EGG HUNT UPDATE: Due to Sunday’s forecasted rain and storms, the Easter Bunny has decided that the 2017 Easter Egg Hunt will be rescheduled to Wednesday April 12 from 6 pm – 7:30 pm at Lakeside Memorial Park.
Category: The Latest From Forest Lake Times
Board approves final budget cuts; 10.78 full time equivalent teaching positions to be eliminated
A series of difficult cuts came to an end April 6 as the Forest Lake school board approved another round of budget reductions of approximately $1.02 million for the 2017-2018 school year. These most recent cuts, the third in a series of reductions that began Feb. 2, brings the total amount to $2.6 million.
Perhaps the most significant announcement came in the form of 10.78 full time equivalent positions announced to be cut as of the 2017-18 school year. At the elementary level, Forest Lake will lose 5.35 full time equivalent teaching positions at a cost savings of $267,000. Some support staff positions will also be cut for a savings of $39,000. Also at the elementary level, special education funds will be reallocated to the general fund. That move will save $31,000.broadstreet.zone(48036);
At the secondary level, full time equivalent teaching positions will be reduced by 5.35 for a savings of $271,500, and
5 Things to Do in Forest Lake on Easter Weekend
Many people have fallen in love with the lakeside views and lush greenery of Forest Lake. Residents have always considered this scenic suburb to be one of Brisbane’s best suburbs, with its picturesque, Instagram-worthy places and laid-back suburban vibe. Here are five things you can do in Forest Lake this Easter weekend.
1. Go dragon boating.
Join one of the open sessions held by the Lakes District Dragon Boat Association (a.k.a. The Lakers). They regularly conduct trial sessions where anyone can come and try the activity for free. Check out their website to learn more about when and where to join their sessions.
Modern dragon boat racing started in Hong Kong in 1976. The Lakers, established in 2006, is a member of Dragon Boat Queensland. They are always on the lookout for new members for the team. Who know, if you like it, you might even be tempted to apply for the team.
2. Take a walk or run around The Lake.
On a bright sunny day, there is one place where you absolutely must go: The Lake. Some residents often take The Lake for granted as they are used to constantly seeing the area. It’s time to look at the lake through the tourist’s eyes. This is a perfect place to take photographs, go for a walk, run around, sit under a tree with a good book or just enjoy the view while having a picnic. You can even go canoeing. Interesting people, lush greenery, and some wildlife. What’s not to like?
3. Skate to your heart’s content at Inala Skate Park.
The name of the place speaks for itself. For a fitness activity that’s also a lot of fun to do, try skating at Inala Skate Park. It is a good place to be active and to connect with other people skating in the park. The place is open daily to the public and admission is free.
4. Book a visit to the Inala Library.
The Inala Library is a hub for many worthwhile indoor activities that will help you learn more, relieve stress, and be inspired. Activities are usually free to attend but bookings are essential. Some of the upcoming events to be held in Inala Library include Explore Collage Art (on 6 April), Youth Unite @ Youth Week (7 April), Meet Joy Rhoades (12 April), BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby Book Club (2 May), and Meet David H Earley (3 May).
5. Take a sumptuous food trip around the suburb.
They say the best way to fully enjoy a good place and feel like you belong there is to experience their local food culture. Forest Lake has a variety of restaurants where you can enjoy eating international cuisine. A few noteworthy establishments would be Forest Lake Hotel, Burger Institute Forest Lake, Punjab Curry Club, Red Chili Thai, Tandoori Mahal, and The Red Door Chinese.
EASTER BONUS!
This Easter weekend, an exciting bonus activity awaits. For this month’s community highlight, watch a vibrant cultural show. The Tamil Indian New Year is drawing near! On the 15th of April (Saturday), a special show to celebrate the yearly occasion will be held at 5:00 p.m. in St. John’s Anglican College. The Varnam Cultural Society of Queensland sponsors the said event with a slogan that says, “Bringing Colour in to Your Lives.” There will be noteworthy performances featuring Mimicry, Tamil Indian Classical, Folk, Concept and Bollywood dances. Members of the audience will also be given the chance to join the dancers onstage.
Click here to book your ticket for the Tamil Indian New Year Celebration!
Whether you are a local looking for things to do, or have friends from out of town who would like to check out Forest Lake this Easter weekend, you can never go wrong with Forest Lake’s unique and eclectic mix of nature, adventure, and culture. Enjoy!
Click here for public transport options to Forest Lake attractions.
Photo Credit: Brad Ellis at ANGFA Qld/Facebook
Sheriff’s proposal for police coverage arrives
The city of Forest Lake received a proposal for contract law enforcement in the city from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office the evening of April 4, according to city staff. The proposal estimated that the total adjusted cost to the city for sheriff’s office law enforcement service in 2018 to be approximately $2.9 million, plus about $87,600 in one-time implementation costs. In 2017, the city budgeted approximately $4.04 million for police services, but the actual levy impact is estimated as closer to $3.2 million because several of the costs of the department are reimbursed by items like police state aid or the Forest Lake Area Schools’ contract for school resource officers. City staff told The Times that further analysis is being done to determine exactly how much cost difference there is between the proposal and the city’s current spending, as there are factors in the city’s current spending that may be
School superintendent search nears final stages
Late last year, current Forest Lake Area School District Superintendent Linda Madsen submitted her letter of resignation to the School Board, with plans to vacate her position June 30, 2017. Days after her December announcement, the search for a replacement began.
“So far we have had meetings with staff and the public, and we have put together a set of criteria based on what we learned from those meetings as well as discussions we have had at our board meetings,” said Rob Rapheal, School Board president. “After putting together all that information, we were all pretty confident that we knew what we were looking for in a superintendent.”broadstreet.zone(48036);
The next step in the process was to put out a call for applicants. The board publicized the opening and received 30 applications.
“I am happy with that number,” Rapheal said. “This number of applicants gives us a really good pool of people with a
Veterans honored
Jon Hovde, motivational speaker and author of “Left For Dead,” was the keynote speaker at the Forest Lake American Legion Vietnam Veterans Day event April 2. The wounded soldier veteran employed lighthearted humor to tell his serious war story.
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A contingent of South Vietnamese allied war veterans were honored for their contributon to the Vietnam war at the Forest Lake American Legion Vietnam Veterans Day ceremony.
Barbara “Bunla” Bodine
Loving Wife, Mom, Grandma and SisterBarbara Bodine (nee: Darwin), age 74, formerly of Forest Lake, passed away surrounded by her husband and sister on April 1, 2017 after a long struggle with cancer.
Barbara is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Carol Darwin; grandchildren, Alyshia and Daniel.
She is survived by her husband, Robert; children, Elizabeth (Roy) Hundley, Christine Berczyk, Joseph Berczyk, Patrick (Lynne) Bodine, Tracey (Elden) Gillespie; 11 grandchildren; one great-grandchild; siblings, Judy (Don) Zak, Yvette Sorenson, Terrence (Cindy) Darwin, Dewey (Annette) Darwin; brothers-in-law, Roger (Janet) Bodine, Donald Bodine; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
A Celebration of Barbara’s Life will be held from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, April 22nd at Roberts Family Life Celebration Home, 555 Centennial Drive SW, Forest Lake. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Allina Hospice.
Nona Jean Marquart
Loving Wife, Mom, Grandma, SisterNona Marquart, age 63 of Forest Lake, passed away peacefully at home on April 4, 2017.
Nona was an avid gardener and was passionate about the care of children.
Preceded in death by parents, Donald and Leanne Melvin.
Survived by husband of 38 years, Larry; children, Tanya (Phil) Hildman, Nathaniel, Anthony; grandchildren, Maryanna, Noah, Sara; siblings, Vicki (Danny) Huffer, Deanne Melvin, Donald (Colleen) Melvin, Terry Melvin; mother-in-law, Elizabeth Marquart; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Visitation 5-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 11th at Roberts Family Life Celebration Home, 555 SW Centennial Dr., Forest Lake. Private family service. Interment at Calvary Cemetery, Forest Lake.
Shirley “Squirrel” Ann Peterson
Shirley Peterson, 78, of San Tan Valley, AZ, formerly of Forest Lake, MN, passed away on March 18, 2017 after battling with Alzheimer’s for several years.
Preceded in death by her parents Anton J. and Nettie V. (Tronrud) Peterson, brothers Jimmy and Norman, and sister Evelyn.
Shirley is survived by her two children, Dalice (Marlow) Hansen and Michael (Christina) Peterson; four grandchildren, Andrea, Jeremy, Shelby and Somer; six great-grandchildren; extended family and friends.
Shirley was a lifetime member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, so her celebration of life open house will be held at the Forest Lake VFW on June 2, 2017 from 3-7 p.m. with a short presentation by the Ladies Auxiliary at 4 p.m. Shirley did not want a funeral, she wanted a celebration with family and friends gathered together sharing memories. No Flowers Please.
FLHS students excel at Regional History Day competition; heading to state
Eight Forest Lake Area High School students showed off their history skills at the Regional History Day competition on March 18 at St. Cloud State University. Students were required to create history day projects addressing this year’s theme on “Taking a Stand in History.” Topics for each project could be presented through exhibit boards, documentaries, performances, websites, and through research papers.
In order to qualify for the State History Day competition on April 29 at the University of Minnesota, student projects were grouped into different categories: senior or junior, individual or group, and project type. Each project competed against all other projects in the same category and trained volunteer judges decided who would move on to the next level.broadstreet.zone(48036);
The following FLHS students will be attending this year’s state competition: Cade Hunter on Erwin Rommel, exhibit board; Kate Mahonen and Lily Pope on Hazelden Clinic, exhibit board; David Issac on Nelson Mandela,