Okay, there is suppose to be a place here where I can find the Zoom link. Well, it is still here, but thanks to Randy Kempfer it has been designed into our bulletin on the right-hand side of the page. Hopefully it will work for you but if it doesn't, let us know.
On February 24th, Tim Hunt led off, contributing multi-dollars for missing some meetings and for leaving the day's meeting early to go to cardiac rehab. I made the mistake of asking Steve Andrews to tell me how many times I've opened my mouth (to brag) since we last gathered oh so long ago at Broadway Park, as I had not been filling in my punch card. Well now that card is filled and I am on to my next one! Thanks Steve - I deserved that. Hal Leland reported he and his wife received their second shots of the COVID vaccine and thanked all the volunteers who are working to get the shots in peoples' arms as quickly as possible. That prompted Tim Hunt to say he and Desta also have received their full compliment and then John MacFarlane added he received his second the past weekend. Buzz Lundeen and Randy Kempfer also were happy to have received their second doses, Randy also expressing pride in the work of the Otter Tail County Health Department and reporting he gave a continuing education course the previous evening in sweatpants -- one nice change during the pandemic. Wally Cole reported his punch card was blank but he was marking off four spots in appreciation of the past week's Rounds, as a fine for the Board having to put up with unnecessary e-mails from him and this writer, and then went back to bragging for friends being able to hear the day's programs, for the speaker bringing the information he had to impart to us and for historians who keep American and rural history as it is.
President Anthony was the first to brag or pay a fine at our meeting on March 3rd, noting he could not find his punch card but, presumably, making sure to mark it when it showed up for not finding it. Seems like he is going in circles on that one. Tim Hunt reported that on the prior Friday he went through a medical procedure to address a spot on his heart so it would stop fluttering. Both Mary Pettit and Steve Leitte expressed what everyone was feeling -- our thoughts and prayers and wishes for the best of luck to Tim. Steve Leitte then said he and his wife now have their vaccine shots. Keith Olson said this was the last meeting he would be joining us from Florida, noting that everyone down there is wearing masks and appreciating the opportunity they had to visit with David and Trudy Nycklemoe at the latter's place in Siesta Keys. John MacFarlane started out his brag noting his 21 year old granddaughter signed up to volunteer at a vaccine clinic so now she has received her shots as well, both I am sure, a sense of relief and pride. His comments then seemed to exalt the UND football team over the struggles of NDSU's counterpart, but then John acknowledged it was with a sense of relief that, at least for awhile, the endless grief he has been subject to over NDSU's accomplishments on the gridiron will likely be toned down.
Wally Cole introduced our speaker, Jeff Niedenthal who presented on the work being done to review social study standards in Minnesota. Jeff encouraged all of us to provide input to the process. He is happy to address any questions or issues that may arise and can be reached at niedenthaljeff@netscapte.net. He also provided his PowerPoint presentation to Wally Cole who can make it available to you upon request.
Prior to the program, input had been sought from the Minnesota Department of Education on this process and the following e-mail was received from the Department on the Monday following the program, reprinted in its entirety:
"Thanks for reaching out and giving us an opportunity to share information about the social studies standards review process. In accordance with Minnesota Statutes, Minnesota’s academic standards are reviewed and revised on a 10-year cycle. During the 2020-21 school year, Minnesota’s social studies standards are up for review and revision. It is important to know that the standards are drafted for Minnesota public schools, by Minnesotans. Last spring and summer (March 2-June 30, 2020), an application period was open for Minnesotans to apply to be on the standards committee. Minnesota Statutes outline who must be represented on this committee, including parents, teachers, school board members, postsecondary institution faculty, business community members and more. In July, Minnesotans with varying perspectives and backgrounds were selected for the committee.
The committee began meeting in September. The initial early draft of the social studies standards was released on December 1. This draft was not a “first draft” of a final product. The draft was a reflection of where the committee was at in the review and revision process as of December 1. A public comment period on the draft was open from December 1-January 4. The public comment received was intended to inform the development of the next draft. As noted in the introduction of the draft standards document, the committee focused first on the social studies standards themselves, and had not yet dug in to the benchmarks underneath each standard. An academic standard is a summary description of student learning in a content area. Academic standards are comprised of one or more benchmarks. A benchmark is the specific knowledge or skill that a student must master to complete part of an academic standard by the end of a grade level or grade band. The benchmarks listed in this first draft are simply examples of what could be included under each standard. Historical U.S. events like WWII and the Holocaust are being taught in Minnesota schools and will continue to be taught.
Since releasing the first draft in December, the department has received significant feedback from throughout Minnesota. To provide time to review all of the public comments, the department is building more time into the process of revising the standards. The second draft of Social Studies Standards will be published later this spring. This will provide the time needed to thoroughly review the feedback received. We know that our students’ education is at its strongest when Minnesotans are engaged in the planning process. During the standards review process, all committee meetings are open for the public to observe. It is still early in the process of revising the social studies standards. Visit the Social Studies Standards webpage for the Minnesota Department of Education, for information and updates on the revision process, future public comment periods, and meetings."
Greg Darling took on the tough duty of going over to Outstate Brewing so we could enjoy a virtual tour of the establishment, with Patrick Lundberg our presenter and Shawn McCardy (sp?) the video production manager, head brewmaster and assistant brewmaster respectively. Patrick's partner in the business is Dan Mohagen. There opening day was the Wednesday before Thanksgiving in 2019 but after three months the business was forced to shutdown because of the pandemic; Outstate has not been fully open since. Patrick said they normally have 15 beers on tap in the tap room, which was designed to give a feeling of being in a cabin in outstate Minnesota. Wood on the walls came from a bar in Wendell that the Mohagen family owned. They also have a family room that can be rented out or used for overflow. Windowed garage- like doors open to create an outdoor feeling and onto what was described as a "dog friendly patio." The company has a distribution contract that gets the beer out to one-third of Minnesota and two-thirds of eastern North Dakota. Patrick took us through the brewing room and stated this is one of the largest outstate breweries besides what they have in Fargo/Moorhead. The business currently has the capacity for over 5000 barrels of beer a year, working with 20 barrels, each with 31 gallon capacity. Patrick said going from one barrel to 20 barrels or 620 gallon capacity was a big undertaking but that his personality is "go big or go home." They can easily increase capacity by adding fermentation tanks; three or four more of those would allow them to produce 10,000 barrels annually. They are about to add a 65,000 pound silo that will hold base malt. Outstate also has a one barrel system that allows them to brew smaller batches of seltzers and specialty beers. Patrick said he might use this "pilot" system to brew regular root beer, possibly within the next six months. Seltzers have less carbs and are made by adding different flavors to water, sugar, yeast and nutrients; they are also gluten free and are very popular right now.
