NRHEG High School Principal Paul Cyr has announced the names of students selected to the Honor Roll for 1st Quarter 2012-13:

“A” Honor Roll

Grade 12 — Kiley Beenken, Marissa Claycomb, Hans Frank, Emelia Hobbs, Nicole Kaupa, Alicia Merritt, Kristen Olsen, Brooke Olsen, Crystal Olson, Larissa Peterson, Brittany Reese, Casey Rosacker, Colton Ryg, Raelin Schue, Tara Simon, Nathaniel Wallin.

Grade 11 — Kellen Ferber, Carson Field, Presley Johnson, Noah Krell, Hannah Lundberg, Ryan Patraw, Laura Ranniger, Douglas Rudau, Jade Schultz, Morgan Staloch, Carlie Wagner.

Grade 10 — Brady Beenken, Karina Gaona Quezada, Ryann Hagen, Jade Hill, Kyle Holz, Logan Knutson, Grant Kyllo, Jake Langlie, Melissa Malakowsky, Anita Maloney, Jordan Mueller, Sandra Quezada, Anna Stork, Aurora Strom, Trevor Tracy, Jet Wayne, Renae Wobschall.

Grade 9 — Anna Bailey, Abby Christopherson, Nicole Edon, Zeke Erickson, Lizzy Hagen, Cole Ignaszewski, Katharine Lewer, Anna Lundberg, Elijah Lutgens, Jessica Nafe, Corrie Powell, Hailey Schuller, Torrie Stencel, Nicole Wallin, Kayanna Wibben.

Some tips to ensure your gift recipient is happy

By JESSICA LUTGENS

Editorial Assistant

Black Friday is fast approaching, and in order to have any success in the mess of people crowding the stores, you’ll have to go at least somewhat prepared. 

A big concern for adults around the holiday season is what gifts to buy. Kids and teenagers just aren’t as easily entertained as they used to, and even parents sometimes find themselves drawing a blank when thinking of gift ideas.

First, a few general tips that will make the recipient of your gift a little more thankful:

New Richland City Council

By NICOLE BILLING

Editorial Assistant

The New Richland City Council had its first meeting of the month Tuesday, November 13. The meeting started at 6:30 and lasted for two hours. All council members were present and they approved the agenda as presented.

The first order of business was a public hearing for delinquent property charges. Two landlord property owners rose complaints about delinquent water bills that their renters did not pay. A comment was made that the city needs to follow state law with water bills.

The next order of business was the police report. Scott Eads reported there were 110 calls for service and 44 additional contacts or activities for the month of October. No serious or felonious calls were reported.

Schiltz reaches national CC meet

NRHEG High School junior T.J. Schiltz is headed for nationals. Schiltz won the 2012 USATF Minnesota Association Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships on November 10 in Apple Valley. The course was a 5K. T.J. won the race with a time of 15:56. He now qualifies for the National Junior Olympic Championships which will be held December 8th, 2012 in Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque, NM.

Belgian Waffles at Farmamerica Sunday

Get into the Christmas spirit for Dad’s Belgian Waffles at Farmamerica on Sunday, November 25. Come and listen to the Waseca Band students entertain with Christmas music and stay for Dad’s Belgian Waffles. From 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Dad’s Belgian Waffles will be served. For $7, it’s all-you-can-eat waffles with sausage links, orange juice and coffee. Children 5 and under are free. Take-out is also available! Farmamerica is located off Hwy 14 near Waseca. For more information, go to www.farmamerica.org.

The NRHEG High School Fall Athletics Awards Banquet was held last Tuesday, Nov. 13.

Award winners were, by sport:

Football

• Most Valuable Lineman — Noah Krell

• Most Valuable Offense — Casey Rosacker

• Most Valuable Defense — Dillon Parpart

• Lunch Pail Award – Nick Bartness

• MVP — Dillon Parpart

• Captains — Casey Rosacker, Nic Mangskau, Dillon Parpart

Between Halloween and Christmas there is a holiday so often forgotten. Well, not forgotten, but it kind of takes a back seat for the other two holidays because they are so much fun with lots of decorations and some candy and gifts. 

It is nonetheless a big, memorable day. It has nothing to do with a table laden with favorite, tasty foods set to bring out the most finicky appetite. It has to do with thoughtfulness and thanksgiving.

It is a time when we should junk all negative thoughts and ideas out of our heads and start counting our blessings for the nicest things a day could bring your way.

Take a few moments and think about the things that you are truly thankful for: a baby's first tooth, eight hours of sleep, smooth, muscular arms, Heinz tomato ketchup, snow white carpeting, horse-show ribbons on the wall, 50s music, waterfront properties, an alarm clock that will tell you when to wake up and why, picking out a card and sending it to someone who would never expect it, homemade pie, knee socks, smiles, chewing gum, sunrise, life at a more leisurely pace, cats, bountiful harvest, a scented bathtub, little princesses, deviled eggs, e-mail, sports, beautiful trees, scotch tape, ice skating, furnaces that keep our homes warm, phone calls, cranberry salad, neighbors, airplanes, clear, cold glasses of water, yard sales, cheese cubes, the four seasons, ice cream, winter coats and mittens, dinner, shoes, motorcycles, cheap gas, relatives, carrots, pets, health care, computers, Rice Krispies, sweatshirts, chocolate chip cookies, schools, grandma’s noodles, the American Flag, firemen, band-aids, church bells, and I guess the list goes on.

There was a time in my grandmother’s day when she would say, "Before you leave the table you are to write a note or brief letter and sign it for everyone in the family who isn't here with us to let them know they are here in thought and spirit. I don't care if you write ‘the gravy was too salty,’ or ‘that so-and-so ate the last piece of lemon pie.’ The most important thing is that feeling of togetherness, and giving thanks for all that you have been given and feel.”

Often times Grandma used that paper tablecloth to send messages in the mail to the absent family members. A coffee stain or two, cranberries and even that greasy spot from dressing was included. It is hard to know who enjoyed the game the most.

Our family has already had an early "what-cha-ma-call it dinner" because my sister, Kaye, was home from Arizona for a week, so we called it a late Halloween/early Thanksgiving gathering, as well as a "Hello" and a “Good-bye" with a few birthdays recognized, as well. 

My granddaughter, Mallory, who turns 10 years old on the real Thanksgiving Day this year, was asked what she would like for her birthday. Because she was caught by surprise she just kind of shrugged her shoulders and said she really didn't know.

However, my little niece, Ava, smiling ear to ear, said, "If I could have a wish I would wish we could all be together just like this all the time." Out of the thoughts and mouth of a four year old, I think it made us all think of what we were really thankful for. We looked at the four young ones in our family, who had donned their Halloween fancies, and I for one couldn't help but think what was most important to me: spending time with family and being thankful for what we have.

Children grow up so fast. We shouldn't waste a moment in enjoying them. As for our family, these little ones will never be 1 or 4 or 7 or 9 again. Make a point of loving every special moment you are able to spend with them. Let their happiness show.

Of course, before the day was over, we went on to take pictures of different ones together and of families and cousins together, pictures of black cats and pirates and lady bugs, which is what the kids had wore for Halloween this year, to be filled in albums to help us remember this special Thanksgiving Day!

We still have Mallory’s Thanksgiving birthday coming up, as well as the big thriller at Jim and Maryalice’s; the never to be forgotten super family holiday where everyone is asking "how are you?" or "look how you have grown."

After the dishes are washed, excess food is put away and before you know it, it’s time for coffee and such, enjoying life through pictures from now and then. Memories come forth of snowstorms that threatened to spoil the day.

Thankful yet? No, not until the last crumb is swept away, the leftovers shared with the party goers,  the dishes washed and dried, the departure hugs of the family and friends and as you tuck yourself into bed you say, "Thank You God for a beautiful day."

Birthdays and Anniversaries:

• Thursday, November 22nd - Mallory Luhring, her 9th; Whitney McCamish, Jodell Hanson, Keven Larson, Donna Maixner, Jane Tappe, David L. Hanson, Jason Peterson, Jacki Shadden, Elzo Peterson.

• Friday, November 23rd: Amy Hunnicutt Kromminga, Lisa Holmes Rietsema, Margaret Loven, Marietta Sommers Rupe, Rick Thompson, Sara Anderson, Joyce Ditlveson, Amanda Farr, George & Diana Ritz.

• Saturday, November 24th: Blaine Boverhuis, Bud Carroll, Deb Peterson Schmidt, Bea Bunn, Ellen Pearl LaFave, Heather Snow, Lisa Hunnicutt Vreeman, Bob Hanson, Rita Glynn, Abraham Ladlie, Kyle Layland, Scott & Lisa Reitsema.

• Sunday, November 25th: Scott Groth, Calista Lerum, Randy Born, Mitchel Hill, Joel Langlie, Brian Vogt, Gideon Jude Long, Daryl & Kathy Paulsen, Ken & Iva Sletten.

• Monday, November 26th: Darlene Krohnberg, Cody Christensen, Robert Gasner, Linda Stieglbauer, Drew Vangen, Ashley Bergerson, Al & Diane Lee, Jamie & Kate Cameron, Brian & Heather Schember.

• Tuesday, November 27th: Kyle Goslee, Olivia Rae Kohn, her 5th; Paul Kasper, Cyrstal Spurr, Mike Draayer, Lorna Berg, Sandra Tonsing.

• Wednesday, November 28th: Quinn Lauren Wayne, her second; Vicki Peterson, Jackie & Scott Miller.

Wishing you quiet moments of beauty on your special day!

This year’s firearms deer hunting season is over in our area. There were reports of some nice bucks being taken, and after witnessing the closeness of annual deer camps a few years ago, I can understand what makes it a special time.

Brandi Hagen, the Tribune sports editor, got her first buck this year and it was a dandy 10-pointer. She has been hunting with her family since the day she passed her firearms safety course. She was hunting with her Dad the day that she got the deer, and she felt that it was only fitting that he was there with her because he had taken her on her first hunt when she was younger. 

Brandi went on to say that she and the other grandchildren would go along with their grandfather and carry BB guns when they were too young to actually hunt. What a great way to introduce the next generation to the sport.

This is how family traditions are carried on and/or started. It is great to know that she and her family will be carrying their hunting traditions to future generations. 

I believe that watching your children and grandchildren enjoy a sport that you yourself have enjoyed for many years makes you feel proud to be passing it on.

I have talked to a few deer hunters that said they had a pretty good hunt this year. One particular hunter was pretty excited about the fact that his son had gotten an 8 pointer on their hunt. The dad had also gotten a smaller buck, but when talking to him, it was all about what his son had accomplished. These are moments to be cherished; what a great way to start a tradition of their own.

The mild winter that we experienced last year has to be a contributing factor in the hunting success experienced by many this season. We can only hope that this year’s winter won’t be a payback for last year.

Hunting is a great sport. It doesn’t matter if you hunt birds or four legged critters, it is all about the outdoors. 

In looking back at my youth, I can still remember walking the cornfield that once occupied the land where the disc golf course is at Bancroft Park. 

It was on Thanksgiving Day. I was with my two uncles; Harvey and Orville, along with my cousins Bill and Tom. My Uncle Orv had let me use his double barrel .410, which was quite a step up from the trusty Red Ryder BB gun that I toted whenever I ventured out into the wilds of the slough.

Although I no longer pheasant hunt, I still cherish the times that I spent walking the fields in search of that elusive bird. Each season seems to have its own distinct smell.

Fall is probably the one that I like the best. It’s hard to describe, but the dead grass and weeds along with the fallen leaves give fall a sort of musty and dry but overall “good” smell. Anyone that has ever spent any time in the woods on a fall day can relate to that smell.

There is no better experience than walking through the woods on the dry and crisp fallen leaves as they crackle under your footsteps.  

My son Brian has taken me to a couple of spots in the Bricelyn-Frost area that he used to bow hunt. I could never understand why he liked bow hunting so much until I went with him on that day. 

That’s when I realized that it wasn’t just about the hunt but the whole package. Just spending the time in the woods on a crisp fall day anticipating the appearance of that big buck could sometimes be enough. 

Although the ultimate goal is to get your deer, sometimes experiencing “the thrill of the hunt” is really what it’s all about.

With a longer season to hunt, most bow hunters spend a lot of time trying to get that deer. I would venture to guess that if you asked a bow hunter if it is worth it, the answer would be absolutely!

You don’t have to be a hunter to enjoy the outdoors experience. Take a drive to one of the many parks or Wildlife Management Areas that we have available in Freeborn County and see for yourself what nature has to offer.

Until next time, take a little time to enjoy the outdoors experience and the world of nature that surrounds us.

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.

Although the Vikings had a respectable club from ‘87 to ‘98, they were pretty much on the outside looking in. That all changed in 1998 with the addition of Randy Moss and the installation of Randall Cunningham at quarterback.

I often thought that the Vikings could have shed their offense and running game and just sent Moss out on a fly pattern every play. He was that dominant. 

The Viking juggernaut was favored to win it all. In the conference finals, in spite of playing a lackluster game, the Vikings were ahead by a touchdown with two minutes left in the game when their kicker missed a 38-yard field goal despite not missing an attempt or extra point all season. 

Their opponents scored a touchdown and then won in overtime when their kicker, also named Anderson, made a 38-yard field goal. Coach Dennis Green lost the respect of the media and most of the fans by not trying to score in the final seconds of regulation. It looked like he coached scared.

The next years, the Vikings remained a contending team with Randy Moss. Jeff George took over at quarterback. He was fascinating to watch. 

George had the greatest arm and poorest technique I have ever seen. He could throw more than 50 yards with just a flick of the wrist. George sealed his doom by not going after a fumble he dropped.

A great physical specimen then took over at quarterback. Daunte Culpepper at 6-foot-4, weighing 240 pounds, looked like a tight end behind center. 

Culpepper and the Vikings won the first playoff game and were favored to defeat the New York Giants in the NFC title game. They were humiliated 41-0. It looked like some of the Vikings gave up, including Moss. Things were never the same between Moss, the team and fans after that.

Mike Tice was brought in to coach and the Vikings never threatened to make the Super Bowl, although they did make the headlines with their love boat scandal. Because of previous Moss incidents and Tice scalping tickets, the Vikings lost much of Minnesota’s respect.

Zigi Wilf, New Jersey real estate mogul, bought the team and hired Brad Childress to coach. Childress also came under fire from the Twin Cities sports writers, but turned things around for a brief period when he lured Bret Favre out of retirement. 

Favre, along with running back Adrian Peterson, took the Vikings to the conference finals where they lost to the New Orleans Saints due to a Favre interception and a coaching error in which the Vikings had 12 men on the field. 

In spite of five turnovers, the Vikings were clearly the better team. The loss really rankled Viking fans when the Saints easily won the Super Bowl. Like 1998, the best team sat on the sidelines.

It’s not been easy being a Viking fan during the past 50 years. It’s a great deal like being a Chicago Cubs fan. 

I think it’s a little bit harder to be a Vikings fan for the Cubs have not had the success the Vikings have had. If your team is good and it still doesn’t win the big game, it gets harder with each failure.

In the beginning, more that five decades ago, the team had several nicknames to choose from. One of the finalists was the Voyagers. 

Perhaps that would have been better for our team. Voyagers means travelers and our Vikings are still traveling toward a winning Super Bowl. As long as they keep trying, I guess it’s still possible.