When Dylan Buhl and I sat down so that he could tell me about his trip to Swaziland, Africa I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was going to be a simple interview where I could just write down a few simple points and be done with it. Too my surprise it was the complete opposite. Dylan was unbelievably excited to talk about it. “I loved it. I want to go back,” he told me.

Dylan went to a town called Bulembu. He went on a mission trip through Missions Discovery. Their job was to go and help out. When they arrived in Bulembu each person was assigned a family. Buhl was assigned a family with 6 boys; the youngest being 3 and oldest being 15. Although they had family’s to spend time with, they all had individual jobs as well. After a hard day of work each student would go and spend time with their assigned family during the evening. They all had jobs to do while they were there; Buhl’s job was to build fences. “We want the cows to stay out and the little ones to stay in!” he said. Another group helped paint the infant houses. These were just a few things though; Buhl told me that they need help in other areas also.

You are probably asking; where is Bulembu, and why do they need so much help? Bulembu is a town in Swaziland. It was run by a mining company, but when the company closed their doors in 2001 Bulembu was left with no jobs; it was abandoned. Bulembu is now a place that is over taken by HIV/ AIDS; which in result has left Bulembu to become an orphan town.  38% of Swazi citizens have AIDS.  This is the highest infection rate in the world. The UN has done studies and has discovered that around the year 2050, Swazi people will be non-existing. Thankfully with the help of missions and other helping organizations these numbers are now changing. There are about 120,000 orphaned kids in Swaziland. Although many kids have “aunties” (women who take care of a set of children in a home and get paid for it), many do not and have to fend for themselves.

How would one speculate, the difficulties and struggles others In our world go through with out doing the research or asking questions? When Buhl first arrived in Bulembu he talked about how nice everyone was.  Although many of them lived in poverty they were very welcoming and kind. Living in America is something we take for granted. We fail to realize how lucky we are, and how many people in other parts of the world would do anything to have what we have every single day. It was interesting, listening to Dylan talk about how amazing and life changing his trip was. It almost makes you disappointed in yourself for being so non- appreciative.  I am typing, I have an Arizona ice tea sitting near me and this morning I got up to a delicious breakfast. I got a nice hot shower and I got to dry my hair with a hair dryer. Sometimes I am guilty of acting like I would die without these things, not realizing that there are children, like in Belembu, that have nothing.  Not even a pair of shoes.

                Please, note that this is not a guilt trip. This is something that is important and needs to be brought to our attention. Swaziland, Africa is not the only place on earth where there are children in need. Poverty, is everywhere and there are many steps we can take to help and make our world better. Dylan traveled with  Missions Discovery, but there are so many other organizations that one can choose. So if you are looking to make a difference, to change the world, you have the resources to do it. As Buhl talked about, it changes your life in a positive way!

A divided South Washington County School Board on Thursday voted against extending Superintendent Mark Porter’s contract.

The sudden move came toward the close of a meeting Thursday when board members were expected to take up the approval of a contract renewal for Porter. In a statement Friday morning, Porter called the decision “unfortunate” and confusing.

Those who voted to end his tenure when his current term ends in June said little publicly about the move. One board member who supported Porter called it a bad decision that could hamper the recruitment of a high-caliber replacement.

Porter, who has led District 833 for the past two and a half years and has held a number of positions over more than two decades, said he was surprised by the vote. He wanted to serve another three years.

“That was certainly my intent,” Porter said in a brief interview after the meeting. He declined to discuss the move in detail, only saying he was surprised that the decision was made even though the board had not given him a formal performance evaluation.

“It is unfortunate, in light of the excellence taking place across the district in terms of student achievement, financial stability, enrollment growth, labor relations and future planning, that a change in leadership is perceived as necessary at this time,” Porter wrote in part to reporter. “While I have great respect for the school board and their authority, I am confused by the decision in light of several missing steps in the process, including proper notice and evaluation. I also find a strong disconnect between the recent elections to re-elect incumbents who ran on a ‘stay the course’ platform and this abrupt leadership change.”

 Leslee Boyd, the board’s chair, was among five members who voted against renewing Porter’s contract. She was joined by Ron Kath, Marsha Adou, David Kemper and Tracy Brunnette on a roll-call vote.

Boyd did not say why she voted against renewal, citing state data privacy laws.

“It would be inappropriate to elaborate on personnel matters,” Boyd said.

Kath read a prepared statement prior to the vote, thanking Porter for his service in the district but saying he wants a new leader.

“I feel the time is right to bring in a new voice to lead us,” Kath said.

That is going to be difficult, predicted board member Jim Gelbmann, who with Laurie Johnson voted against the non-renewal.

Gelbmann has publicly disagreed with Porter’s administrative recommendations more than any other board member. Still he defended the superintendent, saying the district is doing well and Porter deserves credit for that.

“It’s one of the worst decisions the board has ever made,” said Gelbmann, a 16-year veteran. He said the board’s action will be a concern for highly qualified superintendent candidates who may be interested in the position but want to know about the board’s dynamics.

Gelbmann said the board’s work moving forward will be to “find the best person possible – who will agree to take the job.”

Porter has been at the district’s helm during a series of major – and sometimes controversial – changes in the district. In the past few years the district redrew its attendance boundaries, opened East Ridge High School, changed its grade configuration, watched its Spanish immersion-language program grow, weathered a difficult budget climate and was beginning to plan for the expiration of property tax levy measures in the coming years.

The board’s action came after members voted Thursday for new contracts for a number of employee unions, including one representing District 833 teachers. A majority of board members also agreed to move forward with the estimated $4.5 million purchase of a vacant commercial building across the street from Liberty Ridge Elementary School in Woodbury to be used as overflow for the crowding grade school.

Porter’s first three-year contract is set to expire June 30 and were required to give him six months’ notice if they were not going to renew.

Porter has served in a number of positions within the school district and was assistant superintendent handling human resources and legal service prior to getting the top position, which paid him $159,900 when the contract began.

The vote Thursday followed more than a week of board activity. The three-member personnel committee met in recent weeks and then sent out a performance evaluation for each board member to complete, Gelbmann said. Those were discussed at a closed meeting prior to Thursday night’s regular public meeting. Personnel information about Porter was given to board members prior to the vote – as is allowed under state law – but even knowing that data did not change Gelbmann’s mind to support Porter, he said.

Asked about the board’s plans moving forward, Boyd said: “We will be discussing that.”

A Cottage Grove resident was arrested early Friday for alleged drunken driving and drug possession after he followed home a juvenile driver whom he claimed had cut him off and then caused a scene outside the home.

According to a Cottage Grove police report:

The father of a juvenile male called police at 12:04 a.m. Friday to report that a vehicle followed his son home and that the driver was parked outside the residence honking the horn and yelling at him. The suspect then fled.

Police located the suspect, a 48-year-old man, at his Irish Avenue home. The suspect said the juvenile driver had cut him off. An officer detected signs of alcohol impairment, and the suspect admitted he had been drinking. A test showed his blood-alcohol level at 0.125; the legal driving limit is 0.08. During a search police recovered a small amount of marijuana and a small pipe in his pants pockets.

The suspect was ticketed for fourth-degree drunken driving, disorderly conduct, possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A recent report by the I.A.E.A. (International Atomic Energy Agency) has many countries on edge. The report which was given on November 8^th stated that there is a great deal of evidence suggesting “Iran has carried out activities relevant to the development of a nuclear device”. The report does not offer any confirmation of an actual bomb. However, it does support the fact that Iran’s nuclear program is making more progress than previously thought. This is of concern to the U.S., who spoke with Israel and other countries about what should be done.

Nuclear weapons have been around since World War II, so they are not a new threat.  Many countries have weapons of mass destruction in their hands. Countries such as China, North Korea and Russia are all in possession of weapons.  Therefore, it would not be unusual for Iran or other countries to have nuclear devices as well. In fact, it’s probably inevitable.

Iran might say they would be used for protection, but most would argue that they would be used for harm. This is why people are becoming so worked up about the issue. On November 23, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied all claims that they were developing a nuclear weapon saying “The West tells us, you should prove you don’t have atomic bombs. How can something that doesn’t exist be proved? It’s nonexistent.” He went on to say that if they were developing any weapons they would openly say so.  He said the U.S. is making false allegations and that what their program is trying to achieve is nothing of anyone’s concern. The program is apparently being used to develop nuclear energy as a standard power source, not a weapon, and it would help to conserve oil.

The U.S., Canada, and Britain decided that sanctions would be a good form of pressure because provoking another war would just be crazy. The sanctions were applied on the 22^nd and were mostly aimed at Iran’s central and commercial banks. There were also some sanctions placed on companies involved in Iran’s nuclear industry. Iran is of course unhappy, because they say they are doing nothing wrong. There’s no telling what the outcome will be.

Any country that has nuclear weapons is a problem, because a weapon of that size could do so much harm. That is why nuclear weapons in Iran scare a lot of people. But right now it’s nothing to be extremely worried about. With Iran, there are just a lot of “ifs”. Will they have one in the future? Quite possibly. Will they use it? Maybe. The world will just have to wait and see.

Sources

• http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/iran/index.html
• http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-08/middleeast/world_meast_iran-nuclear_1_nuclear-program-iaea-report-nuclear-weapons?_s=PM:MIDDLEEAST
• http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/weekinreview/14sanger.html
• http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/second-reading/gerald-caplan/why-everybody-except-iran-can-have-nuclear-weapons/article2249596/page1/
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2011/11/23/mahmoud-ahmadinejad-west_n_1109756.html

Authorities were looking for a male suspect who allegedly assaulted a St. Paul Park woman after forcing his way into her home over the weekend.

According to St. Paul Park police: A 42-year-old woman was awoken by noise around 12:15 a.m. Saturday at the back of her residence in the 1400 block of Blossom Lane. When she went to investigate the noise, a male intruder wearing a mask forced his way into a door at the back of the home and physically assaulted her.

It was not immediately known what injuries the woman sustained, but they were not life-threatening, St. Paul Park Police Chief Mike Monahan said Monday. The suspect was not armed. The woman was home alone at the time.

After forcing his way inside, the suspect ransacked the home and stole several items. Police did not release information about the stolen items, citing the pending investigation.

The alleged victim said that when she believed the suspect had left, she fled her home and later sought medical care.

“At this time it appears to be an isolated incident,” Monahan said.

No arrests have been made. Police did not have a description of the suspect.

“He had a mask on so it’s going to be difficult,” Monahan said.

Monahan encouraged citizens to contact police if there is suspicious activity in or around their home and property.

Anyone with information about the reported burglary is asked to call St. Paul Park police at (651) 459-9785.

By: Judy Spooner, South Washington County Bulletin

Police were called Sept. 2 after a dog was struck by a car in the 8400 block of 80th Street. The dog was unleashed. The owner took it to a veterinary hospital.

Police were called Sept. 7 to the 7700 block of Hinton Avenue after a Cottage Grove struck an apartment building while backing up in a vehicle. The vehicle had mechanical problems, according to the report.

Counterfeit money

Rainbow Foods, 7282 East Point Douglas Road, reported Sept. 4 that the store received a counterfeit $100 bill. The case is under investigation. Suspects were captured on video.

Shoplifting

A 20-year-old Hastings man was cited for shoplifting after allegedly trying to steal a bottle of men’s cologne from Kohls, 7990 Hardwood Ave.

A 21-year-old Red Wing woman was cited for theft after allegedly trying to steal a $20 bracelet from Kohls, 7990 Hardwood Ave.

A 17-year-old Cottage Grove boy was cited Sept. 9 for shoplifting at Kohls, 7990 Hardwood Ave.

A 13-year-old Cottage Grove boy was referred to the Youth Service Bureau for shoplifting after he was stopped Sept. 14 for theft at Rainbow Foods, 7282 East Point Douglas Road.

Thefts

The 80th Street Crossing Shopping Mall, 6990 80th St., reported Sept. 9 that painting equipment was stolen from a construction trailer parked at the property. Loss: $4,000.

Police were called to the Cottage Grove Cemetery, 10999 70th St., on Sept. 9 on a theft report. Sections of old iron fencing, totaling an estimated 600 feet, had been stolen from behind a storage building. The theft likely occurred within the past month. Police have a suspect. There was no estimated value reported.

Holiday gas station, 8101 Hadley Ave., reported a $50 gas drive-off Sept. 12. Police identified the owner of the suspect vehicle, but have not identified the driver during the incident.

Drug activity

Police were called Sept. 6 to the 9500 block of Islay Avenue on a report of drug activity in a vehicle. Police located and stopped the vehicle. Subsequently, a 21-year-old Woodbury man was ticketed for possession of drug paraphernalia and being in possession of a knife that violated the city of Cottage Grove’s weapons ordinance. The knife resembled a switchblade.

A 15-year-old Cottage Grove boy was cited Sept. 9 for possession of a small amount of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia at Park High School. The teen was stopped after an assistant principal received information about the drug possession.

A 14-year-old Cottage Grove girl was referred to a peer court program for being in possession of a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia on Sept. 9 at Park High School.

Pedestrian accident

A 64-year-old Cottage Grove man suffered minor injuries after a vehicle struck him in the right knee while he was walking at the intersection of Hillside Trail and Janero Avenue about 8 a.m. Sept. 9. The female driver stopped to make sure the man was OK. He did not require medical transport. The driver said the sun was in her eyes, causing the collision. No citations were issued.

[By: Scott Wente, South Washington County Bulletin]

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar met with Agbamu in Washington, D.C. on Friday to congratulate her on being named 2011 Minnesota Secondary Principal of the Year.

Former Park High School Principal Efe Agbamu meets with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Friday in Washington, D.C. Submitted photo

“There is nothing more critical than providing our children with a competitive, world-class education so they can be prepared for the jobs of tomorrow,” Klobuchar said. “Efe’s passion and dedication to her students make her an excellent choice for this award and we are proud to have her represent Minnesota.”

Agbamu received the award in January. She was Park’s principal for four years until this past summer. She left District 833 in July for a job in the St. Paul school district.

[By: Scott Wente, South Washington County Bulletin]

Candidate Ages – 10-12

Candidate Ages – 13-16

Candidate Ages – 17-20

The Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest Ambassadors will make a difference in the community in which they live. They will promote and represent our Festival and the City of Cottage Grove.  They will assist with fundraisers and encourage the development and education of young women. Throughout the year, the CGSF Ambassadors will travel around the State of Minnesota and Wisconsin representing the CGSF and City of Cottage Grove. Time will be spent volunteering inside and outside of our community. They will have the opportunity to make lifelong friends, gain valuable social skills, gain community service hours, develop relationships with people of all ages, learn about other communities and speak about our local businesses that support us! Along with working within our community with dedicated people, they will strive to make the City of Cottage Grove a more friendly and more wonderful place to live.

 Key Dates:

Registration Deadline – Friday, May 13th

Informational Meeting Cottage Grove City Hall – May 17^th  6:00 PM

Candidate Get Together , – May 19^th  6:00 PM

Potluck Dinner VFW Thurs.-  June 2^nd 5:00 PM

Individual Interview Cottage Grove City Hall – June 4^th  1:00 PM

Strawberry Fest Kick Off Dinner Mississippi Dunes Golf Links – June, 13^th  6:00 PM

Strawberry Fest – Teen Dance Kingston Park/Pavilion – June 16^th  6:00 PM

Strawberry Fest Parade Parade Lineup – June 18^th,  10:00 AM

Coronation Rehearsal The Alley – 7955 Ivystone Ave – June 19^th  – 6:00 PM

Coronation The Alley – 7955 Ivystone Ave – June 20^th  – 7:00 PM

 To obtain an application, visit our website at www.cottagegrovestrawberryfest.com.

For additional questions, please contact the Strawberry Fest Committee at ambassadors@cottagegrovestrawberryfest.com or contact, Lori – 651-260-1881, Carrie – 651-271-0544 or Christy 651-274-8623.

There will be a brief signing ceremony at Park on Wednesday, February 2^nd . The ceremony will begin at 3:15 and will take place in the school’s lecture hall. Each coach will say a few words about the student, and the athlete will sign his or her national letter of intent. The parents and booster clubs will hold a reception immediately following the signing. The public is welcome to join us in honoring these student-athletes as they take the next step to continuing her athletic careers.