By Jolene Farley
On June 13, Hills-Beaver Creek sixth-grader Adam Finke will leave his home for the experience of a lifetime.

Adam was chosen as one of 15 People to People Middle School Student Ambassadors for the Sioux Falls Area. As an ambassador, he will visit Spain, France, Germany and Switzerland over a period of three weeks.

When asked if he is nervous about leaving his rural Luverne home and his parents, Jon and Sherri, he said, "maybe a little." Adam has flown once before to Disney World in Florida, but this will be a much longer flight.

The People to People delegation leaves the Sioux Falls Regional Airport and flies to New York where they join two other United States delegations, bringing their group up to 45 kids. From there they travel to Madrid, Spain.

Finke and the other delegates will learn about the government, economy and culture of Spain, France, Germany and Switzerland.

They'll learn through activities such as briefing at embassies and ministries, discussions with industry and trade officials, site visits to the headquarters of international organizations, and meetings with youth clubs.

They receive an overview of the cultural heritage of each country during visits to major historical sites and performances of ethnic music and dance.

The itinerary includes visits to Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Granada, Seville and Barcelona, Spain; Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland; Freiburg, Germany; and Paris, France.

The Alps is on top of Adam's list of things to see on the trip, but he is also excited about touring the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. He hopes to meet some visiting dignitaries.

"I thought it would be fun and a good experience," he said about the trip. He hopes to learn more about different cultures and how people live in different countries.

Adam will visit host families in each country who will include him in their everyday activities.

Each Student Ambassador is selected on the basis of recommendations, including school references and personal interviews with members of a screening committee in their local community.

Adam was notified in October he was chosen as an Ambassador. He is not sure who recommended him for the program.

Monthly orientation meetings to study countries the delegates will visit began in December. A report on a different country is due at each meeting, according to Adam. Delegates are trained on how to write in journals, so they can record their experiences.

Jon and Sherri Finke are trying to raise the $5,000 needed for Adam's trip. Sherri's employer, Cargill AgHorizons, has agreed to donate, and Sherri said they will approach a few more businesses but plan to pay the majority of the expense themselves. The $5,000 fee covers airfare and meals.

Young Americans have served as Student Ambassadors since 1963. Many former Student Ambassadors have pursued international careers in business, law, government service, and teaching, according to Pamela Leib, Junior High Delegation Leader for the Sioux Falls Area.

Alumni of the program have said their overseas experience and the maturity and world awareness they gained provide a competitive advantage for university acceptance as well as a new appreciation for life in America.

Outstanding Student Ambassadors are also eligible to apply for future service as interns.

The Student Ambassador program is operated under the auspices of People to People International, a nonpolitical, private-sector organization founded by President Eisenhower in 1956 to further international goodwill and understanding.

An international network of People to People chapters in nearly 60 American cities and 35 countries assists program administrators in arranging home stays and educational activities.

Students can obtain high school and university credit through participation in the program and may be eligible for grants.

By John Rittenhouse
The basketball season has been over for more than two weeks at Hills-Beaver Creek High School, but that didn't keep a large crowd from showing up at the school for a benefit game Monday night.

In what has become an annual event at the school, H-BC faculty members entertained the KELO-TV Almost Stars in a game to benefit the Patriot Partners organization.

The teams played in front of a crowd that nearly filled the grandstands on the south side of the gym as well as the stage on the north side of the gym.

According to Ann Boeve, one of the Patriot Partners in charge of the event, the support for the game was overwhelming.

"It was very well-received. There had to be 500 to 600 people there. You never really know how something like this will go, but I think it must have been the right time of year because people were looking for something to do," she said.

The Patriot Partners plan to use the $1,280 they raised to pad the high school locker room fund. New locker rooms are on the community's wish list, and events like these, along with the $200,000 the H-BC School District will donate to the project, could make the project a reality.

The night started with a Burger King Whopper Feed from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

With Sioux Falls radio personality Ben Davis providing pre-game music as well as doing the game's play-by-play announcing, the contest tipped off around 7:30, after the national anthem was sung by the H-BC Elementary School Singers Edition.

When the first half was complete, with the Almost Stars sporting a slim lead, the H-BC Elementary School Cheerleaders and H-BC Dance Line provided entertainment throughout the intermission.

H-BC's junior parents and After Prom Committee sold concessions throughout the game, which ended in a deadlock when the faculty members staged a second-half rally.

By Jolene Farley
Dave Crawford, Beaver Creek, has always been fond of animals, particularly dogs. Crawford turned his love of dogs into a business when he opened Midwest Canine in 1995 at his home in rural Beaver Creek.

"Training is something I have always been interested in," said Crawford, originally from Slayton. "So when I was done with school I went out to the West Virginia Canine College before I moved back here." Crawford attended college for animal science.

Midwest Canine offers dog boarding for up to eight dogs, but Crawford hopes to expand his boarding capacity next summer and also add an indoor training facility. Boarding costs for one day currently run $6 for a small dog and $7 for a big dog.

He also toys with the idea of opening boarding kennels in different towns. Midwest Canine boards dogs from all over the area.

He loves repeat customers. "The dogs are like one of your own," said Crawford. "It is like you have a pet but it goes home with someone else at the end of the week."

Midwest Canine offers dog obedience classes at the Rock County Veterinary Clinic for adult dogs and puppies. Adult dog classes are offered on Mondays and cost $45. Puppy classes are offered on Saturdays and cost $38.50.

Since turnout for the obedience class was double what Crawford expected, new classes will be offered periodically throughout the year.

He hopes to eventually add an agility class, where dogs are taught to weave around poles, run through tunnels and other fun things. His customers have expressed interest, and he says it is a great confidence builder for dogs.

Four years ago, Midwest Canine began training hunting dogs. It usually takes about two months to train a dog to hunt, according to Crawford. Costs run about $325 per month.

Before adopting a dog Crawford suggests sitting down to list what you want in a dog. "A lot of people pick the wrong breed," he said. "They see a cute little puppy and buy it right away."

A good breeder should be able to help evaluate a litter for the best puppy for prospective owners. Crawford recommends what he calls the "middle child" - not the meek, submissive puppy or the one jumping all over but the one in the middle.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not socializing their dogs at a young age to the things they will be exposed to, according to Crawford.

Crawford works alone, except for a part-time helper during the summer. Business was brisk last year, so he anticipates needing more part-time help this summer.

In addition to boarding and training, Midwest Canine also raises German shepherds imported from Germany.

Crawford and his wife, Lisa, have two children, twins Andrew and Amanda.

By Lori Ehde
A sure sign of spring is the posting of spring road weight restrictions.

According to Rock County Highway Engineer Mark Sehr, this week marks the beginning of the thaw cycle when restricted weights are most important.

"Spring is a critical period for roads, because the soils and aggregate materials are weak while frost leaves the ground," Sehr said in a statement released by the highway department this week.

During the spring, pavement layers are saturated with trapped water and weakened by thawing base soil.

The weight restrictions apply to all licensed vehicles, including semi tractor trailers and grain trucks.

Non-licensed vehicles, mostly vehicles used as "implements of husbandry," are exempt from regulations or weight limits.

According to Sehr, grain carts, gravity-flow grain wagons and manure "honey wagons" tend to be the biggest culprits for local county roads.

This is because the weight is distributed on only one or two axles, while many commercial vehicles, such as semis, distribute the weight over several axles.

In general, Sehr said most drivers respect the weight restrictions. "Ninety-eight percent are good about it, but it only takes one or two bad ones to damage a road," he said.

Minnesota State Patrol officers carry scales with them to periodically check for overweight vehicles.

In Minnesota, about 97 percent of county roads are subject to spring load restrictions, which can extend their life by about 10 percent.

The time frame for spring load restriction - always eight weeks - is determined by the Minnesota Department of Transportation .

The start date is determined by a thawing index and a three-day forecast.

Road crews have started repairing frost heaves on county gravel roads, but so far Sehr said local hard-surface roads haven't started showing damage from spring thaw.

Road construction slated for this year:
Major county road construction projects this year will include Lincoln Street in Luverne and County Road 2 in the northern part of the county.

Both roads will be totally reconstructed.

Lincoln Street (a county highway) will be reconstructed from Cedar Street east to Blue Mound Avenue.

County Road 2 work will be from County Road 7 (the east-west Hardwick road) north almost to Edgerton.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will work on Highway 75 from Luverne south to the Iowa border.

In addition, Rock County is planning to overlay 17 miles of road. This includes:
oCounty Road 6 (the north-south road between Hills and Beaver Creek) from County Road 4 (Old Highway 16) south to Hills.

oCounty Road 5 (which enters Luverne from the west by the bus garages), from Highway 23 west to the South Dakota border.

oCounty Road 7 (east-west road through Hardwick) from Highway 75 west to the South Dakota border.

Hills-Beaver Creek second-grader Eric H. Fick adds the finishing touches on the kite he designed Tuesday afternoon in the March craft class offered by Community Education.

Photo by Jolene Farley

By Sara Quam
The Luverne City Council received an update of the Lewis and Clark Rural Water Project at its Tuesday Committee of the Whole meeting.

Luverne has been a member of the system for almost 11 years and just last year, the project received authorization to continue. Funding will continue to be an issue for the project that won’t reach Luverne's faucets for another 10 years.

President George W. Bush said during his recent stop in Sioux Falls, S.D., that the project is in next year's budget. But city utilities Coordinator Red Arndt hopes funding doesn't stop there.

Right now, Luverne has about $200,000 saved for payment to the system and, by the time it reaches Luverne, should have plenty in the fund. City water users shouldn't expect to see increased rates because of Lewis and Clark.

The next issue for the council to decide is how many gallons it wants designated for Luverne. It has already said it wanted to increase its allotment from 500,000 gallons a day to 750,000 gallons a day. But since first looking at those numbers, the price increase has changed because of increased Lewis and Clark memberships.

At 750,000 gallons a day, the city will owe $1.5 million, which is $785,000 more than it would cost to not increase the daily allotment. The city's portion of the costs is supplemented by 80 percent federal funding and another 10 percent from the state.

"Our increase will have to be decided on in a matter of weeks," Arndt said. The decision is up for a vote at the next council meeting April 10.

Council members indicated they leaned toward keeping the increased water allotment because in planning for the city's water needs up to 100 years in the future, industry needs may change to necessitate a larger water supply.

The cost of actual water once the city is on the system could decrease. Now the city pays $1.07 per 1,000 gallons but could end up paying 90¢ per 1,000 gallons with Lewis and Clark.

City vehicle
The city of Luverne has been investigating the benefits of leasing a vehicle for city employee use for a couple of months.

At the COW meeting Tuesday, the council narrowed options that will be voted on at an upcoming council meeting.

Last year, city employees and elected officials put about 35,000 miles on their personal vehicles and were reimbursed 32.5¢ per mile. With a leased vehicle from the state of Minnesota, the cost would drop to 24¢ per mile. The state leasing program replaces vehicles when they get past 60,000 miles.

The council is leaning toward leasing a Ford Taurus because it is able to run on 85 percent ethanol fuel.

Maintenance on the vehicle has to be done by certified dealers, which would keep some of the money local. The lease covers maintenance costs, and the city is responsible for insurance.

The council envisions the car to be used for lobbying trips to St. Paul and other city business. Employees will be asked to use the city vehicle before their own whenever possible to keep costs down.

By Lori Ehde
It isn't a big check by today's standards, but Magnolia City Council members were pleased to receive a $1,000 grant at their last meeting.

According to Magnolia Mayor Fabian Deutsch, the council received the money through the Luverne Eagles Club.

Deutsch, also an Eagles Club member, applied for money through the Jimmy Durante Children's Fund and Child Abuse Project.

Qualified projects receiving Durante funding must include aspects to help mentally or physically handicapped children.

Magnolia was one of three entities statewide to receive a Durante grant. "I'm pretty proud," Deutsch said. "I think it's darn nice."

Deutsch said he initially hoped the money could purchase playground equipment at the Magnolia City Park, but he was disappointed to learn $1,000 wouldn't go far to cover costs for current equipment.

Instead, he said the money will be used to equip the city's slow-pitch softball diamond.

"We're going to try to organize a little league," Deutsch said.

There is no structured ball diamond there now, but Deutsch said it will be located where the ball fields used to be.

He also said he hopes to stretch the grant dollars by purchasing some used equipment, in addition to new.

The ball diamond and city park are located east of the former school, which is now occupied by Pinnacle Programs Inc.

The ball field equipment is part of city park improvements already under way. Last year, the city planted 1,200 young trees around the park perimeter.

Council members are also considering putting up a park shelter house. "We're just in the pricing stage, yet" Deutsch said.

By Sara Quam
An April 2 public hearing could result in the county lifting the gravel permit moratorium after almost nine months - and just in time for gravel miners to start bidding on summer projects.

The hearing is necessary to get public comments before the Rock County Board can amend the Land Management Plan. It will likely amend the plan to include a special aggregate extraction supplement, which the board reviewed during its regular meeting Tuesday.

The April 2 hearing comes a day before the next scheduled Rock County Board meeting.

A key point to the supplement is that people building in or moving to rural Rock County will be notified that gravel extraction is a possibility.

Assistant County Attorney Glen Petersen said, "It doesn't have a lot of legal significance, but it has a lot of practical significance in letting people know what theyÕre getting into."

The aggregate extraction supplement was drafted after a March 12 Planning and Zoning meeting that addressed gravel extraction and the special challenges it faces in populated areas.

Setback requirements, hauling guidelines and population density are other issues that the supplement will address.

"It won't forbid extraction in certain areas," Petersen said. "But the gravel extractors should be aware that they may face opposition."

The moratorium that could be lifted next month was originally prompted by controversy over a request by Henning Construction to extract gravel from a rural neighborhood south of the airport.

That permit was denied, but the county feared the same circumstances could occur in the process of other permit applications.

While the permit freeze alleviated immediate controversy, the Rock County Board knew it had to reassess the balance between rural living and economic benefits of gravel mining
The board was almost willing to lift the moratorium Tuesday, but without the Land Management Plan changes formally adopted, new permits would fall under the old guidelines.

"I'd like to see the new applications fall under the new rules," Commissioner Bob Jarchow said.

Commissioner Ken Hoime, who serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission, said he felt comfortable with most of the LMP changes. In order to adopt those changes, the April 2 public hearing has to take place first.

So the issue in approving the new rules wasn't so much about the rules as it was about the timing with construction season fast approaching. But the board said that after public input, it's likely the LMP supplement will go into effect April 3.

Aggregate Extraction Supplement to LMP
The supplement, to be addressed at the April 2 meeting, goes through basic definitions and general goals and is available at the Land Management Office.

The policies of the supplement are to:

1.) Encourage continued use of existing mining operations, provided the operator is in compliance with all conditions imposed by County Commissioners.

2.) Encourage development of aggregate resources in areas with low residential densities to minimize conflicts between operators and homeowners.

3.) Discourage aggregate extraction in areas near towns and cities where growth is anticipated.

4.) Discourage aggregate extraction in well-head protection areas that do not comply with the Comprehensive Local Water Plan for Rock County.

5.) Discourage single-family home construction in areas with moderate to high grade aggregate deposits.

6.) Discourage new aggregate extraction in areas with high residential density.

7.) Encourage location of new sites on or near hard surfaced roads and consider the number of residents located along gravel surfaced roads intended for use as haul roads.

8.) Encourage county officials to make available to prospective home builders information concerning the proximity of gravel resources and the permitted uses and conditional uses allowed in the A-2 zone before the granting of a building permit or conditional use permit.

9.) Encourage operators to disclose periodically the amount of aggregate extracted from Rock County by conditioning permits on the disclosure of this information and/or enacting any necessary zoning control to ensure disclosure.

10.) Encourage county officials to study gravel extraction as a possible revenue source to the county and townships to offset for the costs of road and bridge construction and maintenance.

11.) Encourage operators to work with county and township officials to identify repair and maintenance responsibilities through the use of haul road agreements.

12.) Encourage use of surety bonds in order to ensure that sufficient funds are available to protect the county in the event an operator abandons a site without completing the conditions imposed by the conditional use, including reclamation.

13.) Encourage a broad cross representation of the community on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

14.) Strongly encourage a periodic evaluation of existing zoning controls for areas of possible improvement.

By Lori Ehde
If team participation is any indication, Rock County's first ever Relay For Life is shaping up to be a popular event.

During the kick-off meeting Thursday, March 15, more than 30 teams of Relay For Life walkers indicated interest in participating in the June 15 event.

The American Cancer Society had instructed local organizers to shoot for 15 teams as a goal for a first-year event.

Optimistically, they brought 25 team packets to Thursday's meeting, only to find that they hadn't brought enough.

Helen Saum, who has volunteered to organize team recruitment, said she's pleased but not necessarily surprised with the positive response.

"This area is such a committed community for supporting things," she said. "Certainly cancer has touched a lot of families in this area, so I think people want to do something about it."

The Relay for Life has become the trademark fund-raiser for the Society, the world's largest non-profit health organization committed to cancer research, education and service.

The event in Rock County will be staged on the track and field at Luverne High School.

Relay for Life involves teams of runners and walkers competing against each other to raise the most money.

Teams of individuals representing corporations, hospitals, neighborhoods and families take turns on the track with at least one team member on the track at a time.

The Relay for Life is now held nationwide, and thousands of people participate each year to help fight cancer.

The event is most noted for its luminaries that glow in memory of individuals who have died from cancer or in honor of those who have survived cancer.

Volunteers are needed to help with any part of the Rock County Relay For Life, from setting up to cleaning up.

To sign up, call co-chairs Vicki Baartman, 283-4119, or Janet Marshall, 283-4192.