Press Publications DING PRESORTED A 4779 Bloom Avenue R C STANDARD T O SHOOTING RANGE White Bear Lake, MN 55110 U.S. POSTAGE M S P PAID E A K N A PERMIT NO. 40 Y L CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED & GUNSHOP FOREST LAKE, MN BUY, SELL, TRADE FIREARMS 651-464-7251 www.LakesTradingCo.com 95 8th Ave SW, Forest Lake, MN 55025 Next to Music Connection FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017 VOL. 05 NO. 12 www.presspubs.com $1.00 WINTERFEST: Washington County sets date for outdoor festival PAGE 3 Farcical winter games roll into Stillwater alongside Hockey Day BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER STAFF WRITER STILLWATER — It’s time to break out the letter jackets, scarves and sweatshirts from your old days at one of the nation’s premiere institutions of education—the University of Stillwater. Most people probably think there is no such thing as the University of Stillwater and its crack- erjack team, the Fighting Storks, but it doesn’t seem likely there would be a whole weekend of Uni- versity of Stillwater Winter Games in downtown Stillwater if there wasn’t. Right? Owner of JX Event Venue (aka the Student SUBMITTED Union) Judd Sather explained: Ray Howell, professional bowhunter, will speak at this year’s dinner. “It’s just a fun winter event for people right after the doldrums of the holidays; it’s a like a spoof,” he said. Sather professes no involvement in the Uni- versity of Stillwater Winter Games, but acknowl- Tomahawks fl y at 2017 Wild Game Dinner edges that his farcical counterpart, “Sudd Jather,” may have something to do with it. BY JACKIE BUSSJAEGER The games take place Jan. 19-22, the same week- STAFF WRITER end as Hockey Day Minnesota. The preregistration launch party for the Winter Games took place Jan. FOREST LAKE — Perhaps you 6 at JX Event Venue, Sather’s reception center lo- never pictured yourself hurling a cated in the historic downtown. Participants in the potentially lethal weapon inside games can purchase winter games passes or “stu- the interior of a church, but attend- dent IDs” for $25 and participate in a weekend-long ees of this year’s Men’s Wild Game fl urry of activities centered on the athletic and Dinner at Maranatha Assembly of campus community pride of the Fighting Storks. God in Forest Lake will be able to Sather said the event was inspired by a simi- do just that this weekend. lar phenomenon that occurs in his hometown of In addition to the sumptuous Okoboji, Iowa. In the ’70s, a few rascally locals spread of unusual and delicious created T-shirts and other university décor pro- wild game dishes, the event will claiming their pride in the University of Okoboji again feature an outdoor expo and its team, the Fighting Phantoms. However, the where guests can practice their popular resort town of Okoboji does not really have aim, get their antlers and mounts a university—but many short-term visitors are professionally scored, view collec- FILE PHOTO unaware of this, and thus the entire community is tions of rare and antique fi shing The wild game dinner draws around 500 people to Maranatha. in on the joke. tackle, and shop for outdoor gear “Jather” and the team behind the University of for every season. “The pastor’s pretty much in- coon. Volunteers work for several Stillwater games have taken things a step fur- Sam Beamond, a member of the volved as far as giving his blessing days beforehand to chop vegeta- ther—Olympic-style winter games will be the Maranatha assembly from Wyo- on the fi nal elements. We basically bles, thaw meat and marinate the highlight of the event. The university mascot, the ming, has been organizing the Wild take all the chairs out of the main dishes in time for the Friday night stork, represents Stillwater’s historic role in the Game Dinners for the last four auditorium and set it up with ta- dinner. Beamond said the event state of Minnesota. years. While the dinner itself has bles. There’s a pretty nice kitchen fi ts nicely with the values and “It’s the birthplace of Minnesota, so he’s got taken place at Maranatha for the there were the food gets prepped.” interests of the wider Forest Lake the state of Minnesota (in a bundle) in his beak,” last 28 years, the outdoor expo com- All the food is donated by community, and has received a lot Sather said. ponent of the dinner was added un- members of the congregations of positive feedback. JX Event Venue has enjoyed success since its der Beamond’s supervision in 2015, and friends, who offer the harvest “In Forest Lake there are a lot of opening in the former Connolly Shoe Factory that and he continues to seek out new of their various hunting seasons people who are into the outdoors, arose after the lumberjack era had ended and jobs ways to make the event unique. across the U.S. as fare for the table. and word gets around pretty easi- were scarce. Sather opened the remodeled recep- “I’m a longstanding member This includes elk, bear, whitetail ly,” he said. “And then obviously in tion space in 2016, which now features three there, all of the people on my team deer, turkey, pheasant, trout and are from the church,” he said. even a few oddities such as rac- SEE WILD GAME DINNER, PAGE 12 SEE UNIVERSITY OF STILLWATER, PAGE 16 $ OFF YOUR FURNACE GET10 CLEAN & TUNE Mention this ad when you call to schedule service and receive your $10 off. Don Anderson Owner AANDERSONHEATING.COMNDE | 715-549-6297 BRYANT – OFFICIAL HEATING AND COOLING COMPANY OF THE MINNESOTA WILD NEWS ADVERTISING CIRCULATION CLASSIFIED PRODUCTION 651-407-1229 651-407-1200 651-407-1234 651-407-1250 651-407-1239 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] classifi [email protected] [email protected] 2 THE LOWDOWN JANUARY 13, 2017 www.presspubs.com SUBMITTED Frida Ann Engstrum Ayala, Lakeview Hospital’s fi rst baby of 2017. BEN ANDERSEN | SUBMITTED Lakeview Hospital welcomes fi rst arrival of 2017 Andersen’s photo of sandhill cranes in fl ight. STILLWATER — The fi rst baby of Engstrum said her new arrival 2017 born at Lakeview Hospital made shares her extra-special New Year her appearance at 7:11 p.m. on Jan. 1, birthday with her great-great-grand- Overcoming theft, local 2017. ma and grandpa. Frida Ann Engstrum Ayala was Nurses presented the family with a born in the Birth Center to Han- basket of goodies in celebration of be- photographer demonstrates nah Engstrum and Noel Ayala. She ing the fi rst newborn of the New Year. weighed 7 lbs., 8 oz. and measured 20 inches. From press release ardent strength KINDERGARTEN BY WENDY S. HAZZARD he said. CONTRIBUTING WRITER “Andersen weathered through with OPEN HOUSE grit,” said Ken Fusaro, a volunteer and WYOMING — Ben Andersen, director event planning committee member at Wednesday, January 25 of photography and volunteer for the WACAC. “I believe his spiritual orien- 9:30-10:30 a.m. Wyoming Creative Arts Community tation helped him cope with all of this. I (WACAC) at the Hallberg Center of the was there when it happened and saw the 3878 Highland Ave Arts in Wyoming, knows all too well shock on his face. But it didn’t hold him White Bear Lake, MN 55110 the gut wrenching feeling that follows down.” FIND OUT, “WHAT SHOULD MY vandalism. Andersen, a Minnesota nature pho- LibertyClassicalAcademy.org CHILD LEARN IN KINDERGARTEN?” After a smash and grab on his vehicle tographer, is well known for capturing in the art center parking lot this past his appreciation for nature and land- fall, Andersen lost what took him years scapes we all enjoy. to acquire. Cameras, lenses, a computer, “I use photography to overcome a thousands of pictures, and a Bible study lot of time spent in the department of project of more than 20 years in the redundancy,” Andersen explained. “I making. would repeat things a lot. Photography Misfortune has been a close and helped me take the time to slow down an unkind friend to Andersen. “I’ve and be more observant. People often go learned that anything physical is not through things quickly and miss a lot. perfect,” he said. The pictures I choose to take are things Several years ago, Andersen’s com- that people may walk past and not even puter was hacked and he lost over 7,000 realize are there. It’s the same with pictures. “If I don’t forgive, I won’t be forgiven. I can’t undo what was done,” SEE BEN ANDERSON, PAGE 10 Emergency? We’ve got this. Our trauma center is the best-resourced in the area and we’re certified stroke-ready by the state of Minnesota. Our specialist emergency medicine doctors are the same physicians who staff Regions Hospital Emergency Department and will get you back on track, with an average wait time of 10 minutes or less. Learn more at lakeviewhealth.org/emergency. BEN ANDERSEN | SUBMITTED Andersen’s photo of a monarch refl ects his love of nature and the small scenes that pass us by in day-to-day life. JANUARY 13, 2017 THE LOWDOWN 3 www.presspubs.com 14th annual WinterFest set for Jan. 21 at Lake Elmo Park Reserve LAKE ELMO — Cross-country ski climbing or new skate techniques. lessons, fat bike demonstrations, wax Advanced skiers may receive help demonstrations, snowshoeing, winter honing techniques for more effi ciency. birding and a food truck will all be Registration with the Ride and Glide part the 14th annual WinterFest, from Ski club is required for all lessons and 9 a.m.