Category: Rooster Crows

The Rooster Crows – July 21, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

While the rest of the Country continues to swelter under record high temperatures, in the triple digits in many areas, Rutland and vicinity has been enjoying moderate, even unseasonably cool, weather conditions. A return to hot weather is in the forecast for the week beginning on Sunday, July 23, and for the rest of the month, however. The recent respite from excessive heat has saved the wheat, corn & soybean crops, so far, but some rain is going to be needed to bring the crop through to harvest. 

August in Rutland is going to be starting out with a bang, and with the aroma of barbecued ribs. The following information was recently obtained from Rutland Community Club President Katie McLaen: A Community-wide Junk Fest is on the schedule from 1:00 to 5:00 on Saturday, August 5, with Deb Banish, phone # 701-680-2458, in charge; Rutland’s American Legion Auxiliary will be serving a Pie & Ice Cream Social at the Rutland Senior Center, starting at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 5; a Community Rummage Sale accompanied by a scalloped potato lunch will be held at the Rutland Town Hall from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with the proceeds going to the Muscular Dystrophy Association; and, The Rutland Rib Fest, with ribs being served by various vendors, is scheduled to commence serving at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 5, from booths on Main Street. As in past years, Main Street will be closed to vehicle traffic from the intersection with Front Street on the North to the intersection with Arthur/Gay Streets on the South, to allow for the placement of picnic tables. Rib vendors will be assessed a $25.00 fee to compete for the “Best Ribs In Rutland” title, and prizes for 1st place, 2nd place,3rd place and “People’s Choice” will be awarded. All food vendors, not exclusive to ribs, are welcome, and will also be assessed a $25 .00 vendor’s fee. For additional information, and to sign up to participate as a vendor at Rib Fest, contact Shawna Bergh at 701-680-0780. As with most events in Rutland, there is no admission charge. You only pay if you buy something. The August 5 Rib Fest will conclude with a Street Dance featuring “Raw Sugar” from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. So, put on your rib bib and your dancing shoes, and plan to be in Rutland for Rib Fest on Saturday, August 5.

Bill Anderson, accompanied by Great-Grandson Brody Mahrer, departed Rutland in the early morning hours of Sunday, July 9, bound for Hector Airport in Fargo and a 5:30 a.m. airline flight that was the first leg of a trip that landed them in Branson MO at about 6:30 p.m. that same day. The flight from Chicago O’Hare Airport to Springfield/Branson International was delayed for several hours while a problem with the aircraft’s ventilation was repaired. The reason for the trip was the annual reunion of Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, the unit in which Bill had served as an infantry Platoon Commander when he first arrived in Vietnam back in January of 1970. Time and age are finally accomplishing what the VC and NVA could not accomplish more than half a century ago, bill reports, as this reunion had the smallest number of Marines in attendance of any that he has been at since his first in 2012. During their stay in Branson, Bill & Brody took in the Clay Cooper Show on the evening of Monday, July 10, and the Evening Dinner/Show Cruise on Table Rock Lake aboard The Branson Belle showboat on Tuesday evening, July 11. Additionally, Brody got to hone up his skill playing the “Back Alley” card game, a game that was popular among the Delta Co. Marines back in 1969-70, when they were in Vietnam. Bill & Brody returned home through American Airlines’ hub terminal at Dallas/Fort Worth, on Wednesday, July 12, so Brody could play baseball in the District playoffs with his Babe Ruth baseball team from Gwinner. The temperature at Dallas/Fort Worth was +105, and the temperature at Fargo was +71 on Wednesday afternoon. 

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Rutland Ramblings – July 14, 2023

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By Debbie Banish

The Rooster has flown the coop but will return next week with sage advice and Rutland news. In the meantime, here are a few tidbits from Rutland this past week.

The Rutland Senior Center was a cheerful gathering place on Monday morning, July 10, when about twenty individuals gathered for the monthly birthday celebration. A bright red, white and blue layered cake was shared by all after a vibrant “Happy Birthday” was sung by those present. The five July birthday celebrants were Chuck Anderson, Michael Banish, Norbert Kulzer, Judy Silseth and Cher Spieker. The Senior Center holds the monthly birthday recognition on the second Monday of the month to be sure to stop by sometime to wish area seniors a Happy Birthday and enjoy homemade cake. The weekly coffee gatherings are Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings starting around 9:15 a.m. Come visit and hear the last news and take a walk down memory lane. The group can be a rowdy and informative bunch!

The Rutland City Council met Monday, July 10, with all present by phone and in person. The Council approved a demolition permit for the removal of the house and garage at 206 – 2nd Street West, discussed the recent Trailer Park inspection report, reviewed the property insurance coverage, and approved the payment of bills. The City Auditor announced that the city received $15,161.90 from the Federal/State snow reimbursement grant which was a one-time funding opportunity. The First Street sidewalk project was discussed, and the Council requested that the City Attorney draft a resolution of necessity for a possible special assessment project area to help fund the needed improvements on First between Gay/Arthur and Front Street. The City Engineer will meet with the Council on August 7 to discuss the scope of the project and present cost estimates for the sidewalk project and a water valve replacement project. The Council will also approve a 2024 preliminary budget and schedule a public hearing within the next two months. The meetings are at 5 p.m., the first Monday of the month (excluding holidays) and the public is always welcome to attend and watch the Council in action. There is time at the beginning of the meeting for public comments and input is always welcome.

Monday was a busy day in Rutland and the evening was no different. The $5 burger Monday night special at The Lariat Bar was a hit with locals and visitors as observed by the cars lining First Street. Mark your calendar for Monday night as the time to get to Rutland for a great burger special at the Lariat!

The Milnor Team canceled the Tuesday night game against the Rutland Roosters. Next Tuesday, July 18, the Rutland Roosters take on Riverside at Sanderson Field. Game time is 6:45 p.m. and the Park Board concessions will be open for ballpark food, snacks, and beverages.

The Rutland Community Club members decided to take a break and not meet in July, but they will meet in August to get Uffda Day planning in full swing.

The Community Club may be taking a break, but the Lariat Bar is in full-swing planning for Ribfest on Saturday, August 5. The event will begin with a community rummage sale at City Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. A scalloped potato lunch will also be available at the Hall with sale and food proceeds going to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Junk Fest vendors will set up along Gay Street to sell their wares from 1 to 5 p.m. The American Legion Pie and Ice Cream Social will be from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Rutland Senior Center and ribs and more will be available starting at 5 p.m. The event will conclude with a street dance with Raw Sugar from 8 p.m. to Midnight. It will be a fun time in the old town, so be sure to come to town. More food/rib and junk fest vendors are welcome to participate. Check out the Rutland Facebook page for contact information.

Other events this week that should be in next week’s Rooster Crows include: The Rutland-Cayuga Fire District annual BBQ supper on Wednesday, July 12; the bid opening on Thursday, July 13, for the sale of the Rutland General Store; and Vacation Bible School at Nordland on July 18-20.

That’s it for this week from Rutland. Don’t forget the Sargent County 100th Fair kicks off on July 20. See you at the fair!

The Rooster Crows – July 7, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

It was looking as if 2023 would go down in the record books as a year with no Spring season. Temperatures in the region went directly from the ice, snow and below freezing of April to the dry weather and 90 degree highs of May and June. “What’s going on?” we asked. Not to worry. Mother Nature corrects her mistakes, if she ever makes any, and the cool, moderate temperatures that normally accompany the season of Spring are now being bestowed on Rutland and vicinity during the first several days of July, at the beginning of what should be the season of Summer and hot weather. Are these unusual weather conditions the result: of global warming; of air pollution; of rising sea levels; of increased numbers of shark attacks; of melting ice caps; or are unusual weather conditions just the usual, normal condition of the weather in North Dakota? In the meantime, we’ll do what we’ve always done about unusual weather conditions in North Dakota – we’ll talk about them. The Assembled Wise Men will have the topic on the Round Table agenda for the next several weeks, and for as long as “unusual weather conditions” persist.

The Scottish poet, Robert Burns, once wrote, “Oh, would the gift the Giftie G’ie us, to see ourselves as others see us. The people of the Rutland community were recently given that opportunity, and it was not at all unpleasant. Back on Thursday, June 22, a panel of local folks met at the Nordland Fellowship Hall in Rutland with Rural Leadership of North Dakota Class IX, a group consisting of community leaders from across North Dakota. The local panel consisted of: Sonja (Anderson) Christensen; Hal Nelson; Katie (Rust) McLaen; Bill Anderson; and Abby Erickson. On Friday, June 30, the following message was received from Katie Tyler, Extension Specialist and Program Director: “…I have had the privilege of traveling across North Dakota to various communities to hear their stories and see their passions with Rural Leadership North Dakota (RLND). However, I can honestly say that none have compared to Rutland! You have a special community, and the pride in which you and the panel of leaders from Rutland portrayed your small community was uplifting. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, share the stories and lessons learned, and have lunch with us! It was truly an honor to learn from you, and you reminded me of what being a true North Dakotan was all about! Your time with RLND Class IX was a great example of community spirit, which was inspiring to us all. Thank you for your time. Please let me know if I can ever help with anything (besides perhaps coming to Uff-da Days and sampling some lefse!). Sincerely, Katie – Katie Tyler, Ph.D. Extension Specialist and Program Director Rural Leadership North Dakota. Office: 701-231-5640; Cell: 701-361-0869.” Thanks to Katie Tyler and Rural Leadership of North Dakota for visiting Rutland, and thanks for the pat on the back, too. Now the pressure is on the Rutland community to live up to Katie’s opinion.

Bob & Linda (Marlowe) Silseth visited in Rutland, at the home of old friends Larry & Carolyn Christensen, on the afternoon of Saturday, July 1. They even made a brief stop at The Lariat Bar to inhale the ambience and sample the wares. The Silseths were back in their home communities to attend the Havana School Reunion from Friday, June 30, to Sunday, July 2. This year was also the 60th anniversary of Bob’s graduation from Havana High School as a member of HHS Class of ’63. Bob & Linda are now retired after spending most of their working careers coaching and teaching in public school systems in South Dakota and Minnesota. They now reside at Detroit Lakes MN, but report that they are considering a move to Bemidji MN in the near future, in order to be closer to children and grandchildren. A grandson, Chase Silseth, is currently carrying on the family’s baseball tradition as a pitcher in the Los Angeles Angels organization. 

Bill Anderson, accompanied by Great-Grandson Brody Mahrer, is planning to take a brief trip to Branson MO from Sunday, July 9, to Wednesday, July 12, to attend a reunion of Marine Corps veterans who served in Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in the Republic of Vietnam back in 1969-70. As a result, The Rooster Crows column for Friday, July 14, will be among the missing, unless someone else decides to write one. Bill & Brody should be back in time to get one written for the 21st, though.

The Rutland City Council is scheduled to meet at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 10, at the Rutland Town Hall to discuss a number of topics important to the future of the community.

Meanwhile, on the national scene, the adoption of a “Declaration Of Independence” by the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia PA on July 4, 1776, 247 years ago, continues to send ripples through history, ripples that get stronger with the passage of time. Perhaps no decision made by men has done more to alter the course of history, or improve the condition of mankind, than the courageous decision made by the 56 American Patriots who signed the Declaration that would be their death warrant if their revolution had failed or would affix their names in the firmament of Heaven if the revolution succeeded. The nation for which they laid the foundations is still a work in progress, the last, best hope of humanity, and it is still the best nation on the face of this Earth. It has been, indeed, the land of the free and the home of the brave. Long may it be so.

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.

The Rooster Crows – June 30, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

It started at about 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 22, with a rain shower that produced approximately .1 of an inch of rain here. It wasn’t much, but for parched crops it was a start. The consensus among the Wise Men was that there wouldn’t be any more rain for a while, but the Wise Men were wrong! On the afternoon of Friday, June 23, a steady rain had settled in, and it rained steady until the early morning hours of Sunday, June 25. Mike Wyum reported that the 2 rain gauges in his garden averaged 1.8”; Rodney & Leif Nelson reported that the gauge at their farmstead 5 miles south of Rutland showed 2.0” on Sunday morning; Lyle Erickson said that his Mother’s rain gauge, at her home in Rutland, registered 1.9”; Norbert Kulzer reported 2.2” in his gauge at 415 Gay Street; and, Roger Pearson reported that his gauge at 409 Gay Street, only a few feet west of Norbert’s, showed 1.8” on Sunday morning. The corn, soybean, and wheat crops, which had appeared to have been put under considerable stress by the drought, heat and wind of the previous few weeks, were refreshed, revived, rejuvenated and revitalized by the renewed supply of H2O.

Chuck & Mary Beth Anderson and Mike & Debbie Banish have been touring areas west for the past week, and were at Gardner MT on Thursday & Friday, June 22 & 23. The 2 couples are on a voyage of discovery and exploration, retracing some of the route that took the Lewis & Clark Expedition to, and through, the Rocky Mountains back in 1805. During the weekend of June 24 & 25, they were doing some exploring and sight-seeing in Yellowstone National Park. The Park is the oldest National Park in the US, having been established during America’s Centennial Year, 1876. Both couples have their homes on wheels with them. Chuck & Mary Beth have a 5th wheel travel trailer towed by a 1 ton pickup truck; and Mike & Debbie have a deluxe motor home towing a Jeep that is used for exploring the back country. As with Lewis & Clark, the Anderson & Banish Expeditions of Discovery were over when they got back home, the Banishes on the evening of Tuesday, June 27, and the Andersons on Wednesday, June 28.

The Annual Meeting of Rutland Housing Inc. was held at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21, at the Rutland Town Hall. Carolyn Christensen and Bill Anderson were re-elected to 3 year terms on the Board of Directors. Board member & Secretary/Treasurer Bert Siemieniewski reported that the corporation finished the previous year in the black, and that all 14 of the corporation’s apartments are now occupied and generating rental income. Rutland Housing Inc. was formed back in 1971 with the intention of taking advantage of a low interest FmHA loan program intended to provide housing for elderly and low income persons. Earl Anderson, Rudy Anderson, Aldon Donaldson, Norbert Kulzer & Skip Sjothun were the corporation’s initial set of directors. The first apartment house, a 4-plex on Main Street, was completed and occupied in 1972. The first tenants were: Art & Nora Spande; Bella Peterson & Palmer Thompson; Esther Erickson; and Tina Kuester. The second apartment house, a 4-plex at the corner of Ross & Cooper Streets was built in 1973, and the corporation’s 3rd apartment house, a 6-plex at the corner of Gay & Dakota Streets was built in 1975. The current members of the Board of Directors are: Delores Lysne, President; Bill Anderson, Vice-President; Carolyn Christensen, Secretary; and Bert Siemieniewski, Treasurer/Manager. There is one vacant Director’s position on the Board, and anyone interested should contact Delores Lysne or Carolyn Christensen.

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The Rooster Crows – June 23, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

THE ROOSTER CROWS

06/23/23

“hotter than the hinges of Hades,” the old-timers used to say about summer time temperatures that neared the triple digit mark, and on Monday & Tuesday, June 19 & 20, those hinges were smokin’!  On Monday, June 19, the temperature hit a blistering+92 degrees, and on Tuesday, June 20, the high temperature in Rutland hit 97 above, just 1 degree shy of the 98 degree record for that date that was set back in 1910.  Less than 2 months ago most of North Dakota, including Rutland, was still covered with ice and snow, and nighttime temperatures were still dropping below the freezing mark.  The old timers also used to say, “If you don’t like the weather here, just wait a minute…it’ll change.”  It has changed, and, if you don’t like this weather, just wait another minute and it will change, again.

Dick Johnson of Hot Sulphur Springs CO stopped in Rutland on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 14, for a brief visit with one of his cousins, Bill Anderson of this community.  Dick’s paternal grandmother, Emma (Peterson) Johnson, and Bill’s paternal grandmother, Julia (Peterson) Anderson, were sisters who had accompanied their parents, Jon & Maria Peterson, from Sweden to a homestead in Rutland Township back in 1887.  Dick grew up in Drayton ND where his Dad, Chad Johnson, served the community as President of the local bank.  Back in the 1950’s, Dick was a member of the Drayton American Legion Baseball team that won the North Dakota State Championship, won the Midwest Regional Championship and went on to be one of 12 teams that competed for the National Title.  Dick usually makes an annual trip to Drayton for a reunion with his old friends there, and usually includes a stop in Rutland and Forman to visit friends and family here.  When he stopped last week, Dick was on his way back to Colorado after a visit in Drayton and a fishing trip up in Ontario.  The fishing was good, he reported, as was the reminiscing with companions from  the good old days.

Members of Bergman-Evenson Post #215 of The American Legion conducted a Flag Retirement Ceremony at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14, at Lou Sanderson Field.  Post Commander Larry Christensen; Acting Sergeant At Arms Tom Manley; and, Post Adjutant/Acting Chaplain Doug Olstad presided over the ceremony at which approximately 50 soiled or damaged American Flags were honorably retired from service and properly destroyed by fire.  Other Post members and guests present included: Roger Pearson; Doug Spieker; Calvin Jacobson; Andy Harris; Bill Anderson; Carolyn Christensen; Pam Maloney; Joanne Harris; and, Kelly Hawkinson.  Prior to 2022, the local Legion Post conducted the Flag Retirement Ceremony on Veterans’ Day, November 11, but the combination of cold, wind & snow that tends to prevail on Veterans Day convinced Post members to change the date to June 14, Flag Day, instead.  It was hot in 2022, and hotter in 2023, but for the Post members who are, for the most part, in their 70’s & 80’s, heat is better tolerated than is cold.  The 2024 Flag Retirement Ceremony is scheduled for Friday, June 14, 2024 at Lou Sanderson Field, weather permitting.

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The Rooster Crows – June 16, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

The evening of Wednesday, June 7, was the time, and Rutland, North Dakota, was the place for a thunderstorm to deliver another timely .6 of an inch of rain. Crops are growing fast, and some cornfields are already past the knee high stage. Wheat fields are green and growing fast, but some local experts are concerned that the excessive heat of the last week in May and the first week in June may have caused some damage to the plants’ ability to produce seeds. Well, we have to worry about something. Might as well be wheat!

Kelly Hawkinson of Dillon MT arrived in Rutland on the evening of Sunday, June 11, for a visit with her uncles, Bill Anderson and Paul Anderson. Kelly drove in from Deadwood SD, where she had served as secretary/statistician for a Professional Bull Riders (PBR) event on Saturday evening. Rodeo, like everything else in the world these days, is changing its ways to cope with the demands of the modern world. It used to be that rodeo participants were all on their own, paying their own way and having no obligation to share a winner’s cash prize with anyone. Those old boys also had the opportunity to pay all of their own medical bills and buy all of their own gear. The new breed are now organized into teams, with owners and sponsors on hand to pick up the expenses and share in any winnings. The new arrangement affords rodeo participants more security, but, if rodeo participants were interested in security, would they have chosen to be cowboys and rodeo performers in the first place? Kelly plans to be heading back to her home base at Dillon MT on Saturday, June 17, with a stop at Bismarck for another PBR event. Kelly is a granddaughter of the late Earl & Irene Anderson of this community, and the daughter of Rutland native, the late Harvey O. “Andy” Anderson.

Mark & Kathy Wyum departed Rutland on Monday, June 12, bound for Rochester MN, a checkup and a crop tour of southern Minnesota. Southern Minnesota is classified as a “drought” zone right now, while Sargent County is classified as having sufficient moisture to support the growth of a grain crop. Even so, what is a drought in southern Minnesota would normally be classified as ample moisture in southeastern North Dakota. Well, we’ll have Mark explain it to us when he gets back.

The management of The Lariat Bar in Rutland reminds all that the Rutland Rib Fest is once again on the calendar, scheduled for Saturday, August 5, 2023. For information about entering the competition for the title of “Best Ribs In Rutland!” take a look at the Lariat’s Facebook page, or give the Lariat a call at 724.6239. Community wide rummage and yard sales are also scheduled to be held all over Rutland on Saturday, August 5. .

Sargent County Public Health is planning to distribute another round of Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Shots this Summer and early Fall. According to Shay Lynn, the shots will be available to anyone who is over the age of 65 and had their last booster shot more than 4 months previously. The County Public Health Footcare crew that is scheduled to be in Rutland on Thursday, June 15, will also have some of the new vaccine available at that time. The Covid-19 pandemic is officially over, but no one told the covid-19 virus that it had to pack up and go home. The virus is still with us, and anyone interested in avoiding it should call Sargent County Public Health at 701.724.3725. An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, the old-timers used to say.

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