August 21, 2006 - Monday

08/21/06 MONDAY
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Todays Gazette is brought to you by the Grafton Brick Co.
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The current temperature is 66 degrees
Yesterdays H/L temperature was 83/55
Normal H/L temp for this date is 80/54
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"Profanity makes ignorance audible."
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L O C A L news & stuff,.. mostly stuff.
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The newest industry to start operations here is the Grafton Brick
Factory Co. which manufactures concrete bricks. The first day's output
was 3,000 brick's. In the future it is planned to speed the operation to
produce 5,000 daily. The company is headed by Soren Blegen, Sanford
Blegen and Warren Wilson.
A large concrete mixer, specially designed by Soren Blegen and
constructed in the Damas French machine shop here, is used in preparing
the concrete.
(Grand Forks Herald - June 9, 1946)
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The last Gazette went out on the 10th. That too, was the day the last
of Johnson's Used cars were loaded on semi's indicating the end of
another automotive business in Grafton.
Rumor still has "our" local Hardee's fast food feeding station closing
sometime soon, although, now, someone has added McDonald's coming to
town to the rumor. I guess only time, or someone, will tell.
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Grafton Floral's 60 years in business celebration was a huge success.
It was heart warming to see so many people (hundreds of them) take time
from their busy schedule to stop by and visit. I was especially amused
at David Hansons Krum-Caka story. It seems Kathy Carlson devised a new
method of pressing it.
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Every once in a while I get the feeling I just have to say what I
think. I guess it happens once in a while to Tom as well.
He wrote: Subject: WHAT IN THE WORLD!
Gary.
I am not very good with words but I'll try!
What in the world is going on? Every time I turn around it seems to me
that we are selling off our country. It probably started a long time ago
but here is what I have noticed lately, First gas hits three dollars,
then we try to give control of our major ports to more camel jockeys and
now we have to give up the basic freedom to carry toothpaste on an
airplane! I am sick of this crap. On top of that we are trying to sell
GM to Toyota and all of our local business's seem to be closing there
doors! Last time I checked, milk in St. Thomas was $5 a gallon, in the
big city to the South it was $2.75. What in the world? No wonder
people can't make it any longer! I am tired of local leaders wanting
more money for unneeded things! When will it stop? It will stop when
everybody moves to bigger cities drives Toyota's and don't give a crap
about anything or anybody anymore! This country was made Great by "we
the people" not I the Person!!!!!!!!!!! I believe the terrorists of
the world are winning because they have changed almost every simple
freedom we have! They can keep doing what they do but we have to adjust!
Boy I hope I don't run into one soon as I am quite sure he/she won't
like what I have to say.
All that said, There are a lot of awesome people in the world of every
race creed and color! I think we all need to rise up and take back what
is ours True Freedom granted to us by GOD! My challenge to the
rest of the world is WHAT IN THE WORLD are you doing to make it better
for everyone TODAY!, Not just yourself!
Thanks, Gary
Good luck Fishing,
Tom Kennelly
701-520-3040 <<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing Tom. It is a
fact. "It's not what we do for ourselves, rather, it's what we do for
others that makes "our" country so great." Or so it seems to me.
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Exchanging thoughts and ideas, and, sharing a bit of ones own world
with others, is what the Gazette is all about. Avis (Brateng) O'Leary,
accomplished all of that with the following note.
Avis wrote: >>> Hi Gary:
Eileen Greevy Prouty from Grafton and her husband Harlyn emailed
me a copy of the Skeeterville Gazette newsletter about GRAFTON
FLORAL.
I enjoyed reading it and recognized many names and loved remembering
all those occasions you talked about in Grafton. I especially
remember Chandler Field and going to sleep with those ball games still
going on at night.
I am the youngest of 9 children--the Brateng family who lived at 905
Prospect Avenue. At the time I lived there five of my brothers and
sister had married and most were living in Washington State and
Oregon. My parents were Bert and Eva Brateng. My dad died in
Grafton in 1950 from cancer. My Mom and I subsequently moved to DC
where I had a job on Capitol Hill -- little did I know I would stay
working there for the next 25 years! Mom later moved to Oregon where
she lived for 25 years before she died.
When I was 12 years of age I would baby sit you and " Doddle
Bug" while your Mom and Dad had a night out. I remember your parents
were so nice and very generous in paying me $2.00 for the
evening. That was great money for a poverty stricken 12 year
old! It was also my first job and I was on my way to becoming a
independent entrepreneur. Oh by the way you 2 boys could be a hand
full sometimes, but I managed to keep up and loved you both dearly.
I live in Columbia, SC with my husband Tim who was a residential
builder-developer until he retired 2 years ago. We left DC and came
south to live and start building in this location.
I was in Grafton this past June 25th to see my sister Bea Johnson
and her husband Kenny and family. We attended Our Saviours Lutheran
Church 125th Anniversary celebration and saw some of the people from the
class reunion--unfortunately our flight from SC was delayed and we
missed the street dance and country club reception.
Thanks for writing the newsletter Gary, and please put me on your
email list for further editions.
Thanks and God Bless you and yours, Avis Brateng O'Leary
<<< Thanks a million for caring and sharing Avis. In an earlier Gazette
I mentioned that it was your brother Darrel along with Mike Staffne and
Ron Radford that taught me how to chew snuff. I believe I was 5 years
old at the time. That, may have been one of the reasons you didn't find
me quite as docile as some of the other neighborhood kids. And, I am
pleased to welcome you to the Gazette family.
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Kris Stewart and Tammy Henriksen will also become new members of the
Gazette family. Please feel free to share a part of your world with us.
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Jeff Hanson sent the following note just this morning. >>> Subject:
business
Dear Gary,
I felt the need to respond to a reference that was in one of last
week's gazettes about Hanson Auto & Implement.
The reference was made in your column pertaining to the closing of
Johnson Sales and Heritage Sales and Leasing. The reference was
that Hanson Auto & Imp. had let five employees go due to the same
economic pressures that caused the other two businesses to close. A
person with a very vivid imagination could make the assumption that
Hanson Auto & Imp. is next in line for the same fate.
Our family owned dealership has an employee count that rages from 65
to 70 employees depending on the time of year and an annual payroll in
excess of 4 million dollars that circulates throughout our
communities. Yes, we have turnover, sometimes employees leave to
better themselves, some times they need to be replace by some one more
capable. The jobs are filled, not eliminated!
Gary, I do appreciate your concern for the well-being of the entire
community and I do know that no harm was meant by the comments that were
made. Truth be told, we are doing business in the same economy that
others have struggled in. When times are tough, we struggle as well.
But I do believe in the people of Grafton along with the surrounding
communities and we plan on being a full service provider of automotive
and agricultural retail sales, parts, and service for years and years
to come!
Jeff Hanson
Brian Hanson
Bonnie Hanson Yantes
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Thanks a million for caring and sharing Jeff. Of course my comments
weren't intended to harm, rather, as a wakeup call to the wonderful
people of "our" community. "Use it or lose it", should become the
by-line for which we all function.
"It is the responsibility of those who's destiny relies on people. To
make certain the people they rely on, share the same destiny." GLM
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GOTTA GO WORK ON MY DASH
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