Feature Stories from the Star Eagle pages.
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2012 NRHEG high school graduate shares his story
NATURAL - Luke Stout is pictured above with his two dogs, Itchy and Cinnamon.
By JESSICA LUTGENS
Staff Writer
Despite progress being made in recent years, the topic of addiction is something that still carries a pretty heavy stigma in the general public. However, those who have experienced addiction have a unique understanding of how powerful sharing one's story - the real, true, and often incredibly difficult times, which in the best cases lead to the almost equally difficult journey of recovery - can be to someone who is still struggling.
That was the main reason why one individual decided to reach out and share his story earlier this month. Luke Stout, 27, commemorated three years of sobriety on April 15 - something he would not have imagined doing during the time of his active addiction.
Stout's road to recovery began in a hospital emergency room. This wasn't the first time he had visited the ER - it had become sort of a backup plan of his that many other addicts have used as a way to get a fix in a desperate situation. During opiate withdrawals, he would go to the ER stating that he was having a panic attack in order to get a prescription for anxiety medications (benzodiazepines).
This strategy was successful the first two times, but by the third emergency room visit, hospital staff had caught on to the scheme. Stout was placed on a 72-hour psychiatric hold for mental evaluation.
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THANK YOU - In the March 11 edition of the Star Eagle was a photo of students from NRHEG who participated in a Relay for Life donation project. Pictured above are some of the students who helped make the donation possible: Acadia Beaver-Kormann, Alexis Olson, Ezra Boerner, Olivia Wilkenson, Kenny Spies, Jackson Woodham, Finn Willert, Noah Weller, and Aydin Reich. (Submitted photo)
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LOOK NO FURTHER - If you’re wondering why over the past months, there have been piles of tree brances, look no further than Bernie Anderson (left) and Matt Harrington (right). ( Star Eagle photos by Eli Lutgens)
Bernie Anderson and Matt Harrington talk tree maintenance
By ELI LUTGENS
Editor
New Richland residents might have recently noticed neat piles of tree branches around town. The New Richland Commercial Club is responsible. More specifically, Bernie Anderson and Matt Harrington are responsible.
Roughly 25 years ago, Anderson, and others began planting trees along main street and throughout the city.
“Any of these smaller trees you see along the edge of the streets, (referring to the crabapple trees pictured) were planted by us,” remarked Harrington. “Bernie began before I did. I was a kid when he started.”
"We've been doing this for over 20 years," remarked Anderson. "I think we started in ‘95 and we had crews of four or five. We planted over 400 trees."
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Editor's note: Looking Back is a regular feature on the pages of the Star Eagle
75 Years Back - 1946
• With a good crowd present, the revived business men’s basketball tournament started off with a close game between Kruezer’s Red and Johnson’s Gray Ghosts. George Mobley, New Richland’s shoemaker, made the first points of the game on a short field goal. Kreuzer’s team won 44-13. Other first-round actions saw the Yellow team beat the Purple squad 18-14 and, in the final game of the evening, the Orange team, led by the marksmanship of J. Jeddeloh, came close to tying it, but the Blue team prevailed 15-12.
• Carl Jeddeloh is the new owner of the former Congregational Church parsonage, which he purchased Thursday last of Ervin Engel. Mr. and Mrs. Jeddeloh and the former’s daughter, Mrs. John Reb, and the former’s mother, Mrs. Jeddeloh, and daughter, Miss Pearl, will occupy the home just purchased.
• Elected as officers in New Richland were Emil Bolduan, for the 21st time as clerk; Chester Johnson, supervisor; Ray Sybilrud, Justice of the Peace; and Carl Kobernius, Constable. Appropriations were $4,500 for roads and bridges, $500 for general purposes and $1,000 for snow removal. Elected in Byron Township were Harold Ditsworth, Harvey E. Crumb and William Pierce, Otto A. Krueger, Francis Adams and Jule Boettger, clerk. $10,000 was appropriated for all township purposes. Only 18 votes were cast in Wilton in the election of James Osmudson, supervisor for three years, and Ewald Gehring, clerk for two years. Money appropriated for all purposes was $7,500.
• We have been hearing a lot recently about the housing shortage and mass production of homes by new government subsidized industries.
• Walter “Bud” Mertz is the new adjutant of the Andrew Borgen Post 75 of the American Legion, succeeding Dr. R. Hawley, who resigned on leaving New Richland. “Bud” is a World War II veteran and it is predicted he will make the post an excellent adjutant.
• “Yes, indeed, it is an unusual plant,” said Norris O. Peterson, judge of probate, speaking of a “crown of thorns,” plant in the east window of his office. “It has been in constant bloom for at least seven or eight years that I know of.” The plant was presented to him by Mrs. Rosa Eckart, living on Route 2 New Richland, after he had probated her husband’s estate, which included her husband’s near the north line of the county.
50 Years Back – 1971
• Senator Paul Overgaard and State Representative Rod Searle will meet the people of the New Richland, Waldorf, Hartland area Saturday, March 27 at the American Legion meeting rooms in New Richland starting at 7:30 a.m.
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MAKE AN OFFER — That’s what Wayne Wenzel, left, says of the antiques remaining at Dad’s Good Stuff on Broadway Ave. in New Richland. After Jan. 1, Wenzel plans on closing the antiques portion of the business, but will still remain open for furniture repair, building and repairing windows and selling house paint and supplies. Star Eagle photo by Melanie Piltingsrud
By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Staff Writer
“January first, I'm going to lock the door,” says Wayne Wenzel of the antique shop, Dad's Good Stuff.
“The front,” he qualifies. Those who know Wenzel well know that friends, and customers who want their furniture and screens repaired, use the back door anyway.
The Wenzel antique business has been around for a long time. According to Wenzel, his wife, Merlys, used to run it in the old Peterson grocery store. “And then that building was condemned, so we had to move,” says Wenzel. He was in Starke, Florida on a trip with his trucking business when Bernie Anderson called to ask if he wanted the building on the southwest corner of Broadway Ave. and Division St. Wenzel told him, “Bernie, I just bought a brand new truck and two new trailers. Do you think I can afford it?” Per Wenzel, Anderson replied, “We'll talk about the money later. We don't care about the money. Do you want that building or don't you?”