News from the week of July 7, 2004

Hmong refugee influx will include Tracy

By Brady Averill

A recent influx of Hmong refugees in Minnesota will also bring new families to Tracy.

Area officials and members of the local Hmong community anticipate 10 families will come to Tracy. The new families would be among the 5,000 Hmong refugees that are expected in Minnesota this summer. Nationally, about 15,500 Hmong people are being resettled from the Wat Tham Krabok camp in Thailand.

“I'm happy about it,” said Mayor Steve Ferrazzano. “With diversity, there's progress.”

Most of Minnesota's new Hmong refugees are expected to settle in St. Paul, which has the largest Hmong population in the United States.  About10 percent will likely settle in rural Minnesota, said Jay Trusty, executive director of the Center for Southwest Regional Development Commission and member of Minnesota's Immigrant Health Task Board.

“Worthington and Tracy will probably get their share (of Hmong refugees),” Trusty said.

But no one is certain how many Hmong will resettle in Minnesota, and how many Hmong families will ultimately come to Tracy.

The Ramsey County assessment team that visited the Wat Tham Krabok camp earlier this year said that the number of refugees coming to Minnesota won't become clear until after their arrival. Around 60,000 Hmong people already live in Minnesota, according to the 2000 census.

Tracy

Both the Tracy and Walnut Grove areas have significant Hmong populations.

The Tracy Public School District has about 180 students or roughly 20 percent of its total population, according to Supt. David Marlette. Walnut Grove's school population is similar with around 110 Hmong students or 23 percent of its total population, said Supt. Loy Woelber.

The first Hmong people in the area arrived in the early 1990s, as Heartland Foods of Marshall, recruited more workers for its turkey processing plant.

Tracy's small-town environment, along with affordable housing, were attractive to many Hmong, said Pao Her, who came to the United States in 1987, and has lived in Tracy for about five years. He doesn't like big cities. They're abounding with “bad people, a lot of trouble,” he said.

Tracy is an ideal place to raise a family, he said.

Dog helps lead searchers to missing Balaton tot

By Beth Stubbe
Balaton Press-Tribune

Deanna and Ron Hagberg experienced a parent's worst nightmare when their three-year--old daughter, Kristina, wandered away from their rural Balaton farmstead Monday morning. But the disappearance had a happy ending when Kristina was found a mile from her home, 90 minutes after 100 volunteers launched a search.

“She is staying really close to us now and swears that she won't leave the yard again,” said Deanna Hagberg Tuesday morning. “The waiting and wondering was very difficult for the two of us, it didn't seem like it was real or that it could be happening to our family."

The family lives approximately three-and-a-half miles north of Balaton on County Road 63.

“We had a happy ending, but there could have been a different turn-out to this search because the surrounding area has many sloughs, groves and wildlife areas,” said Greg Erickson, Balaton fire chief.

Kristina was found in a farm grove a mile northwest of the Hagberg home. "Poppers," one of the Hagberg family's dogs, helped lead rescuers to the child.

Deanna's brother, Ken Smith, and his fiancée, Sue Nelson, saw Poppers circling the grove and started yelling for Kristina.

"Sue said that she started yelling that it was uncle Kenny and Sue, and then Kristina cried out,” said Deanna. “Ken and Sue figured that if it wasn't for the dog circling the grove she would have never been found.” Her mother said that when Kristina was found, another trusty puppy, "Max," was at the child's side keeping her company.

• • •

Ron Hagberg had been mowing the yard Monday morning and Deanna had been in the kitchen. Kristina was playing with the dogs outside and was going back and forth between her parents.

“She rode with me for a while when I was mowing and then said that she was going back to the house,” said Ron.

He said that Kristina was used to playing with the dogs and riding her tricycle around the farmyard. Once Ron was done mowing the couple realized that Kristina wasn't with either one of them and they couldn't find her in the house.

“She knows that she should stay in the mowed area of the yard. We never thought that she would leave the yard by herself,” said Deanna. After unsuccessfully searching every spot on their farm that they could think of, and calling neighbors, they called 911. The Lyon County Sheriff's Department called out the Balaton Ambulance and fire department at about 12:30 p.m.

Twenty-seven Balaton people responded. Additional volunteers poured in from the Garvin Fire Department and First Responders, the Tracy fire and ambulance departments, the Russell Fire Department and First Responders, Balaton police and the Minnesota State Patrol.

Spring '05 eyed for pool re-opening

Engineers preparing plans for repairing the Trac Aquatic Center have established May of 2005 as the target date for completing renovations. Construction for the repairs would begin in late October.

Wiss, Janney, Elstern Associates, Minneapolis, plans to complete design work for the pool renovations over the next two months. Bids will be sought beginning Sept. 14, with a bid opening Oct. 7.

May 16 is the targeted completion date.

No business like show business for pageant crew

Wagons hitched for Friday opener

By Brady Averill

The production crew at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant never takes a bow at the end of the night. Yet, their behind-the-scenes performance deserves one, say pageant cast members and directors.

Their work sometimes goes unnoticed by the audience. But their comrades—cast members and directors—understand the work that's involved in putting on a successful show when July rolls around.

“I wouldn't get to do what I'm doing without them,” says Beth Kleven, who has been with the pageant since its inception and plays “old” Laura this year.

The Wilder Pageant opens its 27th season Friday. Nine performances are planned: July 9-11, 16-18, and 23-25.

The production personnel are at pageant practice every night just like the actors. Tonight is no different. Aside from what the cast members and crew are wearing that is. Grass skirts coconut bras, floral shirts, and festive-colored leis. It's Hawaiian night.

Actors sit next to each other on benches, waiting for their moment on the outdoor stage. Children dash along the prairie backdrop. Deft hands scramble in the light-and-sound booth. There's a cord malfunction on a mike. Darwin Saxton and Cathy Kassel puzzle over the problem. Props director Jenny Kirk arranges period pieces on a table. Her schedule is nearby, but she doesn't need it. The list is memorized.

It's a typical scene on a hot summer evening at the pageant site. Practice has just begun. The cast and crew are all present.

• • •

The Wilder Pageant production responsibilities include set, props, lights and sound, costume and hair and makeup. The volunteer crew roster has about 30 names. They dedicate almost two months of their summer to the pageant. That's three hours a night, five nights a week, and it's strictly volunteer time.

Many return year after year. Some have been with the pageant since its high school gym days a quarter century ago. Several have marked a decade with the pageant. There are a handful of newcomers.

Centennial quilt recalls bustling Dovray heritage celebration set this weekend

By Brady Averill

Dovray was once a bustling city. Now, there's little evidence of that. There are no restaurants or convenience stores. Just a few old buildings and homes hint of an era when the town was busier.

But several Dovray women found a way to preserve Dovray's history though a quilt. “Dovay's Best Quilters” have worked diligently the past couple of months, creating a quilt that includes patchwork of all Dovray businesses over the past 100 years.

The quilt will be sold in a raffle at Dovray's 100th Celebration this weekend. The quilt is called the “Century of Businesses.” Proceeds from the raffle go to the Dovray booster.

“It would be a keepsake for anyone,” said Vonnie Kirchner, who spent over 40 hours stitching the quilt.

“It was a lot of work,” Kirchner said. She wasn't sure if it would be completed in time, she said.
She hopes it will go to a Dovray native who will appreciate it, she said.

Another rose cross-stitched quilt will also be sold in a raffle. Kirchner's sister, Ruby Yochem, embroidered the quilt. It took over 80 hours for the women to stitch it, Kirchner said.

The weekend celebration is a chance for Dovray residents and natives to celebrate its heritage, said Sheila Leonard, who grew up in Dovray and is planning to move back.

“All the cities in the area have had their 100th. Now Dovray can do their thing,” she said.

TAMS showing '03-04 profit

Tracy Area Medical Services (TAMS) finished its 2003-04 fiscal year in the black.

Preliminary figures for the 12-month period that ended April 30 showed show a net margin of $134,917. The margin is based upon net revenues of $6,524,917 and net expenses of $6,390,000. According to Stacy Barstad, TAMS chief financial officer, the final figures will vary slightly upon completion of an audit. She expects the final profit to be between $125,000 and $150,000. The margin includes $55,000 in grant revenues.

TAMS includes Tracy Hospital and Tracy Medical Clinic operations. Hospital operations were profitable, while the clinic showed a loss.

The hospital showed a positive margin of $244,000, based upon net revenues of $5,298,000 and expenses of $5,054,000. Clinic operations sustained a $109,000 loss. Net clinic revenues were $1,226,000, while net clinic expenses were $1,335,000.

O'Brien Court and Shetek Therapy Services are not included in TAMS finances. O'Brien Court—a congregate apartment complex for seniors—is expected to break even, Barstad said. Shetek Therapy Services—which is cooperatively operated by TAMS, the Westbrook Health Center, and Murray County Memorial Hospital— will show a profit for the year, Barstad said.

In their June report to the TAMS advisory board, administrators Dan Reiner and Rick Nordahl noted that the organization exceeded 2003-04 budget goals while maintaining profitability. But they also indicated that the year had been challenging.

"Without question it has been a tough year in terms of managing expenses to revenue..." the administrative report stated.

TAMS showing '03-04 profit

Tracy Area Medical Services (TAMS) finished its 2003-04 fiscal year in the black.

Preliminary figures for the 12-month period that ended April 30 showed show a net margin of $134,917. The margin is based upon net revenues of $6,524,917 and net expenses of $6,390,000. According to Stacy Barstad, TAMS chief financial officer, the final figures will vary slightly upon completion of an audit. She expects the final profit to be between $125,000 and $150,000. The margin includes $55,000 in grant revenues.

TAMS includes Tracy Hospital and Tracy Medical Clinic operations. Hospital operations were profitable, while the clinic showed a loss.

The hospital showed a positive margin of $244,000, based upon net revenues of $5,298,000 and expenses of $5,054,000. Clinic operations sustained a $109,000 loss. Net clinic revenues were $1,226,000, while net clinic expenses were $1,335,000.

O'Brien Court and Shetek Therapy Services are not included in TAMS finances. O'Brien Court—a congregate apartment complex for seniors—is expected to break even, Barstad said. Shetek Therapy Services—which is cooperatively operated by TAMS, the Westbrook Health Center, and Murray County Memorial Hospital— will show a profit for the year, Barstad said.

In their June report to the TAMS advisory board, administrators Dan Reiner and Rick Nordahl noted that the organization exceeded 2003-04 budget goals while maintaining profitability. But they also indicated that the year had been challenging.

"Without question it has been a tough year in terms of managing expenses to revenue..." the administrative report stated.