Flames destroyed the rural home of Vicki Lenderts late Thursday night. Firefighters form Beaver Creek, Hills, Luverne and Valley Springs were called to the blaze, which apparently started sometime after 11 p.m. Story inside.

Pledge of Allegiance,
meetings in blizzards
and other editorial rants

I see our House Republicans are busy making themselves busy again. They want to make it a law that all students recite the Pledge of Allegiance in the classroom at least once a week.

Reciting the Pledge in the classroom is a time-honored tradition that teaches students patriotism to their country. I feel it's an important ritual that should be continued for centuries to come.

Children need to understand the importance of honoring the flag and the freedoms it represents - freedom that was fought for by men and women who paid for it with their lives.

I'm a little irked by the idea of making the Pledge a law.

There are countless classroom traditions I feel strongly about, but I wouldn't introduce legislation requiring schools to offer kindergarten naps or milk breaks. There are simply some things we should trust our local school boards and teachers to implement out of common sense.

I realize there are some Minnesota schools (obviously lacking this common sense) that have banned the Pledge of Allegiance due to its reference to God.

But this law wouldnÕt change the rules in these districts anyway.

The proposed legislation permits schools to opt out of the pledge requirement with a simple majority vote of the local school board. It would also allow any student who objects to participating in the Pledge to be excused without penalty.

These are decisions already handled at the local level. Families in districts where the Pledge is banned need only lobby their school board members to get the rule changed. Our representatives in St. Paul don't need to waste their time micromanaging classroom activities.

It's a patriotic gesture, due to the recent tragic events, but I would encourage our legislators to spend their time working on more practical laws, like finding a way to fund all day every day kindergarten.

Speaking of
public process...
As a civic news reporter, I rarely miss a Luverne School Board meeting. In my "watch dog" role for the public, I feel a government body with a multimillion budget warrants regular coverage.
But I didnÕt cover Thursday's Luverne School Board meeting.

A winter storm that day had caused school to be let out early, most community events that evening were cancelled and the National Weather Service had advised no travel in the entire tri-state region.

Conditions weren't deadly, but roads were slippery and visibility was poor. After getting myself and the boys safely home at 5:30, I made the personal decision not to venture out again that night.

At that point, the School Board meeting hadnÕt been cancelled, but I assumed common sense would eventually prevail.

It didn't.

I later learned the meeting took place despite the storm, and I have to say I'm disappointed. As a public body making decisions on behalf of the public with the public's money, they're bound by law to hold open and public meetings.

If the School Board Chairman (Don Bryan, Hardwick) can't make it to the meeting due to the weather, how accessible is that meeting to the public?

Pancake-size snowflakes
On a more pleasant note ... How 'bout those snowflakes Monday night? My mother called at about 8:30 and told me to go the window. I smiled, and told her I was already there.

It was mesmerizing to watch those "pancake-sized flakes," as she called them, float peacefully to the ground. It felt like the inside of a gift-shop snow globe.

Wednesday, incidentally, was the first official day of spring.

Send Lori an e-mail

Things you can still do at Mag
It may be a few months before you can have dinner and a drink at the Magnolia Steak House, but donÕt cancel all of your Mag plans.

While the plans go on for fixing and cleaning after the March 19 fire, so do the plans for other Mag events.

According to Amy Dispanet-VerSteeg, plans for the sand volleyball league and the Cruise-in for Buffalo Days are proceeding along with the clean-up.

A captains' meeting for the volleyball league is scheduled for April 22, with a start date for the league set for June 4.

Contact Amy with questions.

Kennedy plans to run in different district
Second District Congressman Mark Kennedy has decided to stay a little closer to the metro area for his second run for Congress, or the courts decided it for him.

Kennedy, whose home is in rural Watertown, south of the metro area, found himself in the newly redesigned 6th District, about 100 yards from his old 2nd District territory, which used to run from Rock County to Chaska.

One option was to move a short distance and take up residence in the newly created 2nd District, where no incumbent exists.

But on Monday, Kennedy decided to stay where he is, which means he will have to take on four-term DFL incumbent Bill Luther.

Although Luther has always won his district, he has never won by a large margin.

Some analysts think the slightly reconfigured 2nd District could have changed to enough of a Republican edge for Kennedy to continue on for a second term.

Meanwhile the newly created 1st District, also known as the I-90 district, is what we will be a part of starting next year.

So who will run in the 1st, our new district?
If the incumbent wins, our new congressman will be Republican Gil Gutknecht.

Gutknecht has been elected four times, starting in 1994.

On the DFL side, Todd Rasmussen, a banker from Winona, has shown some interest in the position as has Steve Andreasen , currently a Rochester resident, but originally from Adrian.

Both candidates recently made appearances at the Rock County DFL Convention.

Anytime a district changes as much as the new 1st did, the opposition gets interested, so the new 1st could get some national attention as well as national money.
Is your wading pool a swimming pool
Should Minnesota set the same standards for wading pools that it does for swimming pools?

Rep. Mulder thinks that is a little excessive.

Mulder recently introduced legislation that would prevent certain wading pools from being held to the same standards as public swimming pools.

Mulder's bill defines wading pools located at family day-care homes as private residential pools, providing they have a maximum depth of 24 inches and can be manually emptied and moved.

At the end of the last session, a wading pool exemption expired which forced day-care providers to follow rules intended for Minnesota public swimming pools.

Some of those rules would include having a certified lifeguard on site, providing toilets, showers and dressing rooms, and installing ladders in the "deep end" of the pool.

According to Mulder state records indicate a poorly maintained wading pool has never caused a death, disability or illness in Minnesota.

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

Clifford Elroy Hansen, 83, Ellsworth, died Thursday, March 21, 2002, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Services were Sunday, March 24, at Zion Presbyterian Church in Ellsworth. The Rev. Robert Raedeke officiated. Burial was in Grand Prairie Cemetery in Ellsworth.

Clifford Hansen was born to Thorwald and Alvina (Moeller) Hansen in Clear Lake, S.D., on Aug. 25, 1918. As a child he moved with his family to Minnesota where he was raised and attended school in Kanaranzi and Magnolia. Following high school he continued his education at Nettleton College in Sioux Falls.

He married Arlene Meester on Feb. 19, 1941, in Ellsworth. Following their marriage he owned and operated Skelly Bulk Oil Company in Ellsworth and also drove school bus for 55 years. He entered Avera McKennan Hospital on March 12.

Mr. Hansen was a member of Zion Presbyterian Church in Ellsworth and served on various church boards. He was a member of Ellsworth Optimist Club, chairman of the Parkview Manor Nursing Home Board and was an active supporter of the Ellsworth school and community.

Survivors include his wife, Arlene Hansen, Ellsworth; two sons, Ron (Michele) Hansen, Castlewood, S.D., and Scott (Kristi) Hansen, Rochester; one daughter, Sherri (Roger) Willard, Colton, S.D.; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Arlene Lee, Kanaranzi, and Doris Olson, Adrian.

Mr. Hansen was preceded in death by his parents.

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

Hilda Bloemendaal, 86, Sioux Center, Iowa, died Thursday, March 28, 2002, at Sioux Center Nursing Facility in Sioux Center. She was the mother of Curt Bloemendaal of Luverne.

Services were Monday, April 1, at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center. The Rev. Duane Tinklenberg officiated. Burial was in Memory Gardens Cemetery, Sioux Center.

Hilda Mast was born to Nick and Mary (Meyer) Mast on July 11, 1915, in Volga, S.D.

She married William (Bill) Bloemendaal on Feb. 20, 1940, in Volga. They farmed near Volga until 1957 and then moved to Edgerton where they continued to farm until moving to Sioux Center in 1967. She worked at Dordt College in Sioux Center until her retirement in 1979. She moved to Sioux Center Nursing Facility in 1994.

She was a lifelong member of the Christian Reformed Church and an active member of the Ladies Aid at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Sioux Center. Her hobbies included knitting slippers for her children and grandchildren, crossword puzzles and traveling with her husband.

Survivors include two sons, Curt (Marilyn) Bloemendaal, Luverne, and Al (Lynne) Bloemendaal, Sioux Center; three daughters, Mary (John) Steward of Jesus, Hutchinson, Kan., Judy (Wayne) Sieps, Minnetonka, and Edie (Wayne) Dekkers, Hawarden, Iowa; 15 grandchildren, Dirk, Maria, Kirk, Cory, Diona, Rachel, Colleen, Laura, Ben, Stefanie, Scott, Lisa, Todd, Jay and Travis; seven great-grandchildren; one sister, Jeanette DeLange, Platte, S.D.; and two brothers, Henry Mast and Clarence Mast, both of Volga.

Mrs. Bloemendaal was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Bill, one son, Calvin Dale, three brothers and one sister.

Memorial Funeral Home, Sioux Center, was in charge of arrangements.

Walter Lee, 78, Luverne, died Sunday, March 31 at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Administration Medical Center, Sioux Falls. Services will be Wednesday, April 3 at 10 a.m. at Dingmann Funeral Chapel, Luverne, with Rev. Dell B. Sanderson officiating. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery with military honors. Visitation will be Tuesday, April 2 form 2 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home.

Cecilia A. Swenson, 80, Luverne, died Monday, March 25, 2002, at the Heart Hospital of South Dakota in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Services were Thursday, March 28, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne. The Rev. Andrew Beerman officiated. Burial was in St. Catherine Catholic Cemetery, Luverne.

Cecilia Sehr was born to Edward and Anna (Baatz) Sehr on Sept. 27, 1921, in Alvord, Iowa. As a child she moved with her parents to the Luverne area where she was raised and attended school.

She married Charles Swenson on Feb. 13, 1947, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Jasper. Following their marriage they lived and farmed near Luverne. Mr. Swenson died on March 29, 1999. She continued living on the farm until Saturday, March 23, when she entered the Heart Hospital of South Dakota in Sioux Falls.

Mrs. Swenson was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church where she was active in the church circles. She was also a member of the Luverne Extension Club. She enjoyed working in her garden and quilting.

Survivors include four sons, Michael (Sheri) Swenson, Jasper, Curtis (Mary) Swenson, St. Paul, Joe Swenson, and Vincent (Shelly) Swenson, all of Luverne; seven daughters, Barbara (Verel) Hall, Salina, Kan., Patricia (Tom) Kerr, Detroit, Mich., Monica (Robert) Hintze, Eagle Lake, Rose (Dan) Gebhart, Eagan, Virginia (Steve) Moore, Charlotte (and friend Geoff) Taylor, all of Worthington, and Anita (Randy) Hume, Brandon, S.D.; 24 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one brother, Nicholas "Nicky" Sehr, Luverne; and one sister, Joann Turk, Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Mrs. Swenson was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, one grandson, Michael Hall, one brother, Leonard Sehr, and two sisters, Mary Obele and Helen Reickman.

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

Services for Chris Spykerboer will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 30, at First Baptist Church in Luverne with the Rev. Dale Phelps officiating. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Visitation is from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 29, with the family present from 4 to 6 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne. Visitation will also be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church.

Chris Spykerboer, 58, Luverne, died Monday, March 25, 2002, in Luverne Community Hospital.

Chris Spykerboer was born to William and Lena (Kracht) Spykerboer on April 30, 1943, in Rock Rapids. He grew up on a farm in rural Ellsworth. He attended country school in Kanaranzi Township and later attended Ellsworth High School. He farmed in Vienna Township until he retired because of health problems. He recently moved to Parkview Manor in Ellsworth.

Mr. Spykerboer was a past member of First Baptist Church in Luverne.

Survivors include one daughter, Christy Wilson, Somerset, N.J.; two brothers, Bert (Priscilla) Spykerboer, and Henry (Wilmanette) Spykerboer, all of rural Ellsworth; three sisters, Hattie (James) Brands, Pipestone, Mary (John) Brands, rural Kenneth, and Albertha Tiedemann, Worthington; and many nieces and nephews.

Mr. Spykerboer was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Jennetta and Jennie (Mrs. Bob Dykema).

Dingmann Funeral Home in Luverne is in charge of arrangements.

Francis C. Lundby, 92, Worthington, formerly of Luverne, died Wednesday, March 20, 2002, at Sibley Nursing & Rehab Center in Sibley, Iowa.

Services were Saturday, March 23, at First Covenant Church in Worthington. The Rev. J. Peter Erickson officiated.

Francis Lundby was born to Christian and Marie (Henriksen) Lundby on March 1, 1910, in Chicago, Ill. He attended grade school in Chicago and moved with his family to St. Paul where he graduated from high school. He attended Ames State College in Ames, Iowa, and graduated from the dairy husbandry program. He moved to St. Paul after graduation.

He married Helen Schrepel on Oct. 1, 1938, in St. Paul. After their marriage the couple lived in Lerdal where he worked for a cooperative creamery. They later moved to Casselton, N.D., where he owned and operated a creamery for more than 24 years. After they sold their business the couple moved to Luverne where he worked as a USDA federal inspector in the dairy division. They moved to Worthington in 1993.

Mr. Lundby was a member of both the North Dakota and Minnesota Creamery Operators Associations. He received many honors associated with the dairy industry. He also enjoyed singing in the church choir during his early years. He was an active member in the Worthington Golden K Kiwanis Club.

Survivors include his wife, Helen Lundby, Worthington; two daughters and sons-in-law, Margaret and Lyle Baker, Shoreview, and Judy and Marc Gustafson, Worthington; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Mr. Lundby was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Harold, and one sister, Ellen.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Worthington, was in charge of arrangements.