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<br />Special Interest Articles <br />Food Scrap Pick Up <br />Program <br />VLAWMO Garden Tours <br />Gem Lake Water Main <br />Extension Phase I FAQ’s <br />Candidate Filing <br />Primary Election <br />New Restaurant – Bear <br />Dogs <br />Manitou Days <br />Mark Your Calendars! <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Gem Lake News <br />June 2026 | Volume 20 | Issue 3 Gretchen Artig-Swomley, Newsletter Editor <br /> <br />Gem Lake Looses Long-Time Resident <br /> <br />A man who spent more than 50 years in Gem Lake <br />has left us. Daniel “Dan” Kunin, age 95, passed away <br />peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on <br />May 27, 2026. Dan was preceded in death by his <br />beloved son Alex; his parents Maxim and Jeannette; <br />his sister Jacqueline; and brothers Paul, Robert, and <br />Richard. <br /> <br />Dan grew up on the north side of Minneapolis before <br />moving to New York in 1948 to study piano at the Julliard School of Music. He <br />received two Fulbright scholarships, which took him to Italy to further hone his <br />skills. As a concert pianist, he performed throughout the United States and <br />Europe. After 10 years in Rome, he married a Gem Lake girl, Connie, who grew <br />up in the area. <br /> <br />Dan always lit up every room with his warmth, humor and kindness. He knew how <br />to make everyone feel loved. Dan embraced life with passion for classical music, <br />the arts, tennis and his family. He was an advocate for people with autism and <br />developmental disabilities, inspired by his son Alex. He made a lasting impact on <br />the community through his philanthropy and service on numerous boards. He is <br />survived by his wife Constance, his brother Michael, his daughter Alicia, son <br />Nicholas and two grandchildren. <br /> <br /> Black Bear Does a “Dine and Dash” in Gem Lake <br />An unwelcome visitor to Gem Lake hung out for 4-5 days in <br />late May, vandalizing trash cans, climbing trees, peering in <br />windows, smashing bird feeders and annoying the canine <br />population of the city. A young male bear made his <br />presence known all throughout the northwestern section <br />of town, leaving a trail of garbage in his wake. There were <br />at least 10 sightings of the bear, who decided to visit homes <br />on Daniels Farm Road, Labore Road and Goose Lake Road and even made an <br />appearance on the Gem Lake Hills Golf Course. The local mail carrier <br />commented that she could tell where the bear had been by the overturned trash <br />containers and the trail of garbage he left behind. The visits happened in both <br />daylight and darkness. <br />Gem Lake officials reported the bear’s presence to both White Bear Police <br />Department and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The news of <br />our visitor was also conveyed to residents through a group email and a story on <br />the city Facebook page. Residents were cautioned to bring their trash cans and <br />bird feeders inside the garage for a while, a strategy suggested by the DNR. <br /> <br />continued on page 3 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />