20 years ago SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN June 5, 2002 Danielle Fusco has a tree planted at Pine Hill Elementary, after the elementary student is revealed to have an inoperable brain tumor.

“This is a friendship tree from the kids to Danielle because she can’t be there to play with them right now,” Carlotta Mullins said as secretary at Pine Hill Elementary.

May 29, 2002

Council member Rod Hale could subdivide and develop his property on Lower Grey Cloud, but would pay almost $20,000 for the privilege, it was made known from May 29 two decades ago.

With two acres of developable land and other underwater, the exact charge ($18,375) was “based on the buildable acres on the lot,” then Community Development Director Kim Lindquist made known.

Given that Lindquist acknowledged Grey Cloud’s stormwater system as “the river” and that Hale would be the only one to pay such a charge, the property owner, wasn’t pleased.

“I don’t think you can do that with good conscience,” he said of the amount. “I mean, come on.” The practical result of the fees would be that the lot price would increase by the same or relatively same amount, Hale pointed out. Lindquist had an answer for that.

“It’s a big concern to exempt some portion,” she said. Council member Jim W. said the ordinance passed in 2000 for stormwater, was clear. Lindquist noted further that lots were assessed “whether they were developed urban or rural,” while Mayor Sandra Shiely had thoughts of her own.

“I don’t know if we could ever assume that this would ever be developed,” Shiely said of the Hale property. Lindquist said if Hale wasn’t charged before the final plat approval, the city might not be paid. The Council moved to approve the application, with Hale abstaining.

“You just charged me $18,000 for one parcel of property,” he said. “I can’t believe you did this.”

The council member and his wife would reportedly subdivide their 22-acre property for one additional home thereon. Coming in for the Great Grove Get Together Medallion Hunt from 2002, meanwhile, was the following clue: “Come get together and join in the fun, we’re looking for treasure, you could be the one, Join Edina Realty in our game of chance, Three hundred dollars, should make you dance, Stay on public property, and search above ground, Til the button with our logo, you have found, Then head to our office, and show use your prize, We’ll make you more wealthy, if you are this wise!”

May 22, 2002

Coming in for May 22, the Fifth Grade Press checked in, with several topics: “X-box versus Nintendo’s Gamecube” by John Thayer of Hillside Elementary “Let the Show Begin” by Johanna Cotton and Jonathon Boggess of Newport Elementary “Mall of America” by Jessica McIntyre and Brianna Kealy of Pullman Elementary “Separate or together” (a piece on school locker use) by Melissa Hamilton and Billy Thao of Crestview Elementary …and many more! 30 years ago SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN June 18, 1992 Torching an abandoned house “on purpose” over on East Point Douglas Road, Cottage Grove Fire got practice for saving other houses, with water being used to save trees near the practice house.

At the same time, ISD 833 was looking to move its offices from Park High, with possible sites being the former Country Club Market on East Point Douglas Road and/or the former site of Cub Foods, “both in Cottage Grove.” The district was preparing to ask for money to build two new junior highs on December 8, along with bring Oltman Junior High “up to code” and “swimming pools at both new schools.” The price tag wasn’t yet determined, Judy Spooner reported, but was thought “to be in the $40 million range.” 40 years ago THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN June 24, 1982 Coming in towards the end of June 1982 was the news on page 1B that it was time to pick strawberries. Among those picking berries at Swanlund’s located just south of 90th Avenue on Hadley were Katie Linberg of Bloomington and Annette Adam of Inver Grove Heights, the latter with her children Nick and Leslie.

Over on Ideal south of 100th Avenue, the fields for Zywiec’s were open as well, with Appleside Orchards in Denmark Township also reported to offer strawberry delight to residents coming to pick their own berries. At just 55 cents per pound, the cost was hard to beat, while a few tips were given to the “rookie picker.” Among these were:

• Flat containers such as cake pans and roasters were best

• Bug repellent was not a bad idea as the fields could be open while the season went on, and

• Being aware of “compulsive picking” was a good idea, as all fruit had to be cleaned when it was brought home. Strawberry plants were expected to yield fruit until the Fourth of July, at which time the raspberry fields would be open.

June 10, 1982

Facing a glut of applicants with 175 people applying for a single maintenance position, Newport city administrator John Hawes was circumspect.

“Everybody from clerks to bakers and candlestick makers” had applied, he said. “Only 50 or so applicants were really qualified though,” Hawes said.

The job ended up going to an Oakdale gentleman for the starting wage of $8.78 per hour.

Down at the Cottage Grove Jaycee carnival, meanwhile, fun was described as “being scared to death,” with numerous rides for early 1980s youth to try.

As to the sale of Grove Elementary, parking and a price hurdle were holding up the sale, Larry Cortese reported, while sale remained imminent for the structure appraised at just over $1 million.

We still don’t have Uncle Sam’s stamp of approval,” colonel Harry Moore said after then mayor Roger Peterson pressed for where things stood on the matter. The Guard also had a “similar facility” in a former school at McCarron’s Lake, the Colonel said. Washington County, meanwhile, was prepared to set up what was deemed “a satellite office” at the former school, with halfa- million dollars set aside in the capital improvement plan for this. 50 years ago THE WASHINGTON COUNTY BULLETIN June 1, 1972 Asking whether politicians would “need to offer bubblegum bribes or eliminate mandatory education,” the answer was given that according to the kids bubblegum wouldn’t buy their vote. Instead many were thoughtful, like Kathy Krum of Beaver Lake Elementary.

“A president shouldn’t be all for or against any issue,” she said. “He should have ideas from both sides and be reasonable.” Vietnam was also on student’s minds.

“Vietnam’s very mixed up,” a reportedly ‘frowning second grader’ shared. “Killing’s not nice, but you should help out a friend if he’s getting beat up too,…so I don’t know. I’d vote for a man who knows what to do.” Vietnam came up more than once in children’s thinking.

Meanwhile and in a related article written by Elaine Knox-Wagner, it seemed the kids were watching their parents.

“I don’t know what grownups really think” a fourth grader described as ‘serious’ said. “But as far as bussing goes, I think they don’t want to integrate. It’s an excuse. Why don’t they ask the kids?” Still another was concerned about wildlife.

“The important thing is to save animals,” a third grader with a swinging ponytail said. “Bulldozers killed a bunch of ducks near my friend’s new house. Nobody’s doing anything about stuff like that.” In the meantime, Vietnam was not to be ignored.

“My teacher doesn’t like Vietnam,” a student said. “but I don’t know WHAT to do about it. I’d vote for a good thinker.” Darlene Poldzina was straightforward as to just what would get her vote from a politician.

“I’d find out what each candidate did, and exactly how he did it,” she said while Gordon Hennesey was even clearer.

“If he took action before election, like petitioning for a good law,” he said. “that would help determine my vote. But the main thing is to listen and watch for his attitudes…especially towards other people.”

At the end of the day, kids fifty years ago wanted a candidate who was “honest, un-biased, a good thinker, nice to people, thoughtful, concerned and loving, and able to see both sides of an issue,” which candidate, be they right or wrong, would get the kid’s vote.

Rural and farm life… 120 years ago WASHINGTON COUNTY JOURNAL Motto: “Independent and Impartial” Published at Stillwater December 20, 1901 Wood and water, or in other words the forests and streams are today among the most important of the country’s possessions. In the west they are indispensable, the forests for lumber and for the protection of the water supply, and the streams for the reclamation of thousands of acres of barren and almost useless land through irrigation. It has been estimated that there are 75,000,000 acres of so-called arid lands west of the Missouri River which with the water now available, can be made richly productive and the seat of large populations. Thus in the west the streams, even more than the forests, must be considered as of prime importance as homemakers.

It is dollars to flapjacks that no nation at war with us will ever send its warships through the Nicaragua Canal.

Upriver at the Stillwater Prison 130 years ago THE MIRROR “It is never too late to mend.”

June 3, 1897 Prisoners received during the week: Adrian R., Nicollet Co., murder second degree, life.

James C., Freeborn Co., forgery second degree, three years.

Charles K., Freeborn Co., forgery second degree, three years.

Matt N., Freeborn Co., grand larceny second degree, two years.

George H., Hennepin Co., burglary third degree, reformatory plan Thomas W., Meeker Co., burglary third degree, reformatory plan. James O., Meeker Co., burglary third degree, reformatory plan.

The three last named were transfers received from St. Cloud Reformatory. Just across Spring Lake in Dakota County… 164 years ago EMIGRANT AID JOURNAL City of Nininger, Dakota County, Minnesota Territory April 7, 1858 A serialized weekly story! The Boat Chase By John A. Stuart “Strange, says the captain, sweeping the horizon with his spyglass, “that we see nothing of the Trunkard and Hilton. Raise that pine sapling at the head, that they may be sure of us if they see us.”

A few minutes after making this signal, we saw a boat, also carrying a pine sapling at her head, outside the Bay Point surf, on the side next to the sea. It came nearly opposite the point, and then rowed swiftly back and out of sight around the bench eastward. Two men, a short time after, walked down to the point, raised a sapling, planted it in the sand, and retired among the sandhills.

“Something wrong! They see us and answer our signal, but cannot venture out. We must break off fishing, and go to them at once! In with your lines, and up with the anchor!”

Township Organization

A law was passed at the session of our Legislature just adjourned, providing fore a general system of township organization throughout the State. It directs the Commissioners of each county to meet on or before the 6th of April, inst., and proceed to divide their respective counties into towns, by making as many towns as there are townships, according to the Government Survey. Fractions of townships may be attached to an adjoining towns, or portioned out among other towns, or otherwise arranged as may be deemed advisable. The towns are to be named by the Commissioners as a plurality of their inhabitants may direct.