Reaching Everybody!
Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid St. Joseph Newsleader St. Joseph, MN 56374 Permit No. 21 ECRWSS Postal Customer
Newsleader St. Joseph
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013 Volume 24, Issue 2 Est. 1989
Postal Patron
Fasching has ‘large pair of shoes to fill’ by Mark Lauer news@thenewsleaders.com
Town Crier Hospital requests healthy visitors only
To protect our patients and staff, St. Cloud Hospital is discouraging visitors with fever or cough from visiting hospitalized patients. Visitors who are healthy are advised to do the following: • Clean your hands after arriving and before leaving. • Always cover your cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve. • Clean your hands after coughing and sneezing. Thank you for your cooperation during this challenging flu season.
Individual tax preparer, tax site assistants sought
Volunteers are needed at the St. Cloud VITA free tax site locations to assist as individual tax preparers and tax site assistants. Tax preparers are responsible for completing individual tax returns for low-income individuals and families. An all-day training session will be offered from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19, and three evening sessions, Jan. 22, 23 and 24. If a volunteer cannot attend those sessions, alternate training is available. For more information, visit www. thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.
Farmers asked to remit apps for conservation
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications to help farmers improve water and air quality, build healthier soil, improve grazing and forest lands, conserve energy, enhance organic operations and achieve other environmental benefits. Funds are available for conservation activities, such as irrigation water management, reduced tillage, field buffers, rotational grazing systems and much more. The deadline for the next sign-up period in Minnesota is Jan. 18. Additional sign-up deadlines include: Feb. 15, March 15 and April 19. For more information, visit www. thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.
INSERTS:
Culligan Midcontinent
contributed photo
On the sidelines, Gary Fasching (front, in white) motions as he keeps a keen eye on the progress of a football game.
What if you were picked to take over for someone who was so honored, so well-respected, that the very thought of being that person’s “replacement” seemed out of the question? And that no one, no matter how qualified, could ever fill those shoes again? Welcome to Gary Fasching’s world. On Nov. 19, St. John’s University’s football coach, John Gagliardi, announced his retirement after spending 60 years at the school. Just say that to yourself once. Sixty years. Who stays at a job, any job, for 60 years? And during that time, plus four earlier seasons at Montana’s Carroll College (1949-52), Gagliardi established himself as the winningest college football coach of all time, compiling a record of 489-138-11 with 30 conference titles (27 of them at SJU), plus four national championships. And in 2006, he was also Fasching • page 4
Council hopefuls join city boards, commissions
by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com
St. Joseph residents Troy Goracke and Matt Killam didn’t let defeat in the November general election deter Goracke their efforts to serve the community. The two will serve for the next three years on the city’s park board and Killam planning commission. St. Joseph City Council members unanimously approved several new appointments to the planning commission, park board and economic development authority Jan. 3. Those appointments include adding Gary Osberg to the EDA lineup, Goracke to the park board and Killam to the planning commission. The
park board also gained new leadership with the addition of Jodi Keehr. Planning commission members will see a familiar face as Ross Rieke was reappointed. Chad Hausmann and Killam were also welcomed. Dale Wick will serve as acting mayor, city administrator Judy Weyrens said. There were three open seats on the city’s planning commission. Those seats are held by commission chairwoman Sister Kathleen Kalinowski and member Rieke, whose terms expired this month; and one additional open seat that ends in 2014. Planning commission members serve for three years. The planning commission meets at 7 p.m. the first Monday of the month at city hall. It’s an advisory board that manages city growth through implementation of the city’s comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance. The St. Joseph Park Board had two vacancies to fill. Sharon Young and Lonnie Abbot’s terms expired this year. The five-member board is charged
with helping the city provide well-maintained parks, open spaces and trail systems to the community. Park board members serve three-year terms and meet the fourth Monday
of the month at 6:30 p.m. at city hall. Osberg was the only appointment to the EDA. The EDA is a five-member board Council • page 2
Gift-giving tree recipients thank community
photo by TaLeiza Calloway
The Wiese family of St. Joseph smiles during a family holiday photo. They are: Amara, 6; Amber; Morgan, 1; and Dominic, 9. Tree • page 5
www.thenewsleaders.com
St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
2
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013
Council from front page appointed by the mayor and city council. Members meet at 5 p.m. every fourth Wednes-
day of the month at city hall. Board members serve for seven years. The areas of focus for the EDA include infrastructure development, business recruitment, workforce development and market development.
Obituary Glenn G. Deutz, 78 St. Joseph Jan. 24, 1934 - Jan. 1, 2013
contributed photo
The St. Joseph Lions recently presented awards during its awards banquet held Nov. 20 in Sal’s Bar, St. Joseph. Recipients were the following (left to right): Joseph Bechtold, Helen Keller Award; Joanne Bechtold, Dream Catcher Award; District 5M8 Governor Dave Thompson; Mary Stommes, Top Dog Award; and Jim Meyer, Top Dog Award.
People
Twenty St. Joseph students in grade sixth-12th were recently named to the fall semester headmaster’s honor roll at St. John’s Preparatory School, Collegeville. They are the following: Sarah Bresnahan, senior, daughter of Richard and Colette Bresnahan; Leela Cofell, junior, daughter of Monica Cofell; Zachary Dehler, senior, son of Al and Mary Dehler; Marisa Gaetz, freshmen, daughter of Rick and Rose Gaetz; Lauren Kissela, eighth grade, daughter of Chad Kissela and Marcia Allard; Elizabeth Larson, senior, daughter of Keith Larson and Deb Stumvoll; Adam and Ben Lepinski, both eighth grade, sons of Alan and Lois Lepinski; Gabrielle Martone, junior, Grace Martone, eighth grade, and John Martone, seventh grade, daughters and son of Mark and Lisa Martone; Taylor Nydeen, eighth grade, daughter of
Lance and Pam Nydeen; Savannah O’Hare, freshmen, daughter of Amy O’Hare of St. Joseph and Peter O’Hare of Hixson, Tenn.; Clare Pfannenstein, sophomore, and Cole Pfannenstein, eighth grade, daughter and son of Patrick and Joan Pfannenstein; Emily Powers, sophomore, daughter of James and Bridget Powers; Sarah Schrup, sophomore, daughter of Tom and Myra Schrup; Luke Teigen, senior, son of Cliff and Marcia Teigen; Justin Terhaar, freshmen, son of Karl and Jody Terhaar; and Anja Wuolu, freshmen, daughter of David and Lorie Wuolu. Students attaining this honor have a grade-point average of 3.50 or higher.
If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 255-1301 or access its tip site at www.tricountycrimestoppers.org. Crime Stoppers offers rewards up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for crimes.
Also, the nurse line was contacted. Family was advised by Gold Cross private vehicle transport would be fine as boy was doing better.
Dec. 5 8:23 p.m. Medical. Baker Street E. Boy, 6, ingested the contents of a “stress ball.” Unknown what it was. He was conscious, no breathing problems, but had stomach pain and vomiting. Poison control was called prior to officer’s arrival.
Five St. Joseph students in grades sixth-12th, were recently named to the fall semester principal’s honor roll at St. John’s Pre-
patory School, Collegeville. They are the following: Ilia Bauer-Jones, freshmen, daughter of Stacy Bauer of St. Joseph and Zack Jones of St. Paul; Samuel Schrup, senior, son of Tom and Myra Schrup; Brenna Skahen, eighth-grade, and Thomas Skahen, sophomore, daughter and son of Sean and Jennifer Skahen, St. Joseph; and Kathleen Walz, freshmen, daughter of John Walz of St. Joseph and Susan Walz of St. Cloud. Students attaining this honor have a grade-point average of 3.0 to 3.499. Amanda Faber, St. Joseph, was recently named to the dean’s list at Valley City Sate University, ND. The honor is given to students who complete 12 semester hours or more with a grade-point average of at least 3.5.
Blotter
taken from her front yard. A doe and a buck. Value of deer, $60.
Dec. 6 10:48 p.m. K-9 narcotics. CR 75/CR 134. Officer stopped a motor vehicle for having a headlight and taillight out and smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle. Officer found marijuana and paraphernalia in the vehicle. Issued citation.
Dec. 8 2 a.m. Unwanted guests. Pond View Lane. Male reported he was having trouble with a couple of guests who could not handle the amount of alcohol they had consumed. The guests left on foot prior to officer’s arrival. Male said it was loud outside because of the argument getting them to leave. He did not request any further assistance.
Dec. 7 7:29 a.m. Theft. Birch Street W. Female reported sometime during the night, two lighted deer were
Dec. 9 1:51 a.m. Intoxicated male. College Avenue S. Officer responded to a bus stop at CSB for an intoxi-
G l e n n G. Deutz. Glenn, St. Joseph, died Jan. 1, due to complications of Parkinson’s disease. His funeral was held Jan. 5, 2013 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, St. Joseph. Burial was in the St. Joseph Parish Cemetery. Deutz was born Jan. 24, 1934 in Marshall, Minn., to Hubert and Cora (Kerkvliet) Deutz. He graduated from Marshall High School in 1951 and worked for his father at Deutz and Crow Ready Mix. He married Dorothy S. Dastych on June 28, 1954. Deutz served in the U.S. Army in Heidelberg, Germany during the Korean War. He returned to finish his degree and pursue his love of education. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from St. Cloud State University and went on to spend 33 years teaching chemistry and math at St. John’s Prep, St. Cloud Apollo and Tech high schools and spent one year teaching in
cated male who was passed out in the bathroom. Officer arrived on the scene and found male with his head in a trash can and vomit all over the bathroom. Party could not stand or take care of himself. Officer contacted Gold Cross to check him out. A sober party came and signed off with Gold Cross. Officer cleared. 8:30 a.m. Damage to property. Minnesota Street W. Female reported a small walnut tree was broken off 12 feet above the ground. Value of tree was not provided. Dec. 10 4:55 p.m. Opened mail. Elena Lane. Male reported when he re-
Melk, Austria. He also worked as an insurance and investment broker prior to retiring in 1997. For the past 45 years, the couple made their home on Kraemer Lake in St. Joseph. As an active member of the community, he will be remembered for his involvement in the original construction of the Kennedy Elementary School and the remodeling of the parish church, having served on both boards. Glenn was a member of the Lions, American Legion, Kiwanis and National Educators Association. Survivors include the following: his wife of 58 years; son Michael (Jodi) Deutz and daughter Tracy (John) DeutzO’Connell and grandson Tyler; brothers Ronald (Mary), Duane (Sharon), Loren (Lynn) and David (Chris), and sisters Antoinette “Toni” Anderson, Dolores Pidcock, Marion Mulvahill, Judy (Alan) Olson, Gretchen Kellogg and Janet (Bob) Carlson. Preceding him in death were his parents; brothers Hubert Jr., Mark and Tom; and sisters Marcella Crow and Arlene Deutz. Deutz’s family said they will miss him, his supportive love, his wisdom and inspiration which he brought to their lives.
ceived his mail from the mailbox today, he noticed two pieces of mail had been torn open. Complainant stated he will call if it happens again so corrective actions can be made. 11:16 p.m. Alarm. Minnesota Street W. Report of an alarm going off. Officer arrived and found all exterior of the building secure but could hear the alarm going off inside. Officer waited for key holder to respond and they went through the building together. Everything appeared to be in order. It could be the person locking up took too much time leaving the building, setting off the alarm.
Published each Friday by Von Meyer Publishing Inc. Publisher/Owner Janelle Von Pinnon Editor Dennis Dalman
Newstands BP Gas Station Casey’s General Store Holiday Gas Station Kay’s Kitchen
The Local Blend St. Joseph Meat Market St. Joseph Newsleader Office
Contributing Writers TaLeiza Calloway Cori Hilsgen Mark Lauer Design/Layout Tara Wiese
Advertising Sales Assistant Kathryn Bjorke Delivery Glen Lauer
P.O. Box 324 • 32 1st Ave. N.W. • St. Joseph, Minn. 56374 Phone (320) 363-7741 • Fax (320) 363-4195 • E-mail address: news@thenewsleaders.com POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ST. JOSEPH NEWSLEADER, P.O. Box 324, St. Joseph, MN 56374.
St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013
3
Lahr receives ‘Golden Crusader’ award by Cori Hilsgen news@thenewsleaders.com
For his decades of quality coaching, St. Joseph resident Jerry Lahr recently received the “Golden Crusader” award, Cathedral High School’s highest honor. The award is given annually to one or more people who have helped the school achieve its goals throughout a long period of time. Cathedral President Mike Mullen said Lahr received the 2012 award for his decades-long dedication to coaching and for his outstanding character and integrity. Lahr has coached hundreds of the school’s athletes. Lahr is a 1953 graduate of Cathedral. He began coaching as a Parochial Athletic Association volunteer coach more than 50 years ago and continues to support the school as an enthusiastic fan. The PAA program was originally established for students in fifth- through eighth-grade to offer students a chance to learn about and participate in sports. Lahr, who was a catcher for the area’s amateur baseball league for 29 years, was one of the first coaches for the program. He coached basketball and baseball and came into the program at the same time as other familiar names such as Dick Putz, Jack Hall and Albie Peckskamp. Lahr said the PAA program was a strong athletic feeder program for all the area high schools and graduated many fine athletes. After graduating from Cathedral, Lahr went to work for the Great Northern Railroad. He worked with the railroad for 44 years. During that time he was laid off and spent time drilling wells and welding for a pontoon company. Lahr and his first wife, Kathleen, had four children, Kevin, Tom, Theresa and Sandy. All four graduated from Cathedral High School. He never coached any of the teams on which they played. Kathleen died from surgical
complications in 1976 when their children were between the ages of 8 through 15. Lahr became reacquainted with the woman who is now his current wife at a class reunion. He and Bev dated for about six years until his children moved away from home before they married. Bev, a former specialeducation instructor for 34 years at St. Cloud State University, said Lahr is a “delightful person.” Lahr’s job with the railroad relocated him to Lincoln, Neb. when his daughters were still living at home. His youngest daughter was in high school, and his oldest daughter had just graduated and was attending community college in St. Cloud. Lahr said there were 96 people who got transferred with the railroad. Many of them were travelling back and forth from Minnesota to Nebraska as he did. Lahr commuted back and forth every weekend before suffering a stroke on Friday, Jan. 13, 1989 while he was up on scaffolding on a railroad car. Lahr said he was required to see the company doctor every four months for a period of time before the doctor determined he could no longer return to work because of the stroke. Lahr was 59 years old at the time. After Lahr’s stroke, St. Cloud resident and 1966 Cathedral graduate Don Bellmont asked Lahr if he would consider helping coach PAA baseball for the year. Lahr had been Bellmont’s sixth-grade basketball coach. Bellmont’s children were in the PAA program at Sts. Peter, Paul and Michael school. Lahr ended up helping for six years before retiring after 40 years of coaching. Bellmont said Lahr had a mild-mannered approach to coaching and set that good example for the athletes at a time when many coaches took a more aggressive approach. Bellmont said Lahr helped prepare a lot of young athletes for their successful athletic careers at Cathedral. Lahr, who is now 77, said
Alterations
by Barbara C.
• Expert bridal & formal wear alterations • Master tailoring for men’s, women’s & military • Alterations, repairs, mending & custom sewing • Theatrical & historical re-enactment costuming
32 1st Ave. N.W. St. Joseph
(behind the St. Joseph Meat Market)
320-310-2024 Matching Grant
Friday, Jan. 11 St. John’s Parish Center
Concession Stand Selling: Hot Dogs • Pizza • Candy Popcorn • Beverages
PARTY! Bingo playing 6-9 p.m. $1 per game Cash prizes! FUN for all ages!
sponsored by:
St. John the Baptist Parish 14241 Fruit Farm Rd. • Collegeville 320.363.2569
his leg was stiff for a period of time after his stroke. However, he feels very fortunate when he sees other stroke victims. Through the years, he has also had knee and hip surgeries and a severe stomach bleeding problem during which he lost 20 units of blood and almost didn’t recover. Throughout it all, Lahr has actively volunteered in the communities where he has lived. He was inducted into Cathedral’s Hall of Fame in 1997. Currently, Lahr remains active as a church lector, working with Meals on Wheels, helping with Toys for Tots and volunteering with his parish – St. Boniface in Cold Spring. More than 250 people at-
photo by Cori Hilsgen
St. Joseph resident Jerry Lahr recently received Cathedral High School’s highest honor, the “Golden Crusader” award for his many years of coaching and supporting the school. At Lahr’s left is his wife, Bev. tended Lahr’s award ceremony held at the Gorecki Center in St. Joseph. His two daughters flew in from Colorado and one son drove from Rapid City, S.D. Lahr has 10 grandchildren
and one great-grandchild. Many of them also attended the event. “I was very honored and a little surprised to receive the award,” Lahr said. “It was just a wonderful evening.”
Public hearing set to tackle alcohol-related ordinances by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com The St. Joseph City Council will hold a public hearing Jan. 17 to review ordinances to help deter underage drinking in the city. The hearing will take place during the regular council meeting, which starts at 7 p.m. At its Jan. 3 meeting, city council members considered the addition of several law changes, including a disruptive-intoxication law, social-host ordinance and a requirement permit for kegs in the city. No decision was made on the keg-permit fee, but residents of age who want to have a keg at a gathering could have to apply for a permit in the future. The City of St. Cloud charges $5.25 for keg
permits. In St. Joseph, no more than one keg may be located on a single property unit. St. Joseph City Administrator Judy Weyrens said staff is likely to recommend a charge of $5 for the keg permit at the Jan. 17 council meeting. This is the second time the city has pondered a social-host ordinance, a law that holds people criminally responsible for hosting events or gatherings where people under the age of 21 possess or consume alcohol regardless of whether the host of the event supplied the alcohol. St. Cloud has a social-host ordinance in place. According to staff, it has worked well for them, Weyrens said. St. Joseph Police Chief Pete Jansky said previously he thinks it’s a good
ordinance to have and is one that some landlords requested. St. Cloud City Attorney Matt Staehling came to the council meeting Jan. 3 to give more information about the law and answer any questions council members had. Janksy said previously the public intoxication law will assist with problems law enforcement has with large unruly crowds. The proposed law states no person, while intoxicated in a public place, shall conduct himself or herself so as to be a danger to themselves or others and/or engage in a public disruption. Drafts of the proposed law changes will be available at the meeting in case officials choose to adopt them, Weyrens said.
BEAUTY
DENTISTRY
Mary Kay Cosmetics Joyce Barnes St. Joseph 320-251-8989
Michael F. Contardo D.D.S. 26 2nd Ave. NW St. Joseph 320-363-4468
CHIROPRACTOR Dr. Jerry Wetterling 103 N. College Ave. St. Joseph 320-363-4573
Drs. Styles, Cotton & Milbert 1514 E. Minnesota St., Box 607 St. Joseph 320-363-7729
CHURCHES
DESKTOP PUBLISHING
Gateway Church
Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Wednesday, 6 p.m. Saturday
106 2nd Ave. NW St. Joseph (next to the Post Office) 320-282-2262
Von Meyer Publishing 32 1st Ave. NW St. Joseph 320-363-7741
EYECARE
Russell Eyecare & Associates 15 E. Minnesota St., Ste. 107 Resurrection Lutheran, ELCA St. Joseph 320-433-4326 Gateway Church St. Joseph
Sunday Worship 8:30 & 11 a.m. WoW! (Worship on Wednesday) 6:30 p.m.
610 N. CR 2 St. Joseph 320-363-4232 www.rlcstjo.org St. Joseph Catholic Church Masses: Tuesday-Friday 8 a.m. Saturday 5 p.m. Sunday 8 and 10 a.m.
320-363-7505 St. Joseph www.churchstjoseph.org
PLUMBING & HEATING Metro Plumbing & Heating 545 8th Ave. NE St. Joseph 320-363-7761
St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
4
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013
Silvas at right place, right time for St. Joseph McDonald’s by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com
A happy series of coincidences convinced Joseph and Valerie Silva they’d made the right choice when they decided to move from Chicago to central Minnesota. The Silvas are the owners of the new McDonald’s restaurant in St. Joseph. They also own two McDonald’s in Waite Park and one in Avon. Although the St. Joseph McDonald’s opened Dec. 31, there will be a grand opening Tuesday, Jan. 29 during which a portion of all sales will go to the Brian Klinefelter Foundation. The fundraiser is a tribute to one of the coincidences. Jophoto by Dennis Dalman Joseph and Valerie Silva are the proud owners of the new Mc- seph Silva was for many years a Donald’s restaurant in Sartell, which will have a grand opening police officer in Chicago, where he and Valerie grew up. One of Jan. 29 as a fundraiser for the Brian Klinefelter Foundation.
Fasching from front page named to the NCAA College Football Hall of Fame while still an active coach. That is one large pair of shoes. But on Dec. 28, Fasching was chosen to be the next head football coach at St. John’s after spending the past 17 seasons as a defensive assistant. His appointment ended a month-long replacement search. The last time a new head coach was hired at SJU, the president of the United States was named Eisenhower. Gagliardi’s tenure and his teams’ accomplishments would become the stuff of legend. Fasching was one of 25 original applicants for the head coaching job. In mid-December he made the list of three finalists, chosen by the 10-member selection committee. The other two finalists, also Johnnie graduates, were Mike Grant and Kurt Ramler. Both Grant and Ramler have achieved coaching success
of their own, at the high school and college levels. Fasching expressed his admiration for his fellow finalists. “I have a ton of respect for both of those guys,” he said. “I was going to trust whatever the committee decided. No matter who they selected, St. John’s was going to get an excellent coach.” Fasching knows only too well what a tough act Gagliardi is to follow. He credits his former mentor for being “the best in the business.” “We’re never going to see another John Gagliardi,” he said. “He let his assistants do a lot of the coaching. What I have to do is work hard to be ready, and to make sure my team is ready for this season.” It would come as no surprise to hear Fasching express his willingness to work hard. He was raised on his parents’ dairy farm in Winsted, Minn. (about 15 miles northeast of Hutchinson) as one of 15 children, working to help with the daily chores. Anyone who comes from a family of 15 knows a little something about working to get what you want. And the
OPEN HOUSE Friday, Jan. 25 4:30-6 p.m.
experience also taught Fasching something about what he wanted, or didn’t want, out of life. “I could tell that it (dairy farming) was never going to be my passion,” he says. “My dad was the hardest worker I’ve ever known. But it wasn’t going to be in my plans.” Fasching was a product of the Winsted parochial school system, and graduated from Winsted Holy Trinity in 1977. He was recruited by Gagliardi, and eventually made a visit to the Collegeville campus, with the encouragement of his high school coaches. “They thought that St. John’s would be a good spot for me,” Fasching recalls. “They (St. John’s) had just come off a national championship season in 1976. When I first came up here to make a campus visit, the people were all so welcoming and made me feel comfortable. That sort of stuck in my mind.” Then there was the Gagliardi method, his well-documented set of standards and policies for just how a college football team should conduct itself, on and off the field. No hitting or tackling in practice. No goals, just high
St. Joseph Campus Families are invited to learn about the great opportunities at All Saints Academy by meeting with teachers, staff and parents of current students.
the first people the Silvas met in the St. Cloud area is Wendy Tragiai, the widow of Brian Klinefelter, a St. Joseph police officer shot to death during a traffic stop on Jan. 29, 1996. Helping a foundation like the Brian Klinefelter Foundation was exactly what the Silvas had in mind when they moved to Minnesota. Eerily enough, their new McDonald’s is just a stone’s throw away from where Klinefelter was killed on that cold January night. The Silvas have a soft spot in their hearts for police officers because they know the stresses, strains and dangers of the job. Joseph’s father was the Cook County Sheriff in Chicago for many years, and he has many cousins who are officers. Valerie worked at a McDon-
ald’s in Chicago for 20 years. She and Joseph decided it was time for a change. He quit police work and both became McDonald’s owners. Then they began pondering a chance to relocate. They had three requirements that had to be met before moving to a new place: 1. A good school system. 2. A good medical system, partly because their eldest daughter suffers from severe asthma. 3. A good, safe, family-oriented place to raise their two children. Valerie had told McDonald’s personnel she would move in one direction and one direction only – south. She had become weary of Chicago’s sometimes bitterly cold winters. When she heard about opportunities in McDonald’s • page 8
expectations. No traditional captains; all seniors share this honor. No lengthy calisthenics. No trash talking. No rules, except the Golden Rule. It goes on and on, Gagliardi’s List of Nos. “That (Gagliardi’s method) was intriguing to me, also,” Fasching said. “It took some getting used to, because when I first came up here, I was like a lot of the other guys. I wanted to do some hitting. But when I saw how they went about things here, and the fact they did the things they did and won like they did, I accepted it.” Fasching played four seasons under Gagliardi, the last three as a starting linebacker. After graduating in 1981, he eventually became the head football coach at St. Cloud Cathedral in 1986, where he led the Crusaders to State Class B championships in 1992 and 1993. Soon thereafter, Fasching returned to St. John’s in 1995, coaching the defensive line. When he took the job, he felt reasonably certain his chance to be a head coach would come eventually. After all, by this time Gagliardi had been at SJU for more than 40 years, and was nearly 69 years old. At that age, most men are kept busy by playing golf, going fishing or working as Wal-Mart greeters. Not coaching football. “I thought John might stay around for another 10 years,” Fasching said. “I’m a pretty patient man.” He needed to be. That chance
wouldn’t come for almost 20 years. This is a busy time of year for a college football coach, as they work on recruitment tasks for the next season. Days are long, and a lot of contacts have to be made. Fasching is working to put together his coaching staff for next year, and will soon be contacting his current players and letting them know what to expect in 2013. St. John’s has missed the NCAA Division III football playoffs the past three seasons, something which hasn’t happened since the late-’70s. In recent years, arch-rival St. Thomas has risen to the top of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Fasching knows the St. John’s alumni, well known for its fierce loyalty and passion for their alma mater, are very anxious to see the Johnnies return to their former standing. He’s received an outpouring of congratulatory wishes from SJU alumni and supporters, but those wishes also contain the hope St. John’s will soon return to prominence in the MIAC. “It’s not going to happen overnight,” Fasching warns. “But I feel good about getting things back on track, and getting the right people in place. Most times, when you’re hired as a new coach, that means the previous coach was fired, and the program is in shambles. But that was not the case here. “John didn’t leave the cupboard bare.”
Games and activities will be available for children at the Open House.
32 W. Minnesota St. 363-7505 x 150 karl.terhaar@allsaintsmn.org www.allsaintsmn.org
We offer: All-Day Everyday Kindergarten Montessori Preschool Christ-Centered Education Small Class Sizes After-School Childcare Many Enrichment Opportunities
Michael R. Grussing Licensed Insurance Agent
HELP WANTED: Sales Professional/CSR - St. Joseph
Email resume to mgrussing@farmersagent.com or call 320-363-7800. 320-363-7800 • 111 College Ave. N. #2 • St. Joseph, MN 56374
St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013
Tree from front page by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com
On a Monday afternoon, Amber Wiese waits for her daughter, Amara, 6, to arrive from school and her 1-year-old daughter, Morgan, to awake from her nap. Her oldest child, Dominic, 9, has a few hours yet before he’s done with school. Her home is calm as she talks about how grateful she is to those who supported the local Giving Trees this year. The Wiese family was one of five families to benefit from the Giving Tree project’s generosity. The 30-year-old mother of three was surprised when she got the call last month alerting her that she and her children had been selected as a family this year. Amara attends KIDSTOP at Kennedy Community School in St. Joseph. Wiese said organizers contacted leaders of the after-school program at Kennedy for suggestions of who to assist and they gave them Wiese’s name. “I was big-time surprised,” Amber Wiese said with a smile. “It’s a blessing.” The St. Joseph resident used to work in a local Head Start program so she was a bit familiar with the program. When she went to pick up the presents, that familiarity turned to amazement. They had a pile of gifts for each member of the family. From a variety of clothes and toys to a $100 gift
5
card to Coborn’s, there were about 60 gifts total, she said. “I really want to thank them for their kindness, generosity and support for my children and myself,” she said. “It’s amazing to see a community take care of one another.” As a single parent who attends school full-time, Wiese will tell you her life has not been an easy one. She said there is a belief about low-income families that supports the idea all they want is a handout and they are comfortable with their situation. Her response is, “We’re doing the best we can and should not be ashamed of needing assistance.” Living in poverty is beyond most people’s imagining, Wiese said. “We’ve sacrificed a lot,” she said of her family. “It’s hard to accept the realization of where you are and that you need help. Living in poverty is something you can’t understand until you’ve experienced it.” Wiese is a junior at St. Cloud State University. She is working on a degree in social work and wants to work in child-protection services. She is three semesters away from her degree. She was also recently elected vice president of the Student Social Work Association at SCSU. Wiese lights up as she talks about her children. Amara is in kindergarten at Kennedy Community School and Dominic is in his fourth year as a student in the Chinese immersion program at Madison Elementary School in St. Cloud. The hardships and sacrifices she has experienced include not working so she can spend
more time with her children and continue her education. Not working means a sacrifice of material things and opportunities, but the family stays busy with community and church involvement. Amara was born at 24 weeks and has special needs. She was in the neonatal intensive care unit for six months.
Through it all, their faith remains strong. The family attends Resurrection Lutheran Church and Gateway Church in St. Joseph. When Wiese told Dominic he might share the story of how they received the Christmas gifts, he said, “They bought them, but God inspired them to give them to us.” Family Giving Trees are or-
ganized by local organizations to help low-income families. Little trees with lists of needed items were located throughout the city. This was the first year the Wiese family was selected. Wiese said she looks forward to being in a position to help others just as the community helped her.
with community partnerships. Improvements include the addition of a gazebo in the middle of the park, plantings and a weaving walkway around the park. If the cost is reduced, board members hope to add passive play equipment, Anderson said. “It will be a contemplative park,” Anderson said when upgrades are complete. “It will be less active recreation and a little bit more of an area for people to sit and ponder life.” Park improvements are slated
for completion next year with some work starting as early as Earth Day, Anderson said. A possible Earth Day project would be assisting in tree planting at the park along with the regular clean-up projects that occur annually. Improvements to Cloverdale Park are part of the city’s master park plan. Created in 2008, the park plan proposed upgrades that include the addition of a gazebo, labyrinth, a walking trail, granite monuments, and landscaping and other site ame-
nities, according to city documents. The estimated cost of the proposed improvements is about $230,000, according to planning documents. “It’s in the master park plan,” Anderson said of the improvements. “It’s estimated at a quarter million dollars for all the
(proposed) improvements. We’re trying to do it at a tenth of the cost.” Those interested in collaborating with the park board on the Cloverdale project can email Anderson at: johnand1951@ charter.net.
photos by TaLeiza Calloway
Above: Amara and Morgan Wiese play with some of their Christmas presents Jan. 8. Morgan (right), enjoyed one of the books she received. Right: Presents received from the local gift-giving tree in St. Joseph are piled up in Amber Wiese’s home before the holiday.
Park Board seeks volunteers for Cloverdale project by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com
The St. Joseph Park Board is seeking volunteer partners to assist with improvements to Cloverdale Park. Park Board Chair John Anderson said the board is looking for volunteers to help in reducing the cost of the project. Board members earlier this year budgeted $25,000 for improvements to the neighborhood park. Anderson would like to see if the cost could get as low as $18,000
w w w. jlwchiro. co m
St. Joseph Family Chiropractic
Get back into the swing of life
Walk-ins Welcome
Dr. Jerry Wetterling 363- 45 7 3 103 n. College Ave St. Joseph
St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
6
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013
Opinion Our View
Want to get healthier? Cut out all that sugar
Most people’s New Year’s resolutions probably involve some form of dieting. And that’s a good thing because we are quickly becoming a nation of lard. One-third of all American adults and one-sixth of all children are obese. There are many reasons for the obesity epidemic: lack of exercise as more people become sedentary with their computers, their remote controls, their couches; an increasing habit of people eating starchy fast food on the run; a lack of nutritional knowledge; and the terrible habit of eating sugary foods. Researchers are finding sugar to be a veritable dietary villain, so much so that every sugar bowl should probably be printed with a skull and crossbones. Most of us know dieting can be so difficult, so discouraging. Many seek the impossible (a miracle diet), but effective dieting involves lifestyle changes that include eating habits, the portion sizes of meals, types of foods chosen and even emotional patterns (highs and lows) that can compel some to head for the kitchen or fast-food eatery. Most dieticians recommend an incremental approach to dieting, changing one’s foods and intake amounts gradually over time. It’s next to impossible to make the necessary life changes overnight. In this new year, 2013, those who resolve to diet should begin incrementally with one step: cut out as much sugar from the diet as possible. Recent scientific studies show sugar can be downright toxic because of its devious presence in so many of the foods we eat. Too much sugar can lead to obesity and all the problems associated with being overweight. Sugar can also wreak havoc with the liver, kidneys and heart. The statistics are absolutely alarming. Nearly 20 million Americans have Stage I kidney disease, and that is a direct result of high blood pressure and diabetes, both of which are also on the increase. Table sugar, as it’s known (also known as sucrose) is the worst kind of sugar. Its consumption has skyrocketed in the last few decades throughout the world, and that is because of convenience foods, more and more sugar-based snacks and processed foods – many of which contain sugar, such as many breads. A can of soda pop, depending on the brand, contains the equivalent of anywhere from 3.4 tablespoons to 4.2 tablespoons of sugar. That’s not just a load of calories; it’s eventually a load of health problems. The best step toward incremental dieting, according to most dieticians, is to start by drastically cutting down on sugar in the diet. When shopping, become a label detective and look for words such as these among the ingredients: corn syrup. sucrose, glucose, fructose. Those are all forms of sugar. Don’t allow children to have easy access to so many sweets. It’s an awful way for them to start their lives. Another incremental way to pursue a diet is to cut down on fats and salt. Start slowly, one step at a time, and the first step is to treat sugar as if it’s poison.
Fairness and ethics
Newsleader staff members have the responsibility to report news fairly and accurately and are accountable to the public. Readers who feel we’ve fallen short of these standards are urged to call the Newsleader office at 363-7741. If matters cannot be resolved locally, readers are encouraged to take complaints to the Minnesota News Council, an independent agency designed to improve relationships between the public and the media and resolve conflicts. The council office may be reached at 612-341-9357.
Don’t give up on your New Year’s resolutions With a new year comes a new beginning. It’s a time to start over and attempt to become a better you. I love it. The year 2013 is sure to be a good one. Why? Here’s why. One of the best things about a new year is it offers the chance to make new resolutions or even recommit to the ones we didn’t quite hit in 2012. It’s not often we get a do-over. Embrace it. Social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends and family. This year I took to it to see what their plans were for the New Year. I was surprised at what I observed in the news feed. Sprinkled between the messages of hope and proclamations to worry less, live more, save money and be healthier, were critics of those who make resolutions. I read a lot of, “What’s the use of making a resolution you won’t keep?” or “I plan to be the same as I am now this year,” and the occasional, “Don’t waste your time with resolutions.” They have a right to feel how they want to feel. After all, they may have tried making resolutions in the past and it didn’t work
TaLeiza Calloway Reporter out for them. And that’s OK, but don’t knock those of us who aspire to be better or who want to give previous resolutions another go. There is nothing wrong with setting goals. That said, when we set goals, we have to work hard to achieve them. I read an article on goal-settingguide.com that can help those of us who haven’t given up on resolutions stick to them throughout the year. The article suggested five things to note as we make resolutions and attempt to tackle them. The first is to make the resolution specific. While many want to be more proactive in their fitness journeys in 2013 – me included – we should target a specific weight-loss/gain amount to help guide our journeys. The same can be applied to saving money in the new year. It’s easy to say, “I want to be more frugal,” but another thing to say, “I want to consciously put away
$20 from each paycheck to help me save more.” And, it’s all much easier said than done. Other suggestions from the artice include making our resolutions known to others, making them measurable by time and making them fun and rewarding. Of the five suggestions, I like the advice to measure it and be specific about what you’re trying to achieve. I live in a deadline-oriented world and saying to myself, “I’d like to lose 10 pounds by May 1” might stick in my memory more than just saying I want to lose weight by May. That’s just me. Specifics do make a big difference. About 45 percent of Americans usually make New Year’s resolutions, according to the Journal of Clinical Psychology (University of Scranton). About 38 percent never make them and about 8 percent are successful in achieving their resolutions, data shows. It can be hard to maintain resolutions but they are still worth making. If nothing else, they can be rewarding if achieved or offer new lessons along the way. Stick with them.
‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ packs a punch When Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” met President Abraham Lincoln in the White House, the great man supposedly said to her, “So you are the little lady who helped start this big war.” That exchange is probably legend, but it’s a legend formed from truth. Stowe’s novel hugely helped sway worldwide opinion against slavery. Published in 1852, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was the biggest bestseller in the 19th Century, second only to the Bible in sales. As a literature student for years, I’d always heard “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was a hoked-up melodrama, oozing sentimentality. I knew it had spawned all kinds of negative stereotypes of Afro-Americans, including the subservient victim, Uncle Tom; and the charming sassy child, Topsy. I never wanted to read it, even though I was aware of its importance as a force for social change in its heyday. Recently, a book club sent me a copy of it, and I decided to give it a try. After reading the first pages, I was stunned by how good it is, and I couldn’t put it down. I am now convinced it’s the most unfairly neglected novel in all of American literature. Yes, it has its share of sentimentality and melodrama, as most novels typically did in the 19th Century. However, as a stringent antidote to those aspects, the book is filled with scenes of harrowing, brutal realism; heartbreaking depictions of families be-
Dennis Dalman Editor ing ripped apart by slave traders; and the most vicious cruelties (physical and mental) perpetrated against slaves by their “masters.” In fact, the book is downright incendiary in its evocations of the evils of slavery, so much so it makes one’s blood boil with anger about that shameful era of American (and world) history. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” is a story of interconnecting plots about slaves and plantation families in various places. Characters include slaves Eliza, her husband and son, who manage to escape to the north, all the while being hounded by slave chasers; a “genteel” plantation owner and his slaves, one of whom is Uncle Tom and another being a saintly little white girl, Eva, who teaches Tom the Bible; the irrepressible slave girl Topsy; and – at a hellish place down river – the sadistic plantation owner Simon Legree (originally a Northerner). Yes, on the surface, the novel is a page-turning potboiler. However, a close reading reveals impressive complexities. For one thing, Stowe brilliantly exposes the notion there are “good” plantation slave owners. Though many were not as cruel as Simon Legree, they were all bad
because the institution of slavery itself is evil. In bold strokes of genius, Stowe evokes the horror of slavery through its heartbreaking consequences – the splitting apart of black families whose members, including children, are sold to work like domesticated animals in faraway places. Stowe’s vision of those terrors are placed within a highly matriarchal context in which she shows the strength of mothers under such unthinkable patriarchal oppression. Stowe, a feminist as well as an abolitionist, was one of the towering forerunners of the later women’s movement. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” also ingeniously explores various coping behaviors slaves developed to survive. Uncle Tom is an example of passive resistance to violence. He keeps telling Legree he may own his body, but he will never own his soul. Topsy tries to preserve her inner freedom by very shrewd “comical” antics that include mimicry, imaginative play-acting and stubborn but “cute” disobedience. Topsy and Tom are not as simple-minded as some detractors of the book have claimed. Stowe, by the way, based her book on scrupulous research. I highly recommend “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” In its shocking violence, its heartbreak, its complex explorations of slavery, its breathless storytelling pace and even its occasional humor, it’s a novel you will not be able to forget.
Send your opinions to: The Newsleaders • P.O. Box 324 • St. Joseph, MN 56374 or email us at news@thenewsleaders.com
St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013
7
Decker murder case leads to man’s suicide by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com
The massive effort to locate the killer or killers of Cold Spring-Richmond Police Officer Thomas Decker took a grim turn last week with the suicide of a
Friday, Jan. 11 Blood drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. 1-800RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org. Preventing falls, a Senior Enrichment Session, 10-11 a.m., Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. 320255-7245. St. Joseph Farmers’ Market, 3-6 p.m., Resurrection Lutheran Church, Fellowship Hall, 610 North County Road 2, St. Joseph. www.stjosephfarmersmarket.com. Bingo party, a matching grant event sponsored by Catholic United Financial, 6-9 p.m., St. John’s Parish Center, Collegeville. All proceeds go to religious education. “Oklahoma,” performed by Homeschool Theatre, a group of home-educated youth from central Minnesota, 7 p.m., Calvary Community Church, 1200 Roosevelt
ADVERTISING
man described as a “person of interest.” The case, however, remains under investigation, and authorities were quick to point out there is no evidence the man who committed suicide is the one who killed Decker.
Community Calendar Road, St. Cloud. Saturday, Jan. 12 “Oklahoma,” performed by Homeschool Theatre, a group of home-educated youth from central Minnesota, 2 and 7 p.m., Calvary Community Church, 1200 Roosevelt Road, St. Cloud. Sunday, Jan. 13 DivorceCare features nationally recognized experts on divorce and recovery topics, 4-5:30 p.m., every Sunday starting today, Harvest Fellowship, 400 2nd Ave. N., Sauk Rapids. 320-529-8838.
HEALTH
MISCELLANEOUS
AUTO
Highspeed Internet EVERYWHERE by Satellite! Speeds up to 12 mbps! (200x faster than dial-up.) Starting at $49.95/mo. CALL NOW & GO FAST! 1-866-796-2843 (MFPA)
DONATE YOUR CAR, TRUCK OR BOAT! Heritage for the Blind. Free 3-day vacation. Tax deductible. Free towing. All paperwork taken care of. 888-472-9219. (MFPA)
MISCELLANEOUS
MISCELLANEOUS
WRAP UP YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING with 100 percent guaranteed delivered-to-thedoor Omaha steaks! SAVE 68 percent plus two FREE gifts - 26 Gourmet Favorites ONLY $49.99. ORDER Today 1-877356-2704 use code 45069SQM or www.OmahaSteaks.com/ fvc70 (MFPA)
EVER CONSIDER a reverse mortgage? At least 62 years old? Stay in your home & increase cash flow! Safe & effective! Call now for your FREE dvd! Call now 888-562-4751 (MFPA)
MISCELLANEOUS
Meet Singles Right Now! No paid operators, just real people like you. Browse greeting, exchange messages and connect live. Try it free. Call now: 800-314-4583 (MFPA)
GOLD AND SILVER CAN PROTECT YOUR HARD EARNED DOLLARS. Learn how by calling Freedom Gold Group for your free educational guide. 877-371-2354. (MFPA)
AUTO CASH FOR CARS. All cars/ trucks wanted. Running or not! Top dollar paid. We come to you! Any make/model. Call for instant offer. 1-800-8719134. (MFPA)
CLASSES Canada Drug Center is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail-order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90% on all your medication needs. Call today. 888-485-1568 for $25 off your first prescription and free shipping. (MFPA)
Freelancers sought The Newsleaders seeks freelance writers and photographers to cover town-specific events/meetings/personalities. Freelancers are paid per story/photo. If interested, please email a resume and a few writing/photo samples to janellev@thenewsleaders. com. tfn
Coffee and Conversation, a senior discussion group, 9 a.m., Country Manor, Sartell. Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. 1-800RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org. 55+ driver improvement course (four-hour refresher course), 1-5 p.m., Salem Lutheran Church, 90 Riverside Drive, St. Cloud. 1-888-234-1294. St. Joseph City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall. 363-7201.
Monday, Jan. 14 Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. 1-800RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org. Caring Conversations for caregivers of patients with cancer, 6-7:30 p.m., CentraCare Health
MISCELLANEOUS
HEALTH
Tuesday, Jan. 15 Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. 1-800RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org. 55+ Driver improvement course, four-hour refresher course, 5-9 p.m.. Apollo High School, 1000 44th Ave. N., St. Cloud. 1-(888)-234-1294.
MUSIC LESSONS FOR ALL AGES! Find a music teacher! TakeLessons offers affordable, safe, guaranteed music lessons with teachers in your area. Our pre-screened teachers specialize in singing, guitar, piano, drums, violin and more. Call 1- 888-687-0047! (MFPA) REACH NEARLY 1 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS! Do you have a product, service, or business that would be helped by reaching nearly 1 million households throughout Minnesota? The Minnesota Classified Network will allow you to reach these potential customers quickly and inexpensively. For more information concerning a creative classified ad call this publication or Minnesota Classified Network at 800-866-0668. (MFPA)
GENERAL HELP WANTED HELP WANTED! Make up to $1,000 a week mailing brochures from home! Free supplies! Helping Home-Workers since 2001. Genuine opportunity. No experience required. Start immediately. www.themailing-system.net. (VOID IN SD) (MFPA)
Mattress Outlet Twin Sets from $99 Full Pillowtop Sets from $160 Queen Pillowtop Sets from $195 King Pillowtop Sets from $350
Sofa and Sectional Sets at Unbeatable Prices!
320-348-9003
where he had barricaded himself several hours earlier. The officers had gone to Thomes’s residence to question him about the Decker case. At that time, Thomes ran from the house and into an outbuilding on the Decker • page 8
LEgal notICE
Friday, Jan. 18 Blood drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m.., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. 1-800RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org. Chicken and ham dinner, sponsored by the Lions of St. Joseph, 5-8 p.m., El Paso Club, St. Joseph.
Medical Alert for Seniors – 24/7 monitoring. FREE equipment. FREE shipping. Nationwide service. $29.95/ month. Call Medical Guardian today. 888-721-1352. (MFPA)
DISH Network. Starting at $19.99/month PLUS 30 premium movie channels FREE for 3 months! SAVE! & ask about SAME DAY installation! Call - 888-379-7065. (MFPA)
Plaza, St. Cloud. To register, 320229-5199 ext. 70659.
ference at the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, officials revealed Eric Joseph Thomes, 31, of Cold Spring, had hung himself on Jan. 2. At the time of his death, law-enforcement officers were trying to convince Thomes to come out of an outbuilding
Wednesday, Jan. 16 Car-seat checkup, 3-6 p.m., Gold Cross Ambulance Garage, 2800 7th St. N., St. Cloud. 320229-5139. Thursday, Jan. 17 55+ driver improvement course (eight-hour first-time course), 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Life Assembly of God, 2409 Clearwater Road, St. Cloud. 1-888-234-1294.
TO INVESTIGATE OTHER ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES Call PaperChain at 931922-0484 or e-mail info@ paperchain.com. (MFPA)
TELEVISION
Now, investigators are requesting anyone who knew the man to call authorities because they are trying to determine Thomes’ whereabouts a week or so before Decker’s death and in the weeks since. During a Jan. 4 press con-
City of St. Joseph Public Hearing The St. Joseph City Council will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 at 7:15 p.m. to consider amending /adopting the following Ordinances: 1. Ordinance 74: Limiting Possession of Kegs – proposed amendment will require securing a permit to possess a keg within the City. 2. Ordinance 112: Prohibiting Public Intoxication – New Ordinance prohibiting certain harmful conduct of intoxicated persons. 3. Ordinance 75: Social Host – New Ordinance to discourage underage possession and consumption of alcohol. All persons wishing to speak will be heard and oral presentations will be limited to five minutes. Written testimony may be mailed to: City of St. Joseph, P.O. Box 668, St. Joseph, MN 56374. Judy Weyrens, Administrator Publish: Jan. 11, 2013
CAR FOR SALE 1995 Buick Regal GS. 138,000 miles. $600 or best offer. For more information, email: tjcalloway2@gmail. com. 1x-p.
MISCELLANEOUS Buried in Credit Card Debt? Over $10,000? We can get you out of debt quickly and save you thousands of dollars! Call CREDIT CARD RELIEF for your free consultation 1-888-721-1352 (MFPA)
MISCELLANEOUS FRUIT TREES LOW AS $15. Blueberry, grape, strawberry, asparagus, evergreen and hardwood plants. FREE catalog. Woodstock Nursery N1831 Hwy. 95 Neillsville, WI 54456. Tollfree 1-888-803-8733. wallacewoodstock.com (MFPA)
HEALTH ATTENTION SLEEP APNEA SUFFERERS with Medicare. Get FREE CPAP replacement supplies at NO COST, plus FREE home delivery! Best of all; prevent red skin sores and bacterial infection! Call 888859-7796. (MFPA)
Come and get me! This is Linus, an adventurous 3-and-a-half-month-old orangeand-white neutered kitten. On top of being a ham for the camera, he’s a playing machine! Pull out a cat dancer toy and he is ready to hip hop the day away. Linus spent the past several weeks in foster care and we’re told he is quite curious and talkative. In his foster home he played with and talked to all ages of children as well as a few dogs! “Helping one animal won’t change the world … but it will change the world for that one animal!” Dogs - 15 Rabbits - 6
Cats - 16 Kittens - 9
Mice - 9
Tri-County Humane Society 735 8th St. NE • PO Box 701 St. Cloud, MN 56302
252-0896
www.tricountyhumanesociety.org
Hours: Monday-Thursday Noon-6 p.m., Friday Noon-8 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday Noon-5 p.m.
St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
8
McDonald’s from page 4 central Minnesota, she balked at the idea of living in sub-zero arctic winters. But her associates kept reminding her, practically nagging her, “Valerie, you have to admit it does fit all of your three requirements,” they would tell her. And, well, she had to agree with them. So, after all was said and done, she and Joseph decided to give it a try and moved here five years ago. They haven’t been sorry, not even for a minute. “It’s cold here, but it’s safe,” Valerie said. “We’re happy to be here. Everybody is so nice.” Valerie is convinced all of the coincidences are mysterious reminders of how the greater St. Cloud area was “meant” for photo by Dennis Dalman her family. Valerie (left) and Joseph Silva have been training in the St. “Joseph” is her husband’s Joseph McDonald’s restaurant by working closely with their name and the name of the city employees during the first weeks. where their new McDonald’s is
Decker from page 7 property. After the three-hour standoff, officers entered the outbuilding and found Thomes had hung himself and was dead. The day of the suicide was the second visit by law-enforcement officers to the Thomes residence. They had returned to talk to him again because he had made contradictory statements about the night of Decker’s murder in downtown Cold Spring. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced a 20-gauge shotgun as the weapon used to murder Decker on the night of Nov. 29, 2012 while
St. Joseph Plumbing, Heating and Irrigation
he was doing a welfare check in downtown Cold Spring in the back lot of Winner’s Sports Bar and Grill. Thomes Decker was shot twice with that weapon and died at the scene. At the press conference, it was announced Thomes had access to the shotgun, which was on some other property than the place where Thomes lived. Officials did not elaborate on the where or why of their statement. Right after the killing of Decker, a man who lives above Winner’s was arrested and jailed – the man Decker had meant to visit that night because the police department received a Roofing • Siding • Gutters • Windows • Metal Roofs HAAG™ Certified Roof Inspectors for hail/wind
We Specialize in Service & Sales • Underground Sprinkler Systems • Water Softeners • Water Heaters • Heating Systems • Central Air
Nick Froehle, Owner 320-363-7224
(Out of Area) 888-303-7224
Lic. #20594693
320-257-0100
CALL FOR A FREE HOME INSPECTION OR ESTIMATE
www.jnsbuilders.com
We install hail impact-resitant shingles.
Check us out on facebook!
40% OFF! All in-stock
“Like” us on Facebook for exclusive deals and updates!
Russell Eyecare & Associates
15 E. Minnesota St., Suite 107, St. Joseph (320) 433-4326 www.russelleyecare.com
Christie Russell-Villnow, O.D.
report the man may have been feeling suicidal. The man was released four days later from jail for lack of evidence. The offer of a $100,000 reward for the solving of the Decker murder led to tips that caused authorities to interview Thomes as a “person of interest” in the case. Another tip was a black van or mini-van with a loud muffler that was seen near Winner’s Sports Bar and Grill at about the time Decker was shot to death. Authorities have located that vehicle and have impounded it.
Friday, Jan. 11, 2013
located. When the land for the restaurant was purchased, the McDonald’s official who signed off on the deal originated from Chicago, the Silvas’ home town. The Silvas admittedly are big-city Chicago city-slickers a bit green behind the ears; they don’t yet fully understand the rough-and-tumble ways of the Northland. “Some guys want my husband to learn how to hunt,” Valerie said, laughing. “He always tells them the only thing he ever hunted in Chicago was criminals and then tells them he’s done with that now.” The Silvas have two daughters – Sydney, 8; and Savanna, 6. “We are all so happy to be here,” Valerie said. “And we are especially happy we were able to fill a community need in St. Joseph. Now residents have another choice for breakfast, dinner and supper without having to drive to St. Cloud. The college students should find the restaurant convenient too.
We knew there was a need for a McDonald’s here. It’s a good location. We came at the right time, to the right place.” The St. Joseph McDonald’s is located at 1180 Elm St. E. near Coborn’s and the Central Minnesota Credit Union. It currently employs 30 workers, but there will soon be a need for 55 workers, both full- and parttime. The restaurant features a modern and comfortable seating area, with five booths and other seating options. The inside menu board is entirely digital, featuring high-definition photos of the menu offerings. There is also a digitized order screen so when a customer’s order is ready, the receipt number lights up on the big screen. “The restaurant is the latest and greatest,” Valerie said. McDonald’s hours in St. Joseph are 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays; and 5 a.m.-midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
Law enforcement has been contacting people and searching records to learn more about Thomes. He graduated from Rocori High School in 1999, and many people have described him as a nice, likeable individual. Authorities also revealed Thomes had been arrested one day in 2011 for driving while intoxicated and that he had been jailed several times in connection with that incident. He had been charged with violating the conditions of his parole for the DWI case and had been sched-
uled to appear in court last week, but the hearing had been cancelled. Investigators are hoping more information about Thomes’s whereabouts and actions during last November and through the month of December may help lead to more information for a final solution to Decker’s slaying. Anyone with such information should call the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office at 1-877782-5683, the BCA at 1-877-9966222 or the BCA online at bca. tips@state.mn.us.