Fred’s Body Shop to close
Luverne is losing one of its three body shops, with the closing of Fred’s Body Shop.
Fred Hendrickson started in the body shop business, in 1949, when he was a junior in high school in Mitchell, S. D.
In 1965, he moved to Luverne with his wife Deloris to become the manager of Don’s Body Shop, owned at the time by Don Wilcox.
Don decided to pursue other career opportunities and hired Fred to run the business on a day-to-day basis.
The business was located in what is now the Rock County Star Herald building, but in 1976, Fred bought the business from Wilcox and moved to a new building he had built on 303 W. Edgehill, where he has operated until today.
Fred’s current building has been purchased by Gene Aanenson, owner of Service Master in Luverne.
Check it out
Luverne’s newest city pocket park has an unusual new addition, a windmill.
I didn’t ask, but I believe it is for aesthetics, and probably will not be used to pump water.
The new windmill is located in Evergreen Park, on the site that used to be the home of Albert and Marge Christensen, on Blue Mound Avenue.
Dayton aide to discuss school funding
Jim Gelbmann, aide to Sen. Mark Dayton, will be in Luverne on Wednesday, Dec. 12, to hold a special forum on special education funding.
The thrust of the discussion will be the federal government’s failure to fully fund its share of special education costs and how it has harmed Minnesota schools and students.
Gelbmann will meet with teachers, parents, administrators and school board members to update them on upcoming efforts in Congress to improve special education programs and funding.
The next bill the Senate is expected to address on this issue is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
IDEA is expected to determine future funding and implementation of special education services.
Currently, there is a $242 million annual shortfall in Minnesota.
Ice is forming but it’s not very thick
I went for a cruise around our fair city on Tuesday after Rotary.
While passing the Vets Home pond, Ben Vander Kooi noted that the pond was frozen over.
That site of the thin layer of ice on the Vets Home pond quickly brought to mind the recent tragedy of the three young drowning victims in Anoka County, near Minneapolis.
Three boys, Shawn, Cody and Mark Ostendorf were playing in the back yard of their rural home.
When their mother turned her back briefly, they walked on a slightly frozen pond that could not hold their weight.
The two older boys, Shawn and Mark were pronounced dead shortly after recovery.
The youngest, 2-year-old Mark lived until Tuesday, when efforts to keep him alive were ended.
The sight of that slightly frozen Vets pond reminded me that at this time of the year, how dangerous ponds and creeks as well as the Rock River can be.
According to a recent graphic in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, these are the thickness needed for safe ice.
12 inches: Cars and light Trucks
8 inches: Compact cars
5 inches: Snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles
4 inches: Person can walk safely
Less than 4 inches: Unsafe
Also remember that snow acts as an insulation and can prevent the ice from hardening as fast as if it were exposed.
Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com