George W. Hartog, 71, Rochester, formerly of Luverne, died Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester.

Services were Wednesday, Dec. 11, at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Rochester. The Rev. John Schleicher officiated. Burial was in Oakwood East Cemetery.

George Hartog was born on Jan. 2, 1931, in Kanaranzi Township, rural Luverne. He attended rural Luverne schools. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a carpenter.

He married Eleanor Jensen on Nov. 27, 1954, in Luverne. They moved to Rochester in 1957.

Mr. Hartog was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Eagles, VFW and the American Legion.

Survivors include his wife, Eleanor Hartog, Rochester, four sons, Dennis Hartog, Ft. Myers, Fla., Gary (Eileen) Hartog, Mt. Horeb, Wis., Steven Hartog and Roger Hartog, both of Rochester; four grandchildren; two brothers, Edward (Linda) Hartog, Sacramento, Calif., and Marvin (Nancy) Hoffenkamp, Adrian; and two sisters, Sue (Clifford) McMartin, Brandon, S.D., and Gladys (Henry) Siefkes, Worthington.

Mr. Hartog was preceded in death by his parents and one brother.

Macken Funeral Home, Rochester, was in charge of arrangements.

Gretchen (Papik) Jepperson and husband Ryan Jepperson stay warm on their tropical-themed float. This is the first year Papik Motors has sponsored a float.

By Sara Strong
The sixth annual Winterfest celebration brought lots of light to downtown Luverne Saturday and heavy traffic throughout the town.

Chairing the Winterfest Committee for the second year was April Gangestad. She said the weekend ran smoothly from an organizational point of view and the warm weather was nice for outdoor crowds.

"It was a very successful Winterfest," she said, "but I did wish for just a little snow."

The highlight of Winterfest is always the Parade of Lights, which had 33 entries this year.

There’s no true way to measure attendance at the Parade of Lights, but the sidewalks and curbs were filled with onlookers. The parade started at 7 p.m. and featured lighted floats traveling down a darkened Main Street.

Another crowd draw is the craft show, which had 87 booths and 1,200 shoppers this year.

Gangestad said the extra activities that businesses and organizations sponsor help make the Winterfest weekend complete. The SnoMasters swap meet, various church activities and the De-Light-Full 5K run keep the town full of activity.

"We’re looking for new things to do so everybody has something to fill the weekend," Gangestad said.

Winners in the 2002
Parade of Lights were:
Boy Scouts in the Civic Organizations category with the theme "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

Bethany Lutheran in the Churches category with the theme "CHRISTmas Begins with Christ." Bethany Lutheran Church also won the People’s Choice Award.

Centerpoint Energy Minnegasco in the small business and industry category with the theme "Winter Wonderland."

Hills Stainless Steel in the large business and industry council with the theme "Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree."

Another part of Winterfest is the outdoor lighting contest among participating neighborhoods. Various parts of the city agree to a theme and are judged each year by KQAD. First place prize money of $100 is given to a charity of the winner’s choice, and all participants are given $10 reduction on their city utility bills.

Christmas Lane Winners
First Place in the neighborhood lighting contest was South Fairview Drive with "Star Spangled Cardinal Corners."

Second Place was Northview Drive with "View of the Trees of the North."

Third Place was Victory and Memorial Circles with "Frosty’s Families."

Other activities
About 250 people toured the Rock County homes of Terry and Michelle Vajgrt, Harvey and Cindy Crable, and Bruce and Vicki Baartman. This year, the tour started at the Carnegie Cultural Center, Luverne, for the first time.

Tour of Homes Co-Chair Chantel Connell said, "We had a nice mix of homes. We try to get a new home and an older, Victorian home on the tour."

Dawn Frankenhoff is the other chairman of the event, which is an annual fund-raiser for the Luverne Hockey Association.

Carnegie Director Tammy Makram said the extra traffic was welcome in the Carnegie, which gave tour participants cider and cookies while they waited for shuttles.

The Carnegie, decorated with the Festival of Trees, featured live music and has a gift shop of regional artists’ creations that kept people occupied.

This year the Rock County Pool and Fitness Center added a new feature to help celebrate Winterfest, too. It added open swim times to its regular day and estimates 80 to 90 people attended each day.

The Palace Theatre showed a movie for the first time since the Luverne Fire Department movie in October. It drew about 175 movie-goers.

Winterfest always takes place the first weekend in December. There is no chairman named yet for next year’s Winterfest.

Bob Jarchow and his helpers Thomas (left) and Logan whip up another batch of stickies.

By Lori Ehde
He makes no claim to culinary greatness, but Luverne’s Bob Jarchow admits he’s mastered one thing at the stove: homemade caramels.

He frets that some turn out too hard, and some too soft, but anyone who tastes the products of his labor assures him he’s got it figured out.

The key, Jarchow said, is bringing the ingredients to the right boiling temperature and using the right equipment.

"You need a good cooking thermometer and a heavy, non-stick kettle," he said.

"Anyone can do it, but they ruin the first five batches before they get a good cooking thermometer."

If experience counts for anything, his little hand-wrapped goodies should be perfect.

He’s been making homemade caramels for 25 years, since he took a Scandinavian cooking class in the Twin Cities.

So far this year, he’s made 12 batches, of roughly 120 individual caramels per batch.

By the time the holiday season is over, he’ll have churned out more than 20 batches, which adds up to 2,400 one-inch squares of buttery, caramelly goodness.

Why so many caramels?
"It didn’t start that way," he said. "It just sort of crept up to that point. I think this year I’ll hit an all-time record."

Any good chef knows the best part of a good recipe is sharing it with others. Jarchow just got carried away with that part.

His caramels have become a regular part of the holiday season for his fans who now look forward to the sweet, buttery morsels.

Jarchow’s recipe is entitled simply "Caramels." It calls for:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cups butter (or one quarter-pound stick)
3/4 cups corn syrup
2 cupswhipping cream

Bring sugar, butter, corn syrup and one cup of whipping cream to a rolling boil. Slowly add the second cup of cream so boiling doesn’t stop.

As the temperature increases, reduce heat and cook to 250 degrees for a very firm caramel, or 245 degrees for a softer caramel. Jarchow prefers the softer version.

"If the caramel gets too hot, when you break it out of the pan, it cracks, and it’s a mess all over," Jarchow said. "There’s an art to it."

At about 248 degrees, he stops the cooking process and pours the mixture into a 12-by-6 –inch buttered pan. The caramel in a pan that size is about three-quarters of an inch deep.

The pan cools overnight, and the next day he turns the pan over on a cutting board with a decisive "whack!" and a perfectly-formed rectangle of soft, sticky caramel awaits the next step.

That’s the point in the process when Jarchow calls in his little helpers, grandsons Logan and Thomas Norman, ages 6 and 4, respectively.

While Jarchow chops the rectangle into even rows and then squares, the little hands busily place them onto precut waxed paper squares, roll them and twist the ends.

Jarchow said his good friend Scott Beers, who often helped with the caramels, was going to invent a cutter and wrapper for the caramel process. "Scotty was an inventive-type guy," he said of Beers, who died last year.

The wrapping process is fun for the boys, but what they really enjoy is getting Grandpa’s "stickies" to their final destinations — friends and family.

"Know why we make stickies?" Thomas asks mischievously. "They put a smile on people’s faces."

He proceeds to illustrate his point with the McDonald’s restaurant jingle, "Everybody come on and put a smile on."

The caramels are presented in decorative holiday tins, some of which have been donated by his caramel fans, and delivered to homes and offices in and around Luverne.

And Thomas is right.

Everyone smiles when Jarchow and his helpers come through the door. … And the smart ones return Jarchow’s tins for refills next Christmas.

By Sara Strong
With 58 new legislators facing a $5 billion state budget shortfall, Sen. Jim Vickerman addressed state issues at the annual townships meeting Friday.

"I think we can work with Gov. Pawlenty," Vickerman said. "I think we’ll continue to move ahead."

Vickerman has had to be a part of budget cuts in the past, but never to the extent the state will have to cut this year. The state will try to rebound from this budget shortfall for years.

"Everything — and I mean everything — is on the table. … We’ll have to forget politics and just work on it," he said, adding that he is the lone Democrat in the southwest region.

"I couldn’t have been elected here without support from Republicans."

Nursing homes and environmental programs and employees are something Vickerman said he won’t support cutting.

"We lost all our environmentalists in the last election," he said. "… We’re not going to do something to people who need us. We’re going to take care of the poor and those who can’t take care of themselves."

Even though the state is well prepared to make cuts, Vickerman pointed out that there’s only so many numbers to be crunched before the state runs out of options. "If we wiped out all the state agencies, we’d only save $1.8 billion," Vickerman said.

The state shortfall will trickle down to the county and townships.

Vickerman said there’s been some talk of taking counties’ undesignated funds, which Rock County carries very little of.

Undesignated funds are sometimes held in case of unforeseen projects or funding needs that arise.

Much of Rock County’s levy is lightened by state aid: The county collects $3 million locally and spends $10 million. Hennepin County is another example of just how much state aid helps counties. There, its budget is made of 55 percent state aid.

Fire protection
Townships contract with cities for fire protection, and the disparity of cost has been an issue with the townships.

Different sections of Springwater Township, for example, contract at a difference of almost $300.

The city of Luverne also responds to many fires even though it may not be getting paid for its services in every township. The agreement to help with fires is called mutual aid, and all the county departments agree to it.

The townships asked the Rock County Board of Commissioners to look into equalizing the contract charges. The county, short of levying for the costs, doesn’t have much chance of involving itself in fire protection contracts.

If the county did a levy for fire protection, it couldn’t levy only township residents. A county levy would also impact city residents who are already paying for fire protection in city property taxes.

The townships and county plan to ask to be a part of a future Luverne City Council meeting to discuss fire protection.

Other business
Also on the township and county meeting agenda were rural address signs and the environment.

Rural address signs should be in place by June 2003. The individual property signs will be bid for installation. Homeowners will be notified when their new addresses are finalized, and the Post Office will honor both addresses up to a year.

Rock County Land Management Director Eric Hartman reported on the Livestock Friendly designation for the county.

He reminded townships that the Board of Commissioners asked the county Planning and Zoning Board to research what the designation would mean to the county.

Hartman said that the dairy industry in particular is struggling in other states, and being "Livestock Friendly" in the county’s regulations may draw more producers to Rock County.

Vickerman said the designation may come with hidden strings, so he urged the county to research carefully before changing regulations to meet livestock friendly requirements.

By Sara Strong
The lawsuit involving the community daycare issue was resolved Tuesday as the city of Luverne joined the Luverne School District and Rock County in signing an agreement.

Developer Donald Dunham Jr., Sioux Falls, filed the lawsuit May 7 alleging that the school, city and county didn’t honor the property tax abatement agreement which called for Dunham to provide space for a community daycare.

The school and county have already signed the settlement agreement which essentially means Dunham will have to pay property taxes from the year 2002 and beyond. The taxing entities will honor the abatement in the years 2000 and 2001.

The cost to the city of Luverne amounts to less than $2,000 of tax abatements.

Along with the city, county and school not honoring tax abatements over the years, Dunham won’t provide space for a community daycare.

The original agreement called for the city, county and school to abate Dunham’s taxes on the City Centre Apartments in exchange for a rent-free community daycare space.

The basement space wasn’t finished to the point where a daycare operation could start operating immediately. That’s where the local parties disagreed with Dunham on what was required to earn the abatement.

Dunham said he provided the square footage and the city, county and school said it wasn’t "finished" space for a daycare.

The original abatement agreement said in part "… renovation shall provide sufficient space and facilities, constructed in accordance with applicable codes, for a daycare facility, including infant care, of not less than 50 children. Further, that during the term of the abatement, the said daycare space shall be made available to a licensed daycare operator without rental charges. …"

The abatement would have ended in 2009, had it been carried out. Dunham purchased the former Luverne Elementary School building in 1998.

Gold’n Plump donation
Gold’n Plump executives delivered a check for $20,000 to the city of Luverne Wednesday, Dec. 4.

When the company first located in the city in 1998, it offered to be a good corporate citizen and donate $20,000 a year for 10 years to the city.

Those funds go to the Luverne Economic Development Authority and help to further economic development in the city.

Gold’n Plump employs about 200 people and plays an active role in community involvement, and encourages the same in its employees.

Kapperman clean-up
Clean-up of the Jerome Kapperman property on Southeast Park Street was back for discussion after being tabled at the Nov. 12 Luverne City Council meeting.

Kapperman said he would move the used grocery case and fixture equipment and get rid of the automobiles if he could have six months to do so. Attorney Doug Eisma represents Kapperman.

The sellable material from the Southeast Park property will probably be moved to the Edgehill salvage business.

The Kapperman property was damaged by a fire and the city has asked him to rid the neighborhood of the blight it created.

The Southeast Park site is in a low-density residential district and a salvage business cannot be operated there, by code.

Kapperman will ask the Luverne Economic Development Authority to grant him $2,500 to clean the property, as it has in other instances through a special program.

He will also return to the City Council this month to discuss specific plans for clearing the site.

By Lori Ehde
Agri-Energy and Broin Management are in the process of negotiating a settlement agreement over future management of Luverne’s ethanol plant.

Broin Management LLC filed suit against Agri-Energy LLC in Rock County District Court on Oct. 1, but the litigation stems from problems that started more than a year ago.

Conflict reportedly began when CornerStone board members tried to have Broin Management removed from the Agri-Energy Board to allow more freedom in making their own decisions.

Along with managing the Luverne plant, Broin affiliates have handled marketing and commodities for Agri-Energy, and the Broin family personally owns 6 percent of the CornerStone stock.

But the Broins also own shares in other regional ethanol plants, and some CornerStone board members alleged Broin affiliates weren’t securing the most profitable deals for the Luverne plant, due to what they perceived as conflict of interest.

Broin Management LLC filed suit in October to stop the board’s action to have Broin removed, and the courts supported Broin Management, which has retained a seat on the board.

CornerStone has since filed counter suits alleging conflict of interest and mismanagement, but Broin has filed to have those counter suits dismissed.

According to Norm Smeenk, chairman and CEO of Agri-Energy Ethanol Plant, the essence of the litigation centers on "differing philosophies as to how the plant should be run between the management company and board of governors."

Smeenk, Harrisburg, S.D., also serves as chairman of the board of CornerStone Cooperative.

He said Tuesday that, as far as members and the public are concerned, Agri-Energy’s viability will not be jeopardized by the outcome of the agreement.

"The plant has been profitable," Smeenk said. "People should not be concerned that the plant will close its doors."

CornerStone Cooperative owns nearly 70 percent of the business and has a 14-member board of directors elected by member investors to act on their behalf.

Co-op members have hired another marketing firm for Agri-Energy.

Former CornerStone Board Chairman Mike Pap and one of the largest investors in the Luverne plant, questions this decision.

"Luverne’s returns have never lagged behind any of the other plants owned or operated by Broin," he said.

He added that in months since the marketing contract went to Williams Energy, returns at the Luverne plant have dropped.

Smeenk said removing Broin from plant management may or may not happen. "But that’s not the focal point of our negotiations," he said. "We’re trying to resolve some issues."

Former CornerStone board member Harold Tilstra said he’s comfortable the Agri-Energy plant will continue to thrive.

"Our plant here in Luverne has its intra-family disputes, but business-wise its return on investment is as good or better than any like it," he said.

"Financially, it’s a top-performing business … that’s due partly to the good people there who run the plant."

Plant manager Rick Serie is an employee of Broin Management. He has accepted a full-time position to manage a Broin plant in Chancellor, S.D. Those duties will begin when a settlement is reached.

The Luverne High School Brass Choir practices early Wednesday morning for Friday night’s performance, part of the Christmas at the Palace program. Pictured are: Chris Thacker in front and Greg Helle. Christmas at the Palace begins at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Palace Theatre. It is a fund-raiser for Blue Mound Area Theatre to help preserve the theater and continue offering movies.

Along with the High School brass choir, other performers will be: the Luverne High School mixed ensemble, American Reformed Church, Joe Dorhout, New Life Celebration Church, Wendy and Heidi Sandbulte and Amy Donth, St. Catherine Catholic Church Jubilant Choir, First Baptist Church Ladies Ensemble, Grace Lutheran Church Exaltation Worship Team, Carol Zwaan and First Presbyterian Church.

Photo by Sara Strong

The sixth annual Winterfest celebration brought lots of light to downtown Luverne Saturday and heavy traffic throughout the town.The Green Earth Players lead carols in the Carnegie Cultural Center after the Winterfest parade. They are: (back, from left) Fred Manfred, Phil Voigt, Cheryl Nath, (front) Noreen Woodle, Katie Galer, and Fran Bohlke. Story inside.

Photo by Sara Strong

By Jolene Farley
Hills City Council members had many unanswered questions concerning the proposed $219,000 rural water improvements at their meeting Tuesday.

Dan Cook, Rock County Rural Water Manager, will be invited to the next council meeting to answer those questions.

Improvements proposed by Rock County Rural Water so far would include the installation of a six-inch line from two miles north of Hills to the northern edge of town.

Council members noted the proposal didn’t include replacing the four-inch line from the edge of town to the water tower. Not replacing the line would mean water supply would increase but water pressure wouldn’t.

"Everything else will stay the same," said city employee Wayne Ward. "They’re not changing anything in the water plant."

Mayor Jim Jellema said the line should be replaced to the water tower as part of the project.

A citizen voiced his opinion that rural water seemed to be enhancing their system at the cities’ expense.
After reviewing the initial contract from Rock County Rural Water, council member Linus Svoboda asked for the official plans and specifications on the improvements.

The council also questioned why the contract guarantees certain usage only during off-peak periods. The off-peak periods aren’t specified in the contract.

"If we go with that six-inch line, why should there have to be an off-peak," said Jellema?

"If you bore in the six-inch line you should have water when you want it and no off-peak," agreed Ward.
The council tentatively decided to finance the improvements, once agreed upon, through the Exchange State Bank at 5.25 percent interest.

Rock County Rural Water had agreed to finance the improvements at 5.5 percent interest for 20 years.

Personnel
The council voted to change the benefit structure for two city employees. The employees will receive three weeks of vacation for ten years of service with one day for each year after ten years. One month of vacation time is the maximum accumulation.

The council agreed to increase the percentage of health insurance premium the city pays for city employee Wayne Ward from 70 percent to 75 percent in lieu of comp time and shift-off time.

"Right now we have three or four different systems going," Svoboda said of the current benefit and wage package.

Both employees also received a 35-cent hourly wage increase.

City treasurer Joann Goehle refused a pay increase.

Council members didn’t vote on a pay raise for themselves.

"We don’t know what the taxes will do," said Jellema. "I’m not doing this for the money."

Specific information on the wages of city officials and employees is public information available at city hall upon request.

In other business …
The city will no longer burn leaves and branches on the southern edge of town. Another hole will be dug on rural property owned by Doug Chapman, and small branches will be transported for burning.

This should alleviate smoke at the football field and in residential areas.

The council also discussed putting up a fence with a gate around the dump area to stop unauthorized dumping and traffic. The council tabled the idea until spring.

After reviewing the bills, the council instructed Ward to purchase items for the city in Hills whenever possible.