Year In Review...

October 20, 2021

Beginning October 24th, you must dial 10-digits (area code + telephone number) for all local calls. On and after this date, local calls dialed with only 7 digits may not be completed,

Red Lake County hosted Menahga in the annual Parent's Night game in Oklee on October 15th. This year 96 students participated in Rebel football in grades 5th-12th.

The Numbers of COVID cases are starting to come  down. It is so important to be aware and to take the necessary precautions. Most of the seniors are vaccinated but a person can still catch COVID. You can still get sick. And if you are asymptomatic, you can spread it.

October 27, 2021

RLCC High School students had their Day of Caring. It is a Community Service Day for the students. This year it was held on October 20th which was a beautiful day to be outside working on yard tasks.

The Oklee American Legion Auxiliary, Unit 159, has decided to postpone the annual Bingo Bake fundraiser held the Friday before deer hunting due to concerns for the health safety of the public, and the Auxiliary members. 

Doris LaJambe, former Oklee resident turned 100! She was honored with an open house birthday party on October 16th in Turtle River.

Open Meetings are being held in the area to discuss the future of RLCC School and buildings. 

New Inductees into the RLCC's Minnesota Honor Society were: Caden Lee, Ella Moen, Jamie Flatgard, Marin Peterson,Sidney Fougner, Keira Morinville, and Jennifer Johnson.

The Fall weather has been kind to us so far. Yes, we did get our hard frost but the days are nice and it isn’t too blustery yet. 

November 3, 2021

Darrell Tougas officially retired from the City of Oklee Maintenance position he has held for 20 years. He will be on call for testing and some training for Joe Larson, who took over his position.

Oklee held a "Trunk or Treat" again this year due to Covid. There was a good turnout of costumed children going from car to car getting treats.

Security State Bank of Oklee has hired Paul Peterson as a Loan Officer and Insurance Agent. Paul is a native of Oklee, MN where he graduated from Oklee High School in 1996.

The Red Lake County Mustangs volleyball team traveled to Clearbrook to play the Bears and lost with three tight sets with scores of 20-25, 20-25, and 21-25. 

The Red Lake County Rebels played the Bagley Flyers on Tuesday, October 26th. This was the Rebels first playoff game of the year, as they defeated the Flyers convincingly 40-28. 

Caught Being Good! at the Elementary School were: Hattie Moll, Bronco Bergeson, Fayth Stordahl, Brynley Kvasager, Axel Bren, Isabella Brekke, Keira Baker, Kinsley Kruchowski,  Avery Grove, Lola Hendrickson, Teagan Lee, and Bryer Klasen.

Everyone is looking for a warmer jacket this week. It has gotten noticeably colder and it feels like we need more warmth  outside. It is November, so we need to get the idea that winter is just around the corner. Bundle up folks it is time.

November 10, 2021

Oklee Trunk or Treat winners were Kyle & Chelsey Vettleson, Jill & Leif Kolstoe, and Tracy Hamm. All were very well done decorated trunks.

New teacher at RLCC is Mrs. Karis Musker. 

The Red Lake County Rebels traveled to Ada on Saturday, Oct 30, 2021 to play the Ada Borup Cougars ending their season with a 14-42 loss.

Red Lake County Rebel Cross Country team for 2021 had their Section 8a tournament in Bagley Minnesota October the 29th 2021.

The Red Lake County Mustangs hosted their first post-season game against the Win-E-Mac Patriots. They won the set 4-1 with 25-14, 23-25, 25-21, and 25-15. 

The new owners have taken over D & R Grocery and will be called E & J Grocery. The seniors are very happy they still have a local grocery store to shop at. Welcome to Oklee, Jason and family.

The weather over the weekend was wonderful. It would be nice to have a law that every weekend would be like this past one. It looks though, like the weather is turning cold on Wednesday and maybe it will be that way for the duration of the winter. Colder and colder, until we are sick of it. Such is living in Minnesota.

November 17, 2021

Every year Mr. Strutz has the freshmen class make catapults, they use factors of velocity and distance to see how far the marshmallow can get launched. Ben Lee, a freshman at RLCC said that this project is one of his favorites because he gets to make things and he gets to move around more instead of staying in the classroom.

RLCC High School Students of the Month were Quinn Graves and Halie Thompson.

Some information from LSS came to the senior site regarding Gift Card scams. Scammers love to convince people to bay them with gift cards. There are so man different scams out there that involve gift cards. These cards are readily available, virtually untraceable and easily converted into cash. Remember, only buy gift cards for gifts, not for payment.

We have snow. Now the deer hunters are probably jumping with glee. They can track the deer. Thursday morning there was snow up at Roseau, also east of Plummer about a mile or so east there was some snow early in the morning. Some areas of North Dakota and NE Minnesota had several inches in the forecast.

November 24, 2021

Sydney Melby started teaching in Red Lake County Central Elementary School this year as a full-time teacher. She first started teaching in the Elementary as a paraprofessional but applied for the fifth-grade teacher position this summer.

Grace Dessellier and Shirley Dessellier from the Red White and Blue Quilters, presented Honor Quilts at the Oklee Veteran's Program on November 11th. Receiving the quilts were Don Stenberg and Bennet Larson. Einar Kvasager, who was unable to attend was also presented an honor quilt at his home.

Well the winter winds showed us what is to come on Sunday. We were experiencing the cold north wind that ran viciously over the landscape as the day progressed. It was really biting and we huddled into our winter coats to keep warm as we ran to the cars and ducked quickly inside back to warmth. Brrrr. 

Prices are going up on almost everything. I’m sure there are many in our area who are struggling to pay for everything.

December 1, 2021

As of January 1, 2022, Katie Lorenson, originally from Oklee, daughter of Bob & Pam O'Neill, and 1998 Oklee High School graduate, is scheduled to become the new president and chief executive officer of Alerus Financial Corporation.

Ice anglers on Mille Lacs and Upper Red lakes can harvest walleye on both lakes this winter season. A four-walleye bag limit, with only one walleye longer than 17 inches allowed, went into effect on Upper Red Lake on Monday, Nov. 1.

RLCC October Students of the Month were Jacob Cater and Jennifer Johnson.

RLC Rebels Awards Banquet was held on November 23rd. Award winners were: Blane Schmitz, Jed Duden, Tyler Eskeli, Damon Ferguson, Jackson Hoefer, Paul DeHate,  and Brook Seeger.

The turkeys are safe now for another year. The weather has been very conducive for traveling and it has been nice for going out and getting fresh air. This week being so close to December 1st sounds like temps at least in the thirties and maybe one day in the forties, is very nice for outdoors work. Get that outdoor Christmas display finished.

December 8, 2021

December 4th, Santa came to visit the children in Oklee but the weather on Sunday was not good so the Brooks Santa Day was canceled to December 12th.

Caught Being Good at the Elementary were Shawn Landrus, Hattie Moll, Archie Nelson, Maci Magnell, Caleb Jensen, Isabelle Paradis.

Red Lake County Central varsity girls basketball kicked off their season on Monday, November 29, 2021. The team played Goodridge/Grygla that night in Oklee but ended up losing 55-68. 

Red Lake County Central Elementary Students of the Month were: 3rd & 4th: Jacob Lee and 5th & 6th: Isabelle Paradis.

Update on Father Hamness w ho is recovering from Covid: This week Adam continues to make improvements and has been getting up to walk a small bit each day. He's been weaning off the vent and was just on oxygen for part of the day today, which is such wonderful news. He's getting stronger each day, and his stubbornness is making a return. (Katie Faken, his sister reported on the Caringbrige site).

The weather out side was frightful on Sunday. Church was canceled in most towns, the snow was piling up and the visibility was almost zero in places.

Salem WELCA had a raffle this year. Winners were: Quilt - Josh Vettleson, John Capp - $150 Cenex Gas Card, Sylvia Majeres - $100 Cenex Gas Card, Chris Kolstoe & Kyle Vettleson - $25 in cash each.

Continued...Next week!