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City Administrator Brad Swenson announced during Tuesday's city council meeting that Steve Miller and Mike Brandt, two of the main architects behind the new Wadena-Deer Creek Middle/High School and the planned wellness center, have been laid off by their firm. "What that means is we've just lost the two people who have worked with us for the last two-and-a-half years on the wellness center project and know the most about it," Swenson said.
Last summer's drought made headlines around the state. What people may not realize, however, is that as farms struggle to deal with lack of water, cattle ranches have been drying up right alongside them. Industry insiders say that because the Wadena area has poorer soil compared to other areas, a large portion of Minnesotan cattle ranching takes place in our area. When drought comes, ranchers in places like Verndale, Staples and Bluffton feel it.
After 40 years of working for communities across the state of Minnesota, nearly 21 years of which were spent working for Wadena, Ron Bucholz is finally going to take it easy. At the city council meeting Tuesday, Mayor Wayne Wolden reluctantly accepted Bucholz's letter of retirement. His planned exit date is May 4, which is also his wedding anniversary. Although Bucholz's official title is public works director, he wears a lot of different hats.
Wadena saw more harsh winter weather Sunday, as a prolific storm dropped a one-foot average of snow on the area, said Senior Meteorologist Tom Kines of AccuWeather. Kines also said the storm opened with sleet, but intensified when the precipitation changed over to snow. "When that happened, the storm kind of went bonkers," Kines said. Kines added that the storm was worsened by 15-20 mph winds, reaching its most intense point at around mid-day, easing off during the night. Although the massive blizzard in the northeast part of the U.S.
Mark Hanson's job is to sell the area around Wadena, but he doesn't deal in real estate. Hanson's mission is to keep resident businesses healthy and in the Wadena County area, and to convince outside businesses that our neck of the woods is ideal for helping their business grow. Since July 15, Hanson has been the director of economic development for WCEDA, or the West Central Economic Development Alliance. One of his prime selling points is the lifestyle here. "Wadena County has these wholesome aspects about it that people actually don't realize that they want," Hanson said.
Students shuffled into a Wadena classroom with their textbooks in hand Jan. 31. For a chemistry demonstration, their teacher had placed a lit candle and a melting clump of snow near each seat. One of the students cracked a joke; something about how the candles meant they were in for a romantic evening. All jokes aside, it was no ordinary class, which was held inside the Wadena fire station.
The placement of Christian references on memorial plaques that could be included in a future veteran's memorial was the focus of discussion during a Wadena Park Advisory Board meeting this week. The Veteran's Memorial Committee and Wadena Park Advisory Board members raised differing views regarding the use of specific religious text, such as the word "Jesus," on plaques at the Veteran's Memorial, which is planned to be constructed within Sunnybrook Park. During a planning presentation in Wednesday's park advisory meeting, David Ludovisse, speaking on behalf of the Veteran's Memorial Committe
The name "Project Linus" may evoke images of a certain band of cartoon kids with unusually large heads, but the organization that bears a name from the "Peanuts" comic strip is being used to do real-life good in the Wadena area. Project Linus is a nationwide effort to harness the sewing power of those who enjoy making blankets and quilts. The items are donated to kids who are traumatized or seriously ill, through organizations like schools, hospitals and law enforcement.
After recent shootings sparked national discussions regarding the use of armed officers and weapons training in America's schools, personnel from Wadena-Deer Creek Schools maintain such changes are unnecessary in their local buildings. "The area principals I've been talking to, there's been the discussion of armed security measures and things like that," said WDC Middle/High School Principal Tyler Church. "For the most part, schools are kind of doing what they've done in the past.
This owl was found (apparently stunned) next to a vehicle near Highway 29/Colfax Avenue on Thursday. A Department of Natural Resources official was contacted to take custody of the wayward bird, which flew away before the official could arrive. Photo by Zach Kayser, Pioneer Journal