Make It Mille Lacs!

Izatys 2009: A Pleasant Surprise

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:43:00 +0000

When Jason Tollette announced that a pair of local businesses were going to join him to open Izatys Resort in April 2009, skeptics grinned.

Since the resort filed for bankruptcy and closed abruptly in October 2007, there just wasn't much to be positive about.

Until this summer.

With Blackbrook Golf Course in its best shape in a few years, Izatys opened fully and has been a pleasant surprise this summer season.

The pool was opened thanks to cash from Izatys Townhouse Association and the Village Timeshare teams. Club 19 reopened after a long draught. The hotel opened and filled to capacity on most weekends. Walleye World and the venerable Izatys "Lady of the Lake" came out of a long slumber. And the golf course outperformed all expectations, netting nearly 15000 rounds to this point.

All in all, it was a upbeat situation in a down economic period. There are many people to thank. It starts with Jason Tollette who, with some help from his father, Dick, put all the key pieces together.

There was Rand and Kathy Syverson and Brandon and Lori Niesen along with a new crop of workers who staffed Club 19, opening the pool bar, operating with a small, but decent menu of entrees.

Also pitching in to make it a winner was Bill and Kathy Lundeen and their daughter, who opened Walleye World and ran launches, rented slips, sold bait, supplies and gas to a rejuvenated fishing/boating contingent.

Thanks to Commerce Bank, which is trying to sell the resort after taking it after the bankruptcy. They paid past due taxes, updated broken and unservicable equipment and provided funding to reestablish Black Brook Golf Course as one of the area's best golf courses.

But perhaps the MVP of the season is golf superintendant Michael Edin. He and a staff of about 10 golf course maintenance guys redid sand traps, nurtured sagging greens and repaired countless irrigation problems to restore the crown jewel of the once venerable resort.

Working 70-plus hour weeks, Edin treated Black Brook like he owned it, supervising every phase of the operation. Many men's league golfers, who have spent years playing Black Brook, labeled it the comeback golf course of the year. Several said it regained the luster that it boasted back at inception minus some budget-driven no-mow areas.

We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Sherry Tollette, who helped restore the Izatys web site, served as a marketing manager and did just about every job one could imagine at the 28-room hotel.

And the final ingredient of it all was a spirit of cooperation that brought townhome owners, timeshare owners and the teams mentioned above together as the resort business blossomed after a cool and windy May and June. Some folks planted and maintained flowers.

Folks like Rob Wilsey and some of his staff spent countless hours volunteering to mow unkept fairways of the now-closed Sanctuary Golf Course. He and his staff revamped the Sewage Treatment Facility with new equipment doing mega-mowing and never-before-done upkeep to fencelines and holding ponds.

Just what is in store for Izatys isn't yet clear. Tollette and Commerce Bank claim Izatys will be open for business next April after closing for the season on October 19th. First and foremost, is the potential sale of the resort.

A deep-pocketed ownership group has not yet been found after nearly two years on the sales block. It does appear to be only a matter of time until the resort does sell, and a new chapter of Izatys will be written. As many locals will tell you, a healthy and vibrant Izatys is key to making everything else go on the South Shore of Lake Mille Lacs.

Check Out Ripple River Gallery

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:48:00 +0000

Ripple River Gallery Feature: "Northern Flight"—woodcut print by Charles Beck

Exhibit features new work by Charles Beck

Once you’ve seen a woodcut by Charles Beck, you’ll never see the Minnesota landscape the same again.

New paintings, woodcut prints and bird forms by Fergus Falls artist Charles Beck will be featured in an exhibit at Ripple River Gallery, Aug. 12 to Sept. 13. A reception for the artist is planned from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16.

“This is the fifth exhibit we’ve hung of Charlie Beck’s work since we opened the gallery in 2000. Each new body of work reveals more about the environment and the artist’s relation to it,” said Bob Carls, co-owner of the gallery.

Best known for his woodblock prints depicting the farm lands and forests of northwestern Minnesota, Beck also “sketches” small oil paintings to capture the landscape and brief moments in time. Beck’s carved bird forms, which he considers an extension of the landscape, are a sculptural distillation of the animal’s essence.

From his studio outside of Fergus Falls, Beck looks out on the edge of the Red River Valley, with its horizon and sunsets and feeling of vast space. To the east Beck can turn to the woods and lakes for inspiration. “I suppose I’m influenced most by the horizon, the separation between the sky and what I call vertical space and horizontal space,” Beck said. “I seem to always need that in my landscapes.”

“We live in an area where there is great variety over the course of a year,” Beck said. “That’s what makes it so exciting.” While some artists might seek the awesome majesty of a mountain peak or a crashing waterfall, Beck finds as much to discover in an old barley field in Minnesota. “It depends on how you look at it and what you see.”

Following his service in the Naval Air Force, Beck received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Concordia College, Moorhead, in 1948. In 1950 he received his Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Iowa, Iowa City. He began his exploration of woodcut prints at the University of Minnesota in 1953.

Beck and his wife, Joyce, returned home to Fergus Falls where he served on the faculty at Fergus Falls Community College for 27 years. In 2006 the college (now Minnesota State Community and Technical College - Fergus Falls) honored him by naming the school’s new gallery the Charles Beck Gallery.

Beck’s work has been exhibited at museums across the country and at colleges and universities around the region. A pair of his life-sized carved turkeys are included in the permanent collection at the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul.

“One must only look to experience the patterns, textures and colors of the land and sky, the hills and woods, the weeds and flowers,” Beck says. “My hope is that in some small way I have helped open the eyes of others to this diversity.”

Ripple River Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. The gallery is located five miles south of Deerwood on Highway 6, then 3 miles east of Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge on County Road 14 to Partridge Avenue; or south of Aitkin on Highway 169 to Bennettville, then 3.2 miles west on County Road 11 to Partridge Avenue.

For more information call 218-678-2575 or e-mail ripriv@mlecmn.net.

Timely Rains Keep Mille Lacs Green/Lake Level Up

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:01:00 +0000

If you are a Tuesday men's league golfer, you might be miffed at the recent spate of rainy Tuesdays in the Mille Lacs area. By 8 am today, we've already received 1.5 inches of rain here on the Big Pond and it's coming down in sheets yet. It rained so hard and so long last Tuesday into Wednesday that Izatys shut down Blackbrook Golf Course due to overland flooding which quickly receded and did no real damage.

On a positive note the recent rains have kept the Mille Lacs lake levels up, kept the water temperature of the lake right around 66 degrees (cool nights have helped). It's also given sprinklers a rest and kept lawn mowers busy trying to keep up with the unusual late July growing green grass.

OTHER NOTES:

Garrison Play Days
It's is Garrison Play Days this weekend. There are a ton of neat events, including a Taste of Garrison, raffle for 4 wheeler, various team sporting events and beer gardens. Go to garrisonmn.com for more information and an hour-by-hour preview of the weekend.

Fishing Update
I talked with Bill Lundeen who owns Lundeen's Tackle Castle and manages Walleye World at Izatys on Monday afternoon. He said the bite has been hit and miss. He had a group out the other day and got 10 keepers. He has mostly been slip bobbering but indicated he will be trying spinner baits with crawlers soon.

The weekend weather at Mille Lacs hasn't been the kindest for area businesses with windy, cool and rain recently. While the number isn't exact, sport fisherman have harvested about 87000 pounds of walleye from the lake according to DNR estimates to this point. Coupled with a tribal record harvest of 100,000 pounds earlier, anglers are not even near the record 2007 season.

WISH LIONS TOURNEY HELPS LOCAL YOUTH

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:49:00 +0000

Twenty Four teams took part in the sixth annual WISH Lions Charity Golf Scramble June 28th at Fiddlestix. The group helped raise more than $13000 for an area youth Christmas Shopping Trip in December 2009. Many area businesses and citizens donated despite the recent recession and the WISH Lions, led by President Gary Groen, want to thank everyone who helped make the event a success. The WISH Lions have donated more than $60000 in support of their annual shopping event that focuses on less fortunate youth in the Isle, Onamia and Wahkon areas. For more information on how you can become part of this small but successful Lions Club, please visit http://wishlionsmn.lionwap.org/ or stop by our monthly July meeting at 6 pm Thursday, July 9th at Izatys Clubhouse.

Voge Charter: Bite is Good!

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:15:00 +0000

I have been fishing deep mud bottoms off the edge of rock or gravel in 29 to 34 feet during the day. Then i move to the top of the reef for the last 2 hours of light. We have been using slip bobbers with 1/32 oz. jigs, white, blue, and green have been good colors. Medium leeches seem to work best, and creating slight movement triggers the bite. We are getting walleyes in all sizes and the bite is good. I have openings on saturday for 8 to noon and on sunday for 5 to 9 in the evening.

WISH Lions Golf Tourney is June 28th

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Sunday June 28th at noon at Fiddlestix Golf Course is the sixth annual WISH Lions Charity golf tournament. Most proceeds go to a large Christmas shopping trip for disadvantaged youth from both Isle and Onamia area schools. Last year, more than 100 children were sponsored.

It's a great tourney with great prizes and truly an event that reaches out to the community. It costs $65 dollars per person and teams are filling up fast. There is a free golf cart for a hole in one and many great door prizes, a silent auction, and a great buffet meal put on by the Fiddlestix staff.

This tournament is the only fundraiser the WISH (Wahkon, Izatys, South Harbor) Lions do. With the current recession, we are seeing about a 30 percent drop in contributions this year and are asking any business or local citizen for donations to help our noble cause.

The WISH Lions have spent more than $60,000 to help buy needy youth from infant to 15 years old winter coats, boots, gloves, pants, shirts, etc over the years. The group hosts its annual shopping event in mid December at children are bused down to the Roger's Target to shop and try on the clothes. Each child also gets one toy on the trip.

More than 50 local volunteers also help with the shopping. The children also get a free hot dog, popcorn and pop that is donated by Target.

For more information on the cause or to join the WISH Lions or register for their golf tournament, please go to http://wishlionsmn.lionwap.org/

Fishing Inconsistent With Cool Weather

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:12:00 +0000

This last weekend's cool, rainy and windy weather didn't heat up Mille Lacs fishing success. Guide Tim Ajax was out three times last week, hitting 12 fish with a lot of 22-24 inchers on spinnerbaits in 20-25 feet of water Wednesday. He had a couple guys out in Friday's windy weather, getting three slot fish pulling spinners and some crank baits on the gravel. He didn't get out for Saturday's Muskie opener but said he didn't hear of any big catches from fellow guides on that species. With water temperatures in the high 50s still, the best fishing hasn't yet turned on, Ajax said as fish are scattered all over in no real pattern. He's found them in 5-40 feet of water to this point.

Guides Ajax/Voge Having Walleye Success

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Wed, 27 May 2009 16:54:00 +0000

Veteran walleye guide Tim Ajax reported a couple very productive outings in the last few days. Last weekend, Ajax and several customers were lindy rigging with leeches on the north end and nailed a 28.5 incher and three 27s and five nice slot fish. Several days later, he put a pair of customers on seven slot fish with a combination of pulling spinner baits and lindy rigging. Ajax' crew also nailed another 28.5 incher that day. "I think alot of last year's 27 inches are up over the slot limit now." It seems like there's more big fish out there from what I've seen early." To book a guide trip with Ajax, contact him at guide@tandtguide.com or phone 320-224-1731.

Launch Captain Dereke Voge has been having good success during both day and evening on the southeast side of Mille Lacs. He was fishing deeper mud bottoms off the edge of rock piles (25-30 feet) during last weekend's afternoons with good success. In the evening he was anchored in 12-16 feet of water slip bobbering with small jigs tipped with leeches. His boat kept 28 Sunday evening. Most of the fish are 15-17 inches during the night fishing. Voge is catching some 25-26s in deeper water during the day. Voge's charter launch is still operating out of Hunter Winfield's. Call 320-676-1100 or 612-390-5045 to set up your launch adventure with Dereke.

Fishing or Golf?

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:03:00 +0000

As the opener came and went last weekend, I talked with many people about the fishing on Mille Lacs. Overall, the opener was pretty slow. There were some success stories. I heard about one boat catching 19 around Hunter's Point. Another boat getting a couple limits up on the sand by Carlsona.

Many I talked to decided to forgo Saturday's windy, cool and moist opener in favor of a round of golf at Fiddlestix, Izatys or Higbees. Each golf course is open for business and in varying states at this time. Higbees is offering a Wednesday night scramble with munchies and beverages. Izatys is still looking for a couple teams for its Tuesday night league. Fiddlestix has leagues Monday-Thursday. We will be posting updated lists of area tournaments on our golf page soon.

We hope to get our guide reports link back up and running with fresh reports soon. As you may recall, last year we had weekly reports from Tim Ajax, Mike Christensen, Dereke Voge, Gene Miller and Jeff Hanson. I'm sure most of those guys were out on the water last weekend and had some degree of success.

It was good to see area businesses busy last weekend. I was in Isle getting some groceries on Friday afternoon and it was bursting at the seams with fishermen stocking up for the opener. I'm sure many local businesses did well last weekend.

This week Izatys reopens Club XIX as BayView's Rand Syverson and Wahkon's Brandon Niesen open the bar and restaurant. They start operation on Thursday. The outdoor pool and hot tub are scheduled to open Memorial Day Weekend. Bill Lundeen is also operating Walleye World out of Izaty's Marina.

Tribal Netters have taken 100,000 pounds of Walleye in 09

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Wed, 06 May 2009 20:05:00 +0000

If you were wondering like I was how many pounds of Walleye have come out of Mille Lacs Lake since ice out, wonder no more. According to a story in the Mille Lacs Messenger, Tribal netters had harvested 99,232 pounds of Walleyes from Mille Lacs as of press time May 4, according to Charlie Rasmussen of the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission.

We all know there alot of huge Walleye in the lake. I'd have to personally guess that the average size fish taken was between 3-5 pounds -- and I am sure there were many that were much, much larger going to nearly 9-plus pounds. With that in mind, that would be about 20000-30000 fewer Walleyes to hook on this weekend's opener.

The tribal netting is legal and has been going on for years. The eight tribes that can legally net still have about 26000 pounds of Walleye they can go after. I hope they wait until fall so that sportsmen can get a crack at things, too.

I did receive several emails with some oberservations. These were second-hand stories. One, was that a 54-inch Muskie was one of the casualties. There were also scores of over 30-inch Northern that weren't even cleaned, but thrown away. Again, these reports can from folks who emailed me with comments they said they heard from local wardens. In journalistic circles, you can't call those credible sources. But those stories are out there.

My only feeling on this whole matter is that if you catch and keep fish, you should utilize the fish and not waste them. They are a natural resource that belongs to both Minnesota sportsmen and tribal netters. By wasting a catch, you ruin someone else's chances for those fish and nobody derives any benefit. It's a slap in the face to all who are good stewards of Mille Lacs.

Here's to wishing you the best on Saturday's opener. Like clockwork, the forecast calls for winds and rain on the Minnesota Fishing Opener. I'll be up on the sand flats near Carlsona Beach hunting for a couple eater eyes. You can bet we'll clean em and cook em up for dinner if we have any luck!

Ripple River Exhibits This Weekend!

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:54:00 +0000

Pastel and basket exhibit offers ‘Reflections on Life’s Seasons’

If you’re fishing for something to do next weekend that doesn’t involve boats or bait, stop by Ripple River Gallery for an infusion of color. “Reflections on Life’s Seasons,” an exhibit of paintings in pastel by Denise Bunkert, opens Wednesday. Accompanying Bunkert’s paintings will be sculptural baskets by Tina Fung Holder.

Both artists will be on hand Sunday, May 9 from 3 to 5 p.m. for a reception. Bunkert will also sign copies of “Mirrors of the Soul: Reflections on Life’s Seasons,” a newly-completed collaborative project with British poet Richard Whitfield. The public is invited to meet the artists, talk about their work and enjoy refreshments.

Bunkert says that with each painting she strives to “dance with nature’s light and shadow, playing the instruments of color, rhythm and movement, until chords of harmony are brushed.” A Wisconsin native who now lives in the Minneapolis area, she draws from nature, music and poetry to inspire her luminous pastel landscape paintings. “The inherent beauty of the natural world has long been part of my consciousness and spirituality,” she says.

A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Bunkert worked as a graphic designer and college instructor for 12 years before turning to painting full time. Her award-winning work has been exhibited in numerous solo and group exhibitions and has been included in several publications.

Bunkert will be teaching two classes at Ripple River Gallery this summer: “Introduction to Painting in Pastels” on Aug. 8; and “Exploring Color in Painting Pastels,” Aug. 15.

Tina Fung Holder’s baskets incorporate the variety of native vegetation abundant near her home in the Chequamegon Bay area of Wisconsin—red dogwood, cattails, grasses, vines, leaves and birch bark. She learned basket making as a child before earning degrees in design and fiber at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she concentrated on the methods and materials of native cultures.

‘Reflections’ will continue through June 14 at the gallery near Bay Lake.

Ripple River Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The gallery is located five miles south of Deerwood on Highway 6, then 3 miles east of Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge on County Road 14 to Partridge Avenue; or south of Aitkin on Highway 169 to Bennettville, then 3.2 miles west on County Road 11 to Partridge Avenue.

For more information call 218-678-2575, e-mail ripriv@mlecmn.net or visit www.ripplerivergallery.com.

Izatys: Some Positive News for a Change!

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 20:31:00 +0000

Just when the Mille Lacs faithful had heard enough about the recession, a fidgety stock market, and an ice barrage on the Big Pond's South Shore, Izatys came out of its long slumber Saturday morning, jolting the local economy with a potential big boost. Jason Tollette, a St. Cloud Real Estate Developer, announced that he and a consortium of local businesses would open Izatys for operation this summer, making speculation official. Tollette, who spent two years as the general manager at Izatys during its peak years, said Blackbrook Golf Course would open May 1. BayView owner Rand Syverson and partner Brandon Niesen, who owns Morningstar Market in Wahkon, announced they would open Club IX in mid May with a full bar and abbreviated food menu and operate a pool bar on weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day. And local bait shop icon Bill Lundeen stepped forward to announce he will run the Marina and Walleye World for the summer, offering bait, tackle and fuel services. To top it off, the Izatys Townhome Association and the Village at Izatys governing boards gave approval to fund the operation of the swimming pool to complement the total package. Together, that puts Izatys back into action after a 19-month layoff. Tollette said that when Izatys is filled to capacity in both lakeside townhomes, beach villas and Village timeshares that more than 1,000 people occupy the property. He credited Commerce Bank and its partners who took title to the property late last year after Izatys Resort LLC was liquidated in Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the fall, closing in early October 2007. Tollette stated that the bank is injecting more than $500,000 into to the property to get it marketable for sale to a viable owner. He said the bank will payoff more than $400,000 in back taxes to Mille Lacs County Monday. As could be expected, the mood at the Izatys Townhome Association owner meeting was festive with the news and owners cheered and clapped as each local businessman stepped forward, pledging service and asking for support. While there won't be wholesale improvements, Tollette said that the sandtraps on Blackbrook would be redone and that all stumps would be removed from that course. Izatys Pro Shop is now open and offering $500 single memberships, $850 Couple memberships and $1,000 memberships for a family of four. We'll provide you with phone numbers fo the pro shop, Club IX and Walleye World when we receive them. In addition to the resort opening, Par 5 Drive continues its pace toward pavement, which is expected to be completed before the end of the summer as part of a South Harbor Township road project. With the fishing opener still 13 days away, we might have already seen this season's biggest catch!

Ice Bergs Blowing Into South Shore

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 17:58:00 +0000

Toss in a slightly elevated lake level and some nasty Northwest winds for a couple days and you have glaciers moving onto the south shore on Lake Mille Lacs. The picture here shows at 17-foot tall ice finger that crawled ashore two days ago and as of this morning was beating up against a townhome unit at Izatys Resort. Thanks to some quick work by operations manager Rob Wilsey, the deck and unit were spared disaster after Wilsey took on the white wall with a bobcat. In his 15 years on the lake, he has never seen this much ice ashore at Izatys. Looks like there might be ice standing ashore well into May. Winds are scheduled to shift in the next couple days which means the ice will take aim at other ends of the lake.

Barry Hines Leaving for Job in Eau Claire

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 18:45:00 +0000

Saturday is a chance to say thanks, have a couple beverages and chat with Barry Hines. His Going Away party is Saturday night at 7 pm at BayView. If you don't know Barry, he's been the golf course superintendant and a marina manager at Izatys Resort. Yes, Barry hung around for the past 18 months hoping that Izatys would climb out of bankruptcy and that he could be at the helm of the rebuilding project, blessed with investors who were willing to pay whatever he needed to improve the sagging golf courses.

Well, those investors never materialized. As of now, there is only a small chance Izatys will open this year. A group that has asked not to be named yet is trying to firm up plans to run the resort's pool, blackbrook golf course and the main floor outdoor bar and small restaurant in an effort to pump some life into the slumbering resort.

But back to Barry. Anybody who knew Barry would tell you he was someone you could count on. He has the gift of gab and can usually bring two arguing sides together quite smoothly. Barry took care of countless Izatys customers and owners over the last five years. From the golf course to the marina to running the ice house business, Barry was always there. He was loyal, fun and practical. And he was always willing to pitch in to help with projects even if it wasn't in his best interest.

I've had the good fortune to know Barry Hines for more than four years. A person like he would be a windfall for a company planning to reopen and run Izatys resort. Barry has alot of key contacts in the area and a great following of friends and allies as well. We can only hope that he in somehow stays on to advise the golf crew should the resort open under bank supervision this spring and summer.

In the meantime, I urge you to come celebrate your good times and share some memories with Barry on Saturday evening at BayView at 7 pm. Barry will be the guest of honor and you can bet he'll be sporting that signature smile from ear to ear. Take Care Barry, may fair winds and following seas boost you in your new endeavors!

Carlsona All You Can Eat Ribs: A-Plus

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:22:00 +0000

If you haven't had the fortune of hitting Carlsona for its Thursday Evening "All You Can Eat Ribs", you need to schedule your trip. We took our second trip up there last Thursday night from the south shore of Mille Lacs and we were totally impressed. From the tangy, spicy rib sauce to the meat that falls off the massive racks, this meal was awesome. For $12.95, you get a trip through Carlsona's Salad Bar and you get a potato or vegetable of choice. The nice thing about Thursday nights is you also miss the large weekend crowds. In fact, you can sit in the bar, enjoy hockey or basketball and eat until you can't. For rib, I haven't found any finer in the area. For the record, someone once ate six racks of ribs there and has his picture on the wall!

Ripple River Art Gallery News

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:41:00 +0000

‘Seasons’ exhibit explores Minnesota landscape through watercolor

Whether it’s the crisp blue-white of a winter landscape, the yellow and green of spring growth, summer’s verdant palette, or the rich tones of autumn, the Minnesota landscape offers ample inspiration for artist Dan Mondloch. “Seasons,” an exhibit of Mondloch’s watercolors, opened this week (March 4) at Ripple River Gallery near Bay Lake. The exhibit will continue through March 29.

Mondloch, a St. Cloud native who earned a bachelor of fine arts degree at St. Cloud State University, balances a life of painting—a full-time job as a house painter, and his spare time work as a watercolor artist. Mondloch shows his work at regional arts events and shows.

The familiar scenes of life in Minnesota, most inspired from personal experience, are the focus of Mondloch’s paintings. He grew up fishing, hunting and biking, and developed an appreciation for the special places in the region—secluded lakeshores, frozen ponds, long-shadowed forests. “Natural beauty is abundant in this area, and in our busy day-to-day lives it can easily go unseen,” Mondloch says.

Through his watercolors he offers an opportunity for the viewer to see the world through his eyes. “I hope they have a deeper sense of wonder and appreciation for their natural surroundings and I encourage them to seek similar experiences in their own lives,” he said.

Although he works primarily in watercolor, Mondloch combines other media (transparent acrylic, gouache, pastel, casein and conté) to develop the intensity of his images. Light and shadow, positive and negative space, and the patterns that develop, give his paintings energy and visual impact.

“There are times when we find ourselves out in nature, without the distractions of civilized life, where we experience an amazing sense of clarity,” Mondloch said. “This has a grounding effect that helps us realize what is really important in life.” Mondloch hopes his paintings convey that sense of wonder and calm. “I hope my paintings draw you in long enough to imagine what it is like to actually be there.”

Dan Mondloch will be on hand for an informal closing reception on Sunday, March 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. The public is invited to meet the artist and visit with him about his work.

Ripple River Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, and by chance or by appointment. Extended hours will begin in May.

The gallery is located five miles south of Deerwood on Highway 6, then 3 miles east of Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge on County Road 14 to Partridge Avenue; or south of Aitkin on Highway 169 to Bennettville, then 3.2 miles west on County Road 11 to Partridge Avenue.

For more information call 218-678-2575, e-mail ripriv@mlecmn.net or visit www.ripplerivergallery.com.

An Exciting Period on Mille Lacs

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 16:03:00 +0000

FISHING TOURNAMENTS DRAW THOUSANDS
Last weekend's fishing tournaments on Mille Lacs brought thousands to the lake. We have yet to receive the list of winners from the Perch Extravaganza at Hunter's Point Resort or the Duck's Umlimited Event in Garrison Bay, but it's safe to declare the Mille Lacs area an overall winner. Despite some early snowy and windy weather, the tournaments enjoyed sun-filled days and from what I could see driving around the lake to observe, literally thousands of cars were on the ice taking part. Garrison Bay was filled with vehicles for the noon-3 pm fishing event there. Area businesses had to have felt the volume of all these customers in the area. A great weekend overall for Mille Lacs.

GARRISON RACING THIS WEEKEND
The Garrison Commercial Club isn't about to let a string of two straight weekends of great business come to an end. This weekend, they promote WSA Snowmobile Ice Racing; Kids 120 Snow Cross; Stud Club Motorcycle/ATV Ice Racing; Vintage Snowmobile Racing; Vintage Snowmobile Show; Hardwater Ice Racing. With a great weather forecast, it should be an awesome time in Garrison this weekend, making Mille Lacs a great destination for folks again.

FISH HOUSES OFF THE ICE BY MIDNIGHT MARCH 2
The DNR has given Mille Lacs fisher folks until Midnight, March 2nd to get your permanent ice houses off the lake. If you occupy the houses from midnight to 6 am you can stay in them beyond that time, but they must be occupied. Wheel houses can come on and off during the day beyond the second as can portables. With the ice season coming to close, many resorts started pulling houses off the ice Monday and will continue through this week and weekend. Our ice fishing poll indicates that about nine percent of people that fish thought the season was better than average. Sixteen percent thought it was average. And 49 percent thought it was below average. Twenty six percent of those polled hadn't fished Mille Lacs this winter. See our countdown clock on the home page of Make It Mille Lacs.com. As of this writing, there are only 73 days and 12 hours to the open water walleye opener on Mille Lacs! With the heavy snows we got early this winter, we may see a raised water level on the Big Pond this spring. I am predicting ice out for April 24th this year.

IZATYS: ALL QUIET ON THE SOUTH SHORE
Despite a quick first offer that was rejected by Commerce Bank in early January, Izatys Resort continues to sit idled as spring draws near. We continue to hear that there are three buyers interested but the recent poor economy has tightened capital investment. The resort has been mothballed since early October 2007, despite the opening of Blackbrook Golf Course and the Links Lodge for a mild stretch from June through August 2008. As you may recall, Izatys went for rougly 3 million at an auction last April, only to be rejected by bankruptcy Judge Nancy Dreher. With 130 lakeside townhomes and 67 Village at Izatys Timeshares, a huge market of potential customers awaits new ownership.

5th ANNUAL KITE CROSSING MARCH 7-8th

The Fifth Annual Mille Lacs Kite Crossing is once again shaping up to be one of the biggest and most dynamic snowkite events in the country. Last year, the Kite Crossing became the first kiting event to surpass 100 registrants. With many of the fastest snowkiters in the world being from the local community, the challenge continues to draw from across the country.

We have attached the Notice of Challenge in a PDF format. It should provide all the necessary information. The only variation to the Notice of Challenge is that we are offering a hooded version of the sweatshirt for $8 more, but only for those registering by the March 2nd deadline. We will be accepting electronic registration by e-mail. If you have registered for a Fleet 8 event in the past two years, just provide your name, category, shirt size and preferred e-mail address for receiving Updates. You can pay by Paypal by going to the Fleet 8 website. The PayPal button is a Donate button and has a fixed amount of $30 until midnite Monday, then the $40 late fee goes into effect. Guest fees and additional shirt charges will have to be paid at check-in time. You can find all this by scrolling down the page at http://fleet8.com/news/.

Riders of all levels are encouraged to attend. Come out, meet riders from around the area, share the stoke, check out some new gear and learn some new moves. We would also like to thank our hosts at the Y-Club and around Garrison as well as our loyal sponsors

Arctic Blast Delivers Fun To Mille Lacs

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:59:00 +0000

Hundreds of Snowmobilers and Viking fans descended upon Mille Lacs lake last weekend to take part in the 14th Annual Arctic Blast rally at the Big Pond. For many, it turned out to be a great weekend. Warm weather made the traveling from blast point to blast point enjoyable in comparison with last year's below-zero temps. The event injected some much needed tourism into the Mille Lacs area. By all accounts, the five blast points -- BayView, Hunter's Point, Castaways, Fisherman's Wharf and the Blue Goose -- did exceptional business over the weekend. Current and former Viking players, coaches and cheerleaders were on hand throughout the event to help the crowd celebrate. Some revelers chartered buses to make the trip around the lake. For most blast points, it was standing room only. Maria and Charlie Jackson of White Bear Lake got a chance to meet former Vikings Chris Doleman, Gerald Robinson, Henry Thomas and Karl Dunbar. "These guys are huge," Maria noted as she had her picture taken with the four players, who were enjoying a beverage at BayView around 2:30 pm Saturday. "This is a pretty neat event."

Mille Lacs DNR Quotas Established

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:57:00 +0000

From the DNR website

News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Lake Mille Lacs safe harvest levels set (February 3, 2009)

Safe fish harvest levels have been set at Lake Mille Lacs for the 2009 fishing season.

The safe harvest of walleye has been set at 541,000 pounds, up from 430,000 pounds last fishing season. The state’s allocation is 414,500 pounds, up from 307,500 pounds last year.

Indian bands that signed the 1837 Treaty will be allocated 126,500 pounds of walleye this fishing season, up from 122,500 pounds last year.

The state’s 2009 walleye harvest may include an overage allowance of up to 5 percent.

The yellow perch and northern pike safe harvest levels are the same as last year. The yellow perch level is 270,000 pounds; the northern pike level is 25,000 pounds. The state’s allocation is 135,000 pounds of yellow perch and 12,500 pounds of northern pike.

Due to low abundance and low incidental harvest in both the tribal and angling fisheries, quotas will not be set for tullibee and burbot. Instead, these species will be monitored, and safe harvest levels will be discussed in the future if abundance, harvest, and fishing interest increase.

Every year fisheries experts from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the eight Chippewa bands meet in January to share information and determine safe harvest levels.

“Now that we know what the State’s walleye quota is for 2009, we can evaluate where the winter fishery stands and can evaluate if our current regulation will keep us within our allocation,” said Ron Payer, Minnesota DNR fisheries chief. “And once we have done that, we will meet with the Mille Lacs Fisheries Input Group.”

The current Mille Lacs regulation allows anglers to keep four walleye up to 18 inches, which may include one trophy over 28 inches. Anglers are required to release all walleye from 18 to 28 inches.

Total walleye angling harvest was 76,000 pounds in 2008. The safe harvest level was increased from last year due to low total harvest in 2008.

Arctic Blast Kicks Off a Great Month at Mille Lacs

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:05:00 +0000

If winter is your thing and you like Lake Mille Lacs, it is your month! Starting Thursday, February 5th, Arctic Blast XIV kicks off as current and former Viking players, coaches and cheerleaders converge upon the Big Pond to sign autographs, schmooze with fans and snowmobile to the five various Blast Points around the lake.

The points are: Blue Goose in Garrison; Castaways in Malmo; Hunter's Point in Isle; Bayview in South Harbor on Cove Bay and Eddy's in Vineland. The snowmobile rally is Saturday as sledders try to get their ticket punched at each of the various establishments to become eligible for prize drawings and a Grand Prize drawing on Sunday at Grand Casino of a snowmobile.

For more information on Arctic Blast and how to sign up, visit http://www.vikings.com/NewsArticle_Arctic_Blast_Hub.aspx. There you will find a detailed schedule of events and registration form.

Also in February on Mille Lacs, Garrison will be hosting a poker run on Saturday, February 14th. A pair of regional powerhouse fishing tournaments take place Saturday, February 21st with the Perch Extravaganza at Hunter's Point on the east shore and the Duck's Unlimited fishing tourney in Garrison Bay. Those events forecast nearly 5,000 anglers on the lake.

To end February with a bang, Garrison Days hits the ice with a bevy of great events, including WSA Pro Ice Racing/Snowmobile; Kids 120 Snow Cross; Stud Club Motorcycle/ATV Ice Racing; Vintage Snowmobile Racing; Vintage Snowmobile Show; Hardwater Ice Racing.

Ripple River Gallery Has Been Busy!

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:12:00 +0000

For more information contact Ripple River Gallery, 218-678-2575

Gallery warms up despite winter winds!

Ah winter… Time for ice fishing and snowmobiling, cross country skiing and snowshoeing—or shopping!

Just because the temperatures dip below zero and the snow accumulates on the rooftops, don’t think that life in the north country screeches to a halt. While snowbirds escape to warmer climates, here at Ripple River Gallery we’re busy planning the exhibit and class schedule for the coming season and making room for new work that arrives weekly.

We’re also hard at work in our studios—new wood-turned bowls and vessels by resident artisan Bob Carls will be available soon, and cozy handwoven wool and mohair shawls by Amy Sharpe are available now.

If you need a break from outdoor adventure and an opportunity to feed your creative spirit, come and see what’s new! Printmaker Anna Marie Pavlik has new framed prints and, for a touch of the artistic in unexpected places, paper-covered switch plates that feature excerpts of her etchings and stratographs. Potter Gretchen Robinson has new textured trays—perfect for serving snacks or for keeping small items organized. Mixed media artist and painter Mike Marth just delivered new paintings and sculptures that feature a conglomeration of everyday items. Stop by to see the results of unbridled creativity and imagination!

If bargain hunting is your passion, join us for our “Mid-Winter Meltdown” for special discounts on a variety of work by regional artists. Basket and jewelry maker Tina Fung Holder is offering 10% off her wire and bead brooches and earrings; as well as 5% off her sculptural baskets made of native materials. Printmaker Candyce Fitzloff-Westfield is offering 25% off her etchings of fern leaves and natural artifacts. Boxed cards, including Sierra Club designs, are 25% off, and you’ll find special prices on many more items as well.

Ripple River Gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and by chance or by appointment. The gallery is located five miles south of Deerwood on Highway 6, then 3 miles east of Ruttger’s Bay Lake Lodge on County Road 14 to Partridge Avenue; or south of Aitkin on Highway 169 to Bennettville, then 3.2 miles west on County Road 11 to Partridge Avenue.

For more information call 218-678-2575, e-mail ripriv@mlecmn.net or visit www.ripplerivergallery.com.

Winter at It's Best on Mille Lacs in February

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:32:00 +0000

If you've been holding out to come to Mille Lacs Lake for fun this winter, February is your month. There is something great to do every weekend. We'll lay out the fun for you and hope that you can make the trip up!

1. Arctic Blast: February 6-8. The Minnesota Viking tradition kicks off on Thursday night with players past and present signing autographs at various blast points (BayView, Blue Goose, Castaways, Buzzies and Hunter's Point). The rally starts Saturday morning with a breakfast at Eddy's and then the rest of day features stops at blast points where sledders get their tickets stamped. Things wind up Sunday at Grand Casino for a Grand Prize drawing.

2. Garrison Poker Run: Saturday, February 14th. A neat thing to do, tooling around Garrison area hot spots in search of a winning poker combination. You get a card at each stop, trying to parlay your hand into a winning poker hand. Things end up at the Y-Club where you can buy your Valentine a nice dinner.

3. Saturday February 21: Double-Barrel Fishing Fun with Garrison Duck's Unlimited Fishing Tournament and the East Side Perch Extravaganza all in the same day. Expecting more than 5,000 to show up to Mille Lacs for this pair of tournaments, hosted the week before the winter ice fishing season officially ends. The DU event is noon to 3 pm and there are more than $70,000 worth of prizes. The Perch Extravaganza is out of Hunter's Point Resort from 8 am to 2 pm and you must have a $10 button to win. Contest is lake-wide, perch must be alive and the top ten perch win some great prizes.

4. Saturday February 28th: Garrison Days hits the ice with a bevy of great events, including WSA Pro Ice Racing/Snowmobile; Kids 120 Snow Cross; Stud Club Motorcycle/ATV Ice Racing; Vintage Snowmobile Racing; Vintage Snowmobile Show; Hardwater Ice Racing

Commerce Bank Gets First Izatys Offer

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 15:00:00 +0000

The first action on moving Izatys from mothballs back to operation occurred earlier this week when Commerce Bank recieved its first offer on Izatys Resort. Commerce Bank Vice President Gerald Anderson told Barry Hines that the first offer has come from Leisure Hotels, a privately held company that owns and operates more than 20-indoor water park based properties in the US.

Leisure's website is hotels.leisurehotel.com and that company built a five-star hotel in Walker, Minnesota on Leech Lake which opened last spring. Hines, who has worked for Commerce Bank to show Izatys and check on the various buildings at the property since early last fall, said at least two other companies were also expected to enter the bidding soon.

Commerce Bank would not reveal the offer price, citing confidentiality during the bidding process. Leisure Hotels own properties in Louisiana, Kansas, New Mexico, Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Missouri.

Izatys closed its doors publicly in October of 2007 and later filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. After a brief stint trying to operate in the summer of 2008 with a make-shift clubhouse based in the basement of the Links Lodge and Blackbrook Golf Course open, the bankruptcy court pushed Izatys Resort LLC group into Chapter 7 liquidation.

Commerce Bank became the owner of Izatys outright after former owners failed to redeem on the property, gaining title on December 28th, 2008.

State Needs a Bait Fix Now!

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:27:00 +0000

The bottom of the food chain for Mille Lacs Area Recreation and Tourism is in jeopardy of becoming scarce, according to Bill Lundeen, owner of Lundeen's Tackle Castle, an area bait icon.

Yes, Bait is the issue. Live bait -- as in minnows and leeches.

The bait industry (and subsequently the entire fishing and tourism industries) is in a sort of crisis. The DNR has a policy in place where it won't allow the importation of baitfish into Minnesota - period. This year with the low water levels and heavy snowfalls, there is not and will not be enough bait to supply the industry in Minnesota - period. Last year we struggled to find enough, this year the supply is tighter still AND more anglers are hitting the lakes. If the DNR/State would allow the CERTIFIED importation of baitfish to Minnesota, it would lessen the struggle. We spend HUGE money to get people to fish and vacation in Minnesota - this is in jeopardy today. With the economy where it is, why would the State risk their primary draw to a policy being held on to as a "power card"? We desperately need them to open the border with proper certification NOW.

Area fishermen and women are noticing these shortages popping up around the state. There is something you can do about it. Contact your local state representative or senator and ask them to push for CERTIFIED imported bait. That bait would be safe for Minnesota lakes, rivers and streams and help power our large tourism industry, keeping anglers from all walks of fishing happy and outfitted.

Izatys Resort: Commerce Bank Owns It Outright

mlwehking@gmail.com (Make It Mille Lacs.com) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:57:00 +0000

By any measure, it's been a long, long haul for folks who have a stake in Izaty's Resort. Since the resort closed abruptly in early October 2007 through the entire year of 2008, everybody's been wondering what is next for the once thriving resort that is Mille Lacs County's second-largest taxpayer.

Well, it's 2009 and Izatys is a step closer to a comeback as now Commerce Bank owns the resort outright after Izatys Resort LLC owners failed to redeem on the property as of the end of the day Monday, December 28th.

According to Commerce Bank, there are at least three viable potential purchasers in the wings. However, tight economic times may be preventing any of those entities from coming forward right away. Banks are leery of extending credit without bullet-proof business plans and alot of owner equity involved.

Barry Hines, former Izatys Golf Course Superintendant, who has been active ensuring security while showing the property since last fall says that whoever comes in needs to take hold by February 15th to ensure they can get a plan in place to get the golf course or courses open in time for 2009.

Many speculate now that Izatys could be in for another season where there are no amenities open -- like pool, Clubhouse, Links Lodge. If a new developer does buy the resort later, it might take many months to get it back into the condition needed to sustain a business.

What it all means to the local economy is clear. Without Izatys Resort being operational, many south shore businesses feel the impact. When 130 lakeside townhomes and 67 Village at Izatys Timeshares aren't at full capacity, the whole area loses out on nearly 1,500 extra visitors.

What will 2009 hold for Izatys? At this point, it's still anybody's guess!