The Roundabout

Editor’s Note: We are fulfilling our mission of providing fact-based news and information about Woodbury through this weekly newsletter. Please share and encourage people to join our email list. It’s free and always will be! Donate to our cause if you’re able!

Woodbury Weather via National Weather Service

^{Newsletter Editor: Pat Mack}

County Adding Airboats, Digital Evidence Tool

A federal grant will pay for two airboats and a digital evidence management system for Washington County. The county board accepted the $963,000 grant at its Sept. 3 meeting.

The airboats will help improve the response during emergencies on the county’s 251 lakes. “Airboats give rescuers a secure and stable platform to navigate through unstable ice and wetland areas, granting access to remote locations,” a county news release stated.

The digital evidence management system will be cloud-based and allow the public safety agencies in the county to more efficiently store, analyze, and share digital evidence, “improving the communication and overall effectiveness of public safety operations throughout the community.”

The funding comes from the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs for the Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 2024 Byrne Discretionary Community Project Funding/Byrne Discretionary Grants Program sponsored by Congresswoman Betty McCollum.

One Woodbury Celebration of Diversity This Sunday

_{By Lyndsay Zadnik}

Ojibway Park will come alive with the second annual One Woodbury, an event that celebrates the diversity of the community, on Sunday from 4-7 p.m.

2023 was One Woodbury’s inaugural year, and it was a true grassroots endeavor. The city’s community relations staff alongside the Parks and Recreation Department recruited a committee of community members, partners, and staff to refine the vision of what One Woodbury would look like. Their hard work paid off with about 2,000 attendees showing up to listen to music, enjoy foods from various cultures, and learn about the diverse people and perspectives that make up Woodbury.

This year, the event is being hosted by the City of Woodbury. According to Shelly Schafer, Woodbury’s community relations manager, the committee decided to expand from a one-day celebration to several events throughout the year.

“We held a number of workshops, looked at other cities, how they put together similar events, and one of the things that stuck out to us was something that Eden Prairie does, where they do a series of events,” Shafer said. “Some of our partners, like our school districts, already do multicultural events, so we thought, instead of recreating what they’re doing, what if we amplified it? Our community partners can take the opportunity to host their own event under the One Woodbury umbrella throughout the year.”

Several area school districts, Woodbury Community Foundation, the YMCA, Woodbury Chamber of Commerce, and Explore Minnesota will attend to promote their multicultural events and provide information on their organizations. There will also be food trucks, bounce houses, and performing groups such as Imnizaska Drum Group, DJ Dime, and the dance group Kuyayki Peru, among others.

Recreation Operations Manager Reed Smidt summed up the mission of One Woodbury. “We want our residents to feel and experience an event where they feel welcomed and included, and can enjoy themselves,” Smidt said. “They can feel like this event is for me, I belong here.”

Editor’s Note: Image 360 generously developed the logo for Woodbury News Net.

Partial Funding For Rooftop Solar Project Received

The City of Woodbury has received a $50,000 state grant to install rooftop solar at the Fleet Services building. The money would fund a portion of the $370,000 cost of a 182,000-watt DC rooftop solar array, according to city documents. If completed, the project would offset 105 percent of the annual electrical usage of the building. Full funding for the array is being considered as part of the city’s 2025-2029 Capital Improvement Plan.

Kids Club Collects Books, Supplies For Those In Need

Students and staff at Cottage Grove, Bailey, Middleton, and Valley Crossing elementary schools held a drive over the summer to collect books and school supplies for those in need.

The service project was organized as part of Kids Club, a childcare program offered by SoWashCo Schools. Kids Club serves students in grades K-5 before and after school, on non-school days, and during the summer.

The items collected were donated to SoWashCo CARES, a community-led nonprofit that supports students, staff, and community members in South Washington County. The organization will distribute these items to families in need throughout the year.

Emmy Award with Cottage Grove, Woodbury Ties

_{By Manali Shah}

Sheletta Brundidge of ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com will receive the Governor’s Emmy® by the Board of Governors of the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Emmy Awards at its gala Oct. 19.

The Cottage Grove resident won for her Black Entrepreneurs Day at the State Capitol that was streamed live by KARE 11.

No one is cheering louder for Brundidge than Gina Kazmerski, owner of Image 360 in Woodbury. Image 360 is part of Brundidge’s branding team.

Brundidge started her podcast production business in early 2020. “I know black culture and the black community,” she said, Our celebrities get overlooked in the news.” During the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of black-owned businesses suffered and closed down. Brundidge said her business tried to do “something” to leverage the $17 billion federal loans available to small business owners.

Unlike other groups that retain lobbyists to further their interests, Brundidge recognized that Black small business owners like herself lacked a presence at the State Capitol “while the pie was being cut and decisions that affected them were being made.”

She talked to Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan about the need for greater representation for the community. This led Brundidge to conceive Black Entrepreneurs Day, and she created a plan to broadcast the activities of the day as a public service.

On February 16, 2024, the second Black Entrepreneurs Day at the State Capitol brought hundreds of Black business owners and their allies to the seat of government in St Paul. ShelettaMakesMeLaugh produced multi-camera live coverage of the full event.

Image 360 created publicity billboards, design signage, and graphics. “Sheletta has connections everywhere. Her events at the State Capitol are very well attended,” Kazmerksi said.

Brundidge and Kazmerski have worked together for a while now. “I was looking for a good and efficient business close to me. I was looking for women-owned businesses to partner with. Gina was instrumental in building my brand, my logos, my business,” Brundidge said.

Carver Lake Park Cleanup Saturday

Volunteers are needed to help cleanup Carver Lake Park Saturday, Sept. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The lake is a popular summer hot spot and can use your help. Volunteers are advised to wear garden gloves and closed-toe shoes, no sandals please. Garbage bags, refreshments, and snacks will be provided. The free event is sponsored by Woodbury Thrives and the City Parks and Recreation Department.

Zebra Mussels Found in Big Lake Carnelian

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has confirmed the presence of zebra mussels in Big Lake Carnelian, north of Stillwater in May Township.

After a report of a zebra mussel attached to riprap on the lake’s shoreline, staff from the DNR, Washington Conservation District, and Carnelian-Marine-St. Croix Watershed District found adult zebra mussel in several locations, according to a news release. The invasive mussel larvae were also detected in water samples.

State law requires watercraft, trailers, and equipment be cleaned and requires that boaters and homeowners take steps to limit the spread of zebra mussels to avoid negative impacts on the lake’s ecosystems.

Dairy Queen Opens Just North Of Woodbury

A new Dairy Queen restaurant is now open, tantalizingly close to Woodbury, just across Interstate 94 in Lake Elmo. The DQ Grill & Chill is at 9923 Hudson Blvd. The Stillwater Gazette reports this is the third DQ owned by Bill Kulesa and his family. “Without a doubt, Dairy Queen restaurants bring an undeniable amount of joy to the community and its fans,” he said. The Lake Elmo location is closest for residents in northeast Woodbury, while the DQ at 7450 Currell Blvd. serves western Woodbury.100th Birthday

One-Room School Reunion Celebration Saturday

The Washington County Heritage Society is holding a celebration of rural schools Saturday, Sept. 14. An all-county, all-school reunion will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at Hay Lake School - Erickson Log House Museum at 14020 195th St. N. in Marine on St. Croix. Anyone who attended a one- or two-room school in the Washington County area is invited.

Opera Superstar To Perform In Stillwater Monday

An opera superstar who has sung at the Kennedy Center and the White House will perform Monday, Sept. 16, in Stillwater. Frederica von Stade and pianist Donna Stoering will present a 70-minute recital as part of Trinity Lutheran Church's concert series. Proceeds will benefit Valley Outreach, a non-profit that provides food, clothing, and homeless prevention to those in need. The concert is hosted by the church, Valley Outreach, and St. Croix Valley Opera. Tickets can be purchased here.

Update on Woodbury News Net:

We are a non-profit organization creating a credible news source for Woodbury. Our leadership team includes Paul Huffman, Susan Kent, Pat Mack, Rich Radke, Kathy Saltzman, and Manali Shah.

Please continue to share this newsletter with friends and encourage them to join our email list. It’s free and always will be!

Please donate as generously as you can!
We are committed to offering our news and information for free! But we need help to cover expenses and reach sustainability. Please donate as generously as you can to help us build this fact-based source of news! 

Volunteer!
Wanna help us build this news source? We welcome volunteers! We need help raising money, spreading the word, and other tasks. [email protected]

Let us know what’s happening!
Send us your news items! We can’t promise we’ll use them all but we’d love to consider them! [email protected].