by Mike Knaak editor@thenewsleaders.com Sartell’s Knowledge Bowl team won this year’s Class AA championship at the state meet in Brainerd April 12-13. The top 40 teams, out of more than 1,000 statewide, competed in one written round and four oral rounds. Team members are Janagan Ramanathan, Nathan Schmidt, Jacob Fandel, Yash Hindka and Mohannad Alkhatib. Luke Walker coaches the team. The
Community showcase attracts big crowd on snowy day
by Mike Knaak editor@thenewsleaders.com More than 300 people braved the spring snowstorm April 14 for the St. Joseph Community Showcase at Kennedy Community School. About 30 businesses and organizations presented information. Food vendors offered samples and local musicians performed.
Long winter sets back high school construction
by Dave DeMars news@thenewsleaders.com The Sartell St. Stephen school board held its regular monthly meeting on April 16 with most of the meeting being taken up by reports. Of key concern was the report on the progress of the new high school. Lee Gruen, project manager at Winkelman Building Corp., related how the latest round of inclement weather has affected
Mayor Nicoll declines to file for re-election
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com Sartell Mayor Sarah Jane Nicoll announced April 12 that she will not seek another term as mayor. Nicoll said she is now serving her second term as mayor and that after eight years, she is looking forward to spending more time with her husband and their three young daughters. Before her first term as mayor, Nicoll
No easy fixes for busy school intersection
by Mike Knaak editor@thenewsleaders.com A St. Joseph woman is worried about heavy traffic and the potential for crashes on College Avenue in front of Kennedy Community School as parents rush to drop off their children every morning. Rhonda Dahlgren has first-hand knowledge of the situation. She was involved in a collison on April 5 at the intersection of College Avenue,
Music, art keep Wasdykes’ lives ‘enchanted’
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com Sixty years ago, Jim Wasdyke was at a party in Kansas City when he looked across the room, saw a young woman, and the sight of her caused his heart and mind to brim up with a song from the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical, South Pacific. The showstopping love song was “Some Enchanted Evening.” When
Memorial concert for Brian Gapko April 27
By Cori Hilsgen news@thenewsleaders.com A memorial concert celebrating the life of Brian Gapko, who died at the age of 47 in November after a two-year battle with metastatic colon cancer, will be from 8-10 p.m. Friday, April 27 at the Local Blend in St. Joseph. The event will feature three central Minnesota singer-songwriters, Cathy Kongloth, John Larson and MJ Bach.
Doulas help hugely in birthing process
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com When Melissa Kosloski was giving birth to her first baby, a boy delivered via C-section, she felt she just hadn’t been prepared enough for the experience. “I thought I would just tough it out,” she recalled. “But I realized I could have had better support and could have learned more about the physiology of birth.” That