2020 levy and property tax valuations bring public out

Chisago County gets 46 percent of its budget revenue from sources outside of the local property tax, but citizens were still unimpressed with what’s planned to generate the other 54 percent-- as several people filed complaints with the County Board in last week’s public tax hearing. Thursday, December 12, 2019

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Many laughs and wishes granted at local festivities

At top, Visitors shared secret wishes with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Stacy-Lent Fire Hall last weekend. Thursday, December 12, 2019

Local ARMER contracts need okay by end of December

The Chisago County Board last week unanimously approved a new contract with users and subscribers on the Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response or ARMER.  All parties involved in the agreement will be receiving copies to sign and return by the end of this month.  The new agreement goes into effect as of January 2020.  Thursday, December 12, 2019

Chisago Lakes Area Community Foundation provides $10,000 in grants to local organizations

Chisago Lakes Area Community Foundation provided grants to seven local organizations, totaling $10,000. The grant-giving process is an annual focus of the volunteer-led, donor-funded foundation. Thursday, December 12, 2019

Shafer City Council has small crowd at 2020 levy hearing

Shafer City Council met December 3 for a Truth in Taxation meeting followed by a regular council meeting.  All members were present with four people in attendance. Thursday, December 12, 2019

County ditches 1, 2 and 3 are updated in unanimous vote

The first three of several “official” ditches have made it through the benefits and records re-determiation process.  Just nine more ditch sections potentially to go. Thursday, December 12, 2019

Center City yellowing lights are an issue

In what surely must be a sign of the times, the Center City Council last week had zero applications submitted for a license to be allowed to sell cigarettes.  Other 2020 license applications approved were for liquor beer, and wine: for Al’s Saloon, Pizza Pub and Grumpy Minnow.  Grumpy  Minnow also has off-sale permitted and Pizza Pub is allowed by council to seek a renewal from state authorities, to continue its special 2 a.m. closing. Thursday, December 12, 2019

What says Christmas better than a live nativity? So much to do....

This weekend brings us yet another weekend closer to Christmas.  I know, I know, everybody is bogged down with present buying and parties.  But if you really want to get in the Christmas spirit, then I have just the thing for you.  The awesome folks at First United Methodist Church (the church by the Lindstrom Middle School) are putting on their annual Living Nativity program.  It is a reenactment of that world changing night in Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus Christ.  The program is live with live actors and live animals and is held outside.  It is a short program (less than 30 minutes) that is moving to say the least. Thursday, December 12, 2019

Law Enforcement

It’s about quick breads today. One result of our interest in health and fitness is that quick breads have been enjoying a comeback in popularity. We can change the end result by adding fruit, nuts grated or shredded veggies and whole grains to basic quick breads and muffin recipes, which increases the nutritional value, making delicious new flavors and textures. Thursday, December 12, 2019

Chisago City tax rate dips for 2020

Chisago City will decrease its tax rate by two percent in 2020 based on the final levy and budget approved by the city council Nov. 26. Council members voted unanimously to approve a final levy of $2,776,808 for the city as a whole with an additional sewer plant levy of $45,000 applied to the older portion of the city that doesn’t have individual septic systems. Friday, December 6, 2019

CL Primary School donates to food shelf

The Chisago Lakes Primary held its annual Christmas food drive, when students are encouraged to bring in non-perishable food items for the local Family Pathways Food Shelf.  The school raised 587 pounds of food. The Chisago Lakes Lions Club hauled the items to the food shelf. Friday, December 6, 2019

Television host, doc-filmmaker credits growing up in Chisago County as motivating, inspiring

JJ Kelley is a storyteller;   on film, videotape, television, speaking at cinema  festivals and in print. He has been nominated for an Emmy, and documentaries are worthy classics in the environmental field.   His curiosity about the natural world has guided his projects ever since he was rambling around wild places in Chisago County. Friday, December 6, 2019

City votes to extend authority to township growth area

Written in the Lindstrom City Comprehensive Plan, adopted in 2017, it is contemplated that areas adjacent to the city will eventually become part of Lindstrom.  It is referred to as the growth area. Friday, December 6, 2019

So much to do in our little area, a chance to help a firefighter

How great was the Taylors Falls Lighting Festival last weekend?  If you remember last year it was a total downpour for the entire parade.  This year, the temps were good and droves of people came out. Nice job to all who put on the festival! Friday, December 6, 2019

No more pie, cake please!

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday is over, perhaps you’ve had enough of the different kinds of pies served. I decided to look in my “cake file” and found different kinds of cakes you might like to try. Something that is different from chocolate, white or yellow cake. Perhaps you’ve made one of these cakes before. Make one again. Friday, December 6, 2019

'Tribe' of lifelong friends gathers in expression of gratitude for love and friendship

The Roman statesman and orator Cicero said, “Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.” Friday, November 29, 2019

30th Royal Lady is embodiment of caring

When the 2019 Taylors Falls Royal Lady Carol Schumann was growing up in Windom MN with her multiple brothers;  she says there were always lots of people around the family table.  As the only girl she took on the hostess role:  which meant having baked goods on hand and embodying the philosophy of sharing what the family had with others.  Friday, November 29, 2019

Several hours-long ditch hearing makes progress

The Chisago County commissioners have begun to tackle a unique area of county government that county engineers have consistently bemoaned, saying it needs attention.  The formal system for monitoring Chisago County ditches, and inspecting or updating rolls of benefiting properties assessed for ditches, has been pretty non-existent for decades.  County Commissioners, meeting last week as the county Ditch Authority, acknowledged they were dealing with records that were last scrutinized maybe 100 years ago. Friday, November 29, 2019

"Shrek" puts on a show at Chisago Lakes

The Chisago  Lakes students performed ‘Shrek The Musical’ over the weekend.  Crowds were treated to singing, dancing and a lot of laughing. The musical had four sold-out shows at the Performing Arts Center at the high school. Friday, November 29, 2019

Lindstrom Council halts 306th project; columbarium gets green light

The final engineering on  improvements in the area of 306th in Lindstrom (top of the South Lindstrom Lake bay) did not move forward, as city council members last week failed to approve the next step.  The engineering “feasibility” study was accepted earlier this fall. Friday, November 29, 2019

Wyoming approves large street project

The Wyoming City Council approved a large 2020 street reconstruction project at the Tuesday, November 19 meeting. Friday, November 29, 2019

Shafer City Council agrees on utility mower purchase, discusses solar lights

Shafer City Council met November 19 for a regular meeting. All were present with the exception of city attorney James Monge. Friday, November 29, 2019

Flavorful turkey leftover hot dishes

As usual, it’s about leftover turkey recipes today. In the shape of hot dishes. Some say casseroles, I say hot dishes! Today’s recipes are using a lot of the same ingredients, but in different combinations. You can prepare some of them ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze them until ready to put in the oven, and have a full meal to enjoy in a short amount of time. Be sure to add extra baking time if refrigerated. To thaw, if frozen, take hot dish from freezer to fridge early in the day or over night to thaw slowly. DO NOT set on the counter to thaw Friday, November 29, 2019

North Branch updates logo

The City of North Branch has officially adopted a logo to symbolize the city’s identity as it grows into the future. The logo got the city council okay November 26.  The design was over a nine-month effort of community meetings and Keech Media guidance. It involved community members who met monthly and discussed the theme the logo should invoke, and layout, font and colors to represent North Branch.  The former logo featured mainly a pine tree, with a ribbon horizontally in the space. Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Taylors Falls invites you to the one-of-a-kind Lighting Festival

This is my one of my favorite holidays of the year.  Think about it, you get to see all of your family in a very relaxed atmosphere without the pressure of buying gifts and you are expected to gorge yourself on the best food in the world.  “Hi Matt, great to see you, have some food!” Sign me up.  Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Lindstrom's American Legion Auxilary Unit 83 celebrates Centennial

November 10, 2019, The American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) turned 100 and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 83 in Lindstrom is celebrating. Thursday, November 21, 2019