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New Look. Same Local Coverage since 1854.
Vol. 162, No. 49
Thursday, March 30, 2017
11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, Benton County, MN 56379
Lifestyle center proposed
Ashland’s
BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER
Minnesota sprouts hope in Kansas BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
GILMAN — One March 6, the lives of farmers and ranchers surrounding Ashland, Kan. were turned into dust. Eight days later, the central Minnesota community began to help. “I started seeing posts about the Àres in my women in agriculture group on Facebook. I couldn’t Àgure out why no one was helping them. So I came up here to talk to Tina [Peschl],” said Pattie Bixby, of Gilman. As a poultry and hog farmer with biosecurity concerns, Bixby knew she couldn’t spearhead a fundraiser at her own homestead. She talked with Tina Peschl, of the Gilman Coop Creamery, and together, along with help from the Minnesota State
Cattlemen’s Association and others, they created a hay and supply drive. Bixby estimated the community collected over 1,500 hay bales, almost $30,000 in fencing supplies, toys, clothes, household necessities, as well as donating fuel money and time. This past Saturday, more than two dozen people, climbed into semis, trucks and vans to begin a convoy from Gilman Co-op Creamery to the Kansas-Oklahoma line. The seven-vehicle parade included people from as far away as Cleveland, N.D., and was to meet up with others in southern Minnesota before making their way across the border. Hay loads have been intermittently delivered to Ashland over the past two weeks from across the nation. WildÀres spread through the
four states of Texas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Kansas in early March. Intense winds, low humidity and minimal Àre resources contributed to the worst Àre in the history of Clark County, Kan. “We had 70 mile per hour winds. This Àre was jumping like a grasshopper, but it was going threequarters of a mile at a time,” said Jeff Kay, of Ashland Feed and Seed. As one Àre approached Ashland, the winds switched. The blaze joined with two other Àres, nearly surrounding the town of 850 people. “All three Àres got to the south edge of Ashland by about Àve miles, joined forces and produced a massive Àre. It burned 467,000 acres and 31 homes in this county. That’s 89 percent of the county,” Kay said. Included in the loss were human
Donated hay bales line the property of Gilman Co-op Creamery, awaiting trips to Clay County, Kan.
lives and beef cattle. Preliminary county estimates tallied over 3,000 head lost to the Àres … that was two weeks ago. The number has mostlikely grown. “We produce hamburger and steaks for the American people. That’s what we do for a living,” Kay said. “Our lives have been disrupted. We needed some help with this. The farming and ranching communities have come to us in full force, so we can maybe get back on our feet again. We can survive.” Jason Molitor, of Holdingford, drove a load of 34 bales for Sauk Rapids company Marson Contractors last week. “When I Àrst started seeing things, it was land that was burned. I thought to myself, it’ll grow
Ashand’s ashes: page 3
Make a wish come true
SRRHS hosts Wish Week BY ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
PHOTO BY ANNA SALDANA
Ashlyn Kotcho (from left) and Madison Davis organized this week’s student council Wish Week fundraiser. It includes a color run and black light dance.
SAUK RAPIDS – The Sauk Rapids-Rice High School student council is in the midst of one of their largest service projects to date – Wish Week. “It is the biggest, most sincere fundraiser for student council. MakeA-Wish is such an awesome charity and when student council found out it was our state service project theme this year, we got excited,” said Madison Davis, Wish Week co-chairs. “We’ve been working on it everyday for the last month. We hope it goes well.” Throughout the week, student council is aiming to raise $6,500, which will help adopt the wish of a kid with a life-threatening illness. Student council is also partnering with Tanner’s Team Foundation, in honor of what would have been Tanner Fuls’s 18th birthday March 31. Tanner was diagnosed with Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS) and passed away Àve months later. During his treatment, the Fuls family had paperwork from Make-A-Wish, but their son passed away too soon. “He either wanted to go to Euro Disney or on an Alaskan cruise,” said John Fuls, Tanner’s dad. “Tanner got really sick and then passed in such a short timeframe. Once kids pass, Make-A-Wish won’t grant their wish.” Student council believes that because Tanner’s wish was not fulÀlled, they have more motive for adopting another child’s wish.
Wish week: page 3
Staying aÁoat freshman year BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS — When Kelly Radi was preparing to send her Àrst-born off to college, she had mixed emotions. “You’re Àghting conÁicting emotions,” said Radi, of Sartell. “On one hand you are so excited for your child because he or she gets to explore the world. On the other hand you’re terriÀed. This is the same kid who doesn’t know how to put socks in the hamper. How will she set and alarm and get to class on time? And then there’s parental emotions. It’s not always how do they survive, but rather how will I.” Yearning for information and potential solace in the journey, the avid reader turned to books. When Radi didn’t exactly Ànd what she was looking for, she decided to write her own. “It’s not that there weren’t resources out there. But there wasn’t a resource that combined the statistics, data and facts with the emotional parent part,” Radi said. Many of the books Radi read were one or the other. She could read an academic journal missing emotion, or a heartfelt memoir with nothing based on research. Radi also wanted practical. “I wanted emotional, factual and the practical meat and potatoes-type stuff,”
she said. Radi will be speaking at the Sauk Rapids-Rice High School April 12 at 6:30 p.m. regarding her newly-published work, “Out to Sea: A Parents’ Survival Guide to the Freshman Voyage.” Community members will be able to participate in the interactive session. “Out to Sea” helps parents navigate both the practical and emotional aspects of their child’s Àrst-year in college. It discusses modeling healthy behaviors and parental challenges, but also addresses key concerns like money management, mental health and academic expectations. Radi began compiling her information shortly after her daughter shipped off to Drake University, in Des Moines, Iowa. But the book is not a memoir. The author visited multiple campuses of all sizes across the United States, and spoke with a variety of people from administrators, psychologists, instructors and even the experts themselves — parents and students. Yet, the lighthearted book (which still touches on serious issues like eating disorders, prescription drugs and sexual assault) doesn’t read like a college manual. “I wanted it to be an easy read, where the reader could sit down and feel like they
Radi: page 2
PHOTO SUBMITTED
Kelly Radi, author of “Out to Sea: A Parents’ Survival Guide to the Freshman Voyage” will speak at the SRRHS April 12.
SAUK RAPIDS — Land to the south of Golden Spike Road between Highway 10 and Mayhew Lake Road could be seeing development as early as late summer. Chief manager of Inventure Properties, LLC Doug Boser presented a project to the Sauk Rapids City Council March 27 to create what Boser deemed a lifestyle center. Golden Spike Commons, as it is called today, will feature multiple business locations on the property which covers a total of 32,000 square feet. “We envision modern, upscale and very unique shops in that location,” Boser said. The former SuperAmerica convenience store location will be included in the development, as well as a previously purchased site for a second municipal liquor store when the city decides to expand. Along with those buildings, three larger buildings with the potential to house 20 different businesses will be built on the area. The property will also feature parking, ample lighting and a pet park to accompany traveling visitors. “We see banks, vision centers, travel agencies, chiropractors, insurance agencies, Ànancial advisors, dentist, legals, automotive care [selling of parts], a clinic, daycares and a salon,” Boser said. “We anticipate being able to prelease now and start construction late summer, early fall.” In other council news: • Benton County Substance Use Prevention Coalition member and Sauk Rapids resident Julie Willman presented the council with 2016 Minnesota Student Survey data regarding substance use amongst Foley and Sauk RapidsRice District youth. According to the results, over the past 30 days, one in every six eighth-, ninth- and 11th-grader has reported drinking. One in 12 have reported tobacco use. One in 12 have reported marijuana use and 1 in 17 have reported misuse of prescription drugs. Following the presentation, Mayor Hunstiger read a proclamation recognizing the group and offering support from the council to create a positive culture within the community so Benton County youth can live substance free. • Resident of Third Avenue North, Tom Haaf brought concerns to the council. Haaf asked that the drainage problem near his rental property on Second Street be addressed. He stated he had talked with city and county ofÀcials in the past, but had not heard anything further. Haaf also asked for the councils support in the Stand Together Vote No efforts. Haaf is against the $87 billion referendum the Sauk Rapids-Rice District will put to a vote in May. The council did not take action at this time and reiterated they were happy he brought the concerns to the council but that he also needed to voice his opinions with the school board. Haaf said he has tried and failed. • Presented John Heintze, of the Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids, with an Extra Mile Award for his continued efforts as a volunteer. • Approved Jerod Gapinski, Greg Bomstad, Steve Ellson and Cory Zimpel as 2017 captains for the Àre department. • Approved Jeff Jahnke as 2nd Assistant Chief for the Àre department. • Accepted the resignation of Eric Stommes from the Àre department. • Approved the parade route for Rapids River Days on Friday, June 22 with a tentative start time of 6 p.m. The route will again begin near Pleasantview Elementary
City council: page 2