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By DEB BENTLY
Staff Writer
If Mike Coy’s life were a river, he might describe it as “narrow, but deep.” Mike, 71, has lived in Waseca County his entire life and has already arranged to be buried in a county-managed cemetery located on land once owned by his extended family.
A farm and tractor man to the core, he tells of his grandfather having placed him in the driver seat of a bulldozer at the age of 6 to push silage.
“It’s something you’ve got to have an eye for,” says Mike playfully of driving big equipment.
Mike and his wife Cindy have been together since 1983. They raised three children, now adults: Sierra, Clifford and Erin. Of their nine grandchildren, the majority live within a two-hour drive.
The couple’s rural home is two miles west of New Richland along state highway 30. They acquired the homesite, the former Harvey Peterson property, in 1991 and spent years upgrading and improving it while also raising their family.
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By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
Last week The Willows in New Richland was sold to John and Julie Arnold of New Richland.
The previous owners, Travis and Heather Blake, made the announcement via Facebook.
“Today we close a very big chapter,” the Blakes said in the announcement. “This is a bittersweet day as our life has fully revolved around the restaurant for the last 18 years. We can’t thank you enough for your continued support over the years. This town, this community is like no other.”
Eighteen years ago the Willows, located at 100 Minnesota Highway 13 in New Richland, came into existence under the Blake family, with Travis and his wife Heather running it together for the past 15 years. The couple officially purchased the business from Travis’s dad Jim in 2016.
The Blakes shared emotional memories from their nearly two decades at the Willows, highlighting their being “the hub” for after parties during the NRHEG Girls State Championships runs in 2013 and ‘14; along with great “Friday Nights” and an overall sense of family with the community and their incredible employees.
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By ELI LUTGENS
Publisher/Editor
A packed week of Snow Week events at NRHEG included five dress-up days, a dodgeball tournament, the crowning of the King and Queen, and concluded with a dance in the high school gymnasium
Royalty gathered together in the NRHEG high school gymnasium Tuesday afternoon, January 30 to find out who among them would be crowned King and Queen.
Malonna Wilson and Danny Deniz-Clark were crowned 2024 Snow Week King and Queen by the NRHEG 2023 Homecoming King and Queen William Tuttle and Hallie Schultz.
Serving as the emcees, Hallie Schultz and Isabel Stadheim welcomed hundreds of students, faculty, friends and family, introduced winter sports coaches and instructors to speak, and finally introduced the 2024 Snow Court.
The following introduction was read aloud, introducing the queen and king, followed by the rest of the 2024 Snow Court.
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The NRHEG Star Eagle took home two awards during the Minnesota Newspaper Associations annual awards banquet February 1, 2024.
Of more than 4,400 entries in roughly 40 categories, writers Deb Bently and Eli Lutgens each earned awards.
Bently earned second place in the Business Profile category for her piece titled, “Hartland Gold Rush” about the Prairie Gold Rush Magazine produced in Hartland.
Bently also received second and third place honors for articles written in the Waseca County Pioneer.
Lutgens earned third place among entries for weekly columnist. Categories were entered in the non-multi day, 1,000 - 1,500 circulation size.
For Lutgens it was his second award with the Star Eagle from MNA. Writing for the Waseca County Pioneer, he also earned two first place finishes and a third this year.
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Lerberg’s Fitness open house February 10
By RACHAEL JAEGER
Staff Writer
Wendy Schultz, NRHEG physical education teacher and coach, runs Lerberg’s Fitness in Ellendale with her husband, John. A former Lerberg, Wendy is the daughter of Andy and Mary who used to be owners of Lerberg’s Foods; in March 2017, Wendy and John opened a gym next door to Lerberg’s Foods that they called Lerbeg’s Fitness.
Schultz recalls the Ellendale storefront used to house a “variety store” where Mary offered knickknacks and decorations for sale. After her work days ended, Mary frequently traveled to Owatonna to use fitness facilities there. The idea entered her head to turn the variety store into a fitness center. Once she discussed the possibility with Andy and Wendy, they visited different facilities to see what approaches others had used.