Sign In Register BONNYVILLE – The 2025 Northeast Alberta Schools' Athletic Association (NEASAA) handball zone championship tournament was held in Bonnyville at the C2 field house where boys and girls teams from Bonnyville (Notre Dame) Paul teams taking the win in the finals.   Paul teams and how they performed against some stiff competition.  as only the first-place team in each category would earn the right to advance to provincials with each team bringing energy and intensity to the court,” said Ozga.  Paul girls’ team defeated Two Hills in the finals 29-10 showcasing their “strong defensive structure and discipline.”  Paul boys’ team defeated Mallaig in the finals 62-24 with an “outstanding offensive display that kept the crowd energized throughout.”  Paul athletes truly rose to the occasion in the finals.  “The girls demonstrated exceptional defensive teamwork shutting down key scoring threats and controlling the pace of the game The boys brought relentless offensive pressure creating scoring opportunities with fast breaks Both teams executed their game plans with intensity and discipline.”  Ozga said the entire handball season has been remarkable for both the girls’ and boys’ teams.  “We attended two major tournaments where we competed against much larger schools and still held our own with impressive results and prepared us well for success at Zones.”  Along with being proud of their athletic accomplishments Ozga spoke to how impressed she is with who the young athletes are as people.  “It’s easy to praise our players for their athletic abilities - but what stands out even more is their character They support one another on and off the court and exemplify what it means to be student-athletes.”  “I could not be prouder of the heart and grit these athletes have shown They consistently prioritize team success over individual accolades intelligent brand of handball that reflects their maturity and dedication.”  Ozga spoke highly of the sport of handball calling it fast paced and high-energy game that combines speed “It challenges players physically and mentally and is accessible to athletes of varying skill levels its intensity makes it exciting to watch and even more thrilling to play.”  Ozga gave a heartfelt thank-you to the graduating Grade 12 athletes who over the past three years have laid the foundation for the success the team is now enjoying.  “They have helped build a culture of excellence and commitment that will carry on long after they graduate and spirit will be deeply missed next season.”  More SPOTLIGHT > This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Kildonan—St. Paul 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 208 of 208 polls are reporting as of 4:21 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 208 of 208 polls are reporting as of 4:21 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Kildonan—St Dancho has 26,366 of 55,523 votes (47.49%) is in second place with 24,818 votes (44.7%) and Emily Clark Dancho has represented the riding since 2019 21,333 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Join the thousands of Torontonians who’ve signed up for our free newsletter and get award-winning local journalism delivered to your inbox Less than a year after the by-election that signalled the beginning of the end of the Trudeau era Leslie Church tries to retake a former Liberal stronghold from Conservative Don Stewart This April marks the second time in little under a year that Toronto–St Paul’s is weighing its options for federal representation encompassing a vast swath of midtown Toronto from Forest Hill to Davisville Village had been a Liberal stronghold for decades before MP Carolyn Bennett stepped down in early 2024 to become Canada’s ambassador to Denmark This triggered a by-election that was widely considered a referendum on the leadership of Justin Trudeau Conservative candidate Don Stewart beat out Liberal candidate Leslie Church by roughly 600 votes Paul’s the first Conservative riding in Toronto’s core and spelling the beginning of the end of the Trudeau regime Paul’s face a vastly different political landscape and the resignation of key cabinet members Trudeau is no longer Prime Minister nor the head of the Liberal Party of Canada Then there’s the looming presence of Donald Trump Leslie Church is back running for the Liberals and Don Stewart has returned to defend the seat he won for the Conservatives last year which garnered 10 percent of the vote last time around a long-time diplomat who served most recently as High Commissioner to Sri Lanka It is easy to paint the entire community of Toronto–St the riding does encompass the entirety of Forest Hill a hilly enclave of multi-million dollar homes where some of the country’s richest families reside these are not the only people in her community “People can easily turn their blinkers on and say “But there’s so much more to this neighbourhood I deal with people continually who are facing eviction she has served as chief of staff for Maryam Monsef She gives me 15 minutes between door-knocking rapidly running down the list of issues she sees as top-of-mind for the constituents of Toronto–St there’s Donald Trump’s whiplash of tariffs which she thought she would be answering a lot of questions about on the campaign trail people see that Trump is going after more than these tariffs,” she says “They’re worried about their jobs and their livelihoods That’s really made them look closely at the leadership the major parties are offering.” This brings her to the other major change since her by-election loss last year Mark Carney has brought a “change in tone and leadership” to the current race “A lot of Canadians feel betrayed by our closest neighbour and ally,” she says “People like the fact that [Carney] is asking for respect from the United States.” The other major issue that dogged last year’s by-election was the rise of antisemitism Forest Hill has the fifth-largest Jewish community in Canada Toronto saw hundreds of protests against Israel’s military offensive in Gaza which has killed more than 50,000 Palestinians according to the Gaza Health Ministry With the rise in tensions around the war came a slew of frightening incidents swastikas were spray-painted on posters of Israeli hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza a Jewish school was shot at multiple times in the middle of the night the Conservative party sent around a letter to households in the neighbourhood asking them to “send a message about [Trudeau’s] betrayal of the Jewish community” by voting Conservative Church pushes forward a large leaflet dedicated to her plan to combat antisemitism This includes adopting the handbook of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) to enforce “clear community safety protocols on schools and campuses”; increasing resources for police and hate crime prosecutors; and introducing federal legislation to create “safe access zones” around schools hundreds gathered outside City Hall to protest municipal-level legislation that would ban protests outside places of worship and faith-based schools Critics argue that existing legislation already protects these institutions against criminal harassment and hate and that such prohibitions would be an unreasonable restriction on the freedom to protest the Conservatives have also promised “tougher laws” to combat antisemitism with Pierre Poilievre promising to “deport anyone who’s here on a visitor visa who carries out law-breaking”—echoing the recent deportations of pro-Palestinian student protestors in the United States What the Conservatives plan to do to address antisemitism (or any other issue of note) in Toronto–St Conservative candidate Don Stewart’s campaign refused multiple requests to speak with The Local for this story and has been denying all other media as well This radio silence extends to his constituents: he has declined to participate in the two local all-candidates events in the riding The parallel and often-conflicting problems of antisemitism and of protecting free expression around criticism of Israel’s military actions in Gaza are painful inflection points in Toronto–St Of the more-than-a-dozen people I spoke to for this story the vast majority refused to go on the record about either fearing being misconstrued or piled-on after the fact When asked about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s recently renewed military offensive (which do not appear on her campaign materials) Church quickly clarifies that she would advocate for a renewed ceasefire and for a two-state solution that respects both Palestinian and Israeli self-determination “I’m open to advice on how we get there,” she says “But I don’t think we’re necessarily going to solve that on the streets of St a short streetcar ride west from the Liberal and Conservative campaign offices on Yonge Street for a sprawling hour-long conversation over coffee and apple fritters a former diplomat with a decades-long career in the Canadian foreign service describes his campaign as a “Hail Mary pass.” Instead of a traditional campaign mailer with a photo and a list of issues Levy’s campaign material is an argument against strategic voting which he sees as the main hurdle against his chances in the riding For in-depth election coverage from across the GTA “my argument is: why wouldn’t you want a strong leftist opposition to what this conservative bunch will do is in maintaining a strong leftist presence in Parliament that will continue to advocate for Canada’s social programs “But I tell people: anything is possible in an election And I believe that Canada is much better off having a strong NDP presence in Parliament.” Michael’s and All Angels Church would also like to see renewed investment in social programs that protect the most vulnerable members in her community the church has had to quadruple the size of its food bank taking out walls in the basement to make space They are currently applying for a grant to renovate their kitchen that hasn’t seen an update since the 1980s—which would help support a busy lunch program the church runs on Sundays for their underhoused neighbours (a day before the publication of this article) the church hosted the second all-candidates event in the community to bring people face to face with their candidates Feheley says they were careful to bill this event as a “conversation” rather than a “debate.” “The reason for that is very specific,” she says “We don’t need to hear somebody tell us how terrible somebody else is We want to know what you can do for this community The Local’s Federal Election 2025 coverage is supported in part by our readers and by the Covering Canada: Election 2025 Fund. award-winning journalism thanks to the generous support of readers you're contributing to a new kind of journalism—in-depth from corners of Toronto too often overlooked Any route to victory in a Canadian federal election runs straight through the GTA The Local’s Federal Election 2025 coverage provides in-depth on-the-ground reporting in some of the country's most pivotal ridings as the Conservatives improve on their 2021 performance local candidates from one party are refusing to speak with the media Less than a decade after Justin Trudeau rode a wave of youthful enthusiasm to power the Conservatives are winning the youth vote Inside King Street parties and campaign launches with a new generation of Conservatives Conservatives have tried to court South Asian voters in vital suburban ridings With a diplomatic breakdown between the Liberals and the Indian government can they finally win over alienated Indo-Canadians A public inquiry cleared former MP Han Dong’s name but the cloud of foreign meddling still looms over candidates of Chinese descent With anonymous letters flying and a union leader warning off voters Conservative candidate Jamil Jivani’s close friendship with the American V.P has entered the race in Bowmanville-Oshawa North 23-year-old university graduate Amandeep Sodhi is trying to keep this key Peel riding Liberal facing off against a field of fellow novices A map of all candidates running in the April 28 federal election in the Greater Toronto Area NDP MPP Bhutila Karpoche is trying to swim against the current in Toronto’s west end Join the thousands of Torontonians who've signed up for our free newsletter and get award-winning local journalism delivered to your inbox non-profit journalism from corners of Toronto too often overlooked The funeral service for Roy Bishop will be livestreamed for those unable to attend Please click  HERE  for the link It is with great sadness that the family of Roy Bishop announces his passing at the age of 95 on May 1 He was predeceased by his parents Marion and Harold Leaving to mourn are his daughters Jennifer (Don) Marina (Ed) and Cathy (Craig); his grandchildren Zachary (Colette) and Jonas (Hillary); his great grandchildren Piper and Troy; as well as a large circle of family and friends care and compassion never went unnoticed and will never be forgotten He also loved a good game of Spades and going for a drive (maybe to enjoy an ice-cream) He will be remembered for his great sense of humor Visitation will be held at Carnell’s Funeral Home a donation in Roy’s name may be made to a charity of one’s choice This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Georgina and I send our sincere condolences We will miss him greatly as will all who knew him He lived a full and contented life and brought a smile to so many We are sorry we cannot be with you in person but you will be in our thoughts and prayers Sorry we cannot be there to help remember Roy and his life well lived as we are in Florida We will watch the live streamed service on Tuesday. Thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time Our sincere condolences to you on the passing of your Dad A true gentleman and extremely hard worker My condolences to all his surviving family We are so sorry to hear about Roy and so sorry that I won’t be able to attend the service welcoming and a great baker in his later years Our prayers and thoughts are with all at this time Dick and I are sending condolences upon your Dad’s passing We have such nice memories of “Uncle Roy” and visits We are travelling in Europe right now and won’t be back in time for the service but our thoughts and prayers are with you all I had the opportunity to get to know him well when staying at Marinas and Ed’ s years back always ready for a game of cards and grin on his face and a good meal He always talked about his grandkids and he truly loved his farm.Rest In Peace my friend I remember him working the ground with his old John Deere he always had a big wave and smile Many good memories especially helping out at hay time please accept our heartfelt condolences at this difficult time He always had a welcoming smile for all who visited his home On my many visits to your family home throughout the years I always thought of Roy as the gentle giant of a man with the quick whit with a tremendous smile on my face remembering something your dad had said during my visit Our sincere condolences at this very difficult time So sorry to here of the passing of your dear Father May your wonderful memories of happy times bring you comfort at this difficult time He was always a good friend to my parents and their families That friendship continued through the generations to their children grandchildren and now their great grandchildren Our sincere condolences go out to you and yours I have many happy memories of visiting with Roy especially when we would come back for Xmas .He will be missed I was very sorry to hear about the passing of Uncle Roy I will always have fond memories of visiting him on the farm when I was young I know Andrew was glad to have met him when we visited and I know Anthem would have loved him Much love to everyone in the family during this difficult time We are very sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing We are thinking of you all at this very sad time knowledgeable staff are at your service 24 hours a day by simply calling 709-722-2730 If you are calling concerning a recent death you may be asked to provide the following information concerning the deceased: Additionally, you will be asked to provide the following information about yourself including your name, telephone number, address, and your relationship to the deceased. If you would like to access helpful support materials, please visit our extensive "Help And Support" section Paul Golf Course has been quite busy since then said it was a successful opening weekend attracting many golfers thanks to favourable weather conditions Weather forecasts for upcoming weeks are also favourable The golf course is starting to show signs of life with the grass turning green thanks to recent warmth and moisture with the sprinkler system activated just in time to ensure the course remains in good condition The Men's League and the Ladies' League "[which] I would say is probably the strongest part of the golf course," is also starting soon For those interested in participating in league play Paul Golf Course hosts its men's league on Tuesday nights Last year saw 30 teams composed of four people each take part and Hovelkamp expects that number to increase to around 34 teams this season The men's league features a shotgun start format which is a format where teams begin play simultaneously Hovelkamp encourages golfers to sign up early as the registration deadline is also set at May 13 for the Men's League The Ladies' League will start the following day and operates with a more flexible structure allowing women to join on any Wednesday without prior registration The approach aims to encourage more participation among female golfers rates remain relatively the same compared to previous seasons Regular rates for adults are set at $30 for 9 Holes "I'd expect our [numbers of] public play to go up again this year It's gone up the last few years," he said "We get a lot of golfers coming from nearby lakes on weekends." Hovelkamp encourages people to sign up for club membership if they golf regularly Members get to play as much as golf as they want throughout the season you can play all summer," added Hovelkamp "Our junior membership is the best value," he said "It's only $100 if you're in high school or younger." several tournaments are scheduled at the golf course including the Spring Cash Scramble on May 18 and a two-person mixed tournament on May 25 a couple of major events are also coming up Paul & District Chamber of Commerce golf tournament The course will then host a qualifier for the Alberta 55+ Games on June 14 which hosts participants from the northeast region Paul Golf Course is operated by the Town of St Toronto—St. Paul’s 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 237 of 238 polls are reporting as of 4:21 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 237 of 238 polls are reporting as of 4:21 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is in second place with 22,767 votes (33.03%) and Bruce Levy Stewart has represented the riding since 2024 27,266 voters cast ballots at advance polls Paul & District Arts Foundation held its annual Festival of the Arts on April 26 at the All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Centre along with some unique pieces of art created by students PAUL – How should students and staff use artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom Paul Education hopes to answer as it develops guiding principles regarding the use of AI within its schools.  Paul Education’s board of trustees approved administration to survey students and parents on their perspectives when it comes to the effective use of AI.  so we want to just provide them with guidance on our expectations around AI and what that looks like,” he said.  to help students be transparent about their use of AI rather than something they want to hide away,” he said.  Let’s get it out in the open,” noted Barron.  Asked if he believes AI offers more danger than benefits Barron said he believes the benefits outweigh the disadvantages - given that the user understands what they are doing.  but we want to be straightforward with students in terms of how [they are] using AI,” he said.  Barron also believes there could be opportunities to creatively use AI for instructional purposes Paul Education’s innovative consultant is working with staff on how they can effectively use AI.  what we’re looking at now is having policies in place,” he said.  Paul Visual Arts Centre held its Spring Pottery Show and Sale from April 24 to 26.  All of the pottery displayed was crafted by members of the centre president of the Visual Arts Centre board.  She said the centre has an in-house pottery studio utilized by members The show and sale provided an opportunity to showcase those works but also to provide an option for community members to buy gifts especially with Mother’s Day being so close.  was among the artists whose works were featured during the exhibit Among the artwork she displayed were items created by glass fusion.  Glass fusion is an art form that involves melting multiple pieces of glass together to create a decorative Hale said she’s grateful to everyone who came out during the three-day show but also to learn more about what the centre does.  “If you look at the exterior of our building,” it looks unassuming But inside are works of art boasting the creativity and passion of the artists in St “We have this much creativity in town." Works of special guests were also displayed Keeler said he was happy to be able to showcase his work during the show Model building involves using model kits to assemble and paint miniatures The pieces can take weeks or months to create depending on the complexity of a subject or a kit.  Keeler then sculpts his own miniature human figurines to create dioramas with his models He’s particularly interested with building model cars “It’s just something that my dad and I always did,” he said He has been building for almost 15 years.  “We have a sale usually during the rodeo weekend and then the last weekend in November before the Christmas craft sale,” said Tymofichuk with some even driving to town just to check out the event including a group of people from Cold Lake “They came to visit our sale just for the day and then they were going back.”  PAUL – Residents and businesses in the County of St Paul can expect to pay more in property taxes after council approved its 2025 Tax Rate Bylaw on April 22 increasing both mill rates and the overall amount of money the municipality will collect in taxes.  The bylaw indicates a nearly 10 per cent increase in the County’s total tax levy increasing from $28.4 million in 2024 to $31.15 million this year.  That total includes both municipal taxes and requisitions Requisitions are taxes collected on behalf of other organizations such as the Alberta School Foundation Fund (ASFF) which supports local seniors’ housing.  Although the County does not keep that portion of the money for its own operations it is still part of what residents see on their tax notices.  the County's portion is $25.2 million of the total levy – the money they keep – will see an increase of about $2.2 million compared to last year.  Contributing to higher taxes is increased mill rates across all major tax classes.  the municipal mill rate increased from 4.5 to 4.7 Residential assessment values also went from $1.03 billion to $1.047 billion the County projects to collect $4.95 million from residential property owners this year that’s a 7.2 per cent increase in total residential tax revenue.  farmland and provincially owned grazing reserves are going up from 15.3 to 15.8 mills including Designated Industrial Properties (DIPs) and machinery and equipment Designated Industrial Properties alone are expected to bring in over $18 million to the County this year Small businesses will see mill rates increased from 19.9 mills in 2024 to 20.2 mills this year But the County will see about nine per cent decreased tax revenue from small businesses due to total lower assessed property value.  The total assessed value of small business properties decreased from $13 million to $12 million.  Because property taxes are calculated by multiplying a property's assessed value by the mill rate (and divided by 1,000) even small changes in either number can result in a higher bill.  a home assessed at $250,000 would have paid roughly $1,121 in municipal taxes last year or an increase of over $108 compared to last year.  But that’s before school taxes and other requisitions are factored in a resident with a $250,000 home that did not see changes in property assessment from 2024 in 2025 Requisitions collected by the County are the Alberta School Foundation (ASFF) and the senior housing requisition through the MD Foundation.  ASFF requisition for the County increased from $4.39 million to $4.84 million The MD Foundation also increased its requisition by over $100,000 from 2024 increasing to $1.03 million in 2025.  even if their property’s assessed value stayed the same The jump for those with increased assessed property values will be even more noticeable.  Most of the increases in municipal mill rates are also attributed to the County’s portion to the MD of St The $50 million project involves replacing and expanding Sunnyside Manor with a new 90-unit residential building and the demolition of older cottages on the property.  The project’s funding strategy includes contributions from local municipalities – the Town of St and Town of Elk Point – who are being asked to commit $4 million upfront.  Paul CAO Jason Wallsmith explained the County’s $328,000 contribution in 2025 is not classified as a requisition under senior’s housing to help fund the County’s contribution the municipal mill rate was increased.  and nice homes for our seniors,” both for seniors and people who will benefit from the seniors housing in the community in the future it’s bad that we had to adjust the mill rates We didn’t want to,” he acknowledged.  “Even if there’s only [overall] $100 increase on the taxes $100 might be the difference of what they eat that month,” said Ockerman but also to keep up with increased operational costs and to put more money into both restricted and unrestricted reserves.  the County also managed to balance its budget ending up with approximately $3.4 million in surplus when the County transferred $5.8 million to reserves on April 8 during Budget 2025 deliberations specifically for the following: $2 million for future operations; $1 million for future MD Foundation project funding; and $2.8 million for future capital reserves.  He also criticized the provincial government for downloading costs to municipalities which he said makes it harder for municipalities to save money and balance budget and they want us to do doctor recruitment and everything else.”  “Where are we supposed to get the money from?” he questioned.   Asked if the County had communications with the provincial government including during conferences where municipalities had opportunities to talk with provincial representatives.  “We said you guys got to help us out [and] you can’t keep doing this to us But I’m not sure if it’s fallen on deaf ears or not,” he added.  PAUL - Dry conditions and high temperatures in the forecast have resulted in a fire restriction being put in place for the County of St Paul Fire Chief and Director of Protective Services Trevor Kotowich sent out information to media on April 30 noting that the fire restriction is effective as of 2 p.m leaves or branches in yards and lake lots," reads the information from Kotowich.  "Any previous brush burn sites should be checked by landowner to ensure they are completely extinguished Conditions will continue to be monitored and we thank you all for your cooperation." A Level 3 Fire Restriction means "no open-air fires including burn barrels." Fire permits are suspended or will be cancelled and no new permits will be issued during the restriction safe wood campfires for cooking and warming are allowed on private lands and in campgrounds," reads the information Other municipalities in the region have put fire advisories Smoky Lake County is currently under a fire ban Visit albertafirebans.ca for information PAUL – Every minor hockey goal celebrated and every hard-fought battle is a team effort both on and off the ice As minor hockey players chase their passion volunteers are continually working in the background "It takes the right people," willing to give their time "to make it all happen," she told Lakeland This Week. "They do it not for recognition Even before becoming the association's president Scheffelmiar had already been involved with minor hockey for 15 years - since her children first laced up their skates as her children played their last season in minor hockey I know I’ll miss it deeply," she acknowledges I’ve met some truly amazing people and built lasting friendships especially with my fellow hockey moms who have become some of my closest friends She encourages others to get involved. Scheffelmiar says volunteering remains the backbone of the St Volunteering does take commitment and there are challenges "But the reward is immeasurable." supportive environment where kids can learn and trust me - you won’t regret being part of something this meaningful." secretary and communications coordinator with St and involves significant time commitment as well as balancing the needs and expectations of parents "I wouldn't have signed up for it if I didn't [think it was worth it," she says "It's a way to support your community." with three boys playing minor hockey - the eldest at 11 years old "I spend a lot of my time at the rink with them," she says she wants to give back and contribute to the group that helps her children play She wants "to be a part of something that I know we're going to be a part of for a long time." Cameron has ideas that she hopes to accomplish in the future as a communications coordinator, promoting the sport and the association's programs. "You want to make people interested and make sure they bring positive impact on the community." all hockey volunteers have a common goal - to grow the sport and ensure positive experiences for kids playing hockey in the community Apriil 27 to May 3 is National Volunteer Week Paul is cutting $30,000 to library services following the approval of the County’s operating budget on April 8 which could mean potential cuts to all libraries within the County.  The funds were transferred to the County’s reserves which would allow council to reverse their decision should they change their mind later on Ross Krekoski made a motion to restore the funding to library services “I think this is a misstep.” He noted that many people use local libraries on a daily basis.  responsible for library services funding allocations will discuss how the reduced library funding will be allocated in the future The County’s library board will meet on May 26.  Paul Municipal Library’s board meeting that board discussed how the cut could potentially affect the library’s programming Paul Municipal Library received $46,000 worth of funding from the County of St who sits on the library board on behalf of the Town asked Krekoski what the intent was behind the cut.  “No rationale was given,” said Krekoski Krekoski said he believes it is still not a good decision even if the intent is to increase reserves for future capital projects.  The County transferred $5.8 million of surplus from 2024 to reserves on April 8 Sid Sood asked how the cut would specifically affect the St Paul Municipal Library’s programs.  “We will need to let go of one staff [member] Cho said that even though the County’s library board has not announced how the allocation will look like just yet Paul Municipal Library will take the brunt of the cut as the other libraries within the County of St Paul rely more heavily on County funding.   Other libraries funded by the County include locations in Ashmont “We will need to cut our hours significantly and we will need to cancel a large portion of our programming,” Cho added “There isn’t anywhere else that we can cut.”  “That’s pretty brutal.” He contemplated that the only way to alleviate the potential effects of the cut would be to start charging user fees Noel and Krekoski were also against the idea of charging user fees.   “You’re disadvantaging vulnerable people when you’re charging user fees,” Krekoski said.  “You’re already doing the same thing when you cut $30,000 from the budget,” replied Noel.  Cho suggested speaking to the County of St Paul to ask council to reconsider the decision.  Wiebe doubted the act would make any difference as the County had already passed its budget.  The library board will be considering what programs to cut in future deliberations.  Reeve Glen Ockerman provided a statement and said council “opted to reduce the funding to the County Library Board based on the financial positions of the libraries.”  “The funds have been placed in a reserve that council may provide to the County Library Board should the need arise,” reads the statement.  The County did not provide further details regarding the financial positions of the libraries but council had prior discussions about the financial position of the St Paul Municipal Library during the County’s March 11 council meeting.  “The library in town has a $30,000 GIC,” said Coun why would the library have a savings account?”  “And not give their staff any increase in wages,” Fodness responded I just wanted council to be aware of it.”  Cho explained to Lakeland This Week that the money is used for emergencies.  Per the Northern Lights Library System’s (NLLS) recommendations best practices for any organization includes having reserves equivalent to six months' worth of their operating budget Paul Municipal Library has is just enough to cover one month of the library’s operations.  she said $10,000 was already there when she became manager in 2018.  The $20,000 is from when six staff were temporarily let go in 2020 during COVID-19 to abide by pandemic restrictions The library has since kept the $30,000 in reserves.  Having that money in reserves also helps deal with unexpected situations the County Library Board used to provide the St Paul Municipal Library its funding by March Paul and the provincial government usually sends out money later in the summer.  Receiving money by March allows the library to pay for operational costs while waiting for further funding from the Town and the province.  the expected money from the County’s library board did not come in by March The library was able to pay for operational costs including staff wages for March and April but would not have been able to pay for operating cost in May if staff had not been temporarily laid off mid-March due to pandemic restrictions and would not have been able to call back staff until funding was received.  and funding came in before the end of April.  “That was a close call,” she said the library chose to leave $30,000 in the account for future emergencies.  Asked if the County had contacted the library about the $30,000 in reserves Cho said she’s unsure if the County reached out to any of the library’s board members but she personally did not receive any communication from the County.  Two GTA swing riding races that were being closely watched on Monday night were Toronto-St Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience Don't have an account? Create Account We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentWith poll results slowly trickling in, Liberal Leslie Church had a modest lead over Conservative Don Stewart. The NDP’s Bruce Levy was in third. As for Eglinton Lawrence, it was also going red in the early going with Liberal Vince Gasparro slightly ahead of Conservative Karen Stintz. Church — a top aide to former finance minister Chrystia Freeland — was trying to win back the riding for her party. “I’m committed to fighting for the issues that matter—climate action, inclusion, and keeping our community strong,” Church posted on her X account on Sunday. Church is a married lawyer and mother of three who has represented Canada at the G7 and the White House — and has a platform to strengthen the economy, create more higher-paying jobs, bring down the cost of living and building for the future. Stewart, meanwhile, has called St. Paul’s their home since 2016 and has both engineering and business degrees which he relied on his career by selling construction products before working Bay St. “This is our chance to put common sense leadership back to Ottawa and choose a government that puts Canada First,” wrote Stewart on his X account on Sunday. The Tories were also hoping to pick up the Toronto riding of Eglinton-Lawrence, which has been Liberal for decades except for four years (2011-2015) under former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Stintz, a mother of two, represented the area from 2003 until 2014 as a city Toronto councillor. “We built something bigger than a campaign. We built a movement. Now it’s time to finish what we started. This is our moment, Eglinton-Lawrence,” wrote Stintz on her X account on Sunday. Stintz is currently president and CEO of Variety Village and Variety the Children’s Charity – Ontario. In February, Gasparro — a senior advisor to then-mayor of Toronto John Tory — came within 200 votes of picking up this seat for the Ontario Liberal Party in the provincial election. “This is the most consequential election of our lifetime,” Gasparro tweeted out on Monday morning on his X account. Gasparro was born and raised in North York to Italian-Canadian parents and calls Eglinton-Lawrence home, where he resides with his wife and two daughters with extensive experience in finance and government. transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account Due to the current dry conditions and forecasted high temperatures a Fire Restriction is now in place for the County of St Any previous brush burn sites should be checked by landowner to ensure they are completely extinguished Conditions will continue to be monitored and we thank you all for your cooperation © 2012 - 2025 Connected Media Inc. for Lakeland Connect • All Rights Reserved. a folklorico dancer with La Alegre Bailadores Paul’s Cinco de Mayo parade on Saturday.Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories Paul began officially hosting a Cinco de Mayo parade celebrating the city’s Latin American heritage and marking a Mexican military victory back in 1862 While the fifth of May does not carry much significance in Mexico Paul Cinco de Mayo festivities could rival a medium-sized independence day parade Paul began celebrating Cinco de Mayo three days early But the real festivities started at 10 a.m Indigenous and contemporary Mexican music and dance MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all A performer from Comparza San Lucas Evangelista waves a Mexican flag during St Paul's Cinco de Mayo parade on Saturday.Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalA dancer with the Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli crosses the street during St Paul’s Cinco de Mayo parade on Saturday.Alberto Villafan | Sahan Journal'Rey' with the Latin America Motorcycle Association poses on his bike at the Cinco de Mayo parade on St Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalA dancer with Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue crosses Cesar Chavez Way in St Paul during the Cinco de Mayo parade on Saturday.Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalA taqueria worker watches dancers at the Cinco de Mayo parade in Saint Paul on Saturday.Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalA dancer with Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli blows a conch shell during St Paul’s Cinco de Mayo parade on Saturday.Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalTwo dancers with La Alegre Bailadores look out during St Paul’s Cinco de Mayo parade on Saturday.Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalTwo wrestlers duke it out at Cinco Chaos” during St Paul’s Cinco de Mayo celebration on Saturday.Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalA dancer with Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue wears ayoyotes Alberto Villafan | Sahan JournalFestivities wrapped up in St For more Cinco de Mayo celebrations in Minneapolis, click here The decision by the County of St. Paul to cut $30,000 from its library budget is an appalling departure from its 2025 Operational Plan which explicitly lists it will “adequately fund library services.”  this cut is approximately a 28 per cent reduction in overall library funding by the County of St Paul compared to 2024 and an 11 per cent hit to the overall budget for the Town of St All because the library has the gall to be fiscally responsible with the money saved by the mandated closures during the pandemic.   Paul Council meeting when the budget cut was decided Reeve Glen Ockerman questioned why the library would have a savings account.   When the roof leaked several years ago and damaged the flooring inside the town paid for the roof repair and the library paid for the floor When the patron bathroom was in desperate need of repair and renovation it was the library that was ultimately responsible for the cost – with no small amount of work on the part of the board to get permission from Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission to use some of the funds raised by Friends of the Library for that project.  Maxine Fodness questioned why the library would have a GIC the $30,000 GIC held by the library is a cashable GIC This means that in the event of an emergency like a floor or bathroom needing to be repaired or a delay in receiving funds from municipal partners like the County of St the library can cash the GIC early and has access to those funds.  Paul Municipal Library’s most recent plan of service expires at the end of 2025 and includes the goal: “Strengthen community network and collaboration with other community groups in area.” Below that the objective “Support community organizations by partnering,” is listed.  The library has excelled at developing relationships with groups in our community The program room was used 99 times in 2024 the ACFA hosted their ‘Tente de Lecture,’ and Portage College – Public Legal Education hosted an educational bingo night.   Lakeland Family Resource Network has periodically hosted a multi-week Read and Roll program aimed at developing early literacy with Franco-Acceuil hosting a French-language counterpart Lire et Rire That program is held at the library during a time it is closed to the public with library staff volunteering their time to the program and providing childcare for younger siblings so parents can actively participate.  The direct impact of an 11 per cent reduction to the library budget will be a reduction in services Library manager Eunhye Cho was quoted as saying and we will need to cancel a large portion of our programming.”   Reducing hours means less time available for services like exam supervision It’s less time available for patrons to use computers for job searching The Wi-Fi network and the eight public computer terminals at the library were used 20,463 times last year – roughly 78 times per day the library was open.  The loss of Saturday and evening hours could also mean the loss of the monthly book club which is now so active the number of copies of a book in the entire Northern Lights Library System is occasionally a limiting factor in book selection.   and other programming geared for parents and children and the loss of Friday night board games.  do not wish to see any of these things lost who so often speak of the need to be fiscally prudent and keep money in reserves for emergencies and future expenses will reverse this incredibly short-sighted cut to library funding and adequately fund library services as stated in their 2025 Operational Plan.  Meredith Kerr served as the secretary of the St Paul Municipal Library Board for eight years from November 2016 – November 2024.  Toronto WatchWill the Toronto-St. Paul’s riding switch back to red?The Conservatives won the long-time Liberal stronghold in a byelection last summer, but some electors say they may turn red for this year’s federal election. Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved The Wilder Foundation opened a new mental health clinic for children teens and families in the east side neighborhood of St Courtesy of the Wilder Foundation PlayListenMental health Paul's east side looks to serve youth of colorGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories The Wilder Foundation is working to reach more kids with the new Wilder East Clinic It aims to close gaps in care for young people — especially young people of color — with providers who work in multiple languages Joining Minnesota Now for details is Wilder Foundation vice president of community mental health and wellness Pahoua Yang Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation We attempt to make transcripts for Minnesota Now available the next business day after a broadcast Paul residents will see a slight mill rate increase this year but might see higher increases in their tax notices Town council passed the 2025 Tax Rate Bylaw Paul Chief Financial Officer Mitchel Bachelet explained the mill rate will only increase by 1.5 per cent The municipal mill rate this year is 10.0766 for residential and 19.6518 for non-residential per $1,000 of assessment compared to 9.9218 for residential and 19.3499 for non-residential properties last year In a follow-up with Lakeland This Week, Town of St Paul Mayor Maureen Miller said taxes are increasing to help with increased expenses but also because of "our need to rebuild reserves." Rebuilding reserves is important to ensure the town has money for future investments Although, as the projected increase in revenue from higher mill rates is minimal the Town hopes to avoid deficits in the future to help rebuild reserves but also to balance deficits from previous years compared to a roughly equal surplus in 2024 as per the Town's draft audited financial statement Most of the overall higher increase in tax this year that taxpayers will notice is due to increases in provincial requisitions and not the Town's increased mill rate, particularly the increases in the Alberta School Foundation Fund (ASFF) and municipal seniors' housing requisitions by the MD Foundation the Alberta School Foundation Fund (ASFF) rate increased by 6.9 per cent or 2.57 to 2.75 for residential properties while the rate increased by 18.75 per cent for non-residential properties or 3.67 to 4.36 the MD Foundation rate increased by 45.8 per cent from 0.49 to 0.72 for both residential and non-residential properties The MD Foundation manages low-income housing and rental programs for seniors (65 and older) as well as families Work is being done to replace the large senior housing complex "While 45 per cent increase seems like it should be a lot more significant than a 1.56 per cent increase it's actually only $20 really on the dollar change," said Bachelet Bachelet said that overall, residential properties assessed around $250,000 will see a $140 increase in their tax notices or 4.3 per cent overall increase on their property tax notice Non-residential properties assessed at around $500,000 will see an overall increase of about $609 The Town is projecting to see a three per cent increase in collected tax revenue in 2025 the Town collected $4.86 million in tax levies from residential properties including farmland and mobile. It is budgeted to collect $4.92 million in tax levies this year the town collected $3 million from non-residential properties last year and is projected to collect $3.18 million this year Discretionary provincial and federal grants in lieu also slightly increased this year the Town levied $8.31 million in total last year and is projected to collect $8.56 million this year The man was arrested early Saturday morning in Minneapolis and on Monday was charged with stabbing and killing the mother of his child Paul man was charged Monday with fatally stabbing the mother of his 2-year-old daughter inside his home late last week was arrested early Saturday morning and made his first court appearance Monday in Ramsey County District Court He faces one count of second-degree murder The victim was identified on Monday afternoon by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s office as Christine Morris Officers checked the house and did not see signs of a struggle. Police found the toddler on a couch in the living room, and Morris’ body in an upstairs bedroom covered by a blanket, charges say. She had visible stab wounds and did not have a pulse. Morris was pronounced dead by medics at 7 a.m. An autopsy by the Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed it was a homicide and found Morris had wounds to her head, neck, left arm, chest and back. Officers spoke with another woman who had two children with Davis. She said Davis left her a message saying he wanted to see his two other kids before turning himself him for the killing, according to the charges. An attorney listed for Davis did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday afternoon. The charges say Morris’ friends arrived at the house on Edmund Avenue, and one told police that Davis had been messaging Morris the night before the homicide, accusing her of cheating on him. Morris messaged the friend about 11 p.m. to let her know she made it home OK, charges say. Another friend showed officers texts from the victim from September, which said if she or her daughter ended up dead or missing that Davis would be responsible. The officers found Morris’ phone abandoned near Carty Park, about a mile and a half from the house where she was killed. Officers tracked Davis to an apartment in the 2800 block of 31st Avenue S. in Minneapolis, where a Minneapolis SWAT team arrested Davis. He refused to voluntarily exit the apartment before he was arrested, charges say. Davis allegedly admitted to investigators that he stabbed Morris with a knife. He told police she had been cheating on him for years and that was the reason he killed her, according to charges. Davis has multiple convictions for domestic violence going back to 2023 that targeted Morris. The Friday killing was St. Paul’s third homicide of 2025, compared with eight at this point in 2024. None of this year’s St. Paul homicides have been shooting deaths. It came during a week in which Minneapolis police investigated the shooting deaths of six people. Louis Krauss is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune. St but students are more diverse than they used to be and their families are choosing different kinds of schools An uninjured 2-year-old girl also was found in the home VideoToronto-St. Paul's flips from Conservatives to LiberalsLiberal candidate Leslie Church defeats Conservative incumbent Don Stewart to flip Toronto-St. Paul's. Paul Regional High School participated in mock voting for the federal election on April 28 said Student Vote is part of a nationwide program introducing students to Canada's democratic process The national initiative is a partnership between Elections Canada and CIVIX - a charity that aims to strengthen democracy through education we work very hard to teach kids that being an informed voter is a big part of their responsibility," she said Foisy believes without citizens actively fulfilling their responsibilities in Canadian society democracy risks being shaped by leaders who do not truly reflect the will of the people Paul Regional High School took place on the same day as the federal election and students were given the same options on their ballots as those heading to the actual polls on Monday Results from Student Vote are released at a later date PAUL - Farm families from around the region stopped by for a barbecue and ribbon cutting at the grand opening of the Caouette and Sons’ newly constructed shop on the corner of Highway 29 and Highway 881 in St “This has been in the works for close to 10 years,” said Yvon Caouette who now owns the business his father started 55 years ago in 1969 Yvon said they had long outgrown their original space which only had one garage door for moving equipment through “We were doing Tetris to move stuff in and out if you were waiting for parts,” said Yvon noting the size of farm machinery has increased over the years along with the size of the farms small and big it doesn’t matter,” said assistant manager Marc Caouette you don't have to wait for an answer from head office Caouette and Sons’ Implements is the only single store It’s also the only place to get the full line of their signature red Massey Ferguson agricultural equipment although they also carry industrial equipment “People that are just curious about us and hadn’t stepped in our old shop before we want to show them what we can provide to them,” said Marc it’s important for the business to stay rooted in St both as a service to the surrounding farms and as an economic anchor for the town “Somebody has to service all those farmers or they’ll go to another town and the town will slowly die,” said Yvon if they have to run for parts two hours away it’s not convenient for them Paul and District Chamber of Commerce Yvonne Weinmeier praised the Caouette family for their community involvement noting Yvon has served on the Chamber’s board of directors for many years “It means a ton that they are expanding and staying in our community Having a multi-generational business withstand and prosper through everything is amazing We’re incredibly proud to have them in our community,” said Weinmeier and unless something drastic happens we plan to be here for a long time,” said Marc Paul Gymnastics Club hosted its 2025 Rose Meet on April 22 Seventeen gymnasts competed in the program or bronze medal based on their performance Paul's | CBC.ca LoadedLiberals retake Toronto-St 7 days agoDuration 2:22Liberals retake Toronto-St. Paul's7 days agoNewsDuration 2:22Liberal MP Leslie Church defeated Conservative incumbent Don Stewart in the downtown Toronto riding. She spoke to CBC's Eli Glasner about what the victory means to her and how the political landscape has changed in the last year. Faqiri’s family demands answers on implementing coroner inquest recommendations20 minutes agoVideo2:41 How Trump’s tariff threats on non-U.S. movies could impact Toronto31 minutes agoTrending NowVideo2:17 Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video11:28 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |10 hours agoVideo1:19 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem PAUL – Over 127 young riders from across Alberta competed at the 27th Annual High School Rodeo in St held at the Ag Corral from April 11 to April 13 Paul Ag Society and sanctioned by the Alberta High School Rodeo Association (AHSRA).   but contestants may choose to compete in whatever district they prefer.  AHSRA’s rodeo season officially kicked off on April 4 in Siksika and Stettler Paul was the second stop for the season.  The top 10 to 12 contestants in each district can qualify for the provincial finals The 2025 Alberta Junior High Finals will be held in Rimbey from March 23 to 25 while the High School Finals will be held in Stettler from June 4 to 8.  Paul’s High School Rodeo Committee chairperson and all those who volunteered to ensure the rodeo went on without a hitch “Thanks for dealing with all the parking because there’s a lot of trailers that showed up that weekend.”  the high school rodeo aims to help young cowboys and cowgirls develop their skills.  “We’re doing it for the kids,” he said the high school rodeo also serves as an opportunity to watch “the [rodeo] superstars” of tomorrow.  Sixty-one of the contestants who came to St Paul competed in the junior high school rodeo on April 11.  Laci Pole from Erskine is this year’s Girls Hi Point Champion Wyatt Elder from Stettler was declared this year’s Boys Hi Point Champion as well as in Team Roping with Tryp Pugh.  Ridge Butterfield won the Boys Breakaway Roping and Colter Buchwitz placed first in Tie Down Roping.  Rhett Poitras of Ponoka won Chute Dogging.  Daxton Erickson and Lena Kronschnable won first place.  Nathan Bishell of Consort is this year’s Mens High Point Champion He placed first in Tie Down Roping and Steer Wrestling.  Cooper McNiven of Mundare won Saddle Bronc Riding while Troy Peters placed first in Bull Riding.  Rylan Keith of Barrhead and Stran Edge of Marwayne won first place.  This year’s Ladies High Point Champion is Grace Havens from Madden Havens also won first place in Goat Tying.  Ellie Havens also from Madden placed first in Pole Bending while Shelby Dutertre of Bonnyville won first place in Barrel Racing Keely Pugh of Ponoka placed first in Breakaway Roping.  Paul RCMP responded to a report of a man shooting "marble sized objects" at a vehicle on April 1 The report was received by police at about 6:30 p.m "Police responded quickly and had one male under arrest within two minutes of receiving the call for service Police found an air soft marble gun in the male’s possession," reads information from RCMP “This dangerous situation could have had a very different outcome no one was injured in this incident," said Cpl including assault with a weapon, using an imitation firearm in the commission of an offence possession of weapon for dangerous purpose mischief equal to or under $5,000 – damage to motor vehicle and discharging an air gun or air pistol with intent to endanger life He was held for a judicial hearing and was released on conditions He is scheduled to appear in court on April 24 Paul youth observed Earth Day at the Family Resource Network an annual global movement that began in 1970 in the United States celebrates the Earth and raises awareness about environmental protection family education programmer with the Lakeland Family Resource Network (LFRN) said participants engaged in activities related to learning about the importance of taking care of the planet which involves understanding the importance of recycling Among the activities was mystery bags containing different recyclable craft supplies Youth were then given a problem scenario to solve such as creating something to protect an iguana from the rain while utilizing the supplies they were given "We let them come up with a solution of their own," she explained Ouellette said she was amazed at how the kids came up with different solutions.  "Everyone is so unique with their own ideas and it is just great to see their creativity," she said Ouellete said the LFRN has many more youth initiatives and events coming up "All of our programs are open to everybody in the community and they're all free." she encourages people to visit lakelandfrn.ca PAUL - A two vehicle collision on Tuesday evening claimed the lives of three people Paul RCMP say they responded to a collision between a semi truck and a minivan at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 36 first responders attempted life-saving efforts but three were declared deceased on scene and two were transported by EMS with severe injuries," according to information from RCMP.  "Though still early in the investigation preliminary information suggests that the minivan failed to stop where indicated and was struck by the semi truck Impairment by alcohol or drugs are not believed to be a factor." according to information that was released at 6:45 a.m "The deceased are two 29-year old Saddle Lake Cree Nation as well as a 21-year-old female Edmonton resident," according to police "The thoughts of the Alberta RCMP go out to the family and friends of the deceased and all involved." Paul Affordable Community Housing Society continues its efforts to provide affordable housing for families in St the society held its annual general meeting which involved discussing its financial position including how much money still needs to be raised to achieve its goal of constructing a total of two single family homes the society plans to help provide six units for six families.  The retail price for the two houses is approximately $284,000 each That’s not including the price of the lots one house is approximated to cost about $340,000.  each recipient family is expected to cover about $200,000 on the mortgage while the society will cover the rest of the amount Recipients are also responsible for property taxes said the society is estimating to cover about $918,000 for the overall projects the society budgeted $371,000 for in-kind donations which includes the $175,000 worth of lots contributed by the Town of St leaving about $547,000 total needing to be raised.  which was enough to proceed with the construction of the first house Donations include $24,000 from fundraising events $25,000 from grant from the Alberta Real Estate Foundation Severin thanked everyone who donated and helped with the society’s cause and everything else is pretty much pro bono,” she said There is still about $433,000 needing to be raised for the remaining five units.  Severin said the society plans to apply for a license with the Alberta Gaming and the society is looking for two more volunteers to fill the position.  After announcing the family that will receive the first house in January the society is now accepting applicants for the second house.  Applicants must be currently living in the St and they must be able to provide a $1,250 monthly mortgage payment for the house along with providing references and financial assessments.  The applicants’ annual income can be around $60,000 it might need to be $65,000 or $70,000,” said Severin “It depends on the size of the family.”  are families struggling to get a mortgage or the down payment to own their first home “We’re trying to reach families that are out there working nine to five but are unable to have enough money saved for a down payment,” she explained.  Severin said the society’s vision is to provide a “hand up “It’s almost impossible today for a family to save the money they need to put down a down payment,” with many families just earning enough money to survive when the society was created by Dick Wirges it cost $100,000 to build a house for a recipient The recipient paid a mortgage of $70,000.  a modest 1,020 square feet bi-level costs $355,000 which is almost triple the amount from two decades ago “wages haven’t kept up,” said Severin.  Three people are dead and two are in hospital with severe injuries after a two-vehicle collision in St Paul County on Tuesday night between a semi-truck and a minivan Mounties responded to the collision after 5:15 p.m at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 36 in St the minivan had a stop sign at the intersection and the semi-truck did not He said early signs indicate that the minivan ran the stop sign and was struck by the semi-truck they attempted life-saving efforts on all crash victims Two 29-year-old Saddle Lake Cree Nation residents and a 21-year-old Edmonton woman were declared dead at the scene Two people sustained severe injuries and were sent to hospital RCMP could not confirm which people were in either vehicle Howell said alcohol and drug use are not believed to be factors in the collision This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Benson Boone’s American Heart Tour will open at Xcel Energy Center on Aug just two years after he played in town at the Fine Line Minnesotans will get the first chance to see how fast-rising pop star Benson Boone cuts it as an arena headliner Fresh off his debut performance on “SNL” this past weekend the “Beautiful Things” hitmaker will kick off his first U.S Paul kickoff date was announced Monday along with 19 other shows on his American Heart Tour named after his second album due out June 20 No opening acts have been announced yet for the tour Chris Riemenschneider has been covering the Twin Cities music scene since 2001, long enough for Prince to shout him out during "Play That Funky Music (White Boy)." The St. Paul native authored the book "First Avenue: Minnesota's Mainroom" and previously worked as a music critic at the Austin American-Statesman in Texas. Music Gioachino Rossini’s comic opera plays at the Ordway Music Theater in St. Paul. Benson Boone’s American Heart Tour will open at Xcel Energy Center on Aug. 22, just two years after he played in town at the Fine Line. The Grammy-winning Americana star heads to Minneapolis because of Prince. Paul City Council is weighing a proposal to make changes to the city's rent control ordinance Supporters say the changes would help spur development in the city including hundreds of affordable housing units at the Highland Bridge development at the site of the old Ford plant Opponents say efforts to add more exemptions to the policy are misguided.Mark Zdechlik | MPR NewsGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories Paul City Council this week is set to vote on a plan to revise the city’s rent stabilization ordinance by allowing exemptions for more properties Supporters of the proposed changes say they’re needed to spur much-needed housing development in the city while opponents say it’s a misguided effort that would put more St Paul residents at risk of being priced out of their homes The city’s rent stabilization ordinance limits how much landlords can increase rent each year new apartment buildings are exempt from those rent controls for the first 20 years Mayor Melvin Carter is among those who say the city should permanently exempt all apartments built after 2004 — even after they reach that 20-year mark Carter said the change would lead to more desperately needed housing Paul Mayor Melvin Carter is pushing a proposal to exempt more properties from the city's rent control ordinance The proposal is scheduled to go before the St Paul City Council on Wednesday.Mark Zdechlik | MPR News“I think it’s a smart way to just acknowledge that the economics of building a new building are fundamentally different than the economics of maintaining a building that’s “something like 90 percent” of rental units would still have rent controls But opponents say that number would shrink over time if the changes are put in place — and potentially hurt some of St Paul’s rent stabilization ordinance came out of a ballot measure that residents narrowly approved four years ago; Tram Hoang was the campaign manager for the rent control effort we essentially create a problem in our community where a higher portion of our housing supply is exempt from the protections,” Hoang said there’s a block of the housing supply that’s exempt — and therefore you have the same proportion of units that are exempt.” Tram Hoang was the campaign manager for the Keep St a successful effort to get voter approval of a rent control measure She opposes a proposal backed by Mayor Melvin Carter to exempt more properties from the rent control ordinance Mark Zdechlik | MPR NewsScott Cordes of Project for Pride in Living said not all housing advocates oppose the idea of permanently exempting newer properties from rent controls Project for Pride in Living has opposed St Paul’s rent stabilization program from the beginning “We’ve seen a chilling effect due to the rent stabilization ordinance which has inhibited more housing and actually counteracts the benefits that we’re looking for,” Cordes said Cordes said an example can be found at the Highland Bridge development on the site of St He said 500 planned units of affordable housing are on hold there — and might not be built unless St “Those units only get built if the market-rate development occurs and generates what’s called tax increment financing which becomes a funding source for the affordable housing properties,” Cordes said But Housing Justice Center President Margaret Kaplan disputes the notion that changing the rent stabilization ordinance will lead to more development She said housing development is also lagging in some communities without rent controls in place Housing Justice Center President Margaret Kaplan disputes the notion that changing St Paul's rent stabilization ordinance will lead to more development in the city.Mark Zdechlik | MPR News“Development patterns are very cyclical when we say that the cause of a reduction in building permits in St Paul is due to rent stabilization — why are we not looking at the same reduction in multi-family units permitted in Washington County What we’re seeing is a part of a natural cycle.” Paul City Council is expected to take up the proposal to change the city’s rent control ordinance at its meeting on Wednesday PAUL – Two major fast-food chain brands are coming to the Town of St was issued for two new eating establishments with drive-throughs - Starbucks and Wendy's The proposed stand-alone building for the two fast-food chains will be located directly north of Canadian Tire Construction is expected to take place this spring or early summer A rendering of plans for updates to the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St The city and the Minnesota Wild are requesting $395 million in state funding to help with the arena updates and updates to the RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium all of which they say will add economic vitality to the downtown.City of St PaulGo Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories Paul is being slimmed down in hopes of gaining traction at the Legislature The narrowed request outlined Thursday would prioritize the hockey arena upgrades but put off renovations to adjacent convention and entertainment space Earlier this year, the city of St. Paul and the Minnesota Wild came to state leaders with an ambitious plan to update the 25-year-old hockey arena as well as the RiverCenter and Roy Wilkins Auditorium They said the entire complex is showing its age The initial plan sought state dollars toward half of the cost of a $770 million project But legislators balked at the price tag and the timing Now the city and team have scaled down the proposal to focus on renovating just the hockey arena They’re now hoping the state would be willing to put up $50 million for the project Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said the proposal is still important to address deficiencies in the complex “This project will create hundreds of jobs and generate millions in economic growth while securing this publicly owned tourist destination for decades to come,” Carter said in a written statement this is exactly the kind of public infrastructure investment our state needs right now.” open up corridors and increase accessibility in the building the city and local partners would kick in $200 million while the Wild’s owners would pay the rest A key legislator involved in bills for public construction projects said even though the new request is "a more realistic proposal given our budget situation," the timing is still poor "I wish they had come in in January with this proposal," said Senate Capital Investment Committee Chair Sandy Pappas "But now we're three weeks till the end of session and so that's kind of the problem." Pappas said she's not completely closing to door but I just don't see how it's realistically possible We have so many major bills that we have to pass yet in conference committee and then final bills," she said Wild owner Craig Leipold said in a statement that the Xcel Energy Center is an economic hub It drew one million visitors for various events in the first few months of this year the city and team said in a joint statement “We’re excited for the opportunity to build on this success,” Leipold said Paul is uniquely positioned to become a gleaming example nationwide of forward-thinking revitalization The Wild is committed to our home in the capital of the state of hockey and we’re proud to invest in the future of St Leipold was at the Capitol on Thursday but declined to comment as he made his way into meetings with lawmakers Coming Soon: Stock and Bond Steakhouse to Downtown Minneapolis The owner of Apostle Supper Club in downtown St But is there a valuable difference between shedding light on a problem and tossing gas on the flames Is there a valuable difference between shedding light on a problem and tossing gas on the flames It’s only because last week was a rough one for the industry with more than a few spots closing: In the blink of an eye we lost Burning Brothers Brewing (11 whole years as the only gluten-free brewery in the state) Chip's Clubhouse (newish owner Nik Donaker told the Star Tribune it was a "financial" decision) and North Loop Galley food hall (reasons for the closure remain opaque even though they're open and the lights are still on which oddly kept referring to Minneapolis crime stats (heads up friends There were a lot of reactions of support on social media for the owners but there were also service workers and others citizens who were quick to wonder how Ingram owns two other restaurants in this same city (presumably existing within the same struggling environment as his first Hope Breakfast Bar is just blocks from Apostle) that would not be closing “We want to be clear: we’re not leaving Saint Paul.” The Apostle post claimed to be “a wake-up call For everyone who wants to see downtown Saint Paul alive again.” But does it deliver on that Or does it just make it harder for other restaurants to survive investments are being made to convert office buildings into housing and to bring 20,000 new residents downtown to throw $1.4 million behind the Commercial Corridors Fund and in the interim the challenges are very real and heavy for restaurants But it doesn't ring quite true to call it a "wake up call" when many who love the city are already awake It’s impossible to not think of all the rhetoric surrounding the burning city of Minneapolis from politically motivated people over the past few years there are plenty of suburbanites who still use that as a reason to stay away from downtown it has an impact on the healing of our city The big truth is: As with most small businesses there are likely a whole boatload of reasons why it didn’t work out And while a business owner has every right to signal his frustrations to city leadership this chosen method comes with a cost to other small businesses fighting every day to not break their lease Can you still have a killer oyster tray and a glass of bubbles at Meritage Can you grab a late night hot ham and cheese while seeing a band this week at The Amsterdam How’s a hot slab of lasagna from Cossetta’s What about a Manhattan and some steak at Mancini’s There are restaurants in St. Paul that are trying their hardest to stay open, to weather the storm of economic chaos, rising costs, and feckless drivers who have to complain in print about the pains of the I-94 closure that we can all feel without having to read about it With all restaurant closures come the hand-wringing and the myriad examinations of why People feel things for restaurants and restaurant people differently than other businesses which is why we don't get this much chatter when a dry cleaner closes But we mostly hope we don’t lose a whole city to the rhetoric in the meantime Justine Jones is the Food & Dining Editor of Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Editor at Large Stephanie March contributes to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine’s food and dining coverage She can also be heard Saturdays on her myTalk107.1 radio show where she talks about the Twin Cities food scene Key Enterprises LLC is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for mspmag.com for people with disabilities. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone, and applying the relevant accessibility standards Stanley Amaladas has been serving as the Director of the Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice at St His three-year term began following his appointment by the St Paul’s College Board of Governors in June 2024 A well-recognized scholar in leadership studies and peace leadership Amaladas has made significant contributions to these fields through his research He has advised graduate students in both the USA and Canada and has demonstrated a strong commitment to community development Paul’s College Board of Governors and represented the Board on the Mauro Board of Directors he brings a deep appreciation for the mission of the Mauro Institute and the Ignatian Tradition that shapes St The Mauro Institute has already benefited from Dr and scholarly expertise as he guides the Institute’s ongoing work in peace and justice initiatives We are excited to see the Mauro Institute thrive under Dr community engagement, Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice community, community engagement, St. Paul's College, Students Paul's College celebrated the spirit of gratefulness and community as it hosted the 2024 Celebration of Giving and Sharing Paul's College will celebrate the outstanding contributions of several remarkable individuals at its 2024 Celebration of Giving and Sharing event on Tuesday View All Stories PAUL – A resident group says it is seeking more transparency from the St A delegation between the group and County of St Around 40 members of the public were present during the delegation Residents Wayne and Wendy Krekoski spoke on behalf of the group.  Wayne said the group has concerns about programming at the library stemming from the library board’s decision to allow a drag queen at the publicly funded venue Paul and was called Royal Story Time with Lush Panhick.  “Our group simply does not want an adult entertainer performing for children at a public venue that is publicly funded by the County ratepayers,” he said the group feels their opinion is not being heard.  The delegation called for increased scrutiny and better communication between the library board and the public.  we feel that more scrutiny and accountability must be implemented and be the standard for our boards Feedback loops to address major issues should be available to the ratepayers enabling the ratepayers to make their needs and wishes understood,” said Wayne.  In a follow-up interview with County of St he said council reassured the group that the County will look at the concerns presented including going over the mandates of the boards where council representatives are involved.  “We thought maybe we’ll look at all our boards what their mandates or what their purposes are and how decisions are being made,” said Ockerman “But we can’t go off on our own.”  they’re multi-municipality,” Ockerman added many boards have representatives from other municipalities Asked by Lakeland This Week if he was satisfied with council’s response during the council meeting, Wayne said “I think that the County council basically said we're hearing you loud and clear’.”  Wayne said the group of residents is not opposed to Pride St which involves bringing awareness and promoting safe spaces to members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.  He believes humanity will always have differences akin to how different people have different interests or lifestyles “That’s called humanity,” he says.  Many parents in the group recognize there is diversity in society including how people live their lives differently the parents in the group feel they should have the option to introduce these topics at a pace they feel is appropriate for their family or children “It may take time to fully realize another’s point of view but the parents want to have that option of how fast it's introduced and when it's introduced,” said Wayne Going back to the group’s presentation to council Wayne stated the group was looking for “A more open process in terms of what events happen and for who especially if it’s publicly funded in a public space.”  there is a way to go forward,’ and there is a way to make it so that it isn't divisive and that people don't start losing arrows that cannot be recalled.”  Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInTYLER Texas (KLTV) - As the cost of groceries continues to climb one East Texas ministry is seeing more people through their doors has helped thousands of families -- first through through its ‘Wonderful Wednesdays’ after-school program and now through a weekly food pantry Providing this most basic human need is only possible with the help of a dedicated team An assembly line of volunteers at their facility on East Richards Street in Tyler spends the morning sorting fresh vegetables like peppers go where God is working,” said David Michael who has been volunteering here for about six months Each food box is filled with fresh produce The volunteers then pray these meals will also feed the soul “Not only is their physical need being met but their spiritual need also,” Michael said “They’re seeing God at work in their lives.” as many as 200 families line up outside the pantry taking a number before waiting for personalized service Volunteers make a point to get to know their clients There are no qualifications to receive assistance so it’s an open door to people of all situations “That’s why I love coming here,” said Ronald McMillian “I come with a smile and I smile when I leave.” With a wife and two teenagers also at home McMillian says the pantry frees him from worry over stretching paychecks “It really helps to have somebody sit there and put their hands on you and let you know it’s going to be alright That sense of community is what also keeps Reagan and Hilda Weesner coming back “You look at that and realize how blessed we are that we live in a place that we can get help and have people like them that are willing to stretch their hands and help you,” Hilda said Helping families thrive has always been at the heart of Saint Paul’s outreach over the last three decades Chrystal Smoker has run the ministry’s day-to-day operations the last year-and-a-half The bulletin board in her office has become a spiritual exercise “So that way when I’m faced with discouragement or another mountain ‘this is the God who delivered all of these mountains and he made a way.’ And he’s the God who’s going to do it again.” Smoker says each note is evidence of divine providence But sometimes it’s neat to see God do it on his own and he gets the full glory for it for him to get the glory for it and I can’t go ‘look at what I did Saint Paul Children’s Services is gearing up for their summer resource programs including Sneakers For Students and Khakis For Kids which served more than 700 children last summer to make the program possible again this year $130 will provide one child with a school uniform of three tops and three bottoms Registration for families with children in Kindergarten through 12th grade opens in June For more information on signing up a child or sponsoring the program, click here Saint Paul’s also organizes a Summer feeding program for kids each year Do you have an inspiring journey of faith or know of a ministry that’s making a difference in your community? To share your experience with us, send an email by clicking here. Click here to learn more about our long-running Power of Prayer series Paul Royal Canadian Legion Brach 100 and 2395 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps commemorated Canada’s most celebrated military victory of World War I A brief ceremony took place and included the recitation of ‘In Flanders Fields’ a minute of silence honouring the more than 10,600 Canadians killed and injured in the four-day battle - a number that would increase to 11,285 Canadian casualties before the conflict in France against the Germans ended on Nov The ceremony ended with the laying of wreaths and the singing of ‘God Save the King’ before Legion members cadets and guests returned to the Legion Hall