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Newsleader Sauk Rapids-Rice
Friday, April 1, 2016 Volume 2, Issue 13 Est. 2015
Town Crier Mattress fundraiser set April 9 at SRR High
Sauk Rapids-Rice High School band and choir will host its second annual mattress fundraiser from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, April 9 at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School to raise funds for band equipment, instruments and student fees. This one-of-a-kind fundraiser allows parents and community members to support music and athletic programs by purchasing new, name-brand mattresses, with each purchase benefiting the program. Delivery and free lay-away is also available. Beds also include factory warranties. A referral coupon is available from any member of the band. For more information, visit thenewsleaders.com and click on April 1 Criers.
Bunny basket winners announced
The winners for the Newsleaders’ Easter bunny giveaway are as follows: Avon State Bank, Rosalyn Brickweg, St. Cloud; Central Minnesota Credit Union, Nick Heltemes, St. Joseph; Local Blend, Lovana Benston, St. Joseph; Once Upon a Child, Cora Cuperus, Sartell; St. Joseph Meat Market, Mary Kay Moening, St. Joseph; and Wenner Cos., Chloe Thomes, Waite Park.
Host an exchange student; get international flair
World Heritage Student Exchange Program, a public benefit organization, is seeking local host families for high school students from more than 30 countries: Spain, Germany, Thailand, Denmark, Portugal, South Korea, Italy, France, the former Soviet Union countries, Norway and more. Couples and families with or without children in the home are all encouraged to host. You can choose to host a student for a semester or for the duration of the school year. Each World Heritage student is fully insured, brings his own personal spending money and expects to contribute to his share of household responsibilities, as well as being included in normal family activities and lifestyles. For more information, call 1-800-888-9040, visit www. whhosts.com or email us at info@world-heritage.org. For additional criers, visit www.thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.
Postal Patron
Who’s that dude in pajamas? OMG, it’s Billy Gibbons! by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
Kathy Conner, an employee of Pine’s Edge Grocery & Liquor, did a double-take when a customer with a long, long beard and wearing black pajamas walked into the store Easter morning. Pine’s Edge is along Highway 10, just a couple miles south of Rice. “Right away, I knew he must’ve been somebody, but I didn’t know who,” Conner recalled. “I knew he was somebody because he had an aura about him, like a rock ‘n’ roll star.” Conner’s hunch was correct. The bearded, pajama-clad gent was none other than Billy Gibbons, masterful lead guitarist and singer for the legendary ZZ Top band and, more recently, a TV actor. Gibbons founded ZZ Top nearly 50 years ago, and the power-blues band has been making hit records and touring ever since. Rolling Stone magazine named Gibbons number 32 on a list of the greatest guitarists of all time. As he entered Pine’s Edge, Gibbons was talking on his cell phone. Conner glanced out the store’s windows and saw two huge touring buses parked in the lot. Then she
was sure the man really was somebody. Just then, another employee, Dana Leason of Rice, showed up for work with her husband, Jim. Instantly, they recognized Gibbons and were stunned that he was standing, in black silk pajamas no less, smack dab in the middle of Pine’s Edge Grocery. Then it dawned on Conner why the man looked familiar. Sure enough, he was that “somebody” who’s in ZZ Top, a band she remembered from her youth. Gibbons chatted with the female employees about the “cute little” fishing poles he spotted in the store. He wondered why the poles were so small. They explained to him they are for ice-fishing. The Texas-born Gibbons expressed amusement that people in the Far North actually cut holes in lake ice to catch fish. He even had Conner explain ice-fishing to the friend he’d been talking to on the cell phone. Then he decided he just had to have one of the “cute” fishing poles. He grabbed one and handed it to his manager, who was not quite as enthused about the fishing pole as Gibbons was. He and his crew also bought all kinds of food items. Then they left the store. They returned a bit later, after Gibbons Gibbons • page 4
contributed photo
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top flashes a peace sign in Pine’s Edge Grocery & Liquor just south of Rice during a stop he and his touring band made there on Easter Sunday morning.
SR City Council hears field-house proposal by Dave DeMars news@thenewsleaders.com
The Sauk Rapids City Council discussed a proposal to build a field house at its March 28 meeting – a field house advocates say would meet the needs of a growing city. The Storm Field House Athletic Community Center, as it was billed, was presented by St. Cloud Times Engagement Editor Randy Krebs and Mark Kotcho to the council about plans for an athletic field house to be built in Sauk Rapids.
The reasons for building a field house like those in surrounding communities were laid out in the slideshow presentation: constant demand for gym-like space, a growing city, expos and events, and more. “Quite honestly, it probably came from more of an athletic perspective,” Kotcho said. In discussions among the citizens-advocacy group, Kotcho said they began to question whether it would not be possible to have a center that could be used for more than just an athletic center. They explored
contributed photo
Displaying their award-winning gourmet dinner courses are (left to right) Julianna O’Mara, Shae Waseka, Abby Schiller and Hanna Meyer. The four-member team of the Sauk Rapids-Rice ProStart Culinary Program recently won first-place and third-place honors in culinary contests.
how the center could also be designed to host other types of events, such as expos and large meetings. Under state law, a half-cent sales tax could be used to fund new regional athletic facilities and field houses, so the question was put to voters on Nov. 4, 2014, and passed by about a 50-percent margin. With strong support from almost 2,800 city residents, proponents of the facility began to tour the facilities of other communities, he said. Many of the ideas incorporated into the conceptual draw-
ings were drawn from concepts included in the Foley field house, according to Kotcho, but no site has been picked out, and the facility contains neither an ice sheet nor a pool. In its research, the field-house-advocacy group visited facilities in Foley, Becker, Rockford, Buffalo, Monticello and Delano. In many cases, the field houses were attached to the schools or adjacent to them. Krebs told the council the cost for the building in 2014, Council • page 5
by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
followed by cranberry-stuffed duck breast with potatoes, julienned carrots and a red-wine-reduction sauce? For dessert, why not a syrup-immersed almond cake with peach-and-berry coulis on a sugar nest and whipped cream? That three-course dinner, cooked by SRR Team 1, earned third place at the Minnesota ProStart Invitational state competition March 10 in Moundsview. That same team took first-place honors a couple weeks earlier at Brainerd in Grandview Resort’s Culinary-and-Wine Competition. Culinary • page 3
Culinary students earn heaping helpings of awards For the ninth year in a row, teams from the Pro Start Culinary Program from Sauk Rapids-Rice High School have been cooking their way to award-winning glory in one contest after another. And their meals aren’t exactly Spam hash, canned beans and Jell-O dessert – far from it. The dinners sound more like something served at the White House for important visiting dignitaries. How about a first course of maple-glazed salmon over pickled vegetables and a beurre blanc,
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Friday, April 1, 2016
Safe-driving course offered A safe-driving program for elderly people – those over 55 – will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, April 19 and 20, at the Sartell Middle School. The eight-hour course will be given in two sessions, one on each of those evenings, from 5-9 p.m., for a total of eight hours. There will be no written
photo courtesy Tri-County Humane Society
Remington, wounded badly but recovering, rests at the TriCounty Humane Society where he underwent surgery after somebody shot him six times with a pellet gun.
Remington to ‘star’ at April 19 fundraiser by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
Remy the Wonder Dog will be the star attraction and honored guest at the 15th annual “Wine, Kibbles and Bids,” one of the two most important annual fundraisers for the TriCounty Humane Society in St. Cloud. The deadline to buy tickets is April 10. The event will take place at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 19 at the Gorecki Center on the campus of the College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph. There will be wine-tasting, beer-tasting, a gourmet-style dinner, a silent auction and music performed by Kelly Cordes. Tickets can be purchased online via www.tricountyhumanesociety.net. Go to “Events,” then pull down to “Wine, Kibble, Bids.” “Remy,” short for Remington, is the name given by the humane society to the yellow Labrador who miraculously survived being shot at
close range six times a couple months ago by someone wielding a pellet gun in Avon Township. The dog suffered severe facial wounds and traumatic jaw-bone damage but managed to survive after surgery, thanks to prompt help by the humane society and veterinarians. Remy is still recovering but is doing fine. Organizers of “Wine, Kibble and Bids” are still seeking donated items for the silent auction. They can include, as examples, gift baskets, gift certificates for time-share vacations, or retreats or tickets to sporting events, concerts or plays. Items can be dropped off until April 15 at the humane society in East St. Cloud during its office hours: noon-8 p.m. Monday-Friday; 11 a.m.5 p.m. Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The address is 735 Eighth St. NE near the St. Cloud Metro Bus bus garage. The Tri-County Humane Society’s phone number is 320-252-0896.
If you have a tip concerning a crime, call the Sauk Rapids Police Department at 320-2519451 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 320-255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes. March 14 Informational. 11-1/2 Street N. A resident called police after receiving a voicemail from a supposed IRS agent. Police traced the call, and the number in question was one commonly used by scammers. March 15 Found property. Eighth Street N. A complainant called police after finding a missing bike. The bicycle was picked up by public works and brought to the police department. March 16 3:50 p.m. Warrant. Officers attempted to arrest a certain suspect on a misdemeanor charge that had been issued by Benton County. Authorities were unable to make contact with the individual in question. 9:45 p.m. Suspicious activity. Broadway Avenue. Officers responded to a complaint of a white van that had dropped off
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tests or behind-the-wheel tests given to participants. Those who complete the course will receive a completion certificate, which can be submitted to carinsurance companies, most of which give a 10-percent premium discount for a period of up to three years. The eight-hour course is for those taking the safety program
Blotter
a male walking through a residential neighborhood. The area was searched, but nothing was found. March 17 Property damage. Broadway Avenue S. Police were dispatched for a report of an arrow stuck in a house. Authorities met with the homeowner who had no suspects in mind. The arrow was pulled from the residence and taken into police custody. No further action has been taken at this time. 9:51 p.m. Citation. Second Avenue S. While on routine patrol, officers ran a check on a vehicle. They discovered the driver had a revoked driver’s license. The vehicle was pulled over, and the individual was issued a citation for driving without a valid license. March 18 9 p.m. Hit-and-run accident. Benton Drive N. Authorities were called to a bridge to look for a vehicle that hit the guard rail and left the area. There was a significant amount of debris on the roadway but no damage to the bridge or guard rail. Police were able to locate a license plate that had fallen off the vehicle. They ran the plate which traced back to the car dealership. 10:37 p.m. Public assist.
for the first time. Four-hour refresher courses are also offered throughout the area periodically. The program will be taught by members of the St. Cloud State University Driver Improvement Program. To register for the course, go to www.mnsafetycenter.org or call toll-free 1-888-234-1294.
Benton Drive N./Eighth Street N. Police responded to a vehicle that broke down at the aforementioned intersection. The driver stated he had a flat tire on the driver’s side. Authorities stayed with the vehicle until further assistance arrived. March 19 10 p.m. Suspicious activity. Fourth Avenue N. Authorities responded to a complaint of several individuals who were digging in a dumpster and filling the back of their vehicle with its contents. Upon arrival, the vehicle was unable to be located. 10:15 p.m. Medical. 10th Avenue NE. Police responded to a woman who was experiencing bleeding. Upon arrival, police assisted Gold Cross and cleared the area. The patient was transported to the St. Cloud Hospital for further treatment. March 26 5:52 p.m. Accident. CR 2. The Benton County Sheriff’s Office responded to a collision between two vehicles. The occupants of both vehicles were transported to the St. Cloud Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The 16-year-old male who occupied one of the vehicles was charged with careless driving and unsafe tires.
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Friday, April 1, 2016
Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
contributed photo
The SRRHS’s ProStart Culinary Management Team will compete nationally after winning a statewide competition in Moundsview. From left to right are instructor/coach Mary Levinski, Marianna Blair, Kelsey Christenson, Hanna Meyer and Paige Vogt. The course instructor is Mary Levinski, who also serves as coach for the competitions. There are currently 135 students in the from front page program. When the course began The members of Team 1 are in 2007, there were only 18 stuHanna Meyer, Julianna O’Mara, dents registered. It has grown by leaps and bounds ever since. Abby Schiller and Shae Waseka. “It’s so much fun; I love it,” The Moundsview competition Levinski said. “It’s amazing how was extremely intense and even creative these students are.” grueling, considering each team ProStart allows students to had only 60 minutes to prepare work with chefs and to take their three-course dinners and field trips to restaurants, colleges, was limited to using two butane cooking burners and no electri- food vendors and food shows. In cal equipment. Those restrictions addition, ProStart is socially conwere meant to create and level nective, and its students do some the competitive field by students catering now and then to raise from all schools, some of which money for good-cause programs have elaborate cooking equip- such as United Way and Ronald ment, some with just the mere McDonald House. ProStart began when the Nabasics. tional Restaurant Association At the Moundsview contest, realized the need for the dethere were two SRR cooking velopment of food-service and teams competing. Team 2 created food-management skills among a three-course dinner of scallop young, up-and-coming students ceviche, pan-seared duck breast who would soon enter the work with plum sauce and rice cakes force, including jobs in the with exotic names. Team 2 is food industry. The association comprised of members Sawyer Amo, Emma Ditlevson, Daighton then began to promote ProStart courses to high schools in all 50 Ripp and Paige Vogt. The third team in competi- states. SRR decided to start one tion, the Management Team, in- at the high school. And that’s where Levincluded two members from the ski came in. She jumped at the two cooking teams (Meyer, Vogt). chance to teach the program The Management Team took first because she had always loved place in Moundsview and will working with young people. compete nationally at Grapevine, Born in St. Augusta, LevinTexas, April 27-May 2. Its memski earned a degree in family bers are Marianna Blair, Kelsey consumer sciences at LaCrosse Christenson, Meyer and Vogt. For (Wis.) University. She taught for their champion win, the team two years at a high school near presented to the judges written and oral concepts for a menu Ashland, Wis., then worked for plan, décor, plans for a menu six years in 4-H Extension serconcept, price structure and vice, after which she taught at marketing – all centered around Kimball High School before being hired at Sauk Rapids-Rice High healthy pasta dishes with herbs. Remarkably, the SRR ProS- School in 2000. Levinski said when stutart Culinary Program’s Managedents first start their SRR ProSment Team has won awards in tart classes, many dislike some state competitions ever since the foods intensely, such as onions school’s program was founded or mushrooms. However, as they nine years ago. begin preparing dishes using In early December, the SRR those – and other – ingredients, program was named to the Elite 50, an honors list recognizing most students at least try to eat the top 50 Pro-Start culinary pro- what they thought they hated and most decide such foods are, grams in the nation. In all of the last nine years, if not among their favorites, at SRR ProStart teams have placed least OK, Levinski said. Early lessons in ProStart insecond or third, at least, in every volve basics such as safety sanicontest they entered, as well as tation, ways to prep food, making first-place wins. stocks and sauces, and cooking ProStart is a two-year elecmethods. Once the students have tive high-school culinary course mastered those basics, the rest is whose students are eligible for the sky’s the limit, and many stucompetitions and scholarships dents excel to such a degree they from the food industry. They can bring home heaping helpings of also earn credits for post-secondawards, year after year. ary education.
Culinary
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Gibbons from front page realized if he was going to fish, he’d need some jigs. He picked some out and bought them. His manager, with a mock frown, sighed, “Oh, great, now we’ll have to pull over on a bridge somewhere so he can fish ‘til he gets bored.” They all had a good chuckle. As Gibbons left the store, he flashed a peace sign to the employees and customers and said, “Rock on!” Everybody in the store was thrilled by Billy Gibbons the Star Customer. Employees and customers alike were impressed by how friendly and fun Gibbons and his crew were. Conner now wishes she’d
Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com asked him for his autograph. “I wish I would have asked him to sign a wall in the store,” she said. Next day, two photos and comments about the ZZ Top customers were placed on the Pine’s Edge website where they quickly went viral, eliciting all sorts of comments, such as the following: Wow, Billy Gibbons! Cool! OMG! Nooo waaaayyy! I met him on an airplane years ago and he signed my napkin. What a sharp-dressed man! My son-in-law is there tonight at the concert in Bemidji. He won a beard contest and got two free tickets. Gibbons is wearing Grandma Lois’s pant-suit from the 1960s.
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Friday, April 1, 2016
contributed photo
Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top gets his photo taken with employees of the Pine’s Edge Grocery & Liquor store on Easter Sunday morning. From left to right are Jim Leason, his wife Dana Leason, Gibbons and Kathy Conner.
Is it legal to use fog lights when it’s not foggy out? Q: I would like to know if it’s legal to have your fog lights on with your headlights at night when it’s not foggy out. I have noticed a lot of vehicles with all four lights on while driving at night. These extra two lights do make it much more difficult to see when traffic is coming at you at night. A: Yes it is legal if the lights are within the proper height and aimed within the legal range. I recommend using fog lights only in low-visibility settings, as some of them can be hard on the other drivers’ eyes.
Below is the Minnesota State Statute (M.S.S.) that covers fog lights. M.S.S. 169.56 AUXILIARY LIGHTS. Subd. 2. Fog light. Any motor vehicle may be equipped with not to exceed two fog lamps mounted on the front at a height not less than 12 inches nor more than 30 inches above the level surface upon which the vehicle stands. Highbeams simply light up the fog and can make it difficult to see. Fog lights light up the road below the fog. The fog light reflectors are designed to spread the beam
wider for a shorter distance. Make sure all of your markers, directional, parking lights and low/highbeam lights are working. Remember to turn on your headlights in the rain. Use the fog lights only when you have very low visibility, and don’t forget to turn them off when the fog has lifted. Even though it may be legal, it can make visibility for other drivers difficult. A portion of state statutes was used with permission from the Office of the Revisor
Ask a
By: Sgt. Jesse Grabow, MN State Trooper
TROOPER of Statutes. If you have any questions concerning traffic-related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Trp. Jesse Grabow – Minnesota State Patrol at
1000 Highway 10 W., Detroit Lakes, Minn. 565012205. (You can follow him on Twitter @MSPPIO_NW or reach him at, jesse.grabow@ state.mn.us).
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Friday, April 1, 2016
Council from front page two years ago, was about $6.7 million. That covered the construction costs, architectural and engineering fees, legal and financing costs, furniture, fixtures and equipment, as well as land, site development, utilities and parking lot. The building itself would occupy about 57,000- to 60,000-square feet. “We are talking very general points here,” Krebs said. “We are trying to get agreement – general approach of all three parties (the citizens advocacy group, the school district and the city) on the bigger-picture things rather than working out the details here.” Krebs went on to say the school district had given the nod to some kind of partnership provided the building was sited, and designed in a way that was acceptable to them. If conditions were met, the school district would ostensibly take on the role of operations and daily maintenance of the facility. What the advocacy group envisioned was a kind of partnership between the advocacy group, the school district and the city. The city, by virtue of its ability to raise money through the half-cent sales tax, would assume the role of getting the field house built.
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But how capital maintenance costs could be handled in five, 10 or 20 years remains to be seen; capital maintenance would include things such as replacing the floor, roof, heating and cooling units, and structural changes that might be needed. Solving the capitalmaintenance costs is a stumbling block for the project, Krebs said. “These are costs that will happen when I am 80,” Krebs said. Krebs suggested in 20 years, the half-cent sales tax might be used for capital-maintenance items and that various sports groups and supporters might pledge funds for repairs, or possibly naming rights for the field house could be sold. “As we move forward now, these long-term costs are a challenge we are trying to overcome,” Krebs said. Krebs finished his presentation by saying the advocacy group would like to hear back from the council within about a month and then asked for questions. No questions from the council were forthcoming, and Mayor Brad Gunderson moved on to other business.
More police?
Art Hughes commented on the police force saying he felt two additional officers need to be added to the force. That would bring the department to 17 officers and one canine.
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“I’ve ridden along with these guys – and I have a pretty good insight into what they encounter, and what they run in to,” Hughes said. “Most of us choose not to go there and do that profession for obvious reasons. We need to help those guys – those people, men and women – any way we can.”
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photos by Dave DeMars
Above left: A preliminary sketch of what a new fieldhouse facility might look like. No site has been suggested for the facility. Middle: Mark Kotcho and Randy Krebs (in the background) make their presentation on the need for a fieldhouse in Sauk Rapids. Preliminary studies have been done, and estimates are about $6.7 million for an approximate 60,000-square-foot facility. Above: Art Hughes shares his concerns about the need for more police in order to protect the public and to provide greater security for fellow officers.
Meet our resident office pets:
Jeffrey, KitKat
by Cady Sehnert Newsleader pets spokesperson
If you’re a regular at the Newsleader office in St. Joseph, you know the moment you step foot in the front door you will immediately be met by two furry friends. Jeffrey, an 8-year-old Tibetan terrier, and KitKat, a 4-yearold Calico cat, are the office’s designated greeters.
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” -Anatole France
Jeffrey, who has an array of nicknames such as Jeff, Mr. J., Einstein and Mr. Magoo appears shy when introduced to new faces, but his eagerness for attention will soon outweigh his introverted tendencies. KitKat, on the other hand, is known for her feisty, playful nature. She likes to be up close and personal,
often times approaching newcomers, delicately sniffing their faces. Don’t be fooled, though; she can be racing around the perimeter of the office within a matter of seconds. Next time you stop by to pick up a paper or have an amicable chat, don’t forget to say hello to our friendly office creatures.
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Discovery Day Friday, April 18 Students in grades 5-11 are invited to experience Prep! Call 320-363-3339 to RSVP and reserve your space.
Join our team! Von Meyer Publishing seeks a full-time, experienced advertising sales representative for three local, weekly newspapers and one website serving the greater St. Cloud region. A successful candidate will be: a self-starter, highly motivated and excited to be on the bleeding edge of print and digital advertising. Qualifications include: 3-5 years in advertising sales, extensive experience in the greater St. Cloud region and previous experience selling digital advertising.
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Resumes and cover letters can be addressed to Logan Gruber, operations manager, at operations@thenewsleaders.com. For any questions, call 320-363-7741.
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Our View Republicans shouldn’t take chances: approve Garland soon If they knew what’s good for them, U.S. Senate Republicans had best seriously consider doing their sworn constitutional duty and hold a session to consider the appointment of Judge Merrick Garland as a justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. In their gridlock fashion, most of them won’t even deign to meet Garland, much less give him a hearing. Their bull-headed opposition is, of course, because he was nominated by President Barack Obama, who has been for seven years the sourpuss Republicans’ archnemesis. The reason Republicans should consider giving Garland a go and probably even confirm him is because he might be the best chance they’ve got right now or in the future. Too many of these dug-in Republican donothings are banking their bets on what they assume is their chance to take the White House this November. Trouble is, they’re counting their chickens before – way before – they’re hatched. They’re counting on wishful thinking, hoping enough Americans will reject Hillary Clinton as an untrustworthy lying sneak, which is the image they have so persistently created through a relentless smear campaign based on unproven suspicions – the Benghazi hearings being just one example. Right now, they are seriously salivating, eager to see her indicted by the FBI. They are so cocksure Clinton (or perhaps Bernie Sanders, if nominated) will lose the presidential election, and then, once a Republican wins, they can appoint their own right-wing nominee (another Antonin Scalia) as Supreme Court justice and all will be well. But whoa! Not so fast, amigos! With the ongoing Republican Party disaster, with headliners like Donald Trump and Ted Cruz as the only hopes (so far) for the presidency, it might be best to stop being smug about Hillary’s defeat. Most rational American voters know there is no such creature as a politician who never tells a lie, never fudges on facts, never makes a mistake or changes policies. It comes with the territory. Still, Hillary is a paragon of intelligence, virtue and experience compared to Demagogue Donald and Tedious Ted. Either one of them as nominee is not only likely to lose the election but unwittingly take down Senate Republicans in the process. Of course, in politics anything’s possible, but at this point Republicans should not be planning a victory jig. Far from it. Especially when its national nominating convention in Cleveland in the heat of this summer might be the ultimate train wreck, if not a riot. It might well lead to electoral catastrophe come November. And then, they can boo-hoo all they want about not getting their choice for a Supreme Court justice, and they can cry and whine some more when Hillary, in the next four years, has the chance to nominate one or two more justices. And if the Republicans lose their Senate majority in the next election (a real possibility, according to many shrewd pundits), Hillary’s choices will be confirmed since only the Senate, not the House, must confirm Supreme Court justices. The Senate Republicans should weigh their options. Garland, by all accounts, has long been a non-partisan, fair-minded, impartial judge, even a favorite of rational Republicans. Wouldn’t he be better than a Hillary nominee far to the left – intolerable to Republicans’ tastes? If they knew what’s good for them, the Obamahaters in the Senate would stop their obstructionist games; they should hold hearings and then approve the nomination of Garland to the Supreme Court – for their own good. It just might be the only semblance of a chance they get to influence that High Court in a long, long time.
The ideas expressed in the letters to the editor and of the guest columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of the Newsleaders. Letters to the editor may be sent to news@thenewsleaders.com or P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374. Deadline is noon Monday. Please include your full name for publication (and address and phone number for verification only.) Letters must be 350 words or less. We reserve the right to edit for space.
Friday, April 1, 2016
Opinion Cast-iron skillet lasts a lifetime I kept forgetting to ask my brother Michael before he died if he had “inherited” the big old cast-iron skillet that was the backbone for our family meals. Ma used that pan long before I was born; we all used it daily for years and years. It was about 14 inches wide, deep black, so heavy we had to lug the hefty thing onto and off of the stove. I told Ma I wanted that pan, but somehow I didn’t get it. I did, thankfully, inherit the orange carnival-glass Kool-Aid pitcher, to this day a prized artifact from my childhood. Michael had his talents, but cooking wasn’t one of them. He couldn’t boil water, so I have no idea why he’d want a frying pan. His wife, if I recall, preferred Teflon pans. Throughout the past 30 years, I have purchased cast-iron skillets, but every time I’d get discouraged and give them away because I could never manage to “season” them properly with oil and oven heat. I’d follow directions, but what resulted was a tacky, sticky surface about as appetizing as fly paper. Recently, I decided, “OK, one more try.” I bought a 14-inch Lodge-brand skillet. After doing Internet research on ways to season (everybody has their own “foolproof” ways, go figure), I decided to try a stovetop method. First, I heated the pan on high flame until it was extremely hot. I put a teaspoon of vegetable oil in it and then, using a fat wad of paper towels, I rubbed the oil all over the inside
Dennis Dalman Editor of the pan. I turned down the heat to medium and let the pan sit there until it started smoking. I let it cool awhile, then used another wad of paper towels to wipe it thoroughly, repeatedly, getting rid of any trace of excess oil. To my satisfied surprise, it worked. A surface smooth and slick. It worked so well, in fact, that I bought another cast-iron skillet, a 12-inch one. Like Ma did, I store both of them in the oven where the warmth of the pilot light keeps them nice and dry. “Seasoning,” by the way, forms a bonded surface onto the pan, caused by a chemical reaction of the highly heated oil and the iron. The more one uses the skillet, the more the protective patina builds up, creating an excellent frying surface. If there is any such thing as a tried-and-true kitchen “friend,” it’s a cast-iron skillet. They’re just the thing for searing-browning meats and crisping potatoes. The pans can be placed right into the oven for cooking. They will last for a lifetime and then some. They do, however, need some pampering. I re-season mine after every use. Eventually, I might not have to, after using them many more times. But, for now, yes, I wash the pans, then
season as described above. There has long been a tugof-war about how to clean a cast-iron skillet. Some people just use hot water, a dish cloth and/or nylon bristle brush – no soap. The thought of a soapless wash turns me off. I use mild dish soap, hot water and a Scotch-Brite sponge pad (the one with the yellow sponge side and the green mild abrasive side). As soon as the pan is well rinsed, I immediately place it on the stovetop and do the re-seasoning process – takes about 10 minutes. And the main reason I keep re-seasoning it is because the soap and the scrubbing probably erode the patina a bit. But in a year or two, once the surface is durably, strongly bonded, I’ll season it only once a month, at most. The skillet I grew up with we washed with soap every day, and it was just fine. We also never once had to re-season it. Cast-iron pans really do get better with age. Two drawbacks, though: It’s easy, at first, to grab the handle without thinking, without using a pot-holder. (Ouch!) Second, you can’t use acidic ingredients in them, such as tomatoes, because the foods can develop a tinny taste. And third, a castiron pan can rust, so dry it by heating it on the stove right after washing. Then keep it very dry. In these days of trendy gimmickry and cheap gadgetry, a good old-fashioned cast-iron skillet is the real McCoy – practical, solid, a friend for life.
Letter to the editor
Reader expresses thanks for Safe-Routes-to-School program Danielle Fribley Lake George Neighborhood, St. Cloud
I want to send out a heartfelt thanks to Reps. Jeff Howe, Tama Theis and Sen. John Pederson for their sponsorship of legislation to support the Minnesota Safe-Routes-to-School Program. The program, which is very pop-
ular throughout Minnesota, provides funding to communities for building sidewalks, making street crossings safer and for developing bicycle routes to and from school. The program is so successful and popular that every year requests for funding far exceed available dollars. We’ve got one 2-year-old who loves biking and another one on
the way so we, like many other families, will soon take full advantage of the program. We’re grateful for the infrastructure that will help them get to and from school safely. We all owe a huge thanks to these legislators for not only recognizing the importance of the program, but also its many benefits to students in the area.
The Newsleaders P.O. Box 324 St. Joseph, MN 56374
Email: news@thenewsleaders.com Please include your full name for publication (and address and phone number for verification only).
Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, April 1, 2016 Is your event listed? Send your information to: Newsleader Calendar, P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374; fax it to 320363-4195; or, e-mail it to news@ thenewsleaders.com. Friday, April 1 Registration deadline for Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction, 4-6:30 p.m. Thursdays starting April 7, and 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 14, Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. 320-255-7245. Benton County Historical Society, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 218 First St. N., Sauk Rapids. 320-253-9614. mnbentonhistory.org. Saturday, April 2 Health 101 for Everyone, 8 a.m-1:30 p.m., CentraCare Health Plaza, 1900 CentraCare Circle, St. Cloud. 320-229-4980. centracare.com Community Showcase, sponsored by the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce, 10 a.m.1 p.m., Kennedy Community School, 1300 Jade Road, St. Joseph. Maple Syrup Festival, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., St. John’s Outdoor University, Collegeville. 320363-3163. csbsju.edu/outdooru. Maple Syrup Open House, 1-4 p.m., Kraemer Lake (Wildwood County Park), 29709 Kipper Road, St. Joseph. 320-2487784. carlsonwildwoodranch@ msn.com. EMPLOYMENT/HELP WANTED TEAM DRIVER WANTED: Dedicated run from St. Paul, Minnesota to Oakwood, Illinois. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Competitive Wage. CDL required. Call 563-580-6648 (MCN) FARM RELATED MACHINERY WANTED: Horse Machinery-GrainBinder-Thrasher-Silo Filler-HayLoader Barn for salvage. Amish farmer 715-697-2916 (MCN) AU T O M O B I L E S / M O T O R C Y C L E S WANTED MOTORCYCLES: TOP CASH PAID! For Old Motorcycles! 1900-1980. DEAD OR ALIVE! 920-371-0494 (MCN) HEALTH & MEDICAL IF YOU HAD HIP OR KNEE REPLACEMENT SURGERY AND SUFFERED AN INFECTION between 2010 and the present time, you may be entitled to compensation. Call Attorney Charles H. Johnson 1-800-535-5727 (MCN) FOR SALE TRAILER SALE: Save over $200.00 on ALL 14k Dump Trailers; We are the NEW Sundowner Dealer in this area. Sundowner aluminum car hauler & utility trailers in-stock; 6’x12’ V-nose ramp door $2,789.00; Now stocking 130 trailers. 515-972-4554 Pictures; information and prices: www.FortDodgeTrailerWorld.com (MCN) FRUIT TREES LOW AS $18. Blueberry, Grape, Strawberry, Asparagus, Evergreen & Hardwood Plants. FREE catalog. WOODSTOCK NURSERY, N1831 Hwy 95, Nellsville, WI 54456. Toll Free 888-8038733. wallace-woodstock.com (MCN) *SALE* Self Storage Buildings *SALE* No Better Time To Add On To Your Existing Facility. Or To Start Up Your New Facility. All Buildings On Sale Now For Limited Time. Order Now For Early Delivery! ABCO-America Inc. Call 844-636-5335 (M-F 8am-6pm Eastern)
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Community Calendar Monday, April 4 Benton County Historical Society, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 218 First St. N., Sauk Rapids. 320-253-9614. mnbentonhistory.org. 55+ Driver-improvement program (four-hour refresher course), 5:30-9:30 p.m., Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. 1-888-2341294. Optional online courses: mnsafetycenter.org. Rice City Council, 7 p.m., council chambers, Rice City Hall, 205 Main St. E. 320-3932280. Sauk Rapids Planning Commission, 7 p.m., council chambers, Sauk Rapids Government Center, 250 Summit Ave. N. 320258-5300. ci.sauk-rapids.mn.us. Sauk Rapids Riverside Lions Club, 7 p.m., Jimmy’s Pour House, 22 Second Ave. N., Sauk Rapids. e-clubhouse.org/sites/srriverside. Tuesday, April 5 ICAN Prevent Diabetes, 3:15-4:15 p.m., Sacred Heart Church, 2875 10th Ave. N.E.,
CRAFT-VENDOR SALES Saturday, April 2 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Bernick’s Pepsi Arena 1109 1st St. S., Sartell Noon-3 p.m. door prize drawings start every half hour (MCN) ADOPTION *ADOPTION:* Affectionate Devoted Financially Secure Family, Opportunities, Travel, Music awaits 1st baby. Expenses paid 1-800-354-2608 (MCN) A UNIQUE ADOPTIONS, LET US HELP! Personalized Adoption Plans. Financial Assistance, Housing, Relocation and More. Giving the Gift of Life? You Deserve the Best. 1-888-637-8200. 24HR Hotline. (VOID IN IL) (MCN) EMPLOYMENT/HELP WANTED CLASS A CDL Driver. Good home time. Stay in the Midwest. Great pay and benefits. Matching 401k. Bonuses and tax free money. Experience needed. Call Scott 507-437-9905. Apply on-line http:// www.mcfgtl.com (MCN) US Postal Service Now Hiring 1-800255-4134 $21/hr avg. w/ Federal Benefits included to start. FT/PT. Not affiliated w/USPS (MCN) OWNER OPERATORS wanted. Paid all miles. No touch freight. Many operating discounts. Family run business for 75 years. Many bonuses and good home time. Direct deposit paid weekly. Call 800-533-0564 ext.205. (MCN)
Sauk Rapids. 320-650-3082. Raise Some Dough Robotics Fundraiser, 4:30-8:30 p.m., House of Pizza, 1733 Pinecone Road S., Ste. 200, Sartell. Sauk Rapids HRA Board, 6 p.m., council chambers, Sauk Rapids Government Center, 250 Summit Ave. N. 320-258-5300. ci.sauk-rapids.mn.us. Men’s golf league meeting, 6 p.m., Pine Ridge Golf Course, 801 Pinecone Road, Sartell. 320259-0551. Watab Township Board, 7 p.m., 660 75th St. NW, Sauk Rapids. watabtownship.com. Benton Telecommunications channel 3.
Wednesday, April 6 Men’s golf league meeting, 6 p.m., Pine Ridge Golf Course, 801 Pinecone Road, Sartell. 320259-0551.
CNA/LPN POSITIONS
Saint John’s Abbey has a part-time, benefit-eligible, 3 days per week CNA position in the Abbey Retirement Center (night shift, 11 p.m.-7 a.m.). CNA day shift, 2 days per week. Certified Nursing Assistant credentials preferred.
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Family-to-family, 6:30-9 p.m., Unity Spiritual Center, 931 Fifth Ave. N., Sartell. 320-2907713. 320-249-2560.
Thursday, April 7 Coffee and Conversation, a senior discussion group, 9 a.m., Country Manor, 520 First St. NE, Sartell. Eating Disorder Support Group, 5:15-6:15 p.m., CentraCare Health Plaza (Stinson Leonard Street room), 1406 Sixth Ave. N., St. Cloud. 320251-2700. Great River Regional Coin Club, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Miller Auto Marine Sports Plaza, 2930 Second St. S., St. Cloud. 320252-8452. Sauk Rapids Jaycees, 7 p.m., VFW, 901 N. Benton Drive, Sauk Rapids. srjaycees.weebly.com.
Rice Lions Club, 8 p.m., Lions Building, Westside Park, 101 Fourth St. NW. Friday, April 8 Benton County Historical Society, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., 218 First St. N., Sauk Rapids. 320-253-9614. mnbentonhistory.org. Saturday, April 9 Winter Market, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Sartell City Hall, 125 Pinecone Road N. www.marketmonday.org. Mattress Fundraiser, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sauk Rapids Middle School, 901 First Street S. Central Minnesota Chapter of the Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, 12:30 p.m., American Legion, 17 Second Ave. N., Waite Park.
Danni is a 1-½-year-old, spayed Coonhound and Lab mix. She is at the shelter because she’s not comfortable around young children. Danni has been around other dogs and was fine with dogs her own size, but she can be a little selective with smaller ones. She’s house-trained and will go to the door when she needs to go outside. Danni likes to play tug-of-war with rope toys and chew on rawhide bones. She’s a very lean and tall dog with ears made for petting. “Helping one animal won’t change the world … but it will change the world for that one animal!” Dogs - 16 Finches - 2
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Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
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Friday, April 1, 2016
Youth to be charged for Rice accident by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
A 16-year-old man from Holdingford is expected to be charged with careless driving and having unsafe tires on his car after a two-vehicle crash at 5:52 p.m. March 16 just east of the Rice bridge. The man, whose name was not released, was westbound on County Road 2 leading to the bridge when he lost control of the Ford Mustang he was driving and veered into the path of another vehicle, according to Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck.
The other vehicle was an eastbound Mazda CX-5 wagon driven by Matthew Bagaglio, 33, of Little Falls. The occupants of that vehicle were Tasha Bagaglio, 29, who is several months pregnant; and a 2-year-old child who was properly secured in a child-safety seat. All occupants of both vehicles were transported by ambulance to St. Cloud Hospital. Their injuries were not considered to be life-threatening. Responding to the crash were police departments from Rice and Royalton, the Rice Fire and Rescue Department; and Gold Cross Ambulance Service.
Bicyclist killed Tuesday in traffic accident by Frank Lee operations@thenewsleaders.com
A 54-year-old Sartell bicyclist was struck and killed by a motorist on the morning of March 29 at Highway 15 and Stearns CR 1 in Sartell. Scott Erickstad died at the scene. Jason Stocker, 40, of Sartell, was driving southbound on the highway at 5:45 a.m. in his
2001 Saturn SC2 when the bicyclist tried crossing to the east side of southbound Hwy. 15. Stocker was not injured in the collision. The Minnesota State Patrol shut down traffic in the area for a period after the fatal accident. As of press time Wednesday, funeral arrangements for Erickstad were pending at Williams Dingmann Funeral Home, Sauk Rapids.
Two nabbed for thefts by Dennis Dalman editor@thenewsleaders.com
A surveillance video aided in the arrests of two people who allegedly stole money from payment machines March 17 at the Quick Clean Car Wash on the east end of Main Street in Rice. Charged with felony theft and felony damage to property were Matthew Press, 26; and Breanne Dreyer, 33.
The two allegedly stole $1,000 in cash from the two machines and caused an estimated $1,500 in damage by prying into the machines with tools. Still photos taken from the surveillance photos were placed on Facebook and resulted in tips from people to the police as to the identity of the two perpetrating the thefts. Both Dreyer and Press will face court hearings soon.
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contributed photo
This mangled car was the result of a two-car accident near the Rice bridge March 16. Despite the severity of the crash, fortunately nobody involved suffered life-threatening injuries.
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