Local News Stories

Select Stories Written as a Freelance Reporter

Postal Workers Conquer Cold Weather

"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.



Robotic Milkers Introduced at Heintz Badger Valley Farm

“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…

Caledonia Native Leads I35W Bridge Rebuild

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.

Ice Skating Brings Back Memories, Offers Physical Activity

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!

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.

Local Man Battles Lung Cancer

“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.