NRHEG boys top Southland, 83-63

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva boys’ basketball team was involved in a pair of revenge games last week. 

The Panthers trounced Southland, the team that eliminated NRHEG in the opening round of tournament action a year ago, Jan. 20.

United South Central, a team that NRHEG defeated by one point in Wells earlier this season, bounced the Panthers on their home court Friday. 

New Richland City Council

By NICOLE BILLING

Editorial Assistant

The New Richland City Council held its second meeting of the year Monday, Jan. 27 at 6:30 p.m. All members were in attendance. The agenda was approved along with the consent agenda.

The Care Center report stated there were three new advisory board members: Judith Ritter, Cathy Crowe, and Joann Maloney. 

The Care Center is going to go through and mark the percentage of variables between what is being budgeted and how much is actually being spent, which the council approved. The money market report and write-off report was given, with the council approving both reports. The Care Center is using a different payroll account, so they requested the money left over in the payroll account in the bank, an amount of $3,178.46, be moved to the general account, which was approved. 

Seems like I am not the only one who gets upset with the way some of these "singers" try to rearrange "The Star Spangled Banner.” I still like to hear the song sung the way I learned it back in grade school - straight and strong and meaningful. 

When sung proudly with reverence before a game or event it gives me goosebumps. When someone tries to “change the flavor" it hurts me.

I know musicians like to put their rendition on songs and sometimes it doesn't matter but excuse me, I like the "Star Spangled Banner" the old way with the flag respectfully displayed to remind us what we have been given.

A Marine Corps Colonel in Afghanistan recently wrote “…with all the kindness I can muster, I give this one piece of advice to the next pop star who is asked to sing the national anthem at a sporting event: save the vocal gymnastics and the physical gyrations for your concerts. Just sing this song the way you were taught to sing it in kindergarten - straight up, no styling.

“Sing it with the constant awareness that there are soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines watching you from bases and outposts all over the world.

“Don't make them cringe with your self-centered ego gratification. 

Sing it as if you are standing before a row of 86-year-old WWII vets wearing their Purple Hearts, Silver Stars and flag pins on their cardigans and you want them to be proud of you for honoring them and the country they love - not because you want them to think you are a superstar musician. They could see that from your costume, makeup and your entourage.

“Sing ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ with the courtesy and humility that tells the audience that it is about America, not you. And please remember, not everything has to be sung as a Negro spiritual. We're getting a little weary of that.

“Francis Scott Key does not need any help.”

The words of "The Star Spangled Banner" were first written on September 14, 1814 by Francis Scott Key as a poem entitled, "Defence (sic) of Ford McHenry."

When the bombardment of Ford McHenry subsided, the American Flag was still flying. This flag was truly huge. It measured 42 X 30 feet. Though published in a number of newspapers at the time, it wasn't until the Civil War the song became one of the most popular patriotic songs of the United States.

It was Woodrow Wilson who requested the song be played at all sporting events. In 1931 Congress drafted a proclamation naming "The Star Spangled Banner" as our national anthem. President Hoover signed the proclamation and the rest as they say, is history.

Believe it or Not ... It was Robert L. Ripley of "Ripley's Believe It or Not" who spurred the American people to demand "The Star Spangled Banner" become the national anthem.

On November 3, 1929, Ripley ran a cartoon saying "Believe It or Not, America has no national anthem.” Americans were shocked and wrote five million letters to Congress demanding Congress proclaim a national anthem.

Most people don't realize there are actually four verses to "The Star Spangled Banner.”

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn's early light.

What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,

O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?

And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.

O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen thro' the mists of deep,

Where the foe's haughty hosts in dread silence reposes,

What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,

As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,

In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream;

"Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who vauntingly swore

That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion

A home and a country should leave us no more?

Their blood has wash'd out their foul footsteps' pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave.

From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave;

And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,

Between their lov'd homes and the war's desolation;

Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land

Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,

And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave

O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

It will be interesting to see what rendition will be given to this song before the start of the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 2.

I pray the original version will be sung with reverence and strength and hope as it was originally written.

Thank you for making a difference!

Some of our Star Eagle readers have commented 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. 

If you have birthdays and anniversaries you would like 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.

This week's birthdays and anniversaries include:

• Thursday, Jan. 30: Alice Richards, Allison Grunwald, Renae Wallace, Trudy Nelson, Cody Boverhuis, Dennis Jensen, Jeanette Fetterly, Michael Robinson, Scott Morreim, Wally Wobschall, Missy (Wayne) & Sean Engel, their 5th, Paul & Diane Stollard

• Friday, Jan. 31: Ethan River Thompson, his 9th; Avery Routh, her 9th; Dana Jensen, Jim Worrell, Keith Hagen, Sue Richards, David Skroch, Jim & Lois Plunkett

• Saturday, Feb. 1: Grayson Joseph Bickler, his 6th; Richard Grunwald, Brad Hagen, Tom Olson, Shelly Wencl, Sam & Sharon Peterson, Darrin & Michelle Hanson

• Sunday, Feb. 2: Kia Jayann Buendorf, her 6th; Matt Davis, Addie Farr, Joey Farr, Michael Farr, Butch Otteson, John Fornberg, Robert Hanson, Jim Motz, Karri Bangert, Lillie Fenney

• Monday, Feb. 3: Bowen Gregory Jensen, his 8th; Lily Neitzel, Julie Hanson, David Johnson, Sherry Misgen, Tara (Stollard) Richards, Francene Pittman, Jeremy Hanson

• Tuesday, Feb.: Aaron Duane Bauers, Tyler Cerney, Tyler Sorenson (1994), Waylen Busho Jr., Billy Glynn, David Newgard, Roy Jensen, John Lent

• Wednesday, Feb. 5: Crystal Simonson, Blanche Kasper, Darrell Howell, Randy Reese, Ericka Johnson, Kylee Jace Wilson, Wesley Schoenrock

• Thursday, Feb. 6: Jean Klocek, Carolyn Hanson, Dean Jensen, David Kelly, Martin Bartness, Colleen Borchert, Troy Haddy, Jean Clausen, Sonja Thompson, Megan Stephoni, Todd Nelson, Brooke Burns, Kay Swenson

• Friday, Feb. 7: Cheryl Boettcher, Ted Pelzl, Kelly Simon, Emma Lorraine Klemmensen, Karissa Dolan, Dorothy Katz, Joel Radjenovich, Steve & Holly Glynn

Saturday, Feb. 8: Lainee Ann Krohn, Erin Thompson, Terry Wacek, Dennis & Cheryl Sauke

• Sunday, Feb. 9: Emily Eder, John Warnke, Donnavon Eaker, Laura (Edwards) Baudoin, Brad Lerum, Howard Goette, Kelly Lageson, Heidi Nelson, Karen Knudson, Tami Sorenson, Jay Wangsness

Let the good times carry you away on your special day!

The cold weather seems to be fuel for conversation for most of this winter. The cold seems to want to keep hanging around and if it warms up, it snows just enough to make shoveling almost a daily event.

I always find it comforting to see the tracks of critters in the snow around my yard, and we are definitely not lacking for squirrel and rabbit tracks in the neighborhood. I have always found something peaceful about watching as the snow swirls past the window on a moonlit winter’s night and whenever this happens my thoughts drift back to my childhood, when I would be curled up under the covers in my upstairs bedroom of our little house reading a Jim Kjelgaard book. His books gave the perspective through the eyes of the animal and were written to capture the imagination of young prospective outdoorsmen. This fueled my imagination to the point where I would try to imagine that those critter tracks were leading to a cozy little den somewhere under the snow.

As a kid, I spent many a moonlit winter night outside sledding or playing in a snow fort that had been constructed by us kids. I don’t know how many times we tried to build an igloo like we had seen in pictures of the Eskimos of the far north. I don’t believe we ever completely mastered the roof, but then we were using blocks of snow and not blocks of ice. This, on the other hand, didn’t stop us from trying and that was half the fun. I always enjoyed playing outside in the moonlight of a winter’s night better than during the day. The other day after shoveling snow in the below-zero temperatures, my fingers had gotten cold to the point that when I went indoors to warm up they started to hurt. This brought back childhood memories of the pain I experienced while warming up in front of the heat register after playing outside just a little too long.

Panel explores issues affecting state’s hunting, fishing tradition

Minnesota’s hunting and fishing tradition is facing unprecedented demographic challenges that will require new approaches to address declines in participation rates.

That’s the essence of a new report compiled by a panel of hunting and fishing interests convened by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance (MOHA).

“Minnesota is in the enviable position of having hunting and angling participation rates double the national average,” said Tom Landwehr, DNR commissioner. “Yet challenges are ahead. That’s because young Minnesotans aren’t hunting and fishing at the levels of previous generations, long-time Baby Boom hunters and anglers are destined to drop out, and future population growth will be driven largely by ethnic cultures that do not have long-held Minnesota-based hunting and fishing traditions.”

Hunting and fishing are important to the state’s economy. Minnesota hunters and anglers spend $3.3 billion within and out of Minnesota, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2011 national survey of hunting, fishing and wildlife recreation. Hunting and fishing support 48,000 Minnesota jobs and the additional benefits of connecting people with nature, promoting conservation, and providing healthy outdoor exercise.

About 28 percent of Minnesotans age 16 and older fish; 12 percent hunt. Since 2000, Minnesota has experienced a 12 percent decline in hunting and fishing license rates as the population has grown from 4.9 to 5.3 million. Actual license sales have stayed relatively stable at 1.5 million anglers and 570,000 hunters.

A desire to sustain the state’s hunting and fishing tradition prompted Landwehr and MOHA to convene the Commissioner’s Council on Hunting and Angling Recruitment and Retention. This stakeholder council, comprised of hunting, angling and recreation interests, met several times during 2013 and issued a report of its findings.

C.B. Bylander, outreach chief for DNR’s Fish and Wildlife Division, said the council’s work was valuable. “The outdoors community recognizes the need to design and deliver more effective public and private sector recruitment and retention programs,” said Bylander. “By reviewing research and collectively applying this knowledge we can improve.” Council members included representatives from Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation and other outdoor interests.

Recruitment recommendations included: 1) developing and supporting after school clubs for youth; 2) an “I am a hunter/angler” marketing campaign aimed at young adults; 3) learn to hunt and fish workshops for young adults; and 4) family-oriented hunting and fishing awareness and skill workshop events.

This is why events like the Fountain Lake Sportsman’s “Take a Kid Fishing” and other events by various area sportsmen’s clubs are so important to the future of our outdoors heritage.

— — —

I have heard reports that the fish on Pickerel Lake are swimming just under the ice and in some instances are coming up to the surface in open fishing holes, presumably searching for oxygen. In the same token, big walleye have been spotted swimming with the carp below the dam. The DNR has checked the oxygen levels in both lakes and stated that it is still satisfactory. Hopefully, we won’t have a winter kill like we experienced a few years ago on Albert Lea Lake. This would be sad because Pickerel has become a very good fishing lake in a relatively short period of time.

Until next time, stay warm and enjoy the beauty of winter.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason that we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

Echoes From the Loafers’ Club Meeting

"You're just wasting your time."

"How am I doing that?"

"By sitting here."

"What should I be doing?"

"If I knew, I'd tell you."

"You’d just be wasting my time."

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 glad that I have more aspirins than headaches.

I’ve learned

• Maturity is having no bubble wrap.

• Flattery is like chewing tobacco. It’s better if you don't swallow it.

• Grandchildren give us an opportunity to learn from the future.

The news from Hartland

• The Eat Around It Cafe serves ice cream at room temperature to prevent brain freeze.

• Carl of Carl’s Car Wash and Movie Theater says that the theater may be dark, but please eat your own popcorn.

• The Hartland Board of Tourism and Corn states that beef cattle have a steak in the economy.

Riding is a lot like walking

My mother never heard the song "Ballad of the Devil’s Backbone Tavern" by Todd Snider. She would have enjoyed it. Partial lyrics are, "I say life's too short to worry. Life's too long to wait. Too short not to love everybody. Life's too long to hate."

That part of the song could have been her credo.

One day, our car broke down on the gravel road. We had cars that tended to grow weary.

In those dark days before the advent of the cellphone, we couldn’t call in the cavalry to come to the rescue.

I jumped from the car, intending to walk home to find father, truck, or tractor.

Mom said she’d join me and ride shanks’ pony home.

That meant that she was going to use her legs as a means of transport and walk. Shanks' pony (or nag or mare) derives from the name of the lower part of the leg between the knee and ankle, the shank. It’s more often referred to as the shin or tibia.

Gambling with lutefisk

Beaver Lake Bob Hanson winters in Albert Lea. Why would anyone winter in Minnesota? I don’t know, but Albert Lea is south of Beaver Lake. I mentioned to Bob that I had been telling stories at the Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen. Bob said he and his wife were traveling in that area once when they decided to stop at the casino and eat. Bob said the place was packed. There was a lutefisk feed being held in the casino.

Girls basketball is ladylike

I watched three girls basketball games in one day. The young ladies were amazing. They played hard. I yelled positive encouragements. I tried to be as effervescent as if I ever wasn’t.

Andy Dyrdal of Albert Lea related a tale of how he and his wife first became a couple.

Andy told me that he’d had his eye on her, but she was dating another. One night, she and her date attended a high school basketball game. It was a hard-fought contest and she cheered enthusiastically, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend.

He grumbled that she should act more ladylike.

She dumped him for Andy and their marriage lasted more than 60 years before her death.

As I watched the three games, I realized that the excellent athletes on the floor were wonderfully ladylike.

I responded by squealing in a gentlemanly manner.

Customer comments

• Who says there is no such thing as a free lunch? My cousin Jackie Muller of Whittemore told me of her friends who invited another couple out to lunch. They took them to the local John Deere dealer’s appreciation days.

• Mark Sorenson, who lives along Geneva Lake, worked in Green Bay. There he met a new father who was hoping his son's first words would not be "Mama" or "Dada," but rather, "The Vikings suck."

Did you know?

• Yakutat, Alaska is the largest US city in area. Yakutat includes 9,463 square miles of water, land, glaciers, and ice fields. It’s larger than the state of New Hampshire. It displaced Sitka, Alaska (4,812 square miles), which had supplanted Juneau (2,874) as the largest city. Jacksonville, Fla., is the largest city in the Lower 48 at 747 square miles.

• Noah’s dogs went, "Ark, ark, ark."

• The average American eats 225 pounds of meat per year.

Nature notes

Harlan Lutteke of Alden asked, "Do opossums carry rabies?" Opossums are highly resistant to rabies. A rabid opossum is a rarity.

Meeting adjourned

Do you wonder if you make a difference? If you growled at somebody today, you made a difference. If you smiled at someone today, you made a difference. Be kind.

For many years Art Lerberg, a lifetime summer resident of Beaver Lake, wrote a column for the Ellendale Eagle called “Just Rambling.” One of his many great columns was about the pileated woodpecker that would make toothpicks out of any telephone pole at a certain location. After the fourth telephone pole at that location, the telephone company noticed there was a hum in the line that vibrated in the pole. The pole was then wrapped in tin and the pileated woodpecker moved on.

Art has also moved on, but his likeable smile and the twinkle in his eye are a great memory for all who knew him.

Many of the area natives asked me to continue Art’s column. Their reasoning was, I was a native of the area with a cabin on Beaver Lake. 

I said no.

After a few years of being asked, I relented, and “Fact or Fiction” replaced “Just Rambling,” with the main emphasis still being on the Beaver Lake area. The first column I wrote was in 2002 (a short 12 years ago).

The rest of this column will be a “Just Rambling” take-off.

“Frozen Chosen” are the few who attended the Sunday morning church service when the temperature was 25 below with 45 below wind chill factor.

Sign on the inside door of a fish house at Beaver Lake: “All I needed to know about cold weather, I learned while ice fishing at Beaver Lake.”

There are more fish houses on St. Olaf Lake than Beaver Lake. Why? Because the fish are smarter in Beaver Lake, and the fishermen are dumber. This known fact became the basis for the movie “Dumb and Dumber.”

The new pastor wanted a reserved parking stall to be designated by the church council. The church members wanted the council to talk to the new pastor to limit the church service to one hour. The council couldn’t figure out how to handle the requests. After much deliberation, Ole said he would solve the dilemma by the next Sunday. The newly erected parking sign read:

HOUR

PASTOR

ONLY

When asked, “How do you want your vegetables prepared?” he answered, “Through a cow, so they turn into steak.”

If Plan A fails, remember you have 25 letters left.

Who is the best maker of copies? Kris Heavner, that’s who.

Do you know the middle name of Barbie, that great doll? (Ken does.)

Call 373-8655, and for $5 we’ll reserve a seat for three hours beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, to eat pizza, play Norwegian Bingo, and eat an ice cream dessert at a Valentine’s Party held at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church.

———

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.