You asked, and our experts answered. For much of the past year, Patch has provided local experts on a variety of topics. Here's a look back at some of the most popular advice offered, as measured by the number of readers who "clicked" on these posts:

Minnesota weather

Question: Many times, it seems as though severe storms that follow an I-94 path ... split or shoot north or south of us. Are we just lucky or is there some scientific definition?

Meteorologist Keith Marler: The ole "Metro split", eh? ... The simple answer (but not necessarily the complete answer) is that its simply a perceived effect exaggerated by the fact that we now notice it when it happens to occur ... the slightly longer answer is being studied by a group of Meteorologists/chemists/etc at the Universities of Oklahoma & Michigan to see what effect, if any, pockets of urban developments can actually influence weaker storm's tracks.

Question: What is it that causes people with arthritis to have more pain when the weather changes? Also, do you know of any good websites to find more information about this? Thanks for all you do!

Meteorologist Keith Marler: Weather changes & the old "feel it in my bones" is theoretically a result of the changes in atmospheric pressure ... the bigger the storm system approaching, the bigger the change possible ... (but this correlation is still debated), Here's a link for you: http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/arthritis/44-1.html

Question: Why is it that 3 weather models are used to make predictions, and how do you choose which one to use?

Meteorologist Keith Marler: There are more than just 3 ... there are several generated from the US, Canada & Europe that I use. Each is a computer's "best guess" on the weather, but each has its own type of bias (some run cold in warm weather, some get a little too excited about moisture, etc) - and these biases are dependent upon the current weather scenario (also known as "initial conditions").  The short answer: I don't choose just one ... I use a blend of model output combined with a base knowledge of trends as well as just good old fashioned experience to pop out a forecast each morning!

Pedestrian laws and safety

Question: Can you clarify the law pertaining to pedestrians in marked crosswalks and unmarked crosswalks? I walk a lot, and I struggle with when drivers should be stopping and giving me the right-of-way.

Fay Simer, MnDOT: In Minnesota, every corner is a crosswalk. In other words, drivers must stop for crossing pedestrians whether or not there is paint marking the crosswalk. Check out MnDOT's new Share the Road campaign for safety tips both drivers and pedestrians -www.sharetheroadmn.org

Question: A couple years back when my children were younger I was walking with them to a local playground. We had to cross a road with a marked crosswalk. Several cars passed by without stopping and I noticed a marked squad car approaching, and he was not slowing down either. I made eye contact with the officer and gave him the "Mom" look. He immediately put his lights on, backed up and informed me he "was not required to stop at the crosswalk because we were waiting on the sidewalk and that he was only required to stop if I was actually in the crosswalk." This both surprised and infuriated me because he expected me to actually have myself and 3 children in the crosswalk hoping that speeding cars would stop. So according to law enforcement....walk out into the crosswalk, don't check your safety and the law with protect you from being hit by a passing motorist...good grief!!!

Dale Butler (pedestrian safety blogger): You don't actually have to be in the crosswalk, just one foot into the crosswalk is enough. The officer was right. I always stop on the corner close to the crosswalk entrance and wait for cars to clear. Sometimes cars stop for me and motion me to cross in front of them. although that car may be stopped others may not see me and continue around that car. I refuse and remain out of the crosswalk until I am sure drivers are able to see me and HAVE TIME TO STOP, Right turn lane cars are the most dangerous when a pedestrian is entering the cross walk. Right turners are usually looking to their left to make sure they are not entering the destination street in front of another car. The pedestrian to their right is almost invisible.

Family conflicts

Question: We were just having a facebook discussion re: a friend with a 5 year year old who is very disrespectful to his mom, hitting, sassing, yelling, etc. Her and her husband have been through a divorice over the past year. I feel like he is just acting out and can't sort his own feelings. Others think usual punishment should apply. What do you think? At age of 5 would a boy be greatly affected or is this just a 5 year old testing boundries?

Megan Bearce, LMFT: A divorce is a major change in a family for children whether they are 5 or 25 so it's possible the child is feeling a range of emotions and given his age, may not have words or tools for expressing worry, fear, or anger. How much information does he know about the divorce and what that means for his time with mom or dad? Has there been a move related to the divorce? Did he just start kindergarten on top of this? A therapist who is trained in play therapy can be a great resource for a child to determine the reasons behind the behaviors. It also can be very valuable for the parents to come in together and with a therapist or parent coach, develop a parenting plan because even though they are no longer married they are still parents to the child and many decisions need to be made over the years about things like discipline and if changes occur such as remarriage by one or both parents it can be helpful to have a place to sort through those with a neutral third party.

Question: I have been trying for years to get my kids involved in extra curricular activities. They try something for a while: basketball, piano, track, scouts, then quit after a year or less. Now they are teens and addicted to X-box, Smart phone, t.v. and YouTube. Even playing with friends is over Xbox or the internet. I recently put limits on these distractions until they get involved in an outside activity of their choosing. They have no idea what they want to do. Any advice would be appreciated.

Jenny Reimann (MSW, LICSW of Reimann Counseling Clinic in Maple Grove): Great work in trying to get your kids more active, both then and now! Your teens sounds like many of the teens we see in our clinic as well: participating in screen time instead of face time. Setting limits for them is a great start. I often recommend this to the parents I work with. I would also suggest being very specific as far as time spent on Xbox, Smartphone, etc. It may not be realistic to cut them out entirely, as this is now their main form of communication with their friends, as you also indicated. Another recommendation I give is to let that down time guide them. Often times, when they are unable to look at their phone, watch tv, etc, they gravitate to a natural interest (reading, biking, etc). Lastly, I encourage you as a family, if you are not yet, to participate in active events, such as joining the gym, going to a community concert, attending the museum. Often times they don't know that they like it until they are exposed to it. One last thing to keep in mind is that they are teens, and they can be difficult to read when it comes to recognizing that they are actually enjoying something.

Grilling

Question: I burn stuff. Two questions: What's the best way not to burn stuff on the grill? When I do burn stuff, what's the best thing to do—serve it as is, scrape it and then serve it, or toss it?

Jon Stephen Swenson (from Southwest Minneapolis Famous Dave's): Usually your grill will have hot spots, these are OK if you are watching but can burn if you don't. I would turn up the heat to get the grill hot then turn it down for cooking. If using charcoal try an indirect approach and don't put the meat right above the coal. 

If it is not burned too bad I just scrape or cut the burned part off with home cooking but would throw it away if questionable at the restaurant.

Question: I have issues with cooking kebobs. Stuff never cooks at the same rate and some is good, some is burned, some is underdone. Any tricks? Is it just cutting stuff to the right size?

Jon Stephen Swenson: Yes, also, pre-cooking the marinated meat first will ensure that the veggies don't get overcooked. Don't try to get done too fast, maybe turn down the heat a little.

Winterizing your car

Question: What weight of motor oil should people put in their cars for winter?

Precision Auto Repair: I would suggest you see what the manufacturer of your vehicle recommends. That information will be on the oil filler cap or in the owners manual. 

As far as winter weight, most vehicle require no change in weight. Newer model vehicles use a semi synthetic oil, which is a synthetic based oil to help lubrication at start up, and during the extreme weather seasons. 

Question: At what point is necessary to get new tires so you are adequately protected from snow and ice on the roads?

Baber Auto Repair: Tires will wear differently depending on where they are placed on the vehicle, the tire pressure, and the alignment of the vehicle. Tires with poor tread definitely will need to be replaced. We recommend having a trusted mechanic look at your tires, as well as battery, spark plugs, coolant, wipers, brakes, and other winter critical areas to make sure your vehicle is prepared for winter. Your mechanic will be able to tell you if you should consider replacing tires before winter or if you will make it safely through winter.

If you blink you might miss the Quadrantids Meteor Shower. It peaks in the hours right before dawn on Jan. 3, with a maximum number of meteors per hour of about 80.

The Quadrantids come from an asteroid called 2003 EH1, just as the Geminids did in early December. Meteor showers usually are named based on the constellations where they originate. Quadrans Muralis (mural quadrant) between Bootes and Draco.

The meteor shower is expected to "last only a few hours,"according to NASA.com. That means you should look for it in the the night of Jan. 2-3, not the night of Jan. 3-4. The moon will set after midnight, so the best time to view the meteors will be between then and sunrise at about 7:50 a.m.

If there is cloud cover in Oakdale on that night, you can watch a Ustream feed of the meteor shower on Jan. 2-4 on NASA.com.

Obviously, you'll have more luck catching the shooting stars if you're in a place not polluted by light.

In Oakdale, that makes your best bet the Oakdale Discovery Center, which boasts plenty of wide open and dark spaces.

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The following people were arrested according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office:

Dec. 24 

• Danielle Anita Krueger, 22, of Oakdale, arrested at the 6000 block of 52nd Street on second-degree assault and domestic assault charges. 

Dec. 25

• Jauan Eugene Love, 32, of St. Paul, arrested at Highway 36 and Highway 120 on disturbing the peace charges.
• Robert Luther Shaw, 27, of Oakdale, arrested on domestic assault by strangulation charges.
• Michael George Stoehr, 41, of St. Paul, arrested at Menards on disturbing the peace and harassing communications, property damage and theft charges.

Dec. 26

• Manfred Kunoff, 54, of Oakdale, arrested at the 6100 block of 22nd Street on domestic assault charges. 

Dec. 27 

• Diego Bautista-Gonzalez, 25, of St. Paul, arrested at Fleet Farm on theft, traffic and immigration-related charges.
• Justin James Hiveley, 28, of Oakdale, arrested on fifth-degree drug possession.

Dec. 29 

• Sami Adnan Abuhamed, 20, of Oakdale, arrested at the 6400 block of Lower 57th Street on domestic assault charges.

Dec. 30

• Justin Lee Clauson, 28, of Oakdale, arrested at the 900 block of Helena on traffic and DWI charges.
• Bennie Adonnis Jackson, 26, of Oakdale, arrested on traffic and DWI charges. 

Dec. 31 

• Steven Louis Register, 38, of St. Paul, arrested at the 1400 block of Geneva Avenue on DWI charges. 
• Hellen Tekesteberhan Tefera, 22, of St. Paul, arrested at Highway 36 west of Geneva on DWI charges.
• Joel Nathaniel Tolbert, 48, of Oakdale, arrested on DWI charges.

Jan. 1

• Pierce Morgan Conwi, 24, of Oakdale, arrested on domestic assault charges.
• Eric Michael Coppersmith, 35, of Roseville, arrested at the 6900 block of 40th Street on second-degree assault charges. 
• Morgan Derek Pontiff, 27, of St. Paul, arrested at the 1200 block of Geneva Avenue on DWI charges.
• John Anthony Ramos, 46, of St. Paul, arrested at Fleet Farm on theft charges.

A lot has happened in Oakdale over the last year, but especially involving local businesses.

There have been openings, closings, remodelings and more. Here are the top 20 business stories of 2012:

1. Theater Buyout, Mobile Store, Bar Eviction: Washington County Business Roundup

2. New Sweets Shop, Quiznos Closure, Urban Farm: Washington County Business Roundup

3. Parents Protest Planned Shutdown of Little Angels Preschool

4. Oakdale’s New Indoor Market Begins Saturday Afternoon

5. Oakdale Gets 'Sweeter' With New Cake and Pastry Shop

6. Editor’s Notebook: Hefty Permit Fee Halts Café Plans

7. New Business Owners Take Over Old Liquor Store Site, Revamp Store

8. Local Funeral Home makes Jay Leno’s ‘Headlines’ Segment

9. Editor’s Notebook: Neighbors Concerned about Coffee Shop Plan

10. Editor’s Notebook: Oakdale to Get a New Coffee Shop, or Three

11. Business Spotlight: New Business Owners Drawn to Oakdale to Open Gym

12. Oakdale Begins Indoor Market in Time for Holiday Shopping

13. Oakdale Company Honored as One of State's 'Best and Brightest'

14. Carmike Cinema Group Acquires Rave Cinemas

15. Tartan Students Launch New Business with Help from a Local Restaurant

16. Two New Stores, One New Restaurant Coming to Woodbury Lakes

17. Editor’s Notebook: Caribou Coffee Gives Timeline for New Shops

18. Readers' Choice: Best Brunch Spot in the Oakdale Area

19. Oakdale Small Business Grows After Summer Launch

20. New Caribou Coffee Celebrates Grand Opening

Keep up with businesses, city government, crime, schools and other happenings in the community by signing up for our free e-newsletter , Liking us on Facebook and Following us on Twitter .  

A list of new laws that took effect Jan. 1, 2013, courtesy of the Minnesota House of Representatives Public Information Services.

Business

Business solicitation restrictions clarified:

Licensed health care providers will be prohibited from using third parties to solicit business from those who have been in automobile accidents, unless they clearly provide their names and the clinics where they work.

Sponsored by Rep. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) and Sen. Paul Gazelka (R-Brainerd), the law will require this information to be disclosed to consumers. Violating the statute could result in license revocation.

Abeler explained that the law would impact companies that may use unethical business practices, such as promising specific financial payments to those injured, or using actors posing as law enforcement to attract customers.

Health and Human Services

Young parents trying to finish school could benefit from day care change:

Effective Jan. 1, 2013, there will be an extension to the number of absent days that child care providers can be reimbursed when children of young mothers, still in school, miss day care.

Currently, under the child care assistance programs, there is a limit of 10 absent days per fiscal year for which child care providers may be reimbursed.

Included in the omnibus health and human services law, sponsored by Rep. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) and Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie), the provision allows children in families who meet specified criteria to exceed the limit upon request of the program and approval of the county. The provision was part of a bill sponsored by Rep. Nora Slawik (DFL-Maplewood).

The law specifies that if a child attends the child care program for part of an authorized day, payment to the provider must be for the full amount of care authorized for that day.

Insurance

Portable electronic device insurance available as standalone product

Legislation regulating insurance on portable electronic devices is clarified by a new law.

Rep. Diane Anderson (R-Eagan), who sponsors the law with Sen. Paul Gazelka (R-Brainerd), said this insurance covers the loss or damage to portable devices such as mobile phones, laptops and iPads. Coverage is typically sold at the place of purchase.

Legislation passed in 2010 exempted the counterperson from having to be an independent insurance agent and required a vendor to provide training and keep a list of all locations that sell the insurance. Because many more places now sell portable electronics devices, supporters said system updates are needed.

The law requires that the insurance must be offered and sold separately, not as part of a package deal; allows training for sale of the insurance to be done electronically; requires a mandated disclosure to affirmatively state that upon cancellation of the insurance the premium will be refunded on a ratable basis to the customer; and allows coverage correspondence notices to be sent by mail or electronically.

Public Safety

School buses to be equipped with crossing arm

All school buses used in the state that are manufactured after Jan. 1, 2013, will need to be equipped with a crossing control arm on the front right bumper that automatically expands out whenever the bus is stopped and the flashing red lights are in use. Additionally, adopted national school bus specifications are being updated to use 2010 standards instead of those created in 2005.

This piggybacks onto a law effective Aug. 1, 2012, that provides permissive authority for the placement of cameras on buses, modification of color requirements and allowance for equipment around the flashing signal lamps; auxiliary fans will be required.

The law is sponsored by Rep. Larry Howes (R-Walker) and Sen. Pam Wolf (R-Spring Lake Park).

 

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Woodbury author Allan Evans’ novel, Killing Time on the Highway, involves a shootout on the highway, eight dead people and the mystery behind $300 million in cash.

Much of the action takes place in Woodbury and the east metro.

Evans, 53, grew up in Bloomington and also works as the marketing manager at FirstTech. He has been a marketing communications writer for a decade, including a stint as a communications writer for Medtronic, writing everything from magazine ads to ghostwriting articles for cardiac surgeons.

Patch asked Evans about the book:

Patch: Why did you decide to use Woodbury and the east metro as the setting for Killing Time on the Highway?

Allan Evans: It's a case of write what you know, and I know—and love—our community.

Patch: Tell us a little about the plot.

Evans: Minnesota State Patrol investigator Cade Dawkins takes on the case of his lifetime when a bloody highway shootout leaves behind eight dead bodies—and $300 million in cash. After his last assignment, a disaster that left his partners dead and his career on life support, Cade jumps at the opportunity for redemption, recognizing this will either be his biggest—or his final—case.

Patch: How does the setting influence what happens in the book?

Evans: Living in Minnesota with its four seasons gives one a profound sense of place, which I try to impart into the novel. I've always been a fan of John Sandford's Prey series, which are set in the Twin Cities. I love the fact that as you read it, you know exactly where each scene is taking place. You almost expect to run into the characters when visiting the same places. Some of the major scenes in Killing Time take place on Highway 94, Sam's Club, Dunn Bros, Imation headquarters and the Cathedral of St. Paul.

Patch: How did the book turn out?

Evans: I'm happy with it! In fact I'm halfway through writing a sequel. 

Patch: How/where can people get the book?

Evans: Amazon sells a Kindle edition.

Patch: Anything else you'd like to add?

Evans: The research was a lot of fun. I've met a lot of great people and have ridden in law enforcement squads traveling at 120 miles per hour with the lights and sirens going. Believe me, that will get your adrenaline racing!

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Friends and family of Danielle Jelinek are asking for any help to post flyers of her disappearance in the area she was last seen.

Jelinek, 27, was reported missing on Dec. 9. She was last seen at her on-again, off-again boyfriend's house in Chisago Lake Township. Since her disappearance, Aaron Schnagl — who was the last to see Jelinek — has been named a person of interest in the case.  

A post calling for volunteers went up on the Danielle Mary Jelinek Search Team Facebook page Wednesday morning: 

For anyone who can help in an effort to post flyers in Chisago City and the near cities, I will be up in Chisago City on Friday to do so. There hasn't been any updates from the Sheriffs Dept and the ground search has been momentarily called off due to the elements of weather. They ask that people do not search on their own because of safety issues. So for now, we're limited to the options we have. 

We also have to ask permission of all companies and locations the flyers will be placed. So please be patient in the process.

Those interested in posting flyers on Friday should post on the search team's Facebook page for more information. 

An account has also been set up at Think Mutual Bank for anyone who would like to support the Jelinek family with monetary donations. 

The Jelinek Family Benefit Fund should be referenced when making a deposit and checks can be made payable to the same name. 

Related:

Ground Search Officially for Missing Oakdale Woman Called Off

Search Teams Take to the Sky in Search of Missing Oakdale Woman; Still No Clues

Authorities Find Blood Evidence in Missing Oakdale Woman Case; Abuse Allegations Arise

Candle Light Vigil Set for Missing Oakdale Woman Monday Night

'Person of Interest' Named in Missing Oakdale Woman Case, Search Continues

Day Two: Search Continues for Missing Oakdale Woman Thursday Afternoon

Local Nonprofit Speaks Out to Family of Missing Oakdale Woman

Search Launched Wednesday to Find Missing Oakdale Woman

Sheriff's Deputies, Other Agencies Search for Missing Oakdale Woman

Sheriff's Office Investigates Oakdale Woman's Disappearance

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The Washington County Attorney's Office will prosecute the Little Falls homicide case of a 64-year-old man who is accused of shooting two teens who broke into his home on Thanksgiving.

Orput told the Pioneer Press the Minnesota County Attorneys Association called him on behalf of the Morrison County attorney's office to ask if he’d try the case.

The case, the president of the county attorneys association told Orput, is that the case would be contentious because of the gun issue.

"If that's a challenge,” Orput told the Pioneer Press, “I want it.”

Morrison County will pay per diem for mileage, meals and rooms if necessary, Orput told Stillwater Patch on Wednesday.

“The attorney time is not billed, but county attorneys routinely take conflict cases for each other and when my office gets a conflict we can send it to Morrison County to handle to make up for the time I spend on their case,” he said.

Byron Smith is charged with second-degree murder in the deaths of Haile Kifer, 18, and Nicholas Brady, 17, two cousins who were repeatedly shot after they broke into Smith’s home.

Smith has posted bail. An omnibus hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22.

Orput told the Pioneer Press he has "reviewed and prosecuted cases that involve the concept of defense of dwelling" and thinks this is a good case to present to a jury.

Last year the Washington County Attorney’s Office worked on about 25 cases for other counties Orput said.

A St. Paul man made his first appearance in court for allegedly whipping his 2-year-old son with an audio/video cord and assaulting the boy's mother. 

President Pimpin Austin Sr., 21, was arrested in Oakdale on Dec. 7 on a report of domestic abuse. He has been charged with felony domestic assault, violating an order of protection and felony malicious punishment of a child under 4 years old. 

According to the complaint: 

The Oakdale Police Department received a report of possible child abuse on Dec. 7. A nurse at Children's Hospital in St. Paul reported that a woman had brought her two grandchildren to the hospital after she saw signs of abuse. 

The two children were examined. Police reviewed the medical report, which stated that the boy — who was 1 year old at the time — showed signs of whipping injuries on his butt, upper legs, lower stomach and his genitals. 

Investigators contacted the grandmother who said that the children's mother had told her that the father, Austin, had hit the boy with an AV cord on Nov. 30. 

Investigators were unable to immediately reach the mother, but were later called about an assault that had taken place at the mother's residence involving Austin. The complaint states there is an active Order of Protection against Austin with the woman.

Police interviewed the woman who said that Austin assaulted her by kicking and punching her on her sides and her head. Investigators observed red marks on her arms and her ribs. 

The woman said that Austin became angry when he saw her cell phone and thought she was talking to another man. After the alleged assault, Austin reportedly took her ebt card. 

Officers also interviewed the woman about the alleged child abuse. The woman reported that Austin became upset with his son and took the child into the bathroom and started hitting him with an AV cord jack that goes into the TV. The woman said she heard the child yelling, "No daddy, stop daddy." 

After Austin allegedly whipped the child, he asked the woman if a "ding-ding" can get swollen, the complaint states.

The woman then saw that the boy had cuts on his legs and was bleeding. The boy's genitals were also swollen, according to the complaint. 

The woman did not seek medical treatment for the child and gave custody of the boy and his 3-year-old sister to their grandmother. 

Police located Austin walking at 10th Street and Hadley Avenue. He was arrested and booked in Washington County Jail. Austin denied being around the woman or the children.

Austin's criminal history shows that he was convicted of domestic assault by strangulation in 2011 and convicted of domestic assault in 2010. 

If found guilty, Austin could face five years in prison and pay up to $10,000 in fines for each of the three charges. 

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I make new resolutions every year. There's something about Jan. 1 that makes me want to start some things fresh.

And usually I'm able to stick to about half of them—like giving up watermelon for the month of February or taking a nap once a week. (Wink)

Try as I might, I haven't been able to convince myself that a gym is a great place to be three times a week—however, I'll give it another shot in 2013.

Patch wants to know what resolutions you've made for the new year. Have you vowed to have a family movie night each week? Take a family vacation to Yellowstone National Park? Make a standing date with your partner? Or maybe you've decided to count to three before yelling at your clumsy nine-year-old for breaking yet another glass dish.

Tell us your resolutions in the comments section below. If you haven't made any yet, feel free to steal one from above. (Another wink)

Legislative Clerk David Surdez places the names of the 2013-2014 House members on the voting board in the House Chamber. The 134 name plates have to be adjusted by hand at least every two years.

The legislative session is scheduled to begin Jan. 8.

After redistricting, and the 2012 General Election, the Oakdale area will be represented by Leon Lillie and JoAnn Ward in the Minnesota House of Representatives and Chuck Wiger and Susan Kent in the Senate. 

RELATED: Lillie Beats Klein for House District 43B

Ward Defeats Cunningham for House District 53A

Wiger Overcomes Challenger for State Senate Seat

Kent Unseats Lillie for Senate District 53 

Minnesota Election Results: President, U.S. Senate, Congress and Amendments 

It was my experience growing up with a WWII 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 City Center 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.

SSG Kriesel was serving in Iraq in 2006 when he and two fellow soldiers were hit by a roadside bomb. His buddies died. Kriesel was gravely wounded, but survived despite losing both legs. Kriesel’s story is not just about the combat action that caused his wounds, but about the resiliency it took to survive.  He expresses gratitude for the quick action of fellow soldiers and the skilled medical care that kept him alive, together with the unqualified support of family and friends that kept him going.

Audience members will be inspired by Kriesel’s ability to deal with adversity, and his ability to move forward in life. Hear about his accomplishments following recovery, and find out what he’s doing now. 

Just a few days later, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2 at the Park Grove Library in Cottage Gove, another event takes place -- the performance of local folk singer and songwriter Charlie Maguire. Maguire has a soldier story, too. It’s a story about how a song that he wrote and performed became an inspiration to a young MN soldier. I read about it in an October 29, 2005 Star Tribune article by Doug Grow. It seems that the MN soldier first heard Maguire’s song “When’s That Train a-Coming?” when he was in grade school. While in Iraq, the MN soldier sang the song in tense times. It helped get him through.

I’m hoping Charlie Maguire will tell that “soldier story” to his audience on Feb. 2, and sing the song.

It’s important that soldier stories are told. You’re invited to hear these two stories 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.

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

The Oakdale Police Department responded to an aggravated robbery at Super America at 7570 10th Street on Dec. 26.

According to the initial complaint, an employee reported that three males took several cartons of cigarettes and cash from the gas station.

The men stealing the items claimed to have a gun, but they never showed it to the employee. The suspects left before police arrived.

Police collected photos, video and evidence at the scene. The case is under investigation. 

The theft value was $9,634. 

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Washington County has already earned an award for the lighted cross-country skiing trails at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve.

On Jan. 11, the county board will celebrate the official opening of the trails and new Nordic Center.

“Cross country skiing trails have (received) great comments from the public,” County Commissioner Gary Kriesel said when the board approved the project. “They’re very popular out there.”

The $1.3 million project features a new center that serves as the trailhead for the ski trails, along which the county in the fall of 2011 installed more than 200 LED lights on poles four to five feet tall. The fixtures are aimed at the ground to “minimize light escaping into the night sky,” according to a release from Washington County.

The newly lighted ski area includes several interconnected loop trails at the Lake Elmo Park Reserve, located at the intersection of County Road 19 and County Road 10 in Lake Elmo, one mile north of Interstate 94.

Project funding came from a Park and Trail Fund grant, which is part of the Clean Water Land and Legacy Amendment, and Metropolitan Council grants. No county property tax levy funds were used, according to the release.

The upcoming celebration, set for 4 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, will be held at the Nordic Center. The park entrance fee will be a waived during the event.

Imation Corp. announced Wednesday that it has entered a deal to buy Nexsan for $120 million, according to Yahoo! News.

Imation purchased Nexsan, a privately owned company that provides disk-based and solid-state storage systems, for $105 million in cash, plus $15 million worth of stock, according to Yahoo! News.

Nexsan is based in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Approximately 200 employees based in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, will be joining Imation's ranks. 

Nexsan will continue to operate out of Thousand Oaks under existing management. The move is expected to accelerate Imation's growth, according to the press release posted on Yahoo! News. 

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On Sunday, Dec. 30, the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers, 37-34. Six days later, the teams will face each other again Saturday during Wild Card Weekend.

To cap off the playoff matchup between these two NFC North teams, we're bringing back our Packers/Vikings photo gallery. It is running on Patch sites across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

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On Thursday, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak announced he has a "friendly wager" with Green Bay Mayor Jim Schmitt on the outcome of the game. 

"Mayor Rybak will wager house-made sausages from Minneapolis restaurant Butcher and the Boar, recently named Restaurant of the Year by the Star Tribune," according to the news release. "Mayor Schmitt will wager BelGioioso cheese, along with Sno-cap Root Beer from Titletown Brewing Company and Beernsten’s Candies, all from Green Bay."

Now that the mayors have weighed in, we want to hear from you.

Vote in our poll about the game. In the comments section, talk trash (keep it clean) or share your score predictions.

It's a new year with another new business in Oakdale.

For those of you ready to kick off 2013 with some healthy meal choices in town — you're in luck. 

Top Tier Nutrition recently opened up in Bergen Plaza. It offers meal replacement shake packages as well as retails its products, among other services. 

Oakdale Patch caught up with the new business owner. Here's the scoop on Top Tier Nutrition: 

Full business name: Top Tier Nutrition

Address: 7025 10th Street, Oakdale, MN

Owner: Chase Rickord

Number of employees: 2

Open date in Oakdale: Nov. 5

Hours of operation: Mon/Wed/Fri: 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Tues/Thurs: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; closed on Sundays.

Contact information: 763-213-9393, TopTierNutrition@gmail.com

Oakdale Patch: What services and products does your business provide?

Rickord: We’re kind of like private nutrition. We have a full smoothie bar where people come in for breakfast and lunch to get a lot of nutrients from our shakes. They are meal replacement shakes. You get a shot of aloe with the shake and you also get an 8-ounce tea for an energy boost, which is the exact opposite of a pop. It’s a smoothie bar setting, but then we also do personal wellness coaching as well. So we educate on getting individuals to their health goal, whether it’s to lose weight or they have digestive issues or heart issues. We love to help people get healthy.

All that we serve here are meal replacements, but we have some products if people wanted more of a protein shake or wanted something geared toward an athlete. 

Oakdale Patch: Do you have other locations? If so, where? 

Rickord: We have over 70,000 locations worldwide. They are all independently owned. This is the only one that I personally own. There are about 20,000 Starbacks worldwide, so there are a lot of these. We’re just trying to offer easy health options and really help people.   

Oakdale Patch: What made you want to open a business in Oakdale?

Rickord: I saw an opportunity where there are a lot of people. I see that people have busy schedules here in the cities and it looked like the right opportunity to jump in. I kind of toured Oakdale locations and I liked what I saw. It’s not too far from where I live in St. Paul, and it’s just a perfect opportunity; there’s nothing really like this around here. 

Oakdale Patch: What is your price range for your shakes?

Rickord: If people just want to use our shake or smoothie bar, it is $7.50 for all three (a shot of aloe, 8-ounce tea and 8-ounce smoothie). We also do free personal wellness coaching. We educate about the nutrients going in body. We have a lot of free services like free wellness evaluations where we help you figure out how much protein you should be taking in, how much water. 

We also carry Herbal Life products, the largest weight loss and management company in the world.

Oakdale Patch: Can people buy the shakes and teas individually or do they come in a package? 

Rickord: We recommend all three, so we really just sell the entire meal. We don’t like to split it up, but you can for instance make it all at home. We have over 40 different shake recipes, so we can retail products as well. Then we can teach you how to do it.

Oakdale Patch: Do you feel like there is a good market for your business in this area?

Rickord: Absolutely. The weight loss industry alone is a huge industry — about a $500 billion industry and that will double in the next four to five years. So we take a stand on what is healthy. It’s really about educating people. There are so many products or providers out there that just want to sell you products and not teach you how to use it. We really want personal relationships. How can we help you with this and that? So really it’s my philosophy to get to know each person who walks through the door. It’s more than walking in the door to get a shake and leaving. 

Oakdale Patch: Any final comments or additional information for customers?

Rickord: It’s a really fun atmosphere. We try to relate to everybody. We love health and healthy people. 

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With another legislative session just around the corner, senators and representatives have no shortage of challenges ahead of them.

Lawmakers plan to convene hearings on gun control in the wake of the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, CT. They’ll review a recommendation from a governor-appointed task force to increase gas taxes and tab fees in response to a projected $50 billion shortfall in transportation funding. The DFL majority and defeat of the marriage amendment in the 2012 election could even prompt the Legislature to take up the issue of gay marriage.

And looming over everything is a projected $1.1 billion deficit that legislators will have to close before adjourning for the year.

With so many issues on the table, Patch wants to know what issues you think should take priority when the Legislature convenes Jan. 8. Should it be tax reform? Transportation? Education? Social issues? Share your thoughts in the comments below.