Burnett County Sentinel Gems & Jewels 2016

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GEMSJEWELS and

A special supplement to the Burnett County Sentinel • March 23, 2016 Gems and Jewels is an occasional publication of the Burnett County Sentinel. This special section highlights the people (gems) and the businesses (jewels) which make our county the special place it is.

Mothes are the heart and soul of the Siren ball field BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

SIREN —There may not be a picture of Rudy and Ruth Mothes in the dictionary under the phrase public service but an argument could be made that it should. The Mothes may best be known for all the time and energy they put into the Siren ball field. It may seem self-serving — after all, the couple’s youngest son, Reno, was into sports at the time. “Reno was born with a ball in his hands,” Ruth SEE MOTHES, PAGE 3

Clean water serves as big attraction BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

BURNETT COUNTY—“Seventy Seventy years on the same lake pretty much tells e lake water,” Catherine Tripalin Murray, said of a story of the quality of the North Sand Lake. “Being able to see what’s happening 25 feet deep year plains why we don’t mind driving four and a after year pretty much explains half hours from Madison to immerse ourselves each summer in our favorite place in the whole wide world.” Growing up in Madison,, with four lakes nearby, Trie knew what fresh and beaupalin Murray thought she tiful bodies of water were.. 45 when I was only “That all changed in 1945 seven and traveled with my family to Burnett County for a week in a resort cabin ar Webster,” on North Sand Lake near pression of she pointed out. “My impression e moment lake water changed the n through I walked from the cabin e toes in the sand to dip my little hat made crystal clear cool water that me want to spend the restt of my life in the same cabin on the same lake.” And she’s not alone. Roger Noe, presidentt of the Burnett County Lakes and Rivers Association, the largest such asCOURTESY BURNETT COUNTY LAND INFPORMATION sociation in the county, is a year-round resident on There are more than 500 named rivers and lakes in Burnett County. North Sand Lake — and is especially protective of it.

Rudy and Ruth Mothes

SEE LAKES, PAGE 10

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BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL-GEMS & JEWELS

MARCH 23, 2016 www.burnettcountysentinel.com

A road engineer at heart BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

WEBSTER—He spent nearly 20 years as a member of the county’s highway department, most recently as commissioner, ensuring our driving infrastructure was free of snow and ice and free of serious potholes or other issues — generally making travel safe for thousands. But that’s not the road Bob Morehouse started down. “My folks owned and operated the Oakland Store for 20 years —I grew up there,� he remembered fondly. He so enjoyed the life of a shopkeeper he was ready to make that his career. “The original goal was for me to take over the store when the folks were ready to retire,� Morehouse explained. To that end, he enrolled at Superior in business administration, transferred to Mount Senario in Ladysmith where he earned his Bachelor’s degree. By then it was it was the early 1970’s and even though the war in Vietnam was starting to wind down, like a fork in the road, it was time to make a decision. “I had a low draft number so I figured I’d better sign up for the National Guard,� Morehouse remarked.

Eight years later he decided to go active service in the United States Army. It was in the Army where he learned the in’s and out’s of building and taking care of infrastructure — primarily roads. “We built roads all over,� he said. “It was an exceptional experience — I made a lot of lifetime friends while I was in the service.� Even though he didn’t see combat, that didn’t mean he didn’t see the world. “I was in Germany twice, Panama twice and all over the United States,� he recalled. And he kept learning more and more about road building. “The Army sent me to Advanced Engineering school at Fort Belvior in Virginia,� Morehouse pointed out. “I graduated in the top two percent of my class — that got me a lot of accolades.� After being discharged from the Army in 1995, he first worked as the road supervisor for the Town of Swiss — and that’s how he “joined� the Danbury Fire and Rescue squad. “The fire chief at the time, Bill Klugow, said if I worked for the township I had to be a member of the fire department,� Morehouse noted. “I was a fireman, I

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was one of the first divers and now I’m the financial person — you kind of have to do it all.� Even though he and Sue, his wife of 30 years, are Webster residents, he still is a member of the Danbury Fire Department. “I told the chief we have now that I’m too old to be running into burning buildings,� Morehouse admitted. “He just laughed and said, ‘Bob, you don’t have to run into any buildings — just stay as part of the team.’� After his stint at Swiss, Morehouse took all of his experience and went to work for the Burnett County Highway Department. “The biggest challenge was getting to know everyone and getting used to the way they did things — it wasn’t the Army way,� he laughed. “And then to come in as an outsider with authority was another challenge.� While he didn’t let that sway his work ethic, it did cause some consternation. “I had risen to second in command and at one point I told my boss, ‘If you don’t come out and tell me how to build roads, I won’t come in and tell you how to run the office,’� Morehouse reported. Eventually, his predecessor, Roger Peterson, just up and retired and Morehouse was thrust into the job — a 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. or later proposition. “I figured I’d be the first thing they’d see in the morning and the last thing they’d see before they went home,� he said of the staff working for him. “Now whether they liked it that way is another matter altogether.� Morehouse retired in December last year but still keeps tabs on what’s going on. In fact, in addition to working with Mike Hoefs, the new commissioner, for

Bob Morehouse

about six weeks before his retirement, he goes in for a couple hours each month to be a sounding board. “I didn’t want Mike to be in the same position I was in when I got the job from Roger,� he said simply. He also agreed to be nominated as a potential appointee for the Off Road Vehicle (ORV) Council. “They were looking for someone with my kind of background and experience in building trails,� Morehouse said. “Our department worked closely with the forestry department and did that very thing.� With an unending list of projects to catch up on, retirement is anything but sedentary. “In my spare time I like to cut firewood and go fishing,� Morehouse concluded. “I would like to travel — I’ve never been out west.�

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Every year the Kindergarten classes join together in a Pennies for Pets campaign. They raise money for the Burnett County Humane Society.

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The middle school participated in its 3rd Annual Make a Difference Day in October. All staff and students participated in an afternoon of community service at one of 16 activities located throughout the surrounding area.

Seniors had the opportunity to visit UW-Eau Claire, UW-Barron County, and WITC this Fall. This picture was taken on a tour of UWEC’s beautiful campus.

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Webster School District

MARCH 23, 2016

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Four shows ... no waiting •Timbers Theater in Siren only theater in county. BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

SIREN —Offering at least four movies at any given time, Timbers Theater in Siren has created a niche for itself as the only movie theater in Burnett County. Faith Bergeron, who has managed the theater for about three years, sees the theater as a valuable asset to the community. “We are the only one in the county — it makes for a good option,” she opined. “People like their movies so I know people value not having to drive to St. Croix Falls or Hinckley — people are glad it’s in their community.” The owners, the manager and the employees take that perceived value seriously. “A lot of times we’ll hear comments about how clean the facility is — movie-goers aren’t tripping over popcorn tubs or sticking to

the floor,” Bergeron reported. “We clean in between shows and I think we do a pretty good job.” And bringing the best viewing product possible to the public is also important. “We switched from the old 35-millimeter projectors to digital projectors about the time I started managing the place — it’s a nice clear picture which I know people enjoy,” she said. “We also have Dolby Digital sound and stadium seating with the nice chairs.” There are times when the marquee advertising the movies playing that particular week can be a tad bit misleading. “We are a four-screen theater, but there are times when we are showing five fi lms,” Bergeron explained. “Sometimes, we will do a split, two movies on the same screen with different show times — it depends how the movies come to us.” Not being able to select their own movies can handcuff them at times.

“We don’t get to pick the movies we want — our movie buyer gets us whatever we get,” she lamented. “It kind of depends, too, on what are ticket sales are for movies from a particular distributor.” So anticipated block-buster movies, like Star Wars: The Force Awakens, will show on two screens. “It usually only happens the fi rst week because so many people want to see it when it first opens,” Bergeron noted. Traffic to the theater in the non-summer season is pretty slow with the bulk of patrons coming from Webster, Grantsburg, Frederic and of course Siren. But the theater business picks up November through January. “We’re really busy those months. In addition to seeing a movie, people will buy gift cards,” she pointed out. “That’s why we’re busy in January — people are redeeming their gift cards.” TODD BECKMANN | SENTINEL

SEE THEATER, PAGE 7

Waiting for patrons.

MOTHES: Siren couple best known for establishing community ball field complex CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

quipped. “Whether it was basketball, football, any sport with a ball, he played it — especially baseball.” The whole process began in the early 1990s. “Reno was playing ball in a church league and Mike Herrick, manager at North States, had a fast-pitch team with players who were the same age as Reno,” Rudy pointed out. “Reno joined the fast-pitch team and played with them for a couple years.” The team traveled everywhere for games. Like the meeting between Smith and Wesson, Rudy and Mike got to talking at a tournament. “I told him ‘It’d be nice if we had our own ball field,’” Rudy recalled. “Herrick agreed and I started looking into it.”

Realizing they couldn’t do it on their own, the Mothes reached-out to the community for help. “Daniels Plumbing, North States, Northwestern Electric, and Howe Construction, to name a few, did a lot of work for the ball field — a lot of it at no cost,” Rudy remembered. Besides the Siren Lions organization, he didn’t want to name individuals involved in the project over the years because he was certain he’d leave people out. “We have a plaque recognizing everyone who helped,” Ruth interjected.

“Someday we’ll put it up at the field.” By 1992, the softball field was ready for play. But that wasn’t enough for the Mothes and they turned their attention to adding a baseball field. And then washrooms and an office. And then lights for evening games. And then a concession stand. And then a tennis court/basketball court. By that time, their son wasn’t playing as much anymore but the Mothes kept at it. “There’s a lot of enjoyment that has come from creating the ball park,” Rudy remarked. “Sure, there was some frustration but the enjoyment has outweighed the frustration.” Twenty-some years later, they are still at it. “Reno, who lives in Cottage Grove, Minn., does all the scheduling, but Rudy and I are still out there to man tthe concession stand ffor the tournaments,” R Ruth described. “We g get complimented on o our concession stand e every year from teams w who come to play — tthat sure says a lot.” The Mothes story in S Siren started in 1949. Rudy moved to a farm o outside of Siren with h his family when he was 110 years old. Ruth had moved to S Siren when she was a sophomore in high sschool to work at Little M Mexico and finished h her schooling there. “Before I got to Siren, o our family moved a lot a and I went to a different sschool every year — ssometimes two schools tthe same year,” Ruth e exclaimed. “So to have tthree years in the same school was a ‘wow.’” After graduating from Siren High School Rudy joined the Army and served two years in Oklahoma. “I wrote to him everyday — he received a letter from me everyday,” Ruth interjected. “I wasn’t that prompt on the returns,” Rudy laughed. Rudy married Ruth, his high school sweetheart, in 1959 and after living for a couple years near Mudhen Lake, they bought the home in Siren they still live in today across from the fi re hall. Ruth worked at Nelson’s General

Store when the couple was fi rst married but also worked for a number of restaurants as a server. Meanwhile, Rudy was at Penta Wood Products as a treating engineer and from there he worked as a driver for Hedlund Gas. Listening to him talk about his work history, it quickly becomes obvious he was a jack-of-all-trades. “There was no more advancement for me at Hedlund so I figured it was time to move on,” Rudy stated. The couple began R and R Insulation. “We blew attic insulation, pumped tri-polymer foam into walls and started spraying polyurethane in attics, roofs and walls,” Rudy explained. From there, he started selling steel but worked the salvage business as well. Of course, the Mothes also served as landlords. “At the height of our properties, we

probably had 13 rentals,” Rudy mentioned. Rudy and Ruth also bought the former Soo Line railroad depot. Siren Steel was the bulk of Rudy’s career until he sold it in 2008 — although the buyers have since backed away from the purchase so now the property is back in Rudy’s hands. “They didn’t know what they were doing,” Rudy joked. He moved across the street where he continues to work on restoring old trucks. “I enjoyed all of it,” he said of his diverse work background. “I was trying to make a living — it was tough.” Along the way, Rudy was elected to the village board and has served for 30-some years. The couple adopted two children in the late 1960s and had a son in the mid70s.

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MARCH 23, 2016 www.burnettcountysentinel.com

Golfing the only sand-green course in the state BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

DANBURY—Common sense would suggest owning a golf course in northern Wisconsin is an April-to-November proposition at best but that isn’t the case for the Yellow Lake Golf Course and its proprietor Chuck Anderson. Why else would they promote a New Years Day tournament in which they use orange golf balls with an orange string attached — so golfers are able to find their golf ball, pull it out of the snow, set it on the crust of the snow and continue with their round. “We just do events people can enjoy and have fun at,” Anderson explained. It all started for Anderson in 1988 when he and wife Sheila bought the course which had been founded in 1928 and the pair moved to Danbury from Rochester, Minn. “I had lived around Hudson when I was younger and wanted to move back to ‘God’s country,’” he continued. The obvious first question to anyone who buys a golf course is “Do you golf?” “I don’t know that you’d call what I do golf but I have a good time,” he said with a laugh. And having a good time has become the “signature” of Yellow Lake Golf. “The other business I knew before coming here was cooking so when I couldn’t find a winter job in town or at one of the resorts on the lake, we decided to put plastic on the windows and kept the place open yearround,” Anderson reported. “There were some lean years in the beginning.” Because the golf season tends to slack off after Labor Day it isn’t necessarily the case for Anderson and Yellow Lake Golf. “We’ve done a ton of fundraisers — the Lions clubs, fire departments and Forts Folle Avoine, to name a few,” Anderson said. “We’d give them free use of the golf course so they could make some money during their fundraiser.” But there was a method to his madness. “I knew I’d get residuals through the bar or through the kitchen,” he smiled knowingly. As far as hosting high school cross country meets, Anderson said that’s an important part of being part of a community. “It makes me feel good to give back,” he acknowledged. It’s paid huge dividends for the Anderson’s. “When our house burned down not long after we moved here — the community was right behind us,” he commented. “I had been thinking about moving on, but after that I knew we had to stay and make it work.” Some of the non-golf events at Yellow lake include Hex bug races, Matchbox car races, belt sander races, lawnmower races and redneck garage sales. “We do stuff that people can enjoy and have fun,” he said of the events he sponsors. Anderson is the first to admit he’s surprised to still be in Danbury after all these years. “Our plan was to build it up as far as we could in three years, promote the heck out of it, sell the place and move on,” he reasoned. “Well, we’re still here —

Through the Years ~ 17 Years ~

this is the longest I’ve been in the same job.” When the course opens later this spring, it will be the start of his 29th summer. One of the upsides is there is not a lot of maintenance required to keep the course in ready-to-play status. “Because it didn’t have the fancy fairways, greens, equipment and all the rest it was reasonably inexpensive to buy at the time,” Anderson remembered. “That’s one thing that made it so attractive.” But it’s hard to buy a new place and not want to put your own “stamp” on it. “Our first idea when we bought the place was to convert to grass greens but everyone who came here was here to have fun,” Anderson stated. Why? “There wasn’t a ranger on the course enforcing rules and people could go out on the course with a beer if they wanted,” he continued. “After that first summer we decided we’d be different than any other golf course and just be a place for folks to have fun.” That’s probably the one take away Anderson wants people to think of when they think Yellow Lake Golf Course. “If you’re a serous golfer, this is not the place for you,” he suggested. “Even so, between league play, special events and our regulars, we still get about 1,500 rounds in each summer.” Anderson admits he had quite a few “regulars” in the early years. “Within a few years of when we bought the place, new courses started popping up to the point there were 11 courses in this area,” he pointed out. “We saw our lady regulars move to other courses because they didn’t like dragging the greens — and the men went with them.” But newcomers have filled the void plus Anderson likes the idea of owning a sand-green golf course. “Ours is the last one in Wisconsin,” he lamented. “But we don’t draw many young golfers.” Speaking of sand greens, over the years, the Anderson’s have updated theirs. “When we first got here, the greens kind of funneled to the hole — almost to the point that you hit the ball and it would slowly circle the cup until it fell in,” he quipped. “Over the years we have leveled out the greens so you actually have to putt.” Anderson has tried his share of gimmicks to draw

~ 13 Years ~

SUBMITTED

Golfers putt on the sand greens.

golfers to the course. In addition to New Years Day golf, night golf was one of the more successful runs. “It was great — we did it for years,” he exclaimed. “Golfers would use a lit ball, there’d be a light on the stick on the green and then there was a flashlight to SEE GOLF, PAGE 7

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Shoppers delight — something for everyone BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

BURNETT COUNTY—The popularity of not paying full price, especially in today’s economy, is certainly appealing and may go a long way in explaining why thrift stores and consignment shops seem so prevalent on today’s retail landscape.

Ruby’s Second Hand store “Owning second-hand merchandise is not a bad thing — as long as it is clean,” Susette Jeffery, general manager of Ruby’s Second Hand in Siren, pointed out. “It’s a sign of the times — a lot of shops like ours seem to be opening.” That said, she said a lot of people who might not have before are now trying thrift stores. “All of our merchandise is donated

Susette Jeffery

so our inventory changes all the time,” Jeffery said with a smile. “That’s the fun of this place — we never know what will sell.” She said women’s clothing is the biggest seller. “It definitely outsells men’s clothing,” she quipped. Jeffery is hesitant when it comes to accepting furniture donations. “I’m a little picky,” she admitted. “We have to see the piece fi rst before we decide if we’ll accept it — actually, in the case of sofa’s or easy chairs, we have to smell it.” The store has a rotating tag sale each week. Items tagged with a blue tag will be 50 percent off this week and then moved to 75 percent off next week, for example. “That’s why if you see something you like, you should buy it,” Jeffery remarked. The store even offers a punch card, which gets punched for each $5 purchased — when the card is full, it can be redeemed for $10 in merchandise. “We are having another Customer Appreciation Day in June so we’ll have specials for that,” she continued. Jeffery said the store is always looking for volunteers to lend a hand. “Our snowbirds who volunteer can’t wait to get back,” she exclaimed. According to Jeffery, the goal when the whole place began operation almost eight years ago, was for Siren to have its own food shelf, Ruby’s Food Shelf, and for the second hand store to cover the overhead of Ruby’s. At the end of the day, Jeffery just wants Ruby’s Second Hand to make a difference in the community. With that in mind, about the only thing not for sale at the thrift store are

Shannon Taylor

the life-size Jake and Elwood Blues collectibles who greet customers as they enter the store. “Just like they were in the movie, we are on a mission from God,” Jeffery stated. “They’ve been here since the beginning as kind of a permanent display —we wouldn’t sell them unless someone really, really wanted to buy them.” The store, located on Siren’s north side is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Ruby’s can be reached at 715-349-7253.

Thing-A-Majigs consignment shop Like Jeffery, Shannon Taylor, owner, sees a real benefit to thrift stores and consignment stores.

“People can get merchandise cheaper than it would be if they bought the same item brand new,” she pointed out. “Plus, they know how the item holds up because it’s already been used.” Unlike thrift store, Thing-A-Majigs relies on consignment for its inventory. “We have over 20 consigners who bring us merchandise,” she stated. “New merchandise is coming all the time.” That being the case, like an antique store, thrift store or other consignment shop, Taylor said if you see something you like, you’d better buy it. “Our business has really started SEE SHOP, PAGE 6

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MARCH 23, 2016 www.burnettcountysentinel.com

Doing what she loves • Comedienne Mary Mack loves making people laugh BY TODD BECKMANN SENTINEL

WEBSTER—Comedienne Mary Mack distinctly remembers why she loves being on stage. “The first time I was on stage by myself, I liked it, because people were listening to me,” she remembered. “They weren’t really laughing but they were listening.” That kind of deprecating humor is a calling card of Mack’s. She had been working as a band instructor to help make ends meet when she decided to try stand-up. “There was never a quiet moment,” she said of her band instructor days. “That’s why I liked it on stage — it’s quiet.” She was living in Tennessee at the time and had started a polka band. “There weren’t any around and I figured there needed to be one —people in the south needed to hear what polka music sounded like,” she pointed out. She would talk on stage between songs. “It seemed people were liking the talking better than the music,” she recalled of her humble beginnings. And that’s where the name change came into play. “‘Mary Mack’ is just a stage name because I was a substitute musician and I thought bands wouldn’t bother to call if they knew I was a comedienne,” she explained. “I didn’t think I’d keep doing the stand-up — I wish I never would have done it but I think it’s too late to change back.” So Mary Mack prefers her given name of Miki Budge, a graduate of Webster High School.

Mary Mack

“It was a great place to grow up,” she said of Webster. “My ultimate goal is to return to Webster or Webb Lake.” Even though she has lots of demands on her time, she still makes time for coming home. “I still play clarinet with the Dan Zimmer Band during Oktoberfest in Danbury in August,” she noted. Mary Mack has appeared on Last Comic Standing and Comedy Central and has even done voice-overs for cartoons. “I think I’ll only do one more TV gig,” she remarked. “The people in Los Angeles aren’t very genuine.” That’s what she loves about live stand-up. “I like to interact with my audience,” she related. “There’s so much improvisation involved — and I like the unknown.” She said a typical show usually last between 45 minutes and an hour. “When you first start, it might seem like forever because it takes a long time to gather enough material,” she explained. “But now, time goes quickly — I’m happiest when I’m on stage.” Speaking of material, Mack says she writes her own stuff.

“Inspiration can be anywhere,” she revealed. “If you are paying attention, a lot of funny things happen in the ordinary world.” She said she doesn’t try to force the comedy and sometimes will relate things to her audience which have happened to her. In fact, a big part of her day-to-day life, is writing material, booking appearances and finding “open mic” nights to practice new bits. “A lot of comics I know say they are bored during the day — but I don’t know how that can be,” she said. “Seems I’m busy all the time.” She doesn’t see herself as a celebrity but does admit she travels all the time and is never in one place for very long. “The only bad part to this whole thing is the travel,” she added. “At first, it’s fun, but you get sick of it pretty quickly.” She’d like to get a dog or a cat but is never home long enough to do the animal justice. One of her goals is to write a book but is not certain how that would work out. “I don’t know how writers can stay so focused in order to finish a book — there’s no immediate reward like there is when I’m on stage,” she remarked. Mack is the entertainment for the Burnett County Tourism Coalition’s 2nd annual gala at Crex Convention Center in Grantsburg on Tues., April 5. But she also plays other area venues including the Festival Theater in St. Croix Falls, Theater in the Woods in Shell Lake, the Polk County Fair and sometimes the Washburn County Fair. She urges people to view her website, marymackcomedy.com to find dates and locations.

SHOP: Best to buy it when you see it CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

picking up over the last few weeks, so what’s here today may not be here tomorrow,” she laughed. While they rely on consignment for their merchandise, Taylor did say she has standards of what she will accept. “I don’t do guns because I’m not licensed to sell guns and we don’t take baby equipment because of the safety recalls,” she noted. “I’ve had to say ‘No’ to some things.” Like exercise equipment. “Someone wanted to consign a Weider gym set and I had to say no,” Taylor explained. “I didn’t have room plus I could see it sitting here for quite awhile.” Surprisingly, because it is located on Main Street in downtown Grantsburg, Taylor said the traffic to her store is a mix of local residents as well as out-oftowners. “We see an up-tick in traffic in the summer as people are on their way to their cabins,” she offered. Obviously, people who have been to the store know to stop but not being on the highway is a challenge. “Since I don’t do a lot of advertising, I think it’s word-of-mouth — people talk to one another about shopping here,” Taylor observed. Before Taylor opened her own shop, she garnered some consignment experience as a vendor at Treasure Alley in St. Croix Falls and the Looking Glass in Osceola. “I do a lot of cleaning out estates and going to auctions,” she noted. “Not only do I find stuff to sell in the store, I find a lot of stuff for my own home.” Thing-A-Majigs, located in downtown Grantsburg, is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.

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THEATER: Only cinema in county CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

That being said, summer is their busy season. “May through the end of August is when we see the most traffic,� Bergeron added. Attendance really slacks off after school is back in session. To combat that lull, Bergeron said the theater has adopted a punch ticket program — see 10 movies and you get to see one free movie. She said any other box office discounts typically come from the movie distributors. Bergeron said the theater is good about giving back. “We always try to accommodate a deal for the schools,� she remarked. “We want to help be an incentive for the kids with their reading goal, a behavior goal, whatever.� But the rewards don’t stop there. “We usually do a voucher for a free movie toward the end of the school year,� Bergeron continued. “We’ve worked with schools in Webster, Frederic and here in Siren.� As manager, Bergeron has her fingers in the day-to-day operations, everything from taking inquiries over the phone at home or fi xing theater equipment to fi lling work shifts. “It’s a full time job,� she admitted. Timbers employs about eight during the slower season and that number jumps to a dozen in the summer. Show times vary depending on the season and whether school is in session — Bergeron said movie-goers would have the best luck calling for individual show times at 715-3498888.

GOLF: Yellow Lake makes for memorable outing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

use when it came time to putt.� He has also sponsored his share of “fun� tournaments where golfers would have to use a croquet mallet to putt or to tee-off from a mattress and other tournaments where they’d play the course backward — tee off from next to the green at No. 9 and play to the green on No. 8. The 10th Hole has seen more renovations under Anderson’s watch than the golf course. “It was just a beer bar with five stools when we bought it but the place burned in November of 1995 — gutted the inside of the place,� he recalled. “But we rebuilt it and were open by Valentine’s Day the next year.� Anderson has enough anecdotes to fi ll a truck when thinking back over the years. “We’ve had several holes-in-one over the years,� he recalled. “One gal teed off on No. 4 and the ball rolled into the cup on No. 6 — about 600 yards away.� The two holes run roughly north and south with No. 5 connecting the two. “She really shanked it off the tee and it just happened to roll in the cup,� he said simply. Another fond memory is snowmobilers started their waterskipping careers on his golf course. “There’s a ditch in the No. 9 fairway and in late winter, the snowmelt would collect in the ravine and the snowmobilers would try waterskipping over it,� Anderson explained. “When they discovered they could do it on the course, they moved to Yellow Lake to try it.� Anderson also got the route changed on the snowmobile trail so it would pass right next to the 10th Hole as one of his ways to make ends meet during

the non-golf season — as was the food side of the operation. “Between Hi-Haven and Yellow Lake Lodge, suppers were pretty well taken care of but no one was doing breakfasts so we made that our niche,� Anderson noted. “That and our Bloody Mary’s have been our main stays.� In fact, he said the 10th Hole bottles and sells their Bloody Mary’s. The Anderson’s now lease the golf course.

“A few years back we sold the course to the PMR Corporation because they needed access to the land behind the course and it was easier to sell them the course than anything else — so that means PMR takes care of maintaining the course and I basically manage the bar,� Anderson remarked. It was a case of good timing. “It was a good time for us to downsize,� he said with a laugh.

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Standing tall for Burnett County BY HARRIET RICE

WEBSTER—When he unfolds his 6-foot 2-inch frame from his chair, Don Taylor stands tall. But this man doesn’t stand tall just in height. He’s stood for law, justice and the American Way in Burnett County for more than 30 years. He says his favorite place to be is right here — has been ever since he was born December 6, 1954. He went to school in Webster all 12 years, graduating in 1973. Sports? Of course. “When I was a kid, that’s what you did — really what you lived for, depending on the season.” Playing defensive end and tight end, Taylor lettered in football. “Webster won the conference title when I was a senior, which was quite an accomplishment” Coach Don Seitzberg “taught me that hard work is required for a desired ending.” Taylor also lettered in basketball. And track, and golf and baseball. From age 17, Taylor knew he wanted to be in law enforcement. “I grew up in a hunting and fishing family. My grandfather, Ollie Taylor, was a guide. It was a natural, and frankly, law enforcement was the closest thing to hunting you could get.” Whoa— out of context, that sounds like something totally politically incorrect. The truth is, in his 29 years as a law enforcement officer, Taylor never used his weapon. “I was ready to on a number of occasions, but I did not,” he said. “The best thing about law enforcement? Undoubtedly, it’s helping people,” he said. “That’s why people really get into it.” His primary weapon: his gift of gab. “I did a lot of fast talking,” Taylor admitted. Out of high school, Taylor enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville,

COURTESY WEBSTER HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation

where he was to play football. But on his way there, “I got a bad case of tonsillitis. By the time I was healthy, duck season was on, and that was the end of my college career,” he said, laughing. “So I never went to a day of class.” Instead, Taylor attended a threemonth U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Academy at Brigham City, Utah, in early 1974. “It was a really good school and really good training by top notch instructors from the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI and some of the Utah state agencies,” he recalled. After earning his certificate, he came back home. “But no one wanted to hire a 19-year-old kid, so I joined the Army as a military policeman.,” he said. With basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and advanced individual training at Fort Gordon, Ga., behind him, he was

assigned to Fort Riley, Kan. Then he got orders for Korea. But he never got there. Instead, for two summers in 1975 and ‘76, Taylor was sent to Fort McCoy, on temporary duty to provide MP services during training sessions for national guard units from all over the Midwest. “While I was there, I caught some helicopter pilots with marijuana,” he said. “Then I had to testify at a court martial at Fort Campbell, Ky., so those [Korea] orders were canceled.” In 1975, Taylor married a local girl from Hertel. They had two sons, Nathan and Travis, but eventually the couple parted ways. “Many young women get married without having been on their own,” he explained. “Then, between ages 30 and 40, they have an ‘awakening’ and want to get out in the world. So all of a sudden, when you’re going down the road, your roads diverge, going two separate ways.” While on leave getting out of the Army, Taylor started in the CETA program (Comprehensive Employment Training Act) with the St. Croix Don Taylor Tribe. Taylor’s father had been chairman of the St. Croix Tribal Council, and Taylor is 5/16 Native American enrolled with the Lac Courte Oreilles. “At the time, [the St. Croix Tribe] had three officers who worked with the Burnett County sheriff’s office,” he recounted. “For the first three years of my ca-

‘Law enforcement was the closest thing to hunting you could get.’

SUBMITTED

Early in his career

reer here, I was employed by the Tribe and worked as a deputy.” Taylor was hired as a full-time deputy sheriff in 1979. In 1986, he was elected sheriff for a two-year term and was re-elected four times, serving until 1994. He admitted campaigning was not one of his favorite activities. “Eventually, you get to feel like people already know what I stand for and what I do. I shouldn’t have to tell them. Frankly, it was a pain. I always had competition.” What are the qualities of a good sheriff? “You have to be honest. You have to understand that you are not always right,” Taylor commented. “I hired people who questioned what they were doSEE TAYLOR, PAGE 11

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BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL-GEMS & JEWELS

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Mark Dahlberg makes the most of his second chance at life BY STEVE BRIGGS SENTINEL

GRANTSBURG–“What’s the use of sitting around?” says Mark Dahlberg. “I like to keep busy.” On this March Wednesday, his schedule is full. This day will include all the important elements of his life: faith, family, friends, work and community service. At 9:30 a.m., following morning devotions and breakfast, he’s off to the Grantsburg Senior Center for coffee and conversation. He served 43 years on the Grantsburg Village Board, including 14 as village president, and maintains a keen interest in the health and wellbeing of the community. He attends the monthly village board meetings as an observer, but occasionally answers their questions or offers a suggestion to the board, or explains the history behind events or decisions. When coffee time ends about 10:30, Mark is ready to move. He no longer drives, so he instructs his driver today to take a trip northward through the industrial park. “Let’s see what’s going with our businesses,” he says. About 40 years ago, he helped establish the Grantsburg Industrial Development Corporation to entice new businesses to Grantsburg, and served as a board member and sometimes its president for more than 40 years. The drive-by tour shows all businesses are busy, so he happily heads for his office at Northwestern Wisconsin Electric Company (NWE). Mark arrives about 11 a.m. and greets the office staff and catches up on their lives, then enters his office to read the mail and review financial reports. In November of 2014, Mark resigned after 51 years as company president. He turned the reins over to son David Dahlberg to carry on the fourth generation of Dahlberg company leadership. But, Mark continues as vice president on the boards of NWE and two other electric companies, Dahlberg Light and Power of Solon Springs, and North Central Power of Radisson. He attends the quarterly or semi-annual and annual meetings for all three companies. “My grandfather, Aaron Dahlberg, had 11 children, including eight sons,” Mark says. Frank and Mark’s father, Fred, founded the three companies. Many of Aaron’s sons and nephews worked for them. I knew from early on that I wanted to follow in my father and grandfather’s footsteps,” Mark reflect-

ed. All three companies continue to be managed by Aaron’s descendants. Often during Mark’s 1-2 hour office stays, one or more company staff members come in to ask a question involving a power line, an electrical substation, or to ask about a company event or village event from years past, or to get Mark’s advice on a current company matter. After a quick noontime lunch at home, no nap for him. He’s off to New Hope Lutheran Church to participate in the 2 p.m. weekly Wednesday afternoon prayer group. Prayer and faith are important elements in his life. Prayer precedes every meal, and starts and ends his days. His belief in God has always been strong and important.

ter ‘a’ and then move on to b, c, and so forth,” he said. He resumed his college work the next semester.

Mark Dahlberg

Power line accident Faith and prayer helped him through his darkest days, when, at age 21, an electrical line accident nearly claimed his life. He was working summers as an NWE lineman while attending college for a bachelor of electrical engineering degree at the University of Minnesota. He had climbed a power pole and then waited for his foreman to drive to the spot where he would shut off power to the pole Mark was working on. For some reason, the foreman didn’t shut off the power. The foreman returned in his pickup and drove past without stopping. “I guess he changed his mind. I thought the power was shut off, and I started my work on the line,” he recalls. However, the foreman had not shut off the power. When Mark touched the line, 7,200 volts surged through his right arm, across his chest and out his left knee. He sustained fi rst and second degree burns in many areas, but severe third degree burns on the right arm and left knee. He lost consciousness and believes his heart stopped. He credits the foreman who made the power error with saving his life by climbing up the pole and administering life-saving resuscitation techniques that are part of safety training all linemen receive. Two others on the crew climbed the pole and helped get him to the ground, where life-saving measures continued as he was taken by ambulance to Frederic Hospital. He is grateful the two Frederic doctors recognized the seriousness of his injuries and sent him on to Northwestern Hospital (now Abbot Northwest-

ern). “That also saved my life, I believe,” Mark says, “because at Northwestern Hospital I was under the care of Chief Surgeon Dr. Robert McGandy. He was called Chief Surgeon for NSP (now Xcel Energy) because he handled all the electrical burn patients. He was an expert on electrical burns.” But, even under McGandy’s care, things looked grim. “When I woke up in the hospital, I saw my father, my mother, and a person in a dark area in the back of the room I didn’t know. He looked at me but didn’t say anything. I was scared of him,” Mark said. Later his parents said no one else had been in the room with him. “I haven’t told many people this, but I believe I saw an angel that night, watching over me,” he says. “My dad thought I was going to die, but my mother and others prayed a lot for me. They won.” Dr. McGandy held off surgery in hopes of saving his arm, but one day Mark saw the surgeon turn to the nurse and wordlessly make a chopping gesture on his arm. “I knew then that my arm was coming off,” he said. He lost his right hand and forearm almost to the elbow. Skin grafts were required to reconstruct his left knee. The recovery during and after a threemonth hospital stay was painful, but Mark was determined to learn how to use the hook appliance that allowed him to grasp or brace items, and learn to become left-handed. Within a week of the accident, one of his nurses had him learning to write with his left hand. “I would write a sheet of the let-

Mark and Maude The young lady whom Mark had been courting on and off for about four years prior to the accident could have chosen to leave him after the accident, but that isn’t the kind of person she was. Maude helped him through the recovery and his return to college to finish his degree at the University of Minnesota. He credits her with providing the love and encouragement that helped him believe he could return to a normal and productive life. They were married in 1956 and together raised four children: David, Steven, Lynn and Laura. April 17 will mark the fi rst year since her passing from a heart attack, and it’s difficult for him to speak of her. They were best friends and constant companions for four years of friendship and 58 years of marriage.

Power line ‘patrol’ Mark’s prayer meeting at the church ends at 3:30 p.m. and he is ready for more work. After a stop for coffee and snack at the Burnett Dairy Cheese store, he’s off to inspect power lines and electrical substations in the Alpha, Falun and Siren areas. Several times per week he “patrols” NWE power lines and equipment. This day he notices a couple things that may need attention and reminds himself to tell David the next day at the office. At 5:30 p.m. he’s back home for a quick supper, then off again to New Hope Lutheran for the 6:30 p.m. Lenten service. Everyone knows and greets him, and he returns their greetings, hugs and conversation with a ready smile and quick wit. When church concludes he gets a good-night hug from his daughter-in-law, Julie, but he’s not leaving yet. He stays for choir practice, then makes sure his choir robe is ready for Sunday. At home about 8:30 p.m. he plans to catch “Hannity” at 9 and then read about politics and business, his two favorite topics, until about 11 p.m. Most weekends include a visit and extended time with one of his four kids and other family members. His evening concludes with a prayer of thankfulness for the day, for friends and family, and for our nation. Then off to bed for the night’s rest. He has another busy day ahead.

Through the Years ~ 28 Years ~

~ 39 Years ~

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BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL-GEMS & JEWELS

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LAKES: Water quality draws residents and tourists alike CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“It’s a beautiful lake but it could disappear in a hurry if a bad situation occurs there,” he stated. “But North Sand is as beautiful as it’s ever been ever since I started going to that lake when I was eight years old —it’s been a gift to me.” That’s why Noe joined the BCLRA. “Our mission is to work with lakeshore property owners and lake associations to keep the lake quality in Burnett County bright, clear and as enjoyable as we can for everyone,” Noe explained. He’s not alone in his endeavor. In addition to 40-some lake and river associations throughout the county, plus the assistance of the Wisconsin Lakes Association, the BCLRA board of directors is a diverse group — all with the same goal. “We have members from all points of the county — not just clustered in one area,” Noe pointed out. “So we deal with the aquatic invasive species issues of Ham Lake, for example, or a lake like Lipsett Lake, whose association is working on a lake management plan.” “The bottom line is protecting and preserving what’s here,” he continued. “We are trying to make it as good or better than its ever been — our job is to protect the lakes and help them anyway we can.” Although there are documented cases of aquatic invasive species in 69 of the county’s 502 named lakes, the water quality of the county’s lakes is holding

‘There’s lots of developments on our lakes. That pretty much tells the story about how important our lakes are.’

up quite well. “Our waters can handle a lot of recreation,” Mike Kornmann, UW-Extension’s community development agent for Burnett County, explained. “I don’t see an immediate threat — it’s the accumulated effect all that use Mike Kornmann has.” UW-Extension Community With an annuDevelopment Agent al influx of close to 30,000 visitors each summer, that accumulated effect might not take too long. However, Kornmann said there are actions water sport enthusiasts can take to stave off problems. “We are doing a pretty good job with the ‘Clean Boats Clean Water’ initiative,” he continued. “But it’s up to the property owner to know ‘best practices’ for what’s best for the lake — and convincing their neighbors.” He said if a lakeshore owner is doing the right thing, that’s great, but if he’s the only one, it isn’t doing much for the lake. “But if 80 percent of the lakeshore owners on a given lake are doing the right thing, that’s huge,” he noted.

~ 39 Years ~

One of the biggest challenges he sees right now is water run-off from the larger and larger homes being built on lakes. “Rain gardens can help alleviate that stress on the lakes,” Kornmann reported. “It’s a way to get the water to soak into the ground instead of running straight into the lake.” He said the different lake associations around the county are taking up the fight to preserve water clarity. “They will go out three times a year and drop a Secchi disk in the water, and lower the disk until they can no longer see it and record the depth,” Kornmann said. “That data is then given to the DNR.” A Secchi disk is a dinner plate-sized black and white disk attached to the end of a rope marked off in measuring units. “The DNR has a database, comprised of several years of data, they can search by lake name and reveal Secchi disk readings,” Kornmann offered. With more and more lakeshore property owners, some may argue water quality may suffer sooner rather than later. “There’s lots of developments on our lakes,” Kornmann offered. “That pretty much tells the story about how important our lakes are.” And there’s some proof to show water clarity does make a difference. “Some studies suggest good water quality can directly impact the value of homes,” Kornmann remarked. “It’s one way the market responds to water qual-

Through the Years ~ 45 Years ~

‘The bottom line is preserving and protecting what’s here. We are trying to make it as good or better than it has ever been — our job is to protect the lakes and help them anyway we can.’ Roger Noe President Burnett County Lakes and Rivers Association

ity.” Yet people are still coming to Burnett County to experience its lakes and rivers. According to Kornmann, more than the county’s website, more than advertising in a glossy magazine, more than having a booth at a travel/tourism show, it’s word of mouth that brings people to the county. “It’s a more credible source of information,” he pointed out. “Seems like everyone knows someone with a cabin in Burnett County.” He said the positive experiences of those first-time visitors simply reinforces the message.

~ 54 Years ~

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BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL-GEMS & JEWELS

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TAYLOR: Reflecting on life and times in Burnett County CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

ing. If you hire people who agree with you, you’re never going to move forward; you’re mired in a rut. You need people who want to do things you don’t always agree with, that’s the way life is.” Bev Lund worked for Taylor as secretary for 15 years. She said Taylor was “great to work for. If I was alone, he’d come out and help. He was always ready to help. Bosses don’t normally do that.” She recalled a time when a customer yelled at her for some rea-

son, and Taylor came out of his office to mitigate the situation. “He had a great memory, and was a good public speaker ,” she said. “He loved law enforcement.” Taylor defined his work. “Law enforcement consists of long periods of routine boredom punctuated by intense stress and adrenaline rush. There are highs and lows throughout a career, Maybe a better word than ‘high’ is ‘successful conclusions.’” There were two “successful conclusions” Taylor best remembered: the

2001 post tornado operation and the 2008 rescue of an autistic man. Recalling the tornado, he said,“You could hear that ‘freight train’ rolling across the county. I knew that meant big trouble. There was soft-ball-size hail — no way was it safe to drive. When it let up, we headed for town. Coming around Crooked Lake, you could see the destruction.” At that point, Taylor galvanized into action, setting up a command post, dispatching teams of law enforcement, medical personnel and volunteers around town to check house-by-house for injuries. “I ran the command post, and law enforcement did a fine job of controlling traffic and safeguarding people and property.” He oversaw 50 police from all around the area, working nonstop for an entire week.” When the sheriff asked him how he was doing, he told him “this was easy. All I had to do was make decisions — something I find easy to do.” The other notable highpoint came with the 2008 rescue of an autistic man. The man was at a summer camp in the Town of Anderson and wandered away. “We searched for a solid week for miles around,” Taylor said. “There was talk about stopping the official search. But I had seen overhead photos of the area and noticed there was a bridge across the creek near the camp across Highway 87. Autistic individuals are attracted to water. So that’s where we went. There were some areas that had not been searched. It was hot, humid, and full of bugs.” In the end, the man was found, naked, covered with ticks, bites and scratches. “It still amazes me that he lived. His mother’s face [when we found him] made my whole career worthwhile.

‘His mother’s face when we found him made my whole career worthwhile.’

The lowest point of his career and the biggest tragedy, he said, was the April 1991 shootout in Webster when Deputy Allen Albee was killed and Polk County Deputy Don Taylor Mike Severson was paralyzed. He died two years ago. How do officers deal with this kind of ending? “You focus on the work. There’s a job to be done, and it’s your job to do it,” said Taylor. People often came to see Taylor or called him with personal problems. They still do. At times he really was in physical danger. He told of one incident: “I got a call: so-and-so’s got a gun; can you come and talk? A gentleman had his estranged wife at gunpoint. I did some fast talking, and after about five minutes — it seemed like forever — the man said, ‘Oh, here’, and he gave me the gun. Then he said ‘You looked like you were getting mad, so I figured I’d better give it to you!’” When asked about his temper, Taylor said, laughing, “I don’t get mad very often. It isn’t very pretty.” He said he doesn’t hold grudges. “It’s a waste of emotion. You’re just wasting your time holding a grudge.” Bev Lund described him as “very laid back.” In 1994, Taylor lost his re-election bid and went back to serving as a deputy sheriff for two years. Then the county board changed the deputy position to a chief deputy sheriff whose job SEE TAYLOR, PAGE 12

HARRIET RICE

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BURNETT COUNTY SENTINEL-GEMS & JEWELS

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TAYLOR: Comfortable with his career, comfortable with his life CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

it was to maintain continuity between elected sheriffs. Taylor applied, and was selected for that position which he held for 11 years until his retirement in December 2008. Taylor didn’t stay retired for long. “When I retired, I thought, ‘You know, I think I’ll run for the board. I think it would be interesting.’ I’ve been involved with county government for over 30 years. It something I want to do. In 2010 I was elected to the board for a twoyear term.” The board members elect the chairman. Chairman Taylor in his third term. During his tenure, he said, “The Board has really taken some good moves

TAMMY CHELL

Fishing is one of Don Taylor’s passions.

This is th

TODD BECKMANN | SENTINEL

Ca

‘I like my ‘space’ in Burnett County.’

to help the county. Over the last three years, we’ve devoted around a million dollars a year to fix county roads. Our roads had Don Taylor been neglected. If your roads are broken, your car will break, and you have to spend money to fix it. If you don’t have to spend money to fix your car, you can spend it on other things.” Currently, the Board is focused on replacing the Highway 70 county shop west of Siren with a new highway/forest department facility. “It’s time. The structure, built in 1959, is flawed,” said Taylor. “It’s an old wood frame building. The meeting room is downstairs with no handicapped access. You can park trucks in it, but you can’t leave a snowplow on the truck.” He says the new facility will be large enough so all the trucks and snowplows will fit and the facilities will be safer. The environmental assessment is done, and bids are being let for financing. Not surprisingly, Taylor spends his free time hunting and fishing. He’s been married 17 years to wife, Jeanne. His sons Nathan and Travis work in construction and heavy equipment respectively. He says he likes his “space” in Burnett County. Yes, it’s changed, but not that much. “I can remember walking from Highway 35 about three miles to home [at Pike Lake] and not seeing a car. That doesn’t happen anymore.” Don Taylor is a completely happy man. He loves his life. His motto or philosophy is a combination of “treat people with respect, do the right thing, no matter how hard it is, and if you take a job, do it to the best of your ability.”

COURTESY BURNETT COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

Don Taylor was a guest speaker during a Burnett County Law Enforcement memorial event.

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