By Lori Ehde
The St. Paul Winter Carnival crew will join the line-up of entries in the 2002 version of the Buffalo Days Parade and weekend celebrations.

The Fire King Vulcanus Rex and his Krewe of 40 will parade down Main Street Saturday in their 1932 Luverne Fire Engine.

Part of the reason for their visit is to promote the St. Paul Winter Carnival, but it’s also the 70th anniversary of the fire engine that is a symbol of Vulcanus Rex and his Krewe.

The St. Paul group will visit the Minnesota Veterans Home and Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center after the Parade. It will also form a team in the World Famous Buffalo Chip Throwing Contest at the City Park, beginning at 2 p.m.

Luverne’s annual Buffalo Days celebration officially begins Friday with a 6:30 p.m. Cruise In at the Magnolia Steak House with 50s and 60s music by Larry Goebel.

Also beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday is the 5K and 10K run and walk sponsored by the Luverne Community Hospital. The family version of the event starts at 6:30, the 12 and younger half-mile race starts at 7 p.m., and the 5 and 10K walk and run begins at 7:15 p.m. Registration for all events is at the Rock County Community Pool and Fitness Center.

Saturday kicks off with a Buffalo Bike and Run starting at 8 a.m. at the Pool and Fitness Center. One-, two- or three-person teams will bike eight miles, participate in a four-mile trail run and complete a two- and one-half-mile road run ending at the pool.
The Red Cross will serve Belgian waffles at the American Legion downtown from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The parade route will start at the fairgrounds at 10 a.m. and turn from Freeman east down Main Street and then north on Oakley to Lincoln Street.

Arts in the Park, featuring 150 booths by vendors from seven states will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Luverne City Park.
The Luverne Elementary School choir will start the afternoon entertainment with the "Buffalo Days" song written by Emily Lodine Overgaard. Other entertainment includes shows by the "Zoo Man" and a presentation by the Spotlight Dancers.
A musical group from Central and South America will offer music throughout the day near the shelterhouse.

Herman Motor will again sponsor the auto show, and other usual popular attractions will include the Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, kid's tractor pull and, of course, the Buffalo Chip Throwing Contest at 2 p.m.

On Sunday, the Luverne Chamber of Commerce will serve more than 1,300 free buffalo burgers at the Blue Mounds State Park starting at 11:30 a.m.

Also on Sunday, the Luverne airport will host the Skydive Adventure demonstration throughout the day.

Buffalo Days visitors can stop at local historical attractions throughout the weekend. The Hinkly House and Holy Trinity Church will be open from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The Carnegie Cultural Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills Thunder opened the 2002 amateur baseball season by playing two games at different sites Sunday.

Hills hosted Luverne for the opener Sunday afternoon and dropped a 12-0 decision to the Redbirds. The Thunder then traveled to Pipestone for an evening game against the A's, who saddled Hills with a 5-1 setback.

Hills was unable to generate much offense during the opener against Luverne.

Luverne limited the Thunder to one hit in the game. Eric Harnack doubled in the first inning.

The Redbirds scored single runs in the first and fourth innings, they plated seven runs in the third and added three more in the fifth to win by the 10-run rule after five innings of play.

Derek Sammons started the game on the mound and took the loss. He allowed 10 hits in two and two-third innings. Jarud Lang pitched two and one-third innings of one-hit relief.

The nightcap in Pipestone was more competitive.

Pipestone led 1-0 after two innings of play, but Hills tied the game when Wade Jellema singled and scored on Harnack's sacrifice fly in the top of the third.

The A's went on to score two runs in the bottom of the third before plating single runs in the fifth and eighth innings to prevail by four.

Chad Rauk worked the first seven innings on the mound and took the loss. He allowed one earned run, four hits and three walks while fanning seven batters. Lange pitched one inning of scoreless ball.

Scott Harnack and Jellema had two hits each to lead the 0-2 Thunder, who host the A's at 2 p.m. Sunday.

By Jolene Farley
Tuff Village in Hills is caught in tax limbo while the Minnesota Department of Revenue determines if the facility is property tax-exempt or not.

The Tuff Village submitted an application for a property tax exemption in February 2001 on the basis that Tuff Village is a "purely public charity", according to guidelines established by the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

"They (Dept. of Revenue) haven't made a final determination yet," said Bonnie Hengeveld, Tuff Village Administrator. "We knew we would have to apply for tax exemption. WeÕre just getting them the information they ask for. The determination is then made with the state and county."

If the Tuff Village is found to be a taxable entity, it will be taxed at 1.8 percent of the valuation of the property, according to Hengeveld.

The facility was taken off the tax rolls last year because the Department of Revenue had not determined the status of the facility, according to Rock County Assessor Tom Houselog.

Assisted living facilities are a relatively new development in senior care options in the state and Minnesota tax laws haven't kept pace addressing the tax status of the increasing number of these facilities.

Conflicting rulings have been issued on different assisted living facilities in Minnesota, according to Rock County Assessor Tom Houselog.

Since Minnesota statutes do not specifically define what is or is not an institution of purely public charity, guidelines for assessors in this area comes from the 1975 Supreme Court Decision, North Star Research Institute vs. County of Hennepin.

Hengeveld laments the fact that the determinations are made from a ruling made in 1975. ÔThe whole senior world has changed since 1975," she said.

"You could have apple-to-apple set-ups; one could be determined tax exempt, the other could be taxable," said Hengeveld.

The Minnesota State Legislature has yet to clarify the guidelines used by assessors to determine the tax status of these facilities.

"It all comes down to interpretation," Hengeveld said. "I think that is where you see the lack of uniformity."

The Department of Revenue didn't respond to the Tuff Village application until March of 2002. This is unusual, according to Houselog. He attributes the delay to the 2001 state government strike and the fact some paperwork was misplaced in the Department of Revenue office.

"It took almost a year the first time (to hear back), they did apologize," Hengeveld said.

If the Tuff Village is determined taxable, rent will increase for residents, according to Hengeveld. "We'd have to make some increases," she said. "It's not as much as we thought we'd have to do, but we'd have to make some increases."

The Tuff Village contracts with Rock County Family Services for financial assistance for residents. "No one is turned away here," said Hengeveld. "We're all looking at caring for the people in Rock County."

By Jolene Farley
Tuff Village in Hills is caught in tax limbo while the Minnesota Department of Revenue determines if the facility is property tax-exempt or not. Story inside.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth track teams helped form six-team fields at the Camden Conference meet in Tracy Friday.

One day after competing at the Red Rock Conference meet in Slayton, the Patriots showed some stamina by placing well against some different league opponents.

H-BC-E coach Tom Goehle had no point totals at his disposal, but he said the Patriot girls placed second while the boys placed third.

Canby-Minneota won both team titles.

The girls had a strong showing in Tracy with seven conference championships.

Erin Boeve claimed a pair of titles by winning the long and triple jumps with respective 15-5 1/2 and 31-11 1/2 distances.

Brittney Rozeboom (6-0 in the pole vault), Bev Wurpts (5:46.98 in the 1,600-meter run), Cassi Tilstra (1:02.92 in the 400-meter dash) and Mya Mann (2:34.24) also claimed conference titles in individual events.

The Patriots also fielded the winning 1,600-meter relay. Mann, Boeve, Wurpts and Tilstra covered the distance in 4:18.97.

Tilstra and Wurpts placed second in individual events. Tilstra cleared 6-0 in the pole vault. Wurpts cleared the 300-meter hurdles in 53.53.

The H-BC-E boys left Tracy with five conference titles in hand.

Brad Haak (50.84 in the 400), Tyler Bush (2:04.44 in the 800) and Chris Reid (23.05 in the 200) won individual titles at the meet.

H-BC-E also fielded the winning 400- and 800-meter relays that turned in respective 47.23 and 1:36.74 times.

Reid, Tyson Metzger, Lee Jackson and Jesse Leuthold ran the 400. Reid, Leuthold, Lee Walraven and Haak teamed up in the 800.

Patriot Adam Sieff cleared the 110-meter hurdles in 20.6 to place second.
Here is a look at the rest of H-BC-E's top-six finishers during the Camden Conference meet.

H-BC-E girls
Third place: 800 relay (Danielle Fransman, Tilstra, Melinda Feucht and Boeve), 1:59.12.

Fourth place: Rozeboom, 1,600, 6:05.75; 3,200 relay (Tyra Henrichs, Chelesa Fink, Kerri Fransman and Amanda Tilstra), 11:34.71; D.Fransman, 200, 29.17; A.Tilstra, 3,200, 13:32.88.

Fifth place: 400 relay (Feucht, D.Fransman, Fink and Kelly Mulder), 56.11; K.Fransman, 3,200, 1332.88.

H-BC-E boys
Third place: Roger DeBoer, 110 hurdles, 21.12; Bush, 1,600, 4:50; Kale Wiertzema, 3,200, 11:20.79; 1,600 relay (Walraven, Metzger, Jackson and Haak), 3:52.93.
Fourth place: Sieff, 300 hurdles, 50.45; 3,200 relay (Wiertzema, Devin DeBoer, John Sandbulte and Kerry Fink), 9:57.96.
Fifth place: Reid, long jump, 18-2; Lee Farrell, 110 hurdles, 23.86; Walraven, 400, 55.9; Jackson, 800, 2:11.76; Fink, 3,200, 11:55.24.
Sixth place: Bush, triple jump, 35-2; Bush, high jump, 5-4; Leuthold, 100, 11.82; Greg Van Batavia, 1,600, 5:09; Michael Bos, 3,200, 12:30.36.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth golf program will be represented at the Section 3A Championships at the Marshall Country Club tomorrow.

That fact became a reality Monday when the Patriot boys' team competed at the Sub-Section 10A Championships in Tyler.

H-BC-E had its team 3-20 season end at the four-squad event, but one Patriot secured an individual berth in the section field based on his performance Monday.

The top team and five individual qualifiers in sub-section competition advance to the section meet.
Tom Janssen, an Ellsworth High School sophomore, earned the right to play in his second consecutive section meet by playing to a draw for the final three individual qualifying positions that were on the line in Tyler.

Janssen and Luverne's Colby Anderson and Tony Smedsrud all shot seven-over-par 79s to earn trips to Marshall. They placed behind Tracy-Milroy's Jake Peterreins and Luverne's Pete Connell, who shot respective 76- and 77-stroke rounds to lock up the first two qualifying positions.

All five individual qualifiers, and sub-section team champion Pipestone-Jasper, will play at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow in Marshall.

P-J will send six players to Marshall after it won the team title in Tyler with 308 strokes. Luverne placed second with 321 strokes, T-M third with 338 and H-BC-E capped the field with 355.

Others making contributions to H-BC-E's team effort include Kyle Sammons (87), Dusty Seachris (96) and Ben Herman (97). Clint Roozenboom and Jordan Scott shot respective 106- and 109-stroke rounds without influencing the scoring.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth baseball team was unable to snap what now stands as a seven-game losing streak when the Patriots played their final regular season game Thursday.

The Patriots hosted Red Rock Conference foe Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin in what they hoped would be a momentum-builder for post-season play.

Any positive thoughts the Patriots took into the game quickly vanished as the Wolverines saddled the hosts with a 14-0 setback.

H-BC-E ends the regular season with a 3-10 overall record and a 3-9 conference mark.

The Patriots drew the 12th seed for the Section 3A Tournament and will open post-season play in Eden Valley Saturday. H-BC-E plays No. 5 Lakeview at noon to open the double-elimination event.

Depending on the outcome of Game 1, the Patriots will play a second game Saturday against No. 4 Eden Valley-Watkins or No. 13 Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunberg.

H-BC-E will need to turn in a more inspired performance in Eden Valley than they did against ML-B-O to advance in tournament play.

A pair of ML-B-O pitchers blanked the Patriots through five innings while limiting the hosts to one hit (a single by second baseman Chris Tiesler).

The game started off in a bad way for the Patriots when starting pitcher Lyle DeBoer was touched for three runs in the top of the first. DeBoer was struck by a line drive in the foot during the inning, and he left the game with a possible broken toe after his at bat in the bottom of the first.

Justin Van Maanen pitched the next two and one-third innings for the Patriots. He was charged with allowing nine runs (five in the third inning and six in the fourth).

David Top relieved Van Maanen during the fourth inning and recorded the final five outs of a game that ended by the 10-run rule after five innings of play.

By Lori Ehde
Every day, Sheriff Ron McClure sits at his computer and sees the words "Carrie Nelson homicide" scroll across the screen.

Even a year after the brutal murder of the 20-year-old Blue Mounds State Park employee, the words remain as a screen saver on his computer.

"It's a good reminder," he said. "I'm hoping for a call. We're hoping someone has a change of heart."
At this point, he said, all he has is hope.

He, Rock County investigator Clyde Menning and BCA investigators have been through the case information over and over again.

"Just last month I went out to the scene to walk around - hoping I'd find something we missed," McClure said.

He said the case has been a tragedy for Nelson's loved ones, but it's also taken its toll on local law enforcement.

"Every one of us - the dispatchers and the officers - cares about this," McClure said.

"Every time someone calls the tip line, you're hoping that's going to be the call we've been waiting for. Every time someone calls and insists on speaking with either me or Clyde, we hope that's going to be the call."

He said he knows for himself the department has done everything it can for the case, but he'd feel better if it were solved.

"When you have something with this much trauma to it, it doesn't just affect law enforcement, it affects the whole community," he said.

"It puts doubt in their minds. It can happen in any community.... It really did happen here."

While the case hasn't presented any productive developments, McClure said he hasn't given up hope.

"All we can do is appeal to the community. If someone wants to talk about something they forgot to mention earlier, it's not too late."

Learning to live with the pain
What's been a frustrating year for law enforcement has been an unbearable one for Nelson's parents.

"It's been a terrible year," said Stan Nelson, Hills. "Every day I wake up and it's right there in front of me. ItÕs not something that goes away ... it just won't. You just live with it. Every day something happens that brings up her memory, and the tears come."

He spent the anniversary of Carrie's death with his other daughter, Katie, and Michael Kellen, who had been engaged to Carrie.

They planted flowers on her grave in Flowerfield Cemetery, just down the road from Nelson's acreage, and they planted a willow tree on his yard in her memory.

He still pins on the tattered orange ribbon he first wore during the initial days following his daughter's death.

Nelson said he's frustrated no one has been held accountable for his daughter's death, and at this point, he feels helpless to do anything about it.

"You just want people to remember her. She was such a sweet girl - kind and compassionate," he said. "You think about every little thing you wish youÕd done with her that you didnÕt do and you regret."

He said everyone should be aware of violence and do what they can to diffuse situations before they cause heartache.

"Raise your children to be gentle people," he said. "We need to do everything we can to preclude this kind of suffering."

CarrieÕs mother, Nan Karr-Kaufenberg, spent the anniversary of her daughter's death in a secluded cabin in the quiet north woods of Minnesota.

"It's been a horrible year," she said. "I know it's going to continue to be a nightmare for the rest of my life."

She said it doesnÕt help to know her daughter's murderer has not been arrested.

"She was such a sweet, innocent person, and we need to find the person or persons who did this. She didn't deserve it."

Kaufenberg said she has found comfort in community support, and she's pleased about the wildflower garden the Blue Mounds State Park is planning in her memory.

The garden, which will be supported by memorials in NelsonÕs name, will be planted near the Interpretive Center.

BCA hopes reinstated reward will prompt call
While the family grieves, state and local investigators continue to search for Nelson's assailant.

"We have looked at more than 500 leads, we've talked to more than 700 different people," said Paul Soppeland of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

"We have obtained DNA from 250 separate people. (including park employees and campers). We do not have any solid information as to who may have done this."

Soppeland said law enforcement is still looking for the money bags stolen at the scene and for the person who was wearing the watch found at the scene. They are also seeking information about a white car that was seen leaving the park.

He said the $50,000 reward money offered by Spotlight on Crime expired last year, but in honor of the anniversary of her death, it's been reinstated for a month.

The reward will go to any person that contributes information that leads to an arrest. The tip line is 283-1301.

He said he's as frustrated as the local sheriff's department by the case.

"Apparently we should have had this solved long ago, because everyone has all these facts that turn out to not be facts," Soppeland said of rumors.

"There was a large contingency of BCA investigators down there working round the clock, seven days a week for the first few months after the murder.

"These guys have hundreds of years of experience between them investigating homicides.

"So, yes, this is frustrating to us."

He said he hopes the reinstated reward will help.

"I still have optimism that we will get this case solved," he said. "We're hoping it will bring the one lead that will help us. We don't need a lot of calls. We just need the one call from someone out there who knows something about this case."

Mike and Nan in Wentworth: 605-483-3494

Call nanÕs cell at 480-3949

Stan Ð 220-8425

Reward, background

Mulder calls it quits
Our current representative at the Minnesota State Legislature has decided not to run for re-election.

Richard Mulder, (R-Ivanhoe) has served District 21B for eight years, first elected in 1994.

Mulder cited a desire to spend more time with his family, which has expanded with a number of new grandchildren in recent years.

Arlene Lesewski, our current senator, also announced she would not seek re-election.

With the new district lines in place, neither Mulder nor Lesewski would have represented Rock County if they had chosen to run.

With the new apportionment lines, current House and Senate members that would represent Rock County, if re-elected, would be Rep. Ted Winter, Fulda, and Sen. Jim Vickerman, Tracy.

The new lines for the U.S. House of Representatives moved our current member, Mark Kennedy, out and moved Gil Gutknecht (R-Rochester) in.

Local blood bank changes name
The regional blood bank, formerly known as Sioux Falls Regional Blood Bank, has changed its name.

The organization is now known as "Community Blood Bank."

According to Reid Holsen, director of the blood bank, the new name "reinforces its mission to ensure an adequate and safe blood supply for the communities it serves."

The Community Blood Bank is a shared community resource, providing blood and blood products to more than 25 facilities in eastern South Dakota, northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota.

It is the exclusive provider for the Luverne Community Hospital.

The Community Blood Bank will be at Luverne Community Hospital from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 11.

The bloodmobile operates on an appointment basis, and the donation process takes about 30 minutes, according to Holsen. Walk-ins are also welcome.

If the name Holsen rings a bell, that might be because he spent his early years in Luverne, when his father, John, was the senior high school principal in Luverne.

Buffalo Days is around the corner
With Buffalo Days only a few days away, all of the plans are in their final stages.

Friday:
The activities will begin Friday, May 31, with a collector Car Cruise-In at the Magnolia Steak House at 6:30 p.m.

Also on Friday will be a 5 and 10 K walk/run, family run and kids walk, with registration for all the events at 6 p.m.

Saturday:
Saturday will start with a Belgian Waffle feed, sponsored by the Red Cross, beginning at 7:30 a.m.

A Buffalo Bike/Run will begin at 8 a.m. with the parade starting at 10 a.m.

Arts in the Park will also begin at 10 a.m., which will include entertainment and the world famous Buffalo Chip Throwing contest at 2 p.m.

Sunday:
SundayÕs events will highlight sky diver demonstrations at the Luverne airport throughout the day.

The open house at Blue Mounds State Park will begin at 11:30 a.m. and will continue until the 1,400 free buffalo burgers are given away.

Contact the Luverne Chamber of Commerce at 283-4061 for more information.

In all, the event is expected to draw approximately 10,000 visitors to Luverne over the three-day period.

The Fair needs your buckets
If you like to plant flowers, why not show them off at the fair?

The Rock County Fair will be again offering their "Buckets of Flowers" in the Open Class Competition at the fair.

If you want to enter, now is the time to get your buckets of flowers planted with either seed or plants.

After the judging, the buckets are set around the fairgrounds to help beautify the area.

If you are interested in participating, you can pick up a bucket at Fodness Realty at 105 E. Main.

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