By Latoya Shelby

Joe Motyl began his career with the DOC in September 2013. He has worked in a variety of positions here at MCF-LL. Since 2016, Joe has been a valued member of the visiting team and began his WOOC Sergeant position on 4/21/2023. Joe states he is “excited for this opportunity, and the challenges that this brings as a WOOC Sergeant .”

L to R: Captain Chad Oye, Captain John Kelly, Sergeant Joe Motyl, Lieutenant Kipp Forschen & Warden Shannon Reimann

By Tina Payton

Congratulations to Oak Park Heights' March Academy Graduates. We are proud of you all!!

Left to Right: TDS Tina Payton. Officers Sam Krusemark, Austin Dinsmore, Alex Chaudary, Gao Yang, Amin Ali. Safety Administrator Teng Vang, Warden Kathy Halvorson.

By Wendy Ortiz

Rebecca Clemens-Wells and Melissa Greiner have both gone above and beyond with patience and expertise. They are always open for questions of any possible computer confusion that may cross my path. The entire team has always provided a level of professionalism that puts someone like myself, not versed in the world of technology at ease when I find something confusing. I know I can always count on them and wanted to let them know how much I appreciate them and the work they do.

By Kelly Blake

The South East ISR team of Ellen Johnson, Barb Bauer, Marie Houston, Jason Mullenbach, Molly Bice and Heidi Anderson received an email from a CIP client recently thanking them. It reads:

Dear parole agents,

Thank you for everything that you have done for me for the last year. Thank you for offering just the right amount of structure to make this transition back into society smooth as possible while maintaining a schedule conducive to me succeeding after incarceration!!! God bless!!

By Marisol Ortega

Please join us in congratulating CPT Eric Trudell in his nomination by a peer for an Employee Recognition Award in the category of Outstanding Individual Performance for FY 2023. The nomination reads:

"Eric Trudell has worked incessantly to build the Incarcerated Persons Mentor Program since its inception. He has initiated policies and procedure to make this program a success. He has build a team that is inspired by his persistency and consistency. He has personally taken on the responsibility to formulate a training curriculum and train the mentors on how to help the incarcerated population navigate prison. This has made the IP's transition to prison a lot easier as evidenced by the weekly number of kites responses thanking the mentors. Eric Trudell is deserving of an Outstanding Individual Performance award as he has built this program from the ground up."

L-R: CPT Eric Trudell, Warden Eddie Miles

By Laura Firkus

After not seeing a bulk tablet shipment since December, in one fell swoop we received cases and cases of tablets to the tune of 300 backlogged units recently.

Immediately Ofc. Jason Krueger wrapped up what he was working on kicking into high gear and went right to work separating the tablets for IP's that had already transferred. Some were ready for the very next day's transport bus. Over the next couple of days both he and Ofc. Adam Gulden were engraving away and entering the details into COMS to where Ofc. Krueger was able to start distribution on a unit by unit basis. All but two units were completed prior to his being off a couple of days.

During this time Ofc. Gulden continued the engraving efforts and Sgt. Mehgon Hanlon from our loading dock stepped up to offer a hand with the COMS entries. Together the two of them got the last of them completed to where the last two units received their tablets shortly after.

Thank you Jason, Adam, and Mehgon for applying the philosophy of teamwork at its BEST!!

By Janelle Cheney

Clay County STS and their local Work Detail Crew, along with several other partners, came together the week of April 10 to battle the reoccurring concern of flooding in this community. STS Crew Leader, Andrew Hansen, and Work Detail Crew Leader, Cole Stoll with the Clay County Correctional Center, brought their Crews out to help "Fight the Flood!" Despite ongoing efforts and progress made to avoid flooding, it is best to be prepared for what only Mother Nature can control.

Thank you to the Clay County Sheriff's Department for spearheading these efforts and for trusting our Crews with this significant project, crucial to the safety of this Community. Also coming to the table was JT Lawn Services and Landscaping Inc. They provided much needed equipment and were on-scene to assist and support. They made positive comments and were impressed with the Crew Member's positive attitudes and hard work.

Not only did they provide equipment and support, they offered Job Applications to the Crew Leaders (to share with Agents) and Crew Members, clearly impressed with their work ethic and these programs!!!! It is amazing what can be accomplished when people are communicating, collaborating and willing to work together!

We are so appreciative of the many opportunities afforded to our Crews within Clay County, providing them with employability skills as well as the ability to meet and connect directly with those hiring.

It should also be noted that ISR and the Local Agents worked diligently to encourage all who could be on Crew to participate in this event. True Team Work!!!!

Lawrence Richard "Guy" Piras passed away peacefully, surrounded in love by his family, on April 19, 2023 at the age of 70.

Guy was a beloved husband, father, brother, son, and friend to all those who were fortunate enough to have him in their lives. Guy was the first-born child of Lawrence and Lois Piras, and followed by his siblings Brad, Jaye, Kip, and Kassy. Guy met his wife, Julie, in 1978 in the most romantic setting possible - a bar his family frequented. Guy and Julie married in 1981 and welcomed their son, Bryan, in 1982. Guy made his career working for the Minnesota Department of Corrections, starting in 1983 in the industry program at Oak Park Heights Correctional Facility and eventually rising to the position of CEO of MINNCOR Industries. During his time at MINNCOR, Guy steered the organization to profitability, and funded and operated two nationally recognized inmate transition programs, a project for which he had great passion.

After retiring from MINNCOR at the end of 2015, Guy focused his time on his beloved (and lovely) wife and stayed active by playing an absurd amount of pickleball. After 16 years of threatening to move to the same state as their son, Guy and Julie made good on the threat and moved to Memphis, TN, to be close to Bryan, his wife Amy, and their newly-born daughter Phoebe, in early 2022.

Though Guy's untimely passing will leave an enormous hole in the lives of those who loved him, they take solace from the fact that he was surrounded by his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and four siblings at the time of his death, and that he did not suffer. Throughout his life, Guy projected a positive attitude and a calm demeanor from which he seldom wavered. The people who spent time with him were better because of his influence. Guy will be forever missed, but his impact on our lives will be forever cherished.

This obituary is from this Star Tribune article.

Guy Piras

Current and former MCF-Stillwater staff have created an online store in memory of Officer Joseph Gomm, EOW 7/18/18. All proceeds will go in Joe's name to the University of Minnesota Raptor Center on July 18^th. Many will remember, shortly before his death, officer Gomm rescued two baby kestrel falcons when they fell from their nest outside an MCF-STW industry building. Joe transferred the chicks to the U of M Raptor Center during his lunch break. On July 18^th, 2018, Joe emailed the Raptor Center to check up on the chicks. Only a few hours later, his life was tragically taken from him. We can honor Joe by making a donation in his name. Donated funds will pay for a lifetime of care for an injured raptor and a commemorative plaque for its enclosure. The store link is valid until May 14^th. Challenge coins are also still available for purchase. Any questions can be directed to Lt. Cory Felda at courtney.felda@state.mn.us.

Midge Christianson, Director at 6W Community Corrections in Montevideo, saw our Shout Outs in Hotline Online and wanted to submit a special one for Tracy Hudrlik. Midge states:

I noticed in the new Hotline format there are these “shout outs” for different DOC staff. I don’t know if someone outside of the DOC can nominate someone for such a recognition, but if so Tracy Hudrlik deserves one this week! She’s been working with us on two challenging and urgent matters last week and this week, and she’s been so accessible and helpful. Yesterday we had a significant public safety emergency with a client on our caseload who is also a victim of domestic violence that needed to leave the state immediately for her own safety. Tracy responded immediately and was instrumental in facilitating emergency RFRI’s with the receiving state. She is a real gem!