flaming batons twirling in the air and roars of laughter captivated my dad spouse and I as we stood mesmerized by the Forzerello Duo performing at the Sankt Wendel Christmas market The self-deprecating humor and imaginative use of props like a scraggly stuffed rat and yellow-rubber chicken had the crowd whistling and clapping for more When I talk to my dad on the phone about his trip to visit us during Christmastime The Sanktwendel Weinachstmarkt and Mittelaltermarkt is only an hour from Kaiserslautern we marveled at a large wooden Christmas pyramid gently spinning in the center of the historic square then followed our noses straight to the main market where my spouse and I stood in line to try flammlochs went his own way and came back with a smoking or chimney cake he graciously shared with us while we waited steam billowed from our mouths on the icy December day I felt like a dragon which was fitting for the other section of the market and its medieval theme We picked at the delicious flammlochs and a second baumstriezel as we made our way around the charming town Signs pointed us towards the medieval market and we heard the commotion of bells and jesters putting on a show While the Forzerello Duo performed only in German and we couldn’t help but feed off the excited energy of the crowd There were other shows and musical performances lined up throughout the day as well we explored more than 150 uniquely-decorated huts selling hand-made items like pottery We even found an all-natural dog treat stand rabbit ears and other tasty morsels for their stockings Other demonstrations for visitors to participate in included archery the market had plenty of open fireplaces and hot mead to fit the theme and keep us warm the line was long with eagerly waiting kinder winter fairy gliding around on stilts and blowing bubbles the market had plenty more to offer such as a forest of holiday-themed miniature displays called “The World of the Imps.” Each night at 7 p.m horn and lantern makes his rounds and concludes the market in a memorable way with a surprise facility Fresenius Medical Care develops and manufactures life-saving products for the treatment of patients with chronic kidney failure These include dialyzers (artificial kidneys) and systems for peritoneal dialysis (dialysis via the peritoneum) Wendel is Fresenius' first — and at the same time the most important — factory for dialyzer production Large-scale production of the first polysulfone dialyzers started in 1985 at this factory which has belonged to the company since the mid-1970s Fresenius Medical Care starts 2025 with strong organic revenue and income growth Fresenius Medical Care Celebrates 40 years of Dialysis Center in Sokolov Fresenius Medical Care places bonds with a volume of 1.1 billion euros Patient Care Technician Gives Dialysis Patient the Gift of Life We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money The family of Harold Straub created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Made with love by funeralOne Carol passed away peacefully with family at her side on January 22 at St Burial of the urn will take place in the St February 14 at the Daniel Funeral Home in St Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday.Carol was born April 1 Cloud to Max and Cecilia (Storkamp) Kuebelbeck She was the best mother and homemaker to her 9 children She was the nicest and most selfless person anyone could hope to know She always put the needs and wants of others before her own Carol is survived by her children Nancy (Ron) Lantagne of Escanaba many grandchildren and great grandchildren Jenny Faughn and Jay Kuebelbeck as well as many nieces and nephews Memorials are preferred in lieu of flowers to the Poor Clares Monastery Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 15, 2025 at St. Columbkille Catholic Church in St. Wendel for Carol C. Opatz, age 90, of St. Wendel.\nRead More Two Evansville-area schools are among 16 in Indiana to earn National Blue Ribbon School status from the U.S "This prestigious recognition highlights schools that excel in academic performance or make significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups," DOE officials said in a news release the honors went to Oak Hill Elementary School and Saint Wendel Catholic School "Reaching the achievement of being named a National Blue Ribbon School as an Exemplary High-Performing School feels like a huge victory for our entire school community Our school has been making improvements over the years This truly could not have been achieved without the help of our teachers motivated students and supportive pastor," Saint Wendel Catholic School Principal Hallie Scheu said 356 schools in the United States received the honor The other 14 Indiana schools to earn Blue Ribbon status were: Floyds Knobs – Saint Mary of the Knobs Catholic School Archdiocese of Indianapolis.Greenwood – Saints Francis & Clare of Assisi Catholic School Archdiocese of Indianapolis.Hebron – Porter Lakes Elementary School Porter Township School Corp.Indianapolis – Heritage Christian School Heritage Christian School District.Indianapolis – Paramount Cottage Home Paramount Schools of Excellence.Indianapolis – Roncalli High School Archdiocese of Indianapolis.Indianapolis – St Archdiocese of Indianapolis.Ladoga – Ladoga Elementary School South Montgomery Com Sch Corp.Montgomery – Barr-Reeve Middle/High School Barr-Reeve Community Schools Inc.Munster – St Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana.Pine Village – Pine Village Elementary School MSD Warren County.Shipshewana – Meadowview Elementary School Westview School Corporation.West Lafayette – West Lafayette Elementary School West Lafayette Com School Corp.The Department of Education recognizes schools based on student performance data including assessment results student subgroup performance and graduation rates Schools are recognized in both or either of two performance categories:  Each nominated school submits a comprehensive application detailing its school culture “The National Blue Ribbon Schools Award is a testament to the exceptional achievements of students and educators at each of these schools,” U.S Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a news release “The 2024 National Blue Ribbon Schools are raising the bar for our nation’s students serving as models for effective teaching and intentional collaboration in their schools and communities let us look to these schools for inspiration as we champion education as the foundation of a brighter future for every child.”  Wendel Parish was a sea of blue t-shirts during the schoolwide Mass Sept Wendel being named a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S DOE officials said the prestigious recognition highlights schools that excel in academic performance or make significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups Wendel has been recognized as an Exemplary High-Performing School Scheu took a moment to express her gratitude there are approximately 115,171 public and private schools in the U.S.,” she explained only 356 schools received the National Blue Ribbon award this year 316 were public schools and 40 were private schools Wendel is among the top 40 non-public/private schools in the entire country.” We also provide an excellent academic education but part of what we do is help you skills and abilities so that you might grow into those responsible Christians to discover and discern the gifts that God has given you and then use those to serve God and bring honor to God.” Wendel is one of 16 Indiana schools earning the 2024 National Blue Ribbon title Wendel is the first non-public school and the third school (public or non-public) in Posey County to earn the award Wendel is the fourth Diocese of Evansville Catholic school named a National Blue Ribbon School in the program’s history John the Baptist in Newburgh was recognized in 2023 Holy Family School in Jasper earned the honor in 2013 and the DOE recognized Evansville’s Reitz Memorial High School in 2002 Wendel has had a long reputation for its excellence as is evident by the school’s “impressive ILEARN and IREAD scores.” She said the most recent award reflects the school’s “outstanding achievement on a national level.” “This achievement could not have been possible without the dedication of so many people,” Scheu said I want to express my heartfelt thanks to Father Ed Schnur,” she said our students and our entire community has been very instrumental Father Ed consistently encourages us to strive for excellence ensuring our students receive the best education in the most nurturing environment We are incredibly fortunate to have him as our No Scheu continued her thanks by recognizing parents for their invaluable contributions “Your grit and determination sets you apart Even on the days when the work seems challenging … Your achievement is what we celebrate this week.” Scheu thanked her “outstanding faculty and staff.” “I can confidently say that we truly have the best of the best here at St “Their dedication to our students and our entire school community is unwavering They create rigorous lessons and continuously seek innovative ways to engage and inspire our students.” to attend and represent St.  Wendel Catholic School at the National Blue Ribbon Ceremony “It is always a great day to be an Eagle.”For more information, visit https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov/ The family of Rick Stevens created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Our first spring in Germany came after a long Having spent most of my husband’s time in the military in sunny it was a difficult season of adjustment for our family we were eager to enjoy the promises of a new and brighter season in Europe: flowers After experiencing the joy and magic of German Christmas markets we couldn’t wait to attend our first Easter celebration The beautiful village of Sankt Wendel is known for hosting a spectacular Easter market (Ostermarkt) every spring and it was at the top of our list of places to visit we set off for the market early to avoid the crowds Only 40 minutes from the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC) the drive was scenic and relatively smooth where we could pay a few euros to park without any trouble We started making our way toward the tower roof of the village basilica (Sankt Wendalinusbasilika) in the town square while the vendors were still busy setting up their stands pastel decorations were definitely a sight for our winter-weary eyes The star of the village celebration was the Sankt Wendel Easter Crown: a large shrub that had been sculpted into the shape of a crown and decorated with more than 2,000 hand-painted eggs admiring the handicrafts and intricately decorated Easter eggs (Ostereier) I tried Schwenkbraten for the first time: a pork steak grilled to perfection and sandwiched between two halves of fresh Brötchen (a traditional German roll) Despite its lack of flavor-enhancing condiments Schwenkbraten is even more delicious than it is fun to say Our boys were over the moon when we purchased a pair of sugary Hasenbrötchen adorable donut-like pastries cut in the shape of hares or rabbits (Hasen) We also got a giant paper cone of churros to share Scope out the limited parking locations before you get there which is definitely a downside to European markets Our youngest son’s naptime was fast approaching so we purchased the few items we’d had our eyes on and made the short trek back to the parking garage soft goat cheese stuffed with Amarena Kirschen (dark cherries that have been soaked in simple syrup almond liquor and vanilla) and spirits ready to welcome spring I definitely recommend stopping by this festival if you happen to be in the area April 4-7 UK-GENINFO-000007 Date Of Preparation: March 2025 © Fresenius Medical Care UK Ltd 2025 the world's leading provider of products and services for people with kidney diseases will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its operations in St the main plant for dialyzer production has developed into one of the world's largest production and export sites for dialyzers Dialyzers are the core component of renal replacement therapy Wendel is also a key development site for new products and innovative production processes making it one of the most important technology centers of the globally operating Fresenius Medical Care AG Wendel site has developed into a leading center of innovation and quality in dialyzer manufacturing," says Dr Member of the Management Board of Fresenius Medical Care AG and responsible for the Care Enablement segment "It is the outstanding spirit of innovation that has made St Wendel what it is today and has helped make dialysis treatment more effective and accessible for patients worldwide." Fresenius Medical Care develops and produces life-saving products for the treatment of patients with chronic kidney failure This includes hemodialysis with dialyzers and dialysis solutions as well as peritoneal dialysis (abdominal dialysis) with associated solution bag systems and consumables a research team achieved a breakthrough in the field of renal replacement therapy with the development of a polysulfone dialysis membrane which today sets the medical quality standard Dialyzers with a synthetic polysulfone membrane are distinguished by their particularly good cleaning performance and blood compatibility This marked the beginning of a new era in the treatment of patients with chronic kidney failure PVC-free Biofine® films and tubes for dialysis solutions are developed and produced in St making it healthier and more compatible for patients and the environment "Our site is equipped with the most advanced and efficient manufacturing technologies which we use for the production of single-use products in dialysis treatment," says Gerhard Breith Wendel thus makes a significant contribution to higher quality patient care in dialysis treatment We owe our success to the exceptional dedication of our employees." more than 1,000 patents have been registered at this site "This demonstrates the developmental strength of the site," says Breith Wendel" are passed on to numerous subsidiaries Another impressive milestone is that in November 2023 the 1 billionth dialyzer was produced in St Wendel have been expanded many times over the past decades FME employs around 1,800 people at the site making it one of the largest employers in the region Cloud woman was involved in a single-vehicle rollover accident late Thursday night roughly three miles north of St Stearns County Sheriff's Office deputies were called to the scene at roughly 11:45 p.m when they found a single vehicle that had apparently rolled over multiple times The driver was the only person in the vehicle at the time of the accident The woman was heading southbound on County Road 3 near North Ridge Lane in St Wendel Township when she lost control of the vehicle The Stearns County Sheriff's Office was assisted by the St Authorities are still investigating the cause of the accident Speed and controlled substances are suspected to be factors Easter markets in Germany are filled with explosions of colors along with decorated stalls Get out of hibernation and welcome the anticipated spring season by heading to these five Easter markets Wendeler Ostermarkt becomes the highlight of this quaint town Over 90 stalls filled with everything from fresh soaps to beautiful spring flowers — fill up the town as well as your stomachs as they sell delicious goodies like those irresistible chimney cakes this Easter market will get your little ones excited for the appearance of the Easter bunny Don’t forget to take a picture of the giant Easter crown that proudly sits in the town’s fountain this Bavarian city will be a sea of pastel hues you’re sure to leave this market with baskets filled with crafts eggs and Easter decorations that will make the perfect centerpiece for your Easter dinner The Nürnberger Ostermarkt also has cooking demonstrations for the curious chefs in the making or Old Town and see medieval architecture at the Kaiserburg a famous castle which has an observation platform This port city celebrates Easter in a unique way – with bonfires What started as a Pagan tradition is now an anticipated Easter one adopted by Christians This ritual is held on the evening on Easter Saturday where a candle is lit from the bonfire into a darkened church For those who would like to see a more traditional spin on Easter a spring fest that has a vast amount of attractions for the kids in addition to delicious sweets the Bavarian city that’s home to the famous Oktoberfest also does this spring event in an elaborate fashion as there are many Easter celebrations peppered throughout the city transforms into a bright open-air market filled with an Easter egg hunt try can’t-be-missed delicacies at The Market of the Senses An Easter brunch at The Schlosscafe in the Palmenhaus is another opportunity to feast on Easter delights Being that Berlin is Germany’s largest city it’s no surprise there will be a few markets and Spring festivals dotted throughout the city The Easter market of Kurfürstendamm is perfect for children who love a good Easter egg hunt — 12 large eggs hidden within the market to be exact Alexanderplatz’s Easter market is Berlin’s most popular one with wine stands The Spring Festival on Kurt-Schumacher-Damm is also a fan-favorite fest that includes roller coasters and other kid-friendly activities Every small town has a story and this is the story of St Wendel is an unincorporated town located north of St Wendel township in Stearns County.  The community is located along Stearns County Road 4 and 130th Avenue and Bernie Frie joined me on WJON to talk about the community.  Wendel is a German name but the first substantial settlers were Irish Catholic.  Maury Meyer says this settlement started in 1858 and they quickly founded and built St Columbkille Catholic Church.  The Church continues to operate today and Meyer says the wood framed church has had many expansions.  St Wendel did have a post office at one time which was located across the street from the church Meyer and Frie were all mass servers at St Meyer and Frie all went to a one room school house near St Wendel.  Harren says they had 5 one room school houses within 1 mile of St Wendel at one time.  Both Harren and Frie graduated from Holdingford High School while Meyer graduated from Cathedral High School saloons and dance halls over the years.  Rod Harren says they had gas pumps at one time in front of Luethmer's Bar/Restaurant and General Store.  Meyer says they had a blacksmith's shop and implement dealer as well Huls Horticultural is a destination spot for many in the area.  Paul Huls is the owner.  He says Huls Nursery ceased operations in 2018 but he began a new business called Huls Horticultural and it has grown each year since.   Maher Auctioneers continues to operate out of St Wendel Sportsman club started in 1962 and continues to help the youth in the area today.  Frie says they've done work over the years for many in the community both kids and adults Wendel Saints town team continues to play in Stearns County.  Meyer says the baseball field is actually on church property.  Frie and Meyer explained they continue to have lots of participation in youth baseball using these fields If you'd like to listen to my full conversation with Rod Harren Maury Meyer and Bernie Frie it is available below Every small town has a story and this is the story of St. Wendel. St. Wendel is an unincorporated town located north of St. Joseph, Avon and Holdingford in St. Wendel township in Stearns County. The community is located along Stearns County Road 4 and 130th Avenue.\nRead More Every small town has a story and this is the story of St. Wendel. St. Wendel is an unincorporated town located north of St. Joseph, Avon and Holdingford in St. Wendel township in Stearns County.\nRead More - Bridges in poor condition: 7.4% (11 of 149 bridges)\n- Square meters of bridges in poor condition: 10.4% (5,895 of 56,771 square meters of bridges) Wendel that has been closed since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020 is reopening with a new name and a new owner Wendel native Tom Opatz says he bought the former Luethmer's Bar back in May He says the plan is to open it up to what it was before What I think people like about it is that it has been here since the 1960s and they like its simplicity and not part of a big chain system while there won't be any big changes right away he welcomes feedback from the local residents It's really their bar and their community so we're going to work with them to make it what it will be in the future.  It's more about keeping it local and maintaining the localness of it who just turned 79 years old earlier this month The bar's name will be changing to St He says he chose the name because if anyone knows where St The Stearns County Board of Commissioners will be asked to approve its liquor license during its meeting Tuesday Opatz plans to be open for business sometime early next month A longtime bar in St. Wendel that has been closed since the start of the pandemic in March of 2020 is reopening with a new name and a new owner.\nRead More Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM on Thursday 2024 at Saint Columbkille Catholic Church in St of Saint Joseph who passed away on March 1 Gregory Mastey will officiate and burial will be in the parish cemetery Visitation will be from 4-8 PM on Wednesday March 6 at Williams Dingmann Funeral Home in St Cloud and an hour prior to the Mass Thursday at the Church Parish prayers will be at 4:00 PM Wednesday evening 1951 to Regina Pilarski Beniek in Saint Cloud She worked as a Daycare Provider providing loving care for hundreds of children during her career She was also a caregiver for her sister Dorothy Beniek Jan is survived by her husband David of St her children Marc (Holly) Stang of Holdingford and Robyn Stang of Hutchinson Griffin and Georgia Stang as well as her brother Lloyd (Joyce) Beniek of Mound Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 AM on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at Saint Columbkille Catholic Church in St. Wendel for Jan Stang, 72, of Saint Joseph who passed away on March 1, 2024 at the St. Cloud Hospital.\nRead More EVANSVILLE − The National Weather Service says last Friday's severe storms spawned a pair of tornadoes that caused damage in Vanderburgh County A third tornado was confirmed in Spencer County officials suspect a tornado touched down near Smith Mills in Henderson County The storms happened in a 12-hour window of severe weather that included everything from torrential rain to damaging wind gusts in the Tri-State Several tornado warnings were issued during the lunch hour for Vanderburgh Union and Warrick counties as the final line of storms moved through A National Weather Service storm survey team inspected damage in Vanderburgh County on Tuesday and found evidence of two tornadoes: An EF-1 tornado (winds of 86-110 mph) in the St Joseph area of northwestern Vanderburgh County.An EF-0 tornado (winds of 65-85 mph) northwest of Darmstadt in northern Vanderburgh County.The EF-1 tornado tore the roof off the St Joseph Catholic Church near the intersection of St Weather service officials said that tornado had peak winds of 100 mph and was on the ground for 2.4 miles and two minutes The weather service report noted people were inside the church "A gathering of people inside the church for a funeral received warning of the tornado and safely sheltered in the church’s basement as the tornado passed," the report states it was on the ground for 1.9 miles and was 50 yards wide at its largest point The weather service noted the Darmstadt tornado "produced several downed large tree limbs and minor roof and fascia damage to a few homes along Darmstadt Road and Old Princeton Road." was an EF-1 twister with peak winds of 95 mph It was 100 yards wide at its largest point and was on the ground for five minutes and 5.6 miles from just southeast of Dale to just west of Ferdinand The weather service has not yet posted information on the three tornadoes in Henderson and Union counties in Kentucky The low-pressure area associated with the storm was unusually powerful The National Weather Service office in Paducah recorded a pressure of 980.2 mb around 10:15 a.m where the weather service recorded a pressure reading of 976 mb That level of pressure is what meteorologists typically see in a Category 2 hurricane The previous record low pressure for the city The weather service reported 3.73 inches of rain from the storm at Evansville Regional Airport to correct the wind-speed levels for EF-0 and EF-1 tornadoes Each of us only has one opportunity to make a first impression and Saint Wendel Catholic School students worked hard to make theirs count with five community business leaders When students in grades 5-7 arrived at school on Oct they were surprised to learn it was S.W.I.R.L This year’s first task was Mingle and Appetizers The goal was to make a good first impression and feel comfortable with the “art of mingling,” according to sixth-grade teacher Amanda Cadden Jennifer Slade and Janet Johnson mingle with St Wendel students during a recent task for the S.W.I.R.L competition.The Message photo by Megan Erbacher Wendel students in grades 5-7 were split into two groups some stopped for appetizers first while a few passed by the meatballs and pizza rolls to immediately practice introductions and conversation with local business professionals The professionals who volunteered their time were Nancy Bizal Catholic Schools Coordinator of Student Services and School Information Systems; Janet Johnson University of Southern Indiana Director of Alumni Relations & Volunteers; Glen Muehlbauer Vice President of Human Resources; and Jennifer Slade competition challenges students to work collaboratively to create real-world projects with leaders from the community who share their expertise and experiences Johnson and Bizal spoke to students before the mingling task to offer tips on introduction etiquette and how to make a good first impression “Things to remember for the art of mingling are to keep good eye contact and have a firm handshake,” Johnson said “Practice often and remember this because it will help you throughout life.” Conversation topics should be well thought out and interesting She suggested asking questions revolving around a favorite book or an upcoming movie they’re excited to see “If you share with me your favorite book and it’s one I haven’t read yet I may go get it because of your suggestion and enthusiasm about it,” Johnson said It may be easier for some and others may be shyer Bizal advised students to keep those on the right side of their body so it’s easily seen by the person they are meeting Johnson and Bizal said it’s polite to take just one or two appetizers and be sure to leave enough space on your plate so you can use it as a resting spot for your cup It’s important to keep your right hand free so you can shake someone’s hand their teachers and the business leaders discussed who excelled in first impressions and who may need a little more guidance and practice to feel comfortable with it students are ranked on how well they executed the task 17 students were designated student-leaders for the next task Students will compete in three additional tasks but the specifics are secret until the day of the task when students arrive at school and are surprised by a S.W.I.R.L was created four years ago by Cadden and then-fifth-grade teacher Ryan Nowak to encourage students to think outside the box and break out of their comfort zone Nowak now teaches at Good Shepherd Catholic School so Cadden and two fellow teachers continued the program: Tom Johnson 6-8 grade social studies and language arts teacher “(Students) will learn to complete real-world tasks in a timely manner Leadership skills will be a must as (they) advance to the larger tasks." Cadden explained the skills kids learn through S.W.I.R.L will help them later in life when they’re applying for clubs but you can be a straight-A student and still not get the job,” Cadden said “It’s important for students to also learn skills to help them survive in society.” "Nick" Goedde created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Schmitt created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories Principals and teachers in the diocese were recognized at the Indiana statehouse for their schools meeting or exceeding a 95% pass rate on IREAD assessment A dozen schools in the Diocese of Evansville were among the over 200 Indiana schools to receive recognition for their success on the most recent IREAD assessment Twelve Catholic schools in the Diocese of Evansville were recognized for scoring 95% or higher on the 2023 Indiana Reading and Determination (IREAD) assessment which is given to third graders at Indiana schools The schools who reached the 95% threshold were invited to a ceremony at the Indiana statehouse to be recognized by the Indiana Secretary of Education for reaching the threshold The diocese’s schools to reach the 95% threshold are Flaget Elementary School “I'm so proud of our students and teachers for their outstanding work,” Diocesan Schools Superintendent Michelle Priar said “Our diocese places a high priority on literacy proficiency and these schools are a testament to the effort being made to reach this goal.” Bernard Principal Ryan Nowak were among the educators to represent their respective schools at the state house Scheu said it was “a privilege to represent St Wendel at the state house” during the event Nowak said it was an honor to be recognized at the Reading Achievement Celebration  “It truly is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our teachers and support staff,” Nowak said their kindergarten through third grade teachers have used data to assist in the formation of guided reading centers He said these centers help teachers differentiate and individualize plans to meet the reading needs of all students “We appreciate the continued partnership with Marian Educational Outreach who assisted with several grants to help launch and sustain this guided reading program,” Nowak said Flaget Elementary School was also one of the several diocesan schools to be honored after reaching the 95% threshold on the IREAD assessment Principal Samantha McClure credited the Pre-Kindergarten through second grade teachers for setting the foundation for their students to become confident readers by third grade McClure said the school’s third grade teachers resource teachers and parents worked together to create a boot camp to help the students prepare for their first state assessment This allows students to create and work towards individual and classroom goals throughout the school year McClure also thinks the school’s decision to opt into the optional IREAD assessment in second grade helps prepare the third grade students for the assessment “It allows students to take the assessment in a lower stakes environment and gives us another data point to identify how to help our students succeed,” McClure said McClure also credited the strong support from families who take extra steps at home to read with students She said this teamwork is key to the school’s success Peter and Paul Principal Megan Howington credited the standard of learning set by the students Peter and Paul through “a rigorous curriculum Several diocesan principals attributed the success to the work of school staff in helping prepare students for the IREAD assessment Resurrection Principal Theresa Berendes and Good Shepherd Principal Kristen Girten also credited the students and parents for their work to reach the 95% benchmark “It is truly a joint effort between teachers parents and students that begins in the early grades,” Girten said “When any of our students at Good Shepherd do well on state standardized testing it is celebrated by the whole community because it takes the whole community Holy Trinity East Campus Principal Jon Temple credited their early elementary teachers who “develop a solid foundation of reading skills in their students.” The IREAD assessment was developed in accordance with state legislation according to the Indiana Department of Education website The assessment is designed to measure foundational reading skills based on Indiana Academic Standards through third grade The intent is to ensure each student receives the appropriate reading remediation based on the testing data and their individual learning needs Indiana’s goal is for 95% of students throughout the state to be proficient by 2027 “Mastering foundational literacy skills by the end of third grade is vital to achieving our goal that 95% of Hoosier students are reading proficiently by 2027,” Governor Eric Holcomb said in the press release families and communities are linking arms to help more students read and it is important that we celebrate this impactful work.”  The family of Rose Ann Adler created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories share his vocation story with scouts attending the March 4 Scout/Venturer Retreat sponsored by the Diocesan Catholic Committee on Scouting Evansville’s Good Shepherd Parish hosted the retreat Scouts and scout leaders gathered March 4 at Evansville’s Good Shepherd Parish for the annual retreat sponsored by the Diocesan Committee on Catholic Scouting celebrated the opening Mass for the retreat The retreat’s theme was based on John 6:48 “I am the Bread of Life.” The DCCS picked the theme as part of the Eucharistic Renewal in the Diocese of Evansville Scouts who attended are members of troops sponsored by St John the Baptist Parish in Newburgh and St in which Jesus encourages his disciples to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them Father Garrett told the scouts that there may be times in their lives when they may consider someone an enemy; but he encouraged them to contemplate whether that person is truly an enemy He recounted a story from WWI about troops from both sides who called local truces in December 1914 to meet in “No Man’s Land” – the space between the two sides’ trenches – to celebrate Christmas together “The fighting was brutal; neither side could advance because of the nature of the fighting They declared truces across numerous places to share Christmas together This is a witness of sworn enemies united in faith So I ask again – do we really have enemies?” of Saint Wendel Parish receives the Bronze Pelican Emblem from DCCS Chair Bill Noll and DCCS Chaplain Deacon Tony Schapker.Photo courtesy of Joseph Dickinson Father Garrett suggested that the Christmas celebrations made the devil – the evil one who truly is our sworn enemy – angry because of the Christian unity marked by the truces and gatherings we arm ourselves with true weapons against our one true enemy He called the Eucharist “our true and greatest weapon.” the scouts and scout leaders gathered for a group photo with Father Garrett Father Garrett shared his vocation story with them Diocese of Evansville Seminarians Nathan Folz Aaron Herrenbruck and Deacon Stephen McGinnis made presentations related to the retreat theme Nathan spoke on the nature of bread as physical and Deacon Stephen spoke on Jesus as the bread of Life Aaron discussed how we can receive the bread of life and how that affects our lives Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction with Deacon Tony was part of the afternoon session and Father Bernie Etienne of Holy Rosary Parish in Evansville offered Reconciliation There were also several other activities reflecting the theme The Eucharistic Miracle Exhibit that is touring the diocese was available for viewing and the scouts viewed a short video on the Eucharistic Miracle at Bolsena presents gifts to Deacon Charlie Koressel of St Deacon Tony has succeeded Deacon Charlie as Diocesan Scouting Chaplain Deacon Charlie served 18 years in the position The DCCS recognized Deacon Charlie Koressel of St who recently completed 18 years of service as DCCS Chaplain The committee also presented adult leader Rodney Baehl of St Wendel Parish the Bronze Pelican Emblem for his service in fostering scouting as youth ministry DCCS member Joseph Dickinson contributed to this story CLOUD — A heated debate over a conditional use permit for a cut flower farm in St Commissioner Joe Perske left the meeting early following the vote "The lack of integrity of my colleagues made me too upset and I left because I felt sick," Perske told St He added that the approval of the permit was a travesty because it denied residents and officials of St Wendel Township a chance to speak at a public hearing The county administration boardroom was full of people who could be affected by the project They raised concerns about loud music and noise coming from the proposed farm past 10 p.m while others subtly tilted or shook their heads as they listened “People are feeling short-handed about this,” Perske said “They said did not talk about the music at [the planning commission hearing] — we owe it to the people in the room and on this petition to do something about it.” Perske and the other commissioners said they received calls and emails from constituents about the permit and potential noise concerns during the discussion the board approved the permit in a 3-2 vote Steve Notch and Leigh Lenzmeier voted in favor and Perske and commissioner Jeff Bertram were against The board also decided not to hold a public hearing “Not holding a public hearing is willfully withholding information from the public — what the heck is going on in this board room,” Perske said Notch commented that there had already been a public hearing about the permit and that he believed the farm — Sunny Mary Meadow — and the neighbors can work together to reach a resolution which includes both the city and the township of St “We need to listen to the people,” Bertram said during the debate which earned nods from multiple people in the audience The Stearns County Planning Commission held a public hearing on Jan the board unanimously voted to recommend approval of the permit The conditional use permit would allow Elizabeth Fiedler of St Joseph to build and operate a multi-use structure for a cut flower farm on 8664 360th St Fiedler would be able to hold 15 special events — such as bridal showers or parties — that may go past 10 p.m Music would not be allowed to be played past 10 p.m. The permit allows Sunny Mary Meadow to operate from 6 a.m outdoor music would be allowed at the farm from 6 a.m I don’t think we should discourage them more than we have to,” said Lenzmeier who attended the meeting via Microsoft Teams Perske said that he and others were not concerned about the farm itself rather the noise pollution from the music and events at the farm which could lead to problems and noise complaints down the road Wendel Township approved the use of 360th Street to be an access point of the property Perske said that the music and events aspect of the permit was not discussed during the planning commission meeting and previous discussions with the township The county commission will next meet at 9 a.m WENDEL -- This week in our Home Town Spotlight series we drive out to St Wendel was built by settlers from the shores of Ireland Maury Meyer says families like the Meagher's Murphy's and Callahan's all came from the same part of Ireland to Central Minnesota "Most people think of Stearns County being mostly German and Polish but there was a pocket of Irish that came to this area," says Meyer Columbkille's church has been a staple of the community for 150 years But it's not just the church that captures your attention Rather a 1,500 pound bell that stands next to it could be heard throughout the town and was rung by hand several times a day Bernard Frie says he remembers a women whose job it was to ring the church bell Once at noon and again in the evening," says Frie By the 1990s it was removed from the tower and placed into storage Claude Opatz says the bell was taken down because the tower could no longer support the weight "They took it down because they thought the church steeple started to get weak and the bell was a lot of weight to hold," says Opatz "It was around the same time all the churches were going to the recordings instead of having a bell ringer," says Frie Meyer says it wasn't until the early 2000s the bell was pulled out of storage and placed in its new home "The Rudolph family decided they would like to put something up in remembrance of their parents.They decided to put this monument up since the bell was just sitting in the storage shed," says Meyer ask anyone resident who drives bye and they will tell you it's still a vital part of the community This week in our Home Town Spotlight series we drive out to St. Wendel. Once known as The Maples, the community of St. Wendel was built by settlers from the shores of Ireland.\nRead More WAYLAND — The Wayland Area Historical Society welcomed German Historian Roland Geiger to the area On June 3 the society hosted Geiger to talk about St Germany and has been fascinated by the German Heritage in this area Geiger said everything in Germany is a bit older Trier is the oldest part of Germany and it was founded in 16 B.C There is a building called the Black Gate that still stands after 2,000 years “I am fascinated that people would leave someplace familiar to them and go settle somewhere new,” he said “I have been fascinated by New York State.” Geiger said that people from Germany made the trip across the choppy seas to this lush and wild land in the early 1800s Wendelin who made such an impact in this community with the Catholic faith Saint Wendelin of Trier is entombed in the St The saints grave is behind the 15th Century High Altar in the beautiful church Every October for a week the coffin is opened to be viewed “We don’t need any proof of the legend when it comes to St One of them ended up here in Sacred Heart Church.” Geiger came down to Dansville in 1997 for the first time to visit with friends and the Stone Cross his interest grew in our small part of the world “I came down to Perkinsville for the first time in 2001 and I was very interested in seeing what was there so long ago,” he said “We saw the Sacred Heart Church and the large cross at the altar Wendel relic behind the glass that was the most interesting.” and so far away from it at the same time,” Geiger continued I noticed there was a Men’s Society Club called St There was a big welcome party and parade in Dansville in 1915 to honor the German Immigration Benjamin Perkins settled the land in Perkinsville and built a saw mill in the middle of the lush land It would eventually be called Perkinsville after him Of course many Germans settled on Sandy Hill and the beautiful log church was built there to honor the German Catholic community John Brail was among the first to settle on that hill The log church on Sandy Hill was built on May 22 It was called the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary People began to settle in the area from Germany in 1832 Geiger talked about the horrible Cholera epidemic that swept through the new settlement and destroyed whole families that now rest on Greenlawn Cemetery “The parishioners would walk a great distance or go by horseback to worship on the hill,” he said “Most of the reports from that time are in German or Latin.” and with it would go the hopes and dreams of many of the settlers The Sacred Heart Church would be the shining beacon of hope to the Catholic Community A wooden cross marked the site of the first log church on the hill but in 1949 it was replaced by a stone cross that still stands on Acomb Road Vincent Scheffels was instrumental in making Sacred Heart Church come to life in Perkinsville He really turned it into a German community Alois Huber would be instrumental in bring a piece of St Looking out of the windows of their spacious guest boxes the famous Lipizzans of the SRS in Vienna appeared like having always been part of this scenery A most appropriate one: On Graciela Bruch’s beautiful Trakehner stud in Sankt Wendel this prestigious and oldest still existing classical riding school in Europe gave its only appearance in Germany in 2011 Sticking to classical principles in dressage while being successful in international dressage are the same time are German B-listed dressage rider Uta Gräf and her Holsteiner stallion Le Noir who appeared in the interlude every evening She rode a pas de deux with her partner Stefan Schneider who demonstrated the traditional Spanish working dressage "Doma Vaquera" on an attractive grey Lusitano stallion The 9 items on the agenda of the SRS were listed as “All movements of the high school dressage” in which two grey and remarkably two bay Lipizzan stallions executed all Grand Prix movements the 88-year-old equestrian journalist legend informed that usually the SRS always has at least one bay representative of the breed as a kind of mascot but it also brings to mind that the Lipizzan breeding originally had horses in almost all colours It’s interesting to note that the one-time-flying-changes shown during this programme were not practised at the SRS from the beginning as for a long time it was not considered a natural movement of the horse To bring these natural abilities to perfection through years of hard skilful training could also be admired in the airs above the ground They were shown in hand with one bereiter leading the horse in a lunge line and a second animating the horse with a traditional whity They horse later also executed them under the saddle in a double bridle Vienna is well known for the perfection its horses show in these most difficult airs above the ground: the levade In particular one horse delighted everybody with his exceptional high capriole Wherever the SRS appears one display is appreciated in particular: The one in long reins To direct a horse in all the high performance movements simply by walking behind the stallion and only been able giving fine signals with two long reins is remarkable The reins are attached to a Fullmer snaffle along with a dropped noseband and this is something hard to imagine for many riders It’s the perfect harmony between a stallion and his rider and also in Sankt Wendel this demonstration did not fail to touch the crowds As in Vienna or elsewhere in the world: The grand final of the SRS is always the quadrille lead by director Ernst Bachinger whose son Christian also took part in this quadrille then came together again in different figures and movements as if done by magic hands Standing ovations accompanied the riders when they left the tent just to return again to give a lap of honour in walk The spectators had not only seen classical dressage in its various forms on and above the ground but also witnessed a kind of immortal European’s heritage by Silke Rottermann for Eurodressage.comPhotos © Birte Ostwald Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot A Hutchinson man is suspected of pushing two women to the ground and kicking down a door they locked to keep him out of Hutchinson faces four counts of felony domestic assault according to a criminal complaint filed in Stearns County Court the Stearns County Sheriff's Office responded Friday to a report of domestic assault at a residence on Meadow Lane in St hit her head against the ground and punched her before leaving the home The woman said she hit Dahlke with a baseball bat.  The other woman said she tried to intervene when she saw Dahlke assaulting the first woman Dahlke also threw her to the ground twice — once before leaving the house and again after kicking the door in when she again intervened Dahlke had left by the time law enforcement arrived Dahlke has been sentenced for three violations of protection orders in the past 10 years in Sibley County District Court — one in 2009 and two in 2010 I've got to say that when I was told to head over to YouTube and type in Superman vs Darth Vader I was thinking I was going to see some mash-up of two movies maybe even a cartoon mashup of the two fictional entities battling it out I was instead taken back in a time machine to my time at St back to 2006 when Dairy Queen was on the corner of Division and 25th Ave South Back when a man known as St Cloud Superman would just stand on the corner all day long until he was joined by Darth Vader starts off with a black screen and a person narrating what is about to happen standing along Division with an American flag flapping in the breeze nearby Not too long after you see Superman standing there he is joined by universal bad guy Darth Vader Darth had been instructed to not speak to Superman for any reason Supe's didn't seem to appreciate that as the whole time he looks like he is NOT happy someone was taking his corner and getting the attention At about the 4:20-ish mark of the video Darth springs into action taking the American flag known in comic books for his speed and ability to stop criminals takes a moment to realize what's happened and ambles after Darth Vader Cloud's Superman made it to the corner and gave up the chase as Darth seemed to be long gone Well that my friends are the stuff of legends Superman, known in comic books for his speed and ability to stop criminals, takes a moment to realize what's happened and ambles after Darth Vader.\nRead More Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information 2017 at 6:03 AM EDTBookmarkSaveLock This article is for subscribers only.Angela Merkel’s party is attacking her political opponents as weak on fighting terrorism and crime as the German chancellor seeks to blunt her main challenger’s momentum in a state vote this weekend Germany’s election year gets under way in earnest on Sunday when voters in Saarland choose a new state assembly the first test of the Social Democrats’ surge in polls since they chose Martin Schulz to run against Merkel in September The chancellor’s Christian Democrat-led bloc and the SPD were even at 32 percent each in an Infratest Dimap national poll published Friday.