New-to-Me Store, Garage Fire, Halloween's Coming, and Torches

Sunday, October 25, 2009. I noticed a new sign on the storefront next to the Thread Shed on Main last week. I know: It's been there for a month - since September 21, - and It's A Dollar had their Grand Opening last week. What can I say? I've been a little distracted.


I've mentioned how gray October is: and dark. That car's running with headlights on, and it's early afternoon. October
22, 2009.

They still had their "Grand Opening" signs and balloons up when I went this week, to take a look around.


Pretty good selection, actually. October 22, 2009.

I talked to Kirstin, one of the co-managers - the other one's Sundae - and learned that the place is owned by John Johnston, is tied to Thread Shed and the Todd County DCA - and that the Sauk Centre Herald had done a pretty good write-up on them about two weeks back. I figured I'd look up that article - but discovered that we didn't have that issue in the house.

Despite its name, I learned that not all the items in It's A Dollar sell for a dollar. Some go at two or four for a dollar.


Oh, yeah: That got my attention. October 24, 2009.

Around supper time, I heard a siren on south Ash Street and saw an ambulance turn east, a block north of us. Then another siren, and this time it was a fire truck turning here at the corner of 9th and south Ash.

And there were a lot of red flashing lights off in the general direction of the school. My oldest daughter and I went to see what was going on: three units from the Sauk Centre Fire Department, and an ambulance were parked on that stub of East Street near the school, and a police car was blocking the other end of the street.


It could have been worse: a lot worse. That light on the roof seems to be some sort of flashlight. October 24, 2009.

When we got over to south 8th, I realized why so many units had come out. There was a bit of smoke coming from the back of a garage: and a fuel oil tank sat just back of the garage. This time of year, there could have been well upwards of a hundred gallons of oil in there.

The fire crew had to push a cinder block chimney over, but they got the fire out. And, in what I thought was a really nice gesture, helped get a tarp over the new hole in the roof.


Halloween's coming. October 22, 2009.

In the two-decades-plus that I've lived in Sauk Centre, I haven't been to Monster Manor. Not once. It's been open this weekend, and of course will be on for Halloween - which I see is next weekend.


The Marian Garden by Our Lady of the Angels church. October 25, 2009.

Statues in the Marian Garden by Our Lady of the Angels church got blessed this evening. A fair number of people turned out.

More about that another time.