The following people were arrested between 7 a.m. Friday, June 1, and 7 a.m. Sunday, June 3, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office:

• Refugio Castaneda, 40, of Oakdale, was arrested at Fleet Farm’s Gas Mart on six traffic charges and charges that included giving a false name to police and illegal entry.
• Latisha Morales, 32, of St. Paul, turned herself him on theft charges.
• Brittany Phipps, 20, of St. Paul, turned herself in on disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace charges.
• Michael Ruegsegger, 48, of Mahtomedi, turned himself in on third-degree DWI charges.
• Joshua Royce, 35, of St. Paul, turned himself in on a warrant for traffic charges.

Charges listed should be considered pending, and will not necessarily match official charges from the courts. It is possible those listed will not be officially charged. Listed are residents of Oakdale who were arrested in Washington County, and anyone who was arrested in Oakdale regardless of city of residence. Those listed are considered innocent until proven guilty.

In case you hadn’t noticed, there are a lot of furniture stores along Hudson Road in Woodbury.

Woodbury Mayor Mary Giuliani Stephens in casual conversation recently referred to it as “Furniture Road.”

But why do similar businesses congregate in certain areas of cities?

Patch asked Allison Broeren, chair of the business program at Woodbury’s Globe University, about the phenomenon, why it benefits those companies and the impact on consumers.

A quick search shows several furniture businesses along Hudson Road—Slumberland Furniture, HOM Furniture, Ashley Furniture Homestore, PM Bedroom Gallery and Ethan Allen—and Becker Furniture World is set to open in the Woodbury Commons retail area this fall. Today’s Bed, also on Hudson Road, celebrated a ribbon cutting on May 25.

There are two main reasons why this happens, Broeren said. The first is straightforward—it’s simply how the areas are zoned.

The second has to do with what Broeren called “paced uncertainty,” which prompts consumers to purchase things because “they feel they’ve made a choice and they’re empowered to buy that product.”

A symbiotic relationship arises in these instances, despite the increased competition.

“It kind of goes against what you would think,” Broeren said.

It’s simply easier for people to shop around when such businesses are clustered together, and the American consumer culture values choice, Broeren said.

There are other benefits for the consumer. Those businesses will typically price their items similarly, Broeren said, just as service stations across the street from one another will sell gas at the same price.

However, there is a tipping point at which an area can become oversaturated, she said.

Most literature on the subject says 4-6 is a healthy number of similar businesses, Broeren said, and when the number gets too high it can lead to price competition.

“It’s kind of a trade-off,” she said.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think you’re more likely to buy furniture when you can hit five stores within a few miles of each other? Tell us in the comments section.

At their meeting on Thursday, June 7, the Oakdale Planning Commission will review the variance and site plans for a new Caribou Coffee shop. If all goes according to plan, Caribou Coffee will build their new shop at the former Kwik Stop gas station located at the intersection of Century Avenue and Highway 36.

According to Planning Commission documents, the coffee shop would be 1,706 square feet with a drive through lane and window. The empty gas station and all that goes with it would be removed to allow for the new construction.

Don Wozniak and Paul Maenner of MW Development will be present at the
meeting to review their site plan with commission members and answer questions. During their presentation, parking issues and coffee shop access will be addressed.

Caribou Coffee wants to include 13 parking stalls for its customers, which exceeds city ordinance requirements by four stalls, according to Planning Commission documents.

If the Planning Commission approves Caribou Coffee’s request, members will make a motion to recommend approval of the site plan, including the eight foot variance to the southern parking lot.

1. The National Weather Service says that today brings a 20 percent chance of rain and a high near 80.

2. Enjoy finding ways to support the troops? Join the Yellow Ribbon Alliance Lower St Croix Valley and help them in a fundraiser at Afton's Sail Away Cafe.

3. Today is World Environment Day, an annual event aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action.

4. Happy birthday, Jill Biden. Yes, Jill is Vice President Joe Biden's wife.

5. On this day in 1933, the United States stopped using the gold standard, a monetary system where currency was backed by gold.

In her 10 years of teaching at Oakdale’s Little Angels Preschool, Rose Mason never won an award or received recognition. That changed last month when Mason was surprised to win the Let’s Dish Teacher of the Year award.

The Let’s Dish program allows parents to nominate a deserving teacher. Then, residents can vote for their favorite teacher online. According to Let’s Dish, 260 teachers were nominated and 14,000 people voted. In the end, Mason was one of six winning Minnesota teachers.

Mason, a long-time Oakdale resident and mother of two adult children, said that she stays energized by teaching 4 and 5-year-olds every day. “The children are like little sponges,” Mason said. “They love to learn, and I love to see that light bulb turn on for them.”

As part of prize, she received eight meal sessions at Woodbury’s Let’s Dish.

When May and Chu Lee first moved to the United States from Southeast Asia, farming was all they knew. Today, they have passed their rich farming traditions on to their children, including their daughter and Oakdale resident Mhonpaj Lee.

During the summer and early fall months, and when she’s not busy working as a medical interpreter for Hennepin County Medical Center, Mhonpaj is farming. While nine of her family members—brothers, sisters and sister-in-laws included—tend to the crops, Mhonpaj plans the harvest and runs the farm as a business.

And while the Lees sell some of their produce at farmers markets, they also work hard to produce shares for their community supported agriculture (CSA) members.

“We’ve always done hobby farming,” Mhonpaj said. “We wanted to share that with the rest of the community.”

Five years ago, the Lees attended a training session held by the Minnesota Food Association geared toward immigrant and minority farmers. There, the family learned how maintain a farm that could support portions of the community.

Today, the Lees farm on six acres of Stillwater land. Though they want to find a permanent plot of land, their current location allows them to maintain a Certified Organic farm and provide CSA shares to between 10 and 12 local families, though they hope to grow that number.  For $525, members get 16 weeks of fresh, local produce. The variety can feed between four to five people a week.

When it’s time for delivery, the Lees pick vegetables and herbs and transport them to one of four drop-off locations. While there is currently no Oakdale drop-off site, Mhonpaj isn’t opposed to the idea.

“Anyone can become a drop-off site,” Mhonpaj said. “Restaurants work best, because they have coolers to store the vegetables.” But cooler or not, Mhonpaj said her vegetables are extremely fresh. The family picks produce the day before delivery, stores them in a cooler provided by the Minnesota Food Association, and delivers the vegetables early the next morning.

And if a CSA member forgets to pick up the food? “We compost it,” Mhonpaj said. “Nothing goes to waste.”

But more than the load of fresh vegetable each week, Mhonpaj’s CSA members get a little taste of Hmong traditions.

 “A lot of people don’t like to go out of their comfort zone,” Mhonpaj said. “So we try to teach people how to prepare some commonly unknown vegetables.”

Bok choy, mustard greens and Thai basil often make their way into the weekly CSA boxes.

Mhonpaj’s weekly newsletters tell CSA members how to cook with the underutilized produce, providing recipes and cooking tips. “Mainly, people just want to eat healthy food,” Mhonpaj said. “And this is one way to support local, small farmers.”

Want to learn more about Community Supported Agriculture? Click here. Want to check out the Lee’s produce? Visit them at the St. Paul, Mill City, White Bear Lake or Mahtomedi Farmers Markets.

On June 1, Mayor Carmen Sarrack and Council members Paul Reinke and Lori Pulkrabek celebrated a ribbon cutting event with Associated Bank, which recently opened on the 7000 block of 32nd Street in Oakdale Marketplace. The new business features Associated Bank’s new branch design elements and standards which aim to enhance the customers’ overall banking experience.

“The City Council is very pleased to have Associated Bank join the community. Oakdale prides itself on having a business-friendly orientation and we welcome Associated Bank to provide services to both our residential and business communities,” Mayor Sarrack said.

The new Oakdale branch is Associated Bank’s second to open in Minnesota this year. They have 17 branches in the Twin Cities metro area and 25 branches in Minnesota with the addition of the new Oakdale branch. The bank is one of the top 50 financial services holding companies operating in the United States.

Headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Associated Bank has more than 250 banking locations serving more than 150 communities throughout Wis., Ill. and Minn.

Information Provided by the City of Oakdale.

1. Getting tired of potential rain in the forecast? Get used to it. The National Weather Service predicts  that isolated showers and thunderstorms will creep in to Oakdale around 4 p.m. But, our afternoon will be mostly sunny, with a high near 79.

2. Today is National Running Day. Join other Oakdale residents for an event at Tenacity Fitness and Endurance.

3. On this day in 1944, the largest, amphibious military operation in history was launched. Known as D-Day, thousands of American troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in a World War II invasion.

4. Happy birthday, Robert Englund. You know this 64-year-old actor from his starring role in "Nightmare on Elm Street."

5. Looking for something to do? Go to downtown Stillwater for the first installment of “Cruisin on the Croix,” a free event.

This weekend, Tartan High School’s Trap Shooting Team will travel to Alexandria to compete in the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League’s State Tournament.

According to District 622’s website, this year marks the team’s second season. 

Tartan is part of the Minnesota Metro East Conference that consists of St. Paul Academy, Simley, Henry Sibley,  Burnsvile and White Bear Lake.

The Minnesota State High School Clay Target League (MSHSCTL) was started in 2001 at Plymouth’s Gun Club after members realized that unless the sport started attracting young members, the gun club wouldn’t last long.

The MSHSCTL website says that Plymouth Gun Club Youth Program Director Jim Sable brought the idea of creating a high school clay target shooting team to the Minnesota State High School League.

Last year, 29 schools participated in trap shooting, up from just eight teams in 2008.

To learn more about the clay target league rules, click here. To read a Patch story about Tartan’s trap team, click here.

Last week, teachers from School District 622 voted on a new teacher contract. After counting votes, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale Education Association President Rory Sanders was happy to report that the contract passed.

On June 26, school board members from the district will review the contract and approve or reject it.

“I’m confident that the school board will approve the contract,” Sanders said. “I think teachers are pleased. We wish it could have been approved a lot sooner, but to have this wrapped up before summer starts is a good thing.”

District 622 teachers have been without a contract, and without a pay raise, for a year.  Members from the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale teachers union have been angrily present at recent ISD 622 school board meetings, hosting rallies in the parking lot outside the District Education Center.

Though the new contact can’t be made public until the school board approves it, the Pioneer Press reported that teachers would receive a 1.5 percent raise if it passes.

The following people were arrested between 7 a.m. Tuesday, June 5, and 7 a.m. Wednesday, June 6, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office:

• Gilbert Mancheski, 45, of Maplewood, was arrested for crimes against public order.
• Cynthia Wiger, 21, of Lake Elmo, was arrested on fourth-degree DWI and traffic charges.

Charges listed should be considered pending, and will not necessarily match official charges from the courts. It is possible those listed will not be officially charged. Listed are residents of Oakdale who were arrested in Washington County, and anyone who was arrested in Oakdale regardless of city of residence. Those listed are considered innocent until proven guilty.

1. There's a 30 percent chance that scattered showers and thunderstorms will plague us today. The National Weather Service says we'll see a high near 80.

2. District 622 students have a reason to celebrate. Today is the last day of class for all schools in the district and Tartan High School students will graduate tonight at 7 p.m.

3. Do you like a good class of wine? The Lakeview Foundation invites you to the 4th annual wine tasting event to benefit Lakeview's Prescription Assistance Program. The event starts at 6 p.m. and costs $150.

4.  On this day in 1913, an Alaskan missionary climbed Mt. McKinley, the highest point on the American continent.

5. Happy birthday, Prince! The famous Minnesotan turns 53 today.

Oakdale’s Summer Concert Series returns to the Richard Walton Park Band Shell on June 13.  Eleven bands will make an appearance throughout the summer months. Music starts at 7 p.m.  From rock and roll to jazz and children’s music, here’s what residents can expect:

• June 13: Rock Brigade
• June 27: Crankshaft
• July 4: Rockin Hollywoods
• July 11: Maiden Dixie
• July 18: Alpha Bits
• July 25: Shalo Lee and the Rush River Band
• Aug. 1: Sherwin Linton
• Aug. 8: Dirty Shorts Brass Band
• Aug. 15: The Bavarian Musikmeisters
• Aug. 22: The Sugar Benders
• Sept. 5: The Whatnots

Information provided by the City of Oakdale and the Parks and Recreation Department’s Summer Program Guide.

Understanding I risk putting words in someone’s mouth, I’d like to have a chat with the Class of 2012 on behalf of parents everywhere.

I’ll be brief.

Most of us would give extremities to be in your position.

Young, talented, ambitious, energetic, brave and with no strings tying you down.

We understand you’re excited. We were too what seems like not so long ago.

That’s why we want you to slow down and enjoy every minute of this precious time in your life. Before you embark on whatever adventure the world has in store for you, savor the small things that we promise you’ll come to miss one day.

Take your dad to a baseball game, go on a day trip with your mom, build a fort with your little sister, take your grandparents out to dinner, mow your neighbors lawn or tell that teacher or coach how much they really meant to you.

You never know when one of the above will no longer be around, and now is a perfect time to show them you care. There will be plenty of Friday nights with your friends.

If it’s one thing I’d like each of you to leave high school with, it’s knowing that we love you unconditionally. By “we,” I mean your parents, family, friends, community, state and nation.

Go ahead and roll your eyes, but you are worth far more than anything money could ever buy. For 18 years your parents have done their best to nurture and protect you, so forgive them for being a bit emotional right now. It spouts from a love we hope you’re fortunate to experience one day. As a community, you represent the best we have to offer.

You are the future, and soon you’ll inherit a country we’re in the process of trying to fix right now. Until then, we hope you’ll take your newfound independence and (safely) discover the world’s wonders.

But no longer will you be treated like a child—not by your parents, the government or the law. Real consequences will now accompany your actions. Think of your parents when you find yourself in a compromising situation.

Call if you’re in trouble. They’ll come. No questions asked. You’ll be glad you did.

To that end, use your high-speed phones to stay in touch with your mother. A simple e-mail, text or (gasp) call goes a long way toward easing her angst.

For some of you, life’s travels won’t lead you very far from home.

That’s OK.

Conversely, I can’t help but smile thinking about how others of you can’t wait to get as far away from home as you possibly can. I was that way once. You’ll eventually learn that home isn’t so bad.

Broaden your horizons—travel, find new music, high five a stranger, stay up to date on the state of your Union and always wear your seatbelt.

In closing, I’d urge you to try and leave things better than you found them. We know you will.

Good luck.

Editor’s note: Parents—are you interested in blogging about parenting or another topic? Contact your local Patch.com editor for how to get started!

Patch reports recent sale prices of area homes, with information provided by Washington County, Zillow.com and Trulia.com. Homes listed are those most recently filed with the Washington County Property Records Division.

Oakdale

• 6867 35th St. N., 2,000 square feet, four bedrooms/ two bathrooms, $188,200, sold April 26
• 7181 41st St. Court N., 2,536 square feet, four bedrooms/ two and a half bathrooms, $237,500, sold May 24
• 412 Hickory Lane, 1,464 square feet, two bedrooms/ one and a half bathrooms, $117, 900, sold May 25
• 5422 Heath Ave., 1,650 square feet, three bedrooms/ two bathrooms, $170,000, sold April 22
• 615 Greenway Ave. N., 1,693 square feet, three bedrooms/ two bathrooms, $179,900, sold May 24
• 6241 50th St. N., 1,309 square feet, three bedrooms/ one bathroom, $129,900, sold May 24

Stillwater

• 702 Maple St., W., $45,000, sold May 25
• 2614 Hawthorne Lane, $155,000, sold May 25
• 3877 Paradise Cove N., $84,000, sold May 31
• 2275 Neal Ave. N., $7,000, sold Aug. 23, 2011
• 147 Tamarack Court, $206,000, sold April 27
• 630 Main St. N., Unit 410, $150,000, sold May 9
• 3377 Osgood Way N., $115,000, sold June 5
• 3538 Osgood Circle N., $115,000, sold June 5
• 9669 Mandel Road N., $374,000, sold June 1

Woodbury

• 10720 Sailor Way, $232,000, sold March 29
• 6859 Lydia Lane, $358,400, sold May 25
• 3449 Windmill Curve, $590,000, sold May 18
• 2595 Queensport Road, $328,750, sold May 24
• 1875 Donegal Drive, $102,100, sold May 25
• 2942 White Eagle Drive, $398,000, sold April 27
• 3129 Countryside Ave., Unit D, $217,515, sold May 23
• 2790 Robinwood Way, $144,900, sold April 27
• 2461 Grey Eagle Circle, $285,000, sold May 25
• 11059 Stonemill Farms Curve, $545,000, sold May 29
• 7372 Newbury Road, $285,000, sold May 30

1. Today is going to be warm, with a high near 86. The National Weather Service says that we have a 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.

2. At 1:30 p.m. today, the Oakdale Business and Professionals Association will hold a golf fundraiser at Oak Marsh. The cost is $125. Funds raised by the event will go toward local charities.

3. A suspect in Martin Luther King Jr.'s murder, James Earl Ray, was arrested on this day in 1968.

4. Looking for a rummage sale? Go to Spirit of Life church in Woodbury today at 10 a.m.

5. Oil Painter Mary Jo Van Dell and photographer John Kaul capture the beauty of Minnesota's amazing  waterways in “Northern Solitudes,” an art display presented by ArtReach St. Croix. Check it out today at 6 p.m.

At their June 7 meeting, the Oakdale Planning Commission made a motion to approve variance and site plans for a new Caribou Coffee shop. If the Oakdale City Council approves the plans, the coffee shop will take the place of the vacant Kwik Stop gas station located at the busy intersection of Century Avenue and Highway 36.

But the planning commission’s decision didn’t come without dissent from local business owners.

Bill Berger, owner of Gateway Cycle, a neighboring store, thinks that adding a Caribou Coffee along Highway 36 will cause too many traffic issues.

“By 11 a.m., cars are backed up all the way to 50th Street,” Berger said during the planning commission meeting. “We hear so many screeching tires all the time. People driving north on Highway 120 are flying around the bend.”

Lars Carlson, manager of the nearby Salvation Army, shared the same concern. “Adding this Caribou is going to make this intersection less desirable because of the congestion it will bring,” Carlson said. “Just the other day there was an accident at Century Avenue and [Highway] 36. This store is going to cause added confusion.”

Whitney Ridlon, Oakdale’s city planner, said that a traffic study was completed to assess potential traffic issues.

“The study found that traffic generated by a new Caribou Coffee would not adversely impact the roadway network,” Ridlon said, adding that the traffic engineer assessed traffic during a rainy morning between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation also reviewed the site plan and gave it a stamp of approval, noting that southerly access to the site should be closed for safety reasons.

Don Wozniak and Paul Maenner of MW Development agreed to create one entrance and one exit point within the site plan. Drivers would enter the property, turn right and proceed through the drive through lane, park and enter the coffee shop, or exit in the emergency bypass lane.

“Circulation would be set up in a one-way traffic flow,” Ridlon said. “Additionally, lanes would be marked as drivers exit the property, so they can see what lane will be used for a right or left turn out of the site.”

Planning Commission Chair Peter Wetzels shared concerns about safety, but said that if two traffic professionals approved the location, he has to trust them.

“We had a traffic study done, the department of transportation said it is safe, I can’t argue with that,” Wetzels said. “We are not the traffic experts.”

Both Carlson and Berger plan on attending the City Council meeting to voice their concerns.  

The 41st graduating class of Tartan High School held its commencement exercises Thursday in Aldrich Arena.

Ashley Thompson was the senior student speaker and named the outstanding participant in the National Achievement Program.

Ashley Thompson and Zach Neville received the 2012 Outstanding Senior Awards. Nominated and selected by the Tartan faculty and administration, the award goes to the students the faculty feels represent Tartan best in areas of leadership, academic achievement and school citizenship.

Neville was also honored for having attained a perfect ACT score.

Margo Cangemi and Neville were commended in the National Merit Program.

Twenty-two students graduated with a GPA of 4.0 or above: Jennifer Anderson, Madison Bartholomew, Margo Cangemi, Natalie Fenske, Wade Korf, Nicholas Marka, Britta Meyer, Katalina Moua, Kelly Nadeau, Courtney Neville, Zach Neville, Elizabeth Nistler, Phong Nguyen, Kelly Peterson, Laura Peterson, MaLeah Peterson, Chelsea Regan, Zachary Speidel, Zoua Thao, Ashley Thompson, Brittany Weinand and Haley-Severs-Wilkerson.

Samual Kohner was noted for having perfect attendance in grades 9-12.

Tartan High School science teacher Steve Hoemann was the faculty speaker.

Each Friday, Oakdale Patch will test your local knowledge and attention to detail by posting a picture taken around town.

If you think you know where the photo was taken, enter your answer in the comment section.

Did we make this one too easy? Let's see how quickly someone can get the right answer.

If you've got an idea for an Oakdale scene that will stump your neighbors, send us a Facebook message!

About this column: Each Friday, we'll post a photo from around town and see who can identify its location first.