Gazette Master-New December8.indd

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December 2015 Vol. 36 Issue 12
www.VictoriaGazette.com
A Centerfold of City Scoop
*****ECRWSS**
POSTAL CUSTOMER
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VICTORIA, MN
PERMIT NO 10
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“A love affair with news and paper.”
(Dec. 2015) P.O. Box 387
Victoria, MN 55386-0387
GAZETTE
The Victoria
The Victoria
GAZETTE
CELEBRATING a CENTENNIAL Year in VICTORIA
in this centennial year
A Christmas Gift from Sue@VictoriaGazette.com
by Sue Orsen
The next time you visit www.VictoriaGazette.com, you will find a Christmas
tree on the Home Page and a present under the tree. The tree is shimmering with
colorful lights and the present is perfectly
wrapped in red Christmas paper and tied
with green ribbon. It's a Christmas gift to
you from me. When you click on the present, it will open. Merry Christmas. I simply love it, and I hope you will too.
***
More than once, I've been asked to
write a book on the history of Victoria. My
standard reply has been, "I've written it."
One thing I don't like to do is repeat myself. A better reply would have been, "I'm
writing it." As this Centennial Year 2015
draws to a close, I want to disclose that I
have finished the first 36 volumes.
The history that I have written of Victoria is not bound in leather. It is bound
with 36 years of heart and soul, toil and
tears, life and love. It is bound with emotion and good will. And I hope to make it
available to you, all of it, every single issue
of the Victoria Gazette, every page in every
volume from 1979 to the present.
It has been a monumental and tedious
task, but my large-page scanner performed
superbly as I fed it on a regular basis, one
page at a time, over these last four years. I
began scanning my Gazettes in the summer
of 2011. I finished scanning the final issue
in the summer of 2015.
I didn't begin with an end date. I just
began. Outside of my family and home,
the Gazette has been my life's work and
I knew it was becoming an incomparable
history of Victoria and its people.
If each volume of the Victoria Gazette
contains an average of 500 pages, that
translates to an estimated 20,000 pages of
material that document the 165-year history. This includes a history of the city, its
people, its businesses, organizations, and
churches, mainly through firsthand stories.
It is a continuing history, a living history.
As many of you know, Victoria was
first "discovered," first settled, by the brothers Michael and Carl Diethelm in 1851 and
1852, respectively. What transpired since
those earliest years has been told through
the pages of the Victoria Gazette, through
the stories of people intimately connected
to the early and earliest families.
I personally interviewed Victoria residents who were born before 1900. For example, I interviewed John Schneider who
was born in 1890, Hank Fossum who was
born in 1894, and Ben Diethelm and Hilda
Wartman who were each born in 1898.
I personally interviewed dozens of
other Victoria residents born between
1900 and 1905 (Henry Williams, Pauline
Kochs, Ida Plocher, Vernice Heutmaker,
Irwin Holtmeier, Math Hartmann, Regina
Kerber, George Schmieg, Hank Gregory,
Dorothy Schmieg, and Elmer Krey, for example). I did a story on Oleda Gregory and
Rosella Schmidt, each born in 1906, and
Wilbur Krey, born in 1907.
I visited with these residents, and
many others not listed above, who were
born before Victoria was incorporated in
1915. I sat in their homes and they told
me their stories and the stories of their parents, their children, the town, and their life,
and I wrote it all down and published it in
the very next issue of the Victoria Gazette
along with several of their family's personal photographs. Those stories, and scores
of others over the years, tell the history of
Victoria through the generations, from the
beginning.
Every era is included.. Dozens of my
front page stories have featured residents
who were born in the 1920's, 1930's, and
1940's. I've published the stories of hard
times and good times, prosperity and depression, bust years and boom years, tragedies and successes. The stories have been
told in the first person narrative by people
whose lives revolved around Victoria.
The stories are generational, as I said,
and real. They are tender, touching, truthful, and oftentimes funny. They are not sophisticated. They are genuine true to life
biographies of individuals, couples, families, and business people who have called
Victoria home.
What I've written and published in
the Gazette about Victoria, the people and
the community, would not fit within the
confines of a normal book. My history of
Victoria is larger than an entire set of encyclopedias. In my opinion, it cannot be
condensed without the history suffering in
the condensation. Who or what would get
left on the cutting room floor? It would be
like performing a surgery and leaving some
of the guts on the operating table.
Only Volume One of the Victoria Gazette contains some front page stories that
were not written or acquired by me. Most
of those were transcribed from a tape recorder and sometimes the dates and dots
are not well connected, but the stories are
substantial. I love Volume One. It was the
inspiration and introduction to my life's
work which has consumed and sustained
me all these many years and who knows
how long into the future.
As the years have gone by, I've touched
and turned the physical pages of every issue of the Gazette several times, as I've
used them as resource material, and several
more times in the scanning of each page,
front and back. Would you believe that I
ironed, on an ironing board, every single
page of every single issue dating back to
1979, so there would be no wrinkles or
creases as the page was being scanned? I
did. If truth be told, it's the most activity
that iron has seen since I received it as a
wedding gift in 1970.
But the message here, at the close of
this Centennial Year, is that the people of
Victoria have told their own stories, and
I've been privileged to write them down
as a biographer and editor, and I published
them on the front pages of my newspaper
for over 36 years.
And now, in the near future, I hope to
be making the pdf's available to friends,
relatives, historians, residents, strangers,
anyone with a mind for the reality of life
in a small American town. Not everybody
loves history, but everybody loves a story.
Maybe that helps to explain why the word
"love" is so often used in conjunction with
the Gazette.
In any case, it is evident that when you
put all the stories all together, one after the
other, the history of the Victoria community comes alive, not just for us today but for
generations to come.
In addition to photos of the featured
people, my front page stories also contain
photos of the farms, the homes, the town,
and the businesses and streets in Victoria's
early years, all the way up to today.
My history of Victoria records the
demolition of some of its oldest homes
and oldest businesses. Of course, I've also
chronicled the construction of new homes
and neighborhoods and businesses. I've
written the history of a settlement turned
into a village turned into a city turned into
the vibrant growing community of today.
Throughout this Centennial Year, I've
made a point of researching historical documents, some at the city and some at the
county historical society. I was most fortunate to discover the largest treasure trove of
information and original handwritten artifacts at the Minnesota Historical Museum
in St. Paul.
In this Centennial Year, I was able to
compile the first known list of all Victo-
Page 2 - Victoria Gazette - December 2015
ria mayors and the specific years in which
they served, plus some of the city's agenda
during their particular tenures.
In this Centennial Year, I was able to
connect with the first city administrator of
Victoria and get her story.
In this Centennial Year, I documented the end of one era and the beginning of
another as a new building was constructed,
for the very first time, for the very purpose
of serving as a City Hall and City Offices. Former Victoria City Offices were either part of an old fire barn or an old public
school building or an old hall.
In this Centennial Year, I was most recently privileged to sit down and write the
story of a Diethelm family that is only three
generations down from Victoria's earliest
pioneers.
In addition, I was honored to choose,
in this Centennial Year, a phenomenal "city
person" that I had featured in the past, and
I reprinted one of those stories each month
throughout 2015. This is the only time I allowed myself to repeat one of the historical
stories in the Victoria Gazette. There is a
time for every season under the sun.
Next year, in 2016, I hope to do a history of the Victoria Lions as they celebrate
the 50th anniversary of their charter night.
There are always milestones to cover in the
Victoria Gazette!
When the Victoria Fire Department
celebrated its Centennial in 2013, I researched and wrote information on each of
the charter members, all of them passed on,
where they lived in town, and what they did
for a living. I obtained most of that information through personal contact with their
descendants, through stories from past issues of the Gazette, and residents.
Many presidents or secretaries of the
various Victoria organizations have generously written columns for the Gazette over
the years, thereby chronicling part of their
own history. I'm talking about the Victoria Lions, the Victoria Fire Department, the
Victoria Senior Citizens, the Victoria Commercial Club which morphed into the Victoria Chamber of Commerce and then the
Victoria Business Association. The early
years included the Victoria Athletic Association.
Several pastors and priests of Victoria
churches have been regular contributors
over the years, no one more popular than
Father Elstan Coghill, OFM, for whom
I published a book back in 1996, called
Prints of a Priest. It was comprised of all
the columns he had written for the Victoria
Gazette while he was the priest here at St.
Victoria. The book was a gift to him as he
retired and moved away from Victoria.
In 1997, I published another book,
Voices are Calling, written by his brother
Jesse Coghill, who had a poetry column in
the Victoria Gazette for many years. The
Coghill family grew up in Jordan, less than
a dozen miles south of Victoria, and it was
my honor to be introduced to them.
Interesting it is, and also understandable, that other of the Gazette's regular contributors have authored books. Cowboy
Correspondent Tom Stumpf is the author of
a book published in 2011 entitled, What a
Good Dog! Also, long time resident Fred
Plocher, realtor and former Gazette columnist, is the author of a book published in
2014 entitled Stealing Watermelons.
The Victoria Gazette has always been
replete with an outstanding array of work
by local writers who contribute immensely to the personal flair of the paper. From
the beginning, local people with a literary
bent have written numerous columns for
the Gazette. Mike Wartman, who grew up
in Victoria, is foremost among them and
could easily author a book if he so chooses.
Such columns, written for pleasure and not
promotion or profit, have contributed to the
Gazette's wide audience, which reaches far
beyond the city boundaries of Victoria.
I must mention here, in this Centennial Year, the Scoop at City Hall, those centerfold pages of each issue of the Gazette
that inform us as to what goes on and what
is said at each city council meeting. I've
attended more Victoria City Council meetings than anyone else, living or dead. No
mayor, no clerk, no administrator, no councilmember, no citizen has attended and, I
venture to say, will ever attend, more city
council meetings than I have. And I'm still
counting.
As a result of personally sitting in the
audience and taking notes at more than 800
city council meetings, I've written a history
of city business you won't find anywhere
else. I've chronicled in readable form, with
headlines and summaries and first person
quotations, most all of the activities of the
various city councils and staff since 1981,
and I've taken their pictures too.
In this Centennial Year, I hereby identify the inclusive list of residents whose life
stories have been featured on the front pages of the Gazette, as well as many of the
various destination events in Victoria since
the founding of the Gazette in 1979.
You will see there are other front page
stories that happened as time went on, some
that in fact tell my own story -- through the
lives of my parents and my children, even
one of my grandmothers, and Allan's mother, too, as well as through our travels at
home and around the world.
This list gives an inkling as to the vast
history of a community and its people that
has been collected and chronicled, written,
edited, and published, to date, by Sue@
VictoriaGazette.com.
*Ben Diethelm and his ancestors.
*Annual Lions Bed and Pot Races
*Community Living
*Moravian Church of Lake Auburn
*Marjorie Ries and Violet Kerber
*Ben Diethelm and Christmas Memories
*The Notermann Store
*Braunworth Hardware
*Golden Wedding Anniversaries
*Victoria Creamery
*Vernice Heutmaker, Victoria Postmaster
*Karl and Ida Thiede
*Pastor Arnold Lemke, 25 Years
*Father Agnellus Sobolewski
*Ed and Ruth Plocher/Victoria Lumber
*John and Helen Schneider
*Victoria Concert Band
*Hank and Agnes Williams
*Father Robert Schmieg
*Hank and Pearl Fossum
*Victoria Baseball
*Lake Auburn Moravian Church
*Victoria Fire Department and Fire Hall
*Victoria Commercial Club
*Victoria Farms and Clarkson Lindley
*HEI, New Company in Victoria
*100 Years of Railroad Ties in Victoria
*Lions Celebrating 15 Years
*A Dinner Theater in Victoria
*The Victoria Gazette
*Celeste Aretz
*Math and Gladys Hartmann
*Kenneth ‘Whitey’ Wellens
*David and Susan Keiski
*Decreasing Crime
*St. Victoria Catholic Church
*Nushie and Bud Schmid
*Catherine Vanderlinde/Victoria Cafe
*Oferosky Family New Owners of Tuffy's.
*Clarence and Dorothy Kelzer
*Sherm Pehrson
*Elizabeth Diethelm/Switzerland Trip
*Elmer and Lydia Klatt
*Ed and Mary Vanderlinde
*St. Victoria Basketball
*Jerry Schmieg
*John and Ethel Notermann
*Hilda Caspers and Victoria City Flag
*Victoria Dairy Queen
*Apple Farm celebrates 75 years
*Lillian Kroening
*Walter and Genevieve Ebert
*Tony and Catherine Aretz
*Lake Auburn Moravian 125 Years
*Hilda Wartman
*Bud and Irene Vogel
*George and Louise Tallon
*John Notermann
*Mount Olivet Rolling Acres
*Dan Schneider, son of Bill and Donna
*Lenny and Ardes Koehnen
*Arnold and Evelyn Notermann
*Maurice and Mary Lou Leuthner
*Carver Park and Lowry Nature Center
*City Council Candidates
*George Schmieg
*Jerome Aretz,
*Harold and Milly Wartman
*Conrad and Agnes Krueger
*Dr. Leon and Vera Snyder
*Henry and Agnes Williams, 60 Years
*Lenny and Evelyn Schrempp
*Father Elstan and Frieda
*Marvin and Caroline Hartman
*Don Eisenreich and Victoria Auto Body
*Wilbur and Esther Krey
*Paul and Blanch Stans
*Alphonse and Margaret Schmieg
*Herbert and Alice Goldschmidt
*Bede and Lois Boll
*Quilters at St. Victoria
*Jewell Lyngaas and Frans Boersma
*David and Loretta Kocka
*Dale and Nancy Sohns
*Lions Street Dance and Tournament
*Sylvester and Dorleen Schmieg
*The Victoria State Bank, 75 Years
*Victoria Lions Celebrate 20 years
*Ralph and Ruth Plocher
*Dorothy Schmieg
*Herbert and Pauline Kocks
*Al and Grace Lundgren
*Caroline Williams, wife of Ray
*Joe and Betty Claeys, 40 Years
*Marvin and Mike Storms
*Barbara Leuthner
*Anna Kelzer Schneider
*Calvin and Wilbert Robling
*Oleda Gregory
*Tony and Catherine Aretz
*Lillian Kemkes, 100 Years Old
*Hank and Winnie Gregory
*Victoria Alpine Village
*George and Marie ‘Snip’ Steinberger
*Ray and Frannie Schmieg
*Calvin and Marge Robling
*Mabel McCulloch and Smithtown
*Jack Barckhoff
*George and Esther Bender
*Eine kleine Stadt zu lieben
*Bud and Bernie Larson
*Jerome Zanger
*Victoria Businesses in 1957
*Wilfred and Inez Plocher
*Carver Park Reserve
*Bernard and Monica Metzger
*Tony and Sally Kerber
*The Victoria Gazette 10 years old
*Ethel Sauter
*Fred Plocher and Deer Run
*Carver Park Reserve 20 Years
*Archie and Marsaline Ball
*Jim Fink
*Don and Alida Dyer
*Pastor Graham West
*Eugene ‘Euch” and Julianne Wartman
*Lion Harry Werner and his golden lab
*Chuck and Marg Chapman
*Vera Orsen
*STEP Group Home in Victoria
*Pastor Arnold Lemke, 25 Years
*Don and Germaine Jesberg
*School Community Values
*Richard and Lois Vosejpka
*Bill and Maddy Shalow
*Dale and Marilyn Palmatier
*Regina Kerber
*Jerry and Dee Schrempp
*Bill and Pearl Gaskill
*Ron and Harriet Holtmeier
*Old Victoria Vics ballplayers
*Gulf War Veteran Greg Schmidt
*Tom and Donna Schneider
*Red and Elaine Anderson
*Bob and Hedda Bird
*Father Conran and Vic Schneider
*Al and Sue Orsen, a Bavarian Holiday
*Ovid and Gen Northrop
*Willard and Jean Bongard
*Bede and Lois Boll
*Nushie and Mae Schmid
*Jan and Ed Sedio
*Father Landelin Robling
*Former landowner families, Deer Run
*Lions Tournament Weekend
*Bud and Irene Vogel, 50 Years
*Victoria Council Candidates
*Pastor Frank Jones?
*Chuck and Pat Leonard
*Postmaster Al Folden
*Wilbur and Elmer Krey
*Victoria City Strike
*Dave and Loretta Kocka
*Peggy Yanisch
*Marvin and Mary Gregory
*John and Liz Anderson
*Victoria Lions Tournament
*Hilda Caspers
*A Touch of Bavaria
*Marjory Hanson
*Bud Haedike
*Ken and Sonja Huber
*David and Marilynn Boorsma
*Victoria Ice Fishing Contest
*Alex and Avis Bezat
*Victoria Senior Center 25 Years
*Clarence Schwalbe, Grimm House
*Dan Steinhagen, Victoria Veterans
*Vic and Sis Schneider
*Chris and Jane Christopherson
*Janie Jasin
*Willy and Lois Molnau
*Annual Ice Fishing Contest
*Archie Leizinger
*Sister Rolaine Diethelm
*Norma Diethelm at Schmitty’s Tavern
*Jean Coleman
*Rod and Ramona Groff
*Touch of Bavaria
*Tom and Virginia Jones
*Bill and Donna Schneider
*Leota Fiebelkorn
*Letters from 1943 Victoria School Kids
*Dave and Barb Lindgren
December 2015 - Victoria Gazette - Page 3
*Lawrence and Elaine Williams
*Christ Victorious Lutheran Church
*Letters to Fr. Elstan, as he leaves
*Father Bob White
*Candidates for City Council
*Sheriff Al Wallin and wife Sharon
*Jane Chapman
*Photo recap of 1996
*Wes and Corinne Anderson
*Father Butch Rowan at Carver
*Joe and Betty Claeys, 50th Anniversary
*Julius Smith
*Marvin and Lillian Reich
*Father Robert Schmieg, home in Victoria
*Ron and Bonnie Fritz
*Jesse Coghill
*Jerry and Jane Michel
*Photo and Story Recap of 1997
*Willard and Jean Bongard
*Leo and Vangie Schneider
*Editor Sue’s Grandma Mary Opdahl
*Tornadic Winds through Victoria
*Father Brennan Schmieg
*Jerome ‘Chub’ Tschimperle
*Eliza Dickey Manning, 102 years old
*Lake Auburn’s 140th anniversary
*Exploring Victoria Business Expo
*Kathy Kraemer
*Looking Over 1998
*LeRoy and Margaret Worm
*Charlie and Georgiana Johnson
*Julius and Connie Moehl
*Jeff Byrne and his New Cabin Fever
*Groundbreaking for HFCHS
*Herb and Bonnie Strom
*Lions 30 Years with Whitey Wellens
*Father Fred Schneider and His 50th
*Touch of Bavaria
*Brian Wynn
*Warren and Dorothy Kahnke
*Father Larry Blake’s Ordination
*School Board and Superintendent
*No School Bldg for Victoria Munchkens
*Perry and Addie Dungey
*Cathleen Williams/County Social Worker
*More Stories with Ed Vanderlinde
*Bill and Elaine Scholl
*Ida Plocher, born in 1902
*Victoria City Council Candidates
*Dedication of Holy Family High School
*Pastor Susan Plocher Thomas
*Recap of the year 2000
*Jerry and Marlene Bohn
*Gordon and Clara Diethelm
*Jerry and Gerda Schmieg
*Carol Schaefer
*City Administrator Steve Sarvi
*Award for Jeff Byrne and Cabin Fever
*Annual Lions Tournament
*Dave and Marlene Speltz
*School Board in District 112
*Steve Sarvi called to Active Duty
*Jim and Jane Bowser
*The Victoria Field House
*Sons of Mike and Karen Eischens
*New building projects in Victoria
*Public Hearing on Field House
*Home and Garden Business Expo
*Wedding of Jenny Orsen
*Five high school senior scholarships
*Rural Life Sunday at the Kelzer Farm
*Current Members of the Fire Department
*Pages of Letters to the Editor
*Ray and Frannie Schmieg
*Mayor Mary Meuwissen
*Mel and Sharon Hazelwood
*Grand Opening of Field House
*Fire at the Sellman Home
*Wilbert and Darlene Kelzer
*Four student scholarship winners
*Wives working the Lions Tournament
*North to Alaska with the Orsens
*Part Two: The Alaskan Cruise
*Nine School Board Candidates
*Where is the Food Shelf?
*A Recap of the year 2003
*Dave and Rosie Williams
*Norbert and Theresa Derhaag
*Orsens' trip to the Netherlands
*Gazette Celebrates 25 years
*Groundbreaking for Victoria Elementary
*Rosella Schmidt, born in 1906
*Dick and Mary Schmieg
*Candidates for Victoria City Council
*Steve Sarvi home from Kosovo
*Jim and Barbara Carlson
*A Recap of 2004
*Lloyd and Susie Bonkoski
*Pages of Letters to the Editor
*Editor Remembers Old St. Victoria
*Evelyn Goldschmidt
*American flags flying in Victoria
*Darlene Werdin and the Lions
*Six Candidates for School Board
*Open House at new Victoria Elementary
*Emerald Crest
*Tom Abts and Deer Run Club House
*New homes and neighborhoods
*Tom and Candy Almquist and Kid Talk
*Representative Paul Kohls at Sea
*Tom and Teresa Gregory
*Editor Sue’s trip to Fatima and Lourdes
*Concerts in the Park
*Victoria House Boys, Bobby, John, Dan
*Fire Station and Water Treatment Plant
*The Orsens, under the Tuscan sun
*Tom Notermann’s store memories
*Demise of Lake Auburn Home for Aged
*Caleb Fisher, son of Doug and Shelley
*Wildlife in Allan and Sue Orsen’s yard
*Audrey Fox and sons visit Sri Lanka
*Ruth Johnson and Jean Johnson
*Joe and Betty Claeys celebrate 60 years
*Dalles and Karen Notermann
*Annual Lions Tournament Weekend
*Summer Storm of 2007
*The Wedding of Nick Orsen
*Leif Ewald, one of triplets born in 1999
*Editor Sue's favorite recipes
*Highlights and Events of 2007
*Featured Couples Over the Years
*Hartman Tree Farm
*At the Lowry Nature Center
*Traffic on State Highway 5
*Concerts in the Park
*New grocery store for Victoria
*Visiting Katrina devastation in the South
*A Moravian Melody 150 Years
*Rep. Paul Kohls in the Holy Land
*A look back at 2008
*Red Cross Bloodmobile
*Shawn Eastman/Marsh Lake Hunt Club
*Rick and Lois Plocher and Floyd’s Bar
*Grand Opening of Fresh Seasons Market
*Victoria Gazette is 30
*First Annual Kids Day at Fresh Seasons
*A Vabulous Volksfest
*First decade of the Victoria Field House
*Virginia Hedtke Stowe
*Bill and Maureen Bonner and Ancsa
*Highlights of 2009
*Stan and Jayne Hamerski
*Allan and Sue Orsen’s trip to Tioga
*Getting the Ave Maria at Laconia, IN.
*Florian Diethelm
*Pastor Brian Dixon at Lake Auburn
*Amazing Lakes on the way to Tioga
*City council candidates
*Allan and Sue's cruise to Nova Scotia
*Keith and Joan Geske
*Orsen kids growing up in Victoria
*Old Faces and Places
*New Dog Park in Carver Park
*At Home on the Rio Grande
*Elizabeth Diethelm &Julianne Wartman
*Father Larry Blake on Duty in Iraq
*New Owners of Victoria Bar & Grill
*Annual Victoria Volksfest
*New Discover Victoria Day
*Munchkins in Masquerade
*Don, Shirley, Harvey, and Robert Drew
*Review of the previous year
*Orsens' winter trip to Tioga ND
*Storms and Alpaugh
*Chez Reginiak and Janie Jasin
*American flags flying in Victoria
*Fred Plocher Drawn to Develop
*Al and Sue Orsen’s trip to Norway
*Annual Victoria Volksfest
*Candidates for Victoria City Council
*Tim Gregory
*Karol Oddo and Treasured Recipes
*Overview of 2011
*Father Bernardine Hahn, OFM
*Orsens at Magnificent Marco Island
*April blizzards and snowfalls
*John Scott
*Chuck and Carol Schmidt
*Victoria Firemen 100 Years Ago
*Wunderbar Victoria Volksfest
*Bill and Bea Beddor
*Downtown Halloween Party
*Recipes of the St. Victoria Choir
*Highlights of the past year
*The Oil Patch in Tioga, North Dakota
*Orsens in Savannah and Charleston
*Life and Times of Joe and Betty Claeys
*Tommy and Jeanne Thompson
*Record Rainfall in Victoria
*Elvis and Downtown Concert
*Behind doors of the Gannon Building
*Running for City Council
*Al and Louise Lehner
*Recipes From Editor Sue’s family
*A Watershed Year 2014
*Virginia Harris 1st City Administrator
*Grand Opening New City Hall
*Victoria First Public Library Opens
*Mayors of Victoria 1915 to Present
*Remembering the Victoria Village Hall
*Victoria Becomes a Destination
*Demolition Old City Offices and Hall
*The Zeitgeist of Victoria and Volksfest
*Orsens in the Desert Mountains of Utah
*Bob and Darla Diethelm
*Comprehensive History of Victoria
***
I scanned the papers in chronological
order, from 1979 to 2007. During those
particular years of doing the Gazette, I had
been literally cutting and pasting columns
of text, photo windows, and ads onto large
sheets of layout paper, and then hauling
those hardcopy pages, stacked neatly inside a 22" by 25" by 2" box, to Crow River Press in Hutchinson. (Actually, I first
started at Core Printing in Norwood Young
America.) I loved cutting and pasting and
didn't want to give it up.
But in 2008, I started doing the layout
and design on virtual pages in a computer application, on a large 32-inch monitor
screen, turning them into pdf's, and then
sending them electronically to Hutchinson.
The pdfs that I've created from March 2008
to the present are outstanding, since they
didn't, and don't, rely on ink or paper quality, press or pressman.
Most of the scanned pdf's of the Gazette are also of impressive quality, much
better than the original newsprint and certainly better than yellowed, recycled, microfiched, or faded, folded, stained, and
torn paper. What culminated for me in this
Centennial Year was this scanning process
and hundreds of hours of tedious work.
I find it amazing to see the Gazettes as
clean and clear pdf's that you can scroll and
search and read with ease. As I said, they
are sharper than newspapers you hold in
your hand.
The microfiched papers at the Carver
County Historical Museum and the Minnesota Historical Museum were a good use of
technology available at the time. It helped
to preserve content and a format. Microfiche pages are not searchable, however,
and you don't have access to them at your
leisure, only at the leisure of the museum.
Now I will spend time to combine the
scanned pdf pages for scrolling, then enhance and optimize them for best reading
and searching. I've started on it and I can
imagine the end of it, most likely in 2016.
Technology is amazing and I'm very thankful for it.
You perhaps know that Allan is my
IT man who introduces new applications,
handles computer crashes, viruses, restorations, the cloud, backups,and updates.
He researches best purchases of technology
and hooks things up for me. He synchronizes my laptop so I can do Gazette things
and meet deadlines when we are far away
from home.
In conclusion, I'm happy to report in
this Centennial Year that the Historical Archives containing every issue of the paper
should soon be a reality and available in
pdf format by Sue@VictoriaGazette.com.
I might also be making available a
summary of each issue to help steer interested people in the right direction. The
Summary Archives would be a condensed
history -- without all the guts. You could
think of them as a set of Cliff Notes for the
Victoria Gazette.
It is all bound with my heart and soul,
toil and tears, life and love. It is dedicated
to the sunshine of truth (and that includes
with a capital T), the moonshine of meeting
deadlines, and the starshine of Victoria.
P.S. Don't forget to open your Christmas
present -- the box under the tree -- at www.
VictoriaGazette.com. Then you can play a
little bit with my new website. I redesigned
it with new colors and clicks but there is
still a definite familiarity. If you find some
bah humbugs, let me know and I'll try to
squish them.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR . . . Sue@VictoriaGazette.com
To the Editor:
Hi, Sue. I am trying to put together
some photos of "Through the Years" for Dr.
David Dungey's retirement, and I'm wondering if I could get copies of the pictures
you have taken over the years about our
dental office. It would be awesome if it's
possible. I would need them soon since the
retirement is coming soon. Thank you.
Cheryl Witt, DMA Dentistry
Victoria and Waconia, Minnesota
To the Editor:
While noticing the need for more electricity in Victoria [page 20 in the November
issue of the Gazette, "Victoria Needs More
Electricity; Substation and Line Upgrade
Proposed"], where does it come from?
Minnesota is trying to shut down our coal
fired plants. Go figure. We have wind,
coal, and gas fired plants out here.
Nice editorial in your November paper. Thanks. Love, and looking forward to
our train trip to see you in a couple weeks.
Chris Norgaard
Tioga, North Dakota,
To the Editor:
Thank you for such a wonderful page
["Visiting the Home of Vaughnster the
Monster"] in the November issue of the
Gazette. Vaughn's wife opened the paper
and immediately started calling around.
They were so very touched. We have a
fantastic local paper, thanks to you.
Jennifer Tudor
Victoria, Minnesota
To the Editor:
How fortunate we have a course like
Deer Run to play in Victoria. Tom Abts and
his staff are always courteous and I want to
express my gratitude to him. Tom wrote
another great article in the November issue
of the Gazette. He should write a book so
others can understand what golf is really all
about. I can only play nine holes at age 86
and come back another day for the second
nine. I tried to get it in last week but the
course closed. Hoping for my rain check
next year. I play alone now -- love it -- and
finish in about 90 minutes. The scenery
means as much to me as a low score used
to.
Malcolm MacAlpine
Victoria, Minnesota
To the Editor:
Oh, Sue, what a fun "game" to play
[Hook Line & Sinker] while reading the
Gazette. I purposely look for it while
caching a lot of the news. Rosean Harker
has the fishhook on her left hand, page 34.
Thanks for your news.
Dianne Prieditis
Chanhassen, Minnesota
To the Editor:
In recent Gazettes, Roger Diethelm
and Mike Wartman stopped at 1947 regarding teachers at the St. Victoria School. By
1948, the 1st and 2nd grade teacher was
Sister Arnoldine, 3rd and 4th grade was
Sister Maurelia, 5th and 6th grade was
Sister Benita, 7th and 8th grade was Sister
Aquina.
They were from St. Paul's Monastery.
Sister teachers before 1948 were from St.
Benedict's Monastery at St. Joseph, MN
By 1948 Vernon Diethelm and I had
Sister Aquina for 7th and 8th grades. My
8th grade never had hot lunch. We carried
our lunch. We never had uniforms.
I am waiting to see if any of your readers write about St. Victoria grade school
days from 1940 to 1948. Was Mike Wartman in school before 1950? Thank you for
your newsy paper. God's peace to all.
Sister Lois Hauwiller
St. Paul, Minnesota
tte
e
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a
G
To the Editor:
In reading the November Gazette, I
realized that I had not submitted anything.
Two months in a row for this irresponsible
pundit or scribe or whatever I am. Sorry
about that but the edition looks great regardless.
Mike Wartman, Prior Lake, MN
Former Resident of Victoria
To the Editor:
Hi, Sue. I thought I would give you
a heads-up on a permanent Christmas Tree
placement in Downtown Victoria. Arrangements have been made with two associates
who will donate the tree, the lights, and
the transplanting next week. If interested
in taking some photos and getting a story,
let me know. By the way, the ad (Discover Your Holiday Season in Victoria) looks
great. Thank you.
Randy Miller, President
Victoria Business Association
Victoria, Minnesota
To the Editor:
Victoria is my former home, and I
have feelings about the veterans who made
Victoria their home. When these guys
came from their service to their country, a
good many of them signed up to do some
more service, this time to their community.
Many of them became firemen.
At that time the little hamlet of Victoria was a total of about 275 residents.
That didn't leave a lot of tax base to operate the community, and yet the men knew
they needed a fire truck. They took it upon
themselves to build the fire truck themselves. They bought a used truck from the
government for the chassis. One of the
men had seen a truck that had been converted this way, maybe in Chicago, so they
got the plans from them to build the rest.
They had to order the engine that would
drive the pumps and other equipment that
would go with the unit. I'm not sure who
actually put it all together for them, but in
time they had the truck that would serve the
community for years to come.
This truck would sit in front of the fire
barn to be the first one out of the door and
was known as the Big Truck. This was
done either before my time or when I was
too young to remember but has lived on
from the stories I heard about the truck.
In later years, these men figured they
needed a rescue truck to help carry equipment to and from fires. Once again, these
men bought a used chassis. Then they put
in time to get the insides of it the way they
felt would best serve them, all with little
cost to the community.
As we recently celebrated Veteran's
Day, I thought of the sacrifices these men
made, first to their country and then to their
community, all in the name of having a
good safe place to live.
I believe it is these men that Tom Brokaw called the Greatest Generation.
Douglas Braunworth
Chaska, Minnesota
To the Editor:
Hi, Sue. We're announcing that we've
signed an agreement to purchase the HEI
property in Victoria in a collaboration with
Hartman Communities. I'm attaching the
release and concept drawings for the new
brewery complex.
John Hayes
Co-Founder Enki Brewing Company
Victoria, Minnesota
To the Editor:
I was visiting my daughter last night
when I asked if I could borrow a newspaper. "This is the 21st century," she said.
"We don't waste money on newspapers.
Here, use my iPad."
I can tell you this. That fly never knew
what him him.
Steve Erickson
Forest Lake, Minnesota
To the Editor:
We truly enjoy your paper and being
connected to Victoria, over every season.
Enclosed is a check. Thank you.
Pat and Patti Murphy
Victoria, Minnesota
To the Editor:
I don't know Father Bernardine's address so will wish him a very Happy 100th
Birthday via your Gazette. I knew him
from years ago when I lived in Chaska and
Father Bernardine was the pastor at Guardian Angels Church. Also a Merry Christmas to Father and to you, Sue, and all your
Gazette readers.
I think the fishhook is on the hand of
the Halloween lady on page 3. It took me a
while to discover it. You are so clever.
Ethel Schneider
Shakopee, Minnesota
To the Editor:
Merry Christmas to the Gazette Gang
and its literary fans. I am writing to you
from the Richfield Care Center. I was short
of breath, weak, malnourished, and exhausted. I had fallen off my adjustable bed
a few days before that. I had help from the
Chaska Fire Department to get me off the
floor. I was at the edge of my bed in a position as if I'm saying my bedtime prayers
at 3:30 a.m. Naturally I can't get up with a
foot drop and ACL ligament injury from 19
years ago. I went back to sleep in my lift
chair but was still not myself. No appetite.
Got frustrated falling off the bed again and
when I'm angry or frustrated I don't feel
like having a bite to eat. I've always been
that way. Over time I got short of breath
and dehydrated. A fireman came to my
apartment to check on me and convince me
to go to the hospital. I wasn't convinced
that I needed help no matter how sick I was.
Finally I made up my mind and packed up
some things to go to Shakopee hospital. I
started around midnight and was packed by
4 a.m. I read the paper and realized how
short of breath I was. One bottle of water wasn't enough. I'd drink six or seven
bottles and my mouth dried up instantly. I
made the call to 911 and went in. I was two
and a half weeks in the hospital. Now I'm
in the Richfield Care Center, 7727 Portland
Ave., Richfield, MN 55423. I'm basically
starting over again with learning to walk.
I'll be back to wearing a leg brace and in a
wheelchair, the whole bit. I was 31 back
when I broke my foot which resulted in a
foot drop, and in 1996 tore the ACL ligament in the right knee. No cure for the
injury. Now I'm 50 and starting all over
again with therapy. I hope to recover and
walk. It's no fun being in a nursing home.
On top of everything else, I have eczema.
I've only been here a week and got a cold.
I haven't had a cold in two years. I'll probably end up in assisted living, but I have to
recuperate first. I got a long road ahead of
me. Sue, send my paper to my sister.
Kay Meuwissen
Chaska, Minnesota
To the Editor:
Be careful who you vote for. Elected
officials decide who gets taxpayer money.
Right now, Planned Parenthood gets a huge
amount of money from the American taxpayers. They are the largest provider of
abortions in the nation.
Kathy Brose
Waconia, Minnesota
To the Editor:
Hi, Sue. Just want you to know that J.
Carver Distillery has introduced its Calvados-Style J. Carver Apple Brandy and its
first whiskey, J. Carver Rye Whiskey. Both
spirits are crafted with fruits and grains
grown locally on the outskirts of the Twin
cities, and both were aged in barrels coopered in Minnesota.
Gina Lehner Holman, Partner
Victoria, Minnesota
EDITOR'S NOTE: In the event there are
others who want to wish Fr. B. a Happy
Birthday (he will be 100 on December
13th), here's his address: 3140 Meramec
Street, St. Louis, MO 63118
To the Editor:
Love the Gazette. You certainly have
a gift for writing. Found the fishhook on
page 34 on the hand of RoseAn Harker.
Barb Johnson
Sacred Heart, Minnesota
To the Editor:
Thank you for all the years of great reporting. Victoria is very fortunate for having someone like you, with such dedication
and passion for what they do. Please keep
it up as long as you can. Thanks.
Jerry Hartman
Hartman Communities
Victoria, Minnesota
To the Editor:
Xcel energy was one of more than 320
electric utilities and government agencies
across the United States, Mexico, and Canada to join in a two-day drill in November,
simulating cyber and physical security
threats to the power grid. The drill was
designed to test and enhance the electric
industry's response plans and strengthen
them for the future.
The group included utility workers,
business executives, local and state government leaders, the FBI, the National Guard.
Colleen M. Mahoney, Xcel
Minneapolis, Minnesota
To the Editor:
At our November 2015 meeting, the
Carver County Mental Health Consortium
thought it would be helpful to submit an
article in the local paper regarding how
to cope with depression and stress during
the holidays. I have written an article on
the topic of Seasonal Affective Disorder
(SAD) and am respectfully submitting it to
the Gazette. I thank you for your consideration.
Lisa Gjerde
Carver County Mental Health
Chaska, Minnesota
To the Editor:
I hope and pray that you may all have a
blessed Thanksgiving and that your hearts
will be filled to overflowing with the spirit of gratitude, enabling you to count your
blessings and give thanks with a grateful
heart
Blessings and love.
Carol Kelzer
Sioux City, Iowa
FROM THE EDITOR
And so the angels cried,
"Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among men
who are pleasing to Him."
December 2015
The Editor’s Favorite
Quotes in the Queue
"And, lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them,
till it came to rest over the place where the Child was."
Matthew 2:9
"It will not suffice to correct a mistaken principle
when the people can no longer reason from principles.
You cannot redirect a lost people when they have no direction."
Anthony Esolen
"Mission Nary Impossible" in Touchstone, January/February 2015.
"Art intended to bother people is not justified
in the appeal to freedom of expression common in sociopaths, exhibitionists,
and university art departments."
S. M. Hutchens
"Art and Effrontery" in Touchstone, November/December 2015.
"All true art is derivative, and all good art is classical,
because all a rational man can desire as beautiful
is in-formed by what is higher than, and outside of, himself."
S. M. Hutchens
"Art and Effrontery" in Touchstone, November/December 2015.
"Great art takes a world that is arbitrary and haphazard
and molds and reshapes it into a world that runs more perfectly
in accordance with higher laws of balance and harmony and necessity."
Louis Markos
"Divine Collections" in Touchstone, September/October 2015.
"Hospitality is more important now than ever.
As more and more of Christian culture is banned from public life,
the only place some people may ever encounter it is in Christian homes."
Rebecca Sicree
"Salvaging Christmas" in Touchstone/December 2015.
"We celebrate more because of our faith, not less."
Rebecca Sicree
"Salvaging Christmas" in Touchstone/December 2015.
"To lose ourselves in the beauty of the dance
is to be lifted out of our mundane and seldom graceful world
into a higher plane of existence where earth and air and the forces of gravity
respond to our touch rather than dragging and beating us down."
Louis Markos
"Kinds of Hobbies" in Touchstone, September/October 2015.
When I consider the prevalence of
suicide bombings, beheadings, burnings,
street violence, hijackings, and the methodical persecution and killing of Christians
around the world, I am shocked. Maybe
frightened is a better word. Or terrorized.
As hordes of people cross borders and
leave the land of their birth today, it is difficult to differentiate between immigrants,
refugees, invaders, and terrorists. We are
called to be our brother's keeper, but we are
also called to protect our families. I don't
leave the doors to my home wide open for
just anyone to walk in as they please. Even
friends knock before entering. I believe
that nations should operate like families.
I'm reminded that after Noah built the
ark and it started to rain, and his family was
safely inside the ark, God told him to shut
the door. I'm reminded that when Moses
helped the Israelites escape from slavery in
Egypt, and before reaching the Promised
Land, that God closed the wall of the Red
Sea to those that followed them.
But I'm also reminded that Jesus fed
thousands of people who traveled and gathered on the hillside to hear what He had to
say. He said things like, "Do unto others
as you would have them do unto you" and
"Blessed are the merciful."
Is there someone better to quote in
these trying times? Who is more trustworthy? Of course I'm going to quote Jesus
Christ, Son of the Living God, who came
to us without a crib for His head which was
later crowned with thorns for our sake.
He asked us to invite the poor, the
crippled, the lame, and the blind, giving
special attention to widows and orphans,
but He did not ask us to invite liars, thieves,
and murderers. To them He said, "Depart
from me." And He called them names like
"snakes" and "brood of vipers," "hypocrites," "whited sepulchres, full of dead
men's bones," and "ravenous wolves."
The angels cried to one another,
"Holy, holy, holy,
is the Lord God of Hosts."
People fall prey to evildoers and false
prophets, especially political hacks and
media moguls who tickle their fancy. They
celebrate Multicultural Diversity as though
it were the Golden Calf, which it is. The
Golden Calf was made from the melting
pot of valuables collected for the purpose
of creating something to satisfy an ungodly
craving of the masses.
But reason alone can tell you that one
culture is not equal to another culture. A
culture that glorifies suicide bombers is not
equal to a culture that respects humanity.
A culture that treats violence in the
streets like a temper tantrum is not equal to
a culture of self control.
A culture that fawns over the morally
bankrupt "stars" of Hollywood is not equal
to a culture that reveres Mother Teresa.
A culture that values abortion and dismemberment of its children, and pretends
it's not happening, is not equal to a culture
that saves the lives of its babies.
A culture that gives honors and awards
to intellectual dunces is not equal to a culture founded on the ideas of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison.
And so, you see, celebrating Multicultural Diversity is a ruse. It's a trick. It's
like worshipping the Golden Calf. A melting pot is only good if the flavors blend together for good, like in a delicious pot of
calico beans of all colors and creeds. Stirring in gravel or rabbit pellets terrorizes the
pot of calico beans.
What is special, and worthy of celebrating, is people trying to live together
with virtue and common sense, respecting
political and religious liberty -- for Christians, too -- safeguarding our Constitution,
staying awake, and recognizing deception.
Propaganda and ignorance masquerade as sophistication and intelligence today, as never before. School children continue to be indoctrinated, as never before.
It's terror on the ground level.
The culture that worships information
technology is the very culture stealing the
basics from our children. School boards
are removing from classrooms the Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic that propelled
the USA, a once Christian nation, to the
highest standard of living in the world.
History textbooks have been altered. Some
schools no longer teach cursive. Simple math is made so complex that parents
can't help with it. God isn't allowed. Even
grandparents look the other way.
As the foundation is rocked and removed, the mountains fall and angels cry.
I've often thought about that night
And wondered if they realized
That star so bright
Was sent to tell all the land
The Son of God would soon become
The Son of Man.
And the creatures gathered 'round
And didn't make a sound,
And the angels cried,
And the angels cried,
And the angels cried.
This Month’s
Deadline
Deadline for the January 2016 issue
of the Gazette is Monday, December 28th.
You may email Sue@VictoriaGazette.
com or use P.O. Box 387, Victoria, MN
55386. Thank you, always, for thinking
of the Gazette.
The Victoria
GAZETTE
Dedicated to the sunshine
of truth, the moonshine
of meeting deadlines, and the
starshine of Victoria.
The Victoria Gazette
P.O. Box 387
Victoria, MN 55386
Subscription: $25
Sue Orsen
952-443-2010
Email:
Sue@VictoriaGazette.com
Founded in 1979.
Circulation:'
4,900 homes
Member of the
National Newspaper Association
PRINTS PUBLISHING
Susan M. Orsen
P.O. Box 387
Victoria, MN 55386
Give
the Gift of Play!
Rare and Exclusive!
DEER RUN GOLF CLUB HOLIDAY SPECIAL
Available at our Infamous Holiday Sale
One Day Only: Saturday, December 5th
(or online until December 20th)
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Merry
Christmas
to the entire
community!
Gift cards and envelopes
are ready for you
to personalize and sign.
Join us for our 4th Annual
Brunch
With Santa!
Sunday, December 6, 2015
9 a.m. to 12 noon
Cuzzy's Victoria House
Limited availability. Reservations
strongly suggested. (952-443-2858)
Kids (2-10): $6.95
Adults: $11.95
Have brunch with our Victorian Santa, and bring
your camera! Special menu available.
1715 Stieger Lake Lane ~ Victoria, MN 55386 ~ (952) 443-2858
Gloria in
Excelsis Deo
The Annual
Advent/Christmas Concert
at the St. Victoria Catholic Church
Sunday, Dec. 13th, 5:00 p.m.
This heartwarming program will move you with beautiful
eautiful
seasonal music presented in a variety of different styles.
Bring your loved ones and share in an evening
eason.
that will surely prepare your heart for this Joyous Season.
Admission is free. A free will cash donation
for the Food Shelf will be gladly accepted.
St. Victoria Catholic Church
8228 Victoria Drive * Victoria, MN 55386
For more information, call 952-443-2661 Ext. 207
or email Elizabeth Nowak, enowak@stvictoria.org.
Fresh-cut Minnesota grown Christmas trees.
8099 Bavaria Road * Victoria * 952-443-2990 * hartmancompanies.com
O Tannenbaum
O Tannenbaum
On hand for the planting at Bayfront Park in Victoria (l-r):
Seth Eggert and Shawn Ludwig (employees at Hartman Companies),
Jeff Hartman (Hartman Companies), Jerry Hartman (partner with brother Terry
at Hartman Communities), Randy Miller (President, Victoria Business Association).
Returning to Victoria with the 22-foot
Norway Spruce from Jerry Hartman's
property in Carver.
by Sue Orsen
The planning for a real Christmas tree in downtown Victoria began some time ago. In past years, a
large evergreen tree has been cut and hauled to Victoria where it was "planted" with the assistance of a
crane, big ropes, and several hands. One year the tree
was erected on a corner near the Creamery. Last year,
in 2014, it was placed in the location of the former
Johnson family home, which had been demolished
that summer.
"As president of the Victoria Business Association, it is my responsibility for a Christmas tree and
lighting," said Randy Miller, resident of Victoria at
the Stieger Lake Condos. "Victoria Public Works
used to cut a tree down for us. The tree was usually
donated to the city anonymously. But cutting a mature
tree down to use for 30 days didn't make sense to me. I
talked to Jerry Hartman who said he's got a tree that we
could have, and I said let's transplant it rather than cut it."
Jerry Hartman, partner in Hartman Communities,
Victoria, and his wife Anne live on a picturesque property which they are developing in San Francisco Township
near Carver, about 10 miles south of Victoria. They had a
beautiful Norway Spruce to donate.
"Jerry contacted his brother Jeff who did this all without charge," said Randy.
Stated Jeff, "We weren't asked to install a tree. We all
just thought it would be a good idea to have a permanent
tree for the Christmas Tree Lighting, instead of every year
dealing with finding a tree to cut down and having the city
crew setting it in place year after year. It really does save
everyone involved, both time and money, and everyone
gets to enjoy it. That's the real value of it."
Jeff is the owner of Hartman Companies, which includes the Hartman Tree Farm, Residential and Commer-
Jerry Hartman, left, and Randy Miller confirming that the best spot
was indeed chosen for the city's first real Official Christmas Tree.
How Lovely Are
Your Branches
cial Landscaping, the Retail Garden Center, and Golf
Course Construction and Renovation.
Jeff hired Joe Koberoski Tree Spade Service of
Mankato who used a truck mounted tree spade to dig a
huge hole, with one big bite, in the new Bayfront Plaza in
downtown Victoria on the Shores of Stieger Lake. This
happened at 8:15 a.m. on Friday, November 13th, 2015.
It was not a frivolous siting. Most of the major
power keeping the lights on in downtown Victoria goes
through triple duty lines in that location. A foot or two in
the wrong direction could have been disastrous. All utilities were marked and located before the hole was dug.
As Jeff explained, "We spent some time to locate the
spot for the tree, which was approved by all agencies.
Then the utilities were marked and excavated to visually see them, so that the 90-inch in diameter by 4.5-feet
deep tree spade would not interfere with the underground
utilities that were only feet away from the proposed tree
location."
Once the spade truck was in place, it took
less than a minute to set the tree in its new home.
Jerry Hartman eyeballs the tree from every angle
to make sure it's perfectly upright and not leaning.
After the hole was dug, the tree spade truck left Victoria and drove to Jerry's place in Carver where a 22-foot
Norway Spruce was prepared for digging up and moving
to Victoria where it would be transplanted in Bayfront
Plaza. Jerry said the tree was one foot high when it was
planted in 2002.
The truck arrived back in Victoria with the large tree a
couple hours later, backed up to the deep hole, and slowly
set it in place. The bottom half of the very wide evergreen
had been wrapped in thick ropes to keep the branches from
being damaged by the tree spade.
After the Hartmans and the truck driver assured themselves and each other that the tree pointed straight up from
all angles, the blades of the spade slowly opened like a
gate from around the tree. After the truck moved forward
a few feet, the blades were returned to their circular position and hoisted back onto the center of the truck bed.
Quite an amazing procedure. It was now 10:30 a.m., but
not all the work was done.
"Once the tree was installed, we came back and heeled
it in, filled any voids, watered, and then mulched around
the base," said Jeff.
Hartmans are also donating the tree lights that they've
used in the past on top of their Clocktower building at
Christmas time. Said Randy, "We're going to fill this tree
with lights! If we want more, the VBA is responsible for
them. The lights will all be very colorful. This will become the Official Christmas Tree of Victoria. We'll leave
the lights strung on the tree all year long, and we'll light
them up at Christmas time."
More photos in Sue's Album
at www.VictoriaGazette.com
(and page 35 in this issue).
Jeff Hartman confirms
the tree is 22 feet high.
Randy said that Ted Grimm of A-1 Electric is
going to help wrap the tree with lights. "Not all electric companies have a bucket. Ted does," he stated.
The tree lighting ceremony this year will take
place at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 5th, as part
of the "Christmas in Victoria" celebration, which begins at 3:00 p.m. when Santa arrives by fire truck in
front of the new Victoria City Hall. There will be
special events for children and fun for all.
A couple days later, Jeff stated, "Some people
think that tree has always been there."
Thank you, Hartmans and Randy Miller, for
your continued generosities to the community.
Three responsible parties
(l-r): Jeff, Jerry, Randy.
Life is More Than it Seems
by Tom Abts
Deer Run Golf Pro
One of my all time favorite books is
"That Which is Seen and That Which is Not
Seen" by Frederic Bastiat. Though Bastiat
wrote his treatise on economics, the premise applies to understanding anything.
As we grow up we, hopefully, learn
from experience. But too often we only
learn the immediate results of our actions.
We don't see the other results of our actions. Thus, we need to develop foresight
to become aware of the consequences of
our actions.
Usually the quick fix doesn't solve the
problem because it doesn't get to the root of
the problem. Obviously, if you're bleeding
you need a bandaid, but bandaids are usually only temporary fixes.
You get the point. You don't need me
to belabor how shortsightedness hurts our
health, our relationships, our businesses,
our economy, etc.
What blows my mind is that Bastiat
wrote this book in 1840, and it seems that
we still haven't learned his basic lesson.
Maybe it's because our lives are so short
that society doesn't learn mature lessons.
Ironically, as we become more modern
and "advanced," we want immediate gratification. A fast paced consumer society can
easily become shallow and shortsighted.
But a communist society is based on materialism -- I mean the Marxist definition of
materialism -- that life is only what you see
(matter) and not spiritual.
I believe that the lack of spirituality is
at the root of the problem. If humans do
not believe that life is more than it seems,
their view of life has to be pretty superficial. The depth of life is what gives it
meaning, what makes it make sense. It is
"that which is unseen."
The beauty of the Christmas season is
wonderful. Enjoy it. But especially treasure the beauty that underlies the visible
world. That's what this holiday season is
really about. Merry Christmas.
What do snowmen eat for breakfast?
Snowflakes.
Outside the Window
breakfast place in Webster, called Emily's,
is for sale. When we asked the owner about
it, she said, "There's a sign up, but so far no
takers." Make sure you stop in if you visit.
It's on the north end of town, on the right.
I finally made it to my first choir practice here at Sacred Heart's Church. Then
we came to the Cities so I missed my first
singing Mass Up North. Made it to my
second practice only to find out the choir
sings every other Sunday here. Made it to
my third practice and finally got to sing at a
Mass. Amen.
The Gal and I will be heading back to
Victoria on December 4th to celebrate her
birthday. This story line will continue outside the window.
by Chuck Freiberg
Up North Cabin Guy
I'm sitting at my computer desk typing
up this column, at the same time looking
out the window down towards the lake. It
snowed a little last night. The temperatures
have already dropped here Up North so the
lakes have thin sheets of ice over them.
This morning I see that the lake outside
my window has a white cover on it all the
way across, just to let me know that winter
is now here and it will be getting colder and
the snow deeper.
Outside the same window I can watch
birds fight over the seeds in our bird feeder, and I see two does feeding as they cross
over our lot towards the neighbors. I would
post a photo of them, but I can barely see
them in it. Mother Nature has done a good
job of camouflaging them. They seem to
know it's deer hunting season and best to
just stay around our place.
The Gal and I will be the only couple
staying in their cabin through the winter
this year, among our small group of cabin owners. Across the street from us, the
A-Frame Family will be leaving for Florida following the Packer's Thursday night
game. They've asked if we would watch
their place in their absence.
The neighbors to our north are from
Chicago, and they plan to be back in the
spring. The Gal and I are already thinking
about January when we head for Florida
with my sister and brother in law, for a couple weeks to warm up at their place. We
are looking forward to our grandsons' first
Christmas at the Up North Cabin with us.
If you recall, last year I wrote about
us buying a replacement car for the Jeep
Liberty that turned out to be a three-car
purchase of a van for our daughter, a Ford
Escort for our son, and a Jeep Cherokee
for us. When we got around to buying
new license plates for our son's car, the title certificate couldn't be found. So we've
gone through the replacement of a car title
in Wisconsin. We will celebrate a special
Thanksgiving because the copy arrived
yesterday in the mail. His car has occupied half of our garage for over a year now.
Having the copy of the title means the Jeep
can now be parked in the garage.
Our good friends Patrick and Stella
just left our cabin to return to the Twin Cities. We always enjoy their company and
the time spent with them. If you are ever
passing through Siren, Wisconsin, all four
of us recommend you stop at the Burnet
Dairy on Highway 70 for milkshakes and
then at Trissora Restaurant in Siren to have
the hand-tossed individual brick-fired pizzas. Whoa, are they good.
Sad news, however. Our favorite
Why does Santa have three gardens?
So he can ho-ho-ho.
Merry Christmas
and Good Wishes
to the entire community
at this wonderful time of year.
Thank you for giving us
the opportunity to serve you.
DMA Dentistry
Drs. Dungey, Menser & Associates
7894 Victoria Drive in Victoria.
133 West 1st Street in Waconia.
952-443-2816
VICTORIA: Tues-Thurs 8-5
WACONIA: Mon-Thurs 8-5 and Friday 8-2
www.dmadentistry.com
It is our good fortune to be located
at 1900 - 80th Street in beautiful downtown
Victoria where we offer a wide array
of vehicles for you and your family’s
test drive, inspection, and purchase.
Thank you for another wonderful year. We are happy
to be here for you today and for many
years to come in this vibrant and growing
community. Merry Christmas to everyone
in Gazette Land at this magical time.
Thank you for your patronage and good will.
~The staff at Victoria Auto Sales
and Waconia Dodge Ram Chrysler Jeep.
An Unbroken Song of Hope
by Tom Stumpf
Cowboy Correspondent
"I heard the bells on Christmas day,
their old familiar carols play. And wild and
sweet, the words repeat; of peace on earth,
good will to men."
A Christmas carol from my past, sadly
not sung any more. I don't know why and
nobody asks me which songs to sing, so it
rests in the fond memories of a choir long
ago and far away. St. Anne's in LeSueur is
where my papa and I sang bass and the harmonies were always perfect.
"I thought how as the day had come, the
belfries of all Christendom, had rolled along
in unbroken song, of peace on earth, good
will to men."
Simple lyrics, four part harmony, but
a song that told a story. A story which, by
the end of the piece, had all present solidly
planted in the warm and precious moment.
"And in despair, I bowed my head;
there is no peace on earth, I said. For hate
is strong and mocks the song, of peace on
earth, good will to men."
Sort of makes a person stop and look at
the world around us. For some and, I might
add, a very miniscule group, hate is strong.
In our media, present periodical excluded,
the headlines belong to the haters, the troubled, and those who would try to intimidate
the rest of us.
"Then peeled the bells, more loud and
deep, God is not dead nor doth He sleep.
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with
peace on earth, good will to men."
Yes, the wrong shall fail. Christmas
always wakes us up to the joy of this birthday celebration. Scrooge was transformed.
Herod was thwarted. The Angels sang.
And the Nazi and Allied troops put down
their weapons and sang "Silent Night, Holy
Night," for a precious moment on the front
lines. It doesn't end, but it fails.
"Then ringing singing, on its way, the
world revolves from night to day. A voice, a
chime. A chant sublime. Of Peace on earth,
good will to men."
Merry Christmas to all those good and
peaceful folks in Gazette Land and to my
family old and new, Sleep in Heavenly
Peace.
A best gift under the tree is one of friendship.
8 West 1st St. * Waconia * 952.442.2885. * weinzierljewelry.com
WHEN THERE WAS DANGER
In Victoria Hamlet
by Mike Wartman
The Christmas season brings wishes of safe travels, safety warnings on the
new toys and appliances destined to find
their way beneath the fire retardant safety
Christmas trees with safe LED lights.
But the Christmas season (I still call it
the Christmas) brought high levels of danger in Victoria for all the naughty and nice
children acting uncharacteristically nice
during December. OSHA and numerous
safety regulations have now made Victoria
the safe hamlet that it is in 2015, but we
aren't too far distant from the dangerous
climes that made up our childhood.
An omnipresent municipal problem focused on what to do with the piles of snow
plowed during the snow season. Victoria
was not immune, and pondered hard as to
what needed to be done with the snows of
Main Street, which was the only plowed
route in Victoria of old.
Instead of trucking that snow to faraway distances like over the Black Bridge
or the New White Bridge, a massive snow
pile was created on the near west edge of
downtown in what was Leo's, now Floyd's,
parking lot. Massive was an understatement, and an easily four to five-story pile
of snow became the newest playground in
town.
Try to imagine a labyrinth and maze
of tunnels up and down the snow pile, horizontal and lateral and vertical and parallel and perpendicular with hundreds, well,
maybe groups of ten Victoria kids, screaming in delight on a very unstable and unsupported snow mountain.
We actually took turns bringing quart
Mason jars of water to freeze and reinforce
that mountain, probably a hill or knoll, for
continuous play. The thought of a cave-in
entered our folks' minds and prayers but
not our adventuring, mountaineering, and
trekking bravado. And we never lost a burrower or climber. Danger? Ha!
A snowball's throw from Victoria's
Alp was the Fire Barn and Village Hall and
the site of the Victoria Commercial Club's
Christmas and Visit from Santa Party.
What would a Christmas Party be without
Christmas gifts. And Victoria's merchants
obliged with a brown paper sack full of
stale, unsalted peanuts, an apple, an orange,
two chocolate drops, and a very, very dangerous piece of very, very, very hard candy: a spiral S-shaped red or green chunk
of spice candy that everyone tried to eat but
no one ever ate or succeeded in eating. The
sheer density and thickness of said candy
was, alone, enough to warrant multiple
dentistry visits for cracked molars and bicuspids and, therefore, a dental danger.
But the real danger of the Commercial
Club's candy gift existed in the form of a
projectile. Since we could not eat the candy (spice candy for 9-year olds?), all we
could do was leave the building and begin
throwing it at family, friends, or those not
practicing our brand of Christmas religion.
The candy made wonderful centers for
snowballs as well. Danger? Absolutely.
The Church Hill, a sledding destination for all generations of Victoria families,
was typically a subtle and gradual slide
down the hill to the Skunk Hollow circle
road. But add an inch of frozen rain and
sleet and a 28-below average temperature,
and the Church Hill became an unmanageable luge and bobsled run that no toboggan,
flying saucer, or metal runner sled could
handle.
Couple this now dangerous frozen sled
run with an east-west barbed wire fence,
and the trips to the Emergency Room or
call for the Sacrament of the Last Rites/Extreme Unction tripled. And need I mention
plummeting down a frozen hill at breakneck speeds, all the while fighting and
dodging fellow sledders in an effort to remain on our own projectile? Danger? The
utmost!
And can I mention the danger inherent
in trying to eat a piece of fruitcake, probably left over from the previous three Christmases? Or the siblings fighting over the
best gift? A tinsel-choking hazard? Electrocution from the 1950's strand of lights?
All worth it during the Christmas season that was all about Joy and Noel and
Merry Christmas. So Joy and Noel and
Merry Christmas to you.
CHARMING ONE LEVEL! MOVE RIGHT IN!
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$244,900
1370 Field Creek Circle, Victoria.
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Finish lower level your way.
Call me for a private showing.
Nan Emmer
Coldwell Banker Burnet
nemmer@cbburnet.com
Your neighborhood realtor
612-702-2020
“It’s my pleasure
to serve you!”
Some kids hang up stretch stockings at Christmas time.
May
y your
stmas
Christmas
be filled
eavenly
with heavenly
ace.
peace.
LEUTHNER WELL CO.
City Water Hookups * Well Abandonment
Complete well & pump service * Sales & Service
952-443-2582 * Victoria * 952-448-3201
VICTORIA'S CENTENNIAL SCULPTURE
U
Consider Donating
by Randy Miller, President
Victoria Business Association
In early 2015, a task force committee was formed to engage the community
in organizing and establishing events that
would recognize Victoria's 100th anniversary of incorporation as a city.
Two residents of Victoria, myself and
artist Deb Zeller, had a vision for a community sculpture that would represent The
City of Lakes and Parks and showcase a
sense of community. You can see a model
of the sculpture in the City Offices lobby.
Artist and sculptor Deb Zeller has donated her time in designing our Centennial
Sculpture. We have been very fortunate to
have raised significant in-kind giving from
local vendors and supporters who have donated their time and contributions in helping this project become a reality.
The remaining amount that needs to be
raised is $11,000. The expense lies in the
material, welding, powder coating, footings, foundation, construction costs, and
transportation.
The finished sculpture is projected to
be approximately 8 feet high by 5 feet wide
and constructed of steel. Donations are
now being sought to help insure the sculpture will become a permanent reality in the
City's new Bayfront Park Plaza located in
downtown Victoria parallel to Stieger Lake
Lane and the Regional Trail.
Your contributions will help create a
valuable community-wide resource that
will provide pleasure to generations for
many years to come. Please join us as we
pull together on this community landmark
effort. Please consider making a donation.
Donations for the Centennial Community Sculpture can be made directly to
the City of Victoria and will be deposited
into the City's account, which means that
your donation may be 100% tax deductible.
Charitable contributions to governmental units are tax deductible under section
170(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code if
made for a public purpose. Please consult
your tax advisor for a determination.
All donations received will go directly to the Centennial Community Sculpture. The Victoria Centennial Community
Sculpture will be dedicated to the City of
Victoria in the spring of 2016 for our entire
community to enjoy.
Your contribution will be recognized
by the City of Victoria and the Victoria
Business Association. A Centennial Community Sculpture bronze plaque of all contributors will be displayed on the base of
the sculpture and at the City Offices.
To make a donation or for more information, please contact Kelly Grinnell,
Finance Manager, Victoria City Offices, at
952-443-4217, or contact me, Randy Miller, VBA President and Community Sculpture Coordinator at 612-554-7942. Thank
you for your consideration. Hope you have
a wonder Christmas season.
Expires
12/31/2015
Expires 12/31/2015
Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year!
Land Development. Clocktower. 952-368-4545
Proposed for Victoria:
New Brewery Square
Brewery Square is proposed to be located
at the former HEI building between Stieger Lake Lane
and State Hwy 5 in downtown Victoria.
by Erin Mathe
Media Relations Manager
ENKI Brewing and Hartman Communities have inked a deal to buy the former
HEI headquarters property in Victoria to
develop Brewery Square, a new brewery,
taproom, and retail destination.
Stated John Hayes, ENKI president
and Co-Founder of Enki Brewing, on November 22nd, "We have signed an agreement to purchase the HEI property in a
collaboration with Hartman Communities,
contingent on our evaluation of its use as a
brewery. Part of that is obtaining a conditional use permit from the City of Victoria.
We are on the December 1st agenda of the
Victoria Planning Commission, for their reviewal of the application."
The property at 1495 Stieger Lake
Lane in Victoria consists of a 43,000 square
foot building on a 4.7-acre parcel. If everything goes as planned, ENKI will move
from its current location two blocks away
into a new 20,000 square foot brewery and
taproom.
Said John Hayes, "We've built strong
relationships with the city's leadership and
with so many people in the surrounding
communities who have supported us since
the beginning so want to stay in town.
We're still evaluating a variety of options to
address our long-term needs, but right now
this building affords us considerable space
and flexibility for future growth."
Hartman Communities of Victoria
plans to redevelop the other 23,000 square
feet into retail shops, potentially including
a hardware store and restaurant. Copperwood Real Estate will be responsible for
leasing the retail space.
The continued growth of the Victoria
community and the demand for more retail
space prompted the developer to repurpose
the former industrial building in the downtown Central Business District.
Initial plans include preserving the
original building footprint, while recycling the interior from manufacturing and
outdated offices into energetic and flexible
retail spaces.
ENKI Brewing would be housed
in the two-story part of the building.
The exterior will be restyled with
some stone and brick accents, charming
storefronts, and individual signage with direct highway exposure. Space sizes range
from 1,400 to 12,000 square feet.
Said Terry Hartman, partner in the
Hartman Communities company, "The
success of our local craft brewery will be
a great neighbor in creating a place where
people will gather for shopping, entertainment, and dining."
ENKI's preliminary concept plan for
the new brewery and taproom includes:
*A 20,000 square foot brewery and
taproom to anchor the development, with
an outdoor beer garden and space for private events.
*A new packaging operation to introduce ENKI beers in cans.
*A pilot brewing system for additional
seasonal and collaboration beers.
*A barrel-aged beer program.
Said Dan Norton, ENKI vice president
and co-founder, "This new location will allow us to increase production capacity to
14,000 barrels per year. That's 10 times our
current level."
The plan shares similarities with Surly brewing project, although on a much
smaller scale, where Surly created a destination brewery, with public participation in
financing the project.
HGA Architects, who also designed
Surly's brewery, will design the new space.
ENKI anticipates seeking subsidies
or local aid to make this project a reality.
They are actively engaging in discussions
with the city and others to integrate the
project into the city's vision for long-term
economic development.
***
ENKI was established in Victoria in
June 2013. Owners are Dan Norton and
John Hayes of Victoria. ENKI beers are
available in bars, restaurants, and liquor
stores throughout Carver County and the
western Twin Cities suburbs.
Hartman Communities has been
building and developing locally in Victoria
and surrounding suburbs for over 50 years.
The SCOOP at VICTORIA CITY HALL
by Sue Orsen
Maintaining 6 Inches of Topsoil
New Software at Victoria City Hall
A goal in Victoria & watershed district
Bringing utility billing back in-house
City Engineer Cara Geheren talked
to city councilmembers on November 9th
about the Stormwater Pollution Prevention
Program. She said the City of Victoria is
required to obtain and comply with a national system stormwater permit.
One of the issues she mentioned is
trying to maintain six inches of topsoil as
property in Victoria is being developed.
"We will do inspections to make sure there
are six inches of topsoil so less watering of
lawns is needed," said Cara.
She mentioned one of the Victoria
Council unanimously approved an expenditure of $161,170 for the purchase of
new software to managing financial reporting, payroll, timekeeping, and building permit functions in the City of Victoria. The
low bid was from BS&A.
Said Finance Manager Kelly Grinnell
on November 9th, "It will change the way
the city operates." She said the city's current system "is not at the level we need."
"We currently outsource our utility
billing," she said. "We pay quite a bit of
money for that. A lot of mistakes are being
made that we find unacceptable."
"There are companies that provide
software in our price range," said Kelly.
"We sat through some demonstrations. We
found the most cost effective solution is to
go with BS&A software."
She said the city received a grant of
$3,000 toward intern costs.
"Ultimately it's our goal to go to
monthly billing," added Kelly. "If approved tonight, it will be implemented for
the April 2016 utility bill."
lakes in particular. "The goal is to get Lake
Wasserman fishable and swimmable. It
will take a long time. Lake Wasserman is
part of the Six Mile Creek system."
The City of Victoria has been updating
its inventory of stormwater ponds and possible pollutant sites. She said that Victoria
and the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District entered into a Memorandum of Understanding and are working closely together
as new developments such as Laketown 9th
Addition are under way.
Shorter Scoop from November
Hwy 5 construction finally paid for
*Council approved a payment of
$31,741 to MnDOT for work related to
the major 2012 Hwy 5 construction project
through Victoria. The original invoice was
$47,471. It will be transferred from the
city's Municipal State Aid Account which
has a current balance of approximately
$822,000.
*Council approved a minor subdivision for a 7.27-acre parcel at Aster Trail
into two lots. It can be further divided.
*Council approved the certification of
delinquent utility bills for collection with
2016 property taxes, plus a $45 fee for each
property owner. Total amount for certification is $49,431 for 83 accounts.
*Council accepted a donation of $500
from Stieger Lake Condominiums for
Summer Concerts in the Park.
*Council held the second reading of
an ordinance that increases the 2017 salary of the mayor from $2,700 to $6,000 and
councilmembers' salaries from $2,400 to
$4,800. The salaries have not increased
since 1998.
*City Manager Laurie Hokkanen said
that Representative Jim Nash (R) District
47A, whose home is in Waconia, would
like to hold a listening session some evening in January.
*Laurie noted that City Hall would be
closed on Veterans Day, November 11th.
*Laurie reported that new Senior Planner at City Hall, Erin Smith, would be on
board the week of November 16th.
*Ben Landhauser, Victoria Community Development Director, reported November 9th on the Downtown Master Plan.
He said an Open House was held in July,
and a focus group is now coming up with
different scenarios, with a working draft on
a preferred direction and possible financial
plan that would include possibilities for
the 13.5 acres of city-owned property on
the west side of downtown Victoria. "We
would want to be nimble," he said.
*The regular city council meeting
scheduled for Monday, November 23rd,
was cancelled.
She referred to others who have contracted with BS&A, including Prior Lake,
Hutchinson, and New Brighton. "People
who have made the conversion are very
excited about it," she said. "The company
is based in Michigan and is working westward. I don't perceive a need for them to be
here in person. We can do things remotely.
It would probably be three to four months
before all is implemented."
The purchase would also help clean
out part of city office clutter. "Paperless
accounts are available so we would be able
to get rid of quite a few boxes," said Kelly.
"We'll continue to use our existing software
and run a parallel system until it's up and
running. We wouldn't be cutting our ties
until we know it's working as it should."
Said Mayor Tom O'Connor, "This to
me is almost a perfect metaphor to the old
Victoria becoming new Victoria. I wholeheartedly endorse this."
The upgraded software will also mean
better customer service, budgeting, reporting, and records retention.
Financial Award for City of Victoria
And Finance Manager Kelly Grinnell
For the eighth consecutive year, the
City of Victoria received the Certificate of
Achievement for Excellence in Financial
Reporting (CAFR). The award is given by
the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada.
The award has been presented to Victoria's Finance Director Kelly Grinnell.
"Minnesota does pretty well on a nationwide basis," said Kelly. "It on the city's
website if anyone is interested in taking a
look at it."
According to information from the
Government Finance Officers Association,
"The Certificate of Achievement is the
highest form of recognition in the area of
governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government
and its management."
The special review committee is comprised of individuals with expertise in public sector financial reporting. It includes
financial statement preparers, independent
auditors, academics, and other finance professionals.
Said Mayor Tom O'Connor on November 9th, "It seems we take for granted
the work that you do, Kelly." He read from
the press release that the award demonstrates a spirit of full disclosure to clearly
communicate its financial story.
Victoria Plans for Another 90 Homes
Maybe there is softening in the market
The Victoria Gazette is mailed to every home and business
in the City of Victoria (population 9,000) every single month
plus there are thousands of readers in the neighboring communities of Chanhassen, Chaska, Excelsior, Waconia and
dozens of other subscribers in St. Boni, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, and the list goes on. The meat of the matter is that
4,900 households now receive the paper every single month
-- all 2,600 homes in Victoria plus another 2,300 homes outside of Victoria. That means nearly 20,000 people read the
Gazette each month. Everybody loves Victoria.
Council reviewed the third quarter financials on November 9th with Finance
Manager Kelly Grinnell. "We budgeted for
90 homes and we're projecting we'll have
90 at year end. It seems there is a little bit
of a softening in the market. However,
with the pending plats, staff feels comfortable with the current 90 homes also projected for 2016."
Stated Councilmember Tom Strigel,
"To me, this is an early warning flag. We
tend to project conservatively. When we
project 90 homes, we're anticipating 100 to
110."
City Engineer Cara Geheren was
asked about scheduling a new well for the
city. "It's not happening in 2016," she replied. "We're pushing it to 2017. We'll be
looking at that whole process in the next
three months."
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The SCOOP at VICTORIA CITY HALL
by Sue Orsen
Picking the Mayor's Mind
by Sue Orsen
As is customary, Mayor Tom O'Connor graciously responded to questions
related to city business, even as this very
busy time of year requires us to focus in
so many different directions. Thank you,
Mr. Mayor, for your transparency, generosity, and kindness. I appreciate it. Merry
Christmas to you and your family.
1) To what extent has the city been involved in the proposal for the new Brewery
Square development at the former HEI location? I'm thinking there may have been
a related agenda item on November 23rd
for an update. It sounds like a workable
possibility for a Lions Hall in the facility.
Mayor O'Connor: "The City was
recently made aware of the strong interest
from ENKI Brewing Company and Hartman Communities to purchase the HEI
building. The two parties have been in
touch with city staff, talking through initial
thoughts of how the building could be repurposed to achieve the objectives of both
parties.
"A mixed use building that provides a
long term home for ENKI and additional
commercial space is an exciting possibility for downtown. As for the Lions, it's too
early in the process to comment specifically about a connection that serves their
needs."
2) If you are unable to respond to this ques-
tion, I understand. Are you able to talk
about the hearing on October 27th or the
commencement of the trial on November
16th? Is it over? Might it be over in 2015?
Mayor O'Connor: "The lawsuit
filed against me and the three other councilmembers went to trial recently. The legal proceeding lasted six days and ended
last Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. As you know, I can't comment on the
merits. As I understand the process, however, each side now prepares a written summary, then the judge has 90 days to issue a
decision. We don't expect a decision before
April of 2016."
3) Erin Smith was hired as the new Senior
Planner in November. Where is she from?
Is she replacing somebody at City Offices
or is it a new position? How does it differ
from the job of Community Development
Director Ben Landhauser?
Mayor O'Connor: "Erin Smith
started as a Senior Planner in Victoria on
November 17th. She fills a position that
was eliminated during the past recession.
Erin has a Master of Arts in Urban Plan-
ning from Minnesota State University. She
holds a Bachelor's degree in Urban and Regional Studies from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
"Erin comes to Victoria from her recent position as Community Development
Planner with the Upper Minnesota Valley
Regional Development Commission.
"Her new primary duties involve
complex current and long term planning,
including such areas as ordinance development, plat and site plan review, and assisting the Community Development Director
on special projects. We are excited about
the potential contribution Erin can make to
the continued orderly growth of Victoria."
4) From my angle, it seems like the Victoria Centennial Year is ending in “heavenly
peace” here in Victoria, Minnesota, as the
Christmas hymn goes. On a large world vision, however, we can’t help but think about
the November 13th Islamic terror attacks
in Paris. Does the City of Victoria receive
communication related to procedures and
safety issues in the event terrorists are
close to home?
Mayor O'Connor: "This is an area
where the City works closely with the Carver County Sheriff's Office. The CCSO includes Emergency Management/Communication Services and Director Deb Paige
who works closely with the Department of
Homeland Security. City officials are kept
apprised of issues that may affect Victoria.
Thankfully, during my term as Mayor, local
terrorism threats have not been raised."
5) What will be your role in the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, December 5th?
Mayor O'Connor: "Once again
we can thank Randy Miller and the Victoria Business Association for what promises
to be a fun filled event in downtown Victoria. The Saturday, December 5th, 2015
Christmas in Victoria event will run from
3 to 6 p.m. and, of course, features our tree
lighting and a visit from Santa. I think my
role may be limited to escorting two little
redheads who are very excited this time of
year."
WINDOW ON THE WATERSHED
Storms Ain't What They Used to Be
by Bill Olson, Victoria
MCWD Board of Managers
One of the reasons I love living in
Minnesota is the change of seasons. But
the seasons have been less predictable lately, with more rain than snow ushering in
the holiday season this year.
Fortunately, where I live there is plenty of room for that extra rain. The City
of Victoria was part of a recent study that
found the city is making smart decisions in
its land use planning which protect it from
damage when big rainfalls strike.
Scientists refer to the size of rainfalls
by the statistical likeliness of a storm happening in a given year. Perhaps you've
heard the term "10 year storm" or "100
year storm" in the news after big rains. A
"10 year" storm is a term that describes a
24-hour period when an area receives about
4.27 inches of rain. A "ten year" storm has
about a 10% chance of happening in a given year.
When we are designing our communities, we use these probabilities to decide
how large the pipes and other features need
to be to handle most rain events. Larger,
less common rains might only happen a
few times in a lifetime, and it's hardly possible to build infrastructure that can handle
any amount of rain.
The problem is, to borrow a well worn
phrase, storms today "just ain't what they
used to be." The type of storm that has
10% chance of happening is occurring
more often. Even moderate climate models
suggest that by the middle of the century,
what today is a "100 year storm" will only
be a 10 year storm. Bigger storms are more
common, and what we think of as a "big
storm" is getting, well, bigger.
We've seen this issue play out in living
color the past few years. Last year the Twin
Cities saw the rainiest spring record since
record keeping began in the late 1800's.
Lake Minnetonka was higher than it
had ever been for 45 straight days, and Minnehaha Creek surged at a record 889 cubic
feet per second. (Flow considered safe for
canoeing is between 75 and 150 CFS.) The
Hiawatha and Meadowbrook Golf Courses
spent weeks underwater and suffered millions in damage. Sanitary sewer systems
backed up near Lake Minnetonka.
In 2012, Duluth's normally pleasant
springtime quickly turned sour when the
city received more than 10 inches of rain
in a 24 hour span in some areas. The city's
infrastructure was quickly overwhelmed
and the effects were devastating: washed
out bridges, buckled roads, massive sinkholes, flooded homes. An 8-year old boy
was swept into a storm drain for a six-block
ride. He miraculously survived. Seals
swam out of the zoo.
Ten inches in 24 hours exceeds what is
even now considered a "1,000 year rain,"
something you'd think might skip an entire civilization. But in the wake of the
flooding, Minnesota's Public Radio meteorologist Paul Huttner wrote, "Many have
asked me if events like the Duluth Flood
can happen again. The answer is, not if, but
when. With the increase in extreme rainfall
in Minnesota, it's only a matter of time until
the next 5 inches or 10 inches rainfall event
in a major Minnesota city."
As Duluth rebuilds its infrastructure
after the devastating rainfall, it and other
communities can prevent future damage
from these crushing storms.
There is not enough space here to fully cover the actions available to make our
communities less susceptible to flooding
and other issues caused by more intense
and frequent storms, but there are many
options out there.
A recent study by the Minnehaha
Creek Watershed District (where I serve
on the Board of Managers) and a host of
partners looked at ways that fully built, as
well as developing communities like Victoria, can adapt how they manage water in
a changing climate. Summary and the full
results at www.minnehahacreek.org/wet.
Christmas Blessings, One and All.
Johnson Funeral Home
141 East First Street * Waconia, MN 55387
952.442.2121
www.johnsonfh.com
Email: info@johnsonfh.com
May the
Light of Christmas
shine in your life.
•Jeff Schnobrich, DVM •Jeanne Sutich, DVM
•Stephanie Cotten, DVM •Mandy Harms, DVM
& C R E M AT I O N S E R V I C E S
www.huberfunerals.com
Your hometown funeral home specializing in services tailored to your needs.
*Complete Cremation Services *Traditional Services
*Pre-Arrangement/Pre-Financing *Non-Traditional Services
*Nationwide Arrangements *Veterans and Military
Serving the Southwest and West Suburban Area Since 1950.
Excelsior Chapel Eden Prairie Chapel
520 Second Street
16394 Glory Lane
952-474-9595
952-949-4970
Mound Chapel
1801 Commerce Blvd.
952-472-1716
If Maude Had Visited Bethlehem*
by Father Elstan Coghill, OFM
Served St. Victoria from 1985-1996
I picture Maude, my toy dachshund,
present at the events surrounding the most
significant occurrence in the history of the
universe -- the birth of Christ.
If she had been in residence at the motel where Mary and Joseph wanted to stop
for the night, she would have missed the
majesty of those two and probably barked
at them -- not unlike the man who turned
them out.
As they looked for a place to stay, she
may well have traipsed after them, winding up in the cave where they settled down.
Her first order of business would be to
establish a working relationship with the
other animals present, talking things over
with the mule, hassling the goat, and curling up close to the cow for warmth -- not
unlike her human counterparts who allow
relationships of secondary importance to
supplant the truly important one, Christ.
Maude wakes up in the morning to find
a new member in their community. She
checks him out. He’s an object of curiosity
and an occasion for an emotional binge -as any baby is. Like so many of her human
“superiors,” she misses the point. In her
case, of course, it’s not her fault. There is
no malice.
Her sleep is disturbed in the middle of
the night by a group of men driving sheep
ahead of them. This is intolerable, waking
someone up in the middle of the night with
a roundup. But the noise is replaced with
Maude and her friend Father Elstan.
music such as she has never before heard
and, like her human counterparts, she fails
to identify the music of heaven.
After a few days -- during which time
Maude learns how to get Mary’s attention,
how to con food out of Joseph, how to get
the most comfortable spot in the stable, and,
in general, how to use the event of Christ’s
birth for her own purposes, not unlike some
of her human counterparts -- more visitors
show up.
These visitors carry strange odors with
them, besides the ones emanating from the
strange animals they are riding. She sniffs
out the incense and the myrrh as if they are
her personal property and gives her unqualified approval.
Because of the delight these new
scents provided her, she probably identifies
Christmas with fascinating smells. Well,
that’s not as far off as some of her human
counterparts who equate Christmas with
chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
In fact, between now and December
25th, we will be told by many experts what
Christmas is all about, of what it means:
“Sleigh bells in the snow.” When’s the last
time you heard sleigh bells in the snow or
anyplace else?
Christmas means “giving.” Christmas means “getting.” Christmas means
“children.” Christmas means “shopping.”
Christmas means “carols.” Christmas
means some ruminant that looks like he got
his nose in the home brew. Like Maude,
we are going to too easily identify Christmas with its corollaries, its adjuncts, or elements that are totally irrelevant.
Christmas is God become man, and in
doing so entered the human condition. He
involved a human mother. He became dependent on a human protector and provider.
He dealt with the world of commerce (the
hotel manager). He was born in the home
of animals. He mixed with the poor (the
shepherds) and the wealthy (the kings from
the Orient). A star that He created was an
item there.
Maude missed all of that and sometimes so do we.
*"If Maude Had Visited Bethlehem" appeared for the first time in the December
1992 issue of the Gazette. It falls squarely
within the definition of classic. Father was
born in 1922 and died in 2008. He is buried in the St. Victoria Catholic Cemetery.
Mom, Can I have a dog for Christmas?
No, you can have a turkey like everyone else.
To
T
o al
all
ll our friends
friends
and
d families
fam
milies
in
n the
th
he com
community
mmunity
y ...
Merry
Mer
rry
y Christmas!
Chr
ristm
mas!
www.kid-talk.com
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SWANSON INSURANCE AGENCY, LLC
952-448-4580
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by Sue Orsen
Doe, a Deer,
a Female Deer
by Sue Orsen
Almost every summer evening these past few years, sometimes every
other summer evening, depending on when it rains, I've taken a two-minute
stroll around our house outside to spray Deer Stopper near all my hostas and
impatiens. It works. Well, it doesn't stop the deer from coming into our yard,
as you can see from these pictures, but it does stop the deer from eating their
salad in our yard.
I took the top two pictures through windows from inside our home in July
2015, and the bottom two in November 2015.
Allan and I share our property border with Carver Park, and it sort of
reminds me of the Rio Grande River between Mexico and Texas -- and so I've
come to call the four legged, white-tailed, grazing, prancing beauties, "illegal
aliens." They come without invitation and without papers, and they take without asking. Over these past four and a half decades, they've chewed hundreds
of my hostas and New Guinea Impatiens, and irretrievably hurt
most of our Colorado Blue Spruce trees -- all this, despite the
3,000 acres of delicious Carver Park at their free and ample
disposal next to us.
On October 3rd this fall, I stopped spraying Deer Stopper.
On the morning of October 4th, I woke to find that nearly all of
my 30 large pots of New Guineas were nibbled and munched
as were a bunch of my hostas. I didn't like to see it, but at least
my stuff had survived and thrived throughout the spring and
summer. When it's time for fall cleanup, I don't so much mind
that the deer steal a special salad from our yard.
It wasn't until Monday, November 9th, that I saw a deer
again in our yard, up close and personal, after that mama doe
and her fawn had visited last spring. Normally they come as
a herd and mingle in the shadows. This one didn't run even
when I knocked on the windows or made noise out the front door. I had to
open the patio door and let him see me on the deck.
On the weekend of November 14th, I heard some gun shots in the Park
and I knew exactly what was going on. A shotgun hunt was held in Carver
Park Reserve that weekend. Three Rivers Park District works to keep whitetailed deer herds in balance with the available habitat. Aerial deer surveys
are conducted in January or February each year. People interested in the hunt
apply through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
I've heard of another good remedy for keeping the deer from eating
things in our yard, but I haven't used it yet. Maybe next spring I'll try it. You
take a bar or two of Irish Spring soap, cut it all into shavings, and spread it
around your plants. I guess rabbits don't like the strong smell of Irish Spring
either, and it lasts longer than Deer Stopper.
Considering this Christmas season of Favorite Things and the Do-Re-Mi
song, do you know that Santa's reindeer were all females? It turns out that
reindeer grow antlers regardless of gender, but males typically shed their funny protrusions before Christmas. Maybe Rudolph is a Rachel.
More photos online
in Sue's Album
at www.VictoriaGazette.com.
The Ultimate Chex Mix
FROM GARDEN TO TABLE
December Delights
Chocolate Coffee Truffles
by Christie Schlueter
Regular Victoria Visitor
December is a holiday month. Everyone wants something special this time of
year. To help you decide what to make, try
a few of these holiday treats.
Frozen Raspberry Sherbet Dessert
Graham Cracker Crust
1 1/2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1/3 cup or more granulated sugar, to taste
Combine these three ingredients. Put
in bottom of 9x13 pan, reserving small
amount of crumbs to sprinkle over top of
the dessert at the end, before serving.
Raspberry Filling
2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 large jar (7 oz) marshmallow cream
2 pints (4 cups) raspberry sherbet
1 (12 oz) container whipped topping
or 2 cups freshly whipped cream
Mix together using hand mixer. Cream
cheese and marshmallow cream. Add the
2 pints raspberry sherbet until sherbet is
completely melted and blended well.
Fold in with hand mixer the whipped
cream and mix until all is well blended.
Pour the combined mixture into the
pan on top of graham cracker crust. Put
dessert into freezer and freeze until ready
to serve. This can be frozen overnight.
Store any leftover in the freezer. Serves
approximately 21. Cut into any size pieces
you want.
Cinnamon Scones
Can be eaten with coffee, tea, or chai
on Christmas morning.
1 cup sour cream (May substitute plain or
vanilla Greek yogurt.)
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 to 3/4 cup Hershey's cinnamon chips
Sugar and cinnamon for dusting.
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 2 baking
sheets with nonstick coating spray. Combine sour cream and baking soda in small
bowl. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt in large bowl.
Cut in butter with pastry blender (or 2
table knives) until mixture resembles fine
bread crumbs. Combine egg with sour
scream mixture and cinnamon. Gently stir
into flour mixture until moistened. Knead
briefly, no more than then times.
Divide dough into two. You may add
chips to mixture now or press into tops
of the scones. Place 1/2 dough on baking sheet and pat into 3/4-inch thickness.
Cut each into 6 wedges. Move scones so
they are not touching. Dust with sugar and
cinnamon. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until
golden brown. These freeze well.
Truffles are really very easy to make.
Use the best quality chocolate you
can find or order online. I use
www.chocosphere.com.
1/2 pound good bittersweet chocolate
(such as Lindt)
1/2 pound good semisweet chocolate
(such as Ghiradelli)
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tblsp Grand Marinier, optional
1 Tblsp prepared coffee
1/2 tsp good vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar
Cocoa powder
Chop the chocolates finely with a sharp
knife. Place them in a heat-proof mixing
bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan
until it just boils. Turn off the heat and allow the cream to sit for 20 seconds. Pour
the cream through a fine meshed sieve into
the bowl with chocolate.
With a wire whisk, slowly stir the
cream and chocolates together until the
chocolate is completely melted. Whisk in
the Grand Marnier, coffee, and vanilla.
Set aside at room temperature for 1
hour. With two teaspoons, spoon round
balls of the chocolate mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm. Roll
each dollop of chocolate in your hands to
roughly make a round ball. Roll in confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, or both.
These will keep refrigerated for weeks,
but serve at room temperature.
Pear, Pomegranate
and Spinach Salad
One healthy salad! This is a festive
looking and tasty salad.
2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
3/4 cup pomegranate arils (seeds)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 pears, any kind, red or green
9 to 12 oz. baby spinach (or as much as
desired)
Dressing
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (Braggs)
3 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tblsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt, pepper to taste
Whisk or shake all dressing ingredients in bowl or jar. Place all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with
desired amount of dressing, then toss to
evenly coat. Serve immediately.
This is the best Chex mix. It is worth
every bite.
8 cups Chocolate Chex cereal. (If you
can't find them, like me, I used 6 cups
Rice Chex cereal and 2 cups Cocoa
Krispies.)
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
6 Tblsp butter
3 Tblsp light corn syrup
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup mini Reese's peanut butter cups
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/2 cup caramel bits
1 Tblsp heavy cream
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
(more if you would like:)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1 tsp coarse sea salt
Pour measured cereal into a large microwaveable bowl. Line cookie sheet with
waxed paper or foil. In a 2-cup microwaveable measuring cup, microwave brown
sugar, butter, and corn syrup uncovered on
high for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until melted and smooth. Stir in baking
soda until dissolved. Pour caramel mixture
over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.
Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stirring every minute. Spread on cookie sheet.
Cool 10 minutes.
Break into bite sized pieces.
Make sure Chex mixture is cool to
the touch (so candy doesn't melt). Evenly
sprinkle mini peanut butter cups candy and
mini marshmallows over the Chex mixture.
In a small microwaveable bowl, microwave caramel baking bits and cream uncovered on high for 1 minute or until chips
can be stirred smooth. Use a spoon or fork
to drizzle over Chex mixture.
Repeat with milk chocolate baking
chips and again with the white baking
chips. Quickly sprinkle coarse salt over all
the Chex mixture while candy drizzles are
still wet. Refrigerate until set. Break apart
and store in tightly covered container.
Baileys Irish Cream
& Pistachio Fudge
Cut these into small pieces for a taste
of this delight.
36 oz. white chocolate chips (Ghiradelli)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
(unsweetened is best)
1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur, or more
1/2 cup raw pistachios, chopped, or more
Line a square pan. I used an 8x8
square baking pan with foil paper and lightly greased it.
In a sauce pan, at low heat, pour all of
the ingredients except pistachios. Stir constantly until chocolate has almost melted.
Turn off heat and continue stirring until
chocolate is completely melted. Add pistachios and pour evenly onto prepared pan.
Let cool until set. Remove fudge from pan
and peel off the foil paper. Cut fudge into
small squares.
Store fudge in an airtight glass container.
Victoria Student Honors
Kailey McCoy, daughter of Patrick
and Mary McCoy of Victoria, is studying
abroad during the fall semester in the Greco-Roman program through the Center for
Global Education at the College of Saint
Benedict, St. Joseph, MN. This program
gives students the opportunity to explore
classical subjects of history, religion, art
history, and literature while living in modern day Athens and Rome.
Sarah McLarnan, daughter of
Thomas and Jennifer McLarnan of Victoria, is studying abroad during the fall semester in the Austria program through the
Center for Global Education at the College
of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, MN. This
program, located in Salzburg, assists in the
acquisition of German language skills and
an appreciation of the Austrian culture.
Kelli Kennedy of Minnetrista, formerly Victoria, participated in Head of the
Charles Regatta in Boston, MA. The Head
of the Charles is the largest two-day regatta
in the world. Kelli was a member of Marquette Univ. Women's Collegiate Four.
Katie Meinkie of Victoria earned
honorable mention as a member of the University of Northwestern's women's soccer
team in the Upper Midwest Conference.
The Eagles finished the season with strongest all-conference presence since the 2010
squad.
Emily Sasik of Victoria will perform in Gustavus Adolphus College's
Christmas in Christ Chapel worship services December 4th-6th. The Saturday
evening performance will be streamed online beginning at 7:15 p.m. CST.
IN VICTORIA
Leadership Award for Emerald Crest by Augustana Care
by Jenna Zark, Communications Director
Emerald Crest by Augustana Care
Victoria, Minnesota
Emerald Crest by Augustana Care
in Victoria is pleased to announce its inclusion in the Not-for-Profit Leadership
Award from LeadingAge.
This prestigious national award recognizes organizations that exemplify seven
key attributes characterizing high performing nonprofits, according to John Hopkins
University research.
The attributes include being productive, empowering, effective, enriching,
reliable, responsive, and caring. Emerald Crest's work is integral to winning the
award, says Augustana Care CEO Tim
Tucker.
In addition, Emerald Crest-Victoria's
sensory worship service was one of the
programs that drew notice of LeadingAge.
The worship service was designed specifically for people with memory loss due to
Alzheimer's and similar conditions.
Occupational therapists worked with
chaplains to create a sensory worship service designed specifically for people with
memory loss, allowing them to be active
participants no matter the level of dementia. The service includes hand-held
chimes, the use of familiar symbols and
hymns, props that connect to biblical stories, direct engagement with each resident,
and more. The service was also featured
in the Atlantic Monthly and other national
and local publications.
There are other programs.
Student Residence Program brings
college students to live alongside residents.
At the national ceremony, left to right, Tim Tucker (Augustana Care CEO, accepting the award), Gayle Kvenvold (LeadingAge MN CEO), and Craig Kittelson
(Augustana Care Chief Financial Officer).
College and university students from a
variety of disciplines and schools live in
Augustana Care housing alongside older
generations in Minnesota. Their experiences help them learn more about how to
provide health care in their chosen professions in the future. Students eat meals with
residents and attend social, recreational, or
other activities. Both generations say they
benefit greatly from their new connections.
Also, through a collaborative effort
between the worldwide furniture retailer
IKEA and Augustana Care, a new model apartment was created to address the
unique needs of older generations. Features include firmer chairs and sofas so it's
easier to rise from them, wall hooks for
keys, transparent storage for easy visibility,
open storage in the bathroom for easy access and safety, and more.
While serving more than 11,300 people and their families annually, Augustana
Care anticipates the changing needs of our
communities. Says President and CEO Tim
Tucker, "Our goal is to transcend the stereotypes of aging through fresh approaches
that ultimately improve the quality of life
for older generations." He accepted the
award at the LeadingAge national conference in early November.
Augustana Care is a nonprofit organization that provides housing, health care,
and community based services to older
generations and others in need. It helps
residents live the lives that most inspire
them. The principles that guide our work
include:
*To value the talents and experience of
older generations.
*To provide the care residents need,
when and where they need it.
*To connect residents to the people
and things that mean most to them.
*To support residents and families
with spiritual care that speaks to who they
are.
The mission of LeadingAge is to expand the world of possibilities for aging.
The organization's 6,000+ members and
partners include the not-for-profit organizations representing the entire field of againg
services, 39 state partners, hundreds of
businesses, consumer groups, foundations,
and research partners. Visit www.augustanacare.org to learn more.
LeadingAge is also a part of the International Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (IAHSA), which spans
30 countries across the globe. LeadingAge
is a 501c3 tax exempt charitable organization focused on education, advocacy, and
applied research. For more information,
visit www.leadingage.org.
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
"Raise the Barn" at Ney Nature Center
by Becky Pollack
Executive Director
Ney Nature Center
Henderson, Minnesota
We welcomed Doug Ohman,
photographer and speaker, to the
Ney Nature Center's "Raise the
Barn" 2015 annual meeting on
November 5th. "Raise the Barn"
is a building and land preservation
initiative.
One major concern is a new
roof and some structural stabilization for the Ney Dairy Barn built
in 1901. To preserve the barn for
the winter and save it from further
deterioration, we need to raise
$10,000 by the end of the year.
Doug Ohman explored the
significance of the greatest of
all rural icons, the barn. He has
traveled throughout the upper
Midwest photographing historic
architecture. His work has been
widely published in magazines,
calendars, and books. Over the
past ten years he has been working with the Minnesota Historical
Society on the popular book series, Minnesota Byways.
The Ney Nature Center is a
446-acre park in LeSueur County,
east of Henderson, on the bluffs
of the Minnesota river. It is open
daily to the public for hiking, bird
watching, snowshoeing, and cross
country skiing.
IN VICTORIA
Lions First Spaghetti Dinner
by Sue Orsen
The Victoria Lions held their first annual Spaghetti Dinner on Friday evening, November 6th,
from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in Elstan Hall at the St. Victoria Catholic Church. In addition to spaghetti, the
dinner included delicious meatballs, lettuce salad,
a variety of cookies including macadamia nut with
white chocolate, lemonade, and coffee. From all
accounts it was a rousing success. Seems the line
of hungry guests never let up.
I asked Lion Laura O'Neill, chair of this
event, some questions.
1) You had several seatings that evening. Approximately how many people did you serve”
Lion Laura. "About 350 people. The spaghetti
dinner was a huge success, and all of our Lions were
quite happy with the results. We did much better than
expected and really appreciated everyone in the community for supporting our efforts to raise money for
our local charitable causes."
2) Whose recipe for the delicious spaghetti sauce?
Lion Laura. "It's a secret recipe."
3) Whose recipe for the generous meatballs?
Lion Laura. "The meatballs were pre-cooked,
frozen from a restaurant supply store."
4) How did Elstan Hall work for the occasion?
Lion Laura. "It worked out very well. The
church was kind enough to allow us to use the Hall for
the event, and we greatly appreciated their help with
Lion Tim Sebenaler.
the coordination of everything."
5) You also had a good turnout of Lions working in
the kitchen. Who kept the noodle pot going?
Lion Laura. "You can give much of the credit
to Lion Michelle Lewin. She's Italian and really knows
how to cook. She tried her best to teach the rest of
the Lions how to keep it going. Funny story, she got
a little hot water burn at one point during the event,
and when news of this traveled to our Tailtwister, Lion
Doug Dyer, he awarded her a Purple Heart at the next
Lions meeting."
6) Might the Lions be repeating a Spaghetti Dinner
sometime in the future?
Lion Laura. "Yes, we are certainly going to try
to have one again in the first quarter of 2016, if it works
out for St. Victoria."
7) What, when, and where is your next big feed?
Lion Laura. "No firm answer for that yet!"
Some of the Lions
working in the kitchen
during the Spaghetti
Feed (l-r):
Lion, Laura O'Neill ►
Lion Joe Scanlon,
Lion Jeff Chapman,
Lion Paul Schullo,
Lion Scott Vandeputte.
Lion Doug Dyer▼
Lion Scott McClelland.
►Lion Al Orsen
Lion Jonathan Lueck,
Lion Jack Hines.
VICTORIA PUZZLEMAKERS
Merry Christmas to All!
CLOCKS
$40 OFF
Set of Four New Tires
$40 OFF the purchase
of Four New Tires,
Installed. Must present coupon.
Expires 12/31/2015.
FROM YOUR LOCAL
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REPAIR GARAGE
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Steve Frankwitz 952-443-2868
Located on Hwy 5, within 300 feet of the Holiday Station.
Protecting Your Legacy; Defending Your Reputation.
Key for “Edmund Fitzgerald”
From November 2015 Gazette
Practice Areas
• Estate Planning/Probate
• Investment Losses/Illiquidity
• Corporate/Employment
• Business Litigation
Senior Citizen and Veteran Discounts Available
Mark E. Czuchry, Esq.
Attorney at Law
Czuchry Law Firm LLC
Merry Christmas and
Happy New Year
Mark@MecLawFirm.com
www.MecLawFirm.com
Victoria Office (Main)
Clock Tower Building
1750 Tower Blvd.
Suite 209/PO Box 73
Victoria, MN 55386
Phone: 952-443-4004
from your friends at
Crossroads Liquor. We thank
you for your patronage.
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DECEMBER EVENTS
Victoria's Library Log
by Kathy Perschmann
Carver County Library System
Family Storytimes. 10:30 a.m. Monday, December
7th. Resumes January 11th. For all ages with a focus
on children age 2 and up. Children, parents and their
caregivers are invited to come and share 30 minutes of
stories, music, and movement that encourages the development of early literacy skills.
Toddler Storytimes. 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, December 9th. Resumes January 13th. Toddlers and their
caregivers are welcome to join us for 20 minutes of action-packed fun with stories, rhymes, fingerplays, and
musical movement for this busy age group. Come shake
your sillies out with us. Recommended for ages 18 to 36
months. No registration required
eTot Storytime. Saturday, December 12th, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3 to 5. Registration required. Join us for a special digital storytime as we explore apps and books using the
library's iPad lab.
Winter Craft Make & Take. Saturday, December 5th, from 3 to 6 p.m. For all ages.
Drop in and make a winter-themed craft. Sponsored by the Friends of the Victoria Library
and the City of Victoria.
Lego Lab. 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15th. For ages 8 and up. Join
us for Lego Building fun at the library. Bring your imagination. We supply the bricks.
Please call to register.
Get Your Jedi On. Tuesday, December 8th, 4 to 5 p.m. For ages 4 to 12. "The Force
Awakens" comes out in theaters December 18th, and the library has a special program to
celebrate. Young recruits will be trained with light sabers, equipped with Yoda ear and
more. Costumes will be available for kids to dress as one of the Star Wars characters to
have their photograpn taken. Sponsored by the Friends of the Victoria Library.
Teen Tech Club. Join other teen techies to make things happen at the new Victoria Library. For more information, call the Victoria Library at 952-442-3050. Second Tuesday
of the month, December 8th, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Game on @ the Victoria Library. Impress your friends with your Scrabble word building skills or challenge them to a Mario Kart race on the Wii. Play board games and video
games. First Tuesday of the month, December 1st, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Minecraft@Victoria. For ages 8 to 18. Every Wednesday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. (except
December 23rd and 30th). Join your friends for open plan on our MinecraftEdu server.
Explore, build, together, or participate in a challenge.
Victoria Library Hours. Bring in your technology questions any time the Victoria Library is open. Monday and Wednesday 10 to 6; Tuesday and Thursday 1 to 8; Friday 12
to 5; Saturday 10 to 3. Located at 1670 Stieger Lake Lane. 952-442-3050.
We feel close to everybody at Christmas, especially on the bus.
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Seems Like Yesterday . . . from the editor's files
30 Years Ago
December 1985 Gazette
*The Gazette featured Alphonse and
Margaret Schmieg in “Blest Be The Ties
That Bind.” They were married at St. Victoria in 1932 by Father Herbert Diethelm
(first cousin of Alphonse) and had seven
children. The grandfather of Alphonse
came from Germany and homesteaded
160 acres in 1853; his name was Johann
Schmieg. Alphonse and Margaret sold
their farm three miles south of Victoria in
1971 and moved to their home in Victoria,
on Petunia Street, in 1972.
*Three freshmen girls from Editor
Sue's Victoria neighborhood played singing nuns in “The Sound of Music” at Chaska High School: Marci Ball, Ann Shaw,
and Jenny Orsen.
*City Administrator Larry Bodahl reports that 23 new home permits were issued to date in Victoria, with a total value
of $1,975,200.
*Canterbury Downs will be closing
the doors on its very first season on October
15th and preparing for opening its second
season on April 25th, 1986.
*Christmas recipes were submitted
to the Gazette by the following Victoria
Senior Citizens: Lillian Schroers, Evelyn
Goldschmidt, Alida Goldschmidt, Harriet
Koschinska, Pauline Kocks, Marjorie Ries,
Winnie Gregory, Margaret Schmieg, Marge
Hanson, Agnes Williams, Celeste Aretz,
Marguerite Livingston, Ruth Kaufhold,
Barbara Leuthner, Regina Kerber, Anna
Schneider, Gladys Hartmann, Gertrude
Schmieg, Elaine Anderson, Ethel Sauter,
Dorothy Schmidt, Monica Metzger.
*Pastor Otto Dreydoppel reminds us,
“The Child of Bethlehem grew up to be the
Teacher of Nazareth and the Christ of Calvary.”
*Councilmember Ron Spargo, who is
also a member of the Planning Commission, identifies current issues in the City
of Victoria: municipal water, sewer extensions, several PUD's, downtown redevelopment, animal control, municipal insurance, public works equipment requests.
*Father Elstan admits, “I don’t know if
our church was given the name of St. Victoria because of the name of the town – or
the town was called Victoria because of the
name of the church.” In his column, Father
writes about the life of St. Victoria.
*The City of Victoria received 40
phone calls complaining about shots being
fired too close to residential areas, related
to duck hunting at Lake Zumbra.
*Don Brauer is in the process of dividing 20 acres on the east side of Schutz Lake
into four parcels, each about five acres.
*The Victoria Lions Club contributed
$1,000 toward the planting of trees at Lions
Park.
*Chaska Lions Harold Ek and Chub
Schindler attended a Victoria city council
meeting to explain why they'd like to conduct charitable gambling in Victoria.
*Reported Carver County Commissioner Al Klingelhutz, "The Metro Council
is saying we're going to start sorting our
garbage."
*Writes Pastor Lemke, “At Christmas,
God sent His only Son as Savior of mankind. He brings the promise of forgiveness
and the hope of heaven to all.”
*Aunt Martha, close personal friend
of Victoria Postmaster Al Folden, wants a
Christmas stamp that matches the purple
envelopes on her Christmas cards this year.
*Gladys Hartmann reports that over
200 people visited the Victoria Senior Bazaar Bake Sale at the Village Hall.
*Two Victoria seniors, Clara Seck and
Margery Ries, have moved to senior facilities in other towns. Lola Anderson is a new
member of the Victoria Seniors.
*Victoria Firefighter Tom Walsh reports that the new fire truck has arrived;
personnel are receiving training on its use.
*Roger Stein reports that Hennepin
Parks will now be known as Hennepin Regional Park District. Eighty percent (80%)
of land operated by Hennepin Parks is in
reserves, a natural undeveloped state, such
as Carver Park Reserve.
*Lions President Kelly Hanson identified four new Victoria Lions: Steve Ryan,
Mike Techam, Jay Schoo, and Walt Thiede.
*The Victoria Public Works Department includes Superintendent Wink Gay,
and assistants Bob Bjerke and Kevin
Schmieg.
*Herbert and Alice Goldschmidt are
celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary
with an Open House at Lake Auburn Moravian Church.
20 Years Ago
*The Gazette featured Bill and Donna Schneider in “Mister Sandman.” They
met at a Legion ballgame in St. Boni in
1950 and married in 1955 while Bill was
on leave from the Navy. After Navy housing in California, they returned to Victoria
where much of their life included baseball
because that’s what Bullet Bill did, also
working as Carver County Auditor. They
had six children; youngest son Bill, Jr., died
when Donna was seven months pregnant.
Bill always sings in Donna’s ear when they
dance, and he also sings when he drives.
*Marilyn Schmieg writes from Plano,
Texas, “Herb and I eagerly look forward to
all the news and entertaining articles in the
Gazette.”
*Father Conran Schneider wrote of a
patient at his post in Oak Forest Hospital
in Illinois, “He takes over Mass at all undesired moments. We tell him he’s a disturbance. He says, ‘I’m sorry,’ then starts
up again. He was hit over the head somewhere and can’t remember to be quiet in
church.”
*The editor saw former Superman
Christopher Reeves on television, who
was up to breathing 12 minutes on his own
without the respirator. When the electricity
when out for about an hour in Victoria, it
was a quiet time to reflect on such things.
*Cowboy Tom Stumpf reminisces,
“Babies. Yes, sweet blessed children. First
one, then two. It took two little boys to
grab me by the hand and rekindle the warm
glow of Christmas in my heart.”
*Writes Pastor Bob Johnson, “Christmas is a time when we feel the quickening
of heart pulled toward the Prince of Peace.”
*Victoria Postmaster Al Folden is retiring. He writes, “I wish that there was a
way I could thank everyone I came in contact with in the post office for making the
last 17 years in Victoria probably the best
time of my life. I really feel sad leaving,
but the time has come.”
*Writes Father Elstan, “We’ll miss the
old grouch. When we go down to the post
office and throw something at him – like a
barb, for instance – well, we’ll miss him.”
*Writes Pastor Frank Jones, "Christmas finds its origins in a backwater Palestinian town that didn't even have a Holiday
Inn and the birth of a child attended only by
parents, cattle and a few scared shepherds."
*City councilmembers decided to not
put money into renovating an old barn on
County Road 11 near Wintergreen.
*Carver County and the City of Victoria disagree on specifications for improvements of County Road #11. Stated Councilmember Jim Paulsen, "It's not in the best
interest of Victoria for it to become a truck
route to Chaska."
*City Council increased the payment
in lieu of park dedication paid by developers from $500 to $1,250 per residential
dwelling.
*Several power outages have occurred
in Victoria due to lightning, switching errors, overload, etc. NSP apologizes for not
coming to Victoria sooner.”
*Writes Vicky Victoria, "Big changes have occurred in our local Food 'n Fuel
now that they have added that all important
liquor store."
*Senior Citizen Reporter Ethel Ausink
gives health updates on Myrtle Kroening,
Barbara Leuthner, George Schmieg, Ethel
Sauter, Celeste Aretz, and Pauline Kochs.
*Dennis Bjorklund, President of the
Victoria Lions Club, is pictured with two
brand new puppies for him and wife Patti.
*Louise Lehner introduces new kids
on the block, Dennis and Ravon Polzin.
*Three Victoria ladies celebrated their
October birthdays together -- the sisters
Dorothy Schmieg and Regina Kerber, and
their sister in law Lorene Diethelm.
*Writes Mike Wartman, “As kids we
could never figure out why an ice rink had
to be made when there were 58 natural ice
rinks in the area." His column was entitled,
"When Cow Humps Turned to Ice."
*Writes Realtor Steve Schmieg, "Not
many years ago, people had no idea where
Victoria was located. Buyers have now
learned that Victoria is a beautiful area and
that the quality of life here is wonderful."
*Writes Tom Walsh, Secretary of the
Victoria Fire Department, "This past month
my two boys, Tim and Troy, and I enjoyed
three weekends together deer hunting north
of Moose Lake."
*Mary Zrust, 85, of Chandler, AZ,
formerly of Victoria and Waconia, died on
November 15th, 1995.
*Chamber of Commerce President
Fred Plocher reported that “our own Liz
Anderson” will be preparing the Chamber’s annual feast.
10 Years Ago
*The Gazette featured Tom Abts, who
arrived at the Deer Run Golf Course to become the Head PGA Pro in the fall of 1991,
two years after the golf course opened for
play, and soon thereafter was promoted to
General Manager. His passion is his wife
Sandy, their sons Mike and Ryan, and his
work at Deer Run. Tom was instrumental
in retaining the old farm house and turning it into the club house. "We respect the
past. We respect tradition. We've got the
charm on the outside, but inside we've got
computers and modern necessities to run a
business," he said.
*Editor Sue writes about many of her
favorite things, like animated movies with
her grandchildren, the large wall of framed
family photos in her office, good books that
teach about the truth of things, and proper
order.
What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?
Frostbite.
*Writes Biker Thom Derr, "Since the
Harley Babe and I got into riding about ten
years ago, we have traveled by motorcycle
around 80,000 miles together. We have
visited 42 of 50 states, and rode in rain,
snow, hail, and, of course, sunshine."
*Writes Cowboy Tom Stumpf, "The
spirit of the season is slow to start burning
this year. But then an old story from Midnight Mass past began to whirl about the
old cranial capacitator."
*Mike Wartman, Former Resident of
Victoria, writes about "oddball drinks that
usher in the festive season," including Egg
Nog, Tom and Jerry's, and Pfeiffer's Beer.
*Father Bob White writes about meeting Father Elstan Coghill at St. Victoria,
and about his last visit to see him in Springfield, Illinois, and why the St. Victoria Parish Center is now called Elstan Hall.
*Pastor Frank Jones writes that, after
twelve years of having his canoe on the
shore of Lake Auburn, ready to go fishing
at a moment's notice or just paddling for an
evening ride, it disappeared. A deputy said
it should probably have been chained and
locked to a nearby tree.
*Carver County Commissioner Gary
Delaney reports on the construction of new
U.S. Hwy 212. Seventeen bridges will be
built and cost of hwy will be $250 million.
*Pastor Bill Bonner writes about their
annual trip to the Gypsy Orphanage in
Hungary.
*Streets will be reconstructed at
Windtree and Lilac Circle, and it's painful
for both residents who will be assessed and
councilmembers who insist on maintaining
the city's street reconstruction schedule.
*Council gave final plat approval for
Rhapsody, located at Tellers Road and
County Road 43. Total site is 45 acres.
It is projected to include 98 single family
homes and a 5-acre site for a new Public
Works facility.
*Rick and Lois Plocher requested permission to construct a 42 by 28 foot covered patio addition at Floyd's. The request
was tabled at this time.
*The City of Victoria approved the
formation of a Victoria Senior Commission. The seven members are Ron Allen,
Peter Crawford, David and Marilyn Boorsma, Dave Lindgren, Dawn Peterson, and
Mayor Jerry Bohn.
*The Minneapolis YMCA will not
partner with the City of Victoria in the operation of the Victoria Field House unless it
includes construction of a swimming pool.
*Jennifer Chapman completed her first
year as Executive Director of the Victoria
Chamber of Commerce.
*Writes Ethel Ausink, "As I read about
the devastation all over the world, I find I
have much to thank our Heavenly Father
for."
*Writes Tom Abts, "Victoria is a perfect town -- great churches, good restaurants, ball fields, activities center, lakes,
tons of charm, golf, old and new neighborhoods, and a great newspaper that delights
and informs."
*Pastor Ken Kotzer comments on the
life of Robert Lewis Stevenson who suggested the danger of living is greater than
the danger of dying.
*Mayor Jerry Bohn gave a recap of the
year: "We welcomed 150 new families and
five new businesses to Victoria in 2005. A
new elementary school opened in Victoria.
City Administrator Steve Sarvi has been
called to his third tour of duty in Iraq this
winter."
*After more than 40 years of keeping
the building and cemetery grounds at the
St. Victoria Catholic Church manicured
and mowed, Ray and Frannie Schmieg
have officially retired from a job that has
been for them a labor of love. They have
worked with six priests over that time.
They donated their tractors and equipment
to the church.
THE VICTORIA GAZETTE
Celebrating a Centennial Year in Victoria
It Was the Right Time in Victoria for Mayor Mary Meuwissen
EDITOR'S NOTE: Victoria was incorporated as a Village 100 years ago. In honor
of the centennial anniversary, the Gazette
has hosted throughout 2015 a reprinted
story of a former "city person." This is the
final page dedicated as such in the Victoria
Gazette, since Victoria's Centennial Year
ends along with 2015.
There is no better way for the Gazette
to close this Centennial Year than to recognize the person who led the effort to put
Victoria on the map and turned Victoria
decisively toward a positive future. That
person was Mayor Mary Meuwissen. Serving from January 1995 through December
2002, Mayor Mary took big, bold, and
brave steps that made it possible for Victoria to become the destination it is today.
In plain language, Mayor Mary
cleaned up downtown Victoria, ensured the
Annexation Agreement would be upheld to
provide for the city's growth, and brought
Victoria two schools, one immediately and
one around the corner. She led the City of
Victoria into a new millennium with a bang
that is still exploding.
The Right Time
January 2003 Gazette
by Sue Orsen
It is the right time. It is the right season. It is right now.
A new year dawns at this time for everyone in the whole wide world. A new era
dawns for the City of Victoria. As such,
this newspaper cannot step forward gracefully until it recognizes gratefully the exceptional leader in this past eight-year era
in the City of Victoria.
That leader is Mary Meuwissen, who
was elected Mayor of Victoria in a landslide victory in November of 1994 and who
went on to serve the people of Victoria in
more than a full-time capacity through December of 2002, a total of four elections,
four terms.
At various times during her reign, she
wore the hats of City Administrator, City
Planner, City Finance Director, City Architect, City Talent Scout, Public Works
Director, and especially Project Manager.
Calling Mary a “Hands On Mayor” would
be an understatement. To say that she often
put in more than 40 hours a week for the
people of Victoria, in a mainly non-salaried
position, would also be an understatement.
That she redefined the definition of Public
Servant is backed up by her record of public service.
One almost sensed from the beginning
that this time for Victoria would be noteworthy and remarkable. When she first
arrived on the public scene, Mary was a
young wife and mother who happened to
have recently been on the U.S. Ski Team.
Shortly before her first election to office in
Victoria, she had donated one of her kidneys to a friend, thereby giving up professional skiing and a shot at the Olympics.
Indeed, the people of Victoria also received
part of her life.
Many councilmembers and mayors
have come and gone in the City of Victoria in the past 30 years, which is the length
of time this editor has resided in the city.
Only in these past eight years, under the
tenure of Mayor Mary, has the city purchased substantial property to plan and prepare for its future. Only in these past eight
years, under the tenure of Mayor Mary,
have Victoria businesses started to expand
and open instead of close doors. Only in
these past eight years, under the tenure of
Mayor Mary, has the city become emboldened to blaze ahead in a world where it was
being left behind.
In the front years of this eight-year
era, Mayor Mary referred to her numerous
volunteer hours for the city as a “free education” for herself. In latter years of this
era, she dropped the word “free” from the
description; the education was not free, for
it cost precious days and years from her
growing children. It cost time from old
friends. It cost time and resources from the
business of building homes with her husband Michael. It cost the peacefulness of
a private life. Working as a public servant
was an education, but it was not free.
How does one begin to give recognition to such a broad and successful tenure?
A plaque presented to her from the Victoria Chamber of Commerce this past December, 2002, perhaps says it well: “The
Victoria Chamber of Commerce recognizes and appreciates Mary Meuwissen for
her dedicated energy, inspiring devotion,
and extraordinary successes while serving
eight consecutive years as Mayor of Victoria. With admiration and high regard, we
sincerely acknowledge and express deepest
gratitude and continued best wishes in all
the years that lie ahead to Mayor Mary who
worked tirelessly on behalf of the people of
Victoria.”
At this time the Gazette could do a
feature on the many construction projects,
both public and private, that Mayor Mary
and her various councils supported, spearheaded, prodded, managed, honed, constructed, or approved, such as:
*The $160,000 St. Victoria Church
Ballfield Purchase.
*The $1.2 million Diethelm Parkland.
*The $23 million Holy Family Catholic High School.
*Victoria hookup to Shorewood water.
*The half million dollar 500,000 gal.
water tower.
*The $40,000 Acorn House remodel.
*The $70,000 Renovation of City
Hall/City Offices.
*The $6 million Victoria Field House.
*The $1 million Stieger Lake Bridge.
*The $1 million Diethelm Park civil
improvement work.
*Reconstruction of County Road #11.
*Construction of County Road #18.
*Miles of infrastructure/sewer/water.
*Miles of hiking/biking trails.
*Nature’s Bounty Garden/Gift Center.
*Bruce Baker Dental Building.
*Huge HEI addition.
*First Downtown Stoplight.
*Miles of biking/walking trails.
*Stieger Lake/Cabin Fever Stores.
*Victoria State Bank additions.
*Victoria House Remodeling.
*Renovation of Floyd’s.
*Victoria Autohaus.
feature on the various residential neighborhoods that developed under the leadership
and watchful eye of Mayor Mary:
*Swiss Mountain Farm.
*Wintergreen.
*Tristan Heights.
*Garden Path.
*Allegheny Grove.
*Savanna Valley.
*Applewood.
*Deer Run Additions.
*Watermark.
*Kelzer’s Pond.
*Parkview Estates.
At this time the Gazette could do a feature on the downtown properties that were
purchased by the City of Victoria in these
last eight years in preparation for downtown redevelopment:
*Tim Cox/Tuffy’s Tavern.
*Bill Schmieg's Bottle Shop.
*Victoria Auto Body Shop.
*Jerry Noreen’s House.
*Three Homes on Stieger Lake.
*Sidco/Braunworth Building.
feature on the projects expected to soon
land in Victoria because of initiatives taken
during the era of Mayor Mary:
*Hartman Retail Center.
*$5 Million Condo Project on Stieger.
*New downtown streets.
*Underground electrical.
*New downtown parking lots.
Mayor Mary M
Meuwissen
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*More Diethelm Park improvements.
*Annexation of Laketown Township.
*City-wide street reconstruction.
At this time the Gazette could do a feature on bold and brave decisions to order
two lengthy building moratoriums in order
to plan adequate public facilities for this
growing area. Led by Mayor Mary, city fathers also ordered and approved huge studies:
*The East Side Study meant meetings
with several property owners and interested parties including School District #112,
Carver County, and the MN Landscape Arboretum. The Study prepared the way for
Diethelm Park, the Catholic high school, a
site for the new water tower, and several
new neighborhoods.
*The South Side Study will help bring
adequate public facilities to property owners in Laketown Township as they petition
for annexation to the City of Victoria.
*The Downtown Study shows how
new streets and new retail and new parking
can be coordinated for the benefit of existing businesses and the growing residential
population.
At this time the Gazette could do a feature on the storms that Mayor Mary and her
councilmembers and staff worked through
these past eight years such as:
*The tornadic winds, huge destruction,
and subsequent city-wide cleanup from the
Storm of May 15th, 1998.
*The tragic house fire at Deer Run and
horrific wind damage from the Storm of
May 30th, 1998.
*The residential fury due to the lighting of Victoria ballfields.
*The inconvenient water shortage
during the Summer of 1996.
*The heartfelt struggle to make board
members of School District #112 stand up
to their referendum agreement to build the
next public elementary school in Victoria.
*The campaign to introduce Mary Jo
Copeland’s campus home for 200 disenfranchised children to Victoria.
*The battle of trying to appease a vocal minority of downtown homeowners and
yet allow construction of a much needed
[Cenex] car wash in a commercial district.
*The conflict between slalom skiers
and other homeowners on Schutz Lake.
*The fight to replace the dilapidated
and outdated Sport Court with a multi-use
Field House and Ice Arena.
*The contention in approving or denying the conducting of a private preschool in
the city’s Acorn House.
How does one begin to capture hundreds and thousands of hours of special
workshops and meetings and conversations
that try men’s souls, but not Mary’s? They
cannot be adequately captured in this newspaper.
The Gazette chooses at this time to do
its first edition of 2003 on a variety of residents and groups caught on camera with
Mayor Mary Meuwissen over these past
eight years. Although incomplete in almost
every way, the collage does remind us of
moments and miles in an era that has come
and gone so quickly.
Thank you, Mary, for all that you have
done for the people of Victoria, for helping
to build us a beautiful and lasting bridge
-- both literally and figuratively -- into the
new millennium, for caring enough to continually give above and beyond the call of
duty, for using your extensive talents for
the betterment of humankind, and, most especially, for being a seeker of truth. You arrived on the Victoria scene at the right time.
May your future be as good and as bright as
you are. Happy New Year.
um
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
by Barb DeGroot, Communications Director,
MN Landscape Arboretum
THE LIVE POINSETTIA TREE at the MN Landscape Arboretum is an awesome sight. Hundreds of live white and red poinsettias arranged on a tree-shaped
structure soar to the rafters of the Visitor Center, topped by a stunning glass star
created by sculptor Craig Mitchell Smith. It is part of "Making Spirits Bright" this
holiday season 2015-2016. Plus, there are decorated evergreens in the Oswald
Visitor Center.
Shopp the ppopular
p
holiday
y sales for handmade
treasures, holiday wreaths, textile arts, handcrafted
greeting cards, artwork, herbal gifts
'Tis the season for celebrating the serenity of winter's
natural beauty, gifts of family and friends, and childlike
wonder. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum presents
"Making Spirits Bright," a holiday season
brimming with beauty and joy.
Feast your eyes on the Holiday Trees.
Visit Santa Claus and be part
of holiday storytimes.
The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, which is the largest public garden in
the Upper Midwest, is part of the University of Minnesota College of Food,
Agricultural, and Natural Resource Sciences. It is located in Chanhassen and
Victoria. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity employer and
educational facility. The Arboretum is open 363 days a year. Admission is $12,
free for ages 12 and younger, and always free for members.
The Land of Gingerbread returns
to the Arboretum's popular exhibit
of houses made by local bakeries
and Arboretum staff and volunteers.
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Photos by
Jerry Hartman
Hartman Communities
Victoria, MN
The Gazette posed questions to Jerry Hartman, who donated Victoria's Centennial Christmas tree. (See pages 10 and 11 in this issue of the paper.)
1) How do you know the tree was one-foot tall in 2002?
Jerry H: "Back in 2000, I was still the owner of Hartman Tree Farm, and when
I built Whispering Creek Ranch, most of the open farmland was dedicated to a nursery
growing range. That Norway Spruce was planted in the 2002 planting schedule as
what is called a nursery liner, a 1-foot potted plant. At one time, I had over 20,000
trees growing out there."
2) Do you know who planted it?
Jerry H: "It was planted by the nursery staff and groomed for replanting on a
landscape project."
3) How long have you owned the beautiful property of Whispering Creek Ranch?
Jerry H: "I have owned the property since the fall of 1999. It is 75 acres.
Started the growing range in the spring of 2000, along with my wife Anne's horse
facility and pastures. Built a house and homesteaded it in 2001. Ran it as a working
farm until the summer of 2014, at which time Anne and I decided it was time to start
downsizing and developed it into 7 single family homesteads with roughly 50 acres of
permanent conservation open space, trails, wooded rolling bluffs with Beven's Creek
flowing through the south side of the property."
4) It seems from your photos that you had twin Norway Spruce trees growing side
by side. It would have been less expensive to just have one cut down and donated as
a Christmas tree. Why did you go the extra mile?
Blades of the spade cut into the earth
h
around the tree, and then it was
hoisted up unto the truck bed.
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Jerry H: "Randy Miller was looking for a Christmas tree for
downtown Victoria. Because I actually had three of these large Norway Spruce growing so close to one another and wanted to thin them,
so to speak, I offered him one for the Christmas tree. He then asked if
a tree that size could be moved. I replied, 'yes,' that would be a great
idea. It would become a permanent symbol."
5) If the huge transplant is successful, how long should Victoria’s new 22-foot high evergreen tree live? What is the average age
of a Norway Spruce?
Jerry H: "According to Wikipedia, Norway Spruce in Europe,
where they originated, can live hundreds of years, with heights from
115 to 180 feet."
7) What is the largest tree size that can be successfully spaded up
and planted elsewhere?
Jerry H: "Typically, I didn't like to move evergreens over 18
feet tall, as it was so much stress on the tree and it took years to recover. Out of necessity, however, we have successfully moved some
tall as 28 feet. This particular tree, being 22 feet tall, still had a relatively small diameter trunk for its height, which made us feel pretty
comfortable with a successful transplant. The roots that were cut by
the tree spade on this tree appeared to be very small, out on the edge
of the root ball. We used a 90-inch stock tree spade, one of the largest
in the area, with a root ball weight of approximately 10,000 lbs."
HOOK LINE & SINKER
by Sue Orsen
One of the appetizers at our home this
year for Thanksgiving was smoked northern. When Allan comes home from his Canadian fishing trips with packages of frozen walleye and northern filets, I prepare
the walleye in rather short order, but I stash
the northern in back of the freezer until he
feels like firing up the smoker. It's not a
big deal. The fish is placed in the smoker for about 12 hours, which means it's not
something you start up at 3 o'clock in the
afternoon.
Nobody wants to see delicious fish
flesh go to waste, but I've had a fishbone
almost caught in my throat as a youth and
smoking is a better way to get rid of the
northern. Their Y bones, which are easy to
find, don't bother me so much as the broken Y bones, or the unbroken ones I miss.
Pickling or smoking are wonderful ways to
dissolve the bones of northern pike.
The hook I hide in each issue of the
Gazette is a wonderful way to catch some
of you each month who send me a note
telling where you found it. Last month the
fishhook was hiding in the dropped hand
Last
month’s
fishhook▼
of the Halloween witch on page 34. Wow.
You guys are good!
This month I swished my hand into
the minnow bucket and pulled out Helen
Schimmelpfennig of Fish Creek, Wisconsin. The name and the location make me
smile as I put the ten pfennig prize in the
mail to you, Helen. Congratulations.
There's another fishhook hidden in
this Christmas issue of the Gazette. If you
find it and wish to be part of this monthly
drawing, email Sue@VictoriaGazette.com
telling of its location or sinker in the mail
to P.O. Box 387 in Victoria, MN 55386.
Have a meaningful merry one.
Vocabulary in Victoria
The editor’s favorite new words
The word: "umbrageous."
The sentence: "If they could only
have cast heir minds further back, perhaps they might have recalled a lost paradise, green and yellow meadows stirred
by tender winds, umbrageous forests and
emerald groves, glass-blue mountains
peaks melting into azure skies, glittering
bays whose diamond waters break in
jade, and turquoise surges on sands like
powdered alabaster."
When I saw the word, I thought of
umbrage, of course. Umbrage is an offense, an annoyance, a displeasure, like if
we take umbrage at someone's rudeness
or snobbery -- which, in my opinion,
would be rather normal, unless it happens
at every turn. We surely must give other
people the benefit of the doubt, since we
all have bad days and good days and so
we should be careful about taking umbrage.
Well, this new word, umbrageous,
sounds like "um-bray'-just" without the
"t." And, as I suspected, it is indeed
related to "umbrage." When it comes to
the forests and emerald groves, it means
"shady," like an umbrageous tree. It also
means "shaded, shadowed, shadowy,"
and that's how it's related, I believe.
When it comes to people, it refers
to a person who takes offense too easily.
A person who too easily takes offense
would perhaps be standing in the shade
too much and hasn't let the sun shine in
his life as he could or should.
I can tell you one thing, I'd rather
stand among umbrageous forests and
emerald groves than umbrageous people,
who might even have emerald green
eyes.
Individual & Business Tax & Accounting
Robert Castellano, LTD
Certified Public Accountant
952-474-7979
“I could have helped you yesterday.
I certainly can help you today.”
All Year Consulting, Payroll, Tax & Accounting Services.
Over 30 Years Experience.
Appointments: Mon.-Sat. & Eves.
Robert Castellano, CPA
5900 Afton Road * Shorewood, MN 55331
31
Fax: 1-775-415-5739
Email: rmccpa1@mchsi.com
Randy
Maluchnik
Carver County Commissioner
Happy Holidays to the entire community.
Paid by Randy Maluchnik on his own behalf.
God shocked the world
with a babe, not a bomb.
ECLECTIC EMAILS
Received by Sue@VictoriaGazette.com
Subject: It Was So Cold!
It was so cold, we didn't have icicles.
We had stalactites.
It was so cold, the politicians in Washington stopped blowing hot air.
It was so cold, the inhabitants no longer considered global warming a bad thing.
It was so cold, when we put frozen
pizza in the oven for 25 minutes, we got
frozen pizza.
It was so cold, paramedics were checking for people trapped under the weight of
blankets.
It was so cold, if you made an ugly
face it stayed that way. Mom was right all
along.
It was so cold, the most popular fad
On the LIVE WIRE
Especially in Victoria
Christmas in Victoria. Saturday,
December 5th, from 3 to 5 p.m. in downtown Victoria,. Santa arrives in the fire
truck, horse and buggy rides, free cookies
and cider. firepit at the bandstand, live
music by the Chanhassen High School and
Holy Family Voice of Fire choirs.
Lions Christmas Party. Friday,
December 11th. Members and spouses.
diet allowed 24,000 calories a day, since
blubber keeps you warm.
It was so cold, church congregations
were liking some of the things they heard
about hell.
It was so cold, we stopped calling
wooden furniture "furniture." If it would
burn, it was just called "heat."
Christmas is a time when everyone gets Santamental.
Choir Concert. Sunday, December
13th, at St. Victoria. Good will offerings
accepted for the food shelf.
Happy 100th Birthday. Sunday,
December 13th. Father Bernardine Hahn's
100th birthday (3140 Meramec Street,
Saint Louis, Missouri 63118)
Closing the Time Capsule. Monday, December 14th. Whatever will be
placed and sealed in the time capsule vault
for 100 years!
Christmas Day. Friday, December
25th. Celebrating over 2,000 years since
the birth of Christ.
City Council Meeting. Monday, December 14th, probably not December 28th.
Starts at 6:30 p.m.
Gazette Deadline. Monday, December 28th. Sue@VictoriaGazette.com.
New Year's Eve. Thursday, Dec. 31st.
Victoria Bloodmobile. Monday,
January 18th, 1 to 7 p.m., at the Victoria
Recreation Center. Sponsored by American Red Cross and the Victoria Lions.
Sign up for the "Victoria Drive" online at
redcrossblood.org or call Brian Tjenstrom
at 763-354-9310.
Tax Preparation
Storms & Alpaugh, PLLC
Paul Storms. Dave Alpaugh
1750 Tower Boulevard. Victoria, MN 55386
“
Phone: 952-443-2200
Fax: 952-443-2279
“Serving Clients Since 1972.”
‘Tis the Season
So Merry Christmas!
Jerry Chapman 952-943-9000
Cell: 612-747-9910
New and Used Sales and Leasing
*U of MN Alumni
*Member of Westwood
Community Church
Metropolitan Ford
24 Years of Superior Customer Satisfaction
www.metropolitanford.com
Your Very Own VICTORIA MOMENTS
MINNESOTA HALL OF FAMERS. At the 2015 Minnesota Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,
on November 6th, 2015, awards were given to (l-r): Craig Ebel (host of the "It's Polka Time" radio
show, composer and arranger), Sarah Buechmann (on behalf of the Mankato Symphony Orchestra), Lori
Line (classically trained pianist, songwriter, arranger), and John Volinkaty Jr. and Judy Volinkaty
of Victoria (on behalf of the late Jack Volinkaty, musician who gained fame for writing "Satin Sheets").
Awards were also given to The Blenders (an a capella quartet from Fargo) and Mick Sterling (leader of
several nightclub bands). The ceremony was held at Turner Hall in New Ulm.
Judy Volinkaty
Victoria, Minnesota
JOY AND NOEL AND MERRY CHRISTMAS to all in Gazette Land.
Mike Wartman
EDITOR'S NOTE: Thank you, Grandpa Mike. (Grandchild Jaxton
Anschutz is the son of daughter Jesse and her husband Mike. Hello also
to Grandma Jodene. Hugs to Great Grandmother Julianne Wartman.)
LAKE MINNETOKA. I stopped by our boat slip to pick up some electrical cords and things I had left behind as season ended and I took a
picture for you. It's a very different perspective to see it every few days during the summer, with the water lapping at the shores or simply
wallowing in their algae, and now covered in a sheet of ice. Where did the summer go!
Love, Al
Victoria, Minnesota
Your Very Own VICTORIA MOMENTS
HAPPY 50TH, FRAN AND MARY.
Fran and Mary Farrell were married on November 6th, 1965 in Victoria, Minnesota, where
they still reside today. They have three children:
Lynn (Dale) Worm, Paul (Julie) Farrell, and Lori
(Mike) Schmidt. They have also been blessed
with six wonderful grandchildren: Alex, Emily,
Addysen, Jacob, Joseph, and Kaley. They are feeling very grateful to have such a great family and
friends.
OFF TO A GREAT SEASON. The Chanhassen Storm 4A basketball team took 1st place at the Rogers Winter Warmup Tournament the weekend of October 31st and November 1st. And they took 2nd place at the Chaska Classic Tournament the weekend
of November 7th and 8th. The team has played a total of six games to date and their record is 5 wins and 1 loss. Team photo
by Brandi Marske.
Front (l-r): Assistant Coach David Windschitl, Maxwell Woods, Aiden Moroney, Alex Ketchem (Victoria), Tristan
Williams (Victoria), and Assistant Coach Tony Williams (Victoria). Back: Assistant Coach Randy Moroney,
Brayden Windschitl, Adam Rosolanka (Victoria), Eli Pitner (Victoria), Sam Macy, Andrew Marske (Victoria), Daxton Bush, and Head Coach Mike Rosolanka (Victoria).
Tracy Bongard Ketchem
Victoria, Minnesota
IT'S A SMALL WORLD. When we stopped by the Deer Run Club House, on our way home from the train depot in St. Paul on Wednesday, November
25th, the day before Thanksgiving, we discovered once again that it's a small world after all. I took my pictures of Tom Abts, Manager and Deer Run
Golf Prof, for this Christmas issue of the Gazette and then visited for a moment. We learned that Tom was very familiar with Tioga, North Dakota
(where our daughter and her family Jenny, Christopher, Addie and Gunnar live), and many other towns in that neck of the woods. He called on drugstores and gifts shops in that area before finding Victoria, Minnesota. ~Love, Sue, Victoria, Minnesota
The VICTORIA BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Convenient guide to Victoria businesses, services, and websites
Animal Care
VICTORIA VETERINARY CARE.
Full service veterinary hospital offering laser
surgery. At Hwy 5 and DQ intersection.
Dr. Keyes and Dr. Benning. 952-443-3138
Beauty/Hair Care
SALON SPATORIA
Hair, Nails, Massage, Skin Care. Highly experienced. Advanced training. Open 7 days/week.
Clocktower Building. 952-443-1652
Building Centers
ARTISTIC VISIONS CABINETRY
Cabinets and wood. products.
Charlie Leuthner/Tom Sohns
952-657-1600
MATHESON CABINETS, INC.
Quality custom cabinets, countertops,
other woodworking.
Randy Matheson. 952-443-3277
OLSON CABINETS & WOODWORKNG, INC
Custom cabinets and counters for every use.
Custom Millwork. CNC Router for specialty
projects. Since 1970. 952-443-2139.
TIMBERWALL LANDSCAPE AND
MASONRY PRODUCTS Complete line of
landscape products and masonry veneers.
Free how-to seminars. Call 952-443-2808.
Churches
FAITH EV. LUTHERAN (WELS)
Worship at 9:30 a.m. Sunday School at
10:30 a.m. Located on Highway 5.
Pastor William Monday. 952-474-4966
LAKE AUBURN MORAVIAN CHURCH
Worship 10:30 a.m. Sunday School 9:15 a.m.
Adult Study 8:45 a.m. Just north of the D.Q.
Pastor Brian R. Dixon. 952-443-2051
MOUNT OLIVET CHURCH WEST CAMPUS
A new opportunity for believing. Sundays at
9:00 and 10: 00 am. 7150 Rolling Acres Rd.
Pastor Eric Youngdahl. 952-767-1500
ST. VICTORIA CATHOLIC CHURCH
Weekend Masses at 5:00 pm. Saturdays;
8:45 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on. Sundays.
Father Bob White. 952-443-2661
WATERBROOKE FELLOWSHIP
All welcome! Worship Sundays 10:15 am.
8725 Church Lake Road, Victoria.
Pastors Bill & Maureen Bonner. 952-443-0062
WESTVIEW 7TH DAY ADVENTIST
Sabbath School 9:30 a.m.; Worship 11 a.m.
on Saturdays. 4151 Highway 7.
Pastor Adam Breiner. 952-201-2224
Construction
HARTMAN COMMUNITIES
Land Development.
Terry Hartman. 952-368-4545
KERBER FAMILY HOMES, LLC
Custom new homes. Residential.
Pete, Irene, and Brad Kerber. 952-443-2740
MICHEL MASONRY CONSTRUCTION
Block and concrete work. Exposed aggregate.
Matt Kaufhold. 952-361-0560
Entertainment
MILES OF SMILES
Invite Sneaky the Clown to your event.
Comedy, magic, face painting, balloon
sculpting. Monique. 952-443-2840
Financial Services
ACCORD FINANCIAL RESOURCES, LLC
Individual & Small Business Tax Preparation.
Financial Advisory Services.
Wayne Neubarth 952-443-1910
CZUCHRY LAW FIRM, LLC
Wills, Trusts, Health Care, Powers of Attorney.
Investment losses/FINRA Arbitrations.
Mark and Sarah Czuchry. 952-443-4004
EDWARD JONES
Need more income? Dividends can help.
1750 Tower Blvd., Victoria, MN 55386
Jamie Pederson. 952-361-3094
Health Care
DRS. DUNGEY, MENSER & ASSOCIATES
Family dentistry in Victoria and Waconia.
Dr. David Dungey, Dr. Laura Menser,
952-443-2816, 442-2816
KIDTALK Speech-language and
occupational therapy services for children.
Provider for most insurances.
Call KIDTALK. 952-443-9888
MIDWEST DENTAL
Family dentistry with early morning/evening
appointments available.
Dr. Matt Green, DDS. 952-443-2994
POWER OF LIFE ALTERNATIVE & HOLISTIC
HEALTH. Chiropractic, Nutrition, Yoga, Bodywork/Massage, Acupuncture, Essential Oils.
Dr. Kandace Johnson. 952-443-9000
Insurance
ANDREW SCHULTZ & STATE FARM
Auto, Home, Life, & Long Term Care.
GREEN RIVER FUNDING
Your best source for home mortgage financing. Andrew Schultz, Agent. 952-443-4343
Fast, easy, honest service in downtown Victoria.
CORNERSTONE INSURANCE AGENCY
Paul Pulis. 612-388-8794
Representing nine insurance companies.
Car and home insurance. Dave Barsness
KLEINBANK
and Laura O'Neill. 952-448-5028.
For all your banking needs. Member FDIC.
Jim Lahl, Office President.
PAUL M. PULIS INSURANCE AGENCY
Call 952-443-2491
Independent agency in downtown Victoria.
Paul M. Pulis. 952-215-3826
LUNDAHL FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC
Employee benefit plans. Health and Life
VICTORIA AGENCY
Insurance. Retirement/financial planning.
Dan Lundahl CLU, ChFC, MSFS 952-443-4720 Representing 15 companies. 50+ yrs. exper.
All types insurance. Live/office in Victoria.
Steve Dahl 952-443-2007.
STORMS & ALPAUGH, PLLC
Individual and corporate accounting services.
Music and Art
1750 Tower Blvd., Suite #212
KEN OLSON PIANO TUNING
Paul Storms, Dave Alpaugh. 952-443-2200
Tuning, repairing, rebuilding. Registered
member Piano Technicians Guild.
Serving all areas. 952-443-2941
Food & Drink
CROSSROADS LIQUOR
A world of wine, liquor, and beer in downtown
Organizations
Victoria. Low prices. Good selection.
SOUTHWEST METRO CHAMBER
Cindy Poppitz/Paul Schindler 952-443-3078
Advocacy, networking, marketing, and resources for businesses in the SW Metro.
DAIRY QUEEN BRAZIER
Lori Anderson, President 952-448-5000
Gateway to Carver Park. Drive-thru or eat
inside. Your favorite treat is closer than you
VICTORIA BUSINESS OWNERS ASSOCIATION
think. James and Jo Ridl. 952-443-2294
Committed to networking, marketing, economic
development, continued growth of Victoria.
ENKI BREWING
Making the world a friendlier place, two beers at Randy Miller, President. 612-554-7932
a time. Visit our Tap Room in the Old Creamery.
VICTORIA CITY COUNCIL
John Hayes and Dan Norton. 952-300-8408
Meets 2nd and 4th Mondays at 6:30 p.m.
Tom Strigel, Jim Crowley, Lani Basa,
FLOYD'S Open 10 a.m. M-F and 9 a.m. on
Tom Vogt, Mayor Tom O'Connor
Sat/Sun. Breakfast till 2 p.m. Burgers,
sandwiches, soups, salads. Live music.
VICTORIA FIRE DEPARTMENT
Rick and Lois Plocher. 952-443-9944
Firefighters needed to help ensure
public health, safety, and welfare.
SCHOOL OF THE WISE
Chief Andrew Heger 952-443-4210
Restaurant. Coffee House. Craft Beer. Bar.
Happy Hr. daily 3-6 p.m. Clocktower Building.
VICTORIA LIONS CLUB
Come sit by the fire. 952-443-2763
Meets every 2nd & 4th Mondays at 6:30 p.m.
at St. Victoria Church. “We Serve.”
THE SOCIAL ICE CREAM PARLOR.
President Todd Triethart.
New and classic flavors. Malts and Shakes.
Hotdogs and Nachos. Lakeside Building.
Find us on Facebook. 952-443-2763
Outdoors/Nature
VIC'S BAR AND GRILL
Get your kicks at Vic's. Voted best burgers in
the County. Live Music Fridays & Saturdays.
No cover. Paul Carlson. 952-443-2542
CABIN FEVER SPORTING GOODS
Fishing, Archery, Firearms, Live Bait.
We fill propane tanks.
Jeff Byrne. 952-443-2022
RFS QUALITY CUSTOM BUILDERS LLC.
New construction or reconstruct the old.
Light commercial, residential.
Robert F. Schmieg. 952-443-2276
VICTORIA HOUSE
Open Sunday-Thursday 11 am-9 pm
Friday-Saturday 11 am-10 pm
Casual/Fine Dining/Full Bar. 952-443-2858.
DEER RUN GOLF COURSE
18 holes in a magnificent setting. Club
house for meals, snacks, refreshments.
Tee times: 952-443-2351
VOGEL MASONRY
All types of block and concrete work.
Exposed aggregate specialists. Free estimates. Tony Vogel. 952-443-2674
Group Facilities
HARTMAN TREE FARM Residential &
commercial landscape & irrigation contractor.
Retail nursery. 1000’s of premium perennials,
shrubs, evergreens, trees. 952-443-2990
Decorating/Painting
EMERALD CREST ASSISTED LIVING
Specializing in Memory Care
in a small home-like environment.
Call 952-908-2215.
CHESTER MATHWIG & SONS
Painting and wallpapering. No job too big
or small. Call 952-443-2021.
MOUNT OLIVET ROLLING ACRES
Serving developmentally disabled
children and adults. 952-474-5974
KELLY GREEN IRRIGATION
Your local irrigation specialists.
Residential, commercial, install, service.
Duggan Kelly 952-884-1570
TNM PAINTING LLC
Painting, interior/exterior. Refinishing cabinets.
Free estimates. Reasonable and insured.
Tim Varner 952-797-3429
VICTORIA CARE CENTER
Your family’s option to a nursing home.
Located on Stieger Lake Lane.
Call 952-443-2735.
PINE RIDGE LANDSCAPING AND TREE
SERVICES. Snowplowing! Angie' List Super
Service Awards 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.
Jacob Servais, Owner. 612-859-4645
If you want to list your Victoria business, service, or
website on this page, email
Sue@VictoriaGazette.com.
Prints Publishing LLC
SUE’S ALBUM
A symphony of photos and fewer than 1,000
words. Scroll at www.PrintsPublishing.com
Victoria Web Sites
ALPHABET JUNCTION CHILDCARE CENTERS
www.alphabetjunctionchildcare.com
ANDREW SCHULTZ & STATE FARM
SUE’S CUE
What’s new online for the current month?
Cue into www.PrintsPublishing.com.
THE ARCHIVES
Pushing up daisies! Past online issues.
Dig into www.PrintsPublishing.com
THE GRAPEVINE
Easy access to Victoria businesses.
Climb into www.PrintsPublishing.com
THE KEY
Unlock the door to local businesses.
Walk into www.PrintsPublishing.com
THE SKY
Search the sky far and wide and swing upon the
hot shining stars of Victoria websites.
Swing into www.PrintsPublishing.com
VICTORIA GAZETTE
Monthly newspaper since 1979.
Circulation: Over 4,600 homes.
Sue Orsen 952-443-2010
Real Estate
COUNSELOR REALTY INC
Clock Tower office in downtown Victoria.
We know homes! Barb Zadeh and
Mary Meuwissen 952-368-0080
www.andrewschultzagency.com
CITY OF VICTORIA
www.ci.victoria.mn.us
CORNERSTONE INSURANCE
www.cornins.com
COUNSELOR REALTY
www.CounselorRealtyVictoria.com
CUZZY’S VICTORIA HOUSE
www.cuzzys.com
DEER RUN GOLF COURSE
www.deerrungolf.com
DUNGEY, MENSER & ASSOCIATES
www.dmadentistry.com
EMERALD CREST ASSISTED LIVING
www.emeraldcrest.com
HARTMAN TREE FARM
www.hartmancompanies.com
KELLY GREEN IRRIGATION
www.kellygreenirrigation.com
KERBER FAMILY HOMES
www.kerberfamilyhomesllc.com
KLEINBANK
www.kleinbank.com
MIDWEST DENTAL
www.midwest-dental.com/victoria
Repair
VICTORIA AUTO WERKS INC.
Foreign and Domestic Repair
from people who care.
Steve Frankwitz. 952-443-2868
VICTORIA REPAIR & MANUFACTURING
Steel and aluminum mfg. and repair.
Commercial and residential.
John and Tim Storms. 952-443-2365
Schools/Preschools
ALPHABET JUNCTION CHILDCARE CENTERS
Educational, safe, nurturing, clean. Victoria,
Chaska, Waconia. Children 6 wks thru 10 yrs.
For more information call 952-443-3196.
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
8101 Kochia Lane, Victoria, MN 55386
Your community, your family, your school.
952-443-4659
VICTORIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
A dynamic Eastern Carver County School
committed to academic excellence, learner well
being, global & local citizenship. 952-556-3000
MOUNT OLIVET ROLLING ACRES
www.mtolivetrollingacres.org
OLSON CABINETS & WOODWORKING INC.
www.olsoncabinets.com
PINE RIDGE LANDSCAPING/TREE SERVICES
www.pineridgemn.com
POWER OF LIFE CHIROPRACTIC
www.poweroflifehealth.com
PRINTS PUBLISHING
www.PrintsPublishing.com
SALON SPATORIA
www.salonspatoria.com
SCHOOL OF THE WISE
www.sotwvictoria.com
SEPTIC HEATER COMPANY
www.septicheater.com
SIGNATURE ELECTRIC
www.signatureelectric.net
SOUTHWEST METRO CHAMBER
www.swmetrochamber.com
ST. VICTORIA CATHOLIC CHURCH
Utilities
www.stvictoria.net
BRIAN C. KRAUSE ELECTRIC, INC.
Residential, re-model. Lt. commercial.
Licensed, bonded, insured. Victoria 20+ yrs.
Brian Krause. 952-443-2827/612-710-7445
STORMS AND ALPAUGH
LEUTHNER WELL COMPANY
Well abandonment. City water hook-ups.
Pumps and repair.
Maurice & Rick Leuthner. 952-443-2582
TIMBERWALL LANDSCAPE & MASONRY
MINNESOTA VALLEY ELECTRIC
A Touchstone Energy Partner. Call us
and start saving today. 952-492-2313
SEPTIC HEATER COMPANY
A simple solution to prevent costly
and inconvenient freeze-up.
Call 1-888-41-septic.
SIGNATURE ELECTRIC COMPANY
Why pay more? Local and reliable.
Licensed, bonded, insured.
Troy Swigart. 952-443-4434
www.stormsandalpaugh.com
SUE ORSEN
www.timberwall.com
VICTORIA AUTO WERKS
www.victoriaautowerks.com
VICTORIA BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
www.victoriaboa.org
VICTORIA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
ves.district112.org/pages/112VES
VICTORIA GAZETTE
VICTORIA LIONS CLUB
www.victorialionsclub.com
VICTORIA ROSE FLORAL
www.VictoriaRosefloral.com
VICTORIA VETERINARY CARE
www.victoriavet.net
WATERBROOKE FELLOWSHIP
www.wbfellowship.org

Gazette Master-New December8.indd

Transcription

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