by Dennis Dalman
St. Joseph residents have so many reasons to be proud of about how their city flourished in this year, 2024. All of the positive developments bode well for a highly successful New Year, 2025.
The following are just some of the positive events and developments that made 2024 a very good time to live in St. Joseph, and – not to forget – out-of-towners were quick to acknowledge the dynamic vitality of the city.
January
A missing dog named Huevo was the result of a successful search in the St. Joseph area. The Yorkie-mix pooch ran off while being doggy-sat at a St. Joseph home. After a widespread “wanted” poster campaign and Internet postings, a St. Joseph man happened to see the dog. That led to a very happy ending when Huevo was reunited with its family, Kalina and Ryan Skillingstad of Clearwater.
Douglas Mullin was elected to be the new abbot for St. John’s Abby. Former Abbot John Klassen had retired after serving in that position for 23 years. Mullin, the 11th abbot, served in many capacities at St. John’s for many years.
February
Marit Ortega was named the new director of the Tri-County Humane Society when Vicki Davis retired after 40 years as its director. Ortega has served in many capacities, including as director of philanthropy and education-and-events coordinator.
A St. Joseph teenager, Carter Wood, and his two mentors, the father-son duo of Cole and Gary Stang of Cold Spring, were honored by “Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota.” Wood was named “Little of the Year” while the Stangs were named “Big Duo of the Year.”
The game of Pickleball keeps growing in the area, including in St. Joseph where it’s often played by many city residents and out-of-towners at Kennedy Community School.
March
City officials have been working hard to come up with a preliminary budget-and-levy for the year 2024. By early March, the budget was anticipated to be $5.17 million. That’s an increase of about 9.5 percent (or $448,760) from 2023. The good news is the city’s economic experts are anticipating enough revenue to cover increased costs.
David Ebnet, former director of the Stearns County Historical Society, was honored with the Zapp Historian Award for his “significant contributions to the preservation, interpretation and promotion of Minnesota’s history.” He began working at the museum in 1974.
Jean Voight, a second-grade teacher at Kennedy Community School, was named a semi-finalist for the “Minnesota Teacher of the Year” award.
April
About 300 Kennedy Community School students will land on the moon later this year – well, their names will, anyway. Their names and the names of many thousands of young students and adults throughout the United States are being embedded on a microchip. The microchip will then be placed on the lunar rover that will land on the polar surface of the moon.
A massive fire at Huls Trucking in St. Joseph caused much damage, bit its owners said they will definitely clear away the mess and “keep going” with their business.
The St. Joseph Y2K Lions Club held its annual plant sale and pillow-cleaning event at the city’s American Legion building. They also give Easter baskets to people in need.
May
The St. Joseph Health and Wellness Center in St. Joseph is committed to holistic methods of providing health-care and overall wellness. Located in a refurbished house 32 First Ave. S., it’s the result of a merger of two businesses – The Perfect Fit and Forever Young Two.
The annual St. Joseph Women of Today’s “Bike Safety Event,” blessed by sunny weather, was enjoyed by so many children. The first 100 kids to show up were given free bicycle safety helmets. Ten children also won brand new bicycles.
A Memorial Day service to honor veterans took place May 27 on the grounds of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Participants attended memorial ceremonies at St. Joseph’s two cemeteries.
June
The annual “JoeTown Blocks” was a downtown fun event for people of all ages with its farmers’ market, car show, power-wheels derby, dunk tank, beer garden, vendors and musicians.
The summer “Art in the Park” program once again attracted children throughout various area parks to create arts and crafts and to have a lot of social-interactive fun.
A Veteran Outstation opened in St. Cloud with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by many veterans and officials, including Gov. Tim Walz. The outstation, one of several in the state, will offer many kinds of support to veterans and their families.
In a bicycle-truck accident on CR 75 in St. Joseph, former Sartell Police Chief Robert Ringstrom, 74, died instantly. The devastating news shook residents of Sartell and St. Joseph, where Ringstrom lived. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, he was very much a “people person” known for his great sense of humor. He died just the day after attending the event noted in the paragraph above.
July
The newly rebuilt bridge on Hwy. 55 across the Sauk River between St. Joseph and Waite Park finally opened to traffic after nearly six months of construction.
Ground was broken for a new Goodin Warehouse in northeast St. Joseph. It will replace the old warehouse in St. Cloud that provides mainly HVAC materials (heating, ventilation, air conditioning).
A long-deferred dream, the St. Joseph Community Center (YMCA), could open in 2026, said Mayor Rick Schultz in an interview. The center, estimated to cost between $20-$40 million, will be built on land east of the former Kennedy Community School.
The 60th annual St. Joseph Lions Parade on the Fourth of July was a big hit with the crowds along Minnesota Street. Highlights included tossed candy to eager kids, a “Wild West” shoot-out, fire and police vehicles and Grand Parade Marshal Harvey Pfannenstein, owner of the St. Joseph Meat Market, riding with wife Carol in a vintage car.
The 44th annual “Tour of Saints” took place in the area, with many bicyclists from throughout Minnesota gathering for a relaxing non-race ride through the bucolic countryside in and near St. Joseph.
The cities of St. Joseph and Waite Park were in the statewide spotlight in late July as co-hosts of the annual summer conference of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities. State officials joined local people for meetings, discussions and entertainment at the two cities.
August
The annual “National Night Out” event was a family-fun time in St. Joseph, as documented by captivating photos taken by Newsleaders photographer Caroyln Bertsch. The event brings together neighbors, police, firefighters for a good time that is entertaining as well as informative. Such events promote neighborhood safety.
The St. Joseph Joes prepared to compete in the State Amateur Baseball Tournament after an outstanding season and two solid wins at the Minnesota Region 11C Tournament, held in Sartell.
The annual “Millstream Arts Festival” in downtown St. Joseph was once again a hit with strolling pedestrians, music listeners and people passionate about arts, crafts and literature.
September
Slates of candidates were set for the Nov. 5 general election. Vying for the mayor’s position were Jon Hazen, Bob Loso and Adam Scepaniak; for city council Kelly Beniek, Troy Goracke and Adam Schnettler; and for St. Cloud School Board Al Dahlgren, Diana Fenton, Shannon Haws, Bruce Hentges, Monica Segura-Schwartz and Yoanna Ayala-Zaldana.
The St. Joseph Joes competed in the State Amateur Baseball Tournament and came very close to winning, but they lost to the Buffalo Bulldogs on the day before championship games. The Waconia Lakers won the championship.
Two local women, Selena Corona of St. Joseph and Grace Woitolla of Avon, competed in the “Princess Kay of the Milky Way Pageant.” Woitalla was named one of the two princesses. Rachel Visser, Hutchinson, was crowned as “Princess Kay.”
Jill Soltis, a St. Joseph postal clerk for 30 years, received the “For the Long Haul” award from the U.S. Postal Service for her consistently outstanding service to post-office customers.
October
A fundraiser is underway to buy gravestones for 11 orphans who died in the late 1800s and who were buried on a corner of land behind the Catholic Church in St. Joseph. Those graves had been marked by wooden crosses that had long ago decayed. The children were being housed along with others at an orphanage operated by the St. Benedict Monastery. The 11 orphans perished due to diseases that were common at that time.
St. Joseph now has a honey-bee ordinance, approved by the city council, that allows residents to raise bees, with several restrictions, on their properties.
St. Joseph Mayor Rick Schultz received a thank-you retirement party after serving 14 years as mayor. Earlier in the year, Schultz announced he would not file for re-election.
November
Laurie Putnam, a former principal of Kennedy Community School, was honored as “Minnesota Superintendent of the Year.” She leads the St. Cloud Area School District, to which St. Joseph belongs.
St. John’s Prep School students performed an entertaining who-done-it mystery play written by one of their own peers, senior student Annika Dauer.
In the Nov. 5 general election, Adam Scepaniak wins his bid for St. Joseph’s mayor’s position, defeating challengers Jon Hazen and Robert Loso. Kelly Beniek was re-elected to the city council and newcomer Adam Schnettler was also elected for a council seat. At the national level, former President Donald Trump was re-elected over candidate Kamala Harris to the U.S. Presidency after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden. Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar was re-elected.
Voters in Stearns County also approved a 3/8th percent county-wide sales tax to help pay for the proposed Justice Center/Jail project that will be built on a yet-to-be-determined green area outside of downtown St. Cloud.
December
Members of the statewide Small Business Administration visited St. Joseph for a downtown walking tour of unique shops and restaurants. They expressed praise for the creative, dynamic ambience of places to shop and visit in St. Joseph.
The annual “JoeTown WinterWalk” took place in St. Joseph, complete with a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, a tree-lighting ceremony, food sampling and much more.
St. John’s Prep School put on a moving life-size puppet version of the famed Christmas musical “Amahl and the Night Visitors.” The historic puppets were used in London in 1967 during the opening of Queen Elizabeth Hall.
The two St. Joseph Lions clubs expressed public gratitude for all of the individuals, businesses, churches, city officials and churches who all interconnect to ensure Lions’ clubs’ projects strengthen the city and help its people.
