Press Publications 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 9 CIRCLE PINES, MN
BINGO
853927
MONDAYS 6PM SATURDAYS 12:30PM WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2026 VOL. 131 NO. 25 www.whitebearpress.com $1.00
BEAR SPORTS: Spring previews PAGES 7-8
Find the bunnies see page 2
County continues to plan for regional trail expansion BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
A major regional trail project continues to move forward. Once a one-mile extension is complete, there will be continuity from Ramsey County up to Chisago County. The Hardwood Creek Regional Trail is a 10-mile multiuse trail that stretches through Forest Lake and Hugo. From the north to south, the existing trail follows the Burlington Northern Railroad corridor, adjacent to Highway 61, from the Chisago County border in the north to 140th Street in Hugo in Washington County, where it stops. There is currently a one-mile gap in the trail where the rail line remains active. “By extending the trail south from 130th Street N to 120th Street N, the gap will be addressed, and the trail will have continuity from Ramsey County up to Chisago County,” explained Erin Blaylock, Washington County design engineer/business liaison. A master plan was approved for the trail nearly a decade ago (2013), and the city of Hugo undertook a preliminary feasibility study for the corridor in 2019. The county also performed a feasibility study for the project in 2022. At the time, the council approved a letter of support for the final extension of
PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS
Pre-Easter bunny sighting Hundreds of children recently scrambled across the athletic fields at Podvin Park during two Easter Egg hunting sessions, sponsored by the White Bear Lake Police Department and managed by CERT volunteers. The Easter Bunny made an appearance and three gold, prize winning eggs were included among the hundreds of eggs distributed across the fields for each egg hunting session. Easter will be celebrated this year on Sunday, April 5.
SEE REGIONAL TRAIL, PAGE 9
Residents ask council to reconsider sidewalks for 2026 project BY SHANNON GRANHOLM MANAGING EDITOR
WHITE BEAR LAKE — The 2026 pavement rehabilitation project will move forward, but it will look a bit different from city staff’s recommendation. The project will include Banning Avenue (Lake Avenue to Second Street); Cook Avenue (Second Street to Fourth Street); Second Street (Banning Avenue to Lake Avenue); Third Street (Cook Avenue to Stewart Avenue); and the alley (Second Street to south end). Public Works Director/City Engineer Paul Kauppi explained that Banning Avenue is proposed for a mill and overlay and will have the upper 2 inches of bituminous pavement milled off and replaced. The remaining streets are proposed for reconstruction and will be completely reconstructed with curb and gutter, new aggregate base, new pavement and storm sewer improvements. The alley portion of the project will consist of removing the existing deteriorated pavement and construction of new aggregate base and bituminous pavement section. As part of the project, city staff recommended the
2024
2023
2022
of the Press
of the Press
FINALIST Best of the Press White Bear Lake Vadnais Heights
addition of four sidewalk segments: • West side of Banning Avenue between Lake Avenue and First Street • East side of Banning Avenue between Lake Avenue and Second Street • North side of Second Street between Cook Avenue and Lake Avenue • South side of Second Street between Banning Avenue and Lake Avenue Kauppi said that both the 2040 Comprehensive Plan and the recent parking and mobility study guide where the city should consider sidewalks and trails and connecting missing segments. “This is a core area, and you can see that sidewalk is plentiful in this area and is kind of expected due to the parking, the access between the trail and downtown,” he said. “A lot of the events we have downtown, parking starts to extend into these areas and in the areas where there is not sidewalk they are walking in the streets … The more connectivity we can have between major facilities, the better from a SEE SIDEWALKS, PAGE 13
STOP SAVE
see store for details
White Bear Lake Vadnais Heights
THE BEST SERVICE • SELECTION • VALUE
NOW HIRING ALL POSITIONS
854251
Temporary Hours: 7:30am - 5pm M-F • 7:30am - 2pm Sat • GPMINNESOTAWHOLESALE.COM
NEWS 651-407-1230 whitebearnews@presspubs.com
OIL, FILTER, LUBE, 4 TIRE ROTATION
3699
$
3955 Highway 61, White Bear Lake, MN (651) 426-4518 CIRCULATION 651-407-1234 circ@presspubs.com
CONTRIBUTED
The sidewalk segments above in blue depict existing sidewalks; the segments in pink indicate city staff’s recommendation for additional sidewalks.
On Sale Now
BEST OF THE PRESS White Bear Lake Vadnais Heights
ADVERTISING 651-407-1200 marketing@presspubs.com
See store for details
+ 2.00 shop supplies/2.00 waste oil filter disposal. Oil filter: up to 5 qts. of SW30. Rotate 4 tires. Check air pressure. 20 pt. Safety Inspection. Must Have Coupon. Exp. 4/30/26
CLASSIFIED 651-407-1250 classified@presspubs.com
49 $ 99 79
99
Wheel & Tire SPECIALS Going on Now
ASE Certified Mechanics • Alignment
Offer Excludes
$
&
Full Syn Ams Oil
• Select Batteries Napa & Interstate
$1000
OFF UP TO
• Brakes $3000 PER See store OFF AXLE for details
PRODUCTION 651-407-1239 art@presspubs.com
Expires 4/30/26