Brandenburg to host artist's reception
The Brandenburg Gallery will be hosting an artist's reception this Friday, but the artist won't be Jim Brandenburg.

Instead, the gallery will host a reception for Luverne native Tom Maras.

Maras will be at the Brandenburg Gallery from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 31, to show his most recent blown glass creations.

Maras will also have his work on display throughout the month of June.

The gallery recently celebrated their 4th Year Anniversary.

If you would like to check out Jim’s latest work, or see some of Maras's creations, the gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Another street project about to begin
Another street project is about to begin in Luverne.

On Monday, June 3, the county will start reconstruction of Luverne Street from Highway 75 to Cedar Street.

The project will include the removal and replacement of the pavement, curb and gutter, driveways, and sidewalks.

The project is three blocks long and will cost $225,000.

Completion is expected by August 9.

The prime contractor is Henning Construction and the project is administered by the Rock County Highway Department.

Gutknecht to visit Luverne on Friday
Congressman Gil Gutknecht (R-Rochester) will make a campaign stop in Luverne.

The congressman will tour the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, May 31.

Gutknecht is a four-term congressman whose district was recently reapportioned to include southwest Minnesota.

Other stops on the southwest visit include Worthington, Pipestone and Slayton, also communities that are new to the congressman's district.

Candidates set for Minnesota House seat race
Minnesota District 22 Republicans held their nominating convention last Friday, nominating Doug Magnus to run for the position currently held by Rep. Ted Winter, (DFL Fulda).

Magnus and his wife Brenda live on a farm near Slayton and have two children.

Magnus has a B.S. degree in animal science from South Dakota State University, Brookings, and is a Vietnam vet, serving in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1972.

Magnus' political background includes being county co-chair for the Carlson/Benson campaign for Governor/Lt. Governor, member of past U.S. Senator Dave Durenburger’s agriculture advisory team, and was appointed by Gov. Carlson to serve two terms on the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board from 1993 through 1999.

In the agricultural field, Magnus was elected to the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council in 1989 and served three terms as Council Chairman.

In 1993 he was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the United Soybean Board and served as the International Marketing Chairman three terms, Communications Chairman, Secretary, Vice Chairman, and Chairman of the Board in 2001.

If telemarketers are bothering you
If telemarketers are bothering you, you have probably heard about Minnesota's new "Don't Call List."

Under the new law, Minnesotans will be able to sign up, for free, to a list that will prevent telemarketers from bothering them.

But don't call yet.

According to Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Jim Bernstein, his department will start taking names for the new list by late summer.

Although there is no charge for users, the telemarketers will be required to pay for an updated "no call" list every three months.

Phone numbers will remain on the list for four years.

By the end of the summer, the Commerce Dept. will start making public announcements about how consumers can register their number by phone, mail, or e-mail.

The new law will reduce, but not eliminate unwanted calls. The law does not apply to:
Non-profit groups
Political organizations
Businesses with a prior relationship to the consumer
Businesses that do not intend to complete the sale on the phone

Many legislators are already saying the law is a good start, but that it needs improvement.

Additional adjustments are already planned for the next legislative session.

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

Joyce "Mickey" Gabrielson, 70, Austin, formerly of Luverne, died Monday, May 20, 2002, at St. Mary's Hospital.

Services were Friday, May 24, at First Baptist Church in Austin. The Rev. R. Allan Flint officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.

Joyce "Mickey" Thorson was born to Herman and Edna (Welzenbach) Thorson on July 27, 1931.

She married Arnold M. Gabrielson on March 13, 1949, in Minneapolis. She became an LPN and returned to Austin Community College to earn her Registered Nurse degree. She worked as a 2nd floor charge nurse at Austin Medical Center (St. Olaf Hospital. She was also an educator with the I Can Cope program.
Mrs. Gabrielson was a member of First Baptist Church. She was a Sunday School teacher, youth mentor, sang in the choir and was the parish nurse for the congregation. She was an avid flower gardener with a special love of growing roses. She enjoyed baking, letter writing and time spent with family and friends.

Survivors include her husband, Arnold M. (Arnie) Gabrielson Austin; three sons, Tim (Diane) Gabrielson, Austin, Tom (Dawn) Gabrielson, Minneapolis, and Randy (Katey) Gabrielson, Stillwater; three daughters, Susan (Scott) Bjerke, Eagan, Mary (Scot) Jacobson, Cummins, Ga., and Jan (Mark) Tansil, Sebastopol, Calif.; 12 grandchildren; two brothers, Jim (Sharon) Thorson, Rapid City, S.D., and Steve (Mary Jane) Thorson, Ft. Collins, Colo.; one sister, Carol (Roy) Cooper, Albert Lea; and nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Gabrielson was preceded in death by her parents.
The family prefers memorials to the Southern Minnesota WomenÕs Center of First Baptist Church.
Clasen-Jordan Mortuary, Austin, was in charge of arrangements.

Hills veteran Wendell Erickson places a wreath on the veterans memorial in Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery as part of the American Legion post No. 399 Memorial Day services in Hills Monday. Retired Col. Jim Fleming, a Hills High School graduate, was the speaker for the event.

Monday featured Memorial Day services in communities all over Rock County as area residents observed the national holiday by spending time with family and by remebering loved ones.

Photo by Jolene Farley

Luverne's Scott Goebel (left) and Nick Otten (behind Goebel) make a turn during the 1,600-meter run at Thursday's Sub-Section 10 Track and Field Championships in Luverne. Goebel placed second in the event and Otten fourth to help the Luverne boys win their fifth straight sub-section team title.

By John Rittenhouse
What has been an outstanding track and field season for the Luverne High School boys' program continued Thursday when the Cardinals hosted the Sub-Section 10 Championships at Cardinal Field.

Luverne turned in a dominating performance that ended with the Cardinals compiling 206 points to run away with their fifth consecutive team title.

Southwest Christian finished a distant second behind LHS in the final standings, finishing 72 points off the pace with 134 counters. Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth (119.5), Pipestone-Jasper (117), Murray County Central (70.5) and Edgerton (24) capped the field.

More important than Luverne's successful team outing was the fact that 15 boys earned the right to compete at todayÕs Section 3A meet in Pipestone. Meet time is 4 p.m.

The top four relay teams and top four finishers in individual events at the sub-section level qualify for the section meet. The 15 LHS boys will compete in 16 of 18 events at the section meet.

LuverneÕs sub-section effort was highlighted by eight event titles.

CardinalsÕ Craig Bosch and Marcus Walgrave won two individual events each.

Bosch won the shot put and discus titles with respective 47-0 and 158-10 tosses. Walgrave took top honors in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles with respective 16.38 and 41.47 times.

Walgrave also ran a leg with Luverne's champion 800-meter relay team, which was timed at 1:34.59. Travis Johnson, Tyler Elbers and Tom Sandager are the other team members.

Sandager and Andrew Norton also locked up sub-section individual titles.

Sandager, who placed second in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.9, won the long jump crown with a distance of 20-1.

Norton, who was second in the triple jump with a distance of 40-10 3/4, cleared 6-2 to win the high jump.

Luverne also won the 400-meter relay with a time of 43.32. Team members include Sandager, Elbers, Chris Morgan and Johnson.

Scott Goebel, Morgan, Elbers and Tim Rust placed second in individual competition.

Goebel, who qualified for the section meet by finishing fourth in the 800-meter run in 2:11.35, was second in the 1,600 in 4:49.03.

Morgan, who placed third in the 110 hurdles in 17.06, finished second behind Walgrave in the 300 hurdles with a 43.82 effort.

Elbers, who was fourth in 200-meter dash with a time of 24.09, cleared 5-10 in the high jump to place second.

Rust placed second in the pole vault by clearing 11-6.

Johnson came up with LuverneÕs lone third-place finish when he covered 200 meters in 24.03.

Placing fourth and advancing to Pipestone for LHS are Mark Brockberg, Justin Van Wyhe and the 1,600- and 3,200-meter relay teams.

Brockberg cleared 9-0 to place fourth in the pole vault. Van Wyhe came in fourth in the triple jump with a 39-3 3/4 effort.

Kyle Bitterman, Rust, Goebel and Ruston Aaker placed fourth in the 1,600-meter relay in 3:49.13, while Bitterman, Jamison Tooley, Aaker and Jerome Willers finished fourth in the 3,200-meter relay in 9:30.91.

Here is a look at the rest of Luverne's top-eight individual finishers during the sub-section meet.

Fifth place: Rust, 100, 11.87; Nick Otten, 1,600, 4:56.21; Otten, 3,200, 11:11.01; Aaker, pole vault, 8-6; Norton, long jump, 19-5.

Sixth place: Cody Gehrke, 100, 12.1; Bitterman, 800, 2:14.78.

Seventh place: Ben Peters, 100, 12.5; Van Wyhe, long jump, 19-0; Gehrke, shot, 38-4.

Eighth place: Tom Gluf, discus, 103-4; Tooley, 1,600, 5:19.62; Aaker, 400, 51.16.

Proposed gravel tax hearing set for June 10
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED GRAVEL TAX
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that the Rock County Board of Commissioners shall meet and conduct a public hearing on Monday, June 10, 2002 at 7:00 P.M. at the Community Room, Rock County Human Services Building, 2 Roundwind Circle, Luverne, Minnesota. The purpose of the hearing is to consider the adoption and implementation of a gravel and aggregate material removal tax within Rock County all as is permitted and provided by Minnesota Statutes ¤298.75. Any person desiring to be heard may present testimony either at the hearing or by submitting the same in writing prior to the time of the hearing, to Kyle Oldre, Rock County Administrator, P.O. Box 509, Luverne, Minnesota.

Dated May 21, 2002
/s/ Kyle Oldre
Kyle Oldre
Rock County Administrator
(5-23, 5-30, 6-6)

Dietrich variance hearing set for June 11
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Variance Request
Pursuant to the Rock County Zoning Ordinance, Notice is hereby given by the Rock County Planning Commission that a public hearing will be held at the Rock County Family Service Center Community Room located at 2 Round Wind Road in Luverne, MN at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, 2002. The purpose of the hearing is to rule on the application submitted by Jeff Dietrich for a variance request on the setback for a new residence located within 1/4 mile of an existing feedlot located in the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4 of section 28, T103N, R45W, Rock County, Minnesota.

Zoning Administrator
Eric Hartman
(5-30, 6-6)

Mixer Installation project bids set for June 7
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received, publicly opened, and read aloud by representatives of the City of Luverne, Minnesota, at the City Hall, 203 East Main Street, Luverne, Minnesota 56156 in said City at 1:00 PM, on Wednesday, June 7, 2002, for furnishing all work and materials for the Mixer Installation Project, consisting of the following approximate quantities:

External Draft Tube Mixer 1 LS

Proposal forms, contract documents, drawings and specifications as prepared by Toltz, King, Duvall, Anderson and Associates, Inc., are on file for inspection in the office of the City Clerk and in the office of the Engineers, whose address is 1500 Piper Jaffray Plaza, 444 Cedar Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101-2140.

Contractors desiring drawings, specifications and related documents for the purpose of submitting a bid may secure them from the Engineers upon deposit of Thirty-Five Dollars ($35.00) for each set. The deposit for one set of drawings and specifications in good condition within 15 days after the date for the opening of bids. Ten Dollars ($10.00) will be refunded for deposits made to secure more than one set of documents, deposits made to secure documents for subcontractors and material suppliers and also to Contractors who fail to bid. To secure a refund all documents must be returned in good condition within 15 days after the day for the opening of bid.

No bid will be considered unless it is securely sealed in an envelope and filed with the City Clerk prior to the time noted above for the closing of bids.

Each bid must be accompanied by a bid bond or cashier's check payable to the City of Luverne in an amount not less than five percent (5%) of the total bid as a guarantee that the bidder, if successful, will enter into a contract with the Owner for the work described in the proposal. This deposit will be subject to forfeiture as provided by law. The deposits for the three lowest bidders will be retained by the Owner until the contract has been awarded and executed but not longer than sixty (60) days. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days following the bid opening.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive informalities or to award the contract to the lowest responsible bidder, in the best interest of the Owner.

The City Council will consider award of contracts at a regular meeting to be held at June 11, 2002.

Matthew Hylen
City Administrator
(5-16, 5-23, 5-30)

Title XX Block
Grant Funds
Public Notice
The Rock County Family Service Agency has developed a biennial Community Social Services Plan for 2002-2003 that included the intended use of Federal Title XX Block Grant Funds.

Federal law requires that the intended use of Title XX funds be reviewed each year and that the public be given an opportunity for comment. No substantial changes in the activities assisted by the Title XX Block Grant are proposed for 2002-2003 from those previously approved in the Rock County 2002-2003 Community Social Services Plan. The review and comment period ends July 31, 2002.

Questions and comments concerning the intended use of Title XX Block Grant Funds must be submitted in writing to:

Randy Ehlers, Director
Rock County Family Service Agency
Box 715
2 Roundwind Road
Luverne, MN 56156
Copies of Minnesota's 2003 Title XX Intended Use Report will be available after October 1, 2002 by writing to:

Title XX Report
Minnesota Department of Human Services
ChildrenÕs Services
444 Lafayette Road North
St. Paul, MN 55155-3830
(5-30)

By Sara Strong
The Pool Commission Tuesday discussed the possibility of summer bringing new things for the Rock County Pool and Fitness Center.

Manager Carol Wessels presented membership and use numbers for the past two months. Despite the increased prices taking effect in the winter, between March and April, the Pool and Fitness Center gained memberships.

The facility still has about 80 fewer members now than at this time last year, but management and the Pool Commission hope that slow gains add up to the previous membership numbers.

The Commission also discussed the pool's new offering of summer memberships to offset decreased use the indoor facility usually sees during warm months.

Commission chair Paul Alink said, "Whoever's idea that was; it was excellent."

Visibility is increasing in other areas for the Pool and Fitness Center.

Recent advertising and donated passes and memberships for charitable events, like the Hospice Charity Auction, has kept the Pool and Fitness Center in the community's eyes. Business passes were also given away in the hopes of inducing memberships.

Registration for the Buffalo Days walks/runs starts at the Fitness Center this weekend, and it will be available for changing or showering after the events.

Senior citizens may be learning more about the center also. Senior Health and Fitness Day Wednesday offered seniors cookies, coffee and a carnation to visit the facility. It also had special training in aerobics, weight lifting and equipment instruction.

In other business the Commission:

Accepted the resignation of Pool Commission member Ed Bouwman, who is moving from Luverne and can no longer serve.
The county and city will agree on a new commissioner appointment.

Heard an update on the use of the "play time" child care for children of adults who want to use the facility. The weekday service got less use than what is necessary to keep it financially possible to offer, so it is ending Friday as was scheduled for the trial run.

The Pool and Fitness Center may try the play time again in the fall.

Voted to increase rates for swimming lessons from $20 to $22. The rates are increasing so a lifeguard not giving lessons can be on deck for an added safety precaution.

Agreed that the new fitness equipment and pool ramp have gotten favorable reviews from customers.

By Sara Strong
The airport expansion issue came to the Luverne City Council meeting Tuesday, but council members took no action.

Engineers from Bolton and Menk, Burnsville and Mankato offices, met with residents of the proposed expansion area and answered questions.

Airport Board members were also there and Pat Baustian, chairman, spoke on their behalf.

"At our next board meeting we were going to suggest a study of different locations. I think we owe that answer to people who live in that area," Baustian told council members.

At the public meeting, citizens had shown most interest in a new airport being built three to five miles south of the current location.

A township road south of the airport is supposed to be closed, according to the state, because of its proximity to the current airport and closure would still be recommended if the current expansion plans go through.

A study to look into more options for the airport will take about three to four months and will involve consideration of wetlands, flood plain, highway access and proximity to other federal facilities according to Federal Aviation Administration guidelines.

Another piece of the airport puzzle is the funding. Federal money will pay for 90 percent of the approximately $2 million project and there's $450,000 in a separate fund that will expire in September 2003. Much of the $450,000 would go toward land acquisition.

The FAA has input in all parts of the project, no matter what the location.

Wind power option
The City Council approved a new renewable energy offering through Missouri River Energy Services. The state requires that utilities offer customers choices in their energy consumption.

Luverne customers will be able to purchase blocks of their power usage from wind turbines. There is an added monthly expense of $9 to cover the capital cost of building turbines.

Residential, commercial or governmental customers can use the option, but just offering it is all the city is obligated to do.
A similar program in Moorhead quickly sold out available electricity from wind power.

Acknowledgements
City intern and high school student Serena Franken presented some of her work to the City Council and was given a city pin for her efforts.

During her time with the city, she reformatted and updated the newcomers' packet for new city residents. She also compiled information on street assessing practices of other cities. That study illustrates whether cities charge residents partially, not at all or fully for street projects.

The Council also acknowledged Luverne High School seniors for their work during Senior Skip Day. The students painted and cleaned up various city properties in the morning Friday in order to earn their afternoon off from school.

By Sara Strong
The city of Luverne, Rock County and the Luverne school district are all defendants in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court of South Dakota by developer Donald Dunham Jr., Sioux Falls.

The suit involves the community daycare and related abatements that the three governmental units and Dunham agreed upon and later disputed over specifics.

The community daycare would have been located in the City Centre Apartments, Luverne, the former elementary school.
County Attorney Don Klosterbuer declined comment except to say he is working on a reply to the suit.

Dunham alleges in the lawsuit that defendants violated the agreement to abate his taxes in exchange for providing a rent-free community daycare space.

Dunham is asking for judgement against the defendants because of a "wrongfully terminated" agreement.

He is also seeking reimbursement for real estate taxes paid and damages "well in excess of $75,000 for renovation, remodeling and improvement expenses, lost real estate tax abatements, expenses incurred for purposes of testing, inspection, planning and development and for costs of closing the purchase."

Although the property involved in this action is located in Minnesota, the abatement payments would have been made to Dunham in South Dakota, so the suit was filed there.

Five years ago …
Dunham purchased the City Centre Apartments in September of 1998. The building was no longer needed as the Luverne Elementary School because the school had recently constructed the new one.

In December 1998, the city, county and school agreed to an abatement agreement for the property in exchange for Dunham providing community daycare space.

The agreement said in part "… renovation shall provide sufficient space and facilities, constructed in accordance with applicable codes, for a day care facility, including infant care, of not less than 50 children. Further, that during the term of the abatement, the said day care space shall be made available to a licensed day care operator without rental charges ..."

Rock County, the city of Luverne and the school all agreed to reimburse Dunham for his taxes paid from 2000 to 2009 because the community daycare was thought to be such an important issue for the area.

Dunham wasn't reimbursed for property taxes because the three government bodies disagreed with Dunham that he actually followed through with his portion of the agreement.

Dunham said he was providing the space for a day care as expected, but the city, county and school said he needed to provide a "finished" space, not just the square footage.

The suit was filed May 7.