Jim Lutgens
No ifs, ands or butts about recycling
Echoes from the Loafers’ Club Meeting
“Why do you wear such an ugly tie?”
“It’s my favorite.”
“It has food stains all over it.”
“That’s why it’s my favorite tie.”
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 remember when car trouble was something other than being unable to pay for the gas.
I’ve learned
1. I’d better laugh at myself because others are laughing at me.
2. I became a grown-up when my first reaction to someone falling down became concern rather than laughter.
3. Every defendant should be required to go to trial looking just as he or she did when arrested.
No butts about recycling
I took a carload of recycling to the place where one takes a carload of recycling. As I put the paper and plastic into their respective bins, I was happy to see that much recycling had been done. As I prepared to leave, I saw a pile of cigarette filters on the ground. I spotted another pile of filters not 20 feet away. People emptied their vehicles’ ashtrays near the recycling bins. Various sources say that it takes 18 months to 10 years for a cigarette filter to decompose. I hoped that someone not only felt guilty for dumping the cigarette filters, but also looked as guilty as a cat with feathers on its chin.
I don’t like to be shelfish, but…
I walked into a bookstore in Kearney, Nebraska.
A young clerk met me near the door and asked, "Are you finding everything okay?"
"Pardon me," I stuttered out in response, grinning like a sackful of opossum heads.
"Sorry," she said, realizing I hadn’t had a chance to find anything okay or otherwise, "force of habit."
I love bookstores. There is knowledge, imagination, and consistency on the shelves. The consistency is that books remain on the wrong shelves for me. When I was short, the ones I wanted to look at were on the highest shelves. Now that I am tall and creaky-kneed, the books that grab my interest are on the lowest shelves.
Small town chronicles
Walt Popp of Hastings is a biologist. He and his wife moved, with their three toddlers, from New York City to Grand Marais. It was the first time either of them had lived in a small town. Shortly after the move, Mrs. Popp visited the Grand Marais post office with her 2-year-old son and 6-month-old twins in tow. She was greeted by the postal clerk, "You must be the new biologist’s wife. You won’t need any stamps. Your husband bought some this morning."
Mrs. Popp was learning what living in a small town is like.
It’s a bumpy road
Gas prices were higher than a cat’s back. I was moving about the country. Travel can be perilous. I once rode in a Dodge Ram. I couldn’t help wondering if the vehicle knew when to Dodge and when to Ram. This time, I was traveling down a washboard road in Nebraska. The gravel was rough enough that I found 10 miles per hour the maximum speed I could drive and keep all my fillings in place. I came to a bend in the road. There was a sign with a directional arrow indicating that the speed limit on the curve was 15 miles per hour. I considered speeding up, but thought better of it.
Did you know?
The state with the highest median age is Maine. Utah has the lowest.
Starting with the next school year, Kentucky will join Illinois in having bass fishing as a varsity sport.
Nature notes
While speaking during the sandhill crane migration in Kearney, Nebraska, I visited Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary near the Platte River. The sanctuary has 15,000 human visitors during the 6-week period that the cranes visit. Rowe Sanctuary offers blinds that are opportunities to be near the cranes without disturbing them. After feeding in the abundant cornfields, flock follows flock to a night roost on sandbars in the Platte. Their river dance forced me to measure my pleasure in miles. Friends and I gathered in a blind to get a close look at the spectacle. I watched intently as the birds flew in. The cranes became a beautiful bouquet in which the flowers arranged themselves. I listened to the cranes. Their calls are voices of antiquity--the sound of nature calling. I’ve been in the blinds many times and have learned that it is possible to put the genie back into the bottle.
Congratulations
Not only to NRHEG’s girls’ basketball team, but also to all the students of NRHEG. You make us proud.
Meeting adjourned
Be kind. Someone needs you to be.
Middle school wrestlers reach NYWA state tourney
The NYWA State Wrestling Tournament will be attended by the NRHEG Middle School wrestling team this Thursday and Friday, March 29 and 30.
Team members include Cordell Peterson, Matt Butler, Zeke Erickson, Chad Erickson, Cole Staloch, Wyatt Fitterer, Trey Hoppe, Palmer Peterson, Bryce Okland, Brett Kubiatowicz, Jonathan Weller, Gunther Olsen, Jack Skalicky and Joe Jensen. The team will weigh in on Thursday afternoon and wrestle Thursday evening and finish their brackets on Friday.
In addition, five individual wrestlers qualified for state at the regional wrestling tournament this past Friday in Byron. These five wrestlers were in the top four of their brackets at the regional competition and will wrestle in Rochester in their individual weight classes on Friday morning. The individual wrestlers include Trey Hoppe, Zeke Erickson, Wyatt Fitterer, Bryce Okland and Cole Staloch.
Other wrestlers who qualified for a spot at the regional tournament but did not place in the top four of their brackets are Matt Butler, Cordell Peterson and Chad Erickson.
All wrestlers had an eventful night of at least three matches and had some very tough competition within their weight classes.
Congratulations go out to all the wrestlers for a great season and are wished the best of luck this weekend at the Northland Youth Wrestling Association State Tournament.
Board talks strategy for ‘1-to-1’ iPads
NRHEG School Board
By REED WALLER
Staff Writer
A proposal for a “1:1 iPad Initiative” engendered lively discussion at the March meeting of the NRHEG School Board last Monday.
“With $5,000 technology grant money from HickoryTech and $5,000 return from the Panther Card,” declared Supt. Kevin Wellen, “we are halfway toward another class of iPads.”
The goal is to supply an iPad to each student, which would make the education process mobile and close to paperless, and would make current technology available for student use.
The iPad would be the student’s companion for the school year, would go home with him/her every night, and would host his/her daily work, projects and materials.
The NRHEG Technology Committee and staff have visited with other school districts doing similar programs, and did a site visit to Heritage Middle School in West St. Paul, which is doing a 1:1 program with iPads for grades 5-8.
Ready to ride for the gold
Years of preparation behind NRHEG students’ barrel racing quest
WORLD FINALS QUALIFIERS — NRHEG students Hannah Lewison, left, and her sister Grace have qualified for the National Barrel Horse Association Youth World Finals in Perry, Georgia this July. Both girls had a love of horses at an early age. (Submitted photo)
By RACHEL RIETSEMA
Staff Writer
The Lewison kitchen table is all abuzz these days, and it isn’t all about glitter and glam for NRHEG students Hannah and Grace Lewison.
Prom dresses and Hello Kitty are important and all, but these National Barrel Horse Association Youth World Finals qualifiers have bigger fish to fry.
“We are very excited to represent the Midwest as we travel to Perry, Georgia in July,” said Hannah, 2011 youth 2D Reserve Champion. “The event is invitation only. Competitors all under age 18 must ride in their respective NBHA District Barrel Races to earn points.”
Her sister Grace, the 2011 Youth 3D Champion, added, “The top five point earners in each division qualify for the NBHA Youth World show. The NBHA Youth World Show is one of the largest barrel races in the World. Contestants will come from all over the U.S., Canada, Italy, and Australia to compete.”
Of course, this ginormous feat came with a combination of factors in their favor, the first two on that list being great determination and an undying love for horses.
The new pride of Matawan
Refurbished Byron Township Hall is something to behold
SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF — It is hoped the newly refurbished Byron Township Hall in Matawan makes the National Historic Registry. (Submitted photo)
By RACHEL RIETSEMA
Staff Writer
Located in the whereabouts of Matawan, remains a white building that has had its share of alterations.
This historic structure has been a chameleon of sorts, adapting to the natures of both rambunctious elementary students and Byron Township board members. Not all at once of course.
“The town hall had become so run down that it wasn’t useful anymore,” said Geoff Jessen, township supervisor. “At one point, we considered it a teardown, but everyone involved soon found out that is a pretty cool, structurally sound building. That’s when the public got involved and voted to renovate it.”
The drop ceiling eradicated for good, this place of town meetings has returned to its 20th-century roots. No more musty smells either, that’s for sure.
“We have restored it to its original function, a schoolhouse,” Jessen said. “We gutted the whole building and tore out all the old plaster. We rewired, replastered walls, installed better heating and plumbing systems, and replaced windows and all the roof shingles.”
Beckstrands named Farm Family of Year
AG AWARDS — The Waseca County Farm Family of the Year and Outstanding Young Farmer were honored at the annual Farm and City Luncheon on Thursday, March 22 in Waseca. Pictured front (l-r): Trevor, Travis and Amy Beckstrand. Middle: Jamie and Marijo Beckstrand. Back: Jason Norton and Paul Beckstrand. (Star Eagle photo by Jody Wynnemer)
By JODY WYNNEMER
Staff Writer
The spring agricultural season in Waseca County officially kicked off with the Farm and City Luncheon at the Waseca American Legion Thursday, March 22. The annual affair, sponsored by the Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce, brings together agri-business leaders and recognizes individual accomplishments.
Following the Invocation by Father Marty Schaefer, guests were treated to a heaping platter of beef, pork, baked potato and corn, served up by blue-jacketed FFA members. As was custom, third grade students from Hartley Elementary provided hand-drawn placemats for the head tables.
Attendees were welcomed by Tracy Jevning, chair of the WACC who introduced Master of Ceremonies Hugh Chester-Jones. The keynote speaker was Ron Eustice, Executive Director of the MN Beef Council.
“My roots are very deep in this community,” said Eustice, who was born in Waseca. He was selected for the 4-H International Youth Exchange program where he spent six months in Uruguay in 1967-68.
NR spring clean-up day set for May 5th
New Richland City Council
By JODY WYNNEMER
Staff Writer
The New Richland City Council met for its second meeting of March on Monday, March 26, with all members in attendance. Following the customary Pledge of Allegiance, the evening’s agenda was approved.
Maintenance supervisor Ryan Nissen was first up with his monthly report. Nissen and the council discussed crack filling and chip sealing for the coming season. 6th Street NW has some issues that require fixing. Bids were received from Ulland Brothers with possible options ranging from $5,000 for milling and overlay to $12,400 for removal and replacement. The company will be contacted to see when the job can be scheduled. The council next approved a request for 108 ton of rock at a cost of $1,774 for repair of alleys throughout the city. A request for a portable pump at a cost of $640 was approved less $245 received for recycled metal.
Brad Field of PeopleService reported the Waste Water Treatment Facility had received its five-year permit from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
New radios for firemen discussed
Ellendale City Council
By SCOTT GROTH
Contributing Writer
The Ellendale City Council met Thursday March 22 with Mayor Engel, Councilmen Helland, Reiter, Goebel and Groth all in attendance. Also at the meeting were Jeff Johnson, Jeremy Reese, Clerk Louks and Gwen Reiss.
After approving the agenda for the evening, Mayor Engel called on Johnson to give the monthly fire department report. The total pay request for department bills was $1637.93. Chief Reese brought to the council’s attention that the department will be looking to buy different radios in the near future. Reese explained that with Steele County dispatch and law enforcement updating to the new 800 mhz, the department is looking at getting new pagers and mobile radios.
Reese went on to explain that to set the department up in a relatively good fashion, the department will probably spend somewhere in the neighborhood of $22,000. The department will likely look into buying ten pagers, four portables and four units for the trucks. Reese was asked by the council what monetary compensation the city could provide.
Light It Up Blue for autism April 2
Join Autism Speaks in celebrating World Autism Awareness Day on April 2 and “Light It Up Blue” to help shine a light on autism. Whether it's your front porch or your local city hall, an office party or a banquet, the whole world is going blue to increase awareness about autism.
“Light It Up Blue,” in its third year, is a unique global initiative to help raise awareness about the growing public health concern that is autism. Iconic landmarks around the world will “Light It Up Blue” to show their support.
Join us now and help shine a light on autism.
The Autism Society of America and Autism Speaks are two education and advocacy groups working to raise autism awareness during the month of April.
What is Autism? Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first two years of life and is the result of a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain, impacting development in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. Both children and adults on the autism spectrum typically show difficulties in verbal and non-verbal communication, social interactions and leisure or play activities.
Dairy Banquet Saturday
The Waseca County Dairy Banquet will be on March 3l at the Purple Goose Restaurant in Janesville. Social half hour will begin at 7 p.m. and dinner and banquet will begin at 7:30.
The Waseca County Dairy Association will be crowning two Dairy Princesses for this coming year. Sarah Manthey and Megan Harguth will be crowned during the banquet.
Sarah is the daughter of Chuck and Chris Manthey of Janesville.
Harguth is the daughter of Greg and Sue Harguth. Their family was awarded the Farm Family of the Year in 2009.
The Dairy Princess program is made possible by the local dairy farmer’s dairy promotion checkoff dollars.
During the banquet, the Butter Knife award will also be presented. The Butter Knife award is awarded to any food establishment that serves real butter and other real dairy products.
Tickets for the banquet are $10 and available from Curt Keyes, Waseca County Dairy Board Chair. He can be reached at (507) 271-5757.