Stillwater Current (http://www.stillwatercurrent.com/)
A man died Monday morning after jumping from the St. Croix Crossing. A man crawled over the railing on the north side of the new bridge and jumped, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. He was found dead on the ice below.
My favorite thing to do is visit a classroom and see the smiling faces of kids and teachers as they learn and grow together. Their energy and passion is contagious, and I feel motivated and inspired by them. Yet, these visits also make me aware of other things happening in our schools. Things that aren’t so positive. I see a small number of our children in distress. Continue Reading →
When the level of White Bear Lake dropped so low that docks didn’t reach the water, few Stillwater residents had any idea that the DNR would be ordered to restrict their use of water to help replenish the lake. But on August 30, 2017, Ramsey County Judge Margaret Marrinan ordered that
the DNR, through the use of Water Appropriation Permits issued to Cities, begin restricting municipal water use from any municipal well located within a 5-mile radius of White Bear Lake. According to TKDA Engineer Matt Ellingson, who represents the Stillwater Water Board, Stillwater’s Well 11 – the city’s western-most well – resides approximately 4.99 miles from White Bear Lake. The Stillwater Board of Water Commissioners, which oversees the Water Board, contends that recent studies conducted by TKDA indicate Stillwater Well 11 pumps water from an aquifer plume that flows east toward the St. Croix River, not west toward White Bear Lake, and thus should not be included in the
White Bear Lake ruling. Continue Reading →
Public education is its own unique business, but as a physician, I can’t help but compare it to healthcare. In many ways, education and healthcare are similar. Students and families are consumers for education services. Patients are consumers for healthcare services. The key element in education is the interaction between teacher and student. In healthcare it’s the provider-patient relationship. Continue Reading →
The City of Stillwater is using Polco, an innovative engagement platform where residents can have input into the community decision-making process. By increasing civic engagement through web-based polling, there is an opportunity to meet Stillwater residents where they are. Stillwater’s rollout of Polco will focus on elements of the 2040 Comprehensive Plan. The City will release Polco questions focusing on perceptions of public safety, community quality of life, performance of local government, taxes and more. This is an opportunity to let the City know what is valued most, what may need to be improved, and what opportunities there are for the future. Continue Reading →
All Stillwater Area Public Schools will be closed on Monday, March 5 due to the anticipation of inclement weather. “Forecasters are predicting a winter storm to hit our area tomorrow. In anticipation of inclement weather, we have decided to cancel school for Monday, March 5. There will be no school for all students. Adventure Club will also be closed and all regular after school and Community Education activities including Early Childhood, adult and youth classes are canceled. Continue Reading →
Celebrate St. Patty’s Day with an Irish Dinner of corned beef, cabbage and potatoes. Food served from 4 – 7 pm. Music by Drinkwine & Friends from 5 – 9 pm. Costume Contest with prizes at 7:15 pm. Continue Reading →
Stillwater Area Public Schools is considering a change to start times for the 2019-2020 school year. The preliminary proposal to change start times was shared with the school board during a work session last week. According to the preliminary proposal:
Start times would be earlier for Oak-Land and Stillwater middle school students, as well as two elementary schools;
Move the start time for Stillwater Area High School back 40 minutes for an 8:20 a.m. start time;
Move five elementary school start times back about 30 minutes; and
Impact local charter and non-public schools with possible start times beginning near 10 a.m.
According to Stillwater Area Public Schools:
“School board members are considering a change to school start times that would allow for high school students to begin school later in the day. Medical evidence and research suggests that a start time of 8:30 a.m. or later would better align with teens’ unique sleep needs – improving both the physical and mental health of high school students.” The district could see a financial benefit from adjusting start times, according to the district’s website, by “allow the district to better balance the number of buses needed during each tier of bussing.”
Link: School board considering start time changes for 2019-2020
Link: Start Time Research on stillwaterschools.org
Link: Preliminary Proposal shared with Board of Education
The preliminary proposal would move the district to a four tier busing system, instead of the current modified three tier system. Tier 1: (7:30 a.m.) Both middle schools and two elementary schools. Continue Reading →
Attorney Kristi Hastings, hired to investigate the alleged misconduct of school board members Michael Ptacek and Sarah Stivland, found that Ptacek and Stivland acted in violation of this District’s Respectful Behavior Policy, and Board Governance Process. Dr. Ptacek made a series of public statements about a District employee. Attorney Hastings found that:
1. When asked a question by the press, instead of making a straight-forward and honest statement, Ptacek asked a rhetorical question crafted to cause people to read between the lines and assume that someone (the District employee) had done something improper. 2. Continue Reading →
Let’s face it. We all have days when the alarm clock goes off and we just do not want to crawl out from under those covers. So when that feeling kicks in, what is it that motivates us to fight off the desire to fall back asleep? What is the “why” that gets us going each day? I posed this question to the staff of the Stillwater Area Public Schools at the start of this school year. Continue Reading →
Stillwater school board member, Paula O’Loughlin, is running for Minnesota House Representative in District 39B. Here’s why I won’t be supporting her:
In May 2015, the voters of Stillwater passed a $100 million school bond which promised, among other things, improvements to every district elementary school. A few months later, the district proposed to instead close three schools. They called this plan BOLD (Building Opportunities to Learn and Discover). Soon after the announcement of the district’s BOLD plan, I posted a thank you on Facebook, listing a few Main Street businesses that had made public declarations against the plan. Continue Reading →
The St. Croix Valley Lumberjacks Special Olympics Team need Polar Plungers. Are you brave enough? This a great fundraiser for the team and it is not too late to sign up, we plunge on Feb. 10, 2018. Continue Reading →
Stillwater Area Public Schools is planning for early release from class Monday in anticipation of a dumping of snow. “Due to heavy snowfall expected to occur throughout the day on Monday, we are anticipating that students will be released from school early and all evening activities will be canceled on Jan. 22,” a post on the district’s website reads. “At this time, we are planning for the school day to begin at the normal time, but buses will depart for afternoon routes at 12:35 p.m. for middle and high school students, and at 2 p.m. for elementary students. We will continue to monitor the weather overnight, and if we feel conditions are unsafe for morning travel we will notify families of further scheduling changes as early as possible. Continue Reading →
A 20-year-old Stillwater man is dead and another man is in custody after a shooting Friday night in the 100 block of Bayberry Court in Stillwater. At about 7 p.m., Jan. 19, Stillwater Police were called to Lakeview Hospital on the report of a gunshot victim, Stillwater Police Chief John Gannaway said in a news release. The victim, Charles O’Connell, 20, was pronounced dead a short time later. O’Connell was transported to Lakeview by private vehicle. Continue Reading →
The Washington County Historical Society’s annual Winter Ice Cream Social is happening Saturday, Jan. 20 at Lowell Park. The Winter Ice Cream Social is from noon to 4 p.m., with forecasts calling for temps in the mid 30s. Leo’s Grill and Malt Shop will be serving ice cream. There will also be free coffee, chili for a nominal fee, and of course, a bonfire. All funds raised from this event benefit the Washington County Historical Society. Continue Reading →
One of downtown Stillwater’s most beloved restaurants is closing this weekend. Smalley’s Caribbean Barbeque and Pirate Bar will close on Saturday. “Being a part of this town is so important to me,” Chef Shawn Smalley said. “Everyone has been so supportive and so cool.”
Smalley said a “conflict about the lease” is the reason his restaurant is closing, but he’s “thankful for the opportunity” the landlords have given him over the years for leasing him the space on the south end of Main Street. “I’ve wanted to own a bar in this town since I was 18,” Smalley said. Continue Reading →
Washington County Parks is hosting a series of guided fitness hikes in 2018. The one-hour hikes involve a warm-up and fitness challenges along the way. The first guided trail hike of 2018 will be from 9-10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, at Lake Elmo Park Reserve. The guided hikes start at the Nordic Center. Continue Reading →