Gary Charles Luft, 57, Luverne, died Tuesday, Aug. 14 2001, at Luverne Community Hospital.

Services were Saturday, Aug. 18, at First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. The Rev. John Pehrson officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.

Gary Luft was born to Wilbur and Mildred (Radditz) Luft on Nov. 12, 1943, in Jackson. He graduated from Okabena High School in 1961.

He married Carolee Untiedt on March 4, 1972. He spent 23 years at Watland International in Worthington with 10 of those years as a salesman selling farm machinery. In 1985 he went to work for Worthington Ag Parts as a buyer and sales representative. In the summer of 2000 he went to work for All States Ag Parts of Sioux Falls and Salem, S.D.

Mr. Luft was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. He was also a member of the Eagles Club and Luverne Country Club. He enjoyed golfing, playing cards and spending time with family and friends.

Survivors include his wife, Carolee Luft, Luverne; his father, Wilbur Luft, Heron Lake; four children and their spouses, Debbie and Steve Hill, Cook; Shawn and Rob Flegel, Willmar, Steven Luft, Minneapolis, and Michael and Eileen Luft, Worthington; seven grandchildren, Stacy, Stephanie and Krystal Hill, Taylor and Trenton Flegel, Jesse Luft and Sydney Luft; two brothers, John (Roberta) Luft, and Jim (Deb) Luft; three sisters, Diane (Bill) Bosch, Judy Pierson and Sharon Sutliff; a special family "daughter," Ann Schneekloth; and his golfing boys.

Mr. Luft was preceded in death by his mother and a daughter, Tami Hatting Bovitz.

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

By John Rittenhouse
A Rock County man emerged as a double champion during Friday's races at Rapid Speedway Friday night.

Todd Wessels, who lives south of Luverne, took a pair of checkered flags at the track in Rock Rapids, Iowa, that evening.

Competing in the 360 sprint class, Wessels won his heat race before making it a nightly sweep in the feature event.

Other area drivers placed in the late model street stock and hobby stock classes at Rapid Speedway.

Ellsworth's Mark DeBoer and Hills-Beaver High School graduate Darren Korthals placed third and fifth respectively in the street stock feature.

Luverne's Anthony Mann posted a heat win before finishing fourth in the hobby stock feature.

DeBoer, Korthals and Luverne's Jesse Akkerman had strong showings in the late model street stock class at SturdevantÕs I-90 Speedway in Hartford, S.D., Saturday.

DeBoer was a double victor after posting heat and feature wins.

Korthals placed second in his heat race and sixth in the feature, while Akkerman placed third in his heat race and fifth in the feature.

Area drivers also competed in the hobby stock class in Hartford.

Magnolia's Larry Kracht won his heat race and Luverne's Bobbi Kracht placed third in her heat race, but neither driver could complete the feature event.

Steen's Tammy Kracht, who was unable to finish her heat race, placed second in the B feature before being unable to complete in the A feature.

During Friday's races at Murray County Speedway in Slayton, EdgertonÕs Al VanÕt Hul won the pure stock feature.

The street stock and outlaw modified features were rained out Friday in Slayton.

By Sara Quam
The Magnolia United Methodist Church's new pastor first went to school to become a music teacher. Now, his love of music and affection toward youth are part of what got him assigned to the job.

Chris V. Johnson has just one Sunday under his belt as pastor at the Magnolia and Adrian churches. HeÕs finishing up his seminary schooling now and plans to stay for at least nine years.

He was assigned under a program that allows pastors who aren't fully ordained to work while finishing their school and licensing requirements.

Methodist ministers are assigned by the Bishop with consultation from the cabinet. Johnson stood out as a good fit for Magnolia because of his interest and experience in contemporary Christian music.

"The Praise Team will be fun," Johnson said. "I'm interested in working with the kids and seeing where they can go."

Johnson played drums, guitar and sang with a traveling Christian music group and will draw on his experience for the Praise Team.

But, obviously, music isn't all Johnson is interested in. His faith led him to seminary school when he thought teaching was his call.

"Ultimately, the decision came three years ago, but it had been there since I was 7 years old," Johnson, 33, said.

He looks forward to knowing his congregations. "They're really good people," he said of his encounters with members so far.

He doesn't want to change a lot about the churches but would like to see more church growth and work on community outreach programs.

He and his wife, Charlotte, live in Adrian with their 6-week-old daughter, Kharli.

By Sara Quam
Rock County parents and babies will get a better start on their lives with the help of a new home visiting program.

Nobles-Rock Public Health and the Rock County Collaborative, along with a sampling of other community agencies, hope to get the program to the public by October.

Colleen Deutsch, a public health nurse, is coordinator of the program called Healthy Families of Rock County.

"The whole goal is to help families - make sure all families have access to programs and services," Deutsch said.

The term "home visiting" means a public health nurse will make contact with families expecting a baby or with a newborn. By touching base, Deutsch hopes parents will know agencies to contact when they need extra help or have basic questions.

Deutsch said information on things like family counseling or even nutrition doesn't get to all families in the county.

Families that struggle to make ends meet, yet don't qualify for financial assistance, don't have connections to social services. Others may not have a network of family or friends to rely on.

Those groups of people often aren't aware of all that they could benefit from - things like car seat safety, daycare options, child development and parent education.

People of all income levels could use extra support when having a baby. Shaken baby syndrome and postpartum depression are things Deutsch said all families need to be aware of and will be given that chance through home visits.

The visits won't necessarily mean a public health nurse shows up at everyone's doorstep. The visits are voluntary and are preferred before the baby is born. Also, new parents can stop by public health to have their babies weighed and gather the same information that would be covered during home visits.

Healthy Families of Rock County ties into another Collaborative program called Books and Babies.

As a measure to encourage healthy reading habits, the Collaborative is sponsoring gifts of books in installments and a trip to the library for new parents in the county. One of the books will be "Rock-a-Bye Baby Reader," by former Luverne resident Carole Olson's.

The Collaborative wants to give that particular book because it is a children's book that is also for parents and encourages babies and parents to read together.

The book emphasizes the importance of early reading to baby's brains. The Collaborative wants to make sure parents read to babies as a vital part of giving children a head start on reading and on learning.

The book program and home visiting combine in an effort to prevent family or social problems before the county has to intervene in other ways.

By Lori Ehde
Local history buffs will enjoy the Hinkly House at its best Tuesday during the Tea and Tour from 2 to 4 p.m.

The tea, featuring authentic orange pekoe tea, spritz cookies and finger sandwiches, will honor the grandchildren of R.B. Hinkly.

Hinkly was a pioneer Luverne businessman and mayor who built the house in 1892 of Sioux quartzite hauled in from the Blue Mound Quarry.

He willed the house to his nine grandchildren, five of whom are still alive.

Of those five, three will attend Tuesday's tea and tour to greet visitors and to answer inquiries about the house.

Luverne's Sister Mariella Hinkly will be joined by her sister, Elizabeth Hinkly Kaiser, from the Chicago area, and her cousin, Charlotte Hinkly Pugsly, from Baton Rouge, La.

Providing tours of the home during the tea will be 4-H members costumed in turn-of-the century clothing.

According to Sister Mariella, Charlotte lived in the house for six years and has an impeccable memory of what it was like at the time.

Though she's well into her 80s, she still serves as a valuable resource for those working to restore the house.

The house, located on North Freeman Avenue, is on the National Register of Historic Sites.

The two lions at the front entrance were carved by a Norwegian stone cutter, Knute Steine, in 1895. The name HINKLY is displayed in a panel of stained glass. Leaded or stained glass transoms imported from England are featured in the main floor rooms.

The word WELCOME is engraved in the oak parquet floor, and oak paneling with beveled mirrors lines the dining room walls and stairway.

Voluntary donations are accepted, but Tuesday's tea with a $5 admission is presented as a fund-raiser to defray costs of restoration and upkeep.

Heating costs ate up much of the Historical Society's budget last winter, and the house is now in need of paint.

By Lori Ehde
Five juvenile boys from Luverne have been arrested in connection with a rash of automobile break-ins earlier this month.

Countywide, Sheriff Ron McClure said there were roughly 30 reports of thefts from vehicles during the first two weeks of August.

According to the dispatch log, items stolen were mostly CDs and related equipment, such as CD players and CD holders.

Considering individual CDs are worth nearly $15 McClure said a stolen collection adds up to a sizeable loss.

The total value of the items stolen during the spree exceeds $1,000.

It would seem obvious, but McClure is advising residents to lock their car doors.

"Don't leave your car doors unlocked with stuff on the front seat. People are making it too easy," McClure said. "The kids are just walking by and helping themselves."

He said some of the thefts, including one in Beaver Creek, occurred in vehicles parked in garages.

"It doesn't do any good to put your car in the garage if you're not going to lock the doors or lock the garage," McClure said.

According to the Rock County Attorney's Office, the boys, ranging in age from 12 to 16, all face felony theft charges.

Five juvenile petitions were filed Wednesday against the boys, some of whom have prior juvenile delinquency records.

If found guilty, penalties can range from probation and community service to time served in a secure detention facility or treatment program.

By Sara Quam
The Luverne City Council talked budget during its Tuesday night meeting. The levy has to be set mid-September, so now is the time for public input and requests.

The Luverne Fire Department was represented at the meeting to request an increase in its pension contribution.

Now, firefighters get $1,700 a year in a pension fund that they qualify for only after 20 years of service and at the age of 50 or older. The city of Luverne pays 75 percent of that cost, with townships picking up the rest.

The request is to increase the annual pension contribution to $2,100 a year. Last year there was no increase, and the hourly wage hasn't been increased from $6 an hour for many years.

Council members said they would like to increase the pension to make it similar to other departments of this size as a measure of gratitude for service.

However, the state has imposed levy limits this year, and that puts the city in a budget crunch.

The proposed budget the city is reviewing now has the pension amount at $1,900, which is a smaller increase than the department is asking for. That budgeted amount is about $65,000 total.

Councilman Keith Erickson said he is in favor of keeping the budget as it is and making up the rest of what the firefighters want in the council's contingency fund.

Jim Kirchhofer said he would prefer to meet the request over two years. David Hauge said the council should wait a week and vote on it at next week's council meeting, which the council ultimately decided to do.

One of the reasons the fire department wants an increased pension is for an incentive for new firefighters to join. Right now there are no openings, but the average age of firefighters is more than 40 with a few retiring this year.

The department does fund-raising and grant writing to keep the cityÕs costs down wherever possible.

Armed with their home-made butterfly nets, Nathan Visker joins his neighbor, Tiffany Schley, in her mother's flowers on Warren Street to scout for butterflies Monday afternoon. If there were ever a time for butterfly hunting, this summer is the time. Due to favorable wintering conditions last fall and abundant migrations this spring, local flower beds are now adorned with several species of fancy fliers not normally seen in such plentiful populations.

Photo by Lori Ehde

Anthony Ray Reese, 21, Steen, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2001, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D., as a result of an automobile accident on June 29.

Services were Thursday, Aug. 23, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Rev. Dell B. Sanderson officiated. Burial was in Adrian Cemetery, Adrian.

Anthony Reese was born to Alan "Corky" and Judie (Balster) Reese on July 28, 1980, in Adrian. He attended school in Hills and Luverne. He worked at Ellison Meats in Pipestone for more than a year and a half. He had just become employed at Bell Inc. in Sioux Falls.

Tony enjoyed all kinds of cars, bicycles, boating and animals. He volunteered many hours to the youth of Luverne. He especially enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews.

Survivors include his father, Alan Reese, Steen; his mother, Judie Reese, Luverne; his grandmother, Donna Balster, Adrian; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Brian and Dionne Reese, Luverne, and Adam Reese, Steen; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Angela and Terry DeRoo, Versailles, Mo., and Amanda and Richard Fongemie, Luverne; three nephews, Brian, Dunken and Damian; and five nieces, Ashley, Tamara, Mackenzie, Samantha and Skylar.

Tony was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents and his maternal grandfather.

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