Rutland, ND

After several meetings of the Rutland Zoning Board and the Renaissance Zone Committee, drafts of a revised Zoning Ordinance and a Comprehensive Plan will be presented for public comment.  On Monday, March 31, a public hearing will be held at 7:00 p.m. in Rutland City Hall to solicit input.  Comments and any suggested changes will be incorporated into the two documents for formal approval by the City Council on Monday, April 7.  Following formal approval, members of the Committee will prepare the State application to designate a Renaissance Zone to provide tax exemptions and credits to encourage investment in residential and commercial properties that need to be revitalized and redeveloped to attract businesses and residents.

On Wednesday, April 2, 2008 at 6:00 PM, the Sargent Alcohol Coalition will sponsor an Underage Drinking Prevention Town Hall Meeting to raise awareness of the risks of underage drinking.  The Town Hall Meeting is a national effort by the Federal Government’s Interagency Coordinating Committee for the Prevention of Underage Drinking  to inform youth, parents, caregivers, community leaders & other adults about the harmful effects of underage drinking.

The event will be held in the Rutland City Hall, starting with a meal provided and served by the Nordland Luther League.  The Keynote Speaker is Anne Buchanan, with the North Dakota Department of Transportation, Driver’s License and Traffic Safety Division’s Parents LEAD (Listen, Educate And Discuss alcohol with your kids) Program, and a parent who has lost a child due to the consequences of binge drinking.  The event will conclude with a  panel discussion with Ms. Buchanan, local law enforcement, court officials, & parent(s) and a Question & Answer segment.

Sewing machines were humming along yesterday at the Rutland General Store (RGS) during a quilting class.  Seven area women worked on lap quilts under the guidance of Ginny Zietlow from Lidgerwood.  Stunning pieces in vibrant violets, greens, blues and yellows and mauves and reds were carefully placed and sewn by the participants.  The photo at left shows Ann Erickson and Joanne Harris, both from Rutland, working on quilts with the guidance of Ms. Zietlow.  The quilts were not completed during the class but we look forward to seeing them on display soon.  Classes are held periodically at the RGS and I understand that another is being planned.

On Saturday, March 22, about 2 dozen children turned out for the sixth annual Rutland Easter Egg Hunt held at the Lou Sanderson Field. The snowfall made it a bit more difficult but not impossible to find about 400 eggs. Following the search, the hunters and their families gathered at the Rutland Café to open each of their plastic eggs for the candy and prize slips inside.  In addition to numerous small prizes each of the participants received, two bicycles were also awarded through a separate drawing. Gracie Baumgarten from Casselton won the smaller bike and Josephine Nelson of Rutland Township won the Grand Prize bicycle. The annual Easter Egg Hunt is sponsored and organized by the Rutland Café and the Leinen Family with some assistance from the Rutland Community Club. My boys always look forward to this event and enjoy it even more every year. Thanks again to the Leinen Family and Rutland Community Club for sponsoring another successful and fun Hunt!

Easter Sunday’s Brunch and fundraiser was a resounding success as demonstrated with 250+ attending to take in the spread offered at the Rutland Town Hall. The Rutland-Cayuga Volunteer Fire Department crew, with the capable staff from the Rutland General Store, served the bountiful feast for the families who chose to fully enjoy Easter rather than spend time cooking at home. It was a difficult choice on where to start with more than 15 selections plus all the desserts. My boys enjoyed the ham, rolls, pancakes and desserts while my husband and I filled up on those as well as the baked egg dishes, vegetables, salads and other items. This was an easy and enjoyable Easter for our family and many others. Congratulations to the volunteer firemen and the General Store for making this a success!

Well, you know spring and summer are not far off when The Friendly Garden Club starts up again. This year the group of gals from Rutland, Havana and Cayuga met on St. Patrick’s Day to start talking plants and flowers. I gave a quick presentation on perennials for the garden (mostly information gathered from BH&G’s website and from some suppliers) and provided attendees with handouts courtesy of the local Extension Office. We all enjoyed cake and beverages with a St. Patrick’s Day theme of course. The group meets on the third Monday of each month at the bank building.

It may not be a McDonald’s slogan but it sure is an accomplishment to be proud of! The Nordland Lutheran Church had another successful Palm Sunday dinner with more than 200 individuals attending. The ham, potatoes and veggies were followed by a vast selection of delectable homemade desserts. Several who attended the dinner also stayed to play the Sunday afternoon bingo offered at the Senior Center.

For a brief instant Rutland appeared on the Today Show on Friday, March 14. Lori McLaen and Jen Christianson traveled to New York for a few days on the town. Friday morning they were in the Today crowd holding a Rutland sign. Jen was next to a woman who practically broke down the fence to hug Meredith when she came near. Although Jen missed hugging Meredith, she did get a good photo of Ann Curry who was in for Matt last Friday. They did not make it on the first hour so they can’t be seen on the Today Show website but they have TiVo to prove they were there!

Imagine opening up the Sunday Fargo Forum and finding Rutland mentioned on the first page of the Valley R&R Section! That’s exactly what happened when I opened the paper and saw our very own Jan Brash pictured with other “Woolly Women.” Jan has been involved with the “Woolly Women” since 2000 and says she has learned a lot about sheep and working with wool. She also enjoys the camaraderie that the group shares.

Friday, March 14, about 200 individuals gathered in the Rutland City Hall for the Community Club annual dinner and program. This year’s event was the Mr. Rutland Pageant 2008. Nine local beauties vied for the coveted crown: Tammy Whynott, Patti Link, Sandy Aggregate, Purrza Wildcat, Barbie Bootcamp, Helga Haybuster, Raquel Wrench, Sally Skrooz, and Amelia Hothams. The contestents wowed the audience with their beauty and poise and impressed us during the talent show with song, poetry and fashion sense. The show, complete with a mezmerizing swimsuit competition, included a well-choreographed chorus routine performed while the entire audience placed their votes for the winner. The 1980 First Runner Up, Ima Hogg, took her last walk on the runway before passing the crown to Barbie Bootcamp. DVDs of the pageant will be available for sale and information will be posted at a later date.