By Sara Strong
A burglar used spray paint to keep his appearance from cameras before he managed to remove an ATM machine from First National Bank, Luverne.

At about 10:30 p.m. Thursday, July 18, the man walked into the vestibule of First National where the ATM is located for customers. He managed to loosen bolts and take the entire ATM with him.

The thief is pictured as the camera recorded him before he painted its lens.

Employees reporting for work Friday morning reported the theft.

An undisclosed amount of $20 bills was in the machine at the time it was taken. It was found empty of all cash in Maplewood Cemetery, rural Luverne.

Rock County Investigator Clyde Menning said the ATM is being processed for fingerprints or any other evidence that may be helpful to the case.

First National President Ryan DeBates said the ATM has been replaced and that "correct measures were done to make sure it doesn't happen again."

He said, "It's unfortunate, but it shouldn't disrupt things for our customers."

By Sara Strong
The Rock County Sheriff's Department stopped an apparent drug manufacturer Friday, July 19, near the state border by Valley Springs, S.D.

Local law enforcement worked with Minnehaha County in South Dakota to arrest Cory Kelderman, 29, rural Rock County.

His home contained numerous items used to manufacture methamphetamine, and in excess of six grams of a substance consistent with the drug. The substance is being analyzed to confirm that it is meth.
Kelderman will be charged with manufacturing meth, conspiracy to manufacture meth and possession - all of which are felonies.

If convicted, Kelderman could be jailed for 86 months.

Rock County Sheriff Ron McClure said, "I feel my staff is really doing a good job. And this is a good opportunity to remind people that if they see things that look strange to give us a call."

McClure said it took some time to get enough evidence to obtain a search warrant.

Assistant Rock County Attorney Terry Vajgrt said months of effort were put into getting the warrant. "Law enforcement receives information all the time and it's useful, but just last week we had good, recent evidence," he said.

The state border between Rock County and South Dakota appears to be a hotbed of drug activity.

Vajgrt said, "It seems that in the last year and one-half, law enforcement has had a good deal of success in arresting individuals in that area."

Low rural rental prices, low traffic areas and access to Sioux Falls may contribute to the location's high incidence of drug labs.

The Presbyterian Church, Luverne, will celebrate the church remodeling with a dedication service Sunday. The service will be at 2 p.m. and from 3 to 5 p.m. people may tour the church and enjoy refreshments.

Above is the Rev. John Pehrson who expects former pastors and congregation members to visit for the open house. "This is a unique remodel in the sense that we changed the entire sanctuary around," he said. An existing stained glass window is now the focal point.

The congregation and church staff have been accustomed to their new building for some time, but because of elevator inspection delays, the dedication was put off until the elevator could be used. The church has used the sanctuary portion since last July and the offices since last August. The full building, except for the elevators, was in operation last April.

Building committee members were: Jane Wildung, Harold Tilstra, Brett Stegenga, Gerrit Van Englenhoven, Leroy Luitjens, Mary Kraetsch, Jenalee Kraetsch, Randa Gangestad, Barb Antoine, Al Kuehl and Sam Berghorst.

Photo by Sara Strong

Highway 75 workers from Duininck Brothers Inc. start stripping asphalt in Luverne where the highway is closed through the week. The area around the railroad tracks is the only portion that will be impassible to traffic as the tracks are replaced. Drivers still have access to businesses through at least one lane of open traffic elsewhere in the construction zone. The mill and overlay work includes hauling old asphalt to a bituminous mixing plant and reapplying an asphalt overlay. The project also includes some curb and gutter work in Luverne and rural Highway 75 repaving and repairing culverts north of Hardwick. Highway 75 is closed between Hardwick and Edgerton as well. Detours are marked for drivers to follow.

Photo by Sara Strong

By John Rittenhouse
Summer vacation has been anything but relaxing for one Hills-Beaver Creek High School junior-to-be.

Instead of kicking back on the beach or hanging out with friends on long summer days, Steen’s Erin Boeve spent most of her time honing her skills as a volleyball and basketball player.

Her hard work was put to a test during a two-week span in late June and early July when she traveled to Utah and Arkansas to take part different competitions involving both sports.

"It’s been a pretty busy summer," Boeve said from her home Saturday morning. "It was for the better."

Actually, the volleyball part of Boeve's preparation has been on her schedule since late winter.

She earned a roster spot on a Junior Olympic team out of Marshall in February and spent a good part of March and April traveling to Marshall or Minneota three days a week for practice.

Boeve was tested when the volleyball commitment overlapped with a track season that ended with her winning a section long jump title and advancing to the state.

Juggling volleyball practices along with track workouts and meets were tough, but Boeve seemed to adapt to a demanding schedule without having to sacrifice her overall performance in track.

"It was tough there for a while. There were some days when I went from track practice after school to volleyball practice at night. I would get home around 11:30 at night, do my homework, and get up and go to school the next day," she said.

The success Boeve's volleyball team experienced ended up making the long spring days bearable.

In March the Marshall Area team placed second in a tournament to put it in the top-four to advance to a national qualifying event. When the team won the national-qualifier in the Twin Cities in April, Boeve and her teammates earned a trip to the Junior Olympic Nationals in Salt Lake City, Utah, in late June.

The Marshall team was one of 64 squads that competed in Salt Lake City. Almost all 50 states were represented at the Junior Olympic Nationals. The event also attracted some international teams.

Boeve’s squad matched up pretty well with the competition during the four-day, three-match-a-day attraction. In the end, the Marshall Area team placed 13th out of 64 teams.

Boeve returned home on July 4, and she barely had time to catch her breath before leaving for Jonesboro, Ark., with seven of her schoolmates for a Team Basketball Camp two days later.

Unlike the volleyball team, for which Boeve was the lone H-BC representative, the basketball team was made up of friends and schoolmates.

Jody Rentschler, Sarah and Brittney Rozeboom, Amanda Olson, Cassi Tilstra, Melinda Feucht and Kelly Mulder joined Boeve and H-BC coach Tom Goehle in Jonesboro for a four-day event that ran from July 7-10.

The H-BC team played two games during the first and last days of the camp, and four games on Days 2 and 3. The Patriots compiled a 3-9 record overall.

"We won three of 12 games, but all of the games were decided by four to six points," Boeve pointed out.

After returning home late last week, Boeve was ready to set out on a less demanding adventure with her family.

"We're going to Clear Lake, Iowa, for a week today," Boeve said Saturday. "We'll do some fishing, riding jet skies and some other things. I'm looking for a little relaxation."

She better rest up in a hurry. H-BC volleyball practice is set to begin Aug. 12, which is less than one month away.

Erwin Bonestroo, rural Steen, cuts a rough log on his sawmill. Bonestroo began his business FBT Sawmill and Lumber three months ago. A former livestock barn houses the mill and equipment.

By Jolene Farley
Erwin Bonestroo said he formed the idea for his business, FBT Sawmill and Lumber, when he tried to figure out what to do with a log that was given to him and how to cut it up.

"When I got that log I started looking into it," he said. Bonestroo, rural Steen, thought for a few months.

"The next thing you know, I found a one-year-old Wood Mizer (a sawmill)."

That purchase three months ago was the beginning of Bonestroo's business.

"It's been going good, but to say you're making a ton of money, that's not possible yet," he said.

Bonestroo and his brother, Doug, of Hull, Iowa, attended a training session on how to use the sawmill in March. The manufacturer of the Wood Mizer offered the training in Indianapolis, Ind.

If a customer needs a special cut of lumber, such as a 2-by-4 board that actually measures 2-by-4 instead of the 1 3/4-inch by 3 3/4-inch lumber that passes for a 2-by-4 in most lumber yards, Bonestroo can oblige.

Trees that are cut down can be cut into lumber to make furniture or cabinets, according to Bonestroo.

"They can bring a favorite tree along, and I can cut it up into boards to whatever dimensions they want," he said.

Although the wood must be dried before it can be used, many craftsmen are willing to wait for quality wood.

Bonestroo hopes to eventually invest in a kiln to cut drying time for the wood down from more than a year to about six weeks.

The wood and by-products produced by the mill have numerous uses.

Larger scraps from milling the trees are sold as firewood for woodburners. Smaller scraps are sold as firewood for campfires.

Bonestroo also cuts lumber for a customer who makes pallets.

Most of Bonestroo's customers are currently from Sioux County in Iowa. He knows it will take time to build his business and he has some ideas on how to proceed.

"I want to custom cut logs for customers and start building some things for myself," he said.

"One of my other goals would be to start making grade wood," he said. "Right now I just have rough cut green lumber."

Bonestroo said he typically accepts trees if anyone wants to get rid of them and will sometimes pay a modest fee, depending on the quality of the lumber.

Bonestroo is planning an open house for FBT Sawmill and Lumber later this year. He has invited a woodcarver who makes sculptures out of logs.

He can be reached at 855-2385 or on his cell phone 920-9933.

Lindsy and Lee Sells, Beaver Creek, earned many ribbons through the years entering projects in the Rock County Fair. The books on the table contain detailed records on their entries.

By Jolene Farley
Teen-agers Lindsy and Lee Sells, Beaver Creek, have nothing but good things to say about their experiences in the Beaver Creek Willing Workers 4-H Club.

The Minnesota House of Representatives agrees with the Sells on the value of 4-H clubs in Minnesota and recently passed a resolution marking the 100-year anniversary of 4-H clubs in the state.

At the beginning of the 20th century, 4-H clubs provided practical education in agriculture, manual arts and homemaking. 4-H continues to offer youth between the ages of 5 and 19 years old an education, or "learning by doing."

In 1902, T.A. Erickson began the first school fair in Minnesota for students. Boys exhibited crops and girls exhibited baking and sewing items.

The phrase "4-H Club" was first used in 1918. By the late 1900s, 6.4-million youths were involved in 4-H nationwide, including one out of four young people in Minnesota.

For Lindsy and Lee, joining a 4-H club was a family tradition. Members of Spencer's family were actively involved in Rock County 4-H. The Sells family has a scrapbook from the 1940s, filled with news clippings and ribbons made by Spencer's sister, Gwendolyn Sells.

Lindsy, 17, has been a member of the Willing Workers since she was in the third grade.

The Sells live north of Beaver Creek. Spencer and Pam Sells, Lindsy and Lee's parents, grow corn, soybeans and alfalfa and raise cattle and hogs.

Lindsy said she enjoys the leadership skills 4-H helps cultivate. She also likes the friendly competition and fellowship among competitors at the fair.

"É the people during the fair when everyone's together É just joking around. Being able to work together. Striving to do a better job, to beat other people," she said.

After Lindsy leaves to attend college, she wants to continue entering projects in the fair.

"I'd still like to come back for even one project because it's fun," she said. "You get to see everyone again."

Lee Sells, 16, plans to enter his swine and beef in the Rock County Fair this year. Other projects he has completed for the fair include a dart board frame and a barstool.

Lee works as a youth counselor at the 4-H camp on Lake Shetek and has held various officer positions in the Rock County Federation and the Willing Workers club.

The Willing Workers Club, the second oldest club in Rock County, has 28 members from 16 different families, according to club leader Jill Willers.

The club meets every third Monday at the Beaver Creek Community Hall. Meetings are usually started with project demonstrations. A favorite demonstration for club members this year was a lesson on flag etiquette.

The Willing Workers Club has completed many community pride projects such as planting planters in Beaver Creek, participating in the Adopt-a-Highway program and planting the Hospice garden in Luverne.

Traditional club projects fall in the areas of food, creative arts, photography or livestock projects such as dairy, goats, pets, swine, rabbits, poultry and horse.

Many county, cluster, state and national activities are also available for 4-Hers, according Willers. Throughout the years, Willing Workers Club members were involved in just about every activity available to a 4-Her.

"As a 4-H leader for seven years, it has been exciting to see how much fun some of the members have had and how their experience has helped them grow from children to young adults," said Willers.

Karic Wiertzema and Travis Helgeson fish in the culvert by Wiertzema's house Monday. The fish weren't biting very well, according to Wiertzema.

Photo by Jolene Farley

Some of my closest friends are people I haven't even met. They live in an imaginary land, and I know all the details of their lives.

No, I'm not crazy. I'm just a typical soap opera fan, specifically of "The Young and the Restless."

I get a little embarrassed talking about taping five episodes a week, but at least I can fast-forward through the commercials.

If I am going to admit to being a fan of any soap opera, I'm least embarrassed to say it's "The Young and the Restless." I consider it the classiest of the soaps.

It doesn't have back-from-the-dead plot lines or characters possessed by the devil or mystical powers. You won't find aliens landing on my soap opera. Y&R (as we pros call it) is simply about rich, dysfunctional people living their lives in Genoa City, Wis.

There are no truly evil characters or pure heroes. Characters have depth and complexities rarely seen on daytime TV...and I know because I used to watch the entire CBS line-up.

I don't even mind that the show is still called "The Young and the Restless," even though most characters are old and well rested.

Still, it's a soap opera. Things aren't that close to reality. While watching Y&R with my husband, weÕve developed terms like "soap stare" and "young logic" that describe certain typical soap opera conduct.

"Soap logic" refers to instances when characters do whatever isn't reasonable. It's when they keep the wrong things secret or talk loudly about private issues in popular, crowded restaurants.

The "soap stare" term refers to the vacant look actors leave on their faces when it's time for the scene to break. They leave questions unanswered and sentences unfinished to build tension. Many times, dialogue will go from Monday to Friday with numerous "stares" before a conversation is completed.

It's not all mockery though. Trivial as it may sound, I've learned many lessons from "The Young and the Restless":

Don't become sexually involved with spouseÕs family members or close friends
Don't listen in on phone conversations because the listener usually draws the wrong conclusions
Don't send children off to boarding school, because it ages them at least 10 years in one season
Don't divorce and remarry the same person more than twice
Don't drift off into vivid flashbacks while in conversation with someone. It's embarrassing answering the question, "Where were you just now?"

Even if I don't learn that much from watching "The Young and the Restless," at least I have a stable group of characters to watch. I know that if Katherine Chancellor and Victor Newman can still fit the mold, I can always be close to living young and a little restless.