Under previous LEDA policy, residential blight could be removed with financial support of up to $3,000 from the LEDA only if another home was moved to or built on the same lot.

Tuesday the LEDA decided to change that slightly. The maximum cost is the same, but the LEDA will now pay for half of the demolition costs as a blighted home is removed and pay the other half when another home replaces it. The landowner has two years to replace the home or relinquishes rights to collect the second half.

This will help the city get rid of substantial blight, and landowners have incentive to replace the torn-down home, yet are not required to do so immediately.

The new policy could also be used, Mayor Glen Gust said, in cases where an old home was on a small lot and new zoning regulations make it impossible to fit another home on the property. In these cases, owners would at least get reimbursed partially for the costs of demolition.

Netbriefings
The LEDA gave Gust, LEDA Secretary Matt Hylen and LEDA member Mike Engesser approval to continue developing an agreement with Netbriefings to locate in Luverne.

The LEDA has a new revolving loan fund that it can use to loan the firm $250,000 at a low interest rate.

Netbriefings is an Internet Webcasting services company that announced June 21 it intends to expand in Luverne. The expansion will be in the form of a new customer and product service center if the final deal goes through.

Gary Anderson, CEO of Netbriefings, is the son of Wayne and LaVonne Anderson, rural Luverne.

Netbriefings is working on raising money through local investors and reportedly has about $100,000 with more meetings scheduled this week.

Any LEDA members who want to invest must abstain from voting on the loan.

NxLeveL business class
The LEDA is once again sponsoring NxLeveL, a business class. LEDA Director Tony Chladek was co-teacher last year.

Steve Goedtke taught the class last year with Chladek and will again this year from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays Sept. 4 through Dec. 4.

Registration and payment deadline is Aug. 30 to receive course material on the first night of class, but the class will accept last-minute participants.

Last year, Goedtke said the class included 10 students, and he has already heard from 10 more who are interested this year. He said the class is special because it covers a variety of topics delivered by experts over a 12-week period.

The class is appropriate for people wanting to start a business, better manage or reorganize an existing business, market their business, get financials in order or get funding for the business. As part of the class, students must write a detailed business plan.

Mark and Annie Opitz, owners of Quality Printing, Luverne, had just opened their business when they signed up for the class. Although Mark had management experience, they wanted a better grasp on how to best operate their own company.

Mark said, "It was very valuable. We've never owned a business before and it was definitely full of information."

By Lori Ehde
Members of the Pool Commission agreed Tuesday to a 20-percent hike in membership rates at the Rock County Community Pool and Fitness Center.

Their decision serves as a recommendation to the Rock County Board and Luverne City Council, which will take action on the proposal at a joint meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

The recommendation comes in response to a widening gap between expenses and revenues at the facility, which is subsidized equally by city and county tax dollars.

The facility currently receives more than $61,000 from city taxes and $61,000 from county taxes. That subsidy is expected to be more than $72,000 from each taxing entity next year.

Members of the Pool Commission found themselves in hot water earlier this spring when they approved a 50-percent rate hike to try to close the gap.

That decision, which met with 32 canceled memberships, was rescinded when City Council and County Board members didn't approve it.

Tuesday's action followed figures submitted by pool manager Carol Wessels.

She was asked to estimate the outcome of a 20-percent rate hike.

In a letter to the commission, Wessels said the rate increase would result in canceled memberships and ultimately a greater deficit, and she advised against it.

While many of the Pool Commission members said they felt the estimates bordered on a "worst-case scenario," they decided to recommend the increase and hope for the best.

As part of their recommendation, Pool Commission members also agreed that current members locked into year-long contracts would be notified of the upcoming rate hike and would be given 30 days to opt out of their contracts if they opposed the increase.

Meanwhile, commission members agreed to roll up their sleeves at their next meeting and brainstorm for ideas to increase memberships and raise revenue.

By Sara Quam
Prairie Expo, what was supposed to be southwest Minnesota's tourism center, is greeting tourists with locked doors since last Friday.

According to a statement released Friday, the reason for the shutdown is too few visitors to support operations.

The Southwest Regional Development Commission, Prairie Expo's owner, has also transferred operations to what it calls a "Blue Ribbon Task Force" made up of area business leaders and public officials. No one from Rock County has been named to that group.

The city of Luverne and Rock County each gave a one-time contribution of $5,000 - far less than some area cities and counties. The state financed most of the $7 million facility.

Prairie Expo (or the SRDC? has been spending general fund reserves on the operation in Worthington since at least March in addition to what is already allocated for Expo's budget.

Rock County Commissioners Tuesday said they weren't exactly surprised by Expo's situation. On the agenda Tuesday was Jay Truste, new director of the SRDC.

County Administrator Kyle Oldre spoke for the board to Truste, "Communication needs to be enhanced so we know the status of what's going on. All we received was a press release," Oldre said. "We need open communication and to be forthcoming so that we can share information with the people that this board answers to."

Tuesday was Truste's first day on the job, and he said to the board, "I'm planning on spending the first six months touching base with everyone, trying to re-establish relationships that have gone away in the past two years."

He has experience in southwest Minnesota. He was previously employed by Mid-Minnesota Development Commission in Willmar and Public Health for Lincoln, Lyon, Murray and Pipestone counties.

Truste said he enjoys a challenge and will try to bring the SRDC's focus back to the entire region. "You'll see more of me."

Dave Smith, director of the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce, is concerned about Expo's operations as well.

Before the announcement of closing, another fund-raising effort across the region was in the works. Smith said some counties gave money to the center as recently as two weeks ago, and the same people who asked for money made the decision to lock the doors.

Commissioner Bob Jarchow said, "There seems to be an openness missing."

"There's been a lot wrong, even from the beginning," Smith said.

While Worthington may be nervous about losing an attraction, local concern has centered on keeping SRDC funds where they belong - in all of southwest Minnesota, not just the city of Worthington.

The SRDC includes programs like Community Housing and Economic Development, Environment and Land Use, Transportation and the Area Agency on Aging.

No date has been projected for Expo's reopening, although the committee now heading its operations intends to study marketing strategies.

By Katrina Vander Kooi and Sara Quam
Glenn Overgaard voiced his concerns about a neighbor's cattle feedlot with the Rock County Board of Commissioners Tuesday.

Overgaard owns a farm "within a few feet either way of a half mile" from a feedlot that's under construction. The feedlot, owned by (name of owner, Norm Overgaard?) and located in Kanaranzi Township, has 3,200 head of hogs.

"I ask [the county] to look in and investigate it thoroughly." Overgaard said. "I am in protest to this situation."

Land Management Director John Burgers said the feedlot is in compliance will all regulations, state and county.

Overgaard had four concerns he voiced at the board meeting. First, he questioned the process of notifying neighbors if a feedlot permit has been applied for. "It is my understanding that neighbors are to be notified 10 days from the application of the permit," Overgaard said. "I'm questioning if all people were notified."

Second, he said that the owners of the feedlot won't be living on the property where the feedlot is located. "They're building a building and not evening living there," Overgaard said.

Third, Overgaard was concerned about the water and noise pollution that could be generated from the feedlot. Overgaard stated that there is a potential for Rural Water near the feedlot to be contaminated.

Dan Cook at the Rock County Rural Water Office said that an Environmental Assessment Worksheet was completed on the feedlot, and showed no problems.

Fourth, and most important, Overgaard wanted proof that the feedlot was an existing one. He believed it to be a brand new feedlot and under current ordinances, the permit process would have been different.

County Attorney Don Klosterbuer and Assistant Attorney Glen Petersen were present at the meeting. "Existing verses new feedlot is the key issue," Klosterbuer said.

According to the Rock County Land Management Office, the difference between constructing a new feedlot and expanding an existing feedlot is the distance from neighboring residents. New feedlots must be one-half mile from a neighbor, and existing feedlots that are expanded are allowed to keep their current location.

According to Petersen, an existing feedlot must exist five years prior to application and must have ... (Glen needs to call me back tomorrow).

Overgaard believes there was not livestock on the land prior to the feedlot, so therefore it is not an existing feedlot. County Board Member Bob Jarchow said that he was involved with the house on that property as a caretaker. He asked the owner to plow the area for him, and the owner said he would do it without a charge because he had livestock on the land to feed anyway.

Klosterbuer suggested to the board that the matter be dealt with between the county attorneys and Overgaard's private attorneys. The board agreed to his suggestion. Overgaard asked that the board still keep an active interest in the issue.

In other business Tuesday the board:
Heard a report from Retired Senior Volunteer Program representatives. This year the number of volunteers has increased, and there are 41 stations in the community for participants to volunteer. It is for people ages 55 and older.

Discussed putting in a security system in the court house and the family services building. A button would be installed into both places that when pressed would alert law enforcement.

Was updated on the possibility of building a new armory in Luverne. There will be an armory committee formed with representatives from each part of local government.

Learned of the meeting with county and city groups and developer Don Dunham and his attorney on Tuesday, Aug. 21 to discuss the proposed community daycare.

The meeting will mark the deadline for Dunham to respond to his breach of contract notification. Dunham was contracted to provide a community daycare in the old Elementary School in exchange for tax abatements but has failed to do so because of contract interpretation differences.

Was introduced to new Southwest Regional Development Commission Director Jay Truste and discussed the closing of Prairie Expo.

Got an update on the Lincoln Street project in Luverne. The city is now in the process of replacing sewing water lines before the street can be finished.

Learned from Family Services Director Randy Ehlers that Pinnacle Programs, Magnolia, is in negotiations with Rock and five other counties to provide emergency shelter care. Bridgeway, a facility in Fulda previously provided the same services for eight counties in the region until it closed in April.

Rock County spent about $31,000 last year at Bridgeway for less than 200 days of total service. Emergency foster or shelter care is used only when the child is a danger or is in danger. If an actual crime has been committed, the child goes to a juvenile detention facility.

Kari Remme hangs on tight as the Sizzler spins her around and back and forth Saturday at the Rock County Fair.

Photo by Sara Quam

By Sara Quam
Grace Lutheran Church has evolved over its 50 years - from three branches of Norwegian Lutherans - into a church who now includes a large congregation of ethnically diverse people from a variety of denominational backgrounds.

That's why the weekend of Aug. 17 is cause for celebration.

Kim Schmidt, one of many members who helped plan the festivities over about two years, said, "I think we're making it a big thing because it's a landmark year. We need to celebrate it because some of our older members were part of the church's founding."

The weekend celebration culminates what has been a yearlong acknowledgement of Grace's 50th year. Monthly special events made the entire year memorable for the congregation.

Schmidt said he had fun coming up with ideas for the anniversary and credits the members of the planning committee, especially Dolly Talbert, with keeping it fun and organized.

Schmidt joined the church in 1979. He said, "One thing I look at, as someone who's not always been a member, is how remarkable Grace is - friendly and open-armed. Of course, that’s the way the town of Luverne is, too."

The anniversary celebration is essentially one about being dedicated to the church, Schmidt said. "We wanted a year-long celebration because the church isn't something we just celebrate on Sunday but every day of the year."

History of Grace
Grace Lutheran came into being Aug. 4, 1951, when Immanuel Lutheran and Our Savior's Lutheran churches merged.

Immanuel was formed in 1876 and Our Savior's in 1884, so the presence of what is now Grace Lutheran has been around longer than its 50th anniversary reflects.

The two churches that formed Grace in 1951 were made larger in 1968 when Zion Lutheran Church (founded in 1905) merged with it.

The large, diverse congregation is reflected in a special quilt. The banner-quilt is made up of squares from church members and symbolizes each member or family membership. Some squares were decorated by members, but all members are named on the quilt.
With about 1,300 members, it’s easy to get lost in the large blanket that took a solid two weeks of labor to finish. The quilters who assembled it finished it off with a green cloth vine across its surface.

The vine matches the one on the banner in the front of the church that says, "Growing in Grace." The phrase was adopted for the anniversary year but will likely remain a part of the church’s theme.

Celebration Schedule:
(Events are open to the public)

Friday, Aug. 17
The Pool Boys, a Christian rock band, will play from 8:30 to 11 p.m. in the large tent on the church parking lot.

Saturday, Aug. 18
The Grace Lutheran history display can be seen at the Carnegie Cultural Center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (The display will remain through the month of August.)

Steve Odland will perform an organ recital from 1:30 to 2:10 p.m.

The Reunion Choir participants are invited for refreshments in the narthex at 2:15 p.m.

The Reunion Choir will rehearse at 3 p.m. under the direction of Jennifer Bakken. Emily Lodine will be one of the soloists.

The Celebration Banquet starts at 6 p.m. in the social hall with limited seating. A full meal will be served at a cost with a program presented. The quilt made up of squares from church members will be displayed for the first time.

Sunday, Aug. 19

Graceful Vibrations will rehearse in the sanctuary at 8:30 a.m.

Reunion Choir rehearses at 9:15 a.m.

Festival worship service starts at 10 a.m. It will include brass, handbells, Chancel Choir, Reunion Choir, procession of visiting pastors and Holy Communion. This will be the only service, followed by a noon meal with seating in the tent or social hall.

Pastors at Grace:
1951-57 — S.T. Nelson
1957-61 — G.S. Helgeson
1961-73 — Stan Eyberg
1968 — Michael Hendrickson added as second pastor
1970 — James Parks
1973-81 — Norman Olsen
1974-81 — Duane Salness
1981-91 — Allan Nelson, Gary Danielson
1991-present — Maurice Hagen
1993-present — Dell Sanderson

Congregation members who entered the ministry:
Dennis Olson
Peter Olsen
Andrew Olsen
Richard Fitzer
John Juhl

Grace Lutheran Church celebrates 50 years of worship

Grace Lutheran Church stands on a former drive-in site. Construction of this building was completed in 1956 and paid off completely in 1971. A new addition was finished in 1998. See story in news.

Photo by Sara Quam

Josh Elbers uses some "elbow grease" to prepare his Grandpa Jim's house for painting. A crew of Josh and his parents began scraping Monday morning and will continue until the house is ready for paint.

Photo by Jolene Farley

Tuff Memorial Home is a nonprofit Home of the American Lutheran Church (now the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and The Home corporation consists of nine Lutheran congregations in this area of Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota.

Tuff Memorial Home provides intermediate level long-term care and professional services for those who are no longer able to live in their own home due to age, physical disability or chronic illness. A unique aspect of Tuff Memorial Home is that of its 52 beds 40 rooms are private and the remaining six are double rooms. This contributes to maintaining the dignity of the individual resident at Tuff Memorial Home.

The primary goals of Tuff Memorial Home are to provide a Christian Home, in a safe environment, that rehabilitates physically and psychosocially, shows a concern for quality of life, and allows the residents to exercise those human rights that contribute to the dignity of the individual.

The story of Tuff Memorial Home began in September 1957 with the reading of the will of Gilbert Tuff, who was born in a sod house just four miles southwest of Hills and for 79 years made his home in the Hills community. The will of Gilbert Tuff left properties and funds to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, total assets of $168,000, to be used toward building a Home for the elderly in Hills.

The will stipulated that the Home must be built in two years or the funds would go elsewhere. Groundbreaking for the construction of the Home began in July 1959, and Tuff Memorial Home, named in honor of its founder, opened its 31-bed facility for occupancy in August 1960. Total cost of construction, architectural fees, furnishing, and equipment was approximately $263,183.

In 1963, Mr. William Finke, a charter resident of the Home, announced a gift of his farm (which sold for $50,000) to be used for the construction of an expansion to the Home. Mr. Finke, who was a former businessman and farmer of the Luverne and Hills area, had the satisfaction of turning the first soil for the addition built in memory of his late wife, Mary C. (Paulsen) Finke. The new addition, which cost approximately $130,000, opened for use on Jan. 1, 1965. The extension increased the total capacity to 52.

In 1967, two major gifts were given to Tuff Memorial Home to help reduce its building indebtedness. The first was made by Henry John Schloetje of Boyden, Iowa, who willed $60,0000 to the Home. Mr. Schloetje was little known in the Hills community but on several occasions visited a good friend in the Home, William Holthusen, who was a resident for a number of years. Mr. Schloetje was a boyhood immigrant from Germany and a lifetime farmer in Iowa. The other major gift of $28,433, was given by Nels O. Thompson of Valley Springs, S.D. Mr. Thompson was a member of First Lutheran Church and farmed northwest of Hills.

In 1972, Ms. Alfrida Tuff, seeing the need for a permanent chapel, provided Tuff Memorial Home with a cash gift to begin construction in the name of her late husband, Bernard Tuff. The Bernard Tuff Memorial Chapel was dedicated on Jan. 3, 1973, and is presently used for weekly Sunday morning service, activities, restorative therapy, films, meetings and many more functions.

On Sept. 1, 1986, when Alfrida Tuff expired she graciously left a large portion of her will to Tuff Memorial Home. In April 1987, Tuff Memorial Home received the funds and a the board of directors voted to use the $30,500 for the expansion project. Alfrida Tuff stated that the will be given in memory of her late husband Bernard Tuff and that it be used for construction or to add needed equipment to Tuff Memorial Home.

Many more gifts were given in the history of Tuff Memorial Home and are on display in the Remembrance Books on the walnut stand at the base of the Recognition Panel in the front entrance to the Home.

For several years the board of directors of Tuff Memorial Home discussed the need for housing for the elderly separate from nursing care, but no funds were available. Then in January 1970, Mr. Martinus Viste, a former resident of the Hills community who had moved to Florence, died leaving about $40,0000. This was the incentive needed to proceed with plans for building an apartment for the elderly. The home had previously acquired land across the street south of the Nursing Home which was an ideal location for the cottage type apartments, four on ground level and two basement walk-out apartments.

Because of the success of Viste Manor another apartment building, Morningside, was planned for in 1976. Morningside was financed through individual loans, some to be forgiven upon death, and through the Tuff Memorial Home. Individual loans forgiven upon death were Olivia Moldenhauer, $25,000; Mr. and Mrs. Gullick H. Sundem, $20,000; and Clara Sandager, $5,000. Individual loans were made by Pearl Hellie, $11,200; Juliet T. Rowbotham, $10,000; and Oscar E. Hagen, $10,000. Morningside Manor was completed in 1977 and has four apartments that are currently occupied.

In 1984, again seeing a need for more housing Sunview Manor was built. Sunview was opened in 1985 and has five very lovely apartments. Two major loans were given by Herman Beyenhof, $10,000, and Rachel Bakk, $15,000, to help build Sunview Manor. Other finances were made through Tuff Memorial Home.

In 1988 an expansion project was started. It was decided the best location for the addition would be the west side of the kitchen and it would include a new walk-in cooler and freezer, a larger food storage area; a new lounge, conference, and family meeting area; new office space for the director of nursing and the food service supervisor; a bathroom; and a new housekeeping room.

Gifts and memorials given for the project included: $51,500 from the Alfrida Tuff Estate, $25,000 from Paul and Bertha Thompson in memory of Roger Thompson, $10,000 in memory of Alfred and Rachel Bakk by Margaret Thornton, $7,500 from the Minnie Kolsrud Estate and $5,000 from the Sophes Arlin Hunstad Estate from Jasper.

Another addition in memory of Pearl Hoff, longtime laundry supervisor, was completed in 1998. The addition included a new laundry room, activity and physical therapy area with kitchen facilities and the redesign of existing office space for the director of nursing and social services director.