It’s that time of the year when football playoffs have gotten considerable media coverage. While it is unfortunate that our Stanley-Boyd Orioles have not fared so well on the football field in recent years, one has to recall all the glory years we have experienced in the past. First, one has to remember that Stanley- Boyd has been in the playoffs six times since 1977. Back in 1977, there were only Classes in football, not Divisions. The first playoff Stanley-Boyd participated in was at Carson Park in Eau Clare when S-B, was coached by Coach Gene Hatfield. It was in a Class C play-off game against Osseo-Fairchild and the Chieftains won 14-0. S-B had to settle for Runner-Up. Stanley- Boyd’s second appearance came in November 1986, when under Coach Jim Brinker, Stanley -Boyd lost to Westby 29-7 in Division 4. In November 1991, Coach Jim Brinker brought his team back to Madison for a Division 4 contest against Mayville and S-B won the State Championship game 21-14. In November 1995, Coach Brinker was back in Madison for another Division 4 State Championship game, this time against Columbus and his team won again 21-0. The very next year Coach Brinker was again in Madison for a Division 4 Championship game against Columbus and his team was State Runner-Up, when they lost 21-10. The last time Stanley-Boyd was in Madison for a State Championship game was in November 2013, when in a Division 5 game, under Coach Jeff Koenig, they won another gold ball with a 21-16 win over Lancaster. So in summary, Stanley-Boyd has been in championship games 6 times and came home with three State Championships and was Runner-Up three times. *** Here are several business updates. Todd and Misty Wundrow, doing business as Wundrow Auto Repairs, hope to hold a grand opening at their new building on Thursday, December 15, which would be one year after the tornado destroyed their former repair shop. *** Karlyle and Kailey Sauer, hope to have their new business building, at 404 Junction Avenue, open before the end of 2022. Their business, KS Performance and Repair, is relocating from the Thorp area. The business specializes in diesel performance and auto repairs. *** Lube Suppliers, – currently located at 303 Development Drive, is planning a move to 614 S. Broadway, the building that had been built to house Gordy’s Grocery Store and most recently has housed Bryon Seed Co, which is relocating to a warehouse north of Thorp. If all goes as planned, Steve Millen hopes to be in his new location by April 1, 2023. *** Among my favorite sandwiches is a good Reuben. I must admit I am very selective in ordering one as many restaurants don’t know how to make a good Reuben. The problem most often is the quality of the corn beef or the sauce used in the sandwich. Do you know the history of the Reuben? Most food historians trace the original Reuben to the Blackstone Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska. It is said that back in the 1920’s a gentleman by the name of Reuben Kulakofsky, an Omaha grocer, was gambling at his weekly poker game and asked the hotel cook to make him a corn beef and sauerkraut sandwich. The cook did, but added Swiss cheese, thousand island dressing and put the contents between two slices of rye bread. Sounds like the Reuben was born that day. And Wikipedia has that as one of the Reuben’s origins. The price of a Reuben at the Blackstone Hotel in 1937 was 35 cents. Add a pickle and chips today and you pay about $10.50 to $14 for a Reuben Sandwich Plate.

*** Did you know? The DNR celebrated the state’s fifth elk hunt, that took place between October 15 and 19, with all four state licensed hunters filling their harvest authorizations. This year marked the first harvest of an elk using a bow, another milestone. The annual elk hunt takes place in the Clam Lake Elk Range, which now has a herd of 336 elk.* The DNR is wanting to learn of any bear den locations across the state in order to study black bear reproduction. This will be the second year for the Black Bear Litter and Diet Survey. The DNR plans to continue the study for seven or eight more years. They hope to get 20 collars on per zone each year. Report black bear dens by visiting tinyurl.com/ yexkwjhu *** Today, your odds of being a millionaire if you’re 70-plus are pretty good. A whooping 22 million Americans have net assets totaling $1 million or more. This is up from there being 500,000 millionaires in 1980. One’s job is not generally the path to a cool million, but rather one’s investments and tightwad spending habits. According to Experian Automotive data, sixty-one percent of rich people do not drive expensive cars.. Rich people leave their investments be, as on average stocks deliver over time and they don’t try to score big by gambling. The odds are against you gambling in a casino – the more you gamble the less likely you are to win – it’s basic math. *** After the Mid-Term Elections, I sighed a relief thinking all the e-mails begging for money from both political persuasions would go away. I have learned the hard way that a one time contribution to a candidate makes you a lifetime Democrat or Republican. The relief I was desiring was short lived as Herchel Walker has reached out to me numerous times with his appeal for funding. However, the deluge hit after Donald Trump announced his running as a 2024 Republican nominee for president on Tuesday, November 15. On Wednesday, November16, I received ten requests from Donald or his support groups for donations. When will it ever end? I guess I can answer that – never as the requests keep on coming daily, but thankfully, not as many each day.

*** Smile time. My favorite time of the year is when the mosquitoes are dead. +++ Silence is GOLDEN, unless you have kids, then silence is suspicious. +++ Waiter: “How do you like your steak, sir?” Sir: “Like winning an argument with my wife.” (That would be rare!) +++ I don’t think it’s age that makes us forget. I just think it’s to much stupid stuff to remember. +++ The line at the local post office was long. Seeing only one postal clerk, an inpatient customer yelled out, “How can I help?” The postal clerk yelled back, “Go home!” +++ When a parent says to their kids, “Go to your room and think about what you’ve done,” it is really good practice for what you’ll do every night as an adult. +++ A wealthy 75 year old widower starts showing up around town with a beautiful much younger wife. “How did you get her to marry you? His friend asks. “I lied my age.” “You told her you were 60?” “No, I told her I was 90.” +++ There is nothing sadder in the world than to wake up Christmas morning and not be a child. +++ Don’t forget to laugh today! It’s good for the soul!

BY DAVID JANKOSKI