An honorable nomination

Amanda Press teaches a combined class at RTR Elementary for first and second grade students. This is her second year teaching a combined class and she is working with many of the same students she had last school year.

Robert Wolfington

tributeeditor@gmail.com

RUTHTON — The fourth grade students in Mrs. Teddy Smidt’s class spend at least a few min­utes in the classroom on their feet either playing the role of a number in a mathematics equa­tion or pointing the direction to past and present tense.

Smidt’s classroom is just part of what has set RTR Elementary apart and led to a nomination for a Blue Ribbon School nomi­nation.

RTR Elementary is one of eight schools in the State of Minnesota being recognized with a nomina­tion.

RTR Elementary Principal Amy Christensen said the school is honored to be nominated for the recognition.

“It’s quite an honor,” said Chris­tensen. “I have looked at it as be­ing recognized by Minnesota in general for all the hard work you do every day. Sometimes people don’t always see the ins and outs of what is going on at the school. The dedication, the effort all the time – to have an outside source come in and nominate you is pretty amazing.”

The Department of Education website said the Blue Ribbon School program “recognizes pub­lic and non-public (k-12) schools where students achieve a very high level and/or where the achieve­ment gap is narrowing.”

One of the areas in which Christensen said RTR stands out is a com­bined classroom program that is seeing students starting in kindergarten and first grade working with the same teacher for a few years.

Amanda Press, a teacher of a combined first and second grade class, has been a part of that pro­gram for two years.

She said it is exciting to be part of a district willing to try different things like a combined classroom.

“It’s very positive being at RTR that we are allowed to try different things,” said Press. “I appreciate it very much, I think it’s good to try things and see how they work out. This is definitely something new and it has worked out very well.”

“This year there is an advantage in that I have many of the same students I had last year, so those re­lationships have been built and I know the students and they know me,” said Press. “This year I like the dynamic of the first grade and the second grade to­gether because the curric­ulums are very similar.”

Press credits the stu­dents and the staff for working hard to stand out as a strong school.

“All the teachers here work very hard and, as a school, we are very excited for the nomination,” Press said. “The students are a big part of it because they work hard and they excel.”

Teddy Smidt works with her fourth grade class at RTR Elementary.

In recent years RTR El­ementary has seen a small increase in the number of students enrolling in kin­dergarten and first grade.

Christensen said a big part of that has come from making it known what the school is doing to help kids excel at RTR Elementary.

“People see all the differ­ent opportunities we have for our kids, the unique­ness and how we individu­alize for each kid so we are meeting the needs of all the students. I think that’s a big draw for a lot of peo­ple,” Christensen said.

Press said while they are seeing more students coming in, RTR Elemen­tary has been able to keep the per-class number to a manageable level.

“It makes a huge differ­ence as a teacher, I have 18 students in my class and I think that’s about aver­age for our classrooms here. We have the ability to work with each student and get to know what they need.”

In recent years RTR Ele­mentary has been working on other learning oppor­tunities beyond the tradi­tional classroom.

Christensen said the school is currently work­ing on a school-wide be­havior intervention and support program, encour­aging students to be kind to others and reward them for good behavior.

Each Monday the entire school meets for an assem­bly and students who are doing well are recognized in the Knightly Shields program.

Over the next few months Christensen said she will be working on ap­plications and paper work related to the Blue Ribbon program.

She said the school will likely know in September how the school does in the program.

Tyler Healthcare Center to host chocolate event at Tyler Golf Club

In 1861, an Englishman by the name of Richard Cadbury first packaged chocolates in heart-shaped boxes for Valentine’s Day. It was an inspired idea; after all, chocolate is the single most-craved food, according to food writer Tom Harte in his book, “Stirring Words.”

Are you looking for something different for a Monday night? Why not an evening of choco­late? The Cookin’ at the Club demonstration at the Tyler Golf Club may be just what you need to spark up your life! Bring a friend and learn how to make some great chocolate treats and desserts. In addition to the dem­onstrations and recipes, there are, of course…SAMPLES!

The evening will start with a presentation from Denise Lor­ing, an independent chocolatier with Dove Chocolate Discover­ies. Dove Chocolate Discover­ies (DCD) is the first chocolate tasting party plan in the United States. DCD is a subsidiary of Mars, Inc. and a sister company to the Dove Chocolate that you are familiar with from the stores. Denise will be showing the tem­pering unit and explaining how to temper chocolate and how to make both molded chocolates and handmade truffles.

The featured speaker is Ranee Randall from Chef Dominique’s Catering and Banquet Facility inSioux Falls,S.D.Ranee Randall is a graduate of Mitchell Culi­nary Institute and has 10 years of experience in the food service industry. She has been with Chef Dominique for nine years and assists Chef Dominique on every event.

Ranee will be demonstrat­ing three chocolate treats and desserts—Chocolate Meringue Hearts, Chocolate Pot de Crème and White Chocolate Truffle Cake.

Participants in the evening’s event will have opportunity to taste all products that are fea­tured.

Please bring a friend and en­joy a night of chocolate!

For more information, please contact Tyler Healthcare Cen­ter at 507-247-5521 and please note the ad in the dining and en­tertainment section.

Low snow season helping cities to catch up

The Tyler city crew works on plowing streets in Tyler following one of the few significant snowfalls of the season last month.

By Steven Hurd

Tribute Intern

The first significant snowfall of the year is here. Despite this recent weather, many cities in Lincoln County have started the year under their snow removal budgets due to less snowfall and, consequently, lower snow removal costs than in previous years.

Tyleris no exception to this trend.

This year has started off much different than last year. In 2011, the proposed budget for street cleanup costs was $7,500.

Due to severe weather pat­terns in January through March of last year, the actual amount spent for street cleanup was $9,500.

Taking that amount and figures from previous years into consid­eration, Tyler City Administrator Bruce Williams projected that about $11,400, which is nearly $4,000 more than the proposed budget, would be needed to pro­vide satisfactory street cleanup for 2011.

However, the calm and nearly snow-free November and De­cember provided Tyler with the opportunity to not go further over their snow removal budget.

“If anything, having no snow prior to January helped us cur­tail our over-expenditures in snow removal for 2011,” said ­Williams. “We took such a beat­ing early in the year, all that [mild weather] did was help us out a little bit as far as what we didn’t have to spend in addition over budget.”

Not only did last year’s severe weather cause cities to go over their budgets, but it also had an effect on a county level as well.” “The last winter season, we spent about $100,000 a month just on snow­plowing.”

“That was very signifi­cant,” said Lincoln County Engineer Lee Amundson. “We had a lot of snow to deal with and it involved [working] longer days and weekends in a number of cases, so it was very ex­pensive.”

Amundson said he really appreciates the difference between this year so far and last year at this time. “We’ve saved a consider­able amount of money by not being out there plow­ing,” he said. “We redirect our work toward other ef­forts at this time and that’s really helping us catch up.”

With a proposed streets budget for 2012 at around $7,500 once again, Wil­liams is happy to have started the year with de­cent weather.

“Snow removal is a big part of the streets budget in a town like Tyler, so the less snow we have, the happier I would be on a lot of different levels,” said Williams.

“I would say, thus far, although it’s only two to three weeks into the year, we’re doing better than last year. But you never know.”

The region finally blanketed with snow

The Tyler area was blanketed with snow last week after a mild winter that stretched well into January.

A few inches of snow accumulated on the ground when the snow storm hit mid-week.

Above: Residents brought out their shovels and snow blowers that had been accumulating dust during the winter up until this point.

Right: The snow didn’t stop Paul En­gels of Ivanhoe, who was contracted for some work in Tyler. Even while the snow was falling Engels continued to work on a project he had al­ready started.

Hwy. 68 Corridor Colation requests county reps

By Tammy Mathison

hendrickspioneer@gmail.com

The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners heard reports and updates from county enti­ties at their Jan. 20 meeting.

Lee Amundson included in his report to the commissioners an update on the proposed shop inTyler. The intention is to get a shop put up inTylerfor under $100,000.

Christin Berger provided an update on the DSI Trails Grant. In regard to the Hole-in-the- Mountain Trail, a water/wetland review will be done and, if need­ed, the trail will be rerouted to accommodate the wetland. Con­struction is slated to begin on the Hole-in-the-Mountain trail this year.

Jeanna Sommers spoke to the board regarding the county si­rens grant. Each city has applied for a USDA grant and would get $5,000 toward the sirens. “I would like the siren to go off each night in Ivanhoe at 6 p.m. like it used to,” said Commis­sioner Gillund, who appeared pleased with the favorable news regarding the sirens grant.

Rebecca Day of the Minneota EDA spoke to the commissioners about the Highway 68 Corridor Coalition, presenting a packet of information on Highway 68, of which 3.7 miles run through a portion ofLincolnCounty. The packet contained information on the highway and the need to fix it. Maps were included in the packet, as well as the dimen­sions of the road and shoulders. Safety issues concerning the road were brought up, includ­ing the narrow shoulder widths, steep slope and the fact that it is a heavily travelled road.

The Coalition was at the meet­ing on Jan. 20 to request of the commissioners representation forLincolnCountyso needs and concerns regarding the stretch of Highway 68 inLincolnCoun­tycould be voiced at upcom­ing meetings. Commissioner Blumeyer and possibly the coun­ty engineer will representLin­colnCounty.

RTR One-Act team ready for competition

The cast of “Chipped,” RTR’s 2012 one-act competition play, are pictured in the middle of rehearsal last week.

The RTR One-Act competition play Chipped is set to debut in the first round of competition on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Yellow Medi­cine East High School in Granite Falls.

“Anyone is welcome to attend,” said director Neil Witte. “We may perform as early as 2 p.m., so don’t come at the last second or you might miss it.”

Witte said, “Chipped is a fast-paced comedy about a variety show that performs live over the internet, enlightening its view­ers on the subject of love, rela­tionships and the family unit. The play satirizes the way soci­ety treats computers/technol­ogy and whether we control the computers, or if the computers control us.”

The top two plays from each subsection will be invited to per­form at section finals on Feb. 4 inRedwoodFalls, Witte said.

TACC holds annual meeting

The Tyler Area Community Club held its annual meeting on Monday, Jan. 16 at the Log Cabin meeting room.

Gary Manson, 2011 TACC pres­ident, was voted in for a second term with no candidates nomi­nated for the positions of first or second vice-president.

A number of committee re­ports were given, including the Beautification and Lighting Committee which held a tour of homes during the summer.

Sharon Jacobsen said the tour of homes event was a success for the group and brought in some good fundraising dollars for the organization.

The Lincoln County Tourism Committee showed the new bro­chure forTylerthat is taken to various towns throughout the greater region to encourage peo­ple to visitTyler.

Carl Holmquist said the bro­chure has seen a lot of interest at both shows and the locations it has been left at.

TACC also discussed the water tower design as was requested by the Tyler City Council.

The group decided on aTylerlogo that would include the Dan­ish flag on a silver or grey back­ground color.

The design will be mocked up and presented to the Tyler City Council during its February meeting.

TACC also voted to donate $50 in Tyler Bucks to the THC spon­sored Cookin’ at the Club event in February.

RTR Snow Week King and Queen

Katie Bump, left, and Nathan Condelli are pictured after they were crowned RTR Snow Week Queen and King during the halftime of the girls basketball game Friday, Jan. 13.

There wasn’t a lot of snow on the ground, but that didn’t stopRTRHigh Schoolfrom crowning its Snow Week King and Queen.

Katie Bump was crowned Queen and Nathan Condelli crowned King during the coro­nation that took place during halftime of the Lady Knights bas­ketball game Friday, Jan. 13.

The Queen candidates also in­cluded Wendy Andersen, Larisa Denney, Danica Long, Elizabeth Shelton and Kelsey Stanek. The King candidates also included Spencer Kor, Andrew Miller, Jerad Stanfield, Taylor Thooft and Zach Thooft.

Before the King was announced, the Snow Week King candidates each knelt down like NFL quarterback Tim Tebow during the halftime of the girls basketball game Friday, Jan. 13.

Last year’s King and Queen, Tanner Thomsen and Samantha Schaefer, were on hand to crown the winners.

Recognition for Sunrise Manor – Tyler Healthcare Center

Sunrise Manor was recently recognized for its work. Kayla Knaeble, CNA, left, Laura duCharme, RN, DON; and Bethanni Johnson, CNA pose for a photo with the award.

In their announcement, Amanda Twiss, CEO of my In­nerView-OCS, stated, “Celebrat­ing the fifth year of Excellence in Action awards, it’s important to note that this year’s award recipients were first recognized by their own customers and employees. There is no doubt that these nursing homes un­derstand the value of measuring quality improvement over time, as evidenced not only by their outstanding scores, but the dif­ferences that they are making in the lives of their residents and employees.”

Dale Kruger, THC CEO, states that “TylerHealthcareCenterviews customer satisfaction as a high priority. Our employees take pride in assuring that we are doing the absolute best we can in the services we provide residents and patients.” The facility has received a plaque to recognize this outstanding achievement in quality care.

Tyler City Council hears Schuneman project proposal

Robinson said the Lin­coln County Board also scheduled a hearing for its portion of the tax abate­ment, which will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 7 during its regular meeting.

City Councilman Erick Harper said he was im­pressed with the scope of the project and the eco­nomic impact it will have inTyler.

Mayor Kurt Thomsen said he was happy to see an existing business inTy­lernot only maintaining its current staff, but also looking at expanding.

Robinson said Schu­namen Equipment is also working with the Tyler Regional Economic Devel­opment board on a grant to help cover additional expenses for the project.

The tax abatement would be for a period of 10 years with a net total incentive to the business of $73,210.

The council approved the hiring of anew citypolice officer from the rec­ommendation of the Tyler Fire/Police Committee.

Eric Bloch, formerly of the Balaton Police Depart­ment, was selected for the position.

Harper, a member of the committee, said there were four strong candi­dates for the position and complimented Police Chief John Spindler for finding strong part-time officers to work with the city.