A visit from Santa and a variety of games attracted visitors to the annual Country Lights Festival around Lake Francis on Dec. 8.The display, which includes 75,000 – 100,000 lights, continues through December. Additions this year include two large igloos, eight 20-foot trees, and a 20- by 20-foot Warming Lodge that organizers hope will make everyone feel at home when they
Costs, communication led to school levy defeat
by Mike Knaak editor@thenewsleaders.com Costs and communication led to the defeat of the Sartell-St. Stephen school district’s operating levy. That’s what about two dozen people gathered for the first of four community meetings told school leaders Dec. 6. Sartell-St. Stephen voters overwhelmingly rejected the levy in the Nov. 6 election. There were 3,230 yes votes and 4,924 no votes. The
Dec. 5 Sartell police blotter
If you have a tip concerning a crime, call the Sartell Police Department at 320-251-8186 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 320-255-1301, or access its tip site at tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for a crime. This information is submitted by the Sartell Police Department. Nov. 28
Board grapples with life after levy defeat
by Dave DeMars news@thenewsleaders.com After a regular school board meeting Nov. 19, the Sartell-St. Stephen board members met in a working meeting to grapple with several questions related to the recent defeated operations levy: what happens now, where do we go from here and why did the levy fail. The immediate future The next chance to try again to pass
School board gathers ideas for creation of new middle school
by Dave DeMars news@thenewsleaders.com The Nov. 19 regular Sartell-St. Stephen school board meeting saw the board gathering much information in the form of reports on the remodeling and transformation of the present high school into a middle school to serve grades six through eight. Two other presentation dealt with the district’s World’s Best Workforce Plan Summary, and a construction report
Community Center finances ‘right on target’
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com The operational revenue-expense balance of the new Sartell Community Center is going “extremely well and right on target,” said Sartell Finance Director Heidi Ostlie. In an interview with the Newsleader, Ostlie said both expenditures and revenues are just about where they are expected to be, based on projections during the planning of the center. The long-planned
Second annual ‘Country Lights Festival’ Dec. 1-31
by Cori Hilsgen news@thenewsleaders.com Once again, the lights around Lake Francis will sparkle and glimmer to delight young and old alike during the holiday season. The second annual Country Lights Festival will begin Saturday, Dec. 1, and continue throughout the rest of the month. About 75,000-100,000 lights, many more than were used last year, will be on every evening during
Place of Hope seeks help to bring Christmas joy
by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleders.com Place of Hope Ministries, based in St. Cloud, is planning a wide range of holiday activities for people who are less fortunate financially or who are currently homeless. However, public help is being requested from all who live in the greater St. Cloud/Central Minnesota area. The first of the events/activities is an open house from 2-5