It was announced today that a couple, Veronica & Jim Austerman from Kimball Township, MN will be opening a Surf Shop on the south shore of Swine Lake. Jim, a piano, accordion, and keyboard musician, originally from Southern California, said in an interview with the Daily Boar Newspaper "Ever since my wife brought me here to Sweet Swine County, I’ve always wanted to open a Surf Shop here on Swine Lake.” Jim recalls, “To be cool in SoCal, (The hip name for Southern California) meant you had to listen to the Beach Boys, Dick Dale & the Deltones, and be a surfer dude to impress the chicks when we were teenagers. So, a couple of friends and I bought some righteous looking surf boards, put em’ on top of our car, tuned-in to radio station KRLA that always played the most popular surfing music, and went cruising around the Huntington and Seal Beach areas every weekend.” “How did that work out for you guys?” our Daily Boar Newspaper interviewer inquired. “Truthfully,” Jim laughs, “Not that good once the beach bunnies found out that we were just surfer dude wannabes too afraid to get in the water with those huge Pacific Ocean waves... However, now that I’ve seen the much smaller waves that the boats make here on Swine Lake, I figured they were more in my comfort level, so I decided that this would be a perfect place for Surfing!” Jim said The Surf Shop will have limited hours, because he and Veronica travel extensively performing and promoting his CDs.
Jim has been a piano and accordion player since he was five years old. He was raised by his grandparents Harvey & Ruth Headley of Dyess, Arkansas, the birthplace of Johnny Cash. Jim’s great grandfather and Johnny Cash’s grandfather had a blacksmith’s shop in Dyess. Jim recalls that he never did get the opportunity to personally meet Johnny Cash, but he did develop his love for guitar music from listening to Johnny Cash records.
Jim learned many of his accordion techniques from the world famous accordion player Myron Floren of the Lawrence Welk Show. Jim says that his most treasured piece of musical history is his personally signed photograph of Mr. Floren that he keeps in his music room. Jim also took accordion lessons for many years from the very accomplished accordion player Larry Malmberg of Richfield, MN. Larry was the original accordionist for the very popular polka band leader Whoopie John.
(Coming Soon) Click on the photo of the Surf Shop to see Veronica & Jim on The Cocklebur Morning Show
.jpg)
The biggest difference between Pig Alley Mystery Tour and their competitors is attention to pigs. Since inception it has been their goal to provide local communities with not just the excitement that naturally comes when pigs arrive in town, but to provide a total entertainment venue focused on family and community. When you enter Pig Alley, you will be able to watch special programs including--The Running of the Pigs and a Pig Calling Contest! Visit the Baby Pig Petting Zoo and take part in a variety of pig games, all while you enjoy pork products, such as pork chops on a stick!
Betty Thompson who has yet to appear on her show Cooking it up with Betty, met with Bryan "Hollywood" Peterson to discuss doing a show in Switzerland. Mr. Hollywood a high powered agent from Gstaad Switzerland told the Daily Boar: "I feel Miss. Thompson would be perfect for a show I am developing called Utterly Switzerland. Betty would be co staring with international star Mr. Swis Alps. Betty and Swis would be demonstrating everything from playing the alphorn to milking a cow, Utterly Switzerland is sure to be a hit! Cousin John KLUK TV producer was quoted as saying: "Betty Thompson has a contract with us for Cooking it up with Betty and she better be on the set by Monday!"
.jpg)
