NRHEG High School wrestlers react to a victory by Tyler Jacobson, right, during the Panthers’ dual-meet victory at Lake Mills, Iowa Saturday, Jan. 16. Among those pictured, from left: Karter Sletten, Zeke Erickson, Wyatt Fitterer, Trey Hoppe, Chad Erickson. Read about it in sports. (Star Eagle photo by Nikki Erickson)

Ellendale City Council

By SCOTT GROTH

Contributing Writer

The Ellendale City Council met for the first time in 2016 Thursday, Jan. 14. Mayor Skroch and all council members were in attendance. Also in attendance was Liquor Store Manager Kiersten Knudson, Maintenance Supervisor Josh Otto, Clerk LeeAnn Hojberg and an area newspaper reporter.

After approving the agenda, Mayor Skroch went right into the appointments for 2016. The appointments for the most part remain the same as in 2015. First National Bank Waseca-Ellendale Branch will be the official depository. The NRHEG Star Eagle will be the official newspaper. The new City Attorney will be Mark Rahrick from Owatonna, and the Council agreed to ask Mrs. Rick Aaseth to be Health Officer. The remainder of the appointments stayed the same. 

Knudson passed out her numbers report for 2015. The report showed a nice profit for the previous year. Knudson has been having trouble with the receiving door to the MLS. Otto told the council he will look at the door and try to repair it or make a recommendation to the council.

The annual NRHEG spelling bee will be held in the New Richland varsity gym on Thursday, Jan. 28, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Representatives from grades 5-8 will compete for a chance to represent NRHEG at the Regional Spelling Bee in Mankato in February. The winner of the regional bee will move on to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in May. Everyone is welcome to attend! The spellers from each grade include:

• 5th: Grace Wilkensen, Anton Domeier, Sean Beauvais, Bree Ihrke, Conner Nelson, Raquel Fischer

• 6th: Sophie Stork, Cora Harpel, Aaliyah Weston, Jordan Horejsi, Jazlyn Acevedo, Brock Routh

• 7th: Ashton Cords, Danielle Nappin, Matthew Becker, Riley Schultz, T'Shayla Hinderscheit, Jonah Stafford

• 8th: Jayna Domeier, Tiara Malakowsky, Robert Luoma, Mason Ferber, Lexi Combs, Karter Koziolek

Donoso’s prize winds up in museum, others at Star Eagle

(Editor’s note: Part seven of a seven-part series about local, area, and state amateur and professional boxing.)

By RODNEY HATLE

Contributing Writer

 Raul Donoso’s Upper Midwest Golden Gloves Welterweight Champion trophy was found a few years ago as part of several dozen NRHS overflow awards stored in boxes at NRHEG High School and passed on to the historical society by Dennis Prescher.

It’s now on display at the Minnesota State Public School Orphanage Museum in Owatonna. Harvey Ronglien was informed of the discovery and, being in touch with Rev. Raul J. Donoso in Washington state, he spread the news.

Ronglien participates in the well-being of the museum, especially located in a building which is one of many that houses Owatonna city government and other activities at West Hills Circle. Contents of the displays tell the story of a place where his and Donoso’s formative years were spent.

“Originally housed on 160 acres, the grounds grew to 329 acres by 1937 with 42 acres for campus and 287 for cultivation to feed all the livestock, and fruits/vegetables for its inhabitants.” (www.orphanagemuseum.com)

MAT MADNESS — Teammates react to a victory by Tyler Jacobson, right, during the Panthers’ dual-meet victory at Lake Mills, Iowa Saturday, Jan. 16. (Star Eagle photo by Nikki Erickson)

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

The NRHEG wrestling team didn’t have to go too far for some interstate competition.

The Panthers traveled south to Lake Mills, Iowa on Saturday for a dual-meet invitational and came home with third place with a record of 2-2.

According to NRHEG coach Shawn Larson, it was a good weekend.

“We had another strong performance,” he said. “It was fun to go to this tournament in Iowa because we are unfamiliar with the competition, and can just get out and have fun without worrying about who our opponents are and where we should place certain people into the lineup.”

NRHEG girls complete impressive week with win at USC

PARADE OF POINTS — The Panthers’ Maddie Wagner scored a total of 52 points in two recent wins for the NRHEG girls' basketball team. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

The last time the NRHEG girls’ basketball team met Blooming Prairie, the Panthers were coming off a tough loss to St. Peter and struggled to score while falling 45-31. This time was different.

The Panthers jumped on top early at Blooming Prairie Tuesday, Jan. 12 and cruised to a 61-41 Gopher Conference victory. They followed with a 63-59 triumph at United South Central Friday, running their record to 12-4 overall and 4-2 in the conference.

NRHEG 61, Blooming Prairie 43

“Our offense ran much better than it did the first time around,” said NRHEG coach Onika Peterson.

Defensively, the Panthers struggled at times and got into some foul trouble. In the first half, 15 of the Blossoms’ 29 points were on free throws.

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

With one of their triple towers still on the sideline, it was time for the rest of the NRHEG boys’ basketball players to step up.

They did.

Two Panthers accomplished double-doubles Tuesday in a win over Blooming Prairie and the momentum carried into Friday with a victory over United South Central to complete a 2-0 week. NRHEG improved to 10-6 overall, 5-2 in the Gopher Conference.

NRHEG 64, Blooming Prairie 36

Coach Pat Churchill credited the Panthers’ defense after a Gopher Conference triumph at New Richland.

Over the years I have always asked myself many different questions pertaining to nature and wildlife. Luckily, I didn’t ask the questions out loud, nor did I mumble what I thought to be the answers out loud, for this could very easily have resulted in a visit to a shrink. Fortunately for me and any other person curious about what goes on in the outdoors, there is a magazine called the Minnesota Conservation Volunteer. This magazine is published six times a year and is all about the many natural resources we have in this great state of ours.

One question I have asked myself many times over the years is, how do you tell the difference between a raven and a crow and is there a magical dividing line that says “no crows beyond this point” or when do crows start being called ravens? In the latest edition of the afore-mentioned magazine, one writer explains the difference between a raven and a crow and the range at which each will travel. He says that if you are traveling north on I-35, ravens will start to appear at about the Pine City area and north where crows can be found in pretty much any area of the state. This writer also went on to say it is not uncommon to see crows and ravens together.

Some of the main differences in the two are that a raven is about twice the size of a crow and it also has a deeper, throatier kronk or quorak call compared to a crow, which makes a more screechy type of caw sound. There are other differences, but these are a couple of the more noticeable ones

This answered a question I have often asked but never bothered to research for myself. I really do think this magazine is a valuable asset for anyone interested in our state’s natural resources.

With all the information available to a person online I find it refreshing to be able to pick up a book and find so many good articles about our states resources. I am still “old school” when it comes to reading because I like to have the story in print and in my hand.

Nature is always a mystery in itself and something that many try to and most can’t actually predict what will happen next. Fishing is a great example of the unpredictable nature of our environment. A guy can have all the latest technology like a big, fast boat with graphs, flashers and underwater cameras, but if the fish aren’t hungry, they won’t be biting.

For years our family would camp and fish at Spider Lake and I can recall this older gentleman who lived on the lake. Each evening he would take his little fishing boat and go a little ways from his cabin and anchor on the edge of the weeds where the lake narrows before going into the next part. He would be there every evening catching fish as the folks with the big boats and all their electronics flew past him on their way to the far end of the lake where the fish must be.

Every evening he would be in his fish house cleaning his catch while the folks with all the toys were in the lodge talking about how tough fishing was. This is not always the case, but most of the time when you know the lake it makes it that much easier to catch fish. On one particular trip to Spider the old guy was not around, so I decided to check out the area where he always fished and found that just outside the weed line there was a small rock pile which explained why he was catching walleyes in that spot when no one else even gave it a second thought. I am kind of set in my ways when it comes to another fisherman’s “hot spot” because any time that old boy was on the lake I steered clear of “his” spot. It does seem kind of funny how a person always seems to think that you have to go as far as possible away from camp in order to catch fish when in all reality they may be only a cast away, but then where is the adventure in that?

Speaking of a cast away it looks like our area “hard water” fishermen are out in full force on our local lakes. I have heard some mixed results from catching walleye through 3 inches of ice in the channel to some jumbo perch being caught on Fountain along with an occasional bass, small walleye and northern. It wasn’t that long ago there was a regular village of fishing shacks on the channel by Frank Hall Park. Unfortunately the last big freeze-out meant re-stocking and starting over once again. The old saying “that’s water over the dam” must have meant that there were a few fish in that water, because there are some larger fish being caught in the channel that couldn’t have been from the recent stockings.

Until next time, be careful when you do decide to venture out because no ice is ever 100 percent safe.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers, n 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.

Echoes From the Loafers’ Club Meeting

I did what any honest man would do.

And what was that?

I didn't think you'd know.

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: Exercise does no good if you don’t tell everyone about it. Most things are more fun than a barrel of monkeys. Delusion creates confidence.

The cafe chronicles

You couldn’t tell me from a dill pickle.

I complained that there was no meat in my sandwich.

The waitress responded, "You must have bit past it. You should have ordered the beets."

"I haven’t liked beets since the accident," I said.

"What accident was that?"

"The time I accidentally ate some beets."

Beth Knudson told me that she gets two meals out of a hamburger and fries. She added that she is good at eating exactly half the burger and half the fries. I pictured Beth holding a ruler while eating exactly half of each french fry.

I talked to Tom Donovan. It’s good to talk to a local who hadn’t yet gone to pasture in Texas. Tom had bought a Powerball ticket for a chance to win $1.6 billion. He hadn’t won. He said that he wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d won.

I’d have been mighty surprised. I hadn’t bought a ticket.

Every person is searching for something

It was back in the days before I needed a password to do everything.

I’m a tall guy. My mother was a short gal.

That’s why I was the one standing on a stool that was knee high to a gnat, digging around in the tall shelves and trying to find something that my mother needed. It was something that she’d put away in a good place so she wouldn’t forget, thus guaranteeing that she’d forget.

I moved things about, sliding them here and there.

I must have been getting close to finding what I was searching for because a vase fell, hitting me in the head before it smashed into over five pieces on the floor.

As I rubbed my head, Mother complained, "That was my best flower vase."

I replied, "That was my best head." 

I’m negotiating the movie rights.

Cold and cool

The January weather was cold, making the terra really firma.

People were willingly jumping out of the frying pan into the fire when I tried to whistle the theme from "The Andy Griffith Show," but it came out as an icicle two choruses long.

I needed to get home to do an interview on a radio show from Boston. Such things are always fun and they keep me both humble and grateful.

Years ago, Smithsonian Magazine did a piece about me. It had been a slow year for news, but it was cool.

Arriving home one day, my wife had presented me with a stack of phone calls that I needed to return. I worked my way through the calls. One was from the Minneapolis newspaper.

"Wow!" I thought, "They want to talk me to me about the Smithsonian article."

I called the number. The person on the other end of the line thanked me for returning her call before saying, "I wanted to make you aware of our 26-week special subscription rate."

You could hear the air escaping from my swollen head like that fleeing a punctured balloon.

Dialogue from a marriage

"Do you know where my good white shirt is?"

"Didn’t you put it away?" my wife asked in return.

"I did," I said, wondering what that had to do with anything, before adding, "Do you know where it is?"

Flying fish

I was in Seattle for work. I decided to visit the world famous Pike Place Fish Market, an open air fish market located at the corner of Pike Street and Pike Place. It’s known for its tradition of fishmongers throwing fish to one another. It’s a popular tourist destination and as you might expect from a popular tourist destination, it’s a busy place. Except on the day I visited. It was so quiet, I could hear a fin drop.

Nature notes

"Why don't birds get shocked when they sit on high voltage lines?" When they’re in contact with only one power line, they’re not forming a complete circuit, so the electricity doesn’t flow through them. Some larger birds have been electrocuted when they touch a second line, completing the circuit.

Meeting adjourned

Be kind. Sooner or later, you will need a favor from most everyone in the world.

This is my 15th year of writing this column. I plan on writing this column as long as I’m able to do so (maybe not every week, but at least monthly). This column has always been “Fact or Fiction: You Decide Which.” The main emphasis was and will continue to be how well you enjoy it. I like to hear about your enjoyment – just keep reading ‘til you enjoy a column – then let me know. Thanks.

And now, onto another enjoyable-or-not column.

The Albert Lea Tribune has very, very sharp management. They know that Friday has the least number of papers sold each week. They keep tabs on who the buyers are of extra papers with a buyers’ interest published in that paper.

They match photos and articles to the extra paper buyers’ interests in the Friday paper. Classic example: The Friday, January 1, 2016 paper. Violinist Clair LaFrance was pictured playing her violin at First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. Now, you know that Grandpa and Grandma LaFrance from Cabin 97 at Beaver Lake are two of the most extra Friday paper buyers of the Albert Lea Tribune (proud parents are Kevin and Elizabeth LaFrance).

Genie and I each purchased one of the “old folks” cell phones. You can set when your cell phone will not ring for three hours. We set ours for before 8 a.m. Monday-Friday, before 9 a.m. on Saturday and before 10 a.m. on Sunday. The caller receives the message that the phone won’t ring if calling before the above times. The “old folks” phone has given us much-needed a.m. snooze time!

The “Village Inn” in Hartland is now open from early a.m. to mid-afternoon, Monday-Saturday. Stop and say, “Hi,” to the new owners, while thanking former owner Judy Hendrickson for all the food and fun Judy will be present helping the new owners get orientated for a few weeks.

As you’re well aware, many freak accidents happen around the house. Genie had one of those freak accidents. In napping in the Lazy Boy, her foot slipped off the footrest and she twisted her knee, causing it to swell. Genie and Dr. Edwards are now in the process of inventing side rails for Lazy Boy recliners.

In case any naughty person is wondering why Santa didn’t give out coal this year, it was because coal is a “no-no” environmental item.

For those of you that like to plan in advance: F.R.O.G. of Central Freeborn Lutheran Church plans on sponsoring a bus to Lutheran Night at the Twins vs. Milwaukee Braves on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, leaving at 4 p.m. from behind Slumberland in Albert Lea (further details later).

Fun and fellowship makes for a good Valentine’s party. Call (507) 373-8655 and for $5 we’ll reserve a set for three hours of fun and fellowship beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6 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.