|
Weinzierl Jewelers |
|
Victoria’s Corner Bar. Nightly Specials and Menus. 952-443-9944 |
|
8 First Street in Waconia. 952-442-2885 |
|
942-443-2078 |
|
Funeral Home & Cremation Services 952-474-9595 |
|
Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic. Occupational Therapy. Speech Therapy. 952-443-9888 |
|
Huber |
|
City of Lakes & Parks 952-443-2363 |
|
“Trees Are Our Roots” 8099 Bavaria Rd * Victoria * 952-443-2990 |
|
Headlines and bylines |
|
Front Page Feature Story |
|
From the Editor |
|
Sophie’s Drawing |
|
Letters to the Editor |
|
Victoria Moments |
|
Hook Line & Sinker |
|
Calendar of Events |
|
Click here to Advertise |
|
the Gazette |
|
Return to Home Page |
|
Order paper Gazette |
|
Notes and Quotes |
|
The Scoop at City Hall |
|
Brick and Brack. It was in 1917 that the brick Creamery building in Victoria was constructed. Exactly 100 years later, it's still here and undergoing yet one more renovation. You can read about it on page 21 in this paper. The proposal includes a restaurant and patios on ground level. Yeah! Who doesn't love to eat? A few other downtown buildings have survived the ravages of time including Floyd's (it was a harness shop in the old days), Regarding Dentistry Clinic (it began as the Victoria State Bank), the Notermann Building (it was once a general store with groceries and dry goods), the Victoria House (it began as a feedmill), Vic's Bar and Grill (I think it was always a bar), the Gannon Building (formerly a beer distributorship), the Hartman Office Building (formerly the Victoria Public School). I'm missing some. It's not too difficult to identify the old and the new in downtown Victoria because the area is small and confined, which works to our advantage. Even if downtown sprawl comes some day, it can't go too far. *** Flood and Fire. It was only a short four weeks ago that I wrote in the October issue of the Gazette about the devastation and floods of Harvey, Irma, and Maria. Nate was still in the air at the time. Following on the heels of the hurricanes, we then heard about fires in the wine country of southern California and their devastating killing fields in the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma. Allan and I have traveled up and down that valley, and toured the wineries. So awful to see the destruction and, especially, the loss of life. Only a day or two before printing the last Gazette, we heard about the Las Vegas shooting, where a gunman opened fire from the Mandalay Bay, killed 58 people and injured 546. Catastrophes -- natural and manmade -- happen often and suddenly, upsetting everyday life in many ways. *** To and Fro. For most of the past many years in the history of Victoria, the mayor's term was for two years. For example, Mayor Jerry Schmieg and Mayor Mary Meuwissen each ran for election four times, successfully, and each served a total of eight years. Only in 2012, in the final year of Mayor Mary Hershberger Thun's term, did the mayor's position change from two to four years. I suggest it should go back to the traditional two-year term which served Victoria well for decades. In that way, if you learn the mayor isn't the person you figured, you can vote that person out of office sooner. And if you learn the mayor is better than you figured, you can give that person a vote of confidence sooner -- every two years instead of four. I think it's fine that the other city councilmembers stay with the traditional alternating four-year terms. It's the leader of the pack who needs to be answerable more often at the ballot box. Such a move won't happen without a grass roots shovel, but I want to go on record in favor of promoting and returning to traditional policy. As I tell my kids, we get points for trying. *** Kolor and Kaleidoscope. In these past short weeks, we found new seasons outside our homes and inside our hearts. When the gorgeous fall colors came upon us, I watched in awe. When they covered our lawn, we tried to get rid of them. While some were still clinging to tree branches, snow fell. It was Friday, October 27th, when it started snowing and it didn't want to quit. As a matter of fact, it snowed from sunup to nearly sundown. We hadn't even yet collected our tricks and treats. *** Treats and Truffles. Did you hear about the new business coming to downtown Victoria? Pete Kerber left a message for me that he rented the former floral shop to a gal from Chaska who is going to sell truffles. Yeah! Who doesn't like candy? Some of you may remember that the Notermann Building was once home to Creative Candies, owned and operated by Tom and Roberta Higgins. Many Victoria ladies worked at that candy factory. The shop arrived in 1987, stayed until at least 1994, and their products probably included truffles, but I mostly remember their novelties on a stick. *** Family and Friends. In this season of Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for everything, every moment of every day, and especially those days that include time with family and friends. I'm also thankful for my work, my home, my faith. I often say what Gail Berger of The Blessing House said last month in her story in the Gazette. She says, "You can't out-give God." I say the same thing using different words, "Nobody is more generous than God." |
|
From the Editor |
|
Dedicated to the sunshine of truth, the moonshine of meeting deadlines, and the starshine of Victoria. |
|
The Victoria GAZETTE |
|
Sue’s Album A symphony of photos and fewer than a thousand words at www.VictoriaGazette.com |
|
November 2017 |
