April 2022

Man versus Golf You know how sometimes you go to visit your parents but you don’t want to stay with them because, you know, they’re your parents? So you decide to stay nearby, but not that nearby because, well, they’re your parents? But it’s also spring break for the kiddos so you dish out a little more scratch than usual and stay not just at a hotel but a resort with a full-on water park, with lots of pools and water slides galore? And you know how the first few days are good, clean family fun, swimming during the days, seeing the folks in the evening, but then you learn that the resort offers something else and that something else is… golf? And you know how halfway through your stay, the PGA walks in like they own the joint? I hate it when that happens. One minute, parking is first come first serve, the next it’s: Are you with the Open? Oh, you’re not with the Open.

In Minnesota, statewide tornado drills are scheduled for Thursday, April 7 when the sirens will sound at 1:45 and 6:45 p.m. This is a time for families, businesses, schools and other facilities to discuss and/or practice emergency plans and how to respond to a severe weather or tornado WARNING—which means the weather event is imminent or occurring somewhere in the defined warning area and that people need to take shelter as soon as possible.

The Knights of Columbus recently delivered the bears for the “Teddy Bear Drive for Ellanor Siefkes” to all the area businesses that volunteered to sell them and accept donations. This fundraiser is to help the Siefkes family as Ella recovers from a bone marrow transplant and other treatment for congenital neutropenia. Pictured are Brian Braun (left) of the Knights of Columbus and the Siefkes at Power House Nutrition where the teddy bears are available. In front is Micah Siefkes. Middle row, from left, are Elijah, Annika and Josiah Siefkes; and in back are mom and dad, Katie and Caleb Siefkes-holding Ellanor who is home from Children’s Hospital now, Jewel Forstner of PHN and Greta Siefkes. Submitted

On Friday, April 1, Senator Gary Dahms visited with 5th and 6th grade students at Sleepy Eye Elementary School. Dahms represents District 16 (which includes Brown County) in the Minnesota Senate. Dahms, who lives in Redwood Falls, told the students he lives in St. Paul during the time the Minnesota Legislature is in session. He said the Senate works full days, Monday through Thursday, and he tries to come home on Fridays to make visits around the district.

When the staff at the Sleepy Eye Herald-Dispatch office gathered up computers and other work supplies in mid- March 2020 no one could have imagined how long it would be until the office was opened again. Between the former corporate owners’ policies and the capability of our small staff, that time period turned out to be over two years.