To have your event listed here, please send an email to [email protected] with flyer and all info included Open to LLBO Programs and Community Organizations contact the LLBO Health Division at 218-335-4500 The body of a Denville man was recovered from Cedar Lake Wednesday night following a search by local county and state authorities who rushed to the scene by a call reporting a kayaker who had flipped over and did not resurface Dive teams and drones were deployed to assist with an "extensive search" that ultimately located the victim was removed from the water by the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Unit and the Parsippany Rescue and Recovery Unit Also responding to the scene were the New Jersey State Police Marine Unit and Parsippany Fire District 5 The incident is still under investigation but currently, the cause of death is not suspected to be criminal, police said. A post-mortem examination has been scheduled. Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact the Denville Police at (973) 627-4900 ext. 377 or email fjackson@denvillepolice.gov. Ninety-nine acre Cedar Lake is one of several residential lake communities in Denville and Morris County. The private Cedar Lake Community Club offers activities including swimming and boating The Minnesota State Patrol said the crash happened around 5:10 p.m in the southern portion of the county, in Cedar Lake Township driven by a 48-year-old Cedar Lake Township man driven by an 18-year-old Cedar Lake Township woman were both southbound on Highway 13 in the moments before the crash.  driven a 70-year-old Cedar Lake Township woman was traveling eastbound on 247th Street when her vehicle collided with the Ford Escape in the intersection the crash caused the Ford Escape to subsequently hit the Ford Explorer Both Ford drivers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were not transported to the hospital Authorities have not yet released her identity The State Patrol has not indicated what caused the crash but says road conditions were wet at the time saying he'd killed the mother of his child which features a swimming beach and splash pad in the venerable Farmers and and Mechanics Savings Bank building The Canadian County Sheriff's Office say a tazer was deployed after a deputy made contact with a man who ran after being confronted near 29th and South Cedar Road in Southern Canadian County The suspect is being transported to jail according to authorities and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox The town of Cedar Lake's water capacity is raising concern from the Indiana Department of Environmental Management In a letter to town officials this month IDEM says one part of the town's system is at 92-percent capacity and the notices of intent received since 2020 would increase connections by more than 30 percent "Without additional capacity there is insufficient capacity to serve the additional units Cedar Lake has already agreed to serve," the letter stated "We're actively working on securing locations for production and storage president of the Cedar Lake Town Council and Utility Board Recupito pointed to a moratorium on large-scale developments the town council implemented earlier this year and he said IDEM's concerns only validate that decision town officials are working to meet with IDEM to discuss possible solutions council and utility board member Greg Parker warned that the issue won't be solved overnight "This has been common knowledge since 2017 that we were going to get to a point where we got close," Parker said "The can just got kicked down the road for other projects that were more important and more popular." town officials attributed part of the issue to irrigation and sprinkling They said a number of sprinklers turning on at the same time every Monday regularly causes a drop in water pressure The town said it's working with the Beacon Pointe subdivision to stagger the use of its irrigation systems Council members are also considering an ordinance amendment letting the town manager or water superintendent temporarily ban sprinkling during emergencies Cedar Lake officials have also expressed concern with sewer capacity The town pays Lowell to treat its waste water but Cedar Lake officials said they haven't been getting information they requested Cedar Lake Town Attorney David Austgen suggested that Cedar Lake look at its payment practices and there are multiple strategy assessments in place," Austgen told council members last week Cedar Lake is looking to update its master plan Parker felt the current plan doesn't consider the limitations of the town's infrastructure "And my gut tells me it was developed for the ringing of the cash register," Parker added Council members agreed to put together a request for proposals for a planning consultant The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is asking for help identifying those responsible Five healthy and mature bur oak and basswood trees were “illegally” cut down last week in Cedar Lake Park and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is asking for help identifying those responsible the board said the vandalism occurred either Feb The trees were estimated to be about 35 years old and likely damaged others when they fell They were located near Cedar Lake Parkway and W near Cedar Point Beach and paths for walking and biking Sommers said the cleanup cost about $1,200 and the five felled trees are likely valued at another several thousand dollars Anyone who saw the use of a handsaw or chain saw in the area on those dates is asked to contact the Minneapolis park police at 612-230-6550 The incident marks another occasion in which vandals targeted trees in recent months in Minnesota. In November, 60 newly planted trees were uprooted in St. Paul and thrown in the Mississippi River Elliot Hughes is a general assignment reporter for the Star Tribune. News & Politics Minnesota’s kindergartners have been below the recommended 95% threshold for years and more parents are getting exemptions for the MMR vaccine Where are children most vulnerable to infectious spread Hennepin County is highlighting salvage businesses in May to encourage residents to reuse construction materials and limit what gets sent to landfills Doğukan Günaydin was arrested March 27 by plainclothes officers from the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis Community members await the start of Tuesday's Cedar Lake Town Council meeting Many were in attendance to support former fire chief Todd Wilkening who was relieved of his duties on March 27 speaks Tuesday night in support of former fire chief Todd Wilkening "How can you give a directive to a fire chief or a fireman if you don't know what it feels like to be them?" Kerr asked the councilmembers Community members await the start of Tuesday night's town council meeting in Cedar Lake CEDAR LAKE — Former Fire Chief Todd Wilkening a member of the Cedar Lake Fire Department for more than 38 years is no longer with the department after he was told to resign or retire or else face termination confirmed to The Times at the regularly scheduled public meeting Tuesday night that Wilkening was given the opportunity to either resign or retire in a private committee meeting March 27 between three town council members "The offer of resignation/retiring was on the table at the end of the day," Thiel said received any form of retirement or resignation in writing from Wilkening agreed with Thiel's assessment of what the lack of a resignation or retirement letter meant about the official manner in which Wilkening left the department But what remains unclear is why the town council and safety board asked Wilkening to resign or retire and why he was seemingly fired Council members were unable to comment on the circumstances that led to Wilkening's apparent termination citing a need to keep personnel matters confidential Wilkening had served as fire chief before and ever since the department merged with the town in an official capacity in 2013 He had been a member of the Cedar Lake Fire Department since 1986 Dozens of people from the community packed the small meeting room Tuesday night to support the former chief and to oppose his apparent termination "I'll preface this comment section by saying that we are all well aware of why some of you are here tonight," Town Council President Nick Recupito said immediately before opening the floor to the public for comment "Considering the extreme sensitivity of these topics the council will not discuss or comment on any personnel matters." who spoke in front of the town council about her anger related to Wilkening's dismissal said she was disappointed with those who attended but did not speak up during the public comment portion of the meeting Kerr alleged that she called every councilperson after hearing Wilkening was no longer chief One of the three members who called her back asked her a question "If you were given a directive on your job do you think you'd be fired?" Kerr said the councilman told her over the phone Kerr faced the town council and asked each of them individually if they had ever done CPR on a drowning victim accessed a fire hydrant in freezing temperatures extracted a person with the jaws of life or ran into a burning building to save a victim "Then how can you give a directive to a fire chief or a fireman if you don't know what it feels like to be them?" Kerr asked the councilmembers Her words drew thunderous applause from the audience — and from councilwoman Julie Rivera and a couple hand claps from Robert Carnahan Councilmembers declined to comment on Kerr's claims again citing a need to keep personnel matters confidential Rivera said after Kerr finished speaking that she supports the town's former fire chief "I stand with Chief Wilkening," Rivera said said it felt "strange" to not see Wilkening sitting in his normal seat to the left of the councilmembers at the public meeting "It's kind of hard to understand why he was let go from this position," Plewniak said "I know not everybody agrees with his actions and the way he does his things but I can't help but wonder if it's punishment for calling you guys out on the road about some issues." Plewniak later told The Times he was referring to past hiring and salary issues he believes caused friction between Wilkening and the town council Wilkening did not respond to multiple emails from The Times asking for comment on the circumstances surrounding his departure from the department Toby Gentry has been an assistant coach at Chesterton for 8 years but spends his free time taking photos of Chesterton sports teams and maintaining the baseball field Toby Gentry watches Adam Kurek's form during practice Tuesday Gentry has been an assistant coach at Chesterton for 8 years Toby Gentry gives Lucas Thompson some pointers during practice Tuesday Gentry has been an assistant coach at Chesterton for eight years The Bank Calumet Building has been transformed into the Banc apartment building This is a view from a two-bedroom apartment They call themselves “The Breakfast Club.” The handful of elderly military veterans meet at Rich Pasko’s home in Crown Point to share cups of fresh coffee sweet treats from Strack & Van Til and serious concerns about their stock market investments Rich Pasko is a Vietnam vet who keeps daily track of the stock market and he's worried about the current economic climate and how it is affecting his stocks Battista's chef and owner Eadyn Gaal wrestles with his deep dish demons as he attempts to down an entire pizza Saturday said he was the one who initially challenged him to attempt a solo pizza binge Battista's owner and chef Eadyn Gaal outwardly feigns confidence early in the pizza-eating process of a deep dish solo eating challenge director of the Food is Medicine program at Faith Farms in Gary shows off the organization's greenhouses and livestock The Progressive Community Church in Gary's Emerson neighborhood which runs the Faith Farms and Food is Medicine meal delivery programs Gary resident Linda Peterson loads food boxes from the Faith Farms "Food is Medicine" program into her vehicle Over 100 people attended a protest against proposed cuts to the United States Postal Service's spending and staffing that was held in Merrillville March 23 marketing and grants manager David Wright delivers a presentation at a March 24 community meeting held at J's Breakfast Club in Gary Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email Email notifications are only sent once a day Riding Shotgun with the Crown Point Fire Department Indiana State Police said motorists should anticipate "lengthy delays" as crews work to reopen the lanes Police later executed a search warrant at Ford's home and found four sticks of dynamite 106.8 grams of suspected psychedelic mushrooms and 1.… 31-year-old Keith Wells was formally charged Wednesday with criminal confinement a Whiting native who said he was photographing the Jan was arrested by Gary police and subsequently charged with … A responding officer and a bystander attempted to remove the victim from her flaming car but were unable to do so Gore joins former Indiana State Police Maj John police Chief Steven Flores as candidates who have officially announced… 15-year-old Austin Delph has not been seen or heard from since March 23 the Porter County Sheriff's Office said Thursday The Porter County Sheriff's Office on Thursday called 15-year-old Austin Delph a runaway juvenile and said it believes he may be in Lake Count… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device 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 Brian Neale pictured with his M Grills M16 Brian Neale's 2025 World championship rib turn in box as presented to judges Brian Neale at his first BBQ competition in 2014 (and his first win for ribs.) "Meat on Milwaukee" was a small contest in Chicago's Portage Pork neighborhood Brian Neale (left) and Ann Neale (right) of Smoke Freaks At the 2025 SCA World Championships in Ft Worth Prepped and seasoned pork spare ribs ready for the smoker CEDAR LAKE — All competitors aspire to a world championship title in their chosen sport And a little over 10 years after diving into the world of competitive barbecue Neale is now officially a world champion pitmaster having secured the title at the SCA World Championship held last month in Fort Worth “It’s surreal that this happened to me,” Neale said of the victory “I love that I can share the story and the glory with everyone All my friends can say they’ve had ribs by a world champion and they helped taste test The next person I serve ribs to will feel better knowing they were produced by a world champion.” Neale faced off against several dozen other pitmasters winning for his “hot and fast” (more on that below) rib-cooking method and his custom Hunsaker Vortex Smoker As “purveyors of freakishly great barbecue experiences” — Brian is more into ribs Ann more into steak — the pair are planning a number of classes and cooking seminars in Cedar Lake and the Region to help those aspiring to become better meat maestros themselves "Teaching classes is one of my favorite things to do Millions of people have grills in their backyard We can teach somebody within a day to make barbecue that their friends and neighbors will say is better than any restaurant." But his journey into competitive barbecuing was born out of a small neighborhood barbecue competition in Northwest Chicago in 2014 At the (now defunct) Meat on Milwaukee contest Brian said he ended up trying a process that cooked the ribs at a higher temperature and it ended up creating something special “It’s a similar story with many people in competitions,” Brian said they realize they have what it takes to win In between Meat on Milwaukee and the SCA World Championship the Neals have gone on an international barbecue and competitive cooking adventure including teaching a barbecue seminar in Switzerland The “fast” method for barbecuing is a relative term; we aren’t talking about throwing food into a two-minute broiler or 3D-printing rib tips here Brian has no beef with the “low and slow” method calling it a “deeply rooted American tradition” and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon “Everyone who is familiar with barbecue would say barbecue is when you hang out by your smoker for hours with a six-pack and spend the entire day cooking something,” Brian said The traditional ‘3-2-1’ barbecue rib method calls for three hours with the ribs rubbed in the smoker with the cooking at temperatures in the 200-225 degree range “Barbecue is tough cuts of meat,” Brian said tendons and tissues over a long period of time We just happened to discover at that first competition there are other ways to make great barbecue.” Rather than a six-hour (or longer) process Brian instead cooks his ribs in just over two hours at temperatures almost double that of the “low and slow” method Brian describes the process as “extremely disciplined and specific” (the Neales even keep a barbecue playlist starting with “Meatstick” by Phish) which also allows them to keep consistency over time The Neales describe themselves as highly driven and have competed in barbecue competitions both as a team but also against one another (Ann herself actually placed 27th overall in the recent SCA rib finals) Brian is described as “the control freak,” while Ann gives herself the “detail freak” moniker The latter is a reference to Ann’s ability to quickly deconstruct and trim a ribeye steak and make sure it is ready for the fast time frame of grilling (usually 10 minutes) a comparatively more compressed and focused experience than even the “fast” form of rib smoking their biggest and most impressive collaborative project may be their “Factory Team Flavor Guide” of more than 750 spice rubs a partnership with the barbecue Pro Shop in Northbrook The Neales break down each spice mix across four categories: salt and try them on half a dozen different meats “We’ve systematically decoded the flavor profile of these seasonings,” Brian said “It’s surprising how there can be so many spice mixes in the world especially when you’re doing competition barbecue and you want a balanced flavor profile.” The Neales love the idea of educating people towards being better pitmasters and sharing their reverence and passion for the history and tradition of barbecue in America “People used to just dig a hole in the ground and cook there,” Brian said “American barbecue has been about using what you have – tough meat brisket and pork shoulder – and making great food of these cheap ingredients.” The Neales will be hosting two "rib camp" classes this spring, out of their home in Cedar Lake. Dates are scheduled for Saturday, April 26, and Saturday, May 17. For information, interested readers can go to smokefreaks.com Workers shore up damage to homes in the 3500 block of 21st Ave near Wallace Street in Gary following Wednesday's storm that ravaged The Region A pair of trees were toppled on Forrest Drive in Highland Chef of Steel Kate Rather from Green is Good by Kate marinates strips of eggplant to create eggplant bacon Chefs of Steel Kate Rather from Green is Good by Kate is shown with (clockwise from top) the VBLTA Sandwich the Southwest Chicken Wrap and the Buffalo Chicken Wrap Packages are loaded onto trucks at Amazon's new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Merrillville Katie Puchowski diverts packages to their proper destinations inside Amazon's new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Merrillville Employees send packages to their proper destinations inside Amazon's new 1 million-square-foot fulfillment center in Merrillville Thousands attend Monday's Crown Point's St Thirteen-year-old Martin Mitchell dances the Macarena before the start of Monday's Crown Point's St Students from the McCormack Fay Academy of Irish Dance perform before the start of Monday's Crown Point's St Members of the crowd dance the Macarena before the start of Monday's Crown Point's St Seven year old Madelyn Donoho sports her shamrock glasses for the Crown Point St The first day of practice has begun at Lake Central and other high schools in The Region Munster softball sophomore Ally Compton works out doing the trap bar dead lift as part of her workout class Munster softball sophomore Ally Compton sprints in the gymnasium as part of her workout class Munster softball sophomore Ally Compton works out in the weight room as part of her workout class Crown Point's Quinn Begley attempts a shot over Homestead's Joshua Rodgers on Saturday in Elkhart Homestead's Wyatt Weaver and Crown Point's Kolby Henderlong chase a loose ball on Saturday in Elkhart Crown Point's Bryce Peters hits two on Saturday in Elkhart With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food Video provided in partnership with The Times The Merrillville-based Legacy Foundation announced that Cedar Lake was selected for the new Community Heart & Soul initiative The Legacy Foundation will partner with Community Heart & Soul they will bring the program to Lake County and work with Cedar Lake Community Heart & Soul works to build stronger and more economically vibrant small cities and towns across the United States The Community Heart & Soul model is a resident-driven process that engages the town’s population Residents identify what they love about their community what future they want for it and how to achieve it assistance and up to $80,000 from Legacy Foundation to implement the Community Heart & Soul process The funding will support early projects that arise from resident-driven action planning Cedar Lake Historical Association executive director will serve as the town’s Heart & Soul project coordinator Zasada will provide project administration and work with the Heart & Soul team She will help develop and implement phased work plans “Being selected as the first Heart & Soul Community in the county and state is an honor,” Zasada said in a press release “We admire the resident-driven focus and look forward to engaging with all of Cedar Lake’s residents in developing new quality of life experiences fostering camaraderie and increasing community pride.” Cedar Lake Community Heart & Soul is kicking off with a volunteer training event 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 25 at the Cedar Lake Public Library. The event is open to anyone who lives or works in Cedar Lake and is interested in learning more about implementing the Heart & Soul program. Lunch will be provided. Learn more here You must be logged in to post a comment April – May 2025 Download PDF of issue Publisher's Note, Current Issue: In this issue Around the Region, Current Issue: Professional advancement Best of Business Awards, Current Issue: 2025 Awards Small Business, Current Issue: Fearless entrepreneurs Construction, Current Issue: Controlling costs Tourism & Recreation, Meetings & Events, Current Issue: Bonding experiences The Future of, Current Issue: Goshen: ‘Unlike anywhere else’ Economic Development, Current Issue: ‘Future of energy is bright’ Current Issue, Business Profile: Mno-Bmadsen: Tribal investments Leader Profile, Current Issue: Lifetime of connections Off Hours, Current Issue: A vision for plants Current Issue, Career Path: Matt Lambert: On a Y mission Making a Difference, Current Issue: Health Foundation of La Porte Viewpoint, Current Issue: Let go of goals — just be Copyright © 2025 Northwest Indiana Business Magazine | an imprint of Linker Media Group, Inc | Company logos provided by Logo.dev MANITOWOC – While a lot of attention is often focused on Lake Michigan and the shoreline along Manitowoc County there are more than a dozen other lakes throughout the county Of course, Lake Michigan is one of five Great Lakes and it has a big impact on Manitowoc County and lakeshore communities in Wisconsin. Likewise, the Great Lakes have an impact on their nearest states but together also contain roughly 20% of the world's surface freshwater supply Lake Superior is the deepest at 1,332 feet Of the five lakes, Lake Michigan is in the middle for area Lake Huron is a little bigger at 23,000 square feet and Lake Superior is the biggest at 31,700 square feet Read more: How much ice is covering the Great Lakes? Altogether, one third Manitowoc County is home to 16 other lakes all teeming with life and providing invaluable source of fishing and recreation to thousands of residents and visitors English Lake in the town of Newton holds the title for the county's deepest lake at 85 feet Cedar Lake in the town of Schleswig holds both the title for the county's most shallow lake at 21 feet and the lake covering the most area at 139 acres Here are all the lakes in Manitowoc County listed in size by area from biggest to smallest: Bullhead LakeWhere: Town of RocklandSize: 67 acresMaximum depth: 40 feetEnglish LakeWhere: Town of NewtonSize: 51 acresMaximum depth: 85 feetHartlaub LakeWhere: Town of NewtonSize: 38 acresMaximum depth: 59 feetRead more: 5 Manitowoc County landmarks to see: Cobia submarine, a ‘portal to hell’ & more Contact Alisa M. Schafer at aschafer@gannett.com Biz news: Downtown Manitowoc's Courthouse Pub is marking its first new look in 25 years. Here's why. "ConnectCr is a non-profit organization that was formed by some local residents who want to revitalize Cedar Lake and also build a pedestrian bridge across the Cedar River," director of organizational development Julie Kraft said City officials say this is the city's largest public-private partnership they ever done The infrastructure is being funded by private donations The organization unveiled new renderings at Tuesday's city council meeting showing what the bridge will look like during the day and night ConnectCR says they will work to revitalize Cedar Lake "It'll bring Cedar Rapids together and we're hoping that it will bring in tourism as well," vice chair of the Connect CR Board said "The LightLine Bridge is going to be noteworthy it'll be a draw for bicyclists all over Iowa and we hope the country." The council is looking for bids to be issued They're hoping to have the project done by the fall of next year Downloadable KMZ File with All Tornado Tracks Downloadable Shapefile with All Tornado Tracks A tornado developed near the intersection of Illinois Route 47 and Bonnie Lane and quickly moved east-northeast across a residential area of Yorkville.  Wind speeds quickly increased to around 80 mph causing the removal of shingles and some siding from several homes along Kingsmill St A fence was also heavily damaged.  Winds likely then eased somewhat as the tornado continued east-northeast causing some additional shingle damage as well as damaging several trees as it approached Illinois Route 126 The tornado continued across mainly open land along Illinois Route 71 before crossing Hilltop Road and causing additional shingle and trim damage to several homes in another residential subdivision.  The tornado then dissipated near or just northeast of Reservation Road with straight line winds continuing downstream Damage surveys confirmed a brief EF-0 tornado A brief tornado began near Newport Boulevard and Longford Road in Hanover Park The tornado moved rapidly northeastward and dissipated a short time later near Lake Street and Ontarioville Road Most damage was to trees and fences along the track The most significant damage was near Andover Drive and Andover Court where at least one tree was uprooted with peak winds estimated near 75 mph A brief tornado began near Wicker Avenue just south of 136th Place and moved rapidly northeast across Wicker Avenue and through a residential area of Cedar Lake The tornado then continued north across West 133rd Avenue and along Lindberg Street before ending south of West 129th Avenue Damage included several large uprooted or snapped trees The most significant damage occurred east of Osborn Street between West 134th Place and West 133rd Lane where a portion of a roof of a two story home landed in a neighboring yard a trampoline was found wrapped around a telephone pole along West 133rd Avenue 4.) Schererville-Merrillville Tornado A tornado began just north of Rohrman Drive near a small pond between Rohrman Park and Painted Leaf Drive in southeast Schererville After snapping multiple trees in Memory Lane Memorial Cemetery the tornado then moved rapidly northeast across US 30 into west Merrillville passing just east of Miller Elementary School before ending east of US 55 near West 52nd Place in southeast Ross Damage included multiple uprooted or snapped large trees along with shingle and roof trim damage to homes across multiple residential areas along the five mile path The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: When a tornado is known to have occurred but does not cause damage to any qualified damage indicators or if the only damage is located in an area that is inaccessible to NWS storm survey personnel then a tornado may be assigned the EF-Unknown (EF-U) rating Preliminary National Storm Reports Interactive Map of Preliminary Storm Reports WEST BEND — An unidentified man and woman enjoy a canoe ride on Big Cedar Lake This photo was taken in spring in about 1905 on the north side of Big Cedar Lake The lake was and remains a popular resort spot many residents of cities such as Milwaukee would come out to Cedar Lake and stay there during the summer months Women and children would come first and stay the whole summer and men would come on the weekends For more information on Cedar Lake and for upcoming tours please visit the Tower Heritage Center online at thetowerheritagecenter.org or find the center on social media Photo courtesy of the Tower Heritage Center For more information on Cedar Lake and for upcoming tours, please visit the Tower Heritage Center online at thetowerheritagecenter.org or find the center on social media 10 things to know this week from the WOW counties (Waukesha Ozaukee and Washington) sent on Sundays Get the latest Washington County news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates Have Washington County breaking news alerts sent to your inbox as they happen Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: MORE STORIES LIKE THISFitness Premier Muscles Into John's Creek, Georgia, With New Franchise Agreement Athletech News: Fitness Premier Adds Medical Weight Loss, Eyes Small-Town Gym Growth Inside Fitness Premier Bourbonnais: A Community-Focused Gym with Top-Tier Training Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs Announces Innovative Expansion Initiatives and Revenue Growth as 2024 Wraps Up the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California If you are a resident of one of these states we will not offer you a franchise unless and until we have complied with applicable pre-sale registration and disclosure requirements in your jurisdiction Franchise offerings are made by Franchise Disclosure Document only Board-certified family medicine physician Lynn Vattathara is now part of the Franciscan Physician Network and is accepting patients in Cedar Lake Dr.  Vattathara attended medical school at St George’s University School of Medicine in Grenada He completed his residency in family medicine at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira Vattathara’s clinical interests include dermatology sports physicals and minor sports injury management He is accepting new patients at the Cedar Lake Health Center Share Good News Contact Us Meet Our Team For nearly two years, neighbors watched with interest as a couple renovated a home on Cedar Lake in Minneapolis The homeowners invited their new neighbors for dinner when the house was finished they were welcomed by an enchanting front door carved with hummingbirds a canoe and other symbols of the North Shore along with the irresistible aroma of savory Indian food Even though they all spent every Fourth of July and Christmas with family in Two Harbors and Minneapolis — earning the husband the title of “honorary Minnesotan” — the couple hadn’t originally planned to buy a home here. But then one of their daughters chose to live in Minneapolis after completing her doctorate in chemical engineering at the University of Minnesota Several years earlier, the couple had traveled to Minneapolis to see their daughter, who was pregnant at the time. During their visit, their son-in-law, who’d grown up with his grandmother, suggested they look at a house for sale nearby. Says the wife: “Kim Pease, our realtor, opened the door, and we looked out the front window and saw people walking their dogs and cross-country skiing on Cedar Lake We walked through the house and saw our kids’ house and the park from the back window The couple had initially planned just to paint the walls and change the cabinet knobs. But after Pease invited them to meet a longtime friend, interior designer Linda Engler they began to entertain more ambitious design possibilities “Linda felt very familiar to me,” the wife says “Minnesotans have a very low-key way of interacting and her style and competence immediately resonated with me.” generous and respectful of each other’s preferences and aversions which set a wonderful tone for our collaboration,” says Engler “They challenged us to brainstorm and look beyond the obvious.” Propelled by the couple’s enthusiasm and keen eye for design the project quickly evolved from a simple renovation to a whole-house transformation “Even though we weren’t all in the same place our connection and chemistry were so strong the meetings didn’t feel remote or distant,” says Engler It might have been easier and more cost-effective to start from scratch and build a new home but the couple didn’t want to tear down the house from modest to the most beautiful,” muses the wife and we would never demolish a place that someone else had loved their feelings and the context of the neighborhood.” the couple wanted their home to elevate their relationships with their kids and grandchildren They also wanted the spaces to be easily accessible and aging-friendly so they could stay connected with their family The design team responded by reimagining the house with 5,245 square feet of effortless flow and functionality They opened up the main level and added a skylight over a glass-walled staircase with two railings one for grown-ups and another for children The living room offers views of Cedar Lake and flows easily into the dining area and the kitchen which looks out over the lap pool to the park and the kids’ house The couple’s suite and two offices also offer views of the lake A covered porch on the second level feels like a treehouse while the lower-level playroom provides plenty of space for reading “We loved collaborating with the entire team to create a variety of new spaces within a very limited footprint,” says Mattson “Our clients’ trust and ability to convey their goals motivations and inspiration made the process very enjoyable and rewarding.” so Engler ordered a stunning panoramic image and had it framed as a surprise and the Welch Forsman team fabricated and installed the door “The door is the perfect symbol of this amazing project,” says Forsman and we all had so much fun collaborating with them to create a jewel box of a home filled with unique elements and beautiful vignettes.” When installation day finally arrived, the Crown Warehouse trucks pulled up to the house As the movers carefully carried the furnishings over the threshold the door bestowed a blessing on each person Engler and her team layered each room with beauty and meaning hanging the Lapporten image in the dining room and placing one of the daughter’s sculptures over the fireplace Read this article as it appears in the magazine. MANITOWOC – While a lot of attention is often focused on Lake Michigan and the shoreline that Manitowoc County shares in there are also more than a dozen other lakes throughout the county the Great Lakes contain roughly 20% of the surface freshwater supply Scary story: Former Mishicot resident Paul Krause shares strange encounter he had in 1983 while fishing The weirdness of a half-mile of Minneapolis lakeshore that is parkland but has become an extension of homeowners’ backyards Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes a mix of material from 11 contributing columnists, along with other commentary online and in print each day. To contribute, click here first you must go to the south side of Minneapolis’ Cedar Lake Cross the beach heading east and toward the stand of trees Then you just keep walking along the lakeshore this is going to feel like strolling in a patch of park near some stranger’s backyard it will start to feel like you are just straight up standing in some stranger’s backyard The growing discomfort really comes to a head as you find yourself at the base of a boulder retaining wall A path rises up through the middle of the stones passing a finely landscaped patio just waiting for someone to sit and sip an old fashioned as they watch the sunset Thanks to ongoing construction at the site the cascading layers of smooth rocks stretching down to the lakeshore — it’s all on land that belongs to the city park board It’s a half mile of lakeshore in a city that tends to favor public ownership and access to the waterfront the Minneapolis Park Board granted encroachment licenses that have allowed a dozen or so private landowners to develop the parkland around the lake as an extension of their backyards but over the years — and despite new plans to eventually put its maintenance back in city hands — the public has all but lost the ability to use it Today, it’s nearly impossible to even tell there is a public right of way around the southeast side of Cedar Lake. I tried to make the trek in early October, along with Andrew Tilman, an ecologist who has written about the encroachment licenses and their legacy for MinnPost When we reached the top of the boulder wall we had to ope our way between some potted trees to enter the next yard Because it’s mostly unclear where the border between park and yard sits eventually finding ourselves funneled onto the top of a foot-wide wobbly rock wall On one side of us was a roped-off VIP lounge of perfect lawn But I got a different perspective from Charlie Zelle Zelle is the chair of the Metropolitan Council and also a homeowner on Cedar Lake who opened his door to me the same day I tried to walk the shoreline These contradictory views of the same piece of land reflect a much larger disagreement over the functions parks should serve Is a park meant to make a city more beautiful Should it be a place for reintroducing nature and ecological health Most of us would probably say the answer is all of the above as with the proverbial good-fast-cheap construction project public access and ecological health were at the forefront of the decision But while a formal trail on land and a water-skimming boardwalk were among the initial concepts tossed around for the Cedar Lake shoreline the final plan approved last summer included neither means of public access the plan is now to simply naturalize the shore In the public comments and the perspectives of homeowners I spoke to nature and public shoreline access were seen as almost in opposition to one another The property owners feared a boardwalk or path would damage water quality and habitats and that construction would create hard infrastructure in a place that should be peaceful and natural Maggie Koerth is a contributing columnist for the Minnesota Star Tribune focusing on nature in Minnesota's urban areas. She is an award-winning science writer who has written for FiveThirtyEight.com, the New York Times Magazine, and Undark magazine. She also appears regularly on NPR's "Science Friday." Contributing Columnists History reminds us the incident at a playground in Rochester Paul had shut down parts of downtown’s skyway system hit me like a sad song on repeat I can trace my life through those tunnels of glass and steel A selection of cheeses at Battista's deli in Cedar Lake So I was surprised and delighted when Joe Gaal came up to me with a giant meatball sub sandwich they ran out of dough at the Crown Point location is doing something new with his deli and market in Cedar Lake: authentic Italian sandwiches and a weekly focaccia pizza special "The menu is pretty set [at our Crown Point location]," Gaal said "I'm gonna change the focaccia here every week I can introduce our food to a whole different crowd." Joseph Gaal makes a Godfather sandwich in the kitchen of Battista's Deli That artistic freedom extends to a new sandwich lineup that includes a massive pile of Italian cold cuts like capicola I watched Gaal drizzle balsamic glaze all over a sandwich he's calling "The Godfather," which has prosciutto my favorite of the ham family (the thinner and dryer the better) who tries to import as much of the meat from Italy as he can also proudly touted his Calabrian Soppressata the region where his family hails from (Gaal claims to have made "Calabrian cuisine popular" but I think he misunderstood a comment I made about Calabrian chili popping up in places like Trader Joe's) The meatball sub is a tried and true classic that Gaal uses to demonstrate he had a real Italian-American mom teaching him in the kitchen The Godfather sandwich being prepared at Battista's We are blessed to be in a strong meatball region Gaal's sandwich leaves no air pockets between the chunky meatballs and the sauce When asked about his own meatball self-assessment admitting "They're still not as good as my mom's."  For Cedar Lake residents hoping to get Battista's classic wood-fired pizza An imported Italian soda at Battista's Deli who poo-poohed the heavier pizza elements now found in the wild like Detroit-style or Deep Dish serves a creation known as "the almost world famous sort-a stuffed pizza" out of the Crown Point location) Both Battista's include an Italian deli; Gaal also hopes to expand those offerings sourdough kits and take-and-bake pasta meals like ravioli or lasagne we're happy to be out here and we'll grow with 'em." and photos about some of best chefs in the region from a burger maestro to a jazz and jambalaya legend Journeyman's Amanda Salas has mastered the art of American comfort food whether it's taking on Bobby Flay one-on-one or feeding hundreds Our next "Chef of Steel" is Culinary Misfit Aaron Hoard who's creative habits include sneaking Michigan-based items into meals such as black cherry barbecue sauce and pawpaw sorbet It's all Greek to them: Mike Menelaos and his son Alex Karamesines have been making NY-style pizza pies in and around Valparaiso for 54 years and the dangers of mixing bleach and ammonia in the kitchen (or anywhere else) Fuzzyline Brewery Chef Bob McLellan has carved out a niche with sourdough pizzas and creative specials like the "Cousin Eddie Burger."  John Moultrie's Bistro on the Green is still the place where the crawdads sing The next Chefs of Steel features Jimmy Kocal the young head of Byway Brewing Company's kitchen where the poutine is hot and the aporia is incandescent Next up in the "Chefs of Steel" series is Chef Roberto Montes of Zorn Brewing & Restaurant; Montes combines his Latin background with a flair for upscale pub food like "beer mac" and has been making great use out of Zorn's new smoker who was a judge in the original NWI "Chefs of Steel" contest has a background in science and successfully demonstrates a fusion reaction with curry Next up in our new "Chefs of Steel" series is Aaron Kujawa who is equally comfortable grilling a sturdy pork chop or surprising loved ones with sweetbreads owner of Doc's in Dyer solidifies reputation as a barbecue titan and a "Chef of Steel." Crown Point restaurant powerhouse Chris Pappas ignites a firestorm of Latin cuisine on the square an original "Chefs of Steel" participant and winner of the burger competition walks us through the making of his new OKC smashburger and signature mac-and-cheese NWI announces a revival of the “Chefs of Steel” series highlighting top culinary masters in our backyard Chefs of Steel - Bob McLellan from Fuzzyline Brewing prepares his Double Double Pizza MONROE — A Pitman resident has drowned while swimming in a lake here when friends reported Martinez Pascual was missing in the water around 2:10 p.m Swim safely: How to keep swimming in the pool safe and fun for everyone "Rescue workers from numerous agencies responded in an effort to locate the victim," said the account Divers recovered the victim's body around 5 p.m The incident occurred in the Cedar Lake Wildlife Management Area off Jackson Road in the Williamstown area Martinez Pascual was the fourth person to drown in Monroe this summer including toddler twins who lost their lives on Aug singing the alphabet and counting," it said "They loved their family and most of all they loved each other." A GoFundMe appeal sought contributions to help with the twins' cremation Jim Walsh is a senior reporter for the Courier-Post Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal