Corbett Johnson, who tracks the ice out date for the Forest Lake lakes each year, reported that the ice out date for 2017 was March 24. Johnson reported that there was still a small amount of ice on the water of second lake that day but that all three lakes were navigable by kayak.
Category: The Latest From Forest Lake Times
George Howard Ruggles
Loving Husband, Dad, Grandpa, Great-GrandpaGeorge Ruggles, age 84 of Forest Lake, passed away on April 9, 2017.
Howard was a graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College and The University of Minnesota. He was a lifelong Forest Lake resident and businessman, owning Bob Johnson’s Sporting Goods and Hardware Hank. He served on the Forest Lake City Council and was a member of Forest Lake Masonic Lodge #344. Howard was also an avid outdoorsman and involved with Ducks Unlimited. He was an active member at Faith Lutheran Church, serving on the church council.
Preceded in death by son, Paul; brother; Henry.
Survived by wife of 62 years, Ann; children, Peter (Janice Devine-Ruggles), Sue (John) Coy, Thomas (Cynthia), Patricia (Jack) Alberg; grandchildren, Andrew (Sheila), Dorea (Joel), Matthew (Jocelyn), Caitlin, Patrick, Kyle, Joseph, Kelley; great-grandchildren, Ottilia, Aria, Lyra, Theodore; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral service 11 a.m. Thursday, April 13th at Faith Lutheran Church, 886 N. Shore
Six finalists selected for the Forest Lake Area Schools superintendent position
During a special meeting held the morning of April 8, The Forest Lake Area Schools school board selected six finalists to interview for the school district’s superintendent vacancy. The finalists were selected from a pool of 24 total applicants based on criteria established by the school board.
The finalists are Randi Anderson, Director of Personalized Learning and Instruction, Eden Prairie Schools; John-Paul Jacobson, Principal, Century Junior High School, Forest Lake Area Schools; Steven Massey, Principal, Forest Lake Area Senior High School; Steven Sallee, Superintendent, St. Louis County Schools, Virginia; Christine Weymouth, Superintendent, School District of Mauston; Gregory Winter, Director of Teaching and Learning, Cambridge-Isanti Schools.broadstreet.zone(48036);
The school board has scheduled interviews for the finalists beginning at 5:30 p.m April 10, with continuation at 5:30 p.m. April 11. Interviews will be conducted at the Forest Lake District Office. All interviews are open to the public.
Keto wins MBCA assistant coach of the year
Kevin Keto
Forest Lake boys basketball coach Kevin Keto has been named the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association class AAAA assistant coach of the year.
According to the award citation, the honor recognizes a coach who has “demonstrated team loyalty, has assisted coaching a highly successful program, and performed invaluable duties for the school, team and community at a standard that is above and beyond reasonable expectation.” broadstreet.zone(48036);
“I was really surprised when I heard the news,” said Keto, who has been on the Ranger staff since 2006. “When I had a day or two to reflect, I felt honored. It feels good to be recognized for something I’m so passionate about.”
Forest Lake head coach Dan Cremisino, a member of the MBCA executive board, submitted a personal letter of recommendation as part of the nomination process.
“Kevin has been with me all 11 years of my tenure,” Cremisino said. “During that time, we have seen
Boehm family helped start Columbus, build Forest Lake
Photos courtesy of Myra Boehm MorelloThe John and Anna Boehm family portrait with the patriarch and matriarch seated in front. Standing in back left to right: George, Wenzel, Joe, John C., Margarette, Frank, Anna, Amanda, Paulina and Katherine.
It was in the late 1940s when Muzzie Boehm set about the task of building a new home on his property, situated just off Anoka County Road 23 and Kettle River Boulevard on what is known as Boehm’s Corner. As Boehm went about the excavation, he uncovered remnants of the foundation where a hotel had once stood.
Old bricks, big iron kettles, white clay pipes and even a 2-cent piece were found. It was a flashback to a time more than a century earlier, when Boehm’s Corner was the centerpiece for a progressive plan to plant a village in what today is the city of Columbus.broadstreet.zone(48036);
It was the vision of two early pioneer developers:
Visions of gardens danced in her head
Angie Hong
Guest Columnist
T’was the first week of spring when at many homes, people gazed wistfully at garden gnomes. Leaning askew on muddy brown lawns, the statues elicited nothing but yawns. No flowers, no bluebirds, and nothing was green. Their yards were the ugliest they’d ever seen.broadstreet.zone(48036);
According to the calendar, spring officially began on March 20. Up here in Minnesota, however, the view outside our windows remains unconvincing. The grass is still lifeless and brown. Trees are bare, and gardens look like little more than a tangle of dried stems lying in a heap on the ground. Early spring can sure be ugly.
Even so, there are signs here and there that the world around us is slowly returning to life. A robin hops across the barren lawn. Geese and ducks are returning to local ponds, and two weeks ago, I heard a sandhill crane flying overhead, playing an off-key tune as
FL students win college scholarships through Twitter contest
Forest Lake Area High School students Hailey Moore and Heather Sauve received a $2,500 and $1,000 scholarship, respectively, for competing in a Twitter contest run by the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at Minnesota State University Moorhead on March 22. The contest was open to any incoming student or transfer student that will be attending MSUM in the fall.
Both students had to send a Tweet to @AdmissionsMSUM stating why they want to #BeADragon, including the hashtag. The tweet had to show off some creativity using photos, videos, and anything else that was allowed within the 140-character limit. Four students were selected by a committee of faculty and staff based on the quality of their tweet for a $2,500 scholarship. Two students were selected for a $1,000 scholarship based on who had the most likes and whose tweet had the most retweets.
Chuck & Don’s acquires e-commerce business; Pet food supplier will now offer online shopping and home delivery through Fetch
Pet supply store Chuck & Don’s is excited to further enhance its offerings with a new e-commerce venture.
Since its inception in 1990, Chuck & Don’s has continued to grow throughout the Midwest and beyond, boasting 25 Minnesota locations including in Forest Lake at 1960 W. Broadway Ave., 10 Colorado locations and one location in Wisconsin.
Operating since 2006, Fetch has supplied an e-commerce platform, which includes home delivery of pet food and supplies throughout the Minneapolis metro area. Starting in 2017, the service area will include Chuck & Don’s Minnesota and Wisconsin locations and likely expand to the Colorado market in mid-2017. Now, in addition to shopping Chuck & Don’s Twin Cities locations, customers can select and make purchases online and have those items delivered right to their front door.broadstreet.zone(48036);
To learn more about Chuck & Don’s and this acquisition, visit www.chuckanddons.com and www.fetch.co.
Family Pathways to raise child abuse awareness
April is Child Abuse Awareness Month, and Family Pathways is inviting the community and local businesses to join in the fight against it.
The latest Minnesota statistics show that 25,972 calls were made to child protection or law enforcement about children being abused in 2016. A record 4,058 children were found to be experiencing abuse or neglect, 38 children suffered life threatening injuries, and 19 children died due to maltreatment.
There are several ways to get involved, including volunteering your time to the Refuge Network and Family Pathways’ important services, helping to raise awareness through local businesses and community outreach, purchasing a Stop Child Abuse blue ribbon sticker at Family Pathways Thrift Stores and participating businesses, going to familypathways.org to view a full list of participating businesses, and contributing with a monetary donation at familypathways.org.broadstreet.zone(48036);
When you purchase a Stop Child Abuse blue ribbon sticker, you will receive a one-time only, 10 percent
GALLERY: Track teams place high in elite fields
Photos by Rachel Brisbois
The Forest Lake track and field teams traveled to Mankato State to face a deep field of more than 30 schools, and the Rangers proved up to the challenge: The girls placed second with 43.5 points and the boys finished seventh with 28.broadstreet.zone(48036);
East Ridge girls (48) and Elk River boys (93) ran off with the overall victories.
The Rangers scored their biggest coup in the girls pole vault, coming away with 14 points and two medals. Sophomore Sofia Dodge cleared 10 feet, 6 inches to earn the silver medal, and junior Jenna Parent went over 10-3 to claim bronze.
It proved to be a double-day for those two when they each earned an additional bronze medal in the 4×200 relay. Dodge and Parent were joined by junior Alica Schurrer and sophomore Madeline Doby to complete their circuits in 1:50.89.
Relays were a consistent source of points for the Rangers. The