Word has been received of the death of Thelma Fauver, 92, at Stewartville. She passed away Monday, April 11, 2005. Her funeral was Friday, April 15. She had suffered a stroke several years ago. Her husband, "Red," and Thelma came to Hills in 1958 when he was an area manager for Interstate Power Co. "Red" served several years on the city council and retired from the power company after 36 years of service. Thelma was active in women’s groups. Don and Edyth Briggs were delegates from Bethlehem Lutheran Church to the Southwest ELCA synod meeting Saturday and Sunday at Redwood Falls. Pastor Lowell Berg also attended the meeting.Bob and Twila Kirsch and Floyd and Mary Kraetsch, Luverne, spent last weekend visiting their brother, Gerald Kraetsch, at Kasson and Rosemary Kraetsch at Hayfield. On Sunday they had brunch with friends at Red Wing and returned home last Monday. Wade and Jackie Warner and Dolton, Larchwood, Iowa, were visitors in the Cliff and Vi VanWyhe home last Monday evening. Bob and Twila Kirsch were Sunday luncheon guests of Shirley Olson.Wendell and Kathryn Erickson, along with their children, Anna and Mike Gilman, Jens, Krista and Ben, and also Hans and Susan Erickson, Siri and Max, spent April 1-10 at Branson, Mo. Merlin Garlid spent a couple of days in the home of his daughter and her husband, Nancy and Mike Sandager. He was returning to his home in Center City from Arizona where he spent the winter. Bob and Twila Kirsch were dinner guests of Arnold Swanson at Tuff Village on Friday to celebrate his 93rd birthday.Tuesday afternoon Heather Van Wyhe visited in the home of Cliff and Vi Van Wyhe.Don and Edyth Briggs attended Masonic meetings and supper Saturday, April 16, in Le Sueur. Dick and Audrey Heidenson and Wendell and Kathryn Erickson attended the spring concert given by the Al Opland Singers April 15 at Pipestone. Harriet Skattum’s sister, Irene Schade, passed away in Huron, S.D. She was 86 years old. Harriet joined other relatives in attending funeral services on Friday. We are happy to report that both the H-BC band and chorus received excellent ratings at the high school contest in Luverne on April 2.

Sunday morning we awoke to a dense fog which made visibility very difficult and driving almost impossible. Later on that day the fog lifted. And when I was out doing chores, I discovered a bright yellow dandelion smiling up at me. So, spring is here!Last Sunday we received about two inches of rain, which turned the lawns into a brilliant green carpet of grass changing our landscape quickly. I don’t have any flowers blooming as yet, however, my winter onions are waiting for me to bring some into the house. Mother Nature knows that first things need to be first!Time goes by so rapidly I can hardly believe the school year is coming to a rapid ending. The Junior/Senior Prom will be Friday, April 22. The theme for prom this year is "Dreaming of You."Henrietta Huenink attended the Baptism service for her great-grandson, Brian Greme, at Reformed Church in Lester, Iowa, on Sunday morning. Brian is the son of Dan and Lois Greme. Grandparents are Wayne and Norma VanWyhe of Lester. Harvey and Gertrude Rozeboom and Mildred Paulsen enjoyed dinner together Saturday evening in Sioux Falls. They also enjoyed some shopping time following the meal. Wayne Randall, Long Prairie, and son, Matthew, from Minneapolis, Glen Paulsen and family, Sioux Falls, and Melvin and JoAnn Paulsen met at the Luverne Pizza Ranch Friday evening where they enjoyed supper together. Melba Boeve and Cheryl and Leah Hup attended the Tri-State Art Show Sunday afternoon in the Forester Community Center in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Thursday evening Dordt College, Sioux Center, Iowa, will observe their 50th anniversary with a Jubilee Concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Washington Pavilion at Sioux Falls.The Hills-Beaver Creek 2005 senior class will be on their senior trip to Valleyfair on Friday, May 20. Attention Parents! Early dismissal from H-BC Elementary School will be at 1:13 p.m. Friday, April 22. Did you know that April 25 through May 1 is National TV Turn-Off Week? This was in the school news but I think we could all observe it.As I was thinking about our lives today, I ran across this article about "Friends." As I read it, I decided we aren’t as friendly anymore like we used to be. Maybe we need to remember what a friend is and also what creates a good friend?I hope you enjoy refreshing your memory with this article describing what we are missing. What is a Friend?By Myrtle BarkerTo ask just anyone, "What is a friend?" could bring forth a variety of replies. Maybe, such a one as this: "A friend? Well, that depends. If you’re a gal, a friend’s a guy. And then, of course, the other way around."Or still another might say: "I’m broke. Payday is a week away. Somebody slips me a few dollars. That’s a friend."Or again: "Your dog, that’s your friend." And so you tuck the query away, along with such perplexities as why do some leaves turn yellow and some leaves turn red. Or, how big is a man’s soul?One day you toss your question into boundless space. And out of the silence flows the pattern of a friend. Friendship is a fragile something marked, "Handle with care" — yet as sturdy as dependability and as rugged as loyalty. It’s softly tender like love, and forgiveness, and hope — yet as hard as truth and as firm as faith. Friendship is believing, when all others doubt. It’s remembering, when all others have forgotten. It’s rejoicing in another’s good fortune, weeping for another’s bad luck. It’s the man on the road to Jericho who goes where another is — and supplies what is needed, whether it’s a word of encouragement or praise, or an invitation to come take a walk. Somehow, a friend is intuitive and can sense a longing, and can come up with the right prescription to heal a headache, or comfort a hurt heart. A friend is someone whose spirit is nourished by the identical food that feeds our own; someone with whom we can find companionship even in silence, or with whom we can share differing convictions in tolerant understanding.Because a friend looks upon you with affection and considers you something special, you put forth a mighty effort to live up to the ideal. You are better —Just because you have a friend.

There are times when fishermen look at flopping fish on the ends of their lines and ask themselves some hard questions. Until recently those questions have been, "Should I release or eat this fish?" or "Is this fish frying pan worthy?"South Korean fishermen will soon have other options — "this fish has swallowed one of my hooks. Should I eat it, sell it or take it to a fish doctor?"According to Reuters, South Korean will soon have its first fully licensed fish hospital with specialists trained to treat trout with fin fungus and grouper with gill infections. The fish hospital will primarily serve commercial fish and shellfish farms in the area, but at least one fish doctor hopes to make tank calls for people who have sick pets. "If the chance arises to treat a pet goldfish, I will do it," noted fish doctor Kim Choon-sup. Presumably, the good doctor is now searching for a tiny stethoscope and itty-bitty waterproof bandages. It should only be a matter of time before fish hospitals are set up in our country, and it should be fairly easy to model them after a well-established medical facility in Minnesota, the Mayo Clinic. After sidestepping some inevitable trademark litigation, the fish hospital could be called Fish and Mayo. The primary challenge would be to hear the name of the place and suddenly not feel hungry. In addition to treating the physical illnesses of fish, counseling services could help fish with less tangible, emotional issues. We all know such problems exist. Why else would we talk about people who "drink like a fish" or "act like a fish out of water?" If the fish weren’t acting that way in the first place, why would we refer to "fish in troubled waters?" At Fish and Mayo, fish doctors will have to be particularly careful about what they say within earshot of their patients, that is, of course, if the patients have anything resembling ears. A doctor should avoid saying things such as, "You take this patient nurse. I have other fish to fry." "This looks fishy" or "it’s time to either fish or cut bait."Speaking of cutting bait, the fish hospital’s morgue protocol should be fairly simple. Except for an obvious absence of parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, a fish autopsy would look much the same as dressing out a fish for a dinner entrée.Taking a cue from today’s rap singers who like to spell fat as "phat," the fish doctors could be called phishologists. Instead of dermatologists, there would be scalologists. Respiratory therapists would be called gillologists.A list of vital signs for fish will have to be closely followed. They’re cold-blooded, so taking their temperatures won’t be a big help. Do fish have blood pressure? Perhaps the only vital sign will be when fish look "down in the gills." Concerned owners of pet fish will have two choices about transporting ailing patients to the local Fish and Mayo. They may either call for an ambulance, actually a large aquarium on wheels, or they may choose to place the patient in a large Tupperware bowl with a leak proof lid and do the driving themselves. Because fish are so different from humans, their hospitals and medical care will also be unique. If we stop to think about it, fish even die differently. French novelist Andre Gide once observed, "Fish die belly-upward and rise to the surface; it is their way of falling."

Hometown greeters are ready to greetMore than 80 Luverne businesses have signed up for the new Hometown Greetings program.Hometown Greetings is a Chamber-sponsored program implemented by Beth Bartels and Becky Feikema.Any new residents who have become a part of the Luverne community since September 2004 will be visited at their new homes with gifts and information about the community.If you’re new to Luverne and would like to be visited, call the Luverne Chamber of Commerce at 283-4061.Worthington gets next Habitat houseThe Southwest Minnesota Habitat for Humanity organization, which consists of the communities of Luverne, Worthington and Pipestone, has chosen Noc Le with her four children as the next Habitat home owner.The home will be built in 2005 at a tentative location on Third Avenue in Worthington.Groundbreaking is planned for later this month, and the house will be finished sometime in September.After the local Habitat organization was formed, Luverne’s Shari Kracht and her four children were the first to benefit from the program in 2002 with a new Habitat home at the corner of Warren and Southwest Park streets in Luverne.Spring cleanup set for April 25-27One of Luverne’s most popular events, spring cleanup, is approaching.The city of Luverne spring housecleaning will start with a branch pickup on April 18th.Branches must be out that day by 7 a.m., placed parallel with the curb.The branches must be bundled, and no plastic bags are allowed.But the big days will be Monday through Wednesday, April 25-27.The city calls these "junk days," but for some it’s Luverne’s "Big Swap Meet."Along with the opportunity for everyone to get rid of their junk, they also have the chance to put out some things that they have no use for any more but that someone else might want."One man’s junk is another man’s treasure" is the old expression that seems to apply here.The city reminds you of a few rules. If you do choose to go "junking," you shouldn’t do it after dark. You’re not allowed to block traffic, and most importantly, don’t leave someone’s neatly stacked pile of "junk" in a mess for the city crews who have to pick it up.The last items to be picked up are appliances on April 28.Appliance disposal costs $15 and you must register for appliance pickup the week before, but if you get rid of appliances during spring cleanup, there is no additional hauling charge.Items that fall into the appliance category include dehumidifiers, water heaters, washers and dryers, refrigerators, furnaces, air conditioners stoves, freezers, microwaves, garbage disposals, trash compactors, heat pumps and dishwashers.Of course, not every household item is a candidate for cleanup week.Tires, as well as toxic and hazardous chemicals, are not allowed.You will have the opportunity to dispose of left-over paint and lawn chemicals when Rock County schedules a hazardous waste collection day at a later date.Items such as books, toys or clothes, which are small enough to fit in weekly dumpsters, are considered household garbage and should be put out on weekly routes.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

Take Comfort"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32) I have moments when I can well understand that an atheist may find comfort in having no God. To have the universe be an enormous machine, everything geared together in amazing precision and I only another cog in the machine — this lets me off. I have no responsibility. Every turn in my life is determined for me. I only spin and move along with the turning wheel. This "comfort" has never been described as beautifully as it was penned by the Persian poet, Omar Khayyam, in his Rubaiyat:"The moving finger writes; and, having writ,Moves on; nor all thy pity nor witShall lure it back to cancel half a line,Nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.And that inverted bowl we call the sky,Whereunder crawling coop’t we live and die,Lift not thy hands to it for help—for itRolls impotently on as thou and I.Shakespeare’s Macbeth expresses it with less beauty, and with the note of despair which is the outcome of a life or a world in which God and meaning have been lost:Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,To the last syllable of recorded time;And all our yesterdays have lighted foolsThe way of dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor playerThat struts and frets his hour upon the stageAnd then is heard no more: it is a taleTold by an idiot, full of sound and fury,Signifying nothing. All’s not right with the world, but God is in his heavens, and Jesus Christ has come into our lives to save, to lead and to rule. He claims and names us as his own, sheep of his pasture and of his little flock and heirs of the Father’s eternal kingdom. What greater comfort than this?

This week is National Library Week. In honor of this auspicious occasion you are invited to visit the library and express your heartfelt appreciation for the dedication and hard work your librarians provide. Large expensive gifts are not required. During your visit to the library you may also register for book bags and t-shirts. National Library Week is a good time to join Friends of the Library. You can be an individual Friend for $10; a family Friend for $15; and a business/organization Friend for $25. All donations and membership fees are tax deductible. And more important, the librarians will love you. It is absolutely, positively essential that we have fabulous new books on the shelf during National Library Week, and here they are: new books by three of your favorite authors. "Two-Dollar Bill" by Stuart Woods. As Stone Barrington is having a quiet dinner with his ex-partner, Dino, they are interrupted by Billy Bob, a filthy rich, smooth-talkin' Texan, who strolls in and parks himself at their table. He's in town "to make money" and he unwraps his wad of rare two-dollar bills. He’s in need of an attorney, though he won't say why or when such representation will be necessary. As they leave the restaurant, however, an unknown assailant shoots at Stone and his cohorts. Against his better judgment, Stone offers Billy Bob a safe haven for the night, but almost immediately begins to suspect that he's made several precipitous misjudgments — for the slippery out-of-towner has gone missing and someone has been found dead — in Stone's town house no less. Stone is now caught between a beautiful federal prosecutor and a love from his past, a con man with more aliases than hairs on his head, and a murder investigation that could ruin them all. "The Year of Pleasures" by Elizabeth Berg. Betta Nolan moves to a small town after the death of her husband to try to begin anew. Pursuing a dream of a different kind of life, she is determined to find pleasure in her simply daily routines. Among those who help her in both expected and unexpected ways are the 10-year-old boy next door, three wild women friends from her college days, a 20-year-old who is struggling to find his place in the world, and a handsome man who is ready for love.Elizabeth Berg's "The Year of Pleasures" is about acknowledging the solace found in ordinary things: a warm bath, good food, the beauty of nature, music, friends, and art. Berg writes with humor and a big heart about resilience, loneliness, love, and hope. "True Believer" by Nicholas Sparks. As a science journalist with a regular column in Scientific American, Jeremy Marsh specializes in debunking the supernatural. A born skeptic, he travels to the small town of Boone Creek, N.C., determined to find the real cause behind the ghostly apparitions that appear in the town cemetery. What he doesn't plan on, however, is meeting and falling in love with Lexie Darnell, granddaughter of the town psychic. Now, if the young lovers are to have any kind of future at all, Jeremy must make a difficult choice: return to the life he knows, or do something he's never done before — take a giant leap of faith.

Lumber WarThe following appeared in the Rock County Herald on April 7, 1905: FIERCE LUMBER WAR ENDSJ.W. TUTHILL CO. SURRENDERSStock and Yards of the Tuthill Lumber Co. in this Place Purchased by J.C. Johnston & Co. and the Porter Lumber Co. — Stock of the Tuthill Co. Divided Between the Two Purchasers. The conclusion of one of the biggest and fiercest lumber wars ever waged in this state is in progress this week in the closing up of the Tuthill — Lumber company’s yards in this city and the division of the stock between J.C. Johnston & Co., and the Porter Lumber company.The settlement between the three concerns by which the Tuthill company agreed to remove from this city was reached at the recent lumbermen’s convention in Minneapolis and the deal was completed on the 28th ult., when the heads of the companies met in this city to invoice the Tuthill stock preparatory to its sale and division between the two purchasers. The exact terms of the agreement will probably never be known, beyond the understanding that the Porter company agrees to leave the Sioux Falls market, so far as they are concerned, to the Tuthill company and that both the purchasers will discontinue the ruinous prices they have been giving in the surrounding towns where the Tuthill company has yards. The war began last May when the Tuthill company opened a branch yard in this city. For a few months the war was conducted under cover, but last fall all disguise was thrown aside and an open fight was waged. Prices were cut to below cost and the war was carried by either the J.C. Johnston company or the Porter company into every locality where the Tuthill company was transacting business. It was a ruinous fight for all concerned, but it was war to the death, and no quarter was given until the final surrender by the Tuthill company.The old adage, "It’s an ill wind that blows good to no one," was peculiarly true in this instance, as a large number of people in the territory in which the fight was waged reaped a rich harvest by buying their building material for prospective improvements while the war was on. Many in anticipation that the fight would end before building operations opened in the spring, purchased their material during the winter and stored it. In some instances people borrowed money to buy their lumber in advance and in so doing saved big money. The disposition to be made of the sheds and buildings of the Tuthill yards is as yet undecided, except that the coal sheds on the Omaha line have been taken over by Porter company, who will now carry a complete line of coal. The lumber sheds and office are now built and substantial and will probably be moved and used by the purchasing firms. Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Man welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

As I was designing the pages of our Health and Fitness special section, it occurred to me that I am not quite healthy, nor am I very fit.Sure, I don’t live on trans fats, and I eat a couple of vegetables a day. Last week I slipped, though, and lived on a steady ration of Diet Mountain Dew and Little Debbie Snacks. I probably drink too much Miller Lite, too, and I can’t remember the last time I walked more than a few blocks in one stretch.I had to make three doctor visits and fill two prescriptions last month — again, not a sign of optimum health. But being negative isn’t healthy either, so I should give myself credit for some of the positive things I manage to do for my health.For one thing, I floss (almost daily). According to Dr. Michael Roizen, author of the book "Real Age," people who floss extend their life by 6.4 years because oral bacteria can enter the bloodstream, and the "plaque" blocks blood vessels, causing heart disease.I also try to eat breakfast more than I used to. Breakfast eaters take in more vitamins and minerals and have less chance of overeating throughout the day. The International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition reported that people who eat breakfast feel both physically and mentally better throughout the day.Things I don’t do are almost as important as what I do for my health: I don’t smoke or regularly crave fries, for example.I’m not a competitive athlete, so I am at low risk for fractures, broken bones or muscle tears.Moderate drinking (one a day for women) is actually good for me. It raises good cholesterol, reduces pre-cancerous growths in the colon and lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease.Drinking can change from healthy to harmful pretty fast, though. Drinking over the "moderate" amount increases risk for accidents, liver and heart disease and many types of cancer.The point in staying on top of all these issues is that health is easy to take for granted until we don’t have it. It’s important to remember that a healthy life includes much more than a healthy physique. Too often, we think of health as a weight issue, but wellness is achieved through much more than an ideal number on the scale. Healthy people enjoy laughing and have friends and fulfilling jobs. They get seven to 10 hours of sleep a night and wear sunscreen.Don’t follow my lead if you want to be the healthiest person you can be, though. Read Karen Radisiwitz’s article in our special edition this week and live a balanced life that includes overall wellness in addition to physical health.

It’s possible to know too much about cows. Professor Christine Nicol from England’s Bristol University has new research indicating that cows experience complex emotions. A popular expression, "contented as a cow", may be part of some great rural myth. According to the studies of Nicol and her colleagues, "Cows have a secret mental life in which they bear grudges, nurture friendships and become excited over intellectual challenges." Perhaps we shouldn’t be all that surprised that cows are capable of swinging their moods as well as their tails. Consider, if you will, the derivation of the word "moody." When people long ago (people usually referred to by dictionary editors as Old French or Middle English) tried to come up with a word describing negative feelings, the end result was "moody." The word is clearly derived from the sound (moo) made by a cow, apparently recognized throughout history as a very emotional, complex animal. As Cliff from the old TV series "Cheers" might have noted, it’s also a little known fact that the word experts considered many other words based on barnyard animal sounds before they settled on "moody." The word possibilities included "woofdy", "meowdy" and "neighdy." However, none of those words could convey sullenness, emotion or stress. "Meowd swing" wouldn’t denote the same message as "mood swing." It’s no coincidence that human babies who cry almost nonstop during their first four months of life are said to have colic. Colic sounds like cowlick, the word used to describe hair that stands up when it should lie down and looks like it’s been licked by a cow. Crying and cows. Connect the dots. We should have noticed the complex, temperamental nature of cows when so many of them were named Bossy. When we get terribly upset about circumstances in our lives that can’t be changed, we are often reminded, "You can’t cry over spilt milk," yet another link to emotional cows. In recent years cows have had unusually high expectations slapped upon them by the Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA). It can’t be fun to wake up every morning knowing that you’re not going to have a moment’s peace until you have personally turned over 45 pounds of milk. Cows might bear grudges because of the disproportionate numbers of males and females in their dairy herds. When you are only one in a bevy of bovines, competing for the attention of a single bull, life must be stressful. It’s no accident that we turn to complex cows for such troublesome words as cowardice, milksop, Milquetoast and milk-livered, all having to do with weak, timid characteristics. The next time you see a cow chewing her cud, which may be nothing more than a nervous, repetitious habit, remember that she has a secret mental life. She is capable of bearing grudges, nurturing friendships and becoming excited about intellectual challenges. Rather than aimlessly chewing her cud, the cow might prefer to be playing Trivial Pursuit with some other gals from the herd. And who knows? She might even be a bad loser.