Construction is not limited to only Lindstrom; we need your coats!

Thank you for supporting both Stagecoach Days and Almelund’s Apple Festival this weekend. Crowds were huge at both events. It really helped that we had fantastic weather all weekend long. Thanks to all the people who worked behind the scenes to make both festivals such a great event to attend.

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Last week I talked extensively about the construction in Lindstrom. I was reminded by a few people that there is construction taking place in other nearby areas. My intention was never to single Lindstrom out as the only town affected by construction. I planned on writing about the other areas today, so here it goes. Construction... had enough of it? We have. Come on admit it, you have too. There doesn't seem to be a road to turn down that isn't ripped up or being worked on. Have you seen Center City? It is a clone of Lindstrom with the entire downtown ripped up and customers scratching their heads trying to find a parking spot. Head east on Highway 8 into the black hole (it was very mysterious for a while with no traffic coming into or going past Center City) and you will find you can only drive a short while before being re-routed around Shafer. No matter where you look, it's a mess. While the construction companies are definitely smiling, many of us are not. When I have written about supporting your local businesses, it came across (and I apologize) as please help Lindstrom. The message I was and am trying to convey is please help Chisago Lakes. We are all hurting. We are all trying to survive the construction. Center city has close to 20 businesses that are all truly feeling the construction crunch. Shafer also has close to 20 businesses who have felt the effects of a complete town detour. I know the construction is a real pain in the....but the only thing we as a community can do is keep it local. Get your hair cut locally, get your gas locally, get your printing done locally, get your buffalo sticks (I love buffalo sticks) locally, get your car fixed locally, get your... you get the picture. We can survive this, I can guarantee you that. We are finally over the hump as far as the construction goes, but businesses need you for the last stretch. Thank you.

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Want to do something that is really cool this weekend? How about riding an old steam engine. Or how about climbing on old trains from generations ago? How about doing this locally?   Ironhorse Railroad Park in Chisago City is hosting their annual Hobo Days this weekend. People of all ages are invited to take a step back in history and see the railway the way it used to be. There are train rides, a petting zoo, food and drink, a museum, and much more. Please turn to page 2 to read a full story about Hobo Days.

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If you have children of any age in your house, then you go through the same dilemma we do about this time of the year. You know what I am talking about, dumping a huge pile of winter clothes in the middle of the room. Then you call your kids down to try them on, the whole time they are rolling their eyes (even though they were doing nothing anyways). Every piece of clothing they try on, you hold your breath like you are watching the lottery numbers being drawn. Every piece of clothing they try on is three inches too short on any of their limbs. You let out an exasperated sigh, just like when your lotto numbers do not match. So on one side of the room are the clothes that do not fit (usually a stack about four feet high) and on the other side are the items that do fit (usually a stocking cap). “Kids get in the car it’s time to go shopping for winter clothes” is always met with gutteral groans in our house. So what do you do with your outgrown winter stuff? Bring them to me. We at the Press are accepting your gently used kids winter clothes.  we will be donating them to a great cause in October, so the quicker we cn get them, the better. We already have a small mountain of coats here at the office to be delivered. You can drop yours off here Monday through Thursday until 5 p.m. and Friday until 3 p.m. Thank You.

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If you or someone you know has been foreclosed on or is in the process, and really wishes to keep their home, we can help. If your notice was published in another newspaper and could not be seen in your town, we can help. We have attorneys who specialize in reversing foreclosures. These attorneys are not like what you would expect, they are in it for you. They make it easy and affordable and the best part, they are successful at what they do. So if you or someone you know is being faced with foreclosure, there is hope. Send us your name, address a copy of the published notice or the name of the publication it ran in and the date of that publication to: Foreclosures, County Press, PO Box 748, Lindstrom, MN 55045. We have already had a few people contact us, now we would like to help you.