OAK PARK HEIGHTS — About 17 employees from Target Corp.’s Distribution Department spent 9 a.m. to noon today volunteering at HOPE Adoption & Family Services.

“We’re so excited to welcome this energetic group back to HOPE,” said HOPE Development Director Nancy Lyner.

The same group also came to lend a hand at the nonprofit in May. The volunteers plan to paint and landscape the HOPE outdoors.

During their last visit, the group painted, assisted in mailings and even installed a new TV for improved community training. Target encourages its employees to volunteer, and the distribution department chose HOPE as a worthy nonprofit to help.
In the last year, over 130 volunteers shared their time and talents with HOPE.

Knuteson earns certification

ST. PAUL — Stillwater resident Chris “Casey” Knuteson recently earned his certified hazardous materials manager certification, officials with Professional Service Industries, Inc., (PSI) announced.

Knuteson is environmental services manager in PSI’s St. Paul office, and has been with the company since January. Prior to joining PSI’s St. Paul office, Knuteson was a staff scientist in St. Louis, working on petroleum, radiological and chemically-contaminated soil and ground water clean-up sites.

Knuteson is a 2004 Stillwater Area High School graduate and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis.

With headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill., PSI is a leading independent engineering and testing company and one of the largest consulting engineering firms in North America.

Spa opens new Woodbury site

MINNEAPOLIS — Massage Retreat & Spa opened its seventh Twin Cities location June 13 at 7060 Valley Creek Drive next to Rainbow Foods in the Woodbury Village Center.
During this month and July, Massage Retreat & Spa’s Woodbury location will celebrate its grand opening with a special $34.95 one-hour session of massage or custom facial session or a $69.95 spa package (both sessions). This offer ends July 31 and is available for first-time clients only at a one-per-customer limit. Other restrictions may apply.

All Massage Retreat & Spas are open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Massage Retreat & Spa locations besides Woodbury are Eden Prairie, Edina, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Savage, and Shoreview.

Visit MassageRetreat.com or contact JoAnna Masloski at 651-261-5148 or jmasloski@massageretreat.com for more information

Compiled by Stillwater Gazette staff

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Adam Card with Crystal Clean Windows, prepares to wash windows at the Water Street Inn in Stillwater Monday afternoon. A warm, sunny day allowed Card to ensure that windows at the popular downtown Stillwater hotel and restaurant lived up to his employer’s name of crystal clean. (Gazette staff photo by Erik Sandin)

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After a quarter-century in Washington Avenue offices, the Coldwell Banker’s Stillwater office moves a few blocks west to a renovated office on Curve Crest Boulevard next to Great Harvest Bread and across the street from the Market Drive Cub Foods store.

“We will be open for business on Friday the 21st,” said Adam Nyberg, manager of the local Coldwell Banker office.

Nyberg said the move of the local Coldwell Banker office from it’s old location at 2020 Washington Avenue has been planned for about one year.

“I actually spent about a year looking at sites,” Nyberg said. He added that he considered a variety of locations, including downtown sites until deciding to lease a vacant section of a building on Curve Crest Boulevard.

“We renovated the space in about 90 days,” he said.

Nyberg said changes in how Coldwell Banker real estate agents work with clients was another reason the local office is moving.

“A big part of the move is that agents are doing business differently than when we were in the old office,” he said.

Technology is another reason for the change, according to Nyberg. He said agents are using smart phones, iPads and other computer technology to help clients buy and sell homes. He adds that Coldwell Banker’s new office is designed to let agents use the latest computer technology in home sales.

“It will be a great benefit to our clients,” he said.

Agents also are working less during traditional day time business hours and spending more time in the field meeting clients and showing properties, Nyberg said.

Coldwell Banker’s move comes at a time when Stillwater-area homes sales are rising, Nyberg said.

“Home sales are up substantially over the prior year. In Stillwater in 2012, the (housing) market started to generate steam,” he said. “Now is a good time to sell. It’s also a great time to buy because interest rates are still low.”

Nyberg said Coldwell Banker has seen its business increase with the rise in local homes sales.

“Our office has seen over a 50 percent increase (in sales) over the prior year,” he said.

The combination of rising homes sales, changes in how real estate agents market properties and work with clients and a desire to be in a more visible location led in the move of the local Coldwell Banker office, Nyberg said.

“We wanted to get in a little more visible area,” he said about the new Curve Crest Boulevard office. “It’s kind of the new hub of Stillwater. It’s where the action is.”

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Erickson

Despite a turbulent economy and job market, recent college graduates have much to be optimistic about as they leave campus and head into the real world. No one ever said life on your own was easy, but post-graduate financial bliss can be a reality. These six tips from Thrivent Financial offer a start for recent graduates who are ready to put their education to work for a secure financial future.

Get real about your paycheck: Compared to the minimum-wage jobs you survived on through college, the annual earnings at your first post-graduate job might give you dollar-sign eyes. Don’t be fooled; after taxes, benefits, living expenses and student loan payments, your remaining monthly spending money could amount to less than half of your gross income. Being realistic about your paycheck doesn’t mean you can’t have any fun, though. That new car might have to wait, but with smart budgeting you can still enjoy the finer things in life with a clear conscience.

Your credit score matters: Thought you were done worrying about test scores? Think again. Whether you want to get an apartment, mortgage, car or a new job, your credit score says a lot about you and can make or break these important steps. Free credit reports are available at www.annualcreditreport.com, and for a small fee you can also obtain your credit score. Examine your report regularly for accuracy, and pay off any existing credit card debt as soon as possible. Credit card interest is wasted money, and outstanding debt can hurt your credit score.

Look out for number one: After expenses and taxes, your paycheck might look too slim for comfort, but protecting your assets, health and income is worth the additional cost. If you have an apartment, renter’s insurance is a relatively inexpensive way to protect your possessions. Health insurance is also a must, whether you get it through your employer or stay on your parents’ plan. Your paycheck is worth protecting, too. Disability income insurance is not just for those with physically demanding jobs, as most beneficiaries are on disability from illness, not injury. Preparation for the unexpected comes at a small price considering the costs associated with the alternative.

Save for the fun stuff: Again, being responsible with your finances doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. You have worked hard to start your career, and deserve to reward yourself. The best way to spend smartly is simply to spend less than you have. Diligent saving allows for the occasional splurge without having to feel guilty or anxious about your decision to spend. Consider directly depositing a certain amount from your paycheck into a savings account for a “fun fund.”

Save for the grown-up stuff, too: Your parents’ nagging might slow down now that you’ve graduated, but their retirement planning advice is worth listening to. Start investing now, you won’t regret it. As you barely scratch the surface of your career, retirement seems a long way off, but successful investors understand that the longer your assets remain invested, the greater their potential for growth. The cash you forfeit now will pale in comparison to the amount you’ll end up getting back at the end of your career if you start as early as possible.

Don’t pass up free money: Many employers offer pretax savings through their retirement accounts. Because your retirement contributions come out before taxes, your taxable income is decreased, saving you money. For example, a $100 contribution from your earnings to a pretax retirement account would reduce your paycheck by only $75 if you’re in the 25 percent tax bracket. If your employer matches a percentage of your retirement contributions, it is wise to contribute the maximum amount of their match so as not to pass up on “free money.”

Money is just one of many aspects of adulthood that college graduates must meet head-on to start living independently. Personal finance might seem daunting, but don’t be discouraged. The above-mentioned tips boil down to common sense: spend less than you earn, stay protected through proper insurance, maintain good credit and save for the short and long-term, and you will be off to a great financial start in the next chapter of your life.

Thrivent Financial is represented in the local area by Dana Olson Erickson, ChFC, RICP, CASL. Her office is at 204 Third St. South in Stillwater and she can be reached at 651-439-7091.

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Stillwater’s 4×1,600 relay team of Eric Colvin, from left, Wayde Hall, Sean Bjork and Eli Krahn placed second to earn National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) All-America honors on Sunday at the New Balance Nationals Outdoor track and field meet in Greensboro, N.C. (Contributed photo)

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Adding to their long list of achievements, Stillwater runners Eric Colvin, Wayde Hall, Sean Bjork and Eli Krahn finished second in the 4×1,600-meter relay on Sunday at the New Balance Nationals outdoor track and field meet.

The Ponies — competing as the Stillwater Track Club — ran the fastest time ever recorded by Minnesota high schoolers with a clocking of 17:17.45, eclipsing the previous all-time best set by Willmar at 17:22.17 in 2007.

Stillwater led for most of the race on Sunday, but Brian Kettle surged past Wayde Hall late in the final leg to give Red Tide of Michigan the victory in a time of 17:16.12. Kettle’s anchor leg was 4:13.40 as he made up a nearly six-second deficit to capture the title.

“I think at first we were a little disappointed because we went out there wanting to win,” Colvin said. “But after we took it all in, we realized we had a good race and were second at nationals so we ended it on a happy note.”

Each of Stillwater’s four runners finished within two seconds of each other, led by Krahn with a 4:18.37 split and ranging to Hall at 4:20.29. Colvin finished in 4:18.53 and Bjork turned in a 4:20.27 time.

Colvin lost a few seconds on his run following a mishandled baton exchange from Krahn to start the second leg, though he said it did not impact the final result.

“We were in first and I just left a little early and underestimated where he would be,” Colvin said. “I took it back out and just got myself back in the race and it didn’t make too much of a difference. At first I was like, oh boy, but we were really lucky it didn’t bounce out of the track and we didn’t get anybody disqualified. You don’t really prepare for anything like that, but the key is to stay calm and get back into the race.”

The Ponies didn’t even decide to compete in North Carolina until about a week before the event.

“We weren’t actually planning on going until we looked at the sheets and saw a lot of the other good teams in the nation were going to be there,” Colvin said. “We got together and said we should do this and we were all in at that point.”

It was also a last hurrah of sorts for the seniors Colvin, Hall and Bjork and Krahn, a freshman who has run the fastest 1,600- and 3,200-meter times in the country for his age group this spring. The seniors have contributed to two state championships in cross country and two in track the past few years. Colvin and Hall will continue as teammates at the University of Minnesota while Bjork will run cross country and track at St. Olaf.

“We had a long time to sit down and talk about it afterward,” Colvin said. “We were reflecting on the race and the fast times we’ve had before and how awesome this whole journey has been, but also looking forward to the future. We’re all going to be friends and have so much to look forward to in the future. I’m happy that we ended up going out there and it’s a good last memory to have for the four of us. It’s sports and you’re going to have disappointments, but we just realized that and said we have a lot going for us and we’re not done yet.”

The second place finish resulted in NSAF All-America honors for the runners.

Hall will be competing in the 1,500 meters at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week in Des Moines, Iowa.

Contact Stuart Groskreutz at stuart.groskreutz@ecm-inc.com

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Shelley Olds of Team TIBCO, above, celebrates her victory in the Nature Valley Grand Prix, a cycling stage race which concluded in Stillwater on Sunday. (Contributed photo by Matt Moses)

Mike Friedman and Shelley Olds captured the overall titles in the men’s and women’s divisions of the Nature Valley Grand Prix that wrapped up on Sunday in Stillwater.

J.J. Haedo of won the Stillwater criterium by two seconds, but with Friedman’s 37-second lead entering the final stage he held onto the top spot for the overall title with a time of 11 hours, 11 minutes and 12 seconds, which was 40 seconds ahead of Andres Diaz and 46 seconds in front of Eric Marcotte.

Michael Friedman of Team Optum won the overall men’s title. Below, riders round the corner to start their 20th and final lap of the Stillwater stage, which included climbs up Chilkoot Hill. (Contributed photo by Matt Moses)

In the women’s competition on Sunday, Claudia Hausler and Joanne Kiesanowski finished first and second in the Stillwater stage. Olds finished fifth in the final stage and cruised to the finish for the overall victory after Jade Wilcoxson — who entered the final stage with a one-second lead in the overall standings — crashed while taking the corner prior reaching Chilkoot Hill and did not finish.

The Nature Valley Grand Prix is a five-day, six-stage race that started with time trials in St. Paul on June 12 and included additional stops in Cannon Falls, Minneapolis Menomonie, Wis., and Stillwater for the grueling finale. Races make 13 (women) or 20 (men) laps around a 2.2 kilometer course in the Stillwater stage, which includes Chilkoot Hill and it’s renowned 18 percent average grade.

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Sen. Amy Klobuchar

Whether it is a cold and wet spring, punishing drought or foreign countries unexpectedly shutting their markets to American products, Minnesota farmers and ranchers must contend with a range of unpredictable variables that can threaten their livelihood. The U.S. Congress should not be one of them.

Unlike Mother Nature’s forces that brought us the poor spring planting weather or last summer’s drought, lack of congressional action on the Farm Bill is entirely preventable.

That’s why as a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I worked with my colleagues to craft a five-year Farm Bill that passed the Senate with strong bipartisan support.

The Senate Farm Bill builds on the successes of the 2008 Farm Bill, strengthening crop insurance, eliminating direct payments, reducing our deficit by $24 billion, promoting a strong energy title and protecting conservation and nutrition programs.

The Farm Bill also includes important provisions I fought to provide beginning farmers and ranchers greater access to crop insurance and more land for grazing, and to help protect pork and poultry producers from catastrophic losses. I also worked with North Dakota Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp to boost agricultural research, address the backlog of Rural Development loans, support the Rural Energy for America Program and enhance regional conservation efforts like those in the Red River Valley.

To open new markets to Minnesota producers, the Farm Bill includes my provision instructing the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Transportation to evaluate rural transportation, including “captive shipping,” to ensure that farmers and rural businesses can move their products as quickly and affordably as possible. Last year America exported $136 billion in farm products resulting in a trade surplus of $32 billion. As the sixth largest agricultural exporting state, Minnesota contributed more than $6.8 billion in 2012.

Finally, the new Farm Bill provides something very simple to Minnesota farmers and rural communities: certainty. It puts an end to the unpredictable and volatile federal farm policy that currently exists without a strong five-year plan.

This is the second time in the last 354 days that the Senate has put forward a long-term Farm Bill that helps producers, consumers and our entire economy. Last year, the Senate passed the bill but the House of Representatives failed to act. I have heard from countless Minnesota farmers and ranchers who need the support and certainty that this bill provides, and if the House fails to act again, they do so at their own risk. Congressman Collin Peterson has been working hard to move the Farm Bill forward in the U.S. House and I will work with him as he pushes the House leadership to take up and pass a five-year Farm Bill.

Minnesota farmers are some of the hardest workers in the United States. They produce the highest quality, lowest cost food in the world, and they represent a proud part of our state’s heritage and history. Minnesota farmers deserve a Farm Bill, and I will not stop fighting until it is signed into law.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is Minnesota’s senior U.S. senator.

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Galler

I am always thankful when readers suggest topics. Ken, a reader in Hugo, asked that I write about Minnesota’s “special registration plates” which are sometimes referred to by the more colorful moniker of “whiskey plates.”

Have you ever seen these? They are a plainer-looking license plate that starts with the letter W. It is that first letter — coupled with what the plates mean — that has prompted their nickname.

Whiskey plates are issued for a variety of reasons all related in some way to illegal drinking and driving. They are issued after someone has had their regular license plates impounded for a designated offense.

Let’s assume there is a fictionalized family with a father, mother and two teenage drivers. Dad just spent too much time socializing with his buddies after the big softball game and got pulled over and arrested for DWI. Will his plates be impounded?
Generally speaking, yes, if any of the following occur: He refuses to take a blood, breath, or urine test; scores .16 or more on such a test; had an earlier DWI conviction or related license revocation within the last 10 years; there is a child under the age of 16 in the car or, he was driving, even without drinking, when his license was revoked for too many earlier DWIs.

If any of these facts exist, then the license plates for every vehicle that is in his name — or that he uses — will be revoked for a minimum of one year. This means the vehicles that his wife and kids typically use will also have their plates impounded.
The state will also monitor to ensure that dad does not purchase or sell any vehicles during this time period, except within specified parameters. These provisions are designed to make sure that dad can’t circumvent the law through sham transactions.

As vehicles without plates cannot be legally driven in Minnesota, whiskey plates are issued during the year of impoundment when it is shown that someone, other than the violator, will be driving the car or when the violator has obtained either a limited or fully reinstated driver’s license. A $50 fee is charged to obtain the plates and they have to be kept up to date with current tabs just like regular license plates.
There are a number of reasons for whiskey plates. First, it is hoped that the fear of having plates impounded will deter some people from driving drunk. Second, the plates themselves give a “heads up” to law enforcement officials to watch those vehicles more closely because they know that someone in the family has a history with DWI.

Third, they soften the hardship on innocent family members who still need to drive as a normal part of everyday life.

Hopefully, if you now see whiskey plates on the road it will be a helpful reminder that it is important for all of us to avoid drinking and driving.

Judge Greg Galler is chambered in Washington County. If you have a general question about the law or courts for Judge Galler, send your question to the editor of this newspaper. Learn more about Judge Galler, or listen to a podcast of his columns at www.judgegreggaller.com.

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Crews also are expected to begin working on bridge pier foundations close to the Wisconsin side of the river, resulting in a narrow boat channel and a no-wake zone in the construction site, according to state Department of Transportation officials.
Eastbound and westbound MN 36 between Osgood and Washington avenues and northbound and southbound MN 95 between Point Road and King Plant Drive will be reduced to one lane in each direction through Friday, depending on weather conditions, officials said.

In addition, MN 95 will have lane closures between the MN 36 junction and the Sunnyside entrance for grading work. Motorists will also face left lane closures on southbound MN 95 to westbound MN 36 starting Monday in anticipation of the mid-July MN 36 traffic switch, officials said.

Other approached related work includes the start of construction on south MN 36 frontage road extension east of Phil’s Tara Hideaway Restaurant. Motorists also can expect traffic delays in the Beach Road, 59th Street and Stagecoach Trail area from construction activity. Traffic from Beach Road to Stagecoach Trail will be moved on to a temporary bypass, officials said.

Officials also remind residents that unauthorized pedestrians and vehicles are prohibited from entering active work sites. Project work hours are 7 a.m. to dusk Monday through Saturday, with some overnight work needed in the future.

Pier foundation construction continues in the St. Croix River close to the Minnesota shoreline. That work includes pile driving, caisson installation and excavation of pier footings.

Call the project hotline at 1-855-GO-CROIX or visit www.mndot.gov/stcroixcrossing or www.facebook.com/stcroixcrossingmndot for more information about the project.

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The Lake Elmo VFW baseball team is off to a 5-0 start in Fourth District League play and stands 8-5 overall a few weeks into the summer season.

Post #5725 opened the season with a 1-3 showing at the Stillwater/Lake Elmo Tournament to start the season and more recently posted a 2-2 record in the Minnetonka Tournament. In the Minnetonka Tournament, during which the final game against Edina was cancelled because of storms, Lake Elmo defeated Benilde-St. Margaret’s 3-0 and Sioux Falls East 10-1 while falling to West Fargo 3-1 and Hopkins 8-0.

In Fourth District League play, Lake Elmo has limited three of its five opponents to one run or less. Post #5725 has defeated Simley 10-1, East Ridge 3-1, Oakdale 4-3, South St. Paul 10-0 (6 inn.) and Mahtomedi Gold 11-6.

The team is coached by Ryan Bartosiewski and Mike Parker.

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