June
Superintendent Tom Knoll verbally accepted a position in the Hayfield school district. Hayfield, located about 25 miles southwest of Rochester, has 1,005 kindergarten through 12th-grade students.
Friendship Days was celebrated June 8 and 9. Fourteen four-player teams participated in a best-ball golf scrambler at the Rock River County Club near Rock Rapids. A team consisting of Tim Plimpton, Duane Fiala, Claude Van Driel and Tom Arends emerged as champions.
After reviewing statements from six students and two teachers Assistant County Attorney Terry Vajgrt decided not to prosecute Tom Knoll for an alleged assault against student Derek Ehde at Hills-Beaver Creek High School.
In Vajgrt's opinion, there wasn't sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing to prosecute. Derek's parents, Rick and Lori Scholten, retained an attorney to pursue the matter civilly.
Superintendent Knoll officially resigned at a board meeting to accept a position in the Hayfield district. Darold Williams, Dell Rapids, was hired as interim superintendent.
July
A head-on collision four miles south of Luverne on Highway 75 claimed the lives of Ralph Edward Kingery, Colorado Springs, and Theresa Elliott, Colorado Springs. Anthony Reese, Steen, was airlifted to Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, from the scene.
Steen Reformed Church built a new bell tower to house a historic 1912 bell.
At one of his last School Board meetings, superintendent Tom Knoll informed the H-BC School Board that the anticipated cost of $200,000 for the locker room project would likely not be enough to complete the project.
Jil Vaughn was named district administrator at H-BC elementary, replacing Kim Grengs as elementary principal.
August
Lance Crawford, Beaver Creek, was awarded the first Dennis Schei Memorial Scholarship. The $250 scholarship is given annually to a 4-H livestock project manager.
Joyce (Kitty) Helgeson, Beaver Creek, and Victor Hoeck, Hardwick, were chosen as the Outstanding Senior Citizens to represent Rock County at the state fair.
Two Hills residences were burglarized while the residents were in their homes. Jim Roning awoke to find his wallet missing. Sue Jess awoke to find a burglar crawling on her floor.
H-BC school welcomed new teachers Marie LaRock, Jolene Hannett and Brent Steinert.
September
Three months after the murder of Carrie Nelson investigators continued to follow leads.
Hijackers crashed two commercial planes into the World Trade Center. Within the same hour, another dived into the Pentagon and another crashed outside of Pittsburgh.
Hills-Beaver Creek residents Chris Fagerness and Matt Ebert were on the scene in Washington, D.C. Ebert described the scene as something heÕd seen in the movie, "Independence Day."
Local motorists lined up prematurely at the pumps to stock up on gasoline after reports circulated of shortages and price hikes due to uncertainty after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Six candidates vied for four seats on the H-BC School Board. Matt Larson, Annette Mahone, Robert Wassenaar, Tim Baker, Alan Harnack and Lois Leuthold all filed for the openings.
Construction began on the Beaver Creek Golf Course east of Beaver Creek. Amenities in the banquet facility include a banquet hall seating about 300 people with a built-in stage area and bar and restaurant seating about 70.
October
Steen resident and School Board member Dave Roozenboom was hospitalized for burns from a gas grill accident.
Luverne Middle School Principal Dave Deragisch signed a $79,000 two-and-a-half-year contract with the H-BC School Board for the superintendent position vacated by Tom Knoll. At a later meeting the board unanimously ratified the contract.
School Board chair Roland Crawford announced his intention to retire after 27 years on the School Board.
November
H-BC senior Brad Haak won the section individual cross country championship and earned his third straight berth in the state meet.
School Board ballot totals from the Nov. 6 election were Alan Harnack, 274, Lois Leuthold, 247, Matt Larson, 216, Tim Baker, 202, Annette Mahone, 104 and Robert Wassenaar, 104.
Tuff Village, the first assisted living facility in Rock County, held an open house on Nov. 12. Pastor Lowell Berg dedicated the new facility.
H-BC students made a bench with a stained-glass facing to auction off with proceeds to help the Sept. 11 victims. After the Red Cross quit taking donations, students decided to donate proceeds to the Hills and Beaver Creek fire departments.
December
The Minnesota Genealogical Society plans to publish a directory of Minnesota cemeteries, broken down by county detailing whom to contact for information on who is buried in each plot.
Rock County Land Management Director John Burgers, Hills, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of mail fraud. In doing so, the court dismissed a more serious charge of bribery.
Roland Crawford chaired his final School Board meeting. Crawford was presented with a plaque commemorating his years of service.