Back to D.C.

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Created: 01 May 2016

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Dinneen makes one final trip to nation’s capital

D.C. CREW — Front from left: Whittney McCamish, Natalie Aaseth, Emily Crabtree, Michelle Katzung, Aubrey Schlinger, Tali Wayne, Jennifer McKay, Gabby Muri, Gretchen Ramaker, Grace Johns, Rachel Collins, Maci Surat, Emily Prigge, Chris Stenzel. Row two: Nicole Frechette, Kylie Lembke, Wyatt Fitterer, Tyler Mithun, Justin Mortensen, Karter Sletten, Natalia Galindo, Lillian Bell, Lillie Nielsen, Braden Routh, Ben Lewer, Mercedes Dickerson, Madison Martin. Back: Payton Misgen, Randal Anhalt, Caleb Harpel, Kyra Possin, Pat Churchill, Georgia Dinneen, Taytum Ihrke, Sam Prigge. (Submitted photo)

By JIM LUTGENS

Editor/Publisher

Officially, Georgia Dinneen is retired from her job as an instructor at NRHEG High School.

But early this month, she was coaxed out of retirement for a few days.

As she has done 10 times since 2004, Dinneen accompanied NRHEG students and other chaperones on what has become the school’s annual trip to Washington, D.C.

200 and counting

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Created: 13 April 2016

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Schultz nets milestone win

Coach Wendy Schultz and the NRHEG softball team pose for a photo after the Panthers defeated Blooming Prairie 9-2 Tuesday, April 12 in New Richland for Schultz’s 200th career coaching victory. Front from left: Paige Knudson, Grace Johns, Torrie Stencel and Rachel Collins. Back: Kate Quam, Jayna Finseth, Natalie Aaseth, Kylie Arndt, Skylar Lembke, Wendy Schultz, Kayley Camerer, Jade Schultz, Anna Lundberg and Gabby Muri. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)

A passion for playtime

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Created: 17 April 2016

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PLAYGROUND PLANS — Kim Routh and Beckie Johnson stand on some of the current playground equipment at NRHEG Elementary. (Star Eagle photo by Melanie Piltingsrud)

By MELANIE PILTINGSRUD

Contributing Writer

Early in the morning and during afternoon recess, 450 children gather in long lines at NRHEG Elementary School, waiting patiently for their turn on the playground equipment – much loved and dilapidated equipment that, 25 years ago, served only 250 children before the Ellendale-Geneva school merged with New Richland-Hartland.

Some of the sturdier equipment has been on the playground for at least 50 years and is still serving the children well, but now, the wooden playset in the middle of the playground stands crooked and is missing pieces that can no longer be acquired. Members of the Playground Committee call the wooden playground set “dangerous.”

With help from their friends, Grubstads battle rare illness

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Created: 26 March 2016

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Benefit set for April 3

STILL ON THE JOB — A benefit is planned for April 3 for Dean Grubstad, left who along with his wife, Theresa, owns the Red Leaf Cafe in New Richland. Dean remains on the job despite his battles with a rare bone infection. (Star Eagle photo by Jessica Lutgens)

By JESSICA LUTGENS

Staff Writer

When Dean Grubstad started experiencing soreness last fall, he assumed it was whiplash from a past accident. He did not expect it to lead to a three-week, life-changing hospital stay — and he wasn’t the only one who didn’t see it coming.

It was around Thanksgiving of 2015 when Dean’s symptoms surfaced. He went in to the doctor, who agreed that it was probably whiplash and put him on steroids. After three days, Dean began feeling better, but the fourth day was a different story.

“It was like I took a 180,” said Grubstad, who owns the Red Leaf Café in New Richland along with his wife, Theresa. “I couldn’t move my left arm, and I started having convulsions.”

He and Theresa then went to the Owatonna hospital. He was admitted and treated for two days for what doctors had thought was pneumonia after x-rays showed a mass that appeared to be on Dean’s lung. However, an MRI revealed that the fluid (mass) was actually located behind the lung, which changed things.