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NRHEG staff named unsung heroes
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UNSUNG HEROES - Participating in the Unsung Heroes float are Deb Bently, Brenda Dobberstein, LeeAnn Hojberg, Gene Greenwood, Donna Olson, Paula Conklin, Devin Dobesh, Paul Kampen and Matt Groskreutz.
Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak
By DEB BENTLY
Staff Writer
As the school year drew to a close early in June, all NRHEG staff members were notified of a pleasant surprise. They had been selected as the 2021 recipients of the “Unsung Heroes” recognition offered by the Ellendale Community Action Group (ECAG).
The organization’s current president, Allison Muilenburg, gave the announcement over the intercom system at both school sites, saying “The NRHEG community has greatly appreciated the efforts and action of each staff member during the past 15 months.”
Criteria for the award, which has been given four times so far by the 5-year-old organization (The pandemic prevented a 2020 recipient from being named.), are quite simple: “Outstanding citizenship without expecting recognition.”
Each year, the ECAG invites community members to nominate fellow citizens for the award. Once the selection is made, it is usually kept secret until Ellendale Days, and then announced during the community bingo game sponsored by the ECAG. “We usually go to great lengths to keep the name secret,” explains Muilenburg. “But in this case, since we were naming a group of people, the usual system wouldn’t work.”
NR City Council, 7/26 meeting; Care Center hires Dave Dunn
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By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
The New Richland Care Center has officially hired a new administrator, Dave Dunn, who will begin work on July 26. This was announced during the regular meeting of the New Richland City Council on June 28.
NR Care Center
Dunn has worked in a variety of settings in care centers around southern Minnesota and has an impressive work history, including a career in the Air Force.
After reviewing many applications, the Care Center Advisory board felt Dunn was the best choice. “I would describe him as someone who has pragmatic leadership,” said New Richland Councilperson Loren Skelton. “He has sound principles. He’s honest. He’s committed.”
Importantly, Dunn wants this to be his final job. He’s committed to making New Richland his home and plans to move to the area and hopefully, work for the care center and be a part of the community for a long time.
The advisory board worked closely with the Advanced Health Institute in finding the right person. “It was very good working with them (AHI). They are very knowledgeable. This is what they do. Everyone on that team has a lot of experience, 30-40 years. With AHI, the new administrator, and the continued hard work of the staff, the care center will return to the shining star that it was.”
Dunn was not the only new hire at the care center. Lindsey Schlaak will be the new Business Office Manager beginning July 26.
Russian roulette for rural farmers; grain bin safety is of utmost importance
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By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD
Staff Writer
No one needs to die this way.
Already this year there have been five documented cases and two deaths by grain bin entrapment in Minn. And the season is just beginning.
Grain bin entrapment, in which a farmer becomes buried in grain, typically occurs in early summer, when grain has been stored all winter in the hopes of getting a better price during the warm season.
This year, fortunately, there have been fewer entrapments documented than in the past couple of years. This is partly due to the superior grain quality coming out of the fields last fall compared to previous years. Because the grain was drier last fall, spoilage is less likely to occur, which means the grain doesn't clog up the machinery when farmers try to empty the bin. Also, the price has been good, so farmers are selling off their grain before it becomes spoiled.
Spoilage is the biggest cause of grain bin entrapment. Farmers chill their grain during the winter, much like people refrigerate food from the grocery store, so it keeps longer. But the spring's warmer temperatures cause the grain to sweat. Just about the time when farmers are sowing seed in the fields, last year's grain begins to spoil.
Jack Volz, owner of the company Safety and Security Consultation Specialists, gives an example of the type of scenario that readily leads to an entrapment: “Most likely they've got spoiled grain in [the bin] and they're trying to relieve the issues of getting the grain out. They'll have a crust on top. They'll have a chunk of the crust that has worked its way down to the auger and has closed off the auger.” It's at that point that farmers sometimes decide to tempt fate and walk out on top of the grain to get the grain moving again. The problem, according to Volz, is that this tactic very often works; the grain starts moving and suddenly the farmer is trapped up to his waist or even over his head.
A long wait: Farm and City Days 2021
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GRAND - Karl and Tammy Proehl were the 2021 Farm and City Days parade grand marshals.
By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
Grateful. Exuberant. Long awaited.
These are just a few of the words that can describe the feelings felt during Farm and City Days weekend. After a year spent inside, the tension and stress from the past year finally boiled over. But in a good way.
Farm and City Days felt a little more special this year. “It was like being in a crowded city,” said 2016 NRHEG graduate Zach Mely. “Except, everytime I turned around, there was another person I knew and have known most of my life.”
This year's events were numerous, including: a magic show at the park, multiple meals hosted at city hall, a kid’s tractor pull, multiple class reunions, and horse drawn wagon rides. The weekend culminated with the main events, the parade and street dances.
This year’s Grand Marshals were Karl and Tammy Proehl. Neither of them saw it coming.
Where it started… how it’s going - 2021 growing season update
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KNEE HIGH - The soybeans above were photographed on June 23 and were already knee high.
By MARK BERNARD
Staff Writer
What a ride the cropping season has been! We started with great optimism after a relatively easy winter aside from a brutal February. Temperatures well below normal were the main culprit and, like most of the winter prior to that, it was relatively dry. March arrived showing signs that it might be an early spring. It started us out with soils thawing and talk of small grain being seeded when conditions were fit. There were even rumors that, as a result of 63-degree high temperatures, someone had planted radishes in their garden on March 9th. (“Unrewarding” might be an apt description of the results, but I digress). Snowfall accumulations in mid-March tempered that optimism somewhat. The snow disappeared rather rapidly however, and by Easter Sunday there had been corn planted in the area. Temperatures cooled and we had some light precipitation the week following Easter. These cooler temperatures would come back to haunt later.