PINEPINE CITYCITY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2020 VOL. 135 NO. 6 www.pinecitymn.com $1.00 DRAGON WINTER SPORTS: Heating up rinks and courts all around town and beyond. P7 New rules for presidential primary election Early voting open now, party caucus- in Minnesota, and Pine County Audi- The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party whose candidate I intend to vote.” es Feb. 25, primary election March 3 tor/Treasurer Kelly Schroeder wants and the Republican Party are partici- “This was a legislative decision made the public to know that there will be a pating in the primary, and there will be in 2016; it’s not something that Pine number of changes this year. a different ballot for each party. Voters County just decided to do,” Schroeder BY MIKE GAINOR “This election is very different than must request which ballot – Republican said. “This is statewide. The purpose, [email protected] what most citizens have ever experi- or DFL – they want. According to state I have heard, is just to put Minnesota enced,” Schroeder said. “I am very guidelines, each voter must affi rm the more on the map when it comes to the Early voting is now open for the concerned about voter confusion and statement, “I am in general agreement March 3 presidential primary election frustration.” with the principles of the party for SEE PRIMARY, PAGE 2 Arson at Pokegama Sanatorium STAFF REPORT [email protected] The Pine County Sheriff’s Offi ce reports that ar- son was the cause of the Jan. 28 fi re at the former Pokegama Sanatorium. According to law enforcement, at approximately 5:35 a.m. this past Tuesday, Jan. 28 the Pine City Fire Department along with the Pine County Sheriff’s Offi ce were dispatched to a structure fi re at 10035 Pokegama Lake Road near Pine City. PHOTO PROVIDED A passerby had found that the former Pokegama Sanatorium was on fi re. The fi re was quickly extinguished by the Pine Hoops for Hope helps in fi ght against cancer City Fire Department, and the cause of the fi re was determined to be arson. The case remains The Dragon girls basketball team and their Hoops for Hope campaign raised over $700 for the fi ght against cancer. Pro- ceeds will go to the Children’s MN and the Harbor Room at Cambridge Hospital. SEE ARSON, PAGE 2 Peg Skalicky transforms nature with art BY CJ GUSTAFSON for her impossibly delicate amongst garden, lake and Skalicky’s [email protected] and detailed paintings done forest settings. Her use of col- carefully crafted on leaves, but for the last or and the crisp, clean style combinations of The next featured artist at few years, she’s been adding she uses are quite distinc- natural beauty the Pine Center for the Arts different mediums, such as tive, and fans and collectors and imaginative is one of the area’s most well birch and rocks to her rep- are able to easily pick out her artistry will be on known and beloved painters. ertoire, and the results are work. The animals appear display at Pine She’s the long-time owner of even more stunning. very lifelike, transporting Center for the a custom framing and mat- Peg Skalicky can replicate the viewer into the scene. Arts this February. ting shop, and her painting pretty much any image, but Looking at one of Skalicky’s PHOTO PROVIDED classes are hugely popular, she primarily looks to nature paintings, one can almost in part because she makes for her subjects, creating gor- hear the twitter of birds and it all seem so easy and fun. geous scenes of birds, deer, She’s perhaps, best known eagles and other wildlife SEE SKALICKY, PAGE 16 Open your HSA today. Health Savings Accounts Open your HSA today. northwoodsbank.com Save smarter for your Park Rapids • Nevis HSAs are subject to qualifi cation. Consult your tax healthcare expenses & enjoy advisor to confi rm eligibility. Annual fee applies. Pine City Park RapidsEqual • Nevis Housing • Pine Lender City Member FDIC tax benefi ts too! northwoodsbank.com 320-629-5000 HSAs are subject to qualification. Consult your tax advisor to confirm eligibility. $?? annual fee applies. Equal Housing Lender Member FDIC CLASSIFIED ADS NEWS ADVERTISING PUBLIC NOTICES SUBSCRIPTIONS BREAKING NEWS, UPDATES 320-245-2368 320-629-6771 320-629-6771 320-629-6771 320-629-6771 Whenever, wherever you are! [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Scan me with your smartphone 2 PINE CITY PIONEER FROM PAGE ONE FEBRUARY 6, 2020 www.pinecitymn.com PRIMARY: what voters need to know FROM PAGE 1 there will be an “Uncommitted” option. This allows the person to pick presidential race. They feel that Iowa a DFL ballot in order to show their gets all the attention, but Minnesota support for that party, but not have to has a stake in it also. choose an actual candidate. “With this, you actually need to Schroeder also said that the polling ... tell us which party you want, and places will look a little bit different, there’s separate ballots,” Schroeder in order to keep the ballots private in noted. “If you’re not willing to tell the polling place. us a party, well, then you can’t vote “For example, when you go to get because we don’t know which ballot your ballot, that person is going to be to give you.” behind a screen,” she said. “There’s Another aspect of this new primary going to be some extra privacy things. system is that the political parties But otherwise, it will be very similar will still be holding caucuses, but to what they’ve experienced in the those caucuses will not be focused on past.” picking a presidential candidate. Though Schroeder is relatively new “I think that the important thing to the auditor/treasurer role in Pine for people to understand ... is that the County, she is already experienced party caucuses are still going to hap- with the election process. Last year pen on Feb. 25,” Schroeder said. “It’s was her fi rst year on the job, and PHOTO PROVIDED just that the presidential candidate there were two special elections to The fi re at the sanatorium was quickly extinguished by the Pine City Fire Department. won’t be decided there or discussed elect Jason Rarick to State Senate, there.” and Nathan Nelson as State Represen- Schroeder reported that another tative. new twist to the March 3 primary is “I started Jan. 2, and our fi rst spe- that a record will be kept of which cial election was Jan. 19,” Schroeder ARSON: report tips, possible reward voter chose which party, and the list said, chuckling. “That really took of voters – and the party they chose us through the process from start to FROM PAGE 1 – will be sent to each of the major fi nish, and we got to practice it four party chairs. She said that besides times. So I’m good at it now.” under investigation the Republican and DFL parties, the She said she fi nds the American by the Pine City Fire The public is encouraged to report list of voters will also be sent to the election process inspiring – and kind Department, the Pine two other major parties in Minnesota of fun too. County Sheriff’s Offi ce, any information relating to this case – the Grassroots-Legalize Cannabis “It comes down to just our Found- and the Minnesota State to the Pine County Sheriff ’s Offi ce at Party and the Legal Marijuana Now ing Fathers, and our freedoms ... and Fire Marshal’s Offi ce. Party. just what the basics of what the Unit- The public is encour- 320-629-8380. “The party chairs have no restric- ed States is – democracy,” Schroeder aged to report any tion on what they can or can’t do with said. “It’s a blast having all of those information relating it,” Schroeder said. “And so, we’ve processes happening and seeing to this case to the Pine 1-800-723-2020. mation leading to the heard they’re just going to post it all the citizens and getting to know County Sheriff’s Offi ce The Minnesota Arson identifi cation of persons online of who voted which way. Who them. It’s wonderful to see.” at 320-629-8380. Informa- Reward Project of the responsible for this fi re. knows if they actually will, but that’s tion can also be reported IAAI may offer a reward what they’re saying.” to the Arson Hotline at of up to $2,500 for infor- She noted that on the DFL ballot Invested in Tribal inclusion and success. Enbridge is committed to building and maintaining Through contracting and supplier agreements, training sustainable relationships with Minnesota Tribes. and employment (including cultural monitors), capacity development, and engagement and collaboration, we are As part of our Line 3 Replacement Project, we’re targeting creating opportunity for Minnesota’s Tribes. $100 million in Tribal-affiliated work opportunities—including training, contracting, procurement and hiring from Tribes. When we work together and share the success, everybody wins. At Enbridge, we see our relationships with Native American Tribes as mutually beneficial—economically, socially and Learn more at enbridge.com/line3us. culturally—and we are committed to sharing opportunities with the communities where we operate. FEBRUARY 6, 2020 Submit community & eveneventst tooeditor@pinecitymncomoronlineatwwwpinecitymncom editor@pinedi @ citymn.com or online at www.pinecitymn.com PINE CITY PIONEER 3 THURSDAY MEETINGS FEB. 6 THURSDAY 2/6 MBC blood drive TOPS-Take Of Pounds Sensi- On Thursday, Feb.