Angie Hong
Guest Columnist
Jumpy No. 1 was my reward for good behavior and a steady string of perfect worksheets. My first-grade teacher, Mrs. Hatfield, kept a sticker chart at the front of the room. When my line of glittering gold stars marched across the page and down the wall at the end of the year, I went home with the class goldfish and an invitation to come swimming in her backyard pool that summer.
When Jumpy 1 swam away to heaven, we quickly replaced him with Jumpy 2, a goldfish won at the county fair that only lived for a week. Jumpy 3 ended its life in dramatic fashion by leaping out of the bowl in the middle of the night during my ninth birthday slumber party. Jumpy 4, however, was determined to outlast its predecessors.broadstreet.zone(48036);
By the time we moved from California to Wisconsin at the end of my sixth grade year,
Category: The Latest From Forest Lake Times
Outlook optimistic as administrators welcome change
When Linda Madsen retired from her position as district superintendent and Forest Lake Area High School Principal Steve Massey was hired to replace her, the administrative shift that followed saw several district employees changing positions. Those involved in the shift are optimistic about moving forward into the 2017-18 school year.
Jim Caldwell made a move from Linwood Elementary principal to Forest Lake Area High School principal. He served at Linwood for three and a half years.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“I am going to miss the Linwood community as a whole,” Caldwell said. “That area is filled with phenomenal people, and I have made relationships there that will last a lifetime.”
Caldwell also said that he will miss one specific aspect of his lunchtime at Linwood.
“If you are ever having a bad day, you should go have lunch with the kindergarten and first-grade students,” he said. “I guarantee you will walk away smiling.”
One other aspect of his
Richard “Dick” Damchik
Richard Damchik, age 85, of Forest Lake, passed away on July 12, 2017. Dick was a Korean War Vet with the Marine Corps.
He is preceded in death by wife, Shirley.
Survived by children, Barbara Damchik-Dykes, Jennifer (Daniel) Sherwood, John Damchik, Joan (John) Kolbow, Paul (Kelly) Damchik, Becky (Shannon) Jacobson; grandchildren, Adrienne, Camille, and Will Dykes, Christian and Daniel Sherwood, Mallorie and Joseph Damchik, Thomas and Madison Kolbow, Ashley, Renee and Jakob Damchik, Elli, Maddi, Easton and Blake Jacobson; great-granddaughter, Sophia; sister, Fay Frost; brother-in-law, Dale Werth; nieces, nephews and many friends.
A Celebration of Dick’s Life at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 18th at Roberts Family Life Celebration Home, 555 SW Centennial Dr., Forest Lake with visitation beginning at 5 p.m. until time of service
Douglas A. Rignell
Doug Rignell, a Christian man known for always showing great devotion to his family, his friends and his community, has left his earthly mission and gone to be with Jesus.
Doug was 75. He had a strong faith that he would be reunited in Heaven with his beloved wife, Marilyn (Lindberg) Rignell. Doug was also preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Muriel Rignell, and by Marilyn’s parents, Lewis and Harriet Lindberg.
Doug is remembered as being loving, caring and patient by his sons, Paul Rignell (Britta) of Harris, and Mark Rignell of Columbia Heights. Doug is also remembered fondly by his brother, Dave (Marlys) Rignell of Cambridge; and sister-in-law Marge (Rod) Westerman of Newcastle, OK. Other surviving family members include a niece, four nephews and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
Doug spent all of his youth in the Forest Lake school district, graduating with the Forest Lake High School Class of 1960.
Doug
12U Rangers 3rd at state, prepare for nationals
Submitted photoThe 12U Rangers will test themselves against elite competition this month. Front row, left to right: Ruby Lamere, Julia Stanek. Middle row: Greta Reifschneider, Aryn Blumenthal, Madison Larrabee, Madelyn Sandstrom. Back row: coach Matt Arntzen, Ella Arntzen, coach Tom Zak, Katie Zak, Brooklyn Hansen, Bethany Weiss, Bailey Thomas, Amber Dunaski, coach Mike Dunaski.
From the youth level up to the high school varsity squad, there is a quite a lot of softball talent in Forest Lake.
One team among many that demonstrate that fact is the 12U Rangers squad, which recently qualified to compete in both state and national tournaments later this month.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“The girls push themselves to be the best they can be,” coach Mike Dunaski said. “They realize that as the top 12U team they’re the cream of the crop, but they know that to keep that status they have to work for it.”
The 12U squad finished at the top
Gavin’s first ‘big fish’
Photo submitted by Emily Anderson
Emily Anderson, of Forest Lake, wishes to thank the friendly stranger, pictured right, who lent a helping hand at the Lakeside Memorial Park boat landing. On June 24, Anderson’s 13-year-old son Gavin Penaz, left, hooked a 41-inch muskie. Gavin was able to reel in and beach the fish, but needed a hand in lifting it up to the dock. The stranger, who was returning his boat to the landing, helped Gavin lift the fish and get photographic proof of his big catch. “It’s nice to have caring, friendly people in our community!” Anderson writes.
Public safety to face FLAAA in softball at Community Get Together
The Forest Lake Area Athletic Association invites the community to an evening of fun Thursday, July 13, at Fenway Fields, 5530 206th St. N., in support of the Forest Lake Public Safety groups.
The main event will be a pair of softball games pitting a team of Forest Lake Police and Fire Department officers against a team of FLAAA coaches. Afterward, families can watch the movie “Moana” on the field.broadstreet.zone(48036);
Admission to the Community Get Together is free, but attendees can support the local community on three fronts. Cash donations for the public safety groups will be accepted, and a Chuck-A-Ball contest will be held between the two games, with the cash prize split between the winner and the city’s pubic safety. Nonperishable food items will be accepted for donation to local food shelves, and proceeds from concessions will go toward Fenway Fields improvements.
The Get Together will begin at 7 p.m. In
Simmons family still echoes through Forest Lake
File photoAllen “Bud” Simmons was a prominent baker in Forest Lake for many years, and many of his children followed in his footsteps.
Editor’s note: This is the second part of a two-part series about the oft-forgotten influence of the Simmons family on the Forest Lake area. Part one, “A forgotten founding family of Forest Lake” was published here.
Cliff Buchan
ECM Staff Writer
In the mid-20th century, Forest Lake was a bustling town for commerce, and the Simmons family was a big part of it.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“There were four, probably five, grocery stores in Forest Lake at the time,” said Joe Houle, son of Ray Houle, who ran a grocery in the downtown. “There was plenty of competition. They (the Simmons team) were good businessmen.”
Mitt Simmons, who was 82 when he died in 1955, spent time in J.L. Simmons’ dry goods business (covered in part one) and at the turn of the 20th century owned
Notice of Public Hearings – LINWOOD TOWNSHIP
Public Notice
Public Hearingbroadstreet.zone(48036);
July 18, 2017
7:00 p.m.
Application 2017 – 08
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning and Zoning Commission of Linwood Township will hold a public hearing to consider and give recommendation to the Town Board on application 2017-08 from Charles H. Miller Jr. at 24335 Potomac St. NE, Linwood, MN 55079 requesting Township approval and a Variance from building size, to build a new accessory building.
PID number 27-34-22-22-0007broadstreet.zone(50962);
Michael J. Jungbauer
Zoning Administrator
Published in the
Forest Lake Times
July 13, 2017
708438
Forest Lake bustles with development
Photo by Ryan HowardA new PetSmart will be opening next to Aldi in Forest Lake this fall.
Lots of development projects are afoot in Forest Lake. The Lighthouse Lofts apartment project on Lake Street has been getting a lot of attention as of late, but a number of other residential and commercial projects are underway in the city, including the following developments.
Glenborough projectsbroadstreet.zone(48036);
Developer Glenborough is currently retooling two building spaces that it owns along 12th Street Southwest: the old Crown Auto building, which will house a Tim Horton’s restaurant and two other, to-be-determined occupants, and the other half of the old Rainbow Foods space next to Aldi, which will become a PetSmart. Dick Kvanbeck, Minnesota general manager at Glenborough, told The Times that he expects both projects to open in or near October.
The Crown building will keep its structural shell, but everything else, including roofing, utility lines and parking lot, will