5 years ago

Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021

Eric Roggenkamp was told that he was born with a wrench in one hand and an accordion in the other. The rural Bluffton resident is known for polka and fixing all things farm related. His polka life began when he teamed up with Carl Bauck and Larry Selander in 1996 to form Eric’s Dance Band. “We play any genre of music, from 50’s to country to waltzes,” he said. “We play what the people want to hear.”

The New York Mills EDA has reaffirmed its desire to continue moving forward with the South Point development project. During its regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday morning, which was held in the Government Services building, the NY Mills EDA spent quite a bit of time discussing the need for more housing options in NY Mills. With just  a handful of lots available at Country View, the EDA said it would like to get a more firm cost of what it would cost to develop the South Point project. The hope was the lots would be available for people looking to construct a new home in the community.

If it seems like you have gained some extra lake shore, or have been able to wade an extra hundred feet out from shore on an area lake, there is a good reason—because with the lack of rain this year lake levels are reaching some record lows. Extreme drought conditions throughout much of Minnesota have resulted in water restrictions in several communities and have also been felt on local lakes. Many of the area’s bodies of water are seeing some of the lowest lake levels ever recorded by the Minnesota DNR.

35 years ago

Wednesday, Aug. 29, 1991

Lund Boat Company President Jim Moore announced to his staff last Friday his resignation as the company’s president, effective Sept. 13. “I’m not really leaving the Lund company, just changing my relationship with it,” commented Moore as he also announced that he had purchased a Lund Boat dealership in Orifino, Idaho. Moore has been with Lund Boats for the past 17 years. Three years were with a Lund distributor and the past 14 years at the headquarters office in New York Mills, where he served as district sales manager, sales manager, vice president of sales. In 1989 he was appointed president and CEO of Lund Boats. From  a personal standpoint this has been a very rewarding experience for me. I never started with the idea of becoming president, but i worked hard and kept on moving up,” commented Moore. “Now I’m 42 years old and if there is ever a time to change it is now. I want a lifestyle that I can share with my kids, with less stress and less responsibility,” said Moore. He added, “Even though it has been a tough 2 1/2 years, that had nothing to do with my change. It has been challenging and rewarding and I’ve learned some darned valuable lessons. Some people say that management doesn’t care. But I can tell you I have spent many sleepless nights worrying about what’s going to happen to my people. The toughest thing is having to tell people that they are laid off.” Moore spoke about the future with optimism as he feels good about where the company is today and how

it weathered the economic downturn. “Lund continues to out-perform the industry and other Minstar subsidiaries,” reports Moore.

Edward and Pat Buerkle of New York Mills just welcomed a new “daughter” Nicole Grossert, a Youth for Understanding (YFU) International Exchange student from Germany. Nicole who will be a student at New York Mills High School will live with the Buerkle family until July 1992.As a member of the Buerkle family, Nicole will participate in all family activities, from vacations to household chores. While sharing the culture of Germany with her host family and schoolmates, she will learn about US culture. YFU, established in 1951, is one of the world’s oldest and largest nonprofit international exchange organizations, dedicated to international understanding and world peace. About 4000 U.S. families open their homes and heart to YFU international students each year.

The first day of school can be rewarding, but a frightening experience for your child. It is a new world that is exciting and demanding, and some adjustments will be necessary. The goal of the school staff is to work with you, the parents, to make you child’s experience go as smoothly as possible. To help your child get off on the right foot, your child should:

1. Get plenty of sleep.

2. Eat a good breakfast.

3. Get up early enough for school so that he/she will not have to hurry.

4. Wear comfortable clothing.

   5. Get to school on time….not too early or too late.

To make the first week of school a pleasurable experience for your child, you should:

1. Have a dress rehearsal.

2. Visit the school.

3. Find out the name of your child’s teacher, and make sure your child knows his/her

teachers name.

4. Practice going to school with your child so that he/she will know the way.

Your child will feel more at ease at school if he/she can take care of the following needs:

1. Tying shoes.

2. Putting on and taking off outer clothing without assistance.

3. Know first and last names, parents names, address and phone numbers.

4.  Being able to use restroom facilities properly.

5.  Keeping track of personal property.

Finally your attitude as a parent, will play an important role in determining the feeling your child has about school. Encourage your child and talk positively about going to school. Listen to your child for fears and apprehensions and reassure him/her that’ things will be great and what a great time he/she will have. And remember to express the value of learning.

50 years ago

Thursday, Aug. 26, 1976

City to remove stop lights at intersection of Main and Front. At its August meeting the City Council decided to discontinue the use of stop lights at the intersection of Main

and Front Streets (old Highway 10) now that the traffic is being routed around New York Mills on the new Highway 10 expressway. A four-way stop sign will be installed in place of the light system.  In other business at the meeting, the council voted to advertise for bids on the $45,000 Fire Equipment Bond Issue. Bids will be opened on Tuesday evening, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. Bids were received at this meeting on a 2 h.p. compressor for the Off-Sale Liquor. Including installation and connection, the low bid amounted to $1553.80 and was submitted by Lindy’s Repair Service. This bid was accepted by the council. The opening of the new store which will be located in the former VFW building, and still about a month away it was reported. 

More than 90 percent of all financial transactions in this country are handled by checks. But many people don’t understand the basics of checking and hesitate to ask their questions of a bank employee for fear of appearing stupid or naive. Mary Fran Jamison,  extension home management specialist at the University of Minnesota, says a basic understanding of bank checking is a vital skill for everyone. “There shouldn’t be any stigma to asking questions about any phase of banking. It’s to both your and the bank’s advantage to reach an understanding.” 

Here is a humorous little story brought in by Wilbert Takkinen last week. JUST IN FUN….While sitting in a bar a big Irish man got up and walked over to a short stocky Finn and chopped him across the neck. While the little fellow was getting off the floor, the Irishman said, that’s Karate, got it in Japan. Later he returned and grabbed the Finn again and threw him over his shoulder and said “That’s Judo, got it in Japan.” About this time the little Finn had had enough and left, returned later, walked up behind the big Irishman, cracked him over the head and said, “That’s a crowbar, got it at Sears.”

75 years ago

Thursday, Aug. 30, 1951

Radio station KWAD inaugurated a daily Finnish-language news broadcast this morning, to be carried Monday through Saturday at 7:20 a.m. The broadcast originates in the editorial room of the thrice-weekly Minnesotan Uutiset, sister publication of the Herald. Carl E. (Buck) Davidson, “Kalevan Kalle” to his Finnish audience, is at the mic. Local news and news of the world will be carried on this broadcast, a sustaining public service feature of KWAD arranged by Carl Holt and Dale Peterson of the station staff.

Harry Cass announces that he has recently sold the Cass Farm located near Rush Lake southwest of New York Mills. The Cass Farm is considered one of the show places of the area. Purchaser of the farm is John Trapp of Georgetown, Illinois. Mr. Trapp bought the farm complete with all the furnishings.