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SIGN OF THE TIMES: Local pups make political play PAGE 11
German students wave goodbye to high school
students and teachers from White Bear Lake Area High School travel to Germany in the summer for two weeks. A group of exchange students This aspect of the program who have been in White was established between the Bear Lake for four weeks two schools in 1999 and has said goodbye to the city and remained a fixture of the GAPP returned home to their native country this week. The students program since. The exchange students and were in the city through the German American Partnership program coordinator Stefan Schulze-Brüggemann stayed Program (GAPP), a nonprofit with different host families organization that creates around the city. Each host opportunities for exchange family provided them one between the United States and meal daily, rooming and Germany. Through the program, a group transportation to and from different school activities. Other of 10 to 20 German students traveling and visiting expenses and their teachers from F.-A.Brockhaus-Schule Gymnasium, were covered by both the students and the GAPP program a high school in Leipzig, travel itself. to White Bear Lake during the During their stay, the students fall semester for two weeks. participated in many fun Similarly, a group of 10 to 20 BY ERIK SUCHY STAFF WRITER
activities tailored to introduce them to Minnesota’s culture and events. These included visiting the League of Women Voters; riding the Stillwater River Boat Cruise; and visiting Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon. The students also participated in various activities with their host families during their stay, culminating with a farewell barbecue at the house of David and Lindsay Lamwers. David currently teaches earth science and coaches tennis at Mariner Middle School, while Lindsay is a media specialist at White Bear Lake Area High School. The students departed from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport on Oct. 15 for Frankfurt, where they will then leave for Leipzig.
BY ERIK SUCHY STAFF WRITER
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The Annual Pumpkin Patch at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church opened this week and runs through Thursday, Oct.31. Hours are 2 p.m. to dusk, Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to dusk Saturday; and noon to dusk Sunday. The Pumpkin Patch will also be open from noon to dusk on Thursday, Oct. 17 and Friday, Oct. 18, when students are out of school for MEA. Proceeds from the sale of pumpkins support church missions.
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White Bear Lake Vadnais Heights
Plans to purchase and install an electric vehicle charging station in front of City Hall failed to proceed at last week’s White Bear Lake City Council meeting. The council disagreed on the planned purchase by a vote of three to two: members Bill Walsh, Heidi Hughes and Steve Engstran voted against the resolution and Kevin Edberg and Andrea West voted in favor of it. The proposed charging station would be a public, dual-use one and cost $20,500. This would also include five years of software maintenance and $5,000 for a second fiveyear software maintenance renewal to be included in a future budget. City staff had also proposed a user fee of 17 cents per kilowatt for each vehicle, which would have been added to the city’s 2025 fee schedule.
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“It feels like we’re trying to run our city like a business,” said Walsh, “where we try to determine our costs and how to recover them. We would have to make these decisions as though we’re purchasing an asset, such as charging the right price and advertising it over a certain number of years. We should stick to our core functions of providing public safety, plowing streets and offering clean water to homes. It feels like there’s no ‘why’ as to why we need to commit to this other than ‘we want to encourage this technology.’” Hughes’ issue with the station was centered on its funding. “I don’t see how it’s up to my neighbors to fund a charging source for those who buy alternative vehicles,” said Hughes. “It’s great for those who want to buy them, but I
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Electric vehicle charger a no-go at City Hall
Pick up a pumpkin at the local patch
FINALIST
A group of German exchange students bid farewell to visiting White Bear Lake before returning home: (back row, from left) GAPP Exchange Program coordinator Stefan Schulze-Brüggemann, Johann Bienert, Pauline Gaebler, Albert Goetze, Toby Behrndt, Robin Henze, Tim Reusch; (front row) Fabian Eichelbaum, Julius Brzuske, Stéphanie Dussault, Emma Gabke, Olivia Tielscher, Emily Bartnik, Martha Henk.
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