Kram's setting work was complemented by three Tigers who each had one assist: Courtney Lehman, Jaden Ross and MacKenna Kehoe. The Tigers prevailed by these game scores: 25-12, 23-25, 25-12 and 25-14. The action was at Monte, home of the Thunder Hawks.
Kehoe led the charge in the exciting serving ace category where her total was four. My old co-worker Janet Kehoe surely enjoyed that. Macee Libbesmeier came through with three serving aces. Kram zeroed in for two of these and Hockel had one.
Carlsen was aggressive at the net to lead in ace blocks with three. Hockel and Pew each had one ace block. Here's the digs list: Lehman 12, Ross 10, Bowman 5 and Kram 5. The Monte Thunder Hawks came out of the night at 6-20. Our record: 12-10.
The Monte stats show two T-Hawks each with ten kills: Jasmyn Kronback and Avery Koenen. Jaysa Herfindal pounded nine, and the list continues with Livia Gades (6), Lexi Brockmoller (5) and Megan Anderson (3). Koenen delivered an ace block. Two T-Hawks were at the fore in the setting department: Livia Gades with 24 assists and Tenley Epema with 14.
Tegan Marty had two serving aces and Meghan Erp had one. Marty was sharp in digging where she posted the team-best 21.
Football: unpleasant weather for sure
The report I'm getting Saturday morning is that weather did not exactly smile on the Friday night MACA game. The game was in Osakis, home of the Silver Streaks. The report I got was that the scoreboard outcome was not favorable for our crew.
The Saturday Willmar newspaper does not have a report on the game. Obviously we cannot find such a thing on the West Central Tribune website either. So we're kind of bereft of news. The late football broadcaster/former player Alex Karras had trouble with the word "bereft." He'd say "there's one of those bereft linemen." This was after his partner in the booth had just said a particular team was bereft of healthy linemen. We fondly remember Karras from the movie "Blazing Saddles."
What about the Morris newspaper website? Technically I guess it's "Stevens County Times." My impulse is to still say "Morris." A check this morning (Saturday) shows that website still basically "down." We give the new ownership benefit of the doubt because most likely they haven't been freed from the departing Forum Communications yet.
It appears right now that the Morris paper has only a very limited ability to post fresh stuff on the site. Sports news is hopeless there. I will repeat: It is essential that the new owners make a very strong statement about their commitment here, and it is not a good sign that their online presence is negligible. If you are a communications company in the year 2019, it is essential to have real online connectedness with your audience. That's even if your "forte" is the print product.
The current situation actually makes Forum Communications look good, because they did fairly well on balance putting worthwhile stuff on the site. They had come a long way in that regard. Yes, much of the sports may have originated with the Willmar paper (which they also owned) and some Morris people may have grumbled about that. But it was there!
It's true the Morris site may have a lot of "drive by" visitors, people checking a few headlines or just taking a glance out of curiosity. But the existence of the site kept the paper top-of-mind and relevant. Having no website or a "dead" or "zombie" site is not tenable.
The one big suggestion I personally made to the new owners, the Anfinsons, was that the paper place an immediate "greetings" message on the main page of the paper's website. I said many people were likely to come to the site out of curiosity because of the new ownership. They were likely to be looking for something like this. "We're happy to be here" could be the message and we might even read bios of the people, along with their goals for ownership. Obviously my suggestion didn't bear fruit.
And now the site is in the "zombie" state, unfortunately. I have since suggested they launch a temporary home on the web, maybe even a blog. I mean, just to "connect." It's imperative in my view, but maybe lifetime newspaper people are hard to convince about this. No such luck. What I'm implying here is that the Anfinsons could be rapidly burning up their good will.
Prior to their arrival, the paper was slated to be closed, according to good sources. This suggests the window might be narrow for getting things turned around or stabilized.
Question: If the Morris paper were to close, Chokio would have the only paper in Stevens County. Is that where the legal notices for local government would go? It might still happen. There are signs Morris is declining. And, it may be happening faster than we wish to acknowledge.
Shelly Anfinson asked if I had ever met her husband Reed. I answered by just stating I was familiar with him. If I were to probe the recesses of my memory, I could answer "yes" but it would go way back. Back to when I'd occasionally play tennis at the Benson High School courts with high school friend Art Cruze when Art worked for KBMO Radio of Benson. We'd conclude the night by going to the Benson VFW. What a grand institution of Benson: the VFW!
We were looking along the rows of pictures of past commanders one night - that's real Americana - and we noticed some empty spaces along the rows. Art chirped "those are the ones that voted for McGovern!"
As the years went by, Art and I would get to the VFW a little earlier in the evening! On one occasion, we were joined by Reed Anfinson. How long ago? Well, Steve Lang had just left the Morris paper. So, about 1980. I'd almost be embarrassed to admit remembering a conversation from that long ago. My memory can be uncanny.
I haven't talked to Reed since. My background with the Morris paper goes back to when Arnold Thompson was editor. He opened the door for me. Those were less politically correct days, so Arnold had pictures of scantily clad go-go or burlesque girls under the glass on his office desk. My uncanny memory again.
Art Cruze has worked many years for the Willmar radio station. As an additional memory of the Benson VFW, let me share how I enjoyed a big birthday bash for Roy Berens there once! Someone shot video of me shaking hands with the affable Roy. He and I hauled newspaper loads from Quinco Press in Lowry.
We'll see how the new regime with the Morris newspaper proceeds. To date I don't think the change has exactly been scintillating.
Has the paper reported on the Brent Fuhrman matter, former school board member now in a spot of legal trouble? Kudos to KMRS KKOK for now having had three items on their site about this. The most recent, dated Oct. 7, reads as follows:
A contested omnibus hearing is set for 2:30 p.m. today at the Stevens County Courthouse in the case of former Morris School Board member Brent Fuhrman, who was arrested in June on a second degree burglary charge for entering a neighbor’s house without permission.
So, non-amicable?
If Sue Dieter's departure from the paper had been amicable, I think we would have seen a news item about her new role with Collin Peterson. A theory: Maybe Sue knew of the Forum's plans on closing the paper but didn't tell anyone. Maybe certain community leaders became aware of the plans and quickly contacted the Anfinsons who were known to be pretty ambitious with West Central Minnesota newspapers.
An earlier heads-up from Sue, who may have put her loyalty to the Forum ahead of her loyalty to the community - wouldn't surprise me - would have helped. Like I said, a theory.
Why do I care so much? I just do. Where can we look to find info on the Morris-Osakis football game? Promoters of MACA athletics should see to it this is always done. PR is vital for all school programs.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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