Semaglutide for Weight Loss in Woodland, MN

DULUTH — The Minnesota Department of Health has issued a health advisory after two cases of Legionnaires' disease were contracted at Woodland Garden Apartments.

The cases, which were diagnosed in October and December, are believed to have the same source of exposure, according to the Minnesota Department of Health.

"Two cases of Legionella with a common apartment building is concerning as outbreaks in this setting are relatively rare," MDH said in its health advisory issued Dec. 21.

Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by a bacterial infection. The bacteria, legionella, is found in soil and water and can multiply in water systems like large air conditioning system cooling towers, hot water heaters or tanks, fountains, pools or hot tubs.

The disease is especially dangerous for people who are age 50 or older, have weakened immune systems, have chronic lung conditions and/or smoke. Woodland Garden Apartments at 127 E. Calvary Road is a 60-unit affordable housing complex for seniors.

"The disease carries high morbidity or mortality and this setting is a seniors-only apartment building, which increases the concern as advanced age is a major risk factor for Legionnaires’ disease," the health advisory from the Minnesota Department of Health read. "Given that Legionnaires’ disease can mimic so many other respiratory illnesses, MDH encourages testing in patients that may be connected to this location."

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Doug Schultz, an information officer for the Minnesota Department of Health, said the state is investigating the source of the exposure so the hazard can be eliminated to prevent additional illnesses. The building is working with a legionella consultant to test water and conduct an environmental assessment.

Residents at Woodland Garden Apartments have also been recommended ways to decrease their risk of inhaling water and to prevent the spread of airborne particles. Symptoms of the bacterial pneumonia have been shared with the facility so residents with symptoms can be tested with a legionella urinary antigen test.

According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms of Legionnares' disease usually develop two to 10 days after exposure to legionella bacteria. The following are symptoms, which will progress over a period of a few days:

Legionnaires' disease primarily affects the lungs, but it occasionally can cause infections in wounds and in other parts of the body, including the heart. Pontiac fever, a mild form of Legionnaires' disease, does not infect the lungs, but can produce fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Symptoms usually clear within two to five days.Schultz said the two Legionnaires' cases at Woodland Garden Apartments are the only recent cases in Duluth. He said there are typically 100-150 cases of the disease found annually in Minnesota.

Woodland Garden Apartments management did not respond to requests for comment.

This story's headline was updated at 3 p.m. Jan. 5 to reflect that the facility is an apartment building, not a nursing home. It was originally posted at 11:35 a.m. Jan. 5. The News Tribune regrets the error.

ALEXANDRIA – The corner of Third Avenue and Jefferson Street, across from Orb Management and Real Estate, will soon have a new tenant – Woodland Dentistry.

The dental office, owned and operated by Tyler Geyen, is expanding into a brand new, much larger facility.

“What prompted this is patient demand,” said Geyen, who bought the business from Dr. Alan Quam nearly seven years ago. “We are busy keeping up with patient demand at our current office and realized our lack of patient rooms is preventing timely care for our patients.”

Currently, the office is located on Hawthorne Street, which Geyen said has been great, but he also noted that he is excited to bring his office and business to Third Avenue and that he hopes it helps to give that part of town a facelift.

The building he is in now was built in about 1980, he said, and does not allow for any type of expansion. In addition, it is in a more residential part of Alexandria, whereas the space on Third Avenue is more commercial.

About a year and a half ago, he hired another dentist – Dr. Jacob Aberle – because of patient demand and the two of them offer a full range of services ranging from common dentistry practices like fillings, dentures, crowns and dental care for kids. They also offer sedation dentistry, including dental implants, wisdom tooth extractions, oral surgery and root canals to name a few. And they do all their own orthodontic work.

“With our combination of services we offer, that is why we are so busy and need more space,” said Geyen. “We really like being able to take care of families all the way through all their family needs. Our practice philosophy is to take care of families from start to finish.”

The new building will face both Third Avenue and Second Avenue and patients will have a view of the lake when they are having services done, said Geyen.

Geyen has been working with Katie Botker of Infinite Design Consulting for the design work of the building and the space. He said the new building will be two stories and will feature space on the second floor for another business.

“I am open to whatever the interest is, whether it is a single tenant or break the space into multiple,” said Geyen. “We’re creating space for our dental office and then creating space for another business."

As it stands right now, site work on the property will begin in September with hopes that the new facility will be finished up in 2023.

Geyen said that although patient demand is what prompted the move, he also said that what he is trying to do within his team of 11, which includes himself, is to create the right culture and the right environment and that they do that best with the relationships they’ve built. But, he said that what they need for the right environment is the right space and a new facility can offer what they need to expand and grow.

Possible donation?

On the piece of property that Geyen purchased sits a home that he currently owns and rents out. He is working on the possibility of donating the house and is working out the details. Nothing has been set in stone yet, he said.

A proposal to put up a housing development on a piece of property bordering Amity Creek, a designated trout stream, has caused a stir in Duluth’s Woodland neighborhood.

The project would require the extension of Vassar Street, currently a sleepy dead-end road lined with 20 homes.

Patrick Ferguson lives at the end of the current street with his wife, Katey, and two children, ages 7 and 9.

Katey said they looked at upward of 80 houses before settling into their current home five years ago.

“It was just everything we wanted,” said Patrick, noting the quiet neighborhood setting and the direct access to the neighboring woods laced with paths, including the Superior Hiking Trail.

The Fergusons knew they had something special, and purchased an additional 4.5 acres of land on the eastern side of their home to preserve the woodsy setting.

But they didn’t anticipate an additional 16 acres of land to the north might one day be rezoned to allow for much denser housing. That property is currently zoned for rural residential development — allowing for no more than 1 home every 5 acres.

Nevertheless, Kevin Christiansen proposes a zoning change that would enable him to add another 25-30 residential lots to the mix off an extended Vassar Street. He has dubbed the prospective future development "Amity Bluffs" and referred to it as “one of the last development opportunities in the highly sought-after Woodland neighborhood.”

The project would require a zoning change from RR-1, rural residential, to R-1, traditional neighborhood housing.

In a letter to the Duluth Planning Commission requesting the change, Christiansen wrote: “The current demand for housing in Duluth is substantial. Expanding residential building sites to this desirable location will not only attract new residents but will increase the demand for services in the Woodland Core Investment Area, as well as the positive economic benefits.”

The idea of putting a road into the area and clearing trees for residential development strikes Julie O’Leary, a member of the local McCabe Chapter of the Izaak Walton League, as a poor decision, however.

She voiced “major environmental concerns."

“This is an area of mature hardwoods. It’s on a trout stream. … It’s an area with minimal invasive species. That’s a high-value woods in Duluth these days," she said.

O’Leary also noted the presence of wetlands in the area that help slow and cool runoff, preventing flooding and water temperature spikes that could harm the trout population.

Christiansen acknowledged that much of the property is unbuildable due to slopes, wetlands and its proximity to Amity Creek.

City Planner John Kelley noted that much of the property could be incorporated into a housing development nevertheless.

“Could some of that land potentially end up as a backyard area of future lots? Yes,” he said.

Christiansen said he intends to maintain public access to trails running through the area.

Sue Krochalk lives on Chisholm Street and regularly hikes the property. She described the area as home to a rich variety of wildlife.

“The creek cannot speak for itself," she said. "And our city, as well as other cities, have had a history of building right up on top of things, including rivers and streams. And once it’s done, it’s very hard to undo. So, we need to speak up for these green spaces and preserve them, not just for ourselves, not just for our peaceful neighborhood, but for the future of the city and the integrity of this creek, which is a trout stream.”

Planning Commissioner Gary Eckenberg said he’s not overly worried.

“I have a lot of confidence in the city’s ability to restrict and protect Amity Creek and that forested area, because there are so many regulations in place now that were not in place when some of the speakers said things had been destroyed (in the past),” he said.

But, Commissioner Andrea Wedul said: “I guess I’m struggling with the idea of rezoning this without understanding the environmental impacts of our actions and not being able to undo it. We literally can’t undo this mature forest. It has taken a hundred-plus years to get to this point.”

Katey Ferguson said she could support less intense development but not what is being proposed.

“I think they (these lands) are zoned RR-1 rural residential for a reason — to protect and maintain the habitats that Duluth is known for,” she said.

Christine Post, who lives at 114 Pleasant View Road, on the other side of Amity Creek, called the prospect of the proposed development “terrifying." As an avid fly fishing enthusiast, she expressed her fears of seeing Amity Creek further degraded by runoff and erosion.

“It makes me very nervous,” she said.

Post said she understands that Duluth needs more housing, but questioned whether a site on the banks of Amity Creek was an appropriate location for development. And given the considerable costs of the project, she suspects homes in Amity Bluffs will be “McMansions” that will price out most Duluthians.

Planning Commissioner Michael Schraepfer noted that there was still plenty of opportunity to address concerns regarding the prospective development.

“This is private property. Cities grow. And I think this isn’t the last stop. It’s the first stop,” he said. “So, if the street is too narrow, they’re going to need to make it bigger. If they need two accesses, they’re going to be required to provide that. If it’s unbuildable, it won’t get built. They’re going to have to protect the creek, because all those protections are already in place.”

Christiansen said he is looking to provide access to Amity Creek from both Vassar Street and an entrance off Woodland Avenue.

The Planning Commission voted 6-3 to recommend the rezoning, with commissioners Eckenberg, Schraepfer, Jason Crawford, Margie Nelson, Jason Hollinday and Sarah Wisdorf voting in the affirmative. The dissent included commissioners Wedul, Zandra Zwiebel and Eddie Ratnam.

The rezoning request will now head to the Duluth City Council, where it will require two readings before any action can be taken.

Well-aware of concerns about the proposed housing project, 1st District Duluth City Councilor Gary Anderson said he aims to organize a neighborhood meeting to hear people out and advise them on how they can make their voices heard.

He said that he wants to ensure that Amity Creek remains protected and that taxpayers won’t be asked to shoulder the costs of extending the city infrastructure needed to support the development.

“We want to make sure that if and when we do development that it’s sustainable on an economic basis and on an environmental basis,” he said.

Lisa Carlson, principal of Woodland Elementary School in Eagan, was elected by her peers to serve as president-elect of the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) in a statewide election.

She will assume this responsibility on July 1, 2021, and serve a two-year term as president-elect, followed by a two-year term as MESPA President, and finally a one-year term as past-president.

The Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association strives to be the leadership resource for elementary and middle-level principals and a strong leading voice for public education. MESPA is committed to ensuring a high quality of education for all children through strengthening and enhancing the principal’s role as educational leaders in our schools. MESPA currently services over 800 principals and has represented Minnesota’s principals since 1950. MESPA is affiliated with the National Association of Elementary School Principals and its 20,000 members nationwide.

“We are thrilled to have Lisa Carlson as our president-elect for MESPA,” said Jon Millerhagen, Executive Director of MESPA. “She has extensive experience leading the association as chair of our Membership Committee and Institute Exhibits and a member of our Educational Advisory Committee. Her experience and participation in MESPA runs deep. All of this experience is grounded in extraordinary people skills. We often hear Lisa express, ‘let’s give them a little love and support,’ to whoever might need it. Lisa’s enjoyable personality, exceptional knowledge of the principalship, and broad knowledge of equity learning position her superbly to lead the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association.”

During MESPA’s Annual Meeting of the Membership, held virtually via Zoom this year, Carlson addressed MESPA members in her candidacy speech and emphasized the importance of making connections, “I’ve served as your membership chair for the past five years, and my goal was to make sure you were never alone,” she said. “Being a principal is the greatest job in the world, but we can’t do it alone. I want MESPA to be your conduit to making connections and meaningful friendships with people that will support you and lift you up.”

In her candidate statement, she wrote, “As an accomplished, visionary leader in the public education sector with over 15 years of operational, planning, administrative, and financial management experience, I am well prepared to significantly contribute to the membership to ensure that we are doing everything in our control to ultimately serve our students at the highest levels.”

Carlson continued, “I believe that as a school staff and community, we must collaboratively work toward a shared mission and vision: to support administrators and schools in educating ALL students at high levels. I believe our job is to do whatever it takes to work collaboratively as educators so that our students can learn the things they need to learn.”

Carlson became an elementary principal in 2004 at Woodland Elementary School. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bemidji State University, a Master of Arts from Saint Mary’s University, and a Certificate of K-12 Administrative Licensure from the University of Saint Mary’s. She is currently serving MESPA as chair of the Membership Committee.

WOODLAND — A home that was under construction on Lake Minnetonka's Lower Lake was completely destroyed in a fire the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 12.

The cause of the fire had not been determined as of Monday, Feb. 17.

The fire at the home on the 2700 block of Gale Road in Woodland was called in at 6:15 p.m. on Feb. 12, and by the time firefighters arrived the structure was fully engulfed, Wayzata Fire Chief Kevin Klapprich told Lakeshore Weekly News (the Wayzata Fire Department contracts with the city of Woodland for its fire coverage).

There are no fire hydrants in the area, so all the water had to be hauled in using tankers, Klapprich said. And the frigid temperatures, which dropped to below zero with wind chills colder than -20 that night, made it "tough ... harder on everybody and everything," Klapprich said, noting it's hard to stay warm and everything freezes when it's that cold outside.

No injuries were reported, but the structure is a total loss, Klapprich said.

According to Hennepin County records, the property on the 2700 block of Gale Road in Woodland was purchased in 2017 for $5.4 million. Records list the construction year as 2019, with Klapprich noting the home was still under construction at the time of the fire.

The property's owner, Jim Davis, of the Davis family which owns Minnesota-based Cambria, spoke with KSTP-TV, saying the most important thing is that no one was hurt; everything else is just "stuff."

It took about three hours for firefighters to get the "bulk of the flame down," Klapprich said. However, the site was still smoldering days later, with smoke seen rising from the charred ruins the morning of Saturday, Feb. 15.

"I haven’t been there for a couple days but, yes, there are a few hot spots burning in the basement," Klapprich said on Monday, Feb. 17. "Firefighters were on scene from 6:15 p.m. Wednesday evening when the call came in until approximately 9 a.m. Thursday. Police and fire have been checking the scene periodically."

Approximately 125 firefighters from 15 different fire departments responded to the fire, Klapprich said. This was one of the larger fires the Wayzata Fire Department has fought, and their twice-monthly training, which sometimes includes training with nearby departments, prepared them to knock down the flames.

"We train more than we use our training and that's a good thing," he said.

Soon after the fire was reported, a massive plume of black smoke could be seen billowing from Gale Road, the sky in the area was glowing orange and flames were visible across the lake, from Ferndale Road in Wayzata. The fire caused so much smoke that the National Weather Service tweeted Feb. 12 saying the fire produced "a very large smoke plume that has reached southern Scott County." The plume could be seen on radar images.

Several emergency vehicles blocked and directed traffic at the intersection of Breezy Point Road and Maplewood Road, which leads to Gale Road, on Feb. 12. In nearby Deephaven, a fire department vehicle and two firefighters were seen filling up the truck at a hydrant. By 7:45 a.m. on Feb. 13, the intersection was clear and vehicles had access to Gale Road.

An orange fence with "keep out" signs now lines the property to prevent people from gaining access to the site. Around 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, several people — two people on foot, one on a snowmobile and a few people and two dogs on a sled pulled by a snowmobile — took advantage of the warmer weather and went out on Lake Minnetonka to check out the charred ruins of the home, snapping photos and walking up to the fence to get a better look.

On nearby Robbinson's Bay, south of the site of the fire, the snow was a gray-ish color and pieces of charred material were scattered on the snow-covered ice. Klapprich says these pieces are likely ash from the fire.