NRHEG Star Eagle

137 Years Serving the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Area
Newspaper of Record for NRHEG School District
Newspaper of Record for Waseca County, MN
PO Box 248 • New Richland, MN 56072

507-463-8112
email: steagle@hickorytech.net
Published every Thursday
Yearly Subscription: Waseca, Steele, and Freeborn counties: $52
Minnesota $57 • Out of state $64

Feature Stories from the Star Eagle pages.

One mom’s search for answers about her ‘special’ child’s maladies

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Anne and Kaiden Hoelz



By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

At Christmas, we think of Santa Claus, but more important than Santa, there are angels – angels among us who live next door, who fill the world with sacrifice and love.

The angel of this story is a green eyed blonde, tiny in size, but gigantic in love and spirit, and her name is Anne Hoelz.

Anne is married to Nick – no relation to Santa Claus, but just as important.

Anne's story appeared recently in a news article titled "Reaching for Answers." She and her family are from the Ellendale area, and her story may make you marvel at the strength of the bond that has developed between this mother and son.

You will never hear Anna say she's tired, wished things had been different. Instead, she feels what has been occurring in her family's life is a miraculous thing that has opened many doors. It has educated her in many ways, and brought out talents that may always have been there, but were not brought out until there was a special need.


100 Years Back – 1914

• Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Whiting and daughter Enid came into New Richland Christmas Eve to shop and attend the picture show, but when they learned the show would not be given until Christmas night they started for home, about eight o’clock. When about a mile west of town, between the Bindewald and Bolduan farms, they met an auto coming to town. Mr. Whiting saw that it was recklessly driven and so turned completely out of the road, but the driver of the machine managed nevertheless to reach them and strike the rear wheel of the carriage. The occupants of the carriage were uninjured, except for a shaking up.

• Mayor F.W. Prail of Waseca announced last week that he had a large amount of evidence at hand in regard to gambling at Waseca but for the sake of the wives and mothers of several of the recreants he has laid down his hand for the present – giving fair warning. Every week reports come to this paper about the gambling menace and it seems queer the matter is allowed to go without investigation. Let us hope Mayor Prail will do his full duty if gambling continues at Waseca.

Trisha Lestrud lands back in Hartland

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HOME IN HARTLAND — After traveling to Sweden to be an exchange student, living in Hawaii managing a travel agency, working as a nurse and managing two clubs in Albert Lea, Trisha Lestrud is right at home behind the bar at Hartland University. “I lost touch with my community, and now, I’m getting back into that,” said Lestrud. “I’m home.” (Star Eagle photo by Carol Jolly)


By CAROL JOLLY

Contributing Writer

Seventeen-year-old Trisha Lestrud’s mind wandered as she sat in the classroom. She thought of hanging out with her friend Nancy, and of the amazing adventures life might hold for her beyond her senior year of high school.

"I wasn't real outgoing – band, choir," Lestrud said dismissively. "And I really wasn't very good at sports."

Impulsively, she rose to her feet, books and assignments in hand, and requested permission to be excused.

"I was a good kid," she said.

Moments later, she found Nancy in the hallway, and together they went to the Foreign Exchange Student informational meeting.

NRHEG Elementary Christmas Concert

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CHRISTMAS CONCERT — NRHEG Elementary students were dressed up and ready to sing for their annual concert Monday, Dec. 2 at Ellendale. Above from left are Grace Ireland, Evan Berg and Attley Klemmensen. Read about the concert and see more photos in this week's Star Eagle. (Star Eagle photo by Chris Schlaak)

Family, friends celebrate with longtime NR store owner

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A 90th birthday party for esteemed New Richland resident Edna Erdmann was held Saturday, November 2, at her store, Gambles Do It Best in New Richland. Above, Edna’s pictured with family members, front from left: Anna Erdman, Michelle Padden, and Elayne Lampe. Back: Kim Erdmann, Daryl Erdmann, Jen Erdman, Galen Erdman, Edna Erdmann, Adam Seales, Marissa Erdmann, Mike Grahams, Mary Erdmann, Shawn Padden and Erin Lampe. Below, employees Marilyn Meyer, Belinda Gold and Norm Eckart pose for a photo with Edna, who bought the local hardware store with her late husband, Vince, in 1954 — 59 years ago. Meyer has been an employee at the store for 49 years. Gold has worked there approximately 35 years. The store has been for sale for some time but there haven’t been any buyers, so Edna and her employees continue to operate it. (Star Eagle photos by Jim Lutgens)

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