Lois Anne Glewwe wore many hats throughout her lifetime, but above all–she was a storyteller.

A South St. Paul historian and author, Glewwe died unexpectedly in her home on Feb. 16, about a week shy of her 73rd birthday.

“She was a force,” said Glewwe’s niece, LouAnn Goossens. “She became the fixture of South St. Paul because she knew all the stories.”

Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, said Glewwe acted as a teacher for the community and had a never-ending curiosity. “She is an icon in the community and I am still in shock that she is gone,” he said. “I think she’ll be remembered as an integral part of our community. … It’s hard to quantify her impact.”

Over the course of nearly 40 years, Glewwe left few stones unturned in the St. Paul area, serving as a city council member for South St. Paul, communications director for the St. Paul Winter Carnival, executive director for Burnsville Area Society for the Arts, executive director for the Dakota County Historical Society and writing books, blogs and columns about the area’s history.

“Any question we had relating to history – South St. Paul or further – we would reach out to [Glewwe] and she would get us an answer,” said current executive director for the Dakota County Historical Society, Matthew Carter. “Throughout the organization’s history, she’s been a key person.”

Studied art in India

After graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1972 with a degree in Art History, Glewwe moved to Philadelphia to receive a master’s degree in Southeast Asian Studies and Indian Art. From there, she moved to New Delhi, India, where she studied Indian Art, Sanskrit and Hindi.

Despite being the author of numerous books relating to Minnesota’s history, Goossens said there was a time when Glewwe laughed at the idea of returning to the state.

In the mid-80s, Glewwe did return to South St. Paul to take care of her ailing parents, said Goossens. While she was back in town, she was hired for a job that began her unbridled fascination with the city’s history.

Glewwe was hired to plan and coordinate the city’s centennial celebration in 1987. Instead of hosting one big party, Goossens said they held events during each month of the entire year.

Following the celebration, Glewwe and the South St. Paul Chapter of the Dakota County Historical Society published 5,000 copies of “South St. Paul Centennial, 1887-1987.”

She would go on to write several more books including “West St. Paul Centennial, 1889-1989,” “The History of Inver Grove Heights: Minnesota’s Treasure,” “The Glewwe Family History” and, most recently, “South St. Paul: A Brief History” in 2015, which has been described by readers as “a page-turner” and “a must-read” for anyone from the area.

“Those of us in elected office need to look at a suitable memorial for her and make the history that she compiled living,” Hansen said, “to keep that teaching, sharing and learning ongoing for the community.”

In addition to her love of history, Glewwe was passionate about gardening, chairing the South St. Paul Garden Club, and her five cats.

Goossens said Glewwe specified in her will that all of her cats were to go to Animal Ark, a no-kill shelter, and donated funds to ensure the cats would be adopted as a group.

“She was a great woman and we are going to miss her dearly,” said her nephew, Kelton Glewwe.

Glewwe is preceded in death by her parents, Reuben and Ethel Glewwe, and her brother, Rollin. She is survived by her sister Elva (Gerald) Miller, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

The memorial service for Glewwe will be 11 a.m. Feb. 28 at First Presbyterian Church of South St. Paul, located at 535 N. 20th Avenue.

Residents of Inver Grove Heights have been notified of elevated radium levels in the town’s drinking water.

The problem is attributed to sand filters at the water treatment plant that are due for replacement.

The Minnesota Department of Health notified the city on Jan. 30 that the radium levels in the city’s water were out of compliance, said public works director Brian Connolly. The city’s residents received notices in the mail on Feb. 15.

According to the city notice, radium levels from October water samples at the Inver Grove Heights Water Treatment Plant were 6.0 picoCuries per liter, exceeding the maximum contaminant level of 5.4 pCi/L.

“Small amounts of radium occur naturally in air, water, and soil, and radium levels in groundwater fluctuate over time,” wrote the notice.

When radium breaks down it creates radiation, and individuals who drink water with elevated levels of radium every day for years can be at a higher risk of cancer, according to the Health Department.

Water quality meeting

A community meeting was held on Tuesday where Connolly said the goal was to be transparent.

Karla Peterson, a public health engineer for the state Department of Health, spoke at the meeting and said, “Ideally, we would have known by December 2022 if there was or wasn’t an issue, but there were some problems at the laboratory, so we didn’t realize until January that there was an exceedance.”

Residents voiced their concerns and asked numerous questions during the meeting, including why the radium rates are increasing and if other cities in the area are also experiencing increases.

The increase in Inver Grove Height’s water, according to the Health Department, has to do with the treatment plant’s sand filters, which work to remove radium.

No other nearby cities have exceeded the maximum contaminant level, according to the Health Department, but Peterson said they could be headed in the same direction due to the age of treatment plants.

Next steps

For a short-term solution, Connolly said the city has brought in an independent chemist who is analyzing the water treatment plant and providing recommendations.

In February, they made adjustments to the chemical treatment process to address the radium levels, Connolly said.

The long-term solution is to replace the treatment plant’s sand filters, which were constructed in 1998, Connolly said, and intended to last 20 years.

The sand filter replacement will begin later this year and end in 2024, costing around $2.8 million, Connolly said.

In the meantime, he said, Inver Grove Heights water is safe to drink.

“The water in our community is safe to drink, cook with and bathe with,” Connolly said. “If it wasn’t safe, we wouldn’t be distributing it.”

The city addressed some frequently asked questions at www.ighmn.gov/1464/Water-Notice-FAQs.

Officials in Inver Grove Heights say fire damaged two boats docked at a Mississippi River marina Tuesday night — and a firefighter had to be pulled out of the river after falling into the icy water.

Firefighters were called about 7 p.m. to a private marina in the 6100 block of Doffing Avenue, on the west bank of the Mississippi River about a mile and a half south of Interstate 494.

They found a 50-foot boat engulfed in flames at a slip in the marina. The flames also spread to another adjacent boat. One firefighter fell into the 38-degree water at the scene and had to be rescued but was unhurt.

Fire crews were on the scene for more than two hours and reported that both boats remained floating but were badly damaged. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Tainted

This is a shout out to all people from Minnesota who travel to Wisconsin via Highway 63 heading to Spooner, Hayward or Cable. I travel this road almost every weekend going to Cable.

You people drive as if there is no speed limit in Wisconsin.

You pass on yellow, and double-yellow, lines.

You are very dangerous drivers.

Please stay in your own state if you can’t obey our traffic laws. I would much rather you kill people in your own state than in mine.

Many complaints about the careless driving have been reported to St. Croix, Polk, Sawyer and Bayfield county sheriffs’ offices, as well as the Wisconsin State Patrol.

The next time I go by a vehicle that has been pulled over from Minnesota I hope it is you.

Stay home or drive sensibly.

Joel Pederson, New Richmond

Tainted

A big Tainted to Delta Airlines for changing our seats on our last two flights — without warning or notice to us.

My husband and I bought our seats four months in advance for seating closer to the front of the plane and to sit together. Our seats together in Row 22 were taken from us to accommodate ‘family seating’ — sounds good, but then why not give them the seats together in row 36 that we were moved to instead?

I think the switch was done just prior to boarding as our itinerary looked unchanged the day before we were to fly.

The gate agent told us the computer makes the changes and they can’t do anything about it.

Next step was the on-line complaint that can take 30 days to resolve.

We were given 2,500 miles as compensation — but why would we want miles to fly again on the airline that treated us this way?

Family seating programs are just starting, and it is a shame that Delta has not found a better way to manage it.  And all airlines either are now or soon will be doing the same thing.

Mary Foster, Woodbury

Sainted

I want to Saint the elderly gentleman who paid for my groceries at Cub in West St. Paul on Feb. 17.

After four attempts to pay for my groceries the card was denied. The cashier asked if she should void the purchase. I asked if she could hold them and I would go home for a different card.

Just then a  gentlemen stepped forward and said he would pay for them. I said “No thank you.” He insisted and said he wanted to do a kind thing that day.

He would not give me his name or number so I could repay him. I told him thank you and I would pay it forward.

It’s so nice to have total strangers be so kind.

Mary Newton, West St. Paul

Sainted

To the kind, patient woman who was behind me at the self checkout line at the IGH Target on Saturday, March 4, at about 2 p.m.

I was holding up the line because my Target RedCard was not working, and I had no other way to pay. You stepped in front and paid for it yourself.

Thank you so much for your kindness.

Richard Jarett, St. Paul

Tainted

A huge tainted to the City of Saint Paul for targeting vehicles parked for a funeral at Saint Matthew’s church on Tuesday, March 14.

People were paying respects to a deceased friend, relative, uncle, husband. It was 1 o’clock in the afternoon and there was no plowing going on anywhere by the area. Everyone was gone by 2 o’clock. But, like vultures swooping in on road kill the parking enforcers were there to inflict more sadness on people who already are grieving. Nice to know that there is no compassion shown by the city if there is a chance to “make more money” from grieving citizens.

Rick OKeefe, Inver Grove Heights

Sainted

Thank you, Pioneer Press, for the wonderful front-page article about “Promposal.” With so much sad news on TV and in our papers, the article made me feel very happy. Also, you included such a nice picture of the couple and the hockey sticks. I have already made a copy of the article and I am mailing it to my 15-year-old granddaughter.

DeAnne Cherry, Woodbury

Sainted

The St. Paul Pioneer Press for printing the obituary on February 24 exactly the way the dearly departed would have wanted it printed even though it contained the “GD”.  A thousand and one apologies to any and everyone who found this obituary offensive.

Doug Brodil, Apple Valley

Although the three men who made up the predawn crew at a Mendota Heights gym didn’t talk much, they felt a certain camaraderie showing up each day in the near empty gym for their 4 a.m. workouts.

Since December, however, the three are bonded forever after two of the men helped save the life of the third.

Yohuru Williams and Dan Goodstein, along with a team of police and emergency responders, were honored at Mendota Heights City Hall on Thursday afternoon for their extraordinary efforts to save the life of their gym buddy, 59-year-old Ken Sperle of St. Paul.

It all began shortly before 6 a.m. Dec. 11 at the Mendota Heights Anytime Fitness at 756 North Plaza Drive.

Williams, of St. Paul, was in the middle of doing his 50 pullups when he heard Sperle, who was on the treadmill, groan, and then heard a thud. He looked over and saw Sperle had fallen onto his face on the treadmill and then rolled partly off. His face was bleeding.

Meanwhile, Goodstein, of Inver Grove Heights, had just moved to the chest machine when he heard a thunk and turned to see Sperle face down with the machine still running.

Goodstein, a former police officer, ran over and began to shout orders, starting chest compressions on the unconscious Sperle and telling Williams to call 911 and get the gym’s AED, or automated external defibrillator, which is used in cases of sudden cardiac arrest.

Sobering 911 audio and body cam footage of what came next were played at City Hall.

In the video, the 911 dispatcher asked if Sperle was breathing. He was not.

During the next chaotic 60 seconds before police officers arrived, Goodstein performed CPR while a 911 dispatcher coached the two men on the use of the AED, including removing Sperle’s shirt and drying off his chest first.

At one point you can hear Williams say in a pleading voice, “Come on, Ken. Stay with us please. Stay with us, Ken.”

Within minutes Mendota police officers Dan Iverson, Jarod Powell and Eric Wagman arrived and took over lifesaving efforts until Megan Schwartz and Angie Smith, EMS workers from M Health Fairview, also arrived.

‘This has bonded us’

Until Thursday, Sperle, who had seen Goodstein and Williams back at the gym — because he still works out — had not met the others who saved his life.

After the Celebration of Life ceremony, Sperle deflected all questions to his rescuers, saying the story was about them, not him.

In an interview after the ceremony, Williams and Goodstein talked about that morning and their early morning workout crew.

“You get there at 4 in the morning and it’s just a bunch of ordinary guys who can jump from one machine to another without any interruptions and that’s the nice thing about it,” Goodstein said.

Usually the men just say hello or good morning.

But now that has changed.

“I think this has bonded us, all of us,” Williams said, “You care about people because you see them every day. And you kind of get to know their stories piecemeal. I’ve known Ken for three years now.”

The event was even more poignant to Williams since he had lost his father to a heart attack a few months beforehand in September. His father had been alone when it happened and by the time he was found it was too late to save him. And Williams himself had undergone a heart procedure six days before Sperle’s heart attack.

Williams said he had a bit of trepidation going back to working out but felt more comfortable hitting the gym “because my friends were there, Dan was there, Ken was there — this informal community of people who work out that early (that gave him) a sense of security.”

Sperle’s heart attack was a sober reminder of the fragility of life, Williams said.

“We take a lot for granted in life and it’s moments like this remind us of the importance of savoring the sanctity of life but also recognizing the importance of community. Being surrounded by good people, people who care,” he said.

In Forest Lake sits a manufacturer attempting to change the trajectory of modern housing construction.

Norhart’s method of building apartment unit components in-house, and then completing the development on-site in five-hour rotations, would eventually drive down the cost of housing in general and open up the market to more people, CEO Mike Kaeding says.

Norhart is a one-stop apartment development operation, handling everything from a building’s design and construction to its leasing and marketing. It’s been in the construction business for 30 years, originally operating under the name Kason, and was founded by Kaeding’s father, Edward Kaeding, before Mike took over in 2014.

One star of the show is Norhart’s apartment manufacturing facility, EVE, where steel wall panels, ceilings and floors for each apartment unit are built before being trucked to the construction site. The 25-person production team at EVE completes the framing, bracing, drywalling and weather-proofing all in the factory.

One innovative component at EVE is the stud former, a machine specifically tailored to form studs from coils of steel. Once formed, the machine can cut precise holes into the studs for future electrical wiring, Kaeding said.

The stud former is also programmed to produce dimples, or placeholders, which eliminates the layout process on site and significantly reduces construction time, said Charlie Igo, production and automation manager for Norhart. At EVE, they are able to produce a wall every 15 minutes, which makes for two and a half apartment units a day, Igo said.

After the wall and flooring panels are constructed, they are transported to the construction site via trucks that carry up to 20 panels at a time, Igo said. With the panels on site, the walls can be quickly put together, almost like Legos, said Elena Neilson, head of process improvement.

While on site, Norhart’s construction team works in five-hour intervals, moving consecutively through each phase from framing to electrical as they move through the building, similar to an assembly line, Kaeding said.

By building the main apartment components in the controlled environment at EVE, Igo said the team is able to work more quickly, more efficiently and without weather delays. Manufacturing at EVE is also safer for the workers, Neilson said, because no one is constructing while on a lift.

By using these processes, construction costs are lowered 20% to 30%, Kaeding said, noting the goal is to get the savings up to 50%.

The streamlined manufacturing process at EVE has been underway for six months, Kaeding said, and has the potential to decrease construction time on an apartment complex from 15 months to nine months.

Affordability

Norhart’s ultimate goal is to reduce the cost of rents nationwide by lowering construction costs, Kaeding said.

While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution, Norhart is saving money wherever it can by sourcing materials across the country, crafting its own steel studs in-house, all with the goal of improving productivity.

The company’s newest property, Norhart Oakdale, will be the first to utilize both the assembly line style construction process and the off-site production team at EVE. Still in the early stages of construction, the complex is expected to cost Norhart around $64 million but would otherwise cost developers roughly $98.5 million, Kaeding said.

Housing demand has risen faster than homes are being produced, Kaeding said. Norhart is aiming to develop its properties at scale and at a low cost point so when prices start to decline, he said, “We can keep building and fueling that fire to drive down prices for others.”

Rise Modular

Minneapolis-based Rise Modular is also building apartments in a manufacturing facility and then transporting them to the work site in an effort to reduce the cost of housing and hasten the speed of production.

Christian Lawrence, founder and CEO of Rise Modular, said his company builds entire apartment units off-site from wall paneling to installing kitchens, bathrooms and light fixtures. By doing most of the construction work off-site, Lawrence said they are able to put up apartment units 30% to 50% faster than the traditional model while also cutting down on noise pollution, traffic and debris pollution in the area.

Rise Modular completed the 193-unit Alvera Apartments on West Seventh Street between Grand and Smith avenues in St. Paul in January 2022 after 13 months of construction, which was “a testament to the company’s speed,” Lawrence said.

As for the residents of the buildings, Lawrence said they would never be able to tell that the buildings were constructed any differently, noting that they are indistinguishable from traditional models.

On the horizon for Rise Modular is an 84-unit “deeply affordable family housing” project for the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, said Lawrence. Each of the units will be available to households that are at or below 30% of the area median income.

“We’ve proven the technology, it’s not just an idea,” said Lawrence. “We think this is the future of construction.”

Norhart Oakdale

Norhart Oakdale, located at 7601 N. Third St. in Oakdale, will open to residents in 12 months with more than 300 units, said Stacy Ekholm, Norhart’s chief operating officer.

Multi-family housing is booming in Oakdale right now, said City Planner Luke McClanahan. Once constructed, Norhart Oakdale will be the tallest building in the city at seven stories, McClanahan said.

While the construction type is different from what the city has seen historically, McClanahan said the completed building will have a lot of characteristics that the city’s residents are looking for, with its proximity to the Gold Line bus rapid transit and its mixed-use design.

Norhart Oakdale will also have a ground level restaurant and coffee shop, McClanahan said. “I cannot think of another property that is set up like that in Oakdale,” he said.

The finished apartment complex will also feature a co-working space, Ekholm said, noting that one of the goals is to have residents “want to work from home.”

The apartment complex will house units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments and offer two-level penthouses. A one-bedroom apartment at the Oakdale location will cost around $1,600 a month, Ekholm said.

Rent prices in the area vary greatly, McClanahan said. St. Paul’s Alvera Apartments charge roughly $1,375 for a one-bedroom unit.

Pricing for Norhart’s units is based on a variety of factors including the available amenities and the location, Kaeding said.

The game changer

In order to create a streamlined process, Kaeding said, “We brought it all in-house.”

Instead of trying to coordinate each facet of the build with a different company, Kaeding said they decided to bring it all in-house and work as one coordinated team in order to maximize efficiency.

Norhart currently employs around 250 people ranging from architects to plumbers to designers.

“Having everyone working together improves the quality,” Neilson said, noting that team members are able to coordinate more easily and communicate when timing issues come up.

Bringing engineers in-house was a game changer for the entire operation, said Neilson. Instead of catching mistakes like incorrect measurements mid-production and having to redo each piece, they now know ahead of time and can phone in adjustments as they come up.

In addition to the Oakdale location, Norhart is working to bring its apartment complexes to Cottage Grove, Ramsey, Inver Grove Heights and the state of Texas, Kaeding said. Norhart will also break ground on a new 40-acre manufacturing facility in Forest Lake in about a year.

“We’re trying to be the Google of construction,” Kaeding said.

Nearly every Thursday this year, the Black Box Theatre in Inver Grove Heights has been full of art supplies, board games and, on occasion, a banjo.

Each Thursday throughout Inver Hills Community College’s spring semester, students and folks who are supported by Living Well Disability Services have gathered to play games, laugh, learn from each other and create community.

Aptly named the Thursday Social Club, the events are hosted by the intercultural communications class and each week’s activities are led by a student. The 10-week project has included an art show, a Bob Ross-style painting class, games in the gym and poetry writing, to name a few.

The intercultural communications class has been taught by Amy Zsohar since 2007 and first partnered with Living Well in 2018, but this is the inaugural semester for the social club.

Zsohar said the class is designed to help students communicate and interact with people who come from different cultures and backgrounds across race, religion, socioeconomic status and more.

Zsohar said it is her favorite class to teach because “you never know what is going to happen.”

Although the clubs are usually led by students, Peggy, one of the people supported by Living Well, also led a class this spring in which she discussed a video she stars in called “Offense Taken” that talks about the harmful use of the R-word.

Presenting in front of a crowd is not her favorite thing to do, she said, but she is passionate about advocating for the disabled community.

Jake Lewis, an Army veteran and student in the class, said that throughout the semester he has learned how to communicate with people who have intellectual disabilities.

For the social club that he hosted, Lewis said he brought in his banjo and everyone worked together to write a song about diversity and loving yourself.

Patti, one of the people who Living Well supports, said last week that Lewis is her favorite student while they played a game of Yahtzee.

Lewis will graduate this winter and said his next step is law school, where he will take with him the lessons he learned in this course as he hopes to advocate for the disabled community as a lawyer.

The idea for the social club stemmed from a need for more in-person activities following the isolation the pandemic brought on, said Kathy Anderson, volunteer manager with Living Well.

Those supported by Living Well enjoy being able to come to the college campus, Anderson said.

“They talk to students and learn about their lives, what they are studying and what they do for fun,” she said.

Many day programs for people with disabilities have been experiencing staffing shortages because of the pandemic, Anderson said, which limits the options.

“Our partnership with Inver Hills has opened up possibilities for people to connect and have fun in a way they don’t otherwise have as much of these days,” Anderson said.

Although some students begin the semester wary, Anderson said the students grow in comfort over time and the class allows the students an opportunity to develop respect for people with disabilities.

Jonathan Chanthakham, a sophomore at Inver Hills, said he originally took the course for the credits but was pleasantly surprised when the social club began because he used to work at Living Well when he was in high school.

“It brought back good memories,” he said, noting he saw some familiar faces this spring.

Zsohar, who was named Educator of the Year by the Minnesota State Board of Trustees, said she hopes the social club will be a staple for the spring semester class going forward.

“It’s been the most fun,” Zsohar said. “I look forward to it every week and I’m really sad it’s ending.”

The fun isn’t stopping for everyone, though. Lewis has enjoyed the course so much that he is applying to work at Living Well to maintain the connections he’s made.

A man and woman were sentenced to 30½ years in prison Tuesday for their roles in the September killing of an Inver Grove Heights man shot after refusing to pay for an erotic massage.

Logan David Slack and Fotini Anest West, both of Minneapolis, had pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder-not premeditated in connection with the Sept. 24 killing of 43-year-old Michael Chang-Beom Lee at his home.

Plea agreements that Slack, 25, and West, 26, reached in February called for the 367-month prison terms that were handed down by Dakota County District Judge Richelle Wahi at sentencing.

West entered a Norgaard plea, stating she could not remember the circumstances of the murder but that she reasonably believed the prosecution had sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction. She admitted in court to taking opiates and crack cocaine the night of the murder.

According to the criminal complaints:

Officers were dispatched to Lee’s home in the area of 78th Court East and Barbara Avenue just after 2 a.m. on an “open line” 911 call in which the dispatcher could hear a male yelling “help me” and “they are trying to get into my house.”

The dispatcher later aired that the male had gone silent and that it sounded as if the phone was outside in the wind. The dispatcher then discovered the phone was pinging just west of Barbara Avenue.

The first officers on scene saw glass of a back door had been shattered and went inside, where they saw bloody footprints on the carpet. Lee was found dead in the basement bathroom.

Two people told police they saw a dark-colored, older SUV leave a cul-de-sac near Lee’s home just before officers arrived on scene. An officer stopped the SUV, which was occupied by West, Slack and another man.

In an interview, Slack told investigators he had dropped West off at Lee’s house to give him an erotic massage in exchange for money. He said West left the house and told him Lee assaulted her and said he wouldn’t pay her.

Slack said he grabbed a revolver from the SUV, broke the glass of the back door with the butt of his gun and went inside with West. Lee went to the basement bathroom and locked the door. Slack and West ran after him.

Slack said he made a large hole in the bathroom door, and that Lee called 911 during the confrontation. He said when Lee tried to grab him through the hole, he raised his revolver and pulled the trigger. He said the revolver was set on an empty chamber, so he pulled the trigger a second time, shooting Lee in the back.

Slack said he shot Lee to stop him from calling 911 and so he could get his phone to ensure electronic payment for the massage. He said he took Lee’s phone and he and West fled.

During a search of the SUV, officers found the revolver under the driver’s seat and Lee’s phone under the front passenger seat.

Minnesota court records show that neither Slack nor West had previous convictions other than misdemeanor traffic violations.

B.E. “Bernie” Beermann, a former taxi driver and new member of the South St. Paul school board, died over the weekend.

“Everybody knows Bernie Beerman, the Santa Claus taxi driver,” said South St. Paul Mayor Jimmy Francis. “As mayor, I’ve learned that Bernie is a very accomplished person,” Francis said, calling him a “South St. Paul legend.”

Beermann, 84, was very active in local politics and would attend nearly every South St. Paul City Council meeting, Francis said, and often gave helpful ideas on how to improve the community.

“He had a larger-than-life personality,” said Julia Hagen, a close friend of Beermann’s. “He was well-read and could talk with you about Plato, politics, history or religion,” she said of the father of three.

Hagen said Beermann was in a car crash shortly before his death, though the official cause has not been disclosed.

“The world is a little less colorful without him,” she said.

In 2018, Beermann ran for South St. Paul City Council and before that, served for eight years on the Inver Grove Heights City Council.

His most recent achievement came in January when he was elected to serve on South St. Paul’s school board. Beermann was excited to join the board and proud to serve his community, South St. Paul Superintendent Brian Zambreno said in an email.

“As a board, we are saddened by the loss,” said John Raasch, chair of the school board. Beermann was an active member of the community and well respected, Raasch said.

In his 80s, Beermann was learning a lot of new technology for his new role, Raasch said. “He was excited to be a part of the process.”

On the school board, Beermann was a part of the policy committee and the community education advisory committee.

Raasch said the board is giving the family and the community time to grieve before a special election will be held to fill the board’s vacancy between now and November. An interim board member may also be appointed before then, Raasch said.

“I know that Bernie was a longtime member of the community and that he will be missed by many. He was a good man,” Zambreno wrote.

A 35-year-old Inver Grove Heights police officer and decorated Army veteran known as a “dedicated family man” died Sunday after a medical emergency, the police department announced Tuesday.

Ben Bidon joined the police department in 2015. He was in the Army from 2005 to 2009, and served a 14-month tour in Iraq.

He worked for Inver Grove Heights as a crime scene technician, field training officer, firearms and use of force instructor, SWAT operator, and team leader and was currently assigned to the investigation unit. He “was compassionate and diligent in his duties and served the public with pride,” the department wrote on Facebook. “He worked tirelessly to make this community safe.”

Inver Grove Heights police and firefighters along with M Health Fairview paramedics responded to a medical emergency Friday; Bidon was off duty, according to the department. Bidon received care and was taken to Regions Hospital, in St. Paul, where he died Sunday “surrounded by family and friends,” according to the post from police.

Bidon was married with three daughters, ages 4, 6 and 9. He and his family enjoyed camping and hiking. He was involved in his church, loved playing hockey and was an avid hunter.

“Ben’s impact in all facets of his life was immense,” the police department wrote. “Everyone that was blessed to know Ben will remember him for his humor, giant personality, and an even bigger smile. His legacy has left a lasting impact that will never be forgotten.”

The Inver Grove Heights Public Safety Foundation has organized a fundraiser for Bidon’s family at gofund.me/b7618bb0.

Authorities are asking for help in the search for a missing Inver Grove Heights man whose gray Honda Accord was found near Afton State Park earlier this month.

Andrew Dropik, 31, was last seen May 16 at a gas station in Inver Grove Heights.

Four days later, family members found his unoccupied vehicle near Afton State Park, where he often hikes, according to a press release from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

When Dropik did not show up to a family event on May 20, relatives contacted law enforcement.

Family members and law enforcement officials believe Dropik may be undergoing a mental health crisis, and a handgun is missing from his house, the release states.

Deputies from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, along with law enforcement officials from the Minnesota State Patrol, Afton State Park and the canine unit, searched Afton State Park from ground, water and air, the release states.

Dropik is described as a 6-foot white man with facial hair who weighs around 240 pounds.

He was last seen wearing a red and blue baseball hat and a dark-colored shirt.

Anyone with information on Dropik is asked to contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 651-430-7850.

South St. Paul nonprofit Neighbors Inc. announced a new executive director who has 23 years of experience in the nonprofit sector.

Dawn Wambeke, who previously worked as the executive director for Advance Opportunities, a nonprofit organization that provides employment and training for adults with developmental disabilities, will officially join Neighbors as the new executive director on June 12, according to a company news release.

“I am greatly looking forward to getting to know the staff, volunteers and community to work together collaboratively to build upon the incredible foundation that Neighbors and its supporters have established over the past 51 years,” said Wambeke in the release.

Established in 1972, Neighbors Inc. provides access to food, clothing and financial empowerment for community members across northern Dakota County including Inver Grove Heights, South St. Paul, West St. Paul, Mendota Heights, Sunfish Lake and Lilydale.

Wambeke, who is a graduate from Southwest State University with a degree in psychology as well as a mini MBA for nonprofit organizations from the University of St. Thomas, will be replacing Charles D. Thompson who was appointed to the position in 2017.

“Dawn’s enthusiasm about our mission and her experience developing and implementing strategic plans gave the search committee confidence that she was the right person to lead Neighbors,” said Neighbors’ Board Chair Beth Baumann in the release.

Matthew Krohn had a police escort when he headed to the airport early Saturday, his ultimate destination the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.

Krohn, a St. Paul police employee who cleans the department’s headquarters, is representing Team USA as a swimmer.

At a send-off at the police department Friday, Police Chief Axel Henry said whether it’s people who solve major crimes or keep police facilities in great shape, “those all kind of pale by comparison to doing something … on an international level where we go represent our country. We’re really, really proud today to congratulate Matthew.”

Krohn, of Inver Grove Heights, is one of two Minnesotans who are competing at the Special Olympics World Games.

Tiffany Carey, of Brooklyn Park, will take part in artistic gymnastics.

“Very excited, beyond excited,” Carey said of reaching her dream. When she got the news, “I actually screamed,” Carey said. There are only six gymnasts from the U.S. going to the World Games.

For both Carey and Krohn, the training has been intense.

Krohn, who is 27 and has autism, has been competing in the Special Olympics for nearly two decades and swimming for more than 10 years. He will be competing in the 25-meter backstroke, 50-meter freestyle individual and 50-meter freestyle relay competitions.

Carey, a gymnast for 32 years, is 49. She has a rare genetic disease and, as a result, has intellectual and other disabilities, said her mother, Mary Carey. “I call it the ‘invisible disability’ because you can’t see it,” she said.

“Special Olympics provided a way for her to be included in things,” Mary Carey said.

Both Krohn and Carey’s parents will be joining them in Germany.

Known for his smile

Amy Olson is a job coach for Krohn and Donna Buzay, who are both cleaners at the police department. Olson works for Lifeworks Services Inc., a nonprofit that serves people who have disabilities.

After Krohn graduated from high school, he completed a transitional school program and his first job was at the police department, Olson said. She said he’s a detailed cleaner who has learned a lot.

“He’s extremely friendly, outgoing,” Olson said. “Everybody talks to him because he’s always smiling.”

He has a collection of planes and brings one to work with him each day. Krohn said he’s especially looking forward to his air travel on the way to Germany.

The police department provided Krohn on Friday with St. Paul police patches, challenge coins and other memorabilia for him to give to other contestants and trade with officers he meets along the way.

Buzay said she’s proud of Krohn and is going to try watch him compete.

Special Olympics World Games on TV

ABC’s Good Morning America is scheduled to be live from the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin beginning 6 a.m. CT on June 16.

The game’s opening ceremony is to be broadcast in the U.S. on the ABC Network from 2-5 p.m. CT on June 17.

ESPN+ and ESPN3 will be streaming more than 400 hours of competition.

The “Best of the Special Olympics World Games” will air on ABC from noon to 2 p.m. CT July 2.

A body found in Afton State Park on Saturday night matches the description of a missing Inver Grove Heights man, authorities said Tuesday.

Andrew Dropik, 31, was last seen May 16 at a gas station in Inver Grove Heights. The body was found in a ravine in a remote area of Afton State Park, just north of Afton Alps, said Laura Perkins, a spokeswoman for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities and volunteer searchers had been looking for Dropik in the 1,600-acre park since May 20 after family members found his gray Honda Accord parked near the park’s north entrance; Dropik often hiked in the park, Perkins said.

The cause of death is under investigation, but a preliminary investigation does not indicate any sign of foul play, Perkins said.

Family members and law enforcement officials believe Dropik may have been undergoing a mental health crisis, and a handgun was reported missing from his house, she said.

The body was found by searchers with Northstar Search and Rescue around 7 p.m. Saturday.

The formal identification of the deceased, along with the official cause and manner of death, will be determined by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Agencies and search-and-rescue organizations that worked to find Dropik include the Washington County Sheriff’s Office; Minnesota State Patrol; Afton State Park rangers; Northstar Search and Rescue; Wings of Hope Search and Rescue; Christian Aid Ministries Search and Rescue and K-9 Emergency Response Teams, Perkins said.

Two 18-year-olds died Sunday after jumping off cliffs into Lake Superior.

Austin Henning, of South St. Paul, and Maximillian Williams, of Inver Grove Heights, drowned after jumping into the lake, according to Lake County Sheriff Nathan Stadler. A 911 caller reported the two were “struggling to swim” at Black Beach, in Silver Bay, at 1:25 p.m. Sunday.

“It was wavy and windy, and the water is cold. I don’t know what the temperature was, but it had to be fairly cold,” Stadler told the Duluth News Tribune. “So I know that played into the fact that once they got into the water, they struggled and were actually being pulled out away from the shore.”

At the time of the drownings, wind speeds were up to 23 mph and waves 3-4 feet, said Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Jamie Rodriguez Ayala of the U.S. Coast Guard, who responded to the scene via boat from Bayfield, Wis. The Coast Guard also sent a helicopter from Traverse City, Mich.

“At some point, visibility was less than 1 nautical mile,” Rodriguez Ayala said.

The first body was located and removed from the water at 6:12 p.m. Sunday, and the second body was recovered at 7:39 p.m.

Lake County Search and Rescue and St. Louis Rescue Squad responded to Black Beach.

“Lake Superior is a dangerous lake, and visitors and everybody just need to really appreciate what that lake can do,” Stadler said. “It’s not like just jumping into an inland lake.”

Two recent graduates of Simley High School died on Sunday after jumping off of cliffs into Lake Superior.

Austin Henning, of South St. Paul, and Maximillian Williams, of Inver Grove Heights, were on a couples day trip to Lake Superior on Sunday when the tragedy occurred, said Henning’s mother, Beth Ann Henning.

Henning was dating Williams’ twin sister, Beth Ann Henning said, who had advised against the cliff jumping.

“There’s nothing stopping my boy once he gets his head on it,” she said.

At the time of the drownings, wind speeds were up to 23 mph and waves were three to four feet tall, the Duluth News Tribune reported.  A 911 caller reported the two were “struggling to swim” at Black Beach, in Silver Bay, about 1:25 p.m. Sunday.

Henning and Williams, both 18, graduated from the Inver Grove Heights school this spring, Henning’s mother said. The two had become close friends while working at Discount Tire and bonded over their shared love of cars.

Their friend group was comprised of “car fanatics,” she said, adding that they call themselves the “Simley Car Crew.”

Keen on giving back

Max Williams’ parents, Sheri and Steven Williams, said their son was strong, humorous, outgoing and above all, sincere.

After graduating high school, the Williams’ said their son was looking into entering the medical field as a potential radiologist. “He is very keen on giving back, he felt he could make a difference,” Steven Williams said.

Max was always an ambitious person, his parents said. “He used to build stuff with blocks before he could speak and would always show me what he built,” Sheri Williams said.

That ambition followed him into adulthood, where he was known as a hard worker and eager to learn, Steven Williams said.

Future auto technician

Beth Ann Henning described her son as multi-faceted. “He was very hands-on with learning,” she said. “Cannot say he was an extrovert, he has a tough shell to crack, but he is a ride-or-die friend.”

After high school, Austin Henning planned to attend Universal Technical Institute in Lisle, Ill., to become an automotive technician. He was particularly interested in European cars, his mother said, and planned to become BMW-certified.

“He’s smart,” she said of her son. “He doesn’t like to show it, but he’s smart.”

Austin Henning got his passion for cars from his older brother, Beth Ann Henning said. The brothers had two favorite topics to discuss: cars and music. “My older son adored his younger brother,” she said.

Arrangements pending

Arrangements have yet to be made to celebrate the lives of Austin Henning and Max Williams.

Beth Ann Henning said in the future she is interested in gathering donations for a cause pertaining to her son’s love of cars.

“He had a very bright and exciting future ahead,” she said.

Two Minnesotans returned home this week with gold medals from the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.

Matthew Krohn, of Inver Grove Heights, took the top honor in the 25 meter backstroke. Tiffany Carey, of Brooklyn Park, won the gold medal for all-around artistic gymnastics; silver for the uneven bars; and bronze medals for both the vault and floor.

Krohn, a St. Paul police department employee who cleans the department’s headquarters, said Thursday he was a little nervous at first, when the competition began, and overall had “a blast” at the World Games.

His mom and dad, Chris and Curt Krohn, joined Matthew in Germany. “We were just elated,” Curt Krohn said of seeing their 27-year-old son win a gold medal. “It was an unbelievable feeling.”

Carey described her experience as “unforgettable.” Her parents, Mary and David Carey, made the trip to watch their daughter. Mary jumped and down when Tiffany won the gold medal.

“This is a dream of a lifetime,” Mary Carey said. “She worked 32 years to get here. She was 49 and the oldest gymnast competing.”

Delta Air Lines had a celebration for Carey and Krohn when they landed at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Wednesday.

On Thursday, Carey went to Mini Hops Gymnastics in Plymouth to show her coach her medals, and heard “congratulations” from other coaches.

Krohn stopped by the aquatic center at Veterans Memorial Community Center in Inver Grove Heights Wednesday. That’s where he trained, along with the pool at Two Rivers High School in Mendota Heights.

The police department is planning to welcome Krohn back to work on Monday.

Dakota County will break ground Thursday on a five-mile pedestrian and bicycle corridor dedicated to its veterans.

Veterans Memorial Greenway will run between Eagan and Inver Grove Heights and feature eight memorials dedicated to Dakota County’s veterans, said Tony Wotzka, parks and greenway administrator for Dakota County.

The trail, which was formerly known as the Rich Valley Greenway, will provide a safer route for pedestrians and bicyclists as it connects Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan with the Mississippi River Greenway in Inver Grove Heights, Wotzka said.

“It will be the longest greenway dedicated to veterans in Minnesota,” said Dakota County Commissioner William Droste. Dakota County is home to more than 22,000 veterans, Droste said, underscoring the importance of the memorial.

With the help of veteran advisors, eight themes were chosen for the memorials and adopted by the Dakota County board of commissioners last month: Native American veterans, Gold Star Families, Military Units and Flyers, veteran support organizations, Missing in Action, Places We Served, In the Service and Dakota County Military Places.

A far cry from traditional plaques, each of the memorials will feature elements like sculptures, pergolas, benches, plazas and interactive features with QR codes.

The current estimate for the project comes just under $24 million, Wotzka said, with roughly $20 million allocated for construction. Federal and state funding is helping the project, which has secured around $17 million so far, and the rest awaits board approval, Wotzka said.

The Veterans Memorial Greenway has many partners, Wotzka said, including Inver Grove Heights, Eagan, the Department of Natural Resources and Flint Hills Resources, a refinery that donated land along the greenway’s path.

Thursday’s groundbreaking ceremony will launch the first of three construction phases for the project, which is projected to be completed in 2027, Wotzka said.

Police are investigating the shooting of a 6-year-old Tuesday night in Inver Grove Heights.

Officers responded to a weapons call in the 5300 block of Audubon Avenue at 7:10 p.m. and learned a boy had sustained a possible gunshot injury, according to Inver Grove Heights Police Cmdr. Joshua Otis

He’d been taken in a private vehicle to a children’s hospital, and his injuries appear to be non-life threatening, Otis said.

The circumstances of the shooting are under investigation. No one was in custody as of late Wednesday afternoon.

A welfare hold was put on the injured child and another child under the age of 4, Otis said.

This season is a busy one for Twin Cities restaurants!

Earlier this spring, we visited 10 great new restaurants around the metro, but even more fun neighborhood spots outside of St. Paul proper have opened since then.

Here are five more new restaurants to check out this summer.

Don Papi Chulo

Popular South metro food truck Don Papi Chulo expanded to a permanent counter-service location in Inver Grove Heights this summer — and luckily, they kept their street-food sensibilities. The food truck menu was already quite extensive, and the brick-and-mortar kitchen has allowed them to branch out even more. So we figured we’d try some of the new additions.

They’ve always offered a few tortas, or Mexican sandwiches, but the birria torta is new, and delightful. Like the others, it’s served on cloudy, chewy telera bread; the beef is tender and absurdly flavorful, and the pickled jalapenos are a nice touch. And true to Don Papi Chulo’s street food roots, the sandwich comes wrapped in tin foil.

Another newbie is Tony’s Fries, a sizable basket of waffle fries topped with queso, carne asada, pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole. What’s not to like?! At $16 and very, very heavy, it felt a little much for a side for just two people, but I’m confident a big group could demolish this bad boy. Speaking of: Don Papi Chulo offers a discounted menu for Simley High School students.

Other classic Mexican dishes that are recent additions to the menu are quite good, too. As far as enchiladas go, the tortillas are clearly high-quality and the sauce has a nice kick. The horchata agua fresca is phenomenal; one of the best I’ve had in the Twin Cities. It was perfectly starchy and cinnamon-forward, but a hint of vanilla gave it a much rounder flavor. Churros, topped with strawberries and whipped cream, are also on offer nowadays — so don’t miss out.

Don Papi Chulo: 7834 Cahill Avenue, Inver Grove Heights; 651-815-7771; donpapichulo.com/

Southern Social

The building that houses Southern Social used to be a Green Mill — but you wouldn’t know it. The exterior got a classy coat of dark paint, and the inside has been given a sleek makeover. As for food, everything we tried was flavorful, colorful and plenty saucy. Drinks are strong and a little sweet; some are even available in 4- or 8-person punch bowls.

Southern Social’s menu runs the gamut of “Modern Southern” fare, from fried green tomatoes to shrimp and grits to skillet cornbread, baked with smoked cheddar and topped with melted honey butter. The menu gets a lot of mileage out of pimento cheese in particular — no complaints from me; the pimento mac and cheese with cavatappi pasta, crispy onions, thick bourbon barbecue sauce and optional added smoked brisket is hearty comfort food at its best.

We were seated at the bar; a couple service misses: Cornbread, technically an appetizer, came out at the same time as our entrees, and the mac and cheese initially arrived with pulled pork, not brisket as ordered.

The restaurant just opened in May, from the same folks behind Barley & Vine in Lakeville and Tamarack Tap Room in Woodbury. The menu started as a series of smoked-meat experiments at Tamarack but quickly grew into its own concept, said Ben Berry, the operations and business development director for Trellis Hospitality.

Southern Social: 1940 Rahncliff Ct., Eagan; 651-478-7919; southernsocialmn.com/

Lakewood Tavern

With well-made drinks and pretty good American-style food, this neighborhood spot in Lake Elmo — just opened in March — is a nice local addition to the southern end of the suburb. From the bar, the Lakewood Old Fashioned, with a house bourbon/rye blend, was great, and even non-alcoholic drinks like the Hudson Blvd are well-balanced and herbaceous.

The food menu ranges from handheld sandwiches to pizzas to burgers like the bourbon bacon burger with smoked gouda, black truffle aioli, and bacon jam. Thick patty and good cheese coverage; the truffle wasn’t overpowering. It’s listed on the menu as “award-winning” — we’re not quite sure which award it won, but my dining partner sure enjoyed it.

On the “Lakewood Favorites” section of the menu, our server specifically recommended the walleye fingers. They were just fine; I wasn’t upset I’d ordered them, but I’d try something else next time. The batter wasn’t greasy, but the meat was sweet and a little fishy. The house-made tartar sauce was good; the spiced sour cream, for an unannounced $1 upcharge, is skippable.

Lakewood Tavern: 9939 N. Hudson Blvd, Lake Elmo; 651-390-6760; lakewoodtavern.com

Howard’s Bar

Howard’s Bar has been a bar forever. A neon-esque sign above the backbar proclaims, “I remember when it was John’s Bar,” the precursor to Whitey’s Bar, which local musician Caroline Smith and chef/husband Adam To bought last year. They reopened the bar as Howard’s this summer, named after their dog.

And with new wood paneling and vintage photos on the walls, it looks even cozier and older — in a good way! — than it did before. To, who cooked at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Los Angeles before the couple moved back to Minnesota, has completely remastered the menu, which is gorgeously designed with little cartoons that have a nostalgic ‘60s pop culture aesthetic.

Across the board, the food is fun and comforting but not quite up to its full potential.

Gotta start with cheese curds, of course. Satisfyingly hot and greasy and melty, and the house-made dill pickle ranch is really, really good — and a nice precursor to this year’s State Fair pickle-mania. For the Reuben, they make the corned beef from scratch; all their beef comes from high-quality Peterson Craftsman Meats in Wisconsin. The corned beef on its own was tender; overall, the sandwich was tasty but not spectacular. The French fries, also made in house, had a slightly over-fried, oily taste.

The entrees have an elevated supper club vibe. Think homemade meatloaf, lasagna with fresh pasta, pork schnitzel with a fingerling potato salad. The schnitzel came with a lemon wedge, which my dining partner reported gave a helpful boost of acidity. The potatoes, tossed in a dill sauce with little pickle chunks, felt Nordically Minnesotan but under-salted.

Beer, wine, and fresh-squeezed juice round out the menu, with rail mixed drinks by request, although they do have some liqueurs for cocktails.

Howard’s Bar: 302 S. Main St., Stillwater; 651-439-9902; howardsbar.com/

Baba’s

To conclude this journey, I trekked to the lesser-known St. Paul suburb of Minneapolis to visit Baba’s Hummus House & Mana’eesh Bakery. The sibling-run operation is known for its silky packaged hummus and retro State Fair Airstream trailer, and earlier this month, they converted a boarded-up storefront in the Wedge neighborhood into a bright, colorful, and delightful-smelling Palestinian cafe.

The restaurant is family-run, so I thought I’d be a good son and invite my mother for lunch. Baba’s hummus itself is, as we’ve come to expect, wonderful. Their housemade tahini, my mother happily exclaimed, is even better, with a roasty and savory sesame flavor.

She got the Super Green bowl, with falafel, edamame and pistachio. The falafel, though a bit dry, was particularly herbaceous. I went for mana’eesh, a flatbread that’s common in the Middle East and not so much in the Twin Cities yet. The lahme bi ajeen flatbread, topped with spiced beef, was unbelievably juicy, just dripping with those tantalizing Mediterranean spices. They’ve got six varieties of mana’eesh right now and I will be trying them all, thank you very much.

Besides fast-casual food, they’ve also got coffee and assorted drinks, each of which comes with a cute little pistachio shortbread cookie. Mama’s mint tea was not as mint-forward as I was expecting, but the Arabi cardamom espresso was appropriately well-spiced and strong.

Baba’s: 2220 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis; lovebabas.com/