Category: The Latest From Forest Lake Times

Photo by Brad Asplund
When head coach Chelsie Thielen started the North Lakes track program five years ago, there were only six athletes on the team. The school had a dearth of equipment and had to practice when and where it could.
“I forgot to bring the shots to the first meet, if that’s any indication,” Thielen said.broadstreet.zone(48036);
This year, the roster lists 22 athletes.
There is still no track on the North Lakes campus. The Huskies practice off-campus on a cinder track – a surface that was considered obsolete for high-level use by the late 1960s. The program pays to utilize the track at Chisago Lakes a few days out of the season.
“We have high aspirations of getting high jump and long jump pits,” assistant coach Tom Lutes said. “There’s a lot of things we’d like to have if we allow ourselves to dream a little bit. In the meantime, we’ve become very

See Full Post >>

File photo
Forest Lake synchronized swimming coach Laura Davison has been involved with the team for 20 of its 24 years. Davison was a swimmer on the team when it was inaugurated in 1994, and apart from a four-year layoff for college, she has been an athlete or coach ever since.
In that time, the Rangers have developed into one of the state’s best programs and become a fixture at the state meet: A year ago, the Rangers placed third overall.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“We’ve been consistently in the top three in the state behind Wayzata and Stillwater,” Davison said.
The Rangers have already contested three figure meets, where swimmers perform individual maneuvers for judges and score points toward a team total. The Rangers defeated Columbia Heights and Osseo-Maple Grove, and took a one-point loss to Stillwater.
“We lost, but if you look at the top 20 places, we took 12,” Davison said.
With the figure portion of the

See Full Post >>

Photos by Brad O’Neil
The Forest Lake boys tennis squad will have a whole new look this season. Nearly every member of the 2016 varsity lineup graduated, meaning the 2017 lineup will feature many young players who will have to learn on the fly.
“It’s a small team this year; we only have 19 kids out,” head coach Violet Shortly said. “Some of them are being thrown up into varsity a little sooner than I would prefer, but we have to do it.”broadstreet.zone(48036);
Senior captain Carter Stumne will lead the team from his No. 1 singles spot.Senior Carter Stumne and junior Logan Olson have been named the captains and will be responsible for bringing the younger players up to speed as the season progresses.
“Carter has worked very hard and is a great kid,” Shortly said. “Logan is the junior with the most varsity experience.”
Stumne won at No. 1 singles in his first match,

See Full Post >>

Photo by Jason DeMoe
In 2016, the Forest Lake softball team advanced to the Class AAAA state tournament, making it as far as the consolation championship before falling to Suburban East Conference rivals Park.
Such is the strength of the SEC that the Rangers finished in a tie for third in the league, but were one of three SEC teams present at the state tournament.broadstreet.zone(48036);
With the 2017 season underway, the Rangers have already played the three teams who equaled or bettered them in 2016, taking wins from Woodbury and defending champion Park before falling to Stillwater.
“Last year, we were 0-5 against Woodbury and Park,” head coach Sean Hall said. “We’re off to a pretty good start this year. I like where we are. Between Park, Stillwater, Woodbury and us all beating up on each other, I wouldn’t be surprised if whoever wins the conference has two or three losses.”
Once they moved into

See Full Post >>

Mara Bain
Guest Columnist
There is no question the Washington County Sheriff’s Office is a professional organization. Sheriff Hutton and Chief Deputy Starry lead a team of dedicated deputies, and Forest Lake residents benefit daily from the services they provide. The question before our city is whether the Forest Lake Police Department should be disbanded and primary law enforcement services contracted through WCSO. I would contend there are five primary reasons why a compelling case has not been made.broadstreet.zone(48036);
We lose local control.
Currently, Forest Lake residents, through their election of city officials, control every aspect of services provided by the Forest Lake Police Department. We control budget, leadership, staffing, policies and day-to-day operations. Under a WCSO contract, this control is transferred to the Washington County Sheriff and Board of Commissioners, all elected officials with very few ties to Forest Lake.
Cost differences are not significant or guaranteed.
As of press deadline for this column, only

See Full Post >>

Ben Winnick
Guest Columnist
There have been so many rumors, misunderstandings, and yes, lies spread around about the county proposal for police service that I need to set the record straight.broadstreet.zone(48036);
First of all, we have never thought of a police shutdown; that is ridiculous! It is a basic requirement of the proposal to have equal or more patrols in Forest Lake.
Secondly, at no time would the officers be driving from Stillwater. All officers would be stationed right here in Forest Lake, just as they are now; response times would be the same or better.
Thirdly, this is not about saving money. It is about getting the best service for the best value. The City Council puts public safety as its No. 1 priority, and this is why we asked for a proposal from the Sheriff’s Office. Forest Lake is no longer a small town, but a growing city; crime does not stop at

See Full Post >>

Photos by Terry Traver TitleSmart’s Forest Lake team, including Shari McLagin, co-owner Cindy Koebele, and Inge Andre are ready to serve.
Terry Traver
Contributing Writer
Professional real estate closers TitleSmart Inc. recently opened a location in Forest Lake at 207 Lake St. N. The business is headquartered in White Bear Lake, it has six locations total, and it will celebrate its 10th anniversary this month.broadstreet.zone(48036);
President and CEO Cindy Koebele is co-owner with her sister, Vice President and Executive Closer Angela Shackle. They started the title insurance business in 2007 in Maplewood with a $30,000 loan from their parents (paid back in the third year of business) and three employees: Koebele, her sister and a friend. By 2009, they employed nine people, and currently there are 66 employees, including three who work at the Forest Lake branch.
“TitleSmart is a strictly local business of mostly women,” Koebele said. “We have 9,067 square feet at the

See Full Post >>

Lakes International Language Academy has received funding for student health and wellness initiatives and worksite wellness efforts through Living Healthy in Washington County grants, supported by the Statewide Health Improvement Partnership through the Minnesota Department of Health. SHIP helps the state create better health by reducing obesity and tobacco use, in partnership with schools, health care settings, worksites, and communities across Minnesota.
LILA plans to use the funds provided through SHIP’s school strategy area to support healthy after school snacks, “Smarter Lunchroom” grab-and-go options, an innovative aeroponic indoor school garden, and physical education enhancements and active recess gear such as soccer balls and spike ball sets at the upper school, as well as new soccer nets and art chalk for the lower school.broadstreet.zone(48036);
SHIP funding as part of the partnership’s worksite wellness focus will help LILA launch healthy snack stations for staff at LILA’s lower and upper schools, providing storage, small refrigerators,

See Full Post >>

Arik “The Anarchist” Cannon will wrestle Scott Story for the Minnesota Independent Championship belt in the main event of Forest Lake Fights 2 at the American Legion April 22 at 8 p.m.
What began as a passionate appreciation of professional wrestling from the perspective of a fan turned into a full-time career for Wyoming resident and 2000 Forest Lake Area High School graduate Arik Cannon.
Cannon will wrestle Scott Story for the Minnesota Independent Championship belt in the main event of Forest Lake Fights 2 at 8 p.m. April 22 at the American Legion.broadstreet.zone(48036);
“I was a total nerd for wrestling back in the day,” Cannon said. “I was all about it and I knew it was something I wanted to do.”
Luke Greenwald, Cannon’s friend and classmate at FLAHS, happened to have a sister with a connection. Cannon was eager to get the hook up.
“Luke had a sister named Norah who graduated from

See Full Post >>

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that default has occurred in the conditions of the following described mortgage:
DATE OF MORTGAGE: broadstreet.zone(48036);
July 08, 2011
ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $292,400.00
MORTGAGOR(S): Carl R Cedergren and Jame Cedergren, husband and wife
MORTGAGEE: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for U.S. Bank N.A., its successors and/or assigns
DATE AND PLACE OF REGISTERING:broadstreet.zone(50962);
Registered: July 20, 2011 Washington County Registrar of Titles
Document Number: 1207527
ASSIGNMENTS OF MORTGAGE:
And assigned to: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Dated: October 18, 2013
Registered: October 25, 2013 Washington County Registrar of Titles
Document Number: 1225284
Transaction Agent: Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.
Transaction Agent Mortgage Identification Number:
100021200003877379
Lender or Broker:
U.S. Bank N.A.
Residential Mortgage Servicer: U.S. Bank National Association
Mortgage Originator:
Not Applicable
CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NUMBER: 62223
COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: Washington
Property Address: 1775 Johnson Dr, Stillwater, MN 55082-4140
Tax Parcel ID Number:
20.030.20.14.0007
LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: Lot 42, Block 1, Oak Glen, according to the plat thereof on file and of record

See Full Post >>