5 years ago

Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021

The main topic of discussion at the October New York Mills School Board meeting was the presentation of the school’s 2019-20 audit by Eide Bailly. Present via Zoom was Courtney Richman of Eide Bailly who gave an overview of the findings, funds and balances of the school district. Overall, Richman said that all findings were very common not only for schools, but for businesses of all types and were also consistent with the previous year. She explained that the district received a “clean” report, noting that this is a professional opinion and that it is one that was also given last year.

Trinity Church will once again be hosting a community Thanksgiving meal on November 24. After 10 years of preparing the annual meal, Barb and Gary Schultz of Concept Catering, have passed the baton to Lisa Kopveiler, owner of the Farmer’s Daughter Rustic Bakery. The meal was canceled last year due to COVID-related concerns and will feature a few changes this year.

Hunting is a family affair for Talli Schmitz. When deer hunting season rolls around the rifles are cleaned, safety checks performed and scopes sighted. And, many family members pack their bags and travel to family-owned property where memories are made annually. “We have party hunts where all the cousins and family come,” she said. “When I was younger, I looked forward to reaching the right age so that I could join them.”

The New York Mills Cultural Center was filled with everything from super heroes to sports legends and a few princesses during the annual community Halloween celebration on Saturday. The day featured a variety of arts and crafts projects, games and plenty of candy. In addition to the event at the Cultural Center, Mills Lanes and Lucky Strike Grill hosted a Halloween bowling special on Saturday. On Sunday, the annual trunk or treat event was held at the City Center building in NY Mills.

35 years ago

Wednesday, Nov. 7, 1991

Who needs more blood? More people than you think….More than 95 percent of all Americans reaching age 72 will need blood in their lifetimes. And three-quarters of people over 30 years of age will know at least one person who has had a blood transfusion, according to statistics collected by the American Blood Commission. Despite this only 10 percent of eligible donors, or about four percent of the entire United States population, give blood. To collect blood for the community  supply, the Red Cross Bloodmobile will be in New York Mills at the elementary school multipurpose room on Monday, Nov. 11 from 2:30-7:30 p.m. Red Cross  co-chairmen Florence Jacobson and Nancy Becker hope for a turnout that is significantly higher than four percent of the eligible donors in New York Mills. “When you give blood, you are fulfilling a community responsibility,” said Jacobson and Becker. Most people who receive blood cannot give for various medical reasons. This means that the burden of caring for these people rests on those of us that are healthy and able to give. 

The New York Mills Fire Department’s First Responder Unit received an important piece of lifesaving equipment last week as a automatic heart defibrillator  unit was presented  by representatives from the groups providing fund raising to support the equipment purchase. Representing the Charles D. Center VFW was Post Commander, Gerald Anderson, New York Mills Lions, Wayne Mattson and New Horizons, Diane Duchene. Fire Department Chief Lowell Johnson accepted the new equipment. Not at hand for the presentation were  members of the Russell Thompson family, which  provided a key memorial contribution. The addition of this important piece of medical equipment, which is used most often in emergency coronary care, will dramatically improve the departments capabilities in this area as well as Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service that is available to the community.

The October meeting of the American Red Cross Volunteers of New York Mills was held October 28 in the Elder’s Home Chapel. After the regular meeting, pins were awarded to members for their volunteer work. A recognition lunch was served by activities director Vicki Korvela. Two volunteers are charter members and received 25 year pins, they are Luva Wilson and Janet Tumberg. Receiving 15 year service pins are Elma Jacobson, Sadie Janke, Armia Paavola, Tynie Wiirre and Evelyn Anderson. Receiving 10 year service pins are Tina Barkes, Hilja Davis, Margaret  McDougall and Martha Bernus. Receiving five year pins are Nancy Becker and Florence Jacobson. Receiving pins for three years of service are Helen Mursu, Bernice Anderson, Hulda Lahti. Linda Maunumaki, Pat Hilman, Beatrice Muckala and Vi Salo. Total hours volunteered in this area for 1990-91 were 1,677 hours. The volunteer work consists of the following: Meal on Wheels, visiting the Elder’s Home residents, making quilts for fire victim families, donating gifts to Santa Anonymous, assisting with projects at the Elder’s Home and sponsoring visits of the Red Cross Bloodmobile twice a year.

50 years ago

Thursday, Nov. 4, 1976

The John Kuukusjarvi barn found a new home this past weekend when it was moved by Antti Haavisto and his moving crew to the Finn Creek Open Air Museum site. The barn was moved from its original site in the Leaf River bottom. The barn, which was located about a mile back into the woods was moved over dried swamp and fields to reach a road. The moving was possible only because of the dry year that the area has had. In addition to moving the barn, Antti’s crew will be restoring the savusauna at Finn Creek and building a vinttik aivo (an old style well used throughout Norway).                                                              

Ron Windels, VFW Post Commander, presented Wally Asmund with a 30-06 rifle which he was awarded last week by the VFW Post. Others receiving awards were Dan Roggenkamp, a large hunting knife; Gary Cacharia a blaze sweat shirt; Owen Tumberg, a camouflage sweat shirt; and Clem Hammer, a small hunting knife. The VFW members expressed their thanks to everyone who took part in the awards by showing their support for the post.

A string of vandalism dating back to last summer was solved last week as the New York Mills police and the Otter Tail County Sheriff’s department combined to apprehend seven local youth. The vandalism, which included the shooting of windows with a BB gun, was widespread. According to reports, many members of the group were involved in a window shooting spree last summer that included several towns in Wadena and Todd counties. It is believed that some 50-60 windows, car windows and other windows were broken in that spree. The latest incident occurred last Tuesday evening as the group went on a shooting spree in Perham and New York Mills. Some 30 windows were damaged in Perham and another seven in New York Mills. Estimates on damage, according to one report, may reach well over $10,000. The youth, ages 16 and 17 were also involved in blowing up mail boxes. 

75 years ago

Wednesday, Nov. 8, 1951

Winter is off to a flying start and will no doubt continue until next spring—if we have a spring. Cold weather and snow flurries have been the order of the day for the past week and it doesn’t seem as if there is much  chance for a late season Indian summer any more this year. Near blizzard conditions last Saturday morning started to fill ditches alongside roads not built up very high. Slight drifts also appeared on some roads late Saturday as winds whipped snow off the fields and blew it across gravel roads. No roads were reported as being blocked, however. About five inches of snow has fallen in this area during the past two weeks. In many cases weeds were not cut alongside roads, which will add to drifting all winter. Road crews were caught unprepared by the early snow fall and a limited weed cutting crew was unable to complete its work before winter came. The lack of weed cutting, with snow drift forming will cause some trouble during the winter.  

The Minnesota Supreme Court returned a $20,000 verdict last Friday in favor of Lester Kauppi now 14, for injuries sustained in an accident here five years ago. Lester was injured on the railway crossing on South Main Street at the same time when his father, Joseph Kauppi, twin sister Lorna, sister Norma, and brother Clyde were all killed. The accident occurred Sept. 27, 1946. Their father was taking the children to Sunday School in the car belonging to their uncle, John Kauppi, when the accident occurred. Mrs. Lillian Kauppi sued for $75,000. The injury absolved the Northern Pacific Railway of blame and returned the verdict only again the owner of the automobile.