Sports
Leah Alvord leaps across the floor Jan. 7 at Melrose Area High School in Melrose. Alvord competed in every event in the meet.

Exceptional in every event

The Albany Huskies gymnastics team finished first in the eight-team Tumble in the Jungle meet Jan. 11 at Maple Lake High School in Maple Lake. As a team, Albany finished first in the vault, bars …

Rosettes medal at ACGC dance meet

Both the Melrose Area Rosettes jazz and high kick routines placed Jan. 11 at the Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City Invite at ACGC High School in Grove City. The jazz unit returned with first-place …

Huskie girls earn road conference win

The Albany girls basketball team got its third win of the season defeating host Cathedral 61-37 in a Granite Ridge Conference game Jan. 7 at Cathedral High School in St. Cloud. The Huskies took …
Columns

Card game with German roots

Those playing the card game skat, a three-handed, trick-taking game, are playing one of the few card games where the origins are known. It came to this area with German immigrants in the late …

Minnesota mornings

“I open up my sleepy eyes and see the morning just the way that it should be,” sings Jeff Brooks in his song “Minnesota Morning.” The church of the Immaculate Conception …

A New Year’s card

We receive all kinds of Christmas cards each year, and we cherish every one of them — including the ones we were surprised to get. Some contain the Hallmark-type sayings that are simply signed. …

Cold weather wreaks havoc 100 years ago

Improvements in heating, piping and insulation have helped mitigate cold weather effects in the area. Granted, it still gets cold, sometimes dangerously so. A century ago, those …
Obituaries
James “Jim” J. Volkers
uneral services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sauk Rapids for James “Jim” J. Volkers, 83, who passed away Dec. 26, 2024, at his home. The Rev. …
Clarence A. Wenker
Clarence A. Wenker, 96 of Melrose, passed away peacefully Dec. 24, 2024, at Cura of Melrose Care Center of Melrose in Melrose. A Mass of Christian Burial was held Dec. 31, 2024, at St. …
Elizabeth L. Dickinson
Elizabeth “Betty” Dickinson, 88, of Melrose, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, Dec. 22, 2024, at CentraCare Health System in Melrose. A Mass of Christian Burial was …
Rosemary Rolfes
Rosemary “Rosie” Rolfes, 90, of St. Cloud, formerly of Freeport, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, Dec. 21, 2024, at Talamore Senior Living in St. Cloud. A Mass of …
Elaine L. Funk
Elaine L. Funk, 63, of Sauk Centre, passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family, after four years of courageously and privately battling cancer, Dec. 21, 2024, at her home in Sauk Centre. …
Birth Announcements
Wesley Mark Wiechman
Jeron and Kelly Wiechman, of Freeport, are happy to announce the birth of their son, Wesley Mark Wiechman, at 6:26 a.m. Dec. 6, 2024, at CentraCare-Melrose Hospital in Melrose. He weighed 8 …
Ethan Ernest Arnzen
Brandon and Ali Arnzen, of Grey Eagle, are happy to announce the birth of their son, Ethan Ernest Arnzen, at 7:29 a.m. Nov. 15, 2024, at CentraCare-Melrose Hospital in Melrose.   He weighed …