By John RittenhouseAn Ellsworth High School freshman graces the roster of the 2005 All-Camden Conference Boys Basketball Team.Cody Schilling, a first-year starter for the EHS boys, is one of 12 players listed on the 2005 All-CC roster.Schilling led the league by converting 60 percent of his two-point field goals this season.He finished fourth in the league in free-throw percentage (79 percent) and rebounding (8.07 per game). Schilling was fifth in three-point shooting (43 percent).Conference champion Russell-Tyler-Ruthton led all league teams with four all-conference selections. Brett Newton, Kyle Minett, Travis Schultz and Ramsey Gravely represent the Knights on the team.Canby and Dawson-Boyd drew three selections each.iCanby’s Adam Blackwelder, Andy Nestread and Adam Hass made the list, as did D-B’s Josh Stensrud, Jordan Wager and Dustin Bothuns.Lakeview’s Cam Hauge rounds out the roster.Ellsworth’s Aaron Van Der Stoep led the league in three-point shooting by converting 49 percent of his attempts.Ellswoth’s Darrin Weikamp finished second in the conference in rebounding (9.44 per game) and third in two-point shooting (57 percent).

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Cardinals face a basketball team making its first appearance at a state tournament when the Class AA competition begins today at the Sports Pavilion on the University of Minnesota Campus.The Moose Lake-Willow River Rebels earned their first berth in the state classic by rallying in the second half to best Virginia 62-53 in the Section 7AA title game Saturday in Grand Rapids.The Cardinals and Rebels square off at 6:30 p.m. in the final game of the quarterfinals.Crookston (27-2) and Belle Plaine (16-12) play at 4 p.m. and are the other teams in Luverne’s side of the bracket. Defending Class AA champion Braham (30-0) and Minneapolis De LaSalle (19-10) open the tournament at 11 a.m. Rockford (27-3) and Chatfield (26-2) play the second game at 1:30 p.m.Although this will be the first appearance at state for the Rebel boys, the Moose Lake girls’ program qualified for state four straight seasons from 1979-1982. Moose Lake won the Class A title in 1982 and placed second in 1981.Scott Hendricks, head coach of the Moose Lake boys, does have coaching experience at the state level. Hendricks guided Eden Valley-Watkins girls’ teams to state in 1983, 1984 and 1989. EV-W placed second under the leadership of Hendricks in Class A in 1984 and 1989."We’re pretty excited up here right now," said Hendricks from his home Sunday night. "Moose Lake has had some girls’ basketball success in the past, but this is all new for our boys."Hendricks is a second-year coach at ML-WR.The Rebels earned a share of the Polar Conference championship with Esko and Barnum this winter. All three teams sport 8-2 league marks.ML-WR will take a 24-6 record into tonight’s game against the 19-8 Cardinals. The Rebels have compiled a 15-1 record since Jan. 22."It took us a long time to get into a rhythm," Hendricks said. "Our schedule was back-heavy because of some weather incidents. We’ve had to deal with two bouts of sicknesses, and we’ve had some injury issues. Now we’re healthier and back on track."Unlike the Benson Braves, a team that gave the Cardinals fits with their quickness during the Section 3AA final, ML-WR will offer LHS a different challenge. Four of the team’s five starters stand 6-3 or taller."Our strengths are our size and our seniors," Hendricks said."We have decent size for a high school team. We have eight seniors, and these kids have been playing together since the third grade. They provide good leadership and are very good kids as people."Geoff Probst, a 6-5 senior center, leads the Rebels in scoring and rebounding. Darrin Coil, a 6-7 senior post, is another one of the team’s leading rebounders.Senior Caleb Jensen (6-3), sophomore Joe Bedner (6-3) and senior Sam Gay (6-0) round out the starting five.Hendricks said the Rebels are capable of using a nine-player rotation, with seniors Brady Skog (5-10) and Josh Bednar (6-2), junior Ryan Ervin (6-2) and freshman Jimmy Mach (5-9) filling reserve roles."We don’t play a set style of basketball," Hendricks said. "We adapt from game to game, depending on who we are playing. With our size, we’re not a run-and-gun team. We do have some kids with good speed. All nine of the kids we have are good ball players, and all of them have given us good games here and there."Luverne coach Tom Rops was able to scout the Rebels Saturday in Grand Rapids, and he was impressed with their play."We’ll have to play well to beat them, but they are beatable," he said."They have some tall guys up front and a big guard we’ll have to deal with. They also have a bunch of tough, scrappy kids they can use. They change defense from zone to man, and they will do some trapping. We’ll put something together for them."

By John RittenhouseTiming is important in the game of basketball.Unfortunately for Hills-Beaver Creek, it was a case of bad timing that ended the 2004-05 season for the Patriots at Southwest State University in Marshall Thursday.Playing Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in the Section 3A championship game, the stage seemed to be set for H-BC to earn the school’s first berth in the state tournament. The Patriots, after all, were riding a 19-game winning streak into the title tilt, and one of the wins came against their opponent, the R-T-R Knights.Then it happened, at the worst possible time. A usually potent offensive team lost its ability to score at will, and the result was a stunning 61-42 loss to the Knights.The loss ends an incredible 27-3 H-BC season, which featured a perfect 16-0 run through the Red Rock Conference.R-T-R, the 2004 state champions, will get the chance to defend their title at the 2005 classic. The 24-3 Knights played their first game at Williams Arena last night.When trying to determine what happened to the Patriots in Marshall last Thursday, a quick glance at H-BC’s shot chart yields the answer. The Patriots were limited to three field goals in each of the game’s first three quarters, and H-BC shot 14 of 57 (25 percent) for the night."It was the worst we shot in a game all year. We just couldn’t hit anything," said H-BC senior post Tom LeBoutillier. "We didn’t change anything for this game. Coming in, we just wanted to play our game. They (R-T-R) did take some things away from us, and we didn’t know how to react to that. It just wasn’t our turn."Early indications showed it wasn’t going to be H-BC’s night.R-T-R’s Kyle Minett hit two three-point shots and Brett Newton, who scored a game-high 23 points, added another to give the Knights a 9-0 lead in the first 2:18.H-BC’s Tyler Bush recorded the first field goal for the Patriots at the 5:28 mark of the first quarter to make it 9-2. That, however, proved to be as close as H-BC would come to catching R-T-R the rest of the night.The Knights outscored H-BC 12-4 during the final five minutes of the first quarter and led 21-6 when Newton, who netted 16 points in the first half, converted a field goal with two seconds remaining in the period."R-T-R had a good defensive game," said Patriot coach Steve Wiertzema. "They sat back with their big guy (post Jon Wiering) in the middle, and he blocked our shots. We didn’t react very well to that."After the Knights scored the first two points of the second quarter, H-BC reeled off five straight points with senior Travis Broesder draining a field goal at 5:19 to make it a 23-11 game.R-T-R countered with an 8-0 run capped by a layup from Newton at 1:34 to give the Knights a 20-point lead (31-11) that was trimmed to 18 points (34-16) at the intermission.H-BC played well in spurts in the second half, but the Patriots were unable to sustain any long rallies.Trailing 40-20 at one point in the third quarter, H-BC used an 8-0 run capped by a field goal from Bush with 1:31 remaining to make it a 40-28 game. Minett, who scored 10 points in the second half for R-T-R, drained a shot with one second left to give the Knights a 42-28 cushion at period’s end.Kale Wiertzema, who led H-BC with 18 points and nine rebounds in the game, trimmed R-T-R’s advantage to 12 points (43-31) with one free throw at the 5:36 mark of the fourth quarter. The Patriots trailed by 14 (54-40) when Bush turned a steal into a layup with 1:40 remaining. R-T-R, however, outscored the Patriots 7-2 the rest of the way to win by 19."We made some runs at them in the second half, but they would answer with a couple of baskets," coach Wiertzema said. "Our plan was to be aggressive and go to the basket. They just defended us well, and we didn’t get many open looks."LeBoutillier nabbed eight rebounds for H-BC. Bush charted five rebounds, four assists and three steals. Wiertzema added four assists.The loss was a tough one to digest for H-BC, especially the five seniors who formed the team’s starting lineup.Coach Wiertzema said his seniors shouldn’t let the loss to R-T-R tarnish what was an otherwise successful campaign."We had a great year. This was just one bad night," he concluded.Box scoreWysong 0 2 0-0 6, Rozeboom 0 0 0-0 0, Bush 7 0 2-2 16, Wiertzema 3 1 9-10 18, Baker 0 0 0-0 0, Broesder 1 0 0-0 2, LeBoutillier 0 0 0-2 0.Team statisticsH-BC: 14 of 57 field goals (25 percent), 11 of 14 free throws (79 percent), 27 rebounds, six turnovers.R-T-R: 20 of 47 field goals (42 percent), 14 of 20 free throws (70 percent), 35 rebounds, 14 turnovers.

By John RittenhouseOpinions vary about the the shot that helped lift the Luverne Cardinals to their first state-tournament berth since 1983.According to Brandon Deragisch, luck was simply on his side. Deragisch is the LHS senior who cast the key stone in a 59-50 victory over Benson in Thursday’s Section 3AA Championship game.Cardinal coach Tom Rops had a different take on the decisive shot, a four-point play that gave LHS a 50-47 lead with 2:49 left to play.Rops watched Deragisch deliver a similar shot to thwart a rally by Pipestone in the South Section 3AA title game five days earlier. The coach said he believes Deragisch’s ability to come through in the clutch is a reflection of his greatness."We’re down one, and Brandon hits the shot at a crucial time of the game," Rops said, sighing in relief. "It probably was one of the biggest shots in Luverne High School history, and we rode it out until the end. Now we’re going to state."To say Deragisch’s late-game conversion was the biggest play in LHS history is arguable. There is, however, no question it was the turning point in the nine-point win over the Braves.It appeared Luverne’s quest for a trip to state might be derailed when Benson led 45-39 with 5:48 left to play. At that point, Deragisch took over the game.The senior guard, who scored 13 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, drew the Cardinals within one point (47-46) of the Braves with a pair of free throws with 3:29 remaining.Then came the decisive blow.With the ball in his possession outside the three-point line, Deragisch drained a shot while drawing a foul in the process. Keeping his emotions under control, a task in itself considering the loud eruption of noise coming from the Luverne faithful after the three-pointer dropped, Deragisch calmly completed his free throw to give the Cards a 50-47 lead they wouldn’t relinquish."It was more of a throw-up and hope-to-get fouled shot," Deragisch said, describing his game-turning play. "It really got our crowd into it, and it fired up our team."Although the Cards seized momentum with the four-point play, the issue wasn’t settled with 2:49 left to play. Luverne sealed the deal by making six of 10 free throws in the final 1:37, which helped the Cards outscore the Braves 18-1 at the charity stripe in the game.Rops was quick to point out the fact that his team kept the right frame of mind after taking the lead late in the fourth quarter and throughout the game."One of the things we talked about was that this would be a game with a lot of highs and lows," he said. "It’s always that way at this time of year when you’re playing against high-level, competitive teams. Staying mentally focused through all of the highs and lows is the most important characteristic in winning games like these, and we hung in there mentally."Luverne’s character was tested by a Benson squad that turned in an impressive defensive effort throughout the game. Badgering the Cardinals with constant pressure in full- and half-court sets, the Braves forced LHS to turn the ball over 16 times in the game. As a result of the turnovers, Benson gained enough extra possessions to sport leads at the first three quarter breaks.The game was tied at four when Luverne’s Brad Herman turned an offensive rebound into a field goal 1:40 into the game, but the Braves countered with a 7-0 spurt to take an 11-4 advantage.Deragisch trimmed the difference to one point (11-10) at the 2:03 mark of the first quarter. Benson, however, scored the final four points of the first period to lead 15-10 before scoring the first two points of the second quarter.Luverne countered with an 8-0 run capped by a three from Deragisch at 4:53 in the second quarter, giving the Cards their first lead at 18-17. Luverne led 20-19 when junior Jake Hendricks scored with 2:06 remaining in the first half, but Benson recorded a pair of field goals in the final 1:30 to gain a 23-20 advantage at halftime.The Cards trimmed the difference to one point at four different occasions in the third quarter, the last time being when Deragisch converted a layup at the 3:33 mark of the stanza to make it a 31-30 game. Benson scored the next six points to lead 37-30, but Luverne outscored the Braves 5-2 in the final two minutes and trailed 39-35 when senior John Tofteland tapped in a missed shot with nine seconds remaining.Tofteland, who scored eight of his 15 points (including four consecutive free throws) in the fourth quarter, scored from close range at the 6:36 mark of the fourth quarter to bring the Cardinals within two points (41-39) of the Braves. Benson scored the next four points to lead 45-39 before being outscored 20-5 in the final six minutes."I knew we had to step it up in the fourth quarter," Deragisch said. "We knew they were capable of scoring a lot of points, so we had to score, too. Coach Rops just told us to be consistent and stay calm (during the break between the third and fourth quarters). He said if we did that, we’d have a chance to win."They Cardinals followed Rops’ late-game instructions, and now they’ll live the dream of playing in the state tournament."I think we were in last place (in the section seedings) two years ago, and we got the fourth seed and won a game last year," Deragisch said. "It took a lot of hard work throughout the year to get where we’re going now. It’s going to be fun to play in the state tournament instead of going up to watch it."Herman added 10 points to the winning cause. Jared Pick and Deragisch led the 19-8 Cards with nine and seven rebounds respectively.Box scorePick 3 0 2-5 8, Herman 3 0 4-6 10, Deragisch 1 5 7-9 24, Hendricks 1 0 0-0 2, Antoine 0 0 0-0 0, Tofteland 5 0 5-5 10, Heronimus 0 0 0-2 0.Team statisticsLuverne: 18 of 31 field goals (58 percent), 18 of 27 free throws (66 percent), 31 rebounds, 16 turnovers.Benson: 24 of 38 field goals (63 percent), one of three free throws (33 percent), 13 rebounds, six turnovers.

Getting ready for St. Patty’s Day?March means St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, or Thursday, the 17th to be exact.Katie Baustian has been making all the arrangements for this year’s event and recently announced this year’s royalty.Mike and Leola Sweeny will serve as this year’s Grand Marshall and Marshallette. (I must admit, I’m not sure Marshallette is a word.)Tim Jarchow will serve as this year’s King of Leprechauns and Sherri Kitchenmaster will be the Queen of Leprechauns.The Queen of St. Patrick’s Day will be Katie Kratesch and the Junior Royalty will be Caitria, Sean and Grace Sweeny.This year the Spotlight Dancers will perform an Irish jig during the parade, which starts at the Furniture House at 4 p.m.Everyone, whether Irish or not, is encouraged to participate.If you have any questions, contact Katie Baustian at 283-4180.Hospice sets date for annual banquetThis year’s Hospice Banquet will be held Friday, April 22, at the Blue Mound Banquet Center. The money raised each year is used to help offset the reimbursement shortfall that the organization incurs because of underfunding by Medicare and other payers.Last year’s event grossed over $50,000 and the group hopes to top that number this year.If you would like to donate, there are multiple ways you can do so:
Purchase a dinner ticket for $40, which also enters you in a raffle for a trip for two to Cancun. Airfare and hotel are included.
Sponsor a table. The $450 donation will get you eight tickets for your family, friends or business associates, a listing in the program and your name in the drawing for a 20-person backyard grill-out party.
Donate gift certificates or merchandise for the auctions.
If you have a business, you can advertise in the program.
Place a dedication in the program for someone special.
Buy raffle tickets for a handmade quilt.If you have any questions about the event, contact Helen Saum, who is serving as chairperson.Not too late to register for the ACTIf you are a college bound senior, the next testing date is Saturday, April 9.Although the original deadline to sign up was March 4, a late registration of March 18 is available for an additional fee.A new option on the ACT is a writing test. Some colleges now require writing scores from students entering college in the fall of 2006.Students entering college in the fall of 2006 should check with their school choice before deciding whether or not to register for the ACT writing test.Students can register for the test at the ACT’s Web site at www.actstudent.org.The Web site also features test tips, practice tests and a database for students to find out if a prospective college requires a writing score.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

By Sara QuamThe Luverne Economic Development Authority voted Tuesday to continue its efforts to market the Job Opportunity Building Zones tax breaks for businesses.The Eau Claire, Wis., newspaper has done a series of articles on Minnesota’s program that is attracting businesses to the state from Wisconsin.The LEDA discussed the benefits of piggy-backing on that concept, further explaining JOBZ to businesses in that area."They’ve laid the groundwork; we just have to follow up," said City Administrator Greg La Fond.LEDA member Larry Wills said he wondered if constituents would question the amount of money being spent outside the community.LEDA member Esther Frakes said, "We can’t advertise to people who already know Luverne, though."Some of the interest in JOBZ near Eau Claire is due to a controversy involving Menards headquarters. The company is considering relocating because wetland issues on its current property are preventing expansion.The half-page newspaper ad will cost $2,600.More marketing The KELO-TV advertising campaign that is billing Luverne as a place to visit, shop, live, work and own a business might be on the air as early as mid-April. Producers from the Sioux Falls station were in Luverne Tuesday to outline the ads.The city last week approved up to $20,000 for the ads in 2005. The city will probably pay less than that, considering businesses may sponsor portions of the commercials to offset costs.

By Sara QuamRock County deputies and dispatchers will be able to communicate better with new radio equipment and mapping technology the County Board approved Tuesday.Total cost to the county will be about $22,000.There are a few areas in the county where portable radios and cell phones don’t have good reception. Consequently, when deputies have to leave their vehicles they lose contact.The worst areas are near Beaver Creek and Jasper. The county is installing more equipment on existing towers.New mapping technology will bring maps with directions to locations to dispatchers as people dial 911.There are 4,038 addresses in the county that will be entered into the system and the new technology will tell dispatchers the closest fire, ambulance and police districts to call for response.Cell phone calls will also show a location.In the event of unique obstacles to service, such as a bridge being under construction, dispatchers will know to direct personnel on an alternate route.Flyers about methProperty owners in Rock County will receive information about methamphetamines in their property tax statement.The Rock County Commissioners approved the insert Tuesday, as requested by the Meth Task Force.Commissioner Jane Wildung said, "We thought it would be a positive thing so land owners would know what to look for."It will be useful to people who don’t live in the area but rent property, because they aren’t on site to notice warning signs of meth production.Land owners are responsible for clean-up costs, which typically run between $7,000 and $10,000 per building.Auditor Treasurer Gloria Rolfs asked the Department of Revenue whether it had a policy on including information along with tax statements.Representatives told Rolfs it is not advocated, but in this special case, the department doesn’t object to a flyer or insert.The Department of Revenue said it prefers to have the statements stand alone, so people don’t treat them as any other piece of junk mail. It doesn’t want the tax statement to lose seriousness or become cluttered.Wildung said, "I think it’s the best place to put the information, instead of a separate mailing. When people see it in the tax statement, they know it’s serious business."

By Lori EhdeTollefson Publishing’s new general manager went to college on a football scholarship, but he’s succeeding in life on a solid degree in common sense and people skills."It’s not rocket science," Rick Peterson said about his 20-year publishing career. "No matter where you work, you learn people skills."Peterson comes to Luverne from Redwood Falls, where he was publisher of the Redwood Gazette and regional director for Liberty Group Publishing, overseeing the operations of seven publications in southwest Minnesota.Along with heading up daily operations of the Rock County Star Herald, Luverne Announcer and Hills Crescent, Peterson will become Roger Tollefson’s partner in business."I’m thrilled to have someone with his background and abilities to work with," Tollefson said.Peterson first tested his common-sense approach to business in the early 1980s when he left college to manage the Country Kitchen in Worthington.He learned that quality workers produce quality products and he learned how to work with customers to sell that product.The same theory applies to the newspaper business."The front page is our showroom, and our news is our product," Peterson said. "And every week, it’s something new. That’s what I find the most interesting about this business. We put out a new, fresh product week in and week out."Another rewarding aspect of the news business, he said, is community involvement."Newspapers should be pillars in their communities," he said. "By nature of what we do, we know the mayor, city council members, county commissioners, school board members, superintendent … and we know them by first name. Not everyone can say that."This, he said, perfectly positions news organizations for community leadership.In Redwood Falls, Peterson and the Redwood Gazette spearheaded several community projects, including a downtown business development program, baseball field improvement and fund-raisers for various causes.This involvement will also be a goal for Peterson at Tollefson Publishing. "I think that’s a role a newspaper should play in every community," he said. "You have to be able to recognize when there’s a need for something, and we do have the ability to take that lead role."Peterson came to Luverne’s news market, he said, for a chance at ownership."Roger has given me a unique opportunity to be a partner in this newspaper, and I am very grateful for that."At the same time, Petersen looks forward to the challenge of ownership."It’s a commitment to the community to keep the paper part of the community," he said. Peterson said he’ll also work to connect the community to the paper."There’s a quality product produced here already, and my goal is to enhance that," he said. "I want people to rely on the Star Herald for their news and information. … We don’t run AP stories in our pages. What you get in this publication, you can’t get anywhere else."He said the newspaper’s success in a community hinges on the success of the businesses it works with, so he looks forward to promoting and supporting the town. "It goes hand-in-hand," he said.Peterson found his niche in the publishing industry with an advertising job at the Worthington Daily Globe, and shortly thereafter launching his own shopper, the Nobles County PioneerIn 1989, he filled the position of editor and publisher at the Redwood Gazette, Redwood Falls, where he worked for 16 years.Peterson is renting an apartment in Luverne until his wife, Mary, can join him after the school year ends this spring. She’s a paraprofessional at Reede Gray School in Redwood Falls.They have three grown children and one grandchild.

By Lori EhdeFor 15 years, attorney Terry Vajgrt has worked to prosecute crime in Rock County District Court.Now, he’s making a career move that will put him on the other side of the courtroom, representing clients accused of crimes."Change is good for everyone," he said about his decision. "I really do enjoy my work here, but I have a real strong desire to experience something new."As of April 6, Vajgrt will become a public defender in Nobles County, working in the jail and courthouse in Worthington.On the outset it appears he’ll be working for the "other side," but he said fair representation is necessary for both prosecution and defense."I do look at both roles as being necessary parts of the criminal justice system," Vajgrt said. "I know there will be times when advocating for a client will present challenges on a personal level, but I bring one party’s interest to the attention of the judge and jury. … There’s equal value in both roles."According to statute, public defenders are assigned to clients who cannot afford to pay for attorneys on their own."I see value in representing that portion of the population that can't otherwise afford an attorney," Vajgrt said. "Everyone accused of a crime should have an advocate in the criminal justice system."He said, unlike television portrayal of criminal defense attorneys, his work won't be about "getting people off Scott free.""Most people charged with committing a crime have done so, and the system holds them accountable when the evidence is sufficient," Vajgrt said. "In most instances, the role of a defense attorney involves educating the client about likely outcomes, the importance of following through with probationary requirements ... and getting the right information to the judge so he or she can make a reasoned decision at sentencing."Doing the right thingHe said his decision was also politically and socially motivated. "As a society, it seems to me we are becoming more indifferent to the needs of the poor," Vajgrt said. "Tax cuts targeted toward those least in need of additional resources take priority over affordable healthcare, day care assistance for single parents and livable wages for people that work as hard or harder than I do."He recognizes he's not able to remedy all social ills, but he said he wants to help where he can."I can do my part to ensure that people without financial resources receive a fair shake in the criminal justice system."Big shoes to fillMeanwhile, the County Attorney's Office of Skewes, Klosterbuer and Vajgrt will make arrangements to fill Vajgrt's shoes."We'll probably have to finally change our name," said Attorney Don Klosterbuer, "since two-thirds of our name will no longer apply."He and attorney Jeff Haubrich will work together to handle what had been Vajgrt's county work: criminal prosecutions, child protection orders, search warrants, etc., until another attorney can be hired at the firm."Obviously Terry did wonderful work. He was very, very good at it. But I want people to know it's not the end of the firm as far as this work is concerned," Klosterbuer said. "That's a real important message. We did all these things before Terry got here, and we'll do these things after he's gone."On a personal note, though, Klosterbuer said he'll miss Vajgrt in the office. "Not only is he my partner, he's also a good friend," he said.Klosterbuer isn't the only one who will miss Vajgrt.Staff in both the Sheriff's Department and Family Services described Terry's announcement as "sad news."‘Rational’ mannerInvestigator Jeff Wieneke has worked with Vajgrt on cases for most of the past 15 years."He’s so easy to work with," Wieneke said. "It’s his demeanor. He never seems to get upset about anything. ... That’s saying something, considering the county prosecuting attorney handles a gamut of sensitive cases, including sexual assaults to children."He said Vajgrt's performance in the courtroom is exceptional. "I’ve sat in on lots of testimonial hearings, and he handles himself so calm and professional in front of the jury," Wieneke said. "He always seems to approach things in a rational manner."He said Rock County is going to feel Vajgrt's absence. "We rely on him to answer questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week," Wieneke said. "We could call him at 3 in the morning and some people would be upset about that, but not Terry. He always handled it well."Committed to childrenNancy Lange, social services supervisor at Rock County Family Services, echoed Wieneke's sentiments."He is truly amazing. We are very fortunate in Rock County to have had the level of legal counsel we've had with regard to the safety and well-being of kids," she said about Vajgrt. "He's totally committed to the children of Rock County, and he's not afraid to go to the extent of terminating parental rights if it's in the interest of the kids."She said Rock County's a better place for children because of Vajgrt's work."I'm very proud to have worked with him," Lange said. "He's a very unique individual."Good people to work withLooking back on 15 years of prosecuting crime in Rock County, Vajgrt agreed this has been a priority for him."I'm most proud of our work protecting children," he said. "Both in the child protection context and in prosecuting those accused of crimes against children."For example, he prosecuted one sexual assault involving a child resulting in a 30-year sentence for the defendant.In his early years on the job, Vajgrt took training in Minneapolis to learn how to conduct forensic sexual abuse interviews with children, and Rock County became the first in southwest Minnesota to secure a criminal sexual conduct conviction with DNA evidence."I'll miss the people I work with in law enforcement and child protection," he said. "There's no question these professional relationships have made the work so much more enjoyable and rewarding."Vajgrt attended Tuesday's County Board meeting to announce his plans."I look around at this board and see people I like and have formed friendships with and that is rare," he said.Commissioner Jane Wildung shared sentiments from county employees who said they enjoyed working with Vajgrt. "They appreciated the compassion and care in which you delivered your services," she said.Embracing changeHe said his new work will allow him more time in the courtroom, something he prefers over civil cases. "I love the process of using language to persuade," he said, "and being in court is so challenging and exciting."His public defense work will be three-quarters time, and he’ll continue teaching classes in the criminal justice program of Colorado Technical University, Sioux Falls. In addition, he’ll take on some private legal work, primarily in criminal cases, with an office out of his rural home northeast of Luverne. "This will hopefully allow time for more driveway basketball with the kids," he said. He and his wife, Michele, have three boys, all in Luverne Elementary School. "She's been very supportive," he said about Michele. "She's bright and intelligent, and if it weren't for her, I wouldn't have the opportunity to try this."They'll continue to live in Rock County. "We love Luverne, and we love the schools and we love our church (First Presbyterian)," he said.