January • “Monster” Mike Schultz, pro sno-cross racer racing for Avalanche Racing Team out of Shakopee, qualified his #5 Polaris sled for the Winter X-Games to be held in Aspen, Colo., Jan. 28-Feb. 1. • First class postage rose to 39 cents Jan. 8. • Mandy Bradley won top honors at the Geography Bee held Jan. 6 at Kimball Area High School. • The Kimball Area Fire and Rescue Department announced that their campaign for a new equipment vehicle, titled When Seconds Count, surpassed its minimum goal of $135,000. • Just hours before the deadline, Kimball teachers and the school district reached an agreement on their 2005-07 contract. Kimball teachers received a 1-percent salary increase for 2005-06, and 2.25 percent for 2006-07. • Motivational speaker David Parnell spoke about the dangers of methamphetamine Jan. 25 at the Kimball Area High School cafetorium. His program, entitled “Facing the Dragon: One man’s battle against methamphetamine” was sponsored by Kimball Area Public Schools, Hendricks Bus Co., and Kimball Railcar Facility/RM Johnson Co. • Carlyle Knaus, 88, died Jan. 28. In 1946, Carlyle purchased Knaus Sausage House, which was founded in 1912 by his father. He owned and operated the business for 45 years; the business is now owned by his children. • Sno Daze was celebrated at Kimball Area High School with John Hanley and Whitney Gettler crowned king and queen. February • Kelsey Theisen, daughter of Craig Theisen and Amy Kuechle, was named to represent Holy Cross School in Spelling Bee competition Feb. 13 at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic School. • Erin Gilpatrick won the 2006 District Spelling Bee held at KAHS. She advanced to the regional competition Feb. 28 on the campus of St. John’s University, Collegeville. • Team 2000 emerged again as alumni champions in the annual alumni basketball classic at Kimball Area High School. The day-long tournament brought out basketball alumni from four decades. • Chuck and Vicki Stenson were featured in an article about them adopting seven children (two groups of siblings) after 35 years of marriage and raising three birth children of their own. • Kimball high school speech team held its second annual “Sweetheart” breakfast fundraising event Feb. 12 at the KAHS cafetorium. • Stickney Hill Dairy was awarded a $150,000 USDA Rural Development Grant, which the company plans to use to expand its market beyond the Midwest region. • Former South Haven Postmaster Olive Davis, 98, died Feb. 10. Olive worked in the South Haven Post Office for 18 years, the last seven years as postmaster. She also served as clerk of the South Haven School Board for 14 years. • The Albany school district offered the job of school superintendent to Kimball’s superintendent Dr. Scott Thielman beginning with the 2006-07 school year. In an ironic twist, Albany’s retiring superintendent was hired by Kimball to serve as its interim, part-time superintendent for 2006-07. • Feb. 6 Kimball police officers (chief) Todd Rohloff, Tom Decker and Jim Frilstad were presented achievement awards through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety. The Kimball Police Department was the only police agency in the northern Minnesota region in which the entire department was honored. • diversiCOM (Melrose Telephone Co.) announced plans to expand its cable television operations and to add Kimball (as well as Watkins and Eden Valley) to its service area. • John Hanley wrestled to a state tournament berth in the 160-pound class when Kimball hosted the Individual Section 5A Tournament on Feb.24 and 25. • Thirteen speech team members came home with second place team honors Feb. 25 at the Maple Lake Small Program Tournament. • Twelve Kimball Elementary School students won ribbons and medals at the 56th annual Central Minnesota Regional Science Fair and Research Paper Program Feb. 25 at St. Cloud State University. They were Dominic Albers, Rachel Arnold, Erin Dingmann, Amanda Gageby, Kayla Overland, Matt Pope, Alex Thurber, Brooke Merten, Claire Arnold, Mitch Hurrle, Olivia Fischer and Luke Serbus. • On Monday, Feb. 28, long-time Kimball math teacher Howard Bahn was selected as diversi- COM’s Teacher of the Year for 2006. diversiCOM presented Bahn with a $2,000 check and an engraved stone obelisk at a pep fest at Kimball Area High School. • Eden Valley was awarded a $450,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture low-interst loan to build a new fire hall. The city will contribute about $90,000 toward the fire hall, which will be built in the city’s industrial park near the water treatment plant. March • Kimball junior John Hanley competed, but did not place, at the State Wrestling Tournament at Xcel Energy Center the weekend of March 4-5. • Lucas Haag, Jerrod Nohner and Lucas Theis of Eden Valley were recognized as KDUZ/KARP Radio’s “Hometown Heroes” for March. The three teens were instrumental in saving their friend Nick Topp’s life after he fell into a bonfire in 2004. • Thanks to the Kimball Area Friends of the Library and donations of time, labor and materials from area individuals and businesses, the Kimball Library got a makeover. The library sports new murals, carpeting, tables and chairs, extra cupboards, additional desks and counter space (topped by granite that was donated by Ron and Kate Dietman & Sons of AHE Granite Inc. of Kimball.) • Leigh Lenzmeier was among 31 participants from the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership (MARL) Program that completed a two-week international study tour to China. They traveled across the most populated areas of China. • Mrs. Palm’s third-grade class at Kimball Elementary School presented two blankets to the Kimball Fire & Rescue Department on Friday, March 17. It took them two months to raise the $29 needed for materials; they raised it mostly from collecting spare change at home. • Former Kimball resident Ron Greely was honored on March 18 at a dedication and ribbing cutting ceremony to name a new beginner’s area called “Greely’s Way” at Giants Ridge in Biwabik. Greely was honored because of his support in the Minnesota ski industry through his work at Powder Ridge, Buck Hill and Giants Ridge. • It took only two and a half days for Kimball fourth-graders to sell more than 1,000 daffodils and raise $500 for the American Cancer Society. With direction their teachers Mrs. Schmidt and Mrs. Niemi, both fourth-grade classes raised money to fight cancer as their community service project in March. APRIL • KAHS artists won awards at KAHS Department of Fine Arts annual winter band concert and art show, and will advance to the Minnesota State High School League Visual Arts Festival on April 5. Artists who were honored included: Vanessa Gillman, Alec Gerber, Jordan Edwards, Joe Maurer, Morgan McKee, Seth Lovitz and Steve Golla. • Author Rick Chrustowski spoke at two assemblies in Kimball Elementary School, sharing with KES students his four books – and his passion for art and nature. Kimball was one of several stops on a three-day tour of schools sponsored by the Central Minnesota Reading Council. • Kimball begins eminent domain process: The Kimball City Council voted unanimously April 3 to begin eminent domain process on a 40-acre parcel of land owned by Jereome and LaVerne Scheeler. The land has been leased by the city for wastewater irrigration for many years, but the city is now beginning the process to acquire the land by eminent domain because the attorneys for the Scheelers and the city could not negotiate a lease agreement for the coming year. • Kimball Legion Auxiliary Unit #261 selected Kimball Area High School junior Joelle Wysoski, daughter of David and Diane Wysoski of Kimball, to attend the 2006 session of Minnesota Girls’ State. • The Kimball Fire & Rescue department held its 29th annual Firemen’s pancake and sausage breakfast on Palm Sunday, April 9. A whopping 9
93 individuals enjoyed breakfast, while helping to equip the all-volunteer department. • Railroad crews worked to replace ties near the Old St. Anne’s Pass (between Kimball and Watkins). Last summer several lines of track were replaced, and this spring specialized rail equipment crawled along picking it up. • Kimball senior Devin Rosenow was named MVP of the Central Minnesota Conference All-Star game April 1 in Pierz. Rosenow scored 15 points and had seven rebounds to lead the winning team. • The Watkins Clinic, part of the Paynesville Area Health Care System, underwent a significant remodeling. The front area now features a large picture window, and a bright and open design. • Scott Caird, son of Kevin and Linda Caird of St. Augusta, received the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank of Eagle Scout April 1. • The Kimball Express baseball team started their season by winning their home opener, beating the Litchfield Blues 11-10 at Veterans’ Memorial Field in Kimball. • 19-year-old Brian Michael Kunkel of Pearl Lake died in an accident involving two mini-motorcycles (pocket rockets) in Fairhaven Township. Eighteen-year-old Trevor John Dietman, also of Pearl Lake, was injured in the collision. • Local historian Duane Stanley and others from the Kimball Area Historical Society visited students at Kimball elementary and high schools, explaining how settlers discovered a 5-mile open prairie amid the Big Woods – Maine Prairie. This was part of the sesquicentennial celebration of Maine Prairie Township this year. • Lightning struck a tree April 18, setting off a grass fire in a swamp that burned CPR (Conservation Reserve Program) acreage on the Sandlund farm, 1 1/2 miles north of Kingston on the west side of Highway 15. • The Kimball Rocket Club qualified for national competition. Brandon Stein, Anthony Laabs and Dan Stein make up the Rocket Club at Kimball Area High School. Their best score earned them a national ranking among the top 100 teams in the nation, and an invitation to national competition in Virginia in May. • Vanessa Gillman, daughter of Jerry and Deb Gillman, participated in the Minnesota State High School League Class A Speech Tournament, securing a fifth-place medal in creative expression for her speech “Live from Studio 36D.” • Micah Scholar from The Raptor Center came to Kimball Elementary School April 21, bringing with him four birds of prey to share with the students – a red-tailed hawk, peregrine falcon, great-horned owl, and bald eagle. • Prairie Fire, a children’s theater company, helped Kimball area youth present the “Wizard of Oz” in a public performance. • Lake Union Covenant Church in rural South Haven held a benefit auction April 29, a particularly cold and rainy day. Hundreds of items were donated to raise money for their 100th anniversary community dinner later that summer. About 100 people helped raised more than $5,000 for the church. • Kimball senior Harrison Hancock received a $2,500 National Merit scholarship, one of 2,500 nationally. • The Kimball Town Boys’ Basketball Team brought home third-place medals, playing against nine Division 1 teams April 8 and 9 in Champlin Park. • Gov. Tim Pawlenty and James Andrew came out to Litchfield to help dedicate the new Meeker Cooperative building April 17. MAY • Former Minnesota Viking Keith Nord was the guest speaker at the 2006 KAHS Activities Banquet, May 5. • Eighth Judicial District judge Michael Thompson in Litchfield ordered Garden of Eden Gentlemen’s Club operator David Redburn to follow rules that the city of Eden Valley has passed government adult businesses. Redburn had 60 days to appeal the order. The club closed June 17, re-opened under new management and then finally closed for good. • Kimball Area Dollars For Scholars awarded the 2006 scholarships at its annual gala Saturday evening, May 13. Recipients were Kristi Markgraf, Beth Kampa, Nicole Konz, Suzannah Bonham, Devin Rosenow, Harrison Hancock, Matt Mayala, Daniel Beck, Daniel Stein, Amanda Schiefelbein, Amie Hedlund, Kevin Sommers, Jesse Fischer, Whitney Thielman, Cassie Nelson, Vanessa Gilman, Nathan Ringham, Travis Petty, Robert Massmann, Whitney Gettler, Kari Mackereth, Mandy Libbesmeier, Alison Rosha, Kayla Hinkemeyer, Lisa Stein, Jennifer Oster, Melanie Massmann, Emily Linn, Steven Epple, Kim Capes, Shawn May, Chelsey Wipper and Casey Spaeth. • Antoinette “Toni” Sousa presented this year’s John Philip Sousa Award at Kimball Area High School to Whitney Gettler. Toni is the great-granddaughter of composer and “march king” John Philip Sousa, and flew out from Carmel, Calif., to make the award at the KAHS band’s spring concert. Whitney Gettler was this year’s recipient. • More than 200 people attended the Highway 15 Coalition meeting Thursday, May 11, at the Kimball Area High school. four speakers were invited to present at the meeting, giving information on short- and long-term constructions projects for the highway. • Johnson Kelly American Legion and Auxiliary of Kingston announced their picks for 2006 Boys’ and Girls’ State. Erik Aho, son of Dan and Sarah Aho of Dassel, will attend Minnesota Boys’ State. Rachel Keranen, daughter of Paul and Virginia Kernanen of Dassel, will attend Minnesota Girls’ State. • Memorial Day weekend salute to veterans, with a profile of three local veterans – Clayton Linn, Dean Mackerth and Carlyle Knaus. • KAHS seniors Daniel Stein, Mandy Libbesmeier, Vanessa Gillman and Harrison Hancock were among students honored at the 19th annual Students of Excellence Banquet and Recognition Ceremony, sponsored by Resource Training & Solutions. • R.M. Johnson Co. Inc. of Annandale, which has nearly three decades of experience in the design and manufacture of salvage handling equipment, has reached a major milestone – design and manfucture of its 1,000th crusher, which will be going to Mankato. • KAHS prom was an elegant affair this year, held in a large tent on the football field on Saturday, May 20. The theme was “Fire and Ice,” and the weather thankfully provided neither. • The Kimball Rocket Club ranked 23rd at the national rocket competition. Competing for KAHS were Dan Stein, Anthony Laabs and Brandon Stein. • Three years of planning and fund-raising became reality Saturday, May 20, as a crew of 17 volunteers came to Kingston early that morning to install a new playground. Locasted near the Kingston Community Center, labor and concrete were donated and the $28,000 was raised by local residents. • An historic Memorial Day weekend service was held at Maine Prairie Cemetery north of Kimball of Saturd
