Roseville Patch's All-Star Blogs of 2012

During 2012, Roseville Patch has posted dozens of blogs from Roseville residents under a forum we call "Local Voices."

From tending to your garden plants and staging your home for sale to signing your kid up for youth hockey and running a "green" household, Roseville residents have written about many subjects in sharing heir interests and passions with the community.

Altogether, Roseville Patch has had blog posts from more than 20 people. Some have written occasional columns while others have been regular contributors. All have been interesting and very much appreciated.

The roster of valued contributors has included Rose Diestler, Julie Wearn, Mike Murphy, Sara Barsel, Julie Overbye Ledy, Mark Sommerfeld, Mike Boguszewski, Cheri Marchio, Jason Stonehouse, Chip Small and Jeanne Kelsey.

Most notable was Murphy writing several blogs over a two-week period that set out to bust the top 10 myths of youth hockey. Click to see Murphy's blog introducing the topic.)

Meanwhile, here are a few of the most intriguing blogs of the year were the following:

Mike Murphy- What's The Answer To Crippling Hockey Injuries?

Jack Jablonski.

Jenna Privette.

Owatonna brawl.

Youth hockey, injuries, and rules that govern the sport have received more publicity over the past week than at any other time in recent memory. Calls for changes in the sport have come from the informed, and uninformed alike.

But are rule changes really necessary? Are sweeping revisions really the only way to save our children?

Many feel that the answer is a complicated solution, consisting of multiple facets of rule changes, equipment changes, education and stiffer penalties. Other feel that nothing needs to be changed and the events are not likely to repeat themselves anytime soon. Still others feel that all body contact should be removed from the sport. It is an emotional issue, and those emotions can sometimes make solutions difficult to recognize.

I believe the answer to be much simpler than all of that. (Click on the link to read the full blog.)

Jason Stonehouse- Featured Blog: Senseless Evil in Connecticut Begs The Deeper Questions

As most people, and especially parents, I sat speechless, horrified and broken over the senseless evil at an elementary school in Connecticut on Friday. I have 3 little girls, two of them in a local elementary school and so my mind immediately goes to how horrified and utterly broken these parents and families must be.

And yes, I watch as debates rage over different policies, legislation - much of which flows from heavy hearts who want justice and want to somehow prevent anything like this from ever happening again. I get that, but I think this tragedy begs even deeper questions and reveals something more primal and real.

First of all, it calls us to care. What many need now is not promises of tighter laws and a stronger hand. They need comfort, care and to know that even though everything around us is all wrong... we love, we care and we cry with you. This is not what is supposed to be --- this is all wrong, all evil and unfortunately it's the reality of this dark world. However, even in the midst of darkness, there are lights, people who love, people who care and people who will stand with you in the pain.

Second, it begs the question why? (

Rose Diestler-Featured Blog: Fifty Shades of Brown-The Shaes and Colors of Fall

You've heard of "Fifty Shades of Gray" - how about Fifty Shades of Brown? 

That is just about what our landscape looks like now.  That is not necessarily bad.  I like brown shades and tones, everything from ecru, to beige, to carmel, to bronze, to rust, to deep chocolate brown and almost black on some tree trunks.

Once the reds and oranges of the leaves are gone, do we even notice the richness of the changing landscape accented here and there with interestingly shaped branches and multiple shades of green?  Or, do we just think things will remain blah until the snow comes?

If that is the case, let's do something about it. The flower boxes and lush pots are emptied but you'd really like some color out on the front steps or on the back deck in time for Thanksgiving. (To read the rest of the blog, click here.)

Want to blog for Roseville Patch? Click here to find out how.

Julie Wearn-Featured Blog: Roseville Hospitality Community Remembers Kathy Tomlinson

Within the last few days, the Roseville hospitality community unexpectedly lost a stellar industry executive.

Kathleen (Kathy) Tomlinson, age 67, was general manager of the Holiday Inn Express located on 2715 Long Lake Road in Roseville and employeed by the hotel ever since it opened in the early 1970’s.

Her death was a shock and her mark on the Holiday Inn Express will never be forgotten.

In the words of former Holiday Inn sales manager Leslie Berry, now Client Relations Supervisor for the Continuing Education and Conference Center University of Minnesota, “She was the hotel. Kathy was a gem.
She taught me so much about the hotel business and how to build sales accounts for the property when I worked there.” (To read the rest of the post, click here.)

Julie Overbye Ledy-Featured Blog:Three Things To Look For When Hiring a Realtor.

Your home may be your biggest asset and you want to hire the best Realtor to handle the transaction. 

You should interview two or three Realtors.  Ask your family and friends for a referral.

 1. Need to hire a Realtor that sells in your community

• Look at their past sales and current listings to see if they have listings in your area or have sold homes near by.
• Do they live in your community or nearby? (Click on this link to read the read of this blog post)