There might not be anyone out there who finds a newlywed's marital philosophies worth much, but I've developed a few to share anyway.

With the national divorce rate climbing toward 60 percent, I figure writing my little theories couldn't do any more harm.
I'm certainly not alone in this quest for greater marital knowledge. It seems everyone has their own ideas about the mating game and there's even a new book about people in my age group called, "The Starter Marriage," by Pamela Paul.
It talks about the late 20-and 30-something set that, at increasing rates, divorces after a year or two of "practice" and then moves on to another marriage, which may or may not last longer.

The conclusion in the book is that many people marry for the wrong reasons in the first place. It's funny that one of the reasons for marriage sometimes isn't even love.

It seems that men and women want to complete the perfect picture as much as they want the partnership marriage means. And sometimes they're just tired of dating so they settle.

Today's "starter marriage" couples soon find that it's too difficult to put in the time and effort needed to complete their notion of what happiness is. Combine that with choosing a mate based on circumstances rather than love, and you've got yourself a starter marriage made in divorce-court heaven.

I should point out that life in my home isn't always a Hallmark card. I can get snippy, he's easy to please. I'd like to eat more organic food, he'd be happy with Fruity Pebbles. I work on a computer, he works with people. He's the Rippingtons, I'm more Elton John.

I think the institution of marriage somehow turned into a version of the training bra. We give it a try when we think we're ready and wait a while. It starts to not quite feel right so we move to the next level, hoping for better support.

I also think too many people are drawn to each other because of similar interests. For example, horseback riders shouldn't marry thinking of all the time they'll spend enjoying the hobby together. Because if you're not careful in your selection, the horse might make a better companion on those long trails than your spouse.

Of course there's nothing wrong with enjoying hobbies together; it's actually important. But make sure the person beside you is right.

Another obvious issue I see is that people confuse good personalities with being good. Someone with a good personality might tell a great story or make you laugh, but common morals and a fine character should be higher on the list.

My husband and I spend many hours laughing together, but if all I wanted was a chuckle, I could practice robotic dancing in front of a full-length mirror. So I'll keep him for his kindness.

Theories like this new "starter marriage" one don't mean there's something so wrong with the 20- to 30-somethings. They've just learned, as children of the first divorce generation, to shop for spouses like cars - the right price, good miles and we're sold.

Love isn't like buying a car or trying to craft the perfect Christmas letter I guess. We at the Strong household will just keep counting on each other for happiness in our own marriage, even if it's technically still a starter.

More road projects

If you like to take "Old Highway 16," now known as County Road 4, to Sioux Falls or Brandon, you'll have to take a different path next week.

The road, which becomes Main Street when passing through Luverne, will be closed from Monday, June 24, to Thursday, June 27, for railroad crossing repairs west of Manley.

A detour will be signed and includes Rock County Highway 17, Rock County Highway 13, Minnehaha County Highway 146 and Minnehaha County Highway 103.

Or, maybe you should just take Interstate 90.

Are you ready for new postal rates?
On June 30, the U.S. Postal Service will raise postal rates on average almost 8 percent.

The single-piece, one-ounce mail rate will increase from 34 cents to 37 cents.

The Office of Environmental Assistance would like you to save money and help the environment by following these easy tips:

Decrease the weight of most commonly used papers

Make double-sided printing the default setting on all printers

Clean up old mailing lists

Use standard size envelopes and mailers

Use postcards or self-mailers, which require less postage and no envelope waste

Send two-way envelopes for billing to avoid having to send an extra envelope

Use smaller fonts and margins to maximize use of paper.

You can still visit the Hinkly House
It may seem like it's impossible to get there, but you can still visit the Hinkly House Museum on North Freeman Avenue.

If you approach it from Lincoln street (south) you can park in front of the building along the 200 block of Freeman Avenue.

Summer hours for tours are 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday afternoon.

Watch out for those turtles
The DNR is asking you to look out for those turtles.

According to Carrol Henderson, of the Minnesota DNR, turtles crossing the road this time of year are egg-laden females. "Turtles need help to safely reach their nest sites to produce future generations.

Henderson recommends that motorists watch for turtles crossing roads near wetlands, lakes and ponds during the next two weeks.

Some turtles may travel up to a mile from water to reach their nesting sites, so they may cross more than one road during their travels, according to Henderson.

They want you to buckle-up
The Minnesota Department of Public Affairs had a crackdown on unbuckled vehicle occupants in May.

State troopers in 13 counties of Southwest Minnesota stopped 475 drivers for various traffic violations resulting in 275 traffic tickets, of which 93 were seatbelt violations.

In addition, 512 warnings were also issued.

Statewide, more than 350 agencies, including local police departments and county sheriff's offices participated.

State troopers worked 156 extra hours to help Minnesota increase the state's seatbelt use rates by targeting vehicle occupant restraint violations.

Blood bank collects 48 pints
The Community Blood Bank, formerly known as the Sioux Falls Regional Blood Bank, recently collected 48 pints of blood at Luverne Community Hospital.

The blood drive was Tuesday, June 11.

According to information from the Blood Bank, that is enough blood to help at least 144 seriously ill patients.

The Community Blood Bank is the primary supplier of blood to Luverne Community Hospital.

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

Rose Theresa Heitmann Radermacher, 90, of Hardwick, died Wednesday, June 5, at the Parkview Manor Nursing Home in Ellsworth.

Funeral services were at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne, Saturday, June 8.

Rose married Frank Radermacher Aug. 27, 1945, in Lake Wilson. They lived in Lake Wilson until May of 1956 when they moved to Hardwick, and lived there for 36 years. From Hardwick, they moved to the Blue Mound Towers, Luverne. In October 1992, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. They moved to Parkview Manor, Ellsworth, in April, 1996.

Mrs. Radermacher held a variety of jobs that included housekeeper, waitress and working for Campbell Soup Co., Worthington. However, her main job was taking care of her family. She was a member of St. Catherine Catholic Church, Luverne. She loved to sew and can fruits and vegetables from their large garden. In her later years, she enjoyed crocheting towels and making floral arrangements. While in Lake Wilson, she provided fresh flowers and linens for the church alter.

Rose is survived by her four children, Helen "Sandy" Kunkel, Cottage Grove; Peg (Loren) Bavin, Amery, Wis.; Francis "Fritz" (Adeline) Radermacher, Anoka: and Karen Radermacher, Mankato; five grandchildren, two step grandchildren, one great grandchild, two sisters, Louise DeBates, Sioux Falls, S.D.; and Hilda Mitchell, Blunt, S.D.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Frank, infant son, Edmund; son-in-law, Robert Kunkel; six brothers, Joe, Fred, Vince, Louie, Lee & Carl Heitmann; two infant brothers and three sisters, Cecelia Stratmann, Minnie Murphy and Leona DeBates.

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

Herbert "Hobie" Wieneke, 83, Adrian, died Thrusday, June 13, at his home.

Services were held on Saturday, June 15, at St. Adrian Catholic Church in Adrian. Father Gerald Kosse & Father Frank Klein officiated. Burial was at St. Anthony Cemetery, in Lismore.

Herbert was born January 2, 1919, in Lismore, to Herman and Josephine (Geistkemper) Wieneke. Herb attended country school in Lismore Township; and St. Anthony Catholic School. He then attended technical school in Chicago, where he learned small engine repair, a trade he still enjoyed up until his death.
Herb married Frances Klein on April 23, 1946, in Adrian. After their marriage, the couple farmed in Lismore Township. In 1979, they retired and moved to Adrian.

He was a former member of St. Anthony Catholic Church, in Lismore; a current member of St. Adrian Catholic Church, in Adrian; and the Catholic Order of Foresters.

Herb is survived by his wife, Frances Wieneke, Adrian; six children and their spouses, Emily & Ron Goebel, Luverne; Kathy & Mike Sangwin, Laurens, IA; Eileen & Gary Henning, Adrian; Stan Wieneke, Adrian; Verna & Paul Taylor, Wilbur, WA; and Rita & Duane Boltjes, Adrian; sixteen grandchildren, four great grandchildren; brother, Vincent (Marge) Wieneke, Lismore; and two sisters, Rosalia Haffield, Worthington; and Mary Ann (Cletus) Spieker, rural Lismore.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, LeRoy, in 1976; six brothers, Ed, Clarence, Bernard, Alfred, Donald, & Cletus; and two sisters, Bernice Cook & Alma Madison.

Lynch Dingmann Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Charles (Chuck) Jacob Ebert, 51, of Luverne, died Friday, June 14, 2002, at the Luverne Hospice Cottage.

Services were Monday, June 17, at Grace Lutheran Church of Luverne. Burial was at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.

Mr. Ebert was born Jan. 26, 1951, in Clear Lake, SD to Vance and Doris (Warner) Ebert. When he was in grade school he moved with his family to Luverne. He graduated from Luverne High School in 1969. He continued his education at Winona State College. Chuck worked as a Marketing Manager at CWG-Tri-State Insurance in Luverne. Over the years he continued with his insurance education and received the following titles and degrees: CPCU, CIC, ARM, AU, and ALCM.

He and Terri Jasperson were married on Sept. 20, 1975, in Appleton, Minn. They were blessed with three daughters, Katie, Sarah, and Amanda.

Mr. Ebert was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. He served as past president of the Jaycees, past president of the Luverne Toastmasters, past treasurer for the Music Boosters, board member for the Green Earth Players, scorekeeper for the gymnastics team and current treasurer for Pheasants Forever. Above all, he cherished the time he could spend with his family.

Mr. Ebert will be lovingly remembered by his wife, his daughters, his parents, his brothers, Jim (Mary) Ebert of Bemidji, and Paul (Dyan) Ebert of Elk River; his nieces Jessica (Ethan) Harvey of Little Falls, and Laurin Ebert of Elk River; and his nephew Jake Ebert of Truman.

His grandparents proceeded him in death.

Hospice of Luverne Community Hospital will plant a tree in his memory. Donations can be given to the First Farmers & Merchants Bank of Luverne for the Ebert Family Scholarship, which will be awarded at the Pheasants Forever banquet.

Engebretson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Charley Dean Hill, 78, died on Dec. 3, 2001 in Las Vegas, NV from complications from a broken hip and a stroke.
Burial was in the National Military Cemetery in Boulder Dam City, NV in April 2002.

Dean was born to Mary and Carthel Hill, Luverne, on Dec. 17, 1922. He attended Luverne schools and enjoyed playing basketball in high school and some semi-pro ball until the start of WW II. He served in the Alamo Scouts, U. S. Army Rangers in the Pacific Area. After WW II Dean married Vera Muff in Los Angeles.

Survivors include his wife Vera, two daughters and one son in California, brother Marvin Hill, Las Vegas, sister Mary Ellen Ault, Oregon.

By John Rittenhouse

Three Luverne High School players drew honors from Southwest Conference coaches when the 2002 All-SWC Softball Team was announced last week.

Two Cardinals were named to the 18-player All-SWC roster. Another LHS athlete drew honorable mention.

Making the all-league team for Luverne are senior Emmy Bush and junior Karen Jarchow.

League champion Jackson County Central led all teams by having five players selected to the All-SWC roster.

JCC senior Mikayla Smith, juniors Jamie Wheeler and Leah Jensen, sophomore Danielle Stump and freshman Hattie Rossow grace the list for the Huskies.

Pipestone-Jasper drew four all-league selections in juniors Steph Plahn, Jodi Kontz and Kelli Cunningham and sophomore Stacy Evans.

Worthington placed seniors Abby Schmidt and Katie Pierson and junior Amanda Duitsman on the roster.

Windom matched Luverne with two All-SWC selections. Senior Lesley Johnson and junior Connie Fredin made the team for Windom.

Redwood Vally sophomore Kristi Curry and Marshall's Maria Rye round out the all-conference team.

Luverne junior Laura Clark is one of nine players to receive honorable mention from the SWC coaches.

Also drawing honorable mention are RWV juniors Amanda Jacobson and Evan Panitzke, P-J senior Rachel Moffitt and junior Mindy Cunningham, JCC junior Ashley Bezdicek, Worthington junior Celia Westphal, Windom sophomore Michelle Kallin and Marshall sophomore Rachel Henderson.

Luverne's Tim Boen picks himself up after sliding safely into third base during Monday’s 5-3 VFW baseball win over Pipestone at Redbird Field.

By John Rittenhouse

The Luverne VFW baseball team surpassed the .500 mark when it posted a pair of league wins since last Thursday.

Luverne downed Edgerton by four runs on the road Thursday before nipping Pipestone by two runs at Redbird Field Monday.

The 6-5 Cardinals played four games at the Worthington Tournament over the weekend before playing a league game in Worthington Monday.

Luverne 5, Pipestone 3
The Cardinals scored four runs in the first two innings and pitcher Jared Pick made them stand up during Monday’s game in Luverne.

Luverne scored three times in the first inning and once in the second to gain a quick, 4-0 advantage. Pick protected the lead by pitching seven innings of six-hit, two-earned run ball. He fanned nine Pipestone batters.

Pick singled and Tim Boen walked to start a two-out rally for Luverne in the first. Zach Wysong singled home one run, Brad Herman singled home another and the final run scored on a wild pitch.

Andy Stegemann singled and scored on Rob Fodness' fielder's choice to make it a 4-0 game in the second.

Pipestone scored one run in the top of the third and twice in the seventh to make the game close.

John Tofteland walked and scored on Mark Remme’s sacrifice fly in the fourth to cap the scoring for Luverne.

Box score AB R H BI
Remme 3 0 1 1
Fodness 3 0 0 1
Pick 3 1 1 0
Boen 2 1 0 0
Wysong 3 1 1 1
Herman 3 0 1 1
Tofteland 2 1 0 0
Stegemann 2 1 2 0
Kopp 1 0 0 0
Graphenteen 2 0 1 0

Luverne 10,
Edgerton 6
The Cardinals secured their first league win of the season when they toppled Edgerton by four runs in Edgerton Thursday.

Five different Luverne players drew in runs at the plate in a game that belonged to the Cardinals after the first inning.
Edgerton drew first blood by scoring a run off Luverne's starting and winning pitcher Stegemann in the bottom half of the first inning.

Luverne, however, scored a combined nine runs in the second and third frames and never lost the lead the rest of the night.

Brandon Deragisch produced a key hit in a five-run second inning that gave the Cards a four-run cushion.
Remme doubled home a run in the second, while Taylor Graphenteen and Pick singled home runs.

Graphenteen and Fodness singled home runs during a four-run third inning that included Luverne plating a pair of unearned runs to take a 9-1 lead.

Edgerton scored twice in the bottom of the third to make it a 9-3 game, and added three more in the fifth after Luverne scored its last run in the top of the inning.

The game ended due to darkness after six innings of play.
Remme reached base on an error and scored Luverne’s fifth-inning run when Fodness singled.

Stegemann pitched the first four and two-thirds innings for Luverne. Wysong worked the final inning and one-third to pick up a save.

Box score AB R H BI
Remme 4 3 2 1
Fodness 3 0 1 1
Pick 4 0 1 1
Boen 4 0 0 0
Wysong 3 2 3 0
Herman 3 0 0 0
Bradley 1 0 0 0
Tofteland 2 2 1 0
Graphenteen 4 2 2 2
Deragisch 3 1 1 2

By Lori Ehde
A large contingent of Hardwick residents and their friends and relatives participated in the annual MS Walk in Sioux Falls Sunday.

This isn't surprising, considering the little town of Hardwick has seen four of its residents diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease of the central nervous system.

Even more striking, these four residents, at one time, all lived on the same street, Buckingham Street.

Babe Obele started showing symptoms of MS in 1972 at the age of 47. She and her husband, Squint, owned the Valley Bar in Valley Springs, S.D., at the time, and Squint remembers it was Babe's balance that was first affected.

"SheÕd walk in the back of the bar, and she'd have to hang on to both sides," he said. "She didn't know what the heck was going on."

Local doctors were unable to determine the cause of her symptoms, but as slurred speech and double vision set in, the couple sought help from Minneapolis physicians.

"The doctors explained it this way: Your brain is like a fuse box, and your brain tells you to lift your arm or leg," Squint said. "With MS your brain doesn't make the connection."

Babe was diagnosed with MS in 1975 and was admitted to the Minnesota Veterans Nursing Home seven years ago.

Jean Hansen was the first to be diagnosed in 1978 at the age of 25. Her mother, Bette Colbeck, said Jean, a computer programmer at the time, noticed numbness and loss of function in her hands.

"The same thing happened to my brother," Colbeck remembers, saying she believes the theory that MS is hereditary.

Her father, Harold Kadinger, had MS, and her brother, Bob, was discharged from the military when MS prevented him from writing.

"They locked him up because they thought he was going goofy," Colbeck said. "I also remember him walking down the street in Hardwick one day and everybody thought he was drunk."

Having lived with MS for so much of her life, her daughterÕs diagnosis seemed a cruel curse.

"I just couldn't believe it at first," she said. "I didnÕt want to believe it."

Jean, now 48, lives in California and hasnÕt been able to work for more than 10 years. She uses a cane around the house, but if she has to cross more than one room at a time, she needs a wheelchair.

Colbeck said the four Hardwick people with MS all lived near each other on the west side of the railroad tracks, but she blames the water.

"I say it's the rock in the water," she said. "Hardwick is built on rock, you know, and I say thatÕs why there's so much cancer in Hardwick, too."