Good enough food for the price?

How well does the average Morris resident eat? I'm not just asking "how much," I'm asking how well. Our lifestyle can change a lot over time in ways we might hot appreciate or notice much. 

I remember when the Morris main street had a nice standard diner that was known as Ardelle's in its last iteration. It was "Kelly's" before that. And before that, "Del Monico." Going back even further, "Del Monico" was across the street in the space that was taken over by Carl Benson's drugstore. You might think of it as the Rentz building now. Many of us will attach the name "Thrifty White." Remember Marty Ohren? 

We went to Thrifty White to get a lot more than prescriptions. Thrifty White greatly modified its service after abandoning that place. It set up shop on the outskirts. Can't go there to get a spiral notebook any more. I remember the newspaper taking a photo to mark the opening of the new place as if it was a big special deal. Of course it was not. The newspaper people needed to put on their thinking caps and of course they did not. I'm sure they were invited to send their picture-taker over there because that's how these things work, "I know." 

The new Thrifty White bears little resemblance to the old, as it is a specialty pharmacy place now in a minimalist building. Not to say it doesn't serve its purpose fine. But no spiral notebooks or bird feed there. 

And what of the restaurant situation now? We hear in the news about food inflation and it's real. However, we don't hear so much grousing on the street about this, not like we used to. I remember when the newspaper raised its single copy price from 50 to 75 cents - there was grousing. I heard it as I did my newsstand collections for the paper. 

75 cents! Someone said in raised voice "there isn't 75 cents of news in there." What is the single copy price of this thing called the Steven County Times now? Does anyone care much? 

I have heard you can blow a hundred bucks for a meal at the new steak restaurant. People express surprise but I don't sense any real resentment. I think in "the old days" when people fumbled for cash and change all the time, price got more attention and got more people nervous. Because you really were aware that you were spending money. Today we have the plastic cards handy, credit and debit cards. Whip out a card and it does not feel like you are spending money. 

We can be more relaxed, maybe, but the whole system could start catching up with us. 

I fondly remember the many Saturday mornings in my working years with the Morris paper, going to the restaurant known at the end as "Ardelle's." Saturday morning was like a weekly rite, seeing your friends and neighbors with everyone enjoying a standard breakfast for clearly a middle class price. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, whatever. 

The restaurant went out of existence to make way for expansion of a bank. The restaurant was never really replaced in the local business ecosystem. Maybe a restaurant of this type found it tough-go to continue. Many small towns had more than one of these on their "main street." Clearly middle-class places. They must have been successful business ventures. 

I live alone and find it is impractical to do much if any food prep at home. As a diabetic, the last thing I need is a fully stocked refrigerator and freezer. I do not find it palatable for getting the raw material for meals at the grocery store, taking the trouble to prepare meals, putting "leftovers" in the fridge and then "doing dishes." I don't need that much to eat. But I want good nutritious food at a reasonable, hopefully middle class price, whatever "middle class" means any more. 

A huge development was covid: it wiped out the buffets and salad bars almost completely. Getting "seconds" at a salad bar would help you feel filled up when you left the place. Restaurants still give out refills of the soft drinks pretty liberally. If all else fails you can feel "filled up" that way, but of course it's totally dubious from a nutrition standpoint. But are we content just feeling "filled up?" Even if it's with a questionable approach? I suspect the answer is "yes" for a lot of people.

Restaurants are still decent places to get breakfast. However, there seems a huge drop-off when it comes to meals that are outside of the breakfast menu. Remember that the salad bars are gone. Rare to find a buffet and if you do, how nutritious is all the food really? Remember nutrition? 

 

A void

My prime contact at the U of M-Morris said to me a couple years ago, "I think the town could use another restaurant." She brought up the subject. 

We heard about the college town of Moscow, Idaho, a lot after the murders there. The media talked a lot about the small town image of the place - less than ideal "amenities" or so they thought. Big city chauvinism I guess, or grasping stereotypes. My goodness, what would that media say about Morris? I mean, Moscow ID does rings around Morris when it comes to amenities. 

Good thing there is no "true crime" magnet in connection with our town now. We came close back in 2005 - where has the time gone? - when we had the quite major news story of the goalpost incident here. But the media came and went. In Moscow, the incident that propelled them is still arousing so much interest and speculation. Why? Easy: the public has decided it isn't being told the whole story. So on and on the speculation and suspicion goes. There is something behind the scenes there. 

Moscow has a population of about 25,000, has a vegan restaurant and bagel shops. Morris? I'll let you answer that question, but we do have the new steak restaurant where apparently you can blow a small fortune. 

The bars? When I was a young adult, a bar was a place where you went to consume alcohol. You'd sit in a circle with your friends and then if you "bought a round," everyone would be so effusive thanking you. What a total waste of time and money. And then the crackdown came with DWIs. 

Today bars emphasize food. I don't doubt you can get a fine meal at a place like the Old No. 1. But think of the price, compare it to dining at a "main street" diner of yesteryear. A "hot beef sandwich" special with a scoop of mashed potatoes and gravy. Any place like that now? 

A few months ago the Meals on Wheels was closed for a holiday so I went into Detoy's over noon. Did they have a "special?" Well yes they did, but it was a "crispy chicken sandwich" on hamburger bun with (of course) "fries." I probably had coffee instead of Pepsi because of my health condition. A person can easily make decent instant coffee at home. 

My lunch at DeToy's was frankly unsatisfying, sorry. I could be less charitable: "gut bomb." So much for trying to salvage the tradition of a noon hour "special" at a downtown restaurant. But these businesses do what they have to, to survive. And food costs go up markedly. 

I recommend DeToy's for their breakfast menu. I can not be so charitable about the other stuff. They used to have a salad bar which really helped, I mean for quantity at least. Gone. Gone with the wind. 

I try to get by as best I can. I miss my old friends at Ardelle's Saturday morning - many of these guys have gone on to the next life. Remember the angel character in "It's a Wonderful Life?" He said "there is no money in heaven." And Jimmy Stewart had the rejoinder "Well it's pretty important here." 

Good luck relying on all your plastic cards.

  

On another subject: the DMV

Don't we all love sharing thoughts about the Department of Motor Vehicles? Below is a "news tip" I shared with the Star Tribune this past weekend:

 

Hello Strib, I have a story idea.

How strict is the DMV with the "vision test" that I know a lot of older people dread? I went in last week for the renewal where they took my picture etc. and they didn't bring up the vision test. I know the postcard I got in advance said I'd have to take it, and I was very concerned.

I have anecdotal evidence on how the state may not be so "strict." One might assume they would be strict.

- A friend told me he struggled with it but when it was over, the employee said "Ah that's good enough."

- I struggled the previous time and the employee, who I knew somewhat, "helped" me on one or two letters, and I wondered if she'd get in trouble for that. But people told me later the state is not all that strict. That puzzles me.

- Another friend told me he struggled, then was referred to the local eye doctor who gave him the OK to pass.

- I saw my own eye doctor as a pre-emptive move, and he said: "There's only one line that you really have to get right." Also, I must have done well enough on their own little exam that day that he said "you can get a note from this office." Of course that would require another paid appointment, and these are partly covered by Medicare which is a Federal program, even though the only reason I'd be there is to satisfy state regulation.

I hope this isn't an arbitrary thing where if you're a buddy of someone who works at the DMV, you have nothing to worry about. That wouldn't be fair.

Why do I care about this? I don't want to buy new car only to find out within months I've lost my license. I can type and proofread this email. So you'll laugh and say I have nothing to worry about. But I know I struggled the previous time at the DMV and for sure my eyes aren't as good now.

(pioneer press image)

Is it possible that if the eye-testing equipment breaks down, they just "skip it" for a while? The DMV employees are not trained optometrists. I'm sure administering the exam is a cause of stress and a time burner for employees. And maybe the DMV has had trouble hiring people since the re-opening from covid. I know our office had a couple temporary closures.

Maybe the state isn't as strict in rural parts of the state where driving is more routine?

I would face hardship if I lost my license.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minneosta - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Time slips away so now I am age 69

My birthday in the Eisenhower years! The most cherished part of my life: preschool when the Williams family lived in St. Paul. Morris still had the ag school on our campus. I imagine the folks in Morris knew the writing was on the wall for closure of the WCSA. This type of institution had run its course in Minnesota - the need was lessening. It's all about need. Our campus started out to serve the Indians or Native Americans. I was recently taken aback by a commenter for one of my blog posts where I reported that our campus began with "good intentions" for the Natives, even if the outcome was not deemed successful. Some people would not want to be generous about those intentions. Are they right? Maybe. There's a tussle now over whether Benson High School should continue to be known as the "Braves." I'm sure they rue the day they ever chose that nickname. 

My birthday is today, Sunday, Jan. 28, and if you wish to acknowledge it, please click to listen to Elvis Presley sing "Funny How Time Slips Away." Here is the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZcnT5gqRXk 

 

It is Saturday as I write this. The sun is out and temperature most pleasant. Our winter is an aberration and is that good? May not be, if it's an exhibit of climate change. 

Four sentences into my " birthday post" and I'm already at risk of alienating Republicans! My birthday is on Sunday, Jan. 28. I'm doing the heavy lifting of writing this post on Saturday. Early on Sunday I'll have breakfast at Caribou and then come home and click on "publish." At Caribou I see a bunch of Apostolic guys gathered at the "cafe" seating area. I admire them greatly and hope/pray that they take the blinders off politically some. 

Vote for Biden? Would never happen. But to vote for Trump? The man in the news for having to make an astronomical payment to E. Jean Carroll? (Since I'm writing about Caribou at Willie's Super Valu I'll use the term "astronomical" as a gesture to the late Willie Martin.) 

 

Let's be clear

Rudy Giuliani has rushed to the media to emphasize that Trump is judged to have committed sexual assault which is not the same as "rape." So Rudy wants us all to know we shouldn't say Trump committed rape, just that it was sexual assault. I prefer my president of the U.S. to have done neither of those things. 

My Republican friends - or maybe let's just call them acquaintances - will not appreciate me alluding to climate change. They'd echo Trump in saying climate change theory is a "hoax." I would hope that my Apostolic Christian friends - and I do consider them friends - would not be so lock-step with Trump now. I saw the signs of them coalescing around Trump in 2016. 

 

Feeling good today

So I'm 69 years old. On the whole you might say I'm well-preserved. Knock on wood. As I sit here at home looking out our picture windows to the north, I cannot complain of anything. But it's difficult to be at such an advanced age and have no health issues in the background. I do. 

I am shying away from medications at present: the issues with side effects became too much. My path now is to strive for the healthiest possible diet. This will be within reason. I have seen the tongue-in-check advice for diabetics that "the best diabetic diet is to eat nothing." Not really far from the serious advice you'll find, unfortunately. I cannot eat kiwi fruit and avocados all day, plus olive oil, I just cannot. I'll get multi-grain bread and make toast from it, which I consume dry. 

I bought four of the most expensive oranges at Willie's on the way home this morning. I assume the most expensive fruit is the best-tasting? But look out, as anything that tastes good would probably be on the "not recommended "list for me. I know I should take all advice seriously. I simply cannot turn my whole life upside down which is what the maximum dose of Metformin would do to me. 

In the moment I will celebrate just feeling good. A lot to be said for that, always. 

We lost Steve Van Kempen recently. The fate we all will face at some point. Would the Christian faith be a beacon of inspiration and hope for me? Hard to answer "yes" when such a large portion of the faith is totally invested in Donald Trump still. Yes, the man found responsible for committing sexual assault. Not to mention a substantial additional list of terrible things. 

I can make up my own mind about Trump. But I cannot put aside the fact that so much of our precious Christian faith has been co-opted by him. Are we ever going to come out of this? We have been in this curious funk ever since 2016. A picture of a pouting or screaming Trump at or near the top of Yahoo! News every day. Every day. Why can't we all just start laughing at him? Why don't we all just start telling him to get lost, to get out of our faces? Makes too much sense. 

We are awash in this foul stuff, this excrement. I suppose the world has seen worse like Nazi-ism. But what on earth is headed our way now? Trump is not the Messiah.

 

Girls basketball: Tigers 49, Osakis 43

This is something I enjoy very much doing: writing about MACA Tiger athletics. The girls basketball Tigers, who have an up-and-down look, were up with their fortunes on Thursday as they downed the Silverstreaks of Osakis by six, 49-43. The action was here at Tiger Center. 

My attempts to continue writing about Tiger sports are being hindered pretty substantially. I have difficulty getting access to the basic info. On the whole I have done well over the last dozen years. It is getting harder for various reasons. Sources within the media are closing off their content with "paywalls." They are getting wise to various tricks for getting around the paywalls. 

My view is that MACA Tiger sports reporting should be on totally free-access sites, the way our "YouTube geniuses" of MAHS operate. Encourage as many people as possible to consume this material. The problem is the "legacy media" which feels it is still entitled to make money from this. We could always understand buying the local paper because we knew it cost money for the paper to publish and to distribute. That was in the "old days." 

Today the Internet has created a whole new reality. "Media" need not deal with overhead costs like before. I can write about Tiger athletics on my blog sites and it costs me nothing. And I certainly hope the public has paid some attention. 

I cannot find any info on how MACA individuals performed and scored in the win over Osakis. I found a short item on the Lake Region Echo site, not too helpful for us in Morris. I would love to report the usual range of statistics. There will be a report in the next Morris print newspaper which costs money and presents coverage in a very non-timely way. Maybe at some point the Morris community can do something about this. 

Anyway, I'm glad I'm still standing at age 69 (as of today, Sunday) to do some continued writing. I open up my pocketbook for the MAHS band program. Word is, Wanda wants to keep directing for as long as she's physically capable. That's the spirit! I'll never forget the massed band performance at the end of the December holiday concert, with two vocalists out front. Priceless.

My current post on my "Morris of Course" blog site is about how the legacy media faces headwinds right through the present time, little chance of the stress abating. You may read my post:

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2024/01/morris-newspaper-part-of-eroding.html 

 

Brainerd has a niche in my background. It was my mom's hometown. The photo shows me there with Nancy Closson whose mother was Mom's best high school friend, Ruth Schiel-Closson. Us two are on a boat. Lots of lakes around Brainerd of course. Would you say the photo is charming? Today Nancy's last name is Briley. I haven't seen her in many years. Mom and Ruth graduated with the Brainerd High School Class of 1942, storm clouds of wartime in the U.S. Brainerd had a National Guard unit that got captured by the Japanese in the Philippines. Americans used the word "Japs."

Don't we all remember the first TV we ever used? Here I'm tuning in at our St. Paul residence, maybe to my first favorite TV show "Sky King." "Brought to you by Nabisco." My generation of the boomers was the first young generation to be marketed to. I'd say it had a profound influence on us. Our parents were just thankful to have this new resource called "television." My generation gained cynicism from TV in our living rooms with its commercial messages. We saw through it? Evidently. Sugary breakfast cereals, alas. TV made us cynical and this gave birth to "Mad Magazine." The lead character in "Sky King" was Arizona rancher and aircraft pilot Schuyler "Sky" King. The series had strong Western elements. The hero "King" flew around in his plane the "Songbird." King and his niece Penny lived on the Flying Crown Ranch near the fictitious town of Grover, Arizona. The series ran from 1952 to 1959.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Come to the MAHS jazz concert Monday!

The concert time may be hard to read. It's 7 p.m.

 

"Jazz." What does the term suggest to you? Maybe not the loftiest impression, eh? Well of course jazz is an American art form to be respected in the most robust way. Maybe it is misunderstood a little. The best literal understanding of jazz is with the term "improvisation." The performer follows the chords and makes up his own pattern of notes. It is pure creativity. 

But if you attend a pure jazz concert like what is coming up at our Morris Area High School, the appeal stretches beyond that. Jazz tunes have a popular and entertaining feel to them. Often the bands do covers of popular tunes. You think that's lowbrow? Well a pox on you. You think it's easy to try to write "popular" music? It of course is incredibly difficult. 

As a truism here, let me offer that hard work is required to accomplish anything. The MAHS kids work hard to prepare all their tunes. Please consider coming to the MAHS concert hall Monday evening. 

Some people say these days that the concert on YouTube is an acceptable alternative to being there. We could not have conceived of any such thing when I was a kid. It would have seemed right out of the "Jetsons." It's par for the course today in our world where people walk around looking down at their "phones." All the customers waiting for their order at Caribou: looking down at their phones. The American way? But pay attention if you're a pedestrian. 

Also, the auditorium stage at the old school would be dangerous today - it was actually dangerous then - because of the drop-off at the edge. Today I think an obstacle would have to be placed at the edge. People looking down at their phones! It's funny until something bad happens. 

But what about "supporting our school" by just watching the concerts on YouTube? I suppose you can save a couple bucks. Are you really supporting the school? I'd suggest no. I can back that up. The holiday band concert in December concluded with an unforgettable mass performance - all kids involved. This was the most impressive performance of a Christmas medley of tunes I have ever heard, or will ever hear. No exaggeration. 

There were two female vocalists out front. Aren't female voices always better? Where would "Spanky and Our Gang" have been without the girl? The medley on the concert hall stage guaranteed full Christmas spirit that would last all the way through the holiday season. 

The one problem that I heard about later is that the YouTube video of this did not capture it well. There were actual problems. Made me so sad to hear about. I guarantee you that when our director hears about an issue like this, she will try to make sure it won't happen again! She is a very committed person, has a drive to do things "her way" and there is much to be said for that (most of the time). 

The director is Wanda Dagen. Her assistant is Andrea DeNardo who I see most mornings at Caribou Coffee. She comes in "right on cue" at 7:15 a.m. It happened this morning (Thursday). It's always nice to see more than one employee at the Caribou kiosk. I think demand is increasing. I get a very fine breakfast there and then get seated at the "cafe" area. 

I look back on jazz education in America and I realize that there were once pretty big impediments to this, cultural impediments. The prevailing European culture thought jazz was, well, lacking in class? Lowbrow? Too much African-American influence? Whatever, my late father who established the UMM music program had the credentials to direct jazz. He did not. The world was not ready for it. Academia was not ready for it. Rural Minnesota most likely had an aversion to it. 

My father directed every conceivable type of musical group excluding jazz. He had to: he was the only UMM music faculty in the institution's first year. 

At present unfortunately, I think the future of UMM music may be shaky. I did not think it would come to this. I wrote at the time of establishing our family's fund to benefit UMM that music was something our local campus would have to have. This would be regardless (not "irregardless") of our campus' mission. But now I'm not so sure. I think UMM is headed for significant further retrenchment, contrary to what the administration would most certainly say. 

All I care about is for the campus to stay in existence. Community college? If that's the best option, go for it. Maybe the "albatross" HFA building will simply be closed at some point. What a big abortion of a building. Emphasis on the main hallway as if it's some sort of New Mexico cavern. Boggles the mind. The building was designed when "avant garde" design ideas were all the rage. Consider too the quirky UMM science auditorium. 

Well, fashions in America can be strange, n'est-ce pas? We're seeing the continuing fashion of MAGA in politics, defying all reason and logic. We are so human an animal. 

Whatever, please come to the MAHS jazz concert on Monday evening! The concert hall is boffo! UMM has nothing like that. We ought to be incredulous.

The image below is "blast from the past." Colorful U of M history. See caption below the image.

The little arrow in the photo points to Ralph E. Williams, member of a band that we can presume was "hot." This was in the 1930s when "big bands" stepped into their heyday. Ralph was my father. He has left us for that ballroom in the sky. The University of Minnesota was integral to his life. He formed our U of M-Morris music department in 1960-61 and was the department's sole faculty member in the first year. What heady times.

  

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Tigers fade in the face of Imdieke 3-pointer

The MACA boys basketball team is maybe a little "snakebit" and by that I mean susceptible to close losses. This was the outcome for our Tigers on Monday night. Alas, a loss by two points on the road. We were up against those "Silverstreaks" of Osakis. I guess the nickname is one word, not two. Nice nickname. Look what Benson is having to deal with now. 

The Silverstreak fans went home happy Monday, their team having turned back the Tigers 57-55.

Follow hockey too

Yours truly is happy to have posted about the MBA Storm's considerable success on the ice from Friday. Our boys and girls both won impressively over Fairmont at Lee Center. Couldn't ask for a better day of hockey enjoyed here in Morris. How about that Karlie Bruns? The post is on my "Morris of Course" site. The link:

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2024/01/friday-home-wins-in-boys-girls-hockey.html 

 

Thanks for reading. 

Snakebit? The Tigers in their previous game lost to Montevideo 59-58. That game too was on the road. On January 11 the Tigers were stopped by Sauk Centre in the 63-60 outcome, here. In December 8 action, the orange and black got clipped by West Central Area 65-64, here. 

Much of the season remains to try to reverse these fortunes. Still, the orange and black has put together an impressive number of wins. We're 9-5 now, 4-1 in section play, 3-3 in conference, 3-2 at home, Not bad. Now we have to start pulling out some of these "cardiac" endings. 

The Tigers looked to be in good shape with less than a minute left vs. Osakis. The Tigers got an open 3-point shot and took advantage to make it. The three points put us up by one, 55-54. Drama unfolds. Would Osakis again try to make hay from a mismatch at the post position? The mismatch had served Osakis well. Their individual in this department: Kyle Mages. 

Mindful that this strong suit could be tapped again, the MACA defense paid the proper attention to the threat. It "collapsed" on Mages but he had the remedy: he got the ball back out to Drew Imdieke who was poised from behind the 3-point line. The clock showed 35 seconds left as Imdieke sent the ball toward the hoop. It's good! It proved to be the game-winner. That's how the ball bounces. 

Imdieke is sort of like a quarterback on offense for Osakis. He has been a mainstay on varsity for a long time. 

The Tigers were not out of time after the key "3". So Osakis needed sharp defensive tactics which they in fact showed. They watched for a "back-door cut." Their Seth Staloch was on alert for the inside shot try. And Staloch came through. He blocked a last-gasp drive to the rim. Osakis could finally celebrate this fourth straight win for them, their 11th overall. Their coach has confidence in his roster, dominated by seniors. 

Let's acknowledge Silverstreak Mekai Hoelscher who had 15 points on five 3-pointers! Quite the force. The Mages boys were instrumental, Grant with 17 points and Kyle with 16.

More on Benson H.S.

Surely Benson High school is not savoring being in the news at present. Can the Benson school administration turn the screws on the State of Minnesota, to force the state to pay the million or so dollars to change mascots/nicknames? Is this becoming a real showdown, a game of chicken as it were? 

Would the state risk alienating the community of Benson and perhaps a wider area out here by meting out harsh consequences for Benson? We have all lived with their "Braves" nickname for seemingly time immemorial. I concede maybe it's not an ideal thing: their nickname. But I suspect most people out here in this very "red" region politically would consider the state's enforcement now to be an example of woke-ism. 

The Benson "Braves"

Should Benson just try to hold firm? "Come and make us," they might say to the state "ogres." 

A school district in Pennsylvania has decided to bring back its Native American nickname and imagery. This is Southern York County School District. It's in the news. By a vote of 7-2 the "Warriors" nickname is coming back. Backers of this say it's a gesture against "cancel culture." Here's a quote: "The SYCSD school board stands as a role model and blueprint for other communities fighting for their Native names and imagery." 

Might Benson take note or find inspiration? 

Here's maybe a better suggestion from yours truly: Have no "nickname" at all. Just be "Benson High School." Aren't nicknames kind of a juvenile thing anyway? Benson might make a real statement about this.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Layup makes difference for Monte at end

A friend described the Friday night boys basketball game at Montevideo as a heart-stopper. One point separated the teams at game's end. Unfortunately our MACA Tigers were a point shy. We were a point shy of victory in the 59-58 outcome. 

I have not been to the Monte gym in many years. My first memory is of the beautiful mural type of painting that showed a silhouetted Native American with headdress. Monte had the "Mohawks" nickname at the time. I habitually thought of them as "Mohawks" through my youth. 

We are in different times. Monte has switched to "Thunder Hawks," a name where I always have to confirm if it's one word or two! Just like "Silverstreaks" with the Osakis school. That's a name I find colorful and appealing BTW. We here in Motown are most safe with our "big cat" name which is a default "safe" type of name. Same with UMM. 

Whew! Because, look what Benson is going through now! It's in the news again. Looks like Benson is going to be a loser on this. I write about this in my current post on my "Morris of Course" site. I invite you to read with this link:

https://morrisofcourse.blogspot.com/2024/01/confrontation-with-natives-in-year-2024.html 

 

Montevideo 59, Tigers 58

So the Tigers were defeated Friday in Thunder Hawk country. The key basket at the end was a layup. Fans at the Monte gym cheered lustily as Devin Ashling put the ball in the basket. The time remaining was 18 seconds. So there was time to overcome. Our first shot missed. Griffin Epema of Monte got the rebound and was fouled. He went to the line for a one-and-one. A miss! 

The Tigers had a last-gasp try from about 27 feet out. Drew Huebner put up the shot and it was no-go. Defeat! 

The Tigers trailed by two at halftime, 20-18. Both teams are sailing along with a pretty good W/L, our Tigers at 9-4, Monte with 10-5 numbers. 

Riley Asmus was our go-to player as he poured in 24 points. One other Tiger achieved double figures: Charlie Hanson 13. Huebner posted nine. Then we see Owen Anderson 6, Jack Kehoe 4 and Tyler Friesen 2. Asmus and Hanson each made three 3-pointers. I cannot find any other stat info for MACA. 

Monte had a trio of scoring leaders exhibiting balance. Carson Boike scored 14 points and he was complemented by Cooper Dack and Devin Ashling each with 13. 

A trio of T-Hawks each scored six: Brody Dack, Gannon Reidinger and Griffin Epema. Gavin Marty rounded things out with two points. Monte would need every point. 

So, a heartbreaker loss for our MACA crew in a game that was nevertheless entertaining and exciting. I can't get out of my head the old mural painting in the Monte gym. I personally never saw it as disrespectful to Native Americans. But such imagery has surely had to be retired in connection with school sports. Too bad Benson could not have shown proper foresight. 

Benson was once known as the "Plowboys." That got replaced by "Braves" with the garden variety type of approach with the Native American thing. That includes the logo with the feathers! Ahem. Get into the year 2024, y'all. 

Oh, some more stats to report for Montevideo from Friday. Boike and Cooper Dack each made two 3-pointers. Reidinger with his nine rebounds led Monte there. Reidinger was tops also in assists with three. Boike had a steal. And Reidinger blocked a shot. Congrats to the T-Hawks. 

I invite you to compare my coverage of this game with what you see on the Morris newspaper website. That's fair, n'est-ce pas?

 

Mid-January trials

The thermometer inches upward on this mid-January weekend. We can sense March getting closer, maybe? St. Patrick's Day? A lot of good that would have done us last year. We had an endless winter that really delayed the start of spring activities. Made my idea of an "inflatable cover" for Big Cat Field seem so recommended. I wish someone would follow up on this discussion with me. Like for example to set forth what the cost would be. 

I am guessing that someone would say it is prohibitive. I mean for Morris MN our little outpost on the Western Minnesota tundra. "Tundra" is hyperbole that I learned from the old WCCO Radio host Steve Cannon. Remember Steve Cannon? "Morgan Mundane?" AM radio was different in those days. Better? It's hard to compare because the eras in which we live are hard to compare.

A headline gets my attention on "Drudge Report." People can look for answers in the wrong place - a human foible. "Science revealing why American politics are so intensely polarized." Truly is CW thinking (conventional wisdom) that we are so divided. Has human nature really changed?

The headline makes me wonder if "politics" should be treated as singular or plural. Surely we get the point either way. Only a stuffy college prof would come forward to correct us. And on the subject of "different eras," let us note that in contemporary times we are not so influenced by college profs or teachers of all kinds. 

I would suggest the new paradigm applies especially to English teachers. English teachers with their rules on capitalization, for one thing. People have become so empowered with communications, they agree on certain rules outside of the territory once owned by "teachers." Young people lead the way. The young could not care less if you capitalize "Midwest" or not. Do it either way.. 

When teachers choose to be heavy-handed with their rules, it's all about power. Their poser, naturally. And they have had to retreat from this turf continually. Today, teachers who are compensated by the public are steadily in position to just be thankful they have a job. So don't come at me about capitalizing "Midwest." 

I once worked under a real "school marm" type of editor at the Morris newspaper. "School marm" was the term I hard Jim Morrison apply to her one day. She was certainly connected to the heyday of academia's preening, even if her association was really by marriage. It was the culture she was attuned to. And it's important to add that her marriage ultimately ended! I personally could not have withstood the kind of indignity she was subjected to at the end of that. I surmised through reliable accounts. I was privy to all such accounts pertaining to everyone, much in contrast with today when I "see no evil," in effect. 

Is evil still out there? 

We are certainly in an era where people, i.e. the parents have taken the reins with public education and aren't cowed by the system's employees. I think the transition started happening in the mid-1980s. As with all such transitions it crept along. Finally a friend informed me that "kids today walk all over the teachers." No time for a teacher to be heavy-handed in impressing a rule like capitalizing "Midwest." I'm serious. 

So we see the headline on "Drudge" which has "politics" as a plural thing. "Politics are" rather than "is." Naturally, no one should care at all. 

The situation is the same with "media." Plural or singular? I have my pwn personal standard. Yes, the former editor of the Sun Tribune couldn't care less what my personal standards are. My standard for "media" is what "sounds right" or natural in a particular sentence. Totally contradicts the thinking of academics who insist on rules, because "rules" give them grounds to judge students and give out grades, a certain percentage of which must be in the 'C' range. 

What an awful system that was, and for some reason the boomers' parents put up with it. Only a handful of kids making the 'A' honor roll. Such a spartan and humorless system, maybe in line with a culture full of people who participated in the war effort of WWII. Military discipline. Do as you're told. Don't think for yourself. And they adopted this whole outlook from their world in which WWII had actually been good to them. (Of course, you had to survive it.) 

David Brooks of the New York Times has written about "the redundancies in the typical World War II type of organization." People my age know what he's talking about. Needless redundancies are always to be frowned upon, just as onerous rules of writing ("Midwest") defy good logic. We see young people leading the way as is typical for such things. 

To repeat the headline from "Drudge" today: "Science reveals why American politics are so intensely divided." Remember the actual strides that George Wallace was making before he was shot? And you'd suggest we're even more divided today? People are going to theorize every which way about our divisions today, but I would suggest what for me is my default explanation: look at the media, its basic nature. The way the most outlandish voices can gain reach through platforms, not struggling for attention on the mere fringes. 

So we may get Donald Trump as president again. He has vaulted again to the forefront despite the horrifying revelations coming out about him all the time. The revelations would have been such obvious disqualifiers in "olden times." Like the 1970s. 

The reality is headed our way, and the challenge now is to be ready for it, to brace ourselves for it. I cannot stop it, sorry. The guys in the middle section of DeToy's Restaurant in early morning are going to win out, to have their way. "Their guy" Trump has already succeeded in assaulting women's reproductive health care rights. Hey, this is real! So much for just being amused by Trump. We are so well past that. 

And every day he picks up momentum, inexplicably, like from the African-American Tim Scott. What an a-hole. The illustration below says it best re. Senator Scott of South Carolina, yes Nikki Haley's state.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

What happened to salad days of FLC?

(facebook image)

Well, this is interesting: I had never before heard of this thing called "North American Lutheran Church." A part of me feels amused by the name. It's as if the organization is trying to upstage the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Note that we're talking all of North America and not just "America." Actually it reminds me of an old comedy spoof. The spoof was of beauty pageants. So we saw a faux beauty pageant that bestowed its crown on "Miss Northern and Southern Hemisphere." Amusing. 

Well, does the new Lutheran Church entity have much traction? Should we wish it luck? To what extent should we care? Oh my, I have never been one to get into theology, certainly not into the weeds. We can get lost there. The most devout-seeming "Christians" can end up with severe shortcomings in their own personal lives. No revelation there - you know that. 

For most of my adult life I didn't attend our First Lutheran Church (FLC) because I was actually busy working at the Morris newspaper office just a block away. Much of my efforts was in the vain struggle to try to be accepted as local sportswriter. So I tried. My harshest critics would say they could not care less that I was trying. Such hopelessly emotional people. 

If I showed up at First Lutheran Church it was almost certainly because something was happening there that deserved some "press" attention. For example, when Pastor Todd Mattson had his "New Wine" thing going for so long. 

Mattson was super for serving the interests of the parents of the adolescents. But we should remember that it is the congregation's older members who tend to have the money to give to the church. Do not ever give the older members short shrift. With each passing day now, I edge closer to being lumped in with the old crowd. 

I can try to be "hip" of course and this is to be expected of a boomer generation member. That will work for only so long. We'll become old and eventually die, as we were sadly reminded with the recent death of Steve Van Kempen, a boomer generation member. I will wager that every person at his funeral had this unspoken thought: "When I die, will even a small fraction of this turnout come to my funeral?" 

The fellowship hall downstairs was full to nearly capacity. I was able to find a chair. We were very fortunate that the church had a big screen for the basement. It was essential for helping us feel we were part of the event. 

The Van Kempen funeral was a "test" for FLC in these trying times for the once prospering mainstream church of Morris. It is surely not mainstream any more. We lost our most recent full-time pastor to "retirement." I thought it very strange that he was allowed to do this with such short notice. 

Did I like him? Yes. Was he intelligent and articulate? Yes. Was he empathetic? Yes. But at the same time, I think FLC was sinking further in its fortunes, perhaps dramatically, and this was because the pastor came across as a liberal politically. 

This in a time when the ELCA gained the notorious reputation for being liberal. The synod (if that's the correct term) got on board with gay rights. My, what a total schism the gay rights thing has caused in the Christian faith. Why have we allowed this? The Methodists are being fractured practically beyond recognition. Surely it will never be the same. 

Our Federated Church in Morris is "one-half Methodist." I have always thought that strange. I have never over the years been able to explain the difference between Methodists and Lutherans. Again I'm not "into the weeds" and would see no constructive purpose in being that way. Us human beings have enough trouble staying on course with our lives. Splitting hairs with theology gets depressing. 

I have the impression now that the ELCA may be literally imploding. Why have we allowed this? 

I wondered with a friend: Was our First Lutheran in position several years ago to just switch its affiliation? I would not know about the logistics of that, sorry. People in the church council might know. My old late friend Glen Helberg once said to me "Brian, if you ever serve on a church council, keep in mind that it's all about money." Bless his memory, Glen Helberg. 

Several years ago, maybe the alarm bells really hadn't started ringing yet for FLC or any number of other ELCA churches in rural areas where we see so much "conservatism." 

Am I exaggerating the problem? The answer should be plain as day right in front of you: The Good Shepherd Church of rural Morris, a whole new church in a building that was literally brought here from south of Alberta. That's how drastic things were getting. Yes, a rebellion against the so-called "woke-ism" as put forth by the ELCA. 

I have paged through some ELCA publications and gotten the impression that officials in the synod hierarchy or bureaucracy are "gay activists" to the point where this aim seems primary for them. I totally reject that. I saw a video where an ELCA spokesman addressing a youth conference was dressed grubby and had tattoos all over her body. We get the sense of "what is going on." 

I asked a friend "what would Pastor Grindland think?"

You might be eager to know my stance on "gay rights." The term gay I guess has become upstaged by "LGBTQ" and God knows what other gobbledygook. It's beyond me and I don't seek any further elucidation. All I can state is that I am a fundamentally fair-minded person. I want all people to be treated properly and with empathy. 

I don't want gays to feel as though they have to be "in the closet" like it's the 1950s. Some were driven to take their own lives - that's terrible, unconscionable. But the new gay activism or LGBTQ (or God knows what else) gets in our faces too much! Is it necessary for gay people to have their own flag? Their own unit in the Homecoming parade? No! 

Sexual orientation should remain a largely private thing. It can be hard for all of us to deal with. Look how many lives sex ruins for one reason or another. God created us this way. We don't stop to think about the consequences enough. Look at Bill Cosby. Such a talented person. A sexual demon got ahold of him. Is he totally to blame for this? Are you willing to answer for all of your own sex-related behavior in your life? You might have a lot of this swept under the carpet. 

Look at the terrible molestation of kids across America caused by the Catholic Church's policy requiring "celibacy." How can any civilized people countenance this? Are we expecting our clergy to have no sexual impulses at all? 

Well, this post of mine today is mainly about the status of First Lutheran in Morris, once a pillar of propriety, now an outpost with the notorious ELCA. We had lay leadership last Sunday. I guess the service went OK but it's wearing thin. We are headed nowhere but down at present. Where will it end? I would suggest we have lost critical mass.

I asked friend Dale Peterson if there was ever a time when we could have switched to the LCMC. That's the organization of Good Shepherd. 

Good Shepherd at the time of its inception was called "the gay-bashing church," especially by the community's young people. I think the stigma has faded away, as I think the church has mellowed some, become more understanding, even if gays would not be allowed to become ministers. You know what? I really don't have a problem with that restriction. Gays can live without that avenue in life, being a church minister. They can show their talents in every other way possible. Actually they could be ministers if they could just do the professional job of being a minister, promoting the Gospel and not going wayward with this whole LGBTQ thing. 

Let the LGBTQ battles play out in secular society. Gays appear to be doing pretty well there anyway. 

Church should never focus on sexual orientation. It's just not the place. But whatever, our First Lutheran of Morris is dying. It should not have come to this. The North American Lutheran Church might have been a good avenue to explore. But it's too late I feel. 

I wonder if our building will be torn down. So many memories there. I asked Dale if there might have been receptiveness to the LCMC. He said "the liberals and the college professors wouldn't allow it." 

Wow! Such a true statement. But the political complexion of Morris has changed. We don't see the old "intelligentsia" flexing its muscles now. A lot of professors have been "bought out" or whatever. They are left clinging to their jobs if they are so fortunate. 

Of course we might see UMM bite the dust just like FLC. Just happens to be two institutions that have been important to me. 

"The liberals and the college professors." I remember Bert Ahern. Seemed rather the type. RIP to the Aherns who were my neighbors. Janet Ahern's mother was a nurse for Lou Gehrig after Gehrig fell into ill health. 

I don't worry about the so-called "intelligentsia" of Morris any more. My, they once had great reach and could intimidate people. Yes, power.

Today I feel more threatened by MAGA which has gotten so far into the Christian faith. Would I prefer the old pretentious "intelligentsia?" Actually no. I hated that element in town.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Tigers have their moments but fall to Willmar

MACA girls basketball visited "big school" Willmar for a Monday game. The Tigers had a respectable performance but it was shy of victory. The host Cardinals won by a 56-44 score. The host had a record just shy of .500 coming into this contest. But they had gotten on a roll having won four of their five previous games. Our Tigers began the week with a 4-8 record. 

The start of the game did not bode well for coach Dale Henrich's Tigers. We got behind 12-5. But we enjoyed a surge of momentum with an 8-0 advantage over a stretch. We led 13-12. 

Willmar wrested the lead back and then enjoyed a run of their own. The halftime situation looked good for the Cardinals as they were up 32-20. They had a 35 percent shooting performance in first half play, led by Telilie Lang who put in eleven points. 

The Tigers had more than a glimmer of hope the rest of the way. We fought to within four points. Turnovers mounted as a problem for our orange and black. Willmar seized on these breaks. Willmar enjoyed a 14-point bulge on the scoreboard with two minutes left. It would be a night for the Cardinals to get their eighth win. They have won six of their last eight games at home. Home is the "Big Red Gym" in Willmar. 

Lange finished with 13 points, plus she had four assists and three rebounds. Brielle Ogdahl supplied nine points. Then we see seven each coming from Maycee Gustafson, Maddie Molacek and Kenedee Salonek. Extra punch came from reserve players Isley Ripperger (8) and Lyza Gustafson (5). 

The Cardinals resumed play on Tuesday against another foe with the "Tigers" nickname, that being Marshall. I have been confused in the past at the early-bird cross country meet at our local golf course: the presence of Marshall with the orange and black colors blends in with our Tigers. Who's who? It was aggravating one year when I was trying to take photos! Ah, the headaches of a sports journalist in the community press. 

Marshall defeated Willmar Tuesday 62-51.

While we're on the subject of the early-bird cross country meet, I will mention too that I have always seen a safety issue with so many vehicles parked along the highway outside the golf course. People walk in and out between the vehicles. We have seen the same issue arise with Prairie Lane outside of our "softball complex." Of course I have seen many issues in connection with the "complex." Maybe there is a bigger issue here of things just not being done right or with precision anymore. Maybe the problem is that costs for everything have gone up so much. 

The Marshall Tigers girls basketball team is ranked fifth in Minnesota Class AAA.

Lange of the Cardinals made six of her eleven shots from the field against our MACA Tigers. She had six of the team's eleven steals. Ogdahl blocked two shots. Ripperger's seven rebounds was team-best. She's a 5'5" freshman guard. 

What kind of highlights can I find for the MACA Tigers? Unfortunately not much. The kmrs-kkok website mentioned two individuals. So we see that Kaylee Harstad had 13 points, eight rebounds and three steals. And, Maddie Fehr had 13 points and five rebounds. Brett Miller would have supplied us with more in his coverage, but he has left the radio station. It is too bad I cannot find more. 

Does the Stevens County Times website report anything? Check it out. Someone is paid to write sports there.

What does the radio station tell us about the MACA boys game? The Tigers crushed Benson 72-27 on Monday. Here's the detail on the kmrs-kkok site: Charlie Hanson with 18 points. That's it. So congratulations to Charlie. I would like to report much, much more. My hands are tied.

And the SCT site? You'd think our only sports teams here in Morris are "Cougars." It's outrageous IMHO. Are we all going to continue putting up with it?

 

The macro picture

Our congressperson Michelle Fischbach gives the impression that "impeaching Joe Biden" is a big priority at present in this nation. Do you agree? Do you agree that impeaching Biden is something that must be done to make your life better? Your life out here in rural western Minnesota? Maybe you do. But I doubt it. 

We get drunk on all these revelations about the outrageous conduct and language by Donald Trump. Yet our congressperson seems to take the attitude "there's nothing to see there." Trump rolls along toward the GOP nomination with the help of people like Fischbach. Below is a part of the communication she sent out just this morning. I'm on her communications list but she will not answer my questions. Very reasonable questions I might add. Here's what Fischbach communicated so urgently:

Michelle Fischbach

I voted along with my Republican colleagues to refer H.Res.503 to the Committees on Judiciary and Homeland Security. This resolution, which passed on the House Floor, begins impeachment proceedings against President Biden for abuse of power and dereliction of duty charges related to the southern border. These committees will now have the opportunity to consider the allegations made in the resolution, review the evidence, and decide whether the President's conduct reaches the threshold for impeachment.
Following that vote, former Speaker McCarthy announced that the House would open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Thanks to the work of several committees, including the Ways and Means Committee, we have heard enough to be gravely concerned about the President's alleged conduct. 

The House of Representatives voted and passed H.Res.918 to formally open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, which allows Congress to subpoena additional documents and fully investigate the situation. Through this action, the House has reasserted Congress' authority to gather all the necessary evidence to complete its investigation. 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com