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What’s Inside Community 6
ENVISIONING AN IMPACT As Vision 2020 counts its success, Impact Austin looks to carry momentum forward.
12 OPEN FOR BUSINESS Recreation Center a sparkling success for community.
18 75 YEARS OF SERVICE Morning Lions celebrate nearly a century helping a community.
22 ON A MISSION TO SERVE Seventh-grader Alex Goetz donates to Bring the Light.
24 ROOM FOR MORE Data storage and processor gives The Hormel Institute two petabytes of space.
26 MAKING CONNECTIONS Coffee Connections is an outside-the-box approach to fighting addiction, finding hope.
32 BUILDING TOMORROW Mayo Clinic of Austin continues march toward updated site.
36 WORKING TO ADAPT Pacelli Montessori gets children ready for kindergarten and beyond.
Diversity 42 DESTINATION: AMERICA Kouassi Ehon’s family has journeyed from Ivory Coast to United States citizenship.
44 STRIVING FOR ONE COMMUNITY Austin’s honorary councilmember position one year later. 2 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
46 CONNECTING PEOPLE Austin’s Bethlehem Church strives to be one congregation of many cultures.
Business
Friday, February 28, 2020
Small Towns 88
Brownsdale man gets early start on running family farm.
90
58 BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO AUSTIN’S 18TH AVENUE CORRIDOR Despite some losses, retail scene looking brighter.
62 RAISE YOUR GLASS Local breweries start up craft beer scene in Austin.
66 SERVICE AND HISTORY Mapleview Lounge has withstood the test of time.
Education 72 SHARING ON A NEW SCALE School, MacPhail partnership being realized in new center.
76 A PLACE TO CALL HOME Southern Minnesota Education Consortium opens up brand new location off I-90.
80 OPENING UP THE FUTURE First batch of Austin Assurance recipients go through freshman year.
82 VOICES FOR THE STUDENT Austin High School students take part in APS School Board.
GET ON YOUR BIKE AND RIDE LeRoy Bike Rental gets people out and rolling.
52 THE MAVEN OF MAIN STREET Jean Hastings has seen it all from her store on Austin’s main thoroughfare.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
94
COMPETITIVE NATURE Grand Meadow cheerleaders go from sidelines to cheer competitions.
100 NEW FUTURE Southland prepares to get new addition and more students.
106 IMPACTING A COMMUNITY Through the Seth Pack Golf Fundraiser, the Pack family is raising money for multiple causes.
108 LYLE 150 YEARS YOUNG Small Southern Minnesota town marking sesquicentennial with history book, celebration.
110 NEW HOME Stinar Corporation lands in Blooming Prairie
114 FINDING SUCCESS Longtime Austin bar owner sees successes in Rose Creek.
One Year In 116 TAKING A LOOK AT FAMILIAR FACES, IN NEW POSITIONS • Elaine Hansen, Austin Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director • David McKichan, Austin Police Cheif • Steve Sandvik, Mower County Sheriff • Trish Harren, Mower County Administrator
PUBLISHER Crystal Miller
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Tyler Jensen
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Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 3
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AustinUtilities.com 4 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
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Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 5
Community
Envisioning an Impact
As Vision 2020 counts its success, Impact Austin looks to carry momentum forward
In 2012, people like Yesenia Mendoza were looking towards the future. Now that 2020 is here, people can start looking back at the success of Vision 2020. Herald file photo 6 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
O
BY ERIC JOHNSON
n May 3, 2012, a packed Frank W. Bridges Theatre audience heard for the first time the 10 ideas that would become the bedrock for Austin’s Vision 2020. The energy of the moment transferred into a massive, nearly 10-year drive to transform the community into a destination that could attract others to help build and strengthen Austin. It’s now 2020 and while not every idea was realized, the energy surrounding what Austin has become remains and is now a stepping stone into a future that remains to be built. “It was exciting,” said Laura Helle, Vision 2020’s first executive director, looking back to those early days. “I remember we had an event where we wanted people to come out to the Holiday Inn and it was like an idea session. There was a meal and you could break down your ideas and sort of talk and visit. So many came and I remember high-fiving other people on the committee.” Austin’s idea was modeled off of an initiative in Dubuque, Iowa, that by project’s completion had transformed the Iowa community into an economic success story. In the time leading up to what was termed the Big Reveal, ideas of what Vision 2020 could pursue flowed into the planning committee as the initiative’s energy grew. By the time those ideas were framed for the public, those involved were ready to hit the ground running.
10 original committees revealed on May 3, 2012 • Community Wide Technology Provide every home, school and business with low cost, state-of-the-art technology including fiber optics and wireless internet throughout the City of Austin to increase economic prosperity, enhance education and heighten community safety. • Expanded Bike/Walk Trail System Connect members of the community and welcome guests through a safe integrated bike/walk trail system linking Austin. • Community Recreational Center Create a year round recreation center of architectural significance which will be a welcoming place for everyone in our community to meet, exercise and play. • Embrace and Maintain our Waterways Clean and maintain all waterways and shorelines in the community and beyond to enhance recreational opportunities. • Gateway to Austin Attraction Erect a creative and iconic I-90 overpass attraction representative of our community’s identity.
• Revitalization of Austin Utilities Building Transform the old utilities building into the anchor for Austin’s Art Row, by converting it into a modern multi-use structure that would house the Spam Museum and a variety of specialty shops, businesses, eateries and other attractions. • Education Leaders Develop a world-class, unique city-wide learning campus linking together the arts, education, science and business communities. • Downtown Austin a Destination Point Establish downtown Austin as a premier small city center, with development of a park/ plaza gathering area to host outdoor events throughout the year. • Business Friendly Environment Create and implement stand out incentives as part of economic development to position Austin as the region’s center for entrepreneurs. • Community Pride and Spirit Create a positive community spirit by fostering service, support and mentorship programs geared towards improving the quality of life and opportunities for all citizens.
Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 7
It had strong financial support from The Hormel Foundation and a strong drive to overcome the early hurdles, which included where the other funding might come from. Tim Ruzek, outreach coordinator for the Cedar River Watershed District, was one of those in attendance at Frank W. Bridges Theatre when the ideas were announced. With a passion for cleaning and improving the waterways in Austin, Ruzek became involved in the Embrace and Maintain Our Waterways committee. “I think it was a good network of bringing people together and giving them a formal and informal way of sharing opinions and bring their experience into the process,” Ruzek said. “Just that ability, for the financial resources, to ask for money from the Hormel Foundation, use that for leverage to go after different kinds of funding. I think that kind of structure helped ignite a lot of projects.” It was that same idea of so many people coming together that Helle believes built the excitement. “I was attracted to the idea of it being a cross sector and that all of the big players were in the ring,” she said. “I had done enough work to know that the city went in one direction and the county goes in another and the Chamber (of Commerce) goes in another. This was convening all of those different sectors together and they were really talking and they were really coming together and cooperating and getting on the same page and I found that to be the most exciting.” But Visions being established was only the beginning of what needed to be accomplished. There were very real challenges to be met in order to reach the lofty expectations that Vision 2020 set for itself; along the way, it would need to figure out how to get to that point. Vision 2020 was faced with the question of whether to temper its expectations or strive for its higher hopes, despite the challenges of funding. Across the board, most opted 8 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
“Aside from the millions of dollars put into projects, (it was) just the process of the people of Austin looking in the mirror and saying, ‘how can we make ourselves better?’” Tim Ruzek
“It was absolutely a success. It’s worth doing again and I’m sure it won’t look exactly the same again, but it’s worth doing again.” Laura Helle
to go for the higher goals, and that included Helle, but all of the committees and projects would need cash. The Hormel Foundation’s support would only go so far. “One of the first things I did when I was in the paid position was research funding streams, and one of things that the steering committee saw was a huge DNR funding stream for clean water,” Helle said. “I think everyone knew it was going to be too big if it was just going to be Hormel Foundation resources, but once we saw some realistic funding streams … that brought a lot of energy in.” Both Helle and Ruzek told a similar story that related directly to that process: the need to think big. It was what helped Ruzek’s committee claim a $3.2 million water grant through the foundation. “I never envisioned that at all until Laura Helle, who was director at the time, was saying dream big or dream bigger,” Ruzek said. “We would come back with something, and she would say, ‘you can dream bigger than that I’m sure.’ It was that whole process of how much could we ask for? To her credit, she pushed the watershed district, the committee, to really dream big and see what we could come back with.” That effort across the board resulted in the building of the YMCA at the Austin Community Recreation Center, which opened in early February, the Wescott Athletic Complex’s improvements, including the dome over Art Hass Stadium, the Spam Museum’s move downtown, and the improvement of biking and walking trails. But there were also some things that didn’t pan out or changed as time moved on. The Gateway to Austin Attraction, which would have spanned Interstate 90 and would have been representative of Austin’s identity, could not get off the ground. The initiative to improve Community Wide Technology also stumbled as the push to bring broadband internet to the community failed to materialize.
Mark Owens, center right, leads a small-group discussion during a committee meeting for Embrace and Maintain Waterways in May of 2012. This committee would go on to log some of Vision 2020’s most visible success. Herald file photo
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But as 2019 gave way to 2020, those who were involved can look at the successes and the failures and truly see something that transformed Austin for the better. “Aside from the millions of dollars put into projects, (it was) just the process of the people of Austin looking in the mirror and saying, ‘how can we make ourselves better?’” Ruzek said. “Getting to know each other. Just that networking part for me, I think was huge. “ Helle agreed. “It was absolutely a success,” she said.” It’s worth doing again and I’m sure it won’t look exactly the same again, but it’s worth doing again.”
Impact Austin
“I would say it’s more identity-focused rather than the community focus that Vision 2020 was.”
One of the things that Vision 2020 did was swing wide a door of welcome to those outside of Austin, to make it a destination. Austin City Administrator Craig Clark, among other reasons, chose to come to Austin from Worthington Craig Clark, based in part on what Vision co-director of Impact Austin 2020 was doing for the community. “Did I know all the nuts and bolts? No, but I was aware of what they did,” Clark said. “In fact, that was one of the large attractions to taking the position. Opportunities that others wouldn’t have.” Mower County Administrator Trish Harren is new to Austin, having just started in her position in 2019. She knew very little of what Vision 2020 was, but along with Clark, the two are now spearheading the spiritual successor to Vision 2020 — Impact Austin.
10 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Trish Harren and Craig Clark are the directors of Impact Austin, the spiritual successor to Vision 2020. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Impact Austin was announced in 2018 and was in place to take the baton when Vision 2020 wrapped up its work. According to its mission statement, Impact Austin exists for “Building a vibrant community where people and resources connect to revitalize, discover and invest to grow Austin in authentic ways.” That mission is then broken down into four different areas: housing, downtown, identity and connection and economic growth. All four have roots in the 10 original ideas of Vision 2020. “My understanding is that what we have done is take a lot of the research that has been done and information that was gathered on what the needs are, which really is about livability,” Harren said. “It isn’t just about the people who live here, but how do we sustain ourselves in the community and possibly even grow.” To that end, the four pillars take a different kind of focus from what Vision 2020 was trying to do. In those eight years starting in 2012, Vision 2020 was more of a community initiative, whereas Impact Austin takes a slightly different bend. “I would say it’s more identity-focused rather than the community focus that Vision 2020 was,” Clark said. “Those previous efforts have found permanent homes. Some of the existing structures — city, soil and water — those entities are more a part of the group and the discussion rather than as a large community focus as 2020 had been.” Impact Austin is now a focusing mechanism, bringing all of the ideas that Vision 2020 was working on and refining them, as well as, bringing the resources under one roof. At the same time, the focus is being used to address ways Austin can take what it has achieved and turn it into a self-sustained mechanism of investing in its own community. Vision 2020 was financed by the Hormel Foundation and accompanying grants. Impact Austin is looking to embrace employers, hoping they can lend their resources to keeping Austin’s momentum rolling forward.
“I think before Vision 2020 was about connecting projects with money,” Harren said. “Right now, what we’re trying to do is put up this big picture of what else we have to solve. What we want to do is be able to have enough impact in this next year that we can go to some of the employers in the community and ask them to support the work we’re doing because they need people and we’re working on the things that make people want to come here and stay here.” “Having people in a focus group that can have these discussions about these paths forward really builds those connections and streamlines what we need to try and accomplish as a community,” Clark added. If Impact Austin can lay its road to the community’s doorstep, then it may encourage other businesses to consider coming to Austin. The revitalization of the 18th Avenue Northwest corridor in a relatively short amount of time reflects the energy currently surging through the community; however, both Clark and Harren temper that with a certain reality. Both understand the demographics of Austin won’t support certain kinds of business, but part of what Impact Austin is trying to determine is what Austin can support. “What do we reach the criteria for?” Harren asked. “This is who we are as a community. Ideally, we can raise that average income, but we’re looking now at what are the demographics. What best fits us? Who are we?” Harren said Austin doesn’t necessarily need a business that creates 1,000 minimum wage jobs, but instead needs to invite businesses that meet what Austin has to offer — its strengths like agricultural science, medical science and food science. None of this will be achieved overnight, but Impact Austin has a strong base to work from thanks to Vision 2020. “The backdrop is there. There is just an incredible amount of energy now throughout the community,” Clark said. “We’re riding a nice wave and we hope to continue building on that.” P
Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 11
The newly finished and open YMCA at the Austin Community Recreation Center. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Open Business for
Recreation Center a sparkling success for community BY ERIC JOHNSON It’s hard to miss the YMCA at the Austin Community Recreation Center. Sitting on the site where the Austin Utilities downtown plant once stood, the Rec Center is an amazing example of architectural engineering and serves as one of the brighter successes of Vision 2020. “I was actually doing a presentation at the senior center and it’s hard to sell a piece of cardboard, but once you get in and see everything … people are starting to drive by and are commenting,” said YMCA Executive Director Diane Baker in the weeks leading up to the opening. She was referring to the blue prints that sat behind her desk in the former YMCA. “The outside of the building is spectacular. It’s a very special building.” Perhaps out of all of the projects coming from Vision 2020, the Rec Center 12 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
People show up to get information during a members only open house.
is probably the most storied; finding realization through the Community Recreational Center committee. The original concept read as such: “Create a year round recreation center of architectural significance, which will be a welcoming place for everyone in our community to meet, exercise and play. The recreation campus will have stateof- the-art fitness facilities such as a family aquatic center, practice facilities and programs supporting healthy living in a safe affordable environment.” This was easier said than done, because the vision of the Rec Center was broad and encompassing, its cost ballooning to a $36 million dollar project when an additional $1 million was needed to face unforeseen challenges. The challenge was made easier when The Hormel Foundation agreed to contribute $25 million to the project followed by a commitment from Hormel Food Corporation of $5 million. That left $6 million from public donations,
but the community rallied and with another effort by Hormel Foods to match employee contributions, Austin reached the $36 million mark. The Rec Center was now fully paid for, nearly unheard of for a project of this size. That doesn’t mean there weren’t stumbling blocks along the way as a major part of this project was finding a location. That set the stage for a struggle of ideas regarding the future of the downtown plant. For a long time, there were people who wanted the unique architecture of the plant to be reused in a different capacity. There was talk of turning it into apartments, housing restaurants and other businesses within its walls. For a few years the Austin ArtWorks Festival found a home in the plant, creating a unique industrial backdrop to the young celebration of the arts. But ultimately, reality set in. The money needed to renovate such a colossal structure was just too much and so the site was secured for the new Rec Center. Ground was broken on July 25, 2018, and throughout the rest of 2018 and all of 2019 construction was ongoing. More and more people began talking about the new center as walls went up. There was frustration from some that the plant would be torn down and there was some question in the public of the center’s direction. But that is something Baker couldn’t help. What she and her staff could do was simply be the best they could be. “I think there are still some nay-sayers,” she admitted. “No one is ever going to get exactly what they want. It’s not going to happen. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that not everybody is going to be happy, but we’re going to take the space we have and make it the best we can.” Baker came on as executive director of YMCA close to project completion. It was an immensely gigantic project to jump into, but coming from her position as executive director of the United Way of Mower County, Baker felt the move was the right one. “It’s actually a very normal fit for me because I feel like I’m super passionate about the community and health and wellness and kids and youth and everything that encompasses the Y,” she said.
Austin Parks, Recreation and Forestry Director Kevin Nelson looks over the new swimming pool at the YMCA at the Austin Community Recreation Center. But the effort was still exhausting. In the period leading up to the unveiling, the pressure was weighing heavy. “There’s just so many things to figure out like managing two places right now,” Baker said in January. “So, all of the staff are in their daily things (at the YMCA) and managing our programs.”
Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 13
However, the excitement was definitely building. “It’s super fun to take people in and give them a tour. I think people will be blown away in the facility,” she said. In the relatively short time Baker has been hands-on with the Recreation Center, she has become amazed at how it’s changed. Baker remembers taking her first tours through the building as it marched along toward completion. “When I interviewed for this I toured it, and I literally had to climb a ladder up two stories with no railing and everything was a dirt floors and it was really hard to imagine what it was,” she said. “It was really hard to make out what it was going to be. To see that progression and to see those buildings and the rooms come together and the finishes and things like that. It’s pretty cool.” The project really hit home when it was unveiled for the first time during a donorsonly event before it opened to the public on Feb. 3. The YMCA at the Austin Community Recreation Center features an expansive free weight area as well as treadmills and stationary bikes. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
14 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 15
As tours walked through the building, it was clear to see the excitement on the faces of those visiting. It might also be representative of the transformation of what downtown Austin can and might be. “It just gains momentum,” Baker said. “Once you have a few things that are anchors and they bring something in then everybody can build and feed on that. We still have some empty buildings on Main Street, but how cool would it be to show people what we got?” It’s also broadly representative of the larger success coming from Vision 2020. “It absolutely does,” Baker agreed. “No matter how big or small, the effort was something we needed to do. There were so many people committed to it. We’ve seen so many great things come out of it. “Are there some things that didn’t get done that we thought would? Absolutely, that’s how any project works. I think we need to take a victory lap for the things we do have that we can offer our community now.” P
“No matter how big or small, the effort was something we needed to do. There were so many people committed to it. We’ve seen so many great things come out of it.” Diane Baker, Executive Director of the YMCA at the Austin Community Recreation center on Vision 2020
The swimming pool play area. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Parents watch their children play in the play area of the YMCA at the Austin Community Recreation Center. 16 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
People tour one of the second floor gym areas during a donors only open house in January.
Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 17
75 years of service Morning Lions celebrate nearly a century helping a community BY ERIC JOHNSON Seventy-five years is a long time for anything, but when you are doing something good … well time flies when you’re having fun. In 2019, the Austin Noon Lions turned 75 and during that time they have served Austin with the best of intentions: making a community better. “It says that there are people willing to serve their fellow man,” said longtime member Jerry Wolesky, who has been a Lion for 40 years. “It’s important and at some point most everybody needs something and we try to help with those needs.”
HISTORY
Members of the Austin Noon Lions gather for a meeting at the Mower County Senior Center. Photos by Eric Johnson/ photodesk@austindailyherald.com
18 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Austin Noon Lions trace their beginnings to October 1944. At that time the Lions in Austin was one club and wouldn’t split into its two halves — Morning and Noon Lions — until the 1980s. It was a simple case of logistics. “The morning club actually was a group of noon members who found it was tough to come at noon and thought it would be easier to come in the morning,” Wolesky said. As the members started their work, they began identifying specific causes they could take up and in 1960 Past District Governor Lion George Dugan guided the start of the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank. Through the Lions Eye Bank, the club supports the Bank’s effort to store and prepare donated corneas for transplantation. “Lions International was challenged by Helen Keller to be the Knights of the Blind and that’s where it all started,” Wolesky said. “In 1960 our club was kind of the spearhead club in the state of Minnesota that started the Lions Eye Bank under the tutelage of George Dugan.” But this was just the beginning as the Lions branched out, supporting the Austin community in as many ways as possible.
“We don’t lose sight of the fact that we also support community projects as well,” Wolesky said. “We’re interested in helping out at the community level whenever and whatever we can.” Currently, that includes the eye bank, vision and hearing foundations and a program that retrains K-9 police dogs for the deaf and blind. The locally famed Pancake Day got its start in 1960. All of this and more in 75 years of service. “It’s a big milestone,” Wolesky said. “I mean, we have clubs that have been longer, but we’re still in the area, one of the longest-standing Lions clubs in this area.”
Current Austin Noon Lions Club President Heather Ryks kicks off a meeting.
YEARS OF SERVICE
In the grand scheme of 75 years, Charles Mills is a relative newcomer to the club. He joined 12 years ago, saying he wanted to “be more a part of the community.” That opportunity has afforded Mills the chance to work on several projects that have benefitted the community of Austin. It’s kept him busy and that has made him happy to be a part of the continuing mission of the Lions. “The part I enjoy the most is working on the projects with the other Lions,” Mills said. “It’s keeping me a lot busier than if I wasn’t. I’m finding friends and being part of the community.” Being part of this service has inspired Mills and many others as long-time members continue to
“...at some point most everybody needs something and we try to help with those needs.” Jerry Wolesky, 40 year Lion member
work within the group to serve Austin. “We’ve had members pass at 103,” he said. “I think with the older members, I’m inspired to see them active at a senior age.” Harlan Nelson, like Wolesky, has been with the Noon Lions for 40 years and not only does he find it inspiring to do the work of the Lions, he also finds a lot of pride with the work. “I think it’s the pride of belonging to a club that serves the community,” he said. Nelson was one of those who helped start the Morning Lions club two decades ago. “It was fun to start something successful,” he said. “It makes you feel good.” Over all the years of service, change is inevitable and in the early 1990s, the club opened its doors for the first time to women, even though women weren’t completely excluded before that. Under the Lions banner there was a separate entity called the Lionesses. But during the decade, Lions International began urging the consolidation and the merging of the two. Women were encouraged to join and, in 1993, Darlene Haukom became the first female member of the Austin Noon Lions, serving as president in 1996-97.
ANOTHER 75
As time moves forward, all local service clubs find themselves challenged by the need to recruit younger members.
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Currently, membership of the Noon Lions stands at 67, which is down a touch from when Wolesky joined, “but it’s not anything dramatic,” he said. It is something that the club recognizes, though. “It’s always a trouble with service clubs nowadays,” Nelson said. “It’s important to have a lifeline to the community and getting younger people and that’s not easy.” Technology over the years, however; has made it easier to reach out and sustain members. Communication through email and text has made it easier to reach those who live on their phones and in turn might well help the extension of members. “We do a lot of sustaining on a computer,” Nelson said. “We keep in touch over email. It puts it in front of everybody.” “If we can get a few young people, in turn they might be reaching out to peers,” Nelson added. There certainly isn’t a concern that service clubs, including the Lions, will no longer be needed. As long as there is a community in need of service there will be the Noon Lions. “I would assume there will always be a need for service clubs,” Wolesky said. “People are in situations where they need help. Service is just that. Can we provide what’s necessary?” Looking back, however, those who are members of the Noon Lions can take stock of all they have done. “It’s just enjoyable to know you’re doing something good for people,” Nelson said. P
20 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Doreen Gillard introduces the meeting’s guest speaker during a gathering of the Austin Noon Lions Club. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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On a mission to serve Seventh-grader Alex Goetz donates to Bring the Light
BY ROCKY HULNE Alex Goetz is at her happiest when she’s helping others and she’s gone above and beyond the call of the average middle school student to make a difference in many ways. Goetz, a seventh grader at Ellis Middle School, is always looking to help out anyone in need and she’s also developed a passion for donating to overseas missionaries — even if that means giving up some of her own money. Over the past three years, Goetz has raised nearly $3,000 for Speed the Light, a youth program that donates to ministries for Assemblies of God. “I like to give to people. When I see people outside alone who have no one, it’s really heartbreaking to me,” Goetz said. “To think that people all round the world have nothing is really awful to me. It helps me to give towards something. It’s Light-Bringers heartbreaking to me to know that Speed the Light is affiliated there’s people with Assemblies of God Youth Ministries and it looks to carry who don’t have the gospel across the world. water, a home or It is a student-initiated, volshoes.” unteer-based and charitable Goetz baked program that offers resourccookies for es to missionaries across Speed the Light the nation in 180 countries when she was in around the world. Started in 1944, it has fifth grade, she raised over $300 million in recycled cans missionary equipment. in sixth grade and she donated her babysitting money this year. Each fundraiser lasted for about six weeks. Goetz learned about Speed the Light at a camp and her desire to give back grew stronger when she attended a three-day Minnesota Youth Convention where she remembers thinking about being a part of change. Since then, she has put forth an effort to give back what she can for a cause she believes in. “For a while I kind of thought this isn’t enough, but I kind of realized that whatever I give is perfect,” Goetz said. “It’s something really cool and
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different for me. I have everything I need in my life and something really changed in me when I started giving to other people. In my life, I’m so fortunate compared to other people around the world. I’m so blessed from God and it’s kind of crazy.” While she was babysitting this past year, Goetz saw the kindness in the hearts of the people she babysat for as they stepped up and gave her extra pay for her cause. “A lot of people gave more to me than they probably would have otherwise. I got a lot more money because I was giving,” Goetz said. “People really saw that I was doing this and they wanted to help me. A lot of the people were really kind toward me and they were really thoughtful and generous.” Goetz cannot stand the thought of someone feeling lost or alone and she does her best at Ellis to make sure that nobody is feeling left out. “I’m shy at school, but I do think about helping others. I need to. People need God and people need help around the school,” Goetz said. “I ask if I can give up my time for someone else and the answer is
Alex Goetz does what she can to make a difference and make people happy. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com always yes. I need to help others; it’s not just about me.” Goetz plans on continuing to donate
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to Speed the Light in the coming years and she has bigger goals for helping others in the future.
“I don’t think I’m ever going to stop giving. That’s really important to me,” Goetz said. P
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Data storage and processor gives The Hormel Institute two petabytes of space BY TYLER JENSEN The Hormel Institute has added a major electronic file. At the Institute, there can be boost to its data storage capabilities which billions of different files generated. This takes help continue to power cancer research some of the human element out of sorting the through the years. files. With its new data storage and processing “After the fact, there is zero chance you’re system from Atavium, the Institute now has going to get a researcher to go back through two petabytes of storage space for its system. and say, ‘OK, which one of these files do you That is equivalent to about 2,000 home comwant to keep?’” McDonald said. puters. Even with all of the space the Institute has, This much storage is needed to keep up at the rate it generates data, some stuff has to with the 10 terabytes of data the museum’s be deleted at some point. Although the origicryo-electron microscopy microscope, which nal microscope image is only 10 terabytes, as can take images of researchers work subatomic particles, with it, they might generates in a week, make several copsaid Director of ies that are not Research Support needed after work Dr. Jeff McDonald, is done. PhD. With the new “We need some system, these files place to store it,” he could be set to said about the data. be deleted after a The new system specified amount won’t just hold data, of time. but sort and archive “You could say, it based on criteria ‘After one year, Dr. Jeff McDonald shows off some of the storage discs he the Institute sets, delete that file,’” was adding to The Hormel Institute’s already large data which means it no McDonald said. storage capabilities. longer has to rely Although the on researchers Institute does not remembering the correct place to store their store such data, the Atavium system can also work. be set to ensure policies for sensitive data are As someone who has worked administrating followed. systems for more than a decade, McDonald In the next year, the company will be rolling knows that something that always comes up out ways to handle encryption requirements are the questions of how long does data need as well. In the future, the Institute is also lookto be stored and how does it need to be stored. ing to integrate the system with its tape librarHaving systems with the answers to those ies, which general users do not have access to questions built in allows data to be sorted as deleted information. it is generated. It also means it will be easier Systems like these are going to be the way for people to find the information they need of the future, not just for places like the to work on additional research 10 or 20 years Institute, but also businesses and government from now. entities. Before this, a model for what would happen “I think you need a system like this to help to the data throughout its life-cycle was used you manage all of the data,” McDonald said. for every piece of data was not possible. When McDonald was at the University of “It’s been ad hoc for a long time,” McDonald Minnesota’s supercomputer institute, there said. “Now you can automate that.” was five petabytes of data storage and over Now, staff can develop a model and have it half a trillion files to manage. applied to data through a tag that is put on the “There is no way that one person is ever 24 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
PAINT THE TOWN PINK
Dr. Jeff McDonald works on the storage system as he adds more storage at The Hormel Institute. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com going to be able to manage that storage without some sort of automatic process,” he said. He went to that job after being a research professor with a doctorate in high energy particle physics. The amount of data being generated is constantly increasing. In 1996, when he first started working with systems that had a lot of data, the biggest centers in the world had the capacity for a couple terabytes. “Twenty years later, your phone can have close to half of that,” McDonald said. As technology continues to improve, he expects data will continue to grow. P
The 2020 Paint the Town Pink (PTTP) campaign marks the 10th year of this work to raise money for cancer research at the Hormel Institute. In these first 10 years, the event has been a success that continues to grow since the first Paint the Rink Pink Austin Bruins game raised about $25,000. This year, PTTP Director Kathi Finley said the organization expects to pass the $2 million raised mark. The money has had a huge impact for the Hormel Institute’s ability to do cancer research. “It’s vital. There is research that happens with this seed grant money that would not be able to happen without those funds,” Finley said. The funds are used to start projects and get them to the point where larger grants can be applied for. “A $20,000 seed grant can lead to a $1 million grant to continue that research,” Finley said. After the Convention and Visitors Bureau got out of the PTTP organizing, she became the director of the initiative through the Institute. Finley’s favorite part of the first 10 years has been meeting people and hearing their stories. Some of her favorite moments include seeing the kids at Woodson Kindergarten Center collect pennies to donate, seeing the senior citizens hold a bake sale and everything in between. “It’s hard to find just one particular thing that really stands out,” Finley said. Going forward with this year, she said organizers are looking at spreading events throughout the year rather than cramming all the fundraising into a few weeks in January and February. As for the next $2 million raised, Finley said she does not expect it to take another decade.
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Making Connections Coffee Connections is an outside-the-box approach to fighting addiction, finding hope BY ERIC JOIHNSON At a little before 9 a.m., on a blustery Friday in January, around 14-20 people were chatting and laughing over coffee. They were coming and going, wishing each other “Good morning,” and asking after each other until the stroke of 9 a.m. when people began finding their seats as even more people trickled in. “Good morning everybody!” came Elbert Trias’ voice over the din, a sort of good-natured gavel to call the meeting to order. His sentiment was echoed by several in the room as the circle became complete. This was Coffee Connections and throughout the next hour and a half these people — most all of them recovering drug or alcohol addicts along with supporters — would run the emotional gamut, reflecting happiness, sadness, resolve, strength, frustration and struggle. Coffee Connections is an informal meeting of sorts, held every Friday at 9 a.m. in the Mower County Jail and Justice Center for people to find support, friendship and in a lot of ways themselves as they continue to strive for a clean life. They are not required to be there, but instead they want to be there. 26 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
In some ways Coffee Connections is like so many other recovery groups. A question is asked every session, but before it can be answered, the person first introduces themselves and then adds in some variation for another, “and I’m an addict.” On this particular Friday, the question asked was two-fold and was provided by Trias himself: What’s your favorite childhood memory? What do you see when you look in the mirror? The first question opened up the opportunity to remember a happier time, though not all in attendance had the luxury. The question of looking into a mirror held the unspoken challenge of introspection. The two questions together were meant to bring people closer in a way that would further strengthen the knot of support this group was tying together. “Everybody here should get to know people,” Trias explained to the group. “For us to help each other we should know each other better.” And so it was Trias who was first to go: “When I look in the mirror what do I see? A changed person.” For those attending the question of reflection was a challenge as it revealed a darker image, representing mistakes and regrets. Each person answering these questions did so in different ways, sometimes with humor, but more often than not with a deep look within as they came to terms with what they were going through or had gone through. Ryan Ball, who has had a number of police involvements over the years and who has spent time behind bars, held his daughter Kinsley close as he testified. His son, Ryder, played at his feet. There seemed to be a struggle at first as he searched for the words, his eyes often trailing to his children.
Every Friday at 9 a.m. Coffee Connections comes together over coffee, fellowship and support. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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“My past doesn’t necessarily determine my future,” he told the group finally. “I’m able to give (my children) something I didn’t have — a dad.”
Beginning
Coffee Connections had a humble beginning and it began to take shape in the office of Mower County Corrections Probation Officer Debra Schmitt, who has worked in corrections for nearly 20 years. “Interestingly, my mom was a social worker and my dad was a peace officer and I wanted something in between,” she said. “You wear a lot of different hats in corrections and so I just kind of wanted something that blended both of those roles.” Schmitt has seen a lot of faces come and go through her office over the years and she’s seen the effects of addiction along with its consequences. On one particular day, Schmitt was working with a person suffering from methamphetamine addiction and had relapsed. Tragic and all too familiar. Schmitt was looking for a way to help this person when another option presented itself. “There was a couple that came in and they were sober,” Schmitt remembered. “They had a strong connection in the recovery community and I just thought they could probably help this person more than I could. “I bring them in here and right away they connected and they started working their magic. I just kind of sat back.”
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Sandy Torres takes a moment to compose herself while reflecting on her past addictions. “I can be a better person.” Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The couple walked the woman through her relapse that included recognizing that when addicts relapse it often starts before the actual relapse. “There were certain situations that can be a slippery slope and you pay attention to those situations because then they relapse,” Schmitt said. “It was neat watching this go down.” When the small intervention was complete Schmitt put out the suggestion that it happen again the following Friday over some coffee — a chance to check in and see how things were going. That initial
coffee connection went so well the small group asked to do it again. “I didn’t think it would turn into what it’s turned into but it’s just blossomed into this amazing recovery group where people come and get support through the community, support from each other,” Schmitt said.
Voices of the vulnerable
To tell a story such as addiction is to reveal a personal and raw struggle. While everybody in the
room this particular Friday told their own story of that struggle when they looked in the mirror, it came with a resolve many don’t see get to see. Sandy Torres paused often as she told her story, but gained momentum when she talked about the road ahead and coming to terms with her past. “I see a happier person, a healthier person,” she said. “I have scars you can see, but I’m beautiful too.” Torres said she had been addicted to just about everything starting at an early age. She admitted that while she went to college, it was mostly for the parties. As the struggles mounted, Torres realized she needed the help Coffee Connections could offer. “It’s very refreshing. It’s such a relief,” she said. “Being an addict at rock bottom, to know we’re not alone I feel is the most refreshing.” Not long before this January meeting Torres relapsed, but as she continues her journey to recovery, she accepts the misstep and rather than succumb, she has kept going forward. “It happened, but it’s also part of my recovery,” she said. “It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come.”
Those attending a Coffee Connections meeting in January pose for a picture afterwards demonstrating a family of support. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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Ball began coming to Coffee Connections in April of last year. Those relationships are not only with each other, they are with He doesn’t shy away from that past and his involvements with law families and the law enforcement they see each day they come to enforcement. He sees it as just that — the past. the Jail and Justice Center for Coffee Connections. He uses the opportunity Coffee Connections provides to rebuild That can be transformative because it gives law enforcement a trust for himself and for others because it’s trust that can become chance to see these people in a light not seen before. the most damaged. “Deputies, they see these people at a low point in their life. “These people trust the people in this group,” he said. “It gives A dark spot, like after they are using,” Schmitt said. “They see me the sense that I can trust them. Trust is a huge thing because them at a point in their life when they are making some not we come here from a lifestyle where trust is something we’ve good choices. Now they are sober and they are doing something broken. We are hurting people who are supposed to love us.” different and they start to build a relationship.” Shauna George gets For others, it’s finding something that’s been left behind. From this safe environment, those recovering find the road a hug from Bonnie “Honestly, its being what they say, ‘sick and tired of being sick ahead a little easier to travel; free of judgment, shame or Sutton-Smisek. and tired,” said Chris Heyer. “When I come to a group like this I repercussions. From this starting point, those in recovery are find hope.” progressing to a different phase of life. Eric Johnson/photodesk Hope is a common theme as the group told its collective story of Better yet, it’s evolving. In Mower County, Coffee Connections @austindailyherald.com conquering demons. Bonnie Sutton-Smisek has been on the front is also being attended by social workers who want to support line of this personal war since the age of 14 when she was living in California. the recovery; more of the community is also becoming more involved. For She’s spent time in prison, including an eight-year stint for possessing a instance, First Congregational Church recently donated $500 toward coffee and pound of meth. On the day she had to tell her mother she was going to prison treats. for a long time was the day the wheels of recovery started spinning. The idea is reaching outside of the community as well. Dodge County has “I was tired of telling my mom these things,” Sutton-Smisek said. She is now started a Coffee Connections along with Olmsted and Freeborn counties. Steele a certified Peer Recovery Specialist and it has put her in the position to use County is looking into starting its own group. her struggles as leverage in guiding others. It’s a new and outside-of-the-box approach to the drug problem affecting “It gives me the opportunity to advocate and encourage others in their millions across the United States. journey to recovery,” she said. “In most jobs they ask if you’ve ever been “Whatever we can do to support you on this journey, that’s what we want to convicted. In my role, it’s one of the qualifiers.” do,” Schmitt said. But for those in the group like Trias, it’s a chance to be among friends facing Future the same challenges. The same fight. Coffee Connections has built bridges and relationships over its’ two years. “It puts me at ease. I don’t feel singled out,” he said. “We all live almost the Each person, with each story told, stands next to somebody going through the same way for different reasons and it’s comforting to tell other people our same things. struggles. It makes me feel not alone.” P
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Mayo Clinic of Austin continues march toward updated site
Associate Administrator Kristin Johnson, from left, CEO and Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Mark Ciota and Nursing Administrator Lori Routh talk about all the changes that have taken place at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin over the past few years. Behind them is a lay-out plan for all of the phases. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
BY TYLER JENSEN The multi-year Mayo Clinic Health SystemsAustin campus renovation project is continuing on schedule. When it is completed, the hospital will have an updated surgical facility, intensive care unit and OBGYN facility. The process began with planning in 2016, before the ICU was completed in 2019. Now work is focusing on the OBGYN and surgical areas. With the process, delivery of babies for Austin and Albert Lea will be solely conducted at the Austin site. Combining services into one location was done so employees could be attracted and retained. One of the reasons the project is being done over the course of several years is to keep services going. “Because we need to stay open, we’re just doing 32 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
it in phases,” said CEO and Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Mark Ciota. Ciota guessed the last major construction project on the hospital itself was done in the 1970s. The overall goal of the project is to keep the hospital viable and have as many services as possible remain local, Ciota said. The new ICU is a state of the art facility with 12 rooms for patients. This allows sick patients to stay locally longer instead of being sent to another hospital due to a lack of space. “It’s very good to see that work coming to fruition,” said Nursing Administrator Lori Routh. With the new facilities comes equipment to help make patients and staff safer during transfers. Seeing how well the ICU units have turned out allows staff to picture how well things will operate
once all the work is done, Routh said. According to Associate Administrator Kristin Johnson, one new feature in the ICU, which will be replicated in other parts of the facility, is the opportunity to teleconference with specialists in Rochester. Through this process, the specialist can speak with the patient and local staff, provide guidance on procedures and prepare for if the patient will be transferred to another hospital. The system works by having a camera and screen in each room that connects to specialists to the Rochester Emergency Department and other departments. Hospitals like Austin do not have these specialists because there is not enough cases that come through the hospital to justify hiring them, Ciota said. He used the example of joint infections to make the point.
One of the rooms that doctors will be able to retreat to either get work done or catch up on some rest. It’s the first time the hospital will have space like this.
“We don’t have enough infections of that kind to have a doctor where that’s all they do, but they do have that over in Rochester,” he said. The Rochester doctor would be able to review a patient’s charts, look at the infected area and tell onsite staff what medications should
be used to treat the individual. In the future, work will be done to get this to the point where specialists can visit with patients in their own home through telecommunications. In Routh’s mind, patients are going to like being able to see these specialists from their own community, rather than having to travel to places
like Rochester either by personal transport or by ambulance. Even if the patient does need to be transferred, care can start right away. “The things that need to be delivered rapidly, we can begin that with their direction as we’re beginning a transfer,” Routh said. When she began working as a nurse more than 30 years ago, Routh had no idea technology like this would ever be around. She sees this as the most dramatic change in how the staff are able to deliver healthcare. “To me it is the biggest healthcare improvement in 39 years,” Routh said. Patients feel like the specialist is in the room with them, and with all these technological improvements, one of the biggest budget items for the renovation is the IT infrastructure. This is intended to make sure things work well at their current level, but also at whatever level the hospital is operating at 10 years from now, Ciota said. Levels of redundancy are put in place to prevent issues with the telecommunications, but staff are also trained to be prepared for a downtime. Along with the improved facilities, the hospital is looking to attract more physicians, nurses and other staff. Four family practitioners, two urologists, one obstetrician and a number of nurse practitioners are set to come to Austin and Albert Lea this year, Ciota said.
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As units at the hospital get bigger, the hospital is able to offer more services to its patients, which helps with keeping people at their local hospital. Part of retaining staff involves new accommodations for them. The old way of doing things involved having staff who had to be in the facility 24/7 and then get some sleep wherever they could find a spot. With the renovations, there will be dedicated spaces where staff can access records, get some sleep and even have their family over for a meal. “It makes a much better lifestyle for the physician and then they’re here when the patients need them, not staying across the street at a hotel,” Ciota said. New rooms with video-conferencing capabilities will allow staff at the Austin hospital to participate in educational events in Rochester as well. Having a new, updated facility with the newest tools helps make employees happier, which helps with retention. “That’s what professionals of all types like, so we think that will be a big part of retention,” Ciota said. The project is currently on track for completion by January 2021 with the upcoming phase focusing on the labor and delivery area. “Patients will really start seeing the enhancements of our construction and remodeling once we get to those phases,” Johnson said.
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Work continues on the addition to Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin. The addition is now enclosed and when completed will allow for a more direct route to patient areas.
She added that staff have been very positive and adaptable as they have gone through the renovations. Johnson also wanted to recognize housekeeping and facilities workers, who have helped make the transition between different parts of the hospital
renovations go smoothly. Routh said the barriers between the construction and rest of the hospital have also been very good at keeping noise down, with Ciota adding that patients have also been very understanding about the process and great about all of it. P
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Montessori teacher Diedre Smith works over some geography with the kiddos at Pacelli. Photos by Eric Johnson/ photodesk@austindaily herald.com
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Pacelli Montessori gets children ready for kindergarten and beyond BY ROCKY HULNE It’s a cold day outside in January, but Pacelli Elementary is warm with the smiles of four-year olds who are working on drawing snow men and getting to know their peers. Instructor Diedre Smith is balancing the act of guiding the children, while also letting them learn some things on their own. It’s just another day at Montessori in Pacelli, a program that has thrived in its first year. “It’s really going fantastic,” said Smith. “I really enjoy watching them learn, grow and apply the skills that we’ve been working on. I get to back off a little
bit now because they’re getting independent and that’s really neat to see.” Students at the Montessori put in a full school week with days running from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., where they are given the proper tools to prepare for kindergarten, while also learning to help out around the house. Smith has shown her students the basic skills of pouring water and cleaning up messes, while also instituting some math, science and reading into the curriculum. “Maria Montessori really focused on teaching and learning through life skills,” Smith said. “We incorporate a lot of work and material for skills that they would do at home.” Smith owns and runs Discovery Learning Center, which is a traditional preschool center, but she felt Pacelli offered the opportunity to give students a little more as they prepare to enter the world of education. The Pacelli Montessori features one day out of the week where Bible lessons are taught and students all attend mass on Fridays. “(Teaching the Bible) a unique part of the program and I really enjoy it. That was one piece that I was excited to implement,” Smith said. “It started with us needing more for our community and something different for our community. I had started training in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd with our faith formation program (at St. Augustine Church) and I was really drawn to that. From there, I went back to school to get my degree.” Smith has carried over a lot of her expertise from DLC, but she’s also kept the focus on preparing students for the next level.
Khu Htwa works on a puzzle during Montessori at Pacelli.
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“It’s very similar to a traditional preschool and we still work on the same concepts to get ready for kindergarten,” Smith said. “We just present it in a different way. We do more work, rather than play. We still try to tie in opportunities for them to be social with their friends and learn those skills too.” Smith allows her students to have outdoor play time, and there is a music program on Wednesdays. The program covers just about all of the bases to take students through the school day. “If they choose to stay with Pacelli, they’ll be comfortable with the environment,” Smith said. “In terms of preparing them for school, it’s a full school day so they’re already used to the hours of a school day and they go down and do lunch like they will (in kindergarten).” Any students who attend Montessori are likely to avoid any first day jitters when they begin kindergarten. The program not only helps with education, it also prepares kids to be around other kids on a daily basis. “Personally, I feel that any kind of structured social environment that they can have with their peers is so important in preparing them for school,” Smith said. “The more and more these kids have screen time, the less they learn to properly socialize with other children. Any time they can have opportunities to be around their peers, it prepares them for entrance into kindergarten.” The Pacelli Montessori program is open to the entire community. P
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Diedre Smith works with Yaneth Alonzo during Montessori at Pacelli.
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Diversity The Ehon family including Koussai and his wife Charlotte and their children Elisha, from left, Gnima and Keren. Eric Johnson/photodesk @austindailyherald.com
Destination: America Kouassi Ehon’s family has journeyed from Ivory Coast to United States citizenship
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E
arlier this school year, Keren and Gnima Ehon walked into a celebration.
The fourth-grade sisters entered their classroom at Neveln Elementary School, where they were greeted by teachers and classmates ready to celebrate their newfound citizenship. But this was only one step in the Ehon family’s journey to become full United States citizens. The journey has been long and arduous, starting in 2013, when the sisters’ father, Kouassi, first came to the U.S. Kouassi was a winner in a lottery program designed for people looking to get to the United States. His first stay was short-lived and placed his future as a citizen in danger. “I come here and it’s very, very cold and it’s busy, but I also have my family in Africa,” Kouassi said, looking back on all those years. Kouassi opted to return to the Ivory Coast, where he was an accountant. It was also a short stay. “After one month in March 2013, I go back to my country,” Kouassi said. “But when I go back to my country, my friends say, ‘Kouassi, this is an opportunity for you, for your family. Don’t waste this opportunity.’” After four months back in Africa, Kouassi returned to America, staying first in Dixon, Illinois, with a cousin. The next stop was Waterloo, Iowa, but it quickly became apparent that Waterloo was not to be a permanent stop. “I worked with the Tyson company for four months, but I don’t like Waterloo,” Kouassi explained. “I like a small city. Everything is easy, everything is close to your house.” Kouassi’s first job when moving to Austin was with Quality Pork Processors; nine months later he was working at Hormel Food Corporation, where he continues to work today. The path to citizenship was a long and drawn out affair. For the most part, Kouassi was without family in the U.S., and while his job afforded him the opportunity required to be a citizen, it was not what he had in the Ivory Coast. “I am an accountant. Chief accountant,” Kouassi said. “For my professional life I think it’s better. In Africa, I have a good job, an office job. I have my car, a company car. I have the good life, but here it’s not easy. I am employed in a factory job, but for me I say if I live here my children will have more opportunity than in my country.” The job also allowed him to save enough money to bring the rest of his family overseas stateside. Keren and Gnima came to America three years apart. Gnima was the first, arriving in the United States in 2015, followed by Keren in 2018. A third child, Elisha, was born to Kouassi’s wife Charlotte, and he made his appearance the same year Keren arrived. “Now is better,” he said. “Now I’m with my wife
Keren, from left, Gnima, Elisha and Kouassi Ehon come together for a photo this past December at Neveln Elementary. Herald file photo
and I have enough money for all.” The path to citizenship started officially for Kouassi in March 2018. He was required to stay in the country for five years, remain law-abiding and be able to support himself. The money to apply for citizenship was a sticking point and a big hurdle. “It’s not easy for me,” he said. “For me I pay $725, for Gnima and Keren I need to pay $1,175 each.” But Kouassi kept pushing and after three weeks from application, Kouassi went back to be fingerprinted and was then given a book that helped him learn about America and prepare for the test of 10 questions, chosen randomly out of the 100 questions possible. After seven months, he took the test. Gnima and Keren did not need to take the test because of Kouassi’s success in passing his. Since Elisha was born here — which automatically provides citizenship status — all four are considered citizens now. Only Charlotte has yet to become a citizen, since she has only been in the states for four years. But what everything really means is that the dream has nearly become a reality. “For me this means a new life, a new
“For me this means a new life, a new opportunity, the new dream. My hope is that my children can take this opportunity. I made this sacrifice for their opportunity.” Kouassi Ehon opportunity, the new dream,” Kouassi said. “My hope is that my children can take this opportunity. I made this sacrifice for their opportunity. When I go to school in my country, I dream to come to America.” While the future is not set in stone, Kouassi’s hopes for Gnima and Keren are that they continue forward and eventually earn a college education, possibly to become an architect or a doctor. But for now, Kouassi is happy to be under one roof with his entire family. “I am happy to live together with my family,” Kouassi said. “This is my dream.” P Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 43
Striving for one community
Karem Salas Rodriguez is the next in line to serve as an honoary member of the Austin City Council. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s honorary council member position one year later BY MICHAEL STOLL 2019 marked the first full year that Austin’s City Council has included an honorary council member among its ranks during its bimonthly meetings. Authorized by the council in 2018, the honorary council member position was founded at the recommendation of the Austin Human Rights Commission. The commission found in a 2017 study that the inability for immigrant communities to connect with city leadership, as well as understand how city government functions, caused a major roadblock in making Austin a more inclusive community. 44 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
The honorary council member is selected from applicants from Austin’s immigrant communities to serve a three-month term. While the honorary council member has no voting power, he or she receives all correspondence directed to the council (except that which is deemed “privileged”) and participates in discussions at council meetings. The first honorary council member, George Bass, a native of Gambia, took his seat in October 2018. Since then, several more members with varying backgrounds have held the position. “What we’re trying to do is integrate our
immigrants into the community,” said Austin Mayor Tom Stiehm. “We don’t want to be living side-by-side with them; we want to be living together in one community.” Immigrants and refugees make up about 23 percent of Austin’s population, according to Stiehm. “We want them to have a say,” he said. “If you want to have a happy population, it’s not about getting what they want. It’s that they have a say in the matter. We want them to be a part of the process.”
“We’re trying to help the assimilation process as best we can and to do that, they need to have a voice,” he added. “Part of the city’s role is to develop leadership in this community. (The honorary council members) are the current and future leaders of their communities and we expect them to go take the knowledge that they learned here and spread it around and help their communities acclimate.” The ability to learn more is the reason Karem Salas Rodriguez, an immigrant originally from Morelos, Mexico, decided to apply for the honorary council member position. “The main reason why I’m doing this is to be able to learn more about my community, specifically in terms of the policy and legislative side I don’t really know about,” she said. Salas Rodriguez, who is currently a part of Leadership Austin and an employee with United Way of Mower County, assumed the honorary council member position in February 2020. She learned of the position from Councilwoman Laura Helle after Salas Ramirez gave a presentation at Apex Austin. “The more I understood it, the better I felt about applying,” she said. Stiehm calls the honorary council member position a small piece of a bigger puzzle. “We’re kind of an experiment here; we’re not doing immigration like most cities,” he said. “Most cities don’t do anything; they just let the
“What we’re trying to do is integrate our immigrants into the community. We don’t want to be living side-by-side with them; we want to be living together in one community.” Tom Stiehm, Austin Mayor communities grow up divided, and we don’t want that. “If you exclude them from the process, they might have issues come up and they may get angry. We’ve seen that in other cities and we don’t want that here. We want to talk to them and for them to be part of the community.” Stiehm cited issues in Worthington, Minnesota, where residents have on multiple occasions voted against school expansions to account for the growing number of immigrants within the community, as something Austin wants to avoid. “I think there is apprehension on both sides; it’s hard for immigrants to assimilate. Most of the immigrants we have are refugees. They’re not coming here because they think, ‘I’m going to go live a better life in the United States.’ They’re coming here because they don’t want to be killed. We love to partner with people. I don’t care if they are an immigrant or a refugee, they have to get into the game.”
Although the position is still relatively new, Stiehm said it has produced some results. A Karreni celebration in the summer of 2019 was held thanks in part to honorary council member Rain Suereh, who learned about the proper officials to contact thanks to his position. “I think it’s been a positive program,” Stiehm said. “I think we’ve got some positive feedback from people.” Salas Ramirez said that assuming the role of honorary council member was an honor. “I know they (the city) want to get the voices of everybody in the community,” she said. “This is a different side I don’t know much about. I’ve grown up here, this is my hometown, and this is a side of Austin I don’t know about. I’m excited to learn and be an advocate if I can.” “It’s all about inclusion and getting people together,” Stiehm said. “We want one community here.” P
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Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 45
Connecting people Austin’s Bethlehem Church strives to be one congregation of many cultures
BY MIKE STOLL While attending a service on any given Sunday at Bethlehem Church, one may see a congregation of many people. Whether they are originally from Ethiopia, Central America, Burma (Myanmar), Vietnam, Sudan or Austin, parishioners gather together not as many nations, but as one church. “Throughout the year, there are about 8-10 different cultures represented here,” said Dan Mueller, outreach coordinator at Bethlehem Church. Pam Riley, a church member who is active with the outreach, called the diversity at the church “healthy.” “When some of the refugee families started coming to Austin and got brave enough to come to church here, at first it seemed that only a few of us talked to them; everyone else was afraid because they didn’t know what to say,” she said. “They felt excluded, even in a crowd, and I thought, if I had to miss church, who would talk to these people?” It was not an easy process; language barriers and cultural differences made People from Bethlehem Church sit down to a meal in early February. for some difficult obstacles. But the church began developing activities as a Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com way to encourage interaction with refugee and immigrant members. “We started getting families from our church to go into their cultures, go out to the park and play sports together,” Mueller said. “Every Wednesday The church has also provided opportunities to teach new skills to during the school year we have a Wednesday night meal. Over the years, immigrant and refugee members, such as basic car and house maintenance. we’ve been trying to get members of other cultures involved by helping cook, To help reach new members, the church relied on leaders of the immigrant helping to clean up. I pick up a lot of kids from different cultures whose and refugee communities. parents say they would love for them to be in a positive place. During the “Within the Burmese community, many of them became Christian through summer, we have a multi-cultural youth camp that involves many of the the leaders in our Burmese church,” Mueller said. “They went out and ethnic churches from around the area. We’ve been doing potlucks because evangelized and during Christmas, we went to almost every Burmese person’s food is something that is great at bringing people together.” home and shared the Gospel with them. Many of them started coming “They are so surprised when we are willing to eat their food,” Riley added. to church through some of those activities. Church became that place of “In their culture, that is a sign of acceptance; it says you consider them a community.” friend.” To help with the language barrier, Riley offered simple advice. 46 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Kids play games in the parking lot during Bethlehem Church’s spring break camp. Photo provided
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“Smile and say, ‘Hello, how are you,’ because that’s usually one of the first phrases people will learn,” she said. “A lot is communicated if someone stops, looks them in the eye, smiles and says, ‘How are you,’ and waits for an answer, even if they have to struggle to give the answer. That means you see them. I’ve heard so many people say, ‘I came here to this country so I wouldn’t die and for freedom and a chance, but I feel invisible and it’s so lonely.’” “Another easy way is when there is a baby,” she added. “That communicates exactly the same in any language. You can bond over a baby even if you don’t know one word of each other’s language.” While many breakthroughs have been made in connecting people, it has not been foolproof. “It’s been quite a process of ups and downs,” Mueller said. “Through all of these years, we have made hundreds of mistakes,” Riley said. “We may make more. But, the Bible has a verse that says, ‘Love covers a multitude of sins.’ These groups, as they’ve tried to interact with us, have made mistakes. But, we have this vision that we want to know them and we want them to be welcome. They’re part of the community and we want them to feel like they are part of our community.” “It’s not really a clear path, but it is so rewarding,” Mueller added. Despite the obstacles, the efforts have seen success. “I see almost everybody interacting, even though they have to work at crossing the language barrier,” Riley said. “I think it’s more valuable to people who come here and don’t know our culture, to acknowledge them and try to understand what they’re saying and be a friend.” “We ask what are we best at to teach them, but also what can we learn from them?” Mueller said. “We learn from going to birthday parties and community events, trying their food and seeing how things go, even if it’s in a totally different language.” The number of immigrants and refugees fluctuates as some move on to the Twin Cities or join other churches. Even if they don’t remain with the church, there are no regrets.
48 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Kids from Bethlehem Church come together to pack food. Photo provided “Not everybody that started here is still here, but we got to be a part of their faith story and that’s a real privilege,” Riley said. “A lot of what we’ve tried to do is connect people to help relationships happen. We want to give them a place to connect spiritually.” Mueller said that working together with immigrant and refugee communities if vital to the growth and future of the church. “In the end, it is really a great joy,” he said. “There is a lot of richness that comes to our congregation and the town with all of these different cultures,” Riley said. “It can be scary because there are a lot of things you don’t understand at first, but there is so much good. We have been blessed over and over again by what these people have brought to us.” P
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Business
The Maven of
Main Street Jean Hastings has seen it all from her store on Austin’s main thoroughfare 52 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
BY DEB NICKLAY
W
hen you walk into Hastings Shoes and Repair on Austin’s Main Street, you’re also walking the streets of Austin’s history.
Hastings, operating over three generations, is one the city’s oldest businesses. Only Knauer’s Meat Market across the street has been in continuous business longer. Jean Hastings, 79, is the matriarch of the business and still puts in a full day of work, along with her daughter, Tracy Lunt. The business is over 100 years strong and is still as busy as ever. Hastings’ father-in-law, Raey Moore Hastings, established his leather-working dynasty with his harness-making business in Austin in 1909, at a spot on Chatham Street — now First Street Southeast — and then moved into his garage before moving once more, this time to the now-gone Babcock Building, west of Main Street. Jean — who was Jean Peters then, the daughter of a mailman and stay-at-home mom — was drawn to Raey’s son, the late Mark “Skip” Hastings. She had met Skip through a girlfriend’s cousin who had offered the teens a ride home one summer night. Skip was in the car, too. Thereafter, Jean began to visit Skip at his dad’s shop and began to work there, too. “I sat down to the treadle machine in 1956, and have worked almost every day on that same machine since,” she said, as she recently reminisced about the business and the Austin of days’ past. Skip Hastings began working for his dad when he was in 10th grade, and never strayed from the family business except to serve in the military. The couple married and later, moved to the present shop on the corner of Main Street and First Street Northwest.
Hastings Shoes and Repairs have been a fixture in downtown Austin for years. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
™
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Beautiful buildings once dotted 2020. In addition to the retail shoe the downtown, she said a bit store and shoe repair, Amber wistfully. The Babcock Building VanReese conducts her alterations “was full of granite floors, marble, and tuxedo business there – a beautiful wood, beautiful stairs,” perfect fit for the store. she said. “And the post office; it When you enter the shop today, was fantastic, all brass and marble. you are witness to a mixture of The Carnegie Library is gone. All history and business; next to shoes gone.” for sale are antiques that speak The current Hastings building of the early days. A wagon wheel is infused with its own history; it hangs on the wall; nearby is a once housed the county’s “original harness maker’s bench. Attached courthouse,” Jean said — not to to bench is a harness-shaped rim be confused with the elaboratelyof the wood, attached in two pieces, designed courthouse that came upon which the harness was sewn. later in 1884. That courthouse, The antiques trigger memories located on the site of the current of shop years. For over 50 years, courthouse, was eventually torn Jean has labored at that treadle down. machine. For those who don’t The original courthouse/ know, a treadle machine, used Hastings’ shop was built in 1868. before the days of electric sewing “I have a letter somewhere from machines, runs when foot pedals a gal at the historical society; are used to create the needed they found them (county officials) motion to work the machine. holding a meeting here,” she said. Although a family friend twice Jean Hastings runs thread through the sewing machine she’s worked at since she first started “The jail was in the basement; attached motors to help her working at Hastings Shoes. this was when it was all dirt roads with the work, the motors were then.” removed both times. Later, a bakery, loan business and the Singer Sewing Machine Co. all “I do so much of this and that,” she said, showing how material is turned operated from the spot before the Hastings took over the entire space, she said. back and forth at times while being sewed, “that I just don’t have the control In more recent years, the shop was remodeled with a grant through Vision that I have with a treadle. I said, ‘Take that motor off.’”
54 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Jean Hastings is a living part of Austin’s history, as is Hastings Shoes and Repair.
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“I had other jobs, too,” she said. “I worked at Burr Oak (Manor); I worked nights, and then I’d go home and sleep awhile and then I’d come down here,” she said. “I did daycare, too, when my girls were young.” The shop was always the focus of the Hastings’ lives. Skip repaired shoes while she sat at her machine, working on all manner of goods, replacing zippers and reattaching buttons — and during an older era, dying shoes. “All the shoes back then were either brown or black leather – but the girls who worked in offices wanted their shoes dyed to match their outfits.” So, after the shop was closed for the night, she and Skip would “take grocery bags full of shoes into the back of the store” and mix dyes to order. “You had to use this chemical to take off the original finish — you couldn’t dye the shoes with that finish on,” she said. “I’m not sure what it was” but she wonders today how healthy it was to breathe it in. “We didn’t think much about that then.” She recalled one funny incident that has become part of family business lore. Apparently a woman entered the shop and approached Raey, asking for a shoelace. “Well, what kind do you want?” Raey asked, scanning his bank of laces. “And how long?” The woman replied, “Well, I want white … and long enough,” she said, raising her shirt up to her neck to reveal said corset – “to fit through this.’” The best memories, however, seem to center on those customers who became friends, and friends who were customers. She speaks of Ove Berven, “who would stop in and chat every week” who was also someone she greatly admired, given her love of sports. Berven was one of Austin High School’s winningest boys’ basketball coaches; the Ove Berven Gym is named in his honor. “Some of his grandkids still stop in and say ‘hi,’” she said. “He was a great guy. The year I graduated, in 1958, was the year Austin won the state tournament (in boys basketball); Pacelli did, too. I remember they had a double homecoming for them.”
56 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Jean Hastings works the original sewing machine she’s worked on for years. It’s handcranked and it’s the way she prefers it. Charlie Fox, owner of the Fox Hotel, always made sure his shoes were shined daily at Hastings. Henry Smith, who also owned a shoe store, regaled her with stories of traveling to the Twins’ spring training. She made a bucket list promise to do the same — which she was finally able to fulfill some years later — twice.
Jean is an Austin native, born on Oct. 28, 1940, just before the onslaught of the infamous Armistice Day storm. She recalled her mother telling her that her grandmother, who was supposed to take a train and help her mother take care of the new baby, was delayed due to the massive amounts of snow that fell during the killer storm. She recalled as a youngster how she would babysit for many of the ballplayers’ children who lived near her family on Chatham Street. “I’d babysit so all the wives could go and watch their husbands play,” she said. She always worked, she said, from the time she was a young teen. She either babysat or worked at the Cleveland Hardware or a local ice Jean Hastings cream shop before landing at the Hastings shop. The Hastings had two daughters and Jean has six grandchildren; besides Tracy, there is Julie Schmick, who lives in Spokane, Washington. Although the business is different than in days past, some things remain the same: Men still stop in to have their shoes shined, and the business is as busy as it ever was. “There has never been a day that I’ve come in and had nothing to do,” she said. And, she believes in keeping busy. She travels and helps out with senior citizens and the Hormel Historic Home in addition to working. Keeping busy, she said, “keeps you going.” She sometimes worries that the younger generation doesn’t know the worth of hard work. She recalled talking with one of her grandchildren while on a camping trip. The child complained of being bored. Jean wouldn’t have it. “I told him, ‘I’ve never been bored a day in my life,’” she said with a chuckle. “Not one day. You get busy; there’s always something to do. So do it.” P
“There has never been a day that I’ve come in and had nothing to do.”
Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 57
Breathing new life into Austin’s 18th Avenue corridor
Slaby and Associates have developed where the old Hy-Vee once stood with new businesses occupying the space and the moving of Maurices. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Despite some losses, retail scene looking brighter BY MICHAEL STOLL 2019 began with a loss on 18th Avenue Northwest; several losses, really. And yet, city officials call 2019 a year of big successes. And, both are true. After nearly two decades in business, Sears Hometown announced it was closing in January. Hibbett Sports closed without warning on Jan. 14; Wendy’s also closed without warning on May 13 after building owner Jeff Mosiman decided not to renew his 58 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
contract with Wendy’s. The biggest loss on 18th Avenue for 2019 was Shopko, which closed its doors on May 12 after the company announced in February it would shut down stores in several states, the result of the company having to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Despite the losses, City Administrator Craig Clark called 2019 “a big year” for 18th Avenue, and with good reason.
Shopko Optical, which remained open despite the closure of Shopko, moved into the former Hibbett Sports location while Taqueria El Sueno opened a new location in the former Wendy’s. The Albert Lea-based pet supply store Pet Authority also opened a new store next to Munch Snack Lab, which is now Mixto Fresh. Another major change that occurred on 18th Avenue in 2019 was the opening of new stores in the old Hy-Vee.
“With the opening of the former Hy-Vee, that really opened up a lot of retail opportunities that we hadn’t had before,” Clark said. “Shopko closing wasn’t something confined to Austin alone; it was a company issue. In the broader dynamic, we’ve seen other communities’ retail shrinking. To see Austin moving in the opposite direction is great.” Slaby and Associates of Verona, Wisconsin, who purchased the old Hy-Vee from the Austin Port Authority in 2018, poured $5.4 million into renovating the building for retail use. Once
renovation was complete, the building became the home for Marshalls, Pet Supplies Plus, Shoe Sensation, Five Below, and Maurices, which relocated from across the street. “All in all, the reception has been relatively positive,” said Slaby and Associates Vice President Victor Baeten. “What we said we would deliver and what we did deliver, I believe we exceeded expectations. From a local perspective, I know people are excited. The local traffic has been good and the retailers have been happy.”
Having a pre-existing building was critical to getting Slaby and Associates to work in Austin. “If we would have demolished that building, it would have been quite a while before we would have seen a ground-up construction there,” Clark said. “To keep it on the tax roll and have them invest $5.4 million in the building, that’s only going to increase the property tax value, and that benefits all Austin residents while allowing them to have shopping options locally.”
While along 18th Avenue NW itself has seen some of the biggest transformations, the strip mall where Target once was has now been filled by Hobby Lobby and Ashley Homestore, while just down the way Aldi’s has been remodeled.
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“There was no start to a project without the existing structure,” Baeten said. “It was extremely vital to get the retailers to come.” It was also important to find the right mix of tenants to occupy the old Hy-Vee. “Slaby (and Associates) looked at another community where they brought in a tractor supply company in a similar situation and that ended up having an adverse effect on other retailers,” Clark said. “The other retailers in with the Marshalls facilities have co-tendency requirements, so they’re looking for a specific dynamic. “While you and I might think a tractor supplier would be great, these other retailers don’t; they see that as a detriment. The formula that came
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together worked well.” Baeten said some of the biggest challenges were getting leases signed in a timely manner and having to go almost $500,000 over budget for construction costs. Still, Baeten praised the city for its role in the partnership and said he and his partners were grateful the Austin Port Authority was willing to work with them on the purchase price of the building. “We think Austin is a great partner,” he said. “They have been great to work with. We’re very fortunate the cards played the way they played.” “The Port Authority has been progressive in understanding we had an opportunity in taking on the old Hy-Vee as part of the redevelopment
of Oak Park Mall,” Clark said. “In order to move things forward, sometimes you have to take risks. There were some good lessons in going through that process.” As part of the agreement between Slaby and Associates and the Port Authority, Slaby and Associates must also build on an outparcel lot near O’Reilly Auto Parts. Baeten said that three tenants, Qdoba, T-Mobile and Great Clips, have signed leases for the outparcel building. He hopes construction will begin in April. The old Target shopping complex also saw revitalization as Hobby Lobby and Ashley HomeStore both opened in the former Target building. Italian restaurant Bella Victoria
relocated to that area and the Aldi grocery store in the complex expanded. Clark said that both projects stemmed from the redevelopment of Oak Park Mall. “The community wasn’t going to get past that blight unless we stepped in and helped facilitate that,” he said of the Oak Park redevelopment. “That was the springboard that led to the others down the line. When Target left and Ashley Furniture and Hobby Lobby came in, I think the redevelopment of the old Hy-Vee was really instrumental, from what I’ve been told by Slaby and Associates, who have had conversations with the folks that did the development on that side, that they saw that as really imperative for them to
move forward on the former Target site.” Coming soon to the 18th Avenue corridor will be Cobblestone Hotel, which broke ground on a new construction site in April on the parcel lot behind the old Hy-Vee. “Cobblestone will have lodging taxes and that will help support Discover Austin and the work they’re doing to bring people to the community,” Clark said. “When an event comes here, they will have another hotel option as opposed to staying in a nearby community because our hotels are full. All of these things really work together in a powerful way.” “This is all with the underpinnings with the redevelopment of the old Oak Park Mall,” he
added. “The new Hy-Vee really kicked things off and the stars have really aligned for Austin to make all of these pieces work together. The old Hy-Vee went to the Port Authority and allowed us to get together with Slaby and Associates to do the project and spend in the neighborhood of $5.4 million for their facility. It was also a primary consideration for Ashley Furniture and Hobby Lobby and, I’m sure to some extent, the Aldi’s expansion and Bella Victoria. “For every new venture, there are a lot of things that have to come together, but all of these things work to promote what we’re seeing as a great end product of retail opportunities in the 18th Avenue corridor.” P One of the first success stories of the recent 18th Avenue NW resurgence has been the brand new Hy-Vee that was built on the site that the Oak Park Mall used to occupy.
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Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 61
Kevin Jones, co-owner of Angry Hog Brewery and Taproom, talks with a customer not long after opening. Photos by Eric Johnson/ photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Raise Your Glass Local breweries start up craft beer scene in Austin
BY MIKE STOLL In July of 2018, craft beer lovers in and around Mower County were given a reason to rejoice. Make that two reasons. Angry Hog Brewery and Taproom and Gravity Storm Brewery Cooperative both opened their doors in July 2018, creating a craft beer scene in Austin that had previously been non-existent.
Gravity Storm’s ambiance has a distinct Jimmy Buffett vibe.
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Angry Hog Brewery and Taproom
The concept for Angry Hog came about when co-owners and stepbrothers Joe Bower and Kevin Jones were brewing at home. “(Jones) did wine, I made beer, and we started doing it together,” Bower said. “We’d find ourselves venturing out to breweries around the state and we kept thinking there really is nothing around here in Austin. We started throwing the idea around and one day we decided, ‘Why not? If we aren’t going to do it, someone else will.’” Once the decision was made to start a brewery, the task of finding the ideal location came next. After looking at several properties and receiving some help from the city to find a location that could accommodate their needs, Bower happened to drive by the property at 500 23rd Ave. NW. “Jimmy (Guttormson), who is the owner of the building, had a sign out front,” he recalled. “We met with Jimmy and saw this building had a lot of what we were looking for; the style of the building, the outdoor space that it offered, and the room to grow.” The name Angry Hog was developed as a means to tie the brewery with the community. “What is Austin home to? A large meat packer that produces pork products,” Bower said. “They say pigs are smart; when they get to the city limit sign and see Austin, I’m sure none of them would be happy. That’s how we tied it to the community; it was important to have something that was identifiable.”
Kevin Jones is co-owner of Angry Hog Brewery and Taproom along with Joe Bower. This community connection extends to the names of some of their beers, such as their best-selling Giggling Piglet Cream Ale, the Dirty Pig Black
IPA and the Skinner’s Hill Extra Pale Ale. At any one time, Angry Hog has eight craft beers on tap, though they have over 20 recipes.
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“We try to keep eight “That first summer on rotation,” Bower was real good, almost said. “We have three that are regularly on. too good to the point Pretty much every week where we had a hiccup you’ll find the cream that a lot of breweries ale (Giggling Piglet), the standard IPA (Shut do, where your Up, Kevin!!!) and the inventory takes oatmeal stout (Muddy Snout). The remaining such a shot.” ones often rotate. We Joe Bower, Angry Hog usually try to always have a sour on and that is where we try to get our seasonal offerings.” The community embraced the concept, though the owners learned a lesson in the process. “When you first open the business, everyone is excited to see what you’re doing and what it is,” Bower said. “That first summer was real good, almost too good to the point where we had a hiccup that a lot of breweries do, where your inventory takes such a shot. We closed down for a weekend so we could preserve some inventory and get some more out. From there, once people figured out what we’re all about, we gained a steady following.” As the business grew, Bower and Jones began to include games, such as a beanbag league that plays on Thursday, and a new free cribbage tournament, also on Thursdays. During the warmer months, Angry Hog will have food trucks from in and
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around the area, which Bower sees as a plus because food is not served at the brewery. Coming into 2020, the owners of Angry Hog are focusing on a major goal. “Our goal is that hopefully, you’ll be able to go to other places and you’ll see Angry Hog on tap,” Bower said. “That’s the direction we’re trying to get for 2020.” Bower offered advice for those non-craft beer drinkers looking to try out Angry Hog. “We get a lot of people that ask what our lightest beer is on tap,” he said. “The Giggling Piglet would be the lightest colored beer; it’s not a light beer and I don’t want to confuse people by saying it’s a light beer. When they see the color, it surprises them. Their fear is of the dark beers. If you’re a wine drinker, come try the sour, or try one of our fruitinfused beers. You shouldn’t be afraid of craft beer; you’ll find something you like.”
Gravity Storm Brewery Cooperative
Die-hard Jimmy Buffett Parrot Heads probably recognize the name “Gravity Storm” as the fifth track from Buffett’s 1989 album “Off to See the Lizard.” That is no accident as husband-and-wife owners Brian and Joed Davis of Lyle have also named their brews after Jimmy Buffett songs, such as Dreamsicle and Pencil Thin Mustache. With a passion for brewing beer, Brian had the idea for a brewery in the back of his mind. Having been a teacher for many years, Brian taught all four
of landlord Randy Fett’s children. When the space at 309 North Main St. became available, Davis saw a chance. “(Fett had) been bugging me to do this (a brewery) for a while; he wants to keep his buildings full,” he said. “We’d been talking since Sweet Reads went in, and he wanted me to move in then, but I wasn’t ready at that point. Then this (spot) became available and we said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’” To help offset the expense of opening a brewery, Brian and Joed made it a cooperative, where for $200 per person or $300 per household, individuals can be patron owners, which allows for perks such as discounts on beer and merchandise. For $2,000, individuals can be investment owners that receive a dividend of profits. “I wanted to share my beer and I wanted to create a community,” Brian said. “The first brewery cooperative is in Austin, Texas, so I thought it would be cool to have one in Austin, Minnesota. We have a guy who’s an owner in both.” “We had a hard time selling the idea of a co-op, but once we got the doors open, it worked,” he added. “We’re up to almost 100 (owners). When we hold our owners meeting twice a year, we have a lot of fun and get together people who normally would not get together.” Gravity Storm has nine beers on tap with three currently in the works. Their best sellers include Fins, a pilsner, Dreamsicle, a blood orange ale, and Pencil Thin Mustache, an IPA.
Brian and Joed Davis of Lyle took a novel approach to opening their craft brewery, turning it into a co-op. “In 20-plus years of brewing, I’ve brewed every style,” Brian said. “I’m still tweaking things. I don’t know if I can claim a recipe as mine specifically;
you get them out of books or the Internet, but you put your stamp on it.” Whatever the recipe, it was clear that Austin and
the surrounding area approved. “It’s been great,” Joed said. “People were saying this was a long time coming and asking why hasn’t Austin had this before. We’ve had a very good reception from the city.” With the growing following, Brian and Joed introduced gaming at Gravity Storm. The brewery features a unique custom-made shuffleboard as well as two teams that shoot darts. They have also taken lengths to incorporate a community feel with their “Beer it Forward” program that allows visitors to purchase a beer for someone. That person’s name is then added to a redeemable slip on the “Beer it Forward” wall. Ten percent of proceeds from “Beer it Forward” are donated to the Lyle Area Cancer Auction. Brian and Joed take pride in converting non-craft beer drinkers into fans. “Sometimes people come in who say, ‘I’m a Miller drinker,’ or ‘I’m a Coors drinker,’ and ask what is our closest to that,” Joed said. “They try it and say, ‘This is really good. This is craft beer?’ And they turn into craft beer drinkers.” “Then they sometimes move toward the other ones and say, ‘I might as well try this,’” Brian added. “It’s funny how many of them who are light beer drinkers now drink the stout. All you have to do is try it. We’ve had some people say we’ve ruined them for macro beer and now they have to spend more money for beer.” “Oh well.” P
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LuAnn Reimers, Merry Petersen and Diane Otterbein have been the happy owners of the Mapleview Lounge since the 80s. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Service and history Mapleview Lounge has withstood the test of time BY ROCKY HULNE
Step into the Mapleview Lounge and you might as well be stepping into a time machine. While the place dubbed The Rock has been updated with a modern jukebox and e-tabs, it’s old neon signs and low lighting harken back to days gone by. But the past lives on in the owners of the Lounge, who started their venture much like the plot of a 1980s buddy comedy. Merry Petersen, her sister LuAnn Reimers, and their close friend Diana Otterbein were all young women who ran the bar while their boss went on vacation. The next year, 66 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
they decided they could do it on their own and they made the move to purchase the Lounge in 1989. After borrowing some money from their parents and paying it off over seven years, the trio became official owners of the bar/liquor store. The bartenders turned owners still serve some of the same patrons who they served when they first began working there in the early 1980s, and they’ve also gathered a lifetime worth of memories. There have been celebrations, milestones, deaths of customers and even the occasional times they had to show someone the door because they got a little rowdy.
Otterbein, who started working at the Lounge in 1982, said she was shy “We have become massively closer together through the years. We don’t when she started working, but they learned to let their voices be heard even have any issues. We’re all like sisters and I love them,” Otterbein in the loudest of crowds over time. Otterbein couldn’t picture herself not said. being involved with the Lounge. Liquor laws have changed over the years and Sunday sales put a dent “We have no plans on letting it go. We’d all be lost without it,” she said. in the Lounge’s business as their off-sale beer sales on Sunday were “It’s a big piece of our lives and no longer exclusive. But the we’ve spent the last 40 years Lounge has marched on while here. I can’t imagine not having preserving a piece of the past. it.” Customers can still sit down Petersen can still remember and grab a famous Bloody her first day. She was an Mary from the bar and they intimidated 19-year old, who can participate in indoor only had experience of a cocktail ice fishing in March, which waitress when she approached basically involves buying beer the building at 3 p.m. on a Friday and drawing a paper fish from a in 1985. bucket. “I pulled up and the parking lot As for its nickname, the was full of trucks. I walk in and Lounge was dubbed The Rock by the bar was full of rednecks. I the tavern’s softball team after stood there and I was really shy,” they started calling it Maplerock Petersen said. “I was clueless.” in the 1990s. The woman working the bar Last summer, the Lounge held glanced up at Petersen and told a RockFest and the event was so her to “get to work.” successful they’re likely to bring Petersen, Otterbein and it back this summer. Diane Otterbein, a co-owner of the Mapleview Lounge, looks through pictures from over the years. Reimers haven’t stopped working “We’re still old school. We at the Lounge since that day. don’t have any fancy things and While Otterbein is not a blood relative of Petersen and Reimers, she we’re still kind of in the dark ages when it comes to that kind of stuff,” might as well be. Petersen donated a kidney to Otterbein’s sister four years Petersen said. “We have customers today that are still here from before ago when it was needed and the women have remained close throughout we bought the place. It has such a hometown feel. We’re also getting a their time of running the bar. younger crowd now and that’s good, because we need that.”
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“We have good customers and good employees. I wouldn’t say everything was always 100 percent good. We’d have our disagreements, but then we’d just get over it and we’d remain friends.” LuAnn Reimers Petersen, Otterbein and Reimers used to split up a seven-day week between the three of them, but now they’ve cut back on their hours. Petersen, who runs the books, works on Saturday mornings and Otterbein and Reimers run the day shift. Reimers said the three have remained on the same page, even when there were tough times in the business. “We have good customers and good employees,” Reimers said. “I wouldn’t say LuAnn Reimers, from left, Diana Otterbein and everything was always 100 Merry Petersen on the day they became owners percent good. We’d have our of the Mapleview Lounge. Photo provided disagreements, but then we’d just get over it and we’d remain friends.” Otterbein said the lounge, which is the first thing most people see when they come into Austin on Highway 218, has a special connection with the surrounding community. “All we’ve done is gotten closer as the years have gone on,” Otterbein said. “We’ve got a special bond with our customers and we know most of them.” P
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Co-owner LuAnn Reimers tends bar at the Mapleview Lounge. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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AT KNUTSON, WE’RE LEADING THE WAY IN INNOVATIVE IDEAS. WE SEE A WAY TO CREATE A MASTERPIECE FROM YOUR VISION.
RESPECT | FLEXIBILITY | COMMUNICATION | COLLABORATION | TRUST |
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Education
Sharing on a new scale School, MacPhail partnership being realized in new center
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BY DEB NICKLAY Retrofitting and adding space to a 50-plus year-old building, such as Austin High School’s Annex, has not been without its challenges. The soon-to-be completed project that will house both high school music programs and the MacPhail Center for Music Austin has had a few hiccups since construction began in 2019. There was a bit of an issue with rain coming into classrooms; staff had to work hard to keep students on task despite construction going on next door or overhead. Those headaches, however, are considered small in comparison to the end result — a result that Bonnie Rietz of the Hormel Foundation called “transformational.” The first phase of the project was recently completed when the choir, whose space for years had been in the windowless Annex basement, moved to its brand-new digs on the street level. Soon, band and orchestra will move to the newly-installed, 12,500-square foot second floor of the building. It will be sometime this spring when the district’s band and orchestra students move into their 12,500 square-foot space on the new second floor. The MacPhail Center for Music will move into its larger quarters on the main floor later this summer. Eleven classrooms and instruction studios will support individual lessons and ensemble training, music therapy programming and early childhood music programming. A percussion studio, recording studio and performance classroom will be shared by both the district and MacPhail. It is no small venture in scope. While there are other partnerships between MacPhail and school districts to provide instruction, the instruction is either given in the schools or in some type of leased-space agreement. Having a permanent home that benefits both public school students and the music center is unique, said Cheryl Berglund, MacPhail’s site center manager in Austin. “To our knowledge, this is the first time there has been a community-public
Kalle Akkerman guides his singers in the new choir room within the Austin High School Annex. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com school partnership such as this anywhere in the country,” she said, adding the National Guild for Community Arts Education, a consortium of music schools and academies whose goal is improved instruction and programming, is watching the progress in Austin “with great interest.” The $11 million project began last year following an agreement reached between the schools, MacPhail and the Hormel Foundation, who provided $8.7 million in grant funding. ATS&R Architects of Golden Valley, who also designed IJ Holton Intermediate School in Austin, designed the project. The Annex was built in the 1950s for Austin Junior College and was taken over by the school district in 1966. It has been used as a home for the high school music programs, the construction trades and the buildings and grounds office for the district.
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But it has been many years since the music areas were given any type of facelift, said Superintendent of Schools Dave Krenz. So, when MacPhail, headquartered in the Twin Cities, began its investigation into finding a place to provide its music lessons, talks of a possible partnership began. MacPhail’s Austin center is currently located at Riverland Community College in leased quarters. After a feasibility study was done and found Austin would be a great place to have an “outstate” location, “they (MacPhail) also found they wanted to connect, one way or the other, with the schools,” said Krenz. “From that point, we began brainstorming ideas; we knew as a district we really hadn’t done anything to upgrade our music areas since the last 1980s or 90s when the school was renovated. So, we thought this might be a good opportunity to combine forces, to bring it together.” MacPhail already had a presence in the schools. Teachers work in the classrooms or at the Hormel Historic Home with students through its Community Band and the Sing-Play-Learn programming. It has also been providing its private lessons in space leased at the college. Berglund said the new MacPhail space will be more than doubled compared to its quarters at Riverland. Berglund is quick to note Riverland’s willingness to share its space and to find other locations for lessons within the college when the MacPhail enrollment grew. Still, it was hard to conduct music lessons next to an English classroom, for instance. “We wanted to be good neighbors, and Riverland has been great to us, but in the new space, we have more room and we don’t have to worry about interrupting other classes,” she said. Part of the agreement between the district and MacPhail also includes a sharing of instructors. “A good example is when we have solo ensemble contests,” said choral director Kalle Akkerman. “I have, like, 80 signed up; there is no way I can work
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Along this hallway are rooms for both individual rehearsal space as well as storage. with everybody. They (MacPhail) will come in and work with the soloists. They also accompany them on piano, with no cost to me. That’s part of the deal — and it’s great.” Akkerman said the new choir area is startlingly different to its predecessor in the basement — a long mason-block room with no windows. The new room — over twice the size of its previous 1,800 square feet — is
taller and deeper. A large practice room building and grounds offices, which are also flanks the main space; his large office is off housed in the building, will remain in their the opposite side. There is ample room for areas and were not included in the project. sheet music, filing cabinets and robes. And, Rietz, the vice chairwoman of the for the first time in many, many years, the Foundation’s board of directors, said there Packer choirs will enjoy windows. has been excitement for the project — one However, what you can’t see is as of the larger ones the Foundation has important as what you can. Technology has helped to fund — since the beginning. upped the game for Austin music, with the “We were convinced that this would be introduction of virtual audio environment transformational,” she said. “If we had any (VAE) technology. The entire room is “miked concern, it was for the district’s teachers,” with an audio playback system (a virtual adding there was some initial worry that acoustic environment, created by Wenger the teachers might think the move to Technology) so that we can adjust the partner with MacPhail would overshadow acoustics of the entire room,” Akkerman their teaching efforts. said. “So, if we’re going to perform at Big 9 “As it has turned out, they (the district (contests), we can record in that space and teachers) have done nothing but celebrate then bring it back to our room and it will the move. They are as excited as anyone. sound exactly as if we were singing it there. We have such exceptional faculty who Bonnie Rietz, It will be really neat.” knew the partnership would strengthen all vice chairwoman of the Hormel Foundation board Brian Beasley, who is the head of programming,” Rietz said. buildings and grounds for the school Berglund agreed, adding that 18 of district, has been continually impressed MacPhail’s 19 faculty members are from with the good natures shown by all involved. Austin, which also demonstrates Austin’s While there were some issues to be solved along the way, just keeping students strong music culture. They are as equally excited for the new space, she said. on track for a “normal school day was our largest, on-going concern,” he said. Rietz spoke of Akkerman’s excitement when his choir students entered their “And that hasn’t been easy, when you’re in a building under construction — new room for the first time a month or so ago. but everyone has worked together. “He told me they began to sing — and immediately realized how much better In fact, some of the students in the construction trades have actually they sounded,” she said. “They were so excited — so excited that they asked participated in certain parts of the project when a learning opportunity right away if they could keep singing, if they could sing some more. Isn’t that presented itself and all staff and workers were “on board.” The trades area and just amazing?” P
“We have such exceptional faculty who knew the partnership would strengthen all programming.”
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A
PLACE TO CALL HOME
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Southern Minnesota Education Consortium opens up brand new location off of I-90 BY TYLER JENSEN After years of work, the Southern Minnesota Education Consortium’s (SMEC) new school is open and accepting students. The $4.1 million facility is located off Interstate 90 on Highway 56 and serves to teach students who need a Level 4 facility or Alternative Learning Center (ALC). By the end of the year, between 50 and 70 students will be attending class at the school.
The consortium consists of seven districts, Alden-Conger, Glenville-Emmons, Grand Meadow, Kingsland, Leroy-Ostrander, Lyle and Southland. A Level 4 program is by definition a program where students are educated away from their peers. By comparison, in a Level 1 special education program, students are with their peers 80 percent of the school day and have specialized instruction for the other 20 percent. In a Level 3 setting, the student is in specialized
Dan Armagost and Denise Kennedy of the Southern Minnesota Education Consortium play around during a visit to one of classrooms of the new SMEC building. Photos by Eric Johnson/ photodesk@austindailyherald.com
instruction the whole day, but they are still at the regular public school. Students can be put into a Level 4 program based on mental health needs and how they display their anger, but they are still students who need to be educated in a safe, caring environment, Executive Director Dan Armagost said. These programs are not at a juvenile detention facility and are not court ordered, Armagost said. They are all about academics and the mental health of students. “Our focus is academics. But we know our students don't focus on academics until their mental health needs are taken care of,” Armagost said. Armagost said the issue is about helping students and sometimes that cannot be done in the traditional school setting. “It comes down to students needing help and making sure they’re getting the help they need,” he said. The decision on whether a student is placed in a Level 4 program is made by educators and the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, according to Armagost.
His view is that if the behavior cannot be controlled, then the setting the student is in should be. At the Level 4 side of the school, all entrances and exits are controlled through fob devices, making it secure. “If you can’t control the behaviors, you really want to control the setting,” Armagost said. The new facility allows for settings to be controlled and its staff is also trained to handle situations. Special Education Director Denise Kennedy said this is also not meant to be forever. SMEC offers meaningful programming to educate its students and the goal is that once they are ready, they can go back to their home districts. “It’s not a life sentence,” she said. Everyone needs extra support at some time in their lives and the earlier it is done, the better off a person will be in the long run, Armagost said. Sheena Gasner, who is helping the district set up the Level 4 program, said this is all about helping parents and the regular school districts in what they do — developing the students into healthy members of society. Progress 2020 | Austin Daily Herald | 77
Having these students in a traditional setting where it is one teacher and 30 students means they cannot get the support they need, she said. This does not mean the students get their way and don’t have to learn curriculum, but it does mean they will learn those things in a way they can process it. Teaching these students coping skills so they learn how to deal with their anxiety, anger and other emotions is critical for them to learn general curriculum, Gasner further explained. Most important in guiding these students is to make sure that staff are trained and they maintain their composure. “Your staff have to remain one step more regulated than the child,” Gasner said. When kids go into either fight-or-flight mode or super emotional mode, somebody needs to stay in control to get the student to calm down. “You could be doing this in a barn. If you have good staff with good skills, you can make amazing changes with kids,” Gasner said. A lot of time is spent training staff, Armagost said. The Level 4 program is a small portion of the facility’s population, while the ALC program has the majority of its students. That program serves secondary students who are not on track to graduate. Armagost said it comes down to the fact that not all students learn things the same way. In this setting, teachers can work with students on how best they learn, whether it is through projects, instruction-based or in other ways. If a student has just a few classes that are between them and graduation, SMEC can focus on those, according to Armagost. “What we’re able to do through our ALC is give options to cater a little bit to the students and their styles,” he said. The program is also working with Riverland Community College so the students have the potential to get college work done by the time they leave the program.
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This common area is designed for Alternative Learning Center students who simply require a different way of learning. Bottom, This hallway was designed to allow situations in which Level 4 students can calm down if need be. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk @austindailyherald.com
Some students are already working on finding their career path in areas like nursing, cosmetology or carpentry. Before these programs, there were a lot more dropouts, ALC Director Kathy Piller said. The first wave of ALC students for SMEC were previous high school dropouts. Now, all but one of them graduated. This year, 14 are expected to graduate. “The success rate has been phenomenal,” Armagost said. Although they can graduate through their home districts, some students prefer to finish their time at SMEC. “We’re like a family,” Piller said. In many cases, these students will reach out to help one another when someone is having a bad day, Piller said. She said the kids are very excited to move into the new building and have helped clean up the property. In the future, Armagost said the hours for ALC students is expected to be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and they are looking for work-study opportunities that can be had at the school when the students are not in class. Kennedy said coming to SMEC can make students more mature than when they came in, as they are treated like adults. This program can have a very positive impact on the kids and put them on a better path than they would maybe be without it, Piller said. The job of ALC is to find a kid’s passion, Armagost said. “Once you find their passion, they’re going to put in the time and the effort to do that,” he said. For these students, the new facility gives the program room it did not have at its previous location, Southland Schools in Adams. “We would have to have students on a waiting list and the waiting list grows very large,” Armagost said. The new location is also in the middle of the SMEC region, which is economical for districts and it means more kids can access the program and have less travel time.
Staff for the program were previously spread across all seven districts. “Now we’re finally all in one location,” Armagost said. Services for specialties like deaf or hard of hearing services and visually impaired now have a permanent home for the first time, he said. Each district is required to provide things like Level 4 services and if it does not have it, students have to be taken to larger districts, which is not cost-effective. It’s also not what is best for students. “There are also students struggling with behaviors. I don’t really want them on a van ride for two hours to get somewhere,” Armagost said. Having this facility allows for the services to be provided, while being more economical than transporting students to the metro or other areas, he said. The new facility also has space for staff to do development work all at once, rather than in a number of separate sessions or SMEC needing to rent space for an event. With 10 acres of property to work with, the school can be added onto in the future if needed. “The project is set to double in size when we expand to 26,000 square feet,” Armagost said. When the expansion would take place all depends on how enrollment changes. With a large, wooded property, the school is also able to do a lot of project work, including gardening, walking through the woods and more. Armagost said it is great to see this project to come to completion after it had been originally thought of when SMEC was formed in 2008. “It feels good,” he said. Kennedy said building their own facility allowed SMEC to design the environment in ways it could not have if it was taking over an existing building. More information about the Southern Minnesota Education Consortium can be found at www.smec-isd6083.com. P
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Opening up the
Future
First batch of Austin Assurance recipients go through freshman year BY TYLER JENSEN The first batch of Austin Assurance scholarship recipients are now more than halfway through their first year of class at Riverland Community College. Among the students are David Ruiz, Johana Gonzalez Perez and Chloe Guttormson. The Hormel Foundation Austin Assurance Scholarship is a program that covers 100 percent of tuition and fees for recipients attending Riverland Community College, along with a stipend for books and materials. The scholarship is good for up to 65 credits and five years after the student graduates high school. When she first heard about the scholarship, Guttormson was unsure if it was a real deal or not. “I was like, ‘Can I actually go to college for free?’” she said. All three of the students learned more through Austin High School, which advertised the program and held discussions on it. For Gonzalez, the program seemed like an amazing opportunity. “I thought it was super cool,” she said. For Ruiz, who heard about the program through others at school, the scholarship was another way to pay for college. In the case of Guttormson, the Assurance scholarship changed how she had planned on going through secondary education. Originally, she had planned to go straight to the University of Minnesota to become an elementary education major. “I weighed my choices and I thought I should stay here and start my education here before spending $25,000 a year,” Guttormson said. The ability to have these first two years be 80 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Members of the first class of Austin Assurance Scholarship recipients. Pictured are, front row (from left): Marissa McConnell, Chloe Guttormson, Abbi Brinkman, Johana Gonzalez Perez and Jasmine Sannicolas, Back: David Ruiz, Edward Dreyer, Quincy Muzik, Jeremy Flores. The 2019 high school graduates are able to get 65 credits of tuition and fee free college at Riverland Community College. Photo provided free and then get the chance to transfer to the University of Minnesota seemed great to her. “It’s definitely lifted a lot of weight off of my
shoulders. Knowing myself, I probably would have been up every night wondering, ‘How am I going to pay for this?’”
“It’s definitely lifted a lot of weight off of my shoulders. Knowing myself, I probably would have been up every night wondering, ‘How am I going to pay for this?’”
During her time at Riverland, Guttormson has the In addition to their individual activities, Austin Assurance opportunity to save money for when she transfers to the recipients meet as a group for activities throughout the year. UofM for elementary education. To be eligible, potential scholarship recipients needed to have While both Ruiz and Gonzalez Perez said they think they at least a cumulative 2.5 GPA, an ACT score of at least 18 or an still would have attended Riverland if they hadn’t had the ASVAB score of at least 31 or if they are in the top 75 percent scholarship, it would have been more challenging. of their class and are either a first-generation college student, a “I probably would have been working a lot to pay off the low-income individual or a minority. They also need to have met tuition,” Gonzalez said. Ruiz agreed, and said this may have volunteer hour requirements. meant being a part time student to work more. Because they had only a year of notice, the requirements for “It really lowers the pressure of finding a job,” Ruiz said. the first class of recipients was set at 12.5 hours. As the program If she didn’t have the scholarship, Gonzalez said she would continues and students have more of their high school career to be worried there would be a lot of stress on her and her work toward the scholarship, those hours will increase. The 2020 family, who would try to help her, even though Gonzalez feels graduates will be required to do 25 hours and 2021 graduates and they should not have to pay for her tuition. beyond will need 50 hours of community service. “I’m so grateful for this scholarship,” Gonzalez said. Guttormson said these requirements are much better than Both she and Ruiz are also considering going on for a four scholarships that are based on essay writing. year degree and are not only saving money, but learning “You’re getting involved in the community and maybe getting Chloe Guttormson about opportunities to go on to affiliated universities for a involved in something you wouldn’t have done otherwise,” she “two plus two” program. said. Although she is still unsure of what she wants to specifically do, Gonzalez She got a lot of her hours through working with the Austin Air Show Choir said she has changed her major to human services and wants to do something Group. She also got hours by singing at nursing homes and working the to help people. Southgate Carnival. “I want to help people in the future, I just don’t know how yet,” she said. For Gonzalez, the volunteer requirement was an opportunity to experience Gonzalez’s hope is that during her time at Riverland she can learn just what new things and meet new people. it is she wants to do. She and Ruiz got most of their hours working at elementary schools and Like Guttormson, Ruiz is planning on going into education, though in his they also worked the Southgate Carnival. case as a middle or high school teacher. Guttormson recommended students in high school take advantage of the All of them are excited that they are reducing the amount of student loans program, as Riverland is a great place to start college if someone is unsure of they may owe or not even owe any at all. what it is they want to do. The scholarship has also allowed the three of them to be more involved in More information about the scholarship can be found at www. the college community, they said. austinassurance.org. P
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Aaliyah Andrade, left, and Sarai Duenes Santellanes are Austin High School student representatives on the Austin Public Schools Board. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Voices for the student Austin High School students take part in APS School Board BY ROCKY HULNE Austin senior Aaliyah Andrade was a bundle of nerves when she walked into her first school board meeting last year. There were 82 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
television cameras pointed at her, a microphone in front of her face and the entire Austin school board and much of the administration sat around her as she was asked to speak about what is going on in the school. This year, she’s fully embraced her role as one of two student representatives on the Austin Public Schools School Board. “I’ve definitely learned more about what goes on behind the school and how they approve things,” Andrade said. “I thought that was really interesting. I never really knew what they did until now. There are for sure things that go on behind the scenes, but we get a glimpse of it.”
“I feel really honored to represent my grade and I feel like I’ve done a good job telling them what’s going on in school.”
Austin has had two student representatives — one junior and one senior — on the board for the past six years and it is one of about 33 percent of the school districts in Minnesota to allow its students to sit on the board and give the student body representation during meetings. Kathy Green, who has served on the AHS school board for 20 years, helped conjure the idea of having student representatives and she said the program has helped to bridge the gap between the students, the board and the administration. “We look at it as a communication tool. The school board exists for student achievement and we want to make the environment conducive for learning,” Green said. “I think the bonus for the students is that it kickstarts their postsecondary experience. Kids like to use the term ‘adulting’ and they get an exposure to an ‘adulting’ experience. We’re elected officials and they get an exposure to what an elected official is in charge of doing.” Andrade said her responsibilities go well beyond the meetings as she is in charge of gathering opinions from her class and bringing them back to the board. “I feel really honored to represent my grade and I feel like I’ve done a good job of telling them what’s going on in school,” Andrade said. This year, Andrade and Sarai Duenes Santellanes, the board representative for the junior class, found a student issue when the December schedule was changed. They told the board what the positives and negatives were of the new schedule and student surveys were taken to see if the calendar should be adjusted. For Duenes Santellanes, being a school board representative is another way for her to give back to the community. She is in the CEO program, the AVID program, which helps steer students towards higher education, LINK Crew, Girl Scouts, Peer Power Partners and STAND, an anti-drug program. Duenes Santellanes also helps with the Readers Cafe during free summer lunches at IJ Holton Intermediate School.
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“I’ve been helping out with the community since I was a fifth-grader and I had just seen the outside part of it. You don’t really see the whole big system that’s happening. I volunteer anywhere they need me. I’m always available. I love to give back to my community because they gave me so much,” Duenes Santellanes said. “You get to know more people and build more connections. You never know if you’re going to come back to this community and if you do, they’re going to know you.” Kathy Ewing, a teacher at AHS, recommended Duenes Santellanes to be a board representative for a variety of reasons. “She represents what is amazing about our town and school district,” Ewing said. “She is bilingual, passionate and she is an enthusiastic learner. She is friendly and outgoing. She always has a bright smile.” Duenes Santellanes has learned a lot from going to school board meetings this year. Mostly, she has seen how many different minds come together to create policy. “I thought it would be something easy to do, but actually it is hard work. All of them have to work as a team and approve things,” Duenes Santellanes said. “It’s not just one individual person making decisions. It’s a big process and you appreciate how hard they work.” Green said the school board representatives have made her feel much closer to the students. Ever since the program has started, Green has always watched for the one student representative at graduation and she finds herself hoping that their educational experience was enhanced by their time with the board. “They are interacting with the administration of the high school on a level that a student wouldn’t be in their regular experience. They get to know the principal real well,” Green said. “I’m really proud of the students that we’ve had. They’ve represented the student body, they’ve been very outgoing and very engaged.” Student school board representatives must interview for their positions and if chosen, they are also given an automatic seat on the student council. P
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“I volunteer anywhere they need me. I’m always available. I love to give back to my community because they gave me so much.” Sarai Duenes Santellanes
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Small Towns All in the family BY ROCKY HULNE
Brownsdale man gets early start on running family farm
Wyatt Holst, left, is pictured with his dad David Holst and grandfather John Holst. Photo provided
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Although running a family farm requires constant work and attention, Wyatt Holst sometimes catches himself looking back. After all, his family will have worked the same farm, located two miles south of Brownsdale, for 100 years this coming summer. “A lot of times I think about all of the changes that have happened in the last 100 years,” Wyatt said. “My grandpa can remember using horses out here and now we’ve got big tractors. It’s pretty crazy. Sometimes I’ll be out in the field and find old horseshoes and old farm equipment.” Wyatt will turn 22 this April, but he’s already taken on the task of running his family’s 1,000-acre farm. He grows and harvests corn and soy beans, raises calves and over 2,700 pigs every four months. Wyatt, a graduate of Hayfield High School, attended PSEO courses in Riverland while in high school to prepare himself for farming full time. However, most of his learning
came first-hand from his dad and grandpa. “My dad has really been a good teacher to allow me to experience it first hand. I’m able to do it myself and see what pays off and what doesn’t,” Wyatt said. “When we first started it was hard, because he and my grandpa have been doing it so long. A lot of times they probably got frustrated with the time it took me to learn certain things.” Wyatt has just one sibling in sister Emma, which meant he stayed pretty busy while growing up on the farm.. By the time he turned 14 years old, he made up his mind that he was going to stick with it. “I learned way more from being on the farm than I did in school. I always wanted to farm,” Wyatt said. “It’s always something new. Every day is something different. Getting to work with family can be kind of a pain sometimes and people don’t really realize that, but it can be stressful. Then you get to see all of
your work pay off in the fall and that’s the best part.” Wyatt said the most important part of maintaining a farm is being able to manage time. If things get off schedule, his day can be ruined in a hurry. “I always liked to work and I never had a problem with the work,” Wyatt said. “There’s so many jobs that have to be done at certain times and if you miss the right window, it can really set you back.” Of course taking on a farm comes with a lot of stress. Wyatt remembers hearing his dad and grandpa talk about the farm crisis in the 1980s and he’s heard about the cold summer of 1993. In 2013, he recalled a drought where his family produced 50 bushels of beans instead of the average 180-200 and they put out just 10 bushels of corn instead of the average of 50. Wyatt said it can be tough to depend on mother nature to cooperate for his livelihood. “That’s probably the worst part. It seems like we’re always wanting rain,” he said. “Part of it’s kind of nice that it’s not in your control. It is
100 YEARS ON THE FARM 1920 — Wyatt’s great great grandfather John Holst bought the farm, which was only one field at the time. 1945 — Wyatt’s great grandfather Arthur Holst took possession of the farm. 1949 — Arthur built the house where Wyatt lives now. 1997 — Wyatt’s grandpa John Holst and his dad David Holst bought a portion of the farm. 2009 — David remodeled the original farm. 2016 — Wyatt begins farming with David at a 10 percent rate. 2020 — Wyatt will take a 75 percent rate on the farm in April.
Wyatt Holst has jumped both feet into his family’s rich farming history. Eric Johnson/photodesk@ austindailyherald.com
what it is and you do your best.” As a young man who is taking on farming, Wyatt is a rarity these days. He knows of just a handful of younger farmers in the area and he hopes that more people come out and give it a shot. “It can be overwhelming sometimes. To me it’s scary to think that I only know five people my age that are going to be farming,” Wyatt said. “You wonder what it will be like 30 years from now and whether or not there will be enough people to get the job done. I don’t know what the answer to that is.” Wyatt admits that farming can be tough as you have to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to earn profits of tens of thousands of dollars. But it’s the life he’s chosen for himself and it’s a life he wants for future generations of Holts. “I don’t want to force my kids to farm, but I’d like them to,” Wyatt said. “I think it’s definitely taught me a lot more than any education could have. I’m thankful for my dad and grandpa being good teachers and we have good working relationships with our landlords and that’s key.” P
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Get on your bike and ride
The Wheels-to-Go program in LeRo y has a number of bikes available to rent and people to help out those ready to ride. Photos provided
LeRoy Bike Rental gets people out and rolling BY DEB NICKLAY LeRoy made a lot of news when the city’s Economic Development Authority announced its revitalization of a bus service that carries local and area patrons to Rochester for employment, and now, it is pedaling its way to another transportation service that is also drawing raves. The EDA established the “Wheels-to-Go” bicycle rental service in 2019, which quickly caught on among both local and area bicyclists. By the end of its inaugural season, over 200 bike rentals had been made to local and area bicyclists. While it’s called a rental service, the 45 or so
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bikes used in the program can be checked out free of charge during Friday, Saturday and Sunday hours as long as proper identification is supplied. The bikes were largely donated by LeRoy and area residents and serve kids to adults. There are also helmets, some adaptive bikes, recumbents and children’s bike trailers available. It was LeRoy Economic Development Authority President Craig Jacobson who first brought the idea to the LeRoy EDA after he had seen Pine Island’s “Borrow a Bike” program in action. Jacobson wondered if the same concept could be brought to LeRoy, the trailhead for the Shooting Star State Trail.
“Craig met with the group there and brought the idea back to the City Council here and the EDA, and that’s what got us started talking about it,” said Axel Gumbel, another EDA member. The council and EDA both thought it was a great idea. “It was a lay-down,” agreed Mayor Brian Thiel. “Everyone (on the council) wants to see the community thrive.” He continued, saying that adding amenities to a community like the bike service “are cumulative. If you can give someone a good meal, like at Sweets, buy groceries, have a convenience store, purchase lumber, and so on — it all adds up.”
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LeRoy citizens thought it as a great idea, too. When a call went out to residents asking for used bikes, “we ended up with dozens and dozens,” said Gumbel. Many were refurbished; others were purchased to make sure there were age-appropriate vehicles available, as well as adaptive bikes. Some that were donated were not usable, but were kept for parts. From Memorial Day to Labor Day 2019, the bikes were rented out on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and on weekdays by appointment, Gumbel said. Brian Jacobson, a volunteer, manned the service on the weekends. If rented during the week, the bikes could be checked out at City Hall and returned to bike rakes that have been provided. The early success, Gumbel said, shows that a variety of patrons appreciate the service. “A good number have come from out-of-town,” he said, adding that some were bike enthusiasts who wanted to ride the Shooting Star. Just a sampling of the rentals
Axel Gumbel stands on Main Street in LeRoy. LeRoy has taken extra steps to embrace community improvement. Park of that has been a bike rental program. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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showed patrons from Blooming Prairie, Owatonna and the Twin Cities, he said. But local residents enjoyed them as well, he added. The kids enrolled in the summer programs, as well as the school district’s before- and after-school program students, used them. Some rented them to bike to nearby Lake Louise; kids from out of town who wanted to spend time on the trail “didn’t have to haul their bikes to town” to do that, he said. Those who did not want to invest in vehicle bike racks also found the rentals useful. Thiel said he noticed that the bikes served whole families who wanted a summer bike outing — a convenience when you don’t want to bring an entire load of family bikes to the trail. “I think people have really enjoyed having them here,” Gumbel said. ”It’s another way to enjoy our assets here in town. We’re not trying to make money; it’s maximizing our assets and a way to enjoy the town.” And while there might have
been occasional repairs needed for some bikes, “I don’t recall a single incident of a bike being (intentionally) damaged or stolen,” he added. As word spread about the service — mostly through newspaper stories and Facebook — people even began calling in advance to make sure some bikes were available. It does take some money, though — there is maintenance and replacement of parts. The program received a $4,500 community grant from Mayo Clinic Health System and another through the Mower County Statewide Healthy Improvement Partnership (SHIP ). The LeRoy Community Foundation also provided support. There may be some changes when the service opens again in May. The EDA recently purchased a building on Main Street that might be used for the bike rentals, but the decision is not firm yet. Right now, Craig Jacobson’s office at 123 W. Main St., serves as the rental location. The 2020 hours for weekend rentals are still being discussed. P
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Grand Meadow cheerleaders have taken their cheering from the sidelines to the world of competitive cheerleading. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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Competitive nature Grand Meadow cheerleaders go from sidelines to cheer competitions BY ROCKY HULNE Don’t be fooled by the pom poms and cheer skirts, the Grand Meadow cheerleading team is not just a sideline pep fest. It is a group of competitors who are learning the importance of teamwork and athletic achievement. Two years ago GM teacher Nashia Baldus organized a Superlarks cheer team that performs in competitions as well as cheering during football games and wrestling matches. Baldus, a Stewartville graduate with a cheerleading background, has helped take a group of relatively inexperienced cheerleaders and turned them into a team that looks forward to competing. “The teachers and the staff are really supportive of our program and they try to get us involved in pep fests and things like that,” Baldus said. “We want to get the community even more involved. A lot of people hear cheerleading and they might have a certain idea in their head, but what we’re doing is much different than cheerleading was 20 years ago.”
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GM is one of the few area schools to offer competitive cheer as Kasson-Mantorville, PlanviewElgin-Millville and Kenyon-Wanamingo are the only other teams nearby. That means the team makes a lot of trips to the Twin Cities for competitions. The team also performs its stunts at pep fests and wrestling meets. Mackenzie Armagost, a freshman who has been on the cheerleading team for two years, said the school is starting to warm up to the idea of having a cheer team. “At first, people thought it was kind of a joke, because ‘who likes cheerleading?’ But once we showed them what we really are, they’ve become really supportive of us,” Armagost said. “For how far away our competitions are, we actually have a lot of people come and support us.” The cheer team begins its season with camp in June. It then runs through to early February. It’s a big commitment for all of the athletes involved, and some cheerleaders still compete in fall sports. “It’s a long season for them, but it gives something the girls to work for. They have to keep their grades up and they’re involved,” Baldus said. “I think the program itself is a huge asset to our school. These are girls that maybe don’t want to play basketball. Some of them do cross country or volleyball, but a lot of them wouldn’t do a winter sport otherwise.” There were 18 cheerleaders on the team this year as the Superlarks competed at the varsity level. Next year, the team may also have a JV squad.
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Grand Meadow cheerleaders run through routines during practice at the school. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Grand Meadow School 1/2
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One thing the team has learned is that it has to work together or everything can fall apart quickly. Freshman Mackenzie George, who is in her second year with the team, said that an enthusiastic approach is necessary for success. “It gets kind of frustrating and you have to not get down on yourself when you’re not hitting (your stunts). You have to have a positive mindset,” George said. “It takes a lot of teamwork because if one person isn’t trying, then nothing will hit and if one person gets crabby, the whole team gets crabby.” Armagost said a lot of the Superlarks have had to learn how to cheer from scratch, but they have all been willing to put in work. “It’s a lot of work. We have so many practices before our competitions,” Armagost said. “A lot more work goes into competition cheer than any other cheer because you’re constantly working for your routine and trying to hit all of your stunts. There’s no break in between the stunts.” And that work has paid off. In February, both competition and stunt teams took first in their division at the Minnesota Cheer Coaches Association State Cheerleading Competition, a huge accomplishment for a team still fairly new to the sport. While the district has been supportive of the cheer team, the squad has had to learn how to be versatile. Since gym space isn’t always available, they’ve learned to make do with
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Grand Meadow cheerleaders on the sidelines of the Minnesota Class A State Football Nine Man Tournament in Austin last fall. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com practicing in the lunch room, or anywhere else where they can find a high roof to do their stunts. Baldus is pretty pleased with how the team is doing in its second year and she looks forward to the future of the program. She is already
changed the perception of cheerleading in a lot of minds in town. “A lot of girls wanted a dance team and we still have the dance aspect, but we also have the athletic aspect with the stunting,” Baldus said. “I think they really like it.” P
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Southland prepares for new addition and more students BY TYLER JENSEN
A drone image of the construction currently underway at Southland Public Schools. Photo provided 100 | Austin Daily Herald | Progress 2020
Folks who have traveled through Adams recently may have noticed a lot going on at Southland Middle/High School. An addition is being built on to expand the school to accommodate both current students and next year’s population of elementary school students from the school in Rose Creek, which is closing after this year. The addition will hold office space, a new gym, and media center, a commons area and five new classrooms. The last time the building was renovated was when the current gym, music space and locker rooms were added in the early 1990s. Architects on the project have done a good job of tying the new designs in with the existing buildings, which come from 1916 and 1957. “It was a challenge, but I think it is going to look really good in the end,” said Southland Principal/ Superintendent Scott Hall. The new addition makes up the first phase of an $18.2 million bond project approved by voters in 2018. This year, there are about 380 students in the district and it makes sense from an efficiency standpoint to bring everyone under one roof. While he cannot say if projects like these are a trend for smaller districts, Hall said with declining enrollment over the last 10-15 years it becomes less and less efficient to operate two buildings. In December 2019, the Southland School Board approved moving forward with selling the Southland Elementary School building in Rose Creek.
A large crowd of students, teachers, paraprofessionals and community members gathered outside of Southland Middle/High School in September of last year for the groundbreaking ceremony. Herald file photo
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After the main part of the Southland Schools renonvation is complete a second renovation will be done for the auditorium, turning it into high class production area for plays. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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“I think that [ having everyone in one building] is going to further strengthen the culture of our district and I think it is going to be a great benefit for learning ”
Work on the new Southland gym roof continued in January.
Scott Hall, Southland Principal / Superintendent
“The intent is to sell it to someone who would repurpose it into something useful for the community of Rose Creek,” Hall said. Shutting down the elementary school after the 2019-2020 school year was a very difficult decision for the district and Hall said they know there is community concern about the move, but ultimately it was decided this was the best move for the district. The district recognized the issue of the community losing the school and hopes to work with Rose Creek to make sure the site is repurposed into something that benefits the town. Hall and other members of the district are excited to have everyone in one building as it can
bring a number of benefits, including interaction between students and staff. “I think that is going to further strengthen the culture of our district and I think it is going to be a great benefit for learning,” he said. While the students will all be under one roof, the different age groups will still have their own spaces for the things that are unique to their groups, such as the larger number of assemblies the elementary school students have or the different events for high school and middle school students. Progress is being made with the new addition, which now has the roof on. Crews are working on the inside to install things like heating and other infrastructure.
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Renovating the existing space will be the project’s second phase, to be done while students are out for the summer. The renovations will not only update the current facilities, but also get them ready to serve as a full K-12 school. “A lot of our spaces even in the current school will be repurposed next year,” Hall said. Two of the classrooms in the school will be designed so they can be used for a wide variety of general education classes, while three of the rooms will be updated, dedicated science labs. In order to accommodate the elementary school students, the new gym will be in addition to the current one. One of the biggest improvements will be the HVAC improvements, which will mean the school is climate controlled in all parts of the building, Hall said. The system will replace a 1950s boiler with a more efficient one and improve air quality at the site. Although it was not part of the bond referendum, thanks to $480,000 of donations from the public, including $250,000 from United Farmers State Bank, the school is able to proceed with a renovation of the current auditorium space. Seeing this community support for the project is humbling. “It just speaks to the generosity on one hand and then also the value that the people in our district put on education,” Hall said. The district takes this very seriously and wants to be good stewards of the money that has been donated. While things have been going smoothly so far, Hall expects the project could
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run into some unforeseen problems at some point in the renovation. Although they do not know what might go wrong, officials have built in padding to the schedule should something happen. While the December cold snap slowed things down, work continued and crews are now working in an enclosed shell of the future building. Having a construction project going on next door to the school while class is in session can be difficult, but all parties have worked to ensure things have continued on. “There are certain times and certain days when they are doing some demolition where you can hear it and feel it,” Hall said. Students and staff have worked through it and although it can be inconvenient, have realized they still need to get work done. The construction workers on the other hand, have been very accommodating to the school if things need to be slowed down to limit disruption. “We work together well,” Hall said. There has been good communication about what days, such as standardized testing sessions, need to be kept quiet. Students, teachers and other occupants of Southland have been very excited to see the construction workers around the site and cannot wait to see the final results of the project. The project is on schedule for completion this summer, with the the school to be opened at the regular time for its first year with the new facility and structure next fall. “Overall, I think the future for the district is bright,” Hall said. P
Construction materials are moved into spot during construction at the Southland Schools renovation in Adams. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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Impacting a community
Chris and Seth Pack are photographed in the entry way of Hayfield Public Schools. A fixture in Hayfield, Seth Pack has his name on the Seth Pack Golf Fundraiser, started by his dad. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
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Through the Seth Pack Golf Fundraiser, the Pack family is raising money for multiple causes BY ROCKY HULNE Whenever the Hayfield boys basketball team is playing a home game, your almost certain to find Seth Pack in the crowd and he will most likely leave you smiling. Seth, a sixth grader with Downs Syndrome, is the son of long-time Hayfield head boys basketball coach and Athletic Director Chris Pack. There is nowhere he’d rather be than in the student section with his scorebook in hand, sitting next to Hayfield junior Maryx Young, who assists Seth in stats and cheers to get the crowd going. There are times when Chris glances from the bench and sees his son firing up the fans with a cheer or antics that get the people going. “I look over there and he’s doing push ups and he’s dancing and everyone’s cheering him on,” Chris said. “The kids here are great with him and the older kids embrace him. They don’t have to do that, but they generally like him. He just loves the older kids. I think it’s a benefit of a small town, where everyone kind of looks out for Seth. We’re fortunate with that.” Young has embraced helping Seth out with stats and she’s even leaned on him for help at times. She is also one of the many high school students who go out of their way to say “hello” to Seth when they see him in the middle of the school day. “He’s the most funny kid I’ve ever met and he’s very into the game. He’s focused and sometimes I’ll ask who had an assist on a play. He’ll tell me because he knows. He likes to be involved and he loves it when he gets to help. That’s all he wants to do is help,” Young said.”He’s the most loving kid. He knows all of us (high schoolers) and he’ll
yell our names in the hallways. He’s just the sweetest. He’s just like everyone else and he’s the best kid I’ve ever met.” Seth has certainly shined his light on Hayfield High School and the community of Hayfield has repaid the favor. Chris started the Seth Pack Golf Fundraiser nine years ago and the event, which is held at the Oaks Golf Course in Hayfield every summer, has raised $75,000 over time. The number of golfers competing has gone from 50 to 144 over the years. “When Seth was born, we did the Down Syndrome Fun Walk in St. Paul for the state Down Syndrome Association to raise money for the state, but we felt like we could make a bigger impact locally,” Chris said. “It’s pretty neat (running the fund raiser). I’ll keep doing it as long as people keep doing it. It’s a lot of work to get ready for it, but it’s certainly rewarding to give the money to the places that we do. It feels good to be able to help out.” The money raised by the golf fund raiser goes to The Arc Minnesota in Rochester, the Hayfield Special Education Department, a scholarship for a graduating senior and grants for families that include someone with special needs. Some of the money raised helped Hayfield start an adapted bowling team. Hayfield won a state championship in the autism division last year.
Seth usually gets out and makes an appearance at the fund raiser and he also stays busy in sports as he plays football, basketball and baseball. He also loves following the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Wild and the Minnesota Gophers. But cheering on his dad’s team is one of Seth’s biggest passions. “He loves it. He’d be there every night if he could. We got him scorebooks for Christmas and he’s so excited to keep score in his own book,” Chris said. “He’ll pull up old videos of games on YouTube and keep score. He’s always reciting everyone’s names and numbers at home like he’s doing the starting lineups. He’s all in on it.” Seth has embraced the town of Hayfield as much as it has embraced him. “I like hanging out with the older kids, they’re nice to me. It’s great to live here,” Seth said. “I really like watching my dad’s games.” Chris said that Seth has brought a positive attitude to daily life and that energy has spread around to others. “At first we had negative thoughts before we had Seth about what he couldn’t do,” Chris said. “Now that we’ve had him, he’s just been a blessing to our family and really to the school. Everyone loves Seth.” P
Maryx Young gets some help with stats from Seth Pack during a boys basketball game between Hayfield and Blooming Prairie.
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Lyle 150 years young Small southern Minnesota town marking sesquicentennial with history book, celebration BY MICHAEL STOLL
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n 1870, Minnesota Central Railroad president Selah Chamberlain signed and filed for a plat for a town in southern Mower County. Having already platted towns such as Adams and Rose Creek, Chamberlain was looking to add another town along his railroad. It was a time when the rapid expansion of railroads in the United States was creating towns all over the country as the trains needed places to stop to gather wood and water for their steam locomotives. This particular town was called Lyle. “Lyle immediately became a rival to Mona, as it was platted just two months after the Illinois Central Railroad had come up to Mona, Iowa, less than one mile to the south,” said Lyle native Mitch Helle, who is currently working on a book detailing Lyle’s history. “The original town of Lyle was laid out in a nine-block
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The railroad helped make Lyle into a hub of transportation. Above, looking down Grove Street in Lyle. Photos provided square, with the railroad coming in on the western edge of town.” The town took its name from settler Robert Lyle, though Helle believes it should have been named after someone else. “(Robert Lyle) actually moved away in 1868, two years before the city of Lyle was platted!” he said. Railroad competition led to more
routes into Lyle. According to Helle, the Illinois Central Railroad built a connecting line from Mona to Lyle shortly after the founding of Lyle. In 1885, a third railroad came into Lyle — the Minnesota & Northwestern (later Chicago Great Western). Lyle was chosen as the primary stop over Mona, and in December 1885 the Illinois Central moved their
buildings and workers to Lyle from Mona. This was the final blow for Mona and established Lyle as the railroad hub. “The railroad continues to be a large influence in Lyle, and led to the location of Absolute Energy, the ethanol plant, just south of town in 2006,” Helle said. But while the railroads were the reason Lyle was founded, there were already settlers in the area as early as 1853. “The Six Mile Grove Norwegian settlement in Nevada Township was already bustling, had organized and built a church building,” Helle said. “There were hundreds of people living in both Nevada and Lyle Townships before a single house was built in the city of Lyle. At this point, I also really include Mona, Otranto and London, all of Lyle Township and all of Nevada Township as part of ‘Lyle.’” The town’s proximity to Iowa allowed for another industry to
become profitable in Lyle: alcohol. “Booze was an important part of Lyle’s start, especially since Iowa was dry off-and-on,” Helle said. “There are some great articles that talk about ‘Lyle whiskey’ and use the phrase ‘going to Lyle’ as an insult to mean going to get drunk.” “I would say the most important things about Lyle are the railroads, location on the Minnesota-Iowa border, agriculture and maintaining an independent school district,” Helle continued. “There have been many important organizations over the years, including Masons, Knights of
Pythias/Sisters of Pythias, WCTU, and more recently the Lyle Lions club, Lyle Legion, Lyle Area Cancer, Lyle Volunteer Fire Department, Lyle First Responders and the area churches. These organizations strengthen the community and have been giving back to the community for decades.” Now with 150 years under their belt, the residents of Lyle plan to mark their sesquicentennial from June 26-28. The planning for the event has been a joint effort from many Lyle citizens. “Being a small community like we
are, people wear many hats,” said Lyle resident Kristen Prescott, a volunteer on the celebration’s planning committee. “People have stepped up to add to the celebration in anticipation of the 150th and we’ve had different fundraising events.” Helle plans to have his book released in conjunction with Lyle’s 150th Celebration. Both Prescott and Helle said a new addition to coincide with the celebration will be an event honoring longtime Lyle band director Rachel Ann Hudson, who passed away on Jan. 20, 2020, at the age of 80. P
LYLE THROUGH THE YEARS 1853-1854 — first settlers begin to arrive 1859 — Six Mile Grove church founded 1868 — Six Mile Grove church building completed 1870 — City of Lyle platted as a railroad town on the Minnesota Central Railroad 1870 — Illinois Central Railroad extends line from Mona to Lyle 1885 — Chicago Great Western Railroad reaches Lyle, giving it three railroad lines 1891 — Major fire destroys almost all businesses in Lyle. The New York Times ran a short story saying “Lyle, Minn. was wiped out by fire today.” 1893 — Lyle Tribune newspaper starts publishing 1897 — Tornado rips through town
1906 — City Hall and new high school built 1951 — Lyle Tribune ceases publication 1956 — Fire once again destroys much of Grove Street 1957 — Country schools closed and Lyle School was expanded 1970s — As neighboring schools consolidate (such as Southland and GlenvilleEmmons), Lyle remains independent 1980s — Two separate stories, the murder of schoolteacher Sharon Turnbull and Thorman Olson saving his neighbor from a gunman, make national headlines 2005-2006 — New school referendum passes and new school is built. The ethanol plant is built just across the border in Iowa
A colorized image of Lyle’s City Hall.
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Stinar Corporation lands in Blooming Prairie
Stinar’s Vice President of Sales and Operations Jeff McCabe in the company’s production area, where it builds ground support equipment for airports and the United States Air Force. Photos by Tyler Jensen/tyler.jensen@ austindailyherald.com
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BY TYLER JENSEN A new business has landed in Blooming Prairie and its clientele includes some very important people. The Stinar Corporation, previously located in Eagan, has moved to Blooming Prairie. The company produces ground equipment for use at airports and military airfields across the country. These can range from ground support vehicles for firefighting or carrying cargo to a plane, to the stairs people can walk down from their flight. Stinar Corporation stairs have been used on Air Force One. “Probably the biggest claim to fame is when President Trump gets off the plane and walks down the steps, those are our steps,” Vice President of Sales and Operations Jeff McCabe said. The company was purchased by Blooming Prairie native Craig Kruckeberg in 2018, when it was in bankruptcy, and decided to move to his hometown. McCabe said it made sense for
Once Stinar gets a chassis for the vehicle it is building, workers fabricate and assemble everything that is needed to turn the barebones truck into a platform for a scissor lift, a water tanker or whatever else a client needs. Kruckeberg to move the company to Blooming Prairie. “A lot of his contacts are down
here and there’s a lot of good, quality businesses down here,” he said.
With the move, the company is looking at potentially working with local businesses on parts of their work, whether it is with powder coating vehicles or fabricating metal pieces. When the company gets an order in for a vehicle, it purchases the chassis before fabricating all the parts that will go on to make it into whatever the client needs. Although they will work with a client if they want a specific chassis, the company typically buys Ford trucks. The products made by Stinar go to all kinds of airports, from international level ones to regional locations. One of the company’s largest clients is the United States Air Force, McCabe said. “Probably 70-75 percent are with the military currently. That’s what the previous owners focused on and we want to keep that but expand more of the commercial side as well,” he said. Whenever products are built for the military, they need to be built to deal with more than a civilian model.
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In the case of a scissor lift, while it would normally have to be rated for 9 tons, the military version must be rated for 27 tons (54,000 pounds). “Pieces of a tank can be loaded up on top of that and be lifted into an aircraft,” McCabe said. The new location will be both the headquarters of sales and operations, as well as the place where production happens. In addition to finished products, the company also sells spare parts that its clients may need to maintain their vehicles and equipment in the future. By the time Kruckeberg took over the business, the number of employees at the company, which began in 1946, was down to 20. Of those, several people retired, but a few of them came down with the company. Currently, the operation is small, but the company is looking to leverage connections with other businesses and subcontract out some of the work. “There are a lot of great companies here and historically they’ve all worked really well together and
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In addition to full vehicles and equipment, Stinar also sells parts for clients to get if they need to do maintenance on their machinery. historically they’ve all supported the community really well and Stinar wants to fit into that,” McCabe said. This is probably one of the biggest benefits to moving down to Blooming Prairie. These are companies that Kruckeberg Industries has worked with in the past and those collab-
orations have worked out well, McCabe said. Previously, almost everything on a product would be fabricated by Stinar employees. But, if other companies are already making these items, why should Stinar not procure those items and focus on putting together the final product, he said.
“We’ve got to figure out where we can leverage our time best,” McCabe said. “The partners that are here, we know really well from working with them in the past.” One potential challenge McCabe sees is that the company is no longer close to a major international airport. However, it is only about one and a half hours from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and 40 minutes from Rochester and McCabe figures the traffic will be easier than it was before. “Instead of looking at the miles if you look at the time it is probably similar,” he said. Technology is also making it easier for businesses to move to smaller communities,. Stinar’s telecommunications infrastructure allows the company to meet with clients all over the world via video calls. “You don’t need to be in a major metropolitan city anymore to have telecommunications,” McCabe said. “We have customers all across the nation and all across the globe.” With some of their partners or clients that they communicate with
via phone, email or other electronic communications, it does not really matter if Stinar is in Blooming Prairie or Eagan. Although the company is currently working out of its new building, renovations have been continuing as new offices are built in the building. As part of its efforts to be part of the community, the Kruckeberg family and Stinar donated $25,000 to the Blooming Prairie Youth Club. Kruckeberg also owns other businesses in town, such as Kruckeberg Motorsports and KIK Marketing. Although the company does not currently have every position filled, it can use the resources of other Kruckeberg companies, such as KIK for marketing or the corporate office for human resources. “We all kind of work together,” McCabe said. During their downtime in the winter, some employees at Kruckeberg’s Bandit Racing company are also project managers at Stinar. After some downtime of their own during the move, employees at
Stinar began shipping out products in January. McCabe said he is happy to see things start to progress. “It’s a lot of fun now to start going forward,” he said. McCabe said the company’s vision is that once things start picking up, they will start doing apprenticeship programs. He believes it is important to get new employees learning from longtime employees while they are still with the company so that knowledge is passed on. P
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Longtime Austin bar owner sees successes in Rose Creek BY TYLER JENSEN For the Lang family of Austin, the hospitality business is a family tradition. Mark Lang grew up working in bars and restaurants owned by his parents Dick and Patti and now his children help him at the locations he owns, including The Creek Bar & Grill in Rose Creek. “We’ve been in the bar and restaurant industry since I was born,” Lang said. Being born into the hospitality industry is like being born into any other industry, Lang said, a person spends a lot of time growing up in it and they either decide they want nothing to do with it when they get older, or they go into it themselves. “You either love it or you hate it,” he said. For Lang, the industry seemed like a fit, because he likes seeing people and talking with them. However, if
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he hadn’t grown up in the business and had family who could help with running it, Lang said he would not have gone into it. “This is not an 8-10 hour day job. This is seven days a week, 24 hour days,” Lang said. “It doesn’t matter if this place is open or closed, restaurants and bars are a lot of work. It can be very rewarding and very fulfilling but you only get out of it what you put into it.” He has seen people try to get into the business with the mindset that it is easy or fun only to fail later. People see one packed night and assume that the business is doing well, but they don’t know the whole picture, where the owner may be hoping this one good night negates 10 bad ones. “I’ve seen people and I know people personally that have thought that it looks like a great idea, jump in, spend the money and a year later the
The Creek Bar & Grill owner Mark Lang, pictured with his wife Kelly. Tyler Jensen/tyler.jensen @austindailyherald.com
doors are shut,” Lang said. Two years ago, Lang decided he wanted to own a bar/restaurant of his own, rather than one the family already had and looked at purchasing The Creek Bar and Grill in Rose Creek. “This was my first establishment that I didn’t grow up in with mom and dad,” Lang said. One of the reasons he went with this location when it became available was that he likes the smalltown feel and the people who live in the area. Another was that it is close to home in Austin. “It just seemed like the right fit at the right time for us,” Lang said. When he took over the bar, Lang did not need to make a ton of changes and instead made some adjustments to the menu, changed some cosmetic features and opened up the inside of the bar by taking out a small wall. “For the most part, what you see
today is what it was for the last several years. We’ve just put our own little twist on it,” Lang said. He also made some changes to the outside and upgraded equipment. “I’ve always had better luck with newer equipment so I like to invest what I can into the business itself because the better your equipment the better your business is going to run,” Lang said. Ensuring newer and better equipment is in place can save him from having costly downtime and other issues in the future. It has also allowed for the upgraded menu, according to Manager Cindy Stahl. Now, The Creek offers homemade soups, desserts and daily specials. For Lang, it all comes down to comfort food and making a person feel like they are at home. “Everybody likes to come home to eat. There’s nothing better than a
fresh made hamburger or fresh made pork tenderloin,” Lang said. While corporate chain establishments all have their niche, there is little that is different about the food someone can get from one chain or another, he said. There is also nothing different about the food someone can get at these restaurants on one day over another. When someone comes to The Creek, the potato salad they once had, may not be the exact same as another time because it is made fresh everyday, Lang said. The restaurant also gets its meat from Geneva Meats and strives to use as little frozen product as possible, he said. Coming to The Creek versus going to a chain bar/restaurant is the difference between going out and going home, Lang said. For many people who come to The Creek, it is like a second home. “Small town establishments are just an extension of your family,” he said. “If you don’t fit in, you’re going to have a hard time.” As for the removal of the small wall in The Creek, Lang feels it makes the
establishment feel larger and more friendly. “Now you walk through the door it doesn’t matter which side you’re on, you’re family. If you are in here, probably everyone knows you,” Lang said. He said they have been well received by the community. “Overall, I think we’ve been very well received. They’ve treated us very well,” Lang said. One way the community has shown acceptance for the new ownership was by bringing in photos of Patti’s family, who had lived in Rose Creek when she was younger, to decorate the bar. While he is not often at the location, he brought in Stahl from another establishment the family owns to serve as manager. She said it has been a process and having a full grill is a lot of work, but she felt the bar has been welcomed by the community. For Lang, buying and running a bar/restaurant would not be possible without the support of his family and employees. “It takes a team to make a little operation run,” he said. The staff he has had at The Creek
has been one of the best parts of owning it, with the other being the community, Lang said. His hope for the future of The Creek is that he can keep it running and that it can be passed down to his kids when the time comes. Lang wants The Creek to be a place where people come for volleyball in the summer, a snowmobiling stop in the winter and just a place to grab some food or drink in general. More information about the business can be found on its Facebook page: The Creek Bar & Grill. P
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One Year In
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STORY
AND
PHOTOS
BY
ERIC JOHNSON
Just over the past year, the city of Austin and Mower County have seen a “changing of the guard� in some notable leadership positions. Elaine Hansen is the new executive director at the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce. Austin Police Chief David McKichan,
Mower County Sheriff Steve Sandvik and County Administrator Trish Harren have all succeeded longtime notables within the community. For this part of Progress 2020, we thought we would take a moment to look back at this past year, check in on how things have gone and where the new leaders see their positions in the future.
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Elaine Hansen
Executive Director of the Austin Area Chamber of Commerce
H
ansen actually started in her position at the chamber on Dec. 10, 2018, while Sandy Forstner was still in the position, using the time to ease into the job. However, it’s not her first time working with the chamber. When her family moved to town in 1994, Hansen had a brief stint with the chamber. When the year changed over, Hansen was ready to go.
What has been the biggest challenge so far?
Hansen can point to a few things that have been challenges so far, among them has been the effort of catching up to the economic climate in town. “I think it’s just getting up to speed about the current economic speed of the community and understanding what the needs of businesses are currently, and trying to make a plan on what we can do to help,” Hansen said. In that regard, Hansen’s team has worked diligently to reach that point, by calling chamber businesses and surveying them — making sure that their input was part of the plan. A lot of that was helped along by the state of the chamber when Hansen took the position. “I was fortunate to come into a really strong organization,” she said. However, Hansen is hoping the chamber can expand even further, building a few programs it already has started including Coffee and Company, an early morning opportunity to connect and Leadership Reads, which is a book club that meets at South Central Athlete. There’s also the hope of expanding an existing program, Lunch and Learn, a business education program.
What challenges do you see in the future?
To grow a strong economy relies on getting players on the field. For the chamber, it’s about including more businesses in what the chamber is doing and recruiting more members. This breaks down to how the chamber can support those members once they join. “At the chamber we’re really a membership organization, so everything we do starts with how does this benefit our members, how will this impact our members,” Hansen said. “A big part of that is making sure our businesses community understands we’re here to help them.” Some of that focus comes with getting smaller businesses to join and making sure that all voices from the business community are heard. This also extends to minority-owned businesses. “We’re really working to make sure we’re inclusive and hear what they say,” she said. “We’re looking for different ways for pipeline development. We need to make sure we’re open and welcoming.”
What have you enjoyed most about the position?
A big part of the chamber’s success is getting out and meeting the members it serves. For Hansen, that has been one of the best things about her new position. “Just getting to know the people, getting new people, and finding out about new businesses — hearing their stories and then sharing those stories and providing connections to provide for those concerns or areas they are looking for assistance in,” she said.
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David McKichan M
Austin Police Chief
cKichan has been a longtime member of the Austin Police Department, having come to the force in 1997. He marked his 22nd year in law enforcement on Dec. 1, 2019, and during that time he has been a police officer, detective, captain, a member of the SIRT Team and finally chief. He was promoted to the post in February 2019, taking over from retired Police Chief Brian Krueger. McKichan’s original path had him looking at becoming an attorney, following in the footsteps of his grandfather and uncle. But after a time, he wasn’t so sure. While reading case law, he found himself fascinated by the interaction of police with citizenry. “So, I had an uncle who had a friend with the St. Paul Police Department. He brought me down for a summer to do an uncredited internship of sorts.” He found the idea of being a police officer increasingly attractive and after completing school he began his new journey — one that led to Austin and his first job in law enforcement.
What’s been the biggest challenge so far?
“When I was a patrolman you just needed to show up and take care of your cases,” McKichan said. “There are obviously different kinds of pressure depending on what you’re exposed to.” As chief of police, McKichan has a lot more on his plate, including staffing. “(Being) captain prepared me more, but now you’re getting into more personnel things,” McKichan explained. “You have, including myself, 38 employees and each one has different career goals, different career paths, issues.” At the same time, there comes a satisfaction in being chief, especially when McKichan gets to see officers advancing in their fields. However, even that comes with a certain level of challenge; an adjustment really.
“I got to give a lot of input as captain, but I wasn’t responsible for making that final decision and now those decisions fall to you to make that final decision,” McKichan said.
What challenges do you see in the future?
Like law enforcement around the country, Austin is grappling with a shortage of officers within the department and McKichan sees that spilling over into years to come. “The last four years, a lot of the challenge is getting folks interested in the career,” McKichan said. “Our number of applicants has fallen off quite a bit and we know that to be true from our neighboring agencies as well. This is a statewide, probably nationwide problem.” There’s also a public notion of how police are seen in today’s society. McKichan points out that much of what is seen on the news are the bad outcomes. The good things that law enforcement does every day aren’t seen as much. The image, while faulty, may be a deterrent to attracting people to the field. “(In the last) three, four years … young people are questioning and looking at this long term,” he said. “Is this a career that’s sustainable for me?”
What have you enjoyed most about the position?
McKichan points out that much of law enforcement is collaboration and to that end it’s one of the more enjoyable parts of being police chief. “I enjoy working with our mayor, city council, other city administrators, department heads,” McKichan said. “It’s a window outside your sphere to other things the city or community is doing.” McKichan also enjoys see the growth of Austin over the years and that the city continues moving forward.
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Trish Harren H
Mower County Administrator
arren took over the position with Mower County after the retirement of Craig Oscarson, when the position was known as Mower County Coordinator. She began her duties in December 2018 after holding the same position in Itasca County. Before that she had been Roseau County’s first county coordinator. “In Roseau County they didn’t have central administration so they didn’t have a coordinator or administrator,” Harren said. “Unbeknownst to me they were ready to make that shift so they asked me to apply for their first county coordinator position.” Up until that point she had been coordinating a victims services program.
What’s been the biggest challenge so far?
Harren had to think about this for a moment because as she describes it, it’s been relatively smooth sailing. “That’s a tough question because it’s been such a smooth year,” she said. “My biggest challenge is finding time in the day to sit in on all of the meetings, projects and committees.” “There’s a lot to do,” she added. “We have great people in Mower County, great people in the community, so the biggest challenge is there are so many things to be part of that can help me make a difference for this county internally, externally.” Some of that challenge is picking up where Oscarson left off. He helped build a stable government organization so in a lot of ways, that left Harren looking for things to improve on. It didn’t take her long to start going after projects of her own. “One kind of organizational efficiency he wasn’t able to get done that I began working on right away was looking at a creation of a Land Records Department or a Taxpayer Services Department.” The Board of Commissioners approved the creation of the Taxpayer Services Department recently.
“ I feel like I’m building on Craig’s legacy,” she said.
What challenges do you see in the future?
It didn’t take Harren much time to point out one of the the biggest challenges going forward. “I think it’s going to be in the area of economic development,” she said. “Being able to attract and retain talented people. To fill existing jobs and to really be able to grow our industry.” While Austin has enjoyed a relative boom of businesses, Harren wants to focus on ensuring that that growth continues moving forward for the county. What that means is to continue to grow the value of the county, especially in the face of the fact that Mower County has some of the lowest county taxes in the state of Minnesota. That equates to an extra push to bring in more business and the potential of more economic growth. “We want to continue to grow our value, grow our businesses,” she explained. “We have very low county taxes and we want it to stay that way. We have to be intentional about focusing on economic development.”
What have you enjoyed the most about the position?
Harren has really stepped fully and purposefully into the public eye. She’s purchased a house, has a dog and even bought the Yoga Studio of Austin. Being in the community has really been an enjoyable aspect to being in Austin. “I’ve really enjoyed meeting the people — inside and outside,” Harren said. “I can’t say enough about the concierge program that exists here. You come to this community and you feel welcomed, you feel like you belong right away because you get invited to these welcome events.”
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Steve Sandvik S
Mower County Sheriff
andvik has been in law enforcement for 25 years and, in March, he will mark 20 years of service in Austin. His career started as a part-time reserve officer for Olmsted County, but Sandvik wanted a full time position, which wasn’t available so he eventually was hired by Mower County. He started as a patrol deputy on the night shift and then took the newly-created position of court security deputy, followed by a move to day patrol, sergeant, patrol sergeant and then sergeant investigator. Prior to his promotion to sheriff, Sandvik was first promoted to lead investigator. He also worked with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force as well as the Drug Task Force. He credits people like retired sheriff Terese Amazi and Chief Deputy Mark May for his opportunities. “It was one of the reasons I decided to stay here,” he said. Sandvik was sworn in on Jan. 7, 2019, succeeding Amazi.
What’s been the biggest challenge so far?
The biggest challenge to being sheriff is the increase in workload. “To be honest, and I know a lot of other sheriffs use this same term, it’s like being really thirsty and going to the drinking fountain and finding out it’s a fire hose,” Sandvik said. “You want this job, you’re excited about it and you get into it and it’s a lot and it’s all the time. “It’s not that I didn’t expect that that’s what it would be, but it truly comes at you fast and furious and from all directions.” But Sandvik has jumped all in. “Everybody within the county, it’s a huge team,” he said. “That part has really made this job easy. It’s a good team, good people to work with.”
What challenges do you see in the future?
The Mower County Sheriff ’s Department, like the Austin Police Department, faces many of the same challenges including recruitment to the badge.
“It’s a very, very difficult job that’s not right for everyone,” Sandvik admitted. “Not everyone that applies is going to be a good fit. But it’s trying to get those young people invigorated who are interested in this process to come and apply.” With that comes the challenging aspect of getting that initial interest, but Sandvik tempers that by just exposing people to the position. Not necessarily recruitment, but just establishing that connection and opening the world of law enforcement up to the youth. “That’s really fun, just that kind of connection,” Sandvik said. “It’s not like I’m hoping they will grow up to be deputies, but hey, it certainly would be nice. Just that there’s positive interaction. Really spreading that throughout the community.” A second challenge is streamlining the department in an effort to make more efficient use of resources. “We have made huge headway just in the last year in finding ways we can refine the process and save county funds,” Sandvik said.
What have you enjoyed most about the position?
For Sandvik, the best part of his new position is the teamwork and establishing a cooperation level among those working in the department. “I try to be very proactive and getting out and helping,” he said. “I don’t’ want to ask people to do things I’m not willing to do myself. I do enjoy getting out and helping when we’re shorthanded.” He also enjoys the broad reach his department has within the community. “Probably the best thing is my connection with all aspects of the community, our partners and our regional partners and making sure to let people know they can let me know … it’s my job to help them with issues and problems or explain things,” Sandvik said. “We can’t help or fix everything, but we can’t help or fix anything if we don’t know about it.” P
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