Republican Rep. Jim Abeler of Anoka is running for the U.S. Senate.

“We’re in,” Abeler said on Tuesday (June 18).

Currently serving his eighth term in the Minnesota House, Abeler’s decision to challenge incumbent Democratic U.S. Sen. Al Franken in 2014 caught local Republicans off guard.

“It was a complete surprise to all of us,” said Senate District 35 Deputy Chairman Don Huizenga.

Local Republicans were “pretty shocked,” he said.

Abeler alerted area Republicans of his intentions on Monday (June 17) night, some 12 days after making the final decision to run.

“It occurred to me they need a problem solver (in Washington), which is me,” Abeler said of stepping forward.

Rep. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, speaks on the House floor last session. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

Abeler, a House Republican maverick, intends to seek the Republican Party’s U.S. Senate endorsement. But he has not decided on whether to abide by it, he said.

Franken is a formidable opponent, Abeler explained.

He’s the incumbent and has statewide name recognition — “a huge advantage,” Abeler said.

But Abeler, expressing particular concern over the world his three grandchildren will inherit, was starting his U.S. Senate run because he believes America is in trouble.

“Our children and grandchildren are born into a future as indentured debtors of our country’s careless spending. When we are dependent on the government, we are absolutely not free,” Abeler said in a statement.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Al Franken campaigning in Dakota County last autumn. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

It’s not his intention to go to Washington to blame people for the national debt, Abeler said.

But he wants Congress to recognize the serious threat exists, he said.

Abeler stresses what he says are his skills as a problem solver.

“My home-grown Minnesotan values guide me and my personal decision making priorities of ‘Creator, conscience, and constituents,’ in that order, provide me guidance for the tough decisions I face in my current elected responsibilities,” Abeler said in his statement.

“I think outside the box, consider all sides of an issue, and then make a reasoned, thoughtful decision,” he said.

Abeler has not always been in the good graces of his party.

One of the “Override Six,” a group of House Republicans who voted to override Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of a Democratic transportation finance bill containing tax increases, Abeler faced endorsement challenges.

Huizenga, who battled Abeler for the endorsement following the override vote, said a lot of people within the Republican Party have issues with a lot of the votes Abeler has taken.

Huizenga suspects Abeler might have been nudged to run for the U.S. Senate, because for all his efforts at cultivating Democrats, it ultimately didn’t work.

“Nobody listened to him,” Huizenga said of the aftermath of the Democratic takeover of the Legislature.

“In my opinion, Jim took a bath from the Democrats this year,” he said.

Abeler himself complained last session that Democrats refused to listen to Republicans.

A chiropractor by profession, Abeler has chaired the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee, currently serving as lead Republican.

For all the billions being spent in the area of health care, results remain mediocre, Abeler argues.

Abeler, 59, and Barb, his wife of 32 years, have six sons.

One son, Josiah, died suddenly in September of 2011 after a seizure while asleep.

Josiah Abeler was 22 years old.

Abeler plans to have formal announcement of his candidacy at a future date.

He looks back at his years in the House as giving him the chance to do good things.

“This has come along,” he said of running for the U.S. Senate.

Considering a big run for public office is like a parachute jump — it’s a pretty view high up there, Abeler said.

“But you have to take that last step,” he quipped.

Republican Minnesota business executive Mike McFadden, an executive at the Lazard finance firm, recently announced his intention to run for U.S. Senate.

“I welcome Representative Abeler into the race and look forward to seeing him on the campaign trail, but my focus remains drawing a distinction between myself and Sen. Al Franken,” McFadden said in a statement.

Another possible Republican candidate is Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhasen.

DFL State Chairman Ken Martin believes Franken is in good shape at this point in his first term.

“If you look at the trend line since he’s been elected, it just continues to climb,” Martin said.

“He hasn’t done anything completely controversial or made any stupid remarks,” he said.

“He’s kept his head low and done  the hard work of being a Senator. I think’s taken on some tough fights people appreciate,” Martin said.

“I feel really good about that one,” Martin said of the U.S. Senate race.

“If the election were held tomorrow, he’d (Franken) win hands down — going away,” Martin said.

Still, the election is a long way away, the chairman noted.

Tim Budig can be reached at tim.budig@ecm-inc.com.

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Republican House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt sat on the farmhouse porch with a smiling lab at his feet and a cooing mourning dove in a nearby tree.

“When I am in St. Paul, I am so busy — and I really love what I do down there. But I can’t wait for the weekend to come,” Daudt said of returning to Crown.

Although Daudt spends many nights in St. Paul, his cabin on Spectacle Lake, the farm his grandfather bought in 1938, about a mile from the crossroads of Crown in southwest Isanti County, is old home ground.

House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, takes the House floor last session as caucus members look on. While legislative duties keep Daudt in St. Paul many nights, his roots are in Greater Minnesota. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

Daudt did not grow up there.

He grew up on a sheep farm near Princeton, a big operation with as many as 400 animals, But after graduating from the University of North Dakota, it was on his grandfather’s farm, 62 remaining acres, Daudt went to live.

Daudt and his brother Shane share the place, along with a coop of Cornish Cross chickens who will not live to see the autumn, six Black Angus, three of which are calves, and a black lab, Kurt Daudt’s pet, Lucy.

The lights of Crown do not blemish the evening sky.

“We say it’s a gas station, a bar, and church. And that’s what Crown is,” Daudt said, smiling.

Even so, Crown has old names.

Daudt is one of them.

The windmills Grandfather Louie Daudt, a folk artist as well as inventive mechanic, fashioned out of scrap still cut the wind here and there around Crown, Daudt said.

Another old Crown family name is Grams, former Republican U.S. Sen. Rod Grams having a farm not far away.

Properly clad for hauling manure and chainsaw work, Daudt pauses to pet his appreciate black lab, Lucy, on the family farm near Crown. (Photo by T.W. Budig)

Not that Daudt’s vistas have been defined by fence lines.

“I’ve always been the kind of person who wants to get involved in things,” Daudt said. “And maybe even to a fault.”

At age 24, Daudt was elected to the Stanford Township Board, a “thankless” job where he heard complaints about plugged culverts, flooded yards, but learned a lot about basic government.

“And I learned most of all, people just want somebody to listen to them,” Daudt said.

Next stop was the Isanti County Board — Daudt beat an incumbent.

“I’ve always been kind of tapped, or recruited, to run for something else,” he said.

Daudt left the county board in his second term to successfully run for the Minnesota House.

In St. Paul, at the beginning of his second term, Daudt’s Republican House colleagues voted him minority leader, the quickest rise to that position in a century.

“I kind of think it will happen,” Daudt said of becoming speaker of the House, predicting the Republicans will reclaim majority status.

“If I’m successful at that,” Daudt said of advancing the Republican message, “I believe my team will reward me.”

Daudt foresees Republican fortunes brightening.

Democrats have gummed up the state’s economic recovery, he argues, and been plainly self-serving at times.

“I don’t think it takes a rocket scientist to figure out why they were doing that,” he said of day care and long-term care unionization legislation, “because unions give them a lot of campaign money.”

The legislation allows for a unionization vote.

Daudt has been urged to run for Congress in the 6th and 8th congressional districts, he said.

He lives in the 8th, but the border of the 6th District, the home of the bulk of his legislative district, is a stone’s throw away.

But Daudt indicated he has promises to keep.

“It would be really self-serving for me to serve three years in the Minnesota House, and then announce I’m running for Congress,” Daudt said.

Asked if his Republican colleagues would feel let down, Daudt thought they would.

“I think so. And I wouldn’t blame them a bit,” he said.

Daudt, though saying he hasn’t really thought about going to Washington, doesn’t wholly dismiss the idea.

“I have a feeling, if I would go out there (to Washington as a congressman), I could be influential,” Daudt said, saying he’s good at building relationships.

“(But) I truly believe we need to put Republicans back in the (Minnesota House) majority,” he said.

“I’m really committed to that,” he said.

To tour the farm with Daudt is to hear about future projects.

The Daudts recently tore down an old two-bunker corn crib, and give other old farm buildings hard glances.

Kurt Daudt jokes about sparing the raspberries growing next to one weather-beaten structure.

There’s talk of a new pole barn.

Nudged by a familial gene for mechanics perhaps, Kurt Daudt looks to restoring his weekend ride, a rustless 1966 Ford Bronco he purchased from the City of Havre, Mont.

Proof of origin can be seen in fading letters on the Bronco’s door.

Like Grams, the Daudts collect tractors.

There’s a 1947 John Deere B used in the fall to haul firewood — the Daudts heat with wood, cut 10, 12 cords a year.

There’s another John Deere, vintage 1937, Grandpa Daudt’s tractor, with distinctive spoked wheels. A 1941 John Deere H, one with a single front tire for crops with narrow rows, sits with the other two tractors in partial cover.

Other tractors are here and there.

“I’ll probably do the Bronco before I do any of these,” Daudt reflectively said.

“Lucy loves riding in it.”

The Daudts don’t work the farm fields. Instead, they rent 24 acres to a neighbor who works the land.

In the fall there’s deer hunting, pheasants, a pond for waterfowl,

Tucked into a garage there’s a mini-bike for Kurt Daudt’s nephew to ride.

Daudt talks of work on the farm as a labor of love, if ceaseless love.

“As you can see by the lawn,” he quipped, pointing out a patch of tall grass.

“Sometimes I have to tell myself to relax,” Daudt said.

“But my mind is always kind of thinking, whether it’s stuff at the Capitol — what can we do to fix this, improve that — or whether here at the farm or at lake,” he said.

“I’m always thinking about my next project,” Daudt said.

Yet Daudt, 39, insists he’s never plotted out an overall course for his life.

“I have always reacted to where there’s need and where’s there’s opportunity,” Daudt said.

“If you are successful, then there will be another opportunity.”

Rep. Marion O’Neill, R-Buffalo, views Daudt as doing a good job leading the House Republican Caucus.

With Democrats controlling state government, it’s a tough go, she said.

O’Neill, a freshmen, appreciates Daudt making time for caucus members.

“He’s always available,” she said.

O’Neill views Daudt as “comfortable” leading House Republicans.

“I think he’s doing great,” former Republican House Minority Leader Marty Seifert said.

Seifert views Daudt as having the respect of his caucus. Leading the caucus is a balancing act, Seifert said, because traditionally the Republican House Caucus is evenly split between rural and metro.

The role of minority leader is tough, Seifert said.

You have a message, a microphone, a vote button — not much else, he said.

But Seifert, too, views Democrats as leaving House Republicans with opportunities.

Daudt, in looking ahead to the 2014 legislative session, which begins next February,  spoke of bonding and other concerns.

“I look for our bonding (bill to be) under $1 billion,” Daudt said, arguing one reason the House Democrats’ $800 million bonding bill crashed on the floor last session was lack of communication.

“They didn’t include me in the conversations,” Daudt said.

House Democrats must have Republican votes to pass a bonding bill.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton intends to seek public support over upcoming months for a transportation initiative. Daudt speaks of focusing on roads and bridges — we can’t walk away from these investments, he said.

Daudt, who once rode Northstar Commuter Rail to a Vikings’ game and fond the experience pleasant, takes a cautious stance on transit.

Asked whether someone in Crown would know about the proposed Southwest Light Rail Line, Daudt doubted it.

“They’d think it’s a airline or something,” he quipped.

Daudt spoke of addressing the Democrats’ expansion of the state sales tax to repairs and warehousing.

He dislikes the idea of farmers needing to pay the sales tax on repairs of machinery. And Daudt argues that extending the sales tax to warehousing indirectly will cause commodity prices to rise.

Daudt views himself as a steadying influence in the House.

“I think what (House Speaker Paul) Thissen and (House Majority Leader) Erin Murphy figured out from me, is they could trust me. And when I tell them I’m going to do something, I’ll do it,” Daudt said.

He didn’t want the final hours of last legislative session to become “ugly,” Daudt said.

And they weren’t, he said.

Tim Budig can be reached at tim.budig@ecm-inc.com

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Top 20 finishers
1) Ryan Cline, 18, Princeton, 17:08; 2) Chase Arens, 16, Princeton, 17:23; 3) Daniel Scheff, 32, Harris, 18:57; 4) Todd Kuglin, 49, Maple Grove, 19:25; 5) Jacob Wernersbach, 24, Zimmerman, 19:34; 6) Jason Belair, 36, Elk River, 19:57; 7) Ryan Cross, 26, Hanover, 20:03; 8) Schuler Volkmuth, 17, Princeton, 20:11; 9) Ryan Avery, 33, St. Cloud, 20:15; 10) Lydia Arens, 13, Princeton, 20:44;
11) Heidi Schroeder, 24, Milaca, 20:44; 12) Tom Carroll, 33, Pease, 21:02; 13) Kim Stassen, 26, Milaca, 21:37; 14) Jesse Belair, 37, Elk River, 21:42; 15) Samantha Swedzinski, 13, Zimmerman, 21:45; 16) Teeny Emmerich, 55, Princeton, 21:47; 17) Randy Vought, 32, St. Francis, 22:20; 18) Chris Swedzinski, 15, Zimmerman, 22:25; 19) Sam Irwin, 14, Zimmerman, 22:26; 20) Lisa Swedzinski, 49, Zimmerman, 22:27.
*(complete results on pickleevents.com)

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Alvina Wilcek

Alvina is survived by her daughter Patricia (Dan) Peter of Zimmerman; grandsons Brian (Shamah) Franzen of Bloomington and Todd Franzen of Fridley; three great-grandchildren; and sister Mildred Oestreicher of Monticello; along with numerous nephews and nieces.
She was preceded in death by her husband Gilmore Wilcek; first husband Bernard Bailey; daughter Frances Bailey; and brothers Albert Nelson and Palmer Nelson.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11a.m. on Thursday, June 20 at Christ Our Light Catholic Parish- South Campus in Zimmerman. Visitation will be held  from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 19 at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home Chapel in Princeton and one hour prior to the services at church on Thursday. Burial will be at St. Pius X Cemetery in Zimmerman.

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Princeton, MN (June 14) – The Princeton Speedway started a new tradition on Friday night by hosting the Don Roseen Memorial Race. The race included increased payout for the Super stocks and other perks for the drivers. Sabraski won the memorial race and Eric Martini, Denis Czech, Rod DeBernardeaux, Landon Atkinson and Matthew Dibb took the regular feature wins with Tim Johnson and Rod DeBernardeaux taking the make-up wins.

The WISSOTA Street Stocks kicked the night off with their make-up feature from May 24. Kurt Becken and Kyle Howland brought the drivers to the green and they battled for the lead. Becken nosed ahead into first with Howland, Rod DeBernardeaux and Pat Zerfas driving away from the others. Jim Gullikson then made contact with Justin Pogones making Pogones stop dead on the track. The yellow flew and Gullikson was charged with the caution.

Becken was first on the restart but DeBernardeaux took second and moved in on Becken. Pat Zerfas moved to Howland’s side for second, but Howland held him back. DeBernardeaux slid next to Becken again and this time took the point. DeBernardeaux stretched his lead out and took the checkers and his first feature win of the season. Kurt Becken, Kyle Howland, Pat Zerfas and Dave Read finished in the top points.

The WISSOTA Super Stocks were next up to race with Donnie Lofdahl grabbing the lead. Adam Ayotte and Mike Loomis took second and third while Shane Sabraski battled Tim Johnson for fourth. Sabraski took fourth and cruised to Loomis’ door. They ran side by side and were on Ayotte’s bumper. Sabraski took third and moved below Ayotte as the yellow flew.

Lofdahl continued to lead as the green reappeared but Sabraski moved to his low side. Sabraski and Lofdahl raced so close they made contact. Both drivers kept going, but Johnson took advantage of the situation and shot past them taking the lead. Sabraski kept close to Johnson for the lead but Johnson was faster. Johnson kept Sabraski in his dust as they crossed the finish line. Loomis, Chris Wark and Lofdahl were the top finishers.

The first regular feature of the night went to the WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds and Tyler English battled Ryan Putnam for the lead. While they battled Denis Czech took third and watched them. When the time was right, Czech took the low groove and passed them both taking the lead. Bud Martini made his way through the traffic and battled with English for second while Justin Oestreich battled Putnam for fourth. Oestreich took the point and moved behind Martini and English. Martini took over second and Oestreich grabbed third putting English and Putnam back.

Czech had a sizeable lead as Martini chased him down. Oestreich tried to close in on Martini, but Martini pulled away. Czech had two laps to go as Martini was closing in. Czech however was not worried and drove to the checkered flag. Martini, Oestreich, English and Alan Bohlman took the top points.

Drew Johnson and Erik Gruhle brought the Hornets on the track but as the green flew the yellow flew too. After a couple early cautions, the hornets were off. Matthew Dibb didn’t waste a second and quickly shot into the lead. Dibb immediately pulled away with Gruhlke and Zac Hribar battling for second. Gruhlke kept second and Hribar remained in a close third. The white flew and Hribar moved to Gruhlke’s door. As they came down the front chute both drivers put their foot down, and Gruhlke took second with Hribar at this side in third. Dibb dominated the feature and got another clean sweep at Princeton.

The WISSOTA Street Stocks made their return to the racetrack with Jim Gullikson taking the lead. Kyle Howland took second and Ryan Kostreba grabbed third while Rod DeBernardeaux, Brad Schmidt and Gunderson went three wide for fourth. DeBernardeaux took fourth and then third by running the cushion. Gullikson looked strong in the lead, but Alec Nesbit’s drive shaft was laying in turn two brining the yellow out.

Gullikson continued to lead with Howland and DeBernardeaux chasing him. DeBernardeaux took second and set eyes on Gullikson. DeBernardeaux closed the gap Gullikson had and got on his bumper. Dave Read made his way into third and joined the fun for first. Read was up high and made a swift move going between Gullikson and DeBernardeaux and grabbed the low groove. Read nosed ahead, but DeBernardeaux took the high side and passed him and Gullikson. DeBernardeaux drove off and took his second feature win of the night. The top five drivers were Read, Gullikson, Howland and Schmidt.

The WISSOTA Mod Fours rolled on the track with Andy Mayavski and Brandon Linquist on front row. Linquist took the lead and Keith Thell moved into second as the green waved. Mitch Hribar moved into third while Landon Atkinson came through the field. Atkinson took fourth and then flew past Hribar getting third. Atkinson drove to Thell’s door as the yellow flew.

The restart order was Linquist with Thell and Atkinson in tow. Atkinson made his move to take the lead, but Linquist suffered a flat tire and went off the track. Atkinson took the lead on the restart and Hribar slid next to Thell. Thell and Hribar ran side by side until Hribar took the point. Atkinson held his lead with Hribar, Chad Funt, Thell and Nick Jelacie in the top five, and they ran that order until the checkers flew. Atkinson rolled his bright yellow #18a into victory lane for his second week in a row.

JT Johnson took the lead as the green dropped for the WISSOTA Modifieds. Jeremy Nelson moved into second with the field stacked three wide. Eric Martini made his way around Nelson and took second while JB Stortz drove to Nelson’s side. Martini and Johnson ran side by side for first while Stortz took third behind them. Martini and Stortz grabbed the low groove and blew past Johnson taking first and second. Sabraski claimed third and went to pass Stortz, but Stortz held him off as the yellow flew.

A couple cautions kept the drivers slow, but when they were set free Martini and Stortz drove away. Stortz kept close to Martini as Sabraski was in a distant third. Martini and Stortz kept their speed up, and Martini kept the lead as they took the checkers. Sabraski, Dustin Nelson and Larry Zeller finished behind Stortz in the top points.

The WISSOTA Super Stocks closed out the program with the Don Roseen Memorial Race. Roseen’s grandson Donnie Lofdahl started on the pole with Jeff Frey at his door. Lofdahl took the lead and Dave Read grabbed the low line. Read moved next to Lofdahl, but Lofdahl held him off. Dave Mass decided to make his move on Lofdahl, he was successful stealing the lead with Read, Chris Wark and Shane Sabraski following his trail. Sabraski went from fifth to third and took second from Lofdahl. Mass hugged the tires and Sabraski ran the cushion as they battled for first. The high side was faster and Sabraski took the lead. Dexton Koch followed Sabraski’s plan and moved into third.

A series of cautions plagued the super’s keeping them slow for many laps. Once the race was under way again not many laps remained. Sabraski pulled away as soon as the green lights clicked on and didn’t look back. Mass, Koch, Mike Frolik and Mike Loomis took the top five points and held them until the checkers flew. Sabraski took the win and the $600 payday.

Next Friday night will be a kid’s night featuring fun activities for the kids. Racing will resume at 7 pm.

WISSOTA SUMMARY
WISSOTA Modifieds
Feature- Eric Martini, JB Stortz, Shane Sabraski, Dustin Nelson, Larry Zeller, Tim Johnson, Dave Mass, Jeff Patchen, Zach Drews, Shawn Fletcher, Tony Proell, JT Johnson, Justin Jones, Toby Patchen, Jeremy Nelson
Heat 1- Sabraski, Martini, T. Johnson, Proell, Mass, Zeller, Drews, Jones
Heat 2- D. Nelson, J. Nelson, Johnson, Stortz, J. Patchen, Fletcher, T. Patchen

WISSOTA Super Stocks
Feature- Shane Sabraski, Dave Mass, Dexton Koch, Mike Frolik, Mike Loomis, Dave Read, James Trantina, Chris Wark, Adam Ayotte, Kyle Robideau, Denny Schouvelle, Tim Johnson, Dan Gullikson, Josh Schmit, Donnie Lofdahl, Jeff Frey, Tim Patchen
Heat 1- Sabraski, Trantina, Wark, Frolik, Robideau
Heat 2- Read, Lofdahl, Johnson, Koch, Ayotte, Schmit
Heat 3- Mass, Schouvelle, Frey, Patchen, Loomis
Make-Up Feature- Tim Johnson, Shane Sabraski, Mike Loomis, Chris Wark, Donnie Lofdahl, James Trantina, Kyle Robieau, Jeff Frey, Tim Patchen, Adam Ayotte, Josh Schmit, Dan Gullikson

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds
Feature- Denis Czech, Bud Martini, Justin Oestreich, Tyler English, Alan Bohlman, Ryan Putnam, Dave Siercks, Gino Fontecchio, Chad Fouquette, Justin Tanner, Elizabeth Toepper, Jacob Toepper, Paulson
Heat 1- Czech, Fontecchio, Fouquette, English, Siercks, E. Toepper, J. Toepper
Heat 2- Nelson, Martini, Oestreich, Putnam, Paulson, Bohlman, Tanner

WISSOTA Street Stocks
Feature- Rod DeBernardeaux, Dave Read, Jim Gullikson, Kyle Howland, Brad Schmidt, Ryan Kostreba, Pat Zerfas, John Adams, Justin Pogones, Keith Tourville, Kurt Becken, James Becker, Jon Gunderson, Cole Shake, Amanda Milbrandt, Evan Neumann, Alec Nesbit, Russell Peterson, Kris Peterson
Heat 1- Howland, Zerfas, Kostreba, Tourville, Milbrandt
Heat 2- DeBernardeaux, Read, Adams, Nesbit, Becker, R. Peterson
Heat 3- Gullikson, Gunderson, Schmidt, Shake, Neumann, Becken
Make-Up Feature- Rod DeBernardeaux, Kurt Becken, Kyle Howland, Pat Zerfas, Dave Read, Justin Pogones, Brad Schmidt, James Becker, Ryan Kostreba, Jim Gullikson, Alec Nesbit, Evan Neumann, Jon Gunderson, Amanda Milbrandt, Russell Peterson, Kris Peterson, Keith Tourville

WISSOTA Mod Fours
Feature- Landon Atkinson, Mitch Hribar, Chad Funt, Keith Thell, Nick Jelacie, Adam Fuchs, Andy Mayavski, Ross Mead, Abby Garin, Dan Murray, Dan Kastner, Brandon Linquist,
Heat 1- Hribar, Funt, Garin, Fuchs, Jelacie, Murray, Ky. Thell
Heat 2- Atkinson, Mayavski, Ke. Thell, Linquist, Mead, Kastner

Princeton Hornets
Feature- Matthew Dibb, Erik Gruhlke, Zac Hribar, Drew Johnson, Dan Kastner, Ariel Mueller, Dannie Burkholder
Heat- Dibb, Gruhlke, Kastner, Hribar, Johnson, Matthewman, Mueller, Burkholder

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The St. Paul Park Heritage Days Royalty danced their way through the parade route Thursday night. They were named Best Royalty of the 2013 parade.

The results are in! The winners of the Rum River Festival parade have been announced.

Drum roll please………

BANDS: CLASS A

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Architect bill
The council approved paying a bill of $43,350 from David Linner Architects, Bloomington, for providing architectural, structural engineering, landscape architecture and electrical design services for the city public safety building under construction.

Closing off streets
The council approved the chamber of commerce’s request to have certain street sections closed for the following events:
• Rum River Festival street fair and VFW car show June 15
• downtown block party July 26.
• Chili fest Sept. 28.
• Small business Saturday Nov. 30 to kick off Christmas holiday activities.

Truck purchase
The council approved a request from city Public Works Director Bob Gerold to purchase a 2005 F350, 4×4 truck for $14,950, plus new 11’ dump box with fold down sides for $7,500, a hitch for $500, and an LED warning light for $350. When subtracting a utility box in the amount of $950, the total was $22,350.

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Theologians try to answer life’s mysteries using the Bible. Skeptics use science.
Dr. Dean Ortner will combine the two during his Wonders of Science presentations at the New Life Church in Princeton beginning at 7 p.m.  June 25 through 27.
Wonders of Science is a series of 90-minute programs led by Ortner, featuring audience participation, humor and unbelievable scientific phenomenon. The unique demonstrations are designed to show the relevance of man’s Creator to His universe.
“This is not hocus-pocus; it is natural law, as discovered by science” Ortner said.. Wonders of Science programs have been held at more than 600 military bases, including all three military academies, at Camp David, the Pentagon, three summer Olympics, and five World’s Fairs. His ‘Million Volt Man’ demonstration has also been featured on the Fox News Channel and on the premiere of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not television program which was witnessed by the largest viewing audience in cable television history.  The live demonstrations have been presented on nearly every continent in the world to over 8 million people.
Ortner uses more than 2,000 pounds of scientific equipment to perform such feats as floating metal in the air, shattering glass with sound, producing liquid light and playing music on a beam of light. During one demonstration he climbs onto an electrical coil (not static electricity) and allows one million volts of high-frequency electricity to flow through his body, causing a board he holds to burst into flame and producie lightning from his fingertips.
“Your body’s electrical system and muscles are in tune with 60 cycles,“  Ortner said. “The coil changes the standard 60 cycles to 65,000 cycles. At 60 cycles your muscles would contract so violently that if it were used on the coil, it would throw your dead body across the room!”
Ortner began his university training at age 15 in aeronautical/electrical engineering and French. He later transferred his studies to medicine and bio-nucleonics, the field in which he ultimately earned a doctorate and assumed a university faculty position at North Dakota State University, while doing graduate work in bio-nucleonics (his second doctorate is in Humanities). He says his demonstrations focus more on the scientific than the religious.
“I’m not here to cram religion down people’s throats“  he said. “I love presenting the science demonstrations; the programs are designed to be informative and entertaining to people of any age or scientific background. What I hope for is that listeners will consider the claims of the Person behind creation.  We are not just educated beefsteaks. There is a spiritual aspect to human life. The programs are specifically designed for that person who is open to looking for answers.”
The public is invited to the demonstrations each evening, each of which is totally different. There is no cost for attendance, but free-will offerings will be taken to cover the expenses of the program.

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“The funds raised go to the association for things like finishing the outdoor community rink, the bleachers in the west rink, etc.,” PYHA president Chris Flor said.

See the AWF’s new stage and cage with all new lights and smoke to enjoy the best show in the Midwest. Cheer on a cast of wrestling characters, which could include current champion Black Stallion, Armageddon, Big Al and Johnny Parks.

“What we bring is a fun and affordable full night of wrestling,” AWF organizer Tony Denucci said. “We are structured as an extremely family-oriented entertainment, meaning no swearing or scantily clad ring women. I wrestled under Vern Gagne’s AWA back in 1989, and we try to emulate the AWA along the storylines of the classic good guys vs. bad guys. We’ve done shows in rural churches, if that gives you a better idea.

“It will be a good show, and the Princeton people can get on TV,” added Denucci, whose AWF Sunday Shockwave is on 10 a.m. Sunday mornings on the CW. AWF personalities hail from the Midwest and as far away as Texas, he added.

Tickets are $10; kids 10 and under are admitted free. Bell time is 7 p.m. Children under the age of 14 need to be accompanied by an adult.

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