My sister, Kaye, who lives in Arizona, spent the past two weeks visiting us here in Minnesota. One day while she was here we spent the day in Rochester. It isn’t too often that my sister, my nephew, my mother and I can spend a day together like that— not that it was a planned fun day. It turned out to be a pretty good trip. The sky was gray and there was plenty of moisture in the air. 

Anytime you think Rochester, what comes to mind? The clinic and hospitals, as well as all the doctors that are there now, as well as what all got it started of course, the doctors Mayo.

During our time together, somebody started talking about some of the things we have done, loved, endured, laughed over and cried about over the years. It is funny how much you can remember when someone starts the ball rolling and from there it keeps rolling and more and more memories come to mind.

When I think about it, I realize we have had a rather eclectic family life. I hope my sharing some of our adventures may jar loose some special memories for you also.

One of the things we remembered and talked about were the good times we had spent at the lake, when friends came on horseback or snowmobile, as well as for family gatherings. We talked about how we learned to water ski and rode a round surf board around the lake sitting on a collapseable stool.

How did we get there, to the lake I mean? Guess I better start at the beginning. My dad had done some carpenter work for Buzz and Minnie Lerum at Beaver Lake and as a gesture of thanks, they invited us to come and enjoy a steak supper. The visit on a Saturday was something my dad seldom had time for – but was just what he needed. He had always enjoyed fishing, and his time spent at the lake, got him to thinking about what he could do or find that would help him spend more time at Beaver Lake.

My dad knew what it was like to be poor, so he never threw anything away in case it could be used for something else. I swear he was a recycling king before they even thought about recycling.

He asked them if he could come back with a bus. Yes, a bus. This dates back to the early ‘60s before motor homes were mass produced. My dad was able to find an old school bus and proceeded to convert it into a motor home, which went on to change his life, and our family’slife as well. 

My uncle gave him some excess paint he had. Dad used it to paint that school bus a bright blue color, but we didn’t care. He took out just about all seats and proceeded to made bunk beds for us to sleep on that could be folded up when it was daytime.

Buzz and Minnie invited us to set up our “motor home” in their back yard at Beaver Lake, which provided us a place to enjoy the summer.

We made our meals on a restaurant coffee burner unit that first summer. It worked quite well considering. We were also able to use Minnie’s old wood cook stove, which was out under the big oak tree. On Sunday mornings we would enjoy a picnic breakfast of pancakes and sausages outside in the fresh air. How could anything taste any better than that?

That summer provided us many opportunities and as a result we have a lot of memories. We had a lot of giggles over the huge, and I mean huge, snapping turtle we found. We put a very large wood stump on it so it wouldn’t get away before the men came back so they could see it. That beast had evidently been eating his Wheaties and he walked away with the stump on his back as if he were Superman.

My mother’s cousin, Mark Christensen, spent quite a bit of his summer vacation from school with “Buzzy” and Minnie at the lake. He lived in a swim suit all summer long. He had a number of them in fact and would change from wet to dry suits before he and his dog climbed into the bunk bed at night. He was a busy boy who collected bait for his good friend and mentor, Noel Thompson, who had a bait shop at the lake back then. Mark wandered the lakeshore morning and night and visited with all the neighbors.

Mark’s mother, Nancy, and her sister, Minnie Lerum, were known for their cooking. Minnie’s husband, Buzzy, liked the breading that was on the chicken at some place they liked to eat. It took a while and a lot of taste testing, but they finally managed to find the right combination of ingredients and started enjoying their chicken at home. 

And we can’t forget about the Beaver Lake “shrimp.” Actually, the shrimp were really pan fish that Mark had caught. Nancy cleaned them, Minnie cooked them and they fed a lot of free “shrimp” to those people who stopped at “the joint,” as it was called, where they worked. The Sportsman’s Club was on the north side of Beaver Lake and Minnie started calling it the joint, and the name stuck for a great number of years.

They even had a juke box at the joint back then.

I believe I have rattled on a bit too much for this week’s edition and will have to continue with more of our family memories next week. I hope this may bring back a few memories for you too!

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Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented that they like to read about events such as family and school reunions, birthdays and anniversaries, and birth and wedding announcements.  In order to read about these important things we need our faithful readers to pass along the information to us.

Also, if you have an idea for a story that you think would be of interest to our readers, please contact me.

If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like to include, or news to share, please contact me via e-mail, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., by postal mail, P.O. Box 192, Geneva, MN 56035; or telephone, 507-256-4405.

Birthdays and anniversaries:

• Thursday, April 28th: Martin Rossing, Rodney Peterson, Mildred Flugum, Jamie Cameron, Jean & Chuck Groth

• Friday, April 29th: Derek Anthony Kubicek, his 9th; Jane Brocker, Roberta Dettman, Angie Hall, Mitchell Jensen, Pat & Linda Goodnature, Jennifer & Steve Schultz

• Saturday, April 30th: Nancy Williams, Jeff Misgen, Paul Moen, Dawn Cooper, Kevin Cooper, Jonathon Lein, Karey Dufresne, Judah Ashton, Jonathon Lein, Rick & Melonie Miller

• Sunday, May 1st: Carter Levi Titus, Jim Hanson, Shirley Pichner Helgeson, Christopher "Critter" Johnson, his 14th; Luke Dobberstein, Gene Budach, Sandi Otto Glenn, Richard Helmers, Sue Kasper Anderson, Tim Kasper, Norma Long, Cari Jensen, Thomas Van Riper, Veronica & Jim Graif, Heidi & Ryan Baldwin

• Monday, May 2nd: Shayna Kress and Tyler Kress, their 6th; Jack Benjamin Owen, his 7th; Diane Smith, Ted Radke, Jill Goodnature Kubicek, Bonnie Shaunce, Stephanie Corey, DeWayne Farr, Nolin Joe Simmons, his 11th; Joshua Nicholas Paulsen, his 13th; Roger Anderson, Gerald & Mildred Flugum, Dean & Carolyn Wangen

• Tuesday, May 3rd: Jase Dean Knudson, his 7th; Cassidy Worrell, Fern Possin, Justin Robertson, Dale Dulas, Wayne Dobberstein, Anthony Brandt, Merle Bartness, Leah (Ruth) & William (Bill) Scott, their 6th

• Wednesday, May 4th: Joyce Wayne, Angie Worrell Aaseth, Daniel Knudson, Kenneth Schumacher, Charles Wangsness, Keith Miller, Shirley Draayer Anderson, Dean Heskett, Thad Tuttle, Leslie Ray Farr, her 13th; Jessica Marcus, Julia Elizabeth Rye, her 8th, Brooklyn Cecila Strand, her 11th, Melonie Butler, Lexi Jo Brandstad, her 14th

Wishing you sunshine and flowers and many, wonderful days ahead.

Have you ever said or written something and then realized it didn’t come across the way you intended? After my April 14 column, I was made very aware that had happened.

So you don’t have to dig through your recycling, I was venting about some systems in education for knowing what’s happening with students (or not knowing in most cases) and how we’re expected to respond, as well as how this links in with some ways students find to not complete work. I tried to string together too many disparate threads, and my message was lost.

As many of you know, I never send in a first draft, and the column I sent in that week was pretty different from how it started out. I made some wholesale changes to some of my beginning ideas based on how thoughts flowed as I wrote, and I also made some big changes to wording, trying to get my message just right. I failed.

To some people who contacted me, I came across as insensitive to those with mental health issues. How dare I not allow a child to go see a counselor or therapist when they asked? In retrospect, I should have mentioned how earlier this year we heard that we should not just allow anyone who asked to leave to see those people unless they had a pass. This segment of our staff is so overloaded, which is why, a week before that, I had implored our legislators to give more money to schools to expand in that area.

The caveat to all this is that if we see something that would indicate there is a need right now, we could certainly send them at least to the office. I’ve done that before, just the same as I would with a child who is physically ill.

I was asked by someone if I feel I’m qualified to determine if someone is having a serious enough issue to warrant this. While I’m not certified like others, all teachers have some background in that area, we’ve had training in noting some of these characteristics, and I’ve been working with kids for two decades which has allowed me to see much.

A concerned reader asked me how I would feel if I denied a student the ability to leave and go see someone, and later on that student did something terrible to him or herself or someone else. Of course, I would feel horrible. I know many issues don’t follow a schedule. However, think about this from another perspective. What happens if I allow a student to leave who is not expected somewhere else and that student never ends up there? What if that same terrible scenario from before happens in this case?

We’re getting to the point in schools today where any kid in the hall needs an escort. If I send a child to the office, I call down to alert them, but that’s still no guarantee they’ll make it. I like how our band director will come and escort students to a band lesson – they’re always on time and never take a detour!

We all know the story of the boy who cried wolf. So many teachers have been burned by kids who claim a need to leave and don’t end up where they say that we’re hesitant. A large part of the point I was trying to get across in that column was the lack of communication in this area. I know there are data privacy issues at play here. As I told one e-mailer though, it’s not that we’re nosy, but if we know NOTHING of what’s going on, how do we help?

At the very least, a list of students who usually see these important staff members would be helpful in sorting through the morass. There might even be priority ratings for students who are having some extremely serious and sensitive issues. Granted, this would be changing all the time, but that’s similar to my grades changing every time I plug in a new assignment.

And this was the other side of the responses I heard; they weren’t all negative! A number of my fellow teachers cited a desire to be more helpful through more knowledge. We care about and value our students, and it’s frustrating to constantly be told there’s a reason for a behavior but that we can’t know that reason. I was told by others that they agreed it’s not much of a reach to assume laziness and obstinate behavior when work isn’t getting done or attitudes are flaring when we’re not even aware the child is seeing someone about some issues. Of course we’ll react in a manner consistent with our normal classroom management techniques.

It’s a little like being given a stack of boards and some hardware and then being told to build something without any directions. We have the materials (the students) but not the knowledge to create the best design possible. Obviously, the school’s hands are tied in relation to some data, but many teachers approached me and said there has to be more available to us than what we get. The consensus was that if we’re part of the team in educating and helping these kids, we have to be more than the kid looking in at the dance, wishing he or she could go in.

My dad taught me the Latin phrase, “Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa,” which he used to recite in church. It is an acknowledgement of fault, which I hereby offer. I’m at fault for not being really clear on the meaning of my column, and I apologize for raising the ire of some of my faithful readers. I’m so passionate about items I perceive as problems that I too often forget to scale back and think about how others will view my comments. I sincerely hope all involved can work together to better help all our students.

Word of the Week: This week’s word is parsiology, which means the deliberate use of unclearness in one’s writing, as in, “The columnist didn’t intend for the parsiology which led to misinterpretation of his writing.” Impress your friends and confuse your enemies!

The scurs had the Weather Eye working on more sunshine and it delivered, especially towards the week’s end. Will spring continue to march along or are we looking at a temporary setback? Starting Wednesday, cloudy with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 40’s and lows in the upper 30’s. Thursday, cloudy with a modest chance of showers. Highs in the upper 50’s with lows in the mid 40’s. Partly sunny Friday with a slight chance of an evening shower. Highs in the upper 50’s with lows in the mid-40’s. Saturday, mostly cloudy with another good chance for showers. Highs in the upper 50’s with lows in the mid-40’s. Mostly cloudy Sunday with a modest chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid-50’s with lows in the low 40’s. Monday, partly sunny with a slight chance of showers. Highs in the upper 50’s with lows in the mid-40’s. Mostly sunny skies for Tuesday with highs in the mid 60’s and lows in the mid-40’s. On the 27th we surpass 14 hours of daylight for the first time since last August 15th. The normal high for April 30th is 64 and the normal low is 42. The scurs are awaiting the arrival of their first May basket. It’s been a long time since Easter.

After some cooler temps and rainfall recorded the 21st and 22nd, fieldwork got underway again over the weekend allowing many to finish up their corn planting. Corn planted on April 11th at the SROC was beginning to emerge as of Monday the 25th. Some area corn planted the 13th and 14th could be seen poking through behind building sites and groves where sheltered from the wind allowing more GDU’s to accumulate. Rains on Sunday night helped alleviate the worries of some that had corn in dry soil and activated their pre emerge chemicals. Rainfall gauges generally measured rainfall in the .5” - .8” range. Best of all, the rain fell in two different batches so it had time to soak in.

Speaking of rain gauges, through the courtesy of the Waseca Co. Planning and Zoning, we are now recording rainfall amounts officially at the Mall for Men. Rainfall is reported daily and we try to have the gauge read shortly after 8 a.m. every day. The results are recorded on a paper data sheet as backup but are put online daily on the State Climatology Web site. For those who are “old school” it is also recorded on the calendar on my office door. To access this information online go to: http://www.climate.umn.edu/climatology.htm

Click on the colored “MNgage” line, click on “browse,” type “Waseca” into the box where it asks for the county, then click on the “find county” box and the Waseca Co. gauge reports should appear. The results for the most recent New Richland readings can be found by clicking on the current month in the slot for New Richland. If you peruse the rest of the site you’ll also discover that it’s a treasure trove of weather and climate information.

More sure signs that spring is here to stay include the siting of our first toad on the 23rd. They can now be heard trilling in the wetland as the sound of the chorus frogs is beginning to dim. Red admiral butterflies are also numerous, sunning themselves on the west side of the house in the late afternoon. More birds are moving through although no orioles just yet. Looking back at last year, they were here about May 2nd. Not taking any chances and the jelly has been out for over a week now. 

Robins are in full nest building mode with the recent rain providing mortar for their mud lined grass nests. A lone pine siskin was sharing the thistle feeder with the goldfinches on the 19th. The male goldfinches continue to gain brightness, adding some color to what has been a bland landscape other than the green grass. The plums burst into bloom over the weekend and the crabapples will be right on their heels. Barn swallows returned on Saturday. Had a hen pheasant fly into the barn and break her neck on Sunday. That same afternoon, a rooster was strutting across the pasture, letting us know the species would carry on. Likewise a pair of Hungarian partridge got up from their dust bath as I was heading toward the black cutworm monitoring trap. Love is in the air.

Ruby and Fudgie got their shots out of the way at the vaccination clinic on the 19th without fanfare. They are surprisingly well behaved in a group setting since they spend very little time on a leash or around other dogs. They seem to know the drill however so it’s just another opportunity to go for a ride for Fudgie and more petting for Ruby, the attention whore. Once home again, Fudgie is content to lie on the porch overlooking the pasture while Ruby stands outside the garage door waiting for someone to come out to do chores.

Last Saturday meant getting the lawnmowers out to mow so it took a while to air up the tires, grease and blow the dust off them. Border Collie sensory overload. Apparently Ruby had not been exposed to the air hose before as she was just bonkers when it accidentally blew in her face. Fudgie was more in tune with just biting the tires in the meantime. Since the dust was glued on tighter than the air hose could remove, it became apparent that both mowers would benefit from a quick rinse. Ruby enjoys chasing the water stream so she also got a quick rinse. After that the official beginning of the tire biting and lawnmower herding season could commence. 

Fudgie got a big day of traipsing back and forth and up and down the hill, after which she proceeded to flop on her pillow like a bag of dirt. Not bad for a dog going on 14 years old. Ruby on the other hand apparently needed more exercise and playing ball in the living room was more her speed. Until she saw her most recent TV “villain” came on: That strange “Puppy Monkey Baby.” She just comes unhinged if she happens to see that weird, mythical creature.  Add it to the list of the Hump Day Camel, the Spiriva Elephant, any horses, Julie Andrews, Clint Eastwood, etc. Just about the time we think we’ve seen Ruby’s goofiness in tis entirety, she digs a little deeper and comes up with more. She should probably be running for president.

See you next week…real good then.

This past week we received some much needed rain, which could go a long way towards easing the burning restrictions we have been under in the area. I was pleased to hear that the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners did what I felt was the right thing and voted not to issue a permit for a gravel pit by Lower Twin Lake which, in my opinion, would have had a negative ecological impact on the area and would also have taken away precious habitat. As it is, far too many acres of valuable wildlife habitat have already disappeared.

Whenever I drive north on Bridge Avenue and pass over the place that kids who grew up in that area referred to as “the bridge,” I get a good feeling. We would spend many hours exploring the slough and enjoying the wildlife that lived there. I have mentioned before the unmistakable call of the red wing blackbird and each spring the return of those birds surely meant that “spring had sprung” as my dad used to say in his tongue-in-cheek humor. The feeling I get today when passing by this area is one of gratitude to the DNR and many local habitat groups for making sure that this area and others like it are preserved even though the land surrounding this area is slowly being developed.

This is the place where I used to spend my Saturdays tromping through the slough while I explored the vast wilderness of the area. To a kid, at least this one, this really was a vast wilderness that was enhanced by a good imagination and a desire to create my own fun. I spent many Saturday mornings watching kids shows on the old Zenith that on a good day could pull in three channels or maybe four if the tin foil was in the right place on the antennae wire. Once I had grown eye weary from watching that snowy screen I would be out of the house in search of another adventure that involved the slough.

Whenever I drive past the slough I can look to the south and see that the hill we used to slide on is still there. It really wasn’t much of a hill because it was short but very steep so the thrill, like the hill, (poet) offered a quick but exciting ride. After dragging our sleds through the slough to reach that hill we would spend a couple of hours taking the steep climb to the top so we could zip down the hill to that sudden stop at the bottom. In those days I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

I had a neighbor named Roger who was a couple of years older than me and in some ways kind of a bully. When he had friends or cousins visiting him he treated me like the enemy and would from time to time for no apparent reason give me a good pounding. When I was the only one around, we were friends and he would let me hang out with him. Roger had an old duck boat that his dad had given him and one spring when the water in the “crick” was extremely high, he asked me to go along with him to explore the slough.

I jumped at the chance because, after all, he was the oldest kid on the block and wanted to hang out with me, so life was good. As we set out on our adventure I found out that the boat had a couple of pretty big leaks in it and he had thoughtfully brought along a 2-lb. Hills Brothers coffee can especially for me so that I could bail water out of the boat while he rowed and enjoyed the sights. In hindsight I could have probably passed for one of those guys on the slave ships that I used to see at the movie theater. When we returned to his house at the end of the day, both me and my new best friend were soaking wet. Even though Roger and I were now friends, I for some reason took pleasure in hearing his mother scold him for taking that boat out in that fast running current and for getting us both soaking wet.

Although Roger and I didn’t always agree on things (especially me when I was getting pounded on) we both had a great appreciation of that slough, its wildlife and the habitat that it provided then and still does provide today.

Until next time, it's time to get outdoors, wet a line whenever the opportunity arises and if you don't want to fish, just take a walk or ride your bike around the lake; it’s all good.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers, not only during the holiday season but for the rest of the year. They are the reason that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

The mayor of Dorsett, Minnesota is 3 years old. The mayor of Ellendale is 81 years old. The female of his residence tells the mayor of Dorsett what color slacks to wear daily. Do you suppose the female of his residence tells the mayor of Ellendale what color slacks to wear daily?

The last Bike-a-Thon in Freeborn County will be Saturday, May 7. Genie and I worked the Bike-a-Thon a few years when our son Dan was a rider, about eight non-consecutive years. Genie and I have worked the Bike-a-Thon the last four years and we plan on helping the last year.

What do the co-founders of the Geneva Cancer Auction, started in 1985, have in common? They each got married 59 years ago—to each other! Whitey and LaJune, you are a success not only in saying “I do” in the belief of fighting cancer, but also “I do” in the belief of long-term marriages. Way to go.

A count is done annually in mid-January of the bald eagles at Beaver Lake. This is done over a two-day period with the count being 50 this year. I am confused, as 50 seems like a lot of eagles. Why is the Game and Fish Division of Arkansas conducting the survey?

The Minnesota Game and Fish changed their thinking. If you want to, you can fish Mille Lacs Lake with live bait in 2016.

Genie reminded me of giving her a May basket. Let this be a reminder to you. (You can give one to her, too!)

How did the Easter bunny solve the problem of losing part of his tail? Sharp bunny, he went to a retail store.

Who are Donna and Amber of Hartland, Minnesota? They are two of the best deliverers of the Albert Lea Tribune in Albert Lea. 

Many thanks to Jamie, former manager of DQ south in Albert Lea, for all the years of great service.

Per our son Dan in Vermont, the people living there know three people from Minnesota (Paul, Jesse and Garrison). While the people living in Minnesota know only one person from Vermont (Bernie), most Vermonteers know the last name of the three Minnesotans while Minnesotans don’t know the last name of Bernie. As a Minnesotan, do you know the last name of Bernie?

In expressing my concern over the Twins’ bad start with so many losses, the Twins’ higher-ups told me not to worry. They informed me the decision was to get most of the losses out of the way first. As a true Twins fan, I believe the Twins’ higher-ups. Do you think I should be a believer?

F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely on God) of Central Freeborn Lutheran Church is taking a bus to Lutheran Night at the Twins on Tuesday, July 26. Departure is 4 p.m. from behind Slumberland in Albert Lea, with $45 to hold a seat. More details later. Call me at (507) 373-8655 to hold a seat. Remember, the Twins should win, as they got rid of most of their losses early in the season.

———

Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.

Echoes From the Loafers' Club Meeting

Good morning.

Right back at you. What have you been up to?

Why? What have you heard?

Driving by the Bruces

I have two wonderful neighbors — both named Bruce — who live across the road from each other. Whenever I pass their driveways, thoughts occur to me, such as: I’m not saying that coupons are extinct, but all mine have expired. If you want to exceed expectations, step on a bathroom scale. I learned early in life that there was no need to take reading material to the outhouse in January in Minnesota.

Spring Brought a good crop of sticks

Sticks, unlike money, grow on trees. Sticks that fall in the yard are picked up, but they still stick around.

I led a bird walk in Arizona. A friend stepped in some dog poop. It wasn’t a small pile. It was of epic proportions and some canine likely hurt itself. The dog was definitely running on empty. I felt sorry for the man who had stepped in it. I should have felt sorrier, but I couldn't. I was too happy about not being the one who’d stepped in it.

He searched for a stick to clean his shoe. He couldn't find one. I should have brought one from Minnesota.

Here’s my advice. Walk softly and carry a small stick.

Reading while driving

The Cadillac’s license plate read, "ATN GETR." The Virginia car had a sign on it reading, "Warning: Loud music." The vanity license plates on another car read, "NOZ PRNTS." Nosy parents, I speculated. Later, I encountered the driver who told me that he raised dogs. The plate was meant to indicate "nose prints."

I picked up my rental car in Phoenix, it was an Econobox 500, and I headed down the highway during rush hour. Rush hour certainly is a misnomer. As I drove through Phoenix, I realized that everyone else was, too. We were moving at the pace of a limping snail. I was behind a car with a plate reading "YOU4EAH." I was euphoric once I got away from all that traffic. In Cottonwood, Arizona, I was passed by a gigantic, four-wheel-drive pickup truck bearing the plate, "CHAOSX4."

Bumper stickers and vanity license plates are dangerous. Drivers might need to reach unsafe speeds in order to get close enough to read them and then tailgate while reading.

A Kia Sportage sportaged past. It zoomed around me, in a hurry to get someplace where Sportages go. Sportage is an odd name, but the name said it all. I'm not sure what it said, but it said it all.

Born free, my uncle was a doctor

Edward Free is a retired doctor in Prescott, Arizona. He told me he’s 92 and wants to live to be at least 100. That's because he’d shopped in a store with a sign that read, "Over 80 years of age, 10 percent off. Over 90, 15 percent off. Over 100, 100 percent off." He hopes the store will allow him to bring U-Haul trailers.

Traveling man

I was slaving away in Arizona, speaking at things. As I prepared to send an email to someone, I noticed that autocorrect had changed "slaving" to "slacking." The truth hurts. I rented a car in Phoenix. The temperatures were well into the 90s and the sun beat down. There was a high level of grogginess engulfing the crowd. Half the people renting a car looked too tired to be driving. The car rental company should have tossed in a sun shade for the windshield. There wasn't enough shade to go around when it came to parking.

Nature notes

Karen Vanderploeg of Hollandale asked how to keep grackles from hogging the feeders. Common grackles are common in yards. They eat like a bird — voraciously. They prefer seed offered on platform feeders or scattered on the ground. They find tube feeders, especially those with short perches, less to their liking. Perches can be trimmed or eliminated so that only small birds can find footing. A feeder could be enclosed in a wire cage that allows smaller birds entry while excluding grackles. This could be a do-it-yourself project or a commercial feeder. A nyjer feeder attracts goldfinches instead of grackles. Some feeders are equipped with mechanisms that close feeding ports when larger birds get on them. Safflower isn’t a grackle’s favorite food. Cheap seed mixes attract grackles.

Meeting adjourned 

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough—and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend."- Melody Beattie. Be kind.

Name change gains approval

By JESSICA LUTGENS

Staff Writer

The renaming of the baseball diamond at Legion Field, street maintenance, storm sewer repair and moving forward with plans for a recycling program were all approved at a regular meeting of the New Richland City Council on Monday, April 25. All members were present, and the agenda and consent agenda items were approved.

Ed Dahle, on behalf of Quad Cities Baseball Association, presented the request to change the name of Legion Field’s baseball diamond to “The Jeff & Carol Reese Field at Legion Park.”

Jeff Reese, a well-respected coach in his long baseball career, has also been a meticulous caretaker of the baseball field, his work a large part of providing a diamond to be proud of. He and his late wife, Carol, also a big supporter of baseball, are considered pillars of the community. The council approved Resolution 16-05 naming Legion Field, which will officially take place before the baseball game on May 14.

Funeral services for Kermit D. Kalke will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 25, 2016 at St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, New Richland. The Reverend Scott Williams will officiate. Visitation will be held from 4-7 at St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church on Sunday, as well as one hour prior to the service on Monday. Interment will take place at St. Peter Cemetery.  Bonnerup-Friedrich Funeral Home, New Richland is assisting the family.

Kermit passed away surrounded by his family at his home on Thursday, April 21, 2016. He was 79 years old.

NRHEG Community Education is offering a class, “Understanding Trusts,” on Thursday, May 5 from from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in Room D107 of NRHEG High School.

There are so many different types of trusts with so many different names, which can make them seem confusing, and downright intimidating. This course will be a thorough explanation of Trusts including Revocable Living Trusts, Irrevocable Trusts and Testamentary Trusts. We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using Trusts as a replacement for a Will. This free, educational course is being taught by Hannon T. Ford, a Certified Elder Law Attorney (Certified by the National Elder Law Foundation).

Register by April 28 by calling 507-417-2667.

NRHEG School Board

By REED WALLER

Staff Writer

Members of the NRHEG PTO appeared before the school board Monday evening to offer a donation in the amount of $37,739.63 for the new playset for Ellendale from Play&Park Structures, and another donation in the amount of $4,140 for the installation by Sequoia Landscape.

“The existing playground equipment, which is used by 423 students, is 25 years old,” they said, “and was designed for half the students we have.”

The NRHEG PTO has worked more than a year, processing hundreds of donations, and is currently waiting on grant proposals as well.

The PTO visited two other schools who have this equipment, and declared themselves “very satisfied” with it.