Many of you may recall elderly goofball sisters of the stage Marlene and Darlene from Leota, Minnesota.
Over the years, the pair have attempted to save the Luverne Senior Citizens Center (now Generations) from certain demise.
Always the pessimist, Marlene believes the end of the senior center is at hand and it’s her job to keep the doors open.
Darlene thinks there are simply not enough single men to be found there but a few more interesting activities might draw them in.
In December of 2019, the sisters tried to present “The Nutcracker” from the stage of Luverne’s Palace Theatre. Their goal was to raise enough money to buy the former event center as a new location for the seniors. Because Darlene inadvertently put out the “suggestion” box instead of the “donation” box, very little money was raised.
The seniors purchased a new building in spite of this temporary setback.
In the spring of 2022, as part of the new building’s grand opening, Marlene and Darlene took to the Generations stage to share their tale of victory over the COVID lockdown.
They attended the Generations “stretch and bend” class where the grueling (by Marlene’s standards) workout resulted in her collapsing in the class.
This near-death experience led the sisters to visit Jeff Hartquist and create a meaningful funeral plan. For Marlene, this meant choosing the best kind of cake for her funeral luncheon while Darlene focused on gathering a team of beefy pallbearers.
When we left off last spring, Marlene was still torn between choosing a life of clean living or eating more cake. “I tried a two-week diet once and all I lost was 14 days,” she says.
On Thursday, April 27, Marlene and Darlene will return to the stage at Generations to once again try to “Save Are Generations.”
Save the date to see what the goofball sisters from Leota, Minnesota, have up their sleeves this year.
And, as Marlene likes to say, “Oh for Pete’s sake. All you do is sit around anyway. Just come to the Generations and laugh, would ya?”

You probably are aware that the first attempt at the Luverne Leap fundraiser for the Luverne Area Community Foundation was a huge success. With the help of event sponsors, the 29 jumpers were able to raise $23,000 for the Foundation’s general grant fund.
As a first-time jumper into the icy waters at The Lake, I have to tell you it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Truth be told, the days leading up to the event were the worst. Second thoughts and anxiety started to consume my thoughts.
I have talked to a handful of my fellow jumpers, and they all said it wasn’t as bad as they thought it would be either and they would do it again.
For me once is enough and it’s on to the next hare-brained stunt.
The start of the Minnesota State High School winter sports tournament season is underway. The Luverne Cardinals girls are having a really nice season. The girls’ hockey team, along with individuals from gymnastics and girls’ wrestling, are competing in their respective state tournaments, and hopefully the girls’ basketball team will be joining them.
I took a day trip last Saturday to the annual Pheasant Fest hosted by Minneapolis this year. As you can imagine, Pheasant Fest falls into my wheelhouse.
Talk about a kid in a candy store! Five hours wasn’t enough time to see everything, but I’ll spend more time at the show next year because Sioux Falls will be the host city for 2024.
I would strongly encourage you to consider taking in at least one day of the show while it’s in Sioux Falls.

Dispatch report
Feb. 10
•An outage was reported.
•Complainant on 190th Avenue and County Road 4, Magnolia, reported an abandoned vehicle.
•Assistance from another agency was provided on Interstate 90, mile marker 2, Beaver Creek.
Feb. 11
•Complainant on 11th Street, Hills, reported a burglary.
Feb. 12
•Complainant on E. Main Street reported suspicious activity.
•Complainant on 231st Street, Hardwick, reported suspicious activity.
•A fire call was reported on E. 4th Street, Hardwick.
•Complainant westbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 19, Magnolia, reported debris.
•Complainant on E. 1st Street, Hardwick, reported a suicidal subject.
Complainant on Highway 75 and 131st Street requested roadside assist.
Feb. 13
•Complainant reported a scam.
•Complainant on Oakley and Main Street reported property damage.
Feb. 14
•Complainant on E. Crawford Street requested assistance from another department.
•A scam was reported.
•Complainant on W. Warren Street reported an abandoned vehicle.
•Complainant on 20th Avenue and 71st Street, Manley, reported a road closure.
Feb. 15
•Complainant on Interstate 90, mile marker 10, Luverne, requested assistance from another department.
•Complainant on County Road 20 and 80th Avenue, Luverne, reported an abandoned vehicle.
•A warrant was issued on E. Crawford Street.
•Complainant on N. Kniss Avenue reported an assault.
•Complainant reported an outage.
•Complainant on N. Kniss Avenue requested assistance from another department.
•A warrant was issued on N. Kniss Avenue.
•A miscellaneous public assist was reported on 101st Street, Magnolia.
Feb. 16
•Complainant reported found property at Johnson Jewelry in Worthington.
 
In addition, officers responded to 3 motor vehicle accidents, 2 deer accidents, 1 vehicle in the ditch, 1 transport, 15 ambulance runs, 1 paper service, 3 animal complaints, 1 fingerprint request, 9 burn permits, 3 background checks, 7 purchase and carry permits, 4 stalled vehicles, 21 traffic stops, 5 abandoned 911 calls, 2 welfare checks, 1 OFP and 5 follow-ups.

The 2018 Farm Bill extends loan authority through 2023 for Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs).
MALs and LDPs provide financing and marketing assistance for wheat, feed grains, soybeans, and other oilseeds, pulse crops, rice, peanuts, cotton, wool and honey.
MALs provide interim financing after harvest to help meet cash flow needs without having to sell commodities when market prices are typically at harvest-time lows. 
A producer who is eligible to obtain a loan, but agrees to forgo the loan, may obtain an LDP if such a payment is available.
FSA is now accepting requests for 2022 MALs and LDPs for all eligible commodities after harvest. Requests for loans and LDPs shall be made on or before the final availability date for the respective commodities.
To be considered eligible for an LDP, producers must have form CCC-633EZ, Page 1 on file at their local FSA Office before losing beneficial interest in the crop. Pages 2, 3 or 4 of the form must be submitted when payment is requested.
Marketing loan gains (MLGs) and loan deficiency payments (LDPs) are no longer subject to payment limitations, actively engaged in farming and cash-rent tenant rules.
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) provisions state that if total applicable three-year average AGI exceeds $900,000, then producers are not eligible to receive an MLG or LDP.
They must have a valid CCC-941 on file to earn a market gain of LDP. The AGI does not apply to MALs redeemed with commodity certificate exchange.
For more information and additional eligibility requirements, contact local USDA Service Centers or visit fsa.usda.gov.

The Fourth Annual “We Love Pork” Challenge, sponsored by the Rock County Pork Producers, started last week and continues through Friday, March 17.
Rock County Pork Producers will present the “We Love Pork” traveling trophy to the winner of the contest on March 27 at a special event hosted for the participating restaurants. 
Five participating restaurants will create delicious pork meals showcasing pork, “the other white meat,” and diners can rate the pork meals at each restaurant.
Participating restaurants are Bogey’s Bar & Grill at the Luverne Country Club, Green Lantern Bar & Grill in Hardwick, Hidden Hills Café & Hideaway Tavern in Hills and Howling Dog Saloon and Sterling’s Café & Grille in Luverne.
Customers will assign up to five points in each of five categories — meat, presentation, toppings, flavor and customer service.
The pork meal with the highest average points at the conclusion of the battle will be declared the winner.
Participating diners will have chances at 50 $10 gift certificates or prizes given away by participating restaurants during the challenge.
More information is at luvernechamber@co.rock.mn.us
The Luverne Chamber office can be reached at 507-283-4061.

Zoey Berghorst, a junior at Luverne High School, is making robotics program history.
Berghorst is one of four Minnesota semi-finalists named to the FIRST dean’s list, selected for her leadership potential based on the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) program’s core values.
She’s participated in each of the three FIRST programs: Lego League (FLL), technical challenge (FTC) and robotics competitions (FRC).
Lately most of her time has been spent working with teammates in the robotics team’s workroom in the school basement.
“It’s all I do,” Berghorst said. “I spend most of my days down here.”
Her selection as a dean’s list semi-finalist puts her in elite company, — one where she is excited to learn more about robotics from students across the U.S.
She’ll complete an interview to decide the dean’s list finalist at the upcoming FTC World Championships in April.
“I am really excited to be going on to the next stage where I can see FTC robots in action,” she said.
Berghorst was nominated by LHS robotics coach Aaron Perkins, who’s worked with Berghorst since her initial introduction to the FIRST program as an elementary student.
Perkins nominated Berghorst for the award that selects 10 sophomores and juniors from across the U.S. for the FIRST annual dean’s list.
“She’s taught fellow students engineering, coding and teamwork skills over the years,” Perkins said.
“Most recently she mentored our girls FLL (FIRST Lego League) team to the South Dakota State tournament.”
Berghorst assisted her fellow teammates at the FTC (FIRST Tech Challenge) to win the communication award last fall. She also assisted the team in their ninth-place finish in the nation with the KIBO (an introductory programmable robotics kit for elementary students). The competition allowed students to program a robot in the International Space Station.
Berghorst is one of 17 high school students who helped begin the Luverne High School robotics team in the fall of 2019.
They named themselves the “Mighty Morphing Banana Slugs” and went on to claim the rookie inspirational award at the Great Northern Regional FIRST Robotics Competition.
The rookie inspiration award recognized the team for their recruitment, outreach, commitment and understanding of the FIRST mission.
Berghorst has been instrumental in furthering the team’s and her own participation in the FIRST core values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork and fun.
She’s quick to point to the source of her focus and the success of the LHS robotics program.
“It’s a total team effort,” Berghorst said.

10 years ago (2013)
•Luverne High School choir member Kira Graber joined an all-star cast of choral students from across the state when she performed at Benson Great Hall at Bethel University for the Minnesota Music Educators Mid-Winter Conference last week.
Graber, a junior, tried out for the All-State Choir last March. Her audition included singing a solo, vocal memory exercises checking for range and sight singing.
Graber received information that she had been chosen to sing in the Girls’ All-State Choir in May. She attended a weeklong camp in August at St. John’s University when choir members spent about seven hours a day rehearsing the music. …
Graber was the only student from Luverne to receive the honor of being chosen for the All-State Choir performance.
She is the daughter of Keith and Seana Graber, Luverne.
 
25 years ago (1998)
•With boosts from private businesses, volunteers, an extra city donation and a possible no interest loan, Luverne baseball players could set their spikes on an irrigated, freshly sodded, new baseball diamond this spring.
Jerry Buss of McClure Plumbing and Heating volunteered to acquire at cost and help install sprinkler equipment for the Luverne Baseball Association and the city diamond. Buss said he did not have an exact estimate from his suppliers, but it would probably cost less than half of earlier estimates. The Association would provide labor for the installation, under supervision of his son, to help reduce the cost.
Mike Reker, representing the Association, had approached the council Jan. 26 about adding sprinklers to the baseball diamond being reshaped from a softball diamond located near the BMX track.
The council had already committed $20,000 to the project in October 1997 and has spent $17,932.13 of the total. Reker estimated the cost for sprinklers, using a firm specializing in such work, to be in the $10,000 to $12,000 range.
 
50 years ago (1973)
•Fire tore through Leonard’s DX Service Station in Hardwick Friday night leaving an estimated $7,000 in damage.
The Hardwick Fire Department was called on the scene around 11 p.m. and by 11:30 p.m. the fire was under control. Luverne firemen were also called at 11:30 p.m. to assist in fighting the blaze, but the fire had been all but extinguished by that time.
Leonard Staeffler, who leases the station from Ray Frick, Luverne, reported that his shop equipment was salvageable, but everything in the small office portion of his station was destroyed. In just 30 minutes, the fire had completely gutted the interior of the station.
A cousin to the operator, Alfred Staeffler, reported the fire. Staeffler resides across the street from the station and told firemen he heard small explosions around 11 p.m. He noticed flames erupting and immediately called in the alarm.
 
75 years ago (1948)
•The KELO Barn Dance Gang, sponsored by Luverne’s American Legion Post, play in the Luverne armory this Saturday, February 28. The complete line-up of the show, which has been a success in many near Sioux Falls towns, includes a show, amateur contest, broadcast and dance. Members of the group include Dave Rogers, Pee Wee Krause, Lyle Cobb, Verne Morgan, and Roddy Bristow, who are heard daily over radio station KELO (1230 on the dial). Other members of the troupe are Edythe Mack, The Arizona Cowgirls, and Master of Ceremonies Dick Creswell.
 
100 years ago (1923)
•Purchase and presentation to the Luverne high school of a silver cup as a trophy for which the Senior and Junior classes will debate, was authorized at the Monday noon luncheon of the Luverne Kiwanis club.
This trophy is to remain in the possession of the Luverne schools from year to year, and the two classes above named will annually compete for it under conditions to be outlined by the superintendent of the schools.
A committee was named to purchase the silver cup, and it is hoped to secure one large enough so that the names of the winner and the year may be engraved upon it from year to year.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem appointed Steven Perkins to the South Dakota Board of Education Standards, which provides resources and professional support for educators.
“Steve has grandkids of his own, and he realizes that their future is of the utmost importance,” Gov. Noem said Feb. 7 via news.sd.gov.
“He will put the future of our next generation first in his approach to the Board of Education Standards, and that is why he is a great pick for this role.”
Perkins has been principal of Perkins Consulting in Sioux Falls since 2006, secretary and treasurer of New Horizon Farms in Pipestone from 1997 to 2006, and president and CEO of Ellison Meat Co. in Pipestone from 1997 to 2001.
He was Red Wing administrator from 1992 to 1997, Luverne city administrator from 1986 to 1992, and Pipestone mayor from 1977 to 1986.  
Perkins taught real estate classes at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Worthington, Southwest Minnesota State University, and through Luverne Community Education.
He helped facilitate and arrangement with City of Luverne, Sanford Health and Minnesota West to establish degree programs for radiologic technician, surgical technician, medical assistant and lab technician.
“Our kids are our most precious asset, and our standards should set them up with the best possible opportunity for success,” said Perkins, who has been a Sioux Falls resident for 10 years.
“We need to raise the bar for our children and work to ensure that every child has the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”
Perkins chaired the Luverne Community Hospital Board and Sanford Hospital Luverne Community Advisory Board. He was director and trustee council member of the Minnesota Hospital Association, and he chaired the Committee on Governance for the American Hospital Association. 
He has a bachelor’s degree in economics, business and political science from Macalester College.
He has four adult stepchildren with his wife, Marianne, and they have eight grandchildren.