Fick: 'Stop and think, what if that would happen around here. Oh that would hurt'
To the Editor:
Another shooting! Three innocent children and three adults at work in school. Why? Where will the next incident be? Do we think this 28-year-old has been watching television? Seeing how the adults in Washington, D.C., operate? The example they set for our youth. It this normal? Could that affect a growing mind?
I’m an 85-year-old retired, in front of TV watcher. I get very upset and even confused at what I see and hear. Our youth see that too, thinking this is normal. Could this affect a growing mind? This is what they are brought up with. Maybe Washington, D.C., should look at itself once. What kind of example are they setting for our youth. Most of our representatives are intelligent and well qualified, but seems a few not. It seems their goal is to disrupt seriously needed government function, refusing to pass beneficial bills, that would benefit the country, because it is someone else’s idea. How some foreign countries are advancing in technology, like chips, batteries, etc., while our government is spending precious time and taxpayers’ money over nonessentials. How our tax system favors the very wealthy while our federal debt is out of control and people are hungry and living in tents on the streets. How a TV channel constantly and knowingly broadcasts falsehoods. How lying, even under oath, has become a powerful tool. How the results of a federal presidential election are considered false. How the hard-working vote counters are accused of being corrupt. How stealing federal classified material is defended. Where has our respect for our authorities gone.
Maybe we, as adults, should clean up our act so our youth can have a more positive outlook on life. History tells us corruption often leads to failure. If we don’t look out, we could lose our freedoms and our rights. DEMOCRACY. Difference of opinion is good for society, but only if intellectual compromise is attained.
Our country is trying to convert other countries to our form of government, democracy, but this is what they see. People killed in our capitol. Hundreds of police officers injured, some badly, defending the capitol and representatives, children killed in our schools. Semi-automatic military weapons allowed in our homes. Semi-automatic weapons serve but one purpose! Many people dying from overdose of illegal drugs. We abort our babies. People even getting death threats.
I just had to say something. Stop and think, what if that would happen around here. Oh, that would hurt. How it must affect our youth mentally. We’d better be concerned before we lose our freedoms, our way of life. DEMOCRACY.
Robert Fick,
Luverne

Don’t know about you, but I am ready for baseball, track, golf, tennis and some softball.
Our high school spring sports preview section is in today’s paper. Right out of the starting blocks, many of the scheduled games and events have been rescheduled because of winter hangover.
The problem with postponing spring games is that the window to reschedule them is so short. Compounding that problem for the baseball and softball teams is the pitch count restrictions on the pitchers.
The pitch count is a good thing, but managing your team’s pitchers can be challenging, especially when you have rescheduled games that may be back to back, and then throw in a doubleheader. A roster with a healthy number of pitchers will go a long way this spring when it comes to the team’s overall success.
The spring yard work has also suffered a weather hangover setback. Replacing the snow blower with the lawn mower and ditching the snow shovel for the rake is long overdue.
Three of my favorite warm weather friends, Weber, Blackstone and Traeger, are champing at the bit as much as I am to fire them up.
The fashion change-over season should be weeks into the conversion, but not so much this year. It’s past time to swap the boots for sandals, sweatshirts for T-shirts, and put the jeans in the draw and put on your favorite shorts.
 
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Last week I got a call from Jasmina Joseph, the producer for the show American Pickers, and they are planning on being in our neck of the woods in June.
If you’re a fan of the show like me, you’ll recall that Mike and Frank have been here before and uncovered a few treasures and purchases that were featured on the show.
Collectors interested in being considered for the show should reach out to Joseph by calling 646-493-2184 or email AmericanPickers@cineflix.com.

Dispatch report
March 24
•Complainant reported an outage.
•Complainant reported an outage.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported a transient.
March 25
•Complainant on Oak Drive reported a fire call.
•Complainant on N. Oakley Street reported suspicious activity.
March 26
•Complainant on Interstate 90, mile marker 19, Magnolia, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported theft.
•Complainant on W. Hatting Street reported an assault.
•Complainant on W. Warren Street reported a civil issue.
March 28
•Complainant on E. Main Street reported suspicious activity.
•Complainant on Freeman Avenue and Maple Street reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on Mag Road reported found property.
•Complainant north-bound on Highway 75 from 71st Street, Luverne, reported a driving complaint.
March 29
•Complainant reported a scam.
•Complainant on W. Veterans Drive reported a disorderly.
•Complainant on W. Veterans Drive reported a runaway.
•Complainant on N. Kniss Avenue reported trespassing.
•Complainant on County Road 13 and 20th Avenue, Hills, reported road and drive laws.
•Complainant north-bound on Highway 75 between IA/MN border, near Hills, requested assistance from another department.
•A warrant was issued on N. Cedar Street.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported hazmat material.
•Complainant eastbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 23, Magnolia, requested assistance from another department.
March 30
•Complainant reported property damage.
 
In addition, officers responded to 3 motor vehicle accidents, 1 transport, 14 ambulance runs, 3 paper services, 3 animal complaints, 1 fingerprint request, 10 burn permits, 1 alarm, 12 purchase and carry permits, 11 traffic stops, 14 abandoned 911 calls, 1 welfare check, and 1 follow-up.

LSS meals at Generations
 
Monday, April 10: Salisbury steak with gravy, baked potato with sour cream, peas and carrots, bread, tropical fruit.
Tuesday, April 11: Tater tot hotdish, green beans, peaches, dinner roll, bar.
Wednesday, April 12: Chicken wild rice soup, broccoli florets, fruit cocktail, breadstick, gelatin.
Half-Price Day is sponsored by American Reformed Church.
Thursday, April 13: Pulled pork on a bun, butternut squash, coleslaw, pineapple chunks, cookie.
Friday, April 14: Chicken alfredo with pasta, carrots, pears, garlic bread­­­.
LSS Dining offers well-balanced and affordable meals in a community atmosphere.
Call Pam Franken at 283-9846, extension 11 to reserve one day prior, to arrange to pick up a dinner or for home-delivered meals.
Gift certificates are available at the meal site or online at www.lssmn.org/nutrition.

Tony and Wendy Gacke of Luverne and Robert and Donna Tims of Worthington announce the upcoming wedding of their children, Marco Gacke and Rebecca Tims.
Marco is a graduate of Luverne High School and attended Southwest Minnesota State University. He currently works as a lab technician at Doble Engineering in Raleigh, North Carolina, in their dielectric fluids lab.
Rebecca graduated from Worthington High School and from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in elementary education. She currently works as a second-grade teacher at Baileywick Road Elementary in Raleigh.
Marco and Rebecca will unite in marriage Saturday, April 8, at NC State University Club in Raleigh.

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older.
The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Sept. 9, 1943.
(Continued from last week’s Star Herald.)
Emma Hamann worked hard for her salary, though, for her job meant getting up at 5 a.m. in the summer, milking seven or eight cows morning and night, as well as doing inside work. The weekly washing for eight or nine people was all done by hand on a wash board, and whenever she would bake bread, she would have to bake at least 10 loaves at the time.
After working for her uncle for about a year, she obtained employment as a dish washer in a hotel at Van Horn, Iowa, with an increase in salary of $1 a week. The hotel served many dinners as a rule, as trains would stop there so passengers could eat their meals. “I saw all kinds of people,” Mrs. Hamann recalls. “There were people there from all walks of life, from all parts of the country. It was interesting to see them.”
On June 30, 1885, she was married to August H. Hamann, at Vinton, Iowa, and immediately afterward they began housekeeping on Mr. Hamann’s farm near Remsen in Plymouth county, Ia. They lived there seven years, then a friend of theirs, Albert Ahrendt, induced them to come to Minnesota. Mr. Hamann bought a farm northwest of Luverne, and they lived there until they moved to Luverne in 1919.
During her early years on the farm, Mrs. Hamann often worked in the fields during harvest and corn picking. She did this in addition to her house work and to rearing her six children.
She never went away from home a great deal. For one thing, she didn’t have the time, and for another thing, traveling in those days was not easy. “When we went to town, it was just too bad if we forgot to buy something, because it usually meant that we would have to live without it for about two weeks, when we would go to town again.”
There was no German Lutheran church here then, and she recalls attending services in the county court house with Pastor Brinkman as the minister. Later, enough money was raised to build the school house near the present St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, and finally the  church was built. Mrs. Hamann was one of the first members of ladies’ aid of the church, and was active in its function until later years. She is still able to attend church, however.
Direct descendants of Mrs. Hamann include six children, 21 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Her children include: Rudolph A. Hamann, Clear Lake, S.D.; Mrs. Albert Priesz, Mrs. J. W. Ahrendt, August F. Hamann, Arthur Hamann and Herbert F. Hamann, all of Luverne.
Mrs. Hamann still maintains her own home, and although she has given up gardening on a big scale, she still raises a few vegetables for her own use, and has many beautiful flowers. She at one time did considerable sewing and fancy work but in later years, she has been unable to do so because of her poor eyesight. She is able to read somewhat, enough to “keep up with the times,” she says.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

10 years ago (2013)
•Luverne High School vocal music instructor Seana Graber shared details of the June 10-15 trip with Luverne School Board members, who approved the trip at their March 26 meeting.
Graber said 60 students are planning to make the six-day trip to and from New York City with chaperones Jim and Paula Jelken, Greg Hoogeveen, Katie Baustian, Brenda Johnson, Mary Brown and Jennifer Nelson, along with Graber and her husband, Keith.
Graber said having Hoogeveen along as a photographer will ensure great pictures of the trip. Johnson is a veteran of other music trips and Brown is a nurse.
 
25 years ago (1998)
•Crews from Rock County and the city of Luverne traveled to St. Peter Thursday and Friday to help with tornado cleanup. Walter Stearns, Lee Hamann, Bob McClure and John Martin represented the county and Burdell Braa, Cory Schmuck, John Stoffel, Butch Hatting, Greg McClure and David Van Batavia took time off from city work to help.
The men used a semi donated by Henning Construction, Adrian, to take equipment to St. Peter. They brought dump trucks, a pay loader and a skid loader as well as pickups and seven chain saws.
 
50 years ago (1973)
•Elmer Menage, Luverne High School Athletic Director, football and track coach, was inducted into the Central Lyon Hall of Fame at Rock Rapids Tuesday evening in ceremonies held during the 13th annual A.O. Voogd Relays.
This is an honor only two other former Central Lyon athletes have received, according to school officials.
Menage graduated there in 1956. He was selected to the all-state team in football, received honorable mention in all-state basketball and held the state Class B record for a number of years in the 100-yard dash.
At Morningside College, Menage continued with his athletic honors, being named to the District 12 football squad, all-North Central Conference football team and honorable mention in conference baseball.
Menage coached at Wartburg College, Waverly Iowa, for three years before coming to Luverne.
In 1972, he was named District 8 Coach of the year after leading the Cardinals to a 9-0 regular season mark in the Southwest Conference.
 
75 years ago (1948)
•“Rock county doubled its acreage in alfalfa the last two years. In 1920 there were but 850 acres in the county. In 1922 there were 1560 acres in the county, contends county agent Roske.
“The largest acreage of alfalfa is in the southwest part of the county. Beaver Creek leads in this with 350 acres; Martin township follows with 255 acres and Springwater with 181 acres; Luverne township also has 181 acres and Clinton township has 160 acres. It is expected that this average will be doubled again by the end of this year.
 
100 years ago (1923)
•At a meeting of the Luverne board of education held last week, Supt. H.C. Bell and the entire teaching corps were tendered re-election to their present positions for the coming school year. It is known, however, that several of those who were re-elected do not expect to return here next year.
This will make the twelfth year that Mr. Bell will have served as superintendent of the Luverne schools; the eleventh year that Mrs. Cora W. Rea has been engaged to teach music, and the eighth year that Mrs. Lucille Keech-Ulvin has been employed in teaching here, and Miss Jones’ seventh year as principal and teacher of the primary department.
Of the other teachers, Miss Ethel Armstrong has been identified with the Luverne schools for four years. Miss Helga Johnson three and a half years, Mrs. Mary Athan, Mrs. Faye Weston and Miss Lucretia Dunbar for three years.

It is Sunday afternoon, and I just went for a walk in my yard. I see the tulips are 2-3 inches tall as are the alliums where the snow has melted.
That is exciting, and it also means I need to get out there very soon to clean off the perennials or I’ll be stepping on shoots that I can’t see when I am working.
My hesitation is that once I clean off last year’s debris, hungry critters will easily find what I don’t want them to eat, so that means I follow myself dishing out shaved Irish Spring soap as a repellent for the deer and whoever else has an affinity for tulip sprouts.
I have written previously about using Milorganite, an organic fertilizer derived from composted sewage as a repellent. Again, the smell is what repels certain garden critters, and the smell is not really offensive to humans, but we don’t have our nose on the ground while eating.
What I don’t like about using this product is that it is easily dissolved by rain so it has to be reapplied after each rain. The main nutrient is nitrogen, which is good as a lawn fertilizer. But for a garden, that nitrogen gives lush green foliage at the expense of the produce we want, and reapplying multiple times just accentuates the problem.
It is amazing what a difference one week made in the snow depth we had in spite of the air temperature being only slightly above freezing. The moisture is most welcome, and I won’t complain about not getting the spring cleanup started sooner even though my journal says I was pruning in the orchard in early March in 2022.
That being said, I want to remind you that the first plant on your list for cutting back is ornamental Karl Foerster grass. This magnificent perennial is a cool season grass, meaning that it starts growing really early. Cut off last season’s growth now as close to the ground as possible to avoid cutting the new emerging grass when removing the old. Cutting it low gets rid of the potential collar of dead growth around the bottom.
Karl Foerster grass is a perennial that benefits from being divided every five years. That thinning will keep the clump thick and thriving.
To divide, lift the entire clump, use your spade to cut it into four parts, and plant just one section back where you removed the whole clump.
This type of perennial grows out from the center, so if you don’t divide it, the center will die out and you will have a “doughnut” of new growth around the edge.
If your grass needs this attention, do it as soon as the soil is dry enough to work with to ensure that it will re-establish and be beautiful this first year after surgery.
One particular blessing of spring is to hear the bird choir in the morning … hope you are able to appreciate that joyful, exuberant music!

Called home by our Lord, Father Thomas J. Jennings, age 78, died peacefully on March 29, 2023, at his home surrounded by his family.
He was born on August 12, 1944, in Caledonia, Minnesota, to Lloyd and Wilma (Ernster) Jennings. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Caledonia. Father Tom graduated from Loretto High School and studied philosophy at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona. He completed his theology degree at the North American College and the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy.
On December 19, 1969, Father Tom Jennings was ordained to the priesthood in Rome at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Father Tom’s assignments as parochial vicar were at St. John in Rochester and the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona. As a pastor, he served at St. John in Winona, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Easton, Mater Dolorosa in Delavan, Queen of Angels in Austin, Our Lady of Loretto in Brownsdale, Sacred Heart in Owatonna, St. Catherine in Luverne, and St. Mary in Ellsworth. Additional assignments include instructor for Lourdes High School in Rochester and Cotter High School in Winona; diocesan director of education of priests; principal and administrator for Cotter High School in Winona; chaplain of Cabrini Home, Knights of Columbus MN State Council, and the Owatonna area Catholic Daughters; member of the Presbyteral Council, Clergy Assignments Committee, and College of Consultors; dean of the Austin/Albert Lea Deanery; faculty of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona; and rural life co-director for the diocese. On October 8, 2018, Father Tom joined the rank of senior priests of the diocese.
Father Tom was always a farm boy at heart. He enjoyed all of God’s creations to the fullest. He was frequently seen taking pictures of all kinds. He loved hiking, gardening, photography, reading, and drives in the countryside. He loved holidays and getting together with his family, friends, and his “bible buddies.” Father Tom had a passion for life. His presence will be dearly missed by all.
He will be dearly missed by two brothers, David (Kathy) Jennings and Jim (Pat) Jennings; nieces and nephews Mike (Lisa) Jennings, Barb (Darren) Smith, Shannon Jennings, Mark (Sandy) Jennings, Stephanie (Curt) Mann, Joe (Ali) Jennings, Stacie (Phillip) Klug, Renee (Eric) Goetzinger, Rachel (Andy) Reining, Nick (Samantha) Jennings; great nieces and nephews Brittney (Nathan), Kyle (Sierra), Haley, Tyler, Colby, Jenna, Noah, Lydia, Owen, Ella, Emersyn, August, Hunter, Lauren, Leo, Celia, Violet, Kendall, Aria, Grant; and great-great nephew Maverick.
Father Tom was preceded in death by his parents, nephews Daniel Jennings and Rick Jennings, and great nephew Brandon Jennings.
The family would like to thank Father Matt Wagner, Sister Michaeline, and the staff at Mayo Clinic Health System for all the great care and support.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 4, at the Church of St. Mary in Caledonia, Minnesota,  with the Most Reverend Robert E. Barron, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester celebrating with the Priests of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester concelebrating. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday and 10 to 10:45 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary’s Holy Family Hall.
The funeral will be livestreamed on St. Mary’s Church, Caledonia, Facebook page.
Memorials are preferred to St. Mary’s School, Caledonia.
Condolences in memory of Father Thomas Jennings may be sent to 707 North Hokah Street, Caledonia, MN.
McCormick Funeral Home, Caledonia, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be given at mccormickfuneralhome.net
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