The Hills-Beaver Creek High School Peer Helpers sponsored a contest among students and staff to see which class could donate the most items for the Rock County Emergency Food Shelf. Eighth- and ninth-graders tied for the honors. Nearly 800 items were collected during a two-week period during the first part of November. Peer Helpers (from left) Tyler Bush, Derek Haak, Tyson Metzger, Kale Wiertzema, Travis Broesdar, Ashley Sundem, Advisor Rachelle McGill and Kari Roozenboom delivered the donated items to the Food Shelf in Luverne Friday, Nov. 15.

Photo by Jolene Farley

Bernice Sandbulte, Hills, celebrates Grandparents Day with her grandchildren Tuesday at Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School. Sandbulte and her husband, Duane, have grandchildren in every grade at the school. Pictured eating lunch with Grandma are (front, from left) Justin Sandbulte, Bernice Sandbulte, Marissa Harsma, (second row) Jessica Sandbulte, Katlyn Sandbulte, Kyle Harsma, Jeffrey Sandbulte, Joshua Dudley, Mitchell Sandbulte and Myranda Sandbulte. Justin and Marissa are holding turkeys that say, "We are thankful for our grandpas and grandmas."

Photo by Jolene Farley

Who ya gonna
call when ‘there
oughtta be a law’?

Now that the dust has settled after the elections, it’s time to sit back and see if our politicians keep their campaign promises, right?

Actually, no.

Now’s the time to pay attention and make sure those promises are kept.

We’ve heard the grand plans and warm, fuzzy election speeches, but when it comes down to it, our elected officials are only as good as the standards we hold them to.

We can hope, at the very least, that they’ll keep their promises, but a campaign platform typically covers only a small part of overall public responsibilities.

State legislators may promise lower taxes, but when tax statements come in with smaller amounts as promised, who’s keeping track of the resulting cuts in services and how those decisions are made?

Beyond the narrow scope of keeping a promise or two, direction for the rest of public business needs to come from responsible constituents — presumably the ones our officials work for.

They have taken sworn oaths to represent our interests, and in most cases, are paid, albeit modestly, to do it.
Rock County Commissioners receive a base pay of $12,000 per year for roughly two regular meetings per month, plus more for special meetings.

The Luverne mayor receives $5,100 per year, and Luverne City Council members are compensated $4,200 per year for regular twice monthly council meetings. They receive $20 for meetings shorter than a half day, and $40 for longer ones.

Luverne School Board members receive $50 for regular meetings (roughly two a month) and $30 for special meetings.

Following is a list of elected officials to keep in mind when concerns of public interest arise.

Clip it, attach it to the refrigerator, and call one of them the next time you hear yourself saying, "There oughtta be a law!" Also, don’t forget to call them with an "atta boy" when those occasions arise.

Keep in mind our elected officials are just ordinary citizens concerned enough about public process to get involved in leadership capacities. Their jobs are demanding, most of them deserve our respect — as well as our constructive criticisms.

Congratulations, winners of the 2002 elections! Let’s see what you can do for us, working with us.

* * *

The list of Luverne School Board members will remain unchanged in January, with all four incumbents re-elected to four-year terms. Luverne School Board members are:

Don Bryan, 669-2181
Colleen Deutsch, 283-9265
Dan Kop, 283-4733
Cary Radisewitz, 283-4372
Bill Stegemann, 283-8144
Steve Tofteland, 283-4503
Becky Walgrave, 283-4042.

For lists of school board members in other Rock County districts, call 483-2232 for Adrian, 967-2242 for Ellsworth and 962-3240, for Hills-Beaver Creek.

Luverne City Council will see two new faces after the first of the year. Pat Baustian, 283-4180, and Bob Kaczrowski, 283-9261, will replace Keith Erickson, 283-2497, and Jim Kirchhofer, 283-2415, respectively.
Tom Martius, 283-4679, and David Hauge, 283-2065, are the other two council members.

Mayor Glen Gust, who was re-elected to another two-year term, can be reached at 283-8761.

Members of the Rock County Board of Commissioners include:

Kenneth Hoime, 442-4913
Wendell Erickson, 962-3785
Ron Boyenga, 967-2104
Bob Jarchow, 283-2469
Jane Wildung, 283-4691.

97-6378, will replace Erickson, who did not seek re-election. Bakken ran uncontested for the seat.

As Rock County’s new representatives at the state and Congressional level take office in January, the Star Herald will publish their contact information as well.

That information, as well as the school, city and county contacts, can be found on the Star Herald Web site, www.star-herald.com. Click on the button, "Your elected officials," on the home page.

By Sara Strong
The Berkley expansion will probably be finished under budget and ahead of schedule.

The project is expected to be completed with a total of 74 construction days, counting work on the parking lot.

The short length of construction isn’t because it is an easy job.

"This is not an uncomplicated building," project supervisor Virgil Christensen said during a tour of the construction site Monday.

As Christensen Corporation, he is managing 33 contractors for this expansion, with the help of Luverne’s Public Works Director Darrell Huiskes, who Christensen credits with much of the success of the building project.

"A good team reduces cost," Christensen said.

The city of Luverne approved up to $750,000 for the addition of 8,500 finished square feet and some internal remodeling.

Luverne City Council members, city staff and Luverne Economic Development Authority members joined the tour, which showcased the expansion of Berkley Technology Services.

Without pinning down specifics before everything’s accounted for, Christensen thinks the project will be just less than $700,000 and finished by Dec. 6.

He said, "The building itself is complicated, but it is just a large room [with cubicles]."

Work on the BTS building is complicated by the technical needs of its inhabitants.

During the tour, Christensen directed the group to look into the unfinished ceiling, with a complicated layout of pipes, wires and boxes.

Other than what’s visible, the building has other interesting complications. There are 45 electrical circuits just for computers. There are more than 500 locations that can be activated for some type of technology, such as phones, computers, voice mail systems or general power.

Other features that might not be so noticeable at first, help make the building special according to Christensen.

The bathrooms in the office area, for example, are covered in intricate tile work; all window sills are surrounded in solid surface material.

"This Corian is my favorite material," Christensen said. "When people come together to talk by a window, this way, they have something better to look at and to kind of rest their hands on."

Heating such a space is another issue of its own. Electronics such as copy machines, lights and computers, not to mention more than 100 workers, add heat to the building.

There’s a constant flow of hot and cool air that unifies the temperature in all parts of the building. The water-to-air heat pump keeps temperatures even by accepting or rejecting heat as needed.

From the ground up
Virgil Christensen started working in his chosen field as a young man. He’s semi-retired now, but he could be called "the man who built Luverne."

Many of the city’s current, modern structures are notches on Christensen’s tool belt.

The Methodist, Baptist and Catholic churches are among his projects; banks, apartments and retail spaces are also on his resume; and he’s helped with parts of the school and hospital structures.

Christensen’s work covers a huge percentage of the city of Luverne.

This current construction phase is the fifth he’s done for Berkley. Christensen said he’s enjoyed keeping up with the latest project in Luverne.

"The city of Luverne has been very good to me and I guess I owe it to them."

Besides helping to construct, or reconstruct Luverne, Darrell Huiskes points to other projects that have gotten attention for Christensen.

In Aberdeen, S.D., for example, President George Bush recently spoke at the Barnett Center and publicly said it was one of the nicest facilities he’d visited. Christensen was in charge of that project.

Christensen has also done work for the Catholic Church in other cities that was well received.

Huiskes said, "The city owes Virgil a large debt of gratitude for what he does for the community."

Business of expansion
The 10-year lease on the BTS building was due to expire in December 2004, but according to the agreement, Berkley Corp. will sign another 10-year lease on the building contingent on the following conditions:

LEDA will add 8,500 square feet to the existing 20,000-square-foot BTS structure.

CWG employees will move into the BTS building. There are about 100 CWG employees, including 20 who will move back to the Luverne location from Sioux Falls.

Berkley Corp. will donate the vacated Tri-State building to the city. The 30,000-square-foot building is worth roughly $1 million.

The City Council approved $750,000 in financing in August.

The city still owes about $900,000 on the current BTS building. Lease payments on the building will cover those costs in addition to maintenance on the 33,000-square-foot Tri-State building.

Berkley will make lease payments of $10,000 per month, and at the end of 10 years will have the opportunity to purchase the building for $650,000 or extend the lease for five years at $10,000 per month.

Last year at this time BTS had 114 employees and CWG listed 147, including traveling employees and those in Sioux Falls.

Robert Conrad Erickson, 88, Luverne, died Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2002, at Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne.

Services were Saturday, Nov. 16, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Rev. Paul Fries officiated. Burial was in Beaver Creek Cemetery, Beaver Creek.

Robert Erickson was born to Alfred and Lucy (Peterson) Erickson on Nov. 7, 1914, in Beaver Creek Township. He attended schools in District 16 in Beaver Creek Township and Magnolia School. He graduated from Magnolia High School in 1933.

He married Helen Louise Arp on Feb. 14, 1939, at a parsonage in Luverne. He worked for area farmers and then at Luverne Co-op Creamery for five years before farming on his own. They farmed in the Hardwick area for 10 years and in the Magnolia/Luverne area for 21 years. He also was custodian in Magnolia School and Worthington Hospital. He drove a truck for Hatting Construction and was also a school bus driver. He moved to Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in 1998.

Mr. Erickson was a charter member of Bethany Lutheran Church where he served in various positions on the church council over the years.

Survivors include his wife, Helen Erickson, Luverne; four children and their spouses, Darwin (Joann) Erickson, Spencer, Iowa, Sandra (John) Smith, Cottonwood, Bryce (Kathie) Erickson, Minnetonka, and Minnell (James) Tralle, Elk River; five grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; three great-grandchildren; eight stepgreat-grandchildren; and one brother-in-law, Robert Staeffler, Worthington.

Mr. Erickson was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and four sisters.

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

Award-winning posters
Luverne Elementary School students show their award-winning artwork that they submitted in the Winterfest Poster Contest 2002. Pictured are (front row, from left) Josh Baker, Danielle Schilling, Mitchel Anderson, Brooke Walgrave, Abby Pierce, Alex Stanley, (second row) Ellen Dahl, Paige Pierce, Katlyn Sawtelle, Taylor Reese and Kira Graber, (back row) Megan Petersen, Alex Weis, Brandon Ushijima and Bryan Stanley. The top three posters were selected from each grade in Grades 1-5 as winners, and that artwork is now on display in the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce Office until Winterfest weekend, Dec. 6-8.

Photo by Lori Ehde

An aerial photo taken Tuesday of the Tri-State Addition shows the current Tri-State building situated diagonally in the center and the expanded Berkley Technology Services building across the street to the northeast. The expanded parking lot is visible between BTS and the Human Services Building to the northwest of Tri-State. Story inside.

Photo by Dan Statema

Regina Cook, 85, Rock Rapids, Iowa, died Thursday, Nov. 7, 2002, in Luverne Hospice Cottage following a long battle with cancer.

Services were Saturday, Nov. 9, at Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids. The Rev. Jeff Schleisman officiated. Burial was in Holy Name Cemetery.

Regina Elizabeth Ryan was born to Daniel and Rachael (Burns) Ryan on Dec. 24, 1918, in Rock Rapids. She grew up in Rock Rapids. She graduated from high school in 1935. After her education she worked as a bookkeeper at Quaker Oats in Rock Rapids for many years.

She married Art Cook on April 23, 1951, in Kansas City. Following their marriage they lived in Rock Rapids. She continued working at Quaker Oats and then for C.A. Peterson Lumber Yard before becoming a nurse’s aide. She worked at Rock Rapids Health Centre as an aide until her retirement in 1984. After her retirement she helped her sister, Mary, care for their invalid sister, Cecelia. Mr. Cook died on Dec. 17, 1991. In January of this year she moved to Luverne to live with her son. She moved to Luverne Hospice Cottage on Oct. 5.
Mrs. Cook was an active member of Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids. She enjoyed playing bridge and was an accomplished bowler.

Survivors include one son, Dan (Diane) Cook, Luverne; and two grandchildren, Darren and Danielle.

Mrs. Cook was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, four brothers, William, John, Vernie and Paul Ryan, and three sisters, Cecelia and Mary Ryan, and Catherine Johnson.

A tree will be planted by Luverne Hospice in memory of Regina Cook.

Roste Funeral Home, Rock Rapids, was in charge of arrangements.

Harold L. Brooks, 89, Ellsworth, formerly of Luverne and Fergus Falls, died Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2002, at Parkview Manor in Ellsworth.

Services were Saturday, Nov. 9, at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. Burial was in Sunset Cemetery, Rushmore.

Harold Brooks was born to Lyman and Anna (Martin) Brooks on July 3, 1913, near Magnolia. He was raised and educated in Magnolia.

He married Alice (Rabenberg) Krull on Sept. 16, 1938, in Spirit Lake, Iowa. They farmed near Rushmore until 1940 and then moved to Norcross where they farmed from 1940 until 1969 when he retired from farming. They moved to Fergus Falls where he was a hotel clerk at Riverview Inn until 1986. They then moved to Luverne. He moved to Parkview Manor in December 1998.

Mr. Brooks was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. He was a collector of many different things.

Survivors include two stepsons, Leon (Alice) Krull, Deer Creek, and Harvey (Agnes) Krull, Rushmore; one stepdaughter, Dolores (Peter) VanRegenmorter, Sioux Falls, S.D.; nine grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; 19 great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Orville M. (Carol) Brooks, Burnsville; and two sisters, Donna M. Gertz, West Fargo, N.D., and Barbara A. Hinz, Luverne.

Mr. Brooks was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Alice, in 1988, one stepson, Lloyd, in 1968, four grandchildren, Jim, Thomas and Ronald Krull, all in 1970, and Gale VanRegenmorter in 2001, three brothers, Charley, Stanley and Edward, and three sisters, Thelma, Erma and Neva.

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