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11 2nd Ave. N., Unit 103, Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
“Minnesota’s Oldest Weekly Newspaper” Vol. 162, No. 15
Sauk Rapids, Benton County, Minnesota 56379
A continuation of the Frontiersman, The Free Press, Sauk Rapids Sentinel and St. Cloud Sentinel.
Peacock places
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(USPS 482-240)
July 21, 2016
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Summerfest
PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER
Evan Moeller (seated), of Sauk Rapids, Jayna Van Heel (left) and Zander Ackerman, both of Rice, placed in the ages 4 and under tractor pull at the Summerfest celebration July 17.
More photos on page 2 PHOTO BY NATASHA BARBER
David Peacock, a St. Cloud Metro Bus Dial-a-Ride driver, recently took second place in the 29th Annual Minnesota Statewide Bus Roadeo. The event encompasses safety training and a driver obstacle course.
Local driver competes at Statewide Bus Roadeo by NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER
WINONA — When Sauk Rapids resident David Peacock arrives for work each morning, there’s no doubt his skills are put to the test, but it’s not every day Peacock competes for a title. This month he did. Almost 40 public transit drivers from 20 agencies gathered at Minnesota State Southeast Technical College in Winona July 9 for the 29th Annual Minnesota Statewide Bus Roadeo. Peacock, a Dial-a-Ride driver for St. Cloud Metro Bus, placed second in the small bus division, falling behind fellow co-worker and Holdingford resident Todd DeZurik. “I always encourage all of our drivers to participate [at the local level],” said Peacock, who also trains drivers for Metro Bus. “It’s not about winning. It makes you a better driver. Even after being at the state roadeo I’m a lot
sharper than I had been going in.” The Minnesota Statewide Bus Roadeo is a competition where drivers display their skills in a timed obstacle course which simulates reallife scenarios of driving public transportation. It uses colored point-valued cones and for each cone tipped or hit, points are deducted from a maximum score. Drivers are not only judged by their maneuvering skills, but also by their knowledge of pre-trips and safety skills like wheelchair securement which are used in their daily routes. There are on-board judges refereeing their skills within the bus, as well as, those watching and collecting data from the outside. “It’s a saftey training event,” said Berta Hartig, Marketing and Communications Manager for St. Cloud Metro Bus and Minnesota Statewide Bus Roadeo Committee member. “It’s a good way for our drivers to test
their skills and receive extra training as well. It’s also an opportunity for them to connect with other professional drivers throughout the state.” St. Cloud Metro Bus holds an optional local roadeo for its drivers each spring and designates the top two place finishers to attend the statewide event. Peacock, who has driven roughly 288,000 miles since he began at Metro Bus in 2001, has advanced 10 out of 12 times he has competed locally. He earned the state title in 2007 and has a near accident-free record with the company, after icy conditions led him to bump into a dumpster eight years ago. But even though Peacock has been competing in the roadeo for a number of years, it doesn’t make it easy. “I hate doing the serpentine. It’s my worst nightmare — I hit a cone every time,” he said. “But each driver finds different things more and less difficult.”
The obstacles and tests can change each year and depending on the host site, the bus might be different than one drivers are used to. Weather elements can come into effect and competitors don’t necessarily know what they are being judged on. For instance, according to Peacock, drivers were to find four things wrong during their pre-trip of their bus at competition. The judges actually create more than four things wrong and although a driver might find four or more errors, they need to catch the specific errors listed on the judging sheet in order to receive all points. “It’s very difficult the first time, but I still get nervous now before I go out,” Peacock said. “The biggest thing when it comes to the roadeo, as it is with everyday driving as well, is that you have to set up your mirrors. If you don’t set up your mirrors in a roadeo, you’re pretty much doomed.”
Benton County declares state of emergency
July 11 storms cause damage by ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
BENTON COUNTY – Tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings encompassed central Minnesota July 11 as storms brought through heavy rains and strong winds. Throughout the county, townships reported thousands of dollars in flood damage, causing the Benton County Board of Commissioners to meet July 15 and pass a resolution declaring a state of emergency in the county. “Since the state has not declared a state of emergency, if the counties and townships wish to be eligible for funding for any state disaster assistance, it’s necessary for our county board to approve this local disaster declaration,” said Monty Headley, Benton County Administrator. Benton County has reported $15,000 in damage for county roads and land, Granite Ledge Township has reported $20,000 in damage and Lan-
gola Township has reported $50,000. These numbers will take the county above their monetary damage assessment indicator of $68, 635. “Because we reached that threshold, if the governor declares a disaster and releases some funding, we would be eligible to recoup some of our costs,” said Larry Nadeau, Deputy Director of Benton County’s Emergency Management Department. “By passing this resolution, we will be included in any funding the governor releases. If we wouldn’t have passed this, the chances for funding would be less likely.” Nadeau recommends that any township with damage should report to the county and keep good records of expenses. Several other counties, including Morrison, Meeker, Aitkin, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, have made their declarations as well. “I’m guessing there’s a lot of damage that isn’t reported yet,” said District 3 Commissioner Jim McMahon, “but the damage could have been a lot worse.”
p i r t s u io r e t s y Am
Marching rching band goes on tour to unknown destinations by ANNA SALDANA STAFF WRITER
SAUK RAPIDS – Planning for a trip can be a lot of work. You look at the weather to figure out what to pack, you map out expenses for gas or flights and much more. For 50 Sauk Rapids-Rice High School (SRRHS) students preparing for their summer tour was difficult – because they didn’t know where they were going. “After 18 years of doing trips, you start to see they are interested in whether they’ve been to these places before, is it worth their time and is it bigger than the last trip,” said Scott Campbell, director of the SRRHS Marching Storm. “That’s the fun of doing a mystery tour. Now the only
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A group of 50 marching band students recently went on a summer tour of unknown destinations. Director Scott Campbell enjoys planning mystery tours and seeing how kids react to various places.
questions are where are we going and what are we doing when we get there.” The group was gone from July 1-6 and experienced various parts of Colorado, South Dakota and Minnesota – experiencing activities from taking the train to the top of Pike’s Peak, riding 4x4 Jeeps up the mountainsides in Colo-
rado, visiting the Air Force Academy and the University of Northern Colorado, to swimming at Evan’s Plunge, a naturally heated swimming pool in Hot Springs, South Dakota. “The most memorable part was riding the 4x4 Jeeps. Our tour guide was so fun. As we started driving down,
he’d go fast over bumps and mud and would crank up the Indiana Jones theme song,” said Quinlen Marshall, a student on the trip. “That’s probably the most fun I’ve had on a band trip and I’ve gone on four of them now.” To gain interest, Campbell announced they would be going to Colorado at some point
and they would be marching in a parade, but nothing more. “We didn’t know much, but that made it fun,” Marshall said. “I think of all the crazy things Mr. Campbell had months to come up with. I had faith he wasn’t going to do something we wouldn’t enjoy, but you have no idea what you’re doing or how long it’s
going to take.” While on tour, the group marched in the Greeley parade, the largest parade in Colorado. As they marched, they had about 80,000 spectators. “Being in that parade
Mystery tour continued on pg. 2