Tag: ice fishing

The Rooster Crows – November 16, 2018

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By Bill Anderson

Mother Nature has been supplying all of the cold, snow, wind and ice we ever wanted, and more. Tuesday, November 13, registered the lowest temperature of the season, so far, at -1, but that won’t even register on the discomfort scale in a few weeks. Right now, here in Sargent County, we have a bin-busting soybean crop and the most bountiful corn crop in history in the process of being harvested. From cold to corn, we have everything in abundance in North Dakota. You sure can’t beat that!

Roger Pearson and Mac Pherson report that the siege of cold weather has put ice on all of the local lakes and sloughs which had been producing fish a few weeks ago, putting an end to both fishing from a boat and fishing from shore. Mac estimated that the ice on Sprague Lake could be as thick as 4 inches on Tuesday, November 13, which some ice fishing enthusiasts claim is thick enough to walk on. Mac, however, is a little more cautious, preferring at least 6 inches of ice before he ventures out. Roger has no illusions at all about his ability to walk on water, even if it is frozen, and prefers to wait for warm weather and open water, so he can catch his fish while both feet are firmly planted on dry land.

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The Rooster Crows – February 26, 2010

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By Bill Anderson

The Calendar said February 24 on Wednesday morning, but the thermometer said it was the 55th day of January, according to the Assembled Wise Men at the Rutland Café. Depending on whose thermometer was checked, the mercury was hovering at somewhere between 21 and 25 degrees below zero. “Is it cold enough for you?” was the question of the day, to which the correct answer was, “Not until the fat lady sings!” The answer was nonsense, but so was the question.

Kevin and Wendy Willprecht returned from a Winter vacation get-away in Jamaica on Friday, February 19. They had flown out of Fargo a week earlier, making stops at Minneapolis and Atlanta before landing at Montego Bay.  The Breezes Beach Resort near the city of Nigrel was their final destination.  Kevin reports that 7 miles of white sand beach and ocean water temperatures hovering around 80 helped make their stay a pleasant one. Coffee beans and sugar cane are the two major crops grown on the mountainous island, says Kevin, with much of the sugar cane becoming the raw material for the production of Jamaican rum, one of the island nation’s major exports, along with bauxite, the ore from which aluminum is made. A former British colony, Jamaica has been an independent nation since 1962. Despite a booming tourism business, much of the island nation’s population appears to struggle with Third World economic status, says Kevin. All in all, he reports a very enjoyable time on the tropical Caribbean paradise. The Wilprecht’s children spent their vacation time in the Grandma and Grandpa Resort at the home of Arlen & Jan Willprecht in Lidgerwood, where the attentive staff catered to their every need.

Rob & Lacey Wyum departed Rutland on Friday, February 19, bound for Minneapolis, where they boarded a flight to Miami on Saturday, Feb. 20, with their destination being a cruise ship headed for the eastern Caribbean. The cruise is a delayed honeymoon trip for Rob and Lacey, who were married in Milnor last October. Rob is employed with his father, Mark, and uncles, Steve and Mike, in the Wyum Brothers Ransom Township farm business. Lacey is employed at the Sargent County Abstract Co. in Rutland and in the Clerk of Court’s office at the Sargent County Courthouse in Forman.

Here’s some urgently needed information! The Spring Conservation Snow and Blue Goose hunting season opened in North Dakota on Saturday, February 20.  Although we have plenty of snow, right now we have no geese. According to Jack Lalor, Assistant Project Manager at the Tewaukon National Wildlife Refuge, the geese are still down in Texas, Louisiana and Mexico with the rest of the snowbirds, waiting for the snow between here and there to melt. As conditions appear now, Mr. Lalor stated, it is unlikely that many geese will be seen here before late March or early April. The purpose of the Spring conservation season is to reduce the numbers of snow and blue geese so they do not over populate, over graze and destroy their summer nesting range in northern Canada. Resident hunters need a valid 2009 North Dakota hunting license and a shotgun in order to participate in the hunt, according to Mr. Lalor. There is no daily limit or possession limit during the conservation season, and hunters may remove the plugs from shotgun magazines, as well. Non-resident hunters may also participate in the hunt without the usual limitation on the number of days that restricts their hunting opportunities during the Fall season. Non-residents may purchase a license to participate in the Spring snow and blue goose season from the North Dakota Game and Fish Department for a fee of $50.00. The season ends on the first Sunday in May.  Even though the season is open right now, though, an expedition afield will probably not be very productive for several more weeks, in Mr. Lalor’s opinion.

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The Rooster Crows – December 26, 2008

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By Bill Anderson

Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor dark of night may stay this faithful courier from the swift completion of his appointed rounds.  Attaining age 63 and 30 years of service allows the courier to turn his rounds over to another and retire, however. Louis Siemieniewski pulled his Jeep off his U.S. Postal Service rural route on Wednesday, November 26, the day before Thanksgiving, and hung up the mail bag for good. Louis started delivering mail back in 1980, as temporary substitute for Ray Murray on the Cayuga and Rutland routes. When Ray retired a few years later, Louis moved up to the full-time position. He turned 63 in October, and his 2 years of service in the U. S. Army during the Vietnam era were added to his years with the Postal Service to give him the 30 years of Federal service needed for retirement. A 1963 graduate of RHS, Louis has also been an avid outdoorsman since youth, and has been a Hunter Safety Instructor for over 30 years. He said that, from now on, whenever the snow starts to fall and the wind starts to blow, he is just going to open his drapes, sit in his recliner, look out the window and smile. The Rutland community extends congratulations and best wishes to a native son on his well deserved retirement. Jim Lunneborg of rural Rutland has taken over Louis’s old route, which now includes addresses with the Forman, Rutland, Havana and Cayuga ZIP codes.

Attorney Trent Mahler has been practicing his profession in Rutland since Monday, December 8, co-officing with Bill Anderson at 316 First Street, here. Trent is a native of Milnor, having graduated from High School there in 1985. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Moorhead State University in 1989. Following several years as program director with WDAY TV News in Fargo, Trent enrolled in Law School at the University of North Dakota and obtained his Juris Doctorate Degree in 1999. One of his classmates was Rutland native Daniel Narum, now a District Court Judge. Prior to returning to his home territory, Attorney Mahler served as a prosecutor in the Cass County States Attorney’s Office, as a partner with Kessel, Splitt & Mahler in Lamoure, and as an Assistant Attorney General in the office of North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. He and Attorney Anderson are not partners, but will be sharing office space as he establishes his practice here. Trent’s parents are Curt & Vi Mahler of rural Milnor. Welcome to Rutland, Trent.

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The Rooster Crows – Jan. 11, 2008

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By Bill Anderson

The year of ‘08 is only 10 days old and already done with being cold. No more waiting around to freeze; turn up the heat to 45 degrees. The January thaw wasted no time in arriving this year, and stayed around from Friday, January 4 through Monday, January 7. The mercury climbed above freezing on Friday, January 4, and soared to 45 on Saturday, 42 on Sunday and 39 on Monday. The ice and snow has been removed from City streets, a welcome condition, but fishermen are disappointed over the loss of ice from area lakes and sloughs. The ice in many areas is very weak, and anglers are urged to use caution when venturing out upon it. Good catches of perch are still being reported from Wyum’s, Bergh’s and Fiala’s sloughs, and a few nice northerns, walleyes and crappies have also been taken. A growing number of local anglers are making the Rutland General Store their headquarters for fishing equipment and bait, reports Deb Liermark. The Store now also has frozen smelt in its bait selection, she states, and a stout line, a strong hook and a tasty smelt are putting a lot of fish in the frying pan this season.

Doug Spieker of Fargo reports that the 13½ pound northern he landed last week measured 38 inches in length. When he cleaned the fish, Doug found two more fishhooks imbedded in its upper jaw. Doug stated it took him about half an hour to land the monster because his fishing equipment was rigged for panfish, and he had only 4 pound test fishing line on the reel.

The pheasant season ended last weekend, with hunters enjoying beautiful weather for the final 3 days of the hunt. While the consensus seems to be that the birds were not quite as plentiful as they were a year ago, the 2007 season will still rank right up there as one of the best in the past 40 years. The large numbers of hen pheasants seen by hunters in recent weeks also bodes well for another good season coming up in 2008.

Pheasants weren’t the only game being hunted in Sargent County last week. While hunting coyotes near his farm home in Harlem Township, between Cogswell and Stirum, Dale Keller and son surprised a mountain lion, reportedly coming face to face with the big cat at a distance of about 10 feet. Although both the Kellers and the lion were surprised, the Kellers had the advantage of being armed with something more potent than claws and teeth and shot the beast before it could do any damage to them. It was a good sized animal, weighing 107 pounds, slightly larger than the average farmyard mouser. The season on mountain lions is open year round in eastern North Dakota, unlike the western regions of the State which has a limit of 5 animals allowed to be taken before the season is closed. The lion shot by the Kellers is believed to be the first of that species taken in Sargent County since the 1880s.

Barry Christianson will be spending the next several weeks up in Minot, where he has enrolled in a course of study on taxidermy. With the variety of wildlife found in this area being greater now than it has been at any time since pioneer days, a trained taxidermist will find plenty of clients for his talents in this community.

Steve and Sheila Wyum returned to their farm home here on Sunday evening, after spending several days visiting in Lake City MN, at the home of Sheila’s mother.

The Rutland City Council met in the City Office at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 7, with Mayor Narum, Auditor Hoistad and Aldermen Arneson, Harris and Mahrer present. Alderman Christianson was absent. Also attending the meeting were attorney Bill Anderson, Carolyn Christensen and Diane Smith. The financial report indicated that all funds were in the black, with the exception of the water operating fund which is still showing a $9,000.00 deficit as a result of last Summer’s major water main repair. Alderman Harris informed the Board that the new Bobcat would be delivered to the City by Jacobson Equipment before the end of the month. In other action, the Board: approved an amendment to the City’s ordinances allowing liquor establishments to remain open until 2:00 a.m., in conformity with State law; directed the City Auditor to write to the County Commission requesting that the appointment of Mike Kulzer to the Rutland City Zoning Board as the ‘extraterritorial’ member be approved; expanded the Renaissance Zone Board from 5 to 7 members, and appointed Deb Banish and Norbert Kulzer to the new positions; and, authorized the payment of monthly bills totaling slightly more than $7,000.00. Diane Smith informed the Board that Irv Rustad of Lake Agassiz Regional Council will be meeting with the Zoning Board at the end of January to assist with revising the City’s current Strategic Plan and Zoning Ordinance. Carolyn Christensen informed the Board that the Horizons Program will be receiving a cash grant of $1,500.00 from the Northwest Area Foundation to assist with community projects, and that the Program will also be obtaining a new, up-to-date computer system which it plans to install in the City Office. The City is currently using computer hardware and software that is about 15 years old, so the new technology will be a quantum leap into the future. The next meeting of the Rutland City Council will be at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, February 4, at City Hall.

The annual meeting of the Rutland Community Development Corporation was held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 7, in the Rutland Senior Center, with about 2 dozen shareholders attending. A roast beef supper was served by Shari & Jeanne Leinen of the Rutland Café prior to the meeting. Treasurer Robert Hoflen delivered the annual financial report, which showed that net worth had risen to more than $27,000.00 during 2007. President Bill Anderson commented on some of the improvements in the community’s business district during the past year, including; the construction of the new storage business by Wayne & Jeanette Buskohl; the opening of the Rutland General Store by Gretchen Vann; the improvements made to the Rutland Café building by Shari Leinen; and, the revitalization and reopening of the Rutland Elevator by Rodney Erickson. The terms of 2 directors, Norm Preble and Bill Anderson, were up, and both were re-elected to 3 year terms without opposition. Following the election, shareholders discussed potential economic development opportunities in the community, as well as the potential impact of the establishment of a Renaissance Zone by the City. Following the adjournment of the shareholders meeting, the Board of Directors met to reorganize, with the following officers being selected: president, Bill Anderson; vice-president, Ron Narum; secretary, Lori McLaen; and, treasurer, Robert Hoflen. Norm Preble, Quentin Hoistad and Mike Kulzer also serve as Directors. The Rutland Community Development Corporation was established in 1976 to assist and encourage new and existing business development in the Rutland community. At the present time, it is involved in 2 active projects on Rutland’s Main Street and is looking for more. Shares in the Development Corporation are available at $50 apiece, for those who wish to invest in the economic future of the community.

The Rutland Community Club held its regular, monthly meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8, in the Rutland Town Hall with President Hilary Mehrer presiding. The financial report shows that the Club now has slightly more than $7,500.00 in checking and $15,000.00 in certificates of deposit on hand. The bulk of the funds have been set aside for improvements to the Town Hall’s restroom facilities, a project estimated to cost in excess of $40,000.00. The major item of business was the election of 2 directors. The terms of Jeanne Leinen and Renee Cramton were up, and Jeff Olson and Debbie Liermark were elected to the positions. The new Community Club Board of Directors now consists of: Hilary Mehrer; Bert Siemieniewski; Mike Mahrer; Debbie Liermark; and Jeff Olson. Members discussed the upcoming Rudy Anderson Memorial Pinochle Tournament, which will be held in the Town Hall on Saturday, February 2, and the Community Club’s annual supper and play, which is scheduled for Saturday, March 15. President Mehrer will be contacting work group chairpersons to prepare for those events. A report was received from the Rutland Fitness Center organizers, informing the Club that the Fitness Center now has 15 individual members and 4 family memberships, so no financial assistance will be required from the Community Club to meet operating expenses at this time. The Fitness has annual membership dues of $120.00 for an individual membership and $200.00 for a family membership. Anyone interested in getting into shape should contact organizers Ione Pherson or Jen Christianson. The Center is currently conducting a ‘fitness challenge’ under the direction of Drill Sergeant Jen Christianson, and those who wish to participate should contact her to get into the program. Club members discussed management of the Town Hall, including the possibility of establishing a governing board to oversee use of the Hall and coordinate activities, as well as possibly requiring a clean-up deposit from those who rent the Hall for activities. These proposals will be discussed with the City Council to see what can be worked out. In other business, Club members approved the donation of $100.00 to the Sargent Central Post-Prom Party, and authorized Ron Narum to purchase and install a new door latch and lock on the exterior storage room door at the Rutland Senior Center. The next meeting of the Rutland Community Club is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 5, in the Rutland Town Hall.

It has been 60 years since the Chicago Tribune emblazoned its post-election edition with the headline “DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN!”, but there is nothing new under the sun. Newspapers in London, England, on the morning of Wednesday, January 9, proclaimed that Sen. Hillary Clinton had been defeated by Sen. Obama of Illinois in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary, but, like the Tribune of 1948, they had relied on the pre-election polls to be correct, and they were oh so wrong. In this country, the national news media had all but anointed Sen. Obama and Gov. Huckabee as the candidates of their respective parties after their very respectable showings in the Iowa caucuses, but the voters of New Hampshire breathed new life into 2 candidacies that had been pronounced dead only 5 days earlier, resurrecting the campaigns of Sen. Clinton and Sen. John McCain. So far, less than one-half of one percent of the potential primary voters have made their selections, so there could be a lot of ups and downs to come in the next few weeks. Between now and February 5, when North Dakota has its Presidential Preference Caucuses, there will be primaries and caucuses in Michigan, South Carolina, Nevada and Florida, any one of which may propel an also ran into front runner status and relegate a front runner to the back of the pack. So, don’t tune out, yet. You never know, we could be talking about President Bill Richardson or President Ron Paul by November. What the media has to be reminded of, from time to time, is the fact that the only poll that really counts is the one on Election Day.

The Rutland internet web site should be back online by this Friday, so check out http://www.rutlandnd.com for the latest on what’s happening in the little city that can.

The following are excerpts from the L. S. Sanderson column of January 8, 1953:

The first cold weather arrived on Sunday with a northwest wind. The temperature dropped to 18 below on Sunday night but was back to normal on Monday morning. This is the first time this winter that it has registered below zero. *Fred Preble is spending a furlough here and states that he is a member of the air force and is stationed at Madison, Wisc. *Ole Breum and wife drove to Bismarck on Sunday where Ole will represent Sargent County as representative at the opening term of the legislature. Mr. and Mrs. Breum have secured an apartment at the home of Walt Moore, who has built a new home near the state capital. *Friday and Saturday basketball tournament drew a larger attendance than the sponsors dared to hope for and was a success financially as well as socially. Music by the high school band each evening was greatly appreciated, for music never fails to bring the necessary pep when needed to enliven the players. First place was won by the Brampton girls and the Gwinner boys. Second place went to the Stirum boys, third place to the Rutland boys. *A wedding dance is announced for Rutland on Friday evening, Jan. 9, with music by Red Lee and his band. The dance is sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Jack Leathert, who were married last week. Mr. Leathert is the proprietor of the drug store here, while the bride, Ruby Nelson, is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Nelson of Rutland. *New Years Greetings sent by 1953 to a party of young people here were not for a Happy New Year. The party was returning from New Years Eve festivities and when two miles south of town, the driver of the car, Billy Pieterick evidently became drowsy and lost control of the car at the bridge which he missed by less than a foot. It flew thru the air with the greatest of ease, landing on the other bank of the creek, a distance of 31 feet, from where it rolled thru a fence into a pasture. Of the occupants, only Charlie Christensen was injured. He suffered severe scalp wounds, two black eyes and an injured knee. The car was completely demolished. *Our barber, Mr. Gillespie, is at Valley City this week where he is having dental work attended to. He will open his shop again on Thursday. *Mrs. Clara Syverson has secured an apartment here and is now at home to her friends in Rutland. She formerly resided in Havana. *Bob Barger and family spend last week with their mother here. They have resided in Fairbanks, Alaska, the past summer and are now in Seattle. Mr. Barger has purchased a trailer house and truck and will return to Alaska in the spring where he will reside as long as there is work available. *Olaf Lee and Phyllis Sundlie surprised their many friends here on Saturday when they slipped away and were married at Valley City. The groom has large farming interests in Tewaukon Township where they will reside. The bride is a daughter of O. P. Sundlie who resided in Rutland Township some years ago. We extend congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Lee. *Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Romundstad spent last week at the home of their daughter at DeSmet, S. Dak. Their son-in-law, Mr. Kreiger, is the owner of a variety store there. *A wedding ceremony was solemnized last week with marriage vows spoken by Virgil Hoistad and Donnetta Gulsvig. The groom is the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. John Hoistad of Rutland; the bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Silas Gulsvig of Havana. Mr. and Mrs. Hoistad will reside in Havana. *Mr. and Mrs. Herb Swanson spent last week in Fargo and Moorhead visiting relatives there. *Harry Hoffman was a passenger to Bismarck on Monday to attend the opening session of the legislature. *Mrs. Verna Baumchen and family of Minneapolis are spending Christmas at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stellan Ahrlin. *The Hoflen Garage reports the sale of a 1953 Plymouth car to Joe Kulzer. Joe knows how to pick ‘em.

The Rooster Crows – Jan. 4, 2008

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By Bill Anderson

Well, 2008 arrived in Rutland without incident, and 2007 departed right on cue, at the stroke of midnight. Newborn ‘08 got a chilly reception, though, as the mercury dropped steadily on New Year’s Day, plummeting right past the 0 mark by late afternoon, undoubtedly the coldest weather so far this year. We won’t know if it’s a record, though, until December 31.

With the holiday season now over, many folks are wondering what they’re going to do about that extra 10 or 20 pounds they picked up between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. In past years, the only recourse was a New Year’s resolution that usually didn’t last past January 2. This year, though, there is hope. The Rutland Fitness Center, sponsored by the Rutland Park District, has been in operation in the American Legion Hall since December 1, with a number of exercise machines available to work off those extra pounds. Aerobics classes are also being held twice a week in the Rutland Town Hall. Contact Ione Pherson or Jen Christianson for information about aerobics classes or becoming a Fitness Center member. Join up to shape up, firm up and slim down.

2008 is a Leap Year, with 1 extra day, and also an Election Year. With the Presidential campaigns of at least 18 candidates vying for the Democratic and Republican nominations having dominated the news since November of ’06, many are wondering if that extra day couldn’t be postponed and added to ‘09, instead, in order to shorten the campaign season a little, if only by a day. By Thursday evening of this week, the results of the Democratic and Republican caucuses in Iowa will be known, and some candidacies will be abandoned, while a few will move on to New Hampshire to fight it out in the snowbanks, there. North Dakota’s non-binding Presidential preference caucuses will be held on Tuesday, February 5, fairly early in the game by traditional standards, but possibly too late to have much impact on the candidate selection process this time around. The GOP contenders are all disadvantaged by the fact that they have to drag around the baggage of the Bush Administration, which has an approval rating at this point that is lower than that of either the Truman or Nixon Administrations at their close. Bush’s hope is that, like Truman, the passage of time will increase his esteem in the eyes of most Americans. If it happens, though, it will be too late to help this crop of Republicans.

Kathy Stout of West Branch Iowa, escaped from the ice, snow and campaign advertising of Iowa to spend 5 days visiting at the home of her parents, John & Joanne Harris, in Rutland. Because of treacherous weather conditions in the Hawkeye State, Mrs. Stout made the trip by commercial airline this year, flying out of Cedar Rapids on December 26 and returning via Fargo on December 30. She reports that eastern Iowa was hit by a severe ice storm early in December and has 3 to 4 times as much snow on the ground as does this area. She plans to discuss with her husband the prospect of abandoning Iowa’s harsh winters in favor of North Dakota’s friendlier, more temperate climate.

Miss Adrienne Jacobson departed Rutland, bound for Ames IA and a return to college studies on Sunday, December 30. Adrienne is pursuing a pre-veterinary course of study at Iowa State. She is the daughter of Calvin & Wendy Jacobson of this community.

Calvin Jacobson & Norbert Kulzer have both been under the weather this past week, battling holiday colds. The cold virus seems to be particularly persistent this winter, so be careful.

The American Idol Rutland Style competition held at the Rutland Town Hall on New Year’s Eve drew a number of enthusiastic participants, according to the event’s organizers. The American Idol competition was followed by lunch, dancing and merry making with noisemakers, paper hats and confetti. While cleaning up the Hall on New Year’s Day, Jeanne Leinen expressed the opinion that, if the event is held next year, the elimination of confetti may be a good idea.

Anglers continue to report on again-off again fishing success on local lakes and sloughs. One fisherman, though, had a wild time landing a fish in his ice fishing house on Wyum’s Slough, northeast of Rutland, last week. It seems that the fisherman was utilizing a 5 gallon bucket to accommodate an urgent call of nature when, as he perched on the bucket, overalls and long underwear around his ankles, he noticed some action on his fishing line. Grabbing the line, he set the hook and then realized that something much larger than a perch had taken his bait. As he worked the line with one hand, he managed some essential clean-up and pulled up his long johns with the other, but the big fish under the ice didn’t give him time to get his trousers up, too. For more than 15 minutes he played the fish, being careful not to trip on his pants tangled around his ankles, and also taking care not to knock over the bucket which had served as his comfort station. Finally, the fish gave out, and a northern pike weighing more than 13½ pounds was pulled up through the ice. The moral of the story: opportunity sometimes arrives at inopportune moments, and the one who can adapt, improvise and overcome adversity will land the prize. The bait used to catch the big northern was a minnow purchased from the sporting goods department at the Rutland General Store.

Lynn Hartje of Cavalier ND & Rodger Kemp of Minneapolis MN visited Rutland from Saturday, December 29 to Monday, December 31, joining Paul Anderson, a friend from college days, for a weekend of late season pheasant hunting. They report good shooting, although most of the birds were very wild and got up well out of range. Enough held, though, for the hunters to put a respectable number of birds in the game bag. Mr. Hartje had a surprise while crossing a slough on Sunday afternoon when he walked close to a muskrat lodge and discovered the runway to the lodge entrance by falling through the ice into knee deep water. The water was quite cold, he reported. During their stay in Rutland, Mr. Hartje & Mr. Kemp also took time to visit with another old friend from college days, Bill Anderson, and to take in the Sunday brunch at the Rutland General Store. These two men have made their late season hunt in the Rutland area an annual tradition and expect to be back again, in December of ‘08.

Some upcoming events in Rutland next week include Rutland City Council meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 7, at the Rutland Town Hall; and Rutland Community Club meeting at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 8, at the Town Hall. Coming up next month will be the annual Rudy Anderson Memorial Pinochle Tournament on Ground Hogs Day, Saturday, February 2, in the Rutland Town Hall. In March, the Rutland Sportsman’s Club Fish Fry will be served in the Town Hall on Friday, March 7, and the Rutland Community Club’s annual supper and play is scheduled for Saturday, March 15.

Rutland’s internet web site has been offline since last Friday, but it will be back, better than ever. Just keep checking at http://www.rutlandnd.com to see the re-designed and easier to use Rutland site on the internet superhighway. It will be coming back online in the very near future.

The following are excerpts from the L. S. Sanderson column of January 1, 1953: Now that we’re thru with Fifty-two, and a man we didn’t like: A Happy New Year, just get in gear, and we’ll string along with Ike.*Mr. and Mrs. Lester Herman were pleasantly surprised when their son, Dale, was granted a furlough and arrived to spend Christmas at home. Dale is a member of the air force and is stationed in Texas.*Tobin Nelson suffered an attack of appendicitis last week and was forced to undergo surgery at the Britton hospital. He was transacting business in town when stricken and after an examination by Dr. Kuisk, an immediate operation was resorted to. Tobin resides on a farm near Geneseo. *Lester Krohn and wife came up from Minneapolis to spend Christmas with his mother and daughter here. Mr. and Mrs. Krohn reside in Minneapolis. *Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Silseth Jr., were presented with a son as a Christmas present. Mrs. Silseth is at the Meyers Maternity Hospital. *A basketball tournament is being advertised and will be held at Rutland on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 2 and 3. High School teams from six of the surrounding towns will compete for valuable trophies. *Emil McLaen was called to the bedside of his uncle, Sam Molberg, who is seriously ill at his home in Midale, Sask., Canada. Mr. Molberg is a former resident of Sargent County who resided two miles north of Rutland.* Mr. and Mrs. McCrory came down from Bismarck to spend Christmas at the home of her father, S. L. Greene. Mrs. McCrory was formerly Miss Harriet Greene. *John Fraaberg is visiting friends here this week and also attending to his farm interests. Mr. Fraaberg is the owner of a farm here, also a farm near Max, N. D. and has a home in Appleton, Minn., where he resides. *“Should Old Acquaintance be Forgot” was the theme song on New Years Eve when everyone stayed up to see the old year out and the New Year in. The song is ended, but the melody lingers on, but 1952 will soon be forgotten in a mad scramble to get the 1952 taxes paid. Off the record, we should say that the most important events in 1952 were the oil development and the nice weather in North Dakota, and the defeat of the democrats at election time. While we are strong for Ike and the new administration, we believe that the record set by President Truman in collecting taxes, selling bonds and going fishing will never be broken.