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Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Number 30 • Volume 134
People North Park vision persons becomes a reality ATKINSON TO TALK ABOUT SPACE MISSIONS BOOK AT MELROSE LIBRARY
Melrose researching policing options ... pg. 3 Hiltner happy to carry on legacy ... pg. 7 ‘A Team’ has first baby boy in 2017 ... pg. 16 Gymnasts scoring with the best ... pg. 10
pg. 6
PHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN
Lucy and Al Wessel display their favorite pastimes, putting puzzles together and coaching Legion baseball, July 14 in their Greenwald home. They are grand marshals for the Aug. 6 Barley Days Parade in Greenwald.
Wessels are Barley Days 400 Block update grand marshals
COMMUNITY COVERAGE 127 YEARS PHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN
BY CAROL MOORMAN | STAFF WRITER
“The people,” was Al Wessel’s answer when asked what he liked about owning Big Al’s Corral in Greenwald from 1981 to 1994. Wife Lucy agrees. “Some weekends the bar was packed, like when the Buck Band – Pat Sieben, Terry Haider, Mark Schwieters and Scott Spanier – played. They had a lot of followers,” Al said July 14 sitting around the living room table with Lucy. “In later years, Eb Fuchs joined Mark and Terry and Pat, and now Mark and Eb are still going as the Buck Band.” Lucy said Sunday morning was bar cleaning time – As sun was to rise Commercial andthe a family affairstarting – in a town sheMonday, knew well. Contractors Company workers from Melrose were “All my life,” she said when asked how long sheinside the Lisa’s On Main building working on securing has lived in Greenwald. She remembers when there the wall. store, hardware PHOTOstore, BY CAROL MOORMAN waswest a grocery implement shop, multiple blacksmith shops, bank, church and a creamery in town. Al was raised on a farm in rural Sauk Centre, one of Cyril and Regina Wessels’ eight children. Since 1983, Al and Lucy have lived in the Greenwald house where Lucy was raised with her 13 siblings; the children of Jack and Mabel Kraemer. It is where Al and Lucy raised their four children, Dustin, Becky Hoffman, Amber Fleischhacker and Eddie. Their four grandchildren are frequent visitors.
Wessels page 3
Frank Haynes (left) and Dalton Herzog sit on rocks near a new walking path at North Park in Albany, overlooking a reflection pond and green space with new tennis and pickleball courts in the background. Park improvements will be showcased during the Aug. 1 National Night Out.
Albany National Night Out to showcase park improvements BY CAROL MOORMAN STAFF WRITER
P
eople attending the Tuesday, Aug. 1, National Night Out at North Park in Albany will be able to walk along a nature trail, which includes a floating walking path; view the lake from an observation pier; play or watch pickleball or tennis and utilize a dog park. They are among the new ameni-
ties at the 50-acre city-owned park on the north side of town. The Albany Jaycees and Friends of North Park worked with the Albany Park Board and city council to develop phase one park improvements. Most of the improvements, including materials and labor, were funded by private donations, including future maintenance. Part of the new pickleball courts received city funding, already reserved for pickleball courts.
“It adds to the journey of being community members when this is all done, and what we achieved and accomplished because of what we did together,” said Dalton Herzog, Jaycee member and project volunteer. There is potential for this muchused city owned park, said Frank Haynes, Friends of North Park member.
Focused autocross girl
North Park page 3
Avon fire hall expansion moves through design phase City leaders review schematics, learn about soil correction
Lieser excited to race at Stearns County Fair first time event
BY TIM HENNAGIR STAFF WRITER
where the vehicle was modified for racing. When competing, she wears protective gear, like a helmet and safety glasses.
Fire hall page 2
Avon’s fire hall expansion will require additional money for soil a few years ago when her stepfather, CoBY CAROL MOORMAN correction work. STAFF WRITER rey Bueckers, raced. She watched him W. Gohman Construction Co. participate in demolition derbies for is overseeing management for the Jillian Lieser’s maroon 1993 Dodge years. new fi re facility. St. Cloud-based Spirit is ready to roll. And so is Lieser. “I always knew I wanted to do derGLTArchitects is working with St. This 18-year-old Melrose woman bying, and autocross is getting me startJoseph-based W. Gohman on the will be competing in the first ever au- ed. Last year I rode with Corey, because project’s design. tocross race at the Stearns County Fair- you can have passengers when autocross Assistant fire chief Chuck Swgrounds in Sauk Centre starting at 1 racing, and I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, I enson and senior project manager p.m. Sunday, July 30. want to do this,’” said Lieser, daughter Bill Trout presented preliminary “It’s a lot of adrenaline because of Cheryl Bueckers, and a 2023 Sauk plans and a $1.9 million prelimieverything comes really fast,” she said Centre High School graduate, who nary core project schematic budget July 18, recalling her first time racing works at Felling Trailers in Sauk Centre. during the Avon council’s July 10 earlier this year. meeting. Autocross racing piqued her interest Lieser page 3 Recently discovered poor soil conditions at 140 Stratford St. E. will add $75,000 to $100,000 to the estimated project cost. ConPHOTO BY CAROL MOORMAN struction is slated to begin July Jillian Lieser sits on her 1993 Dodge Spirit autocross car July 19 in rural Melrose, 2024.
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PUBLIC NOTICES Albany Area Schools Agenda ................................................. pg. 7 City of Albany Interim Ord. No. 2023-01 ................................. pg. 7 City of Avon Public Hearing .................................................... pg. 7 City of Melrose Ord. No. 07-20-2023-3 ................................... pg. 7 City of Melrose Ord. No. 07/20/2023-1 ................................... pg. 7 City of Melrose Board Vacancy Notice ..................................... pg. 7 City of Holdingford Annual Disclosure .................................... pg. 7 Holdingford School Board Briefs............................................. pg. 7 Assumed Name - Pupusa St.................................................... pg. 7 Notice of Application of Livestock Feedlot Permit................... pg. 7
BIRTHS page 3 Mason Robert Frieler Ryan Thomas Gill, Jr.
OBITUARIES page 4 Gerald “Jerry”/”Fred” J. Friedrichs Ethan J. Gerads John S. Rose Lori K. Thomas Leander J. “Dick” Hollenkamp Mary Lou (Louise) Brinkman
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