Community Calendar for October 19, 2017

FOREST LAKE
Blood donation
The Red Cross will be hosting a blood donation event Oct. 19 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at St. Peter Catholic Church, 1250 S. Shore Drive.
Maniac magician
Kevin “The Maniac Magician” Hall will perform at the Forest Lake VFW Oct. 21 as part of a Forest Lake Masons’ event to honor Mike Schultz winning the Hiram Award. The event is open to the public and will feature a social hour at 6 p.m., a prime rib dinner ($40) at 7 p.m., and the magician show at 8 p.m. Tickets must be purchased by Oct. 14 and are available at the VFW at 556 12th St. SW or by calling Rodney at 612-875-1449.
Food distribution
Forest Hills Church, 1790 11th St. SE, is hosting a food distribution on Oct. 21 from 8 to 11 a.m. This is a distribution site of Ruby’s Pantry. A $20 donation is requested to pay for

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Asphalt plant activists continue to pack meetings

 
Julie Parent
Columbus Reporterbroadstreet.zone(48036);
There was standing room only at the Columbus City Council Meeting on Oct. 11. Columbus Public Communications Coordinator Jessica Hughes estimated there were between 150 and 160 people in attendance. Some people were there to protest the Bituminous Roadways. Inc.’s proposal to open an asphalt plant at 13345 and 13363 West Freeway Drive in Columbus, while others, including some Bituminous Roadways employees, were there to show support for the business. This “Triangle” property is located just south of the Interstate 35 split, around two miles south of Running Aces Casino and Racetrack.
Bituminous Roadways is hoping a new facility on the property will produce asphalt for its paving projects within a 15-mile radius, representing an expansion into the north metro for a company that currently has plants in Minneapolis, Inver Grove Heights and Stillwater. Many residents do not feel an asphalt plant would enhance the city or the environment,

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Intoxicated drive-thru arrest highlights local calls

The following are some notable local first responder calls from the previous week.
Drinking and drive-thrubroadstreet.zone(48036);
A man of an unknown age or hometown was arrested Oct. 14 after allegedly driving drunk in the drive-thru at the Forest Lake McDonald’s.
According to the Forest Lake Police Department, police were called to the restaurant on a report of an intoxicated man. Police arrived and observed a man later identified as Fabian Mack St. Germaine, of an unknown age and residence, allegedly visibly drunk, with bloodshot eyes and a poor sense of balance. Before police arrived, St. Germaine allegedly ran into the side of McDonald’s while in the drive-thru and at one point exited his vehicle to yell profanities at the car behind him. During his arrest, he allegedly resisted officers and scratched one of them hard enough to draw blood from the officer’s hand.
The person on the receiving end of St. Germaine’s alleged verbal

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Shane David Oberg

Shane David Oberg, 47, of Artesian, went to be with his Lord and Savior on October 6, 2017.
Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday, October 12, 2017 at Mitchell Assembly of God Church in Mitchell. Burial will be in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Artesian. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Mitchell Assembly of God Church in Mitchell with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. Services are under the direction of the Bittner Funeral Chapel.
Shane was born September 30, 1970, to David and Nancy (Anderson) Oberg in Chisago City, MN. He began working at the age of 16 at Sell Publishing. He graduated from Summit Christian Academy in 1988, at the top of his class of one. He then attended Century College for law enforcement. Shane began working at Idea Goyr Mail, as well as Margaret S. Parmly Residence as a certified nursing assistant. While working at Parmly

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Casimir “Cas” G. Kloncz

Casimir “Cas” G. Kloncz, age 101 of Forest Lake,
died peacefully with his granddaughter by his side on October 13, 2017.
Cas served with the U.S. Navy Seabees during WWII.
Preceded in death by wife, Carol; previous wives, Lorraine, Doris Perry; parents, Sophia and Gabriel; children, Gary, Corrine Peterson; brothers, Joseph, Peter, Frank, John; sisters, Katherin, Josephine, Clara, Nancy; granddaughter, Shelley Iverson. Survived by son, Lenny (Joyce); daughter, Barbara Levercom; brother, Edmund (Maryann); grandchildren, Tina (Allen) Strom, Dean (Tanya) Goodroad, Gary Jr. (Michelle), Ken (Sandy), Steve (Lisa), Lori (Scott) Johnson; great grandchildren, Tyler Strom, Kirsten and Kyle Goodroad, Ryan, Evan and Aidan Kloncz, Sophie and Kelly Kloncz, Carissa and Alec Kloncz, Ryan and Derek Syverson, Justin Mills; many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m., Friday, October 20, 2017 at The Church of St. Peter, 1250 South Shore Drive, Forest Lake. Visitation one hour prior to mass at

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Anthony Shane Root

Anthony Root, 49, born May 22, 1968 in Saint Joseph, MO, passed away October 10, 2017 in East Bethel, MN.
Anthony was preceded in death by parents Larry Root and Karen Medek, sister Angela Root, nieces Kaytlin Root and Blaise Root, and step-daughter Amanda Gonzales.
Anthony is survived by best friend Sharon; step-daughter Brianna Porter; sisters Carla Root, Laura Root and Anita (David Witter) Root; and many nieces and nephews. Anthony was Papa to Trevor, Ariana, Michael, Elijah, Isaiah and Ian.
A Celebration of Life will be 5 p.m. Thursday, October 19th at EJ’s in East Bethel, MN.

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Education, insurance among legislative priorities

Bob Dettmer
Guest Columnist
From students to families who purchase their own health insurance, Minnesotans are seeing positive outcomes from the 2017 legislative session—one of the most productive legislative sessions in recent memory.broadstreet.zone(48036);
First, as we’ve entered into cooler weather and another school year, our students and schools are benefiting from a number of meaningful policies passed this year. In total, we invested $1.35 billion in new funding for education, putting more money into every classroom. The Legislature also advanced a number of meaningful reforms to help our schools hire and keep the best teachers in the classroom, overhaul our broken teacher licensure system and improve student learning. And for our littlest learners, we invested more money in proven, targeted early learning programs, including scholarships and school readiness aid.
Next, since the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and MNsure, many families, small business owners and citizens who purchase their own insurance have been

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Chisago County commissioner appointed to National Public Safety Committee

Chisago County Board of Commissioners Chair, Ben Montzka of Stacy, has been appointed to the National Association of Counties Public Safety Steering Committee. This committee works on a national level to improve public safety and the criminal justice system through federal and state legislation and local government action.
“During difficult and uncertain economic times, our government needs to focus on its core responsibilities, such as the safety of our people,” Montzka said in a press release. “The purpose of this committee does just that, and I look forward to working with other county commissioners from across the country to help improve public safety.”broadstreet.zone(48036);
The Public Safety Steering Committee helps develop NACo’s national legislative agenda related to Public Safety, Courts, and Corrections.
Montzka represents the communities of Wyoming and Stacy on the Chisago County Board of Commissioners and can be reached at 651-462-4200 or bjmontz@co.chisago.mn.us.

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