January 2022

Local teachers join over 600 area teachers for education conference

For more than 20 years, the nine districts making up the Minnesota River Valley Education District (MRVED), have benefitted from a conference that takes place annually that provides educational and networking opportunities. This week, after a one-year break due to COVID-19, educators from those districts gathered at the Lac qui Parle Valley High School once again for the annual MELT (MRVED Educators Learning Together) Conference.

Prairie Five offers tablet lending library to help after pandemic

Shortly after the CO- VID-19 pandemic hit, Prairie Five recognized the need to find a way to make contact more available for older community members who were suffering from a loss of faceto-face contact. “We saw how many activities moved online - church services, medical appointments, presentations, and more and wanted to be sure that the older adults in our fivecounty service area would be able to stay connected with these opportunities, as well as with family and friends,” says Laura Thomas, Prairie Five Community Action Council’s Director of Aging Well.

Thunder Hawk girls defeat Redwood Valley, Sauk Centre

The Thunder Hawk girls played the Redwood Valley Cardinals last Tuesday in a home game for a 66-23 victory. Leaders in that game included Avery Koenen who scored 21 points, 12 rebounds with four assists, three steals. Tenley Epema scored an additional 17 points for the team total with seven steals, three assists. Complete scoring from that game follows:

Former Montevideo band director marches in historic moment

Former Montevideo band director Ron Stary recently traveled to California from his home in South Dakota to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, joining the Band of Band Directors in the Rose Parade. The band was the first of its kind, being comprised of band directors from around the nation who applied to be a part of it.

Boys Swim & Dive Team takes home a win in Willmar conference

The Montevideo Boys Swim and Dive Team took home a win at the Willmar conference last Tuesday evening. Leaders in that event included Austin Dunn, who won the 500-yard freestyle (5:32.81), the 100 backstroke (1:01.73) and took part in the winning 200 medley relay team with Callim Schmitz, Gavin Arends, Mickey Hess (1:49.48). Complete scoring from that event follows:

Team UNITED takes home wins in two events last week

Team UNITED took part in the Hutchinson triangular last Tuesday. In the first event, the team fell to Hutchinson 24-40. In the second event, Team UNITED defeated New Ulm 43- 24, finishing the day 1-1.

Thunder Hawk boys defeat Sauk Centre in overtime win

The Thunder Hawk boys basketball team traveled to Redwood Falls last Tuesday evening to take on the Redwood Valley Cardinals in a close-fought game for a 62-78 loss. Leaders in that game included Landon Stock who scored 16 points. Bradyn Shultz contributed another 13 points to the team total with six rebounds and three assists. Complete scoring from that game follows:

Prairie Notebook

Way back in October 1978, one of the funniest, most iconic comedy moments in television aired on “WKRP in Cincinnati”. As part of a remote radio spot celebrating Thanksgiving, staff members tossed live turkeys out of a helicopter hovering over a shopping center. Listeners heard pandemonium and chaos amid the screaming as the birds smashed into the ground and through windshields of cars. The sequence ends with the sobbing, disbelieving station manager confessing “Honest to God, I thought turkeys could fly!”

Milan Community Column

Uff da. I'm not happy with the temperature fluctuations. And. It seems when the air temp warms the wind speed increases. What's with that? I do have warm clothes and boots so when I venture out I'm not freezing. I just don't like bundling up every time I go out. I guess I shouldn't complain. I talked to a friend who goes south for the winter and the other morning it was 32 in Mesa, Arizona. Now that would cause me to be unhappy.