Guest book problems, anyone?

I've appreciated the continued comments the paper has gotten on the guest book. In case anyone still has problems, even with the alternative "guest book", feel free to email me a comment, and I can post it on the site. And be sure to check out your own software as well.

Look for the Red Tent

Any of you who come to the Waubay Celebration, please stop by the Peterson Produce booth at the flea market on Saturday, July 2, "under the red tent." Our wares will include cookies baked homestyle at BJ's Cafe in Ortley, and patriotic goodies for kids of all ages. And I'll be happy to autograph your copy of the Ortley Optic Online!

Upcoming Events

Lots of stuff coming up in just one week! Here's a summary:

First, a repeat of the Ortley Reunion announcement:

ORTLEY REUNION!
A reunion of former & present Ortley residents and former students of the Ortley School!

When? Sunday, July 3rd, 2005, 12:30 PM

Where? BJ's Cafe, Ortley

What? Food & Fun!

Many have been sent invitations, but in case you didn't get one in the mail, here's your online invitation! If you'll be able to attend, please RSVP to Brenda Jerde, 16650 449th Ave., Florence, SD 57235.

$5.00 per adult - children free.

Bring any old photos!

You may contact Shirley Swanson for more info at 947-4349.

Next:

Waubay to observe 125th anniversary

Governor Mike Rounds has proclaimed July 2 as Waubay Quasquicentennial Day. The proclamation will be published in the 125th Anniversary Book, "125 Years of Progress"

Saturday, July 2:
8:00 2 mile walk/5K run, sponsored by Waubay Avera Health Clinic

9:00 Waubay Sr. Center begins serving breakfast

Noon lunches on Main St. by various organizations

1:00 Parade, followed by car & motorcycle show, antique tractors, threshing bee, flea market, memory board, celebration memorabilia at Jessie's Fitness Center

Fun Fest sponsored by City Library: children's games, dunk tank, car smash, 2 carnival rides, petting zoo, barrel train rides, pony cart rides, ice cream wopida

Waubay Alumni Association meeting & supper 6:30 PM in HS Auditorium

7:00 drawings for basket raffle at City Library

9:00 American Legion Street Dance

Sunday, July 3:

10:30 AM Ecumenical Church service at Jackson Surma Park, followed by pork barbecue

1:00 Live entertainment by various local musicians in the Park. Also a lawn mower pull, cow plop, mutton busting, beard judging, raffle drawings, flea market

Watermelon, sweet corn, etc. at park all afternoon

Fireworks display at dark, sponsored by First Savings Bank.

Lebanon

The Lebanon Church Society holds its annual celebration on the afternoon of July 3. More details soon.

ORTLEY REUNION!

A reunion of former & present Ortley residents and former students of the Ortley School!

When? Sunday, July 3rd, 2005, 12:30 PM

Where? BJ's Cafe, Ortley

What? Food & Fun!

Many have been sent invitations, but in case you didn't get one in the mail, here's your online invitation! If you'll be able to attend, please RSVP to Brenda Jerde, 16650 449th Ave., Florence, SD 57235.

$5.00 per adult - children free.

Bring any old photos!

You may contact Shirley Swanson for more info at 947-4349.

NOTE - as many of you know, Waubay is holding its 125th anniversary celebration on July 2-3, so there will be the opportunity to take in those festivities as well. Also, the annual Lebanon Church reunion will be on Sunday, July 3, in the afternoon, for those with Lebanon connections and those who wish to take in the festivities. Lots going on that day! Note that Ortley & Egeland churches will be participating in the Community Worship Service at the Park in Waubay at 10:30 AM Sunday, July 3.

Produce & Rummage

Peterson Produce will be selling Ortley-grown produce & rummage sale items, including patriotic items priced $1 and less, "under the red canopy" next to Lil' Kountry Drive In at Waubay, Saturday, June 18, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Alternative Guest Book (in case you have trouble with the main one)

Many thanks to those who have stopped by the Guest Book and left comments. Unfortunately one faithful reader has consistently been unable to leave a comment. The guest book server asks the reader to key in a randomly-generated 4-digit number to log in and leave a comment, and unfortunately he hasn't been able to read the number. So far I've only heard of one person with this problem, but there could be others I haven't heard from.

Here's my stopgap measure: this post will serve as our "alternative guest book". Here are the instructions: directly below this paragraph you'll see the words "posted by Michael" followed by a time of day and the word "Comments". Just click either the time or the word "comments" and you can read the comments others have left, and leave one of your own. In case anyone has trouble getting this to work, please let me know. I appreciate the comments and contributions many have made. I'm adding a link to the "Alternative Guest Book" to the sidebar so you can always go directly to this post. I hope this helps, and keep the comments coming!

Local News & Notes

Bill & Jannis Palmer recently celebrated their 43rd anniversary on June 9. Ray & Barbara Witte took them to the Hot Spot in Bristol for steak. The Palmers also have grandkids visiting for the summer, and Jannis' youngest son from Lincoln, NE came to spend a few days with her.

BJ's Cafe will be closed during June 18-20 while the Wittes go camping near Pierre and take part in a family reunion on Ray's side.

On Wednesday, June 15, Pastor Michael Peterson (yours truly) spent the day at the Annual Conference of the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, being held this year at Valley City State University in Valley City, ND. The conference began on Tuesday evening and concludes today, June 17. A number of people with Ortley connections are very active in this conference, most notably Pastor Brian Davidson, who serves as Secretary of the AFLC and has a very big job while the conference is in session. I also saw former Ortley pastors John Rieth, Jon Wellumson & wife Lynn, Jon Benson & wife Jeannette, Dave Johnson & wife Vicki, & Roy Johnson (Roy & John have wives too, I just didn't see them). Pastor Benson also has an important conference job, as he has been the chief teller (vote counter) for a number of years now. I also enjoy pitching in with vote counting when I have the chance to attend the conference. They need all the help they can get, and I think it's great fun to know the results of elections before everyone else (even when I lose - I was up for a seat on the Schools Corporation and the Nominating Committee, and "lost" both - a slight disappointment, but no biggie, because I've got lots of stuff to do already - as they say at the Oscars, "it's an honor just to be nominated ..."). Greetings also from Corrine Mattson of Greenbush, MN - she & husband Dr. Lyle were members at Ortley Free Lutheran a number of years ago. Greetings also from retired Missionary Connely Dyrud, who remembers well when he visited Ortley a number of years ago, and would like to make a return visit - it can be arranged!

June 30, 1908 Town Board Minutes

June 30th 1908

Special meeting of the Town board.

All members present - meeting called to order by
the president.  On motion of S.A. Buck the following
Bills were allowed.

Northwestern Stamp Works for Tags Seal & 4 Stars    8.25
Ortley Optic for Printing & Stationery             10.73
Nels Swinnimson 2 days Judge of Elections           4.00
Sisseton Banner News for Printing Notice of Incorp. 3.95
C.E. Anderson Cash advanced to Co. Commissioners   43.00
Fuller & Fuller Attorneys for Incorporation       123.50
C.E. Anderson expenses 3 trips to Sisseton         12.36
William Aikers 10 days road overseeing  20.25 \   
"      "    2 days Judge of Election     4.00 /    24.25
V.L. Branum for assessing Village                  24.00
 No other business on hand
  Meeting adjourned

   O.E. Thorsgaard
    Clerk

Editor's note: If any of you experts on old Ortley have any
corrections or other input, please let me know. Mr. Thorsgaard's
handwriting is beautiful, but occasionally a bit mysterious.
For example, I'm not sure I have "Swinnimson" right, but that's
what it looks like to me.

Red Tent Sale!

Home grown gourmet radishes, rhubarb, flea market items
at Lil' Kountry Drive Inn parking lot, Waubay
Beginning 8:00 AM Saturday, June 11
Peterson Produce & the Holzerlands

June 28, 1908 Town Board Minutes (short & sweet)

June 28/08

Regular meeting of the Town Board
All members present.
 Meeting called to order by President
Board organized as Equalization board.
for the Town of Ortley.  No complaints
being made the assessor’s books were accepted
 There being no further business
  Meeting adjourned

  O.E. Thorsgaard
   Clerk

News and Notes

Many thanks to all those who took part in Memorial Day observances this week. We had good calm weather this last Monday, and the sun came out close to noon. 42 people (if I remember that right) came for the Memorial Day program at BJ's Hall. Bill Palmer read the roll call, Ray Witte gave an address, poems were read by Jannis Palmer and Mona Rudebusch, and "yours truly" led in prayers and song, as well as sharing a reading on the history of Memorial Day. Many continued out to the cemetery afterward, and many enjoyed a fine potluck meal back at the hall.

Many also came out for military observances and refreshments at the Lebanon Cemetery bright and early at 8:00 AM.

Ortley native Pat O'Riley emailed me to say that he was having trouble signing the guest book on this web site. I'll try to get to the bottom of it. In the meantime, if anyone else has trouble signing the guest book, an alternative is simply to click the time or the word "comments" after any article and leave a comment.

April 1930 Business Directory

April 1930 - 157 people

Arthur Payne       Carpenter
Charles Gilland    Blacksmith
Bert Thompson      Blacksmith
W.J. Gould         Drayman
Sigvard Fosnes     Depot Agent Railroad
Richard Shoemacker Laborer Lumberyard
Blanche Shoemacker Teacher
Nick Pies          Salesman Service Station
Henry Dorsett      Patrolman
J. Bringe          Mail Carrier R.F.D.
Paul Bringe        Laborer Bridge Crew
Phillip Thune      Section Man Railroad
Charles Whitefoot  Merchant General Store
Cornelius Whitefoot Salesman General Store
Leslie Beck        Salesman Groceries
Minnie Trumer      Clerk Studio
Roy Jeffrey        Salesman Garage
Henry Vollan       Laborer Railroad
Bertha Vollan      Waitress Cafe
Ed Scipranis       Manager Elevator
L. Kempter         Manager Lumberyard
Harold Pearson     Teacher
Andrew Pies        Salesman Garage
Nick Pies          Salesman Garage
Olaf Skatvold      Salesman General Store
Chancey Cotton     Janitor Schoolhouse
Carl Melander      Salesman General Store
Joseph Hagen       Cream Buyer
Agnes Hagen        Manager Eating House
Thomas Stegan      Manager Hardware Store
Albert Peterson    Salesman Hardware
B. Newton          Pastor Free Methodist Church
Orville Wise       Banker
Melvin Skatvold    Salesman General Store
Olaf Moxness       Manager Elevator
Helena Bollman     Manager General Store

June 4th Garage Sale in Waubay

4 FAMILY GARAGE SALE: DON’T MISS! JUNE 4TH 8AM
Toys, Small Electric Keyboard with stand, Home Interior, Household Items, Furniture, & Much Misc......918 South Lakeshore Drive (Blue Dog Lake), Ness Residence........No sales before June 4th!