January
Jan. 1
■ There is hope that the 1922 school building can be saved from demolition through one of two possible solutions that have recently arisen.
After completion of an extensive study the ACT 1922 Building ReUse Committee has proposed to lease the lower floor and gym as a community center for two years while investigating options for long-term use.
However, a new possible partner could save the building has also emerged. Dan Kaufman of Startide is interested in re-purposing the 1922 building for use as a data center and has indicated that he is interested in working with the ACT group to allow a community center on the first floor.
■ A review of 2013 lists the top 10 stories of the year as: 1. the opening of Annandale Elementary School; 2. Kyle Greene homicide; 3. Riley Bruns named Queen of the Lakes; 4. Keith Rossberg found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison; 5. various efforts to save the 1922 school building; 6. Annandale Elementary School is named a "Blue Ribbon School"; 7. the girls cross country team wins the school’s first team title; 8. a long winter leading to record late ice-out dates; 9. the boys basketball team finishing third at state; construction of South Haven’s new city hall building.
■ Early, heavy snow and sustained cold temperatures have led to one of the best beginnings to the winter recreation seasons in recent memory, according to Greg Spoden, state climatologist at the Minnesota Department of Transportation.
Jan. 8
■ An administrative law judge has recommended that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approve the statewide Aurora Solar Project, which would place a large solar array just south of Minnesota Pioneer Park. The PUC is expected to make a final decision on the project in February or March.
The judge’s report is an important milestone in a competitive process involving a variety of energy companies that submitted proposals to generate an additional 150 megawatts of electricity for Xcel Energy by 2017.
The Aurora Solar Project would cost about $250 million and would generate 100 megawatts of power. It was the only renewable energy option entered with the PUC for consideration.
■ Annandale native Carrie (Johnson) McCann, 22, is spending the winter working as a dorm parent at a public boarding high school located at a former Air Force base in Galena, Alaska, along with her husband Matt.
Galena is receiving four hours of sunlight per day and reaches spirit-crushing temperatures of 60 degrees below zero. It is 300 miles west of the nearest roads in Fairbanks, and is over 1,000 northwest of Alaska’s capital, Juneau.
The village of 400 was overrun by the flooding Yukon River in May, and the school houses about 220 students, most of whom are natives. There are a few cultural differences and some substance abuse issues, but the experience has been a positive one overall.
■ Plenty of budding entrepreneurs have probably dreamed about opening an office or establishment of their own on Main Street someday. Now, thanks to a new initiative by TAG Development, that pipe dream could be a lot closer to reality than ever before.
TAG, which stands for Three Annandale Guys, is a collaboration between Steve Bruggeman of Oak Realty and Tim and Jon Ferrell. The trio owns the old fire hall previously occupied by Bradlee Dean’s You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International organization, which moved out at the end of September after about seven years.
They are trying out the "incubator building" concept, an economic development strategy that provides an incentive for opening a viable business. In this case, the incentive is up to 12 months of free rent.
Jan. 15
■ The ice of Clearwater Lake became an airfield for the pilots and passengers of about 10 airplanes on Saturday, Jan. 11. The pilots made the stop to eat at the Waterfront restaurant, landing on the road used by ice fishermen in front of the restaurant.
Waterfront owner Mike Manuel said he spent half a day plowing out a taxi area for the planes and touching up the road before their arrival. More planes were expected, but poor
conditions Saturday morning led to fewer flyers. Pilots said the ice road was no different to land on than a normal runway.
■ Annandale’s completed ultra-broadband feasibility study was presented to the city council last Monday, Jan. 6, and the findings have city officials feeling optimistic that something can and will be done to improve the situation in the relatively near future.
The study helped to quantify the measure of discontent area residents and business owners have with their Windstream service, identified four possible provider partners that have expressed interest in entering the Annandale market, and set up some financial models for various improvements.
Council members felt the study was well worth its $43,250 cost, particularly since a Blandin Foundation grant covered $21,250 and the study was so successful in identifying motivated potential partners. According to the study, four broadband providers have expressed interest in the Annandale market. Charter Communications serves Maple Lake, Mediacom serves Howard Lake, Midcontinent is in Clearwater and the Monticello fiber system is also an option.
■ Regardless of what action the City of Annandale takes to improve broadband service to the city, it has an ally in Minnesota Sen. Matt Schmit.
The first-term Democrat from Red Wing stopped in Annandale on Thursday, Jan. 9, as part of his statewide tour to discuss broadband issues with communities and what can be done at the state level to aid those with poor service.
"This is probably as tough a situation as I’ve heard of anywhere," he told about 30 Annandale council members, economic development committee members, business owners and residents in a meeting at city hall.
Jan. 22
■ As a professional DJ and lighting specialist, Jeremy Wheeler is used to setting the tone in all kinds of situations.
In 2014, he used those orchestrating skills to direct the Annandale Area Chamber of Commerce through its upcoming schedule of events.
Wheeler took over as president of the chamber this month, succeeding outgoing executive Megan Czycalla, and ran his first meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 8.
"This is a fantastic group of people. Nobody is a power-hungry dictator that says, ‘This is the way it has to be.’ It’s just, when it’s your turn to step up, you just do it," he said.
■ Annandale police officers patrolling city streets will do so from behind the wheel of a new vehicle in 2014. One of the department’s Dodge Chargers is being cycled out of service this year, and the Annandale City Council approved the purchase of a new Ford Police Interceptor SUV as a replacement during its meeting on Monday, Jan. 6.
The Interceptor comes at a price of just under $26,900. That is slightly higher than the standard cost of about $24,000 for a police car, but Police Chief Jeff Herr said the extra cost is worth the benefits of the larger vehicle.
One of those advantages is the availability of all-wheel drive, a feature that will enhance the department’s ability to respond to situations during adverse weather conditions.
■ Any mail or packages passing through the Annandale Post Office for the past 15 years have fallen under the supervision of Postmaster Ellen Stifter.
That’s about to change, however, as Stifter will work her last day at the office on Thursday, Jan. 23. She is retiring after what would have been a 30-year career this March.
"It’s time to go. I’m tired," she said. "I’ll miss the people, the contacts, the work – I like to work – but I have a lot to do at home."
Stifter, who lives in Winsted, didn’t exactly plan on a career with the U.S. Postal Service, but she certainly made the most of it.
Jan. 29
■ The Annandale High School theater department tackled some weighty themes with its one act production "Bad Seed," and that effort paid off with a strong performance over the weekend.
Annandale hosted the subsection one act play competition on Saturday, Jan. 25, and finished in third place out of six teams.
Only the top two teams advance to the section competition, and Annandale missed second place by a single point. As the third place team, Annandale will serve as the alternate school for the section competition.
■ Mikel Andrews, an Annandale native and 2002 Annandale High School graduate, published his first novel in 2013.
"Coming of Mage" is a story about Quinn Sullivan, a college-aged wizard, working a summer job at an offseason ski resort on the North Shore of Minnesota.
"The ideal audience for this book is someone that craves fantasy but is a little bored with elves, trolls and orcs," Andrews said. "If you’re familiar with the tropes of fantasy, my book plays off them both lovingly and humorously."
Andrews now lives in Grand Marais, and that is where he wrote the book. It took Andrews two years, from first draft to publication date, to write the book.
■ Ashley Wadman and Matt Fliegel have been selected as Annandale High School’s nominees for the 2014 AAA (academics, arts and athletics) award.
The AAA award recognizes and honors Minnesota high school seniors who have excelled in their classroom studies, in the fine arts and on the athletic field.
Fliegel was chosen to move on to the regional competition along with Shannon Nix from Winsted Holy Trinity High School, and will be recognized in an on-court ceremony during the boys state basketball tournament.
February
Feb. 5
■ Annandale native Jim Rataczak is an artist who isn’t afraid to get his boots dirty, and his scientific background in biology and bird behavior lends a gritty practicality to his field studies.
A former biologist with a passion for birds, the Annandale native set aside his scientific career to pursue art about 20 years ago. Since then Rataczak has become a full-time professional artist with exhibits on display as far afield as New England, Georgia and Kansas. His paintings have also appeared on multiple magazine covers, and he has collected a slew of awards for his work.
His most recent honor, however, caps the list. Last summer Rataczak was asked to put together a solo exhibit at the Bell Museum of Natural History in Minneapolis, and that show is underway this winter, running from Jan. 11 until Sunday, Feb. 23.
■ There is an effort by local parents and the Annandale Police Department to bring back the School Resource Officer position for the Annandale School District.
At the school district’s regular meeting Monday, Jan. 26, Teresa Ferrell of Annandale and Tana Johnson, a former Annandale resident, advocated bringing back the SRO position during the "community concerns and comments" period.
There was an additional group of about 10 people in the audience who also supported the effort to bring back the SRO.
"We want to encourage this board to work with the police and bring the SRO back into schools," said Johnson. "Out of 13 school districts in Wright County, Annandale is the only school district without an SRO in the schools."
■ To date, the school district’s attempt to sell the former Community Education building at 50 Chestnut Street has been unsuccessful. At the meeting, the board approved a plan to involve local realtors in trying to sell the building, which is no longer needed by the district.
Upon the successful sale and closing of the property, the school district will pay the licensed broker representing the buyer a commission of 4 percent of the gross price.
The asking price for the 10,000-square foot building is $170,000, and the school district is reserving the right to sell the property to the City of Annandale, if and when the city might be interested, without broker participation.
Feb. 12
■ The thoughts of many in the Annandale community have been with the Rick and Lori Steffen family over the past week after Lori found their adopted daughter Kristina, 19, unconscious, without a heartbeat and not breathing on Saturday, Feb. 1.
Kristina, a senior at the high school who has been doing post secondary work at St. Cloud State University, was rushed to Buffalo Hospital, then Mercy Hospital and finally Abbott Northwestern, where doctors attempted to alternately cool and warm her body to prevent organ damage and determine the condition of her brain and heart since she had been without air for an undetermined period of time.
Kristina died Sunday, Feb. 9, with her family around her. Tests on Kristina’s heart indicated that she had a congenital defect that caused rhythm problems and likely triggered her lapse. She did not regain consciousness.
■ A flood of automatic phone calls over the past several weeks harassed many area residents and businesses at all hours of the day and night, but Windstream reported that it was able to block the calls on Monday night, Feb. 3.
According to accounts from residents, city staff and police department personnel, numerous phone calls to landlines were made. Caller ID systems always showed a different number – often cell phones from states like Georgia, California, New York and more – but the message was the same if it came through rather than silence or feedback: "This is an automated fax delivery system. If this is not a fax machine, please press 2 now."
The police department received at least 50 calls from area residents, and Bob and Elaine Fleskes reported that their home along received 129 calls on Super Bowl Sunday and the day that followed.
■ Now that Annandale’s broadband feasibility study is complete, city officials are following up with potential partners for improved service, and also reaching out to promote broadband improvements at the state level.
They would like local businesses and residents to be involved with that effort.
Last month’s broadband study identified four potential partners that had expressed interest in providing broadband service in Annandale that would bring competition to Windstream: Mediacom, Mid-Continent, Charter Communications and Fiber Net out of Monticello.
The city’s technology committee, including council members Dewey Gunnarson and Shelly Jonas, is currently meeting with and evaluating those entities.
Feb. 19
■ While temperatures have finally moderated over the past week, a rapid accumulation of frozen water service lines has the City of Annandale asking residents and businesses to keep their water running.
The city issued a press release on Tuesday, Feb. 11, asking property owners to keep a small stream of water about the size of a pencil running continually.
By Monday, Feb. 17, there had been frozen service lines at 11 homes and two business in the city. While most of the frozen pipes had occurred in the older parts of town, newer sections with lines buried deeper were not immune.
■ Annandale students generally feel safe in school, care about their classwork and believe their teachers care about them. But they also engage in a range of risky behaviors, particularly in the area of substance abuse, at rates that significantly exceed the state average.
Those are a few of the findings from the 2013 Minnesota Student Survey released by the Minnesota Department of Education on Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Depending on the category, Annandale juniors in spring of 2013 reported using tobacco and binge drinking, as well as driving after using alcohol or drugs, at rates twice that of the state average.
They were also significantly more likely to be distracted drivers because of texting and emailing, to smoke marijuana and to be sexually active.
Feb. 26
■ From raising the minimum wage to passing a bonding bill, discussion of a new senate office building to a variety of taxes and more, the Minnesota Legislature has a full slate of issues to work through during its 2014 session, which began Tuesday, Feb. 25.
Since it is the second half of the 2013-14 biennium, lawmakers don’t have a budget to haggle over this year. But local representatives Joe McDonald in the House and Bruce Anderson in the Senate – both Republicans – are concerned about a number of issues.
"Because all three branches of government are held by the new majority, the Democrats, they’re in charge of what’s going forward," said Anderson.
■ If the main purpose of hosting Sen. Bruce Anderson and Rep. Joe McDonald was to make them aware of Annandale’s broadband troubles and impress upon them the importance of supporting legislation for broadband improvements, the city council succeeded on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
The two Republican legislators are beginning work at the Capitol this week, and McDonald pledged to make the issue his top priority in terms of issues to support this session after the meeting with city council members, school officials and other community members.
McDonald, who runs a business as a photographer in Delano, said he has had Internet speeds of 20 to 30 megabytes to send large files. When told that Annandale’s city hall only has speeds of up to 6MB, the former Delano mayor was incredulous.
"I can’t imagine having 6MB. You might as well be in Africa," he said.
■ The Annandale Conservation Club’s annual Youth Fishing Contest, scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 22, was postponed until Saturday, March 8, due to poor conditions.
"There was just too much snow out on the lake for the guys to clear it, and we knew it was going to be windy," said Paul Jorgensen, one of the event organizers. "There were two or three feet of snow out there in certain areas, and it was impossible to get around with any kind of vehicle. Hopefully we’ll get a better day on the eighth."
March
March 5
■ The formation of a committee to examine the possible reinstatement of a school resource officer in Annandale Schools was one item of business for the Annandale School Board during its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
"There are a lot of people on this committee, but I felt representation was important," Superintendent Steve Niklaus said. "There are parents, teachers, principals and students represented on the committee; also Police Chief Jeff Herr."
■ The Annandale Police Department received its first all-wheel drive squad for regular patrol, a 2014 Ford Police Interceptor Utility, in mid-February, just in time to handle the latest 8-inch onslaught of ice and wind-driven snow that created blizzard conditions on multiple days.
Officer Austin Henre, who often covers the night shift in Annandale, said that having the new SUV-style vehicle that resembles a civilian model Ford Explorer has been much appreciated during and in the aftermath of the latest winter storm.
"So far, so good," he said. "We are really, really liking it. Everyone knows how it is driving around here lately. With this you never have to worry about the weather situation."
■ It has been nearly 30 years since the Wright County Pheasants Forever Chapter formed, and Annandale’s Bob Peterson has been active in the club from the beginning.
Peterson, along with a half dozen other men from Maple Lake, Buffalo and Cokato, first learned about the formation of what is now the national organization in St. Paul in 1982, and decided to get involved a short time later.
On Saturday, March 8, the Wright County chapter will hold its 29th annual membership banquet at Classic Hall in Annandale. This is the first year the banquet is being held in Annandale.
March 12
■ Gurmit and Babbi Rihal took ownership on Dec. 11 from previous owner Paul Kostelecky, and the hotel’s name changed at that point from Annandale Lodge and Suites to America’s Best Inn.
Gurmit, also known as "Lucky," explained that he and his wife intend to live in the hotel so that they can personally oversee the day-to-day operations of the business, particularly in the first year since they are in the midst of making several upgrades.
■ By writing a new book, which led to interviews on two national Christian radio shows – and through a regular radio opportunity in the Twin Cities – associate pastor J.A. White at the Annandale Evangelical Free Church has shared the message of the gospel from coast to coast in recent months.
Following those national interviews about his book, "Gospel of our Grandfathers," he has received follow-up phone calls and emails from radio listeners from as far away as Georgia, California and Washington state.
■ The Cardinal boys basketball team will be returning to the state tournament for the second straight year after defeating Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted 67-51 on Friday, March 7, at Halenbeck Hall on the campus of St. Cloud State University.
The Cardinals (23-6) have received a well-deserved top seed in the Class 2A tournament.
March 19
■ The Annandale boys basketball team took second place in the State Class 2A Boys Basketball Tournament Saturday, March 15.
The No. 1-seeded Cards lost to No. 2-see Esko 60-41 at Target Center. When you consider there are 128 Class 2A schools in Minnesota, second place isn’t all that bad.
■ By the second anniversary of Clock Tower Park’s opening, members of the Annandale Area Community Team hope to have a new attraction at the Main Street corner. ACT has commissioned Betty Anderson, an artist who lives on Lake Sylvia and has a studio in downtown Annandale, to craft a four-foot bronze sculpture of a young boy to inhabit the park.
"We believe it captures the essence of Annandale and our community," said Laura Hood-Beckman of ACT. "We really celebrate our lakes around here. I think our community really enjoys the outdoors, and we are a very family-focused community. That’s something that we value."
■ Going into the Minnesota Legislature’s 2014 session, city, school and business people in Annandale were hopeful that some action could be taken to help ease problems with broadband service in the community and around the state.
Now that some aid has been proposed, a group of leaders from the community are doing all in their power to support it. In the first two-and-a-half weeks of the current session, those Annandale representatives had made the trip down to the Capitol no fewer than five times to testify about Annandale’s broadband situation and how initiatives underway there could help if approved.
March 26
■ Hopes are still alive to save the 1922 wing of the Annandale Middle School. At the regular Annandale School Board meeting Monday, March 17, the board voted to extend the deadline by another 90 days for the interested parties to come forth with a solid proposal for the long term re-purposing of the 1922 building.
If no solid proposal is found, the school district has indicated the building will be demolished.
Startide, a technology-focused, engineering and asset management company, has been working with the 1922 Reuse Committee to find a way to buy the building and re-purpose it as a data center.
■ It’s still subject to change, but the Annandale Parks Commission took a first look at the concept plan for a proposed recreation facility at the site of the old wastewater treatment plant site earlier this week, and the city council is scheduled to review the plan on Monday, April 7.
Three full-size baseball fields with batting cages and four softball fields are outlined in the plan, including one baseball field with lights. There are also two football-lacrosse fields, two smaller football or U8 and U12 soccer fields, a skating rink and eight tennis courts. The facility also includes a wider array of amenities, including two playgrounds, horseshoe pits, volleyball and bocce ball courts, basketball courts, a skateboard park, a dog park, restrooms and concession areas.
Nearly 80 acres in size, the area would be ringed by a walking path with exercise stations at intervals along the path.
■ Dick Anderson and Jerry Johnson share memories about summers growing up and living on Lake Sylvia over the span of decades. They remember that there was no electricity or bathroom facilities at the lake cabins until after World War II.
April
April 2
■ A statewide solar project that could place an 8,000-panel array just outside of Annandale city limits received measured approval at the state level on Thursday, March 27.
If local placement does occur, the array would be part of the largest solar project in state history, and one of the largest in the country.
■ Annandale’s Matt Reimer has been named the new head men’s basketball coach at St. Cloud State University.
Reimer and his wife Tracy lived in St. Cloud and Maple Lake prior to buying a home in Annandale in the spring of 1998. At the time, Tracy was teaching in Annandale. She is now the former principal of Bendix Elementary.
■ Thanks in part to a simple gnat bite, area outdoorsman Jerry Carlson has survived a harrowing bout with cancer. As a regular contributor of hunting and fishing columns to the Advocate and its seasonal guides, along with other area media, Carlson likely needs little introduction.
But following a stem cell transplant this winter in which he was effectively reborn, and after emerging from what at times appeared to be a near-hopeless situation, Carlson said he has changed.
"There is a lot of cancer out there. Once you get it you’re never the same," he said.
April 9
■ A long-awaited bistro is coming soon, and the new business is set to reopen what had been a historic but vacant downtown building.
Julie Carlson, owner of Cafe Jules, said she expects to be conducting business in the former Snooty Fox building by May 1.
After approaching the Annandale City Council with her proposition for the city-owned building last spring, Carlson said she didn’t expect that it would take so long to get everything arranged, but necessary renovations and maintenence to the 1800s-era building to bring it up to restaurant code was a complicating factor, as was a regional shortage of cooks.
■ It is said that mail carriers aren’t deterred from completing their routes by snow, heat, rain or "gloom of night."
After the experience of route driver Terry Carpentier on Tuesday, April 1, one could add "fire" to that list of obstacles.
Carpentier was heading up a hill on County Road 37 west of French Lake when she first noticed trouble with her 2001 Ford Explorer. A transmission line fluid leak caused her vehicle to catch fire, but Carpentier was able to pull all the mail out of the vehicle before it was destroyed. After a neighbor brought her a second vehicle, she finished her route.
■ Tootsie’s Bar and Grill in downtown Annandale announced on Saturday, April 5, that it will be closing its doors this week after 11 years in business. Owner Dale Miller said the last day is Thursday, April 10.
In a post on the Tootsie’s Facebook page, Miller said the overall economy and laws governing such establishments made it difficult to continue, particularly as a "mom and pop" type of establishment competing against nearby franchise names like Applebees, Buffalo Wild Wings and more.
April 16
■ The first of five suspects involved in the murder of Annandale’s Kyle Greene in September was sentenced in Wright County Court last week.
Samara Juhl, 20, of South Haven was sentenced on Monday, April 7, for felony aiding and abetting aggravated robbery in the first degree to 48 months prison, a $50 fine, paying restitution and providing a DNA sample.
Juhl will serve her time at the women’s prison in Shakopee. The time she has already spent in Wright County Jail will count toward her sentence.
■ Annandale City Council members took a look at the plan for a recreation facility at the old wastewater treatment plant site on Monday, April 7, and gave their approval for the concept.
The action paves the way for school board consideration of the plan, as well as possible school district approval of a topographical study that will help give an idea of project costs for the first time. Council members did not discuss the details of the proposed project, except to comment on its all-encompassing nature.
"You have everything in this," said Mayor Marlene Young.
■ Senior Danai Kerbaugh and freshman Andy Gohman competed at the Minnesota State High School League Speech Tournament on Saturday, April 12, at Blaine High School. Kerbaugh made the final round of eight contestants in the Serious Interpretation – Prose category and placed sixth.
"One of Danai’s preliminary judges found me just to tell me that in his opinion, she was not only the best speaker he saw the entire weekend, but the best speaker he saw the whole season," said head speech coach Jennifer Kulm.
April 23
■ Fire destroyed two homes in the Elm Grove Mobile Home Park just west of Annandale on Saturday, April 19. There were no injuries reported, though one resident received treatment at the scene for smoke inhalation, and three pet dogs died in one of the homes.
Annandale Fire Chief Brian Haag said the blaze started in a shed between two homes, and quickly spread to both.
The shed where the fire began belonged to Loren Rolfzen, and Rolfzen lost three dogs along with his home. He was outside when the fire was discovered. The second home belonged to Karen Freitag.
■ Gregory Randall of Clearwater Lake recently completed his first novel, "The Last Ferryman." The 246-page book tells the story of a third-generation ferry operator in a small town where a suspension bridge is planned and constructed to ease cross-river travel.
"I think it’s a very universal story because it happens all the time. People are displaced by technology," said Randle.
■ The fourth annual Spring Tonic will take place at Classic Hall, and this year’s event is focused on raising money for wellness care. The idea for the Spring Tonic comes from Annandale’s Denise Froehlich, who has been a member of the foundation’s board of directors for the past five years, and is serving as the board chair this year.
"Having it in a venue like Annandale introduces a lot of people who work at the hospital to Annandale. So I think it’s a win for the hospital and it’s a win for Annandale, to showcase some of the things Annandale has to offer," said Froehlich.
April 30
■ More than two months after the City of Annandale asked residents and businesses to continuously run a small stream of water from faucets to prevent water line freeze-ups, residents have now been given the green light to turn those taps off.
Along with thawing lakes and warmer days, that development is one more sign that the area is finally emerging from the coldest winter in decades.
The city originally notified utility customers to turn on their water on Feb. 11. Last week, Public Works Director Joe Haller reported that a total of 26 Annandale properties, including two commercial properties, had experienced frozen lines during the winter. The go-ahead to finally shut the water off came on Tuesday, April 22.
■ In recent weeks, William C. Moyers has traveled the country to tell the story of his struggle with and recovery from substance abuse. This Thursday, May 1, he will be in Annandale.
The son of famous national journalist Bill Moyers, Moyers enjoyed a successful career of his own as a journalist in the 1980s before he was derailed by drugs and alcohol around the age of 30.
In the aftermath, after finally achieving sobriety in 1994 while working for CNN, Moyers became a voice for those dealing with addiction.
■ Annandale’s Youth First organization is not as well known as it could be in the Annandale community.
Over its 17 years, it has involved 6,286 students, connected 342 of them to mentors and created over 8,000 volunteer hours.
May
May 7
■ A pair of significant developments regarding defendants in the murder of Kyle Greene took place in Wright County Court last week.
First, Tyler Fisher, 20, of Annandale was sentenced to 12.5 years in prison for his role as the getaway driver after the shooting in 42-year-old Greene’s Annandale garage during the overnight hours between Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27 and 28, 2013. Fisher’s sentencing occurred on Tuesday, April 29.
In addition, Gray David Soltis, 23, of St. Michael, one of three defendants who entered Greene’s garage intending to rob him of drugs and money – and the one identified as the gunman who pulled the trigger – pled guilty to the charge of second-degree murder on Friday, May 2.
Second-degree murder indicates that the action was intentional, but not pre-meditated. Soltis’ guilty plea, made in response to a settlement offer, ensures that he will receive 30 years in prison when he is officially sentenced on Wednesday, June 18.
■ The last six months have been a tumultuous journey for the Kyle and Jami Knisley family of Annandale, but the community has an opportunity to rally around the family through a benefit for 5-year-old Sicily on Saturday, May 17.
Sicily, a kindergartner at Annandale Elementary School, was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma, a very aggressive form of cancer, on Dec. 12 last year.
When the last chemotherapy treatment was completed in March 31.
■ After one of the coldest winters in decades, it wasn’t unreasonable to think that new records could be set for latest ice-out dates on area lakes this year. However, thanks in part to a consistent combination of wind and rain last week, the lakes were declared free around the last weekend of April.
In short, no records were set, but only a handful of years have had later ice-outs.
Lake John was the first to have official ice-out on Thursday, April 24. Cedar Lake followed the next day. The main ice-out day was Saturday, April 26, with Pleasant, Sugar and Sylvia all clearing on that day. Clearwater Lake, which had been ice-free for some time on the west end, was declared fully open on Monday, April 28.
May 14
■ For the second consecutive week, a defendant in the murder of Kyle Greene of Annandale has pleaded guilty in Wright County court. Preston Saengchanthalath, 18, of Albertville admitted guilt in aiding and abetting second-degree murder on Friday, May 9.
While he won’t be officially sentenced until June 18, Saengchanthalath’s plea ensures that his sentence will include 15 years in prison.
Saengchanthalath evaded authorities for nearly two months before finally turning himself in to law enforcement in Wright County. He was one of three defendants who entered Greene’s garage intending to rob him of drugs and money after the drug deal was set up with Juhl’s assistance, and Saengchanthalath struck Greene several times before Soltis fired the fatal shot.
■ Fire spread rapidly through a 135-year-old house near Clearwater Lake on Wednesday, May 7, and isolated flare-ups continued to burn into the next morning. No one was home at the time of the fire at 10389 Highway 24, and no injuries were reported.
More than 30 firefighters from Annandale, Clearwater and Maple Lake responded to the scene after receiving the call shortly before 8 p.m. on a stormy evening, and the Annandale crew did not leave the scene until about 5 a.m. the next morning.
Homeowner Lesa Roy reported the following day that the house was built in 1879 and much of the insulation in the walls and attic consisted of wood shavings. That material contributed to a fast-moving fire that was already well-established by the time firefighters reached the scene.
■ From the receptionist’s desk to the administrator’s office, Linda Dircks of Annandale was an integral part of operations at Buffalo Clinic for the last four decades.
Dircks, who rose from an entry-level position to serve 27 years as the administrator, oversaw a period of extensive expansion for the independent physician-owned clinic before retiring earlier this year.
"She was integral to everything that happened here," said John Hering, M.D., president of what is now the Buffalo, Monticello and Albertville clinic system.
May 21
■ The last chapter in the history of Brown’s Velvet Ice Cream was written last week when crews from Mares Excavating razed the building after nearly a decade of inactivity at the site.
The Brown family, headed by Carl John Brown, started a butter manufacturing business in 1906, began making ice cream in 1916 and eventually sold their product around the upper Midwest. In 1990 the company was sold to Upper Lakes Foods of Cloquet, but local production and management by the Browns continued until 2005, when the shaft of an old ammonia compressor broke and repairs were deemed too costly.
After 99 years, during which time the plant went from producing 10 gallons of ice cream at a time to a maximum of 150,000 gallons per year, the site was sold to the Ferrell family and operations at the plant fell silent.
Kevin Brown, who managed the businesses for its last 15 years, said the removal of the building was sad, but necessary.
"I think it’s good closure, for us and for the neighborhood too," he said.
■ After receiving the results of a broadband feasibility study in January, meeting with potential provider partners in the ensuing months and making a case at the state capitol for investment in broadband for underserved areas, the City of Annandale’s next step is slowly coming into focus.
The city’s technology committee has met with a variety of partners and narrowed the options down to two viable alternatives. The city could work with a private cable provider that would set up a fiber-coaxial network within the city and serve a few pockets of density outside city limits, or build its own fiber network and contract with an operating partner for service.
After consideration, the committee brought a recommendation to the city council at its Monday, May 5, meeting that the city look at moving ahead with its own fiber network.
■ After a generous donation offer and a successful grant application, it appears that a proposed trail project is poised to become a reality in Annandale, perhaps as soon as next year.
The city has been considering the Southside Trail Extension project for years, but the $375,000 cost to connect several existing trail segments with 1.2 miles of new trail and create a link stretching 2.7 total miles from Southbrook to Minnesota Pioneer Park was too steep.
As a result, the project had been put on hold, but an anonymous donation offer of $110,000 in January put the project back on the table.
May 28
■ Participation in student government at St. Cloud State University has changed a lot of things for Annandale’s Lindsey Gunnerson, including her field of study and her post-college aspirations.
After serving as the student body vice president as a junior over the past academic year, Gunnerson was elected student president of the state’s second-largest university this spring.
As such, the former Miss Annandale in 2011-12 and former Minneapolis Aquatennial candidate will be the primary representative of about 17,000 students on campus during her senior year.
■ Only one out of every 8,000 births will be triplets. This year, one such set of triplets will graduate in Annandale High School’s Class of 2014 – Hanna, Katey and Ryan Floistad, triplets born to John and Nancy Floistad.
When they were born in 1995 each of the babies had their own team of doctors and nurses. There were 22 people involved with the birth, seven per baby.
■ Members of the Annandale High School Class of 2014 will receive their diplomas this Friday, May 30, and the paths they plan to take after school range from studying astrophysics, robotics and medicine to working in farming or serving in the military. The commencement ceremony will involve 129 seniors.
Almost every member of the class will pursue some form of additional education, with at least 109 planning to attend two- or four-year colleges next fall. Ten students plan to work immediately, though three of those intend to attend school later at some point.
Eight members of the class intend to enter the military, specifically the Air Force, Navy or Marine Corps.
June
June 4
■ Strenuous efforts to obtain state assistance for improving broadband Internet service in the Annandale area and other poorly served regions around the state paid dividends during the 2014 legislative session.
Annandale representatives from the city, school and care center lobbied hard in support of a bill that would create matching grant funds for broadband projects around the state, and their efforts were rewarded with the creation of a $20 million fund by the time lawmakers adjourned on Friday, May 16.
■ The economy in Central Minnesota has found its footing, and the remainder of 2014 looks like it will be another step away from the crippling recession of recent years.
That was the message shared by economist King Banaian at the May gathering of the Wright County Economic Development Partnership in Annandale.
"Is there good news? I think so. I really thought at the beginning of the year that 2014 would grow slower," Banaian told the group during his presentation at Reichel’s Event Center. "I am more optimistic now than I even was two months ago. The data looks better for all of Central Minnesota. I actually think now that 2014 is shaping up to be a better year than 2013."
■ The Annandale School Board unanimously approved spending $15,000 to share a police officer with the City of Annandale. The officer would work 15 flexible hours per week between the three district schools. The officer would be a full-time Annandale police officer, so the other 25 hours would be spend doing the duties of a regular officer.
The City of Annandale had agreed to hire a detective and juvenile officer to work in the three Annandale schools for the 2014-15 school year providing the school district contribute $15,000 to support the position.
June 11
■ Two teachers, a custodian and a head cook said goodbye to the Annandale School District 876 at the end of the school year.
Spanish teacher Paul Fliegel, early childhood special education teacher Sue Weiler, custodian Mitch Schmidt and head cook Audrey Jones are retiring and moving on from long and distinguished careers in the Annandale schools.
■ After county-level efforts to secure a new public transit system for the area fell apart this spring, several Wright County cities have cobbled together a coalition of their own to ensure that a transit option will still be available after the River Rider program shuts down at the end of the month.
Annandale City Council members reviewed and gave preliminary approval to a joint powers agreement with four other cities that would help provide that service on Monday, June 2.
Cities participating in the agreement with Annandale include Buffalo, Howard Lake, Montrose and Delano.
■ The 2014 Minnesota State High School League Track and Field Championships were held Friday and Saturday, June 6 and 7.
Nine Cardinal athletes earned the honor to compete at the state championships, including four boys and five girls.
Courtney Alama finished fourth in the girls 3,200-meter run; the 4×100 relay team of Madison Kasper, Emmy Whitesell, Calisha Norgren and Kamryn D’Heilly took fourth place; and the boys 4×200 relay team of Zach Chollett, Barrett Bataille, Spencer Ogden and Andrew Fort took ninth place.
June 18
■ Dwayne Bruns, a lifelong resident of Annandale, businessman, civic leader, family man and friend to many, died on Thursday, June 5, after a courageous six-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
"Dwayne was one of those individuals who had a very big footprint in the Annandale area," said Steve Niklaus, superintendent of Annandale Schools. "He knew so many people, so much history and was involved with so many things that are a part of this community."
Bruns began working at Annandale State Bank in 1971, and became president in 1980.
■ Karen Freitag had just finished putting Easter baskets together for her grandchildren on a Saturday afternoon in April when life took a dramatic turn.
"All of a sudden I thought, ‘It’s getting dark out.’ Then something started to smell funny," Freitag said. "The next thing I knew, the landlord was banging on my door saying to get out quick."
Freitag’s residence in the Elm Grove Mobile Home Park was one of two homes that had rapidly gone up in flames after a shed between the two caught fire from an unknown source on April 19. A benefit has been planned to help her rebuild her life.
■ With Annandale set to mark 125 years since the date of its inaugural Fourth of July celebration, organizers have been hoping to put together a strong lineup of attractions.
Last week, chairman John Volden announced that one of the regions biggest bands, The Fabulous Armadillos out of St. Cloud, has been added to the Friday night festivities between the Miss Annandale coronation and the fireworks.
"It was an effort to try to bring in a larger group that is going to have a lot of familiarity in the area that we haven’t had in the past," said Volden. "A group this size is well known in Central Minnesota. Because of their following, it’s costing us a few more dollars this year. But celebrating our 125th, I think it’s money well-spent and I think people are really going to have a good time."
June 25
■ Two of the defendants in the murder of 42-year-old Kyle Greene of Annandale were formally sentenced in Wright County Court last Wednesday, June 18, as Greene’s family members looked on and his mother read a statement describing the impact of the killing.
Gray David Soltis, 23, of St. Michael was sentenced to 30 years in prison for firing the fatal shot during a robbery in Greene’s garage on Sept. 28, 2013.
In addition, Preston Saengchanthalath, 19, of Albertville, who evaded law enforcement for two months after the murder, was given 15 years in prison and a $42,000 fine corresponding to Greene’s age for his role in aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
■ The first six months of 2014 have set a new record for the wettest start to a year in the Twin Cities region, and Annandale area farmers are feeling the effects.
Last June, Albion Township farmer Doug Triplett said 2013 was the worst stretch of planting weather he had seen in 50 years.
"It turns out this year has been worse," he said.
Thursday, June 19, was the wettest calendar day in nine years in the Twin Cities, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
■ Superintendent Steve Niklaus said it now appears unlikely that the company Startide will be able to locate a data center in the vacant 1922 school building. The reason, Niklaus explained, is that data centers that serve primary industries such as health care and finance require backup sources of telecommunications service and electrical power.
"At the present time, given the lack of a second telecom provider and uncertainty if there will be one, it would be a heavy investment for a private business seeking to build a data center, as they would have to engineer and construct a second source of broadband and electricity," said Niklaus. "Given the fact this redundancy is readily available in many other communities, it would be a huge competitive disadvantage for anyone seeking to operate out of the 1922 building.
"At this point there is reason to be pessimistic about the sale of the 1922 building," Niklaus added, saying that the city’s broadband issue is a factor in efforts to preserve the school building.
July
July 2
■ Long before anyone now living had a say in Annandale’s affairs, city founders saw fit to organize a mid-summer celebration honoring the nation’s birth.
Annandale was still in the cradle of infancy itself, having been incorporated just one year before in 1888, and the regular Fourth of July celebration helped establish the town as a holiday destination from the beginning.
One hundred and twenty-five years later, the scope of the celebration has slipped the bounds of a single calendar day to embrace more than a week of activity. The 125th anniversary of the celebration begins this week.
■ It now looks like the 1922 building is headed towards demolition in the summer of 2015. The disappointing news for many in the community was presented at the Annandale School Board meeting Monday, June 23.
The Citizen’s Committee for the ReUse of the ’22 has been working since late 2012 to save the building from demolition, first supporting a proposal for a community center to repurpose the building and then supporting a proposal that the building be sold and used as a data center.
School board members heard from Superintendent Steve Niklaus that a deal to sell the 1922 portion of the middle school had fallen through. Startide, the firm that proposed buying the building and making it into a data center, decided there were too many obstacles that were too expensive to overcome.
■ The Annandale Ambassador Program was started by the Annandale Commercial Club and has been a part of the city’s Fourth of July celebration since 1956. Over the years, the program has grown.
Juliann Aronson Dehnel was the very first Miss Annandale in 1956. Dehnel’s sponsor was Dayton Furniture. Dehnel is expected to be riding in the Fourth of July parade this year.
"It was a great honor and a wonderful experience," Dehnel said. "It was a very special time in my life."
July 9
■ The 125th chapter in Annandale’s Fourth of July celebration has now been written. A combination of nearly perfect weather, a regionally-known band in The Fabulous Armadillos and a new fireworks setup that allowed the launch from offshore resulted in one of the largest crowds in recent history in the park on the night of Fourth. Overcast skies also made for a cool morning and comfortable viewing of the parade.
Overall, celebration chair John Volden said the weekend was a solid success that matched expectations for the 125th event.
■ Plans to place a large solar array near Annandale have changed in a big way.
While the location – farm land just south of Pioneer Park – is the same, Edina-based Geronimo Energy now intends to build a site more the double the size of that introduced to township, city and county officials last fall.
Originally, the plan was to build a 2.5-megawatt site consisting of about 8,000 solar panels, each about 6 feet by 4 feet in size, on about 30 acres of land owned by Ruth Rudolph. Now, the expanded project will produce 6 MW of power and – if the panels are the same size as the original project - consist of about 19,200 panels on about 50 acres of land.
Corinna Township supervisor Richard Naaktgeboren was wary of the upgrade and voiced disappointment that the township did not receive official notification of the project change.
"This thing got big under the radar," said Naaktgeboren. "Nobody caught it – virtually nobody caught it except a property owner. Size does matter here, big time. If they can’t give us any information unless we come asking for it, that isn’t the way to run a show."
■ Three Annandale entrepreneurs – Dan Seaberg, Dave Hartley and Jacob Schnabel – along with their wives, are preparing to give Annandale the true beer experience. Soon Annandale will have its first brewhouse and taproom.
Expected to open in the spring 2015, the Spilled Grain Brewhouse will feature beers that are brewed on site. They will only sell beer that is made on the premises and only dispensed from taps.
July 16
■ After 11 years as the pastor of St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Annandale, Father Victor Valencia will be transferring to Montgomery. It is now the practice to move priests every six years.
"There is wisdom to the six-year term," Fr. Victor said, explaining that a new priest can bring new ideas, and the rotations keep a priest from becoming complacent with a situation.
Fr. Victor’s last day as a pastor at St. Ignatius will be Sunday, July 20. Officially he is done Friday, Aug. 8.
■ In acknowledgement of increasing demands placed upon the Annandale Police Department in terms of investigating cases – some of which are in the relatively new realm of social media – the Annandale City Council agreed to hire a detective in May.
On Monday, July 7, the department’s newest full-time member, Peter Standafer, was formally sworn into service during the council’s meeting after beginning his Annandale duties on Monday, June 30.
This is Standafer’s second full-time tour of duty with the Annandale force, and he has done some part-time work locally for about the past five years. He was originally hired on in Annandale in 2006, left to work for the Wright County Sheriff’s Office after a year and has now returned.
■ Close to 1,000 athletes are expected to compete in the 29th annual Heart of the Lakes Triathlon in Annandale on Sunday, July 20. Area athletes from Annandale, South Haven and Maple Lake will compete against many top athletes from around the state and nation.
There are close to 100 triathlons held in Minnesota every year, but HOLT is considered one of the best.
July 23
■ A routine stop at South Haven Sports turned into a life-changing event for Travis Rose of South Haven on Sunday, July 13. Rose purchased a $50 lottery ticket and won $500.
Perhaps feeling justifiably lucky, and with encouragement from store employee Ben Ranta, Rose then followed up that win with the purchase of a $30 ticket in the Million Dollar Payday game.
That ticket ended up being a $1 million winner. What are the odds of that? According to the Minnesota State Lottery, just 1 in 360,000.
"It’s just cool, this tiny town in the middle of nowhere – we had the million dollar ticket," said store owner Kathy Zangla. "It’s kind of freaky. There was a million dollar ticket sitting right there, right in front of us all."
■ Corinna Township officials and residents upset over lack of communication from Geronimo Energy about a proposed solar project, which has more than doubled in size according to plans, gave company representatives an earful during a township meeting on Tuesday, July 15.
In return, Tena Rytel of Geronimo Energy acknowledged the group’s frustration, offered apologies and provided an update on the project’s progress.
Rytel explained that the project is undergoing state review for a permit, a process that will take six to nine months. When the review is complete, the project could receive a permit next year, with construction commencing in 2015 and the full project operational by the end of 2016.
■ Frank Farrar didn’t set any speed records during the Heart of the Lakes Triathlon on Sunday, July 20, but that wasn’t his goal anyway. He was simply basking in the familiar glow of satisfaction that comes with physical exertion.
The 85-year-old former governor of South Dakota has been a fixture in the Heart of the Lakes lineup since its inception, with only a handful of years missed. The reason for his few absences?
Weather. Farrar, who has his pilot’s license, flies in to the Maple Lake airport from Britton, S.D., each year and then rides his bike over to Annandale for the race. He was an easy choice for the Spirit of Participation award at this year’s event.
Over 900 athletes and hundreds of volunteers combined for a successful 29th annual Heart of the Lakes Triathlon on Sunday, July 20.
July 30
■ It has been a whirlwind year for Riley Bruns, who finished her reign as the Minneapolis Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes on Friday, July 25.
Bruns, the 2012-13 Miss Annandale, is only the second ambassador from Annandale to ever earn the Aquatennial title. Jody Hempel Nyenhuis blazed the trail in 1984.
■ It was the early 1970s, and Don Schmidt knew he had to find a full-time job after graduating from college and enjoying a fun summer. He saw an ad for someone to run a customer service desk, and picked up the phone.
Over 42 years later, Schmidt has retired from Malco as the company’s executive vice president with a long list of accomplishments behind him.
"Did I expect to be here 42 years? No. But Malco is kind of a family," Schmidt said shortly before his last day on June 26. "This place kind of gets in your blood."
■ As a young boy, Theodore Woyke remembers watching his grandpa, a blacksmith, and his father make wagon wheels. That was over 60 years ago.
Of course, his memory is aided by the fact that his grandfather’s blacksmith shop is still standing on the family farm just the way it was left when Woyke’s father, Ernest, died in 1970.
That’s the kind of history one might expect to find at a longtime family farm, and the Woyke property will be recognized as a Century Farm at the Minnesota State Fair later this summer, meaning it has more than 50 acres and has been in continuous family ownership for more than 100 years.
August
Aug. 6
■ Nearly 700 people turned out to watch the Culpepper and Merriweather Great Combined Circus on Thursday, July 31, and spectators enjoyed a wide variety of acts running the gamut from comedic to awe-inspiring to downright dangerous.
"It was well attended and we appreciated that support from the community. It was a lot of fun, and it was well worth the effort," said John Bergstrand of the Annandale Lions, who sponsored the event.
A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales helped the Lions raise money for community projects, and in turn the Lions helped pave the way for the circus by identifying a site, promoting ticket sales and coordinating logistical needs like water and waste service.
■ Megan Kiffmeyer has had a writer’s streak in her since her high school days.
After publishing her first novel in June, the Kimball resident and loan processor at Annandale State Bank plans to continue her avocation as an author.
Her novel, "Moving On," tells the story of a young woman who is left alone after her firefighter husband is killed while responding to a call. Coping with the loss, leaning on friends and eventually finding a new love interest form the essential features of the plot, which Kiffmeyer said falls into the romance category.
■ It has been a quiet summer as far as storms are concerned, but when severe weather does roll in again many Southside Township residents will have the added warning of emergency sirens.
The township board noted at its July meeting that installation of a third and final siren had been completed, putting to rest an issue that boiled up last fall when many property owners around Lake Sylvia objected to the planned placement of sirens near their homes.
Aug. 13
■ Anonymous donation and federal grant in hand, the Annandale City Council put the Southside Trail Extension project into gear by authorizing plans and specifications for the work on Monday, Aug. 4.
The project will build 1.2 miles of new trail and connect a number of existing trails to create a 2.7-mile link from Southbrook to Minnesota Pioneer Park. It has a total cost of $375,000.
While that amount had initially made the project a non-starter, the city received an anonymous donation offer of $110,000 in January, and was also successful in securing a $240,000 grant through the federal Transportation Alternatives Program in May. That leaves just a $25,000 funding gap to proceed, which will be filled by fundraising efforts, further donations or city funds.
■ A new entertainment option is likely coming to Main Street after the Annandale City Council approved a request to establish an arcade in the former You Can Run But You Cannot Hide building on Monday, Aug. 4.
The arcade is the idea of Annandale native Warren Torvik, who moved back to town this summer from Florida, where he spent many years after graduating from Annandale High School in 1979.
■ Another step has been taken down the road of finding a solution for Annandale’s broadband troubles.
Over the past three weeks the city has been seeking formal proposals from broadband providers to enter the Annandale market. On Friday, Aug. 8, the proposal period closed. Shortly after the deadline, that afternoon, City Administrator Kelly Hinnenkamp had three proposals on her desk to review.
One proposal came from the City of Monticello, another joint proposal came from Project Performance Partners, Inc. and Fujitsu, and a third proposal came from Nitel.
Aug. 20
■ There’s a natural ebb and flow in the world of commerce, but Annandale in the summer of 2014 is at high tide.
The city’s burgeoning business community has been augmented by nearly a dozen new enterprises that have filled empty storefronts and brought new and sometimes unique goods and services to the area.
"It’s an exciting time. Such a great variety of businesses coming into Annandale is great for the community," said Jeremy Wheeler, president of the Annandale Area Chamber of Commerce.
■ Coincidence or not, an influx of new businesses in town this summer has occurred along with the energetic efforts of downtown business owners working to improve and promote the city.
While not all of the new businesses are located downtown, individuals who are active with the Downtown Committee are quick to say that their efforts aim to benefit Annandale as a whole.
"If your downtown is thriving your community is usually thriving, and if it’s dying a lot of times your community is struggling," said City Administrator Kelly Hinnenkamp.
■ An afternoon downpour had spectators scampering for shelter in the historic Finnish Church at Minnesota Pioneer Park during the High 48’s bluegrass concert on Sunday, Aug. 17. However, the heavy rain let up in time for the 15 fiddle contestants to take their place on the outdoor stage during the 37th annual Fiddlers Festival.
Aug. 27
■ With summer fading away and Annandale’s 125th Fourth of July celebration a thing of the past, Calisha Norgren’s work is just beginning. The 2014-15 Miss Annandale was crowned along with princesses Naomi Volden and Michelle Garmon out of 10 candidates this year.
That trio has already participated in the Aquatennial Torchlight Parade, the Monticello parade and the Cokato Corn Festival festivities.
"It’s been really fun. We get along super well," said Norgren. "I think it will be a fun year with them."
■ Turning onto 103rd Street at the north shore of Clearwater Lake brings about a flood of nostalgia for Dr. Ray and Janice Weiss.
Last weekend the Weiss family held a get-together to mark the 100th anniversary of the Weiss family’s ownership of their 12.5-acre lake lot along with Ray and Janice’s 50th wedding anniversary. Both milestones fell on the same day – Thursday, Aug. 21.
"There’s a lot of history here," said Ray.
■ A new wildlife management area encompassing more than 600 acres north of Annandale in Wright and Stearns counties was officially dedicated earlier this summer.
Annandale resident Bob Peterson, who is also one of the original Wright County Pheasants Forever chapter founders, said the preserved tract named the Veterans State Wildlife Management Area, qualifies as one of the largest efforts the Wright County group has been involved with.
"This is a heck of a project, the biggest in Wright County for sure," Peterson said. "Six hundred acres is almost unheard of nowadays."
September
Sept. 3
■ The sixth and final defendant in the murder of Kyle Greene entered a plea of guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree murder, without intent while committing a felony, last Thursday, Aug. 28.
As a result, Osayame Emanuel Igho-Osagie, 22, of St. Cloud, will receive 86 months in prison, just over seven years, when he is officially sentenced in Wright County Court on Tuesday, Sept. 23. Fines and other conditions may also be assessed at that time.
Asked if he was satisfied with how the prosecution has proceeded, with all six defendants captured, prosecuted and sentenced within a year of the Sept. 28, 2013, murder, Kelly was measured in his response.
"I don’t like to say pleased or satisfied. All I’ll say is that from the legal point of view there was a result that was appropriate with regard to the people that were involved," he said. "No amount of time will ever be able to bring back Kyle Greene, and that’s the sad part about this matter."
■ Annandale area residents are accustomed to heavy train traffic on the rail corridor that parallels Highway 55, but all should take note that those trains may soon be moving considerably faster.
On Thursday, Sept. 4, the maximum speed limit for trains will increase from 40 mph to 60 mph in Annandale and South Haven.
Annandale City Administrator Kelly Hinnenkamp had a number of concerns about the higher speed, including the fact that two crossings in town do not have cross arms and that the city received just one week’s notice of the speed change.
■ The Annandale School District continues to outscore the state averages in math, reading and science, according to 2014 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments results released on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Compared to Annandale’s test scores in 2013, the overall district is up in reading and science, but down slightly in math.
"Overall district scores have not significantly changed," said Annandale curriculum director Kathy Holahan.
Sept. 10
■ In the third week after he disappeared, there is still no sign of Christopher Rossing, 25, of Albion Township.
Rossing was last seen in Howard Lake on Friday, Aug. 22. He was reported missing by family on Tuesday, Aug. 26, and his vehicle, a silver Volkswagon Passat, was found parked in downtown Howard Lake later that day with the windows down and the keys in the ignition.
Multiple searches by family, friends and authorities have taken place around the area, and the family is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to locating Rossing.
■ Over the past half century, Camp Friendship has provided unforgettable experiences for people with disabilities, their caregivers and the camp staff on the shores of Clearwater Lake.
The camp celebrated its 50-year anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 7, with a large open house featuring typical camp activities, visits from a few of the remaining founders and many past staff members and campers.
"I think (the 50-year mark is) exciting in that it shows the stability of the organization and how rooted we are in the disabilities community. There are camps across the country that probably started the same time we did that aren’t around anymore," said Chet Tschetter, senior director of camping.
■ On Dec. 19, 2013, the Annandale School Board unanimously approved Principal Allyson Kuehn’s recommendation that all sections of kindergarten in Annandale District 876 be all-day starting with the 2014-15 school year.
The 2014-15 school year is the first time that Minnesota will be funding all-day kindergarten for Minnesota children. The Minnesota Legislature has approved spending $134 million in an effort to provide a better academic start for children across the state. Annandale has offered all-day kindergarten for the past 13 years.
Sept. 17
■ Two arrests have now been made in connection with the disappearance of Christopher Rossing of Albion Township.
Rossing was reported missing by his aunt on Tuesday, Aug. 26, four days after he was last seen on the night of Friday, Aug. 22, in Howard Lake.
On Wednesday, Sept. 10, Robert Nuttall, 28, of Hutchinson was arrested by the Wright County Sheriff’s Office on the charge of kidnapping to facilitate felony or flight.
In addition, Gwen M. Butcher, 32, of Hutchinson was arrested on Friday, Sept. 12, on felony obstruction charges. Butcher and Nuttall lived together in Hutchinson.
At the time this edition of the Advocate went to press, Rossing’s whereabouts were still unknown, but information obtained from the criminal complaint against Nuttall indicated that Rossing was seriously injured in a fight with Nuttall before his disappearance.
■ The next step in bringing a recreation facility to Annandale was approved on Monday, Sept. 8, but not before some extensive discussion took place among city council members about the proper way to proceed.
On a 3-2 vote, council members approved the expenditure of $16,000 for a grading, drainage and erosion control plan. That amount will go toward the total $49,000 cost of the engineering study, with the remainder being equally covered by the school district and area organizations.
The grading study is expected to provide accurate cost estimates of what it will take to build the facility for the first time. A group of citizens and organizations hopes to solicit donations and in-kind contributions of volunteer labor to construct the project at as low a cost as possible, but have said that fundraising efforts are difficult to pursue unless a goal amount is identified.
■ After giving their blessing to Geronimo Energy to develop a solar array site last November, Annandale City Council members took an opportunity to express a concern about the project during their meeting on Monday, Sept. 8.
While Corinna Township and property owners around the proposed site to the south of Minnesota Pioneer Park have voiced numerous concerns regarding the project, ranging from aesthetics to lack of communication regarding a proposed size increase from 2.5 megawatts to 6 MW, Annandale city officials limited their concern to a single topic - the issue of future city expansion.
The 68-acre area, bordered by 70th Street to the north and Klever Avenue to the east, is adjacent to the city limits and within the orderly annexation area agreed upon with Corinna Township.
Sept. 24
■ The future of the former Bay Club restaurant on Clearwater Lake is uncertain, as two potential buyers with entirely different intentions are angling to acquire the property.
On one hand, Mark Lease of Litchfield, who has owned a cabin on Clearwater Lake for 20 years along with his brother Mike, is hoping to restart the restaurant as a private businesses – continuing a restaurant tradition at that location that may have begun in 1960 when the Turtle Bay Club opened.
On the other hand, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sees in the vacant property a natural opportunity to expand what it says is insufficient parking for trucks and boat trailers at the Bob’s Bay landing.
The DNR has arranged a purchase agreement with a 60-day period, but the private buyers are seeking to get the property rezoned to allow restaurant use in order to make the purchase themselves.
■ For four generations and more than 100 years, the Dingmann family has ushered others through the grieving process and helped provide meaningful farewells for loved ones as the owners of Dingmann Funeral Care.
The torch was passed from the third generation to the fourth this summer, when Brian and Dana Dingmann purchased the businesses from Brian’s parents, Art and Marlene.
"The timing was right. Brian and Dana were ready to kick me out," said Art with a laugh, adding that the decision to retire was made easier by knowing his successors are equally committed. "I knew the business was going to be in good hands."
■ Devin Stenson and Yazmin Vazquez Angel were crowned Homecoming king and queen during Annandale High School’s coronation ceremony on Monday, Sept. 22.
■ Four new members have been added to the Cardinal Athletic Foundation’s Hall of Fame. They are John Kittok, 1978 AHS graduate; Rick Walberg, 1974 AHS graduate; Duane Morningstar, 1965 AHS graduate; and Emily Horsch, who died in a car crash in October of 1983, her senior year.
October
Oct. 1
■ The sixth and final defendant in the murder of Kyle Greene was sentenced in Wright County Court for felony aiding and abetting second-degree murder – without intent while committing a felony – on Tuesday, Sept. 23.
Osayame Emanuel Igho-Osagie, 22, whose address has been variously listed as St. Cloud or Buffalo, received 86 months in prison, just over seven years, along with a $35,000 fine plus surcharges and a $75 public defender payment.
Igho-Osagie’s sentencing brings a year-long case to a close during which six defendants were sentenced for various roles in the shooting death of 42-year-old Kyle Greene of Annandale on Sept. 28, 2013.
■ After long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the bulk of U.S. military forces have been or are being withdrawn from those regions, and Annandale native Emily Powell has been part of the drawdowns in both countries.
Powell returned from Afghanistan on Saturday, Sept. 6, with the 114th Transportation Company. She arrived back in Annandale on Tuesday, Sept. 16. One of her first stops was the elementary school, where she surprised her sister Shelby Carter in her kindergarten classroom.
The nine-month deployment was Powell’s second, and she jumped through a few hoops to make sure she was part of it. The 6.5-year Minnesota National Guard veteran, now a sergeant, first worked in Kuwait and Iraq, pulling equipment out as U.S. forces left the country.
She returned from that deployment in 2012, and though her enlistment was expiring in March of 2013 and National Guard guidelines stipulate several years between deployments to ease the strain on citizen-soldiers, Powell extended her enlistment for one year and waived her right to stay home in order to join the most recent deployment to Afghanistan.
■ Plans to move forward with the demolition of the 1922 school building occupied the Annandale School Board on Monday, Sept. 22.
The school board unanimously approved contracts for the work with GLTArchitects and Winkleman Building Corporation.
Once the building is demolished, work will need to be done to the middle school and will be a combination of remodeling and addition. The bathrooms located outside of the ‘A’ gym are partially located in the 1922 portion of the building and will need to be replaced. A secured entrance to the building needs to be created, and work on the boilers in the 1954 addition needs to be done.
Oct. 8
■ Katie VanDorp, an Annandale resident and 2008 Annandale High School graduate, recently completed a 2,650-mile hike from Mexico to Canada on what is known as the Pacific Crest Trail.
VanDorp and former Annandale resident and 2008 AHS graduate Candice Trusty started the hike on April 25, at the U.S. – Mexico border and finished on Sept. 23 on the U.S. – Canada border.
■ Whether it’s a house fire, vehicle crash, medical emergency or any number of other dangerous events, Annandale and South Haven firefighters are often the individuals called to stabilize the situation and aid the victims.
There aren’t a whole lot of them – 23 in Annandale and 24 in South Haven – but they share a close bond forged through teamwork in intense situations, considerable time spent training together and a shared commitment to serve.
"Everyone talks about firefighters having a brotherhood. It really is true. The people you meet on the fire department are your friends for life," said Annandale Chief Brian Haag.
■ The Minnesota Department of Education released the Multiple Measurement Ratings for Minnesota elementary schools on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Based on Annandale Elementary School’s MMR score, it was put onto the 2014-15 Celebration Eligible List. Annandale would be eligible to apply for Celebration recognition.
Oct. 15
■ If all goes as planned, construction could begin on a $4.8-million fiber-to-the-home network in Annandale during the spring of 2015.
That was the message shared by city officials at a public hearing on broadband service on Monday, Oct. 6.
There are still plenty of variables that could sway the actual outcome, but after a long period of grappling with the problems caused by poor broadband service in Annandale, a course has been charted toward improved service.
"It’s been a long road for us. It’s been about two years of work, so we’re pretty excited tonight," city council technology committee member Shelly Jonas told a gathering of about 45 area residents at the opening of a public meeting to share information on broadband improvement efforts.
■ Ever since the Annandale School District and city council approved their share of expenses for a recreation park engineering study last month, the onus has been on area organizations to come up with the third and final share of the funding needed to proceed.
Completing the grading, drainage and erosion plan at a total cost of $48,000 has been the next step outlined by engineers to move ahead with the project to install ball fields, tennis courts, a walking path and more at the old wastewater pond site just south of Eastview Mobile Home Park.
The city and school each approved spending $16,000 for the plan, leaving a final $16,000 for the private organizations to pick up. Last week those organizations completed their fundraising efforts, checking in with their full share of the $16,000 needed to set the engineering plan in motion.
■ A young JJ Helm never particularly appreciated the Ski Patrol personnel at Powder Ridge, until one day they came to his rescue.
"Honestly I didn’t like the ski patrol growing up. They would smash all the jumps that we made," he said with a laugh.
That view changed a couple of year’s before Helms’ 1985 graduation from Annandale High School, when he broke a leg while doing a helicopter move on the mogul hill and was aided by a patrol member.
About 30 years later, Helm speaks with a strong sense of irony, because he now finds himself helping to head up the contingent of about 88 Powder Ridge ski patrol members as the organization’s assistant patrol director.
Oct. 22
■ Thanks to a pair of new rooftop solar arrays, the Annandale School District will soon be seeing substantial savings on its energy bill.
Construction on one 96-panel array on the elementary building is complete, and workers expected have the second 96-panel array on the middle school mostly complete by the end of this week.
Actual operation will not begin until the power company hooks up to the solar arrays and the panels begin producing power for the school building on which they sit, which may not happen for several more weeks.
A third system will be installed on the high school next year after a section of roof is replaced.
■ Thanks in part to a pair of appearances on national TV, business is booming at French Lake Auto Parts.
The sprawling facility that includes acres of junk vehicles for spare parts, used vehicles for resale and crushed vehicles for scrap has been featured twice on the Discovery Channel’s "Fast and Loud" show, where unique vehicles are found, purchased and restored at Gas Monkey Garage in Texas.
Nolan said the second appearance was easy to secure after the show’s first visit to the yard last winter. The crew was impressed by the facility, and a personal rapport was quickly forged as well.
■ Those hoping to reopen the former Bay Club restaurant on Clearwater Lake received good news last week when the Stearns County Planning Commission unanimously approved a recommendation to rezone the property from residential to commercial.
Rezoning was necessary because the restaurant has been closed for over a year, meaning the property lost its ability to continue operating as a non-conforming use in the area.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is interested in buying the property to expand boat trailer parking at the nearby lake access, but Mark and Mike Lease of Litchfield, cabin owners on the lake for 20 years, are hoping to reopen the restaurant. The county board must still give final approval for the rezoning.
Oct. 29
■ What had been a missing person search for Christopher Rossing of Albion Township is now being called a death investigation by Wright County Sheriff Joe Hagerty after human remains were found on and near the property of the two primary suspects in the case.
During the week of Monday, Oct. 13, the sheriff’s office executed a search warrant at the residence of Robert Nuttall and Gwen Butcher in Hutchinson. Both individuals have been formally charged in connection to Rossing’s disappearance, including kidnapping charges against Nuttall.
After initially announcing that unspecified evidence was obtained during the search, law enforcement officials confirmed last week that human remains were found in a fire pit at the residence. The remains consisted of bone fragments and teeth. Additional bone fragments were recovered from a corn field located across the street from the suspects’ residence.
The remains were sent to the Anoka County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension lab for possible identification.
■ It has been a relatively quiet election season so far, but candidates for city and school office in Annandale are all facing competition.
As a result, Annandale’s head election judge Julie Weiers said she was expecting the city’s 1,750 registered voters to be active on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
The race for mayor, the city’s top elected position, features two members of the current city council, including incumbent Mayor Marlene Young has been a member of the council for 14 years, and Dwight "Dewey" Gunnarson, who is seeking the mayor’s seat after first joining the council in 2010.
■ There are four candidates for three seats open on the Annandale School Board next week. Those seats are now held by Jeannette Rieger-Borer, Mike Holthaus and Alicia Millner. Millner decided not to run for re-election.
Holthaus and Rieger-Borer have chosen to seek re-election, and they are joined on the 2014 ballot by candidates Jennifer Mealey and Jerry Liebhard.
■ The Cardinal girls easily won the Section 5A cross country championship on Thursday, Oct. 23 at the Stone’s Throw Golf Course in Milaca. In 2012 and 2013, the girls also took first place in the Section 5A championship.
The girls competed in a field of 124 runners from 20 other schools and finished 70 points ahead of second-place Mora.
November
Nov. 5
■ A two-car collision at the intersection of CSAH 3 and Highway 55 between Annandale and South Haven resulted in the death of an Annandale woman and injuries to three other individuals early on Monday, Nov. 3.
According to the Minnesota State Patrol, Susan Williams, 52, was heading north on CSAH 3 in a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am with two grandchildren when she failed to yield at the Highway 55 intersection shortly after 7 a.m.
As her vehicle entered the intersection it was struck broadside by a Wright-Hennepin Ford Super Duty truck that was heading east on Highway 55.
Williams died at the scene, but her grandchildren, brothers Colten and Brock Baxley of Annandale, ages 4 and 1, respectively, survived.
■ For more than a decade, bringing a community center to Annandale has been an objective of the Annandale Area Community Team, or ACT.
Now, thanks in part to a grant from the Central Minnesota Initiative Foundation and a substantial investment of reserve funds, ACT is moving ahead with a feasibility study that will help provide some scientific data on what type of facility could be reasonably supported from a financial perspective.
Along with the grant for $2,500, ACT is committing $14,000 for the first phase of the study, which will provide a market analysis and a community survey about what features should be a priority of a community center, and what ways those features could be paid for.
■ The Annandale girls cross country team took second place at the Class A State Cross Country Meet at St. Olaf on Saturday, Nov. 1.
"It was just as much fun getting second as it was getting first last year," said co-captain Elizabeth Schlafke. "We work so hard as a team. It’s just great to be up there on the podium to celebrate."
It was the Annandale girls’ seventh straight trip to the state championship.
Nov. 12
■ Last week’s election brought a changing of the guard in Annandale’s mayoral position, as current council member Dwight "Dewey" Gunnarson edged out incumbent Mayor Marlene Young by a 71-vote margin, 523 to 452.
Incumbent council member Shelly Jonas retained her seat with 688 votes, and newcomer Corey Czycalla will join the council in 2015 after collecting 459 votes. Robert Lewison also ran for one of the two available council seats but came up short with 336 votes.
■ Two incumbents and a newcomer were elected to the Annandale School District 876 board in the Tuesday, Nov. 4, election. Starting four-year terms on Jan. 1 will be incumbents Jeannette Rieger-Borer and Mike Holthaus and newcomer Jennifer Mealey.
Holthaus had the most votes in all 12 precincts for a total of 2,362 votes, 31.58 percent. Coming in second was Rieger-Borer with 1,888 votes, 25.24 percent. Mealey tallied 1,720 votes, 22.99 percent.
Jerry Liebhard, finishing fourth, had 1,479 votes, 19.77 percent.
Board member Alicia Millner did not seek re-election.
■ A painstaking but therapeutic matchstick construction hobby has helped U.S. Army veteran Rodney Anderson of Annandale through some difficult times in life.
Over the years, he has become so adept at creating life-like structures from the unlikely building materials that his works have become almost unbelievably detailed.
In fact, judges from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals around the country were so impressed with his most recent matchstick home that Anderson was awarded a gold medal in the VA’s National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, an honor he accepted in Milwaukee at the beginning of November.
Nov. 19
■ It has been a hub of community gatherings, activities and celebrations for nearly 15 years, but as of Jan. 1 Reichel’s Catering and Event Center will be no more.
Robin Reichel is setting aside her catering business, which started in her home in 1995. And the event center, which was built for Reichel’s business and opened in March of 2001, is now up for sale.
Along with her daughter, business manager and event coordinator Megan Czycalla, Reichel said the decision was made to close about a month ago for financial reasons, as the event business, and particularly the wedding business, has changed in the wake of the Great Recession.
■ Over the past several months the future of the former Bay Club restaurant on Clearwater Lake has hung in the balance as two potential buyers with very different plans for the property maneuvered to make the acquisition.
Now, though the final outcome is still not certain, it appears that the scales have tipped decisively toward a purchase of the property by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
The present situation is that the DNR has exercised an option to purchase the property and is going through the title work to make sure there are no issues. Edgeton said that if all goes well the sale could close by the end of the year, but no closing date has been set.
■ There is a wide world of experience behind the new priest at St. Ignatius. Fr. George Kallumkalkudy, 70, is a native of Kerala, India, situated near the southern tip of the country on the coast of the Indian Ocean.
■ A crop season that started as the wettest on record for the Twin Cities region slewed to what farmers hope is a temporary halt last week as about a foot of snow fell around the Annandale area on Monday, Nov. 10.
While most if not all of the soybean harvest was complete, a number of area farmers still had substantial amounts of corn in the fields.
Nov. 26
■ As 2014 draws to a close, members of the Annandale Kiwanis Club are looking back on a quarter century of service to their community and the wider world.
"When you think about the Improvement Club starting in the late 1800s here, our Kiwanis is pretty much a baby as far as service organizations go. But we’ve had a good 25 years and I think we still are continuing to do good in the community," said Karen Millner, a three-term past president.
Millner, along with her husband Roger, are the only two charter members of the club who are still active with Kiwanis.
■ Less than one year after it closed, the former Tootsie’s Bar and Grill building in Annandale is poised to reopen with a new owner and new business plan.
Mike Klein of Watkins closed on his purchase of the building on Friday, Nov. 14, and said he hopes to open a sports bar called "The Stadium" by mid-December.
The opening date is dependant on how quickly some interior remodeling work can be completed, however, and may not come until after the turn of the year.
■ A benefit has been planned at Camp Friendship for Darin Hayes, a part-time cook there who was struck head-on by a drunk driver on his way to the camp from his full-time day job in Monticello on Oct. 25.
Despite devastating injuries, Hayes survived the crash and is on a long road to recovery. The Hayes family is from Clearwater, and Darin’s wife Sarah is a paraprofessional at Annandale Elementary School.
December
Dec. 3
■ Area residents hitting the road for the Thanksgiving holiday could be grateful for the lowest gas prices in five years last week.
At the three Annandale gas stations, the price for a gallon of unleaded gas was $2.66.
"I’d like to see it go lower, but it’s definitely better than $4 per gallon," said Gary Rieder of Clearwater, who was filling his truck at Cenex on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
According to the American Automobile Association, better known as AAA, the national price for a gallon of gas on that day was $2.81, 46 cents cheaper than the same time last year. That is the lowest price for gas since 2009.
■ The Annandale School Board unanimously approved a two-year extension of Superintendent Steve Niklaus’ contract during its regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 24.
"We are thrilled that Steve is continuing to work for our school district. He has done a wonderful job for many years and always has the students’ best interest in mind," said Katie Howard Jones.
Niklaus was hired in 1986 as the principal of Annandale High School. In 1992 he accepted the superintendent position.
■ The Annandale School Board met Monday, Nov. 24, and received an update from Superintendent Steve Niklaus on progress being made for the demolition of the 1922 portion of the Annandale Middle School.
Niklaus indicated a request for bids was going out soon and that the bid opening is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 16. Niklaus estimates the cost to be up to $900,000.
Dec. 10
■ After three multi-vehicle crashes in the span of a month at the intersection of County Road 3 and Highway 55, including one incident resulting in the death of an Annandale woman, public officials and highway engineers are planning a discussion about what options might be available to improve safety there.
The impetus for the gathering is coming from Malco Products, Inc., a large employer located at the intersection that helps contribute high traffic volumes to an otherwise rural location.
"The last accident involved one of our former associates who has retired," said Malco President Mardon Quandt. "I don’t know how many years he has driven by that intersection, and then somebody pulled out in front of him and he ended up in the hospital. So it’s affecting people we know. It’s sad."
■ The overall tax levy in Annandale will rise about 3 percent in 2015, while the budget is down slightly from 2014.
Annandale City Council members approved next year’s financial documents during their meeting on Monday, Dec. 1.
The 3-percent levy increase is in line with Annandale’s recent history. Final levies approved in the last five years have included increases of 0.76 percent in 2014, 3.36 percent in 2013, 2.4 percent in 2012, 6 percent in 2011 and 9.45 percent in 2010.
Dec. 17
■ A massive crowd that Annandale Police Chief Jeff Herr estimated at 2,000 to 2,500 people turned out to see the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train roll into town on a balmy Saturday, Dec. 13.
With temperatures in the 40s, the crowd that completely filled the park enjoyed performances by acappella group Home Free and Kira Isabella. A check was given to the Annandale Food Shelf from Canadian Pacific for $4,500. In all, the food shelf collected 3,900 pounds of food, and a total of $8,280 was raised at the train event itself. A special event at Anchor Dock and Lift raised another $28,423 for the food shelf, a total that could continue to grow.
■ If the necessary funding can be obtained, left turn lanes may be coming to the Highway 55 and County Road 3-County Road 136 intersection.
In addition, re-striping and possible realignment of the county roads to get cross traffic to stop square to Highway 55 will be pursued, the flashing warning signs will be re-evaluated and options will be explored on how to make changes around historic grave sites located on the northeast side of the intersection.
In short, the meeting of highway engineers and public officials at Malco on Friday, Dec. 12, yielded plans for a variety of actions, large and small, to improve safety at the intersection.
■ It’s a topic that has surfaced from time to time around town, and one that the Annandale City Council began to address in an informal discussion at the end of its meeting on Monday, Dec. 1.
What to do about the Main Street canopies?
To be clear, there’s no immediate problem with the trademark structures that were dedicated 34 years ago in 1980. The canopies and balconies made of western red cedar were meant to evoke a turn-of-the-20th century feel, and they convey an instant, unmistakably Annandale image to all passing through.
Still, after three decades there seemed to be consensus among council members that a re-examination and perhaps updating of the city rules governing the canopy district is in order. A committee was formed to discuss the matter.
Dec. 24
■ The bids for the demolition of the 1922 building were opened on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Annandale Middle School.
There were 25 bid packages bid upon that included the demolition of the 1922 building, constructing two replacement bathrooms and adding a secured entrance for the middle school.
The Annandale school board was scheduled to meet on Monday, Dec. 22, to approve recommended contracts for each of the bid packages associated with the work. Jay Vogel, Winkelman Building Corporation, was scheduled to be at the board meeting to recommend contracts to the lowest possible bidders.
■ The new statewide coordinator for Pheasants Forever has Wright County roots, and has called South Haven home for most of the past decade.
Eran Sandquist was named to the position on Sept. 1, and has been busy traveling to oversee various projects around Minnesota ever since.
His new title is the culmination of a life spent outdoors, an education geared toward wildlife management and a career that has, from its beginning in 2002, focused on fulfilling the mission of Pheasants Forever.
■ As of last week, six permits for new single-family homes had been issued in Annandale. That is the most new home construction since 2010, when 12 permits were issued. Only one permit was issued in both 2013 and 2012, and four were issued in 2011.
Dec. 31
■ The Annandale School Board met Monday, Dec. 22, for its regular monthly meeting, and plans for the demolition of the 1922 portion of the Annandale Middle School are moving forward. Demolition is scheduled to begin March 1, 2015.
n Six years after first contact, the relationship between members of St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Annandale and their sister parish in the Philippines continues to deepen.
After the initial team of visitors from St. Ignatius visited mountainous Pacuan in 2009 returning members voiced a goal of sending some of St. Ignatius’ youth to the Philippines, as well as bringing individuals from Pacuan to Annandale.
Over the past two summers, those goals have been accomplished. In 2013 St. Ignatius hosted a pair of Filipino visitors for the first time, and this past August an eight-member group, including four youth from St. Ignatius, made the church’s fourth visit to Pacuan.
■ Both Sen. Bruce Anderson and Rep. Joe McDonald said the primary focus of the 2015 Minnesota legislative session will be to set a budget for the next two years, a process that should be made easier by the November forecast that showed the state has a $1.037 billion surplus for the next two years.
Deciding on the best use for that surplus, how much should be saved or invested as opposed to returned to taxpayers, could be a flash point of division between the parties.
In addition to the budget, both lawmakers expected to spend time addressing difficulties with MNsure, the state’s health exchange system.
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