---

The Chisago County Press is putting the final touches on a couple of projects. We are nearing the completion of our annual Home and Garden Show tab that is slated to come out in next week's Chisago County Press. The tab will feature a list of businesses who will be presenting their goods and services at the show, ads from local businesses who specialize in home, garden, and business related services to make your home life better. There will also be some neat articles to help you do-it-yourselfers with some new and innovative ideas around your home or business. We will also feature a map of the show which will be vital in assisting you around the show. We here at the Press have worked our tails off to bring this tab to you and we truly hope you take the time to read it and bring it to the show.

I attended the Highway 8 open house last week at Lindstrom's City Hall. From the sign-in sheet, it looked like there were at least a couple hundred who also took in the open house. As far as the open house, I thought the presentation was good. There was enough room to survey all the different groups and the maps they had laid out. It was really hard to gauge what the overall feeling was that night. I talked with plenty of people that were adamantly against the split and were convinced that the split would be the beginning of the end for Lindstrom. I also spoke with many who feel that yes, immediate construction would definitely hurt downtown business, but in the long run a split would benefit the town and the traffic.

After visiting with most all of the people that were presenting their angles on Highway 8, I came up with a conclusion. That is, no matter what happens with the highway, split or no split, I am convinced that the city will lose its visual appeal if the high-power lines are installed. Have you ever driven along Foley Blvd. in Coon Rapids? All along that road, there are high-power lines that are similar to those planned for downtown Lindstrom. I am not kidding folks, it is the most awful eyesore you have ever seen.

Yes, split pairs has the potential for making the downtown more attractive to people who want to get out and stroll around Lindstrom looking in stores. But who is going to want to get out and stroll under high-voltage power lines where you can almost feel the stray voltage on your skin? Am I kidding? Drive to Stillwater sometime and pull into Menards parking lot. Get out and stand under the high-voltage lines for just a minute. You can feel and hear the voltage directly above you.

This is what we are slated to get in downtown Lindstrom? All because years and years ago, our forefathers told the power company you can bring power here now and to the end of time. The kicker is, somehow that agreement eons ago is still binding.

That is my two cents for whatever it's worth.

---