By Bill Anderson

“Don’t know why … there’s no sun up in the sky … stormy weather…” moaned the late blues singer Lena Horn as she mourned the loss of a faithless lover in her classic theme song. Her sentiments were echoed by Republicans on the morning of Wednesday, November 9, as they awoke to find that their predicted Red Tidal Wave had not materialized as the votes had been counted the night before. There was not even a Red Wave, as many Democrats had feared, although the national results might be described as a Red Ripple. As of Wednesday morning, control of the U. S. Congress was still in doubt, although it looked as if the GOP might eke out a bare majority of a few votes in the House of Representatives. The Senate had 48 Democrats, 47 Republicans and 5 contests still too close to call. The election results indicate a fairly decisive rejection of Trump and Trumpism by America’s voters and may indicate that the flood of political poison unleashed on America’s body politic by Trump’s brand of politics may finally be receding. In North Dakota, the GOP, fueled by a flood of oil money, has retained control of State government by a substantial margin. The initiated measure that would have legalized the recreational use of marijuana in the State appears to have gone up in smoke, and the voters approved an initiated measure limiting State Legislators and the State’s Governor to two consecutive 4 year terms. Well, Election 2022 is over, and Election 2024 has begun. This year neither the red wave nor the blue wall controlled the result. Next time, who knows? 

The first winter storm of the season has been predicted to hit North Dakota, South Dakota & Minnesota on Thursday and Friday, November 10 & 11, threatening to disrupt activities and programs honoring America’s veterans on November 10 and on Veterans Day, November 11. According to Kaia Mahrer, a teacher at Sargent Central, if Thursday’s predicted blizzard causes the scheduled November 10 program at the Sargent Central Activities Center to be postponed, the program will be rescheduled to 2:00 p.m. on Monday, November 14. Keep your eyes & ears open for schedule changes.

The Rutland City Council met at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 7, in the Rutland Town Hall with Mayor Mike Mahrer; Auditor Deb Banish; and Council members Bill Anderson; Rodney Erickson; Delores Lysne; and Lori McLaen; present. Also present was City Maintenance employee, Scott Haan. The Council and Mr. Haan discussed a minimum hours guarantee per pay period for Mr. Haan’s position, and reimbursement of Mr. Haan for use of his personal vehicles while performing city work. The Council approved payment of a minimum of 50 hours per bimonthly pay period for City employee Scott Haan; and, authorized a payment of $50.00 per month to Mr. Haan for the use of his personal vehicles for City work. The Council also complimented Mr. Haan on the excellent work that he has been doing for the city. The Council discussed the State of North Dakota’s water operator certification requirement and approved the City entering into a contract with Southeast Water Users to maintain an appropriate valid operator certificate for the City of Rutland’s municipal water system. The Council authorized the purchase of the tax forfeited property in Rutland described as Lots 1 & 2, Block 5 of the Original Townsite of Harvard a/k/a Original Townsite of Rutland, at a cost of $1.00 plus delinquent special assessments, if the property is not sold at the County’s auction on November 15. The Council discussed the cost estimate for replacement of two exterior entrance doors at City Hall. The Council postponed action until other cost estimates have been received and reviewed. The Council approved the October financial reports and payment of bills as presented. The Council Adjourned at 5:45 p.m. The next meeting of the Rutland City Council is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 5, at the Rutland Town Hall. All meetings of the Rutland City Council are open to the public, and Rutland residents are invited to stop by to observe their City’s governing board in action.

Old friends here were saddened on the morning of Sunday, November 6, 2022, when it was learned that longtime Rutland resident Renee Cramton had passed away earlier that morning at Sanford Hospital in Fargo. Renee had been under the care of Hospice of the Red River Valley for the past several weeks. A full obituary was not available as of this writing, and there will be more about Renee’s life among us in next week’s column. The funeral service for Renee Cramton is scheduled to be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 12, at Nordland Lutheran Church in Rutland. Visitation will be at Nordland Lutheran Church at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, November 11, with a Prayer Service at 7:00 p.m. Pastor Julie Johnson will officiate. The Price Funeral Chapel of Forman & Britton is in charge of arrangements.

Preparation work has been ongoing on the lots at the NE corner of Gay and Bagley Streets, the planned location of a new Rutland-Cayuga Rural Fire Protection District Fire Station. Electric service was interrupted for several hours on Wednesday, November 2, in a 2 block area between Bagley & Forest Streets, as utility lines were dropped in order to get trees cut down along the alley on the north side of the lots. The several large cottonwood, ash and box-elder trees that had been growing on the lots for the past 136 years were cut down and removed. Kurt Breker has been at work removing the tree stumps.

Rick Bosse stopped in at the Rutland Seniors Center on the morning of Wednesday, November 9, to enjoy some coffee and conversation with the Assembled Wise Men at the Round Table. Rick said that he was a little hesitant about stopping in after the Republicans’ poor performance in Tuesday’s Election, but, as the Democrats really had nothing to brag about, either, both sides agreed to be gentle on the subject, and they talked about deer hunting instead. Rick reported that one of his grandsons, Griffin Bosse, now a freshman college student at MSU Moorhead, had bagged a nice buck last weekend with bow & arrow on land that Rick owns near Straubville. Rick had pictures to prove it, too. Congratulations to Griffin on a successful hunt and a nice trophy that gives Grandpa Rick deer hunting, if not election, bragging rights.

The board of Directors of Rutland Improvement d/b/a The Lariat Bar LLC has informed the community that the new manager of The Lariat Bar will be Ms. Sue Kaeler who has been most recently employed in a management position at the Bobcat factory in Gwinner. She has also been employed as a bartender at The Dueces Bar in Forman. Ms. Kaeler’s family has some historical ties to the Rutland community. Her parents are James & Lavern Peplinski of Lidgerwood. Her Dad grew up on the Peplinski family farm in Rutland Township, attended Elementary School at Rutland Consolidated and is a 1954 graduate of Rutland High School. Her brother, Dale Peplinski, currently resides on the farmstead 1½ mile west of Rutland that was formerly owned & occupied by the late Quentin & Doris Hoistad, and by the late Bill & Nora Nolan prior to the Hoistads. Ms. Kaeler and the Board of Directors met with Ms. Nikki Richter of the BNG Co. of Fargo on Monday evening, November 7, to discuss acquisition of a point of sale program to keep track of sales & receipts at The Lariat Bar once it resumes operation. Ms. Kaeler aims to have the business in operation on or before December 1, 2022. “Happy days are here again!”

Roger Pearson, Jim Huckell, Gary Thornberg, Karen Anderson and Mike & Linda O’Brien headed south on Sunday, November 6, bound for Brookings SD and a rendezvous with a tour bus heading for the bright lights and country music of Branson MO. The local folks expect to be back home on Sunday, November 13, unless they are having such a good time that they decide to extend their tour. Roger & Jim have been known to sing with the band on occasion, and their talents may finally be recognized with a lucrative entertainment contract at Branson.

Well, that’s the news from Rutland for this week. For additional information about what’s going on in the little city that can, check out the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com, and take a look at the Rutland 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.