News from the week of January 17, 2001Headlight Herald - Serving Tracy, Minnesota, since 1880
Peter Pan is coming to Tracy
Classic tale chosen for children's choir musical in April
Hang onto your hats! The Tracy Children's Community Choir is taking flight with Peter Pan for the magical world of Never Land.
The 70-member choir will stage a musical version of Peter Pan April 21-22, 27-28.
“It's going to be fun,” said Director Ade Miller.
The musical is based on the classic children's story written by Englishman James M Barrie in the early 1900s. The Tracy production is based upon lyrics written by Eugene Jackson and music by David Ellis.
“The music is very different from the Disney version,” said Miller. “Probably the only song most people will be familiar with is `Do You Believe in Fairies?'” All told, the Ellis score has about 16 songs.
Baskets of Yarn grand opening unravels Saturday
Customers coming from wide area
A grand opening is set Saturday, Jan. 20, at Baskets of Yarn in Downtown Tracy.
Owner Glenda Johnson invites people to stop and look over store merchandise and enjoy free coffee and cookies. The new business is located at 125 Third Street, between the Tracy Public Library and the American Media cable television office.
Baskets of Yarn opened its doors in October. Johnson says she's “very pleased” with the business she's attracted.
“I've had customers coming from a four-county area and even further,” she said.
The store specializes in yarn, knitting and crocheting notions and embroidering supplies. Merchandise includes knitting and crochet patterns, knitting needles, crochet hooks, and cotton thread. Brand names include: Brella `4,' Fisherman's Wool, Jiffy, Sugar & Cream, Style Craft, Patons, Knit-Cro-Sheen Thread, DMC Floss, DMC Traditions.
Tanghe, Schmidt are TAHS Triple-A Award nominees
Alison Tanghe and Brady Schmidt are Tracy Area High School's two nominees for the Academic, Arts and Athletics Award (Triple-A).
The Triple-A award recognizes students for combined excellence in academics, athletics and arts. The Minnesota State High School League and Burger King sponsor the Triple-A program.
As the Tracy Public School nominees, Tanghe and Schmidt are eligible for consideration in Sub-Section 11 and Section 3A Triple-A competition. The male and female Section 3A winner will advance to state competition.
TAHS has had two regional Triple-A winners over the past three years. Jenna Boerboom, daughter of Marianne and Bernie Boerboom of rural Walnut Grove, was the female Section 3A winner in 2000. Kara Swanson, daughter of Richard and Faith Swanson of rural Walnut Grove, was the 1998 Section 3A girls' recipient.
The ECCO center in Tracy looks quiet from the outside, but inside is a bustle of activity.
In one corner of the room, paper is being shredded. In the kitchen, the lunch dishes are washed and put away. Pull strings for window blinds are being tied and strung onto their pulleys.
Those who have been out working at other community jobs return, and soon it's time for everyone to go home. It's all in a day's work for ECCO clients and employees.
ECCO is a satellite of Hope DAC in Tyler. According to a joint mission statement, the purpose of ECCO is to offer specialized programs for the developmentally disabled.
Hope DAC was established in Ruthton in 1968. In August of 1991, DAC moved to Tyler. ECCO was opened as a satellite program in Tracy in 1994. The center is located in Downtown Tracy, in the former Peoples Natural Gas building on Fourth Street.
Lion's attendance is as regular as moon cycle
There's no need to wonder where John Moon hangs his hat on the second Monday of every month.
The second Monday is the regular meeting night for the Tracy Lions, a club in which Moon has maintained perfect attendance for 20-years.
“I try not to miss a meeting,” Moon explained, in a modest understatement.
As far as anyone knows, Moon's 20-year perfect attendance mark is a record for the Tracy Lions.
Moon, who retired from farming in 1977, said he joined Lions because of its reputation for community service. He doesn't regret his decision.
“I thought the Lions were a good activity group. We've got a good club. Everything the club takes in goes back into the community.”
Kris Tiegs joined the Tracy Headlight-Herald newspaper staff this week. She will work as a part-time news and feature writer.
A 1981 Tracy High School graduate, Tiegs lives in Tracy with her husband, David, and their three children: Mac, 6; Ellie, 4; and Noah, 2. The family moved to Tracy from a northwest suburb of the Twin Cities a year ago. They recently purchased a home on Third Street.
Tiegs said her family enjoys the feeling of community they've found in Tracy.
“We'd talked about moving back, but we probably never would have if David hadn't gone to a job fair and talked to some people from Schwan's.”