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News from the week of November 8, 2000 Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880

Every vote counts, as area backs Bush for president

Southwest Minnesota voters participated in the closest presidential election in at least 40 years Tuesday.

At 9am Wednesday, the presidential race was still too close to call. Vice President Al Gore held a narrow lead in the popular vote over Teaxas Governor George W. Bush. But the all important electoral college vote total was still pending a recount in Florida. All major television networks had projected a Bush victory in Florida and the electoral college at 1:20 am Wednesday. But two hours later Florida election officials said a recount would be needed to determine whether Gore or Bush would get Florida's 2 electoral votes. The candidate that wins Florida will win the election.

In Lyon county, with 100% of precincts reporting, the Bush ticket received 6,087 vogtes, compared with 4,737 for Gore.

Gore was favored by City of Tracy voters, garnering 454 votes and Bush getting 425 votes. Bush won a small majority in Balaton with 149 votes, followed by Gore with 141 votes.


Legion spearheads monument drive

A dream will come true for Tracy American Legion members Saturday, when a new veterans monument is dedicated at the Wheels Across the Prairie Museum.

Legion members have been considering a memorial for several years. But it was only last September that Legion Commander Bernie Holm appointed a committee to look into options for the memorial. Paul Knoblauch, Curt Reinert, and Dale Klein were asked to serve on the committee.

“We said we're going to have a memorial for our departed people, to honor them and to honor ourselves when we're gone,'” said Klein.

Area people are invited to pay tribute to the sacrifices of American servicemen Saturday, Nov. 11, when two special Veterans' Day programs are planned in Tracy.

A Veterans' Day program begins at 9 a.m. in the Tracy Prairie Pavilion. At 11 a.m., a dedication ceremony is set for a newly-erected Veterans Memorial at the Wheels Across the Prairie Museum. The public is invited to both events.

Art Marben, who served as a United State Marine Corps officer in both World War II and the Korean War, is the keynote speaker for the 9 a.m. indoor program.


Berndt, Fraser, Caron win city seats

City of Tracy voters reelected two incumbents in a nine-way Tracy City Council race.

Incumbents Dave Berndt and Mike Fraser topped all voters with 530 and 506 votes respectively to win reelection. Robert Caron claimed the other four year council term with 412 votes. Caron will fill the seat now held by Marv Rialson.


Oklahoma! excitement mounts

Volunteers pitch in as Nov. 18 opener nears

Oklahoma is coming to Tracy, Minnesota. The musical that is.

Hang around rehearsals long enough, and you're likely to come away talkin' with an Okie twang. And stories galore of a community pitchin' in and workin' hard to make it happen.

The musical is scheduled two weekends this month on the stage of Tracy Area High School: Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 18-19; and Friday and Saturday, Nov. 24-25. The Sunday, Nov. 19 matinee begins at 12:30 p.m. Curtains part for the evening performances on the other three dates at 7 p.m.

An “Old Fashioned Chuck Wagon Dinner” with live entertainment and special decorations precedes the Nov. 25 performance of Oklahoma! The event is set at Tracy's Prairie Pavilion from 5 to 7 p.m. Ticket holders will have reserved seating at the musical.


`Worst November blizzard in history' struck 60 years ago

Sixty-years ago this weekend, a monstrous blizzard howled across the Midwest. As much as 16 to 26 inches of snow fell across many sections of Minnesota with a 24-hour period. Winds gusted over 60 miles an hour. Thousands of head of livestock perished, many suffocated by the freezing sleet rain that preceded the snow.

Fifty-nine people died in the storm, which was quickly dubbed the Armistice Day Blizzard.

The Nov. 15, 1940 Tracy Headlight-Herald proclaimed the storm the “worst November blizzard in history."

“This community, like hundreds of others, has been digging itself out of the drifts in an effort to restore rail, bus, and auto travel again,” the newspaper reported. “The inventory after this great history-making storm shows heavy loss of human life and untold damage to property, livestock and wild game.


Public hearing set Monday to consider changes in winter parking ordinance

Tracy people can voice their opinions on proposed changes to the city's winter parking ordinance next week.

A public hearing on the amendment is set Monday, Nov. 13, at 7:45 p.m. in Tracy City Council Chambers.

The city's current ordinance prohibits parking on city streets from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. from Dec. 1 through March 1. Vehicles must also be moved off streets anytime two or more inches of snow falls.

The change under consideration eliminates the blanket overnight parking ban. Instead, the amendment would allow parking on city streets anytime, except when snow needs to be removed from streets.