Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Deann dedicated her career to serving her community as a rural postal carrier in Andover for the USPS.  Deann found joy in the simple pleasures of crafting and baking delicious treats for her loved ones She was also a proud member of the Coon Rapids VFW Auxiliary 9625 since 1981 where she cherished the camaraderie and support of her fellow members Family will be greeting friends one hour prior to the service at the church Graveside service scheduled to follow the church service and the rest of Deann’s care team during the insurmountable journey she found herself on Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal NewsRe'Chelle Turner Jaewon Jung Corley Peel Holly Galvan Posey Ahmed Humble Michael Horton HOUSTON – Nearly three years after a well-known southeast Houston pastor was killed in an apparent road rage incident the man convicted in the case has been sentenced A jury sentenced Deshawn Longmire to 23 years in prison for the 2022 shooting death of Rev. Dr. Ronald Mouton Sr and members of Mouton’s congregation delivered emotional testimony sharing how the pastor’s death forever changed their lives KPRC 2’s Re’Chelle Turner has been reporting live from the courtroom as the sentencing unfolded Emotional testimony came from Pastor Mouton’s loved ones earlier this week broke down as he spoke about the sacrifices his father made and the difficulty of stepping into East Bethel Missionary Baptist Church since his passing He shared that his youngest son will never get the chance to meet his grandfather and reflected on the painful wait for justice and the heartbreaking moment he learned of his brother’s death while heading to a funeral Ryan Mouton — a former NFL player — also took the stand recalling how his father supported him through career injuries and personal struggles he said his father had officiated his siblings’ weddings but never had the chance to do his Family friend Erica Bryant described Pastor Mouton as a leader for everyone sharing how he personally stepped in to help save her marriage Investigators say Longmire shot and killed Mouton back in June 2022 on a feeder road off Gulf Freeway in southeast Houston; signs indicated that it was a case of road rage was out on bond and had previously violated it by not obeying his curfew restrictions with prosecutors at one point saying Longmire’s claim as an Uber driver was a “lie” and an attempt to create an alibi Longmire’s defense attorney argued a jury should determine whether the case has “reasonable doubt.” Mouton served as pastor at East Bethel Baptist Church for more than 30 years until his sudden death and he and I were very close,” Roland explained to KPRC 2’s Corley Peel “We’ve shared everything from the womb to children both in a ministry of travel and on trips together as preachers RELATED: March for justice held following deadly shooting of Houston pastor Rev. Dr. Ronald K. Mouton Sr. Longmire’s trial was originally slated for September 2024 Before the trial began KPRC 2’s Jaewon Jung caught up with Roland who noted the trial’s significance starting on Easter weekend “It’s very symbolic to start a trial coming out of what we label as Holy Week and the resurrection of Jesus,” he said “It allows us to at least pray for justice.” When asked if he believed his late brother would have forgiven his killer I’ll say it like this: you can’t preach a message that you can’t practice I think that’s what we carry about what we do.” Longmire faces life in prison without the possibility of parole More Stories Like This In Our Email Newsletter Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved Emmy award-winning journalist born and raised in Alabama College football fanatic and snow cone lover Passionate about connecting with the community to find stories that matter TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Meet the Team Careers at KPRC Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 Click2Houston.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group Strike Life Tributes Published March 5, 2025 5 Guestbook Entries A funeral service will be held at 1 PM on Tuesday March 11th at Strike Life Tributes in Isanti with his burial to follow at Fridsborg Cemetery in East Bethel A visitation will be held from 4-7 PM on  Monday March 10th and also 1 hour prior to the service at Strike Life Tributes in Isanti Cooper was preceded in death by his father John and Denise Luedtke and his grandmother Cooper was my bike riding buddy growing up We used to ride our bikes around the neighborhood for endless hours during the summer got him a new bike or had fixed something on his bike but 6 year old Cooper was extremely excited about it Andy and I watched Cooper get super excited and little Cooper said with the biggest smile on his face “Baddass!” Andy and I started laughing and Cooper was sooo confused He didn’t know he wasn’t supposed to say that word Cooper always found a way to bring a smile to my face and I will always cherish all the memories we made together growing up He was such a special kid and was growing into an even more special man I’m thinking of Jess and Crosby as well as family and friends during this time I am praying over Cooper’s family and friends I know me and cooper started to become distant but I won’t forget are memories that we had together like all the times you tried to show off on your four wheeler but always failed but it was so good to see how happy it made him i also won’t forget all the good talks and laughs we made walking around Saint Francis because we couldn’t drive One thing i know is that you always knew how to cheer people up and make them laugh and how you teached Crosby many new thing Me and Cooper use to be super close during freshman and sophomore year we use to walk the alls between classes doing some “people watching,” even though we’ve drifted through the years he always knew how to bring a smile to mine and anyone’s face He was loved by so many and he endlessly will be Cooper was a wonderful student and Photographer I was lucky to get to work with him on his photographic artwork in my class He is forever in my thoughts and his artwork will cary on his memory forever for being you and for sharing your creativity with me Display to public Send privately to family You MUST check the Not a Robot field or your comment will fail to send Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Video Copyright © 2025 Strike Life Tributes A building along Highway 65 in Anoka County is a complete loss after a fire on Friday afternoon The East Bethel Fire Department told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS a building in the 22400 block of Highway 65 had caught on fire around 5:47 p.m fire crews could see a heavy amount of fire and smoke coming from the building The fire department stayed on the scene until 11 p.m No injuries were reported to the fire department and an investigation into what started it is still ongoing Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public File may contact KSTP via our online form or call 651-646-5555 The Vermont State Police Drug Task Force executes a search warrant at about 6 a.m Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer said two residents of the home were among several people detained and taken to the Vermont State Police Barracks in Royalton Tweedie will be arraigned on charges of violation of an abuse prevention order and retail theft in Windsor Superior Court Thursday afternoon after being arrested on a warrant East Bethel resident Eliza Nichols said she heard commotion in the neighborhood and sounds that made her think there was shooting shortly after 6 a.m Ashley Barnes of Vermont State Police Special Investigations said there were no shots fired and there was no threat to the public Dustin Robinson said flash-bangs were used to announce the presence of police to those inside the home Police in tactical gear and gas masks were seen moving between the home and two BearCat armored vehicles.Gage Road was blocked until about 7:30 with residents being turned back back and a White River Valley Supervisory Union school bus prevented from turning up the road Windsor County Sheriff's Deputy Jackson Howe escort a man to a police van from a home on Gage Road in East Bethel Several people were detained and one arrest was made on a warrant as the Vermont State Police Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at the property BETHEL — The Vermont State Police Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at about 6 a.m at 62 Gage Road in in East Bethel on Thursday Police in tactical gear and gas masks were seen moving between the home and two BearCat armored vehicles Gage Road was blocked until about 7:30 a.m. you agree with our use of cookies to personalize your experience measure ads and monitor how our site works to improve it for our users Published November 15, 2024 1 Guestbook Entry Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M November 27th at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in East Bethel A visitation will be held 1 1/2 hours prior to the service at the church Minnesota to Berthold and Louise (Riemann) Pochardt she started school at the Country School House She graduated from Starbuck High School in 1947 and that fall she came down to the cities to work as a nurse’s aide at Eitel Hospital She worked there for 6-8 months and while there she met Clarence on the infamous “blind date” She left the hospital and worked for Bell Telephone for 1 year 1949 she married Clarence Arthur Anderson at St The reception was in the basement of the church and the couple went to the Black Hills for their honeymoon They moved to East Bethel and farmed his father’s farm and was church custodian from 1977-1991 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church She was a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church She belonged to East Bethel Senior Citizens and being dedicated to helping others in the community Ecuador as well as visiting numerous family members throughout the US 2024 at Cedar Creek Senior Living in East Bethel at the age of 96 years Myrtle is preceded in death by her parents Myrtle will be lovingly remembered by her children Eleanor Pochardt; 22 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; 6 great-great-grandchildren; and many other close family and friends Myrtle was a gem and her smile never left her face Bethel Firefighter Sonny Snelling lays out hose at the Middle Branch Grange Hall in East Bethel during a fire that Bethel Chief David Aldrighetti said likely started when a wood furnace failed on Saturday and members voted in November to rebuild in its place May not be reprinted or used online without permission checks her pecan pies while baking a total of seven for the Middle Branch Grange pie sale on Tuesday Powell said members sold 33 pies during the fundraiser and that proceeds would likely be split between the Bethel Food Shelf and the Grange’s building fund The Meriden Grange merged with Blow-Me-Down-Grange across town in Plainfield Village in 2023 Patterson) valley news photographs — James M lay new decking on the porch of the Norwich Grange Hall in Norwich The work is part of the first phase of a plan by the Norwich Community Collaborative to restore the building and add on to its rear to improve accessibility the Upper Valley Grange will resume meeting at the building Shepherds and Angels play their parts as the Norwich Christmas Pageant makes its traditional stop at the Norwich Grange Hall on Thursday after the building’s porch was made safe just two days before the porch was too unstable to to accommodate six angels played by high school seniors from the town EAST BETHEL — The Middle Branch Grange has always been part of Jillian Dean’s life The hall in East Bethel is where she gathered for community suppers participated in Christmas pageants and spent time with extended family members most of whom are grange members themselves It was also a place where members of other organizations “Our families have lived on the same land for generations,” said Dean “I think that we’ve been raised in such a way to appreciate that and to remember the community and build up the community.” That’s the spirit that led members to unanimously approve a proposal to rebuild the century-old Middle Branch Grange hall after it was gutted by a fire last January “Now that we’ve lost the hall in the community we’re all very motivated to bring it back for the good of the community,” Dean said the grange has been meeting at the East Bethel Church’s Octagon Building about half of whom regularly come to meetings While the organization is still working on gathering estimates Insurance will cover some of the costs but members expect to have to raise thousands of dollars on their own “We may not be able to complete the building in one setting,” Dean said “We may have to have a shell of the building set up and then work to fundraise to complete it piece by piece.” Grange organizations and their accompanying halls were once centerpieces of communities in the Upper Valley — particularly in the early half of 20th century The individual chapters served as social outlets for members — who primarily worked in agriculture — and the communities at large Granges are considered 501c6 organizations which means they promote a particular business interest the farming families that formed the backbone of granges began to dwindle in number and branches have struggled to survive That often means the buildings the granges own fall into disrepair and need to be sold or repurposed grange branches have adapted to the changing times in various ways The Upper Valley Grange building in Norwich was purchased by a nonprofit organization and is in the process of being renovated Plainfield’s Blow-Me-Down Grange has absorbed the nearby Meriden Grange and is now tasked with selling its building Then there’s the Middle Branch Grange which is an anomaly among grange chapters because its membership remains relatively robust The chapter even has an active Junior Grange program “I think because we’re multi-generational so many of us it gives these deep ties to the grange and also the community,” said Dean Lester Gibbs recently received his 70th anniversary pin for grange membership “There’s been a long history of the building being there and being an active part of the community,” he said the Upper Valley Grange agreed to sell its downtown Norwich building for $1 to the Norwich Community Collaborative a nonprofit organization that was established to renovate the hall the grange’s membership — which combined the Norwich and Hartford granges — had dwindled to a handful of people belongs to multiple grange chapters including Middle Branch The Upper Valley Grange could not afford much-needed upgrades The renovation will cost around $1.6 million and the hope is to have it fully completed in 2026 The work is primarily being funded by grants and private donations collaborative members have led tours of the space so visitors “can really see the potential of what could be held there,” said Emily Myers who leads the collaborative’s community outreach committee The collaborative has plans to host similar educational programs to what the Upper Valley Grange used to hold including cooking classes once the kitchen is renovated the new group has hosted a tool and seed swap They’ve also been regularly hosting pancake breakfasts at the Norwich Congregational Church it’s for our entire community to be part of; to enjoy,” Myers said “We’re really encouraged and positive that this will be a really good experience.” As part of the sales agreement with the Norwich Community Collaborative the Upper Valley Grange will be able to hold meetings at the hall Gibbs also is heartened that the collaborative has made it a priority to honor the grange chapter: Recently the Norwich Community Collaborative received permission from the National Grange to call the hall the “Norwich Grange Hall.” One of the reasons members of the group wanted to name the building the Norwich Grange is to keep the grange’s philosophy alive “We really love the spirit of what the grange has meant not only to this community of how it brought people together and educated people,” Myers said The renovation is deeply personal to many members including Myers: Similar to Dean in East Bethel Myers grew up attending events at the Norwich Grange Myers participated in multiple Norwich Christmas Pageants and has fond memories of the angels that graced the second-floor balcony on the outside of the building The second-story of the porch was completed right before the pageant on Dec a custom builder who is on the collaborative’s building committee “I think the biggest attraction to the building is the porch,” said Goodrich who also grew up going to events at the grange The group is trying to incorporate decorative items including parts of columns in the renovation work “This our goal: to try to reuse as many items as we can,” Goodrich said Across the Connecticut River and headed south another grange hall is starting a period of transition The Meriden Grange combined with the Blow-Me-Down Grange in spring of 2023 Blow-Me-Down Grange on Route 12A in Plainfield was significantly renovated It has a full kitchen which makes the hall appealing for community events so operating a second hall and taking on more costs would be a difficult financial burden to bear “In an ideal world where it didn’t require so much it would be nice to have for community things there on that end of town but it’s just not feasible The construction and renovating; it costs a huge amount of dollars for everything,” said Morse has been a member of Blow-Me-Down for decades Plainfield residents supported the two grange chapters In its heyday the Meriden hall was the site of community dinners the Meriden chapter’s membership started to dwindle the group learned that it would cost at least $10,000 to replace “How can you raise $10,000 with (only) two or three people doing the work That seems a little daunting,” said Laura Ward a Meriden resident who became a member of the Blow-Me-Down Grange when the two chapters merged had made attempts to bring in more programming over the years it wasn’t enough to increase membership and raise money to support the hall “You have so many costs associated with your hall that it’s really difficult to raise a lot of money,” Ward said Members are currently in the process of cleaning out the Meriden Grange and will then put it on the market Since the building is unheated and there are many items to go through Morse expects it will take some time before it is ready to be listed “Personally I would like to see something local something community driven or something that’s of service to the town if that’s possible,” Morse said Liz Sauchelli can be reached at esauchelli@vnews.com or 603-727-3221 Published December 16, 2024 Guestbook A memorial service will be held a t a later date The Anoka County Sheriff's Office says it was called to a crash near the 4500 block of Fawn Lake Dr A woman was traveling east in her SUV on Fawn Lake Drive NE when she began to turn left into a driveway went into the oncoming lane as the SUV driver turned Emergency responders attempted lifesaving measures to the man The woman driving the SUV sustained minor injuries.  Note: The details provided in this story are based on law enforcement’s latest version of events saying he'd killed the mother of his child which features a swimming beach and splash pad Please support local news—East Cobb News—during Small Business Week! Kemp won’t challenge Ossoff in U.S. Senate race East Cobb Weather Update: A mild forecast stretches into May Check the latest East Cobb real estate sales Editor’s Note: The savory tastes of the Taste of East Cobb • Call/text 24/7 for breaking and emergency news tips: 404-219-4278 A free digest with top East Cobb News headlines, calendar listings and more is delivered every Sunday. Click the button to sign up, and you’re good to go! Rainy weather pushed the work from June to this month. A short but busy segment of a north metro highway will close Tuesday morning and drivers will be detoured for the rest of July. At about 1 a.m. Tuesday, Minnesota Department of Transportation crews will close all lanes of Hwy. 65 in both directions between 187th Lane NE. and Viking Boulevard NE. between Ham Lake and East Bethel. The highway will be closed through July 31 as crews work to replace a culvert under Hwy. 65 near Viking Boulevard. “Drivers who regularly use Hwy. 65, are encouraged to use an alternate route if possible, such as I-35W or Hwy. 47 to avoid congestion and delays,” the agency said. During the closure, access to business and residences north of Constance Boulevard to 187th will be maintained, MnDOT said. The work is part of a larger project in which MnDOT is repaving 16 miles of Hwy. 65 between Spring Lake Park and East Bethel, repairing bridges and installing cable median barriers. Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather. No Section Peek inside homes for sale in the Twin Cities area After falling behind 17-0 at halftime and being dominated most of the game the Bulldogs may have locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff Minnesota is packed with adorable small towns that are perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway And let’s not forget the quaint small towns scattered across the map - each with its own unique vibe and personality HGTV recently went on a mission to uncover “the best kept secrets in each state.” Now, as someone born and raised in Minnesota I was surprised to see their pick for our state - not going to lie If I had to choose the best small towns in Minnesota, I’d go with Stillwater, Lake City, or Lanesboro. Surprisingly, none of these made HGTV’s list of the hidden gems in each state They were specifically looking for towns with quaint shops and restaurants Minnesota's pick is a town of just over 4,000 people and over 400 lakes in the area First, let's talk about our neighbor's best small towns. According to HGTV, Decorah is the it town for Iowa, Fish Creek for Wisconsin, and Minnesota I went online to explore the town from afar Park Rapids serves as the gateway to the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park making it a hotspot for outdoor adventures and cozy resorts According to HGTV park in the middle of Main Avenue in Park Rapids The shops and restaurants here are so popular Pick up some buttery caramels at Aunt Belle's Confectionary or shop for cabin decor and other items." Do you agree that Park Rapids is the best small town in Minnesota? After watching videos and seeing pictures, I'm definitely planning my road trip up there. Click in to see all of the most charming cities across the country. Listen to Curt St. John and Samm Adams in the Morningweekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5 Gallery Credit: Samm Adams I've never even been there, but I definitely want to go now!\nRead More Minnesota is packed with adorable small towns that are perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway HGTV recently went on a mission to uncover “the best kept secrets in each state.” Now, as someone born and raised in Minnesota If I had to choose the best small towns in Minnesota, I’d go with Stillwater, Lake City, or Lanesboro. Surprisingly, none of these made HGTV’s list of the hidden gems in each state First, let's talk about our neighbor's best small towns. According to HGTV, Decorah is the it town for Iowa, Fish Creek for Wisconsin, and Minnesota According to HGTV Do you agree that Park Rapids is the best small town in Minnesota? After watching videos and seeing pictures, I'm definitely planning my road trip up there. Click in to see all of the most charming cities across the country. Listen to Curt St. John and Samm Adams in the Morningweekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. on Quick Country 96.5 Every time you see Kevin Moore’s name attached to a project you know that the neighbors are about to get screwed A free digest with top East Cobb News headlines calendar listings and more is delivered every Sunday Bill Huggins of Rush City passed away on Monday 2024 at Rushseba Station in Rush City at the age of 79 1945 to James and Gretchen (Haas) Huggins in Minneapolis Despite his long journey with Parkinson’s and other health issues He loved telling corny jokes to anyone willing to listen and spending every moment possible with his wife of 60 years but we ask those who were touched by his life to celebrate his memory by playing two of his favorite songs Elvis’ Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art Bill is survived by his wife Marsha Huggins of Rush City; children Matt Huggins of East Bethel Jill (Jamie) Plaisance of Columbia Heights Vickie (Gary) Gunstrom of Bethel; grandchildren Lauren Gunstrom of East Bethel Abby Plaisance and Daniel Plaisance both of Columbia Heights He was preceded in death by his parents James and Gretchen Huggins; siblings Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the: Funeral and Cremation Service of Rush City ~ Olson Chapel.www.FuneralAndCremationService.com Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInRUMFORD Maine (WMTW) - Police released new information Wednesday morning about a shooting incident that prompted an hours-long shelter-in-place order Tuesday evening Chief Tony Milligan said police were called to a reported active shooter incident on State Route 232 in Rumford Corner village between East Bethel Road and South Rumford Road Officers determined a man had fired several shots in the area then crashed his vehicle into a home at 61 State Route 232 and fired several more shots into the home before running off Police issued the shelter-in-place order while they searched the area police found the man with a life-threatening injury after they said he shot himself He was taken to Maine Medical Center in Portland to be treated and investigators were still on the scene through the early morning hours on Wednesday The ceremonial ribbon-cutting at the grand opening of the East Bethel youth mental health facility now under new management by Nexus Family Healing A ceremonial ribbon cutting was held at the Nexus-East Bethel Family Healing psychiatric facility for youth which opened its doors on November 29.The space offers supportive community housing for longer-term mental health services for children aged 10 to 19 At the November 8 event, Nexus Family Healing CEO Dr. Michelle Murray said: “What we need to do now is take this building and do with it what it is intended to do We need to serve the most critical youth and their families and get them out of inpatient hospitals where there is a backlog We need to get them out of the police stations We need to get them out of the county hallways We need to get them out of those areas that they’re stuck We will take kids who are having complex issues and providing them the services they need and the hope that they need.” She indicated that the residential services home is one part of a critical care continuum being built in Minnesota “We will continue to work as partners to find innovative and creative ways to serve our youth and families that need very different specialized care in their communities We need to offer supports to families when youth are returning home from care We need more mental health services offered in schools … We have to think of things that we haven’t thought of yet Addressing the growing mental health crisis in our state educators — all of us working together to fill the gaps We are a huge network of influential people who have expertise and hearts in the work that we’re doing.” Peggy Flanagan at the opening of the Nexus-East Bethel Family Healing Center Governor Peggy Flanagan spoke as the mother of a 10-year-old “I am constantly doing my best and constantly winging it,” she said my hope is that people who are shouldering so much can take a full breath that they have partners in restoring hope and reshaping futures have made it a priority to invest in mental health — coming into the light We hope that what we have done so far has truly meant a down payment on what else needs to be done.” She noted that Minnesota has had to send too many of its youth to other states for the mental health care they need two months being on a waiting list in the life of a child is very Minnesota Commissioner for the Department of Human Services said her department estimates that kids facing mental health issues that interfere significantly with home and school affect 9 percent of the state’s youth Harpstead said Minnesota needs more psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) to serve children with complex mental health conditions suicidal ideation and other mental health disorders have overwhelmed hospital emergency rooms with youth who have no appropriate settings [to go to] Children are crying out to us for help.” said early in her term a resident had called in tears because her child needed to be sent out of state for mental health treatment “I thought that had to be wrong — there must be someplace in the state we have made dealing with mental health issues a priority in this region.” A 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation survey found that more 90 percent of people in the U.S. recognize that the country has a mental health crisis. A KFF/CNN Mental Health in America survey found that the youngest adults both report the most concerns with their mental health and also are more likely to report they are not able to access affordable or local mental health services of the American Association of Children’s Residential Centers: “Some may say they would wish for a world where we wouldn’t need facilities like this I understand that no one wants to see a young person in crisis or in emotional or medical pain But I would also like to point out that no one questions the importance of a rehabilitation center to recover from a physical injury rehabilitation centers — the same array of services are necessary when it comes to our mental health And that’s why we have crisis hotlines and enhanced wraparound services for youth and their family To be there when a young person and their family have the most acute crisis.” She said her cousin died of suicide 11 years ago — “an example of somebody who never got what he needed.” A pastor at the church in viewing distance of the facility said “We have been supportive of mental health care in this community before this facility was even built we believe it’s our calling to care for the most vulnerable among us.” A mother told the story of knowing early in her son’s life that something was not quite right Eventually she learned from his birth mother that he had been exposed to in utero trauma “I quickly learned we operate in a broken system — a system that doesn’t have enough resources Underpaid and undervalued employees [face] the worst possible scenarios … Fighting hard for the right doctors and approval for the right tests finally yielded a diagnosis which would help us in treatment — yet that wasn’t quite enough We were twice kicked out of county support Although I knew the inherent value and deep loving heart of my son he had no ability to control his impulses or angry outbursts Yelling had become the primary means of communication.” they began paperwork and interviews to seek residential placement he was admitted to a treatment facility hours away “Driving away without my child was the most painful experience in my life,” she said and I felt terrible for not being able to do [the work with him] on my own.” after lots of visits and phone calls to maintain connection “He had grown emotionally and physically right before our eyes He gained skills that transferred to our home deep breaths are donated spaces granted when asked for by anyone in the family who needs it.” saying he was 12 when he went to the facility There he learned coping skills and developed deep friendships with the staff He said he made a promise to come back someday and work to help other youth SERIES: Understanding the Youth Mental Health Crisis Our 2025 Minnesota Newspaper Awards Winner of three photography and two writing state media awards in 2024 including  coverage about housing and mental health we also won two national awards related to our gender-based violence coverage Minnesota Women’s Press has been sharing the authentic voice and powerful vision of women since 1985, as one of the longest running feminist platforms (print and digital) in the U.S. Please donate to support our story sharing and free distribution to hundreds of locations. A Minnesota man is among six people charged for allegedly trafficking stolen human remains The charges were filed in federal court in Pennsylvania against 52-year-old Matthew Lampi the charges come from a “nationwide network of individuals bought and sold human remains stolen from Harvard Medical School and an Arkansas mortuary.” Lodge managed the morgue for the Harvard Medical School which procured organs and other parts of cadavers for medical research It’s alleged he stole organs and other body parts before their scheduled cremations and sold the remains The transactions were arranged online through social media and over phone calls Prosecutors say the buyers included Katrina Maclean Lodge sometimes allowed Maclean and Taylor to visit the morgue and look at the corpses they were interested in buying Maclean and Taylor then resold those stolen remains to others Pauley would buy stolen human remains from Candace Chapman Scott who allegedly stole those remains from a mortuary and crematorium she worked at in Arkansas Prosecutors note separate charges have already been filed against Scott in Arkansas The indictment says Pauley allegedly sold the stolen remains to others Lampi and Pauley reportedly exchanged over $100,000 for the purchases over several years “Some crimes defy understanding,” said U.S “The theft and trafficking of human remains strikes at the very essence of what makes us human It is particularly egregious that so many of the victims here volunteered to allow their remains to be used to educate medical professionals and advance the interests of science and healing For them and their families to be taken advantage of in the name of profit is appalling we are seeking to secure some measure of justice for all these victims.” a mental health treatment facility for adolescents located in East Bethel the facility namely states that a payment dispute with state regulators is their biggest hurdle to climb which subsequently has led to the closure of the building "After many years of finding the right community to build in, construction starts and delays, opening the doors during a pandemic (which brought about staffing challenges and affected the census and thus, our ability to pay for this facility), licensing issues, and bad press, we are forced to close our doors," Cambia Hills stated, in part, in a message on their website Cambia Hills will officially close its doors on Friday at 3 p.m The mental health center opened in April 2020 "This has been a very disappointing time we’ve done everything we possibly could to make sure this didn’t happen," Leslie Chaplin the president and CEO of Cambia Hills of East Bethel The facility claims that the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) did not give a rate adjustment to the facility’s bondholders The bondholders had been funding the operations since December of last year Cambia Hills notes that the bondholders reached their limit of $1.5 million in additional funds to keep the building open "…and DHS has passed the deadline of May 1st to give us the rate adjustment with no new date in sight," the post reads Staff has since notified the state of the closure and are "expediting the process" of getting its residents resituated with the financial situation and the inability to get any additional financial support we don’t have the option but to close our doors," Chaplin added Cambia Hills said most clients currently at the treatment center will be sent home "We need to have all clients discharged and all direct care staff off the premises by this Friday at 3 p.m.," the post states Chaplin said there have been 33 violations against Cambia Hills’ license since its first youth was treated in March of 2020 While some of those were administrative issues others were for things like not conducting background checks on employees and failing to properly report several suicide attempts the state put Cambia Hills on conditional status Chaplin said she took over in November and made changes to help reach a settlement agreement KSTP reached out to DHS and Assistant Commissioner Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa provided the following statement on the matter: "Our focus right now is the health and safety of the children served by Cambia Hills We are doing everything we can to assist Cambia Hills in providing an appropriate transition to another facility that can meet residents’ needs By providing only two days’ notice of intent to close Cambia Hills is violating its obligations under its license and state contract it does not diminish the need for psychiatric residential treatment facilities nor does it lessen our commitment to see this level of care become available to more Minnesota children." the department put Cambia Hills’ license on conditional status until licensing-related violations were addressed They each reached a settlement agreement in January and Cambia Hills had been working to meet the conditions of the settlement "We were able to make all of the necessary changes that included training and really were able to make a complete turnaround with that organization," Chaplin said all youth at Cambia Hills of East Bethel will be in their next placements The East Bethel Fire Department is looking into what caused a fire to start during the overnight hours early Friday morning were called to a home on the 700 block of Lincoln Drive around 2:30 a.m East Bethel Fire Chief Rod Sanow says there was major damage done to the home by the fire Crews were at the scene for about five hours Mildew spreads across the cover of a hymnal in the East Bethel Community Church in East Bethel, Vt., on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023. The last service in the building before the October meeting called by Kinney was about eight years ago. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Dan Kinney speaks during a second meeting to gauge interest in establishing a board to guide the future of the East Bethel (Vt.) Community Church on Sunday, Nov. 12, 2024. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Amos Post, newly elected as president of East Bethel (Vt.) Community Church, begins a board meeting with a Christmas Carol on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. Growing up with his mother playing organ and father singing in the church choir has made music a central part of worship for Post. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. George Gast passes a copy of the East Bethel (Vt.) Community Church bylaws to Judy Powell during a meeting at which a transitional board was formed for the organization on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. Gast was elected as treasurer and Powell became the only woman on the nine-member board. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Board President Amos Post leads a meeting of the East Bethel (Vt.) Community Church board of trustees, including Clerk Russell Rohloff, of Bethel, and Trustee Bruce Post, right, during which they discussed their vision as an organization on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. James M. Patterson George Gast inspects the timbers under the floor of the Octagon Schoolhouse on the grounds of the East Bethel (Vt.) Community Church on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. Gast, a maintenance technician for the U.S. Postal Service, has taken the lead in assessing the buildings and their systems. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. James M. Patterson Clerk Russell Rohloff, left, and President Amos Post review the church’s financial documents during a board meeting at Post’s home in East Bethel, Vt., on Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. James M. Patterson Michael Huston, of Tunbridge, arrives at the East Bethel (Vt.) Community Church to clean on Wednesday, March 27, 2024, in advance of Easter. Huston serves as collector on the organization’s board of trustees. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. James M. Patterson Amos and Kim Post, at left, greet Michael and Dana Huston and their kids Brenya, 4, and James, 2, as they arrive for Easter service at the East Bethel (Vt.) Community Church on Sunday, March 31, 2024. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. James M. Patterson While leading the service, Ben Wolfe, of Tunbridge, second from left, welcomes, from left, Braden White, 12, Brenya Huston, 4, Hailey Williams, 8, and Natalie Post, 5, to the front of the church during Easter service in East Bethel, Vt., on Sunday, March 31, 2024. It was the second service since a new board was formed last December. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. Church Trustee Jerry Barcelow,of South Royalton, middle, departs with his grandson Braden White, left, and a clock used to keep the Easter service on track in East Bethel, Vt., on Sunday, March 31, 2024. McKinley Post, 9, is at right. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. James M. Patterson “East Bethel Church, Summer 1949, Before painting,” reads a caption on the back of a photograph of the 1824 building pinned to a bulletin board in its entryway, on Sunday, March 31, 2024. The church underwent a revival in the 1950s under the establishment of the East Bethel Community Association. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. James M. Patterson Dan Kinney, of Royalton, rings the bell of the Octagon Schoolhouse on the grounds of the Community Church in East Bethel, Vt., after giving a tour of the disused building on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2024. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. James M. Patterson EAST BETHEL — From their cars, parked in a neat row on the grass outside, worshipers walked through the front door of the village’s stately, 200-year-old brick church for a symbolic rebirth. Not only was it Easter Sunday, but some of the 30 or so people on hand hadn’t been in this church in years. Churches also die and are reborn. Inside, light streamed in through the windows, illuminating the worn but sturdy pews, the smooth white walls and the wide floorboards. “Welcome to East Bethel Community Church,” Amos Post, the president of the church’s board, said from behind an electric keyboard, where he would play accompaniment for the hymns. “There’s a lot of people who put a lot of effort in to make this day possible.” Over the past couple of decades, most of the church’s members have died off, leading to a period of inactivity of at least seven or eight years, Post said later in an interview. Dan Kinney, who is Post’s uncle, was president of the church’s board until the board stopped meeting several years ago. Since then, he’s acted as a caretaker, and has fielded requests from people who wanted to buy the church. Kinney called a meeting in October at which Post agreed to lead a new board. “I knew I didn’t want to sell it,” Kinney told the 25 to 30 people at the October meeting. “I knew that it was important for it to be maintained as part of this community.” Built in 1824 at a cost of $1,060, according to a 1974 history of churches in East Bethel, the brick church was originally for a Baptist congregation formed in 1812. In its two centuries, the church has had full years and empty ones. “By the 1840s, the church entered a period of stagnation,” brought on in part by the 1833 establishment in the village of a “meeting house of Equal Rights” catering to all denominations, including the Baptists. During its decades of neglect, the Baptist church was left open. Sheep from neighboring farms wandered in and out. By 1860 the building, then only 36 years old, needed significant repairs. A new pastor, Rev. Austin Norcross, “proved to be the right man for the hard task before him of reorganizing a disorganized church and rehabilitating its neglected place of worship.” After decades of solid membership, the congregation slowly dwindled, until by the late 1920s only two members remained and the church was forced to close. The state Baptist organization took the church over and proposed in 1931 to sell it as a paint shop. “People were upset!” the church historians, Dorothy and Robert Hyde, wrote. This outrage spurred the establishment of the East Bethel Community Association, which bought the church for $500 and, along with the Middle Branch Grange, sparked a long-lived revival. In 1954, congregants established the East Bethel Community Church Association to govern the church. The 1974 history concludes with the news that the church association had purchased the neighboring Octagon schoolhouse for use as a community center, church offices, Sunday school classroom and library. “Worship service with music by a junior choir is held every Sunday.” Some of the Easter attendees remember the church’s heydays. Dalene (Rogers) Whitcomb grew up going to the East Bethel church and attended the Octagon school through eighth grade before heading over the ridge to Whitcomb High School. “I was married in this church,” she said. She attended on Easter with her daughters Jolene Snelling and Lisa Flint. Snelling recalled attending Sunday school in the Octagon. “It was always fairly small,” Judy Powell, who went to church in East Bethel and Randolph Center when she was a child, said after the Easter service. She was last in the church in 2011, for her mother’s funeral. “That was about the time that it started to die off,” she said. Powell’s husband, David, was a longtime Hartford firefighter, but they moved back to the Middle Branch a few years ago to be closer to Judy’s family. She’s now on the church’s board. “It needs to somehow continue to serve the community,” she said. What that service will look like is unclear. Pastor Ben Wolfe, who led the Easter service, has been thinking for some time about how a faith community should organize. “You make sure it’s all about the people,” he said after the service, “then figure out what the building can do for you.” As the church’s history suggests, though, it’s hard to separate the physical structure from the spirit within it. The board plans to evaluate both the church and the Octagon. Wiring and heating upgrades are overdue. There’s a well and septic, Post said, but the buildings don’t currently have running water. The board also will be “talking about whether we want to try having more regular services there in the summer,” Post said. How it could further serve the community also is up for discussion. A food shelf and services for people battling substance use disorder have come up, Post said. “The other need, I think, for our community is creating a place where people can gather,” he said. The work the community did to clean the church and to hold an Easter service are steps in that direction. Alex Hanson can be reached at ahanson@vnews.com or 603-727-3207. By using this site, you agree with our use of cookies to personalize your experience, measure ads and monitor how our site works to improve it for our users The lone candidate for the unposted job had remained unclear until Monday night's meeting. The East Bethel City Council on Monday night hired Anoka County Commissioner and Board Chair Matt Look to be its new city administrator, ending weeks of speculation as to who would be selected to oversee operations in the far north metro suburb. Mayor Kevin Lewis in October had identified a candidate to replace outgoing administrator Jack Davis, whose contract is not being renewed, without posting the job. But Lewis kept the name a secret, revealing to council members that Look was the lone candidate being considered just hours before Monday's vote. Look's name did not appear on Monday's agenda item stating Lewis would introduce the candidate to the council to interview, and that the council "may make a decision to hire or proceed in another direction." That had some residents claiming East Bethel violated state law, which states names of current and former applicants chosen as finalists for government jobs must be made public. Nonetheless, the council approved a deal that will pay Look $146,621 annually. "Congratulations Mr. Look. You will be the new city administrator of East Bethel, Minnesota," Lewis said after council members interviewed Look during Monday's meeting and voted 5-0 to offer him the job. Look will work 60%-time over the next few months as he transitions into the job. It appears Look will remain on the Anoka County Board through February to fulfill obligations to committees he serves on and continue to draw his $87,984 salary from the county. "The past 13 years have been amazing, challenging, rewarding and successful," Look said at Tuesday's board meeting. "I have made the decision to move on to the role of administrator. It's time for a fresh set of eyes and ideas to come from District 1," the section of the county he represented. State law requires either a special election or an appointment to replace Look. A special election would occur on a date to be determined by state law, a county spokesman said. "We congratulate Commissioner Look on his new role," the spokesman said. "We wish him well in his new career path." Look's move to East Bethel comes weeks after County Administrator Rhonda Sivarajah announced she is retiring at the end of the year. An email to Look seeking additional comment was not returned Tuesday. Look began his political career in the early 2000s. He served four years on the Ramsey City Council before being elected to the Anoka County Board. He has represented the western part of Anoka County for the past 13 years and was voted as the new board chair this year. While on the board, Look has also served as chair of the Anoka County Regional Railroad Authority and Finance Committee, as well as serving on Public Safety, Transportation and several other committees. During the 45-minute interview Monday, Look fielded questions from council members on how he would set budgets, manage employees, negotiate union contracts and respond to criticism from residents. "For me it is a matter of setting the record straight," Look said. "Whatever is not the truth needs to be met head on. It is important to have a positive message and remind the people of the good work and good projects that are underway." Look, a graduate of Bethel University, recently earned a master's degree in public administration from Grand Canyon University, a program he said aptly prepared him to run a city. He also said his extensive work in corporate America and public service qualifies him for the job, even though he has never run a city in the past. "I believe I possess the skills in finance and lobbying that directly relate to projects you might be working on or in the near future," Look told the council. Look said he had been asking himself "what does post-commissioner life look like" when he learned from a colleague that the East Bethel city administrator job would be coming available. He subsequently met with Lewis, who he had not previously met, which led to Monday's night's vote, Look said. Look said East Bethel, a city of about 13,000 residents in Anoka County, is the perfect fit. "It would afford me the opportunity to really develop in this position," Look said. "I don't pull the pin and roll the grenade. I want to make sure we get things done reasonably without creating enemies." Look said he won't rule out running for public office in the future, saying, " I will leave the door open." Lewis said East Bethel will honor Davis for his 12 years with the city on Nov. 27. checks for heat at the door of the Middle Branch Grange before Bethel Lt had planned a potluck and meeting in the afternoon and one of two wood furnaces that were running to heat up the building likely failed and started the fire East Randolph and Barnard joined the effort to save the building remove metal roofing to get to the fire underneath at the Middle Branch Grange in East Bethel but there was structural damage to its north side from a fire that spread after a component of the wood furnace failed East Randolph and Barnard work to save the Middle Branch Grange building from a fire that started in the wood heating system in East Bethel Bethel Fire Chief David Aldrighetti said that a portion of the building is not structurally safe after being damaged by fire and water "I'm happy that this much of it is still standing," he said Five fire departments responded to the scene of a fire at the Middle Branch Grange Hall in East Bethel on Saturday The Grange had planned a potluck and meeting in the afternoon and one of two wood furnaces that were running to heat up the building likely failed and started the fire He said that a portion of the building is not structurally safe after being damaged by fire and water “I’m happy that this much of it is still standing,” Aldrighetti said A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00 P.M July 7th at Strike Life Tributes in Isanti A time for visiting will be held one hour prior to the service Donna and I are deeply saddened with the news of Duke’s passing We were friend for many years and shared more than a few motorcycle rides and good times Duke will always be remembered for his laughter and good humor Duke you will be missed by all you’ve touched with your humor and your contagious laughter your old friend Skeeter Sorry to hear the sad news of Duke passing away We had many fun nights at John’s Bar/Dugout June 8th at Hidden Haven Golf Club in Cedar the youngest child of Virgil and Emma Jordan Throughout her life adventures and moves she kept her strong relationships with her first family Millie’s first work experience took her to Maryland and her life brought her to live in Brooklyn Center Minnesota Linwood Minnesota and finally to East Bethel Minnesota Here she created a blended family with Maynard and hosted many events for their family and friends For many years Millie wintered in Texas and dearly loved gardening Preceded in death by parents Virgil and Emma Jordan Merle and Roland and son-in-law Michael Swenson Bruce and Taisa; sister Elois; and many loving nieces Sharing the sorrow and feeling the loss and void in our family Millie always made us feel welcome as her extended niece and nephew She was full of life and we are happy for the many fun times we shared with her We enjoyed many happy times in Texas with Maynard and Millie Our Sympathy goes to Maynard and the Family We had great times with Millie & Maynard as our neighbors in Texas Wisconsin to August and Susan (Polkoski) Goetsch 1969 Diane married Robert Jacobson in Brooklyn Center and they just celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary They lived in Crystal and Coon Rapids before settling in East Bethel in 1975 Diane and Bob were active in the East Bethel community over the years Diane served on the East Bethel City Council for 12 years and in her younger years was a Girl Scout/Brownie Leader and soccer coach She worked in banking at Peoples Bank of Commerce and First Bank before working at Minco Manufacturing in Fridley until retirement and spending time with her grand pups & grand kitties 2024 at GracePointe Crossing in Cambridge at the age of 76 years August and Susan Goetsch; father-in-law and mother-in-law Diane will be lovingly remembered by her husband Michelle Jacobson and Jeffrey (Rachel) Jacobson; sister Marge Goetsch; brother-in-law Tom (Janice) Jacobson; sister-in-law Gus (Barb) Jacobson and by many other relatives and friends Thinking of you and praying all the wonderful memories comfort you now and in the days to come My memories of Diane are her smile and how uninhibited she was to try almost anything I have so many fun memories spent with Diane during our fire department days M&A Seminar on Preparing Your Company for Sale Presented by Maslon LLP and Northborne Partners Nexus Family Healing recently closed on the 62,640-square-foot building at 900 189th Ave Just Sold: Failed $28M psychiatric campus sells for $15.5M Lakeville Court Apartments sold for $6.83M as affordability rules near expiration After a modest $4.5 million debut acquisition in February Buhl Investors’ new income fund has picked up som[...] Two Maple Grove properties sell for $9M following an unsolicited offer including a business center and a manu[...] Peter have struggled for years with its cramped After more than a year of discussions with local business folks and city leaders in New Ulm A small group of private investors has paid $6.85 million for the 65-room Country Inn & Suites-Baxter Sign up for your daily digest of Minnesota News Efforts to reform Minnesota zoning laws fail again as local opposition blocks a bill limiting parkin[...] will break ground this summer on The Dorian a 190-unit apartment complex in Lake Elmo af[...] The University of Minnesota plans to sell 60 acres at UMore Park for $8.1M to North Wind Test for a [...] The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged despite political pressure from Pre[...] The Trump administration is swiftly remaking housing policy as the U.S Department of Housing and Ur[...] construction job openings dropped by 38,000 in March signaling slowing labor demand amid tarif[...] Trump's trade demands stretch beyond tariffs Performance contracting helps governments and schools cut energy costs is now an official city after a local vote Milwaukee Mitchell Airport will start a $95.2M international terminal project this summer after dela[...] Listen here analysis and commentary on Minnesota business We are the only independent daily newspaper dedicated to business reporting Get our free e-alerts & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions