Beautiful to the east, "spooky" to west?

Here's the "old Alberta road" heading west out of Morris. (B.W. photo)
  
Morris has probably expanded to the west as far as it can. The ground gets wet out there, and aesthetically there aren't a lot of redeeming qualities. West Wind Village - it still seems more natural and easier to call it the Villa - seems to represent the western edge of the community.
In the late 1970s I jogged to Alberta on the old Alberta road a few times, and found the surroundings to be rough-hewn. I joked with a friend once that I found it "spooky."
The eastern edge of Morris and beyond give quite a different impression. The Pomme de Terre River and Lake Crissy make for an aesthetic bonanza. No wonder so many of the newer opulent homes have sprouted out that way on both sides of the bypass.
I can't imagine why anyone would want to build a new home on the old school property, when there are so many inviting locations out there.
The addition on the east side of the bypass, next to the mill dam road, seems almost to be a community in itself. I marvel at the RV garage that one can see when walking by, using the bike trail. One feels Lilliputian when observing it.
The two huge Skyview buildings (assisted living) couldn't have been imagined when I was in high school and the bypass didn't even exist. The land on the west side of the river was pretty wild back then.
Today the wild atmosphere has survived even though the area has become much more accessible. Many superb homes have sprouted out there along with the bike/walking trail.
The trail has become a very attractive asset of Morris. It affords optimal relaxation and a feeling of escape for people who might be dragged down by the rat race (or the stock market).
For me it provides therapy for my PTSD, helping wipe aside memories of storming a hill in Viet Nam and wiping out a Viet Cong pillbox using hand grenades. Oh, wait a minute, I never served in Viet Nam. I misspoke. I'm sorry.
About the worst thing that can happen to you out there is getting dive-bombed by a red-wing blackbird whose nest is probably close by. But it's certainly not "spooky," not even during dusk. Could our friend "the bear" be out there? You know, the black bear that caused such a ruckus in town when it climbed a tree?
I haven't heard anyone ask what the bear might be thinking of all of us.
Whatever, I don't think we need to worry about being accosted by that bear or any other bear down by the river. I think our city's leaders made sure that bear wasn't going to stick around to scare or hurt anybody.
I still think the bear was shot and that the anointed ones who govern the direction of the community chose to tell a fairy tale. The local corporate media acquiesced.
When you understand small community politics, you know that whenever this kind of scenario occurs, it's expected that you stay quiet and just "move on." It's part of the survival instinct of small communities. Anyone who dissents can get pilloried from any direction, from those saying "you're wrong" to those saying "just shut up" to those saying "it's just no big deal (so forget about it)."
Friend Glen Helberg has joked about putting on a bear suit and having some fun around town. I'd be careful about that, Glen.
One of the reasons Morris seemed torn asunder in about 1988 was an issue that a network of community leaders felt it had resolved, only to find there was a splinter group of leader-types - you know, respectable and obviously non-eccentric people - who opted to dissent and keep pushing.
The book "Raising Roger's Cross" about a 1950s murder in Foley did an excellent job describing small community politics which at the time of the murder had more onerous qualities than one finds today. The typical greater Minnesota small town of that previous era had a circle of well-to-do leaders - everyone knew who they were - who guided the direction of the town and established standards. The book author noted that the poor people of the community were so out of the loop, they weren't really aware of this.
But middle class people resented it. It was a shadowy type of governance class, although there was nothing criminal or even really immoral about it. It just seemed rather deceptive in the eyes of some. And there was the obvious human jealousy that comes from being less well off financially than others.
The fabric is different today as more and more business activity is governed by non-local corporate interests with long tentacles. Doing your business today is less likely to involve a visit to an office in "the business district" than to go online or talk on the phone to someone in Indianapolis, Indiana (as I did recently in connection to an insurance matter).
There are advantages and disadvantages to both models that I've just described. The older, quaint model seemed benevolent and benign but it oozed an authoritarian air too. The new model oozes fairness, as you realize when perusing a typical "employee manual" of the large, non-local companies. But on the down side, these companies are ruled by the gospel of maximum profit and they will apply their cutting scythe to lift the bottom line.
The bean-counting moves can be a great detriment to a small community.
The grassroots entrepreneurial spirit seems to be fading in America. Mostly we're becoming mid-level corporate suck ups.
All these thoughts might filter through my mind when taking a stroll along the bike trail. It's a meditative time. Always keep an eye out for those red-wing blackbirds. But the black bear? You can imagine that in the same way I imagine my Viet Nam experience. Just close your eyes.
But the deer out in that area are most real. They'll stop and be rigid as a statue for a few moments when they see you. Then, with great suddenness, they'll glide away through the tall grass.
Thanks to Myron Syverson for working hard to find out how far a complete "lap" on the bike trail is (the circle that includes both sides of the Pomme de Terre River). Myron determined that it's four and a half miles.
Gazebos and benches are most inviting. Although as a quibble, I could point out that the standard gazebo, unlike ours here, has steps that lead up to an aloft platform. A state of the art gazebo also includes a bench that is far more comfortable than what our gazebos (one at the library too) provide.
At least some of these gazebos were built by prisoners at the now-dormant (defunct?) Appleton prison. I'm sure saws were required in the construction of these wooden structues. I have to laugh at the old cliche of prison inmates receiving a cake with a saw inside (so to saw through prison bars). I wonder if that sign along the road is still there in Appleton advising "do not pick up hitchhikers." Reminds me of the George Clooney movie "O Brother Where Art Thou."
The bike trail has a spur that goes into town and another spur that goes right down to the riverbank. You might see a raccoon crossing the latter spur sometimes. I've never seen a coyote or fox there. I saw a bald eagle, unmistakable with its white head, perched toward the top of a tall tree across from the Pomme de Terre dam a year or so ago.
Kingfishers can often be seen close to the water. I'm fascinated how the blue kingfisher will get a fish and then kill it by whacking it on the side of a tree.
There's a paved path going uphill from the bike trail to the WCROC "overlook." That little uphill spur seems way too steep to actually pedal up. So the idea is to walk your bike up there or to just park your bike at the base and walk up. There is no paved trail, yet, going east through the Horticulture Garden and beyond.
The overlook doesn't particularly thrill me. It's not high enough to really present a breathtaking view of the area. A better view is probably available at a "lover's lane" type of spot immediately to the north of Pomme de Terre Park at the top of the hill.
As for the WCROC Horticulture Garden, I think it might have been sufficient to just have some benches available at the west end. The interpretive plaques are fine. But that "roof," like what might be found over gas station pumps, well, I think it's purely decorative and probably superfluous.
The Horticulture Garden has become a widely known asset of Morris. The heralded wind turbine is close by. Wildlife in all its glory is readily seen as you bike or walk through the area..
But the west end of Morris and beyond? Sadly it seems desolate, not that the farmland can't be productive.
Maybe the old Alberta road seemed "spooky" because of some menacing dogs, perhaps acquired for guarding purposes. I'm not sure whether to fear the dogs or a black bear more.
Or ghosts.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Eagles baseball rolls through weekend

The above photo shows Eagle Kirby Marquart hitting safely as the Eagles' first batter Saturday. The Eagles beat Ortonville 6-1 at Chizek Field. Photo by Brian Williams

The weather was quite fine for mid-May baseball involving the Morris Eagles this past weekend (May 15-16). The Morris town team proudly donned its blue colors to vie at Chizek Field. The weather actually couldn't have been better. It was the weekend of the UMM graduation.
There was no need to have the lights turned on for the start of the 7:30 p.m. Saturday game. The sun was out in all its glory as the Eagles and Rox began the contest. The fans who were seated in the permanent stands, along with those bringing their own collapsible chairs (a popular approach for game viewing), watched the Eagles host Ortonville. The Eagles defeated the Ortonville Rox 6-1.
It took a while for the Eagles to build a comfortable margin. A five-run rally in the seventh finally seemed to put this game away. The Eagles batted around in that rally, a rally that included four hits. A couple of walks stoked the cause too.
Leadoff batter Kirby Marquart had two hits and an RBI on the night. He connected solidly for a hit in the first inning and scored the Eagles' first run. They led 1-0 until the fifth when the Rox got the score tied. The Eagles finally got wind in their sails with that seventh inning rally.
Ortonville's bats were kept cool by the reliable pitching of Adam Torkelson. Torkelson got the win with his seven innings of work in which he struck out two batters, walked three and gave up four hits. Craig Knochenmus earned the save. Knochenmus allowed no hits and fanned one in his one inning. One inning was also pitched by Jamie Van Kempen.
Dusty Sauter and Chase Rambow contributed RBI hits. The line scores showed Morris with six runs on six hits and no errors, while Ortonville had 1-6-1 numbers.
The sun was out in its shimmering glory again Sunday when the Eagles' assignment was to play Madison. Ross Haugen's bat was sizzling with four hits in five trips. Eric Asche had a sharp eye at the plate too: a solo home run and a double. The boxscore showed Tony Schultz and Chase Rambow with multiple-hit games. All these offensive heroics were instrumental in the Eagles shooting the Mallards out of the sky. The home fans were treated to an 11-1 win.
The solid-as-a-rock veteran Matthew Carrington showed savvy with six strong pitching innings. He gained his first pitching win of the season. Chase Rambow came on to pitch the last two innings in this game which was shortened by the ten-run rule.
An Eagles spokesman said "It was good to see Chase on the mound after a year removed from shoulder surgery."
A four-game homestand is coming up soon. The Eagles will host the Rosen Express at 7:30 p.m. on May 28 (Friday). Then comes a June 2 home contest against the Benson Chiefs which will have a 7:30 p.m. start.
The June 5 assignment will be to host the Canby Knights (1 p.m.). And on June 9, the Eagles will take to the field at Chizek to vie with the Raymond Rockets at 7:30 p.m.
Bring your collapsible chairs or just park your derriere on the permanent bleacher seats. Morris Eagles baseball will add spice to the summer.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Happy UMM graduation - the way it should be

The photo above shows University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks addressing the 2010 University of Minnesota-Morris graduation, held Saturday. Photo by Brian Williams - morris mn

There was no suspense Saturday as to whether the UMM graduation could be held outside. Contrary to some other years, everyone could look forward to the most pleasant type of late-spring, early-summer day. It really felt more like summer than spring. People massed on the UMM campus mall to celebrate the milestone that each of UMM's graduates was marking.
Parking can be a little problematic on a day like this, so I bypassed motorized transportation. I used two-wheel transportation and could pedal right up to the periphery of the mall.
I used to joke with a friend about how it was clear that spring was here when you'd see hippies flying kites on the campus mall. That seems like eons ago. So long ago, the mall was level, sans any special landscaping, and the level topography would be quite essential when building up speed to get a kite aloft.
Today if you look around the campus you will see a few students who have the outward, cosmetic traits of hippies. I don't intend that as a denigrating label. Hippies were a cog in a significant cultural transformation, the blessings of which seem taken for granted by today's youth.
Today's hippie-appearing kids are a testament though they probably aren't terribly aware of that.
In the wake of all that generational tumult, no longer would "authority" have the tyrannical, oftentimes irrational kind of hold over us. The tumult of the 1960s opened the door for a freer discussion of issues. The issue with the greatest immediacy was the military draft. The draft fed into a war machine that plunged us into sheer hell for what seemed like an eternity - a period of time that just happened to coincide with my most formative years.
As a news media aficionado, I soaked in the rebellion of the times that permeated our culture and fundamentally influenced the news media which at the time were a somewhat monolithic enterprise - no Internet, social networking or other "democratizing" tools. "Social networking" might mean visiting the local coffeehouse.
When TV anchorman Walter Cronkite came out and proclaimed, in a somewhat reserved way really, that the U.S. venture in Viet Nam was ill-fated, it was considered a seminal moment. Cronkite like so many others felt "honor" had to be weighed as we made our exit from bloody Indochina.
Those hippies flying kites saw things more clearly. Viet Nam was something to forget. It was something to learn from. The draft was a miserable anachronism. "Make love not war."
These thoughts began drifting through my mind Saturday when a news report appeared on HLN about a belated commencement out east: Would you believe a ceremony for the 1970 graduates? The original ceremony had to be cancelled. Can you believe that the tumult in our nation was so serious that a commencement ceremony had to be cancelled? Kent State had just happened. Youth were killed by National Guardsmen. It was a scary time beyond anything that today's youth could imagine.
Discontent among youth was reaching a boil. Would the nation simply come apart at the seams?
This nation with its dependably resilient air clawed through the debacle of that era. Most of the principles promoted by the youth of that time pushed through the storm clouds and came to be respected.
Civil rights and the environment became embraced in meaningful ways. We need a generous reminder of that in light of the current debacle of the oil spill.
The military draft ended. Not that the pacifists won completely, mind you. Boomers have been tested sharply through the years in terms of adhering to their principles. We have a sort of "back door" draft system today in which a very disproportionate number of military volunteers come from a socioeconomic background in which options are limited. Military service all through time, everywhere, has been marked by this trait.
The idea of our National Guardsmen going overseas to risk life and limb is a back-door maneuver as well. And the venture in Afghanistan could boil up into a domestic imbroglio. But there are quite few signs of that now.
It's nothing like when UMM was the site for Viet Nam War "moratoriums" that drew impassioned crowds to Edson Hall. I was there for a couple of those, actually by accident. I was junior high-age at the time but had been recruited to fill out the french horn section in the UMM concert band. The regular band director was on some sort of leave. The high school director filled his shoes for a time and I was plucked from the public school.
Band rehearsal was cancelled a couple times to allow for the moratoriums. I didn't get the word and so I showed up on campus. Upon discovering the moratorium, I was gripped and couldn't leave. Those images remain fixed in my consciousness.
The emotions were raw. I remember a professor sitting in front who was either a "hawk" or said the kind of things that hawks approved of. "Hawks" and "doves" were the war debate dichotomy of the time. I wouldn't dare type the name of the professor, who is now deceased, because I'm plucking these observations from my memory through the mists of time. I was just a junior high kid. I would guess the year was 1968 or '69.
All this tumult would continue for another three years or so. So today, as I pass by the UMM campus on a beautiful May afternoon and observe all the festive trappings and ebullient mood among graduates, family and well-wishers, I'm struck by the contrast. I hope everyone realized how blessed they were, living in a time when college is an uplifting vehicle for enhancement and not a way to get a military deferment.
Today's commencement is a multi-cultural celebration. A rainbow of backgrounds are represented.
As I pedaled onto the campus periphery, I heard "Pomp and Circumstance" played by UMM musicians. I should mention that in my junior high adventure with the UMM band, I too played for graduation.
"Pomp and Circumstance" has been a matter of some controversy for Morris Area High School because it has not always been played for graduation. Some parents feel it's essential. School board members have been known to get angry emails when it's not played.
Is the problem that it's too traditional? If UMM deems it fully appropriate to play this chestnut, I think it's quite fine to have for the high school graduation too. There should be no question asked.
Over the many years that I covered the Hancock High School graduation, the band there had a percussion section intro to "Pomp and Circumstance" that scared me, such was its volume and suddenness. I got teased about that.
It's heartwarming beyond words to have been invited to the reception for a Hancock High graduate this year. I got to know this family through my work with the old "dead tree" media.
Graduations and receptions were always uniquely heartwarming because, as the cliche goes, they represent "an end and a beginning" with emphasis on the latter. The arduous challenges of classroom work were completed. Everyone could bask in the satisfaction of that and just take a deep breath. Relatives come from long distances. It's a uniquely satisfying time.
The sun-drenched UMM graduation included a speech from University of Minnesota President Robert Bruininks. The student speaker was Bennett Smith of Donnelly. UMM hasn't exactly been a magnet for Morris area youth, so Smith's appearance at the podium had distinction, plus his speech had merit.
Smith was brought to the podium by UMM Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson. Regent Clyde Allen (chair) appeared at the microphone.
The Northern Wind Singers performed "Honor Song" in recognition of the campus's origin as an American Indian boarding school. The lead singer was almunus Gabriel Derosiers.
Jim Mahoney delivered a greeting on behalf of the UMM Alumni Association. The UMM band, 42 years after my adventure in its ranks, was under the baton of Martin Seggelke, and the choir directing was done by UMM's fixture in that department, Ken Hodgson. All that seemed missing was the "UMM Hymn" by composer Ralph E. Williams. But I'm biased on that.
An air of celebration pervaded the reception at Oyate Hall following the formal ceremony.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Is The Forum intrusive in MN politics?

Newspaper political endorsements seem quaint today. They are still done, of course, in the same way papers run old comic strips that seem to have no redeeming value. I've read that pulling strips like these cause the phone to ring off the hook from older readers, you know, the kind of people who were once big Boone and Erickson fans (WCCO Radio).
WCCO itself has been buying out most of its established "name" personnel as it continues the retrenchment going on in our legacy media. Eric Eskola was the most recent shocker.
"Dark Star" has moseyed down the road, meaning he'll have to find some other place where he can ask his guests if they sleep in the nude. I'm put off that no one has ever asked me that. The answer is yes. If I offered a discussion forum here, this would be a neat topic.
I would rather know if a newspaper publisher sleeps in the nude than who he recommends voting for in an upcoming election. Even though endorsements represent an old habit for newspapers - the word "old" is so key with newspapers - I'm surprised so many still do it.
There's an obvious risk in alienating some readers. In this age where readership rolls are shrinking steadily, why does the practice continue? My inquiring mind does have a theory. It's ego.
The main reason Rupert Murdoch has begun a price war with the New York Times, it is suggested, is power. The "old" media mogul whose Fox News has become such a stinking dead fish covets power. Power and ego are soul mates.
The topic of newspaper political endorsements came up in David Brauer's blog on the Minnpost site a few days ago. Brauer, a sage media writer, wrote that endorsements by themselves may have little influence. But candidates can use endorsements in TV ads. It builds their "cred."
Brauer noted that "in a close race, even little things can be crucial."
There may be nothing "little" about the endorsement Tim Pawlenty received in 2006 from Forum Communications. I got to thinking about this Tuesday when "TPaw" was one of the talking parrots on the Fox News propaganda network - that "sea of ignorance," as one critic has described it.
Many of the politicians who suck up to Fox News are from the southern U.S., a growing bastion for the Republican Party (a trend that began after LBJ got civil rights legislation pushed through in the 1960s). The deep south seems to bring out a certain impulsive reactionary tendency.
So why is our governor so prominent and able to be part of that gallery? It might, just might, be because of the endorsement nod he received from Forum Communications. This media behemoth, according to Brauer, "owns more Minnesota in-state and border dailies than any other company."
Four years ago it acquired the Duluth and Grand Forks papers. Soon thereafter it put its blessing on Tim Pawlenty's campaign which was engaged in a tight battle with the feisty DFLer Mike Hatch. Off in the periphery was Peter Hutchinson of the Independence Party - no trivial factor either.
But it was Pawlenty who got the nod from a sprawling newspaper chain that has its corporate roots in Fargo, North Dakota. Brauer described the company as "Fargo-based Forum Communications."
I believe the company has at least cosmetically crossed the border to associate itself with Moorhead, but that's a quibble. When you think of the Forum you think of Fargo, and that's not in Minnesota.
So, we may have our Fox News governor because of the Forum. That's no trivial matter, not with the kind of budget tremors and conflict we're seeing in St. Paul now.
Brauer wrote that when Hatch became ultra-feisty and used the term "Republican whore," he was using it vs. a Forum Communications writer, venting in the shadow of that pivotal endorsement that had gone to Hatch's chief foe.
Now, you could argue that this indiscretion was Hatch's own fault. Fair enough.
Hatch's runningmate had a costly indiscretion as well, not being aware of what E85 was. Although, I don't know why people can't freely choose to consume E85, or any other fuel or product, without the guiding hand of government. Poor Judi Dutcher. She'll be associated with that gaffe as much as Dan Quayle with putting an "e" on the end of "potato."
As much as I'm averse to Republicans, I really think the Quayle episode was overblown. If spelling were so routine, how come people turn to their spell-check so often?
The Hatch/Dutcher ticket should have won. Hutchinson siphoned off progressive votes. Our political system in America really wasn't designed to accommodate third parties. We got the sideshow of Jesse Ventura thanks to a third party. His Independence Party got legs because of that.
Ventura has libertarian inclinations many of which I find agreeable. He wasn't up to the grind of holding that high office, though. He took too many things personally. Today he's in his niche simply as a celebrity. It's heartwarming to see him on Larry King Live. He and Bill Maher handle that environment better than anyone. Maher is a political soul mate of mine.
Wasn't it heartwarming to get those "Jesse checks?"
Republicans are currently trying to just absorb the "tea party." That's why Sarah Palin is endorsing Carly Fiorina in California instead of the tea party guy. The tea party is just a novelty that is bringing attention to conservative causes. Republican leaders are humored by it. Cable news can chatter over it.
Because Mike Hatch bears some of the blame himself for the "whore" comment, it's not wise to say that Forum Communications decided the Minnesota governor's race - not in a black and white way anyway. But it's not totally unreasonable either. Here's how David Brauer put it: "In a sideways way, that endorsement likely did decide the '06 race."
Sideways. "Sideways" was a movie I saw at the Morris Theater about a couple of amoral guys, old college roommates, who traveled around wine country engaging in foolishness. Typical Hollywood ethos. Thumbs-down on that one.
When Minnesota votes again for governor, it will be a pivotal time given stark budget realities. So we all ought to watch with interest who gets the thumbs-up from Forum Communications.
The Forum endorsements actually reflect "the political preferences of one man," according to Paul Schmelzer of the Minnesota Independent.
That man is Bill Marcil, and his "leanings are decidedly Republican," Schmelzer wrote in a 2006 piece.
Schmelzer wrote about a spate of newspapers around Minnesota endorsing Republicans like Mary Kiffmeyer, and how one might get the impression that a "Republican groundswell" might be building. Of course it was just the phenomenon of a big newspaper chain, the Forum, putting its blessing on the same candidates everywhere.
2006 was four years ago and the newspaper industry has retreated significantly since. Unfortunately the decline hasn't happened fast enough. We are all getting liberated by the new media which loosen the shackles we have traditionally had with the paternalistic old media.
But just as those old, un-funny comic strips survive, and certain columnists keep sitting down at a typewriter when they should have retired 30 years ago - I won't name names - newspapers survive.
Our troubled economic waters might finally push them over the edge. Oh, and it has nothing to do with quality of journalism. The decline of newspapers has nothing more to do with journalism than the decline of Vaudeville had to do with quality of one-liners.
New communications technology is simply a game-changer. Web 2.0 was a breakthrough point. It has applied a dagger to the one-size-fits-all newspaper product.
We are seeing an unraveling process now with evidence even in West Central Minnesota.
In the meantime, think for yourself on political races please. Minnesota deserves better than having a Fox News governor.
Incidentally, the Forum owns the papers in Morris and Hancock. Think about that if you're a Democrat, please.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

The immense importance of moderation

Here are two things people should not do: Climb Mount Everest and run a marathon. People seem to be wising up slowly on the need to avoid such extreme challenges, but it's puzzling why the challenges ever held such allure. Getting healthy is a fully laudable goal. Running nonstop for 26.2 miles is not.
Maybe the apparent financial challenges of our Regional Fitness Center are due to people increasingly seeing no need for such special measures to promote health.
Step 1, and this is a biggie, is to eat healthy. We are waking up after a period in our history when food indulgences went off the graph. It's nice to see people waking up. But paying a hefty fee to torture yourself running a marathon is quite unnecessary.
It's arguable that there is no need to belong to the RFC either. Once you establish a healthy diet, which is probably 80 per cent of the battle, taking a brisk, pleasant walk once in a while is probably all that's necessary. Or, put on some sweats and do a pleasant jog of two or three miles.
Bring a basketball to a public park in Morris that has hoops and backboards. It doesn't take much ingenuity. In the end we all may see the wisdom behind then-State Senator Charlie Berg's formal remarks when the RFC opened: "When I first heard about the idea for this, I wondered what they were smoking." (Berg has always shown a God-given talent for the quotable quote.)
I also remember Brad Pickle, the RFC's first manager, mistakenly saying "Stearns County" instead of "Stevens County."
Having expressed this skepticism, I should note that I contributed $1000 to getting it established. But I have had no interest in actually using it. In the old days there was the "UMM Sports Club" which gave you access to the P.E. Center for exercise purposes, for a fee that would now look absolutely token.
Fees for everything got jacked up during the go-go years of the U.S. economy (pretty much the 1990s). There was a time when speeding citations were accompanied by a token fine - nothing to make your eyes bug out. Today a ticket can cause a personal financial crisis, and simple negligence with not wearing your seat belt can bring on the same circumstances - ridiculous.
With a lot of people really hurting in the current economic travail, some of these standards might have to be loosened. By the same token, people will be less likely to pay a huge fee for having access to the RFC facilities, terrific those facilities may be.
Will the City of Morris even find the funds to tear down our old abandoned school, or start the much-ballyhooed "green community?" I'll make a wager with you on the latter. I don't think we'll ever see it.
How much damage to town morale results from the old school looming - empty, cold and haunted - in the middle of town with no immediate plans for anything to be done about it. As I've stated before, the funds for tearing down the school should have been included in the package that we voted on for building the palatial new one.
My inspiration for that came from Mr. Glen Helberg, a fountain of wisdom with whom I share breakfast on many mornings. Now we have to pray that the RFC doesn't end up just like the old school. I don't know to what extent the RFC might have patched up its financial chinks in the armor since its director went into a public passing-the-hat mode.
Helberg suggested that when all else fails, the University of Minnesota would just move in and completely take over the RFC. I have to wonder about that, because the state's financial challenges seem to ring of real genuineness this time. It's not the kind of "cry wolf" austerity that sometimes is projected. It seems we are nearing a time when government at all levels will have to start applying a machete.
I look at the courthouse remodeling project in Morris and just shake my head. What an incredible mess over there now. Just think if the new jail had gotten pushed through as well. It's scary to contemplate.
The courthouse was a perfectly good building without any wholesale remodeling. I feel sorry for First Lutheran Church which is right next to the current shambles of the remodeling process.
I had to visit the district court office in the construction zone - surprisingly it hadn't relocated to City Center Mall - and almost found it dangerous navigating through. I know now what Tarzan feels like swinging on vines through the jungle.
I didn't even find the people there very courteous. Instead of saying "can I help you?" they just attended to their work as if I wasn't there. I had to get their attention. I think I started out saying "excuse me" in a sarcastic way. Sorry. Maybe working in a "war zone" like this brings on a distant temperament.
The people who stopped the jail proposal here are saints. Think how close it came to going through.
If you follow the news, you'll know that the future model of government work will have less - much less - reliance on bricks-and-mortar assets, as many people can work off-site (like at home), using the amazing tools of our new communications technology. The private sector has been adjusting right along with these trends, of course. The government sector? That can be a little more pokey, but some shining examples have emerged through the news media.
Prudence will ultimately triumph, just as we have seen with people shying away from extreme exercise (e.g. the ten-kilometer run) and opting for more sensible pastimes. Marathons seem to be holding their own. But there is a trend here too: a greater emphasis on just finishing the route instead of pushing yourself to achieve a certain time.
I was told this by someone whom I interviewed toward the end of my career in the local "dead tree" media. It was someone I interviewed for a home improvement special section. He was proud of simply having run a marathon and wasn't particularly concerned with time. To that I give a hats-off.
But why 26.2 miles? It still seems to defy reason just like climbing Mount Everest. When it became known that Mount Everest was in fact the tallest point on earth, it was human nature that dictated people would want to climb it. Many have died doing so.
Whoever decided the marathon running distance was something magical did a great disservice.
Many small towns once had 10K and 5K running events, often in conjunction with summer festivals. There are fewer runs like these now, and many have eliminated the taxing 10K distance which is 6.2 miles.
The last organized run I did was the 5K offered by St. Cloud State University for its 2006 Homecoming. It's annual. Incidentally, Brad Pickle was the event manager. I hope he knows what county he's in now.
Running the 5K (3.1 miles) gave all the physical challenge I could possibly want. Assuming you push yourself reasonably hard, it's a fully adequate physical challenge.
I did notice price inflation in connection to these run events. It had been several years since my previous organized run, and I found the new pricetag to be totally unacceptable. I don't care if you get a computer chip thingie to put in your shoes. I can do a three-mile run on my own for no cost anytime.
It might even be more fun to watch a 5K.
But the price is remindful of the speeding and seat belt citation fines I cited earlier. The slumping economy is going to force an adjustment in all of this, and the Regional Fitness Center might have to be sacrificed at least temporarily. Because, I don't think the state can always be counted on to come along like some big Sugar Daddy.
And if Republicans get elected it's Katy bar the door.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Not backing down on fate of "the bear"

It seemed we had everything but a helicopter hovering overhead when our bear friend settled in a tree in north Morris. It turns out all sorts of agencies were represented in attending to the scene.
The University of Minnesota police? They were there, according to the online writing of our city manager. I asked a friend with whom I had breakfast Friday why the University police would have to be involved.

"Maybe the bear was drunk," he said. Rimshot.

With all these law enforcement brains coming together, I'm sure there was no risk to be allowed in how this episode came to an end. The only way to prevent something bad happening was to dispose of the bear.

Sarah Palin might have suggested shooting the bear from a helicopter. Evidently she has been known to go after wolves that way, or to endorse the practice. Her endorsements these days don't have the imprimatur of the Alaska governor's office. I guess they're on Facebook.

Seriously, the Alaskan would no doubt be fully aware of the danger bears present.
Lest you think this is an unserious and rambling blog post, I would argue to the contrary, as I would eschew the kind of levity that has been evident in some official statements. The city manager wrote that "the bear did leave on his own, probably back to where he came from."

That's a pretty imprecise statement. Our manager, Mr. Hill, seems to just want us to think the bear is out of our hair now and went to somewhere where he can find contentment in an element where he poses no danger.

Again, all those law enforcement brains put together would never agree to such an assumption. Can you imagine their embarrassment, shame and fear of losing their jobs if that bear had made its way into town again and caused trouble? Or gone onto the highway and caused a motorist to swerve off the road and roll over his vehicle?

If we accept the official story, we might wonder: Did the officials coax the bear in a manner to leave town to the north as opposed to any other route? There are people living out there. Like me. Cimaroc Kennels are out there. And senior citizens.

At that late hour (essentially middle of the night), it's unlikely anyone would be outside, but you can never assume anything. I've been known to have the dog outside in the middle of the night so he can take care of his business. Everyone acknowledges this bear had been hurt through being struck by a car, the question was how badly.

No, I don't think the bear went "back to where he came from" (a curious existential type of statement). And I don't think we need to be concerned about what route he may have chosen on his way out of town.

I think the Sarah Palin solution was enacted sans helicopter.

The law enforcement people couldn't find it within themselves to tell the public (and especially the children) that. Why? It's partly because we don't understand the true reality of bears. They have been practically nonexistent here.

You might want to talk to people who live in the wild country around Duluth. I doubt that any of them would suggest you should approach a bear like it's a big, fluffy friend. The bear in Morris was given the name "Fluffy."

It got a Facebook page, although I confess I'm not into the Facebook culture so I'm not certain of what all is entailed by that. I only belatedly started this blog.

The final nudge for starting the blog came with the Morris newspaper becoming once a week instead of twice. The obvious retreat of the legacy media, to the point where its only mission seems to be to extract as many ad dollars as it can while it's still on its feet, has opened a void that online journalists such as myself can fill. Our city manager, perhaps unwittingly, is doing that himself through his blog.

Blaine Hill's blog, incidentally, is linked on the site you're reading now. Look on the right hand side.

Am I overreacting to the bear episode? In answering no, let me illustrate by pointing out that notorious incident where a chimpanzee pet chewed a person's face off. There has been more than one chimp incident like this.
Wildlife experts will say that chimpanzees (and the hippopotamus) are among the most dangerous animals to confront if they're in an ornery mood.

The animal handlers in Hollywood know all this, of course, but they shape a make-believe world in which animals are given human-like qualities and become the object of our affection. Aren't chimps charming? You might think so if you consume popular media. Didn't Ronald Reagan - RIP - star with a chimp in the movie "Bedtime for Bonzo?"

I have read that chimps in entertainment are young, neutered and drugged. I wouldn't doubt that Reagan as a precaution wore an athletic cup type of protector (for the genitals), based on what I've read about how chimps attack people.

Chimps are intelligent only by comparison to other animals, although sometimes I think they might be the ones running the political "tea party" movement. After writing that, Palin might direct her helicopter pilot to track me down.

Elephants are cute and fascinating in the circus, right? And then we have bears. . .

Oh my, the entertainment industry has made bears into the most charming creatures. When I was a kid I watched "Captain Kangaroo" which included "Dancing Bear." We had the Muppet Show with Fozzie Bear. Pooh Bear is a much-loved figure from children's literature.

Who can forget the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears?" The name "Goldilocks" was revived in the 1990s as, of all things, a term related to the U.S. economy. So often when the stock market shot upward (common then), we were told it was the result of the "Goldilocks effect." The economy was neither too hot nor too cold, it was "just right."

On Thursday of this past week, given the quake of sorts in the stock market, maybe we could coin the term "yo yo economy."

Maybe chimpanzees would do the best job picking stocks now. I'll have to ask my old boss Jim Morrison about that.

Wild bears are strangers to us out here on the prairie. Given our unfamiliarity, it's easy to think we might let our guard down and smile at the knowledge of our new "visitor." Our city manager reported daycare providers bringing their kids to the vicinity of the treed bear, hoping to get a glimpse.

At some point our very competent Police Chief Beauregard probably winced and said "why me? Why did this bear come into our lives here and create this predicament? Where on earth did he come from."

Officials who were on the scene know there is virtually no chance "Fluffy" will re-visit Morris. I'm quite certain the DNR made sure of that. The DNR took a cold, hard look at the situation here and knew there were no alternatives.

Perhaps they asked the other officials to leave the scene at the time the drastic action was taken. Jim Beauregard wouldn't have to be an eyewitness. This would make it easier for him later to spin that little tale of the bear "moving on," as if some bum who wasn't able to stay.

Was any damage done to the car that had the encounter with the bear? If so, the driver must have had an interesting subsequent conversation with her car insurance rep. I imagine that insurance companies wouldn't be too accepting of a bear making its rounds in the community.

Most of us were just plain amazed when we heard about this black bear. There are too many benign images of bears from entertainment in our head. The bear is stereotyped as a friendly, passive, dim-witted oaf. Just as chimps are "cute."

The person so horribly attacked by the chimp may have let her guard down because of the popular images. Professional wildlife managers (like at the DNR) and wildlife handlers in entertainment know the cold, hard truth. Remember the Sigfried and Roy incident in Las Vegas involving the tiger?
Animals follow their instincts and can be unpredictable. I once had to get medical attention because of a dog bite, applied by an animal that I treasured dearly (and still do). The doctor was perturbed at how long I waited to come in. I felt bad about the dog being in a position of having a finger pointed at him.

If this 40-pound animal can send someone to the clinic, I wonder what a big, wild and wounded bear might do.
So would all these committed public servants monitoring our bear visitor just allow him to mosey along? You don't believe fairy tales, do you? Well, apparently many people do.

There are skeptics in Morris about the official story but they seem to be the minority. On Friday morning at McDonald's I discovered some support for my position as we perused the house newspaper (Star Tribune) and came upon the headline about a bear that was shot at a Twin Cities area golf course.

It was a large headline: "DNR: Bear had to be killed." And the subhead: "The male black bear that wandered onto the Manitou Ridge Golf Course posed a threat because it was too close to too many people."
I doubt that our venerable DNR would want to put Morris area people at any more risk than in the Twin Cities.
"Police had no choice" but to kill the golf course bear, the article stated.
I feel that was the bottom line here too. I'm not sure why a cover story of the bear's escape was necessary. I would be infuriated if this was a wink-wink, nod-nod agreement between local officials and the local corporate news media. It would be very inconsiderate. But I wouldn't rule it out.
Media people are the self-appointed guardians of public morale. It's good for ad sales. No one wants to read about this supposedly lovable bear, "Fluffy," being shot. So let's have a happy, fairy tale type of ending.
"Fluffy went back to where he came from."
Maybe it would be more constructive to have a teachable moment for young people. It would be a good lesson on nature, mortality and danger.
And on the chance that the official story is actually true (the odds of which are the same as for the cow jumping over the moon, I feel), kids shouldn't be any more inclined to approach wild animals or judge them friendly.

Nature has its perils. We like being surrounded by plenty of it.

But we need to acknowledge all the realities.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

The bear in Morris brings speculation

How did a bear end up in a tree in Morris last week?
Yeah, I know, he got kicked out of the bar.
Actually I don't know if it was a he or a she, but this animal caused quite the flurry of commotion. Never mind that we're in the country and wildlife ought to be seen as the norm. We associate bears with the north woods and I gather they are relatively rare there. So how did Mr. Bear end up on our usually uneventful prairie?
Was it a wild animal at all or had it been raised in captivity? Did it get out of someone's possession by accident? If the answer is no, then is this animal a sign of things to come here? I can remember as a kid when Canada geese were rare and you'd look skyward with amazement if some came overhead. The cries of those geese seemed to resonate right from the bosom of nature.
As years went by the population of geese grew to where it was hardly a novelty to see them. The late local author Doug Rasmusson, whose wit and perspective are greatly missed, called them "sky carp." That really stuck with me because I remembered so well the days when geese were a novel and thrilling sight, just as with bald eagles today.
In the last few years a bald eagle nest has become established along the Lake Crystal shore. I saw a bald eagle by Lake Crystal when emptying leaves at the city compost pile. I also saw an eagle perched high in a tree across the water from the Pomme de Terre dam a couple of years ago.
Eagles are the national symbol (because Ben Franklin lost his argument on behalf of the turkey) but they are predatory - a status that usually does not win affection. If eagles multiply locally, be sure to keep an eye on your small dogs and cats.
How dangerous is a black bear? I don't really know, but I know they aren't as dangerous as grizzlies. Our friend who visited last week was reportedly hurt through an encounter with a motor vehicle. That could change things in terms of this animal being dangerous. It also makes plausible the suggestion that he was shot and killed at the end of this episode.
What? That isn't the official story, right? By week's end we were told that Mr. Bear, who had reportedly been nicknamed "Fluffy" (presumably by a young observer), had come down from the tree and moved on.
But what other story could the police have possibly told us? With the bear having become a sensation in the community, no scenario involving a shooting death could possibly have been reported.
Do I actually suspect the bear was shot? Yes. I heard this rather authoritatively, actually, when I arrived at the McDonald's restaurant Friday morning. I have a good sense feeling out street rumors and this talk seemed to have the stamp of legitimacy.
I took my seat there assuming that the bear had been dispatched. Cruel as it may seem it was understandable. If authorities were to allow an injured bear to continue making his rounds in Morris (whether he went back to the bar or not), there would be liability issues. I'm sure that the assigned officials were governed by liability issues every step of the way.
But wait, weren't there people who saw the bear leave? Here we might call in Jesse Ventura of the TruTV show "Conspiracy Theory." My theory even addresses the very long wait we all experienced as this saga lingered. Many people felt consternation about the sheer length of the wait.
Mr. Ventura might suggest that authorities knew the bear was going to have to be dispatched. But there would have to be a cover-up! No way could our police chief go on the local radio to say "Fluffy" had been shot.
Given this absolute fact, the authorities had to scramble. I think they had to arrange for a domesticated stand-in bear to be brought here. The stand-in would then amble along as if he were "Fluffy," bringing an agreeable end to this riveting episode in our Mayberry-like community.
Barney Fife could smile contentedly in the role of our Chief Beauregard. Gomer and Goober could get back to work changing oil. Otis would write off the sight of the bear as merely an image from his drunken stupor. Drunks are funny, right? Well, not any more.
Chief Beauregard seemed a little too glib telling the "official" story through the media. It reminded me of those TV newscasters on Christmas Eve who report that Santa Claus has left the North Pole.
Mayberry, I mean Morris, had its share of gawkers through his episode. And there are now people monumentally angry about the gawkers or "rubberneckers." Oh c'mon, I can't blame people at all for wanting to get a glimpse of this rare animal.
Willie's Super Valu reportedly got a spurt of extra business as it was right next door. Given that Willie's essentially has a monopoly in town now, I'm not exactly sure what could cause an uptick in business there.
Another theory to weigh is that the bear was a domesticated animal encouraged up that tree by the UMM sociology department in order to study the community's reaction.
What would "Ranger Smith" have done? Boomers grew up with the Yogi Bear cartoon in which Ranger Smith was the sober authority figure - the straight man as it were. I imagine he represented the kind of authority that kids were supposed to defer to as they grew older. But boomers ended up terrible at respecting authority, at least for a while.
Ranger Smith was always concerned about Yogi and the other bears stealing a "picnic basket." BooBoo was Yogi's likable but dimwitted companion.
"What about the Ranger?" BooBoo would always say.
Well, I think the Ranger may have had to get out his rifle Thursday night here in Morris, perhaps a rifle with a silencer - maybe that necessitated the wait - and end this little adventure in the only legally acceptable way.
Sorry, kids. And get Jesse Ventura on the phone.
-Brian Williams - morris mn Minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com