HARTINGTON — The Cedar County News is handing out free tickets to the Lewis and Clark El Riad Shrine Circus, which will be held Tuesday July 7 at Yankton’s Crane Youngworth Field.
Anyone wishing to pick up a free ticket can stop at the Cedar County News office at 102 W Main St. in Hartington Friday morning or anytime Monday.

Trent Becker introduces the Blueprint.

HARTINGTON — Wrestlefest 2009 took center stage Saturday night at the Msgr. Werner Activity Center here.
The event featured 1984 Cedar Catholic graduate Paul Neu.
Neu has been wrestling professionally for 20 years and has wrestled in over 20 countries. He organized the event as a way to help his alma mater raise funds for a new school bus.

Paul Neu received a special plaque - the top of an old desk laminated and signed by his former classmates.

The event featured six matches, including the main event, a tag team match between Neu and his partner against Lax Homicide andMax Morgan.

Wynot —  Wynot School Board members are looking at moving ahead with a school remodeling project.
Bids for the project, which could end up costing an estimated $256,000, were opened on Monday, June 29.
“A bid from BC Builders out of Battle Creek for the roof was accepted – they can start around July 20,” said board president Neil Hochstein. “The other bids were tabled until the July 9 meeting. We need some more information.”
The proposals include spending close to $181,500 on mold prevention and a little over $75,000 for life safety codes to meet fire marshal orders.
The board is expected to make a decision on July 9 on whether to proceed with bonding for the school upgrades.
“The board can levy up to 5.2 cents for a bond without bringing it to a vote,” said Hochstein.

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HARTINGTON — The Cedar County Tourism Board recently awarded grants to two Cedar County Tourism Groups.
The Corps of Discovery Welcome Center which is located on Highway 81 south of Yankton, SD was awarded a $1,200.00 grant that will be used to construct an informational outside display case that will highlight events and attractions in N.E. Nebraska.

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WAYNE — For the first time in over 25 years, the Hartington Dolphins competed in a swim meet in Wayne.

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HAYS, Kan. — Two area football stars competed in another eight-man All Star game this summer.
Hartington High School graduate Caleb Lammers and Tyler Hefner of Coleridge competed in the  Kansas-Nebraska eight-man all-star football game at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays on Saturday.
Kevin Mahlberg of Elwood and Rod Brummels of Clearwater/Orchard are the head coaches of the Nebraska team for the second-year game.
Kansas forced six fumbles and outgained Nebraska 276-205. Nebraska’s special teams play made the difference, though as Nebraska earned the 20-12 win in the second annual Kansas vs. Nebraska Eight-Man All-Star game.
Kansas had a chance to tie the game, but Kansas quarterback Mason Salmans fumbled at the Nebraska 28-yard line with 1:18 left. The teams moved to 1-1 in the series after Kansas won the inaugural game at Doane College last summer.
The game was scoreless before Kansas set up a short field on a 26-yard punt midway through the second quarter.
Nebraska’s Brendon Jorgenson completed an eight-play, 55-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run. Nebraska led 8-0 at the 6:46 mark of the first half when Giltner’s Kyle Spotts caught Ewing’s Brett Kaczor’s 2-point conversion pass. Kaczor earned Nebraska Offensive MVP honors after he rushed for 55 yards and passed for 124. Anselmo-Merna’s Tyler Bartak picked up Defensive honors.

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WYNOT — Wynot is now 8-1 in Cedar County League baseball action and 5-5 in the tough South Central League.
Wynot defeated Randolph 18-0 in Cedar County League action June 27.
The Expos earned a 2-0 first-inning lead against Randolph thanks to a pair of Randolph errors, several Wynot stolen bases and a Scott Heimes single.

The Expos plated six more runs in the second inning to take command of the contest. The offensive surge was led by Scott Morrison and a Brett Wiebelhaus doubles.  Lee Heimes, Scott Heimes, Shawn Koch and Tyler Kuchta also earned hits in the inning.

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HARTINGTON — The Hartington 18-and-under girls’ softball team tuned up for District action with a big 15-0 win over Fordyce Thursday.
Districts didn’t go so well on Saturday, however.
Despite a stellar pitching performance by Tracy Peitz, the Hartington girls were not able to post a win in District action Saturday in South Sioux City.
The Hartington girls were in contention to win both their opening-round game against Ainsworth and their second-round contest against Verdigre, but an anemic offense hindered their efforts.
Peitz struck out six of Ainsworth’s first seven batters Saturday as the Black Bettys earned a 1-0 early lead. She ended the contest with 11 strikeouts.
Hartington put the first score on the board when lead-off batter Kaylee Dump reached base on an error, advanced on a stolen base and then moved home on a wild pitch. She then scored on a passed ball.

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Girls 14 & under softball team had their second game of the season June 22 at Crofton.
Hartington got its offense going with two outs in the first inning when Ashley Morten singled and  Sara Pinkelman walked. Courtney Hochstein then singled to load the bases and Michaela Dendinger smacked a three-run double.
Crofton Scored five runs in their half of the inning to give the home team a 5-3 advantage.
Crofton scored three more in the second, while holding Hartington scoreless to take an 8-3 lead after two innings.
In the third inning Ashley Morten, Courtney Hochstein, Michaela Dendinger, Kallie Leise, and Ria Pedersen all had hits to help Hartington plate three runs.  Crofton added to their score with one more run to make the score 9-6.
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Hartington 10s top Crofton, but fall to Fordyce

HARTINGTON — The Hartington 10-and-under softball girls had two solid games this past week.
On Tuesday the team traveled to Crofton, earning a 10-10 tie.
The girls came ready to play after having a couple of weeks off due to rain outs, said coach Tina Derickson.
During the game against Crofton the girls showed lots of improvements as a team they had many outstanding defensive plays, Derickson said.
Hartington’s coaches said Lauren Steffen made some sound plays at getting the lead runners out for her spot on the mound.
Scoring for Hartington was Michaela Derickson, Sophie Noecker, Lauren Steffen, Kayla Loberg, Sydney Christensen, Ryley Eickhoff, Ashley Hamilton, and Alissa Miller.

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CHICO, Calif. — Lois Blaschke, 48, Chico, Calif., died June 21, 2009, at the Enloe Medical Center, Chico.
Mass of Christian Burial was June 27 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Fordyce, with Rev. David Fulton officiating.
Private family burial will be at a later date at St. John the Baptist Cemetery.
Arrangements were under the direction of the Wintz Funeral Home in Hartington.
Lois was born Nov. 9, 1960, at Omaha, to Benedict and Marcella (Bollich) Blaschke. She grew up in Fordyce and attended West Catholic Elementary School, Fordyce. She graduated from Cedar Catholic High School in 1979, and attended the University of South Dakota, Vermillion, S.D., for two years where she received an associate of arts degree in 1983. She moved to Reno, Nev., where she did photography and art work. After a few years, she moved to Chico and graduated from the California State University where she studied health systems. She worked at an animal hospital in Chico until her ill health caused her to retire in the early 1990s. She loved singing and caring for animals.
Lois is survived by her mother, Marcella “Sally” Blaschke, Fordyce; a brother and his wife, Roger and Kathy Blaschke, Black Diamond, Wash.; two sisters, Tami Tomlinson and her husband, Brian, Iberia, Mo; and Connie McPhillips, Fordyce; seven nieces and nephews, Brandon and Gunnar Blaschke, Black Diamond, Wash.; Megan Tomlinson, Brumley, Mo.; Dawn and Eric Neidergeses, Lincoln; Corey McPhillips, Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Nathan and Lincoln McPhillips, Fordyce.
Lois was preceded in death by her father, Benedict; an infant sister, Mary; an infant brother, Vincent; her paternal grandparents, Vincent and Elizabeth Blaschke; and her maternal grandparents, Frank and Mary Bollich.