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Dr. Amy Swain received her doctorate in Audiology from A.T. Still University. She also has over 20 years of experience with many different brands of hearing instruments. If you need a hearing aid, see someone that routinely offers more than one brand so you can choose the brand that works best for you!
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PROGRESS 2012 February 26, 2012
BUSINESS/INDUSTRY 6. 8. 10. 12. 14. 19.
TALL TASKS: TECHNICIANS KEEP TURBINES PRODUCING LONG LIVES: WIND TOWERS KEEP SPINNING HORMEL FOODS: PATH FOR GROWTH AKKERMAN: TUNNELS TO THE FUTURE MCHS-AUSTIN: VISION FOR TOMORROW TALK OF THE TOWN: DOWNTOWN ON CENTER STAGE
EDUCATION 20. SPACE TO GROW: INCREASING ENROLLMENT 24. RIGHT TIME, RIGHT PLACE: A COUNSELOR’S STORY 25. YEAR-ROUND SCHOOL: NEW OPTIONS FOR TEACHERS
COMMUNITY 26. 2 8. 30. 32. 36.
21ST CENTURY SCHOOL HOUSE: GRAND MEADOW WIND ENERGY: SMALL TOWNS GET BIG BOON GARY RAY: A RAY OF LIGHT FOR FOUNDATION HORMEL INSTITUTE: HOPING TO CLOSE IN ON A CURE JUSTIN HANSON: CONSERVING MOWER COUNTY
FAITH 40. RANSOMS: 5 GENERATIONS IN LYLE 42. TWO LANGUAGES, ONE FAITH: SPANISH-SPEAKING MASS 44. ANDERSONS: A TRADITION OF SERVING 46. MISSIONS: GOD’S HAND TO THE WORLD PHOTOS THROUGHOUT: ERIC JOHNSON
AGRICULTURE
DESIGN & LAYOUT: JASON SCHOONOVER, ERIC JOHNSON AND COLBY HANSEN
48. NELSONS: SAME LAND, FRESH IDEAS 50. FARMS: NEVER AN OFFSEASON 52. GRASSROOTS: FOOD PROVIDERS THINK LOCAL
HEALTH
AT A GLANCE
5 4. 56 . 59. 62.
18. 29. 6 4. 80. 82 . 85 . 86 . 89.
Austin Daily Herald Austin’s only source for local news since 1891.
Progress 2012
63 - 79. A VIEW OF AREA COMMUNITIES
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SMALL TOWNS
AUSTIN’S LARGEST EMPLOYERS MOWER’S WIND PRODUCTION POLLS FROM THE WEB COMMENTS FROM THE WEB VISION 2020’S TOP IDEAS LOCAL SERVICE CLUBS TECHNOLOGY AROUND AUSTIN EDITOR’S NOTE, MEET THE STAFF
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FITNESS BY FORCE: KICKBOXING TO HEALTH MOMENTUM: GET FIT BE FIT ROLLS FORWARD BIKING: ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY STEP UP: A HEALTHY DIRECTION
Tall tasks By Jason Schoonover Craig Wiste wanted to try something new. After working as an auto mechanic, one could say he literally took his skills to the next level when he harnessed in and started climbing hundreds of feet to service wind towers. “It’s pretty untested waters for the most part for everybody in this area,” said Wiste, now a lead technician with Vestas Americas in LeRoy. Since 2002, companies have erected 253 wind turbines in Mower County, plus hundreds more across Minnesota and Iowa. The job of keeping those turbines producing falls on the shoulders of wind technicians, a job in which most take great pride. “There’s something really satisfying about getting a multi-million dollar piece of machinery running again,” Wiste said. Minnesota has quickly become a leader in wind power, and ranked third in 2010 with 9.7 percent of the state’s energy derived from wind, according to an American Wind Energy Association report. Some statistics say that number is now higher than 15 percent, and AWEA reports
Wind farms producing jobs, energy in region show the renewable source could provide about 25 times the state’s electricity needs. The state has more than 2,500 megawatts on line, producing enough energy to power 700,000 homes. “The winds here and the conditions are just really good for wind energy,” said Michelle Berdusis, site manager of the LeRoy Vestas office, which employs more than 30 technicians. “That’s why we’re in business: We have to keep them producing.”
The job Though wind towers have become a prominent part of the local skyline, most people don’t realize the effort it takes to maintain them. Wiste compared the job to routine maintenance performed by an auto mechanic, but on a larger scale. “Everything’s so big. Everything’s higher voltages,” he said. “You’re not running around with a little torque wrench like you are on a car. ... You’re using big tools and heavy tools. Guys really have to take care of themselves up there when they’re working.”
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
Craig Wiste, a lead technician for Vestas out of LeRoy, begins unscrewing the bolts to access the hub of a windtower just south of Grand Meadow.
Austin Austin Daily Daily Herald Herald
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Each turbine requires a once- or twice-annual maintenance that includes Security — literally and figuratively checking oil filters, greasing gears, cleaning and torquing bolts, and checking While wind farm technicians pride themselves on job safety, many are just for leaks. as comfortable with job security. A lot of times, issues will show up during a scheduled maintenance. The goal “Nobody here has had to worry about if they’re going to have a job tois to save themselves from extra work later and keep the turbines producing morrow,” Wiste said. for their customers: the energy company. The 253 turbines in Mower County have brought many jobs to the region. “Our guys take a lot of pride in their work,” said lead technician Eric AnderAlong with a good wind resource and willing land owners, Riverland Comsen. “They make sure that they catch everything they can during routine servmunity College wind technician instructor Steve Vietor said Minnesota has a ice, and that really minimizes the chance of a strong electrical grid to support wind development. Plus, turbine faulting.” the state has another key ingredient: young people. The 30 Vestas employees in LeRoy maintain 243 “We’ve got a resource in this area of youth who want to turbines — 182 in Iowa and 61 in Minnesota. go to work in this industry,” he said. “You can about imagine that we never get a Along with Vestas, there are at least two other turbine break,” Wiste said. “By the time you finish the last maintenance shops based in Mower County. one, you start the new one.” The Riverland wind technician program currently has While the job requires skills in mechanics, elecabout 20 students in their first year and 15 students in tricity and hydraulics, no other job can fully prepare their second year, and they don’t seem to have any troua technician for work on a turbine. ble finding jobs, according to Vietor. “It’s a job like no other,” Wiste said. Many of the students find work within a 50-mile radius While many people spend workdays at paper-litof the Austin/Albert Lea area, according to Vietor, but stutered desks, the bulk of a wind farm technician’s dents who are willing to travel can reel in bigger payday is spent in a turbine’s nacelle, the top base of checks. the turbine that houses the bulk of the machinery. The typical starting salary for a wind technician is com“You get so used to it. It doesn’t feel unsafe at parable to starting pay in the electrical and mechanical inall,” Wiste said. In fact, the company prides itself on dustries: anywhere from $15 to $24 per hour. safety and holds safety meetings every morning. At Vestas, the typical wage for an entry-level service Though some towers have climb assists or lifts, technician is between $18 and $20 an hour, plus emmany workers reach the nacelle by harnessing into ployees receive strong benefits; fully paid healthcare, a a guide wire and scaling the ladder — located in401(k) retirement program and generous vacation and side the turbine — so a climber’s back is near the sick leave, according to Andrew Longeteig, a communiturbine wall. cations specialist with Vestas. Still, the climb isn’t always easy. The company aims to promote people from within and “If you’re going to go out to do a routine mainkeep them in the company, too. tenance, and you haven’t done it in two weeks, Traveling technicians who work at multiple sites can you’d be amazed how difficult it is for your muscles make $20,000 to $30,000 or more, and some even make to collect that,” Wiste said. $80,000 annually, according to Vietor. Craig Wiste, a lead technician for As lead technicians, Wiste and Andersen spend Vietor said there’s a lot of room for advancement. more time on the ground, managing others and Vestas out of LeRoy, walks across from “It’s a pretty interesting field for somebody who wants helping general technicians. the nacelle to the hub of a wind turbine. to attend a two-year program,” he said. Along with routine maintenance, technicians also Along with LeRoy, Vestas has offices and turbines near take turns being on call. During their week, they’ll Dodge Center and Albert Lea. focus on alarm turbines, which makes for about 10-hour days, plus some weekBerdusis said most of the employees at the LeRoy office have been there end and night work. through the entire project — more than four years. “Everyday’s the same, yet everyday’s a little different,” Andersen said. “We try to keep them in the industry and in Vestas,” Berdusis said. Most of the alarm work consists of electrical problems like loose wires or a Furthermore, the need for workers doesn’t seem to be diminishing. hydraulic issue. Wiste said they rarely see the same issue break down a turbine “These things are standing here,” Wiste said. “It’s kind of like a car. Cars are twice, and a variety of different things cause a breakdown. always going to break down. You have to have your car fixed. These turbines “It’s definitely a unique job,” Andersen said. are here. It’s pretty good job security.
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Eric Andersen, a lead technician out of the LeRoy office for Vestas, talks about maintenance for the wind towers while standing on top of one just south of Grand Meadow.
Long lives Turbines’ production likely to outlast 20 to 30 year life spans By Jason Schoonover
Austin Daily Herald
8 Progress 2012
Just how many years wind turbines dot the landscape in Mower County may not be determined by an expiration date. Typical turbines have a life span of 20 to 30 years, and the first wind towers in Mower County are about 10 years old. But that’s not to say the turbines are nearing mid-life and headed toward dismantling. Many expect the turbines to have many more years of life, as new technologies maximize turbines’ production. Vestas Americas —- the company that maintains and built the turbines at the Prairie Star Wind Farm near LeRoy — has much older ones across the country still running strong. “Many Vestas turbines have actually exceeded their expected 20-year lifetimes, including those installed in the early 1980s that are still producing energy today,” Andrew Longeteig, a communications specialist with Vestas, wrote in an email. Steve Vietor, an instructor with Riverland Community College’s wind technician program, said there’s a bright future for wind energy in Mower County. “We’ve got a lot of wind turbines in the area, but what’s most exciting is what’s still to come,” he said. Technicians’ jobs will shift from maintenance and trouble shooting to retrofitting and rebuilding turbines and maximizing production. Vietor said it’s likely the turbines will be altered for land owners to maximize output. The typical local turbines are about 1.5megawatt turbines, and on good days, Vietor said, they can produce 1.67 megawatts. However, with new technologies — like a laser that tracks wind speed and direction miles away so turbines can turn into the wind and start producing earlier — those numbers could get a boost. Although land owners have a say on when the turbines’ contracts are up, the real decision lies with the companies that own the energy. According to Longeteig, they can retrofit, rebuild or dismantle turbines. If turbines are dismantled, about 80 percent of the typical 1.65 megawatt turbine — which is outage for the ones at Prairie Star — can be recycled, including all of the iron and steel. After the turbines’ estimated 30-year life spans, they can be dismantled or rebuilt, according to Michelle Berdusis, project manager for Vestas at Prairie Star. “The technology has changed too much in the way that we build towers that structurally I think they would last a lot longer than that,” she said.
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Only a Few Seats Left on Some Tours!
The sprawling complex that includes Hormel Foods Corp. and Quality Pork Processors, laid out next to Interstate 90 as seen from the air.
Austin Daily Herald
10 Progress 2012
Hormel’s path for growth CEO Ettinger reflects on community, company’s future By Adam Harringa
Austin Daily Herald
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Progress 2012
From the time Jeff Ettinger started at Hormel percent in 2010, and 19.9 percent in 2011. “It’s really that balance that helps us thrive Foods Corp. 21 years ago, living outside of Austin The company’s full-year earnings for the 2011 fisthrough multiple environments,” he said. “We truly never crossed his mind. cal year was $474.2 million, compared to $301.9 have an outstanding, long-term track record for As the CEO, president and chairman of the board million in 2007. In 2011, it was Hormel’s Jennie-O growth.” at Hormel, Ettinger has propelled Hormel’s standing and international segments that led the way, but EtIn 2012, Ettinger and other executives have their in the global meatpacking industry — Hormel’s antinger said it’s the company’s versatility that keeps it sites locked on the Hispanic market, as the company nual net earnings have exploded since Ettinger took viable every year. expects growth in its Hispanic food umbrella comthe helm, increasing by 57 percent in the past pany, MegaMex, which distributes five years — all while maintaining a presence its Herdez, Chi-Chi’s, La Victoria, in the community. Don Miguel and Wholly Gua“I really wouldn’t have it any other way,” camole brands. Ettinger said of living in Austin. “We’ve really chosen to focus our His four children graduated or are attendenergy on Mexican food because ing Austin High School, and he and his wife, the cuisine is so popular here in the LeeAnn, are active in town. United States,” Ettinger said before Hormel’s chief executive grew up in Los Anthe company’s annual shareholdgeles, where he jokes one of the great things ers’ meeting in January. he left behind was traffic and long commutes. That Mexican cuisine could be “I love being able to get everywhere key as Hormel looks to continue its quickly here in Austin,” he said, adding that climb up the Fortune 500 ladder; he often rides his bike to work in the summer. the company has increased its po“I like being able to go to the grocery store sition on the list each of the last five and the YMCA and see not only friends from years, from 403rd in 2007 to 325th work, but friends from church and friends in 2011. from other activities in town.” If that trend continues, Ettinger Ettinger, 53, has been president since 2004 said, it’s something in which Austin and CEO since 2006. can take pride. Hormel CEO Jeff Ettinger holds a news conference Hormel has grown considerably under Et“It’s unusual to have a Fortune tinger — who made nearly $9 million in 2011 500 company in a town this size, prior to the annual shareholders’ meeting this — with annual net earnings increasing three but it’s really a plus on both ends,” January. years running; by 20.1 percent in 2009, 15.4 he said.
Austin Daily Herald
Tony Belden cleans the rough edges of a freshly cut piece of pipe jacking frame at
12 Progress 2012
Akkerman just outside of Brownsdale.
A boring mill trims metal away from a bracing ring at Akkerman.
Tunnels to the future
Tunneling into the future Akkerman has four main product lines, and it specializes in equipment for pipe jacking — a trenchless method for installing pipes and casings — and other tunneling equipment, according to Tumbleson. The company manufactures equipment that installs pipe ranging from 4 inches to 14 feet in diameter. The tunnel boring machines, used for pipe jacking, excavate the ground while advancing forward off the pipe itself. Akkerman also makes equipment that excavates at the opening of the tunnel while the tunnel ring is created behind it. The company boasts of incredibly accurate, laserguided equipment. The pipe jacking systems must be accurate so the sewer systems can maintain flow in the right direction. “Everything is laser-guided,” Tumbleson said. “Everything we do is basically gravity flow installation. We’ve got to be extremely accurate and on the right grade to maintain flow.” Some of the machinery can be operated from inside the actual pipe jacking or tunneling unit. An op-
Akkerman ships several sizes of tunnel-boring machines throughout the world.
Akkerman owner Maynard Akkerman.
Checks and balances Akkerman officials have been busy lately, according to Tumbleson. Not only did the company roll out its Series II system, but it also built a new corporate office building and announced an updated strategic plan. The new building incorporates some of the pipe in the infrastructure. “We wanted to be able to have a nice space to welcome guests,” Tumbleson said. “We incorporated a lot of the pipe used for sewer and water utility installation into the office structure.” The new mission and vision statements were an important project for company officials, Tumbleson said, because they are trying to encourage employees to hold them accountable and embed the concepts into the Akkerman culture. Signs detailing the new statements are posted in break rooms and workstations throughout the plant. The gist of the mission is to be goal driven for customer success, Tumbleson said. “If our customers are making money, we are making money,” Tumbleson said. “We’re trying to empower (the employees) to question what we’re doing. “The goal is to have the whole group know what our vision is.” As the company strives to achieve its goals and expand in the global market, its plans are to focus marketing efforts in the South American, Russian and Middle Eastern regions.
Progress 2012
Pulling up to the Akkerman campus on Mower County Road 2 outside of Brownsdale, one likely wouldn’t assume the family-owned company is world-class. Tucked away in a grove created by trees and a curve in the highway, engineers, machinists and assembly workers design and manufacture pipe jacking and tunneling equipment used across the globe to install underground infrastructure. While Akkerman has been in business for nearly 40 years, the company’s worldwide vision is rather recent, according to Vice President of Sales and Marketing Rob Tumbleson. “We’ve been establishing relationships (internationally) with geographic representation,” Tumbleson said. “We’ve really concentrated on it in the last five years.” In 2012, with 13 worldwide representatives, Akkerman will send sales staff to industry trade shows in Singapore, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom.
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By Amanda Lillie
Austin Daily Herald
Family-owned business packs worldwide punch
erator will actually sit inside the machine and guide it through the soil or sand. Akkerman’s micro-tunneling systems are so advanced, though, that someone can operate the machine from above ground in a remote control container. The container is a small, air-conditioned room with computer controls that guide the machine through the ground. This system is used in a high water table area because it’s generally not safe for an operator to be underground in those conditions. The software used to control the machinery is developed at Akkerman by its own software engineers, Tumbleson said. Operating a micro-tunneling system, particularly from aboveground, requires incredibly advanced skills, according to Tumbleson, so operators undergo at least a year of training before they are qualified to operate the controls. Along with competing in the industry on an international level, Akkerman officials have worked for nearly two years to roll out the Series II pipe jacking equipment. The Series I equipment was not fitting the needs of all of the company’s foreign customers, so the company decided to up the ante and compete in the world market. “It’s been a major part of our work for the last year and a half,” Tumbleson said. “We’ve been expanding, modifying and upgrading our equipment to try and address the international market’s needs.”
This artist’s rendering shows what the new Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin Eye Clinic — slated to open in February 2013 — looks like.
The 86,500-square-foot, three-story Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin expansion will create about 70 full-time jobs, including nine physician positions.
Did you know?
Austin Daily Herald
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• Land Drainage • Backhoeing • Consulting • Conservation Construction • Wildlife Ponds • Road Boring
Progress 2012
Mark Karl, Austin Eye Center manager, Dr. Monica Loppnow, and the rest of the eye clinic’s staff will prepare to move into their new spot at the expanded and renovated Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin by this time next year.
Vision for tomorrow Medical center expansion will give eye clinic extra space By Adam Harringa
Construction continues on the expansion to Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin. By this time next year, the Austin Eye Center will be taking its place inside the addition.
Progress 2012
treated for glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts. Being in the same building should greatly increase communication between doctors, according to Dr. Monica Loppnow, an optometrist at the clinic. “If someone is in urgent care or the emergency room, they’ll send them over here, but it will be much easier to do when we’re in the same building,” she said. “(Patients) will find us easier, and I think it’s going to make communication between doctors much, much easier.” “I think we’re all looking forward to it,” Karl said. “It’s going to be a huge help to us. It will be something we’re not used to at all. We’re going to enjoy it quite a bit.”
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increase its patient load. Currently, there’s about a two or three week wait to see physicians, and an extra opthamologist should ease that. “Doctors can only see so many people per day, but especially with a fourth provider, traffic should be quit a bit higher than it is right now,” he said. With the new facility comes additional equipment, and five times the retail space, increasing the number of eyeglass frames from about 450 to 1,000. Beyond the extra space and added physician, the new facility should be a big help in another area: communication. The average age of the clinic’s patients is 70, according to Karl, so a lot of them are also being
Austin Daily Herald
The Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin Eye Clinic has been at its current location since 1978, and according to Manager Mark Karl, employees and patients have been bumping into each other ever since. “Traffic flow is a big issue, as we only have the one main hall,” Karl said. “You pretty much have to dodge people to get around in here. ... Soon, we’ll have much more room.” Luckily, Karl and the rest of the eye center crew will get a new, 9,450-square-foot facility — doubling the size of its 4,717-square-foot clinic — as part of the $28-million medical center expansion project. The eye center — located at 510 Second St. NW — is one of many medical center services that will receive upgraded facilities, as the 86,500-squarefoot, three-story expansion will also create about 70 full-time jobs, including nine new physician positions when it’s slated to open on Feb. 28, 2013. Karl is also excited about the additional positions. While medical center officials aren’t sure how many jobs will be added for the eye center, it will get one of the nine new physicians, as Karl will add an opthamologist. The eye center currently has two optometrists and one opthamologist, and the upgrade will bring the eye center’s total exam rooms from nine to 14. “That will be kind of nice because right now we have to make sure we’re not double-booking a room,” Karl said. Karl said a fourth physician should help the clinic
Pictured Left to Right: Amy Legried, Ben Sprung, Al LeTendre, Doug Salz, Gary LeTendre, Stephen Blum, Debbie LeTendre, Gene Krull, Johnny Adams Not Pictured: Josh Sheely
Owners: Alvina and Gary Letendre
• Just for Kix • Home Kitchen Warehouse • Mower County Human Services • Vision World • Acclaim Studio of Dance • Two Bears Trading Post • Spirit Bear Academy • Austin Area Art Center • Anytime Fitness • GNC • Ole Barn BBQ • Weight Watchers • The Machine Shed
Austin Daily Herald
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Austin Daily Herald
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Progress 2012
Austin’s 25 largest employers
1. Hormel Foods Corp. Austin 13. Sacred Heart Care Center plant — 1,671 2. Quality Pork Processors — 1,300 3. Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin — 968 4. Hormel Foods Corp. corporate office — 883 5. Austin Public Schools — 690 6. Walmart — 350 7. Austin Packaging Co. — 305 8. Hy-Vee Food Store — 300 9. Riverland Community College — 300 10. Mower County — 245 11. St. Mark’s Lutheran Home — 225 12. REM Woodvale Inc. — 161
— 150 14. International Paper — 146 15. Gerard School — 145 16. City of Austin — 141 17. The Hormel Institute — 130 18. Holiday Inn/Days Inn/Perkins — 120 19. Cooperative Response Center — 110 20. McFarland Truck Lines — 90 21. Cedar Valley Services — 85 22. Target — 80 23. Shopko — 75 24. IBI Data — 62
25. Clifton Larson-Allen — 60
Source: Development Corporation of Austin. These are approximate numbers for some employers and actual number of employees will vary.
Austin Daily Herald
18 Progress 2012
From Austin Main Street to Vision 2020, downtown remains center stage
tracting businesses downtown, along with creating public gathering areas, entertainment, art events, parks for kids and outdoor festivals or concerts, all downtown. “That’s all stuff we could certainly help with and tailor what we do,” Douty said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with.” While Vision 2020 is the hot topic now — the group is preparing to announce its 10 best ideas in March — Douty said the Austin Main Street Project isn’t going anywhere, either. The project started as a funding source to supplement downtown property owners’ renovations and expansions, to attract new businesses, and to give businesses owners like DeMeyer and Haney a break on their first month’s rent. Through 2011, it helped renovate 36 storefronts, created six housing units, and relocated or expanded 17 businesses, contributing $2.19 million in the process. Now, Main Street officials are looking to expand beyond its original intent. “Of course we’re getting to a point now where we need to look at more than just the buildings,” Douty said. “There’s opportunities there for us to break out from our traditional renovations and look at doing more with public spaces, and more things that would be a public benefit, like Vision 2020 stuff.” If Austin Main Street and Vision 2020 pool their efforts as planned, DeMeyer expects the downtown to continue to grow. “I see it only growing more,” she said. “I guess Austin is more unique versus other downtown areas (of similar size). ... Bringing new businesses gives the downtown attention and helps it expand, and I feel like Austin does have that right now.”
The Style Lounge Salon's Lindsey Haney and Bridget Schmidt look in the mirror during a weeknight in February at the progress of Schmidt's hair styling.
Progress 2012
By Adam Harringa
19
Co-owners of The Style Lounge Salon Jill DeMeyer, sitting, and Lindsey Haney have created a unique vision with their business on Main Street in Austin.
Talk of the town
Austin Daily Herald
Jill DeMeyer and Lindsey Haney took a minute to consider what has been challenging during the first year of business for their Style Lounge Salon in downtown Austin. They couldn’t think of anything. “Everything’s been a real positive experience,” DeMeyer said of their salon that opened in November 2010. “The community has really supported the downtown area, and you feel that when you have a business on Main Street.” The co-owners felt they started their business at the perfect time, as the Austin Main Street Project — a grassroots movement started in 2005 to fund renovations and additions downtown — was in full swing. Now, between Austin Main Street and Vision 2020 — a grassroots community betterment project launched in 2011 looking for 10 ideas to implement by 2020 — downtown improvements seem to be on everyone’s mind. “The main street project was put together by the community,” said Sarah Douty, Austin Main Street Project Executive Director. “It’s the community saying we want something done downtown. Vision 2020 is very similar, with the community saying this is what we want.” Douty said she will be following Vision 2020 closely to see if Main Street officials can structure their program to fit with Vision 2020’s top 10 priorities. Vision 2020 has whittled its list to 30 ideas, which includes at-
EDUCATION By Trey Mewes
Space to grow
School district thankful for public’s support of new school Thanks to the citizens of Austin, schoolchildren will have enough space to learn. That’s what many Austin Public School staff and supporters of last November’s $28.9 million bond referendum believe. Voters decided to support a new fifth- and sixth-grade school, along with a Woodson Kindergarten Center expansion, so the space crunch felt in many Austin schools would go away. “There wouldn’t have been a project without the voter approval,” said Superintendent David Krenz. The process hasn’t been easy, however. Just ask Mark Stotts, finance and operations director. “Going into that process, we really didn’t know where it was going to lead,” Stotts said. “Yeah, we internally kicked around ideas, but when we started the process, I never thought it would end up like it did.” The whole thing began when demographer Hazel Reinhart gave a report on Austin’s projected student population in 2009, around the time district officials wondered if the increase in students they saw would continue. Reinhart’s report was clear: Based on the amount of births in Mower County, Austin schools were going to see an increase in students. What district officials didn’t know was how right she was. Though Reinhart’s population projections showed four possible growth patterns ranging from slight to heavy student increases, the district’s student population has consis-
tently been either at or above Reinhart’s largest projection. In 2009, the district had 4,417 students start school, compared to Reinhart’s high-end projection of 4,464. The district taught 4,439 students in September 2010, compared to Reinhart’s estimated high of 4,399. Austin schools greeted 4,467 students last September, 12 students fewer than the demographer’s highest projection of 4,479. Those numbers are huge, seeing as the district’s overall space is shrinking. A facility usage report done by November 2010 showed every Austin school except Austin High School was at or over capacity. Residents know the story from there. A community-led facilities task force composed of residents and school administrators looked at possible solutions to Austin’s space issues, created the idea for an intermediate school and Woodson expansion, and brought the measure to voters in November. “This wasn’t just a slam dunk,” Stotts said. “We had to work pretty darn hard to get this committee to a consensus.” Stotts led the group, researched the costs, filed the proper paperwork for a Minnesota Department of Education review, got the financing ready and is coordinating with architects, construction managers and new general contractor Wagner Construction of Austin on the Woodson expansion, among other things. Krenz made speeches and talked with countless citizens about the benefits. Other school staff either helped with a “Vote Yes” committee or told their friends and neighbors about the referendum. Though the work for a new school will continue for years, district officials are happy Austin’s residents are involved in the school, and last November’s votes showed what they thought. “Any time that we are a public school — a public institution proposing an idea — the public needs to be a part of the process,” Krenz said.
“There wouldn’t have been a project without the voter approval.”
-David Krenz
Mark Stotts, Austin Public Schools finance and operations director, has been a driving force in getting a new school built to deal with overcrowding.
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New school stats Amount of money in bonds to pay for the fifth- and sixth-grade school and Woodson Kindergarten Center expansion
300400
Projected increase in student population at Austin Public Schools from 2009 to 2014
8001,000 30
Projected increase in student population at Austin Public Schools from 2009 to 2019 Number Facilities Task Force members
23
Number of proposals the Facilities Task Force created to solve Austin school’s facility space issues
3
Number of months the Facilities Task Force spent discussing Austin’s increasing student population
20132014
Art Hollerud 438-1090
William Danielson 438-7728
www.semnrealtors.com
Amount district officials will pay Wagner Construction to build the expansion at Woodson Percent in interest on Austin’s bonds. The percentage is lower than district officials estimated, which means a slight savings for taxpayers over the course of the 20-year loan Date in August that Woodson’s expansion is scheduled for completion First year at the new intermediate school
Progress 2012
17
Nancy Ulwelling 279-0427
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$1.37 million 2.97
You are always welcome here!
Austin Daily Herald
$28.9 million
Innovation drives performance
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22 Progress 2012
innovance.com : )URQW 6WUHHW $OEHUW /HD 01 ‡
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Progress 2012
Yesenia Mendoza talks about her family's move to Austin and her own path, graduating from Austin High School, then Riverland Community College, and coming back to Riverland to work as a counselor.
Right time, right place Riverland counselor lives to help students By Trey Mewes Yesenia Mendoza lives to help others. The 2006 Austin High School grad didn’t expect to come home so soon, but she jumped at the opportunity to serve her community as a counselor at Riverland Community College. Mendoza, the youngest of five children, first came to Austin as a junior in 2004 after her family moved from Grand Island, Neb., to work at Hormel Foods Corp. Though she had been in Nebraska since kindergarten, it didn’t take long for her to adjust to life in Austin. “I thought it was really quiet, really small, really boring, but it had a sense, just a good tranquility to it,” Mendoza said. She was involved in Austin from the start, playing soccer and participating in student groups to volunteer at AHS. After graduating in 2006, she moved on to Mt. Mercy College (now Mt. Mercy University). It was an important event for her as a first-generation college student, and she fell in love with the school after looking at its brochure. “I just thought it was pretty and neat, and that it would be nice for me to start off with,” she said. She earned a bachelor’s degree, and double-majored in international studies with a sociology concentration, and political science, with economics and business administration minors. For her, taking international studies hit home, as she learned about immigration, Latin American relations and socioeconomic politics. Yet she also kept busy working in student groups and committees.
“I had no time,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t know how I did it.” Once she graduated, she was ready to help her community. As a senior, she was looking for work wherever she could get it, but she always knew she could come back to Austin and start her career. She returned, working at Perkins to start. Mendoza caught a break after contacting Riverland officials about work and finding a counselor position opening. The position involved running the “Be Your Best” and “Cycles for Success” programs, which helps non-traditional and under-represented students get college access. That often means helping students of color who are in the same position she was just a few years ago. “I feel like I came here at the right time,” Mendoza said. “I enjoyed my college experience, and being able to help other people as soon as I was done with college seemed like it would be a good opportunity for me to grow as a professional.” Mendoza is more involved than ever in Austin, as she is a Rotaract member and a Vision 2020 volunteer. She may not stay in Austin forever, as she hopes to pursue a master’s degree and will go overseas for a year this fall. In the meantime, she wants to continue helping as many people as possible. “I want to be here at least a couple more years,” Mendoza said. “What’s really important to me is to make a significant impact in the things I’m doing here before I can say I want to get my master’s.”
“What’s really important to me is to make a significant impact in the things I’m doing here.”
Austin Daily Herald
-Yesenia Mendoza
24 Progress 2012
Sumner Elementary physical education teacher Tina Strauss does push-ups with fourth-grader Andrew Martinez during a recent class at the school. Strauss gets unique opportunities thanks to the newly implemented year-round schedule, as she can take her classes outside when the weather is nice.
Sumner Elementary fourthgraders play a form of tag during a physical education class.
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By Trey Mewes
Austin Daily Herald
Year-round options
There’s an unexpected benefit to Sumner Elementary School’s new year-round calendar, according to Tina Strauss. The physical education teacher enjoyed starting school a little earlier this year because it gave her students more time in the sun. “One of the great benefits of this 45/15 schedule is the fact that it opens up a lot more time to teach outside,” Strauss said. Sumner students started school in August thanks to a switch to an alternative calendar. The 45/15 schedule, or year-round schedule, means students are in class for nine weeks followed by a three-week break. The schedule is designed to help students retain information, but more people enjoy some of the added perks like being able to play soccer and tennis outside. In addition, Strauss was able to measure baseline skills for students earlier, which meant students could enjoy physical education lessons earlier. There aren’t more days in the 45/15 schedule, just a shift in when students are in school. “They really enjoyed the fact that they could be outside during gym class,” Strauss said. “We were able to spend a lot of that time outside.” Strauss and other Sumner staff brought the new recess format to students quicker than other schools, too. Students have a few more structured options at recess, which helps them to socialize and reduces playground bullying. “We were actually able to implement that recess format much sooner,” Strauss said. Though students enjoyed more bright, sunny days outside, they shone even brighter on standardized testing benchmarks this winter, which gives Sumner staff hope the switch was for the good. “Forty-five/fifteen has been a great change and addition to Sumner,” Strauss said. “We really have still seen some great academic growth. It’s a wonderful thing, and I hope to see that it continues and that it continues to show how it can positively impact.”
Progress 2012
45/15 schedule opens new opportunities for teachers
COMMUNITY
Ten years after its construction, the Grand Meadow School stands as one of the most original and cost-efficient schools in Minnesota.
21st Century school house Education takes new shape in Grand Meadow dome monoliths By Amanda Lillie No, that isn’t an igloo complex you see as you drive through Grand Meadow — that’s Grand Meadow Public Schools. The 103,000 square foot, 10-year-old school building is comprised of five monolithic domes that, according to Grand Meadow school officials, is much more efficient than the previous school building. “It’s a little bit futuristic, even now,” said Marlin Fay, school board member. The opportunity to build a domed school didn’t arise until the night more than a decade ago the school board was scheduled to approve school building renovations. Fay said the renovation project was ready to go, but the domed school seemed worthy of further research. “I thought, ‘Wow, that’s really cool,’” Fay said. “Especially the environmental efficiency of it.” The board decided not to vote on the renovation project that night, and soon the monolithic, windowless dome design was on the ballot. Part of the appeal was the cost of constructing it. Price estimates indicated a domed school would cost $8 million to build, whereas the renovation alone would cost $6.5 million. On top of that, constructing a new conventional building would cost nearly twice as much as the domed school. “The efficiency of the building, the lower cost of the building ... we basically let (the community) make up their minds,” Fay said.
“It’s a little bit futuristic, even now.”
-Marlin Fay
Austin Daily Herald
26 Progress 2012
Slinky fields forever
While the domed school’s computerized heating and cooling system is easier to run for Head Custodian Karl Hoefs, he said the efficiency of the system is the most impressive benefit.
This is a cross section of exterior of the Grand Meadow School's domes. The half that is cement makes up the outside of the walls, while the insulated half makes up the interior.
“It’s kind of like a refrigerator,” Hoefs said. “When the air is on, you’re cooling the inside. Then you reverse it so the warm air is blowing inside and the cool air is blowing out.” Because the warm air is generated by energy stored underground in 27 miles of underground piping — called slinky fields — it takes much less energy to heat the domes than a regular building. That also means less air is flowing into the school. Principal Paul Besel said he noticed fewer allergy problems among students and faculty after they had been in the domed school a while. “Our air quality is better in this building than the old building,” Fay said. “It’s so much more effective in moving air in and out.” Storing heat underground saves energy because the ground maintains a temperature of about 50 degrees, so water only needs to be warmed by 20 degrees to heat the school. Because of this, the school district spends much less on natural gas. The electricity bill has increased, though, as a byproduct of using less natural gas. In the 2008-2009 school year, the district spent $7,658 on natural gas. “In the last year we were in the old school we used $26,000 (in natural gas) in one month,” Fay said. “The total package has paid off.”
Bob Brusse, fourth-grade teacher, said he had five windows in his old classroom. He doesn’t miss them, though, because the students are more focused. “You don’t have that distraction,” Brusse said. Plus, the school’s lack of windows adds to the building’s efficiency. There are fewer opportunities for a cold draft to sneak in without windows, and for natural light, three of the five domes have skylights. If that wasn’t enough, the domes are built to sustain any kind of weather. In fact, the school is likely the safest place in Grand Meadow during a tornado. “It’s built to sustain very high winds,” Besel said. And while other buildings in Minnesota run the chance of a roof cave-in under heavy snow, Grand Meadow school officials don’t have to worry about that. Since the building is rounded, snow slides right off. “It’ll withstand pretty near anything,” Fay said. “In the old building with a flat roof, we were fixing the roof every year, and that’s thousands of dollars.”
Increased accessibility
Weathering the weather Although some of the school’s teachers were apprehensive about losing their window views, the change has been positive.
Grand Meadow’s Head Custodian Karl Hoefs describes during a tour of the upstairs of the school how the school’s geothermal system works.
Square Footage
Electricity
Natural Gas
Total Expenses
103,000
$80,338.00
$7,658.00
$0.85 / sq. ft. = $87,996
Southland
70,615
$48,210.55
$44,867.49
$1.32 / sq. ft. = $93,077
LeRoy/Ostrander
99,042
$28,532.51
$41,712.79
$0.71 / sq. ft. = $70,244
Lyle
70,000
$49,187.49
$25,588.94
$1.07 / sq. ft. = $74,775
The inside of a classroom at Grand Meadow appears normal, except for the gentle slope of the walls.
Austin Daily Herald
27
Progress 2012
Grand Meadow
Brusse said the layout of the building alone has improved staff relations, because teachers are closer together. In the old school, some classrooms were on opposite ends of the building and on different floors, making it hard for teachers to interact. Now, everyone is closer together and housed on the same floor. “The staff has embraced it,” Brusse said. “In the elementary, if we need to talk to somebody, they’re right there. Really accessible. We’re all right there.” Besel said it has brought a sense of community, which is particularly important for a small town where everyone knows each other. “It’s not uncommon for me to walk down to the dome commons and see a group (of staff) chatting,” Besel said.
Small towns get big boon By Jason Schoonover
Wind farms bring more business and customers to surrounding communities
The 253 wind turbines in Mower County aren’t just producing electricity, they’re energizing small towns by adding business. While many people have long debated the merits of wind turbines and their effect on the skyline, many local business owners say they’re a welcomed addition. Since the first Mower County wind towers were erected in 2002, area communities have seen a boost in business first from a wave of construction workers, then continued patronage from regular technicians. “LeRoy did prosper big time with the towers,” said Lu Overocker, owner of Sweet’s Hotel. To the delight of Overocker, wind farm technicians, specialists and executives have frequented her hotel, bar and restaurant since it opened in October of 2008. Technicians, and occasionally executives from High Prairie Wind Farm stay at the hotel regularly, and Overocker said it’s nice for them to have a familiar place to stay. “We make them feel at home,” Overocker said. “These guys are on the road a lot. They feel comfortable here.” Because many of the same workers frequent the hotel, Overocker said she has gotten to know them and their families well. “You build kind of a bond with them,” she said. In fact, Overocker said, she opened Sweet’s Hotel at the tail end of the construction projects in LeRoy, when workers were renting homes and bringing dollars to the community. “The town really was busy before we got the hotel done,” she said. For many regional small towns, the construction of the turbines was a boon.
Construction
Austin Daily Herald
28 Progress 2012
Wind farm construction projects brought a surge of workers, and in turn, business to small towns. Construction of the Wapsipinicon Wind Project brought 100 to 200 workers to Dexter about two years ago, which Lake Geo Plaza Center owner Jon Shaw said was a significant boost. But the benefits didn’t end with construction: About a dozen technicians based in Dexter now frequent the shop before servicing turbines. In Shaw’s words, they’re regulars. “We see them every morning, noon and afternoon,” he said. Most of the workers stopping at Lake Geo are from enXco, which has two projects in Mower County. “They support the local community real well,” Shaw said. “They hired very good people.” Shaw said all the help they can get is a benefit. With the economy
struggling recently, Shaw said, it can be difficult to get customers in the door. “(Having wind farms here) is like increasing the local community,” he said. That local base is important, especially in the winter when there isn’t as much traffic on Interstate 90. Woody’s in Rose Creek saw a definite boost when the turbines were built in the summer of 2010. Woody’s owner Joe Koffman described the wind farm workers as model customers. “They were some of the best customers,” said Koffman, adding that the workers were always well-mannered. “They were all good about everything. We had good luck with them.” Still, Woody’s was a bit more out of the way than other small-town establishments, so Koffman said they didn’t see quite the boost towns like LeRoy and Dexter did. Koffman also said the bar and grill was overlooked at first because many technicians thought it was just a bar. “There definitely was an increase when they found out we were here and were close,” he said. Like many other business owners, Koffman said, he’d welcome another project. “I hope they build some more by us,” he said. Since the construction finished, Koffman said, they still see wind workers, but not as often or as many.
Support industries
Along with support for local businesses, Riverland Community College wind technician program instructor Steve Vietor said wind farms have also increased the need for various parts and materials needed to maintain turbines. “It’s created a lot of support industry in this area,” he said. Along with the needs for different lubricants and safety and shipping equipment, Vietor said, wind farm companies do work locally. “The trucks that they drive need to be purchased and serviced,” he said. Michelle Berdusis, site manager for Vestas at Prairie Star Wind Farm, said the company uses local repair shops. She said workers at her office frequent gas and food shops in Adams and LeRoy. She even said she tries to pick a local banquet hall to host events like Christmas parties. And because Berdusis said she hires technicians who live close by, they naturally have a vested interest in the surrounding communities.
Builder/year • G. McNeilus 15 towers, 2002 • FLP Energy Mower County 43 towers, 2006 • High Prairie Wind Farm II 61 towers, 2007 • Northern States Power Co. 67 towers, 2008
By township • Adams: 15 • Bennington: 26 • Clayton: 69 • Dexter: 26 • Grand Meadow: 68 • Lodi: 5 • Marshall: 4 • Pleasant Valley: 37 • Sargeant: 3
2010 payable wind energy production tax/number of towers • Mower County: $1.37 million — 253 • Murray County: $1.18 million — 241 • Lincoln County: $796,000 — 372 • Pipestone County: $506,000 — 236
Mower County wind energy production tax
Progress 2012
• 2010: $1,370,000 • 2009: $861,000 • 2008: $501,000 • 2007: $114,000
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The wind turbines in Mower County may look like one big wind farm, but the 253 towers are split into multiple projects and different types of turbines maintained by different companies. Vestas Lead Technician Craig Wiste said you can tell where the breaks in the projects are by examining the nacelle (the top base) of the tower. Some are shaped like cylindrical torpedoes, while others are more squared.
Mower County wind farms
Austin Daily Herald
Did you know?
A ray of light in Austin By Trey Mewes
Gary Ray settles into Hormel Foundation’s top chair What does a man who accomplished much in a four-decade career do once he calls it quits? Keep as busy as possible, by the looks of things. At least that’s what Gary Ray does. The man who now heads The Hormel Foundation worked his way up from a night shift manager at a Hormel Plant in Ft. Dodge, Iowa, to controlling the largest division in Hormel Foods before he retired in 2009. Ray didn’t always aspire to work at Hormel, however. He grew up in Ft. Dodge, and attended Wayne State University to play football with several classmates. “We tried to play a little football at the time, and so that was the place to be,” he said with a smile. He spent four years at school studying to be an industrial engineer before deciding to go back home, where he took a job as a night shift supervisor on the Hormel production line in 1968. “They had a Hormel plant at Ft. Dodge when I grew up,” Ray said. “I had talked to people who worked there, and they talked about what a great organization it was; so that’s what inspired me to, after college, start with Hormel.” He made his way to the day shift eventually, and in 1969 he married his wife, Pat, a teacher. “I was working nights, and she was working days; so for about 10 years we didn’t see much of each other,” he said. He sought more responsibility within the company, eventually working his way to the corporate offices in 1980 to become a manager of Grocery Products. “We were charged with looking over all of the production of grocery products throughout the company,” he said. Hormel has long had a reputation of promoting administration from within the company, and Ray was no exception. There hasn’t been a department within Hormel in which Ray hasn’t worked. Moreover, the Rays didn’t have to move every time Gary was promoted to a new department, something for which he’s very thankful. For Ray, however, it wasn’t just Hormel’s opportunity for advancement. Ray credits his mentor, Dick Knowlton, whom he met in the late ’60s, for allowing Ray to
capitalize on opportunities. “He had a plan with me ... he always used the term cross pollinate,” Ray said with a chuckle. “That was something that wasn’t done with Hormel because normally when you got in one division, you stayed in that division.” Knowlton’s idea was for Ray to move to different divisions, picking up as much knowledge about the company as he could. “He figured that, long term, that would help me succeed,” Ray said. Ray soon rose to vice president positions within the company, no small feat. That meant Ray was responsible for and worked with some of the innovations that Hormel created and defined during the 1980s, including the move toward refrigerated food, plant innovations like robotic equipment and things like microwaveable and precooked bacon. There’s a huge amount of responsibility and pressure that goes along with being boss hog of a Hormel division, however. “You step into an arena where you’re accountable for a lot of different things within that vice president’s job,” Ray said. “Along with your expertise, what really happens is as vice-president, you really have to surround yourself with good people.” Ray credits the teams he created within each division he headed as the ones responsible for company success. “You really learn fast that you’ve got to build a team,” he said. “That was one of the things that I always worked hard at, is the people side of the business.” From there, Ray rose to prominence within the corporate office, eventually taking charge of the meat products division, manufacturing and finally president of the refrigerated foods division. “If you succeed and do a good job, you can really be put into some important positions within the company,” Ray said. “I really felt tremendously rewarded by being put into that position.” Yet all good things come to an end, and Ray decided to step down from Hormel in 2009, after 41 years with the company. “I felt it was time for some younger people to take the reins and take control of the company,” Ray said.
Austin Daily Herald
30 Progress 2012
“You have to want to succeed in life. You have to set extremely high goals.” -Gary Ray Ray wasn’t all Hormel and no play, however. He has given his time to countless community projects and organizations over the years, as well as nurtured his love for golf. Ray has been on the board of directors for the former Austin Medical Center, The Hormel Institute, The Hormel Foundation, the YMCA, local banks and more. Pat has been involved in APEX and the Hormel Historic Home, as well. “We’re so fortunate to have what we have in rural America,” Ray said. “It’s just unbelievable.” The Rays raised their children Conrad and McKenzie in Austin, as well. Conrad
went on to become golf coach at Stanford University while McKenzie is a teacher in Decatur, Ill. Yet for all his accomplishments and the accomplishments to come, Ray offers some valuable advice: Strive for the best and find measurable goals to accomplish what you want. “You have to want to succeed in life,” he said. “You have to set extremely high goals. If you set a goal in life that you want to succeed in, a very big component of that is it’s got to be measurable. You should have a way of measuring that.”
Austin Daily Herald
31
Progress 2012
Hardwood flooring is one of the most stunning additions you can integrate into your home. They add warmth, beauty, and elegance as well as providing a whole list of added benefits. Hardwood floors add natural, long lasting beauty to any home. Additional benefits of hardwood flooring include: Hardwood floors increase the value of your home instantly; cost less in the long run other than other types of flooring; can last a lifetime; are more sanitary than other types of flooring; are hypo-allergenic; help to improve air quality; and are easy to maintain when compared to some other types of flooring.
Dr. Bing Li and his wife, Yanwen Sun, work in the cancer and inflammatory disease regulation section of The Hormel Institute, where they study the link between fatty acid binding proteins and cancer tumor growth in mice.
Driven to find a cure Fatty acids linked to cancer growth By Adam Harringa
Austin Daily Herald
32 Progress 2012
At nearly 6:30 a.m., Dr. Bing Li is on his way from home to work at The Hormel Institute. Most work days, like this, can be 12 hours long, but he and other scientists there are quick to point out that, really, work at a worldrenowned cancer research facility is never-ending. Most days he’ll get up, go to work at 6:30 a.m., catch up on new papers published by others in his field, direct research in the lab, observe those findings and try to generate new ideas based on what they learn. He’ll leave for dinner at 5:30 p.m., come back for a couple more hours of research, and finally retire for the evening around 9 p.m. It’s grueling, but rewarding. He and everyone there are driven to hopefully contribute to the daunting task of someday eradicating cancer. “People say for scientists, the job is 24/7,” Li said. “Even when you go back home, even when you go to sleep, sometimes you’re still thinking about your project.” Li admits most people in Austin don’t understand what exactly it is he and his colleagues do at The Institute. But then again, neither do most people without an advanced degree in molecular biology. If you have several hours, Li could tell you all about it. But simply put, he’s researching the relationship between obesity and the rate of cancer cell growth. And he hopes he’s on to something.
Obesity and cancer Before Li came to The Institute, he was working at the University of Louisville, where he met his wife, Yanwen Sun, also a molecular biologist. They’ve been married nine years and have two sons. In September 2011, Li was recruited by Dr. Zigang Dong, The Institute’s executive director, to lead a team focused on cancer and inflammatory disease regulation. Li, who has more than 20 published works, now heads that research, working with his wife and one other scientist. He is one of 13 section leaders, many recruited by Dong, all working in different areas toward one goal. Much of Li’s research — made possible by a three-year, $500,000 grant from The Hormel Foundation and other private donors — studies how the presence of fatty acid binding proteins and macrophages — defense cells in the blood that kill things like bacteria — facilitate the growth of cancer cells, and how this facilitation can be blocked or slowed. Li’s team studies the process in mice. They inject mice with cancer cells and observe the tumors’ growth. While different cancers grow differently, Li said they found that obese mice — the ones with high levels of fatty acid binding proteins and more macrophages — experienced tumor growth at an accelerated level, and the cancer metastasized, or spread to other areas, quicker. “When people get obese, their whole body is in an inflammatory status, which can promote the tumor to grow,” Li said. That’s why Li’s team is searching for a small molecule, or inhibitor, that can block the function of the fatty acid binding protein. Then, eventually they may be able to use it to develop a
drug to treat cancer patients, he says. “If it works in the mouse model, we definitely want to put it in the clinical trials,” he said. “And if it that works, then that’s potentially a drug.”
Different tasks, same goal Dr. Young-In Chi and Dr. Shujun Liu are in the same boat as Li, and they were all recruited by Dong in September 2011 to be section leaders. Chi, an associate professor of structural biology, and Liu, an associate professor of cancer genetics and experimental therapeutics, are working under Dong’s guidance on different parts of a puzzle that they hope eventually will develop a cure for cancer and other diseases. “Under Dong’s leadership, we have a really outstanding team,” Liu said. Liu and the three other scientists in his section are researching how cancer initiates, grows and spreads, and hopes to use that information to develop cancer treatments with fewer side effects. “My dream is to find the reason for cancer, and develop some medicine to cure this kind of disease,” he said. “My hope is someday our society will be a cancer-free society.” Chi, one of two scientists in his section, is researching proteins using X-ray crystallography to understand their interactions with diseases such as diabetes and cancer. “Once we know how they function, we can design a way to destruct a particular function or enhance their functions,” Chi said. “And we use that for therapeutic uses. That’s our ultimate goal.” While the section leaders are three of 13 department heads at The Institute, they’re hoping that will soon change.
The Institute, founded in 1942, tripled its size with an expansion in 2008 and since has gone from 60 employees to 130. Now, it’s at full capacity and ready to expand again. So Institute officials are planning a $27-million expansion which would double its size and create 125 more jobs. That’s something Li, Chi and Liu agree would continue to elevate The Institute’s status in the scientific community.
Driven Li is an optimist, but he’s also a realist. It’s hard for him to contain his excitement when talking about potential breakthroughs in cancer research. But he also understands most scientists go a lifetime without any significant discoveries. “Sometimes, even if you try really hard, you still cannot find the answer,” he said. “I think for most scientists, they try really hard, but in their whole life, they cannot find a drug. If I can translate (my research) into a drug, that’s huge. … That’s a dream come true.” To Li’s knowledge, when he began studying at the University of Louisville four years ago the link between fatty acid binding proteins and cancer development, he was the first in the world to do so. As he continues that work at The Institute, his team is screening thousands of potential inhibitors. Li said they have discovered one that — while it doesn’t slow a tumor’s growth — may prevent lung cancer from spreading. His finding isn’t published yet, but he’s hoping it will be soon.
Austin Daily Herald
Yanwen Sun creates a culture in her husband’s lab at The Hormel Institute where they are looking for proteins that block cancer cell development.
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At roughly 9 p.m., Li’s work will be almost done for the day. Soon, he’ll drive home and go to bed, but his mind will wander back to his work at The Institute. “It’s like a never-ending project,” he said. “You can never stop thinking about it.”
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Mower County Soil and Water Conservation District Resource Specialist Justin Hanson takes an elevation reading on a plot of land northwest of Austin that's being restored to wetland.
Conserving Mower County Justin Hanson works full-time to protect the area’s natural resources
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“He has tremendous people skills, so he’s able to work with landowners very well.” -Bev Nordby
By Matt Peterson One could say Justin Hanson has a full-time job in persistence. Without that trait, he would likely be doing something else. As a man who persuades farmers to retire farmland for conservation projects, he’s no stranger to the word “no.” “We spend a lot of time failing,” Hanson said about his job. “It’s like baseball — you miss more than you hit.” So he keeps swinging. Hanson is a resource specialist with the Mower Soil and Water Conservation District, and though he’s all about preserving the land and protecting the water, he knows he wouldn’t have a job without farmers.
His job relies on their land, which is also why his job may become increasingly difficult. Even when farmers show interest in collecting government money for retiring their farmland, they rarely pull the plug on their crops. “We took 15 sign-ups last year for this flood recovery program and then got one of them,” Hanson said. “You kind of bang your head against the wall.” The best way Mower SWCD can preserve land and protect water, however, is by enrolling farmers’ lands into permanent easements. Those projects take a long time to start, sitting down at kitchen tables and getting to know farmers, often with no success. But that’s Hanson’s job.
“He has tremendous people skills, so he’s conservation are all ways Hanson tries to stay about farming versus conservation. “It’s ecoable to work with landowners very well,” said ahead of the game, especially with farmland nomical for people to farm as much as they Bev Nordby, Mower SWCD district manager. being so valuable. can.” “He’s definitely an asset to our office.” “In the meantime, you get creative,” HanHanson knows there can be too much of a Nordby knows Hanson’s success rate is son said about waiting for conservation progood thing, too, which is why his job is a more like a batting average. That’s why his grams to become more valuable. “It’s not like constant balancing act. He recalls an exambody of work can still be considered successyou put your hands in your pockets.” ple when conservation went too far. Many ful. Yet farming is very important in Mower North Dakota farmers near one town put Since Hanson came their lands into the to the district in 2004, Conservation Reserve he has put nearly 30 Program when the pieces of property into program was favoreasements. Now able. That backfired. Mower SWCD is track“There was nothing ing the results those left,” Hanson said projects have on water about that area’s farm quality. Hanson hopes economy. “It killed the to see Mower County’s town, and now it’s a high turbidity, or ghost town.” amount of sediment in Still, Hanson will alwater, fall back within ways push for conserstate standards. vation. He grew up an “We’ve put a lot of outdoorsman, Boy time into studying turScout, went to college bidity,” Hanson said. for conservation, and “Getting down to the several of his friends state standard in turare conservationists, as bidity is a big deal. If well. With such a we can get there in my strong farming comlifetime, that would be munity in Mower outstanding.” County and within the Hanson considered Cedar River watershed, 2011 a productive Hanson’s job is imporyear. He convinced tant. That’s why Bev three landowners to Nordby hired him put plots into wetland nearly eight years ago. restorations, along “He worked in JackMower County Soil and Water Conservation District Resource Specialist with one who enrolled son County SWCD, so in an aquatic restorahe came with some exJustin Hanson looks over a topographical map of land northwest of Austin tion. Hanson carefully perience,” Nordby this past fall. The land was part of a wetland restoration project where tile surveyed elevations said. “And we were while crews pulled tile trying to find someone is ripped up from fields to slow water flow. lines from the ground, that could hit the made earthen emground running.” bankments to reduce Because of the inherwater flow and planted native grasses to trap County. Hanson understands the economics ent failure rate as a resource specialist, Hansediment. between conservation and farming, and he’s son may the best person for the job — Digging for state and federal dollars to dole OK with it. because of his persistence. to farmers, coupling existing conservation “We’ve seen the pendulum swing com“Your job here is really what you make of programs and finding new ways to promote pletely back the other way,” Hanson said it,” Hanson said.
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A bulldozer packs dirt into an embankment at a wetland conversion project northwest of Austin.
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FAITH
5
Generations
and counting
The Ransom family has been a part of Our Savior’s in Lyle for 100 years By Jason Schoonover
The Ransom family has been a fixture at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lyle since Judy Ransom’s grandmother helped found the church. The family is Treasure and Dan Ransom, back, Judy and Don Ransom, middle and Jordan, 9, and Peyton, 6, Ransom, front. Below: Webster and Marlys Johnson, Judy’s parents.
For the Ransom family, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lyle has been home for more than a century. Don and Judy Ransom have ties dating to the church’s formation. Don and Judy’s grandsons, 9-year-old Peyton and 6-year-old Jordan, are the fifth generation in their family to attend the church. The boys’ parents, Treasure and Dan — Judy’s and Don’s son — are also active members. “This is just home for us,” said Judy, a retired teacher. “We’ve lived in Lyle all our lives.” Even though Judy and Don, who is a retired farmer, recently moved to Austin, Lyle is still “home,” and they travel back for service every week. “Every Sunday they’re here,” Our Savior’s Pastor Barbara FinleyShea said. To the Ransoms, Our Savior’s is more than a church, it’s a family tradition. Judy’s grandmother, Matilda, was a founding member of Lyle’s Lutheran Ladies Aid in 1903, and she was the group’s president when community members decided to build a Lutheran church. The Ladies Aid did a lot of fundraising by charging dues, and holding dinners, bazaars and food sales. Judy’s grandfather, J.O., was one of the first trustees for the church, and he was on the building committee when construction started in 1911. Since it’s inception, the church has been a constant part of the family’s life. “We’ve all been baptized here and confirmed here, married here,” Dan said. It is bittersweet, as they hold fond memories of Christmas pageants and church dinners, but Don also remembers funeral services there for departed family members and friends.
More than Sunday mornings Austin Daily Herald
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Photo provided
The Ransom’s don’t just attend church on Sunday mornings. They’re involved in church activities. Dan is the church’s financial secretary, and Treasure leads the music for the Sunday school program, sings in the choir and for special events, and she’s on the education board. “She’s a top-notch singer,” Don said of his daughter-in-law. Judy led the history committee for the centennial, and compiled a book highlighting the church’s history, but she’s involved in other activities, too. “She’s constantly serving meals and in circles,” Treasure said. Judy’s 93-year-old Mother, Marlys, sang in the church choir for more than 60 years and sang at weddings and funerals. She now lives in a nursing home.
J.O. and Matilda Johnson, Webster’s parents and Judy’s grandparents, were founding members of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lyle. Photo provided
“This is just home for us. We’ve lived in Lyle all our lives.” -Judy Ransom Treasure and Dan both work for Mayo Clinic in Rochester and lived there for a short while. Still, it was important to maintain membership. “When there’s that strong sense of a family history, it makes sense to continue that tradition,” Treasure said. Judy said she never pressured Dan and Treasure to attend Our Savior’s, and she even expected them to be married in Montana, where Treasure grew up. “I never told Dan and Treasure you have to come to church in Lyle,” Judy said. “They just on their own said that they wanted to come to church here.” Don wasn’t as coy about his wishes. “Oh, I twisted their arms,” Don admitted.
Longtime pastors The Ransoms attribute much of the church’s success to its long-tenured pastors. Finley-Shea has served at the church since 1998. “We have a wonderful pastor who is definitely very caring,” Judy said. Before Finley-Shea, the church was led by the Rev. Harold Luecke, who was a close friend of Don and Judy. The family touted Finley-Shea as someone who makes everyone feel welcome. To Finley-Shea, that’s church 101. “If we can’t make people feel welcome, we have no business being here,” she said.
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While the pastor has kept the church operating smoothly, there have been challenges. Out Savior’s has a declining membership because of an aging population. Judy said it has been difficult seeing the older people leave their homes, move to nursing homes and pass on. Still, the Ransoms see a bright future for their church, citing increased enrollment in the Sunday school program. “I can see a lot of growth in the church,” Judy said. The church has a membership of about 460 people, and the Ransom’s aren’t the only long-standing members, as it has five five-generation families. The Ransoms were quick to note the church isn’t just a few long-standing families. All the members give back. “In this church, everybody pitches in,” Judy said. “Everyone utilizes their gifts,” Treasure added. Treasure said there are active younger families, and many people are stepping up to help out and give back. “There’s so many go-to people here for different things,” Treasure said. The Ransoms’ tradition may not end at five generations. Dan and Treasure both grew up in church-going families, and they are trying to raise Jordan and Peyton the same way. “We’re trying to share with our kids to show them it’s important to attend church, and hopefully they’ll make their own choices as they grow up,” Treasure said.
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Looking to the future
Sister Ruth Snyder leads a special kids’ service during the regular service at Queen of Angels Catholic Church. Queens is an outreach point for the Spanish speaking Hispanic population.
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Two languages, one faith Queen of Angels reaches out with Spanish-speaking mass By Amanda Lillie At Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Austin, the clergy has been reaching out to the local Hispanic community for years. But some say outreach can be difficult because many Hispanics leave town after being here only a short time. Father Dale Tupper, who leads Spanish-speaking mass, said attendance has dropped slightly in recent years because many Hispanic are leaving. “We do notice a lot of people leaving the community,” Tupper said. The parish tries to cater to this rising trend in the Hispanic community, according to Pastoral Associate Mary Bassett. Bassett is responsible for catechetics at Queen of Angels, so she coordinates the first communion and confirmation classes. Because families leave town so often, Bassett said the church has a one-year communion program instead of a longer program like many churches have. “We’ve had children leave the program because their parents leave town,” Bassett said. “Some of our really good parishoners have really struggled to stay here, who would have been an asset to the parish.” Although there is less stability in the Hispanic parish than in its Anglo counterparts, according to Sister Ruth Snyder, the Hispanic community maintains its vibrancy in worship and faith. Snyder said the clergy at Queen of Angels strive to make the parish a welcoming area for Hispanics, especially because it’s a cul-
“They’re everything America would want.”
Guadalope Garcia-Rodriguez, right, and Valeria Garcia-Jimenez, left, pray with other kids during a special kids’ service in the basement of Queen of Angels Catholic Church.
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-Father Dale Tupper
tural group that endures many challenges living in the U.S. Bassett agreed and said the cultural difference between the Hispanic and Anglo parishes are easy to see. “It’s a vibrant, alive community,” Bassett said of the Hispanic community. “It’s a spirit of optimism despite the difficulties they are living with.” Bassett said it’s interesting to see the cultural differences in action, as both parishes contribute to the church in distinct ways. The Anglo community tends to be more traditional, particularly in its organization of the church, but Bassett has noticed the Hispanic community doesn’t act based on tradition. She indicated this has brought a fresh sense of liveliness. “The traditional organizational structure we’ve had in the church isn’t the same as the structure the Hispanic community brings,” Bassett said. “They provide a gift to the church that the Anglos do not.” Part of that gift is Hispanics’ family-oriented outlook, Bassett and Snyder have noticed. “It’s a family-alive group,” Snyder said. “Often after the mass the people ... find community in coming here.” Some of those feelings show themselves in raffles, breakfasts and activities planned by the Hispanic parish to benefit the church, Snyder said. Tupper said the Hispanic community’s faith is obvious by the actions of the parish, and he wishes they would stay in town and the parish longer. “The people I deal with are some really, very fine Christian people,” Tupper said. “These are bright, talented people who fled from serious trials across the border in Mexico, and they have good skills. They’re good workers. “They’re everything America would want.”
The Anderson family, members of Faith Evangelical Free Church, have been active with ongoing mission trips to Haiti. The family is Jeff and Heidi, back, and their kids, Eliza, from left, Evan, Erin and Ethan.
Life-altering service
Haiti mission trip shapes family’s perspective of life By Matt Peterson
Austin Daily Herald
Nobody in Heidi and Jeff Anderson’s family will ever take life for granted. The Austin family that regularly attends Faith Evangelical Church has witnessed some of the worst poverty and most widespread homelessness that exists on Earth. They’ve witnessed it because they’ve sought it, as they’re literally on a mission to do something about it. Jeff, Heidi, and their four kids — Ethan, Evan, Eliza and Erin — have all served with Jesus in Haiti Ministries. From the first time they served, it had a lasting impact. In January, Heidi returned from her third trip to Haiti, but for her family, helping that country dates back six decades, as her parents and grandparents made a lifestyle of helping Haitians beginning in the 1950s. Then, at the end of last year, her parents, Dave and Cheri Van Wingerden, made Haiti their permanent residence. But ever since Heidi went on her first trip, the whole family has been doing more. “It wasn’t necessarily a plan to go back,” Heidi said of the first time. “But now we do intend to keep going back.” Heidi’s first trip was after the earthquake that rocked Port-au-Prince in January 2010. The quake killed hundreds of thousands and worsened the living conditions for millions already in a severely impoverished region. However, she knew of the region’s problems long before that. Coincidentally, the Anderson family was discussing a possible trip to Haiti the day of the earthquake. “That’s what made us strive even further toward going,” said Ethan, who, from June 16 to Aug. 3, will be going on his third trip. The Andersons were shocked when they saw Haiti for the first time — they saw children without food, clothing or homes — and because of the Andersons’ firsthand experiences, they won’t be taking the easy route. They could send money and call it good, but they’ve noticed the problems in Haiti require more. The problems in Haiti weigh heavily on the minds of people who have witnessed what’s happening. Like Eliza put it, “You had to be there.”
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The Andersons will inevitably keep going. “We really feel as a family that we need to be concerned about those things,” Heidi said. “It changes the way you live life here. I think it changes your mindset toward life.” Heidi mentioned that much of Haiti’s problems didn’t come to the world’s attention until after the earthquake.
Now the island country is noticeably improving. Still, Heidi vividly remembers the mass grave sites containing many of the bodies of the roughly 300,000 Haitians who perished during the earthquake. “You could smell death,” Jeff recalled of seeing a grave site for the first time. But where the sights and smells of tragedy once lingered, there are now signs of life. The Andersons travel past the site and see new vegetation growing and covering the scars on the hillsides. “It’s exciting,” Heidi said. “Life is happening.” The slew of tent cities is only one-third the size it once was, and Jeff, an Austin High School history instructor, can show his students the visible, positive changes in Haiti’s landscape via Google Earth. Furthermore, the Andersons are building relationships, understanding Haitians’ needs and showing they care. “It was like a second home almost,” Eliza said about volunteering in Haiti and meeting new people. That face-to-face aspect had a major impact on her. While volunteering itself is a big commitment, leaving Haiti after doing so can be even more difficult. Eliza felt that when she boarded the return flight. “There are tears,” she said.
A lasting impact
What started as a way to instill positive values within the family hasn’t become an obligation, Heidi said: It has become a desire. By continuously returning, the Andersons have a better sense of how to help Haitians and get along with them. They realize some people are simply looking for handouts, but many are working hard toward rebuilding their country. “They are some of the hardest-working, most creative people I have ever seen,” Jeff said. Yet the simple things count, too. To be noticed by volunteers like the Andersons pleases many Haitians. “Most of them just want to talk to you or get a hug or be touched,” Ethan said. But Heidi understands the simple things often go unnoticed. That’s what she fears. “My biggest fear is that people will just forget,” she said. Because the country is already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, the Andersons know positive change will be an ongoing process of volunteerism for years to come. As Heidi repeatedly said, that means getting outside of one’s comfort zone. Jeff suspects it may take a generation to see positive changes really take hold. Eliza suspects it may take more than a lifetime. “I’m guessing I might not see it in my lifetime,” she said. Regardless, the Andersons will volunteer with their hands more than their pocketbooks. Money is simple to give. Helping people build something from the ground up, helping them re-establish a sense of ownership, that demands more — something outside one’s comfort zone.
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God’s hand to the world —Billings, Mont. (Catholic Heart Work Camp, repaired houses, helped locals) —Minneapolis (assisted at a homeless shelter, Sharing and Caring Hands) —Eagan, Minn., (Feed My Starving Children: packed meals)
Austin Church of Christ —Jamaica (worked in orphanages, made clothes, gathered supplies) —Philippines (pastor taught at a school)
2011
Church Missions
Austin Catholic Tri-Parish Youth Ministry
Crane Community Chapel —South Dakota (youth helped re-establish a Native American church) —Zumbro Falls, Minn. (helped build a new church)
Faith Evangelical Free
—Haiti (helped orphans and broken families) —Jamaica (high schoolers helped build an addiction recovery center and remodeled housing) —Jamaica (worked in an orphanage) —Philippines (a couple is producing videos about the Bible in different languages)
Bethlehem Free Methodist Church
Faith Lutheran Church, London
—Minneapolis (served meals, went on prayer walks and picked up trash in a diverse neighborhood) —Chicago (volunteered at a homeless shelter)
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church —Seattle (spread information about churches in the area)
—Kenya, Africa (helped spread faith and assisted building projects) —Fiji (helped spread faith and assisted a building project) —Jamaica (assisted a building project, repaired structures)
Joanne Revoir, back, Gail Minerich, left, and Roberta Finneseth went to Jamaica in 2011 where they served in an orphanage as part of a mission trip.
First Congregational Church —Lake Traverse, S.D. (youth
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group assisted residents on a Native American reservation)
First United Methodist —Haiti (built a church, LaTremblay Methodist Church in Haiti) —Eagan, Minn. (worked with Feed my Starving Children) —St. Petersburg, Ill. (youth served in Your Obedient Servant mission camp)
Members from: Grace Lutheran, Six Mile Grove, Mona, St. Olaf, Sacred Heart (Hayfield) —Oaxaca, Mexico (helped build and establish churches)
Our Savior’s Lutheran —Jamaica (volunteered in an orphanage)
—Twin Cities (confirmation class worked in a soup kitchen)
—Tanzania, Africa (helped build a women’s shelter) —Minneapolis (Global Health Ministries: packed supplies to be sent overseas)
Westminster Presbyterian
—Jamaica (rebuilt homes and worked on an addiction recovery center)
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St. John the Baptist (Johnsburg), St. Peter (Rose Creek) Queen of Peace (Lyle)
St. Olaf Lutheran Church
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—Benton Harbor, Mich. (helped repair homes in the community, assisted community kid programs)
Austin Daily Herald
St. John’s Lutheran Church
AGRICULTURE
Same land, fresh ideas Family farms change with the times By Matt Peterson A drive by most area farms doesn’t often reveal much change from previous decades. Take Roger Nelson and his son, Joel Nelson, of Lyle for example. Their farm has operated in the same area for more than 60 years. Near their farm and in the surrounding counties, old barns, grain bins, row crops and livestock pastures remain. Farmers still drive old tractors, and they mostly do the same physical labor each day that they did years ago. But like many, the Nelsons’ farm operation has gone through both subtle and major changes. Roger recalls milking cows, feeding hogs and raising chickens when his father and grandfather moved to the farm in 1949. But since the late 50s, Roger has been strictly a row crop farmer. That’s the only farming Joel has ever done; the economy changed the way farmers operate.
Joel and his dad, Roger, have farmed the same land for more than 60 years and have seen plenty of changes.
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“It reached a point in the late 50s where people were starting to specialize,” Roger said. “They wanted to have the largest dairy operations or the largest hog operations. It was either get bigger in one area or get out, so we chose to go with just row crop farming.” But in the past few years, technology has demanded changes at the Nelsons’ farm — changes that can’t be seen from their driveway or in their fields. They still have plenty of acreage, their own storage bins, tractors and barns. But storing grain and hauling it to local elevators has changed. They travel much fewer miles, and they sell their grain for more profit, thanks to Lyle-based Absolute Energy, a 115-million-gallon per year ethanol plant. “One of the best things that happened to the corn farmer is an ethanol plant located in Lyle, just two miles away from us,” Roger said. “That’s had a big impact on probably a 50-mile radius.” Instead of selling grain for feed, the Nelsons now sell nearly 99 percent of their corn to Absolute Energy, which they have been partnering with for about four years. The local plant spurred an investment opportunity for the family, as well. “There was a chance for anyone to invest in that plant when it was built, so we did that,” Roger said. “You can share in the profits of the plant itself, in addition to getting a better price for your crops.” Along with increased worldwide demand for food, the Nelsons said, Ethanol has been one of the biggest changes they’ve seen in the agriculture industry. More than row crop farmers have benefited. “When you have another entity like that demanding corn, it helps the market,” Joel said. Roger and Joel said where their basis levels between local prices and prices at the Chicago Board of Trade used to fluctuate from 30 to 50 cents at a given time, that number has fallen to the 15- to 30-cents range. And once their corn has made its way into ethanol, it leaves behind a byproduct, which is helping around the world. “The brick nations — Brazil, Russia, India and China — as they developed, their demand for food has gone crazy. China especially,” Joel said. “Some of that stuff that’s come out of Lyle has been stuck on a barge and shipped to China.”
While ethanol has forced major changes in the economy and how the Nelsons sell their crops, technology is creeping its way into the Nelson farm in the form of minor upgrades, too. Since nearly 2003, Joel has been using an auto-steer system in his tractor, which allows him to till, apply fertilizer and plant rows to within subinch accuracy. While the driver must still be present, the system steers a tractor for the length of a field until the farmer must turn the machine. That has reduced Roger and Joel’s fatigue on those 12- to 15-hour days in the fields. “Now you can read the Austin Daily Herald while you’re going across the field,” Roger joked. While not all farmers have auto-steer systems, nearly all of them have tile in their fields, something the Nelsons have upgraded to in the past years. Where many fields had parallel tile lines running 100 feet apart, farmers have come back and stuck tile in between those. “As the grain prices got higher, you wanted to maximize your yield,” Roger said. “And some areas that maybe needed drainage didn’t have it, so they were pretty near average yield. But you get it all tiled, and it will yield pretty evenly across the field.” Still, farming has become more expensive. “With increased price and demand in the last few years, just the gross dollars it takes to run the operation has really gone up,” Joel said. That’s something with which every farmer is dealing. However, that hasn’t caused operations to collapse in the immediate area. Roger and Joel don’t see lands changing hands or farms folding, and they aim to keep going strong. Regardless of their situation, they have a lot of pride. “There’s something about farming that I feel ... you get to experience the sense of accomplishment several times a year,” Roger said. “Which, to me, is a lot more rewarding than working 50 weeks for a two-week vacation.” Roger has seen the family farm come a long way from when he started, when he and his father were still using horse-drawn power and a threshing machine. Within the next 20 years, perhaps another generation will be farming the Nelson acres: one or all of Joel and his wife’s three children.
“Now you can read the Austin Daily Herald while you’re going across the field.”
-Roger Nelson
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While the skies above the Nelson farm, southeast of Lyle, changes little over the years, the same can't be said for the farming industry itself, as changes force farmers to make both subtle and major adjustments to how they approach agriculture.
Today’s farmers deal with more than tending fields or livestock. There's more paperwork to be done that keeps farmers like Mike Merten at desks almost as much as in the fields.
Never an offseason For farmers like Mike Merten, the job never takes a sabbatical By Jason Schoonover
Austin Daily Herald
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Mike Merten won’t start planting crops for months, but the job is never off his mind. Farmers don’t go on sabbatical between harvest and planting anymore — the job has evolved into a 365-day a year industry. “It’s gotten to be a very complicated business,” Merten said. Merten said planning for the season is extensive. Planting alone requires a myriad of decisions like when to plant, and what seed varieties have been successful recently. “You have to make some decisions on what to plant, timing, when to plant ... a thousand different things about planting alone,” he said. After seeding, Merten said he and his partners talk about fertilizers, then during the season, they have to keep a close eye on crops to see if chemicals are needed to address insects, diseases and weeds. “A wrong decision can be very costly,” he said. With all the equipment required and the cost of seeds and chemicals, Merten said it can be difficult for farmers to get started. A lot of money is tied up in expenses, like buying seed and equipment. “Unless they’re independently very financially sound, it’s very hard to do,” he said. Farming is even more complex because many farmers like Merten, who is also a sales representative for Pioneer Seed, work a second job.
Between his seed business and farming, Mike Merten and farmers like him have more to deal with each year.
For Merten, he started the second job when he was farming with his brothers, and his father was acting as the farm’s CEO. “We were kind of long on labor,” Merten said. A sales position opened at the Pioneer Seed near Austin and, as he said, “the timing was just kind of right.” Merten’s Pioneer Seed work largely falls in the summer when crops are already in the ground and in the winter when farmers are planning ahead. Though he’s still working for Pioneer, Merten and a partner now manage the family farm. While Merten can balance the full-time job and farm work, he noted there’s never an off-season on a modern farm. “We manage pretty well, but I will say that it’s a demand — it’s a demand on our time,” he said. “It certainly fills up all our time,” he added. Second jobs are manageable, however, because a large portion of farm work is now completed
away from the field. “There’s just a lot of time spent in an office at a desk making these decisions,” Merten said. In fact, less and less of a farmer’s work is manual labor, according to LeRoy farmer Russ Roe. “Farming anymore is not just going out there and working it,” Roe said. Much of the work has shifted to planning and management, especially on larger operations. Roe said much of his work consists of following the agricultural markets and watching prices. “You’ve got to know your costs and you’ve got to know your markets,” Roe said. “It’s a business; it’s not just farming.” In fact, only a sliver of a farmer’s work is spent on the machinery people traditionally connect to the job. “I don’t ever get on the tractor,” Roe said.
“There's just a lot of time spent in an office at a desk making these decisions.”
-Mike Merten
Stepping stone to the industry Sam Ziegler, director of marketing programs at the Minnesota Soybean, said the agriculture industry has strengthened and more people are trying to start. “Farming is good right now where people are wanting to try to get back into it,” Ziegler said. Many up-and-comers have to work full-time or part-time jobs to pay the bills. “You only got so many hours in a day,” Ziegler said. But the draw to rural farm life is too much to turn down for many, despite the challenges. “It’s challenging, but if farming was easy, everybody would do it,” Ziegler said.
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Tom Merten jumps in a truck with a trailer filled with grain to take to the ethanol plant south of Lyle. For farmers these days, work continues well after and before the fields are dealt with.
Grassroots thinking
Food providers are keeping a local mindset By Matt Peterson
“It just keeps those dollars local ...”
A small, country-style grocery store on the edge of Austin offers just a glimpse into the world of organic and locally grown foods. That world is small, but it’s picking up some followers — slowly. While customers wait in lines at franchises and corporate stores, Jim Stiles, owner of Jim’s Super Fresh in Austin, is holding the door for one of his customers. Interaction with the customers, he said, is still important. For more than 30 years, Stiles has maintained the “ma and pa” image at his store. Old-fashioned candies line the shelves of a wall, while pre-packaged items sport brand names few people would likely recognize. Those images throughout the store are more byproducts of Stiles’ business model than thoughtfully placed timepieces. They stem from a vision that few locals have, but that may slowly return to small towns: buying and selling local, naturally raised or grown foods. Persuading more people to do that is the trick, though. “That’s the million-dollar question there,” Stiles said about creating a larger community of local buyers and traders. Not long ago, Stiles started carrying more organic produce, naturally raised meat and poultry. He and others have noticed a few more people, like some at the farmers markets, who focus on naturally raised, local food. In the Austin and Albert Lea area, however, the movement is slower than elsewhere. Organic produce is slow to move off the shelves at Stiles’ store. “The meats have done a lot better than fruits and vegetables,” he said. “Maybe that’s because we live in a meat and potato town, I guess.” Organic — or naturally raised foods — are expensive, but Stiles and others who follow the vision say the costs are worth it because they support the local economy, along with the trend of living a healthier lifestyle. “It just keeps those dollars local, and that’s good for a small business like me that really relies on people that want to buy local and support local,” Stiles said. “If people don’t have that in their way of thought, I’m gone, basically. I’d rather have a hundred small businesses than one big business.” Across town, near the hub of Austin, a moderate-sized greenhouse stands among the grocery and convenience stores. Its owner, Wayde Groh, shares similar views with Stiles. “One of the reasons I chose that site is it’s in the center of town,” Groh said about building his greenhouse. “I wanted it to be a model for locally grown food, right here in the heart of the city.” Groh admits he can only grow a limited amount of produce. Though he has the 72- by 30-foot greenhouse and several other gardens, he wants to grow more vegetables. He doesn’t use any herbicides or pesticides on his plants. Like many, he thinks too many chemicals are going into America’s produce. So he offers consumers a way around that issue. Groh, like Jody Maloney of Lyle, takes his goods to the Austin Farmers’ Market. There, he and Maloney not only trade goods, they cooperate with other vendors, learn from them, help them. “We should all be helping each other, so we can better everything,” Maloney said. Groh agrees. “It’s a lot of work, but I learn a tremendous amount just from customers and other vendors,” he said. “That’s the rewarding part about the farmers’ market.” But Austin’s farmers’ market is small. Maloney, Groh and Stiles all realize the locally grown, naturally raised movement is a slow process. As a grocery store owner, Stiles sees it every day. The sheer bulk, low price and convenience of today’s common
-Jim Stiles, owner of Jim’s Super Fresh items steer most people away from organic and local goods. Naturally grown foods require more effort all around — growing them and marketing them. But the approach is straightforward, or as Stiles calls it, “grassroots.” “You’ve got to look the consumer in the eye and say, ‘These are the best green beans I’ve ever tasted in my life,’” he said. “It just takes that grassroots thinking, that grassroots level where it is one-on-one, telling them your story.” However, people like Groh and Maloney have hidden stories. They want to foster local trade, but they aren’t certified organic farmers. For that reason, they can’t sell to stores like Jim’s Super Fresh. They are limited to farmers’ markets and word of mouth. Along with Stiles, they wish the market scene would be more like it was decades ago, when people bought and sold locally. It may take a complete reawakening for people to do that, however. The few people at the farmers’ markets or in Stiles’ store may consciously buy locally. Perhaps not. Changing their minds, however, is just a conversation’s distance away, the length an arm can reach to give someone a tomato and convince them to try it.
Wayde Groh looks over his greenhouse, which he uses to grow his own vegetables to sell at the
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local farmers’ market.
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HEALTH
Fitness by force YMCA head instructor Jennifer Jenkins leads a kickboxing class, an activity growing in popularity at the Y.
Classes punch, kick way to tone muscles
Austin Daily Herald
54 Progress 2012
and you have an immensely satisfying aerobic workout. Kickboxers often work out to sped-up versions of today’s Top 40 hits specifically chosen — and in some cases — mixed by Jones-Jenkins. The increased tempo helps participants keep pace and push themselves. The lights are low in the fitness room where kickboxing is held, so people feel comfortable. Kickboxers can go at their own pace as well, though Jones-Jenkins challenges everyone to keep pace. “You can put as much or as little in if you’re not really feeling up to it,” said By Trey Mewes Kayla Sellers. Sellers loves the intensity that comes with a kickboxing class. A former dancer, Sellers has been in kickboxing classes since her freshman year at Winona State Thwok. “Left jab.” Thwok. “Right uppercut.” Thwok. “Faster.” Thwok. “Harder!” University. THWOK. “Again!” THWOK! “I’m one of those people that likes to get up and move,” the 22-year-old said. That’s the tempo at kickboxing class. People repeatedly punch, kick, knee, strike “I hate just going out and running. I need someone who’s kind of telling me what and push a large punching bag in quick, sustained bursts. This goes on for 40 to do.” minutes. You will get tired quickly. Sellers used to teach kickIt’s nothing short of a rush. boxing in college, though Kickboxing classes are surging the classes she taught didn’t in popularity nationwide, particuhave bags. She thinks the Y larly with women, and the YMCA classes are much better beof Austin is no exception. With cause of the resistance peotwo 45-minute classes, residents ple get from hitting are letting off steam, learning a heavyweight bags. valuable skill and getting fit. “It’s much more fun to ac“It’s the way you feel after the tually hit something,” she class physically,” said Jennifer said with a laugh. Jones-Jenkins, YMCA fitness inKickboxing class can still structor on why she practices be an intense experience kickboxing. “I feel so much betfor Sellers, depending on ter, and my mind feels clearer Kickboxing classes are at the day. By the 10-minute after I hit something really hard. 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and mark, Sellers is gearing up, You just feel better.” getting into the music. By Jones-Jenkins has taught kickThursdays at the YMCA. 20 minutes, she’s focusing boxing for three years, acting as a on her second wind, pushfitness instructor for four. She took Jennifer Jenkins punches while warming up the kickboxing class she leads ing through her exhauskickboxing at the Y six years ago at the YMCA. tion. after she gave birth to her daugh“That’s how you improve,” ter. she said. “When you’re tired, “It was like a postpartum fitness you have to keep going.” thing for me,” she said. “I lost the weight and said, ‘I love this class!’” By 30 minutes, Sellers concentrates on pushing herself. When the class winds Kickboxing is a little more complicated than it sounds. People learn the basics down and stretches begin, Sellers feels accomplished. of boxing, like cross punches, hooks, hammers and uppercuts, in a few minutes’ Kickboxing classes are twice a week, but the Y offers cycleboxing classes — time. In addition, Jones-Jenkins includes in the exercises basic martial arts kicks which interchanges stationary cycling with bag work — almost every day. With so like a side kick and a roundhouse. Residents wrap their wrists and put on boxing many residents ready to strike, kickboxing classes are here to stay. gloves before warming up on the bag. Throw in some muay thai stretches, high“It’s intense,” Sellers said with a smile. intensity conditioning exercises, kung fu weapon strikes and large yoga stretches,
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Momentum of health By Amanda Lillie
Get Fit Be Fit rolls forward A year and a half ago, Cindy
Austin Daily Herald
Cindy Bowe uses a stationary bicycle during a cool-down period in a kickboxing class at the YMCA. Bowe has one of many success stories to come out of the United Way of Mower County’s Get Fit Be Fit program.
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Bowe was not the person she is today. Bowe, of Austin, was once 65 pounds heavier and on blood pressure medication, but now she can say she has completed a triathlon. She can attribute her success to hard work, but she credits the United Way of Mower County’s Get Fit Be Fit program for getting her started on the road to wellness. “My biggest problem ... was millions of reasons why (exercise) didn’t work into my schedule,” Bowe said. That changed last year, when Bowe joined some coworkers and formed a team for the Mower County United Way’s Be Fit challenge. Although she had participated in the Get Fit challenge for a few years, last year was when Bowe started to take things se-
cise and eating habits on the Get Fit Be Fit website to help regulate her workouts and eating habits. “Last year was when I actually stuck to things. It took a little while to get back into a good routine,” Bowe said. “The online logs just made you more aware.” Since joining a Be Fit team last year, Bowe has lost at least 65 pounds. She learned in March 2011 that she no longer needs the blood pressure medication she had been taking for three years. Mandi LighthizerSchmidt, executive director of United Way of Mower County, said many people use the Get Fit component of GFBF to start a regular exercise routine. “The Get Fit people are looking to get the tools to try to start their journey,” Lighthizer-
riously. Bowe said the program was just what she needed to maintain motivation. She began logging her exer-
Schmidt said. “Be Fit people tend to be working out on a regular basis (already) and want to see who can be the most fit.”
“Whatever gets you moving is good.”
-Mandi LighthizerSchmidt executive director of United Way of Mower County
Year
Number of Participants
Total Weight Loss
Average Weight Loss Per Person
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
922 698 573 388 603
2,958 lbs 2,333 lbs 2,021 lbs 1,975 lbs 2,503 lbs
3.21 lbs 3.34 lbs 3.53 lbs 5.09 lbs 4.15 lbs
return year after year. Bowe is on a team with co-workers from the YMCA again this year, and once again they are taking on the Be Fit challenges. One of the 2012 Be Fit challenges is to complete a triathlon, something Bowe did with her son last May. “Whatever gets you moving is good,” Lighthizer-Schmidt said. “Our aspect is: just start somewhere.” The United Way strives to promote health and wellness within communities, so Lighthizer-Schmidt said starting GFBF in Austin a few years ago was an exciting time. “At the time we started Get Fit, there wasn’t anything else for wellness in town,” said Lighthizer-Schmidt. “We’re it for community based wellness challenges.” The program has evolved plenty over the years, with the online logs Bowe loves being one of the most recent additions. Feedback
week challenge, so the United Way created a calendar of challenges. Now, there are three
four-week challenges. Providing participants with challenges not only guides them, but also makes things more competitive. “People really just said, ‘I don’t know where to start,’” LighthizerSchmidt said. “When people set a goal ... and they achieve it, they are motivated and want to continue.” Although the average weight loss per person fluctuates between three and five pounds each year, Lighthizer-Schmidt said some participants lose up to 50 pounds during the three-month challenge. Many people have told Lighthizer-Schmidt and other United Way staff their success stories. Those stories are what drive Lighthizer-Schmidt to recruit more people for GFBF each year. “Truly the individual success stories we have from people who started GFBF and lost 40 pounds or are off their cholesterol meds or are training for a run — that’s truly, for us, the success of the program,” she said.
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lenges. In the last five years, GFBF participants have lost 11,790 pounds. Many participants
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Although the two programs are similar, there are differences. Get Fit is an 11-week team fitness and weight loss competition, whereas Be Fit is lacking the weight loss component. The Be Fit fitness challenges are typi-
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Ron Marsden, who hasn’t driven a car in 12 years, shows off a picture of himself taken before he started riding a bike to get where he needed. Since taking up biking as his only source of transportation, Marsden has lost weight and gotten in better shape.
On the road to recovery Biker pedals away from alcohol and to healthier life By Matt Peterson After eight years in the Marine Corps, spending time in Vietnam and picking up some bad habits, Ron Marsden’s life seemed to be spiraling out of control. While coping with post traumatic stress disorder, Marsden fell into the trap of drug and alcohol abuse. He wheeled his way out on a bicycle. Marsden could walk into his garage, start his car and go anywhere he pleases, but he hasn’t done that for more than 12 years. Instead, he just rides a bike. He’s not trying to prove anything or make a statement. It’s simply his way of life now. “Finally, I realized that wasn’t the route to go after the third DWI,” Marsden said about his drug and alcohol use. A car sits in Marsden’s garage, but it doesn’t go anywhere. While Marsden could easily renew his license, he chooses to bike. “I enjoy it,” he said. “I don’t really miss driving cars.” Since 1999, Marsden suspects he has saved tens of thousands of dollars by not using a car. But aside from not driving, a lot has changed for Marsden. His mood, his health and his outlook on life all improved. After riding bike nearly every day since 1999, Marsden went from 240 pounds to about 178 — a 42-inch waist to 36. He has a renewed sense of freedom. “It’s just freedom; I feel free,” Marsden said about biking. “It just gives you a sense of freedom. The car — you’ve got the radio on — you’re totally oblivious to nature. It’s just wonderful to be out on a bike.” Like anything, that freedom comes with risks. Biking all the time can be dangerous, especially at night or in the winter. And inevitably, as a Minnesotan, Marsden does plenty of biking on snow. “I like the thrill of being able to really realize you can actually ride through
snow,” he said. Marsden discovered brown, grit-filled snow is one of the harder conditions through which to bike, but after years of experience, biking on snow or ice has become second nature. “You just have to have confidence in yourself, and you become one with the road,” Marsden said. “The first year, it was really a challenge, and I just said, ‘I can do this.’” Now biking is easier than walking to Marsden. This winter, he slipped, fell and injured his wrist while walking. He said that likely wouldn’t have happened if he was on his bike. And Marsden needs full use of his hands. At 57-years old, he went back to school and received his massage therapy certification. Now 64, Marsden hauls his massage table and instruments in a trailer attached to his bike. He uses mirrors to check for traffic behind him, and he doesn’t care what he looks like or what people think. Instead of sitting at home or going out drinking, Marsden rides around Austin. He sometimes helps at Healing Palms Spa or hangs around Rydjor Bike Shop where he purchases his bikes and their parts. “People, they trade cars,” Marsden said. “I trade bikes.” Marsden knows the best routes around town and where traffic is difficult to navigate. Ironically, biking is the one thing that makes Marsden want to get a car again, so he can do more biking on trails in the bluff country near Lanesboro. A car would only be a temporary mode of transportation, however, so Marsden can get even closer to nature. “People are just missing it riding in these cars and turning on the radio,” he said. “You’re not going to be as anxious, depressed. You’re going to feel a lot better mentally and physically.” Marsden is living proof of that. Biking has opened his mind, and he isn’t as hindered by PTSD anymore. He encourages others to try the lifestyle he discovered. “I think if everybody bikes, doctors would be in trouble,” he said. Marsden can’t remember the last time he caught the flu or even a cold, but that’s just one benefit that goes with the positive experiences Marsden has nearly every day. He doesn’t need competitions or mile markers to tell him how far he has ridden — just the wind blowing by, the sounds of nature, and a sense of freedom.
“People, they trade cars. I trade bikes.”
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Local groups are moving Mower in a healthier direction
“Those are risk factors that lead to poor health,” she added. Mower County has high poverty rates compared to other Minnesota counties, and there are also a high number of children receiving free and reduced lunches. However, Kocer touted the free and reduced lunches as programs that help improve health locally. Public Health is taking things a step further. The office is surveying residents and coming out with an assessment of the community’s health.
Local concerns For about 80 women, Zumba classes at the Mower County Senior Center offer a way to socialize, dance and — ultimately — live healthier. “It’s a total body workout,” instructor Amber Yaw said of the class, which is for women of all ages and meets Tuesdays and Thursdays. The dancers are taking small steps toward healthier lives, and they’re certainly not alone. Places like the Senior Center and local businesses aren’t typically seen as centers for public health, but community organizations increasingly will have a hand in residents’ health. “They call it community health because it’s not just up to one person to decide,” said Mower County Public Health Director Lisa Kocer. Health leaders like Kocer and Mower Refreshed Health & Wellness Coordinator Sandra Anderson are looking to the public for help. Anderson said many groups are doing exciting things. One group is a women’s bone strengthening class meeting in Dexter. Other people at a foodbank are growing extra produce to donate. “We’ve got a lot of really creative people in our county looking at creative ways to make that healthy choice easier,” Anderson said. “There are some really neat gems happening.”
Mower in the middle Mower County is dead center in statewide health statistics. Last year, Mower improved by one point to rank 42 out of 85 Minnesota counties on www.county healthrankings. org. “We’ve definitely got work to do, but we also have some really good things going for us,” Kocer said. County health rankings is just one tool Public Health uses to judge the community’s wellbeing. Employees typically look at Minnesota Department of Health statistics and other stats when gauging health. Stats include data on infectious diseases, obesity and the number of smokers, among other factors. Statistics aren’t perfect, because they’re typically a few years behind. “It still gives you a sense,” Kocer said. “And they collect that data over time, so you can compare it.” Other tools like annual student surveys and demographic numbers help paint a broader picture. Social factors like the number of early and low-weight births, the number of students receiving free and reduced lunches, and poverty levels can also provide insight to health trends, Kocer said.
“There are some really neat gems happening.”
-Sandra Anderson Mower Refreshed Health & Wellness Coordinator
One concern locally has been high STD rates and high teen pregnancy rates. From 1996 to 2010, the reported cases of Chlamydia more than doubled in Minnesota. Last year, there were 17,760 reportable cases of STDs statewide — up from 16,912 in 2009, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Health. In 2009, there were 98 reported cases of Chlamydia in Mower County and 10 reported cases of Gonorrhea. Mower has a pregnancy rate of 1 in 17 for teens ages 15 to 19, compared to the state rate of 1 in 27, according to public health statistics. That breaks down to 1 in 37 for ages 15 to 17 compared to 1 in 53 statewide. For ages 18 to 19, the rate is 1 in 9 compared to the state’s 1 in 16 rate. “We have a higher level of some of those STDs,” Kocer said. The health issues aren’t only with youth, as Kocer said Mower County has a greater aging population than younger population. “The baby boomers are now getting toward retirement,” she said. A key challenge will be ensuring the community has ample assisted living space and care providers. Despite the challenges, there have been many successes. Kocer said the number of smokers in Mower County has decreased. “It’s not been an easy or fast change,” Kocer said.
Julie Olson is one of several who takes part in the Zumba fitness class at the Mower County Senior Center. Places like the Senior Center are taking steps toward helping Mower County become healthier.
A community effort
Austin Daily Herald
While Public Health has been a key force in surveying and analyzing the health of the community, implementation and changes can often be more difficult, especially because funding sources are dwindling because of cuts, according to Kocer. But Public Health is far from alone. Health is a community effort. One recent example has been
62 Progress 2012
Anderson’s Mower Refreshed. “Mower Refreshed is the perfect example of the community coming together and saying we want to make Mower County a healthy community,” Kocer said. Another collaborative effort has been an early Childhood Intervention committee that works to address health issues in children before they reach kindergarten, because many issues like learning disabilities are better addressed if steps are take at early ages. “I think that’s a real strength in our community,” Kocer said.
Trail pushes closer to ultimate goal Austin Daily Herald Rose Creek could soon be the first stop outside Austin on a trailhead stretching about 30 miles. Last year, work on the Shooting Star Bike Trail was completed up to Rose Creek — the last destination for the trail before it reaches Austin. Thanks to a grant of the more than $400,000 from the Minnesota Department of
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Natural Resources, the trail was paved up to Rose Creek and now sights are set on Austin. Local officials like Mower County Public Works Director Mike Hanson are now discussing the route the trail will take from Rose Creek to Austin. The goal is to eventually connect the Shooting Star Trail with Albert Lea’s Blazing Star Trail. The Blazing Star Trail also received $500,000 in funds from the DNR last year.
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Do you think officers spend too much time enforcing seatbelt violations in Minnesota? 1. No (57%, 96 Votes) 2. Yes (43%, 72 Votes) Posted April 26, 2011 Would you vote for a Constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage in Minnesota? 1. No (61%, 386 Votes) 2. Yes (39%, 242 Votes) Posted May 13, 2011 Were you surprised Brian and Charity Miller, the Dexter couple who chained their 5-yearold son to his bed, kept their parental rights? 1. Yes (85%, 200 Votes) 2. No (15%, 35 Votes) Posted July 20, 2011 How would you rate your personal safety when you are out and about in Austin? 1. Somewhat safe (28%, 86 Votes) 2, Mostly safe (28%, 84 Votes) 3. Unsafe (20%, 60 Votes) 3. Very safe (15%, 45 Votes) 4. Very unsafe (9%, 28 Votes) Posted Sept. 2, 2011
How will you vote on the $28.9million bond referendum for a new fifth- and sixth-grade school and Woodson Kindergarten Center expansion? 1. I will vote ʻnoʼ (53%, 155 Votes) 2. I will vote ʻyesʼ (39%, 114 Votes) 3. I wonʼt vote (8%, 25 Votes) Posted Nov. 1, 2011
With the Iowa caucuses over, who will win the Republican nomination for president? 1. Ron Paul (60%, 134 Votes) 2. Mitt Romney (21%, 46 Votes) 3. Rick Santorum (13%, 28 Votes) 4. Newt Gingrich (3%, 6 Votes) 5. Jon Huntsman (2%, 4 Votes) 6. Rick Perry (1%, 2 Votes) Posted Jan. 3, 2012
What were the top stories of 2011? 1. Dexter parents charged with chaining sons to bed (56%, 146 Votes) 2. Austin author Amanda Hocking on to the big time (38%, 99 Votes) 3. Long-married couple dies 6 hours apart (35%, 92 Votes) 4. Tensions boil at Lyle Public Schools (33%, 85 Votes) 5. $29-million new school referendum passes (29%, 76 Votes) 6. Pacelli student Joe Lewison dies in truck/train collision (28%, 73 Votes) 7. Special report: Why are Hispanics leaving Austin? (26%, 69 Votes) 8. Austinʼs Kevin Dammen dies kayaking on Lake Superior, ski race named in his honor (19%, 50 Votes) 9. Fire destroys Jellystone campground building (18%, 46 Votes) 10. Austin wrangles in Pizza Ranch (18%, 46 Votes) Posted Dec. 21, 2011
Which author with local ties would you most consider reading? 1. Adams native Julie Kramer, who writes mystery and crime novels (28%, 134 Votes) 2. Beth Bednar, a former TV reporter who wrote about the disappearance of Jodi Huisentruit (21%, 98 Votes) 3. Curt Rude, former Austin police Capt. who wrote a crime novel (15%, 71 Votes) 4. Amanda Hocking, an Austin author famous for teen paranormal romance novels (13%, 62 Votes) 5. Austin-born Tim OʼBrien, a novelist who writes about the Vietnam War (10%, 49 Votes) 6. James Hormel — son of former Hormel CEO Jay C. Hormel — wrote a memoir about being the first openly gay U.S. Ambassador (7%, 34 Votes) 7. Ex-Austinite Larry Nemitz, who released a book about faith and self-worth (6%, 27 Votes) Posted Jan. 13, 2012
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Adams loses valuable resource; Dairy Days planned for June 8-10 By Mayor LeRoy Swanson and City Clerk Jim Kiefer The city lost a valuable asset in December with the retirement of Dr. Richard Schindler. Dr. Schindler provided excellent medical service to the community for 32 years. Although it is impossible to replace Dr. Schindlerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skills, the community is thankful that Mayo Clinic Health System in Adams will remain open. Mary Fargen will continue to provide excellent medical care to Adams residents. The community also saw the local drug store close in 2011. Longtime pharmacist Phil Qualey decided to retire in October. The city of Adams census results provided a small decrease in the population for 2011; dropping from 800 people to 787. The city of Adams experienced typical problems many small communities in Minnesota are experiencing. Local Government Aid cuts from the state of Minnesota place tremendous stress on small city budgets. Last year also brought the completion of the Shooting Star Bike trail to Rose Creek. Residents of Adams can now bike on a paved path to LeRoy or Rose Creek. The city of Adams continued to implement street improvements in 2011. A three-block section was completed in July. Plans are in the process to upgrade an additional five blocks in 2012. The coming year will provide a new automotive repair shop for the Adams community. Wiste Auto Repair will be relocating to a new building at 407 Main St. The Civil War re-enactment event will return to Adams this summer. Plans are for Dairy Days June 8-10, and the Civil War re-enactment event June 23-24.
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Southern troops move into position during a Civil War battle reenactment at Civil War Days in the Adams City Park.
LeRoy aims high By Matt Peterson Though LeRoy’s population was just 929 at the 2010 Census count, it is still the small town with nearly everything. And despite being that Mower County town a little more out of the way than others, it’s still holding its own. Among a grocery store, cafes, ag businesses, bowling alley, medical clinic, assisted living, hardware store, auto parts store, lumber yard, banks and more, the town has some recent risk takers. That’s a good thing. Now outdoor recreation can be added to the list, as well. Rural LeRoy resident Ben Jacobsen opened Three Arrows Hunting Preserve in summer 2011.
He told the Herald he knows it will take time to build a clientele base of recreational hunters, but he’s not worried. Jacobsen has already hosted a field trial and youth hunt, and the hunting land is only going to mature as the years pass. Back in town, Derek Megraw took a risk, too. Now the town is boosting its technology repertoire. Megraw opened ACS Innovations-Affordable Computer & Web Solutions. And there is another bold individual. Dave Lunning, who already owned Grass and Sons Seed just outside of town, opened another business on the edge of town: Hefty Seed Company. Now local farmers have a retail storefront where they can buy seed and other supplies, which is a benefit for such an ag-driven region of the county and state. It may be little, but LeRoy is doing big things.
A two-day set of field trials was held for the first time on land owned by Ben Jacobsen, where he opened Three Acres Hunting Preserve northeast of LeRoy.
LeRoy looking for improvements to budding business district By City Clerk Patty White and Mayor Kathy Farlinger The city of LeRoy didn’t experience any huge building boons during 2011, but the city did see many projects completed. The city well was pulled; a new pump was installed. A joint project with the LeRoy Senior Citizens at the LeRoy Community Center included completely remodeling the restrooms and redoing the entryway, roof repairs, and parking lot improvements. Bob and Kathy Terry, through their business, Terry’s Cemetery Restoration & Repair, used the procedure of dowsing and mapped the entire cemetery. This included locating many unmarked grave sites. Street reconstruction on East County Road south was completed; this was done in cooperation with Mower County. The City conducted a very successful City-Wide Cleanup Day. To comply with our Wellhead Protection Plan, 18 unused, unsealed wells were capped.
Improvements also took place in the business district in 2011. Weber NAPA relocated to a larger storefront. Major renovations at Main Street Market Place included new freezers, coolers, signage, and display areas. Wi-Fi was installed at the LeRoy Public Library. Dave and Jody Lunning purchased an empty building, renovated it,
and opened a Hefty Seeds office. Derek Megraw opened ACS Innovations-Affordable Computer & Web Solutions. Bethany Bible Church added a Christian education wing to the existing church. LeRoy continues to thrive due to the vibrant business district and community-minded individuals.
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Community’s population growing; 150-year celebration planned By Mayor Dan Sween In the past year, Mower County’s second-largest city has made progress in several areas, in spite of a tough economy. The results of the 2010 Census came out and revealed a gain in population from 945 to 1,139 citizens: a very nice gain for our small rural community! Grand Meadow Public Schools (the city’s largest employer) attracts more open-enrollment students and continues to grow. Expansion may soon be necessary.
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With growing population, several new homes arose during 2011. The city street department continued with street repaving, and potholes are getting hard to find. In the industrial park, our newest facility completed its first full year of providing seed to the ag community. Our longtime grocery store owners found new owner/operators so retirement could happen. We think Grand Meadow is a great small town and are looking forward to celebrating our 150th year this summer during “Meadowfest,” June 21-24. Come on over!
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A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE!
Hayfield under new leadership; celebration marks 25 years By Hayfield Mayor Greg Demmer As 2011 started, we elected a new mayor. After 18 years, Dave Santjer decided to retire, and I was elected. The first project of my term as mayor was starting our Wellhead Protection plant and the first stage of our renovation of the Wastewater Treatment Plant, a $4.1 million project to be completed by 2014. We obtained temporary bonds for the
Wastewater Treatment plant. We approved the Joint Powers Agreement with the Hayfield Fire District until Dec. 31, 2020. We approved the 2012 budget with a 0.15 percent tax levy hike. This year started by talking with the Economic Development Authority about locating new businesses in town. We also discussed replacing all the sidewalks in the downtown area on Main Street. We are seeking grants or other funds so we don’t
A truck makes a splash at the mud bog at the 2011 Hey Days in Hayfield.
Hey Days 2012 The Budweiser Clydesdales are set to return for the 25th annual Hey Days scheduled for July 2012.
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have to charge the businesses for the sidewalks. We will continue with the second stage of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The 24th Annual Hey Days was a
big success again this year. Hey Days will celebrate its 25th anniversary this year with the clydesdales returning along with the “old-fashion chicken fry” put on by the Hayfield Fire Department.
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Bubbles Café Corky's Corner Wedgewood Cove A&W B & J Bar and Grill Culvers Eagles Pizza Ranch Sterling Café Steve's Pizza Torge's Sports Pub & Grill Windrift Resturaunt & Lounge Highway Roost Servicemens Club Frontier Lounge Langtry Café Skjenke Bom Lounge Uncle Mony’s Sweets Resturaunt Travel Lanes Supper Club Diamond Jo Casino Susie’s Roadhouse Paradise Pizza Cheers of Waltham
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New faces and a facelift for downtown By Mayor David Pike After completing my first year as Mayor of the city of Brownsdale, I look around town and see many changes, new faces and welcome additions to our small town. The most noticeable is the revitalization of our downtown business area. Since Steve and Cheryl Nagel have opened the Langtry Café, there has been a rekindled interest in going downtown. The Nagels have put countless hours into changing and updating their building and business to attract customers not only from Brownsdale, but from all over southeastern Minnesota. They are open Tuesday through Sunday for breakfast and lunch. The Langtry now also has a liquor license and is open for weekend nights and offers barbecue ribs and other popular items. Another change in the town is the opening of the Frontier Lounge. After taking over, the new owners
— Steve Morgan, Dean Braaten, and Daniel and Kevin Limbo — made renovations to the little lounge in the center of town. The “new” Frontier now serves as a gathering place for many of the area’s residents. They made updates to the sound system, lighting, décor and seating to make the Frontier Lounge an exciting destination for an evening on the town. The Frontier is currently in the process of installing kitchen equipment that will give patrons many wonderful food choices in addition to their made-
from-scratch pizzas. Two doors down from the Frontier is an office building owned by Maynard and Robin Akkerman. This building has undergone a transformation since being nearly destroyed by a highway accident. The Akkermans have transformed this storefront into a modern retail facility that provides office space to Joy Oudekirk of the First Insurance American Agency and Don and Carol Larick who own Past & Present, an antique and collectable store. Past & Present is only
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Austin Daily Herald
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Serving up Brownsdale
Langtry Cafe owners Cheryl and Steve Nagel have given the diner on Main Street new life since taking it over a little more than a year ago.
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The days of the small-town cafe are not dead. Ask Steve and Cheryl Nagel, owners of Langtry Cafe in Brownsdale. They know. Amidst the demise of several Brownsdale businesses, the Nagels — who moved there from the Twin Cities metro area — opened their cafe on Feb. 28, 2011. One year later, that big risk continues to pay off. “Every month has been a little bit better,” Steve said. “December was huge.” It’s not surprising that the Nagels have landed a regular customer base of local farmers and townsfolk. “Many of them come in every day of the week,” Cheryl said. “We have six-daya-week customers.” Perhaps it is surprising, however, that they have landed a regular customer base from places as far as Spring Valley, Rochester, Byron, Albert Lea and elsewhere. Despite a decline in population in Brownsdale, Langtry has steadily grown — from five employees to 12 and from open on weekdays only to being packed on the weekends. “It does your heart good to see the same people coming back,” Cheryl said. Last summer the Nagels began opening for Friday and Saturday evening dinners and added alcohol to the menu, as well. Now, guests better call for reservations if they want seats and meals like prime rib, barbecued ribs or batter-fried shrimp. But it’s not as if locals and regulars are surprised when out-of-towners walk though the doors, either. “People don’t stop talking and turn their heads when someone walks in here,” Steve said. Despite the continuous upswing in business, the Nagels hit some roadblocks along the way. A sewer problem forced them to close for more than a week,
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By Matt Peterson
Austin Daily Herald
Big risk pays off for Langtry Cafe owners
which fostered some rumors among townsfolk about Langtry Cafe closing. But the Nagels saw the problem as an opportunity. The setback wasn’t necessarily a blessing in disguise, but it allowed the Nagels to fully decorate their private dining room — the gallery, as some call it. “I wanted a room where you could hang a Salvador Dali next to a farm scene from the 1800s and make it work,” Steve said. The Nagels achieved that look with a little help from another local antique store. Now the two businesses work together. The gallery isn’t just decorated. Its items are for sale through the antique store, kind of like consignment. The new items only add to the atmosphere the Nagels were trying to create throughout the entire building, with old pictures, a gun hanging from the wall, toy tractors and trucks and more. “Now people are asking to sit in there,” Steve said about the gallery. As interest in the gallery grew, the Nagels noticed Brownsdale received a little more traffic and business. Another antique store opened in town, and the existing antique stores seem to have more consistent hours. The scene in Brownsdale is different than elsewhere, though. Steve and Cheryl took a winter vacation in the south and drove back roads through small towns. They didn’t notice any small-town cafe’s like theirs. “I think the thing is, once a town loses a cafe, it’s done,” Steve said. However, Brownsdale may be the exception. The Nagels opened their business in the same building just months after the previous restaurant closed. Thus far, Langtry has exceeded their expectations. “The vision of what is possible has changed,” Steve said. That may be true, as a group of men bought what was formerly the Keg Bar across the street, renovated it and renamed it the Frontier Lounge. Now Brownsdale’s main drag, Mill Street, has a little more traffic and a little more appeal. “There are a lot more people moving around,” Steve said. Like a lot of business owners, Steve and Cheryl spend most of their time at their business. They are open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday, 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Though that calls for 80-hour weeks and plenty of time standing over a hot grill, Steve won’t take the trade off of going back to the Twin Cities. He has a small town to support. “It’s just peaceful out here,” he said.
“We strive for the best quality product we can possibly put out.” -Gregg Fristedt, The Bakery owner
How sweet it is The Bakery in Blooming Prairie lets its goods do the talking And boy, is business sweet. Fristedt and his five employees come up with tasty concoctions that draw people from Austin and Walk down Main Street in Blooming Prairie, and you might find Owatonna to Iowans and Twin Cities dwellers. something sweet. “We’re coming up with different ideas, things that we think will That something sweet is usually inside displays at The Bakery, sell, we hope will run by Gregg sell,” Fristedt said. Fristedt. FristRosettes are edt’s baked usually the order goods are one of choice in the of the best fall and winter. parts of BloomFristedt usually ing Prairie life. sells them from “We strive to September for the best Christmas, quality product though he we can possibrought them bly put out,” back starting in he said. “We’re February until improving the spring. In adthings all the dition, there are time.” tasty treats like From cakes caramel croisto cookies, sants, date-filled doughnuts to cookies, puff pasdelicious tries, oatmeal bread, rolls to chocolate chip riveting cookies and rosettes, Fristmore. edt’s 16-yearIt takes quite a old business bit of time to has something make all these for everyone. tasty treats, howHe came to Gregg Fristedt, owner of The Bakery in Blooming Prairie, preps French bread for baking. ever. Fristedt the area after goes to work at 3 looking for a a.m. to provide way out of the morning doughnuts and goodies for people ready to start the corporate side of baking. His search came with good luck: A friend day, often prepping for his busy morning the previous aftertold him the town was looking for a baked goods business. noon. That means hundreds upon hundreds of baked goods each “The city was looking for somebody to open up a bakery,” Fristday. edt said. “A bakery business is all prep,” Fristedt said. Fristedt jumped at the chance, ready to come to town and A little prep and a lot of sugar. open up shop. By Trey Mewes
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Farming community spurs growth By Mayor H. Peterson How do you measure progress in a recessionary year? Is holding your own a sign of progress in times like this? It just might be. Blooming Prairie was reclassified after the last census to a “stable rural community,” which defines this city quite well. Our population has increased slightly and all of our businesses are still here. A large portion of our success is our support from the farming community. There really have not been many better years to be a farmer than the last few. Most of the area farmers grew up, went to school here, support this community and consider themselves Blossoms. Their support of our businesses and schools cannot be underestimated. Thank you, farmers. Our business community has put a lot of effort into sustaining and growing its enterprises. One business, Minimizer, has had incredible growth despite the economy. They have expanded into office space on the north end of town and have other expansion ideas in the works. Thank you, business people. Our school system continues to be one of the best in the state in producing quality graduates to live and work in our world. Our best export continues to be our young people. The “Awesome Blossoms” had a great year athletically as well competing in the State Softball and State Football tournaments. Thank you, students, teachers and coaches. Our city just completed a very large project to rebuild the infrastructure under our streets. This project will help to control storm water, sewer water and drinking water to a large number of our citizens. There is more to be done, but we have a good start. The utilities have also acquired and installed an additional generator at the light plant to continue to give us reliable and inexpensive power. Thank you, city. The citizens of this community are for the most part a friendly and fun-loving bunch. The only really grumpy guy moved away. They support each other, the schools and the businesses. They truly are the heart of this place. Thank you, citizens.
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Just imagine high-speed rail from Austin to Chicago
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Story from Oct. 26, 2011 Do you have any idea many billions a project like this will cost? Have you completely closed your eyes to the present state of the federal and state budget? There is no reasonable business case for building this boondoggle. It can never make enough money to pay its own expenses even if everyone in Austin were to ride it every day. Posted by bvi2002 There is a good case for passenger rail in Austin .... Amtrak throws around the idea of a Chicago Il., Rockford Il. (152,871) to Dubuque Ia train (57,637).This is relevant because continuing the train on to Waterloo (68,406), then up the Canadian National railway to Charles City then to meet with the Canadian Pacific in Lyle Mn , then Austin Mn then Owatonna MN then St.Paul. So there is the populations along this corridor to support this train. The biggest thing is Albert Lea will potentially have Twin Cities to Kansas City high speed over the UP Spine Line and the “River Route” is the fastest way from Chicago to the Twin Cities, Austin would have stiff competition. Posted by McAusMn
Attorney advises Lyle board to move forward
1886
Posted by forestforthetrees Austin Daily Herald
Well, as has been proven since September, the school board meeting schedule on the school calendar has not been very reliable, so I wouldn’t count on that.
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Posted by concerned taxpayer
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I hope the levy fails, they don’t deserve it, what a waste of money down there, Good grief! Posted by Taxed
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Story from Sept. 29, 2011 There is longer notice of school board meetings than three, five, or seven days. All regular board meetings are on the school calendar and on the school website. ... Lyle School is doing fine, pretty good actually, under the direction of Mr. Dusso. There are great things happening at the school and the students are achieving success. And, as you can see from a recent Herald article, there are MANY people on staff who support the direction that the school board and administration have set out for the district!
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Alcohol a factor in rollover; 6 injured Story from March 6, 2011
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An unfortunate accident indeed. I am sure the driver will struggle with enough feelings of guilt as it is. While I do not ever condone drinking and driving – I think that it is worth mentioning that the driver was under the legal limit. This is also a good opportunity to serve as a reminder to use a “designated driver”. I too would ask for prayer for all of those involved Posted by reader64
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Austin’s Oldest Locally Owned & Operated Free Estimates • Free Loaner Car • State of the Art Shop Lifetime Written Warranty
Budget takes a priority over stadium bill Story from April 2, 2011 I think the people of Minnesota are absolutely crazy even thinking about a stadium and cutting programs for our elderly. Taking meals on wheels away cause we can’t afford it. Well who do you think made you people. It was people like your parents! Politicians seem to have NO morals or ethics where is your sense of caring. What would happen if you had to live like the rest of us or the elderly, handicapped and disabled. Can you live on whatever food you can find, can you live on $89.00 a month like the elderly in nursing homes or handicapped and disabled who are in homes while the rest of their social security check goes to help pay their room and board. No! It’s time to think about the human beings who brought you into this world!!!!!! Posted by crazylady
50 YEARS OF SERVICE
Anderson ervice Radiator S Complete Stock Radiators Cars • Trucks • Tractors
Daily Lunch & Evening Specials
507-433-3000
437-4135
2215 4th St NW Austin, MN 55912
Across from Mapleview and next door to Rent N Save
307 West Oakland Ave. Austin
1966
1969
& ASSOCIATES, INC.
Posted by jmdaniel
Citizens sound off on tax increase Story from Nov. 30, 2011
Architects & Civil Engineers Austin • 507-437-8141
907 Sykes Street • Albert Lea • 507-373-0689
Parade of Progress
Do we get a rebate now that the state has a 876 million dollar surplus? Posted by HWYSTAR
Progress 2012
1965
FREE ESTIMATES
81
1964
Well, my grandparents, parents, and I have not spent every dime we have, and have worked hard to set ourselves up for retirement. We also have all paid taxes to take care of the elderly, the poor, the children, the indigent, etc., etc…. And you know what? When we are all done taking care of all those who can’t, (or in a lot of cases, won’t), take care of themselves, we want to sit back and cheer on our local football team. If you don’t agree, that’s fine; maybe I should have the ability to direct a portion of my taxes to something that would benefit me. Novel concept, eh?
Austin Daily Herald
604 18th Avenue NW • Austin, MN (507) 437-2611
1970
Eyes on Austin’s Future
1970 • promotional products • decorated apparel www.robsp.com
1308 10th Drive SE - Austin, MN 507-433-8492
1973 Mower Council
1971
Vision 2020
For The Handicapped 111 North Main Street Austin, Minnesota
Big things may be ahead in Austin. Vision 2020 — a grassroots community betterment project launched in 2011 looking for 10 ideas to implement by 2020 — will soon be more than just ideas. The initiative that started as more than 4,000 ideas to improve Austin was whittled down to 30 in January.
Eric J. Connett
Israel Benitez
Linda Espinoza
507-433-9609
The ideas are now in the hands of a selection committee, which will
1975
look at the public’s top 30 choices and decide which 10 are in Austin’s future. The Idea Selection Committee consists of high school and college students, working adults and retirees. Austin’s racial and ethnic diversity is also represented. The final 10 are expected to be released in March.
Top 30 Ideas Clean lakes — Use Mill Pond and East Side Lake for swimming and fishing.
Bob Hoeg
Teresa Hanson
Linda Sistek
“SERVING SOUTHERN MINNESOTA”
203 North Main Street Austin, Minnesota
The CPA. Never Underestimate the Value. Certified Public Accountants
437-4503
326 North Main Street, Austin www.hlwb-cpa.com
1976
Main Street Dental Clinic Open Monday-Saturday and 2 Evenings
Cedar River recreation — And access to and clean up Cedar River for recreation, kayaking, tubing, canoeing, fishing, and recreational activities, including rentals. Downtown power plant development A — Use it for an art center, restaurant, studios, arboretum, Spam museum, condos, shops, a brewery or theater space. Downtown power plant B — Convert it into a shopping development area or restaurants, such as a microbrewery or a fast and casual eatery). Attract business — attract industry and business, with a focus on higher-wage jobs. Attract industry and business — Bring in additional small/mid-size businesses into Austin, which will create additional jobs. Best schools K-12.
HILL, LARSON, WALTH & BENDA, P.A. CPA
www.mainstreetdentalclinics.com
We welcome new patients!
405 East Main Street • Blooming Prairie • (507) 583-2141 1170 East Frontage Road • Owatonna • (507) 455-1000 3110 Wellner Drive NE • Rochester • 507-536-7700 132 North Broadway • New Richland • 507-463-0502
D E
433-2264
1977
Dexter Elevator & LP, Inc.
• LP Gas • Hubbard Feed • Chemicals & Fertilizer • On Sight Grain Pick-up
Check With Us Before You Buy!
Dexter, MN • 507-584-6422
1978
1980
Dan Jennings Recycling Co. 1200 SE 8th Avenue Austin, Minnesota
433-3496
1981
1981
TRUCKING
Converting the former downtown Austin Municipal Plant into a community center is one of the top 30 ideas for Vision 2020.
Brownsdale, MN I-90 & Highway 56
507-437-4636
1982
House of
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Total Hair Care Barber, Beauty & Massage Cathy Murphy • Deb Morgan • Marv Streiff
507-433-5122
1982 Lincoln Webster Apartments 1 & 2 Bedrooms Available AN EXCEPTIONALLY NICE, QUIET, SECURE, CLEAN, SAFE PLACE TO CALL HOME
437-4264
301 1st Avenue NW • Austin, MN
Parade of Progress
1984
1983
CALL OUR STAFF TODAY!
E-mail: visitor@austinmn.com
4 3 3 -5 6 5 2
104 11th Ave. NW, Suite D • Austin, MN 55912
103 3rd Street SE • AUSTIN
www.austincvb.com
1985
1986
26 Years...
A-1
437-8136
LLC
Commercial Carpet Cleaning Fire, Water, Furniture
John & Jean Riedlinger, Owners
1987
1988
1988
AUSTIN BUILDERS SUPPLY, INC. Quality Lumber • Pole Buildings • Estimating Garages • Decks • Windows • Doors Plumbing • Electrical • Hardware • Power Tools Valspar paint • Cabot Stain • Rental Eq.
206 10th St. NE, Austin • 437-3206 www.austinbuilderssupply.com
1988
1990
101 11th Street SE • Austin, MN
507-433-3420
1995
1994
South
Dr. Joseph P. Ray
Medgaarden’s
FAMILY DENTIST
est Sales
BUY • SELL • TRADE QUALITY VEHICLES • SALES SERVICE • ALIGNMENTS TRANSMISSION REPAIR
(507) 582-3563
ADAMS DENTAL CLINIC
407 LINCOLN STREET NW ADAMS, MN 55909 HOME (507) 582-1019
Dental Care with a personal touch
1996 Complete Truck & Trailer Repair
1608 12th St. SW • 437-1316 25446 US HWY 218 N • 433-4609 THE TRANNY SHOP 501 1st Ave SW • 437-0037
437-9000 1-888-900-2205 Located 4 miles east of Austin on I90 at Hwy. 56 (Exit 183)
Parade of Progress
Abandoned buildings — Redevelop/revamp existing empty buildings. Conservatory — Establish a natural conservatory, similar to the one at Como Park in St. Paul, but with natural plants and tree products that The Hormel Institute is studying for cancer research, such as ginger and tea. Vision 2020 Science & Tech museum — Open a selection committee STEM community museum where David Albino people of all ages can partake in Mary Barinka STEM hands-on activities. George Brophy SPAMusement Park — Establish an Santino Deng amusement park of some type; a Linda Espinoza water park, a theme park or some Edgar Garcia combination of the two. Olivia Grev Downtown development — Make Ryan Hartman downtown a tourist and locals’ desJane Jewell tination, with a public gathering Gabe Kasak area/plaza. This could include live Frank Lowe entertainment, the restoration of Matt Lunning historical store fronts, art events, Tanya Medgaarden more retailers, benches, or parks for Judy Porter kids. Gretchen Ramlo Bike trails — Connect regional bike Chet Rao trails across the city, connecting all atKarem Salas-Ramierez tractions, shopping, neighborhoods Tom Sherman and designated bike lanes. Ken Trom Establish a Family Fun Center — Jerry Wolesky Something for all ages. Lana Zamora Outdoor concerts — Create an outdoor concert series in downtown Austin on Friday nights in the summer. River and lake development — Continue and expand longterm flood mitigation, including dredging rivers, developing new lake and wildlife areas, and modern dams. Recreation Center — Change Oak Park Mall from a retail center to a recreation center for families, with bowling, pool tables, a walking track and a climbing wall. Downtown festival — Adopt Rochester’s Thursdays on First weekly downtown festival. Comprehensive business plan for attracting new retail, restaurants and attractions. Pursue an outlet shopping area. Wi-Fi — Establish city-wide, high-speed, public Wi-Fi provided free to residents. YMCA — Renovate or expand the Y. Winter Community Center — Create a heated relaxation pool, an arboretum area, an indoor walking area and an indoor play area. Water park — Create an indoor/outdoor attraction, possibly using Oak Park Mall. Fiber optics — Establish ultra high-speed access to the Internet, providing fiber optics to every residence and business in Austin. Year-round youth center. More entertainment — Create an indoor/outdoor water park, science museum, modern roller rink, indoor skate park, indoor go-carts, miniature golf, bounce house, laser tag or a playground. Downtown plaza — Develop a plaza downtown for farmers’ market, arts and crafts, and fairs, with a carousel, popcorn cart and murals. Retail — Encourage better retail selection. Neighborhood cleanup — Establish a neighborhood cleanup/fix up/paint up fund by providing grants or low interest loans for home/yard improvements in residential areas.
Progress 2012
(507) 437-4563 or (800) 444-5713
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SALES & SERVICE
Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau
Austin Daily Herald
Heating & Cooling LLC
1996
1998
Specializing In Finding Employees For Your Business
117 4th Ave NE, Austin 433-5570
*Clerical *Seasonal *Construction *General labor *Temporary *Permanent
2000
2000
Curbside Services Curbside services for recycling pickup (twice per month) are available for residents in the cities of Austin, Mapleview, Brownsdale, Grand Meadow, and LeRoy (within city limits). Visit our website at www.co.mower.mn.us/Recy cling-HHW.htm to see the curbside schedule. How do I sign up for recycling and how much does it cost? Come to the Environmental Services offices (1105 1/2 8th Ave NE) during regular business hours to pick up three bins and be given a brief overview of the program. Recycling fees are included in the taxes paid by Mower County residents. As long as you are a resident of Mower County there is no additional cost to you. Why should I recycle? We have to do something with the garbage we produce. American’s produce on average 1600 lbs. of garbage per person every year - about 4.4 lbs. per day
2003
2004
2003
DAVE’S LAWN CARE
Acceptable materials Newspaper, magazines, white office paper, corrugated cardboard, pressed board (ex: cereal box), tin cans, aluminum cans, glass bottles & jars, plastic bottles with or . Visit our website at www.co.mower.mn.us/Recy cling-HHW.htm for more information
LAWN AERATION • POWER RAKING MOWING & EDGING SPRING & FALL CLEANUP
DAVE DONAHUE Ph: 507-567-2689 Cell: 507-438-3975 Brownsdale, MN
WE DO NOT accept the following wastes Waxed cardboard (ex: fruit box), frozen food containers made of paper (ex: frozen pizza box), juice container made of paper, window glass or mirrors, ceramic glass (ex coffee cup), any plastic not in bottle form through , no styrofoam of any kind, no plastic bags of any kind.
2004
Smaller Facility
More Individualized Care For Your Pet!
Drop-off for recycling We do have a drop off area at the Recycling Center located at 1111 8th Ave. NE in Austin. Questions? www.co.mower.mn.us/recycling.html or call Mower County Recycling office located at 1105 1/2 8th Ave. NE, Austin, MN 55912. Call (507) 437-9551.
• Scenic Wooded Location • On-Site Supervisor • Flexible Drop-off • Heated Floors • Indoor / Outdoor Runs & Pick-up • Close Access to I-35 • Air Conditioned
2006
Austin Daily Herald
2011
2006
84 Progress 2012
Magazine.Com Parade of Progress
SERVING AUSTIN
Fundraising for cancer research, helping the community 107 11th St. NE 507-433-8675
Izaak Walton League Sustainability, environmental awareness and wildlife protection www.austinikes.org
Meals on Wheels Low-cost and free meals delivered for elderly, disabled and low-income individuals 507-438-3140
Red Cross Disaster relief, CPR and AED training 305 Fourth Ave. NW 507-437-4589
VFW Post 1216
Humanitarian service, advocating for good will and peace P.O. Box 703 www.austinrotary.org, 507-4601700
Veterans’ service organization, community service 300 Fourth Ave. NE 507-433-6039
Welcome Center
Salvation Army
Assistance for language, housing and other social factors 308 Fourth Ave. NW 507-434-2863
Food assistance, volunteer opportunities, thrift store, emergency housing 409 First Ave. NE 507-437-4566
Zonta International
United Way Community fundraisers, volunteer projects, community needs 301 N Main St. 507-437-2313
Support for women and children internationally 507433-7325
I
EK RE
RI ST
C LE RT U T
ES
TURTLE CREEK
Turtle Creek Industries can do:
U Janitorial, INDUSTRIES Clerical, ND
canAssembly, meet your service needs: Work, Light Laundry
Lawn Scanning/Indexing, Clerical Care, Work, Copying, Collating Farm Work, Restaurant Cleaning, Light Assembly, Production Work. Work NEEDS: Yard Work, FarmSPECIAL Work, Laundry Work, Restaurant Work Individual employers needs for special
asfor seen the employer GARBAGEjobs BAGS Saleby (Commercial & Residential)
*To Place Orders: CALL 433-9025 or STOP IN
• Turtle Creek Industries specializes in employment for the developmentally disabled individual thru individual job training.
15work Gallon (Light Weight ~ 100 bulk)433-9025 If you have available, call our staff:
33, 40 & 55 Gallon (Extra-Heavy ~ 100 bulk) TURTLE CREEK 5 Turtle Creek Industries • 507-433-9025 02 INDUSTRIES 9 2103 14th Street NE •Avenue Austin,• MN 2909 West Oakland Austin 3 43
600 2nd Street NW • Austin, MN 433-1817
INTERNATIONAL PAPER 507-433-3467 www.ipaper.com 1900 8th Street NE • Austin, MN
Progress 2012
Eagles Club
Fundraising for Lions Eye Bank, youth sports and local non-profits P.O. Box 866 www.austinlionsclub.org
Rotary Club of Austin
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Veterans’ service organization, youth mentoring, advocating patriotism 809 12th St. SW 507-437-1171
Lions Club
MOWER COUNTY
Austin Daily Herald
American Legion Post 91
AND
TECHNOLOGY
At the leading edge By Jason Schoonover Technology is taking over. It has exploded for small businesses and residents in the last five years, and Simplified Technology Solutions owner Justin Bickler is on the front end helping people embrace and harness new possibilities. “Computers are built to help you, not to scare you or cause you stress,” Bickler said. Technology has become an important tool in the arsenal of small business owners, and Bickler said an increasingly vital factor has been social media. “Social media is the new wave of advertising, the new momentum,” Bickler said. Now, groups like the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau and local businesses can connect directly with customers. For example, Bickler pointed to a receipt from a local store and an email address for the manager printed near the top. “Five years ago, you couldn’t have talked directly,” he said. “Now we’re overwhelmed with opportunities to solicit feedback.” Last year, Bickler helped bring the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, the Mower County Fair Board and other local organizations to social media opportunities like Facebook, Twitter and email alerts. “This year we’re going to reduce our printing budget and switch to a social media advertising campaign,” said Bickler, who’s a member of the chamber. These business owners can now receive more consistent feedback from the public. “You can get an immediate result or an immediate impact,” he said. Recent community efforts like Vision 2020, Paint the Rink Pink and Google Austin were key examples of how social media is taking hold. Much of the advertising and promotional efforts for the projects were done through social media. But social media isn’t the only way the web is changing the advertising world. Bickler said companies can track how many hits their online ads receive, and some groups only pay for ads per hit instead of upfront costs. “You pay for performance, which is a new model,” he said. Other opportunities just add to a business’s tools. For example, Bickler helped set up an online ordering system for Steve’s Pizza. Bickler sees more changes in the future, as he expects the one-way delivery model to turn more interactive and subscription based. Pinterest.com is one example, as people interact and share information in two ways. Other businesses are setting up computer-based security systems. Instead of a simple alarm system, Bickler can watch from home the cameras at his business and he can even watch the lobby from his office if the door is closed. “It used to be you have to buy the whole system, now you already have the computer,” he said. “You just have to add the camera.” Bickler has set up similar systems at local residences, and he said the new wave on the home front is baby cams. A few groups even have daycare cameras. “Your home is now a technology center,” Bickler said. TVs are a prime example, as many newer models can act as computer
Justin Bickler stands next to his expanded tech work station at his business, Simplified Technology Solutions. monitors and can play things like Netflix and Wii, which have both exploded in the last five years. Computers have become a required tool for many industries. It’s also important for people to keep their information — like calendars and music — on computers, phones and tablets synchronized. Now, he gives lots of free advice. “It was all about ‘I have a broken computer, can you fix it,’ and it has evolved into ‘I have a technology challenge, can you help me?’” he said. Customers have told Bickler they want their computer back quickly when it’s in need of repair. One person even mentioned that her family would be worried if she didn’t check in on Facebook. “It used to be we’d call the neighbors, now we Facebook the neighbors,” Bickler said.
Courts look at making their way in the e-world By Jason Schoonover
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Minnesota’s court houses are taking a necessary but daunting leap into the 21st Century. The Minnesota Judicial Council is requiring all courts to go paperless in about five years. Though the conversion will be a hefty task, 3rd Judicial District Judge Donald Rysavy said the move is positive and necessary. “There’s not much question that the whole world — business, government, everyone — is going further and further into the electronic aspect,” Rysavy said. “If the judiciary gets left behind, the efficiencies go way, way down.” Rysavy, who’s served on the steering committee for eCourtMN, said Minnesota will be one of the first to conduct a statewide upgrade. While storage space for paper documents is a concern in some counties, the real advantage is to be up-to-date with the private sector. The public will benefit from the change, as more information will be easily accessible. “I don’t think there’s any question that the general public is going to have much greater access to the workings of the court system and the contents of files and all the rest of those things,” he said. Court employees will have to scan all current documents for electronic access, a step that will be highly labor intensive, according to Rysavy. They’ll then have to coordinate the change with non-court users, like the general
public and justice partners: county attorneys, law enforcement and private attorneys. The private sector will be the more challenging side, he noted. Rysavy said local and state taxpayers shouldn’t feel the brunt of the costs. Much of the funding for the conversion will come from the federal 4-D program — money the federal courts reimburse to the state courts for enforcing federal responsibilities. However, Rysavy noted he has concerns about whether that would be a permanent funding stream. The conversion is still in the early stages. Within the next year, three to six counties — likely none in the 3rd Judicial District — will pilot the image scanning phase. As those counties shift into filing new documents and teaching attorneys and law enforcement, the next group of counties will begin the imaging phase. With the staggered approach, Rysavy said, the hope is the bugs will be worked out of the system by the time the bulk of the counties come online. For Mower County, Rysavy said, it will take a minimum of two to three years before courts are eliminating stored paper documents. More technology won’t address what Rysavy described as a people issue in the number of court employees. In other words, the move isn’t likely to drastically speed up business at courthouses. “A trial is still going to take two weeks if it was going to take two weeks before,” Rysavy said.
Technology changing the way students learn By Jason Schoonover
Austin Daily Herald
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In fact, technology isn’t a huge part of a college lab. It’s School buildings may not more important when it comes look drastically different than to research. they did 20 years ago, but the Still, online labs aren’t perinner workings of classes have fect, and Schoonover said you definitely developed to match can simulate a lot of things the times. you’ll see in labs. The Internet has opened up “I definitely think that you a host of possibilities in science lose a lot if you’re doing a virclassrooms, but it can’t always tual dissection or a virtual lab,” match the real thing. Schoonover said. Teachers are using online In an online lab, students examples to offer insight for don’t get the feel of picking up students that they wouldn’t a scalpel and cutting tissue. have gotten otherwise. Plus, online labs also give stu“They can see a process dents multiple choices — not happening, like mitosis, that something a typical lab would they couldn’t have seen or represent. ally understood by reading it “In real life, you don’t get a “They can see the process happening, like mitosis, in a book,” said Kate multiple choice option,” Schoonover, an Austin High that they couldn’t have seen or really understood Schoonover said. “They’re givSchool biology teacher. ing more opportunities to by reading it in a book.” Online tools range from think critically if it’s a real lab.” -Kate Schoonover study guides to virtual dissecThe online possibilities are Austin High School biology teacher tions, which Schoonover said more than just labs. Students she will have students do from can prepare for Minnesota time to time if they’re not Comprehensive Assessments ready for the real thing. tests through online reviews, “We will occasionally do virtual labs if a student gets really queasy and can see examples of processes like photosynthesis. with doing dissections,” Schoonover said. “The benefit I see is preparing students for the MCA,” she said. A host of other online possibilities are available. One lab shows how Videos and SMART boards are used, too. photosynthesis and cell restoration works and how different light levels Students can play review games like “Jeopardy!” on SMART boards. and CO2 levels affect the process. Class schedules, grades and many resources for students are now In college, labs are a key, as is research, which is often done online. available online through teacher’s resources, as well. “At the college stage, you spend a lot more time in the lab and your “The entire gradebook is online, so that’s a great online resource,” opened up to other research databases,” she said. Schoonover said.
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A note from the editor...
Adam Harringa editor
For several years, Austin Public Schools officials have suspected — and 2010 census data confirmed — that Austin’s population is growing. It’s one of the only outstate cities in Minnesota that is building a new school because of an increased number of school-age children. The town of 24,718 is, of course, home to a Fortune 500 company, Hormel Foods Corp., which employs more than 1,600 plant workers and 800 corporate office employees, and Quality Pork Processors and it’s 1,300 workers. Grand Meadow, Dexter, LeRoy and other towns in the county have experienced an economic boon, thanks in large part to the wind farms that now dot the southern Minnesota landscape. The grassroots, decade-long community bet-
terment movement Vision 2020 sprouted up this year, The Hormel Institute cancer research facility is hoping to expand and add 125 jobs, and the Austin Medical Center became Mayo Clinic Health System in Austin and is progressing on an expansion which will add 70 jobs. These are all unique to Austin, but it’s the people behind these events that make them possible. We at the Austin Daily Herald have spent months putting together this publication — the largest special section we produce all year — and at 92 pages, it’s the largest Progress, formerly Profiles, we’ve produced. We hope you keep it and enjoy it at your leisure all year.
Austin Daily Herald Trey Mewes
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The 2012 Progress team
From the moment I said “I do,” I promised to always love her. From the moment I first held my son, I promised to always be his hero. When it comes to my family I will never break a promise.
That’s why I bought Life Insurance. To make sure my family is secure even if I cannot always be here for them. Because it’s not about my life, it’s about theirs!
Call or visit Eric J. Connett today! 507-437-4503 203 North Main Street • Austin, MN
“SERVING SOUTHERN MINNESOTA”
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