The group is a chapter of the Vasculitis Foundation, an international organization for patients with Vasculitus, their family members, caregivers, and medical professionals. The East Central Vasculitis support group was started by mother and daughter, Kami and Haley Schmidt (pictured at right).  The group is for those diagnosed with the disorder as well as their friends and families. Vasculitis is a rare autoimmune disorder where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues.

More information is available at The Vasculitus Foundation’s website or by contact Kami Schmidt at 320-629-7704, ecmnvasculitis@yahoo.com

The University of Minnesota men’s hockey team will hold its annual “Skate with the Gophers” this Saturday, Feb. 4., from Noon to 3 p.m. at Mariucci Arena.

Accoring to the Gopher Sports Web site, fans can register in advance by calling (612) 624-8080.  Any fan wishing to secure a specific time to skate is strongly encouraged to register by calling advance.  Tickets are also available the day of the event, but specific skating times cannot be guaranteed.

The event, sponsored by M&M’s, provides an opportunity for fans to skate on the Mariucci ice with the 19-9-1 (15-5-0 conf.) Golden Gophers, including Pine City’s own Christian Isackson.  Fans will be able to take photos with Isackson and other members of the team and get their autographs as well.

Here is some additional info about Isackson:

At the event, in addition to what’s mentioned above, there is also an area where fans will be able to suit up in hockey equipment, get their face and hair painted, and play games.

Isackson’s mom, Tracy Isackson, who will be on-hand helping out, said that he will be skating from 2:35 p.m. to 3 p.m. for those who want to schedule skate time accordingly.

Ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for youth.  If attendees have their own skates, they are asked to bring them; a limited number of rental skates are available (for $2).

Photo courtesy of Erin Gaffaney

The cast and crew of the PCHS One-Act Play will be advancing to Section Finals for an unprecedented fifth year in a row, following their first place finish Saturday at Sub-Section Festival here in Pine City.  Pine City’s comedy, “slasreveR neveS” by Alan Haehnel, is a creative parody of theatrical convention – and convention in general.

According to senior Rachel Sparling, who plays Mrs. Chillywine in the show, the play is “hilarious.”  While the first few minutes might leave audience members a bit confused, “once you understand the gimmick of it, you’ll be rolling on the floor laughing.”  Sparling also complimented her fellow cast members, saying, “one of the thing that makes it so funny is that everyone is really dedicated to their part and this is probably one of the best one-acts we’ve done in years.”

Director Brad Mariska gives huge props to his cast and crew, as well as several adult volunteers who have assisted with the production. “A program this successful is definitely a collaborative effort and there are a lot of people who have lent their time and talent to this show.”

Saturday’s 6 plays were adjudicated by a three-member panel of theatre experts, all of which gave their first place vote to Pine City.  One judge said the show was “brilliantly done,” calling the performances “melodramatic perfection.”

Also advancing to sections was Mora High School with their model Moliere farce, “The Imaginary Cuckold.”   Other schools participating were Rush City (3^rd), Maranatha Academy (4^th), Academy for Sciences and Agriculture (5^th), and Braham (6^th).  Pine City will face off again perennial powerhouses St. Paul Academy, St. Croix Lutheran, Foley, and Milaca.  The Section Finals are hosted by Milaca this year.

The theatre program is also again partnering with the Pine Community Food Shelf.  This past fall, cast and crew collected more than 600 pounds of food and over $100 cast during their 7^th Annual “Trick-or-Treat for the Food Shelf” event.  Over $400 in additional funds were raised by last weekend’s performances of “slasreveR neveS.”

There will be one more chance to see the play this Friday at 7 p.m. at the Pine City Elementary Auditorium.  Admission is only $2, which will be donated to the Pine Community Food Shelf.

This year’s team once again turned in impressive results, placing 4^th out of 15 teams.  Scoring 71 out of a possible 100 points, Pine City stacked up well.   Advancing to State were teams from Montevideo (89 points) and Buffalo (79 points).

Pine City’s team consisted of three juniors who are taking Pine City’s Advanced Music History and Theory course: Alex Frerich, Jacob White, and Adam Martin.  The team was coached by music instructor Bradley Mariska.

Pine City has been named a “Best Community for Music Education in America” by the NAMM Foundation in both 2010 and 2011.

The USDA has five direct mortgage programs. They include, Rural Rental Housing, Guaranteed Rental Housing, Housing Preservation Grants, Farm Labor Housing Loans and Grants, and Rental Assistance Programs. Each of these programs provides a source of funding to ensure that these projects are completed and can serves as a improvement to local housing availability.

• The Rental Assistance program is designed to close the gap between the rent that a tenant is required to pay and the amount that is thirty percent of adjusted income. For this program, a tenant that falls into the low-income to very low-income category is qualified for this particular program. If they are accepted, then the tenant pays their portion of rent, up to 30% of their monthly income and the remaining rent is subsidized by the USDA.
• The Housing Preservation Grants program provides grants to sponsoring organizations to repair or rehabilitate low income housing that is located in areas with a high concentration of need. The funds must also be used in a community with less than 20,000 individuals.
• The Farm Labor Housing loans and grants provides loans to farmers, associations or farmers, family-farm corporations, Native American Tribes, non-profits and public agencies. These loans are offered, often when applicants cannot get a line of credit elsewhere.
• The final program is the guaranteed rental housing program. The program aims to increase moderately-priced housing in rural areas by partnering with major lending institutions, finance agencies, and bond issuers to provide loans to housing projects. This is very similar to their Rural Rental Housing loans. Through that program USDA directly gives loans to individuals or groups looking to build apartments for very-low to moderate income families.

 Lastly, all of this information including specific qualification and application instructions can be found online by clicking here.

-Traveled to St. Cloud on Monday; Public Performances Jan. 26 and 27

Pine City High School’s One-Act Play, “slasreveR neveS,” took part in its first festival at St. Cloud State University on Monday, performing alongside outstanding competition from as far away as Eveleth-Gilbert, Eden Valley-Watkins, Delano, and Sauk Rapids-Rice.  Pine City’s unusual comedy stood up well at this early invitational but demonstrated that work still needs to be done before Sub-Section Festival on Saturday, January 28.

“The play we have selected this year is extremely challenging to both the actors and audience, but it has also been a really fun process,” says director Brad Mariska.  “The students are really stretching themselves as actors and technicians.  We’re not quite there yet, but I look forward to sharing this with the community on January 26 and 27.”

The play, which spells “Seven Reversals” when read backwards, is a creative comedy penned by Alan Haehnel in 2005 and attempts to lampoon theatrical convention – and convention in general – through a series of seven short scenes that reverse common assumptions of language, emotion, and plot.  The cast consists of 17 students and two crew members.

Pine City will also compete at a festival in Cambridge on Friday and host an exchange with Mora on Tuesday before their public performances for Pine City audiences on January 26 and 27 at 7pm.   Admission to the play is only $2, which will be donated to the Pine Community Food Shelf.

Pine City looks to qualify for the Section Finals for the fifth year running.  The local thespians have been one of the area’s most successful programs since 2008, with critically lauded productions of “A Thousand Cranes,” “All in the Timing,” “The Exonerated,” and “The Arkansaw Bear.”

The event takes place Sunday, Jan. 15, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and is open to anyone.  Door prizes consist of cash prizes.  See you on the ice!  Here’s a scene from the 40th annual derby…  Enjoy!

• (Ice) Fishing Derby, Pokegama Lake – January 15, 2012 (43rd Annual)
• East Central Minnesota Pride- June 2, 2012 (8th Annual)
  

  A recent Freedom Fest street dance.

• Freedom Fest - June 29-30, and July 1, 2012
• Art Fest in Robinson Park – July 21, 2012 (35th Annual)
• Pine County Fair – August 1-5, 2012 (120th Annual)
• Czech Booya Festival, at Sokol Camp – August 19, 2012 (81st Annual)
• Pine City PRCA Championship Rodeo, Labor Day Weekend, 2012 (6th Annual)
• Northwest Co. Fur Post’s “Rendezvous” Fall Gathering - September 15-16, 2012 (34th Annual)
• Holiday Madness and lighted parade – November 30, 2012

A recent Fall Gathering at the fort.

Besides hosting one of the state’s largest flea markets, an ever-expanding farmers’ market, a fun run, health fair, and a lifestyles show, Pine City hosts a number of other annual festivals and events, as mentioned above. There is truly something for everyone.  Be sure to send your favorite photos of the events you attend in 2012 to info@pinecitychamber.com.  Happy New Year!

A look at Pine City’s comprehensive planning journey thus far

April 2010, work groups formed and met over the next six months to discuss Pine City’s future.

Nathan Johnson, Pine City’s city planner, wanted to involve community clubs, organizations, and City workgroups for several months to collect their input for what the Pine City of the next 20-30 years should look and feel like.  They displayed their goals at an open house a year ago, October.  Over the past year, their work has been melded into a draft of the next comprehensive plan, which is sure to receive a fair amount of scrutiny in the coming months.  The Planning Commission has been discussing some of the goals at several of their most recent meetings in late 2011.

Stay tuned here, in the Pioneer and on the radio for the status of the plan and for how you can offer input before its consideration by the City.  Questions can be posed to Pine City’s Building, Planning & Zoning office at 315 Main Street S., Suite 100.