Editor's Notebook

Starbucks Plans, Dickey’s Fire, Library vs. Jail Bookings: Editor’s Notebook

Here are a few items that came across my desk lately.

Following is a roundup of news and notes from Woodbury this week. A dumpster fire broke out at Dickey’s Barbecue Pit in Woodbury a little after 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 21. An employee placed hot ashes in the dumpster, which was in a room inside the building, said Woodbury Fire Cmdr. John Wallgren. The fire was contained to the dumpster and nobody was hurt, he said. It was extinguished quickly. The Starbucks next to Potbelly Sandwich Works in Woodbury Village has plans for a small addition. The item is set to go before the Planning Commission on May 6 and the City Council on May 22, according to Janelle Schmitz, Woodbury planning and economic development manager. Chad Lubbers, manager of the R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury, gave an update…

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Kris Janisch

5:59 pm on Monday, May 6, 2013

Yeah, it is a drive thru for Starbucks. Here's a note from the Planning Commission's meeting tonight: The Robert Muir Company, on behalf of Starbucks Coffee, has submitted an application for an Amended Conditional Use Permit and Amended Site and Building Plan approval for their store located at 7230 Valley Creek Plaza. The applicant is proposing to add a 600 foot addition to the existing store, …   more ›

Library Chat: Expanding Our Offering of Magazines in the Digital Age (Blame Goldilocks)

Want to know the latest trends in fashion or home decorating? Interested in finding out about new car models in preparation for a new-card purchase? Looking for gardening tips, meal-planning suggestions, and more?

Just the other day as my 2-year-old granddaughter was packing up to go home, she asked if she could take home a stuffed-animal froggy. I replied, “No, actually froggy needs some repair; one of the seams on his body needs to be re-sewn.” Her reply: “Who did it? Was it Goldilocks? Did she get in here?” She had learned some information from a recent read of The Three Bears and transferred that knowledge into solving the question of why the frog needed repair. We thought it was pretty cute. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Now Goldilocks is getting blamed for anything that is damaged! We are all seeking a little useful information from time to time, and Washington County Library users have been using magazines as one source of …

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‘Brooklyn, Burning’ Author to Appear at Woodbury Library

The Feb. 16 event is part of the Teens Know Best Author Series.

Author Steve Brezenoff will visit the R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury in mid-February to talk about the writing process and answer questions from those in attendance. Brezenoff, a finalist for NPR’s Best-Ever Teen Book feature, is the author of Brooklyn, Burning, a story about two homeless teenagers. The book was listed on the 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list by the Young Adult Library Services Association. The event—part of the Teens Know Best Author Series—is set for 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16. “The Teens Know Best Author Series is the first region-wide author series to focus on writers for teens,” reads a release from Washington County Library. “Working in collaboration with the Teens Know Best Book Club, each of the eight …

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Soldier Stories at Washington County Library

It’s important that these stories are told, and you’re invited to hear two first-hand. We can count ourselves extremely fortunate for the work of our soldiers and their sacrifices that help to keep us safe and free.

It was my experience growing up with a World War II Navy-veteran father that soldiers didn’t talk much about their military experiences—at least, not my Dad. He sometimes shared stories about the men he served with, but not much about the combat.  In the next few weeks, two soldier stories will be told at Washington County Library. At 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29 in Woodbury’s Central Park amphitheater, local author John Kriesel will discuss his book, Still Standing, as a part of the Library’s annual One County, One Book reading event, a time when county residents are all encouraged to read the same title and talk about it.        Related: John Kriesel's Book Chosen for Washington County Library Reading Program SSG Kriesel was serving in Iraq …

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‘We’re Back’: Sunday, Monday Service Returns to Woodbury Library

Washington County libraries were closed on Sundays and Mondays during 2012.

Customers just wanted to say thank you or shake someone’s hand. That was the reaction from patrons at the R.H. Stafford Library following the news that Washington County would restore Sunday and Monday service at the library starting this year, said Chad Lubbers, manager of the Woodbury branch. The new hours go into effect this weekend. “Now, we’re back to where we should have been,” Lubbers said. “It feels like coming home after a long journey.” The Woodbury library will be open seven days a week until June, when it will close on Sundays through the end of August as part of a pilot program. Library officials will examine how that works and determine their options for hours in the future. One interesting note about the reduced hours in …

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Kris Janisch

9:47 am on Friday, January 4, 2013

For sure. I work up at Central Park sometimes and I can't tell you how often people would walk up to the doors on a Monday, grumble, and walk away.   more ›

‘Women Poets’ Display Coming to Woodbury Library

The portraits from Jay Wittenberg will be at the R.H. Stafford Branch during January.

Washington County Library is inviting residents to view an art display featuring female poets. The gallery—from Jay Wittenberg, a professional artist for more than 20 years whose work has been exhibited at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Minnesota Museum of American Art—is titled Women Poets: Portraits by Jay Wittenberg. It will be at the R.H. Stafford Branch in Woodbury during January. “Wittenberg celebrates the genius of famous women poets with his collection of portraits,” reads a release from Washington County Library. The display will rotate throughout the county library system during the winter and spring of 2013. Other dates and library locations are: His works are also represented in a Los Angeles art gallery. Wittenberg…

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Library Chat: What Gift Should I Give?

Share the gift of reading this holiday season.

I got to thinking about the best gift I’ve ever received, and I would have to put the gift of reading right up there at the top. As it happened, my 1-year-older brother came home from school with his first Dick and Jane reader, and proudly displayed his newly acquired reading talents for my parents. To put it mildly, I was jealous. I begged my Mom, “Teach me to read!” Empowered by her teaching degree and a word chart she attached to the handle of the refrigerator, my mother showed me how. It’s a skill I have put to good use for 60 years. I would suggest that everybody can give the gift of reading. It’s not just teaching someone to read, but it can be reading stories to a small child, reading a book or selections from books to a parent or …

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Washington County Announces 2013 Hours for Libraries

After a year of Sunday and Monday closures, the Woodbury library will be open seven days a week (except summer months) starting in 2013.

Sunday and Monday service will return to the R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury in 2013. Washington County Library eliminated service on those days at all branches in 2012, as part of a cost-cutting measure. The library system on Wednesday announced hours for 2013. The new hours take effect Jan. 2. R. H. Stafford Branch *Closed Sundays June through August  Park Grove Branch, Cottage Grove and Hardwood Creek Branch, Forest Lake Wildwood Branch, Mahtomedi and Oakdale Branch, Oakdale Valley Branch Library, Lakeland Library Express in Hugo, Marine and Newport Washington County Will Cut Library Hours Next Year Residents React to Plan to Cut Days at Library Commissioner: County Libraries Adapt To Reduced Hours All’s Quiet At The Woodbury Library …

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Central Park/Woodbury Library 10-Year Anniversary Events

Here’s the rundown of events planned for Saturday.

The celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Central Park and the R.H. Stafford Library kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17. Here’s a rundown of events from the city and Washington County. Events are free and open to the public. Kenny Ahern will provide a physical comedy show in the amphitheater from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., a Tropical Ballroom dance lesson with Woodbury Royalty will be held in the amphitheater. The Name the Owl contest winner announcement will be made at 1 p.m. at the Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground, although that event is subject to change.         Related: Woodbury Kids! Name the Lookout Ridge Owl Home Free, an a capella group, will perform in the amphitheater from 2-3 p.m. Face painting, a …

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Kris Janisch

8:00 am on Sunday, November 18, 2012

Super cool Heidi!   more ›