein for a reasonable time until the County of Ramsey can evaluate whether it wishes to proceed with the taking, abandon these proceedings and dismiss the Petition as to said property, or otherwise respond to such information. Further, the County of Ramsey reserves the right to recover costs of clean-up and testing and all other damages resulting from the presence of pollutants, contaminates, or hazardous substances on the property described

herein, from all potentially responsible parties in a separate legal action. XI.

That a party wishing to challenge the public use or public purpose, necessity, or authority for a taking must appear at the hearing of this Court at which the County of Ramsey, as Petitioner, shall present this Petition to the Court and state the objection or must appeal within 60 days of a Court order. XII.

That the land in these proceedings to be taken are situated in Ramsey County, Minnesota and are more particularly described in attached Exhibit B which is made a part hereof. The names of all persons appearing of record or known to the County of Ramsey to be the owners of said land, or interested therein, including all whom the County of Ramsey has been able by investigation and inquiry to discover, together with the nature of the ownership of each, as nearly as can be ascertained, are set forth on attached Exhibit B. XIII.

The County of Ramsey hereby moves the court for an order transferring title and possession of the parcels described herein prior to filing of an award by the court appointed commissioners, pursuant to Minnesota Statutes § 117.042.

WHEREFORE, the County of Ramsey prays for an order of this Court as follows:

1. Adjudging that said taking is for a public purpose, is necessary, and is authorized by law; and

2. It be further adjudged that the County of Ramsey is entitled to take and hold such property for the public use pursuant to the Notice of Intent to Take Possession, on file with this Court; and

3. Appointing three disinterested commissioners, and at least two alternates, to ascertain and report the amount of damages that will be sustained by the several owners on account of the taking; fixing the time and place of the first meeting of the three commissioners; prescribing their compensation; establishing procedures for the disbursement of funds deposited with the district court; establishing procedures by which commissioners shall hear all allegations and proofs of persons interested herein; and requiring the commissioners to file their report with the District Court Administrator within 365 days from the date of the order appointing the commissioners unless said time be further extended by order of the Court; and

4. For such other and further relief as may be proper and pursuant to law.

Dated: February 25, 2026

JOHN J. CHOI

Ramsey County Attorney

By: s/ Scott Schwahn

Scott Schwahn (#0222239)

Assistant Ramsey County Attorney 360 Wabasha St. N., Suite 100 St. Paul, MN 55102 (651) 266-3014 (Schwahn) scott.schwahn@co.ramsey.mn.us

Attorneys for Petitioner

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The undersigned hereby acknowledges that costs, disbursements, and reasonable attorney and witness fees may be awarded pursuant to Minn. Stat. Section 549.211 to the party against whom the allegations in this pleading are asserted.

/s/ Scott Schwahn Scott Schwahn

EXHIBIT A

RAMSEY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS RESOLUTION B2023-052

Sponsor: Public Works

Meeting Date: 4/4/2023

Title: 2023 - 2027 Transportation Improvement Program

File Number: 2023-120

Background and Rationale:

To qualify for state and federal funding and to proceed with construction projects, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners must approve the Public Works 5-year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). The TIP is a planning document and funding estimates identified in the TIP are reflected in the county’s Capital Improvements Program Budget. Similar programs have been developed each year since 1988.

The Public Works department, annually, prepares the TIP using a collaborative process whereby the county solicits projects and input from area municipalities. Project inclusion in the TIP is based on a cooperative dialogue with municipal and state partners, along with technical analysis and consideration of funding opportunities. While funding limits will continue to challenge program delivery, communication and engagement with municipal partners ensures local needs and priorities are examined and addressed to the extent possible.

Projects included in the TIP are also looked at through the lens of the Ramsey County All Abilities Transportation Network policy, which prioritizes the most vulnerable users (i.e. pedestrians, bicyclists, people with disabilities, etc.) first.

The design, construction, and right-of-way costs identified in the TIP are estimates based on best practices in the industry. The funding landscape for transportation projects can be volatile and the ultimate delivery of the TIP is dependent on future funding levels. Partnering on projects with area communities, bordering counties, the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and other state agencies will continue to be a critical way for Ramsey County to get the most from available funds.

Recommendation:

The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners resolved to:

1. Adopt the 2023 - 2027 Public Works Transportation Improvement Program.

2. Authorize the County Engineer to prepare plans and agreements for all projects identified in the Transportation Improvement Program, and to issue solicitations in accordance with County policies and procedures and the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s list of “Pre-Qualified Vendors by Work Type”.

3. Authorize the County Surveyor to execute Right of Way Plats and Certificate of Surveys for Highway projects that require the determination of existing right of way for the delineation and /or acquisition of property, for planning studies or disposition of excess county property.

4. Authorize the County Manager to enter into contracts and agreements, and execute change orders and amendments to contracts, supplemental agreements, and agreements related to the expenditure of Transportation Improvement Program Project Funds utilizing County State Aid, Federal, State, and participating funding associated with the construction of the approved projects in the 2023 - 2027 Transportation Improvement Program or a previously approved Transportation Improvement Program in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures.

5. Authorize the County Engineer and County Attorney to acquire temporary easements, permanent easements, fee title, and enter into Limited Use Permits with the State of Minnesota for projects in the 2023 - 2027 Transportation Improvement Program, or previously approved Transportation Improvement Program, by negotiation or condemnation.

6. Authorize the Public Works Director to approve negotiated settlements for up to $100,000 over the county’s appraised value per parcel for temporary and permanent easements and fee title.

7. Authorize the County Manager to approve and execute purchase agreements, settlements, closing documents, Limited Use Permits, and other related real estate documentation associated with County Board approved acquisitions of real property.

8. Authorize the County Manager to approve and execute cooperative agreements and maintenance agreements with cities, counties, the state, and other governmental agencies for their participation in projects listed in the 2023 - 2027 Public Works Transportation Improvement Program or previously

approved Transportation Improvement Program.

9. Authorize temporary cash loans from the County General Fund to the Road and Bridge Capital Improvement Program fund and the Wheelage Tax fund for costs of projects listed in the 2023 -2027 Public Works Transportation Improvement Program, or previously approved Transportation Improvement Program, and for maintenance project expenditures occurring before bond or wheelage tax proceeds are received pending receipt of Federal, County State Aid Highway, state and participating funds.

10. Authorize the Public Works Director to submit grant applications for state and federal funding for projects listed in the 2023 - 2027 Public Works Transportation Improvement Program.

11. Authorize the County Manager to accept grants and execute grant agreements agreeing to the grant terms and conditions for the grant award. For grants that so require, the county agrees to be responsible for any additional amount by which the cost exceeds the county’s construction cost estimate and will return to the grantor any grant amount appropriated for the project but not utilized for the project under the terms of the grant agreement.

12. Authorize the County Manager to issue letters of support in place of an official Ramsey County Board Resolution for constituent cities’ grant applications.

A motion to approve was made by Commissioner McGuire, seconded by Commissioner Reinhardt. Motion passed.

Aye: - 7: Frethem, MatasCastillo, McGuire, Moran, Ortega, Reinhardt, and Xiong By: Mee Cheng, Chief Clerk - County Board

I, Jason Yang, Interim Chief Clerk - County Board, duly appointed and qualified for Ramsey County, Minnesota, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Resolution B2023-052, passed by the Board of Commissioners on 04/04/2023

Attest: Jason Yang, Chief Clerk - County Board Date Certified: 2/25/2025

EXHIBIT B

PARCEL 8 (0 JACKSON STREET – PID 192922420016) TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 8, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 12, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota. PIN: 19-29-22-42-0016 – Abstract Property

ADDRESS: 0 Jackson Street, Saint Paul, MN 55117 - Abstract

PARCEL 10 (1370 JACKSON STREET – PID 192922420026) TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 10, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 12, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles and the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-42-0026 – Abstract and Torrens Property - Certificate of Title No(s): 389958 and 579140

ADDRESS: 1370 Jackson Street, Saint Paul, MN 55117

PARCEL 12 (1336 JACKSON STREET – PID 192922420023)

PERMANENT RIGHT-OF-WAY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Parcel 12, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 12, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 12, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 12, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-42-0023 – Abstract and Torrens Property - Certificate of Title No(s): 540978

ADDRESS: 1336 Jackson Street, Saint Paul, MN 55117

PARCEL 15 (A & B) (0 NORPAC ROAD– PID 192922430027)

PERMANENT RIGHT-OF-WAY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION: Over, under and across Parcel 15, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 13, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION: Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 15A and Temporary Easement Parcel 15B, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 13, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-43-0027 – Abstract Property

ADDRESS: 0 Norpac Road, Saint Paul MN 55117

PARCEL 55 FEE TITLE DESCRIPTION Parcel 1: (ABSTRACT PROPERTY) Lot 9, Block 1, Parker and Bailey’s Out Lots, according to the recorded plat thereof, Ramsey County, Minnesota. AND Lot “C” except

Continued from previous page.

ADDRESS: 0 Jackson Street, Saint Paul, MN 55117 - Abstract

PARCEL 10

(1370 JACKSON STREET – PID 192922420026)

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 10, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 12, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles and the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-42-0026 – Abstract and Torrens Property - Certificate of Title No(s): 389958 and 579140

ADDRESS: 1370 Jackson Street, Saint Paul, MN 55117

PARCEL 12

(1336 JACKSON STREET – PID 192922420023)

PERMANENT RIGHT-OF-WAY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Parcel 12, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 12, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 12, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 12, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-42-0023 – Abstract and Torrens Property - Certificate of Title No(s): 540978

ADDRESS: 1336 Jackson Street, Saint Paul, MN 55117

PARCEL 15 (A & B)

(0 NORPAC ROAD– PID 192922430027)

PERMANENT RIGHT-OF-WAY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Parcel 15, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 13, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 15A and Temporary Easement Parcel 15B, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 13, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-43-0027 – Abstract Property

ADDRESS: 0 Norpac Road, Saint Paul MN 55117

PARCEL 55 FEE TITLE DESCRIPTION Parcel 1: (ABSTRACT PROPERTY) Lot 9, Block 1, Parker and Bailey’s Out Lots, according to the recorded plat thereof, Ramsey County, Minnesota. AND Lot “C” except that triangular portion thereof lying North of a West extension of the North line of Lot “D” and all of Lot “D” except all that thereof which lies East of a line running parallel with and 26 feet distant West (measured at right angles) from the West line of Cortland Street (aka Jackson Street) as now laid out and established in the City of St. Paul, all being in Soo Line Plat Number 3, according to the recorded plat thereof, Ramsey County, Minnesota.

EXCEPT:

That part of the West 80 feet of Lot “C” Soo Line Plat Number 3, lying between the North right-of-way line of Hawthorne Avenue and the arc of a circle having a 45 foot radius, the center of said circle being on the center line of Hawthorne Avenue and 147.74 feet West of the West line of Jackson Street; That part of Lot “C”, except the West 80 feet thereof, Soo Line Plat Number 3, lying between the North right-of-way line of Hawthorne Avenue and the arc of a circle having a radius of 45 feet, the center of said circle being on the center line of Hawthorne Avenue, and 147.74 feet West of the West line of Jackson Street.

Parcel 2: (TORRENS PROPERTY)

Lot E, Soo Line Plat Number 3, according to the recorded plat thereof, Ramsey County, Minnesota.

AND Lot F, Soo Line Plat Number 3, according to the recorded plat thereof, Ramsey County, Minnesota, except that part lying between the south right-ofway line of Hawthorne Avenue and the arc of a circle having a 45-foot radius, the center of said circle being on the center line of Hawthorne Avenue and 147.74 feet west of the west line of Jackson Street.

AND Lot 6, Block 1, Dawson’s Fourth Addition to St. Paul, according to the recorded plat thereof, Ramsey County, Minnesota, except that part lying between the south right-of-way line of Hawthorne Avenue and the arc of a circle having a 45 foot radius, the center of said circle being on the center line of Hawthorne Avenue and 147.74 feet west of the west line of Jackson Street.

PIN: 19-29-22-34-0044 – Abstract and Torrens Property - Certificate of Title No(s) 515780

ADDRESS: 1237 Jackson Street, Saint Paul MN 55117

PARCEL 56

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 56, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 13, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-34-0006 – Abstract Property

ADDRESS: 0 Jackson Street, Saint Paul MN 55117

PARCEL 57

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 57, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 13, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-34-0053 – Abstract Property

ADDRESS: 0 Unassigned, Saint Paul MN 55117

PARCEL 63 (80 ARLINGTON AVENUE EAST – PID 192922310005)

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across Temporary Easement Parcel 63, RAMSEY COUNTY HIGHWAY RIGHT OF WAY PLAT NO. 12, as the same is on file and of record in the office of the Registrar of Titles in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota.

PIN: 19-29-22-31-0005 – Torrens Property - Certificate of Title No(s): 587643

ADDRESS: 80 Arlington Avenue East, Saint Paul MN 55117

PARCEL 65 (1497 JACKSON STREET – PID 192922240042)

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across those parts of Lots 7 through 12 inclusive, Block 19, and Lots 1 through 13 inclusive, Block 20, together with the vacated Nebraska Street (platted as Carry Street) accruing thereto, all in GURNEY HIGHLAND PARK, according to the recorded plat thereof and on file in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota and more particularly described as follows: Beginning at the most southerly corner of said Lot 13, Block 20; thence North 00 degrees 20 minutes 48 seconds West, assumed bearing, along the westerly right of way line of Jackson Street, a distance of 571.0 feet; thence South 89 degrees 39 minutes 12 seconds West, along a line perpendicular to said westerly right of way line, a distance of 6.0 feet; thence South 00 degrees 20 minutes 48 seconds East, along a line parallel with said westerly right of way line, a distance of 45.0 feet; thence North 89 degrees 39 minutes 12 seconds East, along a line perpendicular to said westerly right of way line, a distance of 3.0 feet; thence South 00 degrees 20 minutes 48 seconds East, along a line parallel with said westerly right of way line, a distance of 51.0 feet; thence South 89 degrees 39 minutes 12 seconds West, along a line perpendicular to said westerly right of way line, a distance of 3.0 feet; thence South 00 degrees 20 minutes 48 seconds East, along a line parallel with said westerly right of way line, a distance of 15.0 feet; thence North 89 degrees 39 minutes 12 seconds East, along a line perpendicular to said westerly right of way line, a distance of 3.0 feet; thence South 00 degrees 20 minutes 48 seconds East, along a line parallel with said westerly right of way line, a distance of 101.7 feet; thence South 89 degrees 39 minutes 12 seconds West, along a line perpendicular to said westerly right of way line, a distance of 3.0 feet; thence South 00 degrees 20 minutes 48 seconds East, along a line parallel with said westerly right of way line, a distance of 16.0 feet; thence North 89 degrees 39 minutes 12 seconds East, along a line perpendicular to said westerly right of way line, a distance of 3.0 feet; thence South 00 degrees 20 minutes 48 seconds East, along a line parallel with said westerly right of way line, a distance of 108.7 feet; thence South 89 degrees 39 minutes 12 seconds West, along a line perpendicular to said westerly right of way line, a distance of 1.0 foot; thence South 00 degrees 20 minutes 48 seconds East, along a line parallel with said westerly right of way line, a distance of 230.5 feet to the intersection with the southerly line of said Lot 13; thence South 52 degrees 41 minutes 49 seconds East, along said southerly line of Lot 13, a distance of 5.1 feet to said point of beginning and there terminating.

PIN: 19-29-22-24-0042 – Abstract and Torrens Property - Certificate of Title No(s): 660873

ADDRESS: 1497 Jackson Street, Saint Paul MN 55117

PARCEL 78 (96 WHEELOCK PARKWAY– PID 192922210046)

TEMPORARY EASEMENT DESCRIPTION:

Over, under and across the east 3.0 feet of the north 30.0 feet of the south 60.0 feet and the east 6.0 feet of the south 30.0 feet of the following described property: The east 60 feet of Lots 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 AND 12, Block 8, GURNEY HIGHLAND PARK, according to the recorded plat thereof and on file in the office of the County Recorder in and for Ramsey County, Minnesota. PIN: 19-29-22-21-0046 – Abstract Property

ADDRESS: 96 Wheelock Parkway East, Saint Paul MN 55117

Published three times in the Vadnais Heights Press on March 3, 11 and 25, 2026.

STATE OF MINNESOTA, COUNTY OF RAMSEY DISTRICT COURT, SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FILE NO. 62-PR-26-70 CASE TYPE: INFORMAL PROBATE NOTICE OF INFORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS In re the Estate of Richard Perkovich, a/k/a Richard Louis Perkovich, Decedent TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS:

Notice is hereby given that an Amended Application filed on February 13, 2026 for informal probate of the above-named Decedent’s Last Will dated June 14, 2022 (“Will”) has been filed with the Court, and the Amended Application has been granted. Notice is also given that the Probate Registrar has informally appointed the following: Joan Gerding, 1718 East 7th Street, Saint Paul, MN 55106 as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative. Unless objections are filed pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 524.3-607, and the court otherwise orders, the personal representative has full power to administer the Estate, including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate.

Any objections to the probate of the Will, or to the appointment of the personal representative, must be filed with this court, and will be heard by the court after the filing of an appropriate petition and proper notice of hearing.

Notice is also given that, subject to Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801, all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four (4) months after the date of this Notice, or the claims will be barred.

Laura J. Stevens, Probate Registrar

Theresa Ames, Court Administrator

Date: February 13, 2026

Attorney for Personal Representative

JOHN ANTHONY DEL VECCHIO

Attorney License No.: 189558

John Del Vecchio Law Firm LLC

481 South Wabasha Street

Saint Paul MN 55107

Telephone: 651-221-0871

E-Mail: law@armita.net

Published two times in the Vadnais Heights Press on March 4 and 11, 2026.

STATE OF MINNESOTA, COUNTY OF RAMSEY DISTRICT COURT, SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FILE NO. 62-PR-26-111

CASE TYPE: INFORMAL PROBATE

NOTICE OF INFORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS

In re the Estate of Steven Wade Morrow, Decedent TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS:

Notice is hereby given that an application for informal probate of the abovenamed Decedent’s Last Will dated April 8, 2023 (“Will”) has been filed with the Court, and the application has been granted.

Notice is also given that the Probate Registrar has informally appointed the following: Richard Edward Morrow, 3851 Grandwood Drive North, Fargo, ND 58102 as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative. Unless objections are filed pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 524.3-607, and the court otherwise orders, the personal representative has full power to administer the Estate, including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate.

Any objections to the probate of the Will, or to the appointment of the personal representative, must be filed with this court, and will be heard by the court after the filing of an appropriate petition and proper notice of hearing.

Notice is also given that, subject to Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801, all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four (4) months after the date of this Notice, or the claims will be barred.

Laura J. Stevens, Probate Registrar

Theresa Ames, Court Administrator

Date: February 18, 2026

Attorney for Personal Representative

STEVEN GREGORY DECKERT

Attorney License No.: 397431

Deckert Law PA 12912 63rd Avenue North Maple Grove MN 55369

Telephone: 763-587-7100

E-Mail: steven@deckertlawfirm.com

Published two times in the Vadnais Heights Press on March 4 and 11, 2026.

STATE OF MINNESOTA, COUNTY OF RAMSEY DISTRICT COURT, SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT PROBATE COURT DIVISION

COURT FILE NO. 62-PR-26-9 NOTICE OF INFORMAL APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS (WITHOUT A WILL)

In re the Estate of Jeffery Todd Lindorff, Decedent

TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS:

Notice is hereby given that an Amended Application filed on February 9, 2026 for informal appointment of personal representative has been filed with the Court. No 111 has been presented for probate. The Amended Application has been granted.

Notice is also given that the Probate Registrar has informally appointed the following: Jereme Jeffery Lindorff 161 Concord Exchange North Apt. 315 South Saint Paul, MN 55075 as Personal Representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as Personal Representative or may object to he appointment of the Personal Representative. Unless objections are filed pursuant to Minn. Stat.§ 524.3607, and the court otherwise orders, the Personal Representative has fuII power to administer the Estate, including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate. Notice is also given that, subject to Minn. Stat. § 524.3-801, all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the Personal Representative or to the Court Administrator within four (4) months after the date of this Notice, or the claims will be barred.

Laura J. Stevens, Probate Registrar Theresa Ames, Court Administrator

Date: February 12, 2026

Published two times in the Vadnais Heights Press on February 25 and March 4, 2026.

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME: The hidden toll and impacts on our sleep health

Akingbola said. “With the later sunlight, that also impacts us negatively in terms of waking up and being more alert.”

Akingbola said that studies show the switch to daylight saving time is associated with an increase in morning accidents due to decreased alertness and vigilance, whether from sleep deprivation or traveling in the dark.

The change in time can also lead to increased cardiovascular incidents within the first days or weeks after the shift. Kids are impacted by daylight savings time because it affects their baseline routine. Akingbola said routine is important, especially for younger children. He explained it can be hard for them to understand the time shift and create a routine around it.

Since teenagers and young adults have a tendency to delay their sleep naturally, Akingbola said the time change might feel “great” for people within that demographic and they might not see it as a negative.

“It’s not uncommon for us to have patients who, after they’re done with their schooling and their training, and now have a stable 9 to 5… They’re now struggling because the constraints, the way they set their life around delaying their sleep, no longer conforms to their schedule of being in the workforce,” Akingbola added.

A month or a couple of weeks in advance to the time change,

Akingbola recommends shifting your typical bedtime up 15 minutes earlier and waking up 15 minutes earlier than you normally would. Akingbola also said the most important thing you can do to adjust to the time change is stick to a consistent routine and manage your light exposure. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, he recommends limiting the time you spend outside during the day, or wearing sunglasses to reduce your exposure to sunlight.

“Sometimes we get light here in Minnesota until eight or nine o’clock,” Akingbola added. “Make sure you have a pretty regular,

winding-down routine so your brain can learn that once you start doing these things it’s time for you to start preparing yourself for sleep.”

Akingbola also recommended having a very consistent wake up time.

“Everything you do from the moment you wake up is preparing you for sleep,” he said. “If you can make the day as regular as possible, then your brain will kind of figure out, ‘I wake up at this time. I do these things throughout the day and once these things happen, I can start falling asleep.’”

This year, daylight saving time will fall on Sunday, March 8.

Quad Community Press Editor

Madeline Dolby can be reached at 651407-1226 or quadnews@presspubs.com.

Brodie Law Office

Legal Advice You Can Understand and Rely On Estate Planning includes the process of managing your assets while you are living and the distribution of your assets after you die.

One of the primary benefits of implementing a revocable trust into your estate plan is that it allows assets to bypass the probate process upon the grantor’s death. Probate can be time-consuming, expensive, and public, but a revocable trust allows for a smoother and more private transfer of assets to beneficiaries.

To schedule a complimentary consultation and recommendation, contact; Brodie Law Office 4665 White Bear Parkway, White Bear Lake, MN 55110 651-429-3323 brodielawoffice.com charlene@brodielawoffice.com

Providing fish fry side support

At Right: Volunteers Brian Denault and Mike Hynes serve fish and sides of potatoes. The last two installments of the early Friday evening event are scheduled for March 13 and 27. Find more information at churchofstpiusx.org/spxfishfry.

Joseph Otto Ekhaml

Age 85, of Mahtomedi.

Passed away Feb. 19, 2026. Survived by wife of 66 years, Donna; children Joe (Ronda) Ekhaml and Tammy (Bob) Kramlinger; grandchildren Angela (Alex) Fritz, Jake Ekhaml, Joe (Haley) Ekhaml, Gina Kramlinger, and Heidi Kramlinger; great grandchildren Lincoln, Aiden, and Russell.

Funeral Service Thursday, March 12 at 11 AM at ST. JUDE OF THE LAKE, 700 Mahtomedi Ave. Mahtomedi. Visitation one hour prior to service. Arrangements by Honsa Family Funeral Home. 651-429-6172

Doreene Kaye Magnuson

Age 81 of White Bear Lake, passed away February 25, 2026.

Visitation 6:00-8:00 p.m. March 12, Funeral 11:00 a.m. March 13 with visitation one hour prior and luncheon after at White Bear Lake United Methodist Church, 1851 Birch St, White Bear Lake; www.johnsonpeterson. com.

Janette Kurzweg

Age 90, of White Bear Lake, formerly of West Saint Paul, passed away peacefully on February 24, 2026. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, David Sr. Janette is lovingly survived by her sons, David Jr. (Renee), Paul (Christine), and Richard (Brenda); her cherished grandchildren, Sarah, Emily, Elizabeth, Erich, Sonja, Dieter, Lynette, Brittany, Ashley, Garrett, Tayler, and Madison; 17 great-grandchildren; sisters, June DeViney and Jackie (Jim) Brandt; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends.

Janette was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She valued time with her family beyond all else. Her warmth, strength, and loving presence will be deeply missed and forever remembered. A private memorial service will be held by the family. Mueller Memorial - White Bear Lake, 651-429-4944, www.muellermemorial.com

Louis Farrell

Age 94 of White Bear Lake.

Took his last breath while surrounded by family on February 22, 2026. Survived by wife Geri, who he spent 69 wonderful years with; children Tracy, Tammy Carrigan, Kelly, Chris, Leigh, and Alex; 15 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren. Time of Gathering at Mueller Memorial 4738 Bald Eagle Ave, White Bear Lake on Wed, March 4 from 4-7 pm. Please join the family for Lou Mannes and appetizers! Memorials preferred to HealthPartners Hospice or the American Lung Association.

Arrangements by Mueller Memorial.

Mahtomedi warns of scam involving application fees

The city of Mahtomedi is warning residents and businesses about a fraudulent email scheme targeting property owners and applicants involved in zoning and variance proceedings in the city. The city has received reports of residents and businesses receiving emails that falsely claim to originate from the city of Mahtomedi. The emails reference real property addresses and applicant names, and are designed to trick recipients into submitting payment via wire transfer for fictitious “application review and approval fees.”

The fraudulent emails are signed by city officials and claim an outstanding invoice is due for an application review and approval fee. The city reminds residents it will never request payment via wire transfer through an unsolicited email. All legitimate fees are collected directly through the city office using established payment procedures.

If you have received a suspicious email referencing the city of Mahtomedi, do not reply, do not click on any links and do not wire any money. Be sure to contact the city of Mahtomedi staff directly at 651-426-3344 to verify any communication before taking action. If you already sent money, contact the Washington County Sheriff's Office immediately at 651-439-9381.

Man sentenced to 40 years in prison after sexual assaults in Mahtomedi

A Minneapolis man found guilty last fall of sex trafficking and sexually assaulting two victims in Mahtomedi has been sentenced to 480 months (40 years) in prison.

Billy Ray Wiley, 52, was sentenced Feb. 27 in Washington County District Court. Wiley’s convictions stem from his exploitation and sexual assaults of a 14-year-old girl and a 20-year-old woman in 2025. The court ordered that three of his four prison terms be served consecutively, and under Minnesota law he will also face mandatory conditional release terms and lifetime predatory offender registration.

“Wiley’s actions were deliberate, predatory and devastating,” Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson said. “The court’s sentence rightly reflects the nature of his horrific crimes. Wiley will no longer exploit or traffic vulnerable young women in our community.”

The sentencing follows a multiagency investigation led by the East Metro Human Trafficking Task Force. As established during the investigation, Wiley sought out vulnerable women and girls near grocery stores or on the street in Minneapolis and St. Paul, offering rides, drugs or money before bringing them to an apartment at the Piccadilly Apartments in Mahtomedi.

According to the criminal complaint, deputies were dispatched to that apartment complex on June 30, 2025, after a 14yearold girl was found outside screaming and exhibiting signs of extreme drug intoxication. Surveillance video confirmed that Wiley arrived at the building with her earlier that evening. At the hospital, she disclosed that Wiley had given her crack cocaine and brought her to the apartment, where she was sexually and physically assaulted. She identified the man inside the apartment as Michael Lewis, who was sentenced to 15 years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to third-degree criminal sexual conduct.

“Sex trafficking thrives in secrecy, manipulation and fear. Part of our job is to disrupt that cycle by intervening quickly, protecting victims, and building cases that stand up in court,” said Washington County Sheriff Dan Starry. “I’m proud of the coordinated effort by our task force partners that brought clarity to this investigation and made sure these victims were heard. We will continue to pursue those who attempt to profit from exploitation.”

Scrap meta l,appliance p/u 651*/329*0815

CITY OF MAHTOMEDI

SEASONAL FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT

MAINTENANCE WORKER

The City of Mahtomedi has openings for up to (4) full time Seasonal Maintenance Worker positions. All positions are for 67 days. Duties include assisting the Public Works Department with street, water, sewer, and park maintenance. Must have a High School diploma or GED, the ability to lift/move 25-100 Lbs., be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver’s license. The pay range is from $18.00/hr. to $20.00/ hr. depending on qualifications. Applications will be taken until positions are filled. Applications can be obtained at City Hall, 600 Stillwater Road, Mahtomedi, MN 55115 or at its website at www. mahtomedimn.gov. Mahtomedi is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Budget Tree Service is hiring. All levels of experience are welcome to apply. Willing to train the right candidates. Competitive pay and benefits. Year round employment.

651-426-8660

Ann's AwesomeHousecleaning – 20+ Yrs Exp. Dependable. Trustworthy. Ref Avail. Cll/Txt 651*/7 76 *7834

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GET A BREAK ON YOUR TAXES!

Donate your car, truck, or SUV to a ssist the blind and visually impaired. Ar range a swift, no-cost vehicle pickup and secure a generous tax credit for 2025. Call Herita ge for the Blin d Today at 844*/220 *9501 today!

SAFE STEP NORTH Amer icas #1 Walk-In Tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Topof-the-line installation and se rvice. Now featuring our FR EE shower pa ckage and $1,600 off for a limited time! Call to day! Financing available. Call Safe Step 833/*966*3882

EQUAL HOUSING

WANTED: ALL 1970S MOTORCYCLES

Running or not Titled or not Will pick up. Cash in exchange. Sell now before prices fall. Call Dan at 612/720-2142

WE BUY HOUSES for cash AS IS! No repairs No fuss Any condition. Easy three step process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Get your fair cash offer today by calling Liz Buys H ouses: 844/*978*0683

OPPORTUNITY all real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Ho using Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preferen ce, limitation or discriminat ion based on race co lo r, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or nationa l origin, or an intention, to make any such preferen ce limitation or discrimination.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 livin g with parents or legal custod ians; pregnant women and peop le securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not kn owingly accept any ad vertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers ar e hereby informed that all dw ellings advertised in this newsp ap er are available on an equal oppor tunity basis To complain of discrimination call HUD toll free: 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free number for hearing impaired is 1-800-927-92 75

SP TTED

Send us your photos for possible inclusion in Spotted Around Town. Please email your best shot to whitebearnews@presspubs.com. Please include information about when and where it was taken and who is in the photo. 3 4 2 5

1. The original Night Club band from 1973. More information in Bocklund’s letter to the editor on page 5. — Scott Bocklund, contributed 2. A four-legged spectator enjoys the Minnesota Snow Drag Tour in Hugo — booties and all. Shannon Granholm, Press Publications 3-4. On the blustery afternoon of Feb. 22 a group gathered at the VFW Post 1782 and left for a 2.2 mile walk at 2:22 p.m. to honor the 22 veterans who die by suicide every day and show support for the loves ones they left behind. VFW, contributed 5. The White Bear Lake Historical Society has a new exhibit, “Changing Times.” The exhibit is an interactive experience connecting today’s community with Hmong traditions of the past. — White Bear Lake Historical Society, contributed

SPORTS

White Bear skater

competes in Olympics

Giorgia

Birkeland, White Bear Lake native, competed in the Winter Olympics in speed skating as a member of team USA’s pursuit team along with Brittany Bowe and Mia Manganello.  Her team placed fourth of eight teams in the quarterfinals to earn a spot in the semifinals, where they lost to Canada, the eventual gold medalists.

Birkeland, 23, is the USA team’s youngest member. Speed skaters usually peak at age 25-28. It was Birkeland’s second Olympics. In 2022 in China, she placed 12th in the mass start event. In the 2023 world championships, her pursuit team earned a bronze medal.

Dentist’s curling team places 4th at Olympics

The USA women’s curling team that included a White Bear Lake dentist turned in a solid showing at the Winter Olympics, falling just short of a bronze medal.

Tara Peterson of Isaacson Gentle Dentistry is a member of Team Peterson, headed by her sister Tabitha, which also includes Cory Thiesse and Taylor Anderson-Heide.

The Americans went 6-3 in round robin play

to earn a spot in the medal round for the first time since 2002. They lost to Switzerland in the semifinals and to Canada in the third-place match. They had beaten Canada in round robin. It was the second Olympics for Tara and third for Tabitha. The sisters, Eagan natives, are longtime members of the St. Paul Curling Club.

Minnesota Snow Drag Tour makes first stop in north metro

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Will Seevers

Mahtomedi Hockey

March 4, 2026

Will Seevers, junior winger on the Mahtomedi hockey team, is “a physical force on the ice,” said coach Jeff Poeschl, and one of the main reasons the Zephyrs have reached the state tournament. “He is tenacious on the forecheck and has a tremendous shot,” Poeschl said. “Will’s work ethic and gritty approach to the game have proven to bring great inspiration and leadership to his teammates.” Seevers tallied five goals and two assists in three section games. On Mahtomedi’s very balanced attack, he has 13 goals and 10 assists for the season. Seevers is also a middle linebacker and fullback on the football team.

For the first time in the history of the tour, the Minnesota

drag races Feb. 28 on Egg Lake in Hugo. Spectators were invited to watch. In addition to sideby-side drag races, the event included a Show and Shine event hosted by the Hugo Knight Riders. After the event, an awards party was held at Hugo American Legion

GIRLS BASKETBALL

White Bear Lake’s season ended with a 57-44 loss to Two Rivers at home in their section opener. The Bears finished 10-17. Sophie Menier hit 14 points, Maddy Thompson 12 and Chloe Theissen 10 for the Bears. Two Rivers (19-8) was led by Sophia Amundson with 26 points.

SWIMMING

Benedict Hoefer, White Bear Lake senior, qualified for the state meet when he placed second in the 200 freestyle at Section 4AA. He was fourth in the 100 freestyle (49.22). Also reaching finals for the Bears were Henry Bowlin, sixth in diving, and Finnian McVeigh, seventh in breaststroke. In the state, Hoefer swam 1:47.54 in prelims and did not make the top 16.

BOYS BASKETBALL

White Bear Lake broke loose for a 91-61 win at Forest Lake, shooting 10for-20 on three’s. Will McQuay sank 22 points, Nick Cardenas 18 (4-for-7 on three’s), Colin Piper 16, Zach Turner 11 (3-for-3 on three’s), Preston Crider nine, and Jonathan Woods eight. The Bears lost to East Ridge 78-55 in the conference finale Friday night. Piper had 22 points and Cardenas 13. All-stater Cedric Thomas scored 30 for the Raptors. The Bears (9-17) face East Ridge there Wednesday in the sectional. They were 7-11 in the SEC, in a four-way tie for fifth place among 10 teams. East Ridge and CretinDerham Hall tied for first at 17-1. Bruce Strand

Demanou state runner-up, leads strong showing by Bear girls

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Jinet Demanou of White Bear Lake was runner-up at 170 pounds in the state girls wrestling tournament Saturday evening, one notch up from her third-place finish as a junior.

Demanou, a senior, led a solid showing by a foursome of Bear girls as Calli Lactorin, Isabelle Kane and Merrick Jensen joined her at state. She was the only Bear on the podium but they all won at least one match and totaled eight wins against seven losses.

The Bears’ lone boys entrant, freshman 121-pound Indiana Kane, had a win and two losses, so none of the five at state was shut out.

After missing half the matches with injuries this season, Demanou finished 13-2 with the silver medal at 170 pounds. She pinned her first three opponents: LaMeyah Williams of Roseau in 2:21, Bentlie Jackson of Waconia in :47, and Ellie Drake of New Ulm in 2:30.  She pinned Drake after being put on her back for several seconds. “All I wanted was to make it to the finals,” she recounted. “I kept saying, ‘No, no, no! And the ref was looking at me and she was looking at me.” Demanou escaped through sheer willpower and regained control.

In the finals, Esperanza Calvillo (30-1) of Apple Valley defeated Demanou 13-4. Demanou’s points came on four escapes.

Losing to the top-ranked wrestler was a disappointment “that’s not going to go away,” Demanou said. “But I’m going to use that to put fuel in the fire. I have my whole life ahead of me.” She’s looking ahead to a tournament in Fargo, and has committed to Chadron State in Nebraska.

Also a track-and-field standout (eighth-place at state in discus last June), Demanou tried basketball, volleyball and tennis before settling on wrestling and track. She came to wrestling relatively late, as a sophomore.

“I’ve accomplished so much,” she acknowledged. “At the end of the day, I’m the first girl in White Bear Lake to make it to state and I’m the first to get medals.” She added that it feels good to have teammates and little girls look up to her.

Lactorin, senior at 124, lost her first match by pin in 44 seconds to eventual champion Abbe Gindele of Annandale/Maple Lake. Lactorin then pinned a BOLD wrester and won 8-4 over a Zumbrota wrestler before getting pinned by a Foley opponent. Lactorin finished 29-19.

Isabelle Kane, junior at 130, pinned an Eagan wrestler in 5:30 in the first round, then lost 18-0 to Rush City/Braham and 8-0 to Redwood Valley. She finished 35-15.

Jensen, senior at 190, was 2-2 in the tournament, all ending by pins. She beat a Hibbing opponent, lost to Shakopee, beat Cloquet-Esko-Carlton and lost to East Ridge. She finished 13-10.

Bear icemen upset Ponies, fall to Gentry

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

White Bear Lake’s bid to reach the state hockey tournament after a .500 regular season was dashed by neighboring Gentry Academy 3-0 in the Section 4AA finals Friday evening before nearly 4,000 fans at Aldrich Arena.

The Vadnais Heights charter school that shares the same home rink as the Bears will take a 17-9-2 record to the state tournament. The Stars knocked off top-seeded, perennial finalist Hill-Murray 4-2 in the semifinals.

BOYS BASKETBALL

The Bears finished 13-12 in a season highlighted by a 2-1 overtime upset of No. 2 seeded Stillwater in the semifinals. Nate Wilke gave the Stars a quick 2-0 lead with a pair of bullets past Bear goalie Riley Helmberger, on a rebound and on a power play slap shot. Helmberger had a stellar game, stopping 29 of 31 shots. The score remained 2-0 until Brekken Zabrok added an empty netter. Stars goalie Gavin Grose made 21 saves for the shutout. The Bears shot high or wide on a handful of good opportunities. The win over Stillwater was

Mahtomedi won its last two conference games last week, finishing 12-3 in the Metro East for second place behind unbeaten Tartan. The Zephyrs, 22-3 and ranked No. 4, are seeded second in Section 4AAA behind No. 2 DeLaSalle. They opened Wednesday vs. Minneapolis Camden. The Zephyrs beat Simley 74-59 with Mark Graff and Willie Roelofs sinking 20 points each, Joey Wright 14 and Noah Carlson nine, then held off Hastings 71-65. Roelofs tallied 23 points (8-for-10 on free shots). Carlson 17 points (6-for-6 at the line), Graff 12 points (three 3-pointers) and Andrew Russell 11 points.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Mahtomedi won its Section 4AAA opener against Blake 64-55 before their season ended Saturday with an 86-69 loss to No. 5 ranked Hill-Murray. The Zephyrs finished 10-18. Hill-Murray had Sarah Poepard with 31 points, Ashlee Wilson 30 and Mya Wilson 19. Prose had 25 points, 11 rebounds and four steals, and Dumermuth 20 points, 12 rebounds and four steals. Blaisdell added 13 points and five assists. Against Blake, Berkley Blaisdell led with 22 points, 10

a thriller. The Bears trailed 1-0 until 56 seconds left when Rian Marquardt ripped the equalizer past goalie Gavin Bajda after passes from Nash Roed and Max Butters. Just 32 seconds into overtime, Roed delivered the game-winner from just outside the slot as he cut from the right side of the rink.

Pony goalie Gavin Bajda made 27 saves, stopping numerous strong shots, while Helmberger made 19 saves, giving up a power play goal to Teague McGlynn. The Bears had lost to Stillwater (16-10-1) twice in conference.

assists, and four steals. Delaney Dumermuth notched 17 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and Grace Prose 14 points and six steals. Stella Seuffert had nine rebounds and Ava Sheppeck had eight.

BOYS HOCKEY

Mahtomedi captured the Section 4A hockey championship with a 6-1 win over Chisago Lakes in the finals, securing a fifth straight trip to state and 16th overall.

The Zephrys (17-9-2) took a quick 4-0 lead at Aldrich Arena with first-period goals by Devin O’Connell, Tommy Boe, Kaden Gagnelius and Will Seevers. Then Brock Gutterman and Easton DeZelar (short-handed) made it 6-0 in the second period. Jackson Chesak in goal stopped 27 of 28 shots. In the semifinals , the Zephyrs beat Hastings 5-1 on goals by Henry Sampair, Seevers, O’Donnell, Julian Cisek (short-handed) and Brayden Fuerst.

The state tournament started Wednesday with the No. 4 seeded Zephyrs facing No. 5 St. Cloud Cathedral at Grand Casino Arena. Semifinals will be 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday and the championship at noon Saturday.

Bruce Strand

Mahtomedi’s Carlson siblings medal at state

BY BRUCE STRAND SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

Mahtomedi siblings Aidan and Elizabeth Carlson each concluded the season on the podiums at the state Class 2A wrestling tournament Saturday.

Aidan Carlson, a senior, placed third at 127 pounds, finishing the season 46-8 and his career with 176 wins. He will wrestle at MN StateMankato next year.

Elizabeth Carlson, a freshman, grabbed fifth place at 100 pounds, finishing the season 26-8, including 9-3 against boys.

This was Aidan’s fourth state tournament; he placed fourth at 121 last year.

“Obviously the ultimate goal was to get to the top of the podium, and that didn’t happen,” said Carlson. “But this was my last high school state tournament, and I was determined to just enjoy it and to leave everything I had out there, and I did that.”

The 5-foot-4 athlete started wrestling at age five, encouraged by his father, who wrestled in Mitchell, South Dakota. Aidan was in gymnastics until ninth grade, and since then has been a polevaulter in track.

On the mat, Carlson takes pride in maintaining his pace, intensity and focus. “I don’t get tired, even after six minutes,” he said. “We do a lot of conditioning at Mahtomedi.”

Aidan said did not have to recruit his look-alike sister to wrestle: “She tried it, and fell in love with it just like I did.”

Aidan pinned Brayden Fobbe of Annandale/ Maple Lake in 5:42, beat Zumbrota-Mazeppa’s Jent Beyer 6-3, lost to Totino-Grace’s Logan Refsnide (eventual runner-up) 16-0, beat New Ulm’s Alex Portner by tech fall 15-0, and, in the third-place match, tripped Beyer again 10-4.

Elizabeth pinned Joannacrystal Perez-Garcia of Pipestone 1:54, lost to New Prague’s Rhilynn Tillman 24-8, pinned Brooklyn Binsfeld of Paynesville in 4:05, got pinned by Addelyn Pastika of Osakis in 4:09, and, in the fifth place match, held off Apple Valley’s Madilyn Trotter 7-3.

“Awesome year, awesome athlete,” coach Matt Oswald said. “Great competitor for her age. Trains hard, too.”

Mahtomedi’s other entrant, sophomore Aidan Boex, lost twice at 172 pounds and finished the season 35-12.

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