St. Joseph V24 I16

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, April 19, 2013 Volume 24, Issue 16 Est. 1989

Town Crier Community Showcase set April 20 at Kennedy

The first annual Community Showcase, sponsored by the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held from 10 a.m.1 p.m. Saturday, April 20 at Kennedy Community School, 1300 Jade Road, St. Joseph. Free Earth Day fun includes music, family fun, children’s games and school tours. Come support your local businesses.

Hazardous Waste truck to stop in Rockville

The Household Hazardous Waste truck will be in Rockville from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 20 at Capital Granite. For a complete list of cities scheduled for stops, visit www.co.stearns. mn.us/Environment or call 320255-6140. Accepted items include adhesives, cleaners, fuels, aerosols, automotive chemicals, fluorescent bulbs, garden chemicals, mercury, mothballs, paints, poison, pool chemicals, roofing tar, sealers and solvents.

SWCD seeks landowners for wetland restoration

The Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District is partnering with the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources to locate landowners who are interested in completing a wetland restoration project on their property. Those who complete a wetland restoration project will generate wetland credits that can be used to offset wetland impacts resulting from qualifying road improvement and rehabilitation projects in Minnesota. BWSR has $5 million for wetland restoration projects. For more information, visit www.thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.

Catch the Northstar to Twins games

Every Twins home game this season will have bus and rail service. Baseball fans will be able to take the Northstar Link bus from St. Cloud or Becker to Big Lake to connect with the Northstar train, which takes them directly to Target Field in Minneapolis.

For more information, visit www. thenewsleaders.com and click on Criers.

Postal Patron

St. Joseph students part of winning robotics team

by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com

Andrew Abraham has always liked to build things. The St. Joseph resident said he used to take his toys apart just so he could put them back together.

It’s no wonder the Apollo High School student was drawn to a robotics team.

The 15-year-old is one of several local students from St. Joseph on the Granite City Gearheads F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Team #3244. F.I.R.S.T. stands for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.

The St. Cloud team is made up of about 20 students from Apollo, St. Cloud Technical High School and Cathedral High School. The team is headed to a national competition April 24-27 in St. Louis thanks to a contributed photo first-place clinch at a regional Granite City Gearheads team members (left to right) Andrew Abraham of St Joseph, Kevin John- competition. son, Kevin Haack Jr., Calvin Birr (team captain) of St. Joseph and Frank Ross pose with their “I’m really happy and exrobot before their next match during a regional competition. Birr’s mom, Joy, coaches the team.

Robotics • page 3

City offers Klein job as next police chief

by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com

The St. Joseph Police Department will be led by one of their own when Police Chief Pete Jansky retires in August. The St. Joseph City Council offered patrol officer Joel Klein the position on Tuesday, April 16.

The 38-year-old Freeport resident is pleased with the council’s decision. Klein was one of three finalists for the position.

“I’m very excited about it,” Klein said. “I think it’s going to be a great experience. We

have a great town, great people.

I’m looking forward to working with the people I do because we have a great department.”

The offer came after a meetand-greet with the public and interviews with city council members on Tuesday. The pool of candidates was narrowed from 19 to three.

The other finalists for the job were St. Joseph police Sgt. Dwight Pfannenstein and Sgt. Erik Lee, of the Crosslake Police Department.

Klein joined the department in 2001 as a part-time officer

and has been a full-time patrol officer since September 2004.

He and his wife Ann have four children: two daughters and two sons.

Jansky has served as the city’s police chief since December 2001. He announced his retirement earlier this year. His last day is Aug. 22.

photo by TaLeiza Calloway

Officer Joel Klein will become St. Joseph’s next police chief when current Police Chief Pete Jansky retires in August.

Community showcase set for this weekend

by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce will host its first annual community showcase this weekend at Kennedy Community School. The free event is slated for 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, April 20 and promises to offer something for all ages.

Randy Schmitz, a chamber For additional criers, visit www.the- board member, said plans for a newsleaders.com and click on Criers. showcase have been on the radar for a while.

“We’ve been talking about INSERT: it for the last year-and-a-half,” Appliance Smart Schmitz said. “We decided we

wanted to take a year to plan it. The goal is to bring new businesses who might be in the nooks and crannies of the community into one place.”

Schmitz, of Scenic Specialties in St. Joseph, said the chamber modeled the event after similar area showcases such as those held in the cities of Sartell and Cold Spring. Exhibitors will not be selling items at the event but the idea is to make community connections.

About 30 exhibitors are expected to participate in the event that will include refreshments and product samples. The

Kennedy Booster Club will be on hand selling refreshments and providing entertainment.

Schmitz said there will also be games for children and prizes.

With the first-time event being held days before Earth Day, the showcase boasts that theme.

With a theme that promotes environmental awareness, Kennedy Community School is a fitting site. The K-8 school was among more than 70 schools last year to be named as U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools, which is a federal recognition program that opened in September 2011.

www.thenewsleaders.com

Honored schools exercise a comprehensive approach to creating “green” environments through reducing environmental impact, promoting health and ensuring a high-quality environmental and outdoor education to prepare students with the 21st-century skills and sustainability concepts needed in the growing global economy.

During the showcase, tours of the school will be available, Schmitz said.

For more information about the community showcase, visit www.stjosephchamber.com.

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

2

Kennedy Students compete at state Future Problem Solving

‘Tour the Capital Day’ set for April 25 Residents will have a chance to take a day trip Thursday, April 25 to the Minnesota State Capitol.

Sponsored by the Sartell-St. Stephen Community Education program, the tour costs $30 per person.

Buses will leave at 8 a.m. and return at 6 p.m.

The trip will include a tour of the historic Capitol building and also the Minnesota Judiciary Center. Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (R-Sartell) will join the group during the tour.

“I invite you to join us on April 25,” O’Driscoll said. “It’s a great time to visit St. Paul and see the legislature in action. We

People

contributed photo

Kennedy students competed at the Future Problem Solving state meet held April 6 at Forest Lake (Minn.) High School. The winning eighth-grade team included (left to right) Riley Zimmer, Maddie Haeg, Tyler Kelley and Mitchell Grelson.

Cofell

Martone

Pfannenstein

contributed photo

Sixth-graders include (front row, left to right) Lucy Pelzel, Cooper Gerads, Jacbo Walgren, Caity Popp, Tyler Gaetz and Jack Taufen; (back row) Colby Louwagie, Olivia Hoeschen, Taylor Nordine and Logan Bakken.

contributed photo

Seventh-grade team consists of (left to right) Shaelyn Hilbrands, Angie Stolt, Will Clark and Hope Hartwig.

Kennedy school had four teams compete in the state Future Problem Solving meet held April 6 at Forest Lake High School. The topic for this meet was Ocean Soup.

Students researched and brainstormed challenges and solutions to solve the problem of pollution in our oceans. Students competed in both the written and oral presentation competition. The eighth-grade team took first place for the middle division in the oral presentation of their action plan.

Team members included Riley Zimmer, Maddie Haeg, Tyler Kelley and Mitchell Grelson.

Other team members included sixth-graders: Caity Popp, Jack Taufen, Colby Louwagie, Taylor Nordine, Logan Bakken, Olivia Hoeschen, Lucy Pelzel, Cooper Gerads, Jacob Walgren and Tyler Gaetz. Seventh-grade team members included: Will Clark, Hope Hartwig, Shaelyn Hilbrands and Angie Stolt. The teams are coached by Michaelene Lucia.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Schrup

Four St. Joseph St. John’s Prep students were recently named as new members of the National Honor Society, Virgil Michel Chapter.

They are the following: Leela Cofell, junior, daughter of Monica Cofell, St. Joseph, and David Cofell, St. Cloud; Gabrielle Martone, junior, daughter of Lisa and Mark Martone; Clare Pfannenstein, sophomore, daughter of Joan and Patrick Pfannenstein; and Sarah Schrup, sophomore, daughter of Myra and Thomas Schrup.

If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the St. Joseph Police Department at 320-363-8250 or Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 320-255-1301 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.

April 6 5:39 a.m. Alcohol. College Avenue S. Officer handcuffed a combative female. Suspect was given breathalyzer test and citation was issued for underage consumption.

April 7 7:04 p.m. Medical. College Avenue S. Female having diffi-

Benjamin Carlson, son of Tom and Michelle Carlson of St. Joseph, is one of 18 students from the College of Saint Benedict and St. John’s University who recently presented their undergraduate research at the 27th annual National Conference on Undergraduate Research at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Carlson, a senior environmental studies major at SJU, presented “Lending a Farm Hand: Assessing the Challenges Facing Beginning Farmers in Minnesota.” His adviser is Jean Lavigne, associate professor of environmental studies at CSB and SJU. In addition to the students, two CSB and SJU faculty members also made the trip to the conference – Michael Borka, associate professor of education, and Beth Pettitt, adjunct professor of biology.

Approximately 3,500 students representing 45 states and the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada, attended the conference, which included three plenary speakers: polar explorer Will Steger; Hazel Barton, associate professor of biology and geology and environmental science at the University of Akron; and Native American singer and songwriter Bill Miller. NCUR,

Blotter

culty breathing, pain in arms and legs. Waited for St. Joseph Fire Department and Gold Cross ambulance to arrive.

April 9 1:11 a.m. Noise complaint.

College Avenue N. Complaint of loud party. People standing in a garage laughing and yelling. Three renters were advised to control the guests or they would be cited for noise. One argumentative guest was taken care of by the renters.

6:06 a.m. Burn. 322 Street. Located brush fire. Nobody was out by the fire. Property owners had a fire the night before and it was smoldering when they left. The wind picked up over night and the fire started to rekindle. Owner put the fire out by spreading dirt on it with a skid loader.

10:40 a.m. Welfare check.

will no doubt have floor sessions in the House and Senate on important measures before the state.”

For more information or to register, visit the Community Education’s website at www.sartellststephencommunityed.com

which began in 1987 at the University of North Carolina Asheville, is held annually to promote undergraduate research and creative activity in all fields of study. Students present their research via posters, oral presentations, and performing and visual arts sessions.

Two St. Joseph students recently received scholarships from Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa.

They are the following: Amanda Walz, the Thorwald and Josephine Thorson scholarship and Amelia Walz, the Bill Smith scholarship.

St. John’s Prep was named first runner-up in the “A” Division at the Minnesota Service Cooperatives’ State Knowledge Bowl Meet held April 11-12 at Cragun’s near Brainerd. They were in the top 44 teams out of more than 800 across the state.

Two St. Joseph students were recently accepted and have chose to attend the University of MinnesotaMorris.

They are the following: Amelia Walz and Amanda Walz, both 2013 graduates of Apollo High School.

College Avenue S. Report person renting apartment had not been seen for some time. Management company checked apartment and found nobody there. Requested to assist with locating family to see if person was OK. All was fine.

12:54 Noise complaint. 1st Avenue NW. Female was playing music loudly and woke her neighbor. She was advised to be respectful of her neighbors.

3:30 p.m. Accident. C.R. 2 and C.R. 75. Three-car accident at a stop light. Minor damage to all vehicles. No injuries.

4 p.m. Alarm. Old Hwy. 52. Carbon monoxide detector was going off. Officer stood by while St. Joseph Fire Department checked the readings. After the readings were explained to the renter, all was cleared. Informed the homeowner of the situation.

Published each Friday by Von Meyer Publishing Inc. Publisher/Owner Janelle Von Pinnon Editor Dennis Dalman

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Design/Layout Tara Wiese

Contributing Writers TaLeiza Calloway Mark Lauer

Advertising Sales Assistant Kathryn Bjorke

Contributing Writer/ Administrative Assistant Cori Hilsgen

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, April 19, 2013

3

St. Joseph resident is safe after Boston Marathon explosions

by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com

St. Joseph resident Larry H o s c h made it home safely after completing the B o s t o n Hosch Marathon Monday, April 15. This was the first time the former State Representative competed in the

Robotics from front page cited,” Abraham said. “We didn’t expect to go. It’s kind of unbelievable that we’re going.”

Coach Joy Birr can believe it. The St. Joseph resident has been coaching the team for two years and has seen how hard the students work. From advertising, managing social media and raising money, students

event that was rocked by explosions near the finish line.

The explosions occurred a little over an hour after Hosch finished the race. He said he and the runners he traveled with were just getting into a cab when it happened. When they arrived to their lodging, they learned more about the incident via social media and text messages from peers.

“The first thing I did was call Holly (his wife) and I called my parents,” Hosch said. “I was able to talk to both of them

before they heard about what happened. On a personal level, I was very grateful for that.”

The explosions killed three people and injured hundreds.

With all of the people and the commotion, he said he doesn’t recall hearing the explosion but heard sirens in the distance.

There was also fire at the JFK Library near his lodging and they didn’t know if the fire was related to the bombings, he said.

“It was surreal,” he said.

“The whole change in atmo-

sphere (went) from one of celebration and excitement with people cheering and coming together for Patriots Day (to) an immediate shift of uncertainty and concern.”

Hosch says he’s glad to be home and is keeping those personally affected in his thoughts and prayers.

Investigators believe they have identified a suspect in the explosion based on surveillance tape from a Lord and Taylor department store, according to national media reports.

The Boston Marathon, which began in 1897, is the oldest annual footrace marathon in the world and arguably the most famous. Operated by the Boston Athletic Association, the 26-mile marathon course runs through eight cities in the greater Boston area, starting at noon at Hopkinton and ending with the finish line at Copley Square next to the Boston Public Library.

There were reportedly more than 500 Minnesotans registered to run in this year’s event.

run an entire business.

“It’s pretty amazing,” Birr said. “The fact they can come up with a plan and create a robot that follows a 150-page rule book is just amazing.”

Science, technology, engineering and math are really the focus of the program. Being on the team allows them to gain experience in all of these fields.

At the regional competition, students were given multifaceted challenges created by the nation’s most esteemed en-

gineers including those from NASA, according to a press release. Birr said they were given the challenge, rules, regulation and specs and only six weeks to create a robot. They then compete against other teams.

The St. Cloud team created a robot that was programmed to throw frisbees automatically during the autonomous period, throw frisbees during the teleop period and climb/hang on a metal pyramid for additional points during the regional competition.

Robotics is a new state-sanctioned high school sport in Minnesota that continues to gain momentum statewide. Birr said there are some schools that have more people signing

up for robotics than the football team.

Birr’s oldest son Calvin brought her to the team and now her younger son Alex is also on the team. She stepped in when the previous coach needed to exit.

For Calvin Birr, the real-life application of skills is what drew him to the sport. His experience has also moved the high school senior to pursue a degree in robotic engineering.

The 17-year-old encourages those who are unfamiliar with the sport to explore it.

“My favorite part is the building, coming up with ideas and figuring out how to make it work,” he said. “When people get attached to it, they enjoy it

a lot.”

Birr loves to see the dedication of all of the students and said it’s hard to be around them and not pick up their contagious energy.

The estimated cost to go to national competition is about $15,000. Students raise the money themselves and are still looking for partnerships with local businesses to assist them in their efforts. Joy Birr couldn’t be more proud of them.

“They are a phenomenal group,” she said. “They’ve worked hard and they deserve it.”

For more information about the team, visit their website: www.granitecitygearheads. com.

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contributed photo

Team captains Calvin Birr and Tyler Rolfes of St. Joseph look over the robot on the playing field during a regional competition.

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• 3 AREA LOCATIONS •

The Cold Spring Area Maennerchor presents its annual Dinner and Song Concert, featuring musical selections that will Move your Spirit and Stir your Soul.

Social hour begins at 6:15pm; First Set of music at 7:00; Dinner at 7:30; Second Set of music immediately after dinner. Tickets are $28.00.

For more details and to order tickets, contact a Maennerchor member or call 320-224-6759.

For other events and information, check out www.csmaennerchor.com.

4

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, April 19, 2013

Poet laureate visits All Saints Academy

photos by TaLeiza Calloway

Minnesota Poet Laureate Joyce Sutphen talks to students during an assembly on April 15 at All Saints Academy in St. Joseph.

by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com

Students at All Saints Academy listened with big ears and watched with big eyes as Joyce Sutphen shared her love of poetry and admitted being shy in front of big crowds. The Minnesota poet laureate recently visited the school as part of its celebration of National Poetry Month and to see how much has changed since she once walked the halls.

“It’s wonderful to see all of the familiarities and the changes,” Sutphen said. “It’s still the same railing, the same stairs, the same brick building. It still feels familiar.”

The St. Joseph native was named Minnesota’s poet laureate in August 2011 by Gov. Mark Dayton. Sutphen succeeds Robert Bly, who was the first official poet laureate in 2007, shortly

after the Legislature created the position. The Chaska resident teaches literature and creative writing at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter.

She grew up on a farm near St. Joseph and remembers the feel of the small town. This was her first time returning to the school except for attending the Joetown Rocks! Concert and annual Fourth of July Parish festival in the summer, she said.

As sixth-grade students Maggie O’Donnell and Hallie Hupf gave Sutphen a tour of her former school, they compared notes.

Much has changed since she attended the school in the 50s and 60s. For example, she remembers the second-grade classroom was once the school’s library and the space now used as the library used to be a bowling alley. There was also no kindergarten class, just first- through eighth-grade.

The poet says she has always been a bookworm. While she’s a published poet seven times over, she does academic writing as well. And interestingly, she said, if she hadn’t become a poet, she might have become a doctor.

“I’ve always loved words,” she said. “My father used to come up with different rhymes when I was I little. I think I got the poetry from him.”

Her books are available on amazon.com. For more information about Sutphen, visit her website: http://www.joycesutSixth-grade students Maggie O’Donnell and Hallie Hupf (cen- phen.com/.

Here’s one of her poems from ter) give Joyce Sutphen a tour of the school. Sutphen was visither book, “First Words.” ing as the school celebrates National Poetry Month.

All Saints Academy currently teaches grades K-8.

During her tour of the school, she stopped to have lunch with students. She asked what projects they were working on as they ate their chicken sandwiches and corn and sipped their milk.

After the tour, the school held an assembly with Sutphen. Students welcomed her with a poem of their own.

Sutphen read one of her poems and even read the poem, “Hope,” by Emily Dickinson, one of her favorites. They enjoyed listening to her read and having a chance to ask her questions about her life, poetry and her inspiration.

“It was pretty cool,” said O’Donnell of Sutphen’s reading.

“She’s really nice.”

Students seemed enchanted as she shared her experience of learning how to ride a tractor.

In fact, the Chaska resident ad-

mits she learned the names of the cows on the farm she grew up before knowing her alphabet, which she evoked in her poem, “Girl on a Tractor.”

“What the poem is saying is ‘I felt powerful,’ ” she said. “(Learning to drive that tractor) gave me confidence.”

That confidence comes through as she reads her work.

She’s been writing poetry for about 20 years, dating back to her high school and college years. Her first book, “Straight Out of View,” won the Barnard New Women’s Poets Prize (Beacon Press, 1995). Her favorite poets include Robert Frost and W.B. Yeats. She read Frost’s “Nothing Gold Can Stay” during the assembly.

Her favorite poem to compose is the sonnet, for its length and simplicity. What she said she enjoys writing about the most is where she came from.

How to Listen

Tilt your head slightly to one side and lift your eyebrows expectantly.

Ask questions.

Delve into the subject at hand or let things come randomly. Don’t expect answers.

Forget everything you’ve ever done.

Make no comparisons. Simply listen.

Listen with your eyes, as if the story you are hearing is happening right now.

Listen without blinking, as if a move might frighten the truth away forever.

Don’t attempt to copy anything down.

Don’t bring a camera or a recorder.

This is your chance to listen carefully.

Your whole life might depend on what you hear.

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St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, April 19, 2013

5

Koltes family continues century farming tradition

by Cori Hilsgen news@thenewsleaders.com

Ken and Tess Koltes, along with their two sons, Andy and Mike, are continuing a family farming tradition. The Koltes farm was recently designated a century farm.

To be certified as a century farm, Ken Koltes submitted an application to the Minnesota State Fair and Minnesota Farm Bureau. He was able to prove ownership through documentation of the land deed that was in the Koltes family ownership for the past 100 years.

Ownership of the Koltes family farm began when Joseph Koltes Sr. came from the Tintah area with his family. When Joseph Sr. retired, ownership was transferred to his sons, Joseph Koltes Jr. and Aloys Koltes.

Upon high school graduation, Ken Koltes attended Willmar Vocational Technical school for farm management. His uncle Aloys asked him if he was interested in purchasing land from him for farming. Ken was and the two slowly began the process of changing the farm partnership.

When Aloys retired, Ken began farming with his father and eventually purchased the entire farm from his father. Ken had been farming seven years when he married Tess Goerger.

Their two sons, Andy and Mike, recently decided to start farming with their parents. Originally, Andy and Mike had decided to pursue careers off the farm.

Ken had been having health issues and had decided to discontinue milking cows. He had sold the dairy cows and purchased some beef cattle. At the time, Andy had graduated and become a plumber and was working in town. Mike was a senior in high

school. He went on to attend and graduate from St. John’s University, studying art education.

When Mike was a sophomore at SJU, he had a conversation with Andy about them starting to milk cows again. Andy was surprised and happy to hear that Mike was interested.

The two brothers approached their parents about the possibility of buying the farm. Ken and Tess were surprised and excited the two men were interested in continuing the farming tradition.

Ken did some money calculations to see if it would work for all of them to farm together and in September 2009 Koltes Dairy LLC began.

To keep up with ever-changing farming techniques and advancements, the Koltes farm has seen many changes throughout the years. Some of the changes that have occurred since Ken started farming with Andy and Mike include the following: • The barn on the Koltes farm was remodeled to free stalls and water beds. The free stalls allow the cows to move around the cow yard and barn. The cows have freedom to roam to the feed line to eat, drink water or lay down in the waterbed stalls whenever they choose. The waterbeds, or dual chamber mattresses filled with water, are in each stall for the cows to lie on. The water allows the cows to remain comfortable. This can help increase milk production.

• The swing-10-style milking parlor was already in place, but the milk house was remodeled and new equipment was added.

They had previously used a squat milking style and the swing-10style allows them to be more efficient. This style allows them to stand in a parlor with 10 units that swing side to side. The milkers are down in a pit and 10

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cows are loaded, washed off and milked on one side. While this is happening, the other side of the cows is being washed off and prepared for milking. The Koltes’ estimate it takes about one-anda-half hours for them to milk 100 cows.

• The Koltes’ also added a feed line outside so a total mixed ration could be fed to the dairy cows. They purchased a mixer wagon so a round bale, protein, vitamins, minerals, corn silage and corn are all mixed so the cows receive a balanced meal with each mouthful of feed. After the feed is mixed, it’s dropped on the feed line for the cows to come and eat throughout the day and after they are milked.

• An addition was added to the barn which allowed them to house 37 more animals. The barn now has capacity to house 120 milking cows. The Koltes’ started with a herd of 160 cows, heifers and calves and have now increased to 230 animals.

• They have been able to rent more land from neighbors. This allows them to produce more feed and to have a larger area to spread manure.

• Making hay no longer involves square bales. The Koltes’ make large, round bales to feed the cows. They also grow more corn and alfalfa. Farming the fields now involves less manual labor and is done more mechanically with machines such as tractors, round balers, combines, trucks, wagons, choppers, skidsteers and a wrapper.

• Calves are now placed in hutches, which are individual white-dome housing units. This provides an individual area for

photo by Cori Hilsgen

Mike, Andy and their father, Ken Koltes, (left to right) farm the Koltes family farm together. The Koltes farm was recently designated as a “Century Farm” because it has been owned by their family for 100 years. each calf so it can stay healthy and comfortable.

The Koltes family strives to be environmentally conscious.

They say they closely watch the weather and the changing of the seasons because it has a huge impact on their business. They also work with Stearns County Environmental Services and Soil Conservation.

Ken and Tess said farmers love the land and try to take care of the land because they need it to raise good crops for their animals.

As farmers they have applied techniques that are “environmentally friendly” such as preventing soil erosion by minimum tilling and through the creation of terraces, containing rainwater runoff and proper manure application to their fields and digging it into the soil at the appropriate

time.

They also graze their herd rotationally by fencing and sectioning off the fields closest to the barn yard. One section at a time is opened up for the animals to graze on. When the animals have depleted that section, they are rotated to another section so the eaten section can regrow. This allows the fields to regrow and the animals to get the best possible grasses to eat.

The entire family is involved with the business doing anything from feeding calves and milking cows to cooking meals. Andy’s wife, Missy, and Mike’s girlfriend, Brianna Larison, both help with chores and milking when life on the farm gets busy. Missy works at a bank doing equipment financing. Brianna is currently Koltes • page 8

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

6

Friday, April 19, 2013

Opinion Our View

Student interaction a plus for local government Seasoned residents are not the only ones taking notice of city government and its plans for the future. Students from the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University are also sitting in the council chambers to gain an awareness of city happenings. It’s nice to see them there. They are residents and should be there. It doesn’t matter if their stay is temporary. Their expressed interest in their local government – despite their brief stay – is commendable.

Long-term residents should take note.

Representatives from the college and university have student government liaisons who attend city-council meetings. They might not attend every meeting but they are consistent.

They sit alongside reporters taking notes on council decisions and witnessing how those decisions will affect the city. Sometimes the students are the only ones attending, besides local media. That should not be the case. More residents should take a lesson from the students and show up at meetings other than just those meetings with scheduled public hearings on the agenda.

During the April 4 council meeting, council member Steve Frank observed a student from CSB in the audience. Frank told elected officials he thought it was a good idea students were attending the meetings. He also suggested one council member attend student government meetings to expand the city’s interaction with students. Yes, students might volunteer for some city events, but there’s not much interaction beyond that, it seems.

While it was merely a suggestion, it was a good one that would provide multiple benefits.

For students attending city council meetings, it offers insight into the local government process. For city officials who would attend student government meetings, it would allow access to the student perspective in St. Joseph and provide a greater awareness of student leadership.

St. Joseph is not the only city to think about the student perspective. The City of Sauk Rapids once implemented a student mayor-ofthe-month program for high-school students.

Participants in the student-mayor program toured city hall, met with the mayor and other city officials, and attended council meetings.

Student interaction is a plus for local government. The city should explore the option of expanding that interaction, even if it starts by simply attending a student meeting.

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.

Annual walk reminds me of my sister’s journey When my younger sister, Beverly, was born, she was so small she could fit in the palm of my mother’s hand. Born on April 13, 1986, she was a whopping 1 pound 10 ounces. She arrived three months early.

Today she is a feisty 26-year-old mother, college student, sister and friend. She actually turned 27 April 13. Her journey hasn’t been an easy one but she is still here.

The March of Dimes is a leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. My mother didn’t know much about the March of Dimes 28 years ago. However, now that I know about it and understand what it does, it’s important for me to support it by walking for mothers and children who were born prematurely like our Beverly.

The annual March for Babies will take place in Minnesota now through May 11 in 16 cities throughout Minnesota. The money raised supports programs in the area that help moms have healthy, fullterm pregnancies, according to program materials. Money raised from the event also funds research to find answers to

TaLeiza Calloway Reporter the problems that threaten babies. The walks have been held since 1970. They have raised about $2 billion to benefit all babies.

The annual St. Cloud Walk for Babies was held last weekend at St. Cloud State University. Yes, and I walked as part of the Newsleaders’ team. Members of our staff walk for different reasons, but we’re all united on that particular day. This is the second year I’ve participated in the walk, and I’ve looked forward to it each time.

There’s a sense of camaraderie that flows through the event. You see families with T-shirts celebrating the lives of young ones lost and team names that reflect those young fighters. My favorite part is seeing families with strollers

whose passengers are rolling along in memory of their older siblings. It’s such a touching day.

Last year, a St. Joseph family served as the ambassador family for the St. Cloud March of Dimes. The Muyres (Dan, Josie and Madeline) walked in honor of one daughter and in memory of another, their identical twins Madeline and Megan. A complication during pregnancy allowed Madeline to grow bigger while restricting development of Megan. They said then they were helpful for the support from the March of Dimes. Their March for Babies team is named “Maddy’s Way.” This year marks the 75th anniversary of the March for Babies. What an accomplishment and a worthy cause. Hundreds of people take part in this walk and on that day reflect on their loved ones. As I walk, I think of my sister who is fortunate enough to be here, and pray for those who are not. For more information about the Minnesota March of Dimes, visit www.marchofdimes.com/minnesota.

April is, indeed, ‘the cruelest month’ T.S. Eliot began his 1922 poem, The Waste Land, with these words: “April is the cruelest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.”

Eliot had no idea what a “cruel” April is. He obviously wasn’t a Minnesotan.

If he could live here this April, he’d be singing a different tune: “April is the cruelest month, piling more snow onto the frozen land, mixing misery and de-icer, shoveling hopes of spring beneath wintry drifts.”

In my long life, I have never lived through an April this lousy, this unrelenting. March used to be my least favorite month because of its fickle weather, which jerks around one’s expectations – nice one day, cruddy the next. In the winter months, we expect cold weather every day, so we just bundle up and try to ignore it.

What’s awful about this April, worse than the dead of winter, is its outrageous unexpectedness. It has been so gloomydoomy that even the most descriptive Minnesota weather whiners stutter and stammer while trying to describe it.

“This weather is, um, it’s, it’s – just – um, UNBEARABLE,” a store clerk blurted out the other day.

What’s amusing is how those glass-is-

Dennis Dalman Editor half-full folks go around saying cheer-up things such as, “Oh well, we’ll all by complaining about the heat by June.” Or: “Yup, lotta snow, but we can sure use the moisture.”

Moisture yes, but not so much snow that my front yard looks like the foothills of the Himalayas. Just imagine people back in Noah’s time saying, as it began to rain and kept raining, “Yup, lotta rain, but we can sure use the moisture.”

My sister, Mary, suffers from seasonal affective disorder. The other day, she vowed through clenched teeth, “If ONE more person gives me that we-could-usethe-moisture CRAP, I’m gonna SMACK him right across his face!” Whoa, Mary, whoa! Cheer up. Just remember, you’ll soon be bickering about the heat, hopefully not from a jail cell.

Each morning, right after waking up, I usually enjoy opening all the window blinds to greet the sights of morning, even in the winter. Not lately, though.

When I open them now, I frown and groan.

This morning’s newspaper headline was a real hoot: “Less snow than predicted for St.

Cloud area.”

That must have been written by one of those glass-is-half-full folks. Less snow.

What good news. Gee, ain’t you glad?

Just now, as I’m writing this, as I heard my furnace kick in yet again, I glanced out of my home-office window.

It’s Sunday, April 14, 8:10 a.m. It’s snowing. Again. The “less snow” has begun.

We’re supposed to get “only” one or two inches today, but I’m not holding my breath. There’s a snowstorm brewing out West, roaring this way. A “lesser” blizzard, I presume.

For years, we baby boomers have been claiming the seasons, like the old gray mare, just ain’t what they used to be. Seasonal patterns are way out of whack. It’s probably caused by global warming, although some of the global-warming disbelievers, who do not understand global warming, are saying things such as, “If global warming is real, then how come this April is so cold?”

Even the poor birds are confused.

The neighbors’ yard is often filled with twitching, twittering birds, fluttering onto the snow-draped bird feeders. They seem as baffled as we do. And speaking of birds, for years I used to laugh about the human snowbirds fleeing South for the winter. “Winter wimps,” I called them. Not anymore. Not this April. If I could take off work to fly to Hawaii, I’d be on that plane by noon today. Farewell, April. Hello, Honolulu.

Send it to: The Newsleaders P.O. Box 324 St. Joseph, MN 56374

or email us at: news@thenewsleaders.com Please include your full name for publication (and address and phone number for verification only).

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, April 19, 2013

Community Calendar

Friday, April 19 Blood drive, 8 a,m,-2 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. Cloud 1-800-RED CROSS or redcrossblood.org.

“Heart & Soul: Community Journalism in Minnesota,” a First Amendment Forum, 9 a.m.-noon and 1:15-3 p.m., Atwood Memorial Center Little Theatre, St. Cloud State University.

Burger Sale, sponsored by St. Joseph Knights of Columbus, 9:30 a.m.5 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 1st Ave. NW, St. Joseph.

Mother Nature’s Twisted Sisters: Tornado, Flood and Heat, 10 a.m., Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. 320-255-7245.

Art History, 1-2 p.m., Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. 320-255-7245.

St. Joseph Farmers’ Market, 3-6 p.m., Resurrection Lutheran Church, Fellowship Hall, 610 N. C.R. 2, St. Joseph. www.stjosephfarmersmarket. com.

“Fiddler on the Roof,” 7 p.m., Sartell High School, 748 7th St. N., Sartell.

Saturday, April 20 Burger Sale, sponsored by St. Joseph Knights of Columbus, 9:30 a.m.4 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 1st Ave. NW, St. Joseph.

Community Showcase, sponsored by the St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Kennedy Community School, 1300 Jade Road, St. Joseph. www.stjosephchamber. com.

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Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. 1-800-RED CROSS or redcrossblood.org.

Dealing with Mid- to Late-Stage Alzheimer’s and Dementia, 6:30-8 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 4310 C.R. 137, St. Cloud. 320-2570699.

Monday, April 22 Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. Cloud 1-800-RED CROSS or redcrossblood.org.

Sock Knitting Workshop, 5:30-8 p.m., Al Ringsmuth Public Library, 253 5th Ave. N. Waite Park. Registration required. 320-253-9359.

Wednesday, April 24 “We-R-Artists” a networking for artists with disabilities, 5-7 p.m., Paramount Visual Arts Center, 913 West St. Germain St., St. Cloud. 320230-9412.

Thursday, April 25 Rummage Sale, 7 a.m.–7 p.m., St. Joseph the Baptist Parish Center, 14241 Fruit Farm Road, St. Joseph.

Located just west of St. John’s campus, in Collegeville.

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Scout Expo 2013, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Sartell Middle School North Gym, 627 3rd Ave N, Sartell. 320-656-3701.

“Fiddler on the Roof,” 12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sartell High School, 748 7th St. N., Sartell.

Celebrations 2013, a scholarship benefit concert, 7:30 p.m., Stewart Hall, St. Cloud State University campus. www.scsutickets.com or 320308-3223.

Tuesday, April 23 Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. Cloud, 1-800-RED CROSS or redcrossblood.org.

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Friday, April 26 Rummage Sale, 7 a.m.–11 a.m., St. Joseph the Baptist Parish Center, 14241 Fruit Farm Road, St. Joseph.

Located just west of St. John’s campus, in Collegeville.

Blood drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., St. Cloud Blood Donation Center, 1301 W. St. Germain St. Cloud 1-800-RED CROSS or redcrossblood.org.

Brat Sale, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 1st Ave. NW, St. Joseph. Old glasses, hearing aids and cell phones will be collected.

Career Exploration for Kennedy and South Junior High students, 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. For exact locations, call 320-202-6892.

Saturday, April 27 Rose Education Day, 8:15-11:45 a.m., Whitney Senior Center, 1527 Northway Drive, St. Cloud. 320-2556169.

Brat Sale, sponsored by the St. Joseph Y2K Lions, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., St. Joseph Meat Market, 26 1st Ave. NW, St. Joseph. Old glasses, hearing aids and cell phones will be collected.

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.

ADVERTISING

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CHURCHES Gateway Church - St. Joseph Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday, 7 p.m. Wednesday, 6 p.m. Saturday

106 2nd Ave. NW • 320-282-2262 Resurrection Lutheran, ELCA

EYECARE Russell Eyecare & Associates 15 E. Minnesota St., Ste. 107 St. Joseph 320-433-4326

LAWN SPRINKLERS St. Joseph Plumbing, Heating & Irrigation St. Joseph 320-363-7224

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8

St. Joseph Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com

Friday, April 19, 2013

St. Joseph Farmers’ Market expands offerings

by TaLeiza Calloway news@thenewsleaders.com

Today (April 19) marks the last day for the indoor St. Joseph Farmers’ Market. When it returns next month to kick off its outdoor season, visitors should prepare for new offerings to enhance the market experience.

Market organizers have the help of their first intern this year as part of efforts to attract more customers. Market manager Terri Emmerich said they’ve added live music each week and plan to invite artisans to the market lineup. Artists will be able to sell their work, as well as do some demonstrations. Examples include jewelry makers and potters, items often seen at the market’s annual Harvest Festival.

Even with the additions, the goal is to keep the market’s focus on agriculture. The idea is simply to continue to grow.

“We’re just trying some-

thing different,” Emmerich said.

“We’ve evolved the last few seasons.”

Vendors and visitors approve the market upgrades. St. Stephen resident Karen Mahlich is a regular customer at the local market and says she likes hearing the live music as she mingles each week.

“I’ve come to this market for many years,” Mahlich said. “(The music) is nice.”

Emmerich said the help from market intern Emmett Doyle has been very helpful. The St. John’s University student’s duties as an intern include maintaining the market’s social media outreach via Facebook and other media and booking musicians to perform at the market.

Doyle says he is enjoying working with the farmers’ market. It’s all familiar territory for him as his family would often take him to farmers’ markets when he was a child. He grew up

on a farm just outside of town.

“It’s been a great learning experience,” Doyle said.

The senior environmental studies major said future plans for the local farmers’ market include incorporating virtual tours of the market, a move that will allow customers to learn even more about the vendors and see just where their food comes from – literally.

The St. Joseph Farmers Market is held every Friday at Resurrection Lutheran Church, 610 C. R. 2, St. Joseph. The market’s outdoor season will run from 3-6:30 p.m. Friday, May 10 through Sept. 13 and from 3-6 p.m. Sept.

20 through Oct. 18, according to the market’s website, www.stjo- Market manager Terri Emmerich assists Karen Mahlich April 5 at the St. Joseph Farmers’ Market. sephfarmersmarket.com.

Earth Day is a time to celebrate gains we have made and create new visions to accelerate environmental progress. It is a time to unite around new actions. photos by TaLeiza Calloway

Vendor Janel Lamp-Wiese positions a bottle of sunflower oil on her table April 5 at the St. Joseph Farmers’ Market.

Koltes from page 5 attending college and substitute teaching.

The Koltes know about the many benefits and the long hours of hard work of operating a farming business. After all, they have been doing it for a century. They have grown up with it and it’s been a part of them throughout the years.

They said they are happy they are able to be their own bosses and can somewhat control their success by the amount of work they put into it. As with other businesses, they make their own decisions and are able to act on them; they set goals and work to achieve them. If problems occur, they have the power and ability to try to correct them.

As with other businesses, there are some disappointments in the farming business.

Ken says weather and pricing such as low milk prices, high cost of feed, equipment and fuel are a challenge in farming.

Tess, who is a fifth-grade teacher at All Saints Academy – St. Joseph Campus, said farming can be challenging for family time.

“It can tax family time sometimes,” Tess said. “It’s not a job where you can take time away easily.”

In spite of the hardships, Ken is very excited his sons have decided to continue the family farming tradition.

“Now that I have both sons involved to do the hard work, I am having the time of my life,” Ken said.

Andy and Mike said they are enjoying farming with their parents.

“I really enjoy working outdoors on the farm,” Mike said. “I love working with the cows and enjoy watching them grow into healthy productive cows.”

“What drew me back to the farm was (that) I really wanted to buy the farm from Dad and Mom anyway,” Andy said. “Now I can use (it) as a way to make a living too.”

Andy and Missy have a 9-month-old son, Caden.

Who knows, when Caden is as old as his father he might also decide to continue the farming tradition.

“I would love it if Caden would take over for Mike and I someday,” Andy said. “Farming is a great way of life and a good way to be your own boss and see the results of your hard work.”

Earth Day and every day is a time to act to protect our planet.

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