By John Rittenhouse
The Hills Thunder posted the amateur baseball seasonÕs second win while dropping two games during a five-day stretch late last week.

Hills lost a 6-0 game in Wilmont Wednesday, July 3. The Thunder then beat Butterfield 8-0 in Luverne Sunday before dropping a 5-0 decision to Windom at Redbird Field later in the day.

Hills was limited to a pair of hits while taking a six-run setback in Wilmont July 3.

The teams battled to a scoreless draw through the first four and one-half innings of play, but Wilmont broke through for two runs in the home half of the fifth inning and added four more in the sixth to win handily.

Matt Wingate tossed all six innings for the Thunder. He recorded six strikeouts and surrendered four hits.

Eric Harnack and Wade Jellema both singled to account for Hills' two hits in the game.

Chad Rauk tossed a seven-inning shutout to lift the Thunder to their second win of the season Sunday in Luverne.

Rauk blanked Butterfield for seven innings during an eight-run win. Rauk walked four batters and fanned seven during his complete game performance.

Hills scored one run early in the game before plating seven runs in the final three frames to lock up the win.

Jarud Lang singled and gave the Thunder a 1-0 edge in the top of the first when he scored on Scott Harnack's fielder's choice.

Wingate and Derek Sammons drew fifth-inning walks for Hills before Wingate scored on a sacrifice fly by Jellema.

Sammons scored on a wild pitch as the inning progressed, and Kurt Bly and Lang drew walks before scoring on a two-run double by Eric Harnack to cap a four-run rally.

Cade Lang reached base on an error and scored when Hills pulled off a double-steal in the sixth to make it a 6-0 game.

Bly walked and scored on a double by Jarud Lang in the seventh. Lang then capped the scoring after Scott Harnack chased him home with a single.

Hills couldn't keep the momentum going when it played Windom during Sunday's second game in Luverne.

After neither team could produce a run in the first three innings, Windom plated a single run in the top of the fourth before scoring twice in the fifth and seventh innings to win by five.

Wingate took the pitching loss for the Thunder. He allowed seven hits and five runs while registering six strikeouts in seven innings.

Sammons, Jarud and Cade Lang all went one-for-three at the plate.

Hills, 2-12 overall, wraps up the regular season by playing a noon game in Heron Lake Sunday before returning home to play Hadley at 4 p.m. the same day.

By John Rittenhouse
A Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School student won a pair of titles at the Hershey's Minnesota State Track and Field Meet in Sartell Saturday, June 29.

Karic Wiertzema, who won the softball throw (144-6) and the 400-meter dash during the District Meet in Pipestone June 22, posted wins in Sartell during the same events.

Wiertzema, who competes in the 9-10 boys' division, tossed the softball 120-3 and ran 400 meters in 1:11.6 to win his state titles.

Wiertzema also was a member of a 400-meter relay team that won a district title and placed third at state with a time of 1:04.23.

Caleb Ellingson, Colton Bass and Cory Tilstra are the other members of the team.

Bass also qualified for the state meet in the 100-meter dash by finishing second at the district meet. Bass placed eighth at state.

Ellingson won the 100-meter dash at the district level, but he didn't compete in that event at state.

Cody Penning, Amanda Tilstra and Andrew Scholten also represented H-BC at the state meet.

Penning and Scholten compete in the 11-12 age group, while Tilstra is in the 13-14 division.

Penning placed second in the 400-meter dash at the district level and was sixth at state. Scholten was second in the district and 10th at state in the 800-meter run. Tilstra was second in the district and fourth at state in the 1,600-meter run.

Mya Mann, a member of the girlsÕ 13-14 division, placed second in the 800-meter run during the district meet. She did not attend the state event.

Others to compete at the district level include: Heather Hansel, Brooke Tilstra, Mary Buys, Nathan Fransman, Rayna Sandoval, Joel Van Batavia, Joel Buys, Preston VandenBosch, Blake Crawford and Amanda Connors.

Midwest Canine owner Dave Crawford, rural Beaver Creek, helps Grady, the Weimaraner, onto the bed in one of his business's new doggie suites.

By Jolene Farley
Pampered pets in Rock County have a new place to park their paws thanks to Midwest Canine, rural Beaver Creek.

Construction on a new dog boarding and training facility with room for 40 dogs and six "doggie" suites was completed the first week in July.

More than 100 people attended Midwest Canine's open house on June 28 and 29, according to owner Dave Crawford.

Crawford began his business in 1995 with a facility built for 11 dogs.

"It's (the expansion) been in the planning for about three years," said Crawford. "This last year has been so crazy it was a must."

The suites in the new facility offer discerning pets a private suite with a bed (complete with mattress), a television and a basket of doggie toys. Doggie massages may be offered in the future if clients request it.

Leaving the television on helps canines feel more at home while their masters are away, Crawford said, because many pet owners leave the television on during the day for lonely pets.

Crawford said it isn't long before canines make themselves at home, crawl up on the bed and gnaw on complementary rawhide chews.

"I would say out of five stars, they (the dogs) probably gave it five stars," he said about recent canine guests.

While attending the West Virginia Canine College, Crawford became aware that some dog kennels on the east coast offered pet suites as a boarding option.

Before construction at Midwest Canine, Crawford contacted facilities in the Twin Cities area that offered suites to see how popular they were. He was told suites usually fill up faster than regular boarding.

Midwest Canine has clients that travel long distances to make sure their pets are well cared for by Crawford.

Dogs in both the suites and the regular boarding area are exercised four times a day and allowed up to an hour in a play area.

"They know us," he said. "They know their dogs love it out here."

Dogs stay in the deluxe suites for $15 per day. Regular board is $10 per day.

In addition to boarding, Crawford trains dogs. Currently, he works with mostly large breed dogs but will train all breeds and sizes of dogs.

Owners can choose different levels of training for their pets.

Stay and train lessons, which cost $325, are month-long with the dog boarded at Midwest Canine.

Dogs are taught 26 commands including heel, sit, stay, go outside on command and "a lot of things people run into every day."

Private or group lessons for a few hours once or twice a week are also an option for dog owners.

Midwest Canine doesn't have set business hours but clients can call 673-2571 for more information or a drop off or pick up time for their pet.

Crawford hasn't ruled out further expansion for his business. "I have a feeling future expansion probably will be for more suites," said Crawford. "It seemed like it went really well."

By Jolene Farley

The Sioux Falls Polo Club has converted 10 acres of leased pastureland northwest of Hills for a polo field. The land has been re-seeded and manicured for the club's needs.

A polo field is 160 yards wide by 300 yards long, or 10 times the size of a football field.

"We practice several times a week and most weekends, subject to the weather," said club member Dwayne Myers, Elkton, SD.
The club practices and holds meets at either the Hills field or another field southeast of Sioux Falls.

The 10-year-old Sioux Falls Polo Club competes against other teams in the Midwestern circuit and has played in Des Moines, Iowa, Peoria, Ill., and Winnepeg, Canada, among other locations.

Players bring their own horses to the field. There are four members on a polo team and only one horse can be used per "chukker," or seven-minute period.

Polo is "a running game," Myers said, and participants often use as many as six horses per game.

The polo season usually runs from June to October and the club has a flexible play schedule.

The Sioux Falls Polo Club is small, with fewer than 10 members, but interested people at any skill level are welcome, according to Myers.

"I don't want to make it into an elitist thing, because it's not," he said.

Myers is a former rodeo enthusiast and trained horses as a hobby. "I got tired of taking my horses out for trail rides and getting bucked off," he said. "So I began to work them harder."

He said when horses have to work hard they are not as feisty because they are tired.

Myers said if anyone is interested in giving polo a try or is interested in joining the Polo Club he can be reached at (605) 542-2901.

He could possibly line up a horse for interested parties to ride during practice. "Anybody from anywhere can play anytime they come through," he said.

The sport requires horsemanship and upper body strength, according to Myers. Historically, women were not allowed to play polo but that has changed in recent years.

Polo's reputation as an elite sport likely stems from the expense involved.

Beginners can start with one or two horses at up to $5,000 apiece. Shoeing is required every six to eight weeks, at $50 to $80, and vet bills can total $500 annually.

To compete in most national polo play requires additional and higher caliber horses, and competing among the world's finest teams can require financial commitment of $300,000 to $1 million per year to sponsor a team.

By Jolene Farley
With business at Drivers Restaurant and Bar near Beaver Creek exceeding investor expectations, focus has shifted to the golf course portion of the project.

"The golf course issue is a big issue," said investor Mike Blank. "It's half of the project and the weather hasn't been cooperating."

Many areas on the course seeded with grass are not irrigated, according to Blank. So the dry weather has slowed the growth of foliage needed for the course.

Investors orginally planned an August opening for the course, but that date moved to September. Now without rain opening may be moved to next spring.

"Unless the weather really straightens out, I doubt if the course will be ready this year," said Blank. "Next year, definitely."

Only minor work is left on the course, filling some holes and low areas and planting a few more trees.

Unfortunately, grass has to grow and be shaped on the greens and the rough before the course will be ready to open.

Groundskeeper Jacey Harmon, Sioux Falls, S.D., continues to work on refining the course. Harmon has worked on a number of courses in the area and in Oregon.

The course promises to be challenging, according to Blank. There are no sand traps but play follows the lay of the land.

"That in combination with water will make it a challenging course," he said.

Golfers will pay a $12 green fee and $10 cart rental fee to play the course. Purchasing an annual or lifetime membership are also options. Ten lifetime memberships remain for the club.

Drivers has seen good patronage, according to Blank. Some menu items have been added and some items dropped. Steaks, burgers, prime rib, Mexican food and seafood are some choices that remain on the menu.

Fantastic Mud Pie is a staple on the new homemade desert menu at Drivers with other desert specials offered periodically.

"Our menu is very all-encompassing for anyone's tastes," said Blank.

The kitchen at Drivers has evolved along with the menu. "The more you offer the more situations you need for prep space and cooler options," he said.

Patrons can dine inside or outside the restaurant with the addition of new furniture on the deck.

The banquet hall is booked every weekend for the next few months. Blank encourages anyone interested to book early, because dates fill fast with weddings, class reunions and Christmas parties.

"People that have been in it have been very pleased with the service and the setting," said Blank.

Eight of the 32 housing lots on the course have sold with plans for two homes to be built yet this year.

"We'e pleased and I think the lot sales will continue," said Blank.

Investors in the project are Mike Blank, Rodney Scholten, Ben Davis, Leonard Scholten and Dan VanOtterloo.

By Jolene Farley
Water woes were the hot topic at the Hills City Council meeting Tuesday.

Rock County Rural Water Manager Dan Cook addressed the council with options to increase the water supply to the city.

Discussion stemmed from a Tuesday, June 25, incident when the city water tower was pumped dry.

The incident was mostly attributed to heavy agricultural water usage and dry weather conditions.

"It's been a stressful year," said Cook. "There hasn't been any rain relief."

Hills residents were immediately put on an 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. watering ban after June 25.

The first option Cook presented included the installation of a six-inch water line from two miles north of Hills to the northern edge of town.

The larger water line would increase water pressure and capacity from 1,680,000 gallons per year to 2,940,000 gallons per year.

The new line would cost the city $219,024. RCRW would consider financing the improvements, according to Cook.

If the costs were passed on to Hills residents, this would increase rates $5.77 per month per water meter.

"Yes. We've spent a lot of money to improve the service here on the west end," said Cook when asked if Hills would be the only one paying for these improvements.

"The increased capacity would be for the sole benefit of the community."

The city of Hills is an off-peak customer, according to Cook. Direct pressure customers are a priority for RCRW.

"We still have to met this peak demand, and you're (Hills) creating the demand," said Cook.

"I got a real problem with $200,000," said Mayor Jim Jellema when he heard the estimated cost of the improvements.

"It's a lot of money, but yet, what is the price of water?" Cook said.

He anticipates the population in Hills will continue to grow, and he thinks Hills will continue to have problems with higher water usage.

"Continued growth patterns are written all over it," he said. "They've added population since rural water but more important they've added water usage.
"
Cook encouraged the council to make a decision before the RCRW board meets again on August 5.

"Just looking at these numbers, I don't think it's something we are going to sit here and decide in two minutes," said Jellema.

The second option to increase water capacity would include blending water from the city well with rural water. The council hopes this will be a more cost-effective alternative.

Hills hooked up to RCRW in 1980. Prior to that, Hills had its own water storage and delivery system.

The council discussed this at length and will check with Minnesota Department of Health about the regulations the city is required to follow before the water can be used for human consumption.

The council was advised the water in the city wells is extremely hard so it would likely need to look into a softening treatment.

The issue was tabled until a later meeting when more information is available.

Oh the games people play.

There are the standards like Clue, Monopoly, SORRY! and Pictionary. Growing up, my sisters, cousins and I even made up our own games - a favorite was called Make Me Laugh.

Nowadays I'm more likely to play Trivial Pursuit than something that really "makes me laugh" though.

But I still love goofy things and fondly remember a game that didn't really involve winners or losers. It was called Mad Libs and I used to spend hours with my older sister playing the word game.

I think most people have tried it at one time or another. It's been at bridal or baby showers and slumber parties, which often involve nasty-word versions of Mad Libs.

This column includes one I've made for our readers.

Here's how to play: Write the numbers and parts of speech, which are shown in parentheses, on a separate piece of paper. Have someone else make their word choices. (Make sure whoever's playing hasn't read the context around the blanks before you start.) When it's all done, read the little story out loud.

Sara Strong is the (1. ADJECTIVE ENDING IN -est) writer whose material I've ever read. She writes about city and county governments, which can often be (2. ADJECTIVE).

Sara also reports on all sorts of topics, and enjoys writing stories about different people, especially the one she did about (3. NAME OF PERSON IN THE ROOM). That was one unique (4. BODY PART).

Because she's a reporter, she often works odd hours, too. One Tuesday she went to work at (5. TIME OF DAY) and didnÕt leave until (6. A NATIONAL HOLIDAY).

So far, she's worked at the Star Herald for a total of (7. NUMBER) years and is (8. AN EMOTION) every day.

You might see Sara out and about covering events in the area such as (9. ANIMAL) Days. You'll know who she is because she looks a little (10. ADJECTIVE) because she (11. PRESENT TENSE VERB) in an odd manner.

Sara is also well known for being a curious mix of (12. FEMALE MODEL) and (13. FAMOUS ATHLETE).

But her story started long before she (14. PAST TENSE VERB) to Rock County.

Sara was born in (15. NAME OF FAR AWAY PLACE) in (16. YEAR).

She is (17. NATIONALITY) but youÕd never guess it because she has (18. COLOR) hair.

She has two sisters named (19. TWO FEMALE FAIRY TALE CHARACTERS). They are always (20. VERB ENDING IN Ðing) but Sara doesn't mind.

On another personal note, Sara was married this winter in a (21. ADJECTIVE) ceremony in (22. LOCATION). Her husband's name is (23. HEROIC MALE CHARACTER).

But no matter what else Sara Strong is up to, when you read something written by her, you know you'll (24. VERB) something (25. ADJECTIVE).

DNR launches new web site
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced the launching of their new Web site last week.

The new site will make it easier to buy a fishing license, reserve a campsite, check trail conditions and get outdoor information online, according to officials at the Mn DNR.

Although the DNR had a Web site previously, the new one is supposed to make it considerably easier to navigate to the information you need, according to Colleen Mlecoch, the DNR's chief information officer.

The improvements include:
Better guides to help navigate the site
New office locator that makes it easier to find the local DNR office
A new online calendar to find park events, safety training courses, and hunting and fishing dates
Easier ways to distinguish whatÕs new and important at the DNR and on the Web
More information about wildlife plants

The URL is still www.dnr.state.mn.us.

MnDOT launches new traveler information service
If you're motoring around the state this summer or next winter, the state now has a new way for you to access weather-related road conditions, construction and congestion by dialing 511, or by logging on to www.511mn.org.

According to Elwyn Tinklenberg, the Minnesota Commissioner of MnDOT, as well as chairman of the National 511 Deployment Coalition, "advanced technology, including 511, is the key to meeting the transportation challenges of the 21st century."

Minnesota was one of six states selected to launch a 511 service after the Federal Communications Commission in July 2000, officially designated 511 as a nationwide number for travel information.

Last December, MnDOT introduced 511 for wireless phone customers, so the free service is now available on cell phones, land lines, as well as the internet.

Traveler information is also available on MnDOTÕs Web site at www.dot.state.mn.us, or by calling 800-542-0220

Another rail repair near Manley
Another railroad crossing near Manley could delay your travel in the southwest part of the county.

This week, from July 2 through July 8, the railroad crossing south of Manley, on County road 17, will be closed for repairs.

Detours will include county roads 4, 52, and 13.

If you have any questions, contact Mark Sehr at 283-5010.

Hot Dog night is July 11th
One more reminder not to miss the 40th anniversary of Luverne's Hot Dog Night.

The Luverne merchants will start serving the 10,000 hot dogs and 300 gallons of drink at 6 p.m. with Tae Kwon Do demonstrations beginning at 6:15 and 7 p.m.

In addition, the Luverne Lions Club and the Rock County Dairy Association will have trailers on hand with some additional goodies.

Ever wonder what tree that is?
If your curiosity of trees far outpaces your knowledge, the National Arbor Foundation has a new publication for you.

"What Tree Is That" is the Foundation's new pocket guide to identifying trees.

The 72 page guide is designed to help you identify 135 different trees in the eastern and central United States.

Naturally, it will help with the most common trees, such as oak, maple, spruce and pine. It also deals with species such as horse chestnut and mockernut hickory, sassafras and shadbush.

The dozens of drawings will help you identify tree leaves or needles and their acorns, berries, seedpods, cones, and other identifying features.

The book is also organized to help identify trees in a simple step-by-step fashion.

To obtain the new tree identification guide, send your name and address and $3 to "What Tree Is That", The National Arbor Day Foundation, Nebraska City, NE 68410.

Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at
tolly@star-herald.com

Shirley Donth, 62, Moline, Ill., died Wednesday, June 26, 2002, in her home. Services were Tuesday, July 2, at Union Congregational Church in Moline. Burial was in Rock Island National Cemetery.

Shirley French was born to Cecil and Melva (Fabicius) French on Feb. 12, 1940, in Newton, Iowa. She married Carl Rottman in 1963.

She later married Peter W. Donth. She had worked as an RN at the former Lutheran Hospital in Moline and at various area nursing homes. She had also worked as a school nurse at U.T.H.S. and at Moline School District 40.

Mrs. Donth was an active member of her church, served on numerous committees and sang in the choir. She was past president of the state of Illinois 40-8 La Femmes. She enjoyed camping, gardening and square dancing. Mrs. Donth was a supporter of the Race for the Cure Crop Walk and a 9-gallon blood donor.

Survivors include her husband, Peter Donth, Moline; seven children and spouses, Missy (Randy) Sorrells, Tim Donth, Carla (Mike) Golding, Peter D. Donth, Doug (DeAnn) Rottman, all of Moline, Cindy (Tony) Carton, Stockton, Ill., and Debbie Rottman, Rock Island, Ill.; 10 grandchildren; one sister, Sally Small, Port Bryon, Ill.; one half-brother, Burton (Caroline) Moen, Guttenberg, Iowa.

Mrs. Donth was preceded in death by her parents and two grandchildren, Helen Elizabeth Carton in 1995 and Brandin Rottman in 1986.

Memorials may be made to Union Congregational Church building fund.

Van Hoe Funeral Home Ltd., East Moline, Ill., was in charge of arrangements.