ITC transmission line proposal threatens localized energy system

By now you may have caught wind of a current proposal by ITC Holdings of Novi, Mich., to construct a 3,000 mile 765-kilovolt power line stretching from the Dakotas, through Minn. and Wisc. to Chicago. This power line, dubbed “The Green Power Express,” is a 10-12 billion dollar project heralded by advocates as necessary if wind development is to continue unimpeded on the upper Great Plains. A local spotlight is focused on the project because the power line is expected to cross the Mississippi between La Crescent and Winona.

The proposal suggests this power line will carry wind power generated in the Dakotas toward large population centers. It is reported the power line will be big enough energy carried by it will be strictly for export, leaving local populations unable to tap into its benefits as producers or users.

The ITC project has been met with mixed reactions. What may be surprising to the casual observer, however, is that many of the opponents are actually wind energy supporters. What could drive wind energy supporters to denounce the proposal for further transmission capacity that could enable growth in the industry? Here are a few of the answers.

Unlike coal and oil found in distinct locations, sources of renewable energies (wind, solar, biomass, geothermal) can by found in abundant quantities distributed across the country. The Institute for Local Self Reliance estimated that at least half of the 50 states could meet their own energy demands from resources within their borders. The notion that we need to move electricity from areas of high concentration to areas of high demand is becoming outdated, a habit developed over decades of distributing coal, natural gas and oil resources from power plants to cities. With renewables we have the ability to produce energy on a localized scale, in back yards essentially, which does not require large transmission lines.

Alternative energy supporters and President Obama have referred to the need for a “smart” energy grid. In fact, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act recently passed allocates money toward this goal. A smart energy grid describes an upgrade of the existing network of transmission lines to make it more efficient. Ideally, a smart energy grid would also create an interactive network where households can easily be both consumers and producers of electricity, creating a two-way exchange and thereby promoting decentralized energy creation by individual households and communities.

If energy security is a concern, a decentralized energy system is certainly more safe and appealing than a centralized system characterized by a few power plants, or as related to this argument, a few big transmission lines that could easily be targeted.

Opponents also argue the added capacity and enormous expense of the project is not necessary given the unused transmission capacity in the current grid. A recent study on existing grid capacity in Minn. revealed the state is able to meet its renewable electricity mandate of 25% by 2025 without any added capacity. Many energy supporters and state officials agree that added transmission is necessary in some locations, but do not see the proposed mega transmission lines as the only option. Instead, they are increasingly interested in upgrades of the current system, or in other words, following the ideas proposed by the smart grid system.

Advocates of the transmission lines argue it is more efficient to gather wind energy in the locations where the wind blows the hardest, such as the Dakotas. Opponents counter that argument citing the cost of building transmission lines and line loss of 2-3% over the distance transported negate any benefit in production efficiency. That doesn’t even consider the cost and headache of acquiring right-of-way easements for the power lines. In other words, a wind turbine in the less windy state of Ohio is likely more economical than energy wired to Cleveland from blustery N.D.

Opponents argue we need a level playing field in the energy sector where the cost of transmission, which is likely to be huge for the ITC proposed project, is incorporated into the cost of the energy. This form of cost integration would level the playing field and allow the market a chance to develop localized energy production, as analysts predict would be cheaper under natural economic forces.

By allowing big transmission projects, such as the one proposed by ITC, we are sacrificing our chances to create a decentralized, localized energy system that could support local economies and create a safe and efficient energy supply. Construction of the ITC power line, and other large transmission projects, will give big utilities more control of our energy system.

A move to create a national network of large transmission lines is a move in the wrong direction. With Minnesota still only producing 7% of its energy from renewables, let’s use Midwestern wind energy for domestic purposes before exporting it to Chicago and other Eastern cities so they can continue to consume energy in a business-as-usual method while our landscape lay burdened with the modes of production, big turbines and giant power lines dividing our bluff land forests leaving us to buy and burn coal from Wyoming.

If the proposal were to install more line capacity regionally to wire wind energy from Mower and Freeborn Counties to less windy Houston and Winona Counties, the proposal would be worth consideration. Sending power across the Midwest is not.

We need to push this stimulus money toward a smart gird, not a national network of giant transmission lines. The landscape of our future is being decided now.

Contact our representatives if you are interesting in making your voice heard. Sen. Amy Klobachar reported to the Associated Press she hasn’t completely made up her mind yet on the project. Her website is http://klobuchar.senate.gov/. Representative Tim Waltz can be reached from his site http://walz.house.gov/.

Bison herd along Highway 44 draws lots of attention

Winter brings a series of changes to the Houston County landscape each year; wind blown snowdrifts, busy snowmobile trails, and the sudden appearance of a herd of bison along Highway 44 west of Caledonia. The shaggy beasts that stoically make their winter residence near the junction of Highway 44 and Gap drive belong to Steve and Linda Fruechte of Buffalo Hills Bison, local bison ranchers since 1993.

“In the fall before we’ve got the corn harvested people are asking, ‘when you going to put the buffalo out,”’ chuckled Steve. “I still see people stop and pull in the driveway and take pictures.”

Despite the increasing number of bison raised in North America, for many travelers they are still a unique find, a reminder of their once crippled status only a century ago when overall population numbers bottomed out at nearly 600 animals.

“Ever since I was a little kid, there was always something about the buffalo that intrigued me,” said Fruechte.

Steve and Linda purchased their first 12 bison in 1993 to capture the plentiful resources on their unused pasture land. Since then their herd has grown to over 200 animals gathered from several producers in Iowa, Minn. and Wisc. and as far away as Custer State Park in S.D. and Theodore Roosevelt National Park in N.D.

A growing movement
On a sunny afternoon last week I tagged along as Steve pulled six round bales out to the pasture, enough forage to keep this herd satisfied for three days. Like hungry cattle, many followed the tractor in anticipation.

The increasing popularity of bison meat the past two decades has paralleled the local and natural food movements. “There’s a lot of people looking for alternative healthier and locally grown food, so it’s getting to be more accepted,” commented Fruechte. “It’s gone from people who would just try it for something different to customers who for different reasons bison is the only red meat they eat now.”

Steve cited their experiences at the state fair over the years as one indicator of bison meat’s growing popularity. “The first few years we worked at the booth at the state fair and there would maybe be a few people that had tried a buffalo burger in the Black Hills. A few years later there were more. Then people were asking where to buy the meat. Now people are asking what stores have it. People know it’s available.”

“Meat sales have been growing industry wide,” Fruechte said. Statistics verify that statement. Consumer demand for bison meat grew 17% in 2007, the fourth straight year of double digit growth.

Previously, the industry was in a slump from 1999-2003 when the market was overstocked and live animals too expensive for producers to purchase new stock. Added to that were complications with shipping after 9/11 and the opening of US markets to Canadian producers.
“The last few years we lost some producers, especially in the west with the big droughts,” Fruechte explained. Producer cutbacks combined with increasing demand has turned the market around. “Quite often we’re out of different items until the next time we butcher,” Fruechte noted.

Despite the troubled economy sales remain good and even a little better than average. “People always have to eat and they are wanting to get the most out of their food dollar,” Fruechte said. “It’s more nutrient dense meat. You fry up a burger and when you’re done, the burger is almost the same size as you start out. People like that about it.”

“Bison price doesn’t fluctuate like the beef price,” Fruechte continued. “When beef goes up and down, bison goes with the supply and demand.” It used to be bison meat cost double the price of beef. Fruechte explained that now as beef prices have increased, the gap has narrowed. Ground bison typically costs about $5/lb. while beef ranges from $3-4/lb. Bison steaks usually start at $7/lb.

About one third of Fruechte’s sales come from their website. Weekly they find themselves shipping products as far away as Texas, Florida, and Washington D.C. They also rely on direct marketing to local retail outlets, restaurants, and consumers themselves. During warmer months Fruechte regularly sells at the Cameron Park and Festival Foods farmer’s markets in La Crosse and the La Crescent farmer’s market. He says it’s difficult to stereotype customers since people have different reasons for choosing bison meat.

Besides meat, Fruechte will occasionally sell a hide or skull. “In the winter time when we get some nice hides we’ll get them tanned,” Fruechte said. “I’ve had a few Native Americans that wanted to make drums so we use the summer hides for that. I’ve had people want skulls for wall hangings.” Additionally, the winter coats bison shed can be used to make cashmere.

By the numbers
The North American bison herd numbers at approximately 450,000 animals, 198,234 of which comprise the US population according to The National Bison Association. 20,000 of these animals reside on public lands while the rest are raised on 4,499 farms and ranches found in every state of the union. While still a far cry from the estimated 30 million or more that once roamed the continent, these numbers represent an astonishing comeback over the past century.

According to The National Bison Association, in 2007, nearly 50,000 bison were processed under USDA inspection, a number nearly double the processed total in 2002. By comparison, an average of 125,000 beef cattle are processed daily in the U.S. Despite the growing popularity of bison, it still comprises only a fraction of the meat consumed in the U.S.

Five years ago Fruechte sold some animals to Cuba on two separate occasions, making local headlines after the US lifted some trade embargo regulations. Since then he hasn’t heard much either way on how the bison are doing but added the small country has been rocked by successive hurricanes the past few years, diverting attention elsewhere.

Promising future
“I don’t really think it will get like the beef industry, especially where they have packer ownership,” speculated Fruechte. “We (the bison industry) are too small for that. It takes a certain kind of person to want to work with buffalo. Everything is on their terms. Everything has to be done at a slower pace.” This prompted him to pull out the old adage among bison ranchers; “you can herd a buffalo anywhere it wants to go.”

While rotational grazing for beef herds is becoming an increasingly popular practice, bison naturally graze in a rotational cycle without any prodding from the farmer. Fruechte explained, “in the morning they’ll be in one pasture and in the afternoon another. A beef cow will tend to stand in one place and eat everything that’s there and then move a little bit. Buffalo, given the room, will take a few bites and then step, another bite and then a step.”

During the tractor ride through the pasture, I learned bison prefer grass to alfalfa. Fruechte offers corn and oats for animals approaching a visit to the butcher’s shop. “The main reason we give some grain is people were more accustomed to the taste of a grain finished animal,” Fruechte explained. “Now its kind of going opposite. We’ve had people requesting strictly grass fed.”

Nearby a bison wallowed in the dirt. Fruechte pointed out that bison cannot roll over like a dog because of the hump on their back. Instead, they have to dust off one side, get up, and lay back down to scratch the other side. The hump is muscle mass that gives the bison strength in its neck, allowing for it to burrow under deep snows for food. Today, however, those muscles proved unnecessary as the herd casually munched away on the freshly strewn hay in the pasture along Highway 44.

With an increased focus on healthy food choices, more consumer awareness about the benefits of bison meat and a desire for locally and sustainably produced foods, it seems the future of the bison market looks promising, if not for the animals themselves, at least for the bison rancher.

Area Citizens React to Northern Engraving-Spring Grove Closure

While the effects of a slow economy echo through the halls of congress and still factories across the nation, last week it hit a little closer to home. In less than eight weeks Northern Engraving will close its Spring Grove plant after over three decades of operation. Layoffs of the approximately 250 employees will begin mid February and occur over a two or three week period as production is shifted to Sparta or West Salem. It is estimated that approximately 50 employees reside in the Caledonia area.

Northern Engraving, celebrating its centennial year, is a leading supplier of nameplates and decorative trim for brands such as Whirlpool, Electrolux, Honeywell, and corporations like General Electric and General Motors. Sparta, WI is home to their corporate headquarters, but they also host manufacturing plants in Holmen, West Salam, and Great Britain.

Vice President, Ed Johnson, indicated the decision to close the plant is attributed to declining sales as a result of a weakened economy.

In an interview he further explained, “Northern Engraving finds itself with significant overcapacity with relation to the North American auto market and the slow down in the economy. Bottom line costs is what caused the decision.” Johnson also states, “the decision is not an easy one, but it is the kind of consolidation that all responsible businesses are going through in this economic downturn.”

Aware that Northern Engraving manufactured emblems for Dell computers, I asked Johnson if it was likely the logo on my computer was manufactured in Spring Grove. He explained that at one time they were, but Dell no longer orders parts from Northern Engraving. Instead, Dell purchases from low-cost manufacturing. Low-cost manufacturing is a more formal descriptor for overseas manufacturing where products are produced cheaper. While the slow economy is to blame for much of the slowdown, companies importing products from overseas can also influence Northern Engraving’s business.

“Our decision in Spring Grove has nothing to do with the quality or capability of the workforce,” Johnson reaffirms area residents. “The Spring Grove community and the larger area of Minnesota has been a wonderful place to have done business.”

While Johnson stated that approximately 50% of Northern Engraving’s output is for clients in the auto industry, Marylin Thomford, a 19 year employee, explained that the past three or four years a majority of the work in the Spring Grove facility focused on appliances.

Thomford was surprised by the decision to close the plant, stating, “it surprised everybody. Even the superintendent didn’t seem to know.”

Eyebrows were first raised when the second shift supervisors reported to work earlier than usual to attend a meeting Thursday afternoon, Dec. 11, with company officials. After the meeting, word of the decision quickly spread to the workforce and throughout surrounding communities.

The reactions she’s witnessed from coworkers tell a story of bewilderment.

“People have no idea what they are going to do. There are no jobs out there.”

Thomford is going to retire a few years earlier than originally planned and believes there are quite a few people of retirement age who will likely do the same.

Karen Folstad, Spring Grove mayor, was also surprised at the news.

“We thought things were picking up,” said Folstad. “Talking with the workers, they indicated they were looking at contracts for appliances and other work to fill the gap.”

Folstad and other city officials are exploring how this will affect the community. In addition to less patronage at local businesses, she fears the loss of a major employer like Northern Engraving could also affect school enrollment if people move away to find other jobs. She hopes to discuss with Northern Engraving officials the prospects of keeping the factory open or potentially selling the property to another business that would bring jobs to the city.

All of this comes only days after good news swept the city. Two weeks ago it was announced by US News and World Report that Spring Grove Secondary received a bronze rating in their Best High Schools analysis. A bronze rating indicates overall student performance was above the state average and the performance of the least advantaged students, (i.e. racial minority, low income) also ranked above state average, indicating the school serves all students well. 1,321 high schools in 48 states received this rating.

Northern Engraving closed its plant in Waukon only a few months ago. Waukon mayor, Keith Schroeder, indicated the transition hasn’t been easy. While many former employees found work in Decorah, or even at the Spring Grove Northern Engraving plant, others used the opportunity to go back to school.

Despite their efforts, Schroeder said, “Nothing has moved in to fill that gap. We had a couple nibbles here and there but it’s awful hard to get them to come. It’s going to take time. Its not an overnight thing.”

Sharon Corcoran will mark her 30th anniversary of employment for Northern Engraving January 8th. While Corcoran was surprised the decision to close the plant was announced now, she assumed it was only a matter of time.

“They closed Galesville, Lansing, Waukon, but they’ve been doing it in two year intervals, so I thought maybe we’d have another two years. You know its going to happen. I just thought we had a little longer.”

Fortunately, Corcoran currently works part time for ABLE in Caledonia. With her pending unemployment from Northern Engraving, she hopes to eventually go full time. She is particularly grateful for ABLE’s willingness to work with her and give her more hours when her work at Northern Engraving occasionally got cut back.

In explaining the mood of coworkers she said, “I think everybody is sad, not just for losing the job but losing friendships. I think they’re scared. In rural communities there aren’t very many jobs and with the economy the way it is, it’s scary.”

Despite the disappointment in the announced factory closing, Corcoran remains thankful for the job it has given her the past 30 years, always providing her family with shelter, clothing, and food.

Johnson indicated they plan to hold on to the property for awhile although no immediate plans for the property exist. It is not expected they will reopen the plant although some remain hopeful they will. In 2002 Northern Engraving announced they would close their Galesville plant only to reverse that decision a few months later due to “changes in business circumstances.” The Galesville plant did eventually close in 2006.

“We expect to be able to rebound as the economy rebounds,” Johnson said while explaining what the future holds for the company. “We are opportunistic that the US economy is strong and vibrant and we will rebound. We are in tough times right now, it will eventually turn and when it does we will go with it.”

Whether or not a rebounding economy could bring Northern Engraving back to Spring Grove is a question that only time will answer. For now, work continues as employees work through their final weeks of employment and prepare plant operations for the transition to Wisconsin.

Chiglo Rebuilds Bridge, Rebuilds Confidence

August 1st, 2007, the Interstate 35W Saint Anthony Falls bridge spanning the Mississippi tumbled in its entirety into the waters below. Disbelief was the immediate reaction of most citizens throughout the state, and across the nation, as images of broken concrete, bent iron, and crushed cars filled our TV screens for weeks to follow.

For Jon Chiglo, Caledonia native and Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) engineer, disbelief is only the beginning of the story. Twenty-four hours later he would be called upon by Khani Sahebjam, MnDOT’s deputy commissioner and chief engineer to be the project manager for the $235 million reconstruction of a bridge that would likely receive more public attention and scrutiny than any project in the history of the department. It was to this project he would devote his life over the next year and few months, often times working around the clock.


Chiglo first learned of the bridge collapse while on his way to a bar to meet some friends. His wife, Sherri, a photographer for the St Paul Pioneer Press, called and told him the news after she was called back to work to photograph the catastrophe.

“I told her it couldn’t have been a bridge, must have been a piece of a bridge. I walked into the bar and asked the bartender to turn the channel to a local news station. The whole restaurant went quiet. Disbelief. Engineers are supposed to instill confidence in what they build. We lost a lot of trust and confidence in our industry and department,” explained Chiglo.

The loss of the 35W bridge was calculated to cost $400,000 per day in lost revenue. While rebuilding the bridge became MnDOT’s number one goal, of equal importance was rebuilding public confidence. Suddenly the infrastructure carrying Minnesotans to and from work was no longer taken for granted by people like you and I.

In commenting on the department’s desire to restore public trust, Chiglo pointed out they never turned down an interview. “Communication was the biggest challenge. We didn’t have opportunities to make mistakes. We focused on being accessible, communicating clearly, and in a timely matter. As a result the public and press have been very appreciative of the amount of effort.” Appreciative press includes myself who stole half an hour of his precious time for one more interview.

While Chiglo realizes that rebuilding confidence and trust will not result from this project alone, he views the transparency and attention to public concern as an important first step forward.


On any given day Chiglo could be found making sure any project issues were resolved in a timely manner, responding to contractor’s questions, working with other departments to make informed decisions, managing design and construction, meeting with the public, answering questions for the press, talking with legislators, or on some days, all of the above. Even now, 3 months after the bridge has reopened, he continues to work on the project tying up loose ends.

When asked how he handled the stress, Chiglo is quick to point toward his family.
“Sisters, brothers, parents, and especially Sherri were all very supportive of what I was doing. When you have that support it helps get your mind off of things.”

For Chiglo, the most rewarding aspect was accomplishing the main project goals of building it safely, at high quality, and on schedule. In fact, not a single lost time incident was reported during the construction project, a feat in itself. He credits much of the success to the crew working with him.

“There existed an enormous amount of doubt that we could accomplish what we were saying we were trying to accomplish. About 75% of the public doubted we could build it by the end of December.”

When the bridge opened September 18th, over 3 months before the December 24th deadline, news stories turned from doubt to astonishment. Despite the quick construction, MnDOT officials assured the public every step of the way quality was not sacrificed for speed.

The new bridge features a 100-year lifespan, 10 lanes of traffic plus wide shoulders, room to accommodate future light rail expansion, energy efficient LED lighting, 48,700 cubic yards of highly durable concrete, 17 million pounds of rebar, redundancy measures, and an assortment of sensors to continually monitor temperature and stress changes. The bridge’s automated anti-icing system is activated when temperature, humidity, and wind speed reach specified levels as monitored by these sensors.


Chiglo graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1997 with a bachelors of science degree in civil engineering. He began his career working in Rochester doing surveying and bridge maintenance and later oversaw construction and design projects in Owatonna. When funding opened up for the Highway 52 project in Rochester, he was instated as the project manager for development. Next he moved on to manage the Highway 212 project in the southwest metro area before being called upon to manage the 35W Bridge reconstruction.

Much of his inspiration for becoming an engineer came from his father, Nester. Nester spent 34 years working for the soil conservation service on erosion control by building dams and laying out contour strips for area farmers. While it was his dad’s influence that interested him in engineering, his mother, Phyllis, was a driving force as well. When not busy with sports, Phyllis encouraged her children to work, work hard, and do the job right or not do it at all. For Jon, that started as mowing neighborhood lawns.

“We wanted to keep them busy so they would stay out of trouble,” explained Phyllis. “They always told me I made them work too hard,” she stated with a grin. “Kids learn a lot if they have to work and earn their own money.” Anyone who ever rode Phyllis’ bus route can testify firsthand to her don’t-mess-around attitude.

Speaking of his own upbringing, Jon explained, “both my parents raised me to do things right. They instilled a very sound work ethic in me and all my brothers and sisters. We were taught to be honest and straightforward.”

Throughout the project Chiglo was heralded by the media and his superiors for his matter of fact attitude, the direct, honest way he answered questions, and the sincere look in the eye that accompanies everything he says. “It comes from where I grew up,” explained Chiglo. These qualities made Chiglo the perfect choice for a position where restoring public trust was a high priority.

When asked of any other influences, Harold Olson and Ken Van Den Boom were mentioned. Both served as teachers and coaches to Chiglo in high school. Teacher and neighbor, Terry Mulins, also provided Chiglo with inspiration. Chiglo stated, “He is someone I have a great deal of respect and admiration from his experience with cancer.”


Throughout the project, Nester collected related news articles from the Star Tribune, Pioneer Press, and other local papers and now has enough content to nearly fill two scrapbooks. His growing collection of memorabilia also includes magazine articles from Popular Mechanics, Roads & Bridges, and Minnesota, a University of Minnesota Alumni publication. That’s not to mention the hours of video tape from television interviews featuring Jon. On one occasion, Nester got an up close view of the work. “We were up there a couple of times and Jon gave me a hard hat, vest, and glasses and I was watching how they were doing stuff.”

Even in spending only a short amount of time with Nester and Phyllis, one can quickly see the pride they have in their son.

“Jon has a lot of determination. He likes challenge. He’s not afraid to take on something,” said Phyliss about why Jon was a good choice for the position.

Now that the 35W project is nearing completion, Chiglo foresees opportunities working in a statewide role. The state legislature provided money to replace bridges throughout the state. His new job will be managing the proposed statewide bridge replacement projects. Further stimulus packages are being heavily discussed by President Elect Obama and could potentially free up more funds for infrastructure improvements in which Chiglo could play a role.

While for many the horror and disbelief of the 35W bridge collapse will not soon be forgotten, the thorough and timely response that ensued has given Minnesotans hope for a safer future thanks to the dedication and leadership of Jon Chiglo and his crew. Mix two parts determination, one party honesty, a supportive family, and top it off with a Caledonia upbringing and you’ve created a recipe for success.

Buege suffers heart attack, thanks those who helped save his life

Thank you; a simple phrase we learn early in life to be used to show appreciation and gratitude ranging from the simplest things to some of the most important. If someone holds open a door for you, tell them thank you. If you are given a gift, write a thank you note. If a friend wishes you well, say thank you and return the greeting. If someone saves your life, tell them thank you over and over again, because where other words fail to express the debt of gratitude owed, thank you says it all.

For Wayne Buege, who suffered a heart attack and cardiac arrest November 26th, thank yous abounded as he met the rescuers from the Caledonia Ambulance crew who assisted in saving his life. As he entered the ambulance station to applause, thank you was repeated at least a dozen times before he took a seat to tell his story to an attentive and curious audience.

Buege, a 75 years old retired mail carrier, suffered a heart attack and cardiac arrest, or a stopping of the heart, the day before Thanksgiving while at the weekly SEMCAC senior dining hosted at the Methodist Church.

In recounting the events, he stated, “the last thing I remember is cleaning the tables. The next thing I knew it was Friday morning.”

Previously Buege had no history of heart trouble. Looking back, he recalls a pain in his arm the day before, which he noticed while putting Christmas decorations on the outside of their house.

“I thought it was from lifting the darn thing,” he explained. “I thought maybe I pulled a muscle. I felt like I strained myself a little bit.”

The slight arm pain, considered by doctors a common heart attack warning sign, stayed with Buege through the night but with no previous heart problems, he never imagined it could be heart related. While cleaning up the church hall after dinner on Wednesday, he began to feel dizzy. Before he could sit down, however, he fell to the floor. Immediately someone called 911. Buege’s wife, Gretchen, was in the bathroom when she heard her name being called.

“Wayne just collapsed!” yelled Joyce Bolduan.

Gretchen, alongside Mary Ellen Lapham, approached Wayne and tried to wake him.

“Come on Wayne, come on, wake up!” Gretchen prodded while remaining calm.

Together they began to push on his chest to provide blood circulation. Lapham remembered CPR basics from training years ago when she was a teacher.

“I was on one side and she on the other and I would push on his chest and we were so happy when he would give a big sigh,” Lapham explained. “I knew we had to get some air in his lungs.”

Within minutes Mike Tornstrom, Caledonia Ambulance Director and EMT, arrived on the scene and took over CPR. Immediately after, the ambulance arrived with Karen Goetzinger, Traci Heaney, and Mary Betz who brought in the defibrilator and helped with the CPR. The defibrilator, brand new to the department, quickly analyzed Wayne’s heart and provided one shock. Less than four minutes later Wayne had a pulse and a couple minutes after that began to breath again by himself. In the meantime, he was loaded in the ambulance and driven toward LaCrosse. Caledonia Amublance met Tri-State Amublance at the junction of highways 44 and 20 where he was transferred into their care and was administered stabilizing medications.

Tornstrom explained, “It was the best response we had so quickly. The whole thing was absolutely text book. Everything went just like clockwork which we train for and when it goes well it’s a good thing.”

According to the American Heart Association, only 6.4 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survive. The odds were certainly against Buege in that respect. However, the proximity to the ambulance station and quick arrival of help worked in his favor. Tornstrom explained that most important to his survival was the CPR given beforehand by Gretchen and Mary Ellen, a point he expressed repeatedly. To that end, Gretchen was presented with a certificate stating “The Caledonia Ambulance Service honors Mrs Wayne Buege for her heroic efforts for performing CPR to a cardiac arrest victim. Because of your efforts, the beat goes on.” Mary Ellen Lapham will receive a similar certificate for her efforts as well.

Buege remained in the hospital for a week before being released. Gretchen recalled the first words Wayne spoke after waking up being, “Did I fall down? Am I in the hospital?”

When someone asked Buege if he felt any pain in his chest afterwards from the CPR, he responded that he did not, only to be quickly corrected by Gretchen.

“Now you just don’t remember. When you were in the hospital you were coughing and doing an awful lot and complaining about the pain.”

Doctors gave Buege a pace maker and internal defibrilator. He says he feels good now, and aside from a few extra medications, life for Buege continues on like before. When asked if anything has changed since the incident, he said he cut back on the amount of salt he puts on his food.

He continued, stating, “You don’t take it for granted like you used to.” Whether or not that was in reference to salted food, or life in general, one can clearly see the joy of life in Wayne’s smile these days.

Tornstrom described the evening and the opportunity to meet Mr. and Mrs. Buege as inspiring.

“So many times we run amublance calls and wonder how things turn out,” Tornstrom said. “Many times we run calls and are the ones who care for people at the most unfortunate time in their life and you never know what happens after that. It is an honor for us. Inspiring, very inspiring.”

The approximately 20 Caledonia Ambulance EMTs and First Responders present used the opportunity to ask Buege questions and learn more about his symptoms and experiences afterwards.

Citing Buege’s full recovery as an indicator of Caledonia Ambulance’s effectiveness coupled with a record 341 ambulance runs in 2008, Tornstrom sees the Caledonia Ambulance service as a must have for the community. Right now the city has a contract with Tri-State ambulance to provide advanced medical attention such as Buege received in route to the hospital.

“We are the people from the community serving the people from our community, explained Tornstrom. “The way the system works now is designed perfectly.”

Now that Wayne is no longer in the hospital, Gretchen has breathed a sigh of relief. She mentioned the seriousness of the matter never really hit her until they were home again and things calmed down. Throughout the hospital stay, she maintained an optimistic and strong willed attitude present from the moment Wayne collapsed and she demanded he wake up.

Commenting on her involvement, Lapham stated, “I think Wayne has given me a lot of credit but I don’t know if I deserve it. He even brought me over some Christmas cookies.”

While to most people, a life seems worth much more than a simple thank you and plate of Christmas cookies, to Caledonia Ambulance personnel, Lapham, and Gretchen, seeing Wayne smiling and back on his feet is all the thank you they need.

Johnson battles lung cancer, high radon levels discovered in home

“It all started back in July. I had a cough and could not get rid of it,” recalls Mark Johnson, a farmer near Spring Grove, discussing the events leading to his diagnosis with lung cancer in December. “The over-the-counter stuff didn’t work. After awhile my family said I should go and get it checked out.”

The cough continued throughout the fall and on November 26, the day before Thanksgiving and after most of his field work was done, Johnson went to the doctor.

“They wanted to do a chest x-ray to look for pneumonia,” he explained. When doctors saw questionable images on the x-ray they did a CT scan for further observation. On December 18, the phone call came with the results; the growth in his lungs causing his chronic coughing was lung cancer. Already diagnosed as stage three cancer, chemotherapy would be the only option.
Lung cancer is most commonly associated with people who smoke. Never having been a smoker himself, or even exposed to much second hand smoke, Johnson was left puzzled by the diagnosis, along with the suite of other emotions a person experiences upon learning such news.

“It takes you by surprise when you get diagnosed like this,” Johnson added, an understatement by most standards.

Since Johnson does not smoke, doctors questioned other factors known to cause lung cancer, radon exposure being the number one cause after smoking. Inspired by the doctor’s question as to whether they had ever tested radon levels in their home, the Johnson’s decided to test their house with a simple testing kit purchased at a home improvement store, something they always thought they should do but never got around to. The results came back as 11.5 picoCuries/Liter (pCi/L). The EPA maximum recommended level for radon is 4 pCi/L, above which risk for lung cancer is elevated.

Pointing at a specific cause for any type of cancer is difficult considering the uncertainties surrounding the disease, but past research correlating high radon levels and lung cancer seems to suggest a correlation between Johnson’s cancer and the high radon levels found in their 1910 farmhouse located northwest of Spring Grove. Mark grew up in this house and now continues to make it his home with his wife Kari and three children Brook, Derek, and Elizabeth.

How it works
Radon is a naturally occurring colorless, odorless, tasteless gas created from the decay of uranium in the soils and bedrock beneath us. All rock contains at least small quantities of uranium. Rocks such as the sedimentary limestones and sandstones that characterize the local geology can contain more concentrated levels of uranium, up to one hundred times as much as other types of bedrock.

Over time, uranium in these rocks naturally decays, emitting radon gas. Slowly, radon gas rises through the soils and is dispersed into the atmosphere. As a result, radon is present outdoors but in small, safe levels. Concentrated radon in enclosures, such as underground mines, caves, or even our homes, however, can cause lung cancer according to a growing body of research. This connection was discovered when it was noticed that underground uranium miners died of lung cancer at high rates. Locally, the karst geology, characterized by caves, sinkholes and fractured rock, creates conduits for increased radon movement to the earth’s surface and into our homes.

Radon gas makes its way into homes through cracks in floors, walls, or foundations, around loose fitted pipes, or even through semi-permeable materials to gaseous substances such as block, brick, or concrete walls. Anywhere there is even a small opening between the home and the soil there exists potential for radon entry. Once inside, radon accumulates in higher concentrations in homes due to restricted ventilation, especially in the winter time when homes are sealed up tight for heat efficiency.

Decaying radon gives off tiny radioactive particles. When inhaled in the lungs, these particles can damage the cells lining the lung, spurring cancerous growth. It is estimated between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths occurring each year nationwide are the fault of radon exposure.
The average radon level for Houston County homes is estimated to be 5.5 pCi/L. According to sample testing, half of all Houston County homes are likely to be above the level of 4 pCi/L. In other nearby counties conditions are even worse. Average indoor radon levels are estimated to be 7.6 pCi/L in Allamakee Cty., 8.1 pCi/L in Winneshiek Cty., 5.6 pCi/L in Winona Cty., 6 pCi/L in Olmsted Cty., 3.8 pCi/L in La Crosse Cty., and 9.9 pCi/L in Fillmore Cty. while the national average is a meager 1.3 pCi/L.

At 10 pCi/L, approximately the conditions recorded in the Johnson household, it is estimated 18 of every 1,000 people exposed will develop lung cancer.

Testing for radon
Testing for radon is simple and periodically encouraged by health officials but regularly one of those things people put off. Heather Myhre, of Houston County’s public health department, said “now is a great time to test while the ground is frozen, it forces the gas to find a different way to escape to the atmosphere so it does come into the home. We’ve been offering testing here for 4-5 years. We have a grant right now that allows us to do testing free of charge.”

Myhre explained, “any home is in danger.” That newer homes are safe is a “misconception we hear quite a bit. We encourage anybody to test regardless of the age of their home.”
Although discovering if your house has high levels of radon is straightforward, mitigation measures are a little more challenging and costly.

Jeff Engen, of Engen construction in Mabel, is a licensed radon mitigator in Minn. Iowa, and Wisc. He estimates radon mitigation costs to range from $1,200 to $2,800 depending on the scope of the project. In the three dozen or so radon projects he has worked on, he has seen houses display radon levels in the 20s and 30s and lots of times they are at least above 10 pCi/L.
In correcting a radon problem, Engen explained the goal is to “create a negative pressure under the floor so you’re sucking radon from out underneath the house” and then “to route that radon from underneath the home to the outside atmosphere.” After mitigation measures are put in place, he returns to retest the house and if radon levels are still not satisfactory, he will alter the system until he achieves the goal.

No legislation currently requires mitigation for homes with high levels of radon but recently a bill was passed through the legislature requiring new homes to have radon mitigation measures installed during construction, a cheaper alternative to installing the systems after-the-fact.

Johnson remains hopeful
With an estimated 15% survival rate, lung cancer is one of the most dangerous forms of cancer. Even the chances chemotherapy will work right away are as low as 30%.
Despite the less than optimistic odds, Johnson remains hopeful.

“We met with the doctor yesterday and had some good news; it is starting to shrink,” he stated with a hopeful smile, referring to the cancerous growth in his lungs. “That’s a good thing,” he nodded. This news is the first sign of hope in more than two months.

After two complete rounds of chemotherapy, his coughing has also disappeared, another good sign doctors suggest.

In explaining how he remains so optimistic he stated, “Like anything you always worry. I hope that being young is on my side. There’s so many things out there they can do for you. They have such a vast variety of drugs, it’s hard not to be optimistic. When you have a family you have to be positive. After having a good report yesterday, I’m at least heading the direction I should be going.”

Initially the news was hard on everyone in the family, but Mark said, “they seem to be handling it pretty well after the initial shock. We’re excited to hear good news for once.” Staying busy is key to remaining optimistic and attending all of his children’s basketball games from day one has been a good distraction.

Mark and Kari are currently retesting their home for radon to verify the initial results. Regardless of the outcome, Mark intends to take some sort of mitigation action. “If the possibility is there (for dangerous radon levels) I certainly want to do something for the rest of my family, to make sure they’re safe,” asserted Johnson.

“I would highly suggest everyone should test for radon,” Johnson encouraged. “We are in an area known for it. Definitely get it checked out to make sure. Everybody should be looking into it to be on the safe side.”

“Go ahead and do it,” was Myhre’s encouragement to the homeowner, echoing the sentiments of Johnson. “We have the resources here and they are free. Do it while you are thinking about it. Hopefully you’ll be pleasantly surprised and it’s okay.”

“A lot of times you take life for granted,” Johnson said reflecting on the position he finds himself in. “You make time for those things you didn’t have time for before. Some of the things you thought were important aren’t really.”

“It’s really nice to have all the support you get from community, friends, and family. We are very fortunate to be in a small community where people really do care,” Johnson gratefully added.

And if there were one thing small towns are best at, its supporting community members in times of need.

For more information regarding radon testing or mitigation, contact the Houston County Public Health office at 725-5810 or stop by to pick up your free test kit. They will also be hosting informational meetings on radon Tues., Feb. 17 from 4-6 p.m. in the courthouse basement and Tues., Feb. 24 from 4:30-6 p.m. at Prince of Peace Church in La Crescent.

Snow removal benefits local contractors, costs businesses and residents

Throughout grade school and middle school, a snow day did not simply mean relief from school, a delay of a test, or an extra few hours of sleep. For me it meant money. After hearing Phil Costigan on KQ98 list off area school districts shutting the doors for the day, I would high tail it over to my grandparent's house where their snow covered driveway meant ten dollars out of grandma's purse for the eager entrepreneur with a shovel.

The same entrepreneurial spirit rings throughout the city after each snowfall while dozens of trucks, skid loaders, and snow blowers set to work clearing the driveways, sidewalks, and parking lots of businesses and private residences before another day of school and commerce begins. For many, it is the periodic beeping of backing up loaders that serves as an early alarm clock and indicator of the overnight weather conditions.

Up until last winter, the snowplow business was not one local residents cared to be in. However, with record snowfall amounts in December and continued waves of storms in January, local contractors are staying as busy as last year.

Andy Heisler, a seasonal employee for Brent Schroeder, explained that they have approximately 65 accounts to take care of after each snowfall amounting to an inch or more. "We have four trucks and two skid loaders, six people working, and we usually start at two or three in the morning. After a big snowfall, we have seven to 12 hours of work. It depends on if we have to haul the snow out."

Schroeder does a mix of residential and business accounts, about half and half by Heisler's estimate. Heisler considers December to have yielded a similar amount of business as last year, while January seems to be hitting a little harder.

Heisler logged 50 hours once already this winter over a four day period. While pushing and hauling snow takes up most of the time, regular maintence of the machines is also essential. "There's a lot of maintenance with that stuff, Heisler commented. "Its not all profit, otherwise everyone would do it."

Gary Kruckow at Bonanza Grain estimates they, "pushed as much snow this winter as last year total." While nearly 80% of their work is for townships, they also serve businesses in town. Their fleet consists of five snowplows and a few loaders.

Mike Meyer, of Meyer's Lawn Service, converts his John Deere mowers into snow blowers and plows each winter. He has 40 clients and remains as busy as last year, if not a little busier. This past December he made 13 rounds compared to only 7 in December of 2007. Sixty percent of his clients are residential. With his crew of three it usually takes six to eight hours to finish removing the typical three-inch snow. When asked if he was ready for winter to end by now he stated, "No. I like snow. I like the winter time."

On a smaller scale, Fred Kruckow plows approximately 15 driveways with a blade on his truck for neighbors and friends.

"If the city plows we plow, and I think they city's been plowing just about every one," stated Kruckow. He also commented, "the city employees really work hard. I've never seen a crew like that. The county and the state, they all do a tremendous job. You look at a road a few hours after a storm and its been bare and salted."

"It's relentless, every other day," Fred continued. "I'm sure the funds are getting tough. Most winters you can't make any money (in the snowplow business). Its got to hurt everybody else because it's a lot of snow you haul out of the parking lots."

Where contractors such as Schroeder, Kruckows and Meyer earn a little extra income during the winter, local residents and businesses are the ones who are stuck with the bill as Fred pointed out.

Joe Hammell, from Rippe, Hammell, Murphy Law Office, commented, "Its a two edged deal. It costs businesses more that pay for it, but its good for businesses that get the money. It stays within the community."

Their office has a small parking lot behind the building for employees and apartment tenants that gets cleaned at an hourly rate after each snowfall. The rate depends on the equipment used which ranges from a small skid loader to a loader and dump truck when necessary to haul snow out of town. Already this winter snow removal has cost them a considerable amount.

A similar system is in place at the high school, which is also billed an hourly rate. With budget concerns a regular consideration at school board meetings, one can't help but wonder how a heavy winter will affect the tight school budget.

"A year like this is certainly difficult," Superintendent Moriarty stated. "At this point if it quits snowing today we'd be fine. We certainly haven't exhausted our budget yet, but depending on how much more snow we get this winter it could become a problem. Last year we did overspend our budget on snow removal. It went clear into April." The amount of money budgeted for snow removal is based on average winter conditions.

Even local churches are not exempt from buried parking lots and sidewalks and the increased effort and money it takes to keep surfaces from becoming hazardous to pedestrians. With each consecutive snowfall, Carolyn Holatz of Immanuel Lutheran Church wonders, "Where are they going to put it?"

After their snow pile began to engulf the parking lot she explained, "we asked the guys who do it here if they will turn the corner and start piling on the west side of the building." For locations with the space, piling it on lawns serves as a cheaper alternative to having it trucked out of town.

With March typically the snowiest months of winter for this part of the state, it doesn't take much imagination to realize the worst could be yet to come. For local snow removers, a long and snowy winter could mean good income for the next couple of months. For business owners, residents, schools, and churches, it could mean further strain on an already tight budget.
Without my grandparent's driveway to shovel anymore for a small profit or property of my own to pay to keep clean, I find myself indifferent to each successive snowfall the weatherman predicts. I guess for now I'll simply enjoy it for what it is.

Postal workers conquer snow, ice, and dangerous temperatures

"Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds," reads the unofficial motto of the United States Postal Service. While this nostalgic saying from another era does nothing to mention extremely cold temperatures, postal workers in Caledonia this week could have added that to the list of obstacles they overcome. With temperatures reading –20 degrees Thursday and Friday mornings as they set out, mail carriers in Caledonia left bundled in up to six layers of clothing, wind pants, La Crosse Footwear boots, hand warmers, and stylish rabbit-fur-aviator-bomber-ear flap hats.

What's the trick to staying warm? Diane Fields, in her fourth winter as a mail carrier responded, "move out as quickly as I can, keep the body heat up and dress in layers. Yesterday I had on two pair of long johns, my postal pants, and coveralls."

Anne Doering has been a Caledonia mail carrier since 1997. Her route takes her eight and a half miles up and down city streets each day. While the cold, and more specifically the wind, can be unpleasant, she was quick to point out, "the worst is the ice."

Fields also commented that the ice is worse than the cold due to its unpredictable nature. "I would say this winter with the aftermath of the ice storm," was her answer to a question inquiring about the worst conditions she's worked in. "The ice continues to be an issue although the more recent snow cover has added a little bit of traction."

Caledonia Postmaster Dennis O'Connell affirmed those position. Once a mail carrier in Hudson, Wis., he has delivered mail in his share of winter weather. "I fell on a cement step once and hit my head on a porch," he remembers. "One thing people don't realize is wooden steps can be slippery, too."

The ice storm at the beginning of the month made routes particularly treacherous. While their goal is to deliver "every piece every day," O'Connell explained that safety always comes first. He followed that by noting on rural routes there were 3 to 5 people who didn't get their mail for a couple of days due to dangerous roads and driveways but said that people understood.

Daily deliveries are made by three city mail carriers, two working a full day in the field and the other half a day, and three rural drivers all pulling eight hour shifts. Rural drivers typically put on a combined 330 miles each day while city carriers walk approximately 18-20 miles, not counting some "mounted deliveries" made from the truck.

According to USPS 2006 statistics, nearly 26,000,000,000 pounds of mail was delivered that year across the nation. This amounts to over 83,000,000 pounds of mail each work day. For city letter carriers, this amount is delivered one 35 pound bag at a time. "A lot of people have the perception that its easy, O'Connell mentioned. "It's a physically demanding job. It is hard on the body. Anything the customer can do for them helps."

With the weather making delivering mail difficult enough, O'Connell encourages homeowners and businesses to take the appropriate steps to assure the carriers safe and timely delivery. For mailboxes along the street or road he encourages people to shovel around them. "A car length on each side" is necessary to allow the postal truck a clear approach he said. For houses in town, "steps, driveways, and sidewalks must be clear." Doering stated homeowners often shovel their driveways but neglect to clear unused sidewalks leading up to the front door and mailbox. O'Connell also explained that shoveling a path to the street from your front sidewalk is another big help. Some routes demand the mail carriers deliver to both sides of the street as they progress, making street crossings frequent. Often there is no path from the sidewalk to the street. This forces postal employees to either spend time going around or risk climbing over the snowbank.

Postal carriers have notes they will leave for property owners with dangerous walkways. In bold letters it states "you have 24 hours in which to have the approach to your mailbox free of snow and other hazards." O'Connell indicated they have already handed out a lot of them this year.
"I always try to compliment people when they do a good job," stated Doering.

Despite the hazards of winter weather, dogs are still the number one cause of injuries for most postal employees. "Ice and dogs, both of those things are treacherous," stated Fields. "I've had bad experiences with both in Caledonia."

When road conditions are bad, the mail truck from Rochester can sometimes be delayed. Although scheduled to arrive around 7 a.m., slow travel conditions can sometimes delay it by half an hour or more. A late arrival sends off a chain reaction delaying carriers as well.

Since it seemed like the mail carriers found ways to cope with the cold, I asked how the mail trucks were handling the weather. "Terrible," was the quick response from O'Connell. "Two didn't start this morning," he said with a slight tone of frustration. Called long life vehicles, or LLVs for short, they are vehicles built specifically for the Postal Service designed to last 20 years without an overhaul. Average fuel economy is 17 mpg and while void of much comfort on the inside, they are still quite expensive prompting the Post Office to continue making repairs on the 20 year old machines rather than investing in new ones. They have heaters but on cold days like we've been having are inefficient at heating the large space and cool down quickly when turned off during stops.

O'Connell refers to them as a "popcan on wheels" for their simplicity and metal structure. Although they were plugged in the night before, they realized the next morning the heater on one no longer functioned. "Ellingsons is letting me keep one in their shop tonight, O'Connell said." The other will be housed in Caledonia Oil's garage. A quick glance inside one LLV in the parking lot verified everything O'Connell said. I tried to jot down a few notes on the vehicle specifics but abandoned the idea when I discovered the ink in my pen had already froze.

Doering described the ideal delivery conditions as a sunny day in the fall or spring at a temperature of 65 degrees. Despite the desire for warmer weather, she said, "I would take [this weather] over the heat and humidity because you can always put more clothes on." Fields expressed the opposite, "My preference is hot weather. Cold weather is toughest. A nice hot sunny day is perfect."

Doering said that some people ask her when she is going to get a promotion and be put behind the desk. She laughs at the idea of working behind a desk as a promotion. "I love it. I wouldn't trade it for any other job here. Its not a promotion to be in the office." All of that being said on perhaps the coldest day of the year, and you better believe she likes her job. "You walk around and you're thankful you have a job," she added. Fields agreed saying saying she is "very happy to have the job" as well and likes delivering mail.

While for many local residents, the cold temperatures are another excuse to hunker down indoors, for postal carriers the brisk weather is simply another challenge to overcome. If you do find your mail a little late some cold or snowy day, more than likely a cold engine or slick road conditions are to blame, not a wimpy mail carrier as I found out. Whatever the case, neither snow, nor rain, nor COLD, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.

Ice Skating brings back memories for many, inspires effort to renew interest

Still alive in the memories of most locals over the age of 35 are the frosty nights spent at the city ice skating rink under bright lights, circling around the rink with friends and family. Included in those memories are the painful bumps and bruises from a game of Crack the Whip, the warmth from a woodstove in the old warming house and Archie Longueville, long time caretaker of the rink, guardian of the warming house, skate blade sharpener and local legend to those who spent any amount of time at the rink.

A group of people in town are determined to see Caledonia youth create similar memories these cold winter nights. Jane Meisch, inspired by the encouragement of Susan Kittleson, Liz Bickford, and a number of other volunteers, has spearheaded a project to get a new generation of kids back in skates and out on the ice. Over three weeks ago they began staffing the warming house and encouraging people to come out and skate. So far, the effort has been met with much success initially drawing 20-30 kids and adults each evening until the deep freeze hit two weeks ago.
The idea came from Meisch who regularly uses the city skating rink for her elementary Phy Ed class in February.

“Every year I do February Fitness Fever,” she explained. “The Mondays in Feb. we would play broom ball. The skating rink hasn’t been open the last four years or so and every year I call (the city) in Feb. to see if we can use it and it hasn’t been up.” This year she said she “called during Christmas vacation and it was flooded and ready to go but there wasn’t anyone to open the warming house.”

Meisch then contacted Kittleson and Bickford who she believed would be interested in seeing the sport resurrected. They met at Good Times to discuss the possibility of providing some structure and supervision for the rink. The excitement was contagious. “Without their excitement and enthusiasm we wouldn’t have gotten going,” Meisch stated.

The warming house is now supervised from 6-8 p.m. each weekday evening and 1-4 and 6-8 p.m. on the weekends, but people are welcome to skate there anytime. Popcorn, hot cocoa, and pizza is regularly provided. Skates are also available in all different sizes for people to borrow. They consist of a collection of forgotten, donated, and second hand purchased skates of a variety of vintages. An announcement is made daily at the elementary school and Meisch continually promotes the sport as she teaches kids “seven days without exercise makes one weak.” The roster of volunteers consists of 10 people who take turns supervising. Caledonia City employee Mike Gerardy cleans the ice after each snowfall. The phone number for the warming house is 725-2079.

Tradition in Caledonia
Ice skating is a rich tradition in Caledonia. The February 3, 1926 Caledonia Journal published, “Nearly 500 people crowded their way into the city hall on Friday evening, January 29, to attend the second annual skating rink benefit dance and once inside refused to go home until both the Caledonia orchestra and the old time musicians were used up. Dancing started at about 8:30 p.m. and not until the clock had worked its way around to 3:30 a.m. did the dancers let the music go home. The Skating Rink Association was well pleased with the support received at the dance and wishes to thank the musicians and all others whose co-operation helped to make the affair a success.”

Whether this episode was a testament to a community’s love of music and dancing or proof of an enthusiastic skating crowd could be debated. However the popularity of the city ice rink over the decades cannot.

Helen Houlihan, an avid skater in the 50s and 60s, remembers evenings spent at the ballpark. “We probably skated from 6-7 p.m. Probably thirty kids just skating around. You’d have a rink of kids and play Crack the Whip.”

Crack the Whip, I learned, was a game where people would hold hands in a line and skate around the rink. Slowly at first, they would increase speed with the goal of spinning the skaters on the end of the line off into the bordering snowbank, an early physics lesson in cetrifugal force. Meisch recalled playing the game as well. “I didn’t know what was going on,” she laughed. “I chose to take the end. I only played that twice.”

Bickford remembers when the ice rink used to be where the present softball field is. She stated, “It seemed like it was always packed but most of it was probably my family.” She also recalls it being bigger in size and music being played.

All accounts I’ve come across describe the busy skating rink as the place to be after school and on the weekends.

“If you talk to anybody who grew up here that was all they did in the winter,” Meisch explained. “Kids haven’t skated the last 10 years around here. No one has skates. Reports these days focus on how our kids of today are watching too much TV and sitting around on the couch. There’s nothing to do.” Bickford agreed adding, “forty years ago we didn’t have internet or cable TV. Skating seemed like a pretty good proposition.”

When I stopped by for a few pictures, Kyle and Kaylee Cavanaugh were enjoying the ice. When asked who was the better skater of the two, Kyle, 2nd grade, said, “I am” in unison with 6th grader Kaylee’s response, “he is.” Kyle hopes to one day put those skates to use on the hockey arena. It was his third time skating at the rink and Kaylee’s first. Both wore warm coats, hats, mittens and bright smiles.

Long term goals
To improve their services Meisch said they are in need of a skate sharpener which can cost upwards of $750. She continues to search the internet for a used one and is simultaneously in search for some money to cover the cost. Sharpening skates is not as straightforward as it may seem since the blades require a certain type of edge to be safe and effective. They are also looking for donations to pay for the snacks they provide. So far, that money has come from the city and a few of the volunteers. If another Archie Longueville were out there and willing to help with the facilities regularly, I don’t think they’d mind either.

Meisch explained their long term goal. “If we pull this off and have attendance like the first week, the long term dream would be a rink like we used to have in 1954. What better a thing for kids to stay out of trouble?”

The rink of 1954 constructed by Longueville and Clarence Lommen was described in the Argus as “the largest rink ever offered by the village and has become a popular place after school hours.”

I asked Bickford why she was spending time supervising the warming house. She replied, “I like volunteering and I like kids. Two hours a week, I can do that. That’s how things get done.” Helping Jane was another incentive she added saying, “I like Jane. She’s got good spirit and is a good leader.”

Not much of a skater myself, I wish this opportunity would have been more visible and popular when I was a kid. My one attempt at ice skating occurred over six years ago on a frozen farm pond in skates two sizes too small and the fact that I haven’t tried again highlights my lack of success. But in writing this I realized you don’t have to be a student to enjoy the rink. Even parents such as Lynette Privet and Darrin Schmidt laced up their old skates and joined their kids on the ice.

Perhaps you’ll see me up there one of these cold nights practicing, awkwardly scuffling around the arena while frantically flailing my arms to keep balance. Thanks to Jane Meisch and the group of volunteers dedicated to introducing this memorable and active winter pastime to a new generation, at least I know someone will be there to scrape me off the ice after I fall and hand me a glass of warm cocoa. Save me a pair of size 13 skates and look out Kyle!

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Heintz Badger Valley Farm introduces robotic milkers

“If only the cows would milk themselves…,” could read the quote from any number of local dairy farmers, especially on those cold January mornings and muggy July evenings. For many farmers beholden to the twice daily, year round routine of milking cows, self milking cows are a pie-in-the-sky dream frequently muttered under their breath or used as a passing joke with the neighbors. For Doug Heintz and his family, it’s no longer a dream or a joke, it’s reality. One might go so far as to even call it a revolution.

December 29 the Heintz Badger Valley Farm introduced their 120 cow herd to the Lely Astronaut A3 milking system, a fully automated system that not only milks cows but cleans their udder, provides protein pellets based on nutritional energy requirements, identifies mastitis and monitors rumination (cud chewing), weight and the probability the cow is in heat. Cows wear transponders around their neck for identification and are allowed to be milked up to four times per day under their own will.

The A3 robotic system was developed during the early 90’s in Europe originally where labor costs are higher. Robotics are based on a higher initial investment but less labor costs while other setups are more labor intensive but do not require as much of an initial investment.

For the Heintz family the reasons for making the transition are many. Until December 29, Doug was milking cows in a tie stall barn, a method most consider “old fashioned” now that milking parlors have become the industry standard. Since he didn’t have the investment of a parlor, an upgrade to the A3 system seemed economically feasible. Secondly, he cited his age. At 43, he saw this as an opportunity to preserve his health. “My knees are good yet. My back is good. This will get me to retirement,” Doug said. Finally, his 16 year old son, Dayne, shows interest in taking over the farm after college, making the investment one for the future.
“Most people do it because of the lack of good help. We had real good help,” noted Doug in referring to a previous employee who decided to go back to school this semester, another factor playing into Doug’s decision to purchase the robots at the time. He was quick to point out, however, that the cost savings in employee wages will make the payment on the robots every month.

Cost can vary depending upon the bells and whistles included according to Greg Luebke at Dairyland Equipment in Plainview where Heintz purchased his system.

The purchase of the first robot includes one-time costs for computer hardware and software and other necessary equipment. Heintz, who operates two robots, expects the payoff for his setup to be about seven years while the robots are expected to have a 20-25 year life-span. Each A3 robot can milk 60-70 cows and works around the clock except for 15 minutes twice a day when it cleans itself.

The idea for installing the A3 system first came from his son. “Dayne’s been telling me about it the last couple of years,” Doug said. “In June we took a tour where we saw three farms in Wisc.”
Initially, Doug was skeptical of the technology but what impressed him the most was seeing the cows almost fighting to get into the system to be milked. It was then he started crunching the numbers.

“End of July and into Aug. we looked at prices. Sept. we applied for permits. They were approved in Oct. We poured cement in the middle of Oct. and Brickl Brothers showed up on Dec. 1.”

All the while, Doug continued to increase his herd size from his original 75-80 cows to 120. Thanks to the overtime put in by Brickl Brothers, Schultz Plumbing, and Brad and Pat Jilek, four weeks later the new robots were ready to start work.

Transitioning well
So far Doug described the transition as “real good.” “We couldn’t have asked for a better start up.”

Cell counts are down 50% while his production average increased 12 lbs./day/cow from historic averages. “I couldn’t imagine it would go up like that,” noted Doug.

Cows are enticed into the milking stall by the promise of protein pellets, a tasty treat. Initially, farmers have to continually direct cows toward the machine until cows learn the routine and realize food awaits them. Of Doug’s 120 cows, 100 of them currently enter the milking stalls themselves while the other 20 need a little prodding. Doug expects the others to improve as the desire for nutrients increases after their next lactation.

The system also monitors milk quality. Milk from treated cows is separated off into different containers. Everything is monitored on touch screens and a computer a short distance away in Doug’s office.

“I’m not real big on computers,” admitted Doug. “That was his biggest fear,” noted his wife Julie. Despite his hesitations, Doug agreed it was an easy system to use and showed me the detailed instruction booklet.

A second phone line was added to the house. If something goes wrong, such as a ripped milker hose or problems with a cow leaving the stall, a phone call is sent to the house to alert them. If nobody answers, the system proceeds to call Doug’s cell phone, and then Julie’s, and finally Dayne’s if necessary. So far, those calls have been few and for minor problems.
Major or even minor breakdowns could cause big problems for a system so reliant on the steady milking of cows.

“Dairyland being one hour away was a concern,” Doug stated. “They assured me that within two hours they would have me up and running if problems occurred.”

Additionally, a power outage would alert Doug by phone and allow him to fire up his generator. The machines worked well through the cold weather with the freestall barn staying above 20 degrees even on the coldest days.

Despite the challenge in getting the setup operating, Doug has found himself with more free time and flexibility. Six weeks in they are still in the setup phase and happy that it “keeps getting better and better.”

Doug and Julie attribute much of their initial success to the advice and help they have received from friends, family members, including Doug’s brother inlaw and father inlaw, neighbors and colleagues in the dairy industry. Both Dayne and their daughter, Jackie, devoted much of their Christmas break preparing for the transition. Even Doug’s deer hunting buddies lent a hand one December afternoon.

The future of dairy farming?
Doug believes this technology is good for the future of the dairy industry.

“I think it’s the perfect fit for the upper Midwest. I think it’s for the family farm. I’ve heard a lot of farmers say ‘I wish I wouldn’t have done that parlor.’”

“Everybody has said we have never seen the spike in interest in a product like the robots,” stated Luebke from Dairyland who currently has 14 A3 robots set up at 7 Minn. and Wisc. farms. “We have 93 names of people actively interested in this. Some are sitting back and watching at first. It’s a very busy time right now.”

Interest in this new phenomenon is evident firsthand by the number of visitors the Heintz’s find on their farm now days, often unannounced and sometimes when nobody else is around which is overwhelming and a bit nerve wracking from their perspective.

For the farmer interested in this technology Doug suggested, “do your numbers. What might be the right fit for one might not be for another.” He also suggested, “Don’t be afraid to ask advice. We didn’t know a lot of stuff so I tried to surround myself with people who did.”

I asked if there was ever a time when he imagined one day his cows would be milking themselves. “Absolutely not. Especially not here,” Doug laughed. “A year ago I’d have never dreamt it. It’s one thing to go watch somebody else’s cows go through (an A3 system) and it’s another to watch my own.”

While my generation is used to back-in-my-day stories of milking cows by hand as told by our grandparents, it seems a future in which I tell my grandkids “back in my day people used to milk the cows” is arriving faster than anyone imagined.

Now, if only the hay would cut and bale itself…



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Legendary ‘triple drop tine’ buck falls to old man winter

Periodically during deer hunting season, some lucky or skilled hunter bags a big enough buck to make a splash in local newspapers and TV stations and become the talk of the local café. Rarely does the legend trophy buck that alludes the hunter’s arrow and bullet get the media credit he deserves for such a skillful feat.

The legend trophy buck that has Houston County residents talking these days is ‘triple drop tine,’ or TD as nicknamed by the Yucatan Valley residents who knew him well. At 8 ½ years old this buck was found dead from natural causes by Matt Semling on his farm in Yucatan Valley on Feb. 7 after over five years of being observed, studied and hunted by hundreds of locals and a few people traveling from as far as Florida to take a chance at bagging this rare specimen.

Drop tines refer to antler tines that curve downward rather than up. They form a non typical, or non symmetrical, rack. Local residents noticed TD first formed a single drop tine at the age of 3 ½. At 5 ½ years old he grew a second drop tine and finally, at the age of 7 ½ a third, making him a stand out not only for his age and size, but for his unique set of antlers. The rack scored 181 inches on the Boone and Crockett scoring charts.

While this is the only triple drop tine Semling knows of, local Conservation Officer Scott Fritz has come across them before despite their rarity but never ones with such length. “I have a tendency to believe that maybe early in that deer’s life sometime it was injured,” noted Fritz as to potential causes. “A lot of times when an animal is injured, the opposite side will show deformity.” While a past injury is one explanation, he also doesn’t dismiss the possibility it is a genetic deformity.

Antlers are a sign of a buck’s health since growing large antlers requires good nutrition. Large antlers serve as an indicator of the buck’s health and maturity to a prospective mate and also deter competition from weaker rival males.

Local celebrity
Semling, a Winona state graduate, is not originally from the area but decided to move here after falling in love with the landscape and the abundant wildlife during college. It was after the move into his new home three years ago he first saw the buck.

“I moved into the valley and one of the first days I moved into my home I got the opportunity to see triple drop tine. He was a double drop tine at that time but was still kind of impressive,” he said. Eventually he was not only impressed by the rack, but the elusive character of the buck as well. Living in TD’s territory along County 4 gave him and his wife, Tricia, front row seats to what became a local tourist attraction.

“Any day out of the summer, starting right away in June when I was on my way home from work, I would always know when he was in my food plot because there would be between five and fifteen vehicles pulled over on the road,” said Semling. “He’d show himself all the time when not being hunted.”

Soon, it was not only curious locals lining the roadsides but professional camera crews. “Hunting camera crews from Matthews TV and Wild Outdoors came from all over just to video this thing, he was so impressive,” explained Semling.

Although during the summer TD made no effort to shy away from the spotlight, the wise old buck proved too smart to make that mistake in the fall.

Semling recalls, “I went in the week before the bow hunting season and pulled my (trail) cameras out of there. Me being in there 10 minutes was all it took to turn him nocturnal. He must have known the bow hunting season was close. Time after time I’d see him during the hunting season but the only time was when I was in my truck going down the driveway. He was a super smart buck.”

Matt had friends travel from Florida, Georgia, and Alabama to hunt TD but stated, “no matter how good I thought I had him patterned he would slip through the cracks every time.” Time after time, the estimated 20-25 people Semling knew of gunning for the buck the past few years left the woods without the trophy.

Semling is an avid shed collector and estimates he spent 50 to 60 hours searching the woods for TD’s sheds this year. When his search ended fruitless, he feared TD was dead somewhere.
Earlier this month friends and neighbors were gathered on his property to burn an old barn that caved in. While walking around, one of Matt’s friends noticed a shed nearby and called for him.
“‘Matt come over here, There is an antler sticking out of the ground,’ he said. As I walked within twenty yards of the antler sticking out, I knew it was triple drop tine. I was breathless, speechless. I was not sure how to feel.”

Immediately Semling called Fritz in order to obtain a possession permit for the carcass and get his expert opinion on the deer. They did a detailed check over the body but were unable to find any skin punctures or even broken bones. Since TD was found on Semling’s property, and the deer appeared to have died from natural causes and not illegally activity, Semling became the owner of the shed.

Older than average
Rarely does a buck live to be as old as TD. A few different theories on how he managed to live so long exist.

Semling believes the food plots and minerals they made accessible provided nutrients essential for the buck’s health. He also mentioned that TD was not a real aggressive buck in comparison to others, a trait that may have prolonged his life.

Fritz pointed out “we happen to live in an area that is very conducive to raising large bucks. Farming and food plots add to it but the biggest factor are hunters electing to let younger bucks grow to be mature bucks. That’s what hunters love to see.” In addition, the varied river bottoms and woodlands provide areas to escape hunting pressure.

Fritz said the average age of bucks harvested in this area used to be 18 months old. More recently that average has increased to 2 ½ years due to more selective harvesting.

“I would have definitely chose this guy,” Semling answered after I asked which would be a more appealing kill, the famed 30 point buck or the local legend, TD. “I actually had a chance to shoot a lot of bucks that were maybe a little bit bigger than him but I kind of held off. There were a lot of opportunities that I passed up on some pretty nice bucks waiting for this one to fill my tag, but I waited too long.”

Although Semling has received many offers for the rack, for now he is hanging on to the prized possession. Travis Peterson, at Peterson Taxidermy in Houston, is doing the mount.
“A lot of people are interested in getting replicas,” stated Semling. “I don’t have any problem with people making replicas. I’m not the only one that hunted him nor the only one that really enjoyed having him around the area.”

He instructs interested parties to contact Peterson if they want a replica. Enlarged photos of the buck taken from trail cameras may also be made available.

Fritz commended Semling for immediately contacting him upon finding the buck dead. “When people find deer, they do need to contact me to get a possession permit for it.”

Although TD has passed, the memory of this Yucatan Valley celebrity buck will stay with Semling and local residents for years to come as a unique display of the curiosities of nature and challenge it takes to attempt to outsmart even the wisest old buck.