Jennifer Mevissen
Staff Writer

A traffic stop by the Forest Lake Police Department at 12:16 p.m. on Thursday at W. Broadway Avenue and I-35 resulted in two arrests for drugs.

According to Sgt. Mark Richert, a random check of the license plate by an officer revealed a warrant out for the arrest of the vehicle’s owner. Five and a half grams of methamphetamine was found in the search, he said, noting both the driver and passenger were arrested.

The pair of men – from Woodbury and Little Canada – are being held on felony 3rd degree possession of a controlled substance, Richert said.

“The two parties are in custody at the Washington County jail,” he added.

Forest Lake’s bid for a Suburban East Conference wrestling championship ran into a roadblock on Thursday night as second-ranked Hastings defended its home mat with a strong 40-23 victory over the Rangers. The seventh-ranked Forest Lake team came into the SEC contest with a perfect 8-0 record only to fall to the strong Hastings club.

A special guest at Friday’s retirement open house for Jim Lindberg was his mother, Ruth, who posed for a photo with son and grandson, Jeffrey Lindberg. Below, Jim points to members of an Elim Lutheran Church confirmation class from 1929 as Marine resident Charles Arnason listens. (Photos by Cliff Buchan)

After 43 years at Security State Bank of Marine, retirement calls

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

In the banking world of Marine on St. Croix and Scandia, Jim Lindberg won’t call himself a trailblazer. The banking history of these two communities was built in rock by the work of men like Henry Johnson, Ray Strand, Edsel Johnson and Wendell Johnson.

Lindberg came into the banking picture much later, joining the institution in 1969. Now some 43 years, Lindberg has walked the same path as his predecessors, retiring on Friday, Jan. 27, serving the past 28 as bank president.

While the trail have been blazed for Lindberg by those who came before him, he faced challenges of his own that included modernizing the bank, presiding over growth and making sure that the bank was serving the community while remaining profitable. He became a bridge builder from the successful ways of the past to banking methods of the 21st century.

“It’s been a real good run for me,” Lindberg said from his office in Scandia on his last day last week, calling himself “blessed, fortunate and lucky.”

Not bad for a home town kid who left high school in Forest Lake in 1964 uncertain about where his future would take him.

And Lindberg certainly did preside well over the bank.

He was one of a half dozen employees at the Marine on St. Croix office in 1969.

As 2012 opened, he ran a bank operation with insurance agencies in Marine, Scandia Lindstrom and Forest Lake with more than 30 employees. It was a time of growth, too. Since 1984 and his appointment as president, the bank recorded growth in total assets from $11 million to $110 million today.

Security State Bank of Marine also can boast of a 10 percent equity rate as a sign of its profitability.

He Learned Well

That the bank has succeeded is not something which Lindberg will claim sole credit. While he had played a key role, it is also a result of the work of many employees, all pushing in the same direction, he said.

Along with the Johnsons and Strand, Lindberg says his success was also a result of the help he received from Olga Zimmer, Astrid Russell, Lila Spjut, Kathy Jemelka and June Johnson to name a few.

“These are people who I worked with who are gone now,” he said.

It was Henry Johnson and Edsel Johnson who brought Lindberg into the business in 1969. “They exposed me to their experiences in banking,” Lindberg said.

Lindberg passed his early tests, thanks in part to the many veteran staff members who could answer questions or give advice.

“I needed the help getting through that period,” he said. “I relied on other people and their expertise. I got to know the banking business from them.”

It was that early training that helped shape Lindberg’s philosophy. “You need to rely on people to help you do good things,” he said. “That’s what happened to me.”

It was that training that helped him in customer relationships and dealing with staff employees. During his tenure as president, the staff ranks have been dominated by long-term employees who have enjoyed their work.

Early Years

Lindberg spent his first nine years on a farm in Scandia near the intersection of Highway 97 and Oakhill Avenue. He is the son of Randolph and Ruth (Hawkinson) Lindberg. His father died in 1989 but his mother has remained in her Scandia home town.

He spent his first six years in rural one-room schools in Scandia. After five years at Hay Lake School and one year at Goose Lake School, he completed his secondary schooling in Forest Lake, graduating in 1964.

He went on to Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, earning a double major in business and economics. He graduated in 1968 after spending his final year in school studying, selling life insurance and marrying Kristen Johnson, daughter of Edsel and Mignon Johnson on June 28, 1968. He continued his work in insurance for the next year

After joining the bank in Marine in 1969, he spent a year working for the bank’s insurance agency before moving over to the banking side.

It was a hectic time for the young couple. He enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard after college and served five years, utilizing his two-week summer vacation from the bank for his mandatory two weeks of summer Guard duty at Camp Ripley.

For Lindberg, the first 15 years of his bank career were spent learning the ropes, building credibility and subtly bringing in changes that would help the bank grow and prosper. By 1984 he was just 38 years of age, but ready to lead.

“They put some trust in me back in 1984,” Lindberg said. “I was challenged. I was the vehicle of change.”

What’s Next?

Lindberg gradually backed off from his duties at the bank the past several years. Greg Isaacson, a long-time staff member, has become the bank’s fifth president in its 93 years.

For now, Lindberg says,he wants to slide away from the seriousness of the banking world to have fun and spend time with family and friends. He will remain as chairman of the bank’s board of directors and plans to hold that slot for another seven years until his reaches 50 years of service.

Jim and Kristen have two children and three grandchildren. Jeffrey (Karen) Lindberg live in Wyoming and Becky (Rob) Brunette live in Ham Lake. There will be more family time, for sure, he says.

His retirement in no way signals an end to the family’s long-standing involvement with the bank. Isaacson, in fact comes from the Lindberg side of the family tree while two other key employees, Adam Wojtowicz, a vice-president and board member, and Mackenzie Johnson, are from the Johnson side of the family tree.

It is that family tree that helped guide Lindberg along his 43-year career with Security State Bank of Marine. He learned early that it could be helpful and wise to pass up a chance to speak too quickly and to appreciate what goes into being a good banker.

“It’s easy to be someone’s banker when the times are good,” he said. “You need a good banker during the hard times. I admire those [bankers] who work through adversity.”

Budget deficit, national debt are skyrocketing, he says

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

When Chip Cravaack pulled off one of the major upsets of the 2010 congressional elections, he knew he was in for a big job. One year in, Eighth District Rep. Cravaack says he may have underestimated the seriousness of the situation.

“It’s worse than I truly expected,” Cravaack told a crowd of about 75 at Stars & Strikes Entertainment Center in Wyoming on Thursday, Jan. 26. It was the 20th town hall for the North Branch Republican who unseated 18-term incumbent Jim Oberstar in a shocker.

Now Cravaack is preparing to run for reelection in a congressional district for which borders have yet to be set. Later this month, a panel of judges is expected to announce its decision on redistricting.

As Cravaack heads into his second year in office, he says the federal budget and growing national debt are topics that can’t be ignored and must be addressed.

“We all love this country,” he said. “We are all concerned about this country. At the end of the day, we are all Americans. This is an American problem.”

How the nation address the national debt and budget deficit will be critical to the long-term future of the country, he said. The federal government is running a budget deficit this year of $1.26 trillion and has a national debt of $15.2 trillion and both figures are growing.

“This is the cancer that is eating us — the debt,” Cravaack said. And the debt is a threat to national security, the congressman added.

How to Solve?

Cravaack says the only logical solution to the problem is pull back spending and increase the job base to help generate more tax dollars from income earners. He is not a fan of tax increases.

“We can’t tax enough [to solve the problem],” Cravaack said.

And budget danger looms for the future, he said.

The congressman said based on current models, Medicare will be insolvent by 2020 and Social Security will reach the same point by 2037. With an estimated 10,000 “baby boomers” retiring every day, the problem will continue to grow, he said.

Cravaack said  he would protect benefits for those currently 55 or older, but would favor means testing for Medicare eligibility. With costs soaring and the number of people paying in shrinking, costs to services may be needed, he added.

In 1950, for example, Cravaack said there were 159 workers for every Social Security beneficiary. In 2009 the number had dropped to three workers for every person receiving Social Security.

And the federal government has also been guilty of raiding the Social Security Trust Fund to help fund the government.

The revenue side is also complicated by the fact that 47 percent of Americans pay no federal income tax and that 70 percent of the of the federal income tax revenue comes from the top 10 percent of all wage earners.

Cravaack said he is also worried about the national debt. Some 47 percent of the national debt is held by foreign investors with China cornering 30 percent of the debt.

The congressman said the latter could translate to national security risk as China pumps money into military might. And the staggering debt also paints a dim picture for future generations, he said.

“This is what we are handing out kids,” Cravaack said of the debt.

Bill dealing with veterans preference for road contracts will be refined

T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol Reporter

District 52A Rep. Bob Dettmer is seeking a civil immunity provision for volunteers in the state’s Yellow Ribbon campaign associated with the Minnesota National Guard and is also looking to improve the chances for veteran-owned small businesses to win state road construction contracts.

Dettmer, R-Forest Lake, brought his bills before the House Veterans Service Committee on Monday, Jan. 30.

The civil immunity provision, Dettmer explained, grew out of concerns voiced in the Yellow Ribbon initiative in Washington County.

Under Dettmer’s provision, civil liability immunity protections are afforded Yellow Ribbon volunteers pursuing activities helpful to veterans’ families.

Judy Seeberger, of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Network, testified that her husband recently returned from a year’s oversea military deployment. While gone, Yellow Ribbon volunteers assisted her with such tasks as tree trimming and household chores.

The committee advanced the civil liability immunity provision to the House civil law committee.

A more controversial bill Dettmer is pursuing deals with changing state law — and offering the chance for counties to change their contracting practices — to allow more veteran-owned small businesses to win road construction contracts.

As proposed, Dettmer’s bill would create a stand-alone construction bid preference program for veteran-owned small business.

It would mandate the transportation department award up to a six percent preference to these small businesses. That is, a veteran-owned small business could be determined to be the low bidder on a given contract, even though the bid is six percent higher than the next lowest bid.

“This is the least we can do for them (veterans),” said Ralph Donais, of the Military Affairs Group, a national veterans organization backing the legislation.

Dettmer noted that proposed budget cuts to the Department of Defense could mean 100,000 troops could be laid-off. “They’re going to be coming home,” he said.

And they want the soldiers from Minnesota to stay in Minnesota, he said.

Currently, about five percent of state transportation construction contracts are awarded to veteran-owned business, according to a Minnesota Department of Transportation official. But the contracts are going to a relatively small number of contractors, they noted.

Associated General Contractors of Minnesota official Tim Worke expressed several concerns with the legislation. The construction industry has been enduring a near Great Depression-like loss of work, he explained.

Bids are coming in low and close. And the six percent provision in Dettmer’s bill is “really creating some concerns” and questions with contractors on how bids are determined, he said.

Moreover, smaller construction companies do not have human resources departments and are concerned about increased amounts of paperwork the legislation could bring, he said.

And beyond this, simply finding veteran-owned small business has been difficult, Worke said.

Dettmer motioned to table his veteran-owned small businesses bill, indicating that he intended to refine the legislation and bring it back.

After the committee hearing, Dettmer explained that he could have the bill back before the committee within a couple of weeks.

The Forest Lake Lions Club recently announced the winners of the annual Drug Awareness Poster Contest. Members presented cash prizes to first, second and third place winners in each category.

North Lakes Academy had four winners. Pictured in front, from left to right, are: Rio Brown, first place, fifth grade; Katie Danielzuk, third place, fifth grade; Ashley Millerbevred, third place, grades 6-8 and Kelley Gray, second place, grades 6-8. In back are Rick Bahnemann, El Ewert and Howard Lestrud.

The Forest Lake Dance Team attended its last invitational of the season on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Mounds View — placing 6th in jazz and 9th in kick – out of a field of 23 teams competing in Class AAA.

The Rangers will now get ready for Sectional competition that will be at Bloomington Kennedy on Saturday, Feb. 11.

“Our jazz performance was enough for a trophy, but in kick we were hampered by ankle/knee/hip injuries to four dancers and two alternates,” said coach Cheryl Smoczyk.

Jazz fared much better, she noted, even dancing down two members.

“We finished the highest ever in a field of competitors this big,” Smoczyk said. “We are still hoping to crack the top three at sections in either jazz or kick so we can advance to the state tournament, but we need some injury healing time.”

Tryouts for next year’s dance team will take place on Feb. 28-29 in the fieldhouse at Forest Lake High School.

Forest Lake’s Noah Davis pumped in 27 points but it wasn’t enough as Roseville soundly defeated the Rangers, 72-46 in a Suburban East Conference boy’s basketball contest Tuesday night. Roseville jumped out to a 37-17 lead at the intermission and continued the attack in the second half, outscoring the host Rangers, 35-29. Roseville improved to 14-3 with the win while Forest Lake slipped to 3-7 in SEC games and 6-10 overall. Forest Lake travels to Cretin-Derham Hall on Friday night before hosting Big Lake on Monday, Feb. 6.

Forest Lake and Cretin-Derham Hall skated to a scoreless first period on Tuesday night in a girl’s Suburban East Conference hockey game, but the Rangers failed to keep pace in the final two periods. Cretin-Derham Hall tallied one goal in the second period and added two in the final period to claim a 3-0 victory. Forest Lake managed just 15 shots on goal in the losing effort.

Roseville raced to a 33-16 lead at halftime and never looked back as the Raiders handed the Forest Lake Rangers a 54-39 defeat in Suburban East Conference girl’s basketball game Tuesday night. Forest Lake outscored Roseville, 23-21 in the second half, but the contest was all but over in the first half. No Ranger player was able to score in double figures.

Join a Community Conversation

Jennifer Mevissen
Staff Writer

What do you love about living in Forest Lake? What is Forest Lake missing? What can Forest Lake do today to be vital in the future? What can bring economic growth to Forest Lake?

These are all questions that small groups will be asked to consider at a series of Community Conversations: A Focus on City Services.

The sessions will gather feedback from the public on how to best position the city of Forest Lake for a successful future.

City Administrator Aaron Parrish said they’re eager for citizen participation with the larger idea to create a continuous method for civic engagement, where talk turns into action and democracy is re-imagined.

“We’re looking to establish a three-year strategic plan,” he said.

Parrish noted the council will benefit by having both the results from a 2011 citizen survey conducted in December and input from the community conversations. The feedback will help to guide the city’s actions, he said.

The first three sessions are for residents with the final one being for Forest Lake business owners.

Session times and locations include:

•Monday, Feb. 6, 7-8:30 p.m., Hosanna Lutheran Church, 9300 Scandia Trail N.

•Wednesday, Feb. 8. 7-8:30 p.m., FLAAA Sports Center, 5530 206th St. N.

•Thursday, Feb. 9, 7-8:30 p.m., media center, Forest Lake Elementary School, 204 SW 4th St.

•Friday, Feb. 17, 7-8:30 a.m., FLAAA Sports Center.

The schedule for the series will include a welcome from Mayor Chris Johnson, an update on the city from Parrish, and then attendees will break into smaller groups for discussion about the four essential questions being asked.

Additional information can be found online at www.ci.forest-lake.mn.us or by calling 651-209-9727.

Jennifer Mevissen
Staff Writer

Mayor Chris Johnson’s goal in his annual appointments was to accommodate all requests of the council members as well as provide all of them with new exposure to different facets of the city.

But not everything he put forward at the Monday, Jan. 23 Forest Lake City Council meeting went over too well.

Councilwoman Jackie McNamara said she’d like to remain on the finance committee. The mayor delegated that duty in 2012 to Councilman Jim DuFour.

“I did give a fair amount of thought on that one and I’m sticking with my original nomination,” Johnson told her.

McNamara found Johnson’s appointment to be very unprofessional, noting all of the time she had put in. McNamara has served on the three-person committee since it was formed in January 2010.

“I appreciate the input but that’s my nomination,” Johnson said.

He also proposed appointing DuFour to serve on the Forest Lake Cable Commission instead of McNamara, and that also ruffled her feathers.

“I’d really like to stay on that for this next year,” she said.

Johnson had nominated McNamara to take DuFour’s place on the Forest Lake Airport Commission, but he conceded and agreed to have DuFour continue in that role which allows McNamara to remain on the cable commission.

Nominations

The following are appointments to boards and commissions for 2012:

•Airport commission members re-appointed – Sam Husnik, David DeLong and DuFour. The terms for Rick Ashbach and Donald L. Shipp expired Jan. 30, 2013.

•Cable commission members yearly appointments – Dave Povolny (Columbus mayor), Steve Brunsberg (Columbus), Anne Hurlbert (Scandia City Administrator), John LaNasa (Scandia) and McNamara. Former commission members Sarah Chatwin was hired to be the access coordinator at LATV, so Johnson nominated Jeff Klein from Forest Lake to fill her slot.

•Forest Lake Civil Service Commission members re-appointed – Bob Holden and DuFour. Terms expire for Jim Trudeau and Ken Urquardt Dec. 31, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2013, respectively.

•Forest Lazke Economic Development Authority was expanded from five to seven members. The mayor nominated Blake Roberts and Mark Finnemann to fill the two new vacancies. Terms expire for Robert Morehead (Dec. 31, 2015), Judy Huntosh (Dec. 31, 2013), Mike Muske (Dec. 31, 2014), Johnson (Dec. 31, 2013) and McNamara (Dec. 31, 2012).

•The mayor will replace McNamara on the park board. He nominated Shauna Johnson (no relation) and Matt Elvehjem; Ted Henrichs and Kris Martin terms expired Dec. 21, 2011. Terms expire for Karen Morehead (Dec. 31, 2012), Anthony Groff (Dec. 31, 2012), Patrick Olson (Dec. 31, 2012), Diane Rueb (Dec. 31, 2013) and Matt Lindholm (Dec. 31, 2013).

•Planning commission members re-appointed – Richard Damchik, Paul Girard, Craig Anderson, Stephen Cunningham and Councilman Freer. Terms expire for Ed Eigner (Jan. 31, 2013), William Loushine (Jan. 31, 2013), Kathy Kuehn (Jan. 31, 2014), Margaret Vogel-Martin (Jan. 31, 2014) and Julie La Fleur (Jan. 31, 2014).

•Freer was re-appointed to the Forest Lake Joint Fire Board. DuFour will replace Councilwoman Susan Young. Also serving are Povolny, Jeff Duraine (Columbus City Council) and Elizabeth Mursko (Columbus City Administrator) and Fire Chief Gary Sigfrinius.

•Young was re-appointed to the human rights commission. Terms expire for Janice Ochs (March 2014), Dawn Nelson (March 2014), William Anderson (March 2014), Joe Radatz (March 2014), Emmanuel Boh (March 2013), Melissa Moris (March 2012) and Judy Bull (March 2012).

•DuFour and Freer replace Johnson and McNamara on the lake improvement committee. Other members are Mike Tate, public works director; Chantal Doriott, deputy city clerk; Doug Thomas, Forest Lake-Comfort Lake Watershed District administrator; Doug Ramseth, Clear Lake Association; Blake Roberts, Forest Lake Association; and Steve Schmaltz.

•Johnson will replace McNamara on the senior citizens board. The two-year terms are for 2010-2012 for other members: Louise Dumire, Mary Erkenbrack, Esther Allen, Cynthia Duchatschek, Joan Grun, Elsie Jasinski, Vicki Nelson, Ronald Reeder and David Wiley.

•Young was re-appointed to the personnel committee and Freer will replace DuFour.

Liaisons

Johnson also nominated city council members to act as liaisons. He did some shuffling around with these appointments: Councilwoman Young to the Forest Lake Area Athletic Association Board to replace DuFour; Young is being replaced by Freer to ISD 831; and Young replaces Johnson to the Tri-County Interstate 35 Task Force. Continuing with their capacities are: Johnson to the watershed district; Young to both the light rail and TH-97 task forces; and DuFour to Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Community.

In Johnson’s absence, Young will serve as acting mayor.

He also appointed Freer to the board at YMCA-Chain of Lakes. Johnson said the director of the Lino Lakes facility reached out and asked to have a council liaison. He noted that appointments to a historical commission will come later once the group has been formally organized and should choose to seek commission status.

Penalties stiffened following severe injuries to high-schoolers

By Clint Riese
Sports Editor

The injury suffered by Benilde-St. Margaret’s hockey player Jack Jablonski in late December has led to an outpouring of support and a host of sweeping rules changes.

The story has truly captivated the “State of Hockey.” The sophomore was paralyzed by crashing head-first into the glass while being inadvertently checked from behind, an illegal move. Since receiving a diagnosis of a severed spine and the prognosis that he may never walk again, local high schools and professional athletes and other celebrities have rallied to Jablonski’s side with visits and fundraisers. The 16-year-old has taken it all with a remarkable attitude and has already set goals for a normal future.

Meanwhile, the ramifications from his ordeal – and of a subsequent spinal injury suffered in a hockey game by St. Croix Lutheran High School senior Jenna Privette – have quickly played out on the ice. The Minnesota State High School League last month stiffened the penalties for several infractions in an attempt to reduce the number of dangerous situations along the boards.

The penalty for checking from behind increased from a two-minute minor with a 10-minute misconduct to a five-minute major with a 10-minute misconduct; Boarding is now an automatic five-minute major rather than having an option for a two-minute minor; and the two-minute minor option was similarly eliminated from the penalty for contact to the head.

Minnesota Hockey, the organization that governs amateur youth hockey in Minnesota, soon followed suit, taking the same precautions to youth-level play on a trial basis. Even USA Hockey is considering similar moves including raising the minimum age for checking at youth levels.

Forest Lake High School varsity coaches Aaron Forsythe and Ryan Sauter agree that the changes have made an immediate impact on the style of play and the outcome of games.

The Ranger girls had to kill off a boarding call in just their second game after the rules were implemented.

“I think it is very evident that all players are making much more cerebral decisions along the boards as opposed to ones based on instinct,” said Forsythe, the boys’ coach.

Sauter and Forsythe both agree the time had come for change, but they held different views until recently. Sauter said the recent injuries have caused him to re-evaluate safety considerations. He had felt the former rules were sufficient, but now thinks safety is “something we have to take a step back and look at.”

The first-year FLHS girls’ coach puts the onus on coaches and parents to teach young players the proper and safe way to play.

“Teaching players how to protect themselves in corners and along the boards is a very important step all coaches need to do,” he said. “You need to make sure you are playing safely and if a player does put herself in a dangerous position, make sure you are not putting her in an even more dangerous situation, which is difficult to do in a contact sport.”

Sauter learned first-hand how vulnerable hockey players can be. In his playing days, he hurt his back (but avoided serious injury) when he and a friend were drilling in the corner and he fell head-first into the boards. He notes that even with proper technique, injuries can happen from a simple loss of balance.

“They just need to constantly be thinking about balance and getting into the proper positions,” Sauter said.

Forsythe wishes such rule changes had been put in years ago.

“The college game has had a five-minute major for checking from behind since 2002; in hindsight it is odd that it has take high school hockey this long,” he said. “Unfortunately it took a tragedy to spark the change.”

Forsythe said much of the dangerous play seen in recent years stems from post-lockout rule changes implemented by the National Hockey League in 2005. In an effort to speed up the game and foster scoring, the NHL banned players from grabbing and clutching opponents. However, those changes also ramped up the speed that checks were delivered at.

“By 2008 or 2009 youth and high school hockey had mimicked the NHL game and we’re left with kids taking hits at speeds that a player couldn’t reach 10 years ago because now they’re unimpeded by their opponents,” Forsythe said.

The NHL quickly learned the negative by-product of the game’s quicker pace, and has taken aggressive strides to lessen the number of dangerous hits. At the onset of camp before this season, the Ranger boys watched a video produced by the NHL which demonstrated what is a clean hit and what is unacceptable. Also, the coaching staff on two occasions addressed the players how they wanted them to separate opponents from the puck: the first time was immediately following the Jablonski injury and the second was following the rule changes.

Jablonski has vowed to walk again. No matter what, the sport he loves has already taken leaps and bounds through him.

“It would have taken youth and high school hockey several years to catch up to the NHL if it hadn’t been for the Jablonski incident,” Forsythe said. “Now we’ve surpassed the NHL in protecting our players.  I’m happy with the changes.”

Former Ranger coaches Mounds View to comeback win

Clint Riese
Sports Editor

Forest Lake dropped two Suburban East Conference basketball games last week, including one to Mounds View in the final visit from longtime Mustang coach Ziggy Kauls, a 1959 Forest Lake graduate who will retire after this season.

It appeared for much of last Tuesday’s contest that Kauls would leave his former home disappointed, as the Rangers led for most of the contest. A 13-2 run late in the first half put Forest Lake ahead 29-18. Dusty Boyer scored seven points during the spree and Tyler Rosenberger added six free throws.

Mounds View closed the half with five straight points, and hit a three-pointer to open the second half. Ben Rush and Brett Burkhardt heated up from beyond the arc and the Mustangs used three-pointers to narrow the gap. Two of their eight overall three-pointers came during an 8-0 run which finally gave them the lead with 5:35 to go.

Forest Lake tied it 50-50 on back-to-back buckets by Noah Davis, but Mounds View outscored the Rangers 10-2 over the final four minutes and prevailed 58-50.

Burkhardt scored a game-high 21 points, while Davis led the Rangers with 17. Boyer added 12.

It was the fourth straight win for Mounds View, which improved to 12-3 overall.

On Friday, Forest Lake trailed 30-20 after one half and went on to lose 73-62 in White Bear Lake. The Bears (9-8, 4-5 in SEC) used a balanced attack with five players scoring in double figures. Boyer led the Rangers with a career-high 19 points. Davis scored 15 and Rosenberger 12.

The road gets no easier for Forest Lake, which is now 6-9 overall and 2-7 in the SEC. The Rangers hosted 13-3 Roseville on Tuesday and play at 10-6 Cretin-Derham Hall on Friday. A non-conference home game against Big Lake is on tap for next Monday.

Apple Valley wins FL Duals

Clint Riese
Sports Editor

At least we made them earn it. That can be Forest Lake’s mantra following a 44-22 loss to top-ranked Apple Valley in the finals of the Forest Lake Duals on Saturday.

The Eagles kept four ranked grapplers on the sidelines during the first six bouts as the Rangers pulled out to a 19-8 lead.

Then Apple Valley rolled out six consecutive ranked competitors – including four ranked No. 1 – and took control of the match.

If only for a moment, Ranger fans enjoyed the sight of being up by double-digits on Apple Valley. James Pleski got Forest Lake on the board with a 2-0 decision at 113. Andrew Meyers followed and limited top-ranked Seth Gross to a technical fall.

A major decision by Ben Morgan at 132 was sandwiched by pins from Michael Pleski and Tyler Isaacson, giving the Rangers their biggest advantage.

Cody Paggen then limited top-ranked Mark Hall to a decision at 145.

“It was great for him,” said coach Billy Pierce. “He battled in positions to avoid being scored on and it was just a nice effort on his part.”

Austin Boniface avoided getting pinned by top-ranked Mason Manville at 152, but Apple Valley proved to be too dominant and reeled off four pins and a major decision in the next five matches.

Beau Phinney closed the meet on a good note for the Rangers with a 9-6 victory in the heavyweight match.

Forest Lake beat Ellsworth (WI) in a tiebreaker in the second round. The teams tied 27-27 with the visitors scoring the final 18 points. Officials originally awarded the win to Ellsworth on the ninth tie-break criteria, but Pierce noticed a counting error on the eighth criteria which allowed the Rangers to advance. In doing so, they avenged a loss to Ellsworth that kept them out of the finals at last year’s event.

Both Pleskis, Meyers, Morgan, Isaacson, Boniface and Mike Urban won their bouts against the Panthers. Morgan’s 8-0 major decision came against a top-ranked foe.

The Rangers opened the day with a 54-9 rout of Stillwater in a match that also counted in the Suburban East Conference standings. Forest Lake won all but three bouts, with pins coming from Morgan, Isaacson, Boniface, Ryder Paggen, Kyle Winberg, Jeremy McLaughlin and Aaron Calhoun.

Pierce left the meet impressed with his team’s effort but aware that it still needs to improve in the few weeks before the section tournament.

“We’ve really been working with our guys to not give up big points…and work on third-period wrestling,” he said. “For us to get to the state tournament, that’s where we need to improve.”

SEC Action

The Rangers coasted to SEC wins over Roseville and Cretin-Derham Hall in a home triangular last Thursday. Neither opponent fielded a full lineup. Forest Lake topped Cretin 78-3 and Roseville 55-16.

Now 8-0 in conference play, the seventh-ranked Rangers travel to No. 2 Hastings tonight (Feb. 2) with the SEC title on the line. Forest Lake will also compete at the Pine Island Invite on Saturday

Rangers come up short in two tough SEC tests

Clint Riese
Sports Editor

Taking on two teams with a combined record of 19-3 in the Suburban East Conference, the Ranger girls’ basketball team was unable to spring an upset last week. Forest Lake, now 10-9 overall and 5-6 in the SEC, fell in Mounds View on Tuesday and at home against White Bear Lake on Friday.

The Rangers put a better showing forth in the second game, which the Bears won 52-47. Led by 29 points from all-state guard Alexis Foley, the visitors controlled the lead throughout. Forest Lake hung around, however, and had several chances to take control as White Bear Lake went cold in the second half.

“It’s unfortunate to lose a game like that but I was very, very pleased with our effort,” said coach Jen Wagner. “I thought we actually played outstanding.”

Foley had 14 of her team’s first 20 points, and she got plenty of help from hot-shooting teammates in the first 18 minutes. White Bear Lake led 34-24 going into the break.

Forest Lake mixed defenses throughout the night and succeeded in slowing the Bears down to the tune of 18 second-half points.

Down 45-30, the Rangers went on a 9-2 run to cut the lead to eight. With White Bear Lack stuck at 47, the Rangers missed a pair of free throws and came up empty on several possessions. Foley secured the win with a steal and layup to put her team up 10 with three minutes remaining.

Wagner came away impressed with her team’s defensive focus, noting that the Bears averaged 70 points over their previous five games.

“You have to be pleased when you have opportunities,” she said. “You can still be disappointed with the fact that some of those opportunities weren’t capitalized on, but if we play the remainder of our season with that effort and that focus, we’re going to win. I’m happy with that.”

Bailey Norby and Emily Peters scored 13 points apiece and Sam Anderson added 10. Forest Lake made only one three-pointer to White Bear Lake’s seven.

Mounds View took control early and was never challenged in a 58-38 win last Tuesday. The Rangers found severe foul trouble early and never got into an offensive rhythm.

“We weren’t able to get looks we were looking for and then the kids shut down,” Wagner said. “It was a learning experience. It was disappointing to lose like that, but [Mounds View] played well.”

The Mustangs, who held a 39-13 advantage in free throw attempts, were led by 21 points from Katie McDaniels. With 10 points, Norby was the lone Ranger to reach double-digits.

Forest Lake traveled to Roseville (15-3, 9-2 in SEC) this Tuesday and hosts Cretin-Derham Hall (7-12, 3-8) on Friday.

Kirchner, Welch lead FL to fourth at SEC meet

The Forest Lake alpine ski girls posted their highest score of the last two seasons in the Jan. 24 Suburban East Conference meet at Wild Mountain. Their total of 601 points put them in fourth place behind Stillwater, Mounds View and Hastings.

The squad achieved another first-time accomplishment, as Krista Kirchner and Kellie Welch both placed in the top 10. It marked the first time two Ranger girls accomplished that feat in the three seasons under the current scoring format. Kirchner placed fifth in 1:04.76 and Welch sixth in 1:05.96.

Maddi Gemuenden (29th, 1:11.59), Maggie Longsdorf (38th, 1:14.18) and Sydney Halley (43rd, 1:16.78) rounded out the team’s top five.

Elli Rodsjo improved on her career best by 10 places, taking 44th in 1:16.92.

All 10 Forest Lake skiers finished the race. Sydney Norcross (50th, 1:22.57), Samantha Kramer (59th, 1:24.88), Melissa Mackey (61st, 1:27.71) and Katie Goulding (74th, 1:48.57) also scored.

Individually, East Ridge’s Elizabeth Koprucki won the meet with a time of 59:38.

Boys place sixth

Nine Rangers scored as the boys placed sixth with 544 points. Stillwater won the meet with 830.

Cody Eggers paced Forest Lake by finishing a career-best 11th in 49.93. Fellow senior David Herman also had a career-best performance and placed 23rd in 51:29.

Four other skiers placed in the top 41: Jake Bush (31st, 52:05), Riley Schilling (33rd, 52:45), Marty Longsdorf (38th, 53:86) and Joe Alberg (41st, 54.47).

Also scoring were Nathan Patterson (56th, 59:68), Espen Rodsjo (65th, 1:01.88) and Nick Goulding (67th, 1:02.15).

Jake Schwanz did not finish his first run.

Kyle Sczepanski of Stillwater earned the individual victory with a time of 52.64.

The alpine teams finished the SEC season at Wild Mountain this Tuesday. They compete today (Feb. 2) at the Centennial Invite at Giant’s Ridge in Biwabik. The Section 7 meet will be held next Tuesday, back at Giant’s Ridge.

The Ranger gymnasts typically have one meet per week. Their last two competitions, though, came in a span of three nights. Forest Lake fell to Rush City/Pine City/Hinkley-Finlayson on Tuesday, Jan. 24 and to East Ridge on Thursday, Jan. 26.

The Rangers were shorthanded on both of the road trips, as all-around participant Merina Lenz was sidelined with a knee injury.

The Tigers, from Section 4A, won by a score of 133.125-130.0. Rush City’s Cassidy Dunkley won the all-around competition with a score of 35.9.

Ranger junior Jessica Dhaene took second in the all-around with 33.625. She won the bars (8.75) and floor (9.325) and took second on the vault (9.0). Sophomore Caitlin Freer took third on the beam (7.925) and the floor (8.65).

Cassidy Baker and Izzy O’Neil saw their first varsity action for Forest Lake.

“They both handled the pressure very well,” said coach Ashley Brett. “A lot of times gymnasts will feel so much pressure from moving up to the varsity line-ups that they will make mistakes. There were no mistakes.”

Two nights later, Forest Lake’s score dropped to 127.075 points in the loss to East Ridge.  The Raptors scored 136.3 points.

“Two-meet weeks are hard on the girls,” Brett said. “It’s a lot of extra pounding on the body and the girls were definitely feeling it on Thursday night.”

Dhaene again won the bars competition (9.0) and took second on the vault (8.975). She also took second on the beam (8.625) and scored 34.45 all-around points, good for second place.

On the JV front, Dani Sardeson took second all-around with a score of 25.45 points.

Forest Lake remains busy this week. The girls host Woodbury tonight (Feb. 2) and take part in the Minnetonka Invite on Saturday.

Swimmers take second at seven-team meet

Forest Lake finished just nine points out of first place in its first appearance at the Minneapolis South Laker Invite on Saturday. The Rangers took second place to Chaska at the seven-team swim meet.

Two team members earned second-place finishes: junior Zach Burger scored 139.25 points in the diving competition and senior Nate Merrier finished the 100 breaststroke in 1:08.43.

The 100 breaststroke was also one of four events where Forest Lake earned points from three participants. Merrier was joined by Evan Woehl (fourth, 1:09.38) and Michael Palo (10th, 1:12.73) in that event. Zach Burger was joined by Nick Burger (fifth, 125.65) and Alex Wahlin (sixth, 116.20) in diving. Joe Goossens (fourth, 1:56.92), Joel Stomberg (fifth, 1:57.20) and Erik Klein (ninth, 2:02.75) all placed in the 200 freestyle. In the 100 fly, it was Bryan Fleming (fourth, 59.01), Stefan Albright (fifth, 1:00.24) and Corey Bahr (seventh, 1:00.66) scoring.

Royals 102,
Rangers 84

Forest Lake and Woodbury swam neck-and-neck for much of Thursday’s Suburban East Conference dual meet. The host Royals prevailed 102-84.

Woodbury jumped out to a 12-2 lead after the first event, the 200 medley relay. Forest Lake closed the gap to six points at 50-44 after Fleming (59.35), Albright and Bahr swept the 100 fly. The Royals grew the lead to 24 with three events to go before wins from Klein in the 100 backstroke (1:00.48) and Merrier in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.65) put the Rangers back in striking distance.

Stomberg also picked up a first-place finish in the 200 free with a time of 1:56.91.

Forest Lake competes at Hastings tonight (Feb. 2) and finishes SEC competition at home against Cretin-Derham Hall next Thursday.

FDIC closes 3 locations on Friday

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

For the third time in a little over two years, a bank in the Forest Lake area has failed.

Patriot Bank Minnesota, with headquarters in Forest Lake and two offices in Lino Lakes, was the latest area bank to go under. Regulators from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation closed the bank on Friday.

On Saturday, the three locations reopened as First Resources Bank which is based in Savage. The Forest Lake bank was the first in the state this year to fail.

The closure of Patriot Bank comes three months after the FDIC closed The RiverBank which was headquartered in Wyoming. The RiverBank’s six locations were purchased by Central Bank of Stillwater.

In December, Central Bank passed on its purchase of the Wyoming facility, closing that location.

It was the second bank in Wyoming to close last year. Earlier, Patriot Bank closed its small Wyoming office and moved its headquarters to Forest Lake in the Headwaters commercial development.

The closure of Patriot Bank marks the first bank failure of the new year in Minnesota.

The bank saw its start in 1998 as Lino Lakes State Bank. The first Forest Lake office opened in 2003 in the Schilling Plaza near Forest Lake High School.

In 2005, the bank changed its name and moved its charter to Wyoming as Patriot Bank Minnesota. In June of 2008, the bank broke ground for its new Forest Lake facility and occupied the building in December of the same year. The bank was the first commercial project to locate in Headwaters near the county government center and public library.

The bank has struggled in recent years following the trend of other community banks that specialize in commercial lending. The bank lost $5.7 million in 2011, the third year in a row that it had been hit with losses.

As 2011 opened, Patriot Bank Minnesota reported an equity rate of just over 1 percent. The equity rate is a measure of safety and federal regulators look for a rate in the area of 7 percent, according to a banker in the Forest Lake area.

All deposits are insured by the FDIC. The FDIC said this week all Patriot Bank customers will be able to use their existing branch bank until they hear from First Resources Bank.

The area’s first bank closure came in September of 2009 when Mainstreet Bank, Forest Lake, failed and Central Bank made its first move to the Forest Lake area.