After a week of what looked like the winter conditions we used to know and love, January surprised us, again, with more mild, spring-like weather.  Looking more like mid-March than mid-Winter, January 2012 slid out on temperatures that hit 45 on Monday, the 30^th, and the upper 30’s on Tuesday, the 31^st.  No one is complaining, though.  We had our night or 2 of sub-zero conditions last week, and that’s more than enough, although the weather gurus are predicting that the 50 below zero air mass that has been keeping Alaska in the deep freeze is going to head south to give us a visit next week.  Well, if you don’t like the weather right now, just wait a minute.

Friends of Kevin Gillespie gathered in the dining room of the Lariat Bar on the evening of Saturday, January 21, for a farewell party.  Kevin, who has been working for the Gulleson Brothers here for the past year, has enlisted in the North Dakota Air Force National Guard, and departed for Basic Training at Lackland AFB near San Antonio on Monday, January 23.  When he completes Basic Training, Kevin is slated for advanced training in Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) at an Air Force Base in Florida.  Upon completion of his training, Kevin will be assigned to the North Dakota Air Guard unit based at Hector Field in Fargo.  Kevin is a calm young man with steady hands, attributes that will serve him well in his new military specialty.  His friends here are sure that he will keep things quiet in his work area.

Norbert & Bev Kulzer drove down to visit sons Stan and Stephan and families at Brandon SD & Hartfort SD, near Sioux Falls, on Wednesday, January 25.  The Kulzers stopped at the Ortman Clinic in Canistota on the way down.  Norbert reports some interesting conversations with the Amish, Hutterite and Mennonite folks from throughout the Midwest who were also at the clinic.  Even the Amish, who reject much of modern technology, are having problems maintaining enough horsepower to get their farming done profitably.  It seems that it takes a great deal of the farm’s resources to maintain a large source of horsepower, whether that horsepower is on rubber and burns diesel fuel, or on the hoof, burning hay and oats.  At their destination, the Kulzers took in several basketball games in which their grandchildren: Nick; Noah; Jonas; Lauren; Brooke; and, Will; played.  Norbert reports that the games were good, but the bleachers were hard.  The Kulzers returned to Rutland on the evening of Saturday, January 28.

Jack Brummond, The Sage of Weber Township, was a Rutland caller on Wednesday, January 25.  Jack’s comment for the week was “No comment.”  He was back at the Round Table, again, on Tuesday, January 31, while out cruising in the old Oldsmobile that his late mother had once owned.  It’s still a nice car, Jack reports, but it needs a little exercise once in a while.  The Oldsmobile is one of the oldest brand names in the American auto industry, having been first manufactured by Mr. Leland Olds back in the 1890s.  Jack’s Oldsmobile is somewhat newer than that.

Joe Malstrom and Bradley Wyum drove up to Devils Lake on Friday, January 27, to take in the big fishing derby held there on Saturday.  Joe reports that 15,000 entries were sold by the Devils Lake Volunteer Firemen at $25 apiece.  More than $190,000.00 in prizes was awarded, including 2 new pickup trucks and a new automobile.  The prize for the biggest perch caught was $1,000 and the prize for the 2^nd biggest was a brand new pickup truck.  Joe reports that neither he nor Bradley came home with any prizes, but his daughter, Brad’s wife, Tracy, won $200.00 in the drawing for cash prizes.

Former Rutland resident Paula (Benish-Meyers) Zimmerman and her husband, Kelly Zimmerman, of Chokio, MN stopped in at the Rutland General Store for dinner and a visit with friends on Saturday, January 28.  Paula and her first husband, the late Bruce Meyers, owned and operated The Lariat Bar here from 1978 to 1981.  Bruce passed away 6 years ago.  Paula married Kelly Zimmerman last year, and they honeymooned in Europe, visiting cousins in Germany, as well as spending time in the Swiss Alps and in Paris, France.  Mr. Zimmerman farms near Chokio, primarily raising corn and soybeans.  Until last year, he was also engaged in commercial egg production, but reports that it is no longer economical to feed $5.00 corn or $12.00 soybeans to chickens to produce eggs at 47 cents a dozen, wholesale.  Paula reports that both of her sons are now graduated from college and married, with one residing at Kotzebue, Alaska, and the other near the Twin Cities.  Paula had not been back to Rutland for several years, and the Zimmermans were impressed with the improvements on Main Street, including: The Rutland General Store; the renovated Rutland Café; and, the new Lariat Bar building; that have been added since she was last here.  She was also happy to see that the old Lariat Bar building, now the Erickson Building, is looking good at its new location on the corner of First & Arthur Street.

Richard & Janet Bradbury have been wintering on the Warren Ranch, Janet’s childhood home, near Rapid City SD, and have been enjoying the warm winter, which has been even warmer in the Black Hills region of southwestern South Dakota than it has here.  The following message was received from Richard this past weekend:

“I am humbled, as well as pleased, by the heartfelt outpouring of care, concern and sympathy shown to me by the Assembled Wise Men of the Rutland Round Table upon the disclosure last week in The Rooster Crows that the condition of golf courses in January in this area is less than idyllic. (They are in fact a tad on the sh—y side.) Your condolences are duly noted. As I have always maintained, it is gratifying to discover, once again, that I have engendered an Instantaneous Outpouring Of Spontaneous Indifference.  Thank you.”

Rutland City Council member Bert Siemieniewski, who chaired the committee in charge of the Rutland Town Hall improvement project, reports that work on the project has been completed, and the new, handicapped accessible rest rooms are, in the words of the poet, “Things of beauty, and joys forever.”  The project included the installation of a ADA compliant ramp on the east side of the Hall; converting the area formerly occupied by the City Office into a handicapped accessible rest room and a new Ladies’ Room; converting the former Men’s & Ladies’ rooms into a larger Men’s room; and, relocating the City Office to the former storage area in the southwest corner of the Hall.  Funding for the project was obtained from the Rutland Community Club, Lake Agassiz Regional Council and the Rural Development Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.  Total cost of the project was $143,000.00.  Dave Martinsen of Martinsen Home Center, Forman, was General Contractor for the project, with Kip’s Construction of Britton SD doing the carpentry, Jacobson Plumbing, Heating & Excavating of Rutland installing the plumbing and B & K Electric of Forman doing the electrical work.  On Tuesday, January 31, Mr. Jasper “Rocky” Schneider, North Dakota State Director of the Rural Development Agency, accompanied by deputies Lee Kaldor, Bill Davis, Samantha Evenson, and Josh Kraemer, stopped to take a look at the completed project.  On hand to welcome them were: Mayor Ron Narum; City Council members Bert Siemieniewski and Mike Mahrer; Town Hall Improvement committee member Lori McLaen; and, City Attorney Bill Anderson.  Mr. Schneider stated that he was pleased with the success of the project, and that it was a real pleasure to provide some assistance to a community that has a tradition of hoisting itself up by its own bootstraps.  The Rural Development officials also toured Main Street and stopped in at The Rutland General Store during their visit here.  They also took a long distance look at the Coteau des Prairies Lodge, but their schedule did not permit a tour of that facility on this visit.

Kurt Breker stopped in at the Rutland Café on the morning of  Wednesday, February 1, and reported that he and his parents, Jim & Mary Breker of Cayuga, had returned from a 2 week visit in Texas on Tuesday evening.  The Brekers were guests of Mary’s brother and sister-in-law, Chuck & Caroline Kiefer, in Woodlands TX, near Houston, and also visited at the home of Jim’s cousin, DeeAnne (Breker) Paulson and her husband, Steve, in Austin.  They also toured the LBJ Ranch, home of President Lyndon B. Johnson, near Johnson City TX, as well as the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin.  Officials at the ranch informed Kurt that the size of the Johnson herd of registered Hereford cattle had been reduced from 160 to 80 due to the lengthy drought that has afflicted that region.  During their time in the Lone Star State temperatures ranged from 60 to 80, and weather conditions were quite pleasant, says Kurt.  The Brekers had departed Cayuga on their vacation trip on Wednesday, January 18, according to Kurt, and he reports that road conditions were good, both down and back.

The bidding is set to start at the 17^th Annual Rudy Anderson Memorial Pinochle Tournament at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 4, in the Rutland Town Hall.  More than 60 teams have pre-registered for the event, according to Arden Anderson, one of the tourney organizers.  The Rutland Community Club will be serving lunch and dinner to the tournament participants, as well as members of the public who may wish to join the pinochle enthusiasts.  “Kibitzers are welcome, as long as they keep their comments and advice to themselves,” says Arden.

Paul Anderson of Rutland, Chairman of the 26^th District Dem-NPL Party, has announced that Congressional candidate Pam Gulleson, also a Rutland resident, will be among the statewide candidates attending the 26^th District Democratic-NPL Party’s convention from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 5, at the Gwinner Community Center in Gwinner.  Those attending will endorse legislative candidates; adopt resolutions for consideration at the State convention in March; and, select delegates to the State convention, says Chairman Anderson.  Currently, the 26^th District is represented by Senator Jim Dotzenrod of Wyndmere and Representatives Jerry Kelsh of Fullerton and Bill Amerman of Forman, all Democrats, in the State Legislature.  All 3 are expected to be candidates for re-election.  Representative Kelsh served as Democratic-NPL Floor Leader during the 2011 legislative session.  Chairman Anderson also states that the convention will be adjourned prior to the start of Sunday’s Super Bowl Game.

Members of Bergman-Evenson Post #215 of  The American Legion will be serving a pancake & sausage breakfast/brunch/dinner from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.on Sunday, February 12, at the Rutland Town Hall, according to Post Commander Larry Christensen.  The menu will include: pancakes made with the Post’s “Secret Recipe” that give shy persons the strength to go out and do what needs to be done; link sausages; eggs any way you want them, as long as they’re fried; juice; and, coffee.  The price is free will.  The event is a fund-raiser to support the Post’s activities in the Rutland community.

Mac Pherson reports that Pherson Simmentals of Rutland will have several top quality registered bulls on the sale bill at the purebred Simmental Sale to be held on Monday, February 13, at the North Dakota Winter Show building inValley City.  The sale is sponsored by: Pherson Simmentals of Rutland; Triple H Simmentals of Hannaford; and, Black Tie Simmentals of Kindred.  Pherson Simmentals have been leaders in the development of the Simmental breed in the United States since 1971.

Well, that’s the news from Rutland for this week.  For more information about what’s going on in the little city that can, check out the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com, and stop by the Rutland blog and Facebook pages while you’re at it, too.  Remember to keep the pressure on the North Dakota Congressional delegation to SAVE OUR POST OFFICE!  Later.