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About a week and a half ago I overheard two older gentlemen talking about the weather and one asked the other if he thought we would get anymore rain. Now, I didn’t butt in to ask if he meant that day or this year, but the question became moot last Tuesday evening. I don’t think that I ever remember as many severe warnings as were issued that night.

For several days after, the discussions were about why they issued so many warnings and had so few actual touchdowns. If you have ever been in or near a tornado or witnessed first hand the destruction they do––I think you might agree that there can’t be too many warnings. Another good reason would appear to be that people don’t respect the “watches” that are issued and need to be jarred into action. A few minutes in safety is a whole lot better than a serious injury or worse yet a loss of life.

Case in point is the twister that struck Buffalo Lake. The police chief and others made sure that all were properly warned and they came through it without any loss of life or serious injuries. I was sitting in the Chisago City Hall for the Chisago City Council meeting when the sirens went off and Mayor DuBose made a motion to adjourn the meeting. Once outside the city hall it was easy to see why the sirens were going off. Just at the west edge of town there was a terrible black cloud with a large hook hanging towards the ground. I’m no meteorologist, but I sure would have pushed the siren button after seeing that.

In this part of the world we were fairly lucky, save some washed out roads, (See photo and story in this Press.) but it has me wondering just how many 100-year rain storms can we get in a year? All of the developments being done are required to develop retaining ponds and run-off plans to take care of that hundred year storm. As I was not a meteorologist above, I’m not an engineer either, but with the developments and the change in the impervious surfaces all over the place, it may just be time to recalculate that 100-year standard. Three or four times already this year the ditch in front of my home filled to overflowing, that is something that happened twice in the previous six years.

I have not yet seen the official rain amounts, but reports are that the county received between 4-1/2 inches to over 10 inches, depending on where you checked. I don’t know if it meant anything or not but I saw an elderly bearded man leading pairs of animals down towards South Lindstrom Lake the other morning.

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Next weekend Lindstrom will play host to the 41st annual Karl Oskar Days celebration. In this Press, as well as next week’s Search and Press, there will be listings of all of the wonderful events, money-saving specials that will be part of the gala weekend. Also included in this Press are the photos of this year’s Karl Oskar Days Queen candidates, all hoping to be this year’s Queen. Support them by attending the coronation next Thursday evening at the high school Performing Arts Center. There may not be an event for everyone in the world, but I would be hard pressed to not be able to find something for nearly all of us to enjoy.

One of the events that we host at the Press are directly associated with is the Twilight Boat Regatta held off Beach Park after the water ski show and before the fireworks display. The regatta used to draw a fairly large contingent of all types of floating devices, some decorated, some lighted, and all entertaining and enjoyed by people on the water and on the Beach. To enter, all you have to do is contact us here at the Press and let us know who you are and what you are planning to do with your watercraft. As we have done at previous regattas, we would like to provide some easy listening music for those on the boats and on the shore. Groups have played on pontoons and also under the picnic shelter on the beach. If you are such a group or part of one, please give me a call soon.

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For the past weeks I have been writing about the upcoming American Cancer Relay for Life to be held at Chisago Lakes High School. I have been using the wrong dates––this year’s event will take place Saturday, Aug. 2 from afternoon through Sunday morning, Aug. 3. I hope that I have not confused anyone too badly. It is a great event and you can still get involved. For the details, see the Relay for Life ad in this Press.

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The area and community celebration calendar is very full in coming weeks. Starting July 16 the 130th edition of the Chisago County Fair gets underway at the fairgrounds in Rush City. Wow––130 years of continuous service is quite a feat for all of those who have served on the Fair Board and volunteered over the years at the fair. If you are in search of a true slice of Americana, take the short trip to Rush City for this year’s fair.

As if Karl Oskar Days and the County Fair weren’t enough, they will soon be followed by Wannigan Days in Taylors Falls and St. Croix Falls, Christmas in July, Center City Days and Ki Chi Sago Days. Anyone who says there’s nothing to do around here must have their head in the sand.

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I hope you take a few moments to reflect on all of the good things that the freedoms, represented by the Fourth of July, mean to us all. God Bless America.

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