5 years ago

Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021

New York Mills High School welcomed two new additions to their student body this year. Foreign exchange students, Charlotte Holmstroem and Maria Garriga Matas, are staying with local families while they experience high school in the United States.  Holmstroem hails from Hoejbjerg, Denmark and is staying with the Mike and Teri Bauck family.  Matas, who comes from Lloret de Mar, Spain, is being hosted by the Randy and Chasity Peterson family.

To annex or not to annex—that was the question facing the New York Mills City Council last week. During its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday night, the council heard from Todd Hagen, of Ehlers, about what annexation of 32 properties in Newton Township could mean for NY Mills. The 32 properties being discussed for potential annexation are located in Newton Township, just outside of the city limits. 

35 years ago

Wednesday, Oct. 24, 1991

Congratulations go out to Minnesota’s Marching Eagles for being selected to perform this spring at the Walt Disney World’s  Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fla. The New York Mills band was chosen from several hundred others in an extensive competition involving audition tapes submitted by bands from throughout the United States. This Saturday, New York Mills Bandwagon members all be holding a special Hoagie Sale to benefit this trip and other band-related functions.  

Next week, residents of Independent School District 553 will be making an important and critical decision affecting the future of education in New York Mills for years to come. Voters are being asked to approve a school improvement plan that will restructure the currently inadequate two-school building arrangement into a modern and safe single-site, single level facility. This project is more than a brick and mortar building addition, however. 

“Be Cool Follow the Rules” is the theme for School Bus Safety Week Oct. 20-26. In Minnesota the emphasis during the week will be on safe driving near school buses. The school bus emphasis calls attention to the requirement for drivers to stop when approaching or overtaking a school bus that is displaying flashing red lights and an extended stop arm. Unfortunately, many drivers stop for these signals, then proceed as they would at a stop sign. 

50 years ago

Thursday, Oct. 21, 1976

The area for the first phase of the sanitary land fill, which is being constructed 3 1/2 miles west of town was cleared of trees last week as a bulldozer pushed everything into piles. Large trenches will be dug through the cleared area and refuse which is dumped into the trenches will be covered daily. A new road which is being bid must be constructed into the landfill site and structure of some sort built for the attendant at the site. Maintenance of the landfill will go out on bids Nov. 4. The successful bidder will then manage the landfill for the landfill board. 

Hugh and Hazel Mellin had an interesting trip to the east coast last summer. Their destination was the home of Mr. and Mrs. “Peanut” Atkinson on Cape Cod. The Atkinson’s have a home located near Hyannis and also have a beautiful “period type” home in Sharon, Mass. Hugh and Hazel drove all the way to the tip of Cape Cod, Provincetown and report a most enjoyable time. Along the south shore of the Cape, they stopped to take a picture. In a way it felt just like home, even far out on Cape Cod, Hugh tells us, because there on the beach was a Lund fishing boat. The name “Lund” and New York Mills are making there mark everywhere in the USA. 

75 years ago

Wednesday, Oct. 25, 1951

The New York Mills Health Council met on Monday, Oct. 15, in the City Hall Dining room. At this meeting new officers were elected and began their terms. Mr. O.D. Tingum is the new president; Mrs. John Downing, vice-president; Mrs. John Evan, secretary and treasurer; and Mrs. C.J. Selander, reporter. Many new projects were discussed by the group, several of which are being studied by committees appointed by Chairman Tingum: and immediate action shall be taken. One of these will be a general clean-up campaign including alleys, garbage, out-buildings etc. to rid the  village of rats and skunks, which are becoming quite a menace. This project includes ridding the City Dump of same said animals. Smith Park beautification and its sanitation problems are also being acted upon. It has been brought to the attention of the Health Council of the reckless speeding and illegal way of driving by some of our school age young people during noon hour and after school in the afternoon.  

Early Start as World Traveler Minneapolis. In six weeks on a motorbike David Jellison, 15, covered 5,400 miles of the United States at a cost of $94. The self reliant son of a Minneapolis hardware whole-saler went the route to the west coast, down the coast and took the southerly route home. David carried a sleeping bag and a gas stove and prepared most of his meals and lodgings. He got 100 miles per gallon and had no engine trouble.  

At its meeting held last Tuesday evening, members of the New York Mills Conservation Club discussed the dangers of rabies. Rabies also known as hydrophobia are of concern at this time because of the prevalence of the disease  among wild animals and in dogs in some areas. Because of the danger of humans becoming infected with this disease, the club favored an immunization program. Following the discussion it was voted that the club favor inoculation of the “rabies vaccine” for all dogs in the area. This would immunize the dogs for a period of one year  and decrease the possibility of passing the disease to human beings. It was reported at the meeting that three townships in south west Otter Tail County were quarantined because of rabies.