A healthy crowd attends Health Care Forum in Morris

The Old #1 in downtown Morris hosted the health care forum on Wednesday morning. A total of 28 members of the public are in attendance.

A very good discussion took place for about an hour following the presentation by Bart Finzel (UM-Morris) and Virginia Wolking (Center for Rural Affairs).

I'll have videos added to my Youtube page later today. You can find the videos by visiting the "Videos" page on the Herman-Hoffman Tribune website: hermanhoffmantribune.com

5:52pm...I'm beginning to add video clips from the Morris meeting on my Youtube page.

8:19pm...the Youtube website is "down" currently. I can upload videos, but they are not readable right now. Hopefully Google will get it going again soon!

8:55pm...the Youtube website is once again active, and you can view the clips from the health care forums.

Visit Herman-Hoffman Tribune and click on the "Videos" page to view them.

West Central Minnesota Health Care Purchasing Alliance hosts forum in Alexandria

About 15 people turned out for the health care forum in Alexandria on Tuesday morning. I recorded numerous video clips that you will be able to view starting later today.

Here's a couple introduction clips that I took at the beginning of the forum.

Don't forget - Health care forum in Alexandria is scheduled for Tuesday morning (tomorrow) from 8am to 10am

• March 30 in Alexandria at the Alexandria Holiday Inn, 5637 Highway 29 South, from 8 until 10 a.m. The Alexandria Chamber of Commerce is one of the co-sponsors of the event.

To read more on the event, go to: http://m.morrissuntribune.com/article.cfm?id=21247&tag=Morris

For those on the Herman-Norcross end, a similar forum is scheduled for Wednesday morning in Morris: • March 31 in Morris at the Old No. 1 Southside, 412 Atlantic Avenue, from 9 until 11 a.m.

Fans of the Herman-Hoffman Tribune on Facebook will all receive invitations and information about this event.

RSVP by April 1st for First State Bank Kensington's Spring Women's Event

Click to enlarge for more details.

U.S. Congresswoman's life is threatened (via a letter) over her support for health care reform

U.S. Representative Kathy Dahlkemper says she has received "threatening communication" she believes is tied to her vote in support of health care reform.

Click here to read the full story: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/dahlkemper-turns-over-to-authorities-threatening-letter-charging-she-will-never-sleep-through-night.php

Here's an excerpt from another story, talking about why Republicans are so visibly angry =

The current surge of anger — and the accompanying rise in right-wing extremism — predates the entire health care debate. The first signs were the shrieks of “traitor” and “off with his head” at Palin rallies as Obama’s election became more likely in October 2008. Those passions have spiraled ever since — from Gov. Rick Perry’s kowtowing to secessionists at a Tea Party rally in Texas to the gratuitous brandishing of assault weapons at Obama health care rallies last summer to “You lie!” piercing the president’s address to Congress last fall like an ominous shot.

Did you know...?

Demographics are avatars of a change bigger than any bill contemplated by Obama or Congress. The week before the health care vote, The Times reported that births to Asian, black and Hispanic women accounted for 48 percent of all births in America in the 12 months ending in July 2008. By 2012, the next presidential election year, non-Hispanic white births will be in the minority. The Tea Party movement is virtually all white. The Republicans haven’t had a single African-American in the Senate or the House since 2003 and have had only three in total since 1935. Their anxieties about a rapidly changing America are well-grounded.

After the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, some responsible leaders in both parties spoke out to try to put a lid on the resistance and violence. The arch-segregationist Russell of Georgia, concerned about what might happen in his own backyard, declared flatly that the law is “now on the books.” Yet no Republican or conservative leader of stature has taken on Palin, Perry, Boehner or any of the others who have been stoking these fires for a good 17 months now. Last week McCain even endorsed Palin’s “reload” rhetoric.

Are these politicians so frightened of offending anyone in the Tea Party-Glenn Beck base that they would rather fall silent than call out its extremist elements and their enablers? Seemingly so, and if G.O.P. leaders of all stripes, from Romney to Mitch McConnell to Olympia Snowe to Lindsey Graham, are afraid of these forces, that’s the strongest possible indicator that the rest of us have reason to fear them too.

You've gotta love angry Republican leaders who go off like loose cannons

Pushing back against over-reaching Feds - column by Representative Torrey Westrom

The federal government yet again violated states' rights, this time by passing a mandatory health insurance bill. I joined a group of 68 Minnesota legislators challenging the constitutionality of this new law via the 10th Amendment.

We started this effort last Monday by co-authoring an amendment on the House floor which would have required Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson to file a federal lawsuit on behalf of her clients – the citizens of Minnesota. We requested she challenge the federal government’s constitutional authority to force individuals to buy health insurance and impose fines, imprisonment or both on non-participants. The majority party blocked that amendment – and avoided having to vote on the issue – by resorting to a very flimsy parliamentary procedure ruling.

So 68 of us have done the next-best thing by signing a letter sent to Swanson, requesting she protect and defend our state and its residents against unconstitutional encroachment by the federal government. Legislators and Swanson have taken the same solemn oath of office to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Minnesota.

What we ask Swanson to do is assert states’ rights granted by the 10th Amendment to the Constitution, which indicates powers not granted to the national government nor prohibited to the states by the Constitution of the United States are reserved to the states or the people.

Simply, the federal government has the power to regulate only matters delegated to it by the Constitution. All the other powers are left to the states or its people. The federal government does not have the power to force participation in health care plans on its citizens; therefore, the states or the people have the right to make those decisions.

Federal government “creep” continues with things like cap-and-trade legislation and proposals to regulate backyard gardening; Google HR875 or HR759 and you'll see several links referring to proposed garden regulations.

Now this new federal health care legislation makes non-participation a crime worthy of fines and, theoretically, jail time. Not to mention it has the potential to add $881 million to Minnesota’s next budget deficit. We should not be forced to comply with something that is pushing our country closer to the bankruptcy cliff or a new face of socialism.

A total of 13 states have already declared the intent to sue, with as many as 24 other states considering action against this unconstitutional encroachment by the federal government. Numerous Minnesotans and Americans are fed up with this and it’s time we join those fellow statehood members by calling out the feds for overstepping their bounds.

We cannot tolerate these repeated occasions of government forcing its weight onto the people of Minnesota.

All an overreaching federal government needs is for good people to do nothing. This movement to the feds running roughshod over the states will continue gaining momentum until we do something about it. At some point – like right now – we have to stand up against big-government intrusion.

Douglas Soil and Water Conservation District offers bioretention training

The Douglas Soil and Water Conservation District is hosting a bioretention workshop on Friday, April 9th in Alexandria.

Bioretention is a up-land water quality and water quantity control practice the uses the chemical, biological and physical properties of plants, microbes and soils for removal of pollutants from storm water runoff. Bioretention: Beyond the Basics aims to guide participants through the steps of installing and maintaining raingardens, bioretention cells, and vegetated swales.

This in-depth training will be presented by Rusty Schmidt, a nationally recognized expert in the field of raingardens and bioretention practices. Mr. Schmidt is co-author of the “Blue Thumb Guide to Raingardens” and “Plants for Stormwater Design” Volumes 1 and 2. He is a Natural Resources Specialist for the Washington Conservation District.

The workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 9 at the Douglas County Public Works Building, 526 Willow Drive. The cost is $40 on or before April 1 or $50 after April 1. Morning refreshments and a light lunch are included.

Bioretention: Beyond the Basics is intended for landscaping and lawncare professionals, facilities and maintenance personnel, land planners/developers, nonprofit and government staff and others interested in the technical details of properly constructing and maintaining raingardens, bioretention cells, and vegetated swales.

Pre-registration is required. For more information and to pre-register, contact the Douglas SWCD at (320) 763-3191 x 3. Event partners included the Douglas SWCD, Todd SWCD, Chippewa River Watershed Project, Sauk River Watershed District, and the Minnesota Erosion Control Association (MECA).

Finally! The Herman-Hoffman Tribune is officially on Facebook

Just log on to your Facebook account (you all have one, right?) and put in the following name in the search engine:

"Herman-Hoffman Tribune"

Then you can become a fan!

I plan on adding information about local events and "discussions" to the group as time allows me to.

More on this will be published in the April 1, 2010 Tribune.

Hillcrest Lutheran Academy falls to Ellsworth 58-53 in the Class A state quarterfinals

Section 6A champion Hillcrest Lutheran Academy had Ellsworth within striking distance in the closing minute, but went on to lose 58-53 in the Class A quarterfinals. They finish the season 23-3 overall.

Ellsworth was the Section 3A champion, having defeated a previously-undefeated MACCRAY team in the section title game.

This is classy: Texas Republican says he shouted 'baby killer' during House health reform debate

Click on the link to view the story: http://www.wctrib.com/event/article/id/65233/

Texas Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer acknowledged Monday that he is the lawmaker who shouted out "baby killer" during a floor speech by Rep. Bart Stupak, an anti-abortion Democrat whose vote was crucial to passing the Democratic health care bill Sunday evening.

Neugebauer, who has represented a solidly GOP district that includes the city of Lubbock since 2003, said he had apologized to Stupak for his outburst, which drew a rebuke from the chair during the often-rowdy debate.

"Those that are shouting out are out of order," said Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., who was presiding in the chair at the time.

Neugebauer insisted in a statement that he was not referring directly to Stupak but to the agreement that the Michigan Democrat helped work out with the White House. That eleventh-hour agreement, under which President Barack Obama said he would issue an executive order pledging that no federal funds be used for abortions, helped seal the last votes Democrats needed to pass the bill.

He said his exact words, referring to that agreement, were "it's a baby killer."

"While I remain heartbroken over the passage of this bill and the tragic consequences it will have for the unborn, I deeply regret that my actions were mistakenly interpreted as a direct reference to Congressman Stupak himself," he said.

But Neugebauer also acknowledged that the House chamber "is a place of decorum and respect. The timing and tone of my comment last night was inappropriate."

Neugebauer is one of the House's most conservative members, consistently speaking out about the need for lower taxes and smaller government. Last year he co-sponsored a resolution requiring that presidential candidates produce copies of their birth certificates. That followed "birther" movement allegations that Obama was born outside the United States and not qualified to be president.

In an interview Monday with Fox News, Stupak lamented the prevalence over the past year of "uncivilized behavior" when lawmakers are trying to speak on the House floor. "We can disagree on these issues as we should and we should have a meaningful debate but personal attacks have no place on it."

Later, talking to MSNBC, Stupak said he accepted Neugebauer's apology but questioned the Texas Republican's claim that it was not personal. "I certainly took it as a personal attack on me," Stupak said. If not, "maybe Randy needs to apologize to the House of Representatives."

The outburst was reminiscent of last September when another GOP conservative, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, yelled out "you lie" when Obama was addressing Congress on the health care issue. He also issued an apology.

Unlike that incident, Wilson was quickly identified by reporters covering the speech. This time, it was not immediately known who did the shouting and it was nearly a day before Neugebauer came forward.

In Wilson's case, the House on a mainly party line vote passed a resolution of disapproval formally criticizing him for violating basic rules of decorum and civility.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., asked Monday about Neugebauer, noted that he had apologized.

"He shouldn't have done it. ... I don't think further action is needed," Hoyer said.

Neugebauer's "baby killer" shout came at the end of a day of passionate and often vitriolic speeches on both sides of the health care issue. There were also tea party movement protests against the health care bill in which some demonstrators used racial slurs against black members of Congress and reportedly spit at one black lawmaker.

A couple of bullies! Republican U.S. Senators Saxby Chambliss (GA) and Pat Roberts (KS) have a problem with fighting concentration in Agriculture

Exposed! This is a letter from those two clowns to U.S. Secretary Tom Vilsack, stating their "concern" with anti-trust workshops that the federal government is sponsoring. These two Republicans seem to have a problem with the ability for small family farms to exist in the 21st century.

I can't state clear enough how angry I am about this.

The body of the letter is as follows.

Dear Secretary Vilsack:

It is with great interest and concern that we write regarding the upcoming workshops you are holding on competition issues in agriculture. We urge you to ensure that these sessions are balanced and reflect the wide array of producers and business operations in modern-day agriculture.

Agriculture is vital to all Americans, although many people have no idea from where there food comes. In addition to feeding our country, the agriculture industry benefits American consumers with a dependable and renewable source of fiber and energy. It also provides a significant number of jobs, investment and export opportunities for rural communities. Outside the United States, American agriculture is responsible for feeding the world.

With an ever growing world population to feed, agricultural operations, markets and related business practices have changed a great deal in recent years. Several industry segments have become more vertically-integrated, while other small and successful agriculture businesses have merged in order to better serve larger numbers of consumers. And, producers have turned to alternative marketing arrangements for the commodities produced or livestock raised.

As with any significant shift, changes in the agriculture marketplace have been met with a range of viewpoints. Industry concentration is a concern for some. However, such change has led to better income margins for producers and processors as well as lower prices for consumers. Accordingly, competition issues in agriculture have been studied extensively by several entities including the United States Congress and, specifically, the Senate Agriculture Committee. As you begin your own review, we caution you to embark on a balanced evaluation that, importantly, includes careful consideration of the unintended consequences of government intervention in the market. We are deeply concerned that the result of any review not stifle innovation and thereby create a one-size-fits-all marketplace in which all producers are treated the same regardless of economics or free market principles.

Beyond our interest in a balanced review, we would hope that no correlation is planned between the upcoming workshops and current enforcement activity in your respective Departments. From recent news of lawsuits to undo mergers to heightened scrutiny of premerger activity and other investigative activities with agribusiness companies from a variety of sectors, it is readily apparent that both the Department of Agriculture and Department of Justice are already quite engaged in this area. We are concerned there is potential for your workshops to become venues for further fact-finding or public scrutiny of agricultural businesses that are already subject to existing antitrust laws and in some cases are under investigation or prosecution by the federal government.

With tremendous gains in productivity, efficiency and innovation, American agriculture is a true success story. In that success, competition in this industry has been and will continue to be a topic of discussion. As this conversation moves forward, it is critical to ensure an open and competitive marketplace. Moreover, all segments of the agriculture industry must be represented and heard. From small-scale niche producers to multi-national packing companies, each sector is key to a thriving agriculture economy. Lastly, any new activity proposed must avoid the unintended consequence of chilling innovation, investment or job creation in American agriculture.

A couple photos from the North Dakota corn harvest

Hoffman Grocery store celebrates 4-year anniversary

Check out a story on the anniversary in this week's Herman-Hoffman Tribune.

Congressman Collin Peterson offers statement on his "no" vote to the health care reform bill

After thorough and careful reading and review of the health care legislation the House considered this evening I was not convinced that it was right for the people of Minnesota’s 7th District and so I voted against it. Some people will appreciate that and some will be disappointed, but I made this decision because I thought it was the right thing to do for the people I serve, and that’s everyone who lives in the 7th District.

Most people recognize that our health care system needs reform and since this reform effort began I have talked with a great many 7th District Minnesotans about what was needed. The clear consensus was that we needed to reduce the cost of health care -- for individuals, families, employers and the government – to expand coverage, and to fix the problems we have without destroying the parts of the system that are working.

If the bills we voted on tonight had measured up to these standards I would have supported them, but they did not. In my judgment, while these bills deliver some good things they miss the mark on the most important things and will not deliver as promised.

This legislation doesn’t control costs, doesn’t reform Medicare, and only covers 37% of the uninsured in the 7th District as opposed to an average of 68% nationwide. Some districts will see coverage expanded to cover as much as 92% of the uninsured and Minnesotans will paying for that while leaving 63% of our 7th District residents without coverage. This is very similar to the way the Medicare geographic disparities problem was created back in 1982. The geographic payment disparity encourages cost-shifting and rewards low quality / high cost health care providers in other states while forcing Minnesota to do more with less. Instead of fixing that problem – which we need to do -- this legislation will lock us into that same disparity situation with regard to the uninsured. Minnesotans will be asked to do more with less while also covering costs in other states that aren’t doing the right thing for their own citizens. And on top of that this legislation will not control costs – in fact it seems to me that it will do just the opposite; health insurance premiums will rise. CBO has said that premiums for individuals will increase 10-13%.

That said, there are some good things in this legislation. It will end pre-existing condition exclusions for children within six months of enactment and do the same thing for adults when the “exchange” marketplaces are operative in 2014 – if they work as proponents claim they will, which is doubtful. It will allow children to stay on their parents’ health care plans until age 26, and it will end the practice of rescinding coverage when you get sick.

However, this legislation avoided making the critical reforms we really need in order to strengthen our rural health care system and by doing so it punts these problems into the future where it’s likely that they’ll be even more difficult and more expensive to solve.

As the Administration begins putting these reforms in place I will continue working to fix the problems I’ve mentioned and to ensure that everyone in the 7th District has access to affordable health care. I will work to hold the Administration accountable and I will keep working to make the changes we need in order for these new policies and health care delivery systems to be workable in rural areas.

Throughout my service in Congress I’ve made it a point to study each issue and each piece of legislation and cast my votes according to what makes the most sense for the people of the 7th District. That is what I’ve done again this evening.

Girls State Tournament update

Barnum defeated Parkers Prairie 61-52 this afternoon.

PK Hedstrom talks about the upcoming Hoffman Fire Department Fish Fry

Exhaust Pros and Custom Welding owner Lynn Rosdail gives some "shop talk" for the editor

Class A state tournament update

Parkers Prairie won their state quarterfinal matchup 54-50 against Southwest Christian, after many predicted they didn't have the horses to compete against the Section 3A champions. The Panthers take a 27-2 record into Friday's semi-final game against Barnum (29-2), who defeated Nashwauk-Keewatin in the 3:00pm game.

Class A results from today:
Barnum 55, Nashwauk-Keewatin 24
Goodhue 54, Buffalo Lake-Hector 46
Northern Freeze 62, Maranatha Christian 51
Parkers Prairie 54, Southwest MN Christian 50

Class AA results from Wednesday night:
Braham 61, Watertown-Mayer 52
Minnehaha Academy 56, Hawley 31 (the HOL champions get smoked by a private school - dang it!)
Pipestone Area 52, Sauk Centre 37
Rochester Lourdes 49, St. Peter 42

Hoffman Commerce and Ag begins discussion on how to pay for the City's potential new water tower logo

Below are a couple video clips from the discussion, which was held at their regular monthly meeting today.







I think a general poll of city taxpayers is in order, whether or not the city should back the remaining funds (about $1750) to get the new logo painted on the new water tower.

Senator Amy Klobuchar Statement on Passage of Jobs Bill

Today U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar voted to pass legislation aimed at spurring job-creation and advancing America’s economic recovery. The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act, which includes a series of targeted provisions to boost private-sector employment, passed the Senate today by a vote of 68-29.

“Creating jobs for Minnesota workers is my number one priority, and today we are moving forward with concrete actions to make it easier for employers to hire new workers,” said Klobuchar. “This legislation will provide tax incentives to encourage businesses to hire, tax cuts to help small businesses invest and expand, and measures to keep workers employed on projects to improve our nation’s roads, bridges, and public transportation infrastructure. While we still have a lot of work to do to get our economy back on track, this bill is an important step in the right direction.”

Klobuchar recently conducted a Small Business Jobs tour around Minnesota to discuss opportunities for job-creation with Minnesota employers and workers, including proposals specified in that are included in the HIRE Act. During this tour, Klobuchar repeatedly heard from Minnesota small business owners that allowing broader depreciation deductions would increase their ability to invest in the future growth of their businesses.

Following passage by the Senate today, the HIRE Act will be sent to the White House for the President’s signature. The legislation, which is fully paid for, includes:

• Jobs Payroll Tax Exemption: Provides businesses with an exemption from Social Security payroll taxes they owe for every worker hired in 2010 who has been unemployed for at least 60 days.

• Equipment Write-offs: Allows small businesses to deduct up to $250,000 of the cost of qualifying property in the year it is purchased, rather than waiting to recover their costs through depreciation deductions over a number of years.

• Highway Trust Fund Extension: Provide an extension of the nation’s surface transportation programs through December 31, 2010.

• Expansion of Build America Bonds: Allow issuers of existing Tax Credit Bonds to elect to treat bonds issued after the date of enactment as Build America Bonds.

Hoffman Commerce and Ag votes to guarantee funds to spearhead painting of the new water tower logo

In their regular monthly meeting held earlier today, the Hoffman Commerce and Ag voted today to pledge $1600 towards the cost of painting the logo on the new water tower. In the March 25 issue of the Herman-Hoffman Tribune, you can read more about the pledge and other groups who will (hopefully) pledge funds to the project.

The City of Hoffman still needs to come up with approximately $1750 to pay for the remainder of the cost of adding the logo. That will be decided at the April 5 meeting of the Hoffman City Council.

Video clips from today's C and Ag meeting will be uploaded later today.

The history of Chiropractic care, an article brought to you by Dr. Chamberlin at the Hoffman Health Care Mall

The actual profession of chiropractic - as a distinct form of health care -- dates back to 1895. However, some of the earliest healers in the history of the world understood the relationship between health and the condition of the spine. Hippocrates advised: "Get knowledge of the spine, for this is the requisite for many diseases."
Herodotus, a contemporary of Hippocrates, gained fame curing diseases by correcting spinal abnormalities through therapeutic exercises. If the patient was too weak to exercise, Herodotus would manipulate the patient's spine. The philosopher Aristotle was critical of Herodotus' tonic-free approach because, "he made old men young and thus prolonged their lives too greatly."
But the treatment of the spine was still crudely and misunderstood until Daniel David (D.D.) Palmer discovered the specific spinal adjustment. He was also the one to develop the philosophy of chiropractic which forms the foundation for the profession.
"I am not the first person to replace subluxated vertebrae, but I do claim to be the first person to replace displaced vertebrae by using the spinous and transverse processes as levers...and to develop the philosophy and science of chiropractic adjustments." D.D. Palmer, Discoverer of Chiropractic I
D.D. Palmer was born in Ontario, Canada, in 1845, He moved to the United States when he was 20 years old. He spent the years after the Civil War teaching school, raising bees and selling sweet raspberries in the Iowa and Illinois river towns along the bluffs on either side of the Mississippi River.
In 1885, D.D. became familiar with the work of Paul Caster, a magnetic healer who had some success in Ottumwa. D.D. moved his family to Burlington, near Ottumwa, and learned the techniques of magnetic healing, a common therapy of the time. Two years later, he moved to Davenport and opened the Palmer Cure & Infirmary.
On September 18, 1895, D.D. Palmer was working late in his office when a janitor, Harvey Lillard, began working nearby. A noisy fire engine passed by outside the window and Palmer was surprised to see that Lillard didn’t react at all. He approached the man and tried to strike up a conversation. He soon realized Lillard was deaf.
Patiently, Palmer managed to communicate with the man, and learned that he had normal hearing for most of his life. However, he had been over in a cramped, stooping position, and felt something "pop" in his back. When he stood up, he realized he couldn’t hear.
Palmer deduced that the two events -- the popping in his back and the deafness -- had to be connected.
He ran his hand carefully down Lillard’s spine and felt one of the vertebra was not in its normal position. "I reasoned that if that vertebra was replaced, the man's hearing should be restored," he wrote in his notes afterwards. "With this object in view, a half hour's talk persuaded Mr. Lillard to allow me to replace it. I racked it into position by using the spinous process as a lever, and soon the man could hear as before."
Over the succeeding months, other patients came to Palmer with every conceivable problem, including flu, sciatica, migraine headaches, stomach complaints, epilepsy and heart trouble.
D.D. Palmer found each of these conditions responded well to the adjustments which he was calling "hand treatments." Later he coined the term chiropractic -- from the Greek words, Chiro, meaning (hand) and practic, meaning (practice or operation).
He renamed his clinic the Palmer School & Infirmary of Chiropractic. In 1898, he accepted his first students.
Although he never used drugs, under Palmer's care fevers broke, pain ended, infections healed, vision improved, stomach disorders disappeared, and of course, hearing returned.
Often surprised at the effectiveness of his adjustments, D.D. Palmer returned to his studies of anatomy and physiology to learn more about the vital connection between the spine and one's health.
He realized spinal adjustments to correct vertebral misalignments, or subluxations, were eliminating the nerve interference causing the patients' complaints.
At first, even though it proved to be a successful way of healing the body, chiropractic adjustments were not readily accepted.
Years after Harvey Lillard's hearing was restored, the news media delighted in vilifying the pioneer chiropractor, whom they labeled a "charlatan" and a "crank on magnetism."
The medical community, afraid of his success and discouraged by its own failure to heal diseases, joined the crusade and wrote letters to the editors of local papers, openly criticizing his methods and accusing him of practicing medicine without a license.
D.D. Palmer defended himself against the doctors’ attacks by presenting arguments against the medical procedures of vaccination and surgery. He also cautioned against introducing medicine into the body saying it was often unnecessary and even harmful.
In 1905, the medical establishment won a minor victory when they conspired to have D.D. Palmer indicted for practicing medicine without a license. He was sentenced to 105 days in jail and was required to pay a $350 fine. Only after serving 23 days of his sentence, did he pay the fine.
From 1906 to 1913, D.D. Palmer published two books, "The Science of Chiropractic" and "The Chiropractors Adjuster." He died in Los Angeles at the age of 68.
Luckily D.D. has a son, Bartlett Joshua, who was as enthusiastic about chiropractic as his father and who continued his father’s work. Bartlett -- or B.J. as he is now known -- is credited with developing chiropractic into a clearly defined and unique health care system.
In 1902, B.J. graduated from the Palmer school started by D.D., and before long -- with his wife and fellow graduate Mabel -- was helping patients and taking on more and more responsibility for the school and the clinic. He also was instrumental in getting chiropractic recognized as a licensed profession.
Although the profession has advanced tremendously since the days of D.D. and B.J., the basic tenets and understanding of chiropractic as a drug-free method of correcting vertebral subluxations in order to remove nerve interference still stand.

Don't forget - Hoffman Commerce and Ag meeting is this week Thursday at 12 Noon at Bullfrog's

See you there. If you can't make it, I'll have video and updates on the meeting posted here on Thursday afternoon.

Mark your calendars - come out to support WCA Knights wrestler Jake Long in a fundraiser this Friday night (March 19)

Click to enlarge for more details.

Mark your calendars - H1N1 clinic coming to Kensington on March 24 (click ad below to learn more)

More Youtube footage from the Knights' 67-55 win over Minnewaska to open the playoffs

Boy, that was fun!!!

What a heartbreaking loss, West Central Area Knights boys basketball team falls 63-59 to Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta in overtime

The West Central Area Knights boys basketball team lost their bid for a sub-section final berth in a crushing 63-59 overtime loss to top-seeded, heavily-favored, state-ranked (#6 Class AA) Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta on Saturday night.

The Tigers were very lucky to get out of there with the win, according to one eyewitness. WCA got up by seven in the second half and MA/CA was able to tie it up. The Knights held the lead late into the final period of regulation. MA/CA then hit 1 of 2 free throws to tie it up. WCA had one last shot to win in regulation, but missed, score at 48-48 to bring overtime.

The Tigers found new life in overtime, building a 57-51 lead with just over a minute remaining.

West Central Area finishes a fine season 15-11 overall (most wins since 2006-2007), while MA/CA takes a 25-2 overall record into the Sub-Section 6AA-West championship game. They will take on Staples-Motley (23-5), who were 49-37 winners over Breckenridge in the nightcap last night at UM-Morris.

Read all about the game in the March 18 issue of the Herman-Hoffman Tribune.

Scores out of Sub-Section 6AA-East:
Albany 81, Melrose 60
New London-Spicer 79, Pierz 46

Scores out of Section 6A's Elite Eight round:
Ada-Borup 57, Norman County East 47
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 57, Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 45
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 70, Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 45
Norman County West 54, Park Christian 51 (a shocking upset)

Thoughts on the Warriors' win over Hancock from Wheaton-Herman-Norcross boys basketball coach Corey Spilde

Thanks to Jim Smoger of the Wheaton Gazette for providing these action shots from Thursday night's W-H/N vs. Hancock game.














A Herman-Hoffman Tribune exclusive interview with Wheaton/Herman-Norcross boys basketball coach Corey Spilde:

"We played pretty well throughout the whole game. We held one of the best scorers in Western Minnesota Brendan Foss to 13 points, 12 below his average. We played pretty good team defense, making Hancock shoot 6/29 from the 3-point line. We also dominated the boards 41-20, which gave us a the opportunity to slow their transition game. Thomas Pederson and Riley Wilson both had double-doubles for us. Thomas had 20 and 10, while Riley was 10 and 13 rebounds respectively. We are by far playing our best basketball right now. BBE (Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa) will be a huge challenge to us, but I think size wise we should at least be close to matching up with them. Our teams have two completely different styles of playing. I guess the team that can control the tempo will have the advantage."

West Central Area Knights boys basketball team knocks off Minnewaska tonight 67-55!

The #5-seeded West Central Area Knights boys basketball team posted its 15th win of the season with a double-digit win at neighboring rival Minnewaska Area 67-55.

The Knights advance to the Sub-Section 6AA-West semi-finals, coming Saturday night at 6:00pm at the University of Minnesota-Morris P.E. Center. In the nightcap, #2-seed Staples-Motley will take on #3-seed Breckenridge.

Other boys basketball games in Sub-Section 6AA-West:
Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 72, Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 42
Breckenridge 67, Osakis 55
Staples-Motley 80, Benson 58

Results out of Sub-Section 6AA-East:
Albany 78, Holdingford 37
Melrose 56, Sauk Centre 53
New London-Spicer 61, St. John's Prep 25
Pierz 64, Paynesville Area 50

Results out of Section 6A:
Ada-Borup 80, Waubun 54
Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa 63, Henning 37
Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 45, Battle Lake 35
Hillcrest Lutheran Academy 67, Brandon-Evansville 45
Norman County East 72, Lake Park-Audubon 59
Norman County West 45, Barnesville 43
Park Christian 76, Ulen-Hitterdal 48
Wheaton/Herman-Norcross 58, Hancock 36

In a Sub-Section 6A-South semi-final game, #4-seed Wheaton-Herman/Norcross will take on #1-seed Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa on Saturday at 1:00pm at UM-Morris. It will be the first 6A-South semi-final game of the day at UMM, with Hillcrest Lutheran Academy facing Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley in the 3:00pm game.

Late in the game against Minnewaska, Knights' head coach Kraig Hunter talks strategy with junior Beau Kashmark. Check out that huge WCA crowd in the background! Photo by Tribune sports reporter, Kris Beuckens.



















Here's a clip taken in the final moments of the Knights' playoff win.


Kashmark and Richards give their thoughts on the game.


Go Knights!

West Central Area Knights boys basketball team is throttling the #4-seeded Minnewaska Area Lakers in the first half

The Knights led 33-17 with 2:30 left before halftime.

At halftime, the Knights had built a 37-20 lead!

The Wheaton-Herman/Norcross Warriors boys basketball team leads visiting Hancock 38-21 in the second half.

Stay tuned for updates later tonight.

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome! Just plain awesome are my thoughts, as the Herman-Hoffman Tribune's new website is up and running

Click here to view the new website, and make sure to bookmark it!

http://www.hermanhoffmantribune.com/

Our webmaster, Kensington native Trista Whitman (now living in Morrison County, eastern Minnesota), did an outstanding job at setting up the new website. It even includes comment sections on the stories! I'm very excited about the potential for active feedback from our readers.

The content on the website right now is from the March 4 issue. Beginning this weekend, we'll have it updated with information from the March 11 issue.

As always, you need a subscription to the Tribune to get all the good stuff. We'll try to have 1 or 2 good stories on the website each week, including light sports information, all obituaries/community events/classifieds, along with a handful of photos.

Breaking news - Runestone Auto Care of Kensington is re-opening, with Todd Hyatt happy to resume business in Kensington

Click here to view an online gallery containing a few photos taken just this morning, Thursday March 11. http://freescout.dotphoto.com/CPViewAlbum.asp?AID=6112363


Look for a full story on Todd's re-opening in the March 25 issue of the Herman-Hoffman Tribune.

Todd's official re-opening date is Monday, March 29. I talked briefly with Todd about his tenure at 3-M (which was enjoyable in his mind) and the desire to come back to Kensington. After some soul-searching, his ties to Kensington won out over 3-M.

Good news for Kensington, for sure!

Another photo album to check out is of Exhaust Pros and Custom Welding of rural Kensington, owned by Lynn Rosdail.

The link to that album is: http://freescout.dotphoto.com/CPViewAlbum.asp?AID=6112383

A video tour of handcrafted woodworking products on sale at Hoffman's Main Street Galleria

This afternoon I received a short tour and explanation of Orrin Miller's handcrafted woodworking products that are for sale at the Main Street Galleria in downtown Hoffman. He is the owner of "Miller's Outback Craft Shop" of Alexandria.

Here's a brief overview and video tour of his items at Main Street Galleria.


You can view a photo collection of some of Orrin's work at Main Street Galleria by visiting the Herman-Hoffman Tribune's online photo gallery.

The link is: Freescout.Dotphoto.com

The album containing these photos is on Page 3 of the Tribune's photo albums.

Youtube coverage of Monday night's Hoffman City Council meeting

The council begins discussion on the new water tower color scheme.

Hoffman City Council hears report on new water tower

The regular monthly meeting of the Hoffman City Council was held tonight at the Community Center. Among the many items that the council heard on was an update on the new water tower project, which was kicked into high gear last week as the new tower was constructed.

The main issue is how to pay for a new water tower design scheme. The cost may approach or even eclipse $10,000!

Look for more on the meeting in this week's March 11 issue of the Herman-Hoffman Tribune.

WCA Knights girls basketball falls in sub-section semi-finals, final score Benson 72 WCA 65 in Overtime

The Knights' fans were spectacular during the Lady Knights' game against Benson at UMM.















Photo and information contributed by Kris Beuckens, Tribune sports reporter.


After an impressive win, 68-43, over Minnewaska Area in their West Sub-Section 6AA opener last Thursday night, the WCA Lady Knights suffered a tough overtime loss, 72-65, to Benson on Saturday night to end their season.

In the loss to Benson, the Lady Knights had another impressive comeback as they erased a 16-point deficit in the second half to tie the Braves, 60-60, and force overtime. Benson, however, got the best of the Lady Knights in OT, outscoring them 12-7 for the win.

The Lady Knights finished another hugely successful season with a 19-7 record. They placed third in the always tough Heart O’Lakes Conference and earned a number three seed for the playoffs.

During the win over Minnewaska Area, Liza Torgerson became WCA’s all-time leading scorer, breaking Megan Ronhovde’s career point total of 1,714 set in 2003. Torgerson’s new record now stands at 1,742 career points.

Look to this week's March 11 issue of the Herman-Hoffman Tribune to read more on the Knights' playoff action.

WCA Knights girls basketball trails in a nailbiter 57-55 with 3:49 left in the game

The Knights (#3 seed) are battling hard against #2-seeded Benson in the Sub-Section 6AA-West semi-finals at the University of Minnesota-Morris.

Jake Long falls 5-2 in 145-pound Class A state championship

Jake gave up a takedown with :55 left in the first period, and trailed the rest of the way. The third period began with Jake down 3-2, then his opponent earned a two-point nearfall with 1:36 left in the third period.

Long finishes his senior year with a 42-2 record.

Gus McCarthy loses 11-3 in 103-pound state championship match

Border West Buccaneers freshmen Gus McCarthy lost his bid for a state championship in an 11-3 decision to sophomore Isaac Novacek (38-1) of Badger/Greenbush-Middle River.

McCarthy finishes 24-3.




WCA senior Jake Long is set for his championship match at 145-pounds. It will begin shortly after 4:30pm.

We're blogging matside at the Xcel Energy Center, Championship Day of the State Wrestling Tournament

Border West's Will McCarthy just took 3rd place honors in the 119-pound division of the Class A individual state wrestling tournament. He defeated Chase Levos of Saint Clair/Mankato Loyola, finishing 44-3 overall this season.

Check out my Youtube page for video clips: http://www.youtube.com/user/hoffeditor

West Central Area's Jake Long will compete at 3:30 in the 145-pound state championship match.

Check back later today for photos/video clips from Jake Long's championship match action.

Jake Long advances to 145-pound state championship! Wins exciting 6-5 decision for second straight state title berth

Jake Long won his 42nd match of his senior season with a 6-5 decision over Alex Cooling (34-8) of Madelia/Truman/Martin Luther.

Long will face Justin Buss (29-0) of Chatfield in the 3:30pm session for the state championship on Saturday afternoon at the Xcel Energy Center in St.Paul.

Cody Blehr lost out of the state tournament with a 4-3 loss to Alex Steffl of BOLD in the consolation finals. He finishes 24-17.

Look for video clips/photos from the state championship match later on Saturday afternoon.

West Central Area Knights girls basketball wins 6AA playoff opener 68-43 over Minnewaska Area

Photo by Kris Beuckens.

The WCA Knights girls basketball team (19-6) plays Benson (20-6) at 7:45 at the University of Minnesota-Morris in the Sub-Section 6AA-East semi-finals.

Their win over the Lakers (9-16) tonight avenges the upset 58-35 loss the Knights suffered in last year's sub-section semi-finals to Minnewaska.

Senior Liza Torgerson broke the WCA school career points record during the game.

Torgerson scored 21 points in the game, finishing the night with 1,719 for her career. Megan Ronhovde's record was 1,714.

Section 6AA east and west half girls basketball playoff results:
Benson 68, Osakis 31
Long Prairie-Grey Eagle 43, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta 40
New London-Spicer 48, Paynesville Area 20
Pierz 64, Albany 50
Staples-Motley 71, Breckenridge 33

Jake Long wins Class A quarterfinal match in another nailbiter, 3-1 over B-B-E's Cole Tensen - Cody Blehr wins consolation match 7-2

West Central Area's Jake Long (41-1) advanced to the Class A semi-finals for the second year in a row, after defeating Cole Tensen of Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa in a 3-1 decision.

Long will face Alex Cooling (34-6) of Madelia/Truman/Martin Luther in the semi-final round, which begins at 6pm on Friday night.

Still alive in the consolations, tonight Jon Pikop and Cody Blehr will try to stay alive in wrestleback matches.

Update on Friday morning...**Cody Blehr won 7-2 over Dylan Young of Mille Lacs in his wrestleback match. Jon Pikop lost an incredibly tight match by a 10-9 score against Sean Huls of Pierz.

So the Knights have Blehr and Long still vying for state hardware on Day 3 of the state tournament, a pretty good showing in my opinion.

Border West individual summary:
Gus McCarthy won an exciting 3-2 decision in the 103-pound quarterfinals.

Mitch Andrews lost by fall (5:47) in the 112-pound quarterfinals.

Will McCarthy won a 10-4 decision in the 119-pound quarterfinals.

**The full Class A individual bracket is available here: http://mshsl.org/mshsl/upload/MSHSL193857wrA10.htm

More results will be posted later tonight and on Friday.

Stay tuned!

West Central Area Knights' "Fab Five" wrestlers go 1-4 in the opening round of the Class A State Tournament

One certainly gets a case of being in awe of the "bright city lights" of the Xcel Energy Center, especially if you hail from a small town!



















The WCA Knights "Fab Five" gather for a photo before their matches begin on Wednesday night.














Only one WCA Knights wrestler won an opening-round match at the state tournament on Wednesday night at the Xcel Energy Center in St.Paul.

At 130, Seth Felland lost a 9-2 decision.

At 140, Aaron Ray lost a 7-3 decision.

At 145, defending 140-pound state champion Jake Long won a close 7-5 decision.

At 152, Cody Blehr lost a 9-1 decision.

At 160, Jon Pikop lost a 14-5 major decision.

Here's a video clip from Aaron Ray's match.

Main Event Vintage Snowmobile Racing coming to Lake Minnewaska in Glenwood this Saturday, beginning at Noon.

The Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber encourages you to participate in our Community Town Hall which will be held at 8:30 AM on Saturday, March 6th at the Glenwood Retirement Village with our State Legislators. This is your opportunity to discuss issues which are a concern to you and the residents of our community.

The Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber and the Main Event Committee welcome our guests from out of town this weekend for the Main Event Vintage Snowmobile Races which will be held on Saturday, March 6, 2010. We encourage our County residents to join them in participating or observing this event. More than 32 of our local and area businesses and residents have joined the Main Event Committee to sponsor the Championship races this year and we appreciate your continued support and attendance at the races. This winter event is a great opportunity for you to get out and participate or to be a spectator at an International Championship Event.

The Main Event Vintage Snowmobile Racing returns to Lake Minnewaska on Saturday, March 6th at 12 Noon with Championship Races for the Hetteen Cup. The Hetteen Cup is the most important award for Vintage Snowmobile Racers across the United States and is the property of the Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber. The Roger Ebert Memorial Award will also be given out at the event as a Sportsmanship Award. As part of the Main Event, there will also be a Vintage Snowmobile Swap and Show which will be located in the parking area of the Ballroom. Come and take a look at the sleds and enjoy the races!

The Chamber is conducting their Annual Membership Drive for the 2010 year. In addition to Chamber membership and helping promote the Pope County and Glenwood area, Chamber benefits are offered from more than thirty-five Chamber members. Call the Chamber now at 634-3636 to take advantage of these benefits and to help promote our Community. Individual memberships are now available at the reduced rate of $17.50 per year for first time Chamber members.

This message is brought to you by our 2010 Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber members Doebbert Law Office, Eagle Bank and Eagle Financial Services in cooperation with KMGK Magic 107.1.

Another Youtube clip of Hoffman's water tower construction on Tuesday morning, March 2

Hoffman's new water tower is going up today

The top of the tower waits for the "big hoist" up in the air, which will take place at approximately 10am on Tuesday morning.














More photos and video clips will be added today from the action near Hoffman Square, where the new water tower is being put up.

Great turnout at the "Day at the Rink" in Hoffman on Saturday

Look for more photos from the event in this week's Herman-Hoffman Tribune. Thanks to Dale Olson for providing them.

Finally a completed photo album - Farwell 4-H Valentine's Dinner photos are all uploaded

Click here to view the photo album: http://freescoutpress.dotphoto.com/MemViewAlbum.asp?AID=6095888

West Central Area Knights wrestling sends five guys out of Section 6A to the state tournament

Photo by Kris Beuckens.

A whopping five WCA Knights have emerged as section champions or runners-up at the Section 6A individual tournament over the weekend, advancing to the Class A state tournament on March 3-6 at the Xcel Energy Center in St.Paul.

Read more on the 6A wrestling tournament in the March 4 issue of the Herman-Hoffman Tribune.