By Jolene Farley
The Hills Community Club has a variety of activities planned for Hills Friendship Days 2002 on Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8.

Festivities begin at 1:30 p.m. Friday at the Rock Rapids Country Club for the Friendship Days Golf Tournament. To enter the tournament, contact Amanda Rozeboom at 962-3195 before June 4.

Also Friday, the Country Cruisers Trivia and Poker Run begins at 7 p.m. in Brandon and ends in the Hills park. For more information, contact Mark DeBoer at 962-3256.

Bright and early Saturday, from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m., health screenings will be offered at the Hills Fire Hall.

Also that morning, FFA Alumni will sponsor a pancake breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. at the Hills Legion.
Following the pancake breakfast, health booths will open in the Legion featuring health information, demonstrations and giveaways.

Health and farm safety experts will speak, and car seat checks will be offered. For more information, contact Kelli Hellerud at 962-3218.

The volleyball tournament starts at 9 a.m. in the park. To enter your team, contact Amanda Rozeboom at 962-3195 by June 5.

At 10:30 a.m. the Kids' Tractor Pull begins in the park, and the Country Cruisers show off their rides from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the baseball diamond.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Hills Christian School serves lunch and concessions in the park.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the park, the Hills Lions Club and the Hills Community Club will sponsor jump tents.

Doug Chapman offers high-flying fun from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with airplane rides.

The Hills Community Club will serve an evening meal from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Hills American Legion.

At 7 p.m. the Hills-Beaver Creek dance line kicks off the parade on Main Street. To register a parade entry, contact Colleen Martens at 962-3694.

The Kiddie Parade, usually a separate event, will be combined with Saturday evening's parade. The theme for the parade is Patriot Pride, and trophies will be awarded to the winning entries.

The Hills Lions Club will serve homemade ice cream before and after the parade.

Human Bowling, Giant Trikes and a Jump Tent, sponsored by Cargill and Hills Community Club, will follow the parade.

Alvin "Tiny" Wier, 81, Luverne, formerly of Graettinger, IA, died Thursday, May 2 at the Minnesota Veterans Home, Luverne. Visitation will be Monday, May 5 from 2 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. and parish prayers at 7:30 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne. Services will be Tuesday, May 6 at 10:30 a.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Graettinger, with burial at Crown Hill Cemetery, Ruthven, IA.

Farm Store purchases former Jubilee building for hardware/pet store
The Luverne Farm Store has signed a purchase agreement with Tony Bosch for the former Jubilee building in Luverne.

The building has been empty since Jubilee moved into its new facility in August 2000.

According to Nate Golla, the Luverne Farm Store has the intention of using the facility to operate a hardware store and a Purina Mills pet and companion animal store.

A hardware supplier has not yet been determined, according to Golla.

Possession is expected to take place on or before June 1.

The opening of the new retail facility will likely be in the fall.

Mag update
Work at the Magnolia Steak House is making progress.

Before rebuilding can take place, the demolition phase has to be completed.

A great amount of saturated Sheetrock and ceilings have been removed, along with the insulation behind it.

According to Mag owner Amy Dispanet Ver Steeg, most of the interior walls have been removed.

Even though the ceilings in the kitchen, bar and dining room will stay, all the insulation behind them will have to be removed and replaced to prevent any chance of mold forming because of the moisture that was trapped there after the fire.

One place that wasn't affected by the fire was the meat market, which is still open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Amy hopes the removal process is completed by the end of this week and the rebuilding phase starts next week.

Besides all new carpet and wallpaper, an expanded bar will be added to the bar as well as a new entrance.

Also in the plans is an outdoor patio on the southeast corner of the bar.

A portable bar will be used on the patio to serve the volleyball teams this summer.

The fire hasn't dampened the spirits of the volleyball players. According to Amy more teams have signed up this year than last.

Although no one is making any promises, Amy hopes to have the business up and running by early July.

Clean-up results
Luverne residents once again took advantage of Luverne's clean-up week.

Last week, residents put 100.98 tons of junk out on the curb for pick-up, and that doesn't include all the stuff that was put out and picked up by the roving hoards of scavengers.

Along with the junk, 35 tons of scrap metal and more than 100 appliances were picked up.

Those putting their appliances on the curb had to pay a $15-per-unit charge.

In all, the city had 11 people working 12 hours the first day, 12 hours the second day and 9 1/2 hours the third day.

The clean-up event cost the city $30,000, according to Public Works Director Darrell Huiskes.

Of that amount, $4,843 went toward landfill charges, and the rest was incurred in the form of labor and equipment charges.

Donate your computer to science when you're not using it
Would you consider letting scientists use your home or business computers to help search for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence, explore the data from the Human Genome Project, study the processes that govern the way proteins fold or help the world find a cure for AIDS?

According to a recent editorial in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the small computer in your home or office could be a little piece of a giant computer, capable of doing amazing things.

The concept is called distributed computing.

The world's largest computer is currently in Yokohama, Japan. It takes up the space of four basketball courts and can do 35.6 trillion calculations a second.

Through a project called SETI, the PCs on seven continents that are linked in distributed computing can compute just as fast as the world's fastest computer with very little cost to the project or the PC owners who volunteer their computer's processing capabilities.

If you are interested, go to www.aspenleaf.com/distributed.

From there you can check out which projects you might want your computer to help with.

Once you choose a project, you download a small piece of software that runs in the background.

A screensaver will help keep you informed about the work your computer is doing on the project you have selected.

Although is not practical for someone with a dial-up modem to participate, more and more people in Luverne are connecting to the Internet with high speed cable modems, T-1 or DSL lines.

If you have a high-speed connection, check out the Web site and see if there is a project you might want to help solve.

Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at
tolly@star-herald.com

Environmentalism doesn't have to be about hugging trees

Talking about environmental issues can sometimes turn people off. Especially around these parts, to discuss using less chemicals on crops or conserving land can be a touchy subject.

But it's also a timely one because Monday was Earth Day and Friday is Arbor Day. So as we're watching the spring season get started, Mother Earth is a topic worth writing about.

Tomorrow, the city, county and hospice will plant trees in observance of Arbor Day. Working in an industry that uses paper as its final product, it's important for me to respect that day and try to help the earth every day in the small ways I can.

The simple choices we make impact our world, and changing our bad ways doesn't have to bring about great inconveniences.

Some of the things I employ that help to do less damage are: buying most products in bulk, which requires less packaging; using a solar panel to help heat the house; not running water while brushing teeth; using some fluorescent bulbs, which take one-fourth less energy, and not throwing away batteries, which contain mercury and can leak into groundwater.

People may not realize what an important issue water is in Rock County. Our supply is short and requires a lot of treatment before we can drink it. That's why the long-term plan for Lewis and Clark Rural Water System has been so important to the city of Luverne and Rock County Rural Water.

Living in the northern United States, we also may not be aware of how significant global warming has become. No matter what the current national administration says, most scientists agree that too many fossil fuels are burned at the same time that too many trees are being cut down. Changing climate patterns are affecting the worldÕs ecosystems little by little.

That's why we should all give credit to local Arbor Day efforts to plant more of those oxygen-producing gems.

Even though we are more at fault than weÕd like to admit, small changes can make a big impact. Here are areas that could use improvement:

Washing machines can use more than 50 gallons of water so avoid washing lots of small loads and choose the lowest level of water needed per load.

Use more waxed paper, which is biodegradable, instead of foil or plastic wrap.

To dispose of excess latex paint, leave the can uncovered to allow evaporation, peel out the hardened paint and see if the can is recyclable.

Plant a tree or two - they produce oxygen and consume carbon dioxide and provide energy-saving shade in the summer.

Just because I care about the environment doesn't mean that I remember to do the right thing all the time. I use too many paper towels, I leave lights on when they're not needed and, this weekend, went to the drive-through at McDonald's for breakfast and threw away a bag full of Styrofoam that won't decompose for 500 years or more.

Like a new tree taking root, these small decisions can become permanent examples of our care for where we live.

Send Sara an e-mail

Mark Hoogendoorn, 40, Steen, died Friday, May 3. Services will be Tuesday, May 7 at 1:30 p.m. at the Reformed Church of Steen with Rev. Dan Ramaker officiating. Burial will follow in Eastside Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday, May 6 from 3 to 8:30 p.m. with the family present from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Roste Funeral Home of Hills.

Raymond B. Phares, 69, Circleville, Ohio, died Saturday, April 20, 2002, in his home after a battle with cancer. A memorial service will be at a later date in Dawn, Mo.

Raymond Phares was born to Russel and Ollie Phares on Oct. 24, 1932, in Dawn, Mo. He worked in the cable TV construction business.

Mr. Phares is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Shawn and Shara Phares, Imboden, Ark.; two daughters and sons-in-law, Karen and Mark Sandager, Hills, and Kristi and Rob Stalling, Imboden; five grandchildren, Alicia, Ian, Tatiana and Tom Sandager, and Jake Stalling; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Ivan Phares, Chillicothe, Mo., and Roger and Charlotte Phares, Mesa, Ariz.; three sisters and brothers-in-law, Margaret and Tommy Thomas, Chillicothe, Mildred and Bob Nester, Kansas City, Mo., and Helen and Stan Stewart, Wellington, Co.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one infant son.

Services for Fred Paulsen are at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 27, in United Methodist Church, Luverne. The Rev. Bart Fletcher will officiate. Visitation is from 2 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, at Roste Funeral Home in Hills with the family present from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.

Fred Paulsen, 93, Hills, died Sunday, April 21, 2002, in Tuff Memorial Home, Hills.

Fred Nels Paulsen was born to Otto A. and Kate (Mortensen) Paulsen on May 1, 1908, near Steen. He attended elementary school in Steen and one year of high school in Hills. After his education he farmed with his father and brother, John, for two years.

He married Laura M. Aukes on June 10, 1928, at the Pleasant View parsonage with the Rev. Oscar Munson officiating. Following their marriage they farmed northwest of Steen for 25 years before moving to Hills in 1955.

While living near Steen Mr. Paulsen was a member of the Steen E.U.B. Church where he served on the board. He also served on the Steen School Board. After the E.U.B. Church closed the Paulsens became members of the United Methodist Church in Luverne.

Mr. Paulsen worked as a school custodian and bus driver for the Hills School District for 20 years. After retiring from the school he continued working as a custodian at the I-90 rest stop. In 1988 he retired at the age of 80. In his free time he volunteered his services to the Rock County Nutrition Board where he served a term as president. He enjoyed fishing and hunting deer in northern Minnesota with his family.

In August 1997 Mr. Paulsen became a resident of Tuff Memorial Home. He had suffered from the effects of AlzheimerÕs disease for the past several years.

Survivors include his wife, Laura Paulsen, Hills; one son and daughter-in-law, Melvin and JoAnn Paulsen, Steen; two daughters and sons-in-law, Donna and Wayne Randall, Long Prairie, and Shirley and Gilbert Longnecker, Mt. Dora, Fla.; seven grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.

Mr. Paulsen was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, John, one sister, Mary Moser Jessen, one infant sister and one grandson, Jeff Longnecker.

Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.

F. Rudolf Lafrenz, 85, Sioux Falls, S.D., formerly of the Rock County area, died Tuesday, April 16, 2002, at Good Samaritan Luther Manor in Sioux Falls.

Services were Saturday, April 20, at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.

F. Rudolf Lafrenz was born to Fritz and Bertha Lafrenz on Sept. 14, 1916, in Bluegrass, Iowa. He lived in Bluegrass until the age of 3 when he moved with his family to Luverne. He graduated from Luverne High School in 1936.

He married Viola Strassburg on Oct. 6, 1940, in Luverne. They moved to Hardwick where he raised turkeys. They lived there until 1948 when they moved to Sioux Falls. He farmed for a time and then worked as a baker at Metz Baking Company.

Mr. Lafrenz was a member of Our SaviorÕs Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls since 1948 where he helped serve coffee, served as an institutional representative for the church and was a member of Men in Mission. He helped start Boy Scout Troop #212 and was a member of Sioux Valley Optimist Club for 20 years, Elks Lodge #262 for more than 25 years, Moose Lodge #503, Moose Camping Club and the Coachman Campers Club. His hobbies included woodworking, fishing and camping.

Survivors include his wife, Viola Lafrenz, Sioux Falls; two sons, Darwin (Barbara) Lafrenz, Waconia, and Duane (Mary) Lafrenz, Lake Geneva, Wis.; nine grandchildren, Tracy Benoit, Michelle Lafrenz, Jill Sandau, Heidi Sandau, Laura Lafrenz, Robin Lafrenz, Sarah Liedtke, Larry Lafrenz and Mark Lafrenz; four great-grandchildren; and one sister, Marie Bell, Luverne.

Mr. Lafrenz was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and three brothers.

Heritage Funeral Home, Sioux Falls, was in charge of arrangements.

Melvin (Mel) D. Kinsey, 73, Sioux Falls, formerly of Beaver Creek and Adrian, died Wednesday, April 17, 2002, at Bethany Home in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Services were Sunday, April 21, at First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek. The Rev. Connie Stone officiated. Military honors were provided by American Legion Post #123 and VFW Post #2757 of Luverne.

Melvin Kinsey was born to Charles and Bessie (Dohlman) Kinsey on Oct. 29, 1928, in Jackson County. In 1947 he joined the U.S. Navy and served in the Mediterranean and South America aboard the USS Massey DD778.

He married Leona M. Pigman on May 16, 1948, in Worthington. He worked as a farmhand until 1950 when he moved to Wallace, Idaho. He worked for the Hecla Mining Co. in the lead, silver and zinc mines. In 1952 he moved to Lead, S.D., and worked at Homestake gold mines. He also worked with the crew that built the raise for the Pactola Dam. In 1953 he moved to Rapid City, S.D., where he worked as milkman, cook and construction worker. In 1955 he moved back to Minnesota where he worked for Hudson Bros. building the Globe Office in Worthington. He then went to Beaver Creek to help build the school
In 1956 he went to work for Beaver Creek Co-op Elevator. While working at the elevator he also held several part-time jobs such as town cop, City Council member, sold seed corn, fireman (serving as chief for one year), and was Justice of the Peace performing several weddings. He also was a bartender, gas station attendant and tilled gardens. During one period he had seven part-time jobs at the same time. He and his wife owned and operated the Home Plate CafŽ in Beaver Creek for five years. In 1973 they moved to Adrian and managed the Adrian-Lismore Co-op Elevator for 15 years. He retired in 1988 due to bad health. In 1991 they moved to Sioux Falls.

Survivors include his wife, Leona Kinsey, Sioux Falls; one daughter, Carol Kinsey, Sioux Falls; one brother, Herbert Kinsey, Wallace, Idaho; and one sister, Verna Gentry, Storden.

Mr. Kinsey was preceded in death by his parents, one daughter, Judith, three brothers and four sisters.

Memorials are preferred to the First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Creek.

Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.