Cruising for Romance  by Sue Orsen.  "Cruising streets worked well for Mel Hazelwood who recently celebrated 40 years of marriage to his bride Sharon …"  Click on Front Page.
Baby Letters to the Editor  From people who heard so quickly about the birth of Addie Sue.  Click on Baby Letters for the link.
Twenty Years Ago the Gazette featured Ed and Mary Vanderlinde in "Our Vanderlinde Valentines."
Ten Years Ago the Gazette featured the brothers Wilbur and Elmer Krey, ages 85 and 87, respectfully, in 'Dear Old Golden Rule Days."
Youth Baseball Academies by Dennis Brown, VAA Secretary. "It's time to dig out that mitt and play ball.  Academies will be held on eight consecutive Sunday afternoons beginning February 16th …"
A Minnesota Priority by State Representative Paul Kohls, resident of Victoria.  "As a new lawmaker, I am committed to passing common sense legislation that will help prevent terrorism in our state …"
Carver County Comments by Gary Delaney, Carver County Commissioner, resident of Victoria.  "By far, the most frequently asked question during my campaign was, 'What does a County Commissioner do?' …"
FIRELINE by Tom Walsh, Victoria Fire Department.  "Our 16th Annual Fishing Contest will be held on Sunday, February 9th, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm on Stieger Lake in Victoria …
Snow Bored by Father Bob White, St. Victoria Catholic Church.  "They warmed me that snowboarding would be work.  But I never believed them.  It looks so easy in those Mountain Dew commercials …"
Walking in a Winter Wonderland by Thom Deer, Rough Rider.  "I'm sitting here with the cat 'helping' me write and looking outside with white everywhere.  Go, snowmobiles! …"
The Truth About Golf by Tom Abts, Deer Run Golf Pro.  "I'm thrilled to recommend a great instructional video, and this is the real deal from A.J. Bonar, a 60-ish golf instructor in San Diego …"
The Time is Now by Carol Vadnais, Victoria, MN.  "If you have work to do, do it now.  Today the skies are clear and blue; tomorrow clouds may come in view.  Yesterday is not for you; do it now."
EDIT YOUR BEHAVIOR (The Code Corner) by Tom Gray, Victoria Building Official.  "We are unwilling to edit our own behaviors; hence , the city must write a law governing certain behaviors and, in the end, we all lose a little more freedom …"
Chamber's Channel by Dave Speltz and Michelle Aspelin, Victoria Chamber of Commerce.  "Circle your calendar for Saturday, March 29th, the date of the Victoria Home and Garden Business Expo …"
Hungarian Rhapsody by Gina Eaton, Waterbrooke Fellowship.  "If you would have asked me six months ago where Hungary was on the map, I'm embarrassed to say I wouldn't have been able to locate it … If I knew practically nothing about Hungary, I knew even less about Gypsies  … They seemed like cartoons and far away from my life …"
Some Things Are Keep-able by Pastor Frank Jones, Lake Auburn Moravian Church.  "The world moves too fast to ignore that which is new, but not all o what is new is valuable and keep-able …"
Wars in the World; Peace in the Heart by Jim Larkin, Amicus et editoris.  "My old friend always says, 'God will not be mocked.'  That gives me internal peace.  I believe that in the end, God's justice will prevail …"
Paul Stauffacher to Retire in June.  First principal of Holy Family Catholic High School to retire, having been involved in education for over 43 years -- 36 in Catholic education …"
Glop in the Arteries by Tom Stumpf, Cowboy Correspondent.  "Well, here they are again.  The same ten pounds that the cowboy managed to lose last spring have to visit again …"

That's So God!  By Pastor Thomas Braun, Christ Victorious Lutheran Church.  "If you have ever lived in the same house with someone, you have probably discovered that it doesn't take too long to figure out the other person's unique habits …"
Senior Citizens Corner by Ethel Ausink, Sr. Citizens Reporter.  "With many dark cloudy days during our winter months in Minneosta, many people suffer from depression.  Another reason for depression can be directed to our diet …"
Embracing Life by Kyra Schindler, student friend of the Gazette.  "School is just one more experience on the road of life, and rather than detesting school, I might as well embrace it …"
My Frozen Rolled Roast by Janie Jasin, motivational speaker.  "Preparation for knee replacement surgery in December came in the form of a class at the hospital … where the class mortto was 'Keep ahead of your pain' … but   there was no way to keep ahead of it …"
HOOK, LINE AND SINKER by Sue Orsen.
This column is never a problem for me because it's just for the halibut.  Rhyme or reason is accidental in this space, but the fresh halibut in my freezer is on purpose, as well as on ice. 
Not very long ago Mr. Halibut was enjoying his freedom in rough Alaskan waters, but Mike Kraemer snagged him and brought him home to Chaska so Kathy and their three boys -- Nicholas, Lance, and Jonathan -- could taste a fish that doesn't swim in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. 
What is a halibut?  You can't really tell from the slab in my freezer, but the American Heritage Dictionary apparently met one personally for it reveals it is:  "Any of several large, edible flatfishes of the genus Hippoglossus and related genera, of northern Atlantic or Pacific waters."
Kathy the Cook, said the halibut is quite tasty, and that she fixes it much like walleye and other Minnesota pikers.  I cannot confirm or deny its tastiness at this time, but I'll let you know about it when I do.
Right now I have to let you know that Eileen Wirtz of Victoria gets my ten bucks this month, having had her entry drawn from the zillions of others that arrived in my box via the U.S. Postal Service.  Where was the fishhook hidden in the January issue of the Gazette?  In the wing of the dove in Nature's Bounty ad on page 7.  Congratulations, Eileen.  As the world turns and tidal waves come and go, the fishhook catches many of you by surprise.  If it catches you again, also hidden in this issue of the Gazette, drop a line to Box 387 in Victoria, MN 55386 -- telling of its location -- and sink it in the mail so I receive it before next time.
Thank you, Kathy, for bringing me part of Mike's fish ... as well as his smoked pheasant and excellent venison sausage and your homemade dill pickles and your Tumbleweed onion.  Maybe I'll give Allan permission to make another delicious meal for me in my kitchen this week.  In any case, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and not just for the halibut but for allofit.