Cmdr. Paul S. Snodgrass (left) turns over command of the USS Boise to Cmdr. Brian L. Sittlow (right) during a change of command ceremony.Cmdr. Brian L. Sittlow relieved Cmdr. Paul S. Snodgrass as commanding officer of the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Boise (SSN 764) during a change of command ceremony Thursday, Janaury 21 at Naval Station Norfolk.
Sittlow reports to Boise from Naval War College in Newport, R.I., where he received his Masters of Arts degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in 2009.
Snodgrass will report to the Tactical, Readiness, and Evaluation Team as Commander, Submarine Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet.
"For the crew of Boise, I am humbled and honored to be your new commanding officer," said Sittlow following the change-of-command ceremony. "I look forward to serving and sailing with you. As I assume command today, I am forever grateful for many members of the submarine fraternity that have guided me throughout my career, providing leadership, counseling and occasional nudges along the way."
Capt. Frank Cattani, Commander, Submarine Squadron EIGHT, was the principal speaker at the ceremony, which welcomed attendees from Idaho including Boise mayor David Bieter.
The Boise is the second U.S. Navy ship to bear the name of Idaho's capital city. Built by Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat Division, the Boise was commissioned on November 7, 1992. The 360-foot ship has a crew compliment of 13 officers and 121 enlisted Sailors.
Sittlow is a 1989 graduate of St. Croix Central High School and the son of Darlene and Mike Sittlow of Roberts.
Anderson Ford #1 dealer
Anderson Ford of Baldwin topped the leaderboard for the third consecutive year for all select dealers in the Twin Cities Region. The region is compiled of dealers in the Midwest. "It's an honor we are very proud of but it's not possible without our customers both old and new. 2009 presented its challenges but Ford has seen a real bounce. The product is easy to sell and most folks appreciate that Ford is making a go of it on their own. The imports are having there own problems and I believe most people want to buy American first." said Andy Lamb.
Anderson also ranked in the top 20 nationwide. Corey Hawkins added, "Our staff remains committed to total customer satisfaction. We can't operate a business unless our customers are happy. Baldwin is a small town and we've always tried to keep a small town atmosphere around here. I think people appreciate that."
Ford took honors with the F-150 being named the Motortrend truck of the year last spring. The Fusion followed it up in the fall with being named the car of the year. Ford is also unveiling a new Super Duty this spring as well as bringing back an all new Fiesta for the current Model year.
Bridge Investment Group will operate investment office at First Bank
A Hudson independent financial advisory firm of registered representatives has taken over operation of the investment office at First Bank of Baldwin. Prior representative Chris Wicker has left the office and is now independent.
Bridge Investment Group is the new representative at First Bank’s investment office. Bridge was founded in 2004 by Brad Kahley and Duane “Dewey” Swanson, who are the firm’s two principals. They both plan to be at the First Bank office on a regular basis and to have the office staffed at most times. A third representative of the office who will spent time in Baldwin is Rod Brooks.
Bridge Investment Group specializes in financial and retirement planning, including investment allocation, income planning and estate distribution services.
Prior to joining with Swanson to found Bridge Investment group, Kahley managed an investment and pension department for New England Financial/Metlife for Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Before 1991 he was a registered representative with John Hancock Financial Services and before that he was associated with IDS/American Express. He has been working with clients in Baldwin and the surrounding areas since 1986.
Swanson is responsible for financial planning, tailoring investment policy statements, education and client communication. Prior to Bridge Investment Group, he managed the financial planning department for New England Financial in Minnesota and western Wisconsin for over 11 years.
Together, Swanson and Kahley were responsible for the management and support of over 100 representatives at New England Financial and Metlife before they were associated with Bridge Investment Group.
Bridge Investment Group is affiliated with broker-dealer ING Financial Partners in Des Moines, Iowa, for all their compliance supervision.
“We are excited to have this opportunity to meet and service the Bank’s current clients and have a local service office for our existing clients,” said Swanson.
From the Exchanges
Interesting items from
Surrounding communities
NEW RICHMOND NEWS: A Somerset man was killed in a Saturday afternoon accident near Stillwater. Shane Erickson, 23, was killed when an errant wheel from a Ford F-350 vehicle bounced across Highway 95, striking Erickson’s Pontiac Grand Am. According to the Minnesota State Patrol report, the crash occurred at about 2:23 p.m. in the southbound lanes of 95 at the intersection of Highway 36. Bradley Wicklem, 39, of New Richmond, was the driver of the pickup. He was reportedly uninjured, as was his passenger.
RIVER FALLS JOURNAL: With the fastest all-around time as an American in recent Olympic speed skating trials, Maria Lamb is surging toward her second Winter Olympics next month. A town of River Falls native, the 24-year-old will compete in the 5,000 meter race, the longest for women. Her mother, Betty, says Maria skates fastest the longer the distance. Four years ago speed skater Maria had her first taste of the Winter Olympics held in Torino, Italy. Maria didn’t win a medal but competed in the 1500 meter race, finishing 24th out of 35. The USA Women’s team finished fifth overall. By chance Betty turned Maria on to speed skating at the tender age of six. “It was winter, and I was trying to find an activity for her,” said Betty, who has three younger children with her husband Philip. “We went with friends to an outside rink at a park, Maria liked skating but was clumsy like anyone else doing it for the first time. At some point she asked me, ‘Is there such a thing as racing on skates?’ I said I’d check into it. I never imagined that would eventually lead to her being in the Olympics someday.
TRIBUNE PRESS REPORTER (GLENWOOD CITY): Dunn county will be the site of the Nature Valley Grand Prix professional bicycle race June 19 that will include Boyceville as one of the villages on the route. The Dunn County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution at the January 20 meeting approving that the event be held in Dunn County. Mark Lewis, an event coordinator, said the Nature Valley Grand Prix is the highest ranked state race in the United States. The route through Dunn county is one state of a six-stage race. Prior to this, all six stages of the Nature Valley Grand Prix has been held in Minnesota. The portion of the race that will be held in Dunn County is the first stage ever to leave Minnesota, Lewis said. Because of the hills and well-paved town roads, “Dunn County is a premier cycling destination,” he said. The route for the Menomonie Road Race Stage will follow an 82-mile loop through Dunn County that will begin and end at Menomonie, he said. According to a map of the route, bicycle race participants will head north from Menomonie to Boyceville, over toward Downing, back down the western side of the county and up to Menomonie again to close the loop. A total of 200 bicyclists will participate in the race. The bicyclists also will have members of their race caravans following along, Lewis told the county board.
AMERY FREE PRESS: Dr. Anders Ulland and Bradley Byker, certified registered nurse anesthetist, are in Haiti participating in relief efforts. They have been assigned to Hospital Bon Samaritan in Limbe. The two left January 20 and plan to return home February 4. Dr. Ulland is a surgeon at Amery Regional Medical Center and medical director for Wound Healing Center. Dr. Ulland is a board certified general surgeon who specializes in problems related to hernia, gallbladder, breast cancer, the GI tract and laparoscopic colon surgery. Amery Regional Medical Center has established a fund for Haiti Relief and Development Fund through the American Red Cross. The hospital also supplied medical supplies, antibiotics and pharmaceuticals for the trip.
HUDSON STAR-OBSERVER: Kaiti Tiedeman did the near unthinkable. The ten-year-old, fifth-grader at Willow River Elementary School went the entire year of 2009 without watching television. “I got a lot better at reading, because I read more,” Kaiti said of the experience. “You get smarter at school. Most people don’t like school, but I do.” Kaiti’s mother Wendy Kable, put her up to the challenge. She and her brother Jerry Panning of River Falls, did the same thing back in 1984 when they were nine and ten years old respectively. Kaiti and her younger brother, first-grader Jon Kable, were arguing about what to watch on TV late one day in 2008 when Kable thought of making them an offer like her parents had made her and her brother. Kable’s parents said they would give them $200 if they gave up TV for a year. Kable upped the anti for Kaiti and Jon to $500.
SUN-ARGUS (GATEWAY TO PIERCE COUNTY): Anyone traveling through Elmwood has probably noticed that a 60 foot high structure has changed the skyline of this small community. It’s called a feed load-out bin, and it’s just one more improvement for Countryside Cooperative. “What’s gone on over time is that our business model is evolving in harmony with the changes occurring within production agriculture,” said general manager, George Rude. “We have fewer and larger farms, and the Coops have changed to lock-step with these farms in terms of services, technology and products. We have to be more efficient today. We are going to be doing more milling in Elmwood. There will be more emphasis on using the Elmwood mill and less on Baldwin and Ellsworth because this is a more efficient mill, and there is greater productivity here,” said Rude adding, “Elmwood is midsize in terms of facility size, but it’s getting more specialized here and needs greater milling capacity.”
