Category: The Latest From Forest Lake Times

Photo courtesy of TLC Digital Images
Wins come early for boys soccer
Last year, the Forest Lake boys soccer team only won one game, though it came against Mounds View, which would eventually make a run to the state tournament.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“We had lots of leads late in games, but due to our youth and inexperience we couldn’t close them out,” head coach Joe Tomas said. “We’re optimistic that that was a stepping stone for this year.”
Tomas made that statement before the Rangers had played a game in 2017, but so far his optimism seems well-founded. In their first game of the season, the Rangers beat Blaine 3-1. The Bengals had been rated No. 9 in the state preseason rankings. The Rangers followed that up with a 3-2 win against Coon Rapids, surpassing their win total from 2016 already and giving them a pair of wins against potential Section 7AA playoff opponents – a

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Maria Villella
Young soccer squad seeks progress
In 2016, the Forest Lake girls soccer team struggled to earn results, collecting two wins and a draw along with 12 defeats.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“It’s a young group this year, so we’re looking to see improvement,” coach Rich Elliot said. “They don’t know each other very well yet, so it’s fun watching them learn to play together.”
The 2017 roster lists four seniors, six juniors, six sophomores and two freshmen.
“We want to see them play as a team,” coach Amanda Hansen said. “They came in as 18 individuals, and now they’re starting to come together as a team.”
Elliot and Hansen share the head coaching duties. Elliot works with the goalkeepers and defenders while Hansen leads the midfielders and forwards.
Two midfielders will wear the captains’ armbands this year, senior Vanessa Weigel and junior Carly Walker. Walker will patrol the middle of the field while Weigel will work on the outside.broadstreet.zone(50962);
“[Walker]

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Taylor Ritchot (left) and Valerie Patterson
State-level divers lead Rangers
A year ago, the top Ranger performances occurred mainly above the water, rather than in it: the only Ranger athletes to advance to the state championship meet were divers.broadstreet.zone(48036);
That diving unit will be strengthened by the return of an experienced specialist coach. Meanwhile, head coach Kim Jones hopes to see improved performances from the swimming section of her team.
Kenzie Klein came the closest to earning a trip to state, finishing fourth in the 50 freestyle and fifth in the 100 backstroke at the Section 7AA meet – the top two placers move on to state.
Now a senior, Klein will try to improve her marks to reach the level needed to make state, and will also be counted on to score big points for the team.
“[Klein] broke our school record in the 100 backstroke at sections, and she’s really looking forward to breaking

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The seniors, from left: Abby Bier, Maria Quigley, Lindsey Lautigar, Liz Lee, Clara Olson, Claire Lautigar, Elly Capra and Olivia Gadberry. (Photo courtesy of TLC Digital Images)
Captains dare to dream about state tournament
hen the senior captains of the 2017 squad, middle hitter Clara Olson and setter Olivia Gadberry, were asked about their goal for the season, they both gave the same answer at the same time: “state!”broadstreet.zone(48036);
“Everyone has in mind that this year is our year to be section champions,” Gadberry said. “We have an insane amount of talent on the court, we just need to bring it all together as a team.”
2015 Section 7AAA champion North Branch has dropped down to Class AA, leaving squads like Cambridge-Isanti, Princeton and 2016 champions Grand Rapids as the teams to beat on the road to state. The Rangers last made state in 2002.
“It’ll be a matter of wanting to get the job

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New district opponents await football squadbroadstreet.zone(48036);
Most years, the biggest change for any team is the departure of seniors and the arrival of underclassmen to take their spots in the lineup.
In 2017, Forest Lake football faces a bigger change. A little over a year ago, Forest Lake applied for and were granted the right to move into a new district, a change which goes into effect this season. With the switch, the Rangers will face an entirely new slate of opponents in 2017, with no holdovers from last season remaining on the schedule.
The Rangers are now members of the Blue subdistrict of the Suburban district alongside Hopkins, Coon Rapids and Robbinsdale Armstrong. The Rangers will host Coon Rapids in their home opener Sept. 8 and Armstrong on Sept. 22. They will play Hopkins away on Oct. 13.
The Rangers’ remaining opponents are pulled from the membership of the other Suburban subdistricts. The

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Library closed September 4 in observance of Labor Day
FEATURED EVENTS
Cathartic coloring for creative adults
Sept. 13 from 6:30 to 8 p.m.
The library supplies everything but imagination. Come any time during the meeting for as long as you like.
Mixed-media painting pet portraits
Sept. 18 6 to 7:30 p.m.
This event will feature experimentation with different kinds of painting, drawing, and collage materials to make a unique, colorful, and fun portrait of a favorite pet or animal. Various pattern, texture, and mark-making techniques will be covered, and multiple images will be created to take home.
Raptors of Minnesota
Sept. 30 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Naturalists from the raptor center will bring live birds of prey to the library. Learn why these magnificent raptors are so important for our world. Explore the different raptors found in Minnesota and hear about their role in the environment. Learn the three key features of all raptors and learn why they are different

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Submitted photosJessie Weber and Margaret Owens are new doulas at Fairview Lakes Medical Center. A grant allowed the hospital to bring in the doulas to specialize in working with at-risk mothers.
Hannah Davis
Contributing Writer
Doulas will now be a part of the Fairview Lakes Medical Center thanks to a grant funded by the Fairview Foundation. The grant helped bring in two doulas for pregnant women who have limited access to prenatal care and are ages 18 and under or who have a cognitive impairment or anxiety disorders.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“When you talk about an at-risk population, which is who the grant is geared towards, a lot of times those are the patients that come in that haven’t had prenatal care and have that anxiety or cognitive impairment,” said Rachel Dunnette, inpatient nursing director.
The grant request to bring in doulas was submitted by the former director of inpatient nursing. Dunnette facilitated the process of developing the

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Letters will be accepted for the Open Forum for publication in the next available issue after receipt. Letters may be sent to Forest Lake Times, 146 N. Lake St., Suite 125, Forest Lake, or by e-mail to ryan.howard@ecm-inc.com. Letters should not exceed 250 words and must be signed with the writer’s name, address and telephone number. Deadline is noon Monday. The newspaper reserves the right to edit letters and assure that rules of libel and good taste are not violated. Letters by the same writer will not be published more than once per calendar month.
A marked improvementbroadstreet.zone(48036);
I am a Forest Lake High School student, and I wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped make the high school construction happen. A renovated parking lot coupled with a new math and science wing make up the majority of the improvements so far. Existing hallways have been improved by adding

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Sara Iverson works as a paraprofessional with special needs students at North Lakes Academy. Teaching young people is what she loves doing. In fact, Iverson enjoys teaching so much, that after the school bell rings, she heads to The Dance Factory to teach for a few more hours. Iverson has worked at The Dance Factory for eight years, teaching recreational and competitive dance classes. This fall, though, she’s especially looking forward to returning to teach one of the studio’s newest programs, Darby’s Dancers.
Darby’s Dancers, which is currently offered at 24 locations in the United States, first launched at The Dance Factory in the summer of 2016. It is a tuition-free, once-a-week dance program offered to special needs youth who want dance education. The program covers a variety of dance styles and topics, andprovides one coach to every student enrolled. Teachers and coaches work to understand and manage sensory issues, as

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Robert “Bob” Beckman, age 82 of Linwood Township, Minnesota, died August 31, 2017.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Karen; children, Bart (Terry), Lisa (Mike) Sowers, Tammie (Thomas) Lukkonen; ten grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; brother, F. Alan; other family and friends.
Graveside services will be held at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at Linwood Township Cemetery. A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held from noon to 2 p.m., Tuesday at Linwood Senior Center, 22817 Typo Creek Drive, Linwood. Memorials may be directed to the American Cancer Society. Online condolences may be made at www.mattsonfuneralhome.com. Cards and memorials may be directed to Mattson Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 343 N. Shore Drive, Forest Lake, MN 55025.

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