Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Populist impressions from the heart of old-new Europe I sat in a bakery in the town of Bernsdorf Bernsdorf is an hour’s drive northeast of Dresden It is 28 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and my host Meisterbäcker and proprietor—is brimming with stories a plate of buttery-sugary Stollen—the famous German Christmas cake was actually first conjured up in Dresden in the 15th century—and a pleasant view of woods covered in white out the window His grandfather Rudolf started things in 1935 in the lower Silesian town of Lubin a result of what is known in German as “Vertreibung aus der Heimat” (“expulsion from the homeland”) This part of Germany is marinated in history Sudetenland is 90 minutes south by car; the Czech town Terezin site of the Nazi concentration camp Theresienstadt Ermer ran as a candidate for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in elections for Germany’s federal parliament The 53-year-old father of three entered politics because he worries about a treasured world of stability and familiarity slipping away and for a traditional—although not entirely clearly defined—vision of his little corner of Germany “We’ve seen Kreuzberg,” says Ermer “and we don’t want that here,” a reference to the predominantly Turkish neighborhood in Berlin and known for its cozy bars and colorful cafe life One thing you have to know about traveling around Saxony is that cosmopolitan Berlin stupid; it’s social-cultural concerns that drive things here There is a story to be told here that has to do with economics and especially women to the west since unification in 1990 has hindered development in this part of Germany According to the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) the average wage in the west is still 29 percent higher than in the east Unemployment in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt (not to be confused with Saxony or Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany) is at a nation-high 9.6 percent across most of the former communist east the economy grows Generous social welfare benefits and minimum wage provide decent cushions for most (only four EU countries—Luxembourg Holland and Belgium—have a higher minimum wage than Germany which introduced a national minimum wage in 2014) a stronghold of the right-wing populist AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) and birthplace of Pegida has actually posted growth rates as high as anywhere in Germany the last couple years (nearly 3 percent) Note in addition that Pegida—Patriotic Europeans against the Islamification of Europe—was started in October 2014 and that AfD seems to flourish where refugees are fewest Roland Ermer’s political campaign fell short but not because his view of things failed to resonate with voters Down to 33 percent from 41.5 percent in 2013 last fall’s general elections saw the Christian Democrats’ worst performance since 1949 “Merkel has damaged the CDU brand,” says Ermer “she’s finished.” He faults Merkel for her embrace of gay marriage in 2017 of some one million refugees two years before that With the influx of Syrians and foreigners from other Muslim majority countries a mouthful meaning “the feeling of belonging together.” Ermer says he wants a Germany where ordinary people feel listened to In the language of British writer David Goodhart Roland Ermer is a “somewhere.” Goodhart calls “somewheres” those across the West who even—or perhaps especially—in these times of accelerating globalization and uncertainty tend to feel themselves still very locally rooted They are generally more traditionally patriotic and certainly more resistant to social and cultural change than their counterpart “anywheres,” those agile entrepreneurial spirits who know foreign languages and often study I tried the concept of “anywheres” versus “somewheres” on Ermer But if Roland Ermer is a “somewhere,” Germany’s “somewheres” come in different shades and with baggage unique to this part of Europe Ermer’s town of Bernsdorf is in Bautzen but also of a beautiful hill-top walled city dating back to 1002 Today between 5 and 10 percent of Bautzen’s roughly 40,000 inhabitants are Sorbs a small Slavic minority known for their tolerance and ability to get along in a region long divided between Roman Catholics and Protestants Around much of Bautzen a dialect is spoken which combines characteristics of Lower and Upper Sorb although Sorb Catholics reside to the north of Bautzen city I first heard the name Bautzen from East German friends in the 1980s In those days it was an expression of horror In communist times Bautzen meant the notorious Gelbes Elend or “yellow misery,” the dingy mustard-colored building where the Stasi The institution had a pedigree for cruelty or SA) had used the prison for interrogating prisoners in “protective custody” before sending them to the nearby Hohstein concentration camp busy setting up the so-called German Democratic Republic (GDR) Nazi party functionaries and those deemed guilty of “anti-Soviet propaganda” were stuffed into overcrowded cells took over and in due course incarcerated more than 2,000 political prisoners in Bautzen among them philosopher Rudolph Bahro and writers Walter Janka When I visited for the first time last fall—the Bautzen I had always heard about is now a museum and memorial—I was struck and moved by how many seemingly ordinary unknown souls had been swallowed up by Gelbes Elend there’s the former cell of one Heike Waterkotte idealistic West Berliner who was smuggling political pamphlets across the border to help East German activist friends in the 1970s The 20-year-old Waterkotte was arrested in December 1976 after taking the S-Bahn or city train into East Berlin Waterkotte was sentenced to four years and 10 months in Bautzen for staatsfeindliche Hetze (anti-state agitation) One more striking thing: Gelbes Elend is not in the middle of nowhere which started as a courthouse jail in 1906 inviting Italian restaurant in Bautzen’s city center that I had dinner in December with policeman Karsten Hilse and the man who defeated Roland Ermer last fall (we would continue our conversation in January at the AfD’s local office nearby) The congenial Herr Hilse once worked as a model he seems unencumbered by anything having to do with the German past our rules” was Hilse’s campaign slogan; rather strict sounding What’s Hilse fighting for—and against At one level American conservatives will understand All Together Without Soros and Co.” is a line on Hilse’s campaign flier from September is shorthand for a rejection of open borders and multiculturalism and specifically that which emanates from Muslim majority countries as the biggest threat to German security and social cohesion For Hilse and the AfD there are legitimate concerns as a result of the recent influx of foreigners; even if violent crime has continued to decline is perpetrated by newcomers against other newcomers the mass groping and sexual assaults by Muslim men of women in Cologne and several other German cities two years ago on New Year’s Eve Nor the Tunisian asylum seeker who in December 2016 drove a hijacked Polish semi through a crowded Christmas market by the famous Gedäcthniskirche in Berlin Nor the fact that in the Christmas market attack German authorities initially seemed to cover up the number of incidents and the ghastly nature of many of the attacks police authorities estimated that as many as 1,200 women had been assaulted by some 2,000 men Some of this may have been what is referred to as taharrush jamai in Arabic “group sexual harassment.” Under cover of large gatherings perpetrators encircle one or more women while outer rings of men fend off would-be rescuers Women’s rights advocates in Egypt have referred to the practice as “the circle of hell.” Grist for the AfD mill remains a fairly steady diet of media reports of cultural conflict and mayhem In December there was the case of a 15-year-old German girl killed by an Afghan boy in the village of Kandel in southwest Germany near the French border the boy followed the girl into a local drug store and stabbed her in the heart with a kitchen knife He was an unaccompanied asylum seeker who had been denied refugee status In January a court ruled that a group of Muslim men should be retried overturning a 2016 acquittal in a case against seven individuals who said they wanted to keep young Muslims away from alcohol and other debauchery They were patrolling streets of the western German city of Wuppertal donning orange vests emblazoned with the words “Sharia Police.” They carried signs with the words “Sharia Controlled Zone” (it is illegal in Germany to wear uniforms in public that express a shared political opinion) a German convert to Islam who led the detail was sentenced on separate charges in July to five and half years for supporting a foreign terrorist organization It is not difficult to see how an increasingly broad spectrum of Germans feel that security and social cohesion are increasingly at risk and that Merkel’s generous policy toward refugees—and indeed Germany has been extraordinarily decent and generous—has not been very generous to Germans themselves and the character of Germany’s Tea Party-style movement and rebellion ought to be scrutinized with exceptional care I had asked Roland Ermer whether AfD could be described as a neo-Nazi party could himself imagine joining the Alternative “Still too many of the wrong people in the party,” he tells me over several nights in September 1991 facilities housing guest workers (from Vietnam and Mozambique) and refugees (from Vietnam and Bangladesh) were repeatedly surrounded by mobs hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails As a young cop Hilse was part of the local police force fending off neo-Nazis although himself a strong restrictionist on immigration public demonstrations protesting immigration “The demos attract too many extremists,” he says a retired architect who had spent the better part of the last three decades in western Germany “It’s complete disregard for rule of law,” he insists Merkel’s own East German background means little in these parts where for many “AfD” stands for “Angie be afraid!” My architect wants every single refugee deported It would be hard to overestimate the hostility toward Merkel in parts of the populace After the 2016 Christmas market attack in Berlin “these are Merkel’s dead.” Spray painted on the pavement in front of the drug store in Kandel where the west German teenage girl was stabbed to death were on day one the words Merkel.” Large granite security pylons are now called “Merkel Steine,”—”Merkel stones” or fortifications—Hilse’s campaign manager tells me on a walk through Dresden Says Hilse: “Merkel is destroying our country.” As a party the AfD wants a “zero immigration” policy a rapid and radical increase in deportations of those denied asylum and a reform of the current asylum law so that fewer individuals will be eligible for safe haven in Germany Dresden has been home to Saxon kings over centuries the city was once known as “Florence on the Elbe.” It is situated on the Elbe river today with its half million inhabitants just over an hour by train from the Czech border Its Gauleiter (regional Nazi party leader) through the end of World War II was businessman Martin Mutschmann an early devotee to national socialism and an avid and influential fundraiser for Hitler In February 1945 Dresden was obliterated by American and British bombers Mutschmann is blamed for having done little to prepare the civilian population for the raids Dresden and environs were known as “das Tal der Ahnungslosen,” or “valley of the clueless,” as this part of East Germany was out of reach of West German television and radio “Which is why in those days we read instead so many books,” a Saxon friend boasts to me Dresden’s great church with one of the largest domes of its kind in Europe has been beautifully and faithfully restored Its reconstruction was completed and the church reconsecrated in 2005 the state opera house built by architect Friedrich Semper in 1841 is one of the oldest orchestras in the world and has flourished under great conductors and musicians over the centuries such as Heinrich Schütz While Richard Strauss never lived in Dresden Richard Wagner resided in Dresden for 20 years first moving there with his family from Leipzig in 1815 At that time Dresden was the majestic royal capital of Saxony’s King Friedrich August I The building was destroyed in a fire in 1869 Wagner and Semper had been persona non grata for much of this period both having taken part in the unsuccessful uprising of 1849 (the last of a series of revolutionary events that began in Berlin and Frankfurt in 1948) When the East German communists rebuilt and reopened the Semperoper in 1985 they made sure of three things: that opening festivities would take place on February 13 to coincide with a commemoration of the British and American bombing of the city; that there would be no Wagner or Strauss at the gala because of the association of the two composers with Hitler and Nazi Germany; and that seats in the opera house would be well wired by the Stasi for surveillance of persons of interest It is difficult to shake loose of history and politics in Dresden I recall meeting through Erfurt friends in the mid-1980s a couple who had been arrested as part of a demonstration in front of the Semperoper and told of damage to her health (including gums there were rumors that famous communist dissident Rudolf Bahro’s cancer along with the cancer of two other inmates had been caused by radiation secretly administered by Stasi jailers during Bahro’s incarceration in Bautzen I attended in the Semperoper a recent performance of Tannhäuser In the program there was a somewhat bland and vague appeal for tolerance and dialogue in difficult times that I can remember marching along side anti-communist friends through a bleak city center in the waning days of a disintegrating German Democratic Republic This was a few weeks after local communist authorities in nearby Leipzig had decided to reject East Berlin’s insistence on a “Tiananmen” solution to popular unrest There’s plenty of history to digest in this little corner of Germany and Europe communist poverty and repression seem like distant memories Norman Foster has restored Dresden’s main train station And with Pegida back on the other side of the river although numbers of participants have dwindled as AfD fortunes have risen demonstrations still take place Monday evenings just as many did in communism’s final days “Wir sind das Volk“: “We are the People.” AfD’s initial energies were focused on opposition to German-supported bailouts of Southern European countries until he was forced out of the party leadership in summer 2015 by Frauke Petry a businesswoman from Dresden and chemist by training who holds a doctorate from the west German University of Göttingen played a key role in changing AfD’s focus to immigration and refugees Petry would find herself outmaneuvered in AfD leadership battles two years later And while Lucke went on to establish a new party called Liberal-Konservative Reformer Petry—after resigning dramatically a day after last September’s Bundestag elections—would found Die Blaue Partei (the Blue Party) Lest one think things in German politics are static and settled The party is already represented today in 14 of Germany’s 16 state legislatures AfD secured in the fall 92 of the Bundestag’s 709 seats For those who fear a rising tide of neo-Nazism it’s hard to see much evidence for this as the story of baker Ermer and policeman Hilse suggest One recent poll of Saxony found that 90 percent think democracy is the best form of government with 70 percent believing that the current system is working well growing anti-establishment tendencies help to explain the existence today of 45 parties one might describe as “populist.” Across Germany voter ties to traditional parties have begun to loosen In the United States in the American primaries 45 percent of primary voters chose Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders neither of whom had been closely tied to the two mainstream In Germany the AfD has been scooping up votes not only from non-voters and the CDU had its worse result last September since World War II On the new Right in Germany there’s a revolt against overreaching elites and identity politics that is potentially healthy But how does all this play out in a country where elites have been exceptionally distrustful of “the masses” Which also brings us back to who leads the German revolt and to Roland Ermer suggesting that in the AfD there are still too many of “die falschen Leute“—”the wrong people.” Wolfgang Gedeon comes to mind a medical doctor and former general practitioner turned politician and AfD legislator in in the state parliament of the prosperous western German state Baden Würtemberg Gedeon calls Holocaust deniers “dissidents,” and speaks positively about the Protocol of the Elders of Zion the fabricated anti-Semitic text purporting to describe Jewish plans for world domination A former high school teacher from North-Rhine Westphalia who taught in Hessen and now represents AfD in the eastern German state of Thuringia Höcke calls it a national scandal that Germans would put a Holocaust memorial in the heart of their capital whose grandparents were expellees from East Prussia used to hang maps in his classroom of a previous Germany Apparently Marine Le Pen refuses to meet with Höcke hardly known as a softie—she once suggested refugees crossing the German border be shot—told me over lunch in Leipzig recently that “Höcke is a Nazi and even violence that shows signs of spreading protestors carrying nooses and placards with Merkel’s face make the point a member of Merkel’s CDU and mayor of the west German town of Altena was stabbed in the neck on a Monday evening when he was out for a bite to eat shouted criticism about his asylum policies and lunged at Hollstein with a foot-long blade The venerable and conservative Neue Züricher Zeitung has run a number of articles the last couple years exploring questions about the durability of German democracy Expect German foreign policy to evolve in the next years A Berlin friend predicts that American retrenchment a Brussels unraveling—or at least a looser less centralized European Union—will lead to a new and potentially dangerous moment of German “strategic loneliness,” as he puts it seen with a little distance in a few years an accelerator pedal for a process that began with unification nearly three decades ago During the Cold War Germany was divided and lacked sovereignty there was no room for Gaullist independence no nuclear weapons—an expression of national self-reliance and at some level comfort with power and purpose West Germany was the junior partner of the United States The so-called German Democratic Republic was a vassal state of the Soviet Union backed in the moment by large parts of Germany’s political class and was driven by genuine humanitarian impulse in 2015 yearning to present the world with vivid pictures of the good Germans today In a lecture given at the Library of Congress in May 1945 Thomas Mann mused that “in the seclusiveness of the German there was always so much longing for companionship; indeed at the bottom of the very loneliness that made him wicked lay always the wish to love Merkel will be seen almost surely as the Chancellor of a Germany in transition Historian Fritz Stern’s 2006 autobiography bore the title The Five Germanys I Have Known and the united Germany of the post-Cold War period A decade and half ago Samuel Huntington was arguing that “people are not likely to find in political principles the deep emotional content and meaning provided by kith and kin These attachments have little or no basis in fact but they do satisfy a deep human longing for meaningful community.” That was in the context of America stewing in a history deeper and more complicated and which appears now once again to find itself on a path where it will wrestle with fundamental questions as a nation of purpose and identity As for this one corner I have been exploring a CDU politician and president of the Saxon state parliament puts the issue to me in this way: “We’re east Germans and we have more in common in many ways with Central Europeans than we do with West Europeans.” There’s folksy charm in Rößler’s words even if many a syllable will not be pleasing to supranationalist elites in Brussels and Berlin Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban the region’s spokesman for “illiberal democracy,” was expected to arrive in Dresden for discussions around issues of common concern AfD candidate Karsten Hilse told an audience “no matter what journalists and our political opponents claim we stand simply and beyond reproach for Frieden und Heimat (“peace and homeland”) Roland Ermer would say his favorite means of relaxation was “riding his motorcycle though “our beautiful Heimat.” and a harbinger of what’s to come in other parts of Germany Perhaps its leadership will prove incompetent or perhaps the party will simply fail to keep up with voter pressure for political change in Berlin the roots that lie at the bottom of all this—of Alternative of questions and yearning for Heimat—will still be there a dentist tells me how he had become concerned about loss of German identity He recounts how he was bothered to discover in one of his young daughter’s school books that all the music is American “Not a single German Volkslied,” he laments it bothered him that his was the only “German” name on the building’s door bell “I don’t trust them and where they’re headed.” an opera singer married to an American from North Carolina also a singer—the two met in Hamburg in a performance of Phantom of the Opera—frets that English is corrupting the German language She tells me how she bought a box of French chocolates that afternoon “What didn’t I wait and buy German chocolates?!” she says and works as a volunteer in the local AfD office are these people who want to return to a more familiar past are they perhaps individuals who simply feel a need for speed limits on social and cultural change The governor of the west German state of Baden-Württemberg argues in the Neue Züricher Zeitung that to preserve and renew German democracy it’s urgent to build bridges to those who are drifting away and to segments of society that “tick differently than we do.” This is no simple task Lines are sometimes blurry; morally ambiguous and outright troubling areas emerge Ask Anjte Hermenau how this works in practice She’s a former member of the Bundestag a Saxon from Leipzig now living in Dresden who works tirelessly to listen and build such bridges sadly persona non grata with a number of former colleagues who can’t fathom why she would consort with German “deplorables.” A pastor in Meissen tells me people feel neglected After a failed 1953 uprising against communist authorities in East Germany Bertolt Brecht wrote in “Die Lösung” (“The Solution”): One gets the impression that things are being worked out here and that this part of Germany—and of Europe actually—can tell us much more about the near future I’m thinking about core issues of democracy and refugees are from one perspective arguments about who gets what these things become more fundamentally about Genuine democratic renewal might well come from all of this if the more decent expressions of populism can be understood Only then will we have a fair chance of keeping real extremism at bay SUPERIOR — Bargain hunters can get a jump on Black Friday sales while discovering a furry friend during the Humane Society of Douglas County’s week-long “Black Friday Happy Catsgiving Adoption Event,” which runs Nov Approximately 100 cats will be available for adoption at discounts of up to 50% off Any cat that is available during those dates will be honored for the sale New owners will draw to see what discount they’ll receive The week-long event will follow a mass spay/neuter clinic provided by Superior Animal Hospital and Boarding Suites fundraising and events coordinator for the humane society said they expect to spay/neuter about 100 cats Nov “We are beyond grateful for their help in speeding up the process of getting our animals ready for adoption,” said humane society executive director Lareasha Connors Superior Animal Hospital is typically closed on the weekend but veterinarians and staff members agreed to come in for the clinic "We were sure that all of us coming together to ensure these cats get the care they need in a timely manner was the right thing to do," said veterinarian Bob McClellan with the animal hospital we are going to have an all-hands-on-deck effort to provide a great impact." “We have been absolutely overrun with cats this year,” Fitch said The humane society partners with Purple Cat mobile vet services to spay and neuter cats en masse both shelter cats and those owned by community members The pandemic has slowed down the frequency of those mobile visits Local veterinarians are booked full and short staffed we’re still accumulating cats,” Fitch said including some from hoarding situations and a number of mother cats with kittens “So not getting those animals spayed or neutered we’ve definitely seen an influx in our kitten season.” “Those are the animals that are here that nobody can see because they’re not ready to go,” Fitch said Staff from Superior Animal Hospital stop by the shelter weekly to observe animals and check on their needs Seeing the volume of cats that have been admitted to the shelter over the past six months McClellan said they worked with the humane society staff to set up the daylong spay/neuter clinic “There’s going to be multiple vets and their staff that are volunteering their own time to do this for us,” Fitch said This couldn’t have come at a more perfect time for us.” McClellan said the staff at Superior Animal Hospital and Boarding Suites wanted to ensure the cats and kittens were ready to be adopted into forever homes "I am super proud of our staff for stepping up to assist HSDC in this adoption effort," he said Due to the large number of cats that will be available adoptions during the “Catsgiving” event will take place via appointment about half of them adult cats and half kittens People who are interested in adopting a cat need to be approved and Connors said they can call ahead to get the process started She encouraged anyone who is interested in adopting to start the process soon Call 715-398-6784 for more information or to start the pre-approval process When Clarice Bernsdorf of Minot received a letter several months ago she opened it and found it contained a blotter that had been used at the former Leland-Parker Hotel in downtown Minot He found it when he was cleaning out boxes and decided to send it to her noting she might be able to give it to a local museum “He worked at the Leland-Parker when attending college,” Bernsdorf said Lawrence Stewart was a desk clerk at the hotel Once standing at the corner of Main Street and Central Avenue the Leland-Parker was demolished a number of years ago a housing and retail complex in downtown Minot The late Lucille Parker of Minot lived in the Leland-Parker when she and Bill Parker were married in the late 1940s She said they lived there for at least a couple years Bill Parker was the only son of Esther Parker who was the only daughter of Clarence Parker After Lawrence Stewart got his teacher’s certificate at Minot State taught school in California and then settled in Danbury he used to visit North Dakota every Memorial Day to attend the services at Sherwood and the U.S.-Canadian border The blotter that had been used at the Leland-Parker remained in his family’s possession over the years Knowing its significance to Minot’s history “I plan to give it to the Ward County Historical Society.” BISMARCK – As the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease tops more than seven million for the .. BISMARCK – The North Dakota Democratic-NPL Policy Committee voted to reelect Adam Goldwyn as chair at its recent .. Dawn Mattern with sports medicine and orthopedics at Trinity Health will host Minot’s 17th annual Doc Walk on .. Brad Thykeson has been appointed as state executive director with the North Dakota Farm Service Agency has announced its expansion into Arizona’s East Valley Copyright © 2025 Ogden Newspapers of North Dakota | https://www.minotdailynews.com | 301 4th St SE of West Mifflin formerly of North Versailles Born in McKeesport; son of the late Bernice (McManus) and Joseph E Loving father of Jennifer Bernsdorff (Bill); cherished brother of Mary Catherine Bernsdorff Joanne Hill (Andy) and Marlene (Ray) Walko; dear Uncle of Dana Garret and Jonathan and many great-nieces and great-nephews; also survived by dear friend and mother of his daughter Karen Bernsdorff and girlfriend Amy Lockhart PJ was a graduate of East Allegheny High School He was a truck driver for Tesone Transport for over 30 years He was known to be a hard worker but enjoyed his time off with family and friends What brought him the most joy was spending time and making memories with Jennifer They enjoyed trying new diners for breakfast dining out for dinner together and especially their daily conversations PJ will be dearly remembered for the father uncle and friend he was to all who knew and loved him Family & Friends will be received on Monday 2022 from 11 AM - 1 PM & 3 PM - 7 PM at the George Irvin Green Funeral Home where a Blessing Service will be held on Tuesday Internment will take place in Jefferson Memorial Park  Louise was born the fourth of six siblings in Bernsdorf Germany in 1934 and spent most of her childhood and school days in Gera She grew up with Christian values that her parents have conveyed to her In February 1945 Louise stayed with 3 siblings for a visit at her grandma's in Bernsdorf (it was standard procedure in this times to send children to their grandparents to the countryside) As the events of war were coming closer it was decided that in order to escape the risk it was better for the children to return home to Gera On this way they passed Dresden just on Febrary 13 to 14 when the devastating night-time bombing took place Only with luck and the help of their Aunt Inge Louise and the other siblings survived and returned to Bernsdorf safely she spent 1 year and 5 months as a domestic helper in a nunnery in Erfurt October 1951-1955: graduated as registered nurse college in Gera - working as a nurse in the hospital of Gera - nurse at the Charite University hospital in Berlin 1955/56 and following: she moved from the eastern part of Germany to the West and later to Morges (Lake Geneva)/ Switzerland where she worked as a private nurse for an older couple-she changed to a French family within Switzerland and together with this family she moved to Cap Ferrat /France and finally to Florida in 1958 She became a United States Citizen in 1977 She loved and was passionate about this country and the freedoms we Americans have She was multi-talented in all types of artistry    hercreative talents were unmatched Ideas and creations were always works of art  She is survived by her husband of 63 years Over all the years she kept in touch with her related family members in her old home country and never forgot her origins Theodor Zschieschang with wife Sigrid and daughters Gabriele and Manuela (Dusseldorf her brother Berthold Zschieschang with wife Ute and daughters Sophie and Verena (Elsterheide and her sister Irene Zschieschang Langer with children Juliane and Bodo {Dinslaken In lieu of flowers please donate to Four Seasons Hospice {Hendersonville NC) and/or perform a random act of kindness to someone suffering or in need.  An online registry is available at: www.appalachianfuneralservices.com This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page It’s just the joint for “grubs and giggle juice.” And don’t be surprised if you see a pinstripe suit and two-tone wingtips a new restaurant in Minot that features a historic atmosphere and a unique fusion of American and Canadian food The multi-level restaurant occupies a downtown building that is emblematic of the city’s storied past “It details a touch of history and a touch of modern,” said Tawnya Bernsdorf “High Third in Minot was back in the day We thought this was a neat way to bring it back in today’s era.” While the decor will bring the customer back to the roaring 20’s a remarkably Canadian food that is french fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy At the High Third though there’s options that include some nifty and tasty differences you can get original poutine or poutine with an American or Korean flair on it,” explained Bernsdorf “We have salads and soups and deserts all very Canadian and 1920’s with a touch of modern in it “The concept here is different than other places,” said Bernsdorf You decide how hungry you are and create your own meal It’s not your normal steak and potato and vegetable here You keep a menu at your table and order whatever and whenever you feel like.” Turning an aging and forgotten building into a modern restaurant “The brick is original but has been painted on the first level,” said Bernsdorf who noted several businesses had utilized the first level throughout the years but that the upper floors had remained vacant “The second and third levels had not been touched for decades so it was a lot of work,” said Bernsdorf “It was so cool to see this building revitalized For downtown Minot I think it is amazing.” Customers enter from the street into the Bostow level named after a long-time service station in Minot A wide staircase or an elevator can be used to access more hidden secrets at High Third “The second floor is the Vendome Bar which was actually the name of a bar in Minot’s High Third district back in the day is named after the old Dee Dee Govan Bar and Grill It has a private bar and is available for weddings and such which is a big thing with restaurants in many other cities Different levels create different vibes.” Another striking feature of High Third is an all-seasons outdoor seating area complete with overhead heaters and all-weather televisions “Just dress for the season and sit outside and enjoy the food hot chocolate or coffee,” remarked Bernsdorf High Third is located at 7 1st Street Southeast in downtown Minot Students from Minot High School and Minot North High School attended the State Future Business Leaders of America .. BISMARCK – The Western Dakota Energy Association (WDEA) has announced Alison Ritter will follow Geoff Simon as .. Fillmore County Journal "Where Fillmore County News Comes First" February 13, 2023 by Leave a Comment The Hokah City Council met February 7 at the Hokah Fire Department Mayor Lee Tippery called the meeting to order at 7 p.m bills payable report (through February 7) and the consolidated balance sheet as of January 31 were all approved in a single consent motion and vote Fire Chief Lance Ross reported that the fire department currently has 19 members and six firefighters/first responders – however three firefighters retired in January 2023 representing 112 years of service to the Hokah community There are efforts to recruit more members as the chief would like to have 25 to 30 firefighters and first responders During 2022 the fire department had 73 calls for service including 59 first responder calls and 14 fire department calls for various reason such as vehicle accidents and one call to assist the Highway Department Thirty-five calls came from the City of Hokah seven from Brownsville Township and six from Union Township The fire department received ARP money for a gear extractor and dryer First responders are now trained on NARCAN use and NARCAN is now carried on the first responder truck The fire department anticipates receiving a $7,000 reimbursement for training The department is using Riverland Technical Community College for training The department is also developing a matching grant request to purchase some new fire hose this summer Police Officer Mike Rasmussen reported on behalf of Chief Schuldt who was absent The department received 54 calls in January Hokah residents are reminded that golf cart license renewals are due Director of Public Works Eli Craig reported that the request for bids on the wastewater plant project has been posted publicly and will close February 15 when the bids will be reviewed publicly The council discussed whether to sell or repair the vehicle Mayor Tippery suggested that based on the limited usage of the mule the city spend up to $2000 for repairs and then sell the vehicle After repairs the vehicle would have an estimated value of $4,000 to $5,000 The council also approved $588 for the purchase of a new hydraulic cylinder for the city snowplow The existing snowplow cylinder is leaking hydraulic fluid and needs replacement The Maintenance Department will keep the old cylinder and possibly repair it to be kept as a spare It was also reported that one of the rooftop heating and air conditioning units at the city hall building was recently repaired It was discovered that the exhaust fan is reaching the end of its service life and the cost to repair is $1,500 The council approved an expenditure of $1,500 for a new unit while retaining the old The lease for the city’s Bobcat front end loader will be renewed The street department will lease a new Bobcat with all hand controls thereby offsetting the additional cost of the hand controls Council member Tom Oldenburg complimented the Street Department for excellent work in snow plowing/removal The city will be posting for a recruiting for additional life guards for the city pool There was a lengthy discussion concerning the Hokah Food Shelf (HFS) lease agreement relative to liability insurance A formal lease agreement between the City and HFS The HFS is currently not covered by the city’s umbrella insurance policy the HFS cannot afford the estimated liability insurance premium of up to $500 per year If required to purchase a liability policy the FHS may have to shut down All council members agreed that the FHS is a worthy valuable resource for the Hokah community and will be studying ways to help the food shelf remain open Among the potential solutions discussed: split the cost of a policy premium with the FHS Council Member Tom Bernsdorf suggested that the City may want to consider upgrading the maintenance building by installing an overhead door He also reported the blower building at the wastewater treatment plant needs inspection and repairs Mayor Tippery adjourned the meeting at 7:15 p.m The next regularly scheduled council meeting will be March 7 at 6 p.m Filed Under: Government, News Tagged With: Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" © 2025 · Website Design and Hosting by SMG Web Design of Preston, MN. March 20, 2023 by Leave a Comment The Hokah City Council met March 7 at the Hokah Fire Department city clerk/treasurer; and Council members Cindy Oldenburg After approving the various items in the Consent Agenda including the February meeting minutes bills payable and consolidated balance sheet the council addressed the issue of the city water project The council unanimously approved awarding a nearly $1.2 million contract to Winona Mechanical for major upgrades of the city’s municipal water system The project specifications includes upgrades at both Well House 1 and Well House 2 upgrading the electrical service and controls and a variety of other associated trades and work such as concrete and finish work Council members discussed the issue at length water utility rate increases for Hokah taxpayers The council will schedule a special meeting to present the public with a detailed description and justification for the project Among the reliability issues with the current system are extensive corrosion of the electrical distribution gear “It’s not a question of if this system will fail “Right now we don’t even have a backup generator for the pumps Council members all agreed that if the project is not green-lighted and work started soon there could be a major water system failure due to the aging pumps inflation and rising interest rates could cause project expenses to become even greater To finance the project the city council also approved the issuance of a $1,292,000 general obligation water revenue note Gina Herman reports that the Hokah Library has installed security cameras The library recently received a $500 grant from SELCO and a $500 grant from the State of Minnesota Fire Chief Lance Ross said that the Hokah Fire Department’s bus has needed replacement for some time Recently the City of Houston made available their 1989 IHC fire truck with only 6,000 miles on its rebuilt engine After inspecting the truck the Hokah Firemen’s Association purchased the truck and has donated it back to the Hokah Fire Department Police Chief Robert Schuldt reported that February was an average month with 72 incident reports during the month He also reminds Hokah residents that annual pet licenses are due April 1 Eli Craig reports that the MMS Environmental Report is complete He has also been in discussion with Schneider Heating and Air Conditioning that has offered the city a preventive maintenance plan Schneider is offering the city two visits per year to inspect all the HVAC equipment at city hall The council asked Eli to get back to Schneider for more information on exactly what is included Lindsey Martell reports that there are eight lifeguards expressing interest for this summer City Clerk/Treasurer Martell reviewed the 2022 auditor’s report covered variances in the city budget and reported that city insurance costs are up The council has again agreed to waive the statutory tort limit The council has been exploring whether the city can add the Hokah Food Shelf to its liability insurance policy because the city is not involved in the food shelf’s operation Mayor Tippery suggested that if necessary the city may donate funds to help the food shelf cover the cost of their insurance premiums Cory Lorenz said that he would also approach the Hokah Lions Club relative to a donation The city council adjourned at approximately 8 p.m The next meeting of the council will be April 4 May 6, 2023 by Leave a Comment The Hokah City Council met for two hours on Tuesday Council members present included Mayor Lee Tippery Mayor Tippery called the meeting to order at 6 p.m The consent agenda including approval of the April council meeting minutes and the consolidated balance sheet was approved unanimously Gina Herman reported that a recent event at the library was well attended with 25 guests Thirteen more events are scheduled in the coming spring and summer months She also provided a list of maintenance items needing attention The art deco main entrance overhead light needs repair It needs to be removed and replaced with a temporary light fixture while the original light is refurbished There was no fire department report but as noted in the minutes of the April meeting Chief Robert Schuldt reported an average number of incidents at 75 He also has had some complaints regarding traffic on Cedar Street and there may be a need for further study of the situation There are training requirements that need to be met in the next month or so He also reports that pet license renewals were due in April and the number of renewals received seem to be lagging Residents are reminded to renew their pet licenses or warnings and possible citations may be issued Chief Schuldt is updating Hokah’s hazmat plan Clerk Martell reports that the well drillers will be arriving soon to begin that work She also reviewed the organizational and financial plans The overall project went to Winona Mechanical as the general vontractor who will then retain various subcontractors for piping and other work to complete the $1.29 million project The public will be notified of a significant water rate increase a resident paying a base rate of $21 per month will now pay a nearly $41 rate per month other users will see similar rate increases Clerk Martell had planned to thoroughly review the project and the anticipated rate increases for the public at the April council meeting no member of the public attended the meeting Residents will be receiving a letter soon explaining the project and the expected rate increases Mayor Tippery again emphasized the need for the project highlighting the aging pumps and electrical service He noted that with summer coming on there will be additional demand on the water system what with lawn watering If it fails our reservoir has only several days’ capacity Council members also discussed the need to repair a damaged manhole cover in town Apparently the riser has been damaged and/or tipped The city’s street sweeper machine needs repair The council approved spending approximately $800 to obtain the needed replacement solenoid for the machine The council approved a building permit for Joe Martin for construction of a 16×14-foot shed that there seems to be other construction projects around town that may not have the needed building permits The council approved renewing the Hiawatha Valley Educational District lease The air conditioning unit in the city-owned building housing The Butcher Shoppe business is leaking refrigerant and cannot meet the cooling demand of the business on warm days The Maintenance Department is investigating repairs and possibly adding a second cooling unit treasurer of the Mount Hope Cemetery Association made a presentation to the city council and asking for consideration of the City of Hokah to become involved in and support operation of the cemetery Ken noted that while the cemetery is currently in good financial condition there is concern over rising costs and the declining number of cemetery trustees Ken’s presentation included various documents explaining how local governmental agencies can assume management and maintenance of private cemeteries The city council accepted the documents and will consider the proposal Tom Bernsdorf reported on the condition of the restrooms at the ballpark and city park He presented the council with a spreadsheet and plan for total replacement of the ballpark restrooms With the summer sports season approaching Tom moved and the council approved spending up to $8,500 for a new ballpark restroom Once that project is complete he recommends then tackling the City Park restroom which needs new toilets The council approved an off-sale liquor license for the Free Range restaurant in Hokah The next meeting of the Hokah City Council will be Tuesday Phone: 701-842-2351 mcf@watfordcitynd.com .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By David Krauss | The Express-TimesCopeland Lewis Nazareth girls soccer coach Copeland Lewis directs his players from the sidelines during a game against East Stroudsburg South on Aug Lewis has the Blue Eagles off to a strong start Johanna Bernsdorf admitted she wasn't ready to buy in right away "I was skeptical at first," the Nazareth Area High School senior defender said about the hiring of Copeland "Ziggy" Lewis last spring as the Blue Eagles head girls soccer coach but I didn't want to make any assumptions." It's understandable Bernsdorf wanted Lewis to "walk the walk" since he was the third head coach in her high school career. So far, Lewis and the Blue Eagles are walking just fine. Nazareth boasts an 8-1-1 record halfway through the regular season and has a good shot at making the Lehigh Valley Conference playoffs "He's so passionate about the game," Bernsdorf said He has so much energy that we kind of play off him He texts us and he'll ask us what we need to do to play better in the next game or he'll tell us to watch a team on TV that plays our style and see what they do." Lewis asserted himself during the preseason As the Blue Eagles prepared to leave for a scrimmage he made it clear what he expected from them "If you're here just so you can wear the jersey "Every coach has a different style," senior midfielder Elena Denger said He wants us to keep the ball on the ground keep possession and control the ball the best we can." he points to his girls' vociferous appetites to explain their success "This is a good group of girls and they are so hungry for success and they are all ready to go," the native of Jamaica and a former East Stroudsburg University player said "Some teams only have four or five players to count on in each game All our girls are ready and hungry to play." Lewis' philosophy regarding playing time may have something to do with that "We have open competition at every practice," he said So if you play well on Tuesday and float through Wednesday's practice don't be shocked if you're nailed to the bench for Thursday's game "We don't have any stars," he said "Last year was tough for them because they relied on Lennon Kramer to score Amy (Strauser) has scored the most goals for us but we have a lot of girls who can score It's not as though Nazareth hasn't enjoyed success in the past The Blue Eagles annually post winning records and qualify for the District 11 playoffs they won a district title in the spring of 2010 Nazareth goes up against Parkland and Whitehall Those schools have either won the division or claimed the league wild card berth Nazareth would be in the position of needing other teams to do the dirty work and knock off either the Trojans or Zephyrs Nazareth and Parkland are tied for the top spot in the North with one loss apiece But Nazareth still has to play Parkland and Whitehall again and has games remaining against unbeaten Central Catholic (in the LVC West) and LVC East leader Easton "Even when we're not playing those teams he (Lewis) tells us we have to get up for every game," said Denger who has missed the past two seasons (spring 2012 "We don't want to be in the position where we have to depend on other teams." "We can't get complacent with half the (regular) season to go," Bernsdorf said "We know the other teams are going to be targeting us Whitehall is going to be out for us (Nazareth won the first meeting 4-0) and Parkland "Let's take care of our business," Lewis said Northampton's Leandra Sterner gave the Konkrete Kids a stunning 3-2 victory over Bethlehem Catholic by breaking the tie with two seconds remaining in regulation on Sept Sterner registered a four-goal and then two three-goal games in a recent span of three games which had its three-game winning streak end with a 2-0 loss to unbeaten Central Catholic they are currently fourth in the LVC North Check out the Colonial League South standings Saucon Valley is 6-1 followed by Moravian Academy Notre Dame Green Pond and Southern Lehigh at 5-1-1 and Salisbury at 5-2 Having finished their crossover schedule against the Colonial North the South teams now get to square off against each other in the next couple of weeks The two division leaders and two wild cards meet in the league playoffs Northwestern is in control for the top spot in the North while Bangor (4-1-2) also is fighting for a postseason slot Congratulations and best wishes to Moravian Academy coach Lauren Calabrese on her marriage this past weekend Phillipsburg earned its first win when it topped Voorhees 5-1 Also in the Skyland Conference Raritan Division Phillipsburg's win means only Voorhees North Hunterdon and Pen Argyl remain as Express-Times area teams looking for their first victories please send your nominations for Player of the Week to the email address at the end of this column Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices Body of Fla. teacher suspected of killing ex-wife, 2 children foundThe Associated PressTAMPA, Fla. - The body of a Pinellas County teacher suspected of killing his ex-wife, their two children and another woman has been positively identified based on his tattoos, authorities said Monday. Oliver Thomas Bernsdorff, 36, shot himself as state troopers tried to stop him for driving his van erratically near the Sunshine Skyway bridge, which connects St. Petersburg and the Bradenton area. Authorities suspect Bernsdorff shot and killed his ex-wife, Jennifer Renee Davis, 27, and her roommate, Andrea Pisanello, 53, around 6:30 a.m. on Friday in Largo. Police later found the bodies of his two children, Oliviana Bernsdorff, 4, and Magnus Bernsdorff, 2, at Oliver Bernsdorff's house later that morning in Clearwater. Authorities have not yet said how the children died. A neighbor described Oliver Bernsdorff as distraught about the breakup of his marriage and documents show he was deep in debt. Authorities continued to work Monday to establish a timeline of the deaths. Travel news, reviews and intel for high-flyers Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The passenger vehicles are increasingly seen as a way to slash carbon emissions and other pollutants in the transport sector Stadler’s FLIRT train / Photo: Courtesy of Stadler It is likely some San Bernardino residents will think they’re hallucinating when they see what looks like a very long swimming pool hurtling past their yards next year The county’s transit authorities are so keen to make a splash with their newly purchased hydrogen-powered passenger trains they have opted to keep the sun-dappled water pattern used by Swiss manufacturer Stadler to camouflage the prototype prelaunch California has agreed to buy four of Stadler’s eco-friendly FLIRT trains with an option for another 25 which would replace the polluting diesel locomotives used by Amtrak regional routes They are a crucial component of the state’s aim to have 100 percent emissions-free passenger rail by 2035 Hydrogen-powered trains are increasingly seen as a way to slash carbon emissions and other pollutants in the transport sector The hydrogen isn’t used directly for propulsion fuel cells convert tanks of hydrogen gas into electricity that flows to a traction battery The electricity then powers the drive system and stores energy for braking the sleek and almost silent 108-seater FLIRT can travel for approximately 500 miles without refueling It can reach 79 mph and operate in temperatures of up to 120 degrees Fahrenheit nearly a third of the electricity produced will be needed just to power the air-conditioning “This type of technology could have a big impact on rail travel in America because of the huge distance between cities less than one percent of the railway system is electrified,” says Bernsdorf Switzerland doesn’t have two-mile-long trains or mudslides so we have to adjust our engines for every different environment,” he adds “Hydrogen won’t be a solution for all of America’s railway systems While the first FLIRT—set to debut next summer in the San Bernardino city of Redlands—recently left Europe by sea future trains will be produced at Stadler’s recently opened facility in Salt Lake City state is investing heavily in electric battery assembly Alstom’s Coradia iLint train / Photo: Courtesy of Alstom Stadler is not the only European rolling-stock giant bringing cutting-edge hydrogen technology across the Atlantic In 2022 France’s Alstom opened an innovation hub at its Americas headquarters in St-Bruno-de-Montarville to develop future platforms for green hybrid battery or hydrogen propulsion technologies specifically for the North American rail freight and passenger market Alstom has been trialing its hydrogen-powered Coradia iLint train on the 56-mile track alongside the St Lawrence River between Parc de la Chute-Montmorency in Quebec City and Baie-Saint-Paul in the heart of the Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve The iLint became the world’s first hydrogen-powered passenger train in commercial service in 2022 a sleepy scenic town in northwestern Germany Alstom has racked up orders for more than 40 trains from countries throughout Europe Although the iLint has traveled a distance of 730 miles without refueling its inaugural route brought about the creation of the world’s first filling station for passenger trains The facility at Bremervörde has a capacity of 1.75 tons of hydrogen implementing the infrastructure for production transportation and management of refueling stations across the U.S says that the trials in Canada will help determine the next phase of Alstom’s planned expansion “The Quebec project has led to an ecosystem which includes an innovative mobile refueling station and various storage capacities,” says Rondeau “This will be used as a benchmark for the next regional deployment in the corridors ready to adopt hydrogen infrastructure.” He is optimistic that the U.S.’ $8 billion Hydrogen Hubs program and the $369 billion earmarked for green infrastructure by the Inflation Reduction Act will help accelerate the rollout of hydrogen-powered trains throughout America during the next 10 to 15 years “Not only will hydrogen fueling stations become more common as the technology is more widely adopted but we also expect hydrogen fuel-cell technology to continue to advance in tandem with market demand.” The current whirl of technological advances in this area pairs nicely with U.S lawmakers’ newfound interest in passenger rail in the face of environmental concerns and worsening road congestion President Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill includes an unprecedented $170 billion to improve the nation’s long neglected railroads Currently there are plans to bring rail travel back to some cities and regions that have not seen a passenger train for decades—let alone one that resembles a moving David Hockney painting Website created by Ink Studio LARGO | A teacher drowning in debt killed his ex-wife their two children and the woman's roommate before taking his own life Friday went to the apartment complex where his 27-year-old ex-wife Police investigating those shootings identified Bernsdorff as a suspect and sent officers to his house in nearby Clearwater They found the bodies of Oliviana Bernsdorff said Bernsdorff had been depressed since the breakup of his marriage but that she did not think he was capable of such violence She said Bernsdorff was considered the neighborhood "hippie" because he had long hair wore tie-dyed clothes and drove a multicolored van "He just didn't seem like that type of person I've never seen any violent tendencies," Pleasant said Bernsdorff's vehicle was found at the Sunshine Skyway Detectives think Bernsdorff was the driver of the vehicle and that he apparently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound DNA testing will be used to confirm Bernsdorff's identity A statement from the Largo Police Department said the vehicle was a van that state troopers had attempted to stop because it was driving erratically The van pulled off the road but then "continued to drive into the mangroves and then into the water." A posting on the Bernsdorff family Web site last updated in May said: "Our family is going through major changes right now .. The site says Bernsdorff is a GED teacher at St Petersburg College and a doctoral candidate at the University of South Florida-St a professor at the university and member of Bernsdorff's dissertation committee described him as "a wonderful young man" who was very interested in politics Heller said Bernsdorff brought his young son by the office in early 2005 Bernsdorff filed for divorce from his wife The divorce settlement required Davis to pay about $800 per month in child support she had not paid any and was $1,851 in arrears according to court records obtained by The Tampa Tribune and St The divorce records show Bernsdorff was in debt a $33,000 private loan and roughly $50,000 in credit card debt The Bernsdorff family and Pisanello had all been members of the Unitarian Universalist church in Clearwater A statement issued by church leaders said "the congregation is in shock The last login on Bernsdorff's MySpace page was on Monday The page says he was divorced and looking for serious relationships and the single custodial father of two children "who are simply amazing little human beings." I think it also stimulates the part of the brain and spirit responsible for philosophical thought Some of these things I'll be sharing here in the near future I wish all of you a piece of thejoy this family is now feeling."