Starbuck teen attains Eagle Scout

May 23, 1963 – An explosion followed a car accident north of Glenwood on Hwy. No. 29. Three people were injured though the Tribune reported that “all miraculously escaped death.”

A record 73 persons voted in the annual Sedan school board elections. Named to the board were Martin Van Der Veen and Kenneth Probst, write-in candidates who defeated “Sticker” candidates were Alvin Huerkamp and Agnes Olson. No one had filed for either of the two-year terms which were open. In the race for the one-year term, “sticker” candidate Mrs. Birger Myrvold defeated write-in Ralph Pingree. 

The bill which included funds to purchase 1,400 acres in Blue Mounds Townships for a new Minnesota State Park was signed into law by Gov. Karl Rolvaag.

May 24, 1973 – Glenn Nelson, department commander for the American Legion and a Wheaton businessman, was to be the main speaker at Memorial Day observances in the Glenwood City Park. The program would follow the annual parade and would feature H.M. Halvorson as emcee and music by the Glenwood High School choir.

Two Villard girls were named co-valedictorians of their class of 1973. They were Susan Smith, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Smith, and Debra Bailey, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Bailey. The seven other honor students were Irene Bryce, Laurie Kalina, Linday Majerus, Jane Reichmann, Lynn Vilina and Maureen Williams.

The Norwegian flag flew next to the American flag at the Glenwood Municipal Building in honor of Syttende Mai on order of Glenwood Mayor Oliver Hoplin, himself of Norwegian ancestry. An unknown person managed to place the blue and yellow Swedish flag over the intersection of Franklin and Minnesota.

May 16, 1983 – Candidates for the annual Pope County dairy princess competition were named. They were Barb Klimek, Val Vold, LuAnn Moe, Miriam Forbord, Pat Engen, Pam Wohlman and Pam Rajdl. Forbord, who was named as the county princess, would participate in Regional Dairy Day and perhaps in competition at the Minnesota State Fair.

The Rev. Leon Slominski, a former pastor at Glenwood’s Church of the Sacred Heart was celebrating the 25th anniversary of his ordination. Slominski had served the Glenwood church from 1971 to 1980.

The annual Heritage Fest at the Terrace Mill featured the Asp family of Moorhead who had sailed their father’s boat, the Hjemkomst, to Norway. Asp died after he completed the ship, but before he had a chance to sail it as he had planned. 

May 24, 1993 – Ninety graduating seniors were to receive their diplomas on Sunday during the second annual commencement exercises held at Minnewaska Area High School. The officers of the class of 1993 were Brian Malyon, president; Amy Schroeder, vice president; Heather Kriese, secretary; and David Ask, treasurer.

Pope County Sheriff Mark Hedner had been instructed by the county board the previous week to readvertise for the third county deputy position, requesting welfare fraud investigation experience. Commissioner Jim Olson had indicated that he felt more police work was needed in Pope County in the area of fraud investigation. He said the county was currently reimbursed by the state for 75 percent of the cost of welfare fraud investigations.

If it hadn’t been for a nine-year-old pitbull named Suitcase, two small Glenwood boys may not have been alive. Pictured in the Tribune was Suitcase with two-year-old Tommy and five-year-old Aaron Collison who were saved from  a fire in their barn which may have been fatal. Their mother, Kelli Collison (also pictured) heard the dog’s frantic bark and rushed out to the barn. Not only did the dog end up saving the boys, but she also saved her eight puppies.

May 26, 2003 – Graduation festivities have been scheduled for Minnewaska Area High School on June 1. There will be 130 students graduating. The program will feature four student speakers. Russ Musselman, class president, will give the welcome. Class vice president John Wigdahl will speak on: “How did we get here?” 

Other student speakers, who were chosen for the honor by their peers included Kari Blair, who will talk about “Reflections,” and Nicole Ficenec, who will give “Closing Thoughts.”

May 20, 2013 – Local letter carriers from the Glenwood Post Office delivered mail as usual on Saturday, May 11; they also picked up special deliveries for the Pope County Hearts and Hands food shelf. 

Minnewaska Area Elementary School kindergarten and first-grade students took full advantage of the bright sunshine and warm temperatures as they headed outside for their Wet & Wild Field Day last Wednesday. Teachers, staff and older students helped run the stations – everything from an inflatable water slide to pedal-powered go-karts, face painting sessions and ice cream treats made for a fun-filled afternoon. Pictured in the Tribune, the school’s hill provided a perfect place for students to test out a colorful and bouncy way to get to the bottom. 

Jacob LaFave, 16, of Starbuck, has earned the highest advancement award the Boy Scouts of America offers to Scouts, the Eagle Scout Award. A member of Northern Lights Council, Troop 423 in Glenwood, Jacob is one of approximately four percent of all Boy Scouts who attain the Eagle rank, according to Scoutmaster Kristi Anderson. Jacob earned this rank on October 28, 2012 during the 100th anniversary of the first-ever Eagle Scout, a young man named Arthur Eldred who earned his Eagle in 1912.