NRHEG School Board

By REED WALLER

Staff Writer

Staff and faculty members involved in the school’s PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports) initiative spoke before the school board at last Monday’s regular meeting, expressing concern over behavior problems on the school buses, particularly the shuttle buses. 

“An unstructured situation presents the most problems,” one representative explained.

They expressed approval of the district’s placing of security cameras in the school buses, but pointed out that this was not enough. The cameras make it possible to monitor bad behavior, but it’s after the fact, and PBIS is about promoting positive behavior on the spot. They believed it would be helpful to have paraprofessionals on board as supervisors.

Mayor's office to remain in maintenance building, for now

By SCOTT GROTH

Contributing Writer

The Ellendale City Council met Thursday February 28 with Mayor Swearingen and all Council members present. In attendance for the meeting were Pete Paulson, Manager, Ellendale Liquor, Steve Louks, Clerk, Josh Otto, Maintenance Supervisor, Ashley Stewart, Cindi Goebel, Millie Paulson and Allie Larson.

The council made it official. Josh Otto will take over the position of Maintenance Supervisor. Otto was one of several good candidates that applied for the position. Otto will start March 1, 2013 and will work with current Maintenance Supervisor, Roger Swearingen. Swearingen and Otto were working together during the past snow event to get the feel for the snow removal process. Otto will take over all maintenance duties for the City of Ellendale. 

Applications due March 31 at City Hall

The NRAFF Grants Committee recently met to discuss the nature of grant applications coming to the committee. Timeliness of the grants awarded has become an important factor, therefore a new deadline for applications has been determined.

The New Richland Area Foundation Fund Grants Committee will be accepting grant applications until March 31, 2013. The approved applicants will be announced and presented at a special event on April 21 at New Richland City Hall.  Information about that event will be announced at a later date.

NRHEG girls roll in first two rounds of sub-section

TWO POINTS — Senior Katie Cole of NRHEG goes up for a basket as Maple River in the sub-section opener at New Richland last week. The Panthers won 79-9. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

The New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva girls’ basketball team appears ready to defend last year’s section crown. 

The Panthers crushed Maple River and Blue Earth Area to waltz into the South Sub-Section 2AA championship game.

NRHEG held Maple River to single digits in a 70-point win. The Panthers held Blue Earth below 30 points for the second time this season. The two wins made it 25 straight victories and a 27-1 overall record for the state’s second ranked team. NRHEG is the top seed in the sub-section. 

The Panthers ended the season with an 11-0 record on their home court. NRHEG is 16-1 on the road. 

Maple River

NEW RICHLAND – The Panthers bolted to a 49-5 halftime lead and cruised to an easy 79-9 win against eighth-seeded Maple River at New Richland Feb. 26. 

Panthers face two state champs

TOUGH BATTLE — NRHEG’s Dillon Kubiatowicz, bottom, battles Zach Scott of Holdingford in the wrestlebacks at 106 pounds last Saturday. Kubiatowicz’s opening-round opponent went on to finish third. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

ST. PAUL – Paul Cyr’s three young New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva wrestlers that qualified for the Class A State Tournament gained plenty of experience but not many wins. 

Cordell Peterson, Dillon Kubiatowicz and Wyatt Fitterer combined for just one win in seven matches at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul Friday. Peterson picked up the lone win among the three Panther wrestlers.

“It was a great experience for all three of our guys,” said Cyr. “In the case of Peterson and Fitterer, they both lost to the champions in their weight class. Kubiatowicz’s first opponent went on to finish third. So we could have done a little better in the draw.”

By DALE KUGATH

Sportswriter

MANKATO – It took a year for the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva boys’ basketball team to get some revenge against Mankato Loyola. But, the Panthers did in their regular season finale in Mankato Feb. 25. 

Coach Pat Churchill’s Panthers, who lost three times to Loyola a year ago, upended the Crusaders 77-71. 

NRHEG tied its season-high output with a balanced attack that featured four players in double figures and two more with nine points. 

The win snapped a three-game losing streak and gave the Panthers a 6-18 record heading into tournament play. It was just the third road victory for NRHEG in 16 games this winter. Mankato Loyola slipped to 12-14 for the year. 

While we moan and groan over moving the snow, it does have its fun side, too. For those who have sat on their expensive, impressive snowmobiles all winter with no place to go, it was like a gift from heaven when the snow recently came falling down.

Though times have changed and today’s machines are like comparing a Cadillac to a Model T in my snowmobiling days, it does bring back memories of fun in the snow. We didn't go fast and I won't say we didn't travel far, because we did travel great distances inhaling gas fumes along with the great fresh air. Back in those "good old days" we didn't have snowmobile trails to travel like they do now, either; we made our own.

Our snowmobile suits were pretty much plain old suits, either black or navy blue, but the quilted material was high tech compared to the woolen coats that came before them. They were not a fashion statement, like those worn today that look like something from NASCAR with all the bright colors and designs. Also, we didn't have all the great helmets that are now used to protect one’s head either.

For the young at heart (and body) as they zip across the mounds of snow, it brings back thoughts of the movie Dr. Zhivago when they traveled across the snow-drenched plains with horse and sleigh. Before the days of snowmobiles and water skiing, horses (not horsepower) pulled many a skier behind them on wonder skis on untamed trails. In fact, even horseback riding in the snow was an adventure.

Kids still do love the snow because they can build caves and snow forts, and have a few snowball fights, as well as do a little sliding. Which is correct, sliding or sledding?

Sliding is what you do on a hill — sliding over the snow. Sledding may mean going down a hill on a sled, or it may mean traversing the snow on a sled. It might help to remember to think of horse-drawn sleds.

It is hard to believe in those early years of snowmobiling that we use to go to Clarks Grove on our evening snowmobile jaunts. Interstate 35W was still in the making. Where does time go? It seems like only yesteryear.

Many are the times we used to park on the hill east of St. Olaf Lake to watch the herd of deer that made their appearance with little apparent fear of the bunch of us on our snowmobiles. It’s sad to think that lately we seem to still be watching deer, but as road kill along the highway. There is still something impressive about a deer with its Bambi eyes and distinctive white tail bobbing along the road and across the fields that impresses me.

Wild turkeys were "new on the scene" about the time my girls and my sister Kaye’s boys were small. I believe the New Richland FFA raised and released them in our territory, and others did too, and now they are about as familiar as robins but still fun to see. I can still picture them running down Brian Espe’s hill to my folks’ cabin at St. Olaf Lake when my dad was ready to give them a "handout," though they much preferred acorns to corn. They often pecked on the picture window, much to our enjoyment, ti to let us know they were hungry.

They say turkeys are dumb, and you could believe so if you saw them high in the trees behind where Tom McCrady lives at St. Olaf Lake. It seems the stronger the wind the higher they went, but turkeys are wily and difficult to hunt. They have little sense of smell, but their eyesight is keen.

My folks had a few white turkeys visit them while they lived at St. Olaf Lake. Interesting how they would harvest seeds from weeds and grasses, pressing their beak around the stem and pulling upward, so the seeds went directly into their mouth.

Then there was the time we went to Como Park and the kids spotted vultures that they thought were turkeys. I guess there was some resemblance. Maybe they were turkey vultures; but that is another story.

We often frequented both the Como Park and Minnesota Zoo back in those early days. Kaye would plan those trips on short notice and we'd just go, often taking lunch with us prepared in a hurry as we were practically going out the door. Imagine the surprise when biting into a sandwich to realize some tops and bottoms got mixed up in the rush and we had a sandwich McDonald’s never even thought of: peanut butter and tuna fish!

As a youngster my nephew, Cameron’s, dream was that he would someday work at a zoo. Well, maybe he still does sometimes but not the zoo you think, and his interest and his love of animals has taken him many miles as a guide and a hunter. With our family, reunions probably are the zoo! How did I get from snow to turkeys to the zoo? Easy, I live in Minnesota and you can expect anything, any time here — the same as the name of this column – it’s “whatever comes to mind."

A favorite time for my mom and dad were their jaunts around St. Olaf Lake every night on cross-country skis. It was a stress-free time; quiet, beautiful weather, dark or under a sky sprinkled with stars. We all had cross-country skis. Probably not brave enough to attack the ski slopes. Not your speed skier, it was more fun to go slowly, taking in the sights, identifying tracks, and listening to the birds and animals that lived in the wooded areas.

My dad was always a master of making snow people. He was tall enough to make them tower above our heads and it was always a sport to talk my Grandma Hanson out of accessories to make them stylish.

There have been years without snow; in fact, my mother tells of the war years. There was green grass under Grandma’s evergreen and she had Uncle Paul pose in his swimming suit so she could take a picture of him on New Year’s Day. It got sent to the boys she was so faithful to write to while they were serving our country.

Winters have been both colder and warmer than what we have experienced in the last few years. I guess that’s why they changed the term global warming to climate change - since weather is never static, they can’t be wrong!

I also remember when Daryl and I lived in the old "Olson house" in Geneva. Grandma had given me pansies to plant one summer. Imagine my surprise to have them blossom the next spring in one of our late snowfalls.

Speaking of snowfalls, they say that no two snowflakes are the same. I’ll have to take the word of the experts; how in the world would one know?

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 news 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, March 7th: Jace John Goslee, his 7th; Marlee Diane Dutton, her 9th; Jake Ortiz, Emily Horan, David Otterson, Chuck Hagen, Lorna Reistad, Kenneth Peterson, Lance Cummins, Peggy Evenson and Rose Myhre

• Friday, March 8th:  Derek Alan Lee, Janice Olson Paulson, Greg Nelson, Carla Paulsen Haugen, Melissa Trindad, Kathy & Mike Plunkett, Stephanie & Tom Pulley

• Friday, March 9th: Reese Sharon Glynn, her 6th; Taylor Jensen, Chris Clausen, Peter Dammel, Curtis Langlie, Mark Sawyer, Joel Wacholz, Dean Waltz, Jaclyn Cromwell Olson, Chris Farr, Joleen Thompson

• Saturday, March 10th: Julie Stieglbauer Dahl, Sue Misgen, Aaron Callahan, Travis Johnson, Michelle Olson Bedney, Tom Vavra, Heidi Mattson LaFave, Chuck Hanson, Gayle Dummer, Douglas Schmidt, Linda Anderson, DeLynn Johnson Rohrbacher, Hannah Emily Brunsen

• Sunday, March 11th: Elsie Jacobson, her 1st; Marian Mast, Carolyn Flesche, Leroy Folie, Kari Thostenson, Jon Carlson, Michelle Meyer, Larry Richards, Tim Simon, Joan Ahlstrom Diderrich, Tanya Swearingen, Tom Arbogast, David Callahan, Dean Lembke, Spener Sebastian Sommers, his 10th; Doug Blouin, Wendell Kuehni, Paul & Shirley Nelson

• Monday, March 12th:  David Paulson, Jason Bowman, Terri Engel, Robert Hall, Harla Stanley Malz, Spiering Brody Sundbland, Gary & Barb Paulson, Jack & Virginia Jensen

• Tuesday, March 13th:  Joanna Ver Hey, David Mangskau, Lynda Kruckeberg, Darla Waltz, Jessica Liverseed, Craig Lunning, Tony Tonsing

• Wednesday, March 14th:  National Potato Chip Day! Laura Katherine Worrell, Connor Duane Klemmsensen, his 5th; Sierra Christine Krause, her 4th; Brian Cerney, Brent Huber, Marcia Hutchins, Lee Loverink, Mary Finch, Kathy Molenaar, Trevor Titus

Wishing you sunny smiles to warm your heart on your special day!

This is a great time of the year to replenish those tackle boxes and put new line on the reels in anticipation of the upcoming open water fishing season. By doing this you will not only be ready for the upcoming season but you will be getting some temporary relief from the desire to cast a line to open water.

For those folks that can’t wait and want to try their hand at trout fishing the winter stream trout season is open in the Southeastern part of the state until March 31st (catch and release only). The spring season for catch and release opens on April 1st and runs until the 12th. On the 13th the regular season opens and continues until the 14th of September.

This could just be the open water fix that you are seeking. If not, there are still fish being caught through the ice on Fountain and Albert Lea Lakes. This year Fountain seems to be the hot lake for the winter with some nice crappie, perch and bluegill being caught; throw in a few bass, walleye with an occasional pike and you can say it has been a pretty good season for ice fishing.

The “permanent” houses needed to be off the lakes by March 4th but you can still fish for perch and panfish right up until ice out using a portable or just drill a hole, pull up a bucket and drop in a line. No portables may be left unattended overnight. Use caution while fishing on the ice and keep your distance from the aerators. Be aware of ice conditions as the weather warms, ice is always unpredictable.

I can always find a way to fish open water by just closing my eyes and going to one of my favorite lakes. I’d have to say that a little daydreaming can sometimes be a good thing but I probably wouldn’t try the eye closing thing while driving. It’s kind of like sitting in my favorite chair on a cold winter’s night with snow flurries whisking past the window and imagining myself in a cabin deep in the woods of Northern Minnesota. I guess I could actually live that dream if I ventured north for a few days during the winter months. I’ve not yet visited the cabin in the dead of winter but it is on my list of things to do.

I had planned on making a trip up to the cabin sometime in early March, but with the amount of snow in that area I think it will be a little later. When I do go it will probably not be so much for the fishing as it will be to check things out and see if everything is still in one piece. There have been many years where the drive in has been blocked with fallen trees and that calls for a saw, a sharp axe and a little back work. It’s all fun and just a part of being in the north woods. Although I usually wear a flannel shirt I have never fancied myself as a lumberjack, I’ll leave that for the Paul Bunyan types in the family.

Most of my tree-cutting experiences have occurred when I have been at the cabin alone. It actually gives me a feeling of self-satisfaction when I have to clear the trail, so to speak. At the time having a large fallen pine tree staring at me doesn’t bring about that “feel good” experience until much later when the job is done. It is still all good no matter how you slice it (or chop it) because I am spending time at one of my favorite places and enjoying the outdoors experience.

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2013 spring light goose season is now open

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reminds interested participants that the spring conservation action on “light” geese (snow geese, blue-phased snow geese, and the smaller Ross’s goose)  opened Friday, March 1, and will run through Tuesday, April 30, again this spring.

The action is allowed under a federal conservation order which permits the take of “light” geese during the spring. The conservation order season is in place to try to reduce the population of snow geese and Ross’s geese that breed in the Arctic coastal areas and around Hudson Bay. High populations of these birds have caused considerable habitat damage to these fragile ecosystems.

A spring light goose permit is required and may be obtained through any DNR license agent, via telephone at 888-665-4236 or online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense. The $3.50 application fee covers the cost to issue the permit. No other license, stamp, or permit is required.

Most regulations in place during fall waterfowl season also will apply during the spring season.

— — —

Until next time get outside and take in a little fishing, skating or just take a winter walk in the good old Minnesota outdoors.

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

Many negative words have been written recently about Minnesota sports. Included in the blackened group have been the Minnesota Twins. In reading the sportswriters and analysts it appears the Twins are in for a third consecutive losing season. I too, have not been very optimistic about the Twins’ chances this year. But I’ve decided enough of these dark forecasts. Perhaps it’s time to take a look at our team through rose-colored glasses.

I went to the Internet and got the following definition of rose-colored glasses. "If someone thinks about or looks at something through rose-colored glasses things look better than they really are." If anybody wishes to join me with the glasses, they are available on the Internet for $1.19 a pair. Pretty cheap for a change in one’s outlook.

Beginning with Manager Ron Gardenhire. Gardenhire was named American League Manager of the Year a couple of years ago. Since then he has gained more depth as he has gone through two losing seasons. He is now a more mature and experienced Skipper and can be relied on to use his newly acquired knowledge well.

Leading off for the Twins is Rookie of the Year centerfielder Aaron Hicks. Hicks is the next in a long line of superb center fielders. Displaying a good eye at the plate, he provided speed and power at the top of the line-up.

Batting second is catcher Joe Mauer. Finishing third in the MVP balloting, Mauer kept his high average while adding power. Joe also received a Golden Glove, throwing out more than 50% of base stealers testing his arm.

Batting third is Joe Benson. A Mickey Mantle clone who came into his own joining the 30-30 club in home runs and stolen bases with previous luminaries such as Barry Bonds, and he did it without steroids. He showed off his arm in right field, gunning down 12 base runners.

Batting fourth, Justin Morneau reverted to form hitting both for average and power. It’s rumored he will soon be traded to the Detroit Tigers for Cy Young winner Justin Verlander.

Batting fifth is Josh Willingham. Rose-colored glassed didn’t help as Willingham did not improve on last season. However, that was plenty good enough.

Batting sixth, DH Chris Parmalee lived up to expectations and treated Major League pitching much in the same manner as he treated Triple A last year.

At third base, Trevor Plouff tied Joe Benson at 30 home runs, good for fourth place in the most home runs hit by a Twins category. And under the tutelage of Corey Koskie, Plouff won the title of most improved infielder.

Brain Dozier at second fulfilled all the hopes of Gardenhire and is expected to be the next Bobby Doerr.

Batting ninth, Pedro Forimon spent the offseason lifting weight,s gaining 15 pounds of muscle. He surprised everyone including himself by slugging 15 home runs at Target Field. His fielding was never a question and he brought the spectators at Target field to their feet more than once. He ended the season as one the Major Leagues top ten shortstops.

Jim Thome was signed to pinch hit and the 42-year-old slugger did very well, hitting one home run every 12 times at bat.

The Minnesota pitching staff did a complete reversal due to Terry Ryan’s acute free agent signings and trades with Vance Worley and Mike Pelfrey fighting it out down the stretch for the Cy Young award.

It was a wonderful year with the Twins setting a new attendance record, and even better things are expected next year.

Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting

"I remember the day I was flying all alone in a bush plane near Fairbanks when..."

"You've never been a pilot!"

"Oh. Never mind, then."

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: at one time, I was the youngest person in the world.

I’ve learned

Remember all those books you were going to read someday? Start reading, it’s someday.

To give up hopes of ever getting my dream job of delivering mail on Saturdays.

The best gym is outdoors.

The news from Hartland

For those on a budget, lease to own a steak. Eat at the Eat Around It Cafe and forget all your other troubles.

Psychic hit by garbage truck. Her lawyer claims that she didn’t see it coming.

Brawl begins when man waltzes into square dance and orders everyone around.

Have you ever wondered?

Do chickens think something tastes like them?

Is everything written on a legal pad binding?

If people who moved away wonder whatever became of you?

Stories from the road

The weather bullied the temperature to below zero. Our weather is insecure because everyone wants it to be something it isn’t. I don’t know where in Indiana the car had come from, but I was surprised it survived the journey. It was an accident that needed to be reported. The driver confused the accelerator with the turn signal. He must have copied off the guy next to him during his driving test.

Steve Overgaard of Albert Lea told me that his friend Roger had gotten his truck stuck. A farmer came by with his tractor and freed Roger's pickup. In the process, the tractor became stuck. Roger used his truck to extricate the tractor.

"How much do I owe you?" asked Roger.

"Nothing," replied the farmer.

Roger thanked the farmer and told him that he needed $20 for pulling the tractor out.

Stories from the road redux

I was going to drive there, but I said to myself, "No, I don’t have a car."

That was how I came to be a passenger in the car of a stranger kind enough to pick me up from an airport and drive an hour to my hotel. It was a snazzy minivan with a ceiling-mounted DVD player. The screens showed videos to entertain kids in the backseat. Times change. I grew up being entertained by a coloring book.

I played the part of a good passenger. I pointed out cows. I talked about the weather. My father said that if we didn't talk about the weather, we wouldn't have anything to talk about.

I thought about an old neighbor named Claude Bias who bought a nice Buick. The first thing Claude did was to remove the backseat so that he could haul things with it. He wanted a Buick pickup.

Bernie Scherger of Dodge Center told me that when he started farming, he didn’t own a pickup. When he bought three calves, he tore the backseat out of his car and put the young bovines in it. Make do or do without. He met a highway patrolman. Fortunately, all the police officer did was to give Bernie the look — twice.

Did you know?

George Washington’s favorite foods were cream of peanut soup, mashed sweet potatoes with coconut, salted cod, string beans with mushrooms, and pineapples.

In Finland, youngsters don’t start formal education until age 7 (the Finns value the role of play), have minimal homework, and little standardized testing. Yet they score at or near the top of a well-respected international test in math, science, and reading.

March either "comes in like a lion and out like a lamb" or "in like a lamb and out like a lion" about 14 percent of the time. March 1 is the start of meteorological spring.

Nature notes

"Are there more raccoons than ever before?" I can’t remember ever before. I see more raccoons with each passing year. I get calls and e-mails from people experiencing the same thing. Research shows that raccoon populations are rising dramatically within cities. The abundance of food is a major factor in raccoons becoming city slickers. Raccoons are omnivores and eat about anything. A garbage can is a fast food restaurant to a raccoon. They thrive in cities where their major predator is the automobile. One study found there were 50 times as many raccoons living in the city of Toronto than in an equal area of surrounding countryside.

NRAFS’s Groove For Food

Thank you. You know who you are.

Meeting adjourned

It’s a give-and-take world. Give as much as you take by being kind.