ONE BIG HAPPY FAMILY — The Travis and Ashley Broskoff family of Geneva grew by four last September, and on Monday the quadruplets celebrated their six-month birthday. From left: Hattie Rae, Raegan Kiley, big sister Presley Ann, Lia Amber and Shay Travis. (Star Eagle photo by Kathy Paulsen)

By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

Family is the essence of life.

And big sister Presley, 4, couldn't be more proud of her sisters Hattie, Raegan and Lia, and brother Shay.

They’re not just ordinary siblings. They’re quadruplets — born to Travis and Ashley Broskoff of Geneva — and on March 28, they celebrated their six-month birthday.

Presley is an amazing big sister and little helper in the Broskoff home. She has a T-shirt that reads, "I'm the big sister," and says she can't wait until the babies get bigger so they can all play with her in her toy room.

All of the babies are extremely well natured, and Travis and Ashley know they are very blessed to have five healthy and perfect children. It really is the result of intelligent care given before and after their birth. Having people who love them, spend time talking to them, holding them and caring for them in the nicest way has made all the difference.

In the 1870s, a gold rush unfurled throughout the Midwest.

In the 1890s, it struck Cooleyville.

Legend of Patterson brothers still alive in Ellendale area

By CAROL JOLLY

Staff Writer

Where the heck is Cooleyville?

In quest of unearthing prohibition tales of underground tunnels and caves beneath Ellendale, this knowledge-hungry reporter stumbled upon the legend of Cooleyville.

In the mid-1870s, a gold rush unfurled throughout the Midwest. In the 1890s, it struck Cooleyville.

Legend has it that, "Two brothers looking for adventure and wanting to make it rich quick, came to a small Southern Minnesota town, advised by a woman, that gold would be discovered."

The gypsy described in immense detail, the location, the trees, and the precise drilling angle the brothers should use. The fortune teller also informed the brothers of surrounding farms, specifically instructing them they would see a little girl swinging on a gate, located directly across from the farm the brothers should acquire to become multi-millionaires.

By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

The New Richland City Council addressed the stray cat problem to a degree during their regular meeting Monday evening, March 28.

All members present agreed on several revisions to the current animal ordinance which had been drafted by City Clerk Wayne Billing. A major change to the ordinance states residents may only keep five total domestic animals as pets, with a maximum of two adult dogs. Persons who feed stray animals may be considered owners of the animals under the new guidelines. The council is expected to approve the final draft of the ordinance at their next scheduled meeting.

New Richland resident Dale Wallace addressed the council over concerns regarding the sidewalk in front of his business on Broadway Ave. During the reconstruction phase of the street, the concrete sidewalk was removed and replaced. Apparently, the contractors did not correctly install the sidewalk, which was subsequently removed and replaced. Now, the sidewalk has heaved up, resulting in problems with the front door of the business. Mr. Wallace thanked the council and removed himself from the chambers.

By CAROL JOLLY

Staff Writer

The LeSueur River Lutheran Church is making preparations for an upcoming milestone, their 150th anniversary celebration.

On Sunday, April 3, the LeSueur River congregation will be using their "older" orders of Worship, from the "Service Book and Hymnal," a former hymnal used by the LeSueur River Lutheran Church.  

Saturday, June 18, a hog roast is scheduled for 5 p.m. The evening promises to be eventful, with games, a hayride and other activities for the children. An evening social is planned for the adults, mingling with members and former members. They will also have a small program highlighting the past 150 years.

By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

Code Red

With the onset of the annual severe weather season fast approaching, Waseca County Sheriff Brad Milbrath is encouraging residents to sign up for the Code Red Emergency Notification System.

“Residents can receive warnings by phone, text or e-mail,” said Milbrath. “It’s not only for severe weather alerts, but other general emergencies affecting the county such as road closures.”

Residents can sign up for Code Red by going to the county’s web site www.co.waseca.mn.us or the WCSD web site www.wasecacountysheriff.com. There is a link on the bottom of the home page where information can be entered. Physical addresses have to be entered, not P.O. boxes.

When an emergency has been declared, system subscribers will see the following numbers show up in their cellular phone windows:

By RACHEL RIETSEMA

Staff Writer

A few robins are on the loose, but for the unlucky spotters, this exciting occasion could be delayed just a bit more.

This statement may not be 100 percent accurate, but Agro Economics Crop Consultant Mark Bernard has confidence in his projections for the upcoming spring. But before focusing too much on May flowers, Bernard provides an analysis of the past winter.

“Measuring snowfall with the gauges I have isn’t entirely accurate,” Bernard said. “But my estimate of snowfall would lie in that 75 to 80-inch range. Normally, that number is an estimated 56.” 

As an official precipitation recorder for Waseca County, he keeps a very close eye on the weather. He distinctly remembers November, when things came to a “screeching halt.” Not much snow fell during this fall-like month, but the flakes that did, stayed around.

By REED WALLER

Staff Writer

Open Enrollment Busing

The NRHEG School Board Transportation Committee (John Harrington, Rick Schultz, and Michele Moxon) reported at the Board’s meeting Monday, March 14, that after “lengthy discussion” they had not yet reached any conclusion regarding bus transportation for out-of-district students.

Requests have been received for NRHEG buses to make stops off the current bus routes, in order to make transportation available to some Open Enrollment students. The requests were passed to the Transportation Committee at last month’s meeting for consideration.

Accommodating out-of-district attendees would mean altering one or two of the district’s bus routes. These routes, the result of optimization over the last several years, run from 45-64 minutes, and no one wants to have to make them any longer.

The Transportation Committee will meet with bus drivers and Transportation Director Karla Christopherson to discuss the feasibility of altering routes.

Maudie Lee Zellweger, 86, of Mesa, Arizona and formerly of Sioux City, Iowa, died on March 22, 2011. She was born on October 14, 1924 in Sikeston, Missouri to Minius and Clara Knight where she joined eight brothers and sisters.

Lee, as her friends called her, was very active in all aspects of her life at View Point RV Resort. After years of golfing, Lee decided she would try this thing called “tennis” and found her true sports passion. To see that tiny figure in her tights, tennis skirt and shirt on the court you weren’t quite sure what would do her in first — that huge tennis racket or the wind that would surely blow her over.

She will be remembered for her kindness to one and all, her willingness to help out whenever asked to do so, and her desire to make the most of whatever came along.

Survivors include her husband Donald Zellweger; her daughter Saundra Nelson of Mesa, Arizona; her grandson Tom Jones of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and three great-grandchildren Sari, Darby and Haydn Jones.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 4, 2011 in the Garden Room at View Point RV Resort in Mesa, Arizona.

NRHEG High School in New Richland underwent a soft lockdown Monday morning, according to Superintendent Kevin Wellen.

“There was a possible disruption we did not want to expose the kids to,” said Wellen. “It was between one adult and another.”

Wellen and local police met with an individual at the front doors of the school and the matter was resolved.

The incident occurred around 10:30 a.m. and lasted 21 minutes.

In a soft lockdown, lights are left on and teaching continues. In the case of a hard lockdown, lights are turned off, curtains are pulled and students wait in a designated area.

Lockdown drills are held at least once a year.

By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

An individual out jogging Monday evening, March 21 in New Richland Township happened to make a surprising discovery. Around 7 p.m., an unusual object was spotted and deputies were summoned to the scene on 170th Street near St. Olaf Lake.

The unusual object turned out to be a pipe bomb. After deputies and the New Richland Fire Department arrived to secure the scene, the Bloomington (MN) Bomb Squad was called in to handle the situation. Using a robotic device, the pipe bomb was destroyed around 11 p.m. that evening.