This is exciting - Hoffman (and Barrett) both gain in population under the 2010 census figures

The figures have just been released. Hoffman grew from 672 (2000) to 681 (2010). The city of Hoffman has overcome substantial economic obstacles during the past decade to post this gain.

Barrett grew from 355 (2000) to 415 (2010).

Herman did not fare badly either, though the city did lose population. The 2010 census figure for Herman is 437. In 2000, it was 457.

Schedule for the upcoming Pope County Community Expo on April 2 at Minnewaska Area High School

Food:
8:00 - 11:00: Chris Cakes 'Flying Pancake Breakfast' (Cafeteria) - tickets are $5 in advance or $7 at the door.
10:00 - 5:00: Cotton Candy, Kettle Corn, & More (Lobby Area Near the Large Gymnasium)
11:30 - 5:00: Concessions (Pizza, Fountain Soda, possibly more) (Cafeteria)
 
Transportation:
8:00 - 1:00: Rainbow Rider Round Trip Shuttles (2) running simultaneously between Glenwood, Starbuck, & MAHS
* Glenwood Stops Include: GRV. Good Samaritan, Glenwood Estates, Park View Court, Glenhaven Manner, & Toms
* Starbuck Stops include: Minnewaska Lutheran Home, Senior Apartments, Fron Lutheran Church, & Toms ~ final locations may be adjusted for the general pick-up(s).

Daycare:
10:00 - 4:00: Kingdom Kids Christian Preschool & Child Care will be offering FREE daycare for children (Infant – PreK) while parents visit the Expo area. Limited spots are available, offered on a first-come, first-serve basis and as openings arise throughout the day.

Glacial Ridge Health System Specialists:
9:30 -10:15: Breast Cancer & What You Want to Know with Rodger Althoff, M.D., F.A.C.S.
* Register for a FREE screening mammogram compliments of Glacial Ridge Health System
10:30 -11: 15: Smart Food Shopping for Diabetes with Karen Marschel RD, LD, CDE, CLT
11:30 -12:15: Non-Surgical Weight Loss - A Path to a Better You with Robert Montenegro, M.D., ABBM
1:30 -2: 15: Smart Food Shopping for Diabetes with Karen Marschel RD, LD, CDE, CLT
2:30 -3:15: Non-Surgical Weight Loss - A Path to a Better You with Robert Montenegro, M.D., ABBM
 
Horticulture/Clean Energy/Conservation
* (Presenters may switch times amongst these two groups for final line-up)
8:30 - 9:15: Minnesota GreenCorps
9:30 - 10:15: Minnesota GreenCorps
10:30 - 11:15: Master Gardeners
11:30 - 12:15: Master Gardeners
1:30 - 2:15: Master Gardeners
2:30 - 3:15: Minnesota GreenCorps
3:30 - 4:15: Minnesota GreenCorps
 
Master Gardeners:
Topics to be covered:
* Propagation (Root Cuttings)
* Germination Testing
* Making Seed Tapes
 
Minnesota GreenCorps with a Special Appearance by the Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams:
Topics to be covered:
* Air Quality
* Waste Reduction: Recycling
* Waste Reduction: Composting
* Energy Conservation
* Community Outreach
* Demonstrations: Making home-made laundry soap
 
FREE Community Expo Kids Day Activities:
10:00 - 4:00
* Bouncy House (Ages 7 & Under) Sponsored by Glenwood Fleet Supply
* Defender Dome Dodge Ball by Game World
* Game World: Sports Challenge by Game World
* Jurassic Survivor Obstacle Course Game World by Game World
* Speed Pitch Sponsored by the Alexandria Beetles
* Face painting by Kingdom Kids, Sue Fossen, and MAHS student volunteers

* Temporary Air Brush Tattoos by Shelia Hemming
* Balloon Animals
 
Just for Kixx Dance Performances:
10:20 - 10:25: Wee Petites (Grades K-1)
11:20 - 11:25: Wee Kix (Grades 2-3)
12:20 - 12:25: Mini Jazz (Grades 3-6)
1:20 - 1:25: Mini Kix (Grades 4-6)
2:20 - 2:25: Jr/Sr Kix (Grades 7-12)
3:20 - 3:25: Jr/Sr Jazz (Grades 7-12)
4:50 - 4:55: Tiny Kix (Ages 3-5)

Main Stage Drawings, Performances, & Shows:
CASH DRAWINGS held at 10:25 * 11:25 * 12:25 * 1:25 * 2:25 * 3:25 * 5:00
* Each cash drawing will be for $50 except for the 5:00 drawing which will be for $100
* Winners present at the time of the drawing DOUBLE THEIR PRIZE!

12:30 - 1:15: Misfits of Magic Stage Performance

3:30 - 3:45: Sneak Peak Performance for MAHS "Beauty & the Beast"
* Left message for Gordy Moeller to see if he/cast members are interested in a sneak peak performance....

4:00 - 4: 45: Special Occasions Style & Fashion Show by Touch of Class

Reminder - Hoffman Commerce and Ag meeting is Thursday this week

The meeting will be held at 12:00pm noon at Bullfrog's Bar and Restaurant in Hoffman. Thursday, March 17.

Section 6AA boys basketball games have been moved later in the afternoon today at UMM

Tip off between West Central Area and Long Prairie-Grey Eagle will be at 4:30pm today, not 2:30 as previously scheduled.

It is due to the blizzard that has raged across western Minnesota last night and this morning.

None of the three WCA wrestlers get past the quarterfinal round at the state wrestling tourmament

Congradulations to WCA senior Seth Felland, who defeated Minneota's Andrew Swedzinski 7-3 in his state tournament opener on Friday in the 135-pound division. Felland then lost a tough battle 8-6 in the state quarterfinals to Jacob Anderson of River Valley.

Felland then lost out of the tournament with an extremely heartbreaking 8-6 triple overtime loss to Mark Francour of Mille Lacs in the wrestlebacks.

Felland finishes a fine senior campaign 36-8 overall.

Kyle Martineau and Jon Pikop both lost their state tournament openers, with Martineau finishing his junior season with a 30-11 record and Pikop (senior) finishing 32-9.

Great win tonight for the WCA Knights girls basketball team, 65-36 over Minnewaska Area

Action from the final minute of the first half between West Central Area and Minnewaska Area in non-conference girls basketball action on February 24 at MAHS gymnasium. WCA led 32-19 at halftime.


In the final 20 seconds of the clip below, WCA senior Marissa Skinnemoen slices through the lane for a quick basket with just over 3 minutes left before halftime.

Wheaton/Herman-Norcross Warriors girls basketball gets the #8 seed, hosts playoff opener on Monday, Feb. 28

The Wheaton/Herman-Norcross Warriors girls basketball team will host a playoff opener on Monday, February 28, when #9-seed Henning travels to Wheaton for a 7:00pm game. The Hornets are 8-15 overall and went 4-8 in the Park Region Conference.

Here's the seedings for Sub-Section 6A-South in girls basketball:
1 - Hancock
2 - Parkers Prairie
3 - Underwood
4 - Hillcrest Lutheran Academy
5 - Battle Lake
6 - Brandon/Evansville
7 - B-B-E
8 - Wheaton/Herman-Norcross
9 - Henning
10 - Clinton/Graceville/Beardsley
11 - Ashby

Exhibitors are sought for the 2011 Pope County Community Expo

The first annual Pope County Community Expo is coming on Saturday, April 2. The event, sponsored by the Glenwood Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held at the Minnewaska Area High School from 8:30am to 5:00pm.

The Expo will include business, health, and family-oriented groups that will showcase their products and services to the public. It will have interactive demonstrations, entertainment, and educational opportunities to assist individuals at all stages of life with everyday, real-life situations such as healthy living, environmental/agricultural issues, sports/recreation, leisure, volunteer efforts, home improvement, gardening, nature, and historical topics.

Exhibitors are actively being sought for the big event, which will be advertised on Alexandria and Glenwood radio stations, as well as the Pope County Tribune, Starbuck Times, Classy Canary, Senior Perspectives, and the Herman-Hoffman Tribune.

Reduced registration fees will be given to home and part-time businesses, artists, crafters, independent sales consultants, churches, educational facilities, city/county/state offices and services, as well as non-profit, fraternal, and service organizations.

The deadline for exhibitors to register is March 4, 2011. Registration forms can be found online at www.GlenwoodLakesArea.org. They can be mailed out as well by calling the Chamber office at (320) 634-3636 or by e-mail at .

Pop quiz ... what's worse...

What's worse, a "family values Republican" Congressman who cheats on his wife and destroys the trust of his family? Or a gay couple in a committed relationship wishing to have the right to marry and have a family?

Read this, it will shock you: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/house/new-york-rep-chris-lee-resigns.html

WCA's girls basketball team has 6-game winning streak come to an end vs. Hawley on Tuesday

WCA's girls basketball team had their 6-game winning streak come to an end on Tuesday night, falling to a 15-3 Hawley team 58-36. The Knights are now 8-10 overall.

They look to rebound tonight with a home contest against neighboring rival Breckenridge. Tip-off for the varsity contest is at 7:30pm, in a huge sub-section match up that the Knights have to win. Show up and cheer on your Knights!

Two families in northern Kandiyohi County near New London-Spicer lose their homes to fires

Read about the fires at this West Central Tribune article, published today, February 10:

http://www.wctrib.com/event/article/id/78288

I know it’s a pain in the butt to do so, but I always make a pass or two around the house with the snowblower. Keeping in mind that tragic day that could happen when a crew of firefighters need to get to the rear side of the structure. Plus, when I make the passes with the snowblower, I always eye-ball the outlets for the dryer and the furnace to make sure they are clear.

For sale: 2008 Polaris 800 Dragon snowmobile

2008 Polaris 800 Dragon snowmobile. 155" track. 1600 miles. $5800 or best offer. Call (320) 815-1798.

Senator Franken: Minnesota dairy industry shouldn't be subject to excessive fines, regulations

Last week, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) cosponsored a bipartisan bill that would protect dairy producers and processors from excessive fines. The legislation would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to finalize a rule to exempt milk storage facilities from repetitive, costly Spill, Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations and prevent it from fining or enforcing compliance penalties against producers and processors until they do.

“Minnesota’s dairy farmers and processors play a very important role in our state’s economy and shouldn’t be subject to excessive fines or to unnecessary regulations that hurt their competitiveness,” said Sen. Franken. “This bill restores some common sense to this regulatory process by requiring the EPA to quickly end this excessive over-regulation of our dairy industry and protects our farmers from fines until it has done so.”

Currently the EPA administers the SPCC program under the Clean Water Act to prevent discharges of oil into waterways. Because the EPA considers milk to be a non-petroleum oil due to its butterfat content, facilities handling milk, including dairy farms, may be subject to regulation under SPCC because of their milk storage capacity. In January 2009, the EPA suggested correcting this ill-advised consequence for the dairy industry but no final ruling has been made. The SPCC regulations are considered repetitive and unnecessary because milk handling operations are already subject to FDA regulation under the Grade “A” Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), including licensing and regular facility inspections.

Winter takes its toll in a serious way on a Glenwood business

Half of the roof of Wagner Hardware store in downtown Glenwood collapsed on Tuesday afternoon, February 1.

Awesome news! West Central Area school's one-act play takes first place at today's sub-section contest

Members of the WCA One-Act play pose with their sub-section championship trophy in the high school auditorium.

What awesome news!

Read all about WCA's championship performance in the one-act competition in next week's Herman-Hoffman Tribune.


The Knights advance to the Section 5A round, held next Saturday (Feb. 5) at A-C-GC High School in Grove City, MN.

MDA Commissioner applauds EPA ruling on increased ethanol use

E-15 approved for all cars manufactured since 2001

Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson says he’s pleased with today’s Environmental Protection Agency approval of the use of E15 in all cars made in the past decade. The federal agency confirmed 15 percent ethanol in gasoline is safe for cars manufactured between 2001 and 2006. In October, EPA approved 15 percent ethanol for all cars manufactured since 2007.

“Today’s EPA action reinforces research findings in Minnesota that blends of up to 20 percent ethanol are compatible with vehicles on the road today,” said Commissioner Frederickson. “This is an encouraging development for Minnesota’s ethanol industry which has been a model for reducing the nation’s dependence on foreign oil.”

Minnesota was the first state to implement an E10 requirement and has laid the groundwork to be the first state to require statewide use of E20 by 2013. Today, there are 21 ethanol plants in Minnesota with an annual production capacity of more than 1 billion gallons.

Thoughts by the editor this morning

Waking up with a bitter, 30mph cold wind blowing against the house, I am thankful for a roof over my family's head, food packed in the refrigerator and pantry, and a low monthly heating bill. We say a prayer for the homeless in Minnesota, who are being thrown to the wolves with the Republicans setting the agenda for our troubled state.

Hoffman Commerce and Ag and HEDA annual meeting is held on Tuesday night

The keynote speech at the meeting begins...

Entertainment at the Hoffman Commerce and Ag and HEDA joint annual meeting on Tuesday night, Jan. 18

Retail Staple Food Prices Edge Higher in Fourth Quarter

Minnesota is below the national average

Retail food prices at the supermarket increased slightly during the fourth quarter of 2010, according to the latest American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Marketbasket Survey.

The informal survey shows the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $46.97 (Minn. - $46.86), up 80 cents or about 2 percent compared to the third quarter of 2010. Of the 16 items surveyed, nine increased, six decreased and one remained the same in average price compared to the prior quarter. The total average price for the 16 items was up $4.07 (about 10 percent) compared to one year ago.

Bacon, eggs, whole milk, sliced deli ham and bread increased the most in dollar value compared to the third quarter.

Bacon increased 68 cents to $4.32 per pound (Minn. - $4.26); eggs and whole milk increased 19 cents to $1.60 per dozen (Minn. - $1.60) and $3.35 per gallon (Minn. - $3.64), respectively; sliced deli ham increased 18 cents to $4.84 per pound (Minn. - $4.41); and bread increased 14 cents to $1.75 for a 20-ounce loaf (Minn. - $1.54).

“Hearty breakfast lovers felt the pinch in the fourth quarter of 2010,” said AFBF Economist John Anderson. “Increased consumer demand for meats and dairy products that began in 2009 continued through the fourth quarter of 2010. Wholesale meat supplies remained tight in the fourth quarter of the year, due to smaller livestock herds and poultry flocks, which also contributed to the retail price increases our volunteer shoppers reported.”

Other items that increased in price since the third quarter were sirloin tip roast, up 9 cents to $3.95 per pound (Minn. - $4.20); shredded cheddar cheese, up 7 cents to $4.16 per pound (Minn. - $4.33); toasted oat cereal and vegetable oil, up 4 cents each to $2.88 for a 9-ounce box (Minn. - $2.92) and 32-ounce bottle (Minn. - $2.49), respectively.

Most items showing an increase in retail price from quarter-to-quarter also showed year-to-year increases. Compared to one year ago, bacon was up 44 percent, eggs were up 4 percent, whole milk was up 10 percent and sliced deli ham was up 11 percent.

“Increasing our nation’s livestock herd to meet the growing demand for meat and dairy products takes time, so we are likely to see retail prices continue to increase for some foods throughout 2011,” said Anderson.

Six foods decreased slightly in price compared to the prior quarter: boneless chicken breasts, down 34 cents to $3.10 per pound (Minn. - $3.73); flour, down 16 cents to $1.99 for a 5-pound bag (Minn. - $2.01); Russet potatoes, down 13 cents to $2.50 for a 5-pound bag (Minn. - $2.21); ground chuck, down 10 cents to $2.83 per pound (Minn. - $2.85); and bagged salad, down 6 cents to $2.69 per pound (Minn. - $2.12).

Orange juice remained the same in price at $2.97 for a half-gallon (Minn. - $3.19).

The year-to-year direction of the marketbasket survey tracks with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index (www.bls.gov/cpi) report for food at home. As retail grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s farm and ranch families receive has dropped.

“In the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. Since then, that
figure has decreased steadily and is now just over 20 percent, according to Agriculture Department statistics,” said Anderson.

Using the “food at home and away from home” percentage across-the-board, the farmer’s share of this quarter’s $46.97 market basket would be $9.39.

AFBF, the nation’s largest general farm organization, has been conducting the informal quarterly marketbasket survey of retail food price trends since 1989. The mix of foods in the marketbasket was updated during the first quarter of 2008.

According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food, the lowest average of any country in the world. A total of 92 shoppers in 29 states participated in the latest survey, conducted in late October/early November.

What an outrageous flurry of lies from Republicans at today's Medicaid signing by Governor Dayton

Jake McMillan was one of the protesters who spoke at the podium at today's signing of the new Medicaid expansion to help pay for the health care of poor and mentally ill adults in Minnesota. He was the final person to speak in opposition to Governor Dayton's executive order.

McMillan stated that what Governor Dayton was doing, by signing onto the expanded health care coverage, will "destroy our society" or something outrageous like that.

Follow this link to read more on Jake McMillan, who is nothing less than a very deranged and dangerous individual connected to an inflammatory gay-bashing group called "You Can Run But You Cannot Hide International, Inc." based in Annandale, MN.

http://www.bluestemprairie.com/bluestemprairie/2011/01/dayton-office-protestor-jake-mcmillan-cant-hide-from-bradlee-dean-connection.html

After following that link, you can watch a video clip of the entire event (Dayton's signing of the Medicaid expansion) for yourself.

It's interesting how childish and rude the Republican protesters were during this event. Just as interesting as it was to hear that idiot talk about his 41 years of V.A. medical care, while in the same breath saying how terrible it is that government has to get involved in health care.

To anyone who thinks that you can turn a blind eye to the uninsured in this country, that it doesn't affect you if you have your own health insurance and pay a premium every month...the joke is on you!, assuming you pay a health insurance premium. Hospitals charge health care providers more than the actual cost of providing health care for the insured, so they can pay for the uninsured. To all Republicans out there, you are already paying for the health care of the poor in this country! It is being done so through the horribly inefficient method of providing health care through our hospital emergency rooms.

I'm tired of the constant lies being told about health care in this country.

Border battles tomorrow night: Wheaton/Herman-Norcoss girls basketball hosts Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta in Herman, WCA boys host Brandon/Evansville

On Tuesday night this week (January 4), the Wheaton/Herman-Norcross Warriors girls basketball team will host Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta in a non-conference game at Herman. Tip-off is at 7:30pm.

WHN is 4-4 overall, while MACA is 3-3.

The West Central Area Knights boys basketball team will host Brandon-Evansville in a border battle at Barrett. The B/E Chargers are undefeated at 5-0 thus far in 2010-2011, their best start since the 1990s. The Chargers' last win against WCA in boys basketball was on January 22, 2005 (70-59).