WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2019
Serving Polk County’s St. Croix Valley since 1897
VOL. 122 NO. 01 www.osceolasun.com $1.00
QUALITY MEAT AUCTION: Results inside. PAGE 11
Uff da! Yer invited to ‘Ole & Lena’s Wedding’
Brew Fest a toast to more and better trails
CONTRIBUTED ARTBARN THEATRE
ArtBarn Theatre’s rendition of “Ole & Lena’s Wedding” will open this weekend. The event includes dinner after the wedding, catered by the Village Pizzeria, a dollar dance and traditional Norwegian wedding cake, kransekake. The antics of friends and family will ensure an exciting celebration. The comedic performance was developed by a Duluth-based theater outfit, Change of Pace Productions. The plot revolves around the nuptials of a Norwegian and Finn. A befuddled Lutheran pastor presides over the ceremony, as the DJ struggles to let go of the torch he bears for Lena. Pete Peterson, an Art-
BY SUZANNE LINDGREN EDITOR@OSCEOLASUN.COM
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‘Ole and Lena’ cast: Stephanie Steele (pastor Burdahl), Brady Riordan (Pantsloff), Michele Merritt (Lois), Peter Meyer (Ole Jr.), Amanda Meyer (Lena), Kym Wright (Gladys), Jessica Cormican (Karlene). Not pictured: Jack Starr (Ole Sr.) and Ben Peterson (Bud)).
Barn alum with a mostly-Swedish background, steps into a new role as the show’s director. The performance invites audience participation, an unpredictable factor. However, it gives the actors a lot of creative freedom to give the
show a local flavor. “It’s been a joy to watch that click for them,” Peterson said. The cast includes Peter Meyer, Amanda Meyer, Jack Starr, Michele Merritt, Kym Wright, Ben Peterson, Jessica Cormi-
can, Stephanie Steele, and Brady Riordan. Directed by Pete Peterson. The show runs August 9, 10, 16 and 17 at 6:30 p.m., and August 11 and 18 at 1:30 p.m. Tickets must be reserved in advance: www. stcroixartbarn.org.
The fifth annual Valley Brew Fest is coming Aug. 17. The event, which runs from 4 to 8 p.m. in the parking lot behind PY’s (109 Cascade Street) will feature tastings from at least 15 area breweries and blues and rock from the Twin-Citiesbased Harrison Street Band. All funds raised support local trails SEE BREW FEST, PAGE 20
Our orange cabin on the Mill Pond BY RODGER MEYER CONTRIBUTED
One day in 1965 I learned that By Blanchard, a teacher in Osceola, had a root beer stand for sale. I read the Richardson drive-in advertisements as a kid, and always wanted to own a root beer stand. I contacted Byron and learned that his son and daughter had outgrown their carhop aprons. His ledger showed me that it was possible for our three boys to go to college, too. I was teaching in St. Croix Falls at that time. By showed us the ropes and we were off on a new venture with son Randy and two local girls as car hops. My wife, Sofia, had been a secretary to the CEO of Columbia Records of Mexico, wore fancy clothes and heels, and met recording stars such as Liberace. I was pleasantly surprised when she put on an apron and jumped into the swing of things, faster than I. A hopping joint I think our burgers were delicious because of the fresh made buns from
Wally’s Bakery, fresh ground hamburger from Dehmer’s Store, and the old cast iron grill. Blanchard thought that hamburger grease soaked into the pores of the iron, creating some magic. Sofie had a formula for making delicious barbecue (Sloppy-Joe). She also made the root beer at home. Our triple spindle malt machine always got a work out on busy weekends. One hot busy Sunday someone didn’t secure a malt cup properly and we had a shake tornado. We usually needed extra help for warm evenings and weekends. Barbara, next door, was a convenient helper. I couldn’t remember the name of the pretty blond carhop. I asked Mark if he remembered it. He said we hired both Melinda and her brother Tom Stelling. I asked him if he remembered when 5-year-old Carlo wanted to kiss her good night when we took her home. Mark smiled and said, “Didn’t we all?” The boys didn’t write their orders. They told us and we wrote it down in the kitchen. One hot, busy day, Mark came charging in, breathing fire — his order wasn’t right. He and his mother
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Mark and Randy Meyer outside the Meyer family’s root beer stand near Osceola’s Mill Pond, where the DQ stands now. had a heated argument and she flipped a slice of pickle with her finger. It landed in his eye. It was a laughable sight for us at his chagrin. Sometimes, after a hot, busy, day and all three boys were on board, we went to Birch’s tavern/restaurant on
Highway 8 for a Friday night fish fry. One night, I ordered trout instead of the usual battered cod. The boy’s eyes got big when they saw a whole fish on my plate and laughed more when they saw SEE STAND, PAGE 14
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