Sauk Centre Herald 02-02-2023

SCACC opposes Minnesota business bill

Mandate would require 24 weeks of paid leave, 0.7% tax increase

BY BEN SONNEK STAFF WRITER

The State of Minnesota may be on the cusp of enacting a major change to businesses through Bill HF2/SF2, mandating 24 weeks of paid leave to employees. State businesses would also be charged a 0.7% payroll tax, totaling $1 billion, to fund the program; every employer in Minnesota, regardless of size, would be required to participate.

According to Sauk Centre Area Chamber of Commerce president Stacie Michels, the bill has been around for about five years, meeting enough opposition to prevent its passage. This year, though, it is moving swiftly through the legislative process, and she is hoping it gets stonewalled once again.

“This bill is bad for business and bad for Minnesota,” Michels said. “Whether they are trying

Business bill page 4

Es u n honor un honor

Buysse nominated for Minnesota Teacher of the Year

EBY BEN SONNEK | STAFF WRITER

ducation Minnesota has announced its list of the 131 teachers nominated for Minnesota Teacher of the Year Award, and among their ranks is Sauk Centre Public Schools’ own Spanish teacher Kelly Buysse. Having been at SCPS for about 20 years, she is both surprised and flattered to be recognized in this way.

“Sometimes, it’s a little difficult to take because I teach with so many wonderful people,” Buysse said. “It feels like they deserve that recognition too.”

New name, bigger reach

The Education Minnesota panel will be meeting again in March to narrow down the candidate list, and then a winner will be announced at the May 7 Minnesota Teacher of the Year banquet in St. Paul.

Born and raised in Alexandria, Buysse greatly enjoyed her ninth-grade Spanish class and her instructor, and so she knew in high school that she wanted to be either a veterinarian or a Spanish teacher. After graduating high school in 1999, going to college at Concordia College in Moorhead tipped the scales for her.

“I took my first organic chemistry class in

Kecollege and I decided, yep, Spanish teacher it is,” Buysse said. “I liked them both, but I’m really happy with my choice.”

Buysse graduated from Concordia in December 2002 with degrees in education and Spanish. In May 2002, through a Concordia pro-

Buysse page 4

Snowmobile Snowmobile racing racing

Coldwell Banker Crown Realtors acquires Neighborhood Realty

BY BEN SONNEK | STAFF WRITER

Local real estate is getting a broader reach, thanks to Coldwell Banker Crown Realtor’s recent acquisition of Sauk Centre’s Neighborhood Realty.

“We are honored to serve the team in Sauk Centre and all of our surrounding communities,” said Brandon Johnson, president and CEO of CBCR. “A large marketing team behind the hyper-local agents within our Coldwell Banker Crown team is an amazing mix of talent for the communities. We are honored to partner together in impacting lives through real estate.”

Coldwell Banker page 4

PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK Neal Leagjeld arrives at his office Jan. 23 in Sauk Centre. Neighborhood Realty was recently acquired by Coldwell Banker Crown Realtors, based out of Alexandria.

PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK

Kelly Buysse (middle) teaches an upper-level Spanish course to high school students Jan. 30 at Sauk Centre Public Schools. Buysse teaches fifth grade Spanish and the Spanish 2, 3 and 4 classes for high schoolers.

PHOTOS BY MARK KLAPHAKE

(Above) A class of snowmobilers line up before heading out on the oval to race in the Sauk Centre Snofest Racing Festival held Jan. 28 on Sauk Lake. Racers from across the Midwest brought snowmobiles to compete.

(Right) Chad Marthaler and his son, Gus, were a couple of the many fans that attended the snowmobile races on Sauk Lake.

Snowmobile racing page 2

Mike Peterson of Lancaster, Minnesota, reattaches a ski on a sled he brought to the snowmobile races. Mike and his wife and three children planned to compete in seven races during the Snofest Racing Festival.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT

Big sister Natalie, 2, and big brother Jackson, 1, welcomed her home.

Grandparents are Mike and Beth Arnzen, of St. Rosa; and Tom and Barb Hellermann, of Melrose.

Great-grandparents are

Snomobile racing from front

Mia Beth

Betty Atkinson, of Freeport; Simon and Mary Hellermann, of Sauk Centre; Arlene Arnzen, of St. Rosa; and Don and Joan Payne, of Burtrum.

Our Promise

In a perfect world, hunger would be history and hope would be commonplace. We believe a perfect world is possible.

In 2020, Subaru and its retailers made a donation to Feeding America to provide 50 million meals to help feed people in need during the COVID-19 crisis,* making meals available at 199 local food banks across the country. *$1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks.

What is the Subaru Love Promise™

Subaru and our retailers believe in making the world a better place and the Subaru Love Promise is our vision of respecting all people. This is our commitment to show love and respect to our customers and to work to make a positive impact in the world.

Arnzen

David Weber

(Right) Caroline Allard of Roseau sits on the F500 snowmobile that she raced in her class at the Snofest Racing Festival. It was Allards first snowmobile race.

PHOTOS BY MARK KLAPHAKE

(Above) Snowmobilers test drive and work on their sleds in preparation for the snowmobile races. There were many snowmobiles and trailers that lined a portion of Sauk Lake for the Sauk Centre Snofest Racing Festival Jan. 28 on Sauk Lake.

SCPS approves bids for renovation project

Total about $176,000 over budget, alternates could be cut

BY BEN SONNEK STAFF WRITER

The total bids for Sauk Centre Public Schools renovation and addition project have come in over budget, but the gap is certainly not impossible to close.

During a Jan. 30 special meeting of the SCPS board, Pat Westby and Josh Evanson with consulting firm SitelogIQ reported the results of the bidding for both phases of the SCPS renovation project. SCPS has about $45.5 million available from their total bond; nearly $8.4 million of that is allocated for the SitelogIQ fee, leaving $37.1 million in project money.

Having received the bids and selected and recommended the lowest bidders, SitelogIQ reported the total bids to be around $37.3 million, about $176,000 over budget. Upon reporting the discrepancy, Westby congratulated the board on their relatively small gap.

“To be $176,000 over on a $45 million project is exciting,” Westby said. “We had meetings on Thursday morning down in the cities; we were nervous, as you guys were too, that we would be three to four million over.”

SCPS does have room to bring the bids down. The total bids also incorporated alternate additions to the

base bids for items that could either be cut for budgetary reasons or that were included as a sort of stretch goal for the renovation project.

The alternate bid items included a heated sidewalk slab at the high school entrance, new doors at all three elementary wings, garage doors at the high school infield court, casework at classrooms adjacent to the infield court, a special education kitchenette, windows at the Career and Technical Education corridors, auto shop drains, a music room condensing unit, plumbing and fire protection piping, electrical wiring, LED lighting in non-remodeled areas, destratification fans at elementary and high school gyms, an outdoor learning environment, junior high entrance renovation, courtyard infill at the high school and a remodel of a science classroom into a flex classroom and storage.

SCPS superintendent Don Peschel and the SCPS board will be reviewing the alternate items in a special meeting, scheduled to follow their upcoming committee meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 6. The school is also considering technological upgrades, especially to their old paging system, as well as an asbestos abatement in a utility tunnel, so some funds might be diverted to that area during the renovation.

The $37.3 million total also in-

cluded about $1.8 million as a contingency allocation, set aside in case of unforeseen changes to the project scope. Any charges made to this allocation must be approved by the owner. The school also has access to an additional $1.4 million in bond funding at no increase in tax impact to area taxpayers. The low bidders recommended by SitelogIQ are Ebert Construction for general trades, SCR for mechanical work, Willmar Electric for electrical work, Johnson Controls for temperature controls, Premier TAB for test and balance, McDowell for the roof package, co-op for pre-purchased equipment and material and multiple vendors for furniture.

Evanson reported hearing from other school districts with projects who have heard about the companies bidding on the SCPS project

“We’ve got other projects closing up in the area, and they’re disappointed,” Evanson said. “They know that, if you accept these, they won’t be bidding on their (projects).”

The board approved the bids after the overview and approved the date for the special meeting to discuss the project alternative items.

The next school board regular meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. in the SCPS Media Center.

Str eeter Streeter

Sinclair Lewis Foundation Annual Meeting: Saturday, Feb. 4 in the basement of the public library. Business meeting at 12:30 p.m., followed by a keynote presentation, from the Twin Cities, by Jim Gambone. The public is invited and welcome.

Pins and Needles Quilters Monthly Meeting: Second Tuesday of the Month, 7 - 9 p.m. at the Sauk Centre Senior Center, 321 4th St. N. Our goal is to promote the art of quilt making at all skill levels by discussion, lessons, and show and tell of your projects at our meetings. We welcome new members.

Catholic in Recovery: Saturdays at 1 p.m. Catholic sacramental recovery fellowship for those seeking freedom from addictions, compulsions and unhealthy attachments. Family and Friends Support Group: Saturdays at 1 p.m. for family members and others impacted by the spiritual disease of addiction. Both groups located at the Centre for Christ.

Little Sauk Legion Auxiliary Unit 417 Meeting: Second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m.at theLittle Sauk Legion. New members welcome!

Mental Health Support Group: Fridays from 2-4 p.m. at the Palmer House. We welcome anyone who suffers with mental health issues. Any questions, please contact Richard at 320-260-4233.

Sauk Centre History Museum and Research Center: Museum hours are Sunday and Monday - closed, Tuesday 1-5 p.m., Wednesday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday 1-5 p.m., Friday noon to 4 p.m. Located in the Sinclair Lewis Library building at 430 Main Street. Any questions, please call 320-351-8777.

Mental Health Crisis Line: 320-253-5555 or 800-635-8008. Crisis Response Team for Benton, Sherburne, Stearns and Wright counties. AA Meetings: Thursdays, 11 a.m. at United Church of Christ in Sauk Centre. For more information, call 320-429-1620. AA and Al-Anon 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays in Sauk Centre at United Church of Christ. Back to Basic Meeting, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at Tutti Fruitti in Sauk Centre. For more information, call 218-240-1076. Wednesdays Big Book Meeting at 7 p.m., Civic Center, Melrose. For more information, call 320-241-3909.

NA Meetings: Mondays, 7 p.m. at River of Life Church, Sauk Centre and Fridays at 11 a.m. at Eagle’s Healing Nest Chapel, Sauk Centre.

Alzheimer’s Support Group: The support group for people caring for someone with memory loss holds monthly meetings every fourth Thursday of the month from 10-11:30 a.m. at Alternative Senior Care, 418 10th St. S, Sauk Centre. For more information, call 320352-3350.

Proudly Sponsored by Hunter

Novak

Parents: Jeff and Shannon Novak

Accomplishment: Senior on Sauk Centre High School boys’ basketball, who hit a 3-pointer against Benson Jan. 24.

What do you enjoy most about being in basketball?

Just being on the team.

What has been the highlight of your basketball career? Scoring my first varsity points last year. What other activities are you involved in at school? I have not been involved in other activities.

Why do you feel it’s important to be involved in school activities? Because it is something extra to do.

What is your favorite Streeter tradition? Probably Incentive Day here at school. It’s my favorite because we get to choose where we want to go for a field trip for the whole school day.

How do you try to make a difference at school? By working hard during school.

What teacher has impacted your education the most?

My coach, Mr. Kuefler. He has pushed us to work very hard, not just in gym and health, but also in basketball.

What is something you’ve learned in class recently?

I learned about the U.S. Constitution recently in government.

What is one item on your bucket list? Go to state for basketball.

S aluting great accomplishments in the Saluting in the S auk Centre High S chool Sauk Centre School

POLICE ACTIVITY Sauk

Business bill from front

to remain financially stable during record-setting inflation, attract employees in a national workforce shortage or locate materials during supply scarcity, the last thing Minnesota businesses need is a mandatory one-size-fitsall Paid Family and Medical Leave program.”

The HF2/SF2 bill mandates two main types of leave: up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave for a serious health condition or pregnancy and up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for safety leave or to care for a newborn, adopted or foster child or a family member with a serious health condition. The leave can be stacked together for a total of 24 weeks, and an additional 12 weeks available for a military exigency.

“Even as an employee, I wouldn’t be able to fathom how my employer could navigate an absence of that magnitude,” Michels said. “That is essentially 44% of the year. I’m realistic enough to understand that this wouldn’t be

1 citizen contact, 1 door check, 3 school patrols

1 traffic stop – verbal warning issued

Thursday, Jan. 26

00:36 hrs – Welfare check on 1200 block of Timberlane Dr

09:30 hrs – Unwanted person on 1200 block of Timberlane Dr

12:53 hrs – Medical emergency on 900 block of Lilac Dr

14:53 hrs – Problem with juvenile on 900 block of State Rd

17:11 hrs – Theft on 200 block of 12th St S

19:20 hrs – Motorist assist on 1200 block of Getty St

20:22 hrs – Verbal dispute on 1200 block of Getty St

20:37 hrs – Domestic Abuse No Contact Order violation in Sauk Centre

hrs – Matter of information on 1200 block of Getty St

extra patrol request, 2 citizen contacts, 1 door check, 2 school patrols

traffic stops – verbal warnings issued

hrs – Agency assist on 400 block of 1st St N

hrs – Request for records/statistical data on 300 block of Oak St S

sustainable.”

Other potential additions include existing unpaid federal Family and Medical Leave Act requirements and Sick and Safe Time ordinances enacted in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington and Duluth; the state is also pursuing more paid time in bills SF34 and HF19, which would mandate up to 80 hours of paid sick and safe time. Under HF2/SF2, employees would have reinstatement rights so their jobs would be held for them upon their return from leave. They would also be paid a partial wage replacement based on their income on a progressive scale; for lower income workers, the rate will start at 90%. Employees are eligible 90 days after being hired.

Minnesota’s employers would be charged a 0.7% payroll tax to fund the program; with no cap on the payroll tax, if the program costs exceed the amount collected, the state will raise the tax. The employers may charge back

Buysse from front

gram, she studied abroad in South America, starting in Peru with its strong indigenous population and then going to Machu Picchu.

“It was a great experience,” Buysse said. “We also got to spend time in rural areas where you really notice the culture and it’s not so metropolitan.” Her studies then took her to Chile and Argentina, which to Buysse had the cleaner and more modern areas; she still finds it intriguing how different the countries are with their various cultures and dialects, even though they are clustered close together. She also traveled to Paraguay and non-Spanish-speaking Brazil before returning to the United States.

Then, Buysse student-taught at an immersion school in Probstfield Elementary in Moorhead and

also at SCPS for her K-12 license.

“The person I student-taught with ended up leaving that year,” Buysse said. “I really liked student-teaching (at SCPS), and then I took the job the next year.”

Buysse has been a teacher at SCPS since the fall of 2003. She currently teaches fifth grade as an introduction to Spanish course; Buysse also teaches Spanish 2, 3 and 4, the latter two of which are college credit courses, and she has an education master’s degree and master’s credits in Spanish to teach those. Her classroom in SCPS has 21 flags hanging inside of it, one for each country that speaks Spanish as its official language.

Each class is different to Buysse. With the fifth graders, she enjoys seeing how

Coldwell Banker from front

For Neal Leagjeld, who will transition from Neighborhood Realty’s managing owner to CBCR associate broker, the merger should allow him more family time, and he anticipates his annual sale rate to remain in the usual 55-65 range.

“My sales aren’t going to dip because of this move,” Leagjeld said. “In fact, they may even increase because I’m going to have a little more time to be a lot more effective as an agent.”

CBCR, an Alexandria-based real estate agency, currently has 27 agents across four Central Minnesota offices, including ones in Morris and Crosby.

The acquisition process began about a year and a half ago when Leagjeld and Johnson met, and Neighborhood Realty received an offer from CBCR by September 2021. The process was tabled for a time as Leagjeld had to attend to family matters.

“In mid-October (2022), my wife and I broke everything down as far as pros and cons – what the benefits would be versus what we’d be losing,” Leagjeld said. “Really, the one big thing that stood out was that most small real estate companies either pass their company on to a family member or just shut the doors.”

The agents and people in the Sauk Centre area were

employees for up to 50% of the payroll tax but have to do so under proportion, contract or wage requirements.

“While other states look to cut taxes, this bill would be raising taxes on every business across the state,” Michels said. “While other states are looking to reduce burdensome regulations to spur economic growth, this bill would implement further regulations and increase costs, raising taxes on every business across the state. Every state is looking to address the workforce crisis and incentivize individuals to join the workforce; this bill would leave employers with even fewer employees and options.”

Employers may only opt out of the mandate if the leave program they provide is at least as generous as the state-required mandate, and those plans must be submitted to the state for approval for opting out. There will be a fee assessed to employers who opt out as well.

“It ties the hands of our businesses that are putting together competitive benefit packages to hire employ-

eager they are to learn another language.

“It’s a novelty, and they’re so excited for it,” Buysse said. “With my upper-level kids, I think I have a unique experience teaching Spanish because I can bring in all kinds of different subject areas. I teach them about things in Spanish, using simplified language; I can teach them about The Dirty War in Argentina, holidays or the butterfly migration. I pick all kinds of different topics that apply to different countries, and then I pull in that culture and teach them about different cultural events.”

For Buysse, keeping things novel is important to drive student learning. She has seen attention spans shrink in her 20 years as a teacher as children grow up with more stimulation, and so she likes to incorporate movement breaks and other elements to keep students engaged.

It was during the 2023

ees during this debilitating workforce shortage,” Michels said.

The SCACC provided an email to local businesses to sign onto their letters and communications concerning the bill.

“I can honestly say not one replied in support,” Michels said. “I am not saying there isn’t support, but I haven’t personally heard from any who think this would be good for their business or ability to hire.”

Michels encourages people to contact their legislators to let them know how they think the bill will impact their business; the SCACC also emailed its members with links to make it easier to submit feedback for the state legislature.

“I don’t want to even entertain the thought of it passing and what that could mean to our businesses,” Michels said. “Ultimately, business will be forced to close their doors or relocate to a state that is more business-friendly.”

Christmas break that Buysse got an email that told her she had been nominated for Minnesota Teacher of the Year by several people, along with blurbs of what they had said when nominating her.

“At first, I was really flattered,” Buysse said. “At the same time, I was humbled because I teach with so many wonderful people who make this school a great place.”

It is not the award that makes teaching Spanish such a rich experience for Buysse, though. Along with her colleague, Judy Viere, she loves having a collaborative working partnership, and then there’s seeing how the students progress in their knowledge of the language.

“I’m proud of the department (Viere) and I have worked to build,” Buysse said.

Centre’s coming Authors Addition.

what drew Johnson toward acquiring Neighborhood Realty; from his early conversations with Leagjeld, he could tell Neighborhood Realty was culturally and geographically a good fit for CBCR.

“A rising tide lifts all ships,” Johnson said. “With this acquisition, the national brand recognition and local, family owned brokerage will benefit the agents and the consumer. We are able to expand the Coldwell Banker Crown footprint while bringing new services and opportunities to the communities.”

Leagjeld was also happy with how CBCR’S culture fit with his agency.

“I would never move to a company that didn’t align with Neighborhood Realty’s core values of being extremely involved in the community,” Leagjeld said. “Almost monthly, we’ve had something we’ve been a part of or supported locally. In all of the communities he’s in, Brandon’s very much aligned with me when it comes to that.”

While the cultural alignment is more important to Leagjeld than the CBCR name, he does see the value in said name as he sees more home sales in the area going through larger companies.

“In Sauk Centre (last year), around 30% of the sales were from agencies outside the Sauk Centre area,” Leag-

jeld said. “A lot of times, the people who are using the outside agencies are using the big-box companies, so if we can give people a local option with that corporate name, I think there’s going to be a significant benefit.”

Leagjeld anticipates minimal changes to his branch of the agency when the acquisition takes effect.

“Neighborhood Realty always closely operated as a team,” Leagjeld said. “We’ve always had a ton of fun together and have always been very tight-knit. With the personnel here, not a lot’s going to change with that. I took each agent underneath the microscope with this (merger), and each and every one of them is going to have significant benefits to their career because of this move.”

From Leagjeld’s perspective, this year’s housing market will be a good one as long as they have houses to sell –although, at the moment, that inventory is pretty slim.

“The interest rates and job market play a huge factor into it, but the bottom line is, if we don’t have inventory, we have to create it,” Leagjeld said. “There’s still a tremendous amount of demand, and so the way to create (inventory) is by creating more homes.”

Some new homes in the region include a four-door twin-home development in Long Prairie. In Sauk Centre, there are the GreyStone area’s twin homes project and Sauk

“If you do a 10 twinhome development and five people from Sauk Centre buy out there, it’s not just 10 homes reentering the market in Sauk Centre; now, we’ve shifted 15 homes,” Leagjeld said. “We really need to encourage the (Authors Addition) development when it comes on because, again, if that’s 10 doors right there, that could be another five or eight doors that become available in town. Development is what’s going to stir the inventory up.” Johnson notices the inventory need and the incoming demand as well.

“We’re in an adjusting market,” Johnson said. “The past two years have shown us a lot of growth in homeowner’s equity. While the market is still in need of inventory, the buyers are out there and waiting. We are now on trend with 2019 numbers and themes as we approach the spring season. We are feeling very confident that 2023 will be a great year for real estate whether you’re buying or selling.”

The Sauk Centre office is also getting remodeled as the merger gets under way. Johnson noticed a decline in large conference room usage during 2020 and beyond; smaller areas for about five people are becoming more commonplace, so the Neighborhood Realty space is being reorganized with that in mind. Offices are getting more private, and there will be painting, reflooring and redecorating to make the area more uniform.

In the merger, Leagjeld is looking forward to working with fellow like-minded agents in a broader range. “I can cut down on travel time if I don’t have to run up to Brainerd or Morris to show,” Leagjeld said. “Less time on the road is going to give me a lot more time with my wife and my family.”

Waking up this morning, it was clear today was going to be glorious.

Sundays are usually a reset day for our family. We wake up, eat breakfast, attend church, grocery shop, complete oodles of laundry and get our home back to a mild roar. We find this helps set everyone up for a successful week.

Today had a familiar feel from the get go; however, as the day progressed, the sun seemed to shine a bit brighter – providing a much-needed charge to my weary soul.

The list could go on for days, but I will spare both you and I. Today’s Mass really got me thinking, “Am I pure at heart? If so, that is enough. God is right there alongside me, every step of the way, no matter where I might be. Honestly, that can look different by the minute and that is A-O-K.”

Kayla’s Korner by Kayla Hunstiger

Even though the temperature outside was below zero, the sunshine was magnificent and bright. It made the quick walks to and from the vehicle a little more manageable, and maybe even a bit enjoyable. Sunshine paired with the good words of the Lord made for a dynamite start to the day.

Today’s gospel and homily, which focused on the beatitudes, reminded me that the Lord will meet me where I am at in my life’s journey. This came with great comfort. As a daughter, sister, wife, mother, friend and co-worker, it’s easy to wonder if I’m doing enough.

Am I spending enough time with family and friends?

Am I saying the right things?

Am I cooking the right foods?

Am I nurturing my children enough?

Am I nurturing my children too much?

Am I giving my marriage enough attention?

Am I praying enough?

Am I volunteering enough?

Am I listening enough?

The afternoon rolled around. The sun shone so bright that I forgot how cold it was and, like a child without a care in the world, I wanted to go for a walk. My momentary lapse in judgement was quickly brought back to reality, but for a moment, it was great and that was enough to recharge a bit more of my soul. Instead of my walk, I spent some time in front of our living room windows, soaking up some of the much-needed sunlight. It was amazing.

Sunlight, adequate sleep (7-9 hours per night), drinking water (preferably with ice regardless of the time of year), nutritious yet delicious food, hugs from my loved ones and prayer time – these are my life sources. When any one of these are lacking, I feel my anxiety, depression and overall well-being are out of balance. Sometimes, dependent upon the day, the effects can be small, while at other times, it can throw life’s perspective for a bit of a loop.

Safeguarding my time is proving to be challenging; however, I am learning to say no to myself and to others. If I am not at my best, I cannot give my best. Thankfully, the Lord and those who truly love me are willing to meet me where I am at. I pray that I can give the Lord and my loved ones that same reverence.

Business Minded, Community Driven

Every year, the Chamber adopts a new tagline we feel exemplifies our mission and goals. This year, our board of directors chose “Business Minded, Community Driven.” I feel this motto really says a great deal in just a few words and hits home for many of us. We hope to support business in all we do, and our businesses are at the heart of our community, being driven to promote and support both just feels right and are completely intertwined.

It has been a busy start to 2023. We have already hosted one of our largest events, our Annual Dinner and Awards where we recognized excellence in our community. This past weekend, we worked in tandem with Visit Sauk Centre on the SnoFest ice oval races. This event was made possible by the 27 businesses that sponsored the event and as a result we were able to bring this free family friendly event to our community. Visit Sauk Centre does a lot of work to bring tourism to our community and drive tourism to Sauk Centre, so it only seemed to make sense to partner with them and try to drive those same tourists to our local businesses.

Chamber Chat by Stacie Michels President/Executive Director Sauk Centre Area Chamber of Commerce

Coming up next will be our Farm Toy Show on Feb. 11, and is being held at the Sauk Centre Armory. Historically, this event has pulled in nearly 600 visitors and is the main driver of scholarships that are given to students pursuing a degree in the ag industry.

At the Chamber, we haven’t been busy with just events but are also reaching out to members and trying to assist with ways to have our voices heard on important legislative issues that will have an immense impact on our local businesses. I’ve been chatting with Ben Sonnek regarding the implications of the Paid Family and Medical Leave Mandate; an email went out to all members regarding this, engaging our members with an opportunity to reach out to our legislators and to also sign on to the communication the Chamber is submitting on behalf of our businesses. If you want more information or missed that communication that went out, please email the Chamber and I will forward you the information and contacts to reach out to our legislators.

As members of the Chamber of Commerce, we all understand the importance of growing our businesses and fostering a strong local economy, but what many may not realize is that the growth of our Chamber of Commerce is vital to achieving these goals. When our chamber is thriving,

Life Hacks

By Missy Traeger

The Times, they are a-changing

If anyone out there thinks only small papers have been suffering in the digital world, I have breaking news.

We will have an announcement in next week’s paper about the Minnesota Newspaper Association awards Star Publications claimed this year. I’m glad to have my name on one of those awards. The photo spread Jennifer Coyne and I completed about the Sauk Centre National Guard Anzio Company’s return home won second place in the photo story category for non-multi-day publications with 1,501-3,000 subscribers. It’s gratifying and humbling to receive the award – not to mention amusing as I’ve never had a formal photography course in my life. Good thing we have a production department who fixes my mistakes when the camera’s brightness settings go to war with me.

However, I’d like to focus on another MNA award winner today. The awards banquet took place Jan. 26, and while I sat there and waited for my name to be called, I couldn’t help notice how many honors the St. Cloud Times received. Looks like they’ve been doing good work, judging by the number of accolades they hauled away, and I’m glad to see it, especially in light of recent news.

From what I’ve heard, the St. Cloud Times lost their last reporter.

Abdulla Gaarafelkhalifa, St. Cloud Times education reporter, recently announced his departure, effective Feb. 1. Reporter Stephanie Dickrell and he will be joining St. Cloud LIVE, a free website that will offer local weather, sports, business and entertainment news.

we have more resources to support the needs of our member businesses. This includes providing networking opportunities, offering educational programs and advocating for policies that promote business growth. A strong chamber also helps to attract new businesses to the area and promotes our community as a great place to live, work and do business.

Additionally, a growing Chamber means a greater exchange of ideas, perspectives and solutions for the challenges facing our businesses. It also helps to build a stronger community by bringing together business owners and community leaders to work toward common goals. Having a strong Chamber of Commerce also helps promote a sense of unity and collaboration; it allows us to come together and speak with one voice to the government and other organizations that impact our businesses. It allows us to leverage our collective resources to achieve our common goals.

Furthermore, a chamber that is growing and thriving is a sign of a healthy and robust local economy. It shows our businesses are successful and that our community is a great place to invest. Thank you to the businesses that have grown along with us, a growing chamber is part of our overall health of our local economy. By working together and supporting our chamber, we can ensure that we have the resources and support we need to grow and succeed.

At the Sauk Centre Area Chamber of Commerce, we are business minded and community driven in all that we do. We thank those who have invested in their business and our community by way of membership, and we look forward to the opportunity to continue to grow with you too.

If you are interested in Chamber membership, please email us at saukcentrechamber@gmail.com or visit our website at www.saukcentrechamber.com to learn more about members by checking out our business directory. We appreciate the opportunity to continue serving and celebrating our businesses. I would like to invite any local business that missed the emails that went out regarding Paid Family and Medical Leave mandate to contact the Chamber to be sure your contact information is up to date.

As for the Times, their newsroom had 36 employees as recently as 2014; now, a spokesperson with their parent company, Gannett, says they will be recruiting for editorial positions and relying on their USA TODAY network for coverage. Let’s hope that keeps them afloat, but in the meantime, it doesn’t look like the best long-term foundation.

I’ll admit, a little cave in my brain wants to gloat, like we at the Herald are a small-business David outlasting a big-business Goliath. It must be a Herald thing; after all, 100 years ago, this paper more than happy to announce how we outbid the St. Cloud Times – a progenitor of today’s publication of the same name – as the official newspaper of Stearns County, reportedly saving taxpayer money and informing rural residents of the various commissions’ activities. Years ending in 23 must not be lucky for the Times, and we’ll see if they make it another century to verify the pattern.

That said, I’m hoping the St. Cloud Times makes all the way through said century. Sure, like any other business, newspapers are in competition with each other – racing to break the news, managing buyouts and, of course, vying for awards. Whenever we hear a paper has just released its last issue, though, it’s like a death in the family; the last decade saw many such funerals, and today’s economic hardships are causing many to drop their subscriptions, handicapping the survivors. In the news, it’s certainly a race to the top, but it’s nice to have some fellow runners who can help and learn from each other.

Journalist transitions to online-only publications are better than seeing them leave the field entirely, I suppose. Online publications are alright for broad reach and accessibility, but from what I’ve seen, they lack the permanence of the hard copy, and digital words and images can be altered or censored by future despots. It’s also worth remembering that, in spite of its seeming omniscience and permanence, the internet is a relatively new technology, not strictly reliable, and it is not a limitless storage bank. It’d be too easy for something to be lost forever. It’ll be interesting to see where the St. Cloud Times goes from here. It would shock me beyond words if a paper for a community of St. Cloud’s size closed down – and, if you know me and my writing, “beyond words” is saying a lot.

So, what do I think is going to happen to the Times? Is their future online? Will they become a weekly like us? Or, will we see a resurgence in journalistic interest, returning their newsroom to its former glory?

Heck if I know; if I could predict the future, I’d be a million times better as an editor (“Seriously, Evan, wait at that intersection for five minutes, and make sure you have your camera ready”). For now, all I can do is watch and wait.

Well, I suppose I could see if the Times take me on board, but I’m not about to try that. You’re stuck with me for a while.

Advertising: Classified advertising and Classy Canary advertising are on a cash-only basis. Our ad takers have no authority to bind this newspaper, and only publication of an advertisement shall constitute final acceptance of the advertiser’s order.

Minnesota,

Tuesday. The deadline for advertisements in the Herald is noon on Tuesday, in the Shopper noon on Wednesday and Classy Canary noon on Thursday.

Letters: Letters to the editor and other opinion articles are welcomed. Letters must be signed with first and last name and include address and phone number. Letters should be short and to the point. We reserve the right to edit lengthy letters. Corrections/Clarifications: The Herald strives for accuracy. If you would like to report a factual error, please call 352-6577.

Ultra Sonnek by Ben Sonnek

Stanley A. Patyk

Stanley A. “Stan” Patyk, 93, of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family, Jan. 24, 2023, at Fairway Pines Assisted Living in Sauk Centre.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 27 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with the Rev. Mark Botzet officiating. Inurnment was in Calvary Cemetery with military honors by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard.

Stanley Albert Patyk was born April 23, 1929, in Little Falls, to Adam and Mary (Yendraszak) Patyk and was one of 11 children.

Stanley graduated from Little Falls High School in 1947. He enlisted in the Minnesota National Guard in December of 1950 and served active duty from Jan. 14, 1951, through Sept. 22, 1952, as staff sergeant, ordnance, in Camp Rucker, Alabama.

Stanley married Phyllis

Anna Jendro Sept.17, 1960, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Flensburg, and they moved to Sauk Centre in October of

Bennie M. Holmquist

Bennie M. Holmquist of Sauk Centre, died on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023, at Meadow Lane Nursing Home in Benson, at the age of 86. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023, at River of Life Church in Sauk Centre, with visitation one hour prior to the service. A reception will immediately follow the service. A private family burial will be held at a later date at the Kandota Township Cemetery.

Bennie Martin Holmquist was born Oct. 15, 1936, in Little Sauk Township, Todd County, to Carl and Dora (Pettit) Holmquist.

Ben was united in marriage to Violet Porttiin on Nov. 19, 1960, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Grey Eagle.

Stanley A. Patyk 1960 where they made their home.

At the age of 18, Stanley worked for Northwestern Bell Telephone Company as a lineman on a construction crew. He was promoted to cable splicer and then to Cambridge as an installerrepairman. He came to Sauk Centre as a central office technician in the summer of 1959. Stan worked in Sauk Centre until his retirement in 1990. He walked to work almost every day for his entire career in Sauk Centre and was known for carrying his U.S. Post Office mailbox lunchbox with him. He volunteered as a

member of the Sauk Centre Fire Department from Feb. 4, 1965, through Feb. 4, 1986, and served as second assistant chief training officer. Stan also was a volunteer ambulance driver for 10 years.

Stanley was a member of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic Church where he served as an usher. He was an avid bowler and served in various positions in local leagues as well as president of the Sauk Centre Bowling Association. Stanley loved to fish year-round, often sharing his catch with others. He and Phyllis enjoyed metal detecting as a hobby, and Stan took great pleasure in helping people find lost items. He was always industrious and took great pride in his vegetable garden, maintaining his home and helping Phyllis with her flower garden. He enjoyed birdwatching, crosswords and spending time with his family.

Survivors include his five children, Brenda (Debbie Mollison) Patyk of Dayton,

his knowledge of tractors and vintage automobiles. In later years, he worked with Terry Crider in construction and 25+ years at Jennie-O in Melrose.

Nevada, Amy (Douglas) Azinger of Prior Lake, Guy (Gu Zheng) Patyk of Prior Lake, Chris Ann (Jeffrey) Schneider of Commack, New York, and Jennifer Patyk of St. Paul; five grandchildren, Therese and Lucy (Amy) Azinger, Brandon and Stephanie (Chris Ann) Schneider and Anthony (Guy) Patyk; and sister, Joanne (William) Wadsworth of Brookings, Oregon.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Phyllis Patyk, June 23, 2007; infant daughter Marie Annette Patyk, May 26, 1962; parents; and brothers and sisters. Stanley will be remembered for his bright smile and sense of humor, his kindness and generosity and his philosophical outlook on life.

Arrangements were made with Patton-Schad Funeral and Cremation Services of Sauk Centre. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred for charities.

P-5-1B

Bennie M. Holmquist

This union was blessed with three children. They raised their family on a small dairy farm east of Round Prairie. He also worked at Long Prairie Machinery and Mid State Tractor as a tractor mechanic. To say he was “just a mechanic” is an understatement. What he lacked in formal education, he more than made up for in

100 years ago • Feb. 1, 1923 Landmark home destroyed by fire Sauk Centre had its most serious conflagration in some time when an eight-room residence, owned by Henry A. Kampsen, burned down in the south part of the city last Thursday afternoon. The property was owned and occupied by Luman M. Kells for many years and used to be one of the most modern residences in the city. Nobody seems to know exactly how the fire started; Kampsen believes it was an explosion as it occurred while he was briefly away from the house and was well under way when it was discovered by the family. The estimated losses from the fire are about $10,000 on the house and $700 on property, and Kampsen has $5,000 insurance on the house and $200 on property.

50 years ago • Feb. 1, 1973

Winter Carnival well attended, deemed a success Even though a Friday night heavy fog delayed festivities, postponed a torchlight parade to Sunday and canceled the scheduled basketball game, once the fog lifted the next

Join Us in Worship

BELGRADE ST. FRANCIS DE SALES CATHOLIC CHURCH 541 Martin Ave. | PO Box 69 320-254-8218 parishesontheprairie.org/parishes

ELROSA

STS. PETER AND PAUL CATHOLIC CHURCH 302 State St. 320-254-8218 parishesontheprairie.org/parishes

WEST UNION ST. ALEXIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH 11 Oak St. S 320-352-2563 parishesontheprairie.org/parishes

Ben was a man of faith who loved his family and would help anyone who asked. He was often found mowing the lawn and cleaning snow on the River of Life Church grounds. He was a quiet man by nature yet would perk up and have an endless supply of facts when the topic of conversation turned to tractors and old cars. You would often hear him humming an old hymn while working. He very much enjoyed fishing and camping with his family.

Ben is survived by his children, Rebecca (Ricky) Green, Eagle Bend, Yvonne Rajewsky, Benson, and

Benjamin (Denise) Holmquist, Sauk Centre; grandchildren, Heather (Tony) Zierden, Brent Green, Sarah (Aaron) Plasky, Robin Holmquist, Anna (Justin) Herke, Kelsey and Ian Rajewsky; great grandchildren, Brionna and Lily Zierden, Maisie Herke and Molly Plasky; and siblings, Pearl Radeug, Eagle Bend, and Albert (Kay) Holmquist, Richville. He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl & Dora Holmquist; Sister, Marion Finch and six brothers, Carl, Gene, Virgil, Harold, Harry and Marvin.

Arrangements are with Anderson Funeral Home and Crematory. www. andersonfuneral.net

day, the first Winter Carnival’s events went into full swing and have been considered a success. Over 60 children turned out for the Saturday morning hockey tournament, and 40 adults played in the broomball tournament that followed, resulting in a few bruises and sore spots, but everyone had a good time overall. Other events included dog races in the park, the Sauk Centre City Hall’s Carnival Ball – which featured the music of Al-N-Lar – and the afternoon fishing derby, the latter of which drew close to 200 fishers of all ages.

25 years ago • Feb. 3, 1998

American Legion National Commander to visit Sauk Centre Anthony Jordan, American Legion National Commander, will be coming to Sauk Centre at 10 a.m. Feb. 3. It is one of many stops the commander is making to Minnesota American Legion posts from Feb. 2-5; Jordan will also be visiting Roseville, Northfield, Lake Crystal, Redwood Falls, Willmar, Park Rapids, Nisswa, Fridley, Buffalo, Silver Lake and Hutchinson. An Army veteran from the Vietnam War era, Jordan has been a strong advocate of organizational change to make the American Legion viable in the 21st Century, and he also supports the Legion’s message in favor of the Flag Amendment, a bill that would create a Constitutional change which would allow government to stop flag desecration.

10 years ago • Jan. 31, 2013

Local artist’s painting wins juried show Local artist Mary Louise LaCrosse’s acrylic painting “Northern Minnesota Landscape” won first place in the two-dimensional category of the 13th Essential Art Juried Show in St. Cloud. The art exhibition, hosted at the Paramount Theater, began Jan. 7 and runs through Feb. 14, with the awards banquet occurring Jan. 11; LaCrosse’s piece was one of the 32 finalists chosen out of over 100 submissions. Although LaCrosse has always worked mostly in amateur fashion, she now has her own at-home studio where she paints more often than she could during her working career, something she has wanted to do all her life. She also has her work on display at the Bless This Hat Gallery on Sinclair Lewis Avenue in Sauk Centre.

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH 304 Elm St. S 320-352-3623 flcsauk.com

FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 124 4th St. N 320-352-5356 faithbc.org FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST 620 5th St. S 320-352-2030

OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS CATHOLIC CHURCH Ash St. and 7th St. 320-352-2196 parishesontheprairie.org/parishes

ST. PAUL’S CATHOLIC CHURCH 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave. 320-352-2196 parishesontheprairie.org/parishes

saukcentreumc.org

ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH 316 Maple St. 320-352-3447 www.facebook.com/ zionlutheransaukcentre H41-R B

Thank you

Family and Friends - We are so very thankful and humbled for all of the love and support we have received from all of you. You have given so much, whether it be money, gift cards, food, or the many prayers that have been said for us. Just being there to listen or a shoulder to cry on meant so much to us. We are blessed to have you all in our lives. We want to thank all of the businesses and people who have so generously donated to our benefit. It is so overwhelming how giving you all are! Again, we are so very blessed.

Thank you just doesn’t seem enough! We are so very grateful and humbled. Words can’t express enough!

God Bless You All!!

Carl and Sandy Judes H-5-1P

IS HEREBY

that default has occurred in the conditions of the following described mortgage:

inator: Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC

Residential Mortgage Servicer: U.S. Bank National Association COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: Stearns Property Address: 1751 W Saint Germain St, Saint Cloud, MN 56301 Tax Parcel ID Number: 82.47657.0000 LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: Lot 5, Block 1, John`s Re-arrangement of Lots 14, 15, 16 and 17, Block 1, Barritts Addition to the City of St. Cloud, Stearns County, Minnesota AMOUNT DUE AND CLAIMED TO BE DUE AS OF DATE OF NOTICE: $104,934.65

MORT-

February 21, 2023 at 10:00 AM

GAGE:

And assigned to: U.S. Bank National Association

Dated: October 5, 2020

Recorded: October 6, 2020 Stearns County Recorder

Document Number: A1582216

Transaction Agent: Mortgage

Electronic Registration Systems, Inc.

Transaction Agent Mortgage Identification Number:

1000830-1002271352-0

Lender/Broker/Mortgage Orig-

THE RIGHT TO VERIFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTIFICATION OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PERIOD PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: That default has occurred in the conditions of the mortgage dated October 17, 2016, executed by Jay H. Seguin, an unmarried man, as mortgagor, to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., a corporation, MIN 1012742-0000050450-7, as nominee and mortgagee for HomeServices Lending, LLC d/b/a Edina Realty Mortgage, through loan originator Kevin Kildahl, NMLS ID 1236759, recorded in the office of the County Recorder of Stearns County, Minnesota, on October 26, 2016, as Document No. A1480672, which mortgage conveyed and mortgaged the following described property, situated in the County of Stearns and State of Minnesota, which property has a street address of 144 30th Avenue North, St. Cloud, Minnesota 56303, property identification number 82.50381.0000, which mortgage was assigned to Vanderbilt Mortgage and

THAT all pre-foreclosure requirements have been complied with; that no action or proceeding has been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof; that this is registered property;

PURSUANT to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above-described property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows: DATE AND TIME OF SALE:

PLACE OF SALE: County Sheriff`s office, Law Enforcement Center, 807 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud, Minnesota to pay the debt secured by said mortgage and taxes, if any, on said premises and the costs and disbursements, including attorney fees allowed by law, subject to redemption within six (6) months from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s), their personal representatives or assigns. If the Mortgage is not reinstated under Minn. Stat. §580.30 or the property is not redeemed under Minn. Stat. §580.23, the Mortgagor must vacate the property on or before 11:59 p.m. on August 21, 2023, or the next business day if August 21, 2023 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday. Mortgagor(s) released from financial obligation: NONE THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. THE RIGHT TO VERIFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN

NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE

Finance, Inc., by Assignment of Mortgage dated December 7, 2022, and recorded December 19, 2022 as Document No. A1646231:

Lot Twenty-eight (28), Block One (1), Roosevelt Place, according to the plat and survey thereof on file and of record in the office of the County Recorder in and for Stearns County, Minnesota

That the original principal amount secured by said mortgage was $92,646.00; that there has been compliance with any condition precedent to acceleration of the debt secured by said mortgage and foreclosure of said mortgage required by said mortgage, any note secured thereby, or any statute; that no action or proceeding to recover the debt remaining secured by said mortgage is pending, or any part thereof; that there is claimed to be due upon said mortgage and is due thereon at the date of this notice, the sum of $88,054.03 in principal and interest.

That as a result of the aforesaid default, and by virtue of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the said mortgage will be foreclosed by the sale of the above described premises with appurtenances, which said sale will be made

by the Sheriff of Stearns County, Minnesota, at the Sheriff’s office in the Law Enforcement Center, 807 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud, Minnesota, on February 14, 2023, at 10:00 o’clock a.m., at public auction to the highest bidder, to pay the amount then due on said mortgage, together with the costs of foreclosure, including attorneys’ fees as allowed by law, in accordance with the provisions of said mortgage. The time allowed by law for redemption by the mortgagor, his personal representatives or assigns, is six (6) months from the date of said sale.

MORTGAGOR(S) RELEASED FROM FINANCIAL OBLIGATION ON MORTGAGE: NONE THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 582.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING

NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that default has occurred in the conditions of the following described mortgage: DATE OF MORTGAGE: April

2020 ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $161,616.00 MORTGAGOR(S): Noraida Martinez Osorio, a single woman MORTGAGEE: Mortgage

Registration Systems, Inc., as mortgagee, as nominee for American Mortgage & Equity Consultants, Inc., its successors and assigns

THAT all pre-foreclosure requirements have been complied with; that no action or proceeding has been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof; that this is registered property;

PURSUANT to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above-described property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows:

THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION. THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 582.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED.

DATED: December 22, 2022

MORTGAGEE: U.S. Bank National Association Wilford, Geske & Cook, P.A. Attorneys for Mortgagee 7616 Currell Boulevard, Suite 200 Woodbury, MN 55125 (651) 209-3300

File Number: 052132-F1 H-52-6B

CERTIFICATE OF AMENDMENT

Minnesota Statutes ,Chapter 333

(1) List the exact name under which the business is or will be conducted: Neighborhood Realty.

(2) The address of the principal place of business is: 601 Sinclair Lewis Ave, Sauk Centre, MN 56378.

(3) List a Mailing Address if you cannot receive mail at the principal place of business address:___________.

(4) List the name and complete street address of all persons conducting business under the above Assumed Name, OR if an entity, provide the legal corporate, LLC, or Limited Partnership name and registered office address: Crown Realtors, LLC, 625 Broadway Street, Alexandria, MN 56308.

(5) This certificate is an amendment of Certificate of Assumed Name File Number: 1360447800024 Originally filed on: 12/28/2022

(6) By typing my name, I, the undersigned, certify that I am signing this document as the person whose signature is required, or as agent of the person(s) whose signature would be required who has authorized me to sign this document on his/her behalf, or in both capacities. I further certify that I have completed all required fields, and that the information in this document is true and correct and in compliance with the applicable chapter of Minnesota Statutes. I understand that by signing this document I am subject to the penalties of perjury as set forth in Section 609.48 as if I had signed this document under oath.

/s/ Brandon Johnson, Chief Manager 01/05/2023 H-4-2B

NOTICE TO SAUK CENTRE TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS

OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED. If the mortgage is not reinstated under Minn. Stat. §580.30 or redeemed under Minn. Stat. §580.23, the mortgagor must vacate the mortgaged property by 11:59 p.m. on August 14, 2023, unless the foreclosure is postponed pursuant to Minn. Stat. §580.07, or the redemption period is reduced to five (5) weeks under Minn. Stat. §582.032. THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT BY A DEBT COLLECTOR. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PUR-

POSE

DATED: December 28, 2022

Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance, Inc., FOLEY & MANSFIELD, P.L.L.P. assignee of Mortgagee By: Sean C. Mansfield Atty. No. 0400374 Attorneys for Mortgagee 250 Marquette Avenue, Suite 1200 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401 H-52-6B

The Sauk Centre Township Board will be holding the Board of Audit meeting for review of the 2022 Financial Report following the regular board meeting on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 8:30pm at Magnifi. Anyone interested is invited to attend. Missy Schirmers, clerk H-5-1B

DATE AND TIME OF SALE:

March 02, 2023 at 10:00 AM PLACE OF SALE: County Sheriff`s office, Law Enforcement Center, 807 Courthouse Square, St. Cloud, Minnesota to pay the debt secured by said mortgage and taxes, if any, on said premises and the costs and disbursements, including attorney fees allowed by law, subject to redemption within six (6) months from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s), their personal representatives or assigns.

If the Mortgage is not reinstated under Minn. Stat. §580.30 or the property is not redeemed under Minn. Stat. §580.23, the Mortgagor must vacate the property on or before 11:59 p.m. on August 30, 2023, or the next business day if August 30, 2023 falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday. Mortgagor(s) released from fi nancial obligation: NONE THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

THE RIGHT TO VERIFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE ORIG-

Centre, MN (pop. 4,599) is accepting applications for the position of Campground Attendant. Position performs continuous, on-site, routine work maintaining the reservation schedule and collecting fees at the campground; provides information to campers about the locale, maintains campground facilities, and performs related duties as required.

INAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION. THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 582.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED.

DATED: January 6, 2023

MORTGAGEE: PennyMac Loan Services, LLC Wilford, Geske & Cook, P.A. Attorneys for Mortgagee 7616 Currell Boulevard, Suite 200 Woodbury, MN 55125 (651) 209-3300

File Number: 052219-F1 H-2-6B

Full-Time Appliance Service Technician 3+ years experience preferred with a refrigeration certification or license. Clean driving record. Drug screening, criminal background check, pay based on experience. Come join our team!

Heartbreaking losses, history define crazy week for North Stars

Fletcher reaches state’s top 10 for goals scored

BY EVAN MICHEALSON STAFF WRITER

The Prairie Centre North Stars boys’ hockey team seems to compete on an ice-made pendulum.

After falling behind by three goals in the first period, the North Stars stormed back with a second period to remember, tallying three goals, with a fourth waved off after an early whistle.

Sadly, this streak of one-sided hockey did not last, as the Becker/Big Lake Eagles scored the game-winning goal on a breakaway to win 6-5 in overtime Jan. 31 at Princeton Youth Hockey Arena in Princeton. The disappointing end result marks Prairie Centre’s eighth defeat in a row.

“Goals seem to come to us in bunches,” said Chad Wehrman, head coach.

“They also come in bunches for the other team against us.”

This was certainly true for the Eagles’ fast-flying first-period attack, as the Mississippi 8 competitors scraped three goals across in a 2-minute, 26-second section of the first period. Even with this setback, the North Stars brought a high level of intensity, outshooting the Eagles 12-10. While it did not initially lead to goals, it was a strong foundation to work off of.

“I thought Saturday and today, we simplified our game,” Wehrman said. “The boys were only worried about their own game and they weren’t worried about anything else.”

Aiken Lambrecht tipped in a shot from Kris Hanson to get the North Stars on the board, and the 16-shot middle frame also saw Eli Fletcher and James Rieland score to even the contest at three, with Derick Sorenson providing a pair of assists.

“He’s been a forward most of his life and two-tothree weeks ago, we moved him back to D-man and he’s solidified back there,” Wehrman said of Sorenson. “He’s just been great back on the blue line now and has really helped our defensive group.”

Fletcher struck again to start the third period and give Prairie Centre their first lead. It has been a whirlwind of a week for the senior, whose pair of goals two games earlier cemented him as a top-10 goal-scorer in state history. The forward’s two-goal, two-assist performance against the Eagles also gave him 200 points for his career.

“Everybody says they want to score goals, but what are you going to do to do it?” Wehrman said. “How do you have that hunger to keep doing it over and over

again? He’s got it. When he hits the ice, he’s looking for a chance to score that goal.”

Two Eagle goals and a Rieland even-strength score sent the game to extra time, where Becker/Big Lake supplied the tiebreaking tally 1 minute and 19 seconds in.

The North Stars play the Morris/Benson Area Storm at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at Sauk Centre Civic Arena in Sauk Centre.

Second period: 4. Lambrecht (Hanson) 1:45. 5. Rieland (Fletcher, Sorenson) 9:12. 6. Fletcher (Sorenson) 14:12. Third period: 7. Fletcher (Rieland) 3:45. 10. Rieland (Fletcher, Zac Bick) 13:48. Goalie: Carter Holman 21-27. Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato

5, Prairie Centre 2

A late-game scoring surge was not enough for the North Stars to recover from an early deficit, as Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato used two first-period goals to swing a Saturday matinee matchup in their favor,

"Eli is one of the best shooters that I have coached against at the high school level. He uses his powerful legs and strong upper body to transfer the power to his stick. If you give him any room at all, chances are that you will regret it." -Bill Moore, Park Rapids boys’ hockey head coach

"The very first thing that comes to mind is that shot. His quick release and heavy shot has hurt us many times over the past years. Game planning for Eli is: give him no time and no space." -Jamie Hagen, Willmar boys’ hockey head coach

“If he doesn’t believe he can do it, he probably never will. Eli believes in himself and works daily to make himself a better athlete no matter the sport.” -Noah Fletcher, Eli’s brother and Prairie Centre boys’ hockey assistant coach

“From shooting thousands of pucks at home in the driveway to stickhandling balls in the living room, he has been dedicated to the game since he was little. He just sees the ice better than most.” -Hunter Fletcher, Eli’s brother and Prairie Centre boys’ hockey assistant coach

“Eli has such a high compete level. He obviously scores a ton of goals, but he is responsible in all three zones. He makes the guys around him better.” - Prairie Centre boys’ hockey head coach Chad Wehrman

defeating Prairie Centre 5-2 Jan. 28 at Sauk Centre Civic Arena in Sauk Centre.

Prairie Centre had no trouble pressuring L/DC all afternoon, registering 18 shots to the visitors’ 20 over the course of the first two periods. However, it was not until the 11:32 mark in the final period that the North Stars finally broke through, with Fletcher and Williams scoring two minutes apart to cut a 4-0 hole in half.

L/DC put the game away moments later, breaking into the North Stars zone on a shorthanded entry and burying their fifth goal of the game. LDC

5. Fletcher (Rieland) 11:32. 6. Jesse Williams (Kyle Sayovitz, Owen Christians) 13:25. Goalie: 26-31. Willmar 7, Prairie Centre 6

Fletcher’s mark-setting four-goal night was marred by a losing outcome, as Prairie Centre fell 7-6 to the Willmar Cardinals in a high-scoring affair Jan. 27 at Sauk Centre Civic Arena in Sauk Centre.

Fletcher snuck two pucks past the Willmar goaltender in the first three minutes, but a pair of three-goal Cardinal runs were enough to get past a 32-shot, sixgoal performance from the Prairie Centre offense.

Sorenson logged four assists while Caiden Frerichs pitched in with two assists.

Sauk Centre Elementary School

Feb. 6 - Feb. 10

Monday: Bosco sticks/marinara, vegetable, cold sandwich.

Tuesday: Soft shell taco, vegetable, cold sandwich.

Wednesday: Chicken nuggets, vegetable, cold sandwich.

Thursday: Hot dog on bun, vegetable, cold sandwich.

Friday: Pizza, vegetable, cold sandwich.

Sauk Centre Secondary School

Feb. 6 - Feb. 10

Monday: Italian meatball sub, vegetable, chicken nuggets.

Tuesday: Cheeseburger, vegetable, chicken pot pie.

Wednesday: Cheese ravioli/marinara, vegetable, mini corn dogs

Thursday: Pulled pork sandwich, vegetable, chicken patty on bun.

Friday: Pizza, vegetable, sub sandwich.

Holy Family School

Feb. 6 - Feb. 10

Monday: Open-face ham and cheese sandwich, baked beans, french fries, fruit sauce.

Tuesday: Macaroni hotdish, peas, fruit sauce, dessert.

Wednesday: Hot turkey commercial, corn, strawberry dessert.

Thursday: Beef stroganoff, grean beans, fruit sauce, bread and butter.

Friday: Fish tacos, chips, carrots, peaches.

PHOTOS BY EVAN MICHEALSON

Prairie Centre’s Aiken Lambrecht (right) gets into a collision during a race for a loose puck as the North Stars bench looks on Jan. 28 at Sauk Centre Civic Arena in Sauk Centre. Lambrecht and the North Stars could not hold off Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato in a 5-2 home loss.

Zac Bick checks a Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato puck-handler to the ice Jan. 28 at Sauk Centre Civic Arena in Sauk Centre. Prairie Centre’s physicality is just one of many aspects the team has improved in throughout the 2022-23 winter season.

Prairie Centre captain Eli Fletcher (right) wins the puck off a faceoff Jan. 28 at Sauk Centre Civic Arena in Sauk Centre. Fletcher is now a top-10 goal-scorer in Minnesota state high school hockey history.

Dylan Gruenes (from left) and Keegan Christians close in on a Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato skater Jan. 28 at Sauk Centre Civic Arena in Sauk Centre. Despite a great deal of hustle, the North Stars fell 5-2.

(Frerichs, Sorenson)

Fletcher (Sorenson, Frerichs) 2:28. 12. Fletcher 16:28. Goalie: Holman 25-31.

Close races highlight Fusion

Melrose-Sauk Centre falls to Alexandria

SCUG

strikes again

BY HERMAN LENSING | STAFF WRITER

The Melrose-Sauk Centre Fusion boys’ swim and dive team were edged 110-76 by the Alexandria Cardinals Jan. 31 at Discovery Middle School in Alexandria.

Melrose-Sauk Centre had one first-place finish and took at least second in all other events. Adam Wilwerding won the 100-yard backstroke.

swim meet Streeters girls’ hoops create another comeback

“The races were closer than it (the score) appeared,” said Nathan Meyer, co-head coach. “A number of races were close; Alex came out on top. We had a lot of secondand third-place finishes.”

That started in the 200 medley relay, where Alexandria took first by about two seconds and third by .48 of a second. In the 200 freestyle, .54 of a second separated first and second.

“We had good performances,” Meyer said. “There still are some things for us to work on. Our next big goal is the section meet (Feb. 24 and 25 in Morris). Our focus is to come as strong as we can in the section meet.”

200MR: 2. Adam Wilwerding, Sevrin Anderson, Jacob Robischon and Isaiah Zink 1 minute and 47.56 seconds. 200FS: 2. Nolan Fleischhacker 1:58.98 and 3. Thatcher

Van Beck 2:00.22. 200IM: 2. Robischon 2:08.40, 3. Anderson 2:19.08 and 5. Zander Olmschenk 2:36.6. 50FS: 3 Zink 25.60 and 5. Bierschbach 27.43. Diving: 2. Andrue Stalboerger 196.50 and 5. Zaron Olmschenk 139.80. 100FLY: 2. Robischon 57.79 and 4. Zink 1:10.30. 100FS: 2. Adam Wilwerding 51.69 and 3. Alex Wilwerding 56.46.

500FS: 2. Van Beck 5:28.35 and 4. Parker Sorenson 6:14.09. 200FSR: 2. Anderson, Zaron Olmschenk, Zink and Fleischhacker 1:41.96; 3. Zander Olmschenk, Bierschbach, Sorenson and Van Beck 1:45.94.

100BK: 1. Adam Wilwerding 54.40 and 3. Alex Wilwerding 1:02.06.

100BR: 2. Anderson 1:06.00, 3. Fleischhacker 1:12.12 and 5. Zander Olmschenk 1:15.22. 400FSR: 2. Robischon, Van Beck, Fleischhacker and Adam Wilwerding 3:35.49; 3. Sorenson, Samuel Stangler, Hunter Leslie and Alex Wilwerding 4:09.46.

M-SC 126, Bemidji 57

M-SC set the pace in every race Jan. 28, winning 126-57 over the Bemidji Lumberjacks at Bemidji High School in Bemidji.

The Fusion had different swimmers in events but still had the same finishes.

“We are seeing what might work or be a better fit in sections,” Meyer said. “We might work at different things to see what their best events are.”

The first-place Fusion 200 medley relay quartet consisted of Van Beck, Zander Olmschenk, Alex Wilwerding and Zander Olmschenk. All three relays took first with different lineups. Anderson, Grant Eveslage, Nolan Fleischhacker and Jacob Robischon won the 200 freestyle relay and Anderson, Alex Wilwerding, Van Beck and Robischon topped the 400 freestyle relay.

In the 200 freestyle, it was Fleischhacker, Adam Wilwerding and Zink competing in the event for the first time. They had a 1-2-4 finish. The Fusion had 1-2-3 finishes in diving, the 100 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Adam Wilwerding’s first-place finish in the latter resulted in a new Bemidji record.

200MR: 1. Van Beck, Zander Olmschenk, Alex Wilwerding and Zaron Olmschenk 1:58.98; 3. Devin Crawford-Klinnert, Stalboerger, Aiden Felling and Sorenson 2:20.11.

200FS: 1. Fleischhacker, 2:00.14, 2. Adam Wilwerding 2:00.19 and 4.

2:11.77. 200IM: 1. Robischon

Zink

2:08.8, 3. Van Beck 2:26.05 and 5. Zander Olmschenk 2:35.67. 50FS:

1. Eveslage 24.77, 3. Anderson 25.66 and 4. Alex Wilwerding 26.45.

Diving: 1. Stalboerger 192.75, 2. Zaron Olmschenk 155.35 and 3. Spencer Marthaler 124.5. 100FLY:

2. Anderson 1:01.46, 3. Zaron Olmschenk 1:10.63 and 4. Rayden Weber 1:10.78. 100FS: 1. Robinschon 50.73, 2. Eveslage 54.24 and 3. Zink 57.24. 500FS: 1. Fleischhacker

5:23.93, 3. Sorenson 6:08.47 and 5. Hunter Leslie 6:10.93. 200FSR:1. Anderson, Eveslage, Fleischhacker and Robischon 1:39.18; 3. Zander Olmschenk, Weber, Marthaler and Zink 1:50.11. 100BK: 1. Adam Wilwerding 54.28, 2. Alex Wilwerding

1:02.61 and 3. Van Beck 1:11.23. 100BR: 2. Zander Olmschenk

1:15.56 and 5. Stalboerger 1:23.19. 400FSR: 1. Anderson, Alex Wilwerding, Van Beck and Robischon

3:38.49; 3. Eveslage, Zink, Fleischhacker and Adam Wilwerding

3:44.16.

BY EVAN MICHEALSON STAFF WRITER

Starting down the barrel of a second-half deficit against a West Central Conference foe once more, the Sauk Centre Streeters were facing an uphill climb to find an unlikely conquest against the West Central Area Knights.

Missing athletic post Tory Jennissen, the Streeters struggled against WCA’s forwards, losing out on physical contests down low and failing to stop close looks for the first time all season. Their shooting, which has come in streaks, never truly arrived, with the team shooting 27% from the field.

The Streeters did not waver under the heaps of pressure falling on top of them. After all, their motto for the 2022-23 season is S.C.U.G, standing for “Selfless, Compete, Unity, Grit.”

Using a mix of all of those aspects, Sauk Centre rallied from an eight-point deficit in the final five minutes before pulling away in overtime, grabbing an ever-important 75-69 win Jan. 31 at West Central Area High School in Barrett.

“This team just won’t quit,” said Scott Bergman, head coach.

Despite their struggles, Sauk Centre led 25-23 after a pullup 3-pointer from Cierra Kortan, who provided a spark

with 26 points, including five threes. However, WCA pulled ahead shortly after, taking a 35-32 into halftime. The game stayed on a

knife’s edge for the first five minutes of the second half before the Knights fired off an 11-0 run to take their largest lead of the game to that point, seven. Suddenly, the margin of error had shrunk to miniscule levels for a Sauk Centre team at risk of losing their third West Central Conference game of the season. However, hustle played a huge role in the comeback; Heidi Lieser, pressed into a key interior role in Jennissen’s absence, played admirable help defense and pulled down 12 rebounds.

“She is relentless on the boards and probably our smartest defender,” Bergman said.

Once the Knights had established a 61-51 lead, the Streeters got to work, roaring back to seize a 63-61 advantage. This electrifying run included a Torry Kerfeld 3-pointer, seven points from Jenna Gapinski-Vogt and a putback from Lieser off an offensive rebound.

“(They) never quit,” Bergman said. “(They) stayed composed.”

The game was won for the Streeters from the freethrow line. WCA senior center Claire Stark fouled out as Sauk Centre played through contact, drew fouls and shot lights-out from the stripe, making 27 of 33 of their free throws, including 14 from Gapinski-Vogt and nine from Kortan.

“It helped that Jenna, our best foul shooter, got there 15 times,” Bergman said “But, it was great to see a girl like Maddy Schuster go 2-for-2.”

Gapinski-Vogt ended the contest with 26 points and 14 boards, while Kerfeld contributed 11 points and three

steals.

The Streeters improved to 13-4, including a 6-2 mark in conference competition, still trailing 5-0 Montevideo and 6-1 BOLD. With time running out on the regular season, the team knows they have a lot to clean up before the section playoffs.

“We can’t waste a day,” Bergman said. “We need to improve every day.”

SC 32 33 10 75

WCA 35 3 4 69

Gapinski-Vogt 26 points (14R),

Kortan 26 (3R, 5A), Kerfeld 11 (3S), Lieser 5 (12R), Schuster 5 (5R, 3A) and Avery Rieland 2 (3R).

BBE 46, Sauk Centre 41

A strong test and area competition, the Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Jaguars hosted the Streeters for a competitive showdown between ranked foes, with the Jaguars emerging with a 46-41 win Jan. 27 at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa High School in Belgrade.

Sauk Centre put forth a valiant showing defensively, limiting BBE to a single 3-pointer on 20 tries and a 24.2% shooting percentage overall. However, a 32-point first half from the Jaguars was enough to stay ahead of Sauk Centre, who themselves only connected on two 3-pointers on 13 attempts and recorded only 16 points in the final 18 minutes.

Jennissen piled up 14 points and eight boards while Lieser added 11 rebounds for the Streeters, who could not extend their four-game winning streak.

SC 25 16 41

BBE 32 14 46

Jennissen 14 (8R), Kortan 13, Gapinski-Vogt 7 (13R), Lieser 3 (11R), Kerfeld 3 (3A), Emily Peters 1 and Schuster 0 (4R).

PHOTOS BY MARK KLAPHAKE

Senior Jenna Gapinski-Vogt prepares to put up a shot during Sauk Centre’s road game at Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa Jan. 27. The Streeters lost the game 46-41. Sauk Centre played Jan. 31 against West Central Area and Gapinski-Vogt had 26 points and 14 rebounds in an overtime victory.

Senior Heidi Lieser races us the court with the basketball during the Streeters road game Jan. 31 at BBE. Lieser had 11 rebounds in the game.

Belief brings Blue Devils season-altering win streak

Valentine’s Buffet

Tuesday, Feb. 14

4:30-8:30 pm

All you can eat

Prime Rib, BBQ Ribs & Chicken includes Salad Bar

Adults: $15.99

Children 12 & Under: $6.99

Reservations Appreciated, but not required.

12818 Bayview Dr, Sauk Centre, MN 56378

BOYS BASKETBALL

SC defeated Royalton 66-63

SC JV defeated Royalton 52-39

SC C squad defeated Royalton 44-34

SC lost to BBE 59-57

SC JV lost to BBE 53-51

SC C squad defeated BBE 57-13

SC lost to Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 55-45

SC JV lost to Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 45-26

SC C squad lost to Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 44-36

SC 8th grade A team defeated Melrose 41-25

SC 8th grade B team lost to Melrose 23-15

SC 7th grade team lost to West Central Area 35-26

SC 7th grade team lost to West Central Area 20-12

SC 8th grade A team defeated Morris Area/ Chokio-Alberta 24-22

SC 8th grade B team lost to Morris Area/ Chokio-Alberta 19-18

SC 7th grade team defeated Melrose 34-33

SC 7th grade team defeated Melrose 22-16

GIRLS BASKETBALL

SC defeated West Central Area 75-69 (OT)

SC JV lost to West Central Area 37-22

SC C squad lost to West Central Area 34-30

SC lost to BBE 46-41

SC JV lost to BBE 45-34

SC C squad defeated BBE 45-37

BOYS HOCKEY

PC lost to Becker/Big Lake 7-6 (OT)

PC lost to Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 5-2

PC JV lost to Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato 4-2

PC lost to Willmar 7-6

PC JV defeated Park Rapids 3-1

GIRLS HOCKEY

PC defeated Detroit Lakes 6-0

PC defeated Princeton 1-0

WRESTLING

SC-Melrose Defenders lost to Benson 58-21

SC-Melrose Defenders defeated Ortonville 51-30

SC-Melrose Defenders lost to Milaca-Faith Christian 53-24

BOYS SWIM AND DIVE

Melrose-SC Fusion lost to Alexandria 110-76

Melrose-SC Fusion JV lost to Alexandria 26-19

Melrose-SC Fusion defeated Bemidji 126-57

Melrose-SC Fusion JV lost to Bemidji 47-19

DANCE

SC finished 11th out of 11 teams in jazz and eighth out of nine teams in high kick at New London-Spicer Invitational

SC finished seventh out of seven teams in jazz and seventh out of seven teams in high kick at West Central Conference Meet

20

YEARS AGO

The Sauk Centre Streeters girls basketball team set state records during their Friday night game against St. Cloud Cathedral. First they made 46 of 58 free throw attempts, eclipsing the previous state record of 53 attempts, and senior Bryanne Engen made good on 25 of 27 tries where the last individual state record was 26.

Quote of the week

Prairie Centre girls’ hockey freshman Dalelyn Diedrich on the team’s three-game winning streak: “The mindset in the locker room is very positive, and we get along so well. A big thing that has helped us keep this streak is teamwork, positivity and working hard so we can end the season on a good note.”

Prairie Centre takes down Detroit Lakes, Princeton

BY EVAN MICHEALSON STAFF WRITER

Belief is a powerful tool.

The Prairie Centre Blue Devils have found another gear in the final week of January, firing off their first winning streak of the season. This impressive run continued with possibly the team’s most impressive victory yet, a 6-0 win over Mid-State rival Detroit Lakes Jan. 28 at Todd County Expo Arena in Long Prairie.

“These girls are truly believing in themselves that they have it in them,” said David Wright, head coach. “They’re proving that to themselves. Their confidence is going through the roof here.”

The Blue Devils’ largest victory by scoring margin was kickstarted by a tone-setting first period, in which Prairie Centre scored four

goals against Detroit Lakes’ backup goaltender, leading to the Lakers ushering their regular goalie back into the net.

Natasha Ludwig scored of a pair of goals, supplemented by scores from Allie Lemke and Maddie Koltes, all in four minutes.

“It definitely brings a lot of excitement and positivity to the bench when we’re scoring that many goals,” Wright said. “It brings a fun atmosphere to the rink.”

Even when the hosts were not scoring, the pressure was on the Lakers to slow down Prairie Centre’s increasingly-effective offense. Through consistent zone entries, decisive passing and quick skating, the Blue Devils often won races to the puck and garnered long-winding possessions in the Detroit Lakes zone.

“We’ve been working more and more on the offensive zone, because that’s where we want to play and have been playing,” Wright said.

The Lakers fired 46 shots on goal, including 21 in the third period, but the Blue Devils found higher-quality scoring chances and made the most of them. Kyra and Allie Lemke added goals in the

third period to send Prairie Centre to a 6-12 record on the season and their third win in a row. Not to be forgotten in the well-rounded home outing was the stonewall showing from Blue Devils goalie Kennedy Lemke, who wrapped

shot OF THE WEEK

up her second consecutive shutout.

“She has seen 111 shots (during the three-game winning streak) and she’s turned away 109 of them,” Wright said.

The Blue Devils will try and continue their resounding success against Breckenridge-Wahpeton at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at Todd County Expo Arena in Long Prairie.

DL 0 0 0 0

PC 4 0 2 6

First period: 1. Ludwig (Koltes) 11:11. 2. Allie Lemke 12:12. 3. Ludwig (Dalelyn Diedrich) 13:14. 4. Koltes 14:13. Third period: 5. Swanson 4:22. 6. Allie Lemke (Swanson) 15:54. Goalie: Kennedy Prairie Centre 1, Princeton 0 Allie Lemke’s impact has been felt on the offensive side of the rink all season long for the Blue Devils, but against the Princeton Tigers Jan. 27, her impact as a scorer was as vital as it has ever been.

With the teams deadlocked at 0-0 in overtime, the talented upperclassmen found the back of the net 2:06 into extra time, giving Prairie Centre their first winning streak of the season in a wellearned 1-0 triumph at Princeton Youth Hockey Arena in Princeton.

“The girls just outworked Princeton,” Wright said. “They never gave up, and that was definitely the difference.”

While Princeton entered play with a single win, their strength of schedule appeared daunting, and against one shared common opponent, Morris/Benson Area, the Tigers dominated in an 8-0 victory. However, the Blue Devils sharpened up as the game progressed, going from allowing 16 shots in the first period to only six total in the third period and overtime combined. Kennedy Lemke denied every Princeton shot attempt regardless, making 34 saves.

“It was one of the most fun games I’ve been involved in since my playing career 35 years ago,” Wright said. PC 0 0 0 1 1

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKE

Freshman Maddy Schuster battles a BBE Jaguar player for a loose ball during their non-conference game Jan. 27 in Belgrade. BBE won 46-41. Sauk Centre hosts Minnewaska Feb. 2 and then plays Becker Feb. 4 in Alexandria.

PHOTOS BY MARK KLAPHAKE

Blue Devils defensemen Carly Gruenes protects the puck from a Detroit Lakes player during their hockey game Jan. 28 in Long Prairie. The Blue Devils won 6-0.

Senior forward Lindsay Bailey looks for a teammate to pass the puck to during their home game Jan. 28 against Detroit Lakes. The Blue Devils host Windom Feb. 4 in Sauk Centre.

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKE The Sauk Centre Dance/High Kick Team (front, from left) Sadie Meier, Molly Cossette and Adrianna Klinkhammer; (second, from left) Faith Bennett-Brueggemeier, Kiera Bjork, Lizzy Mielke and Maria Navarrete-Ruiz; (back, from left) Coach Anna Schulzetenberg, Addsion Bromenshenkel, Morgan Nelson, Jorja Novak, Kiara Klinkhammer, Emily Bromenshenkel and Coach Paula Bromenshenkel will compete at the section meet Feb. 11 in Melrose.