Abby-heading to the sweet 16

      Well folks, former Gobbler Abby Palm is doing something this week that most, if not all of us aren't. She is packing for Lexington, Kentucky and the DIII 'Sweet 16" along with her teammates from Bethel University. The Royals defeated Coe last week to earn the trip and the right to face #3 Washington and Lee in the big game Friday night. The Royals, ranked #23, have won eight straight and look forward to the matchup with the Generals who come into the game with a record of 30-0. Palm, who was just cleared to play a few weeks ago is enjoying the ride, "As a freshman I don't see much floor action but I'm loving every minute of the experience. The atmosphere in practice and at games is something I will never forget."
     Last week saw the end of the careers of two of the area's premier basketball players. Both Isaac Asmus and Tori Oehrlein are turning their attention to college basketball with Asmus heading to the University of Wisconsin-Superior and Oehrlein to the University of Minnesota. Both will honestly tell you their final game losses were not their best games, but both have seen so much success in their play at Aitkin and C-I. Asmus has set the single game scoring record and career scoring record all in the past three weeks and Oehrlein is the second leading career scorer of all-time in Minnesota high school history. Congratulations to both athletes, you have been fun to watch over the years.
    The Aitkin Gobblers had nine seniors playing sports during the winter season and every one of them made huge contributions in their time here. Tika May from girls basketball, Andrew Hudrlik, Gobbler wrestler and State entrant, along with Asmus, Tyler Boyd, Caleb Smith, Isaiah Baker, Wyatt Winter, Owen Foday and Max Hagel of the boys hoops team all helping the Gobblers to their best total win season in boys history, 20-8. They will all be missed when the season starts next winter.

    The Northern Lakes Lightning had a great season and made their second straight visit to the State Hockey Tournament. They have six seniors that will be missed but they have a great nucleus coming back for Coach Thomas Klein. I would be amiss if I didn't mention the hockey tournament and the sportsmanship or lack of, shown in a number of instances. It started with Edina and one player's performance after the loss to Moorhead, continued with Hibbing-Chisholm after their loss to Warroad and ended with the medal display by Minnetonka after losing the title game in AA to the Spuds. I understand that players and coaches are disappointed after a heart-breaking loss but on the field or rink, or in life, you had better learn how to handle things like that. Sportsmanship is usually taught at home first, then by coaches as time goes by and by the time you play in front of 20,000 people it should be imbedded in your brain, and you should react accordingly. Yes, these are kids, I know that, but you have to know that your reactions in front of so many people will be judged by everyone. I guess we should all look up the definition of "sportsmanship" just as a reminder of how we want to act when things don't go our way, but I think most of us have already learned that lesson. 

  

      Well folks, last week was a great week to be a Gobbler. State Wrestling, Section hockey, Section girls hoops, basketball scoring records broken. Whew, it was busy. You can read about all the activities elsewhere in the sport section but we have to mention a couple of special parts of these events that stood out. The Gobbler girls basketball team won their home Sectional game against International Falls on Tuesday in their final home game of the season and there was a nice crowd there to see it. The reward for that win, a date on Saturday with the C-I Rangers and that game ended the Gobbler season but they never quit and that’s the one thing this season taught all of us. There was no quit in this team no matter what and they battled right to the end against the Rangers. Four Gobbler grapplers headed to St. Paul Wednesday for the State Tourney and they represented Aitkin well. Although Sophie Crain and Andrew Hudrlik lost both matches there, it was a great experience and Rylan Moritz went 1-2 and Sierra Laffin was 2-2. All four are great young athletes and although Andrew is a senior, the other three will be back and most likely back in the State in 2027. Wednesday the Gobbler boys took on Duluth Marshall and it was evident early this was going to be a special night. Isaac Asmus had 23 points at the half and you knew something exciting was going to happen. He started rolling again in the second half and didn’t stop until he had broken the single game scoring record of 43 previously held by Nathan Ehnstrom. Isaac totaled 46 for the night and had the career scoring record also held by Ehnstrom in his sights for the following evening. (One stat worth mentioning is that Nathan was a career 42% shooter from beyond the arc and had 339 three-pointers in his career.) Meanwhile Isaac would need 25 to tie the record and with 5:00 left in the half he scored to bust that record as well. He would finish the game with 36 points after sitting down after the first nine minutes of the half along with the rest of the starters. Thursday night would also bring more excitement. The Northern Lakes Lightning played Sartell for the Section title and a berth in this weeks State Hockey Tournament. The game went to overtime before Landon Cartie sent the Lightning fans home happy with a goal that gave the Lightning their second straight State tourney appearance. They meet perennial power Warroad in the first round at 8:00 Wednesday. Parker Fulton tied the game in the third period setting the stage for Cartie’s heroics. That was one crazy four day stretch for Gobbler fans. This is why we watch high school sports, there is nothing better and moments like we saw last week are few and far between. Enjoy them and put them in your memory bank.  

      Well folks, sometimes sports transcend the realm of wins and losses to provide us with moments that we will never forget. This happened to me twice in a 24-hour period last week and it reminds me what is importantly in the games we watch and love so much. The first was Thursday at the McGregor High School where a young    man named Logan Steuerwald simply grabbed a rebound and put it back up and in for what would usually be a meaningless two points. That could not be farther from the truth, it was his first two points. You see, Logan is a special needs kid who just started playing basketball for the Mercs a few months ago and has he made an impact. Coach Jeremy Tallum talked about his senior, “Logan is a special needs kid that came out for basketball for the first time as a senior. Ability-wise he is very raw (as one would expect), but he works hard every practice and is very coachable. His teammates do anything they can to help him out. We have been fortunate that we have had probably 8 opportunities for him to get into games at the end. Thursday he was able to not only grab a rebound but scored a basket with a few seconds left. After which his teammates stormed the court to congratulate him. It was just an awesome experience for anyone who was in the gym to see it.” Livia Carlstrom is the Athletics and Activities Director at McGregor High School (and band director) and she won’t so forget the big night either, “Logan is a senior who after years of thought, finally got up the courage to play basketball for the first time ever. Thanks to the guidance of Coach Jeremy Tallum and the other players, they were able to find a spot for Logan in each of their plays to make his understanding easier and his chance of success higher. He would know where to go and who to look for a pass from. The boys on the court, on the bench, the coaches and all of the fans in the stands would rally for him every time he got a chance. This was a win for the team, for Logan and the hometown crowd. To see a student step out of their comfort zone, attack it with everything they have, get some success and get to relish in the excitement was incredible. It is also heart-warming to see the rest of his teammates so pumped for him, we have some really great kids in McGregor.”
      What a moment and captured on video, if you get a chance to see it. Teammates raced off the bench to congratulate him. One of those was senior Garrett Guida,"We've been hoping for this all year, Logan scoring was a team goal, everyone is pumped that it happened." A team goal that was different than most. The game was a rout but no matter, this was five seconds that will live on for those who witnessed it and will never be forgotten by a young man who just wanted to learn and play the game of basketball.  

     The other moment that I will talk about this week happened at the Aitkin High School gym the following night. It was the final regular season game for the Gobbler girls, not knowing if they would get a home playoff game in the first round. It was a nice win for the Gobblers and a big one as the following morning they would learn they would host International Falls Tuesday night. But, at the time one Gobbler stood alone after hugging her relatives and teammates. The emotions came out knowing that this might be the final game on her home court. Tears came easy to this young lady who is the heart and soul of this years team. She had been on the bench with foul trouble the better part of the game but throughout the season her defensive play kept the Gobblers in games and when she scored that was even better. Her teammate Kate Palm offered a comment, “We aren’t the best second half team sometimes but we knew we had to get this one for her, to keep our hopes alive and if this was the last home game, to make it special.” What is special is that Tika May plays with a fierceness and toughness that few have. You can’t teach it but she was born with it and that’s what makes her so tough on the basketball court and on the track as well. I couldn’t interrupt her tears but knew she was taking this hard and that means she cares and high school means something to her and being a teammate means something and giving your best every time out means something. The track season is coming soon but not until hoops are over but I can tell you this. I will miss Tika when fall comes and she is not here. She is a leader and an athlete everyone can look up to. Thank you Tika, just keep being you, that will always be enough!     

     Well folks, the Winter Olympics are on the downhill, pardon the pun, slide now but as usual I enjoy the back stories of American athletes searching for Gold in Milan Cortina. Maxim Naumov has done well despite losing his parents in the plane crash that killed 67 people near Washington D.C. January 29th of last year. They were returning home from Wichita, Kansas following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Maxim was determined to honor his parents, and he has done so this past week. How about speed skater Jordan Stolz who has struck Gold in these Olympics. The video of him skating as a little boy in Wisconsin and his dream of being on the world stage. He has done his country proud as well. There are so many stories like this and if you have watched at all you have seen these and many more. The athletes in the Olympics have sacrificed so much to be there and their families have as well. Most have dreamed of being in this competition and they have trained for so many years for this chance and they are determined to take advantage of the opportunity. One thing they all have in common. They have worked hard and trained for their specific sport, not only during the season but throughout the year and if you choose to be an elite athlete, this is what you have to do. The time you put in when you are by yourself is important. You don't only work hard when people are watching, you have to be willing to do it when nobody is looking. You have to be ready for disappointment because there is a lot of that out there too. Look at the skating pair of Madison Chock and Evan Bates. They have been partners on the ice since 2011 and this time around they were destined to grab the Gold Medal until a French judge, who has been in the middle of several judging controversies over the years decided otherwise. Sometimes your best isn't good enough in a subjective judging competition. We have a local connection at the Games this year as former Gobbler Tanner Hills is spending a semester studying civil engineering at INSA Lyon, and Guilia Peccati, who lives near the Olympic village locations in Milan and Livigno, was our foreign exchange student who spent last year at Aitkin High School. They attended the snowboarding final Sunday and the USA-Sweden women's hockey game on Monday. Thanks to Cindi Hills for the picture of them near the Olympic rings. I hope you can watch some of the action the rest of the Olympic games and see some of the special athletes and cheer them on. It's a special time for them, most, their only time. Let's go U.S.A., there are more medals to be won!   

      Well folks, we lost a wonderful lady last week with the passing of Kristi Sandberg. She came to town, taught at Aitkin High School and married the love of her life Steve Sandberg. When he passed away in 2015, she spent the rest of her life helping others and that is quite a way to spend your time. She always listened, supported kids and adults alike and always had that beautiful smile. She was a very unselfish person to say the least and I can attest to that from a personal standpoint. Back when their daughter Cassie was in school I was doing the announcing at the desk during basketball games. Because of his duties with the ACSO he couldn’t make every game, but when he could he was there. He would walk in with Kristi, and she would tell him it was okay if he came over and sat next to me at the table so we could solve the problems of the world. It was time they could have spent together watching but she knew our friendship was important too and she sacrificed her time with him for that reason. I felt bad about it but soon realized that is how they wanted it and I cherished those nights when Steve and I got a chance to share memories of Gobbler sports over the years and hopes for the future. Kristi was a supporter of my decision to remember Steve every October since his death. It is a chance for me to remember what a great person and public servant he was and for his many friends to do the same. I will continue to do that until I’m gone and now Steve and Kristi can read my words, finally sitting next to each other watching games in the great beyond. I will miss her greatly. Condolences to Cassie and the rest of the family.

      There was so much going on last week and we need to touch on a couple of huge events that took place. Gobbler senior Isaac Asmus became the first Gobbler to reach 1,000 rebounds. This is a huge deal and when you figure he has now gone well over 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds, well, that doesn’t happen very often. He has helped the Gobblers to seven straight wins going into this week. Nice job Isaac.

      The Aitkin Gobbler girls wrestling team took part in the Section Tournament for the first time as a team and look what they did. They had three wrestlers medal and are sending two wrestlers to the State Tournament. Brianna Ecklund finished 3rd, and Sophie Crain and Sierra Laffin won Section titles and will be participating in the State Tournament. Coach Greg Hills has done a great job getting these ladies to this point. They believe in him and the sport and as these young ladies are just 7th graders, their careers are just getting started. Sophie is 30-3 at this point while Sierra has won 23 straight matches after a 5-8 start to the season. That my friends is exciting!
  

       Well folks, as I always say I have seen a lot of Gobbler basketball over the years, but I have seldom seen a totally dominating first half like I witnessed last Thursday when the Gobblers hosted Crosby-Ironton. Noah Moss scored 29 points, and the Gobblers put a big hurt on the Rangers 77-39, the second worst defeat ever put on the Rangers at Aitkin. (the Gobblers beat C-I in 1982, 81-37). Moss made three-pointers, turned steals into easy layups, hit free throws, he did it all as the Gobblers rolled to the easy win. He was happy following the win, giving credit to his teammates for the opportunities to put the ball in the hoop, "I have never really had a good game against Crosby so that was a little more motivation for me. We needed the win and we went out and took care of business." Dominating is the only way to describe it, he was unreal and although he had just two points in the second half, his first half was one for the ages.
     This is a busy week for the Gobbler faithful, and the girls play a rare Wednesday game in the regular season as they host Grand Rapids at 7pm. The Lightning girls open Section 6A play Thursday hosting Prairie Centre in first round action. Senior Natalie Stueven finished the regular season with 8 goals and 14 assists, one of the top scorers on the team. Kambria Thompson leads the team with 15 goals. It's been an up and down year for the Lightning, but they are ready for the post-season. Meanwhile Parker Fulton leads the Lightning boys team with 17 goals.
     Isaac Asmus is now the second leading career scorer for the Gobbler boys program after his 20-point performance against C-I. He passed Nick Sundholm and sits at 1,334 heading into action this week. He is 4th overall at Aitkin behind Nathan Ehnstrom (1,619), Emily Mehr (1,564) and Meredith Chaput (1,538).
    Kacie Kaiser has lit a fire under the Gobbler girls team the past several games. The junior has scored 16, 13, 20, 10, 25 and 17 the past six games and has become a very tough player to defense when she gets the ball inside. She has jumped her per game average over 11 per game going into this week and is the team leader in rebounds with 132. Eva Kalis is next at 121 and Kate Palm has 90. 
    The Section Girls Wrestling Tournament is Friday and Saturday at Mora. The Gobblers, in their first year as a team, look to do well and hope to put a wrestler or two in the State Tourney. Competition is tough but they are ready. They have worked very hard. Good luck ladies!

    The Aitkin All Starz didn't advance to the State Meet this season after Section action last Saturday. I have to say these young ladies and their coaches work so hard during the season and sometimes it's just not enough. This result has nothing to do with lack of effort, heart or commitment. They performed their best that they have all season at Section and that's what you want to see. Their improvement has been phenomenal and that's also what you want to see at this point of the season. Keep those heads-up ladies, you've had a great year!  

      Whoa doctor, this is one busy week for Gobbler sports starting right away with Monday. The Gobbler girls will host Staples/Motley Monday at 2:00 in an in-school game. Students will be dismissed at 1:40 to go to the game. That should bring a big student body presence for the matchup with the Cardinals who are 3-14 on the season. The JV game should begin around 4pm. Meanwhile the Gobbler boys are home as well with the JV game at 5:30 and the varsity at 7pm as they take on Rush City, currently 7-6. All games will be played in the new gym while the Noel Bailey gym is busy with a "C" Squad wrestling tournament. That's just Monday. Tuesday is a little more quiet as the Gobbler wrestlers are in Onamia for a triangular. Wednesday brings a rare day with the Gobbler girls hosting Grand Rapids at 7pm. Thursday comes around and we find the Gobbler basketball boys hosting Chisholm and first round action in the Section 6A girls hockey tournament finds the Lightning hosting most likely Prairie Centre, a team they beat 13-0 early in the season. Friday the Gobbler boys are in Pine City and the girls host the Tigers and the Lightning boys will be in East Grand Forks for a matchup with the Green Wave. Friday and Saturday the Gobbler wrestling girls will be in Section action at Mora with State Tourney berths on the line. That's it for this week at this point at least. Come on out and watch the Gobblers in action.

        Well folks, the conversation started like this, "We had just gotten home from my cousins wedding and wanted to do something for the kids. We hadn't done the zipline for a while and when that happens, I do a quick run to make sure things are working correctly. This time the rubber grips on the handles quickly became a problem and I fell, landing on my neck. I thanked God that it was me and not one of the kids. I spent two weeks in the ICU at North Memorial before I was able to fly to Craig Hospital in Englewood where I am today." That was the day that life changed for Jacob Mehr and now two months later we chatted about life since that day and prospects for the future. Many of you have followed his progress through social media but I felt the need to talk to him in person. I've known him since he came to our house for daycare when he was in his pre-school years, so we have always known what a special person he is. He has had the support of wife Brenda of course and she flew with him to Colorado and has been by his side ever since, helping with his rehab nearly every day. His three children, Lydia, Jonah and Matthias flew out a week or so later and they have juggled their schoolwork and seeing their dad throughout the process. Jake talked about the importance of having family with him, "It's a real blessing to have everyone here, I can't imagine what it would be like to be without them. The kids get to see how things work here and see my improvement firsthand and even get to help a little. They get to see that I'm not the only one that is getting help and we're not the only family going through things like this." He is truly in the best place for this type of injury, "The people at Craig are awesome, the staff is incredible, techs take such great care of me, the therapists, they are all so good at what they do." He also has a great support group at home, and he is very appreciative, "So many prayers, so much generosity, people I don't even know. It's very humbling to know that so many people care and are willing to help out, no matter what it is we might need." Then the tough questions came, what about your injury, "Every spinal injury is different, I'm considered a "quad" at this point. My arms have a long way to go; I have one leg doing better than the other right now and that's why we keep working every day. I've made great progress but such a long way to go. What are my prospects? Walking, that would be awesome, transferring from chair to vehicle, that would be awesome. Therapists tell me it will probably be two years out before we know for sure what I will be able to do. I will be discharged from Craig on December 5, and we will be renting in Denver for about 6 months at least. The kids are enrolled in school here so they will finish out the year here. We're working on an adaptive vehicle so things for me there will get easier. I will be an outpatient for this next segment of rehab." I have met many others at Craig and one of them was released the other day, the same day I was able to walk with the machine the length of the gym floor. He got out and came down to the gym because he wanted to see me walk that floor. That's the kind of friends I have met at Craig. We may have different injuries but we're all in this thing together. That helps me a lot. We cheer each other on because we are all in this exclusive club that nobody wants to be in. Still there is a level of joy in seeing each other succeed." I'll be honest, at that point I had to compose myself because the story of Jake Mehr is so emotional for me and so many other people. He is such a beacon of faith in this world. When speaking of his recovery he told me, "Whatever kind of life God decides he will give us, that's what we will accept. We will have ups and downs, but God will guide us as he always has. He didn't do this to me, I did." Thanksgiving is this week and Jake had plenty to say about that as well, "There is so much to be thankful for, I'm still me, my personality hasn't changed, I'm thankful to be at Craig, thankful for the generosity and prayers, my trust in God, it happened but he uses everything for good for those who love him. We also have so much to grieve as well, our lives will never be the same, the unknown is still ahead but God will see us through everything and as long as we trust in him it will be okay." He ended with these words, "It will be great to see everyone, but it will be a while." I thanked Jake, wished him well and we will check in again after the first of the year. 

       Thanksgiving is here again, and I know I will try to be a little more thankful for the people I know and care about. I also know this, I am thankful to know a guy named Jacob Mehr, who has more courage and faith than most. He is another example of the kind of human being we should all strive to be. Happy Thanksgiving to the entire Mehr family, they have endured a lot since last Thanksgiving. Please enjoy the holiday everyone, be safe and eat hearty!   

       Well folks, this is column number 2,500 for this old guy, something that I started in the waning months of 1977. I told you in that first column that I would expound each week on the latest in the world of sports with a special emphasis on the local sports scene and that is what I have done throughout the years. There is a group of loyal readers who have been here since the start and I thank you for that. I have written about the Gobblers, the Mercs and sometimes the Hornets over the years and have told the story of so many athletes, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The heart-warming stories and the tragedies as well. I have written of the lives and the deaths of many of my friends and have given you my take on their successes in life. In a small town you don’t expect a lot of accolades but there have been many special moments that stick with you. The old town team baseball player that came up to me at the wake of one of his teammates that I had written about and his three words brought me to tears. “Thanks for remembering” he said and I broke down. My wife Barb and my good friend Margie Burman remind me many times that if I don’t write about a story, event or player it will be forgotten, and I guess that’s true. There is a lady that I never knew that came up to me at the All-Class Reunion and thanked me for remembering her brother and a classmate of mine in a recent column. There is also the lady that has grieved for many years about the untimely death of her husband and my friend that I remember every year about this time. That’s one reason that I wrote my book, “Well folks” several years ago, I have a lot of memories and as I grow older I need to write them down or I will forget. I have written much about the history of sports in Aitkin and players from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s certainly appreciate what I’ve said about their exploits. I’ve also told the stories of the 80’s and on as well but those athletes are not old enough to worry about being forgotten yet. There are the old-time bowlers whose names only I remember and their stories have been told in this column too. I’ve told you about our “hood” back in the day where I grew up with Zimmy, Pork, Arnie and the rest of the gang. Aitkin was a wonderful place to grow up and although some move away, I have always stayed. Fate set me upon this road many years ago and I have tried to keep my promise to you that I would tell the story of Aitkin and it’s people, athletes and citizens. I have learned a lot over the years, I learned that critics seldom leave their name and if you’re looking for validation, check somewhere else. I learned a couple of other things about myself during the nearly 50 years of writing this column. First, as much as I have done it, I am deathly afraid of being in front of a live audience. I worked 25 years in radio but am still scared of public speaking. Who would have thought that, right? Second is that when you talk about young athletes they are a little shy to show their appreciation but believe me they like to see their name in the paper just as much as their parents do and I love being able to help make that happen. Third is that if you ever forget somebody or miss ID a picture it is never forgotten. As much as we try, it happens and trust me we hurt as much as anybody when that happens. As I think about #2,500 I remember all the changes like starting out writing it by hand. Then an old typewriter was used, a computer that weighed fifty pounds, then finally a laptop that makes it so much easier. Guys like Marv Way, Andy Skaj, Henry Mead, Curt Mead, Evonne Agnello, my old friend Gary North, Dick Norlander, Ann Schwartz, Brielle Bredsten, Kat Robb, Jeanne Schram and Roxie, who retires this week. They have all been a part of this journey. I won’t live long enough for another 2,500 columns but I have sure enjoyed these first nearly 50 years. As I have said several times that there is a quote I always use, “I was born here, I’ll die here, no regrets”. It’s from Field of Dreams and it fits perfectly because Aitkin and its students, athletes and citizens all live on in my Field of Dreams. Thank you for your support and God Bless all of you!

  

       Well, folks, think about this, 3,653 days, 87,672 hours, 5,260,320 minutes; that's how much time it has been since October 18, 2015, to today. That day will have a place in my mind for the rest of my life. That is the day I lost one of my beloved friends and one of Aitkin's favorite sons. Steve Sandberg has been gone for 10 years now and like most people it seems like yesterday. Tributes came from all corners of the world when the news came out. Most will remember where they were when they heard the shocking news, I certainly do, sitting right where I am now writing this. Our little town has seldom if ever seen a death that affected Aitkin as this one did. I knew Steve most of his life, from his athletic career at Aitkin to the final day. Within that time frame I competed against him on the softball field and sat with him at the scorer's table as the next generation showed their stuff on the basketball court. His signature box of popcorn and bottle of pop became a staple at the games and by games end we had settled the problems of the day and had a quick synopsis of the contest we had just watched. I have written about Steve every year since that day in October, but I can't put it any better than this story. In September of 2015 I had hernia surgery and finally had felt well enough to get to the next Gobbler home football game. I sat by myself on the steps of the alternative school and as the game ended Steve and his brother Brian walked across the field to visit for a few minutes. I told them about my surgery, and they instantly wanted to know if they should walk home with me to make sure everything was okay. I said thanks but I figured I could get there on my own and we said our goodbyes. That was the last time I saw Steve and although I have told this story before, it exemplifies Steve's life. He cared, he always cared and if you needed something he was there to lend a hand. He was always the best of what people are supposed to be. The following winter season I brought a special sign to the basketball games, made by my friend Glen Watson and because of that sign I was able to tell Steve's story to visiting fans and officials for a whole season. I needed that season at that point and I thought of him during every game, and all the time we spent together at that table and talking about life. Ten years later, 3,650 days and my opinion about Steve Sandberg has never wavered. He was simply one of the finest men I have ever met. I miss him like a brother and always will.    Steve is missed by many other people as well, let's hear from some of those closest to him.

Undersheriff Heidi Lenk-"It was always about family, even when he came in on his days off, he always brought his dog along and talked about his family. When Cassie came along, she was the "gleam" in his eye. This wasn't just a loss for our department; it was a loss for our community. The way they turned out for him, the blue lights and everything. He was an honorable man, and we miss him so much. He's the reason we have the Memorial outside of the Office."

Deputy Greg Payment-"I was a young deputy, but he always treated me like he'd known me for a long time. He never looked down on people, no matter who they were. He treated everybody the same."

Deputy Jon Cline-"Steve was my first contact with the Aitkin County Sherrif's Office. He did all my background stuff. I sure miss that guy."

Life-long friend Mike Holder-"10 years, what happened to the time. I remember going to Washington D.C, for the Law Enforcement Memorial. It was so impressive. I miss him terribly-think about him all the time. So many stories."

Former ACS Scott Turner-"It's hard to believe it's been 10 years since we lost Steve. The feelings and emotions of that day are quick to return when I think of him. A husband, a father, a son, brother, investigator, firefighter...and a great athlete. He was always a strong advocate for crime victims, an ardent supporter of Aitkin youth athletics and someone who's opinion on matters of importance I greatly valued. #203 will forever have a place in the hearts of those who knew him."

Friend and teammate Bill Lundberg-"Each year a group of us go on a baseball trip in September. Last month we were in Seattle and toasted Steve and shared tales of previous trips. We miss him terribly. We revisited our adventures with him in places like Cooperstown, Boston, Atlanta, San Diego and Chicago. His loss is felt on every trip. We remember him athletically as a Gobbler, Dragon and lead-off man for the 40 Club. But mostly we think of him as a great supportive friend and a guy who strove to be a good husband and father."

        These ten years have passed so quickly. This Wednesday I will take a seat for a moment of reflection on those steps at Veterans Field before the game and remember that night 10 years ago nearly to the day. I will remember the friend, husband, father, mentor, athlete, public servant and all that Steve was to Aitkin in his years on this earth. I hope you take a moment this week in your busy lives and think about Steve Sandberg, the kind of person we should all strive to be. He is never, ever forgotten!

      Well folks, nine months ago I talked about to you about teammates and how good ones will always have your back and take care of you when needed. I am back this week to tell you about the loss of one of those teammates and how tough that loss can be. Since her surgery in February to remove a cancerous leg our little dog has lived her best life. A new fence gave her the freedom to run the yard without fear of getting into the street and her ability to be off her leash most of the time. She chased squirrels and chipmunks and birds, knowing full well she would never catch one and what to do if she did. It was a great life for the little dog and she loved it. She would lay in the backyard for hours and watch the world go by. She didn't seem to lose a step with three legs and people she met on her walks marveled at her love of life and her ability to move around like the little tripod she was. Less than two weeks ago she was still going for her walks everyday and it appeared nothing was wrong. She had never had a seizure before but all of a sudden she had a number in a 24 hour period and we were at a loss at to what was causing them. A visit to the vet brought no answers but with some medication we hoped it would control them until we found out what was wrong. Our little teammate needed our help but we couldn't help her. Then after a four-day period of being lethargic and needing help to go outside once again we knew we were going to have to make another decision. One week ago we were back at the vet and deciding that with so many things going against her we were not going to get our little dog back. There was no guarantee that that would happen even with treatment and so with tears in our eyes we told the doctor that we needed to let Jaz go. Barb held her and for the first time in four days she let us touch her and pet her and comfort her. As the first shot started to take effect she looked at me and said "It's okay Dad, I'm ready to cross the rainbow bridge and meet Malcolm and Echo and say hi to Tigger and Ella." The vet assistant put her on the table and we said our final goodbyes, I told her thank you and I love you and then it was over. Again for the second time we asked ourselves if we had done the right thing but I knew when she looked at me that final time she was ready to say goodbye to the pain. The healing has begun but every day I have to hold Juno, our cat, and try to tell him that it's okay, his buddy was gone but not forgotten. Other pets know, they really do and Juno misses his friend that he has had for over ten years. It's very difficult for Barb since I am gone many nights in the winter covering sports because Jaz was a constant companion. Tough for me because she was always waiting on the couch for me to get home. I will miss my little girl and all the time we spent on the front porch in the summer waving at cars and enjoying people that stopped to say hello. She will most definitely be our last dog but we will remember them all. I have to give a shout-out to Iron Range Veterinary Clinic for all the help they have given us in the past two weeks. They helped make Jaz's journey a little easier and I think they were as sad as we were on that final trip. I knew this day would come but nothing makes it easier or prepares you for it. Another teammate gone and this one really hurts. I know you have all gone through this so you understand. Jaz, you were the best, right there with Echo but each of you had your own special life. God bless you and know that I will always miss you my little girl!