Sports
The Melrose American Legion fastpitch softball team consists of Kaitlyn Klasen (front, from left), Celia Schoenberg, Gabby Schoenberg, Allie Hoppe and Ellie Grieve; (back row, from left) coach Grant Schoenberg, Madison Duevel, Raelyn Frieler, Naomi Wiechman, Bella Kuechle, Nadia Berscheit, Shantel Gruber, Jaelyn Mayers and coach Kristie Ekstrom. Melrose will participate in the Minnesota American Legion Girls Fastpitch Softball Tournament July 27-28 in Bemidji. Not pictured were Gretta Hellermann, Bailey Wiechmann, Aubrey Funk, Brooke Welle, Hailey Klaphake and Brooke Klaphake.

Earning fastpitch fame

The Melrose American Legion fastpitch softball team has reached the final weekend of the season. For the first time ever, they will be competing in the Minnesota American Legion Girls Fastpitch …
Local umpire Tim Pratt worked his 4,400th career game July 10 in an amateur contest between the Sartell Muskies and Clear Lake Lakers at St. Cloud Orthopedic Field in Sartell. Pratt has been a fixture behind the plate of amateur, American Legion and VFW games, including about 150 games in Avon and Melrose ballparks.

Baseball’s loneliest position

Tim Pratt jokes his hearing impairment can be a good thing in his profession.   In his fourth decade as a baseball umpire, he has endured his share of verbal jabs from ornery players, …
Holdingford shortstop Luke Bieniek throws to first to retire the first Paynesville batter July 18 in Paynesville. Bieniek assisted on the final out of the game, preserving a Holdingford win.

Holdingford tops Paynesville Legion playoffs

The Holdingford American Legion baseball team broke a hitless, scoreless game with fourth-inning doubles by Luke Bieniek and Chase Lyon. That was enough to score two runs in a 3-1 playoff win …
Columns

Looking for a good farm worker?

Farm wages, the value of a farm worker and the compensation rate have been subjects of debates ever since Jacob negotiated his working for seven years to marry Rachel in the Bible.   …

A pie-making deed done

My home was filled with a sweet smell early Thursday morning. It was the same smell I would be treated to when Mom made rhubarb custard pies. Of course, back then, it was followed by eating a piece …

Swimmer’s itch

Now that the summer’s heat has finally arrived, I find myself wishing for the days of old when we would swim in any water, just so it was wet. Call it an itch to swim. It didn’t matter if …

Celebrating newly paved Melrose streets

There were many things going on in the area 100 years ago. A Melrose Beacon front page included articles about stills being seized in moonshine raids. One of the stills seized was valued at …
Obituaries
LeRoy L. Wolbeck
LeRoy L. “Lee” Wolbeck, 76, of Albany, passed away unexpectedly from natural causes July 19, 2024, at his home in Albany. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, …
Howard Birr
The Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of Howard “Howie” Birr, 85, of Albany, will be at 11 a.m. Friday, July 26, 2024, at Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Albany. Burial will …
Robert A. Morris
Robert “Bob” Allan Morris, 74, of Avon, passed away July 10, 2024, after a long battle with cancer. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 19, at Williams Dingmann …
Lois R. “Giggles” Rieland
Lois R. “Giggles” Rieland, 81, of New Munich, died peacefully, surrounded by her family, July 7, 2024, at CentraCare-Melrose Hospital in Melrose. A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial …
Willard Sabrowsky
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 17, 2024, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Farming Township for Willard Sabrowsky, 75, of rural Albany, who died suddenly Friday, July 12, at his …
Birth Announcements
Vayda Lynn Frieler
Chris and Brittany Frieler, of Melrose, are happy to announce the birth of their daughter, Vayda Lynn Frieler, at 6:35 a.m. June 9, 2024, at CentraCare-Hospital in St. Cloud.   She weighed …
Jax David Gerads
Jax David Gerads
Adam and Amanda Gerads, of Melrose, are happy to announce the birth of their son, Jax David Gerads, at 9:35 a.m. June 2, 2024, at CentraCare-Melrose Hospital in Melrose. He weighed 8 pounds, 15 …