Category: The Latest From Forest Lake Times

Photo by Brad O’NeilBlake Johnson stands atop the podium with six gold medals.
At the USA Gymnastics Region 4 Championships on April 8 at the Gangelhoff Center in St. Paul, Southwest Junior High eighth-grader Blake Johnson added six more gold medals to his large and ever-growing collection, becoming the regional champion in six of the seven possible categories in the Level 8, age 13-14 division.
Gymnasts from more than 40 clubs in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska and the Dakotas competed in the regional meet. Johnson won the floor exercise (11.7), pommel horse (11.55), rings (12.25), vault (11.95), high bar (11.6) and all-around (70.55) titles, topping a field of 16 gymnasts in his division. He also placed sixth in the parallel bars (11.5), one place shy of adding yet another medal to his cache.broadstreet.zone(48036);
Johnson’s medals are displayed at home in a former rifle case. He earns approximately 60 medals and awards each season

See Full Post >>

Submitted photobroadstreet.zone(48036);
Students competed in three preliminary rounds of competition and one final round in which the top eight advanced to state. Heading to the state tournament will be junior Nick Willcocks, creative expression; senior Klare Hollenkamp, prose; senior Sara de Sobrino, extemporaneous speaking; senior Alex Biedny, extemporaneous speaking; junior Courtney Leonard, storytelling; juniors Karley Manning and Logan Olson, dramatic duo; senior Zoe Karan, great speeches; junior Lacey Wedell, discussion; and junior Erin O’Brien, original oratory.

See Full Post >>

Dennis DuBois, age 76 of Forest Lake, was born on July 9, 1940 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. He was the son of Agnes (Chartrow) and John DuBois. He graduated from Lake Chetek High School and in 1958 he enlisted in the United States Navy. He specialized in Nuclear Power while in the Navy and continued in the field as a government inspector after his honorable discharge. He met the love of his life, Sandra, and the two were married in Taylors Falls, Minnesota on August 28, 1999. When he was not working or spending time with his family, he was playing the tuba in polka bands in both Minnesota and Arizona.
Dennis passed away on Monday, April 10, 2017.
He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Agnes; and siblings, LeRoy, Robert, Johnny, Bernard, Adrian, and Brian.
He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Sandra; the mother of his

See Full Post >>

Kory Klein, age 32 of Hugo, died unexpectedly after being struck by a vehicle on April 14, 2017.
A gathering to share memories of Kory will be held 4-8 p.m. Thursday, April 20, at Roberts Family Life Celebration Home, 555 SW Centennial Dr., Forest Lake. There will be an informal service at 8 p.m. in which friends and family will have an opportunity to share memories.

See Full Post >>

The Forest Lake track teams entered various delegations in three small meets last week, including a tri-meet at Woodbury on April 5, a tri at Edina on April 6 and a quad at East Ridge on April 7.
Boys and girls competed at Woodbury. Event winners were Haley Woods (girls 800, 2:46.17), junior Vanessa Weigel (girls high jump, 4-8; long jump, 14-6.25), freshman Max Charlsen (boys discus, 121-5) and the boys 4×200 relay team (1:40.42).broadstreet.zone(48036);
The boys meet finished Woodbury 244, Cretin-Derham Hall 163, Forest Lake 110. The girls ended Cretin 216, Woodbury 200, Forest Lake 93.
The girls team won the Edina meet with 109 points, ahead of Edina (64) and Washburn (19).
Sophomore Madeline Doby won the 100 (13.04) and 200 (26.89). Junior Jenna Parent took the 400 (1:05.21) and pole vault (10-0). Ranger juniors swept the hurdles races, with Chloe Foster taking the 100 (16.04) and Hannah Jents the 300 (48.05);

See Full Post >>

The Forest Lake synchronized swimming team opened its season with a series of three figure meets, winning two and losing one.
In a figure meet, each swimmer competes as an individual, performing the ballet leg, barracuda, tower and walkover maneuvers for a panel of judges. Scores from each figure are totaled to determine the individual standings, with the top seven placers earning points toward the team score.broadstreet.zone(48036);
The Rangers beat Columbia Heights 29-0 on March 28, sweeping the scoring spots. Fallon Olson topped the heap with a combined score of 63.943, helped by top finishes in the tower and walkover. Kenzie Klein finished second, followed by Mika Peterson, Paige Thurnbeck, Brecken Carr, Dani Sardeson and Michelle Perkins. Klein claimed the high score in the ballet leg and tied with Carr and Peterson to top the list in the barracuda.
The Rangers beat Osseo/Maple Grove 29-0 on April 4. Olson was again the top

See Full Post >>

Two Forest Lake graduates are deserving of recognition for their recent collegiate accomplishments.
Cody Walton, currently a junior on the University of Nebraska track team, broke the Cornhusker record for the decathlon on April 8-9.
Walton set his record at the Spec Towns Invitational at the University of Georgia, where he scored 7,937 points, a mark that currently stands as the fourth-best in the nation.broadstreet.zone(48036);
On day one, Walton set marks in the 100 (11.22), long jump (23-7.5), shot put (46-6.75), high jump (6-6.75) and 400 (49.77).
On day two, Walton competed in the 110 hurdles (14.79 seconds), discus (138-11), pole vault (15-11.75), javelin (223-9) and 1500 (4:55.90).
Kalynn Tilton, a sophomore first baseman for the Minnesota, Duluth, softball team, was named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference player of the week on April 3.
Over the course of the previous week, Tilton slammed nine hits in 18 at-bats, including two home runs, totaling 12 RBIs. She

See Full Post >>

Wyoming Elementary students had the opportunity to show their appreciation to the Wyoming Police Department on April 6 during the Operation Thank an Officer event. The event allows students from schools across the state to hand write and design thank you cards and letters to police officers thanking them for their service to the community. The cards and letters are collected throughout the months leading up to National Police Week, which will be held May 15 to 21, and the Operation Thank an Officer organization will open each letter to make sure it goes to the right department.
Students at Wyoming Elementary were able to receive a high-five from an officer, a sticker badge and a bracelet while they placed their cards through the window of a squad car for collection. More than 1,000 cards were received from the students.

See Full Post >>

Forest Lake Area High School senior Emily Hekele has often struggled with having appropriate accommodations in her classes when it comes to her hearing disability. But now, she has been given a tool that will allow her to take hold of her own learning and accommodations when she enters college in the fall.
Hekele will be distributing a video she has created to her college professors that will educate them on what accommodations will help her learn and grow in their class. This was all made possible by The Education Foundation of the Forest Lake Area grant given to the Forest Lake Area Schools in Dec. 2016.broadstreet.zone(48036);
The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program serves approximately 31 deaf and hard of hearing students and is made up of about 10 teachers, interpreters and other staff members. One goal of the program is to provide equal access to deaf or hard of hearing

See Full Post >>

Joe Nolan hits a return during the Rangers’ match against Hibbing on April 7. The Rangers, who were without some of the projected varsity starters, lost 7-0. The Rangers will begin their Suburban East Conference journey when they host Cretin-Derham Hall on April 13.

See Full Post >>