School lunch changes are hard to miss

Jan. 10, 1963 – Sara Jean Peterson was the first baby of the year to arrive at the Glenwood Community Hospital. She was the daughter of DeWayne and Carol Peterson and the fourth child in the family. Her father had just been elected president of the Glenwood Chamber of Commerce as well. 

The Glenwood City Commission had made its appointment to boards and committees for the year. Newly chosen to serve in various capacities were John Shae, James Holtberg, Wendell Chaub, Harold Brundin, Fred Lilienthal, Mrs. E. A. Eberlin, Gladys Thieke, Mrs. Frank Zima and Donald Ostrander. 

County wide Sabin polio vaccine clinics were set to begin throughout the county with the goal of immunizing everyone the age of six weeks. Suggested donations for the vaccine was 25 cents though no one would be turned away because of an inability to pay. 

The Glenwood boys’ basketball team had defeated the Alexandria Cardinals 57-54 for their fourth straight win of the season. Those on the scoreboard for the Lakers included Tony Anton, Bill Gilman, Phil MacIver, Doug MacIver, Bill Malyon and Butch Hansen. The Lakers were coached by Dave Hegna. 

Jan. 11, 1973 – If there were to be a fuel shortage in Pope County it wasn’t obvious yet with fuel oil dealers reporting that they were not too worried about being able to supply the needs of their customers. Shortages were, however, reported in other areas of the country. 

Jack DeMorett was named new chief of the county’s family service department. He had been serving as acting head since the departure of Robert Brandel in October 1972. DeMorrett had been a social worker in the county since 1967. Flames destroyed a barn on the Andy Braze farm in Grove Lake. Sixteen cows, other heifers and calves, hay and equipment were destroyed in the fire. The cause of the blaze was undetermined. 

The newly formed Minnewaska Hockey Association was proving to be popular with the young men of the community since its inception early in the winter. 

Jan. 13, 1983 – The fish house count on Lake Minnewaska was at 869, according to Department of Natural Resources figures. This was the second of the lowest number of houses on the lake in seven years, perhaps testimony to the fact that houses had to be pulled off the lake due to ice conditions early in the winter. 

Pope County was judged to be “under served” from a medical standpoint by the Minnesota Statewide Health Coordinating Council. The county had five doctors for its population of over 11,500 people, one factor used to determine the county’s status. Other factor used to determine the county’s status. Other factors included infant mortality rates, the proportion of those over the age of 65 and the proportion of families below the poverty level. 

Flu had attacked the area’s schools with one day’s total of 150 absences at Central and Nordgaard schools in Glenwood. High temperatures were among the symptoms of the illness which appeared to hit suddenly. 

Jan. 11, 1993 – 1993 started out on a sad note for the Mike and Vicki Gorackowski family when they lost their home in a fire at 3:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day. Fortunately the family escaped without injuries, and the  response for clothing and household goods from the community had been overwhelming. 

The state had denied the city of Glenwood’s request to exchange park land with the Glenwood Retirement Home to build a 30-unit assisted living development for the elderly. The Glenwood City Commission had reviewed the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development’s letter of denial at its Jan. 5 meeting and had heard another plan which GRH was pursuing  for the $2.5 million project. 

The Glenwood Chamber of Commerce was seeking nominations to recognize special people in the community. Four people would receive awards for senior citizen of the year. The awards were to be presented during the chamber’s annual meeting on Monday, Jan. 25, at the Minnewaska House.

Jan. 13, 2003 – Minnewaska Area School faced budget cuts of $1.37 million. “It’s going to be a tough time, I don’t know what else to tell you,” Superintendent Bob Vaadeland had to say after an hour and a half of going over possible budget cuts for the coming school year, which began July 1.

The district could save $1,137,854 if it made $909,000 in cuts in salary costs and another $200,000 in other expenses. That translated in to 1.33 fewer administrative positions, 18.5 fewer certified positions and three fewer non certified staff positions. 

Jan. 14, 2013 – Newly elected Glenwood City Commissioners Todd Gylsen and Jack Christman took the oath of office by City Attorney Bruce Obenland at the start of Jan. 7 city commissioners’ meeting at city hall. Gylsen and Christman were elected after a very close three-way race for the two city seats. Gylsen was top vote getter, but just three votes separated incumbent Christman from challenger Shannon Bodeker. Both Gylsen and Christman begin a three-year term on the city commission.

Glenwood city commissioners last Tuesday raised the seasonal RV campsite rate at Barsness Park by $300, based on recommendations from members of the Glenwood Parks Board. The motion passed unanimously, with Commissioner Kyle Thompson absent. 

That the implementation of a new, federally-mandated lunch standard at area schools would be accepted with open arms may have been a high expectation. The Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which launched new federal school lunch criteria, has some barking at the new menu offerings. The school lunch standards have been implemented in stages since 2010, and up to this year, haven’t been too noticeable at the plate level at Minnewaska Area Schools. At the start of the 2012-13 school year, however, the changes were hard to miss.