NRHEG Star Eagle

137 Years Serving the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Area
Newspaper of Record for NRHEG School District
Newspaper of Record for Waseca County, MN
PO Box 248 • New Richland, MN 56072

507-463-8112
email: steagle@hickorytech.net
Published every Thursday
Yearly Subscription: Waseca, Steele, and Freeborn counties: $52
Minnesota $57 • Out of state $64

By ELI LUTGENS

Publisher/Editor

NRHEG Homecoming week 2023 kicks off next week. Coronation is set for 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 2 at the high school gymnasium in New Richland. Parades are scheduled for Friday at 12:30 p.m. in Ellendale and 2:15 p.m. in New Richland. The homecoming game will be Friday at 7 p.m. against Waterville-Elysian-Morristown. Royalty will be introduced at halftime. An evening homecoming dance from 9 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. in the High School gym will follow the game.

Royalty will be crowned based on a vote of the student body, grades 9-12 – and will reign over Homecoming week.

This year’s court are (parents in parenthesis): Keira Lenort (Tami LaCanne, Chris LaCanne, and Jason Lenort), Faith Nielsen (Jennie and Bruce Nielsen), Hallie Schultz (Rick and Jackie Schultz), Brenna Sommer (Tony and Amanda Sommer), Isabel Stadheim (Linda and Darrin Stadheim), Jackson Chrz (Gwyn and Jared), Daxter Lee (Mark and Rachael Lee), Jaylin Raab (Tiffany and Troy), George Roesler (Greg and Barb Roesler), and Will Tuttle (Thaddeus and Jessica Tuttle).

This year’s Princess and Prince are Princess Kinsley Jensen, daughter of Brady and Amy Jensen, and Prince Paxton Sterner, son of Amanda Anderson & Jordan Sterner.

Schedule

Monday: Dress up theme: Neon Day; HC Activity: Homecoming Kickoff Games; 7:30 p.m. Coronation in the high school gym with fall sports coaches speaking.

Tuesday: Dress up theme: Celebrity Day; HC Activity: TBD; 7:15 p.m. Volleyball plays at Hayfield.

Wednesday: Dress up theme: Barbie and Ken; HC Volleyball Tournament.

Thursday: Dress up theme: Throwback Thursday; HC Activity Thursday Morning Mix!; 4 p.m. cross country at Waseca; 7:15 p.m. Volleyball hosts JWP. Royalty will be introduced at 6:45 p.m.

Friday: Dress up theme: Panther Pride Day; 8:45 a.m. Pep Fest K-2 in Ellendale; 12:30 p.m. Parade in Ellendale; 1:30 p.m. Pep Fest in New Richland; 2:15 p.m. Parade in New Richland; 7 p.m. football game versus WEM, royalty introduced at halftime; 9 p.m. - 11:30 p.m. Homecoming dance in the high school gym. Cost is $3 for an individual, or $5 per couple. Admission through entrance #16E only. Students will not have access to the rest of the school or lockers. Admission closes at 10 p.m.

By DEB BENTLY

Staff Writer

Several hundred people attended the grand opening celebration for the new Arcadian Bank building in Hartland on September 14. Most of Arcadian Bank’s 30-some employees volunteered at the event, helping with setup, serving, and general goodwill. About 500 meals were served, and many people got their first look at the new building’s interior. Rolls and coffee were offered in the morning; a full dinner was served beginning around 3 p.m. On the menu were pulled pork sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, cole slaw and chips.

Arcadian Bank has branches in Freeborn and Albert Lea as well as the Hartland location where the business began as Farmers State Bank in 1912. Construction of the new building in Hartland has recently been completed after the original 1912 bank building on the same site was irretrievably damaged by a December, 2021 tornado.

Long-time tellers Darcy Newman and Cindy Recknor said they look forward to serving customers from the “beautiful new” counters.

Mark Heinemann, Arcadian’s president, commented: ”It was a wonderful day. Being able to share the new building with the community reaffirmed our decision to rebuild. There were so many grateful, positive comments. Now we look forward to helping any of those people in the area who are not currently customers to come experience the difference.”

 

From left, Marty Nelson, Tom Sorenson, and Kiana Bumbusky.

By Deb Bently
Staff Writer

When it’s difficult to let go of something, sometimes the solution is not to let go…at least not entirely.

That’s the approach Marty Nelson, 76, who had operated his Security Insurance Agency in Ellendale for 40 years and more, has taken in allowing his business to move under the umbrella of the Americana Insurance Group, Inc, which already has branches in Albert Lea and Wells.

The “umbrella” opened September 1. To bring about the transfer, Americana co-owner Tom Sorenson and agent Kiana Gumbusky began working to help modernize Nelson’s…long-established practices.

Nelson and Gumbusky will be operating the agency together for the next year or so, and both agree they have much to learn from each other.

By DEB BENTLY

Staff Writer

“These windows are 100 years old,” observes Caleb Penic of Winona’s Cathedral Crafts. “We want to help them last a millenia.”

Penic and coworker Jason Peterson were in New Richland last week to “storm proof” the large stained glass windows at the north and south ends of All Saints Catholic Church. The work entailed refinishing–even to some degree refurbishing–the wooden framing around the windows. 

Made of cedar, the frames were beginning to weaken in places. Penic describes finding a small 12-inch tree growing from the wood easily 30 feet above the ground.

Sections of the frame were replaced and the whole frame was expanded and tightened by inserting bracing screws.