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• Express delivery saves postmaster
• Pea Soup Days festivities start today in Somerset
• St. Croix County Sheriff warns to guard against storm scams

By Jeff Holmquist, RiverTown Staff

Speed is important to have the best chance to survive a heart attack.

New Richmond Postmaster Joe Bolder found that out last week, when he suffered a major attack while at work.

"I wasn't an impressive health specimen, but I wasn't unhealthy either," Bolder said as he prepared to leave United Hospital last Thursday. "It was a huge wake-up call for me."

Bolder, 52, started out his work day May 19 with what he thought was indigestion. He popped a few antacid tablets and eventually the pain in his chest went away.

"I didn't have some of the classic symptoms," he said. "My arms weren't numb or anything. I never would have guessed it was a heart attack."

The next day, he was back at work and the pain returned. This time Bolder was feeling very ill and he was sweating profusely.

A co-worker asked if the local Post Office chief if he was all right, and Bolder responded that he was. They agreed to head to the clinic, however, to get checked out.

When Bolder got up to go, he fainted to the floor. Employees called 911 and the clock started ticking on the emergency.

"The ambulance was there right away," Bolder recalled.

Mary Kay Rice, a paramedic with the crew, was among those who responded to the scene. The crew determined that Bolder was suffering a heart attack and they decided to use the local air ambulance to transfer the postmaster to United Hospital and St. Paul Heart Clinic.

"It was just wham, bam and I was on my way," Bolder said.

The immediate decision to airlift Bolder is a new trend in treating heart attack victims.

Dr. Kenneth Baran, medical director of St. Paul Heart Clinic's catheterization lab, said he encourages paramedics to make the call if a patient shows signs of a heart attack.

"If they're comfortable enough with the decision, we skip the local emergency room and we skip the emergency room at United," he said. "We bring the patient straight into the cath lab."

Bypassing the traditional emergency route can save one to two hours, Baran said, which is a lot of time when you're dealing with a heart attack.

Get more on this story in this week's print editon of the New Richmond News or on the New Richmond News Web site (www.newrichmond-news.com).

By Julia Ybarra-Young, RiverTown Staff

Got your appetite ready?

Somerset's annual Pea Soup Days kicks off Friday, May 30, with several events.

Friday

Somerset Animal Hospital is hosting an open house from 2-7 p.m. along with a garage sale. Proceeds will be donated to the St. Croix Valley Animal Friends.

Village Park will kick off the festivities with a beer garden, booths, carnival, softball tournament, and even a mechanical bull. Radio station K102 will be there from 7-9 p.m., with Muss from the morning show signing autographs and giving away Apple River Country Splash tickets.

Live music will be provided by the New Skinny from 6-9 p.m. and then Uncle Chunk from 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Saturday

Saturday, May 31, will be a full day starting with the Somerset Fire/Rescue pancake breakfast from 7:30-10:30 a.m. at the New Town Hall.

For those who are motorcyclists, a motorcycle run starts at Century Power Sports in Stillwater at 10 a.m. The run culminates in a motorcycle show at Crossroads Performance from 1-5 p.m.

The parade will start at 11 a.m. at the Somerset School campus. They will march from the school, down Sunrise Drive, across Main Street, past the carnival area and ending in Veterans Park. The high school show choir, Dynamics, will perform on stage afterward.

At noon, Rendezvous begins its Cricket doubles dart tournament on its covered patio for those 21 years and older. There is a $10 entry fee with 100 percent payback. For $1/ticket, they are raffling off a "bar" dart board donated by Twin States - need not be present to win.

Exhibits at the Old Town Hall open at noon as well. Visitors can see stills and stories of making moonshine during Somerset's Prohibition Days, try historic telephones, and read about local history and genealogy. The 46 (and counting) commemorative bricks will be displayed, though not installed. They will also have face painting available for the kids.

For the kids (and kids-at-heart), the carnival rides start at noon. The Dweebs will be signing autographs from 12-1 p.m. before performing from 6-8 p.m. that night.

The Somerset Fire/Rescue will stage their annual water fight on Spring Street at 4 p.m. At the same time, mechanical bull riding will be offered to the public - those under 18 need a parent to sign a waiver.

The Dweebs will provide live music from 6-8 p.m. and Westbound will play from 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m.

At dusk, Pryo Magic Display will start the fireworks; the band and ball games will stop for the show.

Get more on this story in this week's print editon of the New Richmond News or on the New Richmond News Web site (www.newrichmond-news.com).

By Gail Winship, RiverTown Staff

Whenever a storm with significant damage occurs, there is the possible aftershock of non-reputable contractors sweeping through the damaged areas to drum up business.

St. Croix County Sheriff Dennis Hillstead sends a warning out to all effected areas to be on guard against "contractor scams."

"I want to remind people that if a contractor comes knocking at your door or calls on the phone offering to help with storm damage repairs, be sure to get references and contact them to verify the company is a legitimate business," Hillstead said.

In the past there have been organized groups that have come through the county for roofing, siding, blacktopping or resurfacing, said Hillstead.

"Some of these were criminal enterprises who use substandard products and equipment." Hillstead said. "It's always wise to use locally known companies or if not, to get references and always check them out before agreeing to any work being done."