Jason C. Brandenburg, 18, Lake Crystal, died Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2002, from a grain bin accident in rural Lake Crystal.

Mass of Christian Burial was Friday, Sept. 27, in St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, Mankato, with the Rev. John Wilmot officiating. Burial was in Lake Crystal Cemetery.

Jason C. Brandenburg was born to Gary and Pam (Rigdon) Brandenburg on Jan. 18, 1984, in Mankato. He graduated from Lake Crystal Welcome Memorial High School in 2002. He had worked for Cub Foods in Mankato and had started a new job at Grain Commerce Inc. on Monday, Sept. 23. He was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Lake Crystal. He enjoyed music, hunting and fishing.

Survivors include his parents; one brother, Joseph "Joe" Brandenburg, Lake Crystal; maternal grandparents, Charles and Arlene Rigdon, rural Good Thunder; maternal great-grandmother, Helen Rigdon, Good Thunder; aunts, uncles and cousins. Larry and Diana Brandenburg, uncle and aunt, are both Luverne natives.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, paternal great-grandparents and maternal great-grandfather.

Lake Crystal Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.

A memorial service for Minerva Bowron will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, in United Methodist Church, Luverne. The Rev. Bart Fletcher will officiate. Burial of cremains will be in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne. A time of fellowship will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4, at Dingmann Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Luverne, and continuing from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church.

Minerva Bowron, 87, Hills, formerly of Luverne, died Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2002, in Tuff Memorial Home, Hills.

Minerva Aanenson was born April 17, 1915, to Oliver and Olga (Berg) Aanenson in Luverne. She graduated from Luverne High School in 1932. She worked at Nelson Brothers Department Store and at the Announcer in Luverne.

She married Dallas Bowron on Nov. 24, 1937, in Milbank, S.D. After their marriage, the couple lived in Sioux Falls, S.D.,where she worked at Fantle's Department Store. In 1939, the couple moved to the Magnolia area where they farmed. They retired and moved to Luverne in 1981. Mrs. Bowron became a resident of Tuff Memorial Home in 1990.

She was a former member of the Luverne Garden Club.

Survivors include her husband, Dallas Bowron, Luverne; one daughter, Judy Bowron, Bloomington; a son and daughter-in-law, John and Jeanne Bowron, Luverne; four grandchildren, Emily (Joshua) Crabtree, Luverne, Alison (Derek) Chinn, Rochester, Johnna (Jeff) Ahrendt, Luverne, and Jessica (Jason) Oye, Greeley, Colo.; three great-grandchildren, Connor, Madison and Colby Crabtree; two brothers, Quentin (Jackie) Aanenson, Bethesda, Md., and Curtis (Evalou) Aanenson, Minnetonka; and one sister, Mavis Porter, Rock Rapids, Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, an infant son; one brother, Vernon Aanenson, and one sister, Elaine Kunkel.

Dingmann Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Luverne, is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to The AlzheimerÕs Association, Siouxland Chapter, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Minerva Bowron, 87, Hills, formerly of Luverne, died Tuesday, Oct. 1 at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. A time of fellowship will be Friday, Oct. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home. Memorial services will be Saturday, Oct. 5 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, Luverne, with Rev. Bart Fletcher officiating. Burial of cremains will be at Maplewood Cemetery.

Johanna Kraayenhof, 79, Luverne, died Friday, sept. 27 at Mary Jane Brown Home, Luverne. Visitation will be Monday, Sept. 30 form 2 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 pl.m. at the Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne. Services will be Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 10:30 a.m. at American Reformed Church, Luverne. Burial will be in Eastside Cemetery, Steen.

Edward Sullivan, 81, MN Veterans Home, Luverne, died Monday, Sept. 30 at Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls. Memorial services will be Saturday, Oct. 5 at 1:30 p.m. at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Luverne. Burial will be in National Memorial Cemetery in Arizona. Engebretson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Johanna Mathilda Kraayenhof, 79, Luverne, died Friday, Sept. 27, 2002, at the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne.

Funeral services were Tuesday, Oct. 1, at American Reformed Church, Luverne. Burial was in Eastside Cemetery east of Steen.

Mathilda Medema was born Sept. 6, 1923, on the family farm near Rock Rapids, Iowa to Peter and Anna (Van Ommeren) Medema. Her early years were spent on the farm, but as a young girl she moved into Rock Rapids with her family. She received her education in Rock Rapids. She spent her early womanhood as a domestic helper for other families in Rock Rapids. On April 19, 1943, she was united in marriage to Ed Kraayenhof on Ed's family farm near Steen, MN. The couple lived on Ed's family farm and eventually took over operating the farm. In 1975, they retired from farming and moved into Luverne.

Mrs. Kraayenhof was a former member of the Steen Reformed Church and a current member of the American Reformed Church in Luverne. She always had a big garden and enjoyed sewing for her family and neighbors. She loved to go to auctions and was a collector of bells and Delft china.

Survivors include, her husband, Ed Kraayenhof, Luverne; 4 sons, Ed (Peggy) Kraayenhof, Sioux Falls, S.D., Dennis (Jo) Kraayenhof, Easton, Doug (Nancy) Kraayenhof and Brian (Darla) Kraayenhof, all of Hills; four daughters, Helen Kraayenhof, Hills, Joyce (Dale) Helmke, Kandiyohi, Glenda (Rodney) Kuehl, Beaver Creek, and Mary Kraayenhof, Luverne; 18 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one sister, Johanna DeBoer, Eldon, Mo.; two sisters-in-law, Pearl Medema, Rock Rapids, Iowa, and Delma (Don) VanGeest, Okoboji, Iowa; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and friends.
Mrs. Kraayenhof was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, John, Tony, and Joe Medema; three sisters, Anna Fluit, Marie Ver Meer, and Henrietta Kruse.

Engebretson Funeral Home of Luverne was in charge of arrangements.

Vernon Granberg, 73, Valley Springs, S.D., died Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2002, in Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.

Services were Saturday, Sept. 28, in Beaver Valley Lutheran Church, Valley Springs. Pastor Jerry Merkouris officiated. Burial was in Beaver Valley Lutheran Cemetery, Valley Springs.

Vernon Dale Granberg was born Aug. 25, 1929, on the family homestead near Valley Springs. He graduated from Brandon High School. After high school he attended Sioux Falls College and then returned to the farm where he continued to farm until his death.

He married Donna Rueb April 13, 1952, in Sioux Falls. Mrs. Granberg died April 29, 1978.

Mr. Granberg was a member of Beaver Valley Lutheran Church and a former member of the Sioux Falls Air National Guard. Farming was his life, but he enjoyed antiques, family history and the sciences.

Survivors include three sons, Richard, Sioux Falls,
David and Dallas, both of Valley Springs; one sister, Janet Scott, Brandon; one brother, Leland Granberg, Minneapolis; and many other relatives and friends.

Mr. Granberg was preceded in death by his parents.

Arrangements were by Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson, Baltic, Colton & Dell Rapids, S.D.

By Jolene Farley
After a growing season with below average rain through July and above average rain in August, Rock County's harvest will be mixed, good and bad, this fall.

Yields so far are all over the board, according to Rock County Farm Services Director Roger Carlson.
"There is going to be a big variation in Rock County from one area to another," he said.

Carlson said many farmers were in the field earlier this week in the southern portion of the county, but in the northern portion of the county soybeans are too wet to combine.

"If rain would hold off in the next week," he said. "A lot (of farmers) would get started."

Jon Finke harvested 200 acres of soybeans from a field north of Steen on Monday.

He said he is pleased with yields so far.

"I was dry for awhile," he said. "But the rain came just in time, the way it looks."

In the northern portion of the county, beans and corn are shorter than in the rest of the county, according to Carlson.

"They might not be able to get the combine head down low enough to get them all," he said.

Rock County, along with Nobles County and Jackson County, applied for a federal drought disaster declaration in August.

Officials have not heard if Rock County is eligible for the declaration, according to Carlson.

Rainfall in southwest Minnesota was three to six inches below normal until an August storm dropped six inches of rain overnight. By the end of August, the area was four to eight inches above normal.

The August rain came too late to help most drought-stunted crops. Fields with sandy soil sustained more crop damage from the dry conditions earlier in the growing season.

"There is obviously some pressure to get some more disaster aid out there," said Carlson.

A disaster declaration, typically issued if there is 30 to 35 percent crop loss, would ensure farmers would be eligible for emergency loans through the Rock County Farm Service Agency and any additional compensation programs made available by Congress.

He said this year's crop prices are anyone's guess. Markets were up earlier this fall, but fell 14 cents on Monday. On the bright said, Carlson hopes this year's disasters will drive a price increase.

Rock County Commissioners meet
Sept. 17
Rock County Human Services Bldg 9:00 AM
Community Room Sept. 17, 2002
Chair Wildung called the meeting to order with all Commissioners present.

Robin Weis of the Southwest Area on Aging presented a number of program updates and informational items regarding programs currently conducted by the agency; no action was taken.

Mark Sehr, Engineer, requested authorization to bid let (7) box culvert projects; motion by Boyenga, seconded by Hoime, to authorize the bid letting process, declared carried on a voice vote.

The Engineer requested authorization to replace (3) disc mowers and presented the following bids:
(3) model HM 2007-2 Bush Hog Disc mowers $10,135.00
Mark Jacobson, Inc.; Luverne
(3) Kuhn GMD 500 Disc mowers $12,150.00
Dave's Repair & Farm Equipment; Hills
Hohn Implement; Luverne Ð bid was rejected as it did not meet specifications
Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Jarchow, to accept the low compliant bid from Mark Jacobson, Inc. for $10,135.00, declared carried on a voice vote.

The Administrator provided an update on the phone system replacement project at the Human Services Building and Highway Building. Currently, the project is in the process of receiving bids for a system that would service the Human Services Building and the Highway Building with an interconnect between the two buildings.

The County Board directed that an article be placed in the newspaper regarding the rural addressing and the projected timelines of when the individual addresses will be assigned and released.

Family Services Agency Financial Workers JoEllen Benson and Jean Hoven presented an update of a conference they had attended in Arkansas entitled "National Eligibility Worker's Conference."

Karen DeBoer of the Southwest Minnesota Opportunity Council and FSA Social Worker Carol Wulf provided a Day Care update to include vacancies and long range issues facing day care providers in Rock County.

Family Services Director Randy Ehlers introduced new employees Jessica Sandbulte, Child Protection Worker and Wendy DeLaRose-Gacke, Collections Officer to the County Board.

The FSA Director informed the County Board of an employee resignation from Ryan Flogstad, Social Worker effective December 31, 2002.

The FSA Director reviewed the consent agenda with the County Board with the addition of contract #52-788-02 w/Luverne Community Hospital for outpatient chemical dependency with an expiration date of 04/30/03. Motion by Jarchow, seconded Erickson, to approve the following consent agenda to include the addition, declared carried on a voice vote.

1. Day care relicensing Ð Lisa Durst, Peggy Fisher, Peggy Nelson, Evonne Top, Joni Wynia, Denise Wysong

2. Voluntary day care closing Ð Kami Bibber, Heather Peterson

3. FSA Contract 105-186-02 w/New Dawn, Inc. to provide home and community based services to individuals with developmental disabilities; effective 09/01/02 Ð 06/30/03

4. Approval on Food Stamp Employment & Training contract w/SWMN Private Industry Council; effective 07/01/02 Ð 06/30/03.

Motion by Erickson, seconded by Jarchow, to approve the September 17, 2002 County Board agenda, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Erickson, seconded by Boyenga, to approve the September 3, 2002 County Board minutes, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Jarchow, seconded by Hoime, to accept the Local Advisory Council Annual Report, declared carried on a voice vote.

Margaret Cook, Auditor/Treasurer, presented a budget report with no action taken.

The Auditor/Treasurer presented the claims for payment; motion by Jarchow, seconded by Erickson, to approve the claims, declared carried on a unanimous vote. A complete listing of claims is available at the Auditor/TreasurerÕs office at no charge.

General $ 44,586.49
LEC 74.43
Road & Bridge 24,984.34
Judicial Ditch .00
Welfare 45,312.53
Landfill 1,371,16
TOTAL $ 16,328.95

Motion by Hoime, seconded by Boyenga, to accept the fund balance report, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Hoime, seconded by Erickson, to cancel #40844 for the amount of $881.00 issued in July of 2002; check #40999 has been issued to include the outstanding amount of $881.00. Motion was declared carried on a voice vote.

The County Board agreed to enter into a project development agreement with Johnson Controls; motion by Hoime, seconded by Jarchow and declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Jarchow, seconded by Erickson, to establish a Feedlot Inventory Task Force and limit the members to 20; appointed to the Feedlot Task Force thus far are: Grant Binford, Pete Bakken, Tom Skattum, Randy Scott, Mike Hoiland, Mike Sandager, Jeff Ahrendt, Jim Remme, Denny Holtrop, Lynn Petersen and Doug Bolt to the Feedlot Task Force; members will be paid a $35.00 per diem plus mileage and will meet on a quarterly basis during the Level III Feedlot Inventory only. Motion was declared carried on a voice vote.

Commissioner Hoime stated that he had attended a Murray County Board meeting with Administrator Oldre for the purpose of presenting gravel tax information.

Commissioner Boyenga directed that fire protection be discussed at a future meeting as per a request from a township chairperson from his district.

The County Board discussed the proposed DAC Supported Living Facility; the Administrator will draft a resolution of support for that project and present it at the October 1st County Board meeting.

Commissioner Erickson informed the County Board that the Friends of the Library would be having their annual book sale on September 18-20.

Commissioner Erickson also provided an Environment Bus update; no action was taken.

Motion by Erickson, seconded by Hoime, to send a letter of congratulations to Warren Herreid for his selection into the Camp Ripley Court of Honor, declared carried on a voice vote.

Motion by Jarchow, seconded Erickson to adjourn the meeting, declared carried on a voice vote.

Jane Wildung, Chairman of the Board
Attest:
Kyle J. Oldre, Clerk to the Board
(10/3)