Litchfield School District voters soundly rejected any school-related increase in their taxes Nov. 4.

It might be tempting to blame the 56-percent ‘no’ vote on the economy. As popular wisdom goes, nobody wants an increase in their taxes, and they want it even less so when the economy is in the dire straits it is today.

The Internal Revenue Service is still looking for more than 2,700 Minnesota residents who have not received economic stimulus checks. The checks total about $1.5 million, and the IRS will not wait much longer to have the money claimed. A Dec. 31 deadline is looming.

The stimulus checks sit waiting for an updated address, along with about 1,300 regular tax refund checks from Minnesota totaling $1 million that bounced back to the agency as undeliverable by the postal service.

Laurane M. Anderson, 85, of Litchfield, died Nov. 11, 2008 at the Meeker Memorial Hospital in Ltichfield. A memorial service was Nov. 15 at the Hantge Funeral Chapel in Darwin. Hange Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.

Irene J. Pearson, 97, of Darwin, died Wednesday at the Emmanuel Nursing Home in Litchfield. Mass of Christian Burial is Monday at 10:30 a.m. at the Çhurch of St. John in Darwin. Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home & Cremation is in charge of arrangements.

Lorraine Irma Thulin, 91, of Dassel, formerly of Litchfield, died Nov. 13, 2008 at the Lakeside Health Care Center of Dassel. Funeral services will be Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the Evangelical Covenant Church in Dassel. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service. The Johnson Funeral Home in Dassel is in charge of arrangements.

Irene J. Pearson, 97, of Darwin, died Wednesday,
Nov. 12, at the Emmanuel Nursing Home in Litchfield. Mass of Christian
Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 17, at the Church of St.
John in Darwin. Visitation will be 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday,
Nov. 16, at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in
Litchfield. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the services at the
church. Interment will be in the St. John Catholic Cemetery. Arrangements are with Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home of Litchfield.

Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie today announced the members of the State Canvassing Board. By Minnesota law, representation must include two Minnesota Supreme Court justices, two district court judges and the board is chaired by the Secretary of State. Canvass board members named are Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric J. Magnuson and Justice G. Barry Anderson. Chief Judge Kathleen R. Gearin and Assistant Chief Judge Edward J. Cleary have also been tapped from the Second Judicial District to serve on the board.

Frank Nesseth, 90, of Grove City, died Tuesday at Bethesda Heritage Center in Willmar. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grove City. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in Lake Ripley Cemetery in Litchfield.  Arrangements are with Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home of Litchfield.

Elvera L. Mahn, 85, of Atwater, died Nov. 8 , 2008 at the Meeker County Memorial Hospital in Litchfield. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. John Lutheran Church north of Atwater. Visitation is from 4-7 p.m. Monday at the Atwater Funeral Home and at the church one hour prior to the services. The Atwater Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Hugo P. Piepenburg, 84, of Litchfield, died Saturday at the Willmar Commons Nursing Home in Willmar. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Beckville Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Beckville Lutheran Church and will continue one hour prior to the meomrial service. Arrangements by Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield.

Evelyn R. (Fallon) Keller, 89, of Cosmos, formerly of Hutchinson passed away Nov. 5, 2008 at the Hutchinson Area Hospital. Mass of Christian Burial is today (Monday) at 2 p.m. at the Church of St. John in Darwin. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Arrangements by Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield.

Pastor Herbert "Burnell" Baldwin, 87, of Litchfield, died Oct. 30, 2008 at the Meeker Memorial Hospital in Litchfield. A memorial service was Nov. 5 at the First Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Hantge Funeral Chapel in Darwin was in charge of arrangements.

Robert Wills, 48, of North Kingston, Minn. died Nov. 6, 2008 at his residence. Funeral services were Nov. 10 at the Church of Christ in Kimball. The Dingmann Funeral Care of Kimball was in charge of arrangements.

Dorothy Scholtes, 92, of Minneapolis died Friday. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 2424 18th Ave. So., Minneapolis. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Monday at the Thomson-Dougherty Mansion, 2535 Park Ave., Minneapolis and 1 hour prior to mass at the church. Thomson-Dougherty Funeral Home, Minneapolis, was in charge of arrangements.

Alberta G. Hatfield, 85, of Becker, Minn., formerly of Darwin, passed away Wednesday at Shepherd of Grace Assisted Living in Becker, Minn. Funeral services were Saturday at All Saints Lutheran Church in Darwin. Hantge Funeral Chapel in Darwin was in charge of arrangements.

Tim Brian Berghuis, 45, passed away at his home on Saturday. Memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Rosemount United Methodist Church, 14770 Canada Ave., in Rosemount, Minn. with visitation from 9-11 a.m. White Funeral Home in Apple Valley is in charge of arrangements.

Geraldine (Deany) Marie Wiese, 87, passed away at Lakes Regional Healthcare in Spirit Lake, Iowa on Friday. Turner Funeral Home, Spirit Lake, Iowa is in charge of arrangements.

Ervin C. Radunz, 79, of Sauk Rapids, died Friday at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Funeral services will be Thursday at 11 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in St. Cloud. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Daniel Funeral Home in St. Cloud, 1010 2nd St. No. Daniel Funeral Home of St. Cloud is in charge of arrangements.

Theresa P. Lanigan, 76, of Litchfield, died Wednesday at the Meeker Memorial Hospital in Litchfield. A Mass of Christian Burial was Saturday at St. John's Catholic Church in Darwin. Hantge Funeral Chapel in Darwin was in charge of arrangements.

Brock W. Schroeder, 29 days, died Wednesday morning at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Willmar. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Monday at the Atwater Funeral Home and one hour prior to the service at the church. Atwater Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Kenneth H. "Ken" Kruger, 76, of New Hope and Lake Minnie Belle, Minn. died Thursday at the Lakeside Nursing Home in Dassel. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Monday at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield. Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home & Cremation is in charge of arrangements.

Carl L. Welker, 80, of Litchfield, died Saturday at his home in Litchfield. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Litchfield. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield. Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home & Cremation is in charge of arrangements.

June P. (McLear) Schaefer, 72, of Litchfield, died Saturday at Meeker Memorial Hospital in Litchfield. A memorial service will be at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Litchfield at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral Home. Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home & Cremation is in charge of arrangements.

Olga Gasch, 92, of Litchfield, died Saturday at the Emmanuel Nursing Home in Litchfield. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Cornerstone Church in Litchfield. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home & Cremation is in charge of arrangements.

By Stan Roeser

Bill McGee, who headed the Northwestern National Bank (now Wells Fargo) when I came to Litchfield in the late 1950s, was a prototype of the crusty, old-time banker.

He was, in fact, the type of banker we needed in high financial circles prior to the current financial crisis.
I can recall writing a front-page story for the paper on McGee when he retired from a banking career that extended back to 1919.

Bill retired from the bank here in 1962 after 40 years as head of the Northwestern Bank.

I have to respond to last week’s letter to the editor from Wes Edwards. Although I can understand his point of view and even border on agreeing with several of his points, to handcuff the school district by voting “no” will only result in lessening the opportunities for his grandkids and do nothing to address his concern with the teacher’s union.

Although it is discouraging when my positions are misrepresented, as they were by Janice Hanson (Independent Review, Oct. 23), it is not nearly as discouraging as realizing the philosophy which led us into the recession (depression), loss of jobs and suffering is alive and well.

We thought about writing a serious editorial espousing the virtues of voting, but everybody does that. Instead, we decided to try to have a little fun but still get the message across. So, without further ado, straight from the home office on North Sibley Avenue, the Independent Review editorial staff brings you its top 10 reasons to vote in the general election Nov. 4:

No. 10: It’s the only way you can get one of those really cool, “I Voted” stickers.

No. 9: Other than kindergarten art class, when have you had so much fun coloring in little circles?

Since my earlier comments were published in the Independent Review, I have been flooded with questions about my opinions. I hope to use this forum to clarify my position.

The Nature Conservancy and Pheasants Forever announced today a collaborative effort to conserve a 309-acre grassland in Central Minnesota for the benefit of wildlife and Minnesotans. The Conservancy has reached an agreement with the landowner to purchase the property, which will be transferred to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to establish a new state wildlife management area.