By Bill Anderson

Last week’s weather report in this column was way too optimistic. Old Man Winter not only sent his calling card, he sent a load of furniture and started moving in for the season. Anywhere from 6 to 8 inches of new snow on Wednesday, October 21, was added to the two to four inches that had blanketed the area on Monday, October 19, giving Rutland and vicinity the appearance of full-blown Winter. Additionally, the temperature has not ventured above the freezing mark since last Wednesday, either, adding the feel of Winter to the appearance. The forecast is calling for the mercury to climb back up into the 40’s for Halloween on Saturday, October 31, and the return of Central Standard Time at 2:00 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, November 1. The end of Daylight Saving Time brings up another matter that needs discussing: if Daylight Saving Time is in effect for nearly eight months, and Standard Time is in effect for only about four months, why isn’t Daylight Saving Time called Standard Time, and the period of Standard Time called something else, Daylight Spending Time, perhaps? Back during the first OPEC Oil Embargo in 1973, then President Nixon imposed year-round Daylight Saving Time on the nation, an unpopular move that neither saved nor spent even one lumen of daylight. As we recall, Nixon liked to work in the dark, though, and that may have been a factor that contributed to the early end of his Presidency in August of 1974, about 2½ years before the end of his second term in the White House. Well, he said that he wasn’t a crook, and he did manage to prove that he wasn’t a very good one. So, let’s see now, where were we?  Oh yes, Winter! Well, it’s here, and it’s not welcome, and that’s all we’re going to say about that!

Peter and Michelle Denault, and their staff at the Lariat Bar, have made a very good impression on the community since they first reopened the establishment on Friday, October 16. In addition to a fine selection of beverages, the Denaults have also been providing some outstanding dining from the grill. For information about hours and menu items call the Lariat Bar at 724-6239. Everybody is welcome at The Lariat!

The Rutland City Council is scheduled to meet at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 2, also known as Sadie Hawkin’s Day in Dogpatch, at the Rutland City Hall. Any interested citizen is welcome to attend the meeting.

Election Day is on Tuesday, November 3. Many, perhaps most, citizens of Sargent County will have voted by mail before Election Day arrives, but for those who wish to cast their ballots in person, there will be one polling place in Sargent County again this year. Due to concerns about the covid-19 pandemic, County Auditor Pam Maloney has arranged to have voting take place in the Forman City Hall, just north of, and across the street from, the Sargent County Courthouse. By having the polling place in City Hall, the voting booths can be arranged to minimize any chances of direct contact between individuals, limiting the chance of contracting, or spreading, the coronavirus. Based on the number of ballots that have already been returned to the County, Auditor Maloney expects the vote total to be well above average this year. So, get your Mail-In Ballot mailed, or show up at the polls on Election Day, but, either way, make sure to vote. This is your chance to exercise your right to have your say. If you don’t vote, you have the right to be still and keep quiet until 2024.

For additional information about what’s happening in the little city that can, check out the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com, and stop by the Rutland blog and Facebook page while you’re at it, too. Don’t forget to patronize your local Post Office, and remember to keep the pressure on the U.S. Postal Service and the North Dakota Congressional delegation to SAVE OUR POST OFFICE! Later.