9/27/2006 – News

Maddock native puts effort in building floats
BY JOSH HOFFNER
Benson County native Sandy Hoffner’s home room at Yankton (SD) High School won the school’s annual homecoming float competition Friday for the seventh straight year — a record-setting streak.
The theme for the competition was movies, and Hoffner’s home room built a "Pirates of Caribbean" float. The float was a hay trailer converted into a pirate ship, complete with cannons, a mermaid and sails adorned with menacing skulls. It also had machines that sent smoke billowing across the parade route. The students dressed up as pirates.
The victory was the culmination of a grueling week of preparation that took place at the hangar of Hoffner’s husband, Jacob — an Esmond native. The float preparation has become a rite of autumn for the Hoffners and fellow teacher Terry Winter, and they have become so dominant that other teachers have all but given up hope of ever taking home the crown.
The kids do the work themselves at the Hoffner hangar, sawing, drilling and painting the championship structure. Jake and Sandy and Winter supervise the process. Winter is a former theater instructor, and his years of experience in building sets for shows proved invaluable.
"It’s always rewarding to see the culmination of our kids’ hard work," Sandy Hoffner said. "They worked hard and they deserved it."
Jake Hoffner tried to keep his composure as students broke drill bits, cleaned out his pop machine and messed up his hangar. His plan to detonate duck bombs inside re-inforced 55-gallon drums to mimic the cannon explosions was nixed because it was a violation of school rules banning explosives.
Jake Hoffner is the son of Jack and Gerry Hoffner, currently of Fargo. Sandy’s father, Curtis Hvinden, lives near Maddock. Jake and Sandy grew up in Esmond and Maddock.

Maddock native Sandy Hoffner, far right, stands with her students in front of the float which took first place in the Yankton, SD high school homecoming float competition. This is the seventh year in a row her float has taken first place.

Electrifying breeze
The wind made the flags wave at the Spirit Lake Casino and Resort Saturday. Left to right are the flags of Canada, North Dakota, the Spirit Lake Nation and the US. On the far right is the wind-driven electrical generator at the casino. In the far background is a tiny portion of the big lake.

Softball champions
The 2006 Rec IV Champions of the North Dakota ASA State Slowpitch Softball Tournament that was held in Minot August 19 and 20 are pictured. Sponsors are Gerrell’s Sports Center, 11th Frame Lounge and Ed’s Bait Shop, all of Devils Lake. The team competes in the Devils Lake League. Left to right, back row: Darren Kimmerly (2B), Craig Brown (pitcher), Ermen Brown Jr. (DH), Jorey Preston (1B), Allen Keever (LF), Rocky Dauphinais (RCF), Justin Kraft (CF) and Rob Schill (coach and manager). Front row: Ryan Leftbear (RF), Kris Rainsberry (catcher), Nathan Miller (SS), Jon Schmidt (3B) and Becky Thomas (co-manager and statistician).

Leeds Homecoming Royalty
The Leeds High School announces its Homecoming Royalty for 2006-2007.
Left to right, back row, are Keith Bowman, son of Karl and Kima Bowman; Ross Braun, son of Jim and Susan Braun; R.J. Darling, son of Rick and Jana Darling; and Michael Peterson, son of Paul and Linda Peterson. Middle row: Hope Keller, daughter of Raphael and Wanda Keller; Whitney Streyle, daughter of Keith and Jo Streyle; Karlee Gronos, daughter of Cindy Gronos and Dan Scott; and Stephanie Harkness, daughter of Billy and Michelle Harkness. Front row: Braydon Follman, son of Kelly and Nancy Follman; and Danielle Schwanke, daughter of David and Deanna Schwanke. Homecoming activities for the week of Sept. 24 include class color day on Monday; opposite sex day Tuesday; class choice day Wednesday; Lions day Thursday; and Raider Day Friday, which will include a parade at 2:15 p.m., coronation at 2:45 p.m., pep rally at 3:15 p.m., free-will tailgate supper from 5:30 to 7 p.m., the game with Towner-Granville-Upham at 7 p.m. and a homecoming dance after the game.

Lohnes honored
At a Camp Grafton award ceremony on September 15, Daniel Lohnes, director of the Spirit Lake Marina, was presented a plaque engraved, "Mr. Daniel Lohnes and the Spirit Lake Marina For contributions in support of our Soldiers morale and welfare. Your effort reflects, in part, the strong commitment in dedicated support the Devils Lake and Spirit Lake Nation community has for the service members of the North Dakota Army National Guard." Left to right are Ruby Lohnes, wife of Daniel Lohnes, Daniel Lohnes and Col. Adams of the 164th Regiment of the ND National Guard.

Classes learn about environment
The Leeds School sixth grade, along with many other area sixth graders, attended the ND Eco Ed Day at Sully’s Hill. By participating in eight different stations during the day, students developed a sense of environmental stewardship and heightened awareness of the environmental quality of their communities. Eco Ed Day is sponsored by Barnes County Soil Conservation District and facilitated by many organizations, including the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service and the ND Game & Fish Department, to name a few. Students received a free Eco Ed Day T-shirt for participating. Left to right in the front row are: Jesse Hoffert, Colton Gillespie, Dylan Torgerson, Kayla Matlock and McKenzie Silliman. Middle row: Kevin Slaubaugh, Andrew Bowman, Brady Stoll, Joseph Strand, Chelsi Olson and Seth Bisbee. Back row: Joshua Blegen, Matthew Ellison, Shane Ebertz, Jacob Eback, Meghan Jorgenson and Danielle Redetzke.

ND State Fair art winners in first through fifth grade were taught by Susan Braun. Winners are listed by grade, left to right. First grade winners were Luke Pepple, Arnikka Thompson, Danielle Schwanke, Garrett Johnson and Ryan Wangler.

Second grade winners were, front row: Ricky Jorgenson, Erin Jorgenson, Spencer Follman and Joshua Bowman. Back row: Andrew Follman, Grace Nybo, Kaylee Lybeck and Gary Redetzke.

Third grade winners were, front row: Devan Schwanke, Nikara Nelsen and Taylor Bisbee. Back row: Tyler Blegen, Kaitlyn Nelsen, Mathias Follman and Carley Baker.

Fourth grade winners were Julissa McGarvey, Paige Johnson and Kalvin Slaubaugh.

Fifth grade winners were, front row: Shelby Jorgenson and Taryn Bjerke. Back row: Alyssa Anderson, Clay Kitzmann and Jessica Peterson.

Grades 6 and 7 were taught by Audrey Herman. Sixth grade winners were, front row: McKenzie Silliman and Jessie Hoffert. Middle row: Chelsi Olson, Joseph Strand, Andrew Bowman, Brady Stoll, Kayla Matlock, Colton Gillespie and Kevin Slaubaugh. Back row: Matthew Ellison, Seth Bisbee, Meghan Jorgenson, Joshua Blegen, Danielle Redetzke and Dylan Torgerson.

Seventh grade winners were, front row: Kendra Leibfried, Jennifer Swanson, Chace Engstrom, Kassandra Baker and Kayla Wangler. Back row: Kyle Jorgenson, Thomas Urness, Darren Young, Mitchel Tufte and Justin Wangler.