Area school boards are welcoming new officers this month, with incoming chairs, vice chairs, clerks and treasurers reporting for duty.
School board officers have turned over at Kasson-Mantorville, Byron and Hayfield. At Triton, the school board officers remained the same for 2021-22, with Rebecca Knutson staying on as chairperson, Melissa Kubat as vice chairperson, Dale Jensen as clerk and Duane Bartel as treasurer.

Loretta Marie Brandli, age 87, of West Concord, formerly of Kasson, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021 at Chico’s Board and Lodge in West Concord, where she resided for the last 10 years.
Loretta was born on Nov. 24, 1933 in Faribault, to Henry and Matilda (Schwartz) O’Malley. She graduated from Mantorville High School. Throughout her life she spent most of her time raising her six children. She will be deeply missed.

LaMae M. Erler, 91, of West Concord, died after a brief illness on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, at Circle Drive Manor surrounded by her loving family.
She was born May 23, 1929, in Kenyon, the daughter of Stanley and Lillian (Swelland) Markuson. LaMae was baptized as an infant at her home and was confirmed on Nov. 14, 1943 at Hauge Lutheran Church in Kenyon.

This New Year was spent with family watching Ohio State thump NCAA’s No. 2 Clemson in a 49-28 semi-final and Alabama’s Crimson Tide took care of Notre Dame in lop-sided matchup by a score of 31-14.
It was great to watch the New Year’s Day college football games of 2021 without a thought of 2020.

Catharine Bliss enjoys sleeping with her eight-month-old Aussie, Phoebe, and says she loves the warm snuggles the dog offers.
“But she will sometimes wake up and bark at deer or turkeys,” Bliss said. “She also sleeps hard and won’t move so I can’t move.”
Phoebe typically divides her time between sleeping at Bliss’s feet in bed and sleeping on the bedroom floor.

Area high school athletes are hitting the court and mats to shoot hoops and wrestle, as winter sports get off to a late start because of Covid-19.