Woodbury’s Math and Science Academy Wins State Robotics Competition

The Fighting Calculators secured the victory in the Minnesota State High School League event on May 18.

It’s called the Math and Science Academy. So maybe it makes sense that its students took home the championship in a Minnesota State High School League robotics competition earlier this month. The Woodbury school on May 18 won the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics event. “The tournament has now been around for two years and is a one-day competition that pits the 30 best teams in the state of Minnesota against each other,” Peter Irvine, co-captain of the team and the driver of the robot, said in a release. “The first half of the day contains forty qualification rounds, in which each team competes in eight matches. Then, there is the alliance selection, where the top four teams pick two teams each to …

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Rep. McCollum Issues Statement About Lilydale Park Rockslide Tragedy

McCollum says, "loss of a child's life is the greatest fear a parent could have" and the first responders "have the gratitude of our entire community."

U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN4) issued the following statement Thursday about Wednesday's rockslide in Lilydale Regional Park that killed two St. Louis Park fourth-graders and injured two more:    "Yesterday's school trip accident at Lilydale Park was as unexpected as it was heartbreaking. The loss of a child's life is the greatest fear a parent could have. During this time of grieving and sadness, I extend my deepest sympathies to all of the students, parents, and educators at St. Louis Park’s Peter Hobart Elementary School. The St. Paul Fire Department and the brave first-responders -- who put their own lives in danger to search for survivors -- have the gratitude of our entire community.  My prayers are with all those involved in this …

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Teen's Tragic Death Drives Dixits to Combat Distracted Driving

The family of teen killed in distracted driving crash is using foundation created in her name to affect change. The Dixit family tells how they are, slowly but surely, moving forward, and making their daughter proud. Sponsored by Grape Nuts.

Students Get Drunk-Driving Warning from Woodbury Public Safety

East Ridge High School was the setting for a mock crash Friday, May 24.

An East Ridge High School student approached Woodbury officer Scott Melander on Friday morning after the Public Safety Department put on a demonstration of what can happen in the wake of a drunk-driving crash. “I cried,” she said. Melander responded: “The important part is, after you walk away from it today to remember it down the road.” The demonstration Friday morning included a head-on collision, dead students, one angry driver and a teen driver taken away in handcuffs. Crashes are the No. 1 cause of death for teenagers, and as graduation approaches, it’s important to remind young people of the dangers of drinking and driving, Melander said. Woodbury isn’t too different from other communities when it comes to teens making poor decisions…

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Friends and Family Sing Farewell to Zach Sobiech

“He had a knack for making the person he was with feel like they were the most important person in the world to him," Sammy Brown said. "The crazy thing about that is that, in that moment, they probably were."

Blue balloons with the words “Up, Up, Up” lined the sidewalk in front of St. Michael’s Church in Stillwater on Thursday morning alongside paper chains with personalized messages, some of which read: "Find a cure for osteosarcoma." The messages greeted more than 1,200 people who gathered to say farewell to their beloved friend, classmate and family member, Zach Sobiech. Sobiech, a senior at Stillwater Area High School, died Monday, May 20, 2013, at his Lakeland home after a battle with osteocarcoma. Through music—specifically the hit song Clouds, which Sobiech wrote to say goodbye to friends and family—Miller said the teen was able to "touch people who were in a very dark place." “He did it by giving them hope," Miller said. "He let them …

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Dogs Have Their Day: Woodbury Police K-9 Graduates

Two new police dogs, Bosco and Nova, have joined the department.

Bosco and Nova graduated from K-9 training Thursday, May 23, and are the newest members of the Woodbury Public Safety Department. The doggie additions bring the total number of police K-9 for the department up to three. On hand for the ceremony was Cole Shaback, who in November 2011 asked that people donate money to the police K-9 unit instead of giving him presents for his birthday. In November 2011, he presented officers with a check for $250. Related: Woodbury Woman Donates $20,000 to Police K-9 Unit Officer Brian Cline is the handler for Nova, a male German shepherd from Slovakia. Bosco, also a German shepherd from Slovakia, will have officer Tom Ehrenberg as his handler. Both dogs went through a 13-week training program at the St. …

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First Life Saved from Woodbury's Take Heart Program

Jesse Galloway, who took the hands-only CPR class at Crossroads Church, was able to help save his father's life during a heart attack.

Thanks to a 30-minute CPR class at Woodbury's Crossroads Church, 14-year-old Jesse Galloway knew how to perform chest compressions that were able to help save his father's life during a heart attack. Jesse, of Cottage Grove, learned hands-only CPR as part of the Public Safety Department's Take Heart Woodbury campaign. The city reached its yearlong goal of training 7,000 people in hands-only CPR in February. Woodbury officials recognized Jesse during Wednesday night's Woodbury City Council meeting. Tim Galloway, Jesse's father, suffered the heart attack earlier this month. "Dads want to be the heroes of their sons or daughters," Tim Galloway, 45, told FOX9. "My son is my hero to me." He came out OK, according to the story. Angela Kain, …

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Kris Janisch

11:38 am on Friday, May 24, 2013

For sure. Thanks Julie!   more ›