Reaching Everybody!
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Newsleader Sartell
Friday, Jan. 24, 2014 Volume 19, Issue 4 Est. 1995
Town Crier
Elementaries hold kindergarten round-ups
Sartell elementary schools will host kindergarten round-ups this week. Pine Meadow’s is on Jan. 28; Oak Ridge’s is on Jan. 30. For more information, call 320-2538303 for Pine Meadow; 320-2583693 for Oak Ridge.
CentraCare offers PAWS-itively Healthy
Keep your pet healthy and keep yourself healthy, too — owning a pet is literally good for you. Veterinarian Nancy Altena, Companions Animal Hospital, will share tips for keeping the furriest member of your family as healthy as possible during “PAWS-itively Healthy” from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30 at the Windfeldt Room at CentraCare Health Plaza. Registration required. For more information, visit www.thenewsleaders.com and click on Crier.
School district hosts special needs council
A council meeting for parents of students with special needs will be held from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3 at the Sartell District Service Center, 212 3rd Ave. N., Sartell. For more information, contact Marlene Grindland at 320-2900277. RSVP: Jody 320-252-8427.
Preprinted tax forms not available at libraries
Preprinted tax return forms will not be available at area libraries in 2014. The library is discontinuing the provision of preprinted tax forms due to difficulties in obtaining forms and instructions. Federal and state agencies are encouraging people to complete their tax returns online. Preprinted tax forms will be available from government revenue departments by request. The IRS toll-free number to request forms and publications is 1-800-829-3676. The Minnesota Revenue toll-free number to request tax forms is 1-800-652-9094. Taxpayers continue to have the option of printing tax forms using library equipment.
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Asseln’s art blends photography-painting by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com
Randy Asseln’s friends don’t know whether to call him a photographer or a painter. But that’s OK. Because Asseln is equally adept as a keen taker of photos and as an artist with a digital palette. Asseln, a St. Stephen resident, is the subject of a one-man art show entitled “Minnesota On Canvas,” which will be on display until March 1 at the Great River Arts Center in downtown Little Falls. The exhibit features 55 of Asseln’s photos and photo-paintings. What’s unusual about his art is he prints his photographs on artist canvas, including some that are very large. The result lends a “painterly” look to the stunning images: many views of the Split Rock Lighthouse near Duluth, a series of hockey arena photos, a series of pelicans, and several eye-popping sunsets and sunrises. Then there are Asseln’s photo-paintings. What he does is put the photo into his computer. Then, using the photo as a kind of outphoto by Dennis Dalman line of what effects he wants to achieve, he Randy Asseln (left) and museum-visitor Dale Hellickson of St. Cloud enjoy a brief uses his computer “paintbrush” and palette chat during Asseln’s one-man exhibit at the Great River Art Gallery in Little Falls. Asseln • page 4
Sartell hopes to get ‘Safe Routes to School’ grant by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com
An application for a “Safe Routes to School” grant was approved by the Sartell City Council at its last meeting. If the city receives the grant, it plans to use it to construct a 7-foot wide sidewalk along the south side of 2nd Street S. from Pinecone Road east to 4th Avenue S. Currently, there is no
sidewalk or trail on that side of the street. There is only one crosswalk on that busy roadway – the one located at 4th Avenue S. by the Middletown Apartments. A sidewalk would serve the Sundance Business Center and lead to the semaphore-lighting intersection at the intersection of Pinecone Road and 2nd Street S. A Minnesota Department of Transportation study in 2009
determined there was an average of 10,900 vehicles per day on 2nd Street, which is a twolane road with left-turn lanes in some places. The speed limit on that road is 40 mph. The sidewalk project is estimated to cost $544,459. The city hopes a grant, if received, would cover most of that cost. The terms of the grant specify the city must chip in 20 percent of the cost of any project.
This year, there is no maximum amount associated with a SRTS grant, which previously had a maximum amount of $100,000. The grant is administered by the Minnesota Department of Transportation with funding provided by the federal government. Founded in 2005, The SRTS program is a national and statewide effort to make improveGrant • page 3
Quilters bring warmth, kindness to people in need by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com
Ardelle Amundson loves to get “thank-you” notes, especially from children. One of them said, in a childish scrawl, “Thank you for giving my mom and I a quilt. It’s really nice and warm.” – Marcus. Another one said, “Thanks for the quilt. Now I don’t have to share with my mom.” Amundson, a Sartell resident, is a founding member of the Rice Area Mission Quilters, a group of about a dozen women who have made and donated thousands of quilts to people who are down on their luck.
People receive the handmade quilts at about two dozen places in central Minnesota, including the Veterans Administration hospital, battered-women shelters, nursing homes, schools, food shelves, the Salvation Army and Catholic Charities. Amundson and the other quilters frequently receive so many grateful notes from quilt recipients they know they are on the right track on what Amundson calls “God’s project.” Some recipients had never owned a quilt in their lives. Quilts, Amundson well knows, can help people feel warm, happy and comforted. The Rice Area Mission Quilters • page 4
photo by Dennis Dalman
Ardelle Amundson of Sartell (at right) helped form the Rice Area Mission Quilters 11 years ago. The group has lots of fun when they gather to make quilts, all of which are donated to good causes. From left are Breanna Motshke, John Borash (Motshke’s boyfriend), Edris Weinand, Cherie Ablan, Theresa Duea, Eveyln Kirchner and Amundson.
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Friday, Jan. 24, 2014
People Taylor Welle, of Sartell is one of many students to receive scholarships from the University of Minnesota, Morris for the 2013– 14 academic year. Welle is the recipient of the UMM Alumni Association Academic Scholarship. Welle, will graduate from Morris in 2017 with a degree in English, elementary education. Three Sartell students were recently named to the fall semester dean’s list fat Marquette Uni-
contributed photo
Pictured are MooBell and SMS teacher Gary Rosin.
contributed photo
MooBell and Sartell Middle School Student Council members Faith Wannarka and Hannah Congdon. MooBell the Cow recently visited Sartell Middle School to pass out milk. The goal was to educate teachers and staff about making healthier choices when selecting beverages. NUVAL is a program spon-
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sored by Coborn’s and CentraCare Health Foundations BLEND (Better Living, Exercise and Nutrition Daily) initiative. SMS students have access to the NUVAL scores in the ala carte and vending machines in school.
320-253-0400 • 1-800-777-0422
If any readers have tips concerning crimes, they should call the Sartell Police Department at 320-251-8186 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. Jan. 8 5:07 p.m. Autumn Drive. Domestic. A request was made for an officer to assist an adult female who was in an argument with an adult male. The male and female both stated the argument did not become physical. The officer provided resources and transported the female and child to a safe location. 11:26 p.m. Unwanted person. 11th Avenue E. A report was made regarding an unwanted adult male at a residence. Officers arrived and escorted him off the premises without incident. Jan. 9 12:45 p.m. Person assist. 7th Avenue S. An elderly male fell in an apartment lobby and was unable to stand back up on his own. Officers arrived and assisted the male to his feet and walked with him to his residence. 2:42 p.m. Medical. Pinetree Court. An emergency call was
320-763-8687 • 1-800-872-8445
Alex Travel
305 4th Ave. S., Ste. 3 • Sartell 3015 Hwy 29 S., Ste. 4038 • Alexandria, MN 56308 Utopia Tours www.utopiatours.com www.utopiatours.com
MOTORCOACH TOURS
DAY TRIPS
The Best of the Southwest.............................March 4-20 Spring East Coast Tour - DC..................March 24-April 1 Washington, D.C. & New York City.........March 28-April 7 Nashville & Pigeon Forge..................................April 9-15 Spring Branson Tour.......................................April 12-17 Pella Tulip Festival & Grotto......................April 30-May 2 Chicago & Amish of Indiana.............................May 12-17
Minneapolis Home & Garden Show.....Thursday, Feb. 27 Old Log - “Almost Maine”..............Wednesday, March 19 Spring at Bachman’s...........................Monday, March 24 Mall of America....................................Thursday, April 10 Old Log - “Steel Magnolia’s”.............Wednesday, May 14
Alaska Round Trip Air............................July 29-Aug. 4 • Alaska Southbound.............................July 29-Aug. 13 ALASKA Cruise tour with Holland America.......July 26 - Aug. 6
versity in Milwaukee, Wis. They and their majors are as follows: Abigail Frericks, biomedical sciences; and Matthew Peckskamp and Julie Wick, both physician assistant studies. Five Sartell students were recently named to the fall dean’s list at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minn. They are as follows: Matthew Husmann; Megan Maricle-Roberts; Rachel Scharf;
Blotter
placed stating an elderly female was lying in the street. Officers arrived and she stated she had slipped on the ice and could not move. Her hip was stabilized and she was transported to the hospital. Jan. 10 12:05 p.m. Open door. 10th Street S. A neighbor reported a front door was left open on a residence. Officers contacted the homeowner who requested the home be checked. Officers checked the residence and locked the door upon leaving. 9:10 p.m. DWI. Riverside Avenue. A complaint was made regarding a vehicle swerving and hitting the curb several times. The driver was unable to pass field sobriety testing. He was placed under arrest and transported to Stearns County Jail without incident.
Janelle Thienes; and Mallory Waytashek. Students must earn a 3.7 gradepoint average or higher to earn the honor. Thomas Findlay, of Sartell was recently named to the fall semester dean’s list at Rochester (Minn.) Community and Technical College. To qualify he achieved a grade-point average between 3.0 and 4.0.
Jan. 12 9:48 a.m. DWI. Pinecone Road. An officer stopped to check on an adult male sitting in a vehicle. The male was unable to pass field sobriety testing. He was placed under arrest and transported to Stearns County Jail without incident. 1:37 p.m. Traffic stop. Pinecone Road. After checking a vehicle’s registration, it was found the driver had a revoked license. The driver stated he was aware of his status. The vehicle was parked and he was issued a citation. Jan. 13 1:15 p.m. Barking dog. 3rd Street N. A complaint was made regarding a dog barking outside a residence. Officers arrived and located a dog, in a kennel, in the back yard. The dog did not bark when officers arrived or left.
Jan. 11 10:49 p.m. Loud music. 7th Street N. A complaint was made regarding loud music coming from a residence. Officers spoke with the resident, who agreed to turn down the music. 11:15 p.m. Gunshot. 4th Street N. A report was made regarding a single gunshot in the area. Officers checked the area and spoke to neighbors and could not find the location.
Jan. 14 6:59 a.m. Juvenile runaway. Lowell Lane. A report was entered for a juvenile male runaway. The male was located and placed at a safe location. 3:55 p.m. Vehicle in ditch. CR 1. While on patrol, an officer saw a vehicle in the ditch. The officer called a tow truck and provided emergency lights until the vehicle was removed.
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Published each Friday by Von Meyer Publishing Inc.
Newstands Country Store and Pharmacy Holiday on Riverside Drive Holiday on 7th Street N House of Pizza JM Speedstop
Little Dukes on Pinecone Sartell City Hall Sartell-St. Stephen School District Offices Walgreens
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Publisher/Owner Janelle Von Pinnon
Contributing Writer Cori Hilsgen
Editor Dennis Dalman
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.
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Tillemans movie to be shown on ‘Holocaust Remembrance Day’ by Dennis Dalman news@newsleaders.com
“Never forget!” That is the oft-repeated advisory that followed the sys t e m a t i c Tillemans butchery of Jews and other “undesirables” and ethnic minorities during World War II in Europe. Larry Tillemans is one man who has dedicated a major part of his life to ensure people never forget what happened in those death camps. And now, Tillemans is get-
Grant from front page ments on any routes children walk or bike to school. There are three types of grants: planning assistance, non-infrastructure implementation and infrastructure implementation. Sartell’s request is for an infrastructureimplementation grant. Sartell just might have a one-
ting help making his message travel far and wide. A documentary about him and his life’s work, entitled “The Typist,” will have a public showing at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27 at Atwood Center on the St. Cloud State University campus. The movie and a discussion afterward will be part of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is Jan. 27., the anniversary date of the liberation by the Allies of the Auschwitz death camp in 1945. One of the people featured in “The Typist” is Dan Wildeson, director of the Holocaust and Education Center at SCSU. In the movie, Wildeson has high praises for Til-
lemans who single-handedly showed such determination to share the knowledge of what he knew about the horrors of the Holocaust. “The Typist” was also shown Jan. 23 at the St. Cloud Public Library. There will soon be showings of the film throughout the state and the nation. Tillemans, now 87, lived for years in St. Joseph but now lives in Country Manor in Sartell. Despite some health setbacks, he is as eager and willing as ever to keep talking about what he knows about the mass exterminations in Europe. Tillemans was a U.S. Army typist during the Nuremburg
War Crimes trials that took place in Nuremburg, Germany after the war ended in 1945. He and other typists transcribed a virtual mountain of papers detailing evidence of unspeakable crimes revealed during the trials of Nazi criminals, many of them directly responsible for the “Final Solution,” a Nazi term for the systematic butchery of at least 6 million people in forced-labor camps and death camps in which so many people – men, women and children – were sent to their deaths in gas chambers. Tillemans was outraged and horrified by the evidence he learned about. That passionate determination to not let
people forget has grown stronger in him as the years have passed. Tillemans is saddened by the fact many young people don’t seem to know about the Holocaust. He is angry some so-called scholars and even a recent leader of Iran claim the Holocaust never happened. “The Typist” was produced by Chuck Czech, a producer from a public television station in Austin, who happened to learn about Tillemans when he and his wife were having dinner at Kay’s Kitchen in St. Joseph. The film was made with the help of co-producer and freelancer David Klassen. It took them three years to complete.
up on other cities in the grant process. That is because SRTS tends to favor cities that have done studies and planning for safe routes to school. Sartell has already begun that process to identify barriers to walking and biking to and from schools. That study, in fact, was funded by an SRTS grant awarded last year to hire the consultant. The Sartell SRTS team includes a consultant, city staff and parents from the city, Pine Mead-
ow Elementary School, Sartell Middle School and BLEND, a central Minnesota organization that promotes “Better Living, Exercise and Nutrition Daily.” Years ago, Sartell also received an SRTS grant of $121,000 to fill in the gaps of the hiking-biking-sidewalks in the 15th Street N. area leading to Pinecone Road. Other area projects funded by SRTS grants include four in St. Cloud and one in Sauk Rapids.
In Sauk Rapids, the money was used to construct sidewalks and improve crossings at Pleasantview Elementary School. The St. Cloud grants were for streetcrossing safety improvements, signage and bike-parking areas;
safety improvements for children on their way to and from the splash pad-park-playground next to Westwood Elementary School; the hiring of an SRTS consultant; and the hiring of a coordinator for BLEND.
RN/LPN
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www.accuratehomecare.com ST. JOSEPH ROD AND GUN CLUB 21st ANNUAL
ice fishing contest Saturday, Feb. 1
If cancelled because of poor ice/weather, NO RESCHEDULE. Refunds upon request.
NOON-2:30 P.M. • KRAEMER LAKE
Tickets: $10 Advanced (Until Jan. 31) $12 At The Lake PRIZES: Two Categories: Game and Pan Fish
$200 FOR LARGEST FISH $150 FOR 2nd LARGEST $100 FOR 3rd LARGEST
GRAND PRIZE:
Over $3,000 In Prizes
FREE one-day fish house rental for 4 people on Upper Red Lake! Donated by JR’s Corner Access. Sign up at the lake. Must be present to win.
All Other Registered Fish Qualify For One Of 20 – $20 Cash Drawings!
MANY DOOR PRIZES AWARDED THROUGHOUT THE CONTEST (MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN)
First 200 Kids (13 & Under) Receive A Free Piece of Fishing Equipment With Valid Ticket!
Lunch and RefReshments Restrooms & Warming House Available Tickets Available at Stop Light Bait, St. Cloud; Super America, Cold Spring; American Legion, St. Joseph; St. Joseph Liquor Shoppe, St. Joseph; JM Speedstop, St. Joseph or online at www.stjoerodandgunclub.org
FOR INFORMATION CALL 363-8803 or 251-2881 ALL STATE LAWS APPLY
News Tips?
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photo by Dennis Dalman
Evelyn Kirchner, master sewer, sews one of the thousands of hot-pad holders made by the Rice Area Mission Quilters, whose main task is to make quilts to donate to good causes.
Quilters from front page Quilters was formed in May 2002. Amundson vividly remembers how the group so badly wanted a certain kind of sewing machine, they prayed for one. What they needed for their work was a machine that could sew
straight and zig-zag stitches and one that could handle heavy fabrics. One day, Amundson came home from work and noticed there were some items marked “Free” in a neighbor woman’s yard. One of the items, as if God had truly answered the ladies’ prayer, was a Kenmore sewing machine – exactly the kind the ladies had hoped – and prayed – for. God, working in mysterious
ways, seems to have provided for the quilters ever since those founding days. Donations of material and other items seem to pop up out of nowhere, as do contributions of money and materials from churches, organizations and individuals. And it takes a lot of materials to make possible the quilters’ work. Last year, they made and donated 1,800 quilts, 836 pillowcases and 420 potholders to low-income families through the many various area agencies. This year, they’re on track to do the same. The women meet two Thursdays each month at Shepherd of the Pines Church in Rice. Groups of women pin and tie the quilts on large frames. They are then taken across the hall into the jam-packed storage and sewing where Evelyn Kirchner, master sewer, sews the hems. She can sew a quilt in lickety-split time, about 15 minutes. She also sews all the other items the group makes. Some, like potholders, are sold to make money for quilting materials, but most are donated to people in need. The women are quick to give others credit. There are many who help with the projects, including some people who work from home. The quilters’ husbands gladly volunteer to load the quilts into vehicles and deliver them to where they are needed. It is, Amundson said, a labor of love by so many people. The energy and enthusiasm of the group can quickly convince people into wanting to be part of the projects. For example, Breanna Motshke of Rice
is a student studying psychology at St. Cloud State University who took a class based on volunteer work. Aware the quilters needed help, she agreed to spend hours with them, helping them tie and pin quilts at the church. Her boyfriend, John Borash, decided to come along and help out, too. Quiltmaking is anything but drudgery, Amundson said. The members have a ball when they’re putting quilts together as jokes and wisecracks tend to zing back and forth. At a recent quilting session, they enjoyed telling a story about just how dedicated quilters can become. The husband of a woman in Little Falls was not very happy about how much money his wife was spending on quilting supplies. Finally, the conflict came to an end when he agreed he’d let her spend as much as she wanted on quilting fabrics as long as he could continue to spend as much as he likes on hunting. Heckuva deal. The Rice Area Mission Quilters are always seeking volunteers, who can spend as much or as little time as they want. Sewing is not a requirement. Call Amundson at 320-656-5858 or Cherie Ablan at 320-393-4164. Supplies are always welcome, including fabric, yarn, thread, polyester batting, sheets, pillowcases, towels, drapes, mattress pads and blankets (often used for the inside filler of the quilts). Those items can be brought to Shepherd of the Pines church, or arrangements can be made to have them picked up. Call Amundson at 320-656-5858.
Draw a duck to conserve wetlands The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting entries for the 2014 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Student artwork will be judged in four grade groups: kindergarten through third, fourth-sixth, seventhninth, 10th-12th. Submitted artwork must feature a native North American waterfowl species. Three first-, three secondand three third-place, along with 16 honorable mentions will be awarded in each age group.
A Best of Show entry will be selected from the 12 first-place winners and entered in the national contest held in April. The national winner’s artwork is used to create a Junior Duck Stamp each year. The stamp is available for $5, with proceeds used to support conservation education and contest awards. Entries must be postmarked by March 15. For more information, visit www.thenewsleaders. com and click on Criers.
Friday, Jan. 24, 2014
Asseln from front page of colors to alter (or perhaps emphasize is a better word) the reality of the photographic image. He changes colors, adds light and dark areas, enhances the depth of field. What results is a stunning transformation of what Asseln first saw through the lens of his camera. An example is “Old Willie,” a photo-painting of an old jeep he photographed on a patch of grass near Anton’s restaurant in Waite Park. Using his “paintbrush,” Asseln added bright, almost feverish colors so the image has been morphed almost into a cherished memory of the jeep and its surroundings. The bright pastel colors add a twinge of other-worldly nostalgia the original photo lacked.
Showstoppers
Two of Asseln’s “showstoppers” are two huge photos of the twisted, gnarled tree at Gooseberry Falls on the Lake Superior North Shore. The photos are veritable symphonies of shapes and autumnal colors that look so painterly many museum-goers have asked Asseln, “Is that a painting or a photo?” They seem surprised when he tells them, “No, that’s not one of my photo-paintings. It’s a photo.” The texture of the canvas on which the photo is printed is what gives the work – and most of Asseln’s other works – the look of an oil-oracrylic painting. Another showstopper that causes some museum visitors to gasp audibly is a photo of a sunset at the mouth of the Broule River at Lake Superior. The entire large canvas almost hurts the eyes with its vast expanse of radiant orange-yellowpink colors. There is the sky, the river water and a spit of land jutting into the picture horizontally. On the spit of land is the sillohuette of teepee-like poles sticking up, put there by teenagers. The work, which is also a photo not a painting, resembles – almost – a purely abstract painting. Two of Asseln’s other largescale standouts are a crowded fleet of boats clustered at a sailboat dock at early sunrise on Lake Pepin and the photo of a ship ghostly gliding under the lift-bridge at Duluth harbor. An entire wall of the Little Falls art gallery is reserved for Asseln’s series of hockey photo-paintings. The images were taken of the five final Minnesota college teams in the Western Hockey Association, which dissolved last year. All of the photos were taken of the players in arenas when the National Anthem was playing. Again, Asseln’s added colors lend to the images a nostalgic twinge or two.
Friday, Jan. 24, 2014
Giant printing
It takes him anywhere from 20 to 30 hours to do one digital photo-painting. Asseln lists the advantages of his unique kind of photography-painting. First of all, the canvases are so light and portable. Even the largest can be mounted on the wall using a single ordinary nail. Second, there is not glare from glass covering the photos. Third, it gives the “painterly” look to images. Fourth, the canvas and ink on it will last at least 200 years. And fifth, Asseln loves the printing process itself. He has a printer 44 inches wide, which uses an inkjet printing process. Asseln came by his technique in an indirect, roundabout, interesting way. When his kids were grown and left the house 10 years ago, he decided to enlarge a photo of his son Jeff’s Sartell hockey team after it won a tournament in Little Falls. He was not happy with the enlargement and tried several other attempts. No go. He almost gave up. That is, until he discovered via Internet a group of engineers in the Netherlands who had developed a way to massively enlarge tiny little photos taken on cell phones. Asseln decided to email the engineers, asking them how he could enlarge a photo to a crystal-clear image at a dimension of 2 x 3 feet. They replied, saying they thought they could help him. They sent Asseln more information, and he was impressed by the “fantastic” results. It didn’t take him long to buy the software from the Dutch engineers. And he’s been happily printing ever since for his own collection and for those who want to buy canvas prints and or photo-paintings from him. “I work at it a few hours every night,” Asseln said. “It’s very relaxing, and I have the time; I don’t watch TV.”
A knack for art
It’s no surprise Asseln would be so drawn to art works involving a printer. After all, he’s been an electronic trouble-shooter for the printing equipment for the “USA Today” newspaper at its Maple Grove plant for many years.
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Born in Lincoln, Neb., he moved with his family to Osakis when his parents bought the “Head of the Lakes” resort on the north shore of Lake Osakis. He graduated from Osakis High School in 1971. “I always had an artistic ability as a kid,” he said. “I remember I drew all the U.S. presidents with pencil. I did a lot of cartoon characters too. I also fished every day on Lake Osakis. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.” After high school, Asseln earned a degree in electronics at the Willmar Technical Institute. Then he took a job at Fred’s TV Warehouse in St. Cloud. Later, he met his wife-to-be, Peggy Schuneman of St. Stephen. They Asseln • page 7
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photos by Dennis Dalman
At left: This is one of Randy Asseln’s stunning photos of sunsets. At right: One of Randy Asseln’s photo-paintings is “Old Willie,” the work in the center on this museum wall. Asseln took a photo of an old jeep near Anton’s restaurant in Waite Park, then he digitally painted the photo in his computer to give it a nostaligic, almost spectral look. At upper right is a photo of the old bridge and paper mill in Sartell.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WANTED The City of St. Stephen is in need of new membership on its Park Board & Planning Commission Committee: Park Board: 2nd Monday of the month, meetings at 7 p.m., City-wide events throughout the year Planning Commission: 2nd Tuesday of the month, meetings at 7:30 p.m., Ordinance & Building/Business issues reviewed Please contact City Clerk Cris Drais Email: crisdrais@midconetwork.com • Phone: 320-290-0424 Mail: St. Stephen City Hall, 2 6th Ave. SE, St. Stephen, MN 56375
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Our View Gates Foundation a big plus for helping the world’s people Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is not only a billionaire – he’s also an extremely generous philanthropist, a global visionary and a myth-buster. In this day and age, when we hear so much about greedy Wall Street crooks and irresponsible corporate plunderers, it’s refreshing to read about someone like Gates – a rich man with a global conscience who puts his money where his mouth is. In the late 1990s, Gates and his wife formed the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has an endowment fund of almost $40 billion. Besides donating much of their own wealth, the foundation has been strengthened by more than $1 billion from another rich man, Warren Buffett. Many others – businesses and individuals – have contributed to the foundation. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation sponsors many programs to help save the world’s poor from death and debilitating poverty, both at home and abroad. There are programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and polio. Immunizations are a big part of the ongoing successes. The foundation also funds research into widespread tropical diseases that kill so many people. In addition, there are programs for financial aid, agricultural development, hygiene and sanitation and many programs for educational enhancement in the United States and elsewhere. On a Jan. 21 TV appearance on the “Morning Joe” show, Gates discussed several myths that need to be debunked. Myth 1: The United States throws away too much money on foreign aid. Truth: This nation spends less than 1 percent on foreign aid. Less than 2 percent of the money and other forms of aid that are given end up diverted into fraud schemes. The aid, Gates said, has done wonders to help the people in poor countries through the decades. Myth 2: There is no hope for Third World poor countries as they keep going from bad to worse. Truth: Wretched poverty has improved in most countries in the world in just the past couple of decades, especially in the formerly poor countries of China, Mexico and Brazil. Open markets combined with foreign assistance and trade have drastically decreased the rates of abject poverty. Myth 3: The more children saved from death will lead to massive increases in population and thus, more misery, in Third World countries. Truth: Gates said a surprising fact is health improvements and children being spared from poverty and forms of death actually decrease population because parents tend to have more children when they see so many of their children dying. As usual, some of these myths have been perpetrated by cynics or those who don’t believe we have a responsibility to help our fellow human beings. Thank goodness for philanthropists like the Gateses, like Buffett, like Bono and many others who are rich and generous, visionary and determined to make the world better. And, not to forget, we who are not rich can also make huge differences, collectively, through even the smallest of donations and volunteer efforts. There is indeed hope for this weary world. That hope resides in each and every one of us.
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.
Friday, Jan. 24, 2014
Opinion Parental ghosts pop up for sweet revenge When my bloated gas bill arrived the other day, I just about fainted. “Well, (expletive deleted)!” I said out loud in a clenched-teeth growl. “Just can’t win! They gotcha comin’, they gotcha goin.’ It’s one thing after another. What next?!” At that moment, I felt as if I’d been struck my lightning. In that flash, I knew my dead Dad lives. I was startled; I sounded just like him. He’s been reincarnated. Into me! His cantankerous ghost was afoot, and I was channeling his voice, his words. Spooky. It’s so strange how our departed parents resurface. They’re waiting in the wings, teasing us, surprising us, popping up when least expected, playing peek-a-boo as we discover, with an odd mixture of dread and delight, we are them. Their sweet revenge. Once upon a time, I used to think my parents were hopeless. So uncool. They’d get tears in their eyes watching the Lawrence Welk Show. What squares. They hated early rock ‘n’ roll and later complained when we kids played Beatles, Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Come on now, jeez, how dumb can you get? Mom, a farm girl from Benson, graduated from St. Cloud Teachers’ College (SCSU now) and worked as a grade-school teacher until she met Garrett “Mike” Dalman, a musicloving auto-mechanic and life-lovingsometimes-grumpy wild card. They had six kids. Ma was a housewife, but in later years she worked as a clerk in several stores. Born in Maple Lake, Dad was a fun-loving but hard-working man who loved playing violin, clarinet and saxophone when he wasn’t working
Dennis Dalman Editor on everybody’s cars – except ours. He enjoyed his snorts of brandy – too much so – but he never missed a day of work in his life. He worked hard, played hard. He was a member of an old-time band and sometimes sat in as a clarinet player with the St. Cloud Municipal Band when they’d play in the 1950s in the bandshell in St. Cloud’s Barden Park, a block north of our house. Mom and Dad loved to go out on weekends, especially when Dad was playing at some ballroom or another. We kids loved it, too, because when they were away, we mice would play. The house was all ours and – oh boy! – did we let loose. We’d rearrange the furniture and play a hooligan game of house tag, leaping like monkeys from one piece of furniture to the next, using the beds as trampolines, having pillow fights, sneaking snorts of Dad’s brandy that he dumbly hid in the most obvious corner of the kitchen cupboard. Then, at the Pumpkin Hour, near 1 a.m. – quick, hurry up, they’ll be home soon! – we’d put the house back in order, sort of. Then we’d rush to our beds and pretend to be sleeping. Fake snores. Our complicit, naughty babysitters were always in on the fun and mayhem. In the morning, we’d wake up to a sweet variety of treats our parents would leave for us on the diningroom table: Snickers, Mars bars, Walnut Crush, Old Dutch chips. Sweet-
tooth rewards for being good kids? Oh, if they only knew. When I was in my 30s, I realized my gray-haired parents were smarter than I’d thought once upon a time. One day, I apologized for all the grief we kids caused them. “Golldarn it, sonny!” said Dad (he called everybody “sonny.”) “We did the same things when we were kids.” Mom flickered a mischievous smile. “Son-of-a-gun, have a snort!” said Dad, chuckling, pouring me a snifter of Petri’s brandy. The older I get, the more I miss my parents. I miss their humor, their voices, their lively conversations. When I was a pre-teen, so many late nights I would lay on the floor of my upstairs bedroom, next to the stovepipe vent, to overhear my parents having a roaring good time talking and laughing with their guests in the room below. The sound and mysterious meanings of adult conversation both puzzled and mesmerized me. I can still hear their voices channeled through me when I say: “You just never know.” “They gotcha comin’, they gotcha goin’.” “If it isn’t one thing, it’s another.” “You just can’t win.” “NOW what?!” I can hear Mom’s weary sigh; I can hear Dad spit those phrases out in a kind of dog’s growl, usually preceeded or followed by a few scorching unprintables. I can just hear Mom saying: “Mike, watch your mouth!” In fact, I can still hear her saying it (“Denny, watch your mouth!”) every time I add a scorching word, just like Dad, to one of their sayings.
Letters to editor
Governor should support ‘Safe Routes to School’ David Tilstra, MD, CPE CentaCare Clinic President While controversial to some, Gov. Dayton took an important step recently to protect the safety of Minnesota children by canceling school due to the cold weather. That decision demonstrated the governor’s willingness to step up and take leadership for the health and welfare of our children. He also could help to protect the health and safety of Minnesota’s children by including $6 million in his bonding proposal to fund the infrastructure needed to support Safe Routes to School. We need to encourage our children to be physically ac-
tive every day. As a community, it’s important we provide our children safe opportunities to walk and bike. We can’t hold out an expectation of daily physical activity without providing safe alternatives for them to achieve that goal. While the immediate safety of our children is crucial, funding Safe Routes to School in the bonding bill also has a long-term impact on our children’s health. With childhood obesity rates tripling since 1980, we must make daily physical activity part of the routine for a lifetime. Walking and bicycling to school offer those opportunities. The health of Minnesota’s econo-
my is another persuasive reason for Gov. Dayton to support Safe Routes to School in his bonding bill this year. The American Heart Association estimates if current obesity trends continue, total health-care costs attributable to obesity could exceed $861 billion by 2030, which would account for at least 16 percent of U.S. health expenditures. Obesity is replacing tobacco use as one of the key cost-drivers behind escalating health-care costs. Gov. Dayton has the chance to make children’s health and safety a priority every day of the year by investing in Safe Routes to School.
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).
Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, Jan. 24, 2014
Community Calendar
Friday, Jan. 24 Blood drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St.. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-7332767. Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., College of St. Benedict, 37 S. College Ave., St. Joseph. 1-800-7332767. Candlelight Hike and Snowshoe, one-mile, 6-9 p.m., Charles A. Lindbergh Historic Site, 2151 S. Lindbergh Drive, Little Falls. 320616-5421. Saturday, Jan. 25 Silent Auction, 7-11 p.m., fundraiser supports Sartell wrestlers in grades K-12, Blackberry Ridge Golf Course, 3125 Clubhouse Road, Sartell. Sunday, Jan. 26 Knights of Columbus Youth Free-throw Championship, 12:30 p.m. registration and practice, 1 p.m. contest begins. All boys and girls ages 9-14 are eligible to participate. All Saints Academy gym, St. Joseph. 320-363-1077. Sons of Norway Barnelopet, 1 p.m., free children’s cross country ski event for ages 3 to 13, ski equipment provided on a first-come firstserved basis. Registration suggest-
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ed. Riverside Park warming shelter, 1725 Kilian Blvd. SE, St. Cloud. www.stcloudtrollheim.org. Sunday at the Abbey, 7 p.m. St. John’s Abbey Chapter House, Collegeville. Brother Dennis Beach, OSB, “Faith as a Transformative Force in El Salvador.” Monday, Jan. 27 Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St.. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-7332767. “The Typist”, 6 p.m., documentary featuring Larry Tillemans, a WWII vet who typed transcripts during the trial of Nazi war criminals. Atwood Center, St. Cloud State University.. Sartell City Council, 7 p.m., City Hall. 320-253-2171. Tuesday, Jan. 28 Blood drive, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St.. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-7332767. Kindergarten Round-Up, Pine Meadow Elementary School, 1029 N. 5th St., Sartell. If you have an eligible child and have not heard from the school office, please call 320-
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253-8303 to reserve a session time. Thursday, Jan. 30 Coffee and Conversation, a senior discussion group, 9 a.m., Country Manor, Sartell. Blood drive, noon-6 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St.. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-7332767. Kindergarten Round-Up, Oak Ridge Elementary School, 1111 27th St. N., Sartell. If you have an eligible child and have not heard from the school office, please call 320-258-3693 to reserve a session time.
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Friday, Jan. 31 Blood drive, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., American Red Cross, 1301 W. St.. Germain St., St. Cloud. 1-800-7332767. SJU student Noah Speeter performs, 8 p.m., Local Blend, downtown St. Joseph.
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Asseln dated for 18 years before finally getting married. They’ve lived in St. Stephen for 33 years and have two sons: Jason, 34, and Jeff, 30. Asseln and his wife love to go on trips that almost always involve Asseln’s love of photography. “We love going to the North Shore and also love it here, right on the Mississippi River,” he said. Asseln, like any nature photographer, well knows the value of quietude and patience. “There are only about eight minutes in a day when there is ideal light for outdoor photography,” Asseln said. “Four minutes in the morning, four minutes at night. Those are the most opportune times, as a general rule, I mean.” At a photo scene, Asseln waits breathlessly for just those right moments. He takes hundreds of photos, snapping the shutter (usually with a remote-
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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.
control device) over and over as the light rises or the light dies. And voila, one of the hundreds of photos usually turns out to be the one that’s “just right.” The newly remodeled and expanded Great River Arts Gallery is located at 122 1st St. SE just a block south of Little Falls’ main street, Broadway. It is open from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays-Fridays; and from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. It is closed Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays. Also at the gallery, now on display, are the paintings of three artists – Kathy Brand, Sandra Driscoll and Shelly Leitheiser. The dozens of canvases include mainly watercolors and acrylics of flowers, landscapes, exotic locales and surrealistic dreamscapes.
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STEEL SALES & RECYCLING
MIDWAY IRON & METAL INC.
Family Owned & Operated 648 NE Lincoln Ave., St. Cloud SCRAP: 320-252-4002 • NEW STEEL: 320-258-3003 800-246-4002 • www.midwayiron.com
Ziggy is an energetic 3-year-old, neutered Golden Retriever mix that came from another shelter. During his short stint in a foster home, he got along wonderfully with their dog and cat. Although Ziggy’s active personality made him vulnerable to knocking toddlers over, he seems to really like children. His favorite toy is a tennis ball and he also likes chewing on knuckle bones. Wouldn’t you like to buy this dog a bone and bring him home? “Helping one animal won’t change the world … but it will change the world for that one animal!” Dogs - 10 Gerbil - 1
Cats - 29 Kittens - 10
Rabbits - 4
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Hours: Monday-Thursday Noon-6 p.m., Friday Noon-8 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. & Sunday Noon-5 p.m.
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Sartell Newsleader • www.thenewsleaders.com
Friday, Jan. 24, 2014
City releases list of expanded goals for 2014 by Dennis Dalman news@thenewsleaders.com The City of Sartell recently released an expanded list for goals its staff will work on to achieve or make progress on in 2014. The goals are these: Extend a local-option salestax with voter approval. Such a tax could pay or help pay for a number of city projects if the tax is extended beyond 2018, at which time the current extension of the tax will end. Develop a “Comprehensive Pedestrian/Trail Plan.” The ultimate goal is to create more trails and to connect current and future trail systems. Work with the St. Cloudbased Metro Transit Commission for improved and expanded bus service in Sartell. Purchase land for “Town Square” and start working with developers on plans for a “downtown” Sartell – an area along Pinecone Road S. near the Coborn’s Super Store. The future downtown area has been dubbed “Town Square” by city staff. Look into the possibility of creating a swimming beach in the huge pond in the northeast area of Pinecone Central Park. Rename Pinecone Regional Park and make it more park-like by adding trees and other park amenities. Pinecone Regional
Park is the land next to and near Sartell City Hall. Find ways to re-engage people who would like to see a rollerblade skating park in Sartell. Two years ago, a skate-park committee of citizens was formed. Transportation plans will be updated, including an updated capital/maintenance plan for city streets and a setting of road-re-
pair priorities based on the city’s new Pavement Management System, which rates the condition of roadways on a numbered system. Move forward with a sales-tax revenue plan to build a community-service center, which would possibly contain a branch library and senior-citizen center. Finish up with land purchases and improvements to start Sauk
River Regional Park in south Sartell. Complete the dog-park project within Pinecone Central Park, a place where dogs and their owners can congregate. Revisit the question of whether or not to reduce the number of garbage trucks on streets within Sartell. Currently, four refuse companies are licensed to have
trucks pick up garbage within Sartell. Promote a program of ongoing planting of more trees in the city. Seek ways to connect interested residents to coalesce around a variety of issues and projects, such as a use for the historic “Round Barn” and exploration of the possibility of creating a swimming pool in the city.