Year In Review...

July 14, 2021

The Red Lake County Central Public School will continue to offer in-person learning to all students, as it did for the entire 2020-2021 school year.

From the UofM - Crookston: Well, the first six months of this year are the second driest on record. The official weather records at the NWROC date back to 1890 and only the first half of 1980 was drier (3.22" versus 3.72" of total precipitation). Since records have been kept, precipitation in the month of June has averaged 3.59". This month's total of 1.65" was less than half of that average.

The RLCC Cadets finished the season with a 7-3 record. Team members were: Peyton Jenson, Thor Thompson, Eli Magnell, Jett Hanson, Jackson Morinville, Olin Eskeli, Owen O’Neill, Sawyer Carlson, Trevor Lee, Jacob Lee, Marshall Gagner and Oliver Melin.

Rain came down hard around noon in Oklee with thunder and dark clouds. The new storm pipes have not be installed yet on the City building, so it was literally running straight down on the mess of construction on all sides of the building.

From Brooks-Terrebonne News: Still no rain and I mean no rain. The willow tree next to my house is shedding it’s leaves and it feels like fall already as the trees leaves are browning and falling in many yards. And it is hot. I don’t believe we have ever had such hot weather for such a long time. Working in the sun is just plain inhumane.

On Sunday, the 11th there was a Centennial Farm celebration on the Hesse farm. They had a very nice lunch served out in the garage. The guys gave combine rides and hay wagon rides.

July 21, 2021

Rain came down hard around noon in Oklee with thunder and dark clouds. The new storm pipes have not be installed yet on the building, so it was literally running straight down on the mess of construction on all sides of the building. 

Dianne and Clarence Gagner went to Hamel at the City Park for the Robert and Rose Gagner family reunion.

On Sunday, the 11th there was a Centennial Farm celebration on the Hesse farm. They had a very nice lunch served out in the garage. They had ham sandwiches, salads, chips, fruit, veggies, bars, cake and coffee. The guys gave combine rides and hay wagon rides.

July 28, 2021

The Community Block Party had been in the works before Covid-19 took control of all our lives. It was decided that after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted this spring/summer, the Oklee Lutheran Parish would go a head with the Block Party. Everyone in the community was invited, as it wasn't a church based activity, it was lets get together as a community after being confined and separated for so long.

Remember the Jump Rope for Hearts program. It has been renamed to Skip To Serve. Student still jump rope to raise funds, earn prizes, etc. Due to the pandemic, last years winner, Ava Kolstoe and this years winner got their ride to school in the Plummer Fire Truck.

Sharon Weiss retired as the 4-H Extension Educator who took of many 4-H events and groups.

The Rodman family from Milwaukee and surrounding suburbs were here visiting their mother/grandmothers childhood home & school. They stopped in to the Oklee Cafe and visited with people. Visiting from Milwaukee wereDennis and Verna (Rodman) Zahn, Julie and Steve Golwitzer, Scott & Sherri Hoff, their son Mike, Megan (a friend of Kendra), Kendra Lukes and Vicki & Tom Lukes.

Last week, Oklee got lots of rain, but in Brooks area, no rain in the past week. 

Alice Jobe watched the Jeff Bazos space capsule and three passengers go into space for about ten minutes. It was pretty exciting, she said. The youngest was eighteen from the Netherlands and the oldest was an 82 year old woman, who is an astronaut. Its crazy spending all that money but exciting anyway.

August 4, 2021

The 4-H Grand & Reserve winners dominated the front page of the Oklee Herald.

Area farmers have been busy combining their small grain crops. 

The temperatures have been nice lately, but the smoke is bad. Watching the news it seems like the weather patterns are just sending us more and more of the smoke. It is getting to be an issue for many people that have breathing issues. Smoke is a problem across the state of Minnesota and the upper plains of the US.

Still no rain. We just have to hope against hope that we will eventually get rain. It has helped the wheat harvest though. Many farmers have combined their wheat and though the yield is low. 

Winners of Summer Reading Program prizes were Lucy Kargel, Sylvester Kargel, Taylor Lato and Charles Pearson.

This past Sunday at St. Joseph's in Brooks, we had Reverand Richard Pates (acting Bishop) said mass. He was a very animated person.

Continued next week.....