🌱 Patch AM: Local Barista Honored As 'Best Barista In Town': Best Of 2025

Hey hey Woodbury! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Meet the Woodbury barista brightening mornings and winning local praise.
• Why a Woodbury charter school abruptly moved all students online
• How much new county spending will actually land in Woodbury?

Also on today's calendar: New Year's Eve Family Celebration and 4 more events.

Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Winds becoming strong, with a high of 38 and low of -2 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
• Friday: Colder; a bit of p.m. snow, temps: high: 20, low: 15.
• Saturday: A couple of morning flurries, with a high of 25 and low of 0 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• Local Barista Honored As 'Best Barista In Town': Best Of 2025 (patch.com) — Woodbury residents are celebrating Tess, a beloved Caribou Coffee barista at Lunds and Byerlys, who was nominated as the town’s “Best Barista in Town” for 2025. Her nominator praises her warm personality, personal conversations, and ability to brighten mornings, while Patch and T-Mobile invite more Woodbury locals to submit their own Best of 2025 nominations.
   

• Minnesota's flu season sees double the number of hospitalizations than this time last year (cbsnews.com) — Math and Science Academy in Woodbury has canceled in-person classes for the rest of this week after a flu outbreak sidelined more than 20% of students, shifting everyone to e-learning while classrooms are deep-cleaned. State health officials say flu hospitalizations are already more than double last year’s levels, urging families to watch for symptoms and consider flu shots as holidays approach.
   

• Which county has the lowest levy increase in the metro area? Washington County at 6.95% (twincities.com) — Washington County has approved its 2026 budget and a 6.95% levy increase, which will raise county taxes on a median-valued home by about $41 next year. The five-year capital plan includes safety and pavement projects on County Highway 16 in Woodbury, but Commissioner Michelle Clasen opposed it, arguing that too many major construction investments are happening outside Woodbury despite the city’s regional shopping role and traffic concerns.
   

📸 Around Woodbury

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Woodbury

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 19

• Live Music Every Friday at 3rd Act Brewery
  3rd Act Craft Brewery, 4120 Radio Dr, Woodbury
  5:30 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday December 20

• 1st Annual: Beat The Coach Challenge (Charity Event)
  Shoot 360 Woodbury , 11160 Hudson BLVD , Lake Elmo
  10:00 am

Monday December 22

• Winter Offer
  Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce , 700 Commerce Dr #245 , Woodbury

Wednesday December 24

• It's Date Night! Bring someone to Swirl tonight!
  Swirl/ Afton House Inn , 3291 St. Croix Trail S. , Afton
  4:00 pm

Thursday December 25

• Thursday at CURRENT is our Ribeye Special
  Current / Afton House Inn , 3291 St. Croix Trail S. , Afton
  4:00 pm
• The King's Speakers Toastmasters Club
  King of Kings Lutheran Church , 1583 Radio Drive , Woodbury
  7:00 pm

Wednesday December 31

• New Year's Eve Family Celebration
  M Health Fairview Sports Center , 4125 Radio Dr , Woodbury
  6:00 pm

📣 Woodbury Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 18

• Baby Storytime
  Park Grove Library Park Grove Meeting Room,
  9:45 am
• Drop-In Play Date
  Oakdale Library , Oakdale Large Conference Room 125 , Oakdale
  10:00 am
• Baby & Me Storytime
  Maplewood Library , 3025 Southlawn Drive , Maplewood
  10:30 am
• Clay Gnomes
  Inver Glen Library , Inver Glen Large Meeting Room , Cottage Grove
  1:00 pm
• Contraption Club
  Park Grove Library , 7900 Hemingway Ave S , Cottage Grove
  3:30 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Woodbury PatchAM possible:

• Woodbury Leadership Academy — (651) 571-2100
  Tuition-free, K-12 Public Charter School

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• UPDATE:
  She has been found. She’s at the Humane Society and we’re picking her up now. Thank you Lost dog. Last seen today around 4:45pm. Her name is Sugar,… (Nextdoor Ridge Park)
• Fearing Development Program(Soccer Training)
  Hi, I’m Elijah Fearing. I’m a Division 1 soccer player who’s starting a training program for ages 10 and up. I’m driven to help players who like me… (Nextdoor Evergreen)

🗞 Nearby News

Oakdale

• Four arrested for stealing mail, including social security cards, in Lake Elmo (cbsnews.com)

Cottage Grove

• Inaugural 3M community meeting draws no attendees (hastingsjournal.news)

Lake Elmo

Ok Woodbury! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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