A Cargill employee loads grain on the truck of Clint Metzger, Metger and Sons Trucking, Hills, last week. Metzger is hauling the grain to Sioux City for Cargill.

By Jolene Farley
Metzger and Sons Trucking began in 1986 with one straight truck hauling grain locally. Clint Metzger started the business, and eventually his uncle, Arlyn, and brother, Ross, joined him.

Ross, 29, and Clint, 33, and Arlyn Metzger, 40, are all involved in the business full-time with four other alternating part-time truckers.

The company's four trucks haul grain and livestock for local farmers and elevators mostly to Minnesota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa.

A family business, Metzger Trucking carries on a tradition began by Elmer Metzger of Larchwood, Iowa, in 1940.

After two knee replacements, Elmer, 83, still 'keeps on truckin,' hauling up to five loads a week with his own rig and helping out his son and grandsons when needed.

"I just keep at it," Elmer said Tuesday. When asked if he was spry for his age, he laughed. "Ask my wife," he said.

Elmer plans to continue driving "as long as I can get in and out of the truck".

Elmer's work ethic was passed on to his son and grandsons at Metzger Trucking, where drivers typically work 12 to 14 hours per day.

Ross Metzger begins his day around 3:30 to 4 a.m. and continues working until he has unloaded his grain, usually at a bean processing plant or a feed mill.

The farming industry has changed over the years, according to Ross. "The small guys are getting out and the bigger keep getting bigger."

The number of crop loads hauled this fall was lower compared with other years, according to Ross.

He attributes a lack of rain, hail in some areas and a lot of farmers building bins and storing more grain themselves.

The trucking business has become more competitive and challenging. Some farmers and elevators are purchasing their own trucks and hauling their own loads.

Over the years, regulations have increased and laws are stricter, according to Ross.

The Metzgers hired an outside licensing firm to handle licensing their trucks and some additional paperwork. The firm updates them on any new laws pertaining to their industry. Drivers themselves, however, are required to fill out log books detailing the number of hours they drive.

Metzger Trucking has no immediate expansion plans. "We will just keep doing what we are doing and take care of what we got," Ross said.

He said Metzger Trucking is "dedicated to our work." Elmer confirmed their dedication, stating, "They are doing all right. They do a good job."

By Jolene Farley
Hills City Council members quickly dealt with city water issues at their meeting Tuesday evening.

The council discussed a bill for $4,860 issued by Rock County Rural Water for water it says the city used from January 1999 to August 2000, a period when Rock County Rural WaterÕs meter wasnÕt monitoring correctly.

The city advised Rock County Rural Water of discrepancies between usage readings from the city meter and RCRWÕs meter. Rock County Rural Water maintained it was the cityÕs meter that was incorrect, according to City Clerk Connie Wiertzema.

When it was discovered it was Rock County Rural Water's meter that wasn't reading correctly, the city was sent a bill for the $4,860 difference in readings.

It is Rock County Rural Water's responsibility to maintain its meters, according to Wiertzema.

The city's lawyer, Doug Eisma, reviewed the contract between the two parties and advised the council it was his opinion the city owed only $838, instead of the $4,860 that was billed.

"They probably wouldnÕt know it today if it wasn't for our meter," said council member Jim Jellema.

The city will notify Eisma to send a letter to RCRW agreeing to pay the $838 per his suggestion.

The council passed a motion to increase late fees on city water bills from 10 percent of total water usage to a set fee of $10 for any late payment.

Fees were increased to offset the cost of supplies and labor to issue late notices for the bills.

The council discussed the purchase of an overflow alarm for the water storage tank and decided against the purchase because of the cost. The overflow alarm uses sonar to determine tank water levels and calls preprogrammed phone numbers if water falls below a certain level.

The tank has overflowed only twice since it was put up nearly 20 years ago, and a berm has recently been constructed for added flood protection, according to City Maintenance Manager Wayne Ward.

In light of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City and Washington, communities across the nation have been advised to take precautions with their water supplies. Although council members think an attack would be unlikely, they are taking precautions anyway.

The water plant doors, previously left open, will now be locked. A key will be issued to Hills Fire Chief Alan Top so the fire department has access in case of a large fire.

In other council business:
The council agreed to advertise the excess space in City Hall for rent. The United States Post Office has indicated it will be unable to move to the space in the near future. The Post Office has experienced a massive financial downturn since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Prairie Fire Internet Technologies representatives will be invited to attend the next council meeting to discuss a request to locate an antenna on the city's water tank.

Sally Ann McFadden, 67, Luverne, died Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001, at Hospice Cottage in Luverne.

Sally Hahn was born to James and Ruth Naomi (Cogley) Pendleton on Sept. 19, 1934, in Sioux City, Iowa. The family settled in Hartington, Neb., where she graduated from high school in May 1952.

She married Joseph Arnette McFadden on Jan. 7, 1956, at Hartington Holy Trinity Church in Hartington. The couple lived in Omaha, Neb., Iowa, Minneapolis and St. Peter before moving to Luverne.

She received her associate of arts degree in business from Worthington Community College. She worked as a legal secretary for Robert L. Mabee Law Offices in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Mrs. McFadden's greatest devotion and contribution was to The Theater, as a "founding mother" of Green Earth Players in 1978, and as she continued to nurture this now well-established and award-winning community theater group in various capacities, including artistic director, board president, producer, costume and prop master and actress. She was an active participant, supporter and leading organizer for numerous local organizations and events, including Girl Scouts, Buffalo Days, teaching swimming and aquarobics and many arts organizations. She was also active at St. Catherine Catholic Church for many years.

Survivors include her stepmother, Serine Hahn (Flom) Silbert, Hartington; her ex-husband, Joe McFadden, Brooklyn Center; five children, Julia Sarah McFadden, Ann Marie McFadden, Patrick Joseph McFadden and Timothy James McFadden, all of Minneapolis, and Maggie (Margaret Jean) McFadden, Bozeman, Mont.; one sister, Rosa Ayer, Seattle, Wash.; numerous in-laws, nieces and nephews; families of McFadden, Noecker, Rosenbach, OÕGara, Lipinksi, Burbach and Hahn; and Carla White, New York, N.Y.
Mrs. McFadden was preceded in death by her parents, stepfather, Eddie Aaron Silbert; one brother, "Bud" Hahn, and a half-sister, Connie Voznica.

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

Irid A. Eitreim, 79, Garretson, S.D., formerly of Beaver Creek, died Friday, Nov. 9, 2001, at Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne.

Services were Monday, Nov. 12, at Palisade Lutheran Church, rural Garretson. A private family burial was in West Palisade Cemetery.

Irid Eitreim was born to Willie and Julia Eitreim on April 14, 1922, in Rock County. He graduated from Beaver Creek High School in 1940. He entered the U.S. Army in 1942 and served in the 101st Airborne from November 1942 until December 1945, serving in Normandy, France, Holland, Bastogne, Belgium and Germany.

He married Caryl Jones on April 22, 1948, at Red Bank, N.J. He moved back to Rock County and farmed until 1984. He then worked for Southwest Mutual Insurance Co. until 1997.

One of his life pleasures was singing. Mr. Eitreim was a member of the Rock-Minnehaha Male Chorus and Norse Glee Club. He also served on the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board and was a member of the Garretson American Legion. He was a member of Palisade Lutheran Church.

Survivors include his wife, Caryl Eitreim, Garretson; two sons, Jeffrey Eitreim and his wife, Dianne, Long Lake, and Gregory Eitreim, Champlin; one daughter, Nancy Vikman and her husband, Edwin, Denver, Colo.; three grandchildren, Stephanie Bowron, Scott Eitreim and Steven Eitreim; two great-grandchildren, Isak Bowron and Caleb Bowron; seven brothers and sisters, Bernice Miller, Dorothy Oien, both of Sioux Falls, Shirley Knowlton, Austin, Warren Eitreim, Parker, S.D., Donald Eitreim, Lady Lake, Fla., Mildred Larson, Armour, S.D., and Milton Eitreim, Sun Lakes, Ariz., and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be directed to the Palisade Cemetery Association or the Luverne Hospice Cottage.

Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson, was in charge of arrangements.

Vyron H.W. Wacker, 75, Luverne, died Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2001, at Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne.

Funeral services were Thursday, Nov. 15, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Revs. Dell B. Sanderson and Maurice E. Hagen officiated. Burial was in Luverne Memorial Gardens Cemetery, rural Luverne.

Vyron Wacker was born to Harry and Cecilia (Dengler) Wacker on Sept. 2, 1926, in Rock Rapids, Iowa, where he was raised and attended Rock Rapids High School.

He married Mary Ann Dirks on Oct. 3, 1947, in Rock Rapids. Following their marriage they lived and farmed north of Luverne. In December 1953 they moved to a farm south of Luverne where he farmed until 1989. They then moved to their current home in Luverne. He began working for Farmers Union Co-op in Luverne. He entered Luverne Hospice Cottage on Nov. 5.

Mr. Wacker was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne and a member of Luverne Lions Club. He enjoyed woodworking, fishing and playing cards, especially pinochle.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Wacker, Luverne; two sons and daughters-in-law, Ralph and Lynn Wacker, Arlington, and Ron and Lona Wacker, Eagan; two daughters and sons-in-law, Carla and Lee LaBore, Shorewood, and Barbara and Patrick Sanger, Dallas, Texas; four grandchildren and one expected in January; and one sister, Lois Dieterman, Sutherland, Iowa.

Mr. Wacker was preceded in death by his parents, and one daughter, Sandra Wacker.

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

Leila Olson, 91, Adrian, died Saturday, Nov. 10, 2001, at Arnold Memorial Nursing Home in Adrian.

Memorial services were Wednesday, Nov. 14, at United Methodist Church in Adrian. The Rev. Chris Johnson officiated. Burial of the cremains will be at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette, Calif.

Leila Ashby was born to Ira and Clara (Coss) Ashby on Aug. 14, 1910, in Arrowsmith, Ill. She attended country school near Magnolia prior to attending and graduating from Magnolia High School.

She married Almer N. Olson on March 10, 1935, in Sioux Falls, S.D. After their marriage they lived in Magnolia before moving to California in 1940. Mr. Olson worked on the Oakland Bay Bridge, and she worked as a salesperson in a dime store. During the war years she was a homemaker. In 1981 she moved to Adrian where she lived in the renovated Slade Hotel. She moved to Arnold Memorial Nursing Home in September 2001.

Mrs. Olson was a member of United Methodist Church in Adrian and also a member of the Royal Neighbors of America. She enjoyed playing cards and Senior Citizen activities. She also enjoyed receiving news and pictures of her great-grandchildren and traveling with her husband and friend while in California.

Survivors include her son, Wayne (Happy) Olson, El Cerrito Calif.; two grandsons, Jon (Christe) Olson and Mike Olson; two great-grandsons; one brother, Howard (Ruth) Ashby, Luverne; one sister, Helen Rogers, Golden, Colo.; sister-in-law, Delores Ashby, Adrian; and several nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Olson was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Almer, three brothers and three sisters.

Dingmann Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Adrian, was in charge of arrangements.

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne girls' hockey team stumbled out of the blocks to start the 2001-02 season by taking an 8-0 drubbing in New Ulm Tuesday.

Eagle goalie Jenny Neveln blanked the Cardinals by making 13 saves, and the New Ulm offense peppered LHS net-minder Bethany Rosenberg with 35 shots overall while scoring at least two goals in every period.

Ashley Dietz and Nikki Williams scored a combined six goals to lead the assault turned in by the Eagles.

Dietz found the net four times, including a three-goal effort in the second period. Williams scored goals in the game's first and third periods.

Dietz opened the scoring 1:41 into the game with an unassisted tally.

Williams scored her first goal at the 5:10 mark of the opening stanza, and New Ulm's Jocelyn Janni added a tally 25 seconds later to make it a 3-0 game.

With Dietz scoring three goals in a 10-minute span in the second period, New Ulm opened a commanding 6-0 advantage.

Eagle Angie Seifert found the net at the 11:03 mark of the third period before Williams ended the scoring with her second goal that came with 4:02 left to play.

Luverne, which had five shots in the first and third periods and two in the second, will open the home portion of its schedule at 2 p.m. Saturday against Mankato East. The Cards host Fairmont at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Some people are blessed with the knowledge that they are destined to follow a certain path in life. Luverne native Teri (Busse) Hady knew at a very young age what path she would choose. She was called to help people by becoming a nurse.

"I always wanted to be a surgical nurse. I had to take little tests to see what I wanted to do in the seventh grade. I knew right away I wanted to work in the operating room," said Teri.

She currently works as a cardiac surgical nurse for Dr. Dearani, M.D., a cardiac and transplant surgeon at Mayo Clinic, Rochester. In addition to her duties for Dr. Dearani, Teri assists in heart, lung, liver and kidney transplants.

Mayo Clinic, a renowned medical center, offers cutting edge medical treatments, including organ transplants.

Methodist and St. Mary's hospitals are both located in Rochester. Each hospital specializes in different areas, but both are under the canopy of the Mayo Clinic.
When Teri is on call for transplants she must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For heart transplants she is on call one week out of five, for liver three weeks out of six. If her on call time overlaps she must find someone to cover for her.

Teri said she has seen many advances in transplant surgery. For example, in the past, a liver transplant patient would have been put on a bypass machine. Now the surgeons are more familiar with the operation so the surgery is performed without the by-pass. Bypass is used only in extremely complicated surgeries.

Living related donor liver transplants are also performed. Mayo Clinic is one of the few places in the United States approved for this procedure.

Teri has worked on both ends of the transplant procedure. She was a member of a retrieval team before she switched to the transplant team. Fear of flying was the reason for her switch.

Previously, she would have traveled anywhere in the transplant region of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or Wisconsin with little notice.

A transplant team includes two surgical nurses, one surgical tech, a resident and surgeon.

Organs have maximum time limits between retrieval and transplant completion. Completion means in the patient and functioning normally.

Hearts must be transplanted within four hours, livers within 12 hours, lungs within eight hours and kidneys within 24 hours.

Teri has assisted on numerous surgeries, but recently she was on the team for Beaver Creek resident Ron RaukÕs liver transplant.

Teri said she talked with the family before the surgery to let them know she would be assisting. "The family of the patient is under so much stress with a million and one things happening. I just wanted to say it would be all right," Teri said.

"I know that I am helping someone live a longer life. I know that they are going to have a better life. Some are so sick before surgery they can hardly get out of bed. Liver surgeries are especially rewarding because the patient recovers so quickly. They can go back to living the life they used to live."

Teri encourages everyone to talk to their family members if they are interested in organ donation and have their wishes put on their driver's license.

"So many patients die daily that are waiting for an organ. They are the gift of life. It's the greatest gift you can give another person," she said.

Teri and her husband, Steve, live in Rochester. She is the daughter of Ken and Janice Busse, Luverne.

Bauer is easily recognizable as the owner of Luverne's Pizza Ranch.

Harrison said, "Lila has donated money toward Kids Teaching Kids. She is an ambassador of good will in our community. She is known for giving away free pizza coupons to anyone she discovers that has accomplished something that deserves recognition or reward."

Harrison said, "She has welcomed school children to come for a very special field trip experience where they make their own pizza, accompanied by the beverage of their choice and they leave with a free mini pizza coupon."

Harrison also pointed out that Bauer is a major employer of people with special needs.

Bauer said, "We hire a lot of kids with special needs to give them some kind of skill to use." She said some employees fold boxes and clean and aren't always seen by customers even though their work is valuable. Bauer said many of those workers take a real ownership in their duties and gain a sense of pride and accomplishment.

Marie Atkinson-Smeins said of Bauer in a nomination letter, "Lila is such a positive person. She is very supportive of the school. She has provided us with Student of the Week pizza coupons for the last few years. She has given the school a deal many times when we have ordered pizza."

Bauer said she enjoys the way her job connects her to the school, especially through the kindergarten tours. "It's their one big trip for the year," she said.

"This is just what we do. It's not an effort or anything," she said.

Friends of Education are nominated by LEA members and decided on by the past five Friends of Education.