NRHEG Star Eagle

137 Years Serving the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Area
Newspaper of Record for NRHEG School District
Newspaper of Record for Waseca County, MN
PO Box 248 • New Richland, MN 56072

507-463-8112
email: steagle@hickorytech.net
Published every Thursday
Yearly Subscription: Waseca, Steele, and Freeborn counties: $52
Minnesota $57 • Out of state $64

Food shelf to kick off March campaign in style


By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

Now that football season is over, and folks need something to do on a Sunday afternoon, the New Richland Area Food Shelf has come up with a great idea.

Trinity Lutheran Church will be the site of the first-ever “Groove for Food” benefit on Sunday, February 26 from 1:30-3 p.m.

“This will be the kickoff to our March Foodshare Month campaign,” said Larry Goehring of the NR Food Shelf. “We will have five different musical acts performing throughout the afternoon. Local humorist and storyteller Al Batt will serve as the Master of Ceremonies. Between sets of each group we will be having a live auction.”

The various musical acts scheduled include Just Friends, Mr. and Rev. Pamela Jensen, Pantheria Vox Musica from NRHEG, Pam Brazil and son, and Melissa Williams.

Admission to the fun-filled afternoon is free, but everyone is encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations or cash to help the food shelf.

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CALLERS THAT CARE — Telecare callers June Holmen and Marie Querna are ready for more area residents to join in on the free service that very well could save a life. (Star Eagle photo by Rachel Rietsema)



By RACHEL RIETSEMA

Staff Writer

A phone call every day keeps the Telecare subscribers okay. At least that’s what long-time callers, Marie Querna and June Holmen say.

“Telecare is a service provided by volunteers to check in with elderly every day, at no charge,” Querna said. “They are called six days of the week and can be called on Sunday if they want too.”

A service since 1976, Telecare has remained strong in its mission. No matter what obstacles stand in their way, they will prevail in the search for an area resident.

“Many years ago, we had a person we couldn’t find,” Holmen said. “I did a little calling to her next door neighbor. The neighbor walked across the street, hit on the windows and hollered, ‘are you ok?’"

She still remembers as plain as day, the big sack of rhubarb placed between the resident’s back door. Fishy as all get out, she drove to Budachs to find a close relative of the missing person.

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PLENTY OF ITEMS — Greg Jensen calls for bids as Melissa Karl holds one of the many items auctioned off at the NRHEG PTO’s Community Night Out. (Star Eagle photo by Kathy Paulsen)


By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

The inaugural NRHEG PTO Community Night Out was held in the Ellendale school gymnasium on Saturday, February 4. The evening began with a social time and supper, which included a catered meal by Superior Foods. There was a variety of cheesecakes donated by Great American Company. Great American manufactures the cookie dough the elementary students sell to raise funds. 

The event has been in the works for a while. Rich and Penni Mueller actually started working on it last September, as the PTO is always looking at what else they can do as a fundraiser the whole district could get involved in. 

They met with one of the event organizers from the Blooming Prairie Foundation and went from there. They would like to thank all those people who became part of the committee: Ronda Staloch, Melissa Karl, Katie Knudsen, Doug Anderson, and those that helped the day of the event, including Jordan Mueller, Judy Carroll, Julie Anderson, Wendy Schultz, Alison Johnson, Carly Solland and Amy Kitzer.

School board, NR City Council reach consensus on several issues


By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

Unlike the political posturing we have to endure in Washington and St. Paul, the first ever face-to-face meeting of the NRHEG School Board and New Richland City Council saw agreement and cooperation from both sides.

School Board Vice Chair Michelle Moxon convened the meeting in the absence of Chair Rick Schultz who was supposedly taking hula dancing lessons.

Superintendent Kevin Wellen gave a brief overview of the purpose of the meeting, which was discussion concerning the softball fields, summer recreation and signage for the crosswalk/school zone.

“We share facilities,” said Wellen. “They have served their purpose well.”

NRHEG Activities Director Dan Stork presented a list of immediate and long-term improvements to the softball fields at Legion Field. 

“The most important items from a safety standpoint are the backstops,” said Stork. “They need to be repaired or replaced.”

New Richland City Council

By JODY WYNNEMER

Staff Writer

All members were present when Monday night’s New Richland City Council meeting was convened by Mayor Tom McShane. The evening’s agenda was approved as presented and after a minor correction to the minutes of January 9th, the consent agenda was unanimously approved.

There were no public hearings scheduled so the council proceeded to adopt the following resolutions:

• 12-05 Approving the issuance of general refunding obligation bonds.

• 12-06 Designation of a bequest from the estate of Adlyn Nelson to the city ambulance service in the amount of $42,500.

• 12-07 Designation of a bequest from the estate of Adlyn Nelson to the city fire department in the amount of $42,500.

• 12-08 Designating the First National Bank of Waseca as a depository of public funds.

Police chief Scott Eads noted his department responded to 92 calls for service with an additional 38 contacts in January. Eads reported the department is still seeing issues with snow parking when it actually snows. Several administrative citations have been issued and a substantially larger number of warnings have been given.