By Lori Ehde
Sometimes the best way to start a new year is to reflect on the previous 12 months.
Last year in Rock County won’t be remembered for press-stopping news events, but the 2002 editions of the Star Herald clearly identify several ongoing issues that combine to make it a standout year in local history.

Growing meth problem
The growing meth problem tops the list of Rock County’s most important stories of 2002.

The pages of the Star Herald last year were peppered with stories of meth lab seizures and meth possession and use arrests, and finally the Thanksgiving week arrest of several meth dealers.

It’s at the top of the list because of its far-reaching effects on not only the addicts but on their families, schools, community and law enforcement.

Frustrated and fearful for their children’s lives, a group of parents and concerned community members started meeting to offer each other support, to educate the public and to improve communication with law enforcement and schools.

Parents: The Anti-Drug and Violence Task Force formed in September and continues to play an active role in combating and preventing meth use.

Community policing
In light of Rock County’s growing meth problem, 2002 presented the perfect timing for a new approach to law enforcement.

Community Policing emphasizes problem solving and partnerships with the community — its public and private organizations and its residents.

An assessment of the Rock County Sheriff’s Department by the Upper Midwest Policing Institute identified strengths and weaknesses in the department that its members are already working to address.

Election 2002 eventful
Just in time for new community policing ideals, the Sheriff’s Department has a new leader following the 2002 elections.

After 12 years at the helm, Rock County Sheriff Ron McClure will relinquish his duties to Sergeant Mike Winkels, who easily won the county’s sheriff election, 2,663-1,800.

Winkels said the campaign was a good way for the two candidates to mingle with the public. "I told Ron, the one good thing about this campaign is that you’re out talking to people, and I’m out talking to people, and that’s what community policing is all about."

Another local race that received a lot of attention was the auditor-treasurer’s race.

Margaret Cook, who’s worked in the Auditor-Treasurer’s Office since 1978, announced she’d retire at the end of the year prompting a flurry of interested candidates for the job.

The September primaries resulted in current Auditor-Treasurer employees Gloria Rolfs and Lisa Ahrendt-DeBoer on the ballot.

They beat out Nic o’Lena Bosch, Candace Reese, Ona Reker and Johnna Bowron- Ahrendt for a run at the general election.

Rolfs earned the honor by a narrow margin in November with 53.91 percent of the votes, compared with DeBoer’s 46.03 percent.

Hospital plans to build
Increasingly finding that its current facilities aren’t adequate to deliver modern medical services, Luverne Community Hospital and Sioux Valley Hospitals and Health System spent much of 2002 looking for solutions.

An architect’s study showed it would be more cost-effective to build new than to remodel, so hospital administration announced in early November its plans to build a new facility somewhere else in Luverne.

Those plans, however, are contingent on finding a suitable buyer for the current hospital and medical center structures.

The county, with its potential need for new law enforcement space, seemed an obvious buyer, but just last month, the County Board announced it would not buy the hospital buildings.

That decision was based on a recommendation by its architects, that remodeling the structures to make them suitable for county use would be too costly for it to be a viable project.

The hospital continues to seek a suitable occupant for its current facilities so the new building project can move forward.

Tri-State to stay
Another exciting announcement was that Tri-State Insurance, a company that’s been in Luverne for nearly 100 years, is staying in Luverne after all.

Now known as Continental Western Group Tri-State Region, it was about to move to Sioux Falls following reorganization of its parent company, W.R. Berkley Corp., Greenwich, Conn.

The city of Luverne had been unsuccessful in its efforts to keep Continental Western Group in Luverne, but when Berkley Corporation announced last fall that Berkley Information Services would also leave Luverne, efforts resumed to keep those jobs in town.

Berkley signed a deal with Luverne Economic Development Authority in which Berkley signed another 10-year lease on the BTS building and LEDA contributed $750,000 to add 8,500 square feet to the existing BTS structure.

CWG employees, about 100 of them, will move into the BTS building later this month, vacating the $1 million Tri-State Building, which was given to LEDA as part of the agreement with Berkley.

LEDA is now working to recruit a suitable business for the Tri-State building.

By Sara Strong
The Palace Theatre is about to resurface as a local entertainment hotspot.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 10 through Jan. 12, will bring a movie to the historic theater.

"We really want to look at our audience and get movies that will fit a wide range of interest — families and older people," said Tammy Makram, director of the Council for Arts and Humanities in Rock County.

The upcoming movie hasn’t been chosen yet, but will come through Universal Studios because of licensing agreements.

Soon, the options will open for the Palace and more studios will show movies there.

"We want people to see films they wouldn’t have been able to see in Sioux Falls," Makram said.

Independent movies, well-reviewed or award-winning movies are a goal for Makram to get in the Palace. Classics, such as Alfred Hitchock productions, are also a priority.

Makram will work as part of a committee, including Ben Vander Kooi, who’s taken on the Palace as a sort of pet community project.

"We hope people look to the Palace as a place for events, plays, performances or talent shows," Vander Kooi had previously said about the theater.

The Blue Mound Area Theater Board has owned the Palace Theatre for less than a year, and said its goal was to keep it open for public enjoyment.

The movies (other than the first one) will be shown the first weekend of the month. Vander Kooi said he hopes the first weekend routine becomes habit for people wanting to see movies.

The Palace’s marquee, newspaper ads, radio spots and the Carnegie Cultural Center and the Carnegie Web site will announce the upcoming movies.

An important part of the new movie nights, Makram said, is that the community feels it has a say in what’s shown.

"We appreciate community input too. Let us know what movies that we should try to get in the Palace," Makram said.

A good way to reach the movie committee is through Makram at the Carnegie Cultural Center at 283-8294 or through e-mail at infor@rockartsrock.com.

Up next at the Palace
The Green Earth Players have set a date for their 25th anniversary Variety Show Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 8 and 9.

Prudence Johnson, a jazz singer who takes stage with a single pianist, will perform at 2 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23.

"We are very fortunate to get her because she’s going national and is working with a big management company," Makram said,

Tickets can be purchased through the box office at the Carnegie Cultural Center during regular hours 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays; and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays.

New Minnesota license plate available for those ‘proud to be a veteran’

Minnesota veterans now have the opportunity to purchase a special license plate and simultaneously donate to the World War II Veterans’ Memorial Fund.

Minnesota’s Driver and Vehicle Services Division and the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs have announced that the new veteran’s license plates are now available.

The plates feature a prominent United States flag and the legend, "Proud to Be a Veteran."

The license plates may be displayed on cars, vans, pickup trucks and recreational vehicles.

A special plate application is available at all deputy registrar locations or on DVS’s Web site www.mndriveinfo.org.

To be eligible to purchase the plates, one must have participated in active military service in a branch of the United States armed forces and received an honorable discharge.

Unlike the situation with other veteran plates, there is no restriction regarding dates of service. (Previous Minnesota "Vet" license plates were specific to individual conflicts, except for the Ex-POW and Congressional Medal of Honor plates.)

Purchase of the new Veteran plates requires a one-time, $30 contribution to the World War II Veterans Memorial Fund, a $10 plate fee and a $7 filing fee. Applicants are asked to provide a certified copy of their separation papers (DD214 or equivalent) at the time of application.

The Minnesota World War II Veterans Memorial is currently in the planning stages; it will be built and placed on the Minnesota Capitol grounds near the already completed Korean and Vietnam Memorials.

Those two memorials varied in with the Korean Memorial costing approximately $600,000, and the Vietnam Memorial costing approximately $900,000. The World War II memorial is anticipated to cost approximately one million dollars.

The Memorial Fund is currently about halfway to its goal. Contributions to the memorial fund are being accepted from veterans and general public at this time.

More information on the memorial is available at the Minnesota Veterans Affairs Web site at www.mdva.state.mn.us

Rock County Veterans Service Officer Ron Hansen can be reached at 283-5061.

Luverne High School boys' basketball cheerleaders perform a half-time routine durign the Cardinal Holiday Tournament action Friday night in the high school gym.

Top 2002 stories are: growing meth problem, community policing, elections, new hospital, Tri-State plans to stay, fatal Cor-Tech accident, Magnolia Steakhouse fire, True Value-Country Store, Global Ventures sentences and Highway 75 work. Above: Damage from the March 19 Magnolia Steakhouse fire in Luverne caused the family business to close for 5 1/2 months. Story inside.

Photo by Lori Ehde

July
oMidwest Canine opened a new dog boarding and training facility with room for 40 dogs and six "doggie" suites. The suites offer a private suite with a bed, a television and a basket of doggie toys.

oThe Hills City Council began discussions with Rock County Rural Water on how to address the city’s water needs.

Discussion stemmed from a Tuesday, June 25, incident when the city water tower was pumped dry.
oThe Hills-Beaver Creek School District was awarded a $20,000 grant from the Southwest Minnesota Foundation.

The grant funded the Book of the Week program offered to students over the summer, the Kid Care after school program and reading, writing and math nights at the school during the school year.

oWendell Erickson announced his retirement after 37 years in politics.

Erickson’s career began in 1964 with a bid for the Minnesota House of Representatives.

Erickson served on the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board for six years beginning in 1987.

He ran for Rock County Commissioner, and won, taking office on January 1, 1995.

August
oOn Friday, July 26, officers executed a search warrant at the rural Hills residence of Donald Fredrick Wilson.

The warrant didn’t yield a substantial seizure of drugs, but all evidence of a methamphetamine lab was there, including paint thinner, lithium batteries and drug paraphernalia, according to Rock County Sheriff Ron McClure.

oThe Rock County Sheriff’s Department, after an agency-wide assessment, is transitioning into a new style of law enforcement called community policing.

Community policing is a different structure of organization, emphasizing problem solving and partnerships – partnerships with the community.

oThunderstorms rumbled through the region Wednesday, Aug. 21, dropping six inches of rain. Prior to August, rainfall in southwest Minnesota was three to six inches below normal.

September
oAfter 30 years on the Hills Fire Department, Fire Chief Alan Top announced his plans to retire as fire chief.

oJesse Leuthold and Angie Bush were crowned king and queen at homecoming coronation at Hills-Beaver Creek High School.

October
oM & M Repair, Steen, owned by Melvin and Minnie Van Batavia, celebrated 25 years in the auto repair business with an open house.

oBodyguard Dan Heidt spoke to Hills-Beaver Creek students about making the right choices, about drug abuse and about defusing potentially violent situations.

oThe Hills-Braver Creek School Board approved payment of a $3,500 fee to Group II Architects, Sioux Falls, S.D., to begin the process for new high school locker rooms.

oThe Hills-Beaver Creek- Ellsworth-Edgerton Boys’ Cross Country Team won the Section 3A championship.

The team advanced to the Minnesota State Class A Championships. This was the first time in team history they advanced to state championships.

oA representative of the group Parents: The Anti drug and Violence Task Force attended the Monday, Oct. 28, Hills-Beaver Creek School Board meeting.

She told the board that a serious drug problem exists in Rock County and that the group advocates a drug officer in schools and supports offering Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous to students returning from treatment.

November
oThe Hills-Beaver Creek- Ellsworth-Edgerton Boys’ Cross Country team placed sixth in the Minnesota State Class A Championships.

oPolitical races in Hills, Beaver Creek and Steen ended November 5.

Keith Elbers and Linus Svoboda beat out Wendell Bengtson and David McGuire, to win the two open seats in Hills.

In Beaver Creek, Carolyn DeBoer beat Daryl Furstenberg.

In Steen, Robert Sandbulte and Brad Bosch won the two open seats.

oThe Hills City Council approved a $219,000 project to improve water service to Hills.

The proposed improvements, through Rock County Rural Water, included installation of a six-inch water line from two miles north of Hills to the northern edge of town.

oPublic officials met with concerned citizens for a community watch planning meeting.

December
oTwenty Hills-Beaver Creek students signed up for an educational adventure to Costa Rica, Central America, in June.

Students will see endangered rain forests, the Arenal Volcano and wildlife reserves with populations of rare wildlife.

oThe Hills City Council had many unanswered questions concerning the proposed $219,000 rural water improvements.

The council requested official plans and specifications on the project and that a representative from Rock County Rural Water attend the next council meeting.

oThe Hills-Beaver Creek School Board reviewed cost estimates on the high school locker room project.

Initial cost estimates for the project, without a weight room, ranged from $398,144 to $439,552.

A weight room added $113,302 to $127,512 to the cost of the project, handled by Group II Architects, Sioux Falls.

By Jolene Farley
Another year has come and gone and for the Hills area and for Crescent readers, which means it’s time to recap the events of 2002.

January
oConstruction continued as scheduled on the Beaver Creek Entertainment facility. Sewer and water work was complete and construction of the clubhouse was scheduled to begin after the arrival of doors and windows for the structure.

oHills farmer Tim Baker adjusted remarkably well after a fall that left him a paraplegic.

Baker told of the hard work and perseverance needed to journey back into his farm work.

oThe Hills City Council accepted the resignation of Mayor George Langford. Langford notified the council at December’s meeting of his intention to resign. Jim Jellema was selected mayor pro tem.

oConnie Stone joined the First Presbyterian Church of Beaver Creek and the First Presbyterian Church of Rushmore as the new minister for both congregations.

oHills-Beaver Creek Industrial Arts students raised $1,500 from the joint sale of a patriotic stained glass bench to Jubilee Foods and Agri-Energy, both of Luverne, and Exchange State Bank, Hills.

February
oThe Lyle and Sharil Rollag family, Beaver Creek, was honored as the 2002 rock County Farm Family of the Year.

The annual award recognizes outstanding farm families from across Minnesota for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.

oA car accident near Presho, S.D., claimed the life of 51-year-old Patricia Van Wyhe, and left her husband, Tom, hospitalized.

Tom is the son of Cliff and Vi Van Wyhe, Hills. Patricia’s father, Marshall Gibson, is a former Beaver Creek postmaster. Tom and Patricia were both Hills-Beaver Creek High School graduates.

oCity council members Dana Dahlquist and Wendell Bengtson voted on a replacement for former Hills Mayor George Langford.

The only response to an ad published by the city came from current council members Jim Jellema and Arlen Leenderts.

Jellema and Leenderts abstained from the vote appointing Jim Jellema mayor.

March
oAfter 19 years as a city councilman and clerk Cornelius Bosch, Steen, submitted his resignation, effective April 1, to the Steen City Council.

Bosch and his wife, Darlene, sold the home they built in Steen 52 years ago and moved to Luverne.

oThe Hills City Council considered installing equipment for Frisbee golf, a popular sport incorporating the rules of golf to a fling disk, at the Hills City Park or the Rez.

oFlames destroyed the rural home of Vicki Lenderts. Firefighters from Beaver Creek, Hills, Luverne and Valley Springs were called to the blaze.

April
oCrescent Editor Jolene Farley returned from a 13-day trip to Bolivia, South America. She traveled with a group of Mano a Mano volunteers.

Mano a Mano, headed by Segundo and Joan (Swanson) Valesquez, is trying to address healthcare needs in Bolivia, where many people never see a doctor or nurse in their lives.

oA $19,000 bid for the Beaver Creek Community Center, offered by auctioneer Duane Mulder, was accepted at a special Beaver Creek City Council meeting.

Mulder, Luverne, planned to convert the structure into an indoor auction facility.

oThe Hills-Beaver Creek Education Association named Jane Baker Bosch, Steen, the 2002 Friend of Education.

Baker Bosch volunteered in kindergarten through third grades at Hills-Beaver Creek at least one day a week, chaperoned field trips and took extra work home to help teachers.

oThe city of Beaver Creek advertised to fill two open seats on the City Council for the remainder of 2002 after the resignation of Arnold Brondsema and Julie Buysse.

May
oScores released by Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning on Hills-Beaver Creek and Hills Christian School students shows 91.3 percent of students passed the reading portion of the Basic Standards Test, while 87 percent passed the math portion of the test.

oSteen resident Mark Hoogendoorn died in a farming accident in a field four miles west of Garretson, S.D.
Hoogendoorn was working alone between a four-wheel drive tractor and an implement when he was trapped between the two machines and killed.

oThe Rev. Keith Davis gave his farewell sermon at Hills United Reformed Church. Davis accepted an offer from a congregation in Lynwood, Ill.

June
oMore than 70 children attended Bible School at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Hills. The theme for the week was "Godzwerkers."

oHills United Reformed Church welcomed intern Doug Barnes and his family. Barnes replaced the Rev. Keith Davis for the summer months.

oJubilee Foods owner Tony Bosch was indicted by a federal grand jury for tax evasion, and entered a not guilty plea in U.S. District Court.

oRock County entered the wind market with plans for four towers near Hills.

Min Win I and Min Win II obtained conditional use permits for two towers each from the Rock Board of Commissioners.

By John Rittenhouse
The Ellsworth boys’ basketball team completed its pre-Christmas schedule with a perfect 7-0 record by hammering Lake Benton 89-58 in Ellsworth Thursday.

Four Panthers reached double figures in scoring in the game, but Ellsworth coach Ken Kvaale said his team’s effort on the defensive end of the court was the key to victory.

Ellsworth’s starters limited the Bobcats to 30 points in the first three quarters before LB scored 28 points against mostly reserves in the fourth quarter.

"Our defense was the key," Kvalle said. "Some steals by Travis Jenniges (EHS senior guard) really helped us out. Travis was our sparkplug in this game."

Blake Brommer gave the Panthers a lift in the first quarter by scoring eight of his 16 points to help EHS double (22-11) Lake Benton’s scoring output by period’s end.

Curt Schilling, who recorded a rare triple-double (28 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists), helped the Panthers open a 47-23 halftime lead by scoring 20 points in the first half.

Brant Deutsch, who collected 12 rebounds and passed for six assists for the winners, struck for 10 of his 20 points when the Panthers outscored the Bobcats 17-7 in the third period to make it a 64-30 game.

The Bobcats trimmed the difference to 31 points by game’s end with a 28-25 scoring advantage in the fourth quarter.

Dylan Kvaale scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds for EHS. Jenniges charted eight assists and four steals.

Ellsworth will play three games at the Mitchell (S.D.) Tournament Dec. 26-28).

Box score
Schilling 8 0 12-13 28, Jenniges 2 0 3-4 7, Janssen 1 0 0-0 2, Kvaale 5 0 2-4 12, Sieff 0 1 1-2 4, Deutsch 7 1 3-4 20, Brommer 6 1 1-4 16.

Team statistics
Ellsworth: 55 percent from the field (totals not available), 22 of 31 free throws (71 percent), 48 rebounds, 12 turnovers.

By John Rittenhouse
A slumping Ellsworth girls’ basketball team dropped its third consecutive game Friday in Lake Benton.

The Panthers made a bid to erase a 16-point deficit in the second half by pulling within two points of the Bobcats late in the fourth quarter, but Lake Benton scored the game’s final four points to pull out a 66-60 victory.

Ellsworth started the season by winning four of its first five games, but the Panthers now stand at 4-4 after losing three straight tilts.

The Panthers will return to action Jan. 3 in Tyler.

EHS did show some spirit with a late run in Lake Benton. Trailing 30-20 at the intermission, the Panthers fell behind by 16 points at one stage of the third quarter before trimming the difference to 11 points (53-42) at period’s end.

The Panthers outscored the Bobcats 18-9 in the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter to trail 62-60, but Lake Benton escaped with a six-point victory by scoring the game’s final four points.

"We couldn’t make a defensive stop when we needed to," said Panther coach Dean Schnaible. "Lake Benton played better than we did, and they deserved to win."

Danielle Jenniges scored 14 points to lead EHS. Jenna Groen scored 11 points and passed for seven assists. Kayla Boltjes scored 12 points. Laurel Drenth led the Panthers with eight rebounds while Amy Timmer added eight.

Box score
Boltjes 1 3 1-1 13, M.Leuthold 1 0 0-0 2, Jenniges 4 0 6-7 14, Drenth 2 0 0-1 4, M..Groen 3 1 0-0 9, J.Groen 1 0 9-10 11, Timmer 3 0 2-3 8.

Team statistics
Ellsworth: 19 of 40 field goals (48 percent), 18 of 23 free throws (78 percent), 31 rebounds, 26 turnovers.
Lake Benton: 24 of 52 field goals (46 percent), 15 of 25 free throws (60 percent), 30 rebounds, 20 turnovers.