Herald Sauk Centre
Tennis page 10 NUMBER 19 • VOLUME 157
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023
WWW.STAR-PUB.COM
Blue waters, green tech
PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK
Eric Peterson shows off the Taiga Orca Carbon personal watercraft Oct. 2 in the Centre Powersports showroom in Sauk Centre. Centre Powersports is the first dealership in Minnesota to offer the electric personal watercraft.
Centre Powersports first in state to offer electric personal watercraft BY BEN SONNEK | STAFF WRITER
There is a new vehicle in the middle of the snowplows and snowmobiles at Sauk Centre’s Centre Powersports & Marine: an Orca, an all-electric personal watercraft from the Canadian company Taiga. Centre Powersports was selected to be the first Minnesota dealer to stock this machine, and Eric Peterson, owner of Centre Powersports, is excited to be able to offer this swift and nearly silent recreational vehicle to a new range of clientele. “It’s another option for people, no different than cars,” Peterson said. “If they don’t want a gas car, they have the electric option.” In 2019, when Peterson was beginning to buy out Centre Powersports, he was also
contacting Taiga to learn more about their electric personal watercraft. News of the company was beginning to circulate in the industry, and Peterson saw their niche potential. He continued his inquiries through the 2020 slowdown, and around early summer this year, Taiga reached out to Centre Powersports to let them know they were ready to begin exploring central Minnesota dealerships. “They interviewed six or seven dealers in Minnesota, and we were chosen,” Peterson said. “They’ve recently signed another dealership in Minnesota, down toward the cities.”
Centre Powersports page 4
Serving up
sausage
Lifecycle of the
local newspaper
A publication’s journey from production to recycling
PHOTO BY HANS LAMMEMAN
Joe Carlson folds stacks of recently printed newspapers Sept. 22 at Sauk Centre Web Printing in Sauk Centre. Carlson estimated that his facility produces between 30,000 and 100,000 individual copies per week.
BY HANS LAMMEMAN STAFF WRITER
Herald and The Star Post — as well as two regional rural-living newspapers, one multi-county shopper, a five-state newspaper that covers the Though most people simply dairy industry and 58 special sections think of newspapers as their source of information while drinking morn- that are inserted into the pages of its ing coffee or relaxing at home, each publications. Herman Lensing, a full-time copy has a long and arduous journey before arriving on newsstands and in journalist in Stearns County since 1986, said he views his position mailboxes. reporting local news as a recorder of At Star Publications, the newshistory in his community. paper begins with the story. “Our job is a little tricky someOn-scene reporters armed with notepads and cameras gather details times,” Lensing said between typing paragraphs for a sports story. “When and ask questions while deadlines I am reporting, I keep in mind that loom in the back of their heads. what I am writing will be one of the Sauk Centre-based Star Publifirst recorded accounts of an event — cations produces four community newspapers — Benton County News, whether it is something as mundane as a council meeting or as shocking Sauk Centre Herald, Sauk Rapids
as a five-alarm fire.” Lensing is one of about 20 editorial team writers who interview, report and compile stories from the community for the company’s publications. Though the headline is the first set of words most readers see, Lensing said it is almost always among his final touches before turning stories over to production staff.
Newspaper page 3
Elementary school interior nearly finished Schedule underway for second phase of SCPS renovation tee meeting in the school media center. As of the meeting, the elementary school’s interior has been As the end draws closer for completed, with the exception of Sauk Centre Public Schools’ ren- the media center. The final clean ovation of the elementary school, for the media center and special eyes are already on the renovation education area is scheduled for schedule for the middle and high Thursday, Oct. 12. schools. As for the elementary school Tony Heimke, with consulting addition, its precast walls are set firm SitelogIQ, presented a school to arrive Monday, Oct. 9, with the renovation project update during precast roof arriving a week later. the school board’s Oct. 2 commit- The foundations for the addition BY BEN SONNEK STAFF WRITER
have been poured in preparation. Planning is underway for the second phase of the school’s renovation project, focusing on the middle and high school. SitelogIQ plans to have a full schedule for phase two by Monday, Oct. 9. Currently, abatement work for that phase of the project is set to begin Nov. 27, with the renovation of the junior high’s upper level starting Jan. 15.
SCPS page 3
Homecoming royalty crowned
PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK
Sausage Supper page 2
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Angie Marthaler assembles a tray of sausage, potatoes and gravy, sauerkraut, carrots, bread and dessert during the St. Alexius Church Sausage Supper Oct. 1 in West Union. Visitors could dine in or order takeout.
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PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK
Sauk Centre High School’s homecoming court — crown bearers Ayla (front, from left) and Ryker Borgerding, senior Devon Cervantes and junior Ingmar Berghahn; (middle, from left) junior Enara Nelson, seniors Addison Hoffman, Alexis Groetsch, Raya Sebek, homecoming queen Serena Middendorf, homecoming king Andrew Drevlow and seniors Devin Crawford-Klinnert and Christopher Polipnick; and (back, from left) freshman Kahlen Suelflow, sophomore Nya Thieschafer, seniors Stella Schirmers, Ava Friedrichs, Zach Klimek and Matthew Evens, sophomore David Gilmore and freshman Lucas Ahrens — get a little less formal after the coronation ceremony Oct. 2 at SCHS in Sauk Centre. The homecoming parade will be Friday, Oct. 6.
OBITUARIES Bernadette A. Jennissen Mona M. Kohorst Joan A. Kortan Marian T. Pappenfus Mary Ann Polipnick Beverly Sharp (Pederson) Albert Francis Owen Smith Dwayne W. Weiner
PUBLIC NOTICES • Mortgage Foreclosures (2) - pg. 7 • Public Notice of Abandoned Vehicle - pg. 7 • Star Publications Statement of Circulation - pg. 8 • Sauk Centre Public Utilities Advertisement for Bid - pg. 9 $
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