By Sara QuamLuverne’s airport runway expansion project might not be as far away as expected.In 2004, the number of uses per year wasn’t high enough for federal and state funding to come through, and the project was delayed until about 2008.Now, however, a new count estimate has large planes using the runway 576 times annually. (Past estimates were about 120.)With the new flight and landing projections, the Department of Aeronautics is expected to approve the plan, and the next step is an environmental assessment. The appropriate zoning is already in place.An anonymous business came forward to say it would use the runway 200 times.City Councilman and Airport Board Member Pat Baustian said, "Five hundred is the magic number to get a 4,200 foot runway."Luverne’s runway is currently the shortest in the state at 2,500 feet. Baustian said, "We’ve gotten a lot of good letters of support from businesses that carry a lot of weight."The following verified how many times they expected to use larger aircraft that require a longer runway: First Farmers and Merchants Bank, Skydive Adventures, Ton Lien, Agri-Energy, Vets Home Advantage, Life Flight, Mark Jacobson Inc., WR Berkley and WR Berkley clients. "The people of Luverne need to understand that 95 percent of the funding for this is federal. A very minute share comes directly from the citizens of Luverne," Baustian said.There are also state funding options.Baustian said, "The new runway is a piece of infrastructure that a thriving community needs."In other city business Tuesday, the Luverne City Council:oApproved an additional $20,000 payment to the Rock County Pool and Fitness Center, contingent on Rock County contributing the same amount.Both government bodies discussed the payment as a one-time coverage of "bad debt." Previous accounting practices recorded income as members signed up, not as they paid. That meant that some people joined and didn’t pay in full and the accounting was inaccurate over a number of years. City Administrator Greg La Fond said accounting will be handled differently now. "We would like to present a fair and meaningful representation of the finances," he said.In fact, it may be a requirement that all members pay in full, either by cash, check or credit card, rather than allowing a monthly pay option.oReceived a report on the efforts of the Public Works Department to finish tree trimming. The Aug. 3 windstorm damaged many trees that didn’t have to be completely removed, and the department has been able to work on trimming city trees through the winter.Workers will probably be finished with it within three weeks.oApproved a permit for the Luverne Area Community Foundation to have a raffle at the Blue Mound Banquet Center April 22 in conjunction with the annual Hospice Charity Dinner and Auction.

By John RittenhouseHills-Beaver Creek High School senior Tyler Bush joined an elite group of athletes during the course of the South Section 3A Boys Basketball Tournament title game in Marshall Saturday.Bush, who scored 19 points in the contest to help the Patriots beat Adrian, recorded his 1,000th career point during the contest.The H-BC guard hit a shot on the run in the second quarter to join a list of nine Patriots basketball players who have scored 1,000-plus points during their careers.Kale Wiertzema, Bush’s current teammate, became the sixth H-BC boy to join the 1,000-point club during a home game against Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster Dec. 14.Steve Esselink, a 1999 H-BC graduate, is the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,650 points.Chad Koel and Terry Arends, respective 1990 and 1964 graduates, scored 1,414 and 1,395 points during their H-BC playing days.Like Bush and Wiertzema, Aric Leenderts and Matt Metzger reached the 1,000-point plateau in the same season (1996). Leenderts scored 1,121 points, and Metzger 1,092.Erin Boeve and LeAnne Goehle scored 1,000-plus points as members of the H-BC girls basketball program.Boeve, the school’s all-time leading rebounder with 1,155 caroms, scored 1,556 points before graduating in 2004. Goehle, a 1979 graduate, netted 1,131 points.

By John RittenhouseThe Hills-Beaver Creek boys turned a bevy of three-point shots into the school’s second post-season tournament championship at Southwest State University in Marshall Saturday.Playing Adrian in the South Section 3A Boys Basketball Tournament championship game, the Patriots buried 10 shots from beyond the three-point arch to lead H-BC to a 67-59 win over the Dragons.The win, which was H-BC’s 19th straight, gives the Patriots a berth in today’s Section 3A championship game at SSU. The 27-2 Patriots square off against defending state champion Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (24-3) in a 5 p.m. title tilt.If the Patriots continue to shoot the ball from the outside like they did against Adrian, the R-T-R Knights could be in trouble.H-BC made seven three-pointers in the first half to build a 42-29 lead at the intermission, and added three more in the second half to help thwart a rally offered by the pesky Dragons.Zach Wysong nailed five three-point shots and scored 17 points against the Dragons. Kale Wiertzema, who recorded eight assists, six rebounds and five steals, buried four treys to highlight a 25-point performance."We haven’t made that many threes forever," said Patriot coach Steve Wiertzema, who guided H-BC to a Sub-Section 2 of Section 3A championship during his first year as the head coach of the boys’ program in 1993."It was nice to see Zach hit some threes early," he continued. "We run some set plays to get him shots. When he hits them, we get going."Wysong connected for three long-range shots and scored 11 points in the first quarter, which was highlighted by a 13-0 run for H-BC. Adrian sported 2-0 and 4-3 leads when Brad Brake converted field goals early in the contest, but H-BC countered with a 13-0 run capped by a three from Wysong at 3:16 to give the Patriots a 16-4 lead.The 13-0 spurt was a part of a 20-3 run that ended with the Patriots owning a 23-7 lead when Kale Wiertzema scored at the 1:13 mark of the opening period. Adrian, however, received a pair of field goals from Brett Block in the final 33 seconds of the quarter to cap a 7-0 surge that made it a 23-14 difference at period’s end.Wiertzema hit three three-point shots and scored 11 points in the second quarter, giving the Patriots a 16-point lead (34-18) with his final three of the stanza with 5:54 left to play in the half.H-BC seemed to run out of steam at that point as Adrian managed to outscore the Patriots 11-8 the rest of the quarter to trail 42-29 at the break."We got tired," coach Wiertzema admitted. "We expended a lot of energy early when we were trying to wear them down. We ended up wearing ourselves down. Give Adrian some credit because I thought they played very well in the second half."The Dragons deserve credit for clawing their way back into the game in the second half.A layup from Adrian’s Nick Weidert drew the Dragons within seven points (45-38) of the Patriots at the 2:59 mark of the third quarter. H-BC’s Wysong hit a three with 50 seconds remaining in the period to build H-BC’s lead up to 12 points (52-50) before the Patriots settled with a 54-43 advantage at period’s end.Adrian closed the margin to six points twice (54-48 and 57-51) in the fourth quarter. H-BC responded with a 7-0 run that ended with Tyler Bush, who scored his 1,000th career point earlier in the contest, draining a pair of free throws with 3:01 left to play to give the Patriots a 64-51 lead.Weidert hit a jumper from the baseline at 1:56 to bring the Dragons within seven points at 64-57, but that was as close as AHS would come to catching H-BC the rest of the way."Our kids kept battling back," said AHS coach Chris Rozell, who guided the Dragons to a 14-12 record this season. "We were within six points and had a couple of chances to get closer in the second half. We just ran out of time.""Hills played a good game," Rozell continued. "They shot the ball well. For the most part, we had hands in their faces. They just got hot and kept on shooting. They hit their shots, took care of the basketball when they needed to and made their free throws."Bush, who scored 10 points in the second half, added 19 points and six assists to the winning cause. Tom LeBoutillier led the Patriots with seven rebounds. Brake led the Dragons with 20 points and three steals. Block scored 12 points and passed for six assists. Casey Knips netted 10 points and collected nine rebounds for AHS.Box scoreAdrianLonneman 0 0 0-0 0, Klaassen 1 0 0-0 2, Block 3 2 0-0 12, Weidert 2 1 0-0 7, Stover 1 1 3-4 8, Brake 8 0 4-6 20, Knips 4 0 2-3 10.H-BCWysong 1 5 0-0 17, Rozeboom 1 0 0-0 2, Bush 5 1 6-8 19, Wiertzema 4 4 5-9 25, Baker 0 0 0-0 0, Broesder 0 0 0-0 0, LeBoutillier 2 0 0-1 4.Team statisticsAdrian: 23 of 48 field goals (48 percent), nine of 13 free throws (69 percent), 22 rebounds, 15 turnovers.H-BC: 23 of 53 field goals (43 percent), 11 of 17 free throws (65 percent), 28 rebounds, nine turnovers.

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 Lexi MooreSteen Mayor Melvin Van Batavia swore in Mark Richards during their regular council meeting on Monday.Richards, a Steen resident since 1997, accepted the appointment at the Feb. 7 meeting.A seat on the council was created after seven-year councilman Rodney Scholten resigned at the Jan. 3 meeting. Scholten resigned because his family was relocating to a home in Hills.Five residents showed an interest in filling the open seat on the council. During the Feb. 7 meeting the council nominated two candidates, Thomas Ruger and Mark Richards.Richards was appointed to the position after receiving three votes from the council, while Ruger had one.Richards and his wife Teri moved to Steen from Sioux Falls in 1997 in search of a quieter community to raise their children.They found what they were looking for.Richards said, "I love how quiet it is at night. I can see the stars, which you can’t do in Sioux Falls, and let the kids run around without worrying about them getting hit by a car."Richards works in Sioux Falls for the Department of Transportation as a traffic data technician and Teri is the government teacher at Hills-Beaver Creek High School.Richards admits he was surprised when Mayor Van Batavia asked him if he would be interested in joining the council but figured he was old enough to show some civic responsibility.His first goal as a council member is to encourage better maintenance in an effort to entice small businesses to the area."It all starts with cleaning up the town."Prior to taking his oath of office at the meeting, Mayor Van Batavia discussed responsibilities of being a council member."You must vote on all business, attend meetings and know what you represent. Thank you for accepting this offer."Mayor Van Batavia was very pleased with the response of the community to the ad announcing that the council would be looking to fill the vacant seat. "Having five residents interested in a town with only 62 homes is a great sign of the civic commitment in our community."In other city business:The council voted to accept a bid for gutter removal and replacement on the Town Hall. The bid from Northland Siding and Window, Larchwood, was for $957. Replacing the gutters should prevent flooding in the Town Hall basement.

10 years ago (1995)
In the past few months, the Rock County Sheriff’s office has received reports of more than 20 damaged or ruined mailboxes all over rural Rock County.
Mike Cox started his own new business, Mike D. Cox Financial Services.
Luverne will have 87 students open enrolled for the 1995-96 school year. Luverne also has students enrolled in other districts: three in Hills-Beaver Creek, one in Edgerton, one in Adrian and two in Ellsworth.
Joan Heeren, Millie Lais and Mary Donth have all worked more than 30 years at the Magnolia Steakhouse.25 years ago (1980)
The Blue Mound Area Theatre Corporation has signed a purchase agreement for the Palace on Luverne’s Main Street. The group applied for a grant, with Tom Brakke leading the effort.
Roger Jackson was named Hills-Beaver Creek teacher of the year.
Sheila Siebenahler and Kathy Murphy won places in the gymnastics region tournament.50 years ago (1955)
A flip of the coin yesterday morning decided who would be assessor in Martin Township for the next two years. In the election, Art Rogness received four write-in votes, and so did Herman Paulson. Neither had filed. County Attorney Skewes looked up the statute and found that the board could use any method they preferred to determine the winner by lot. A disinterested party flipped a coin, and Paulson was declared elected.
Plans are underway for the mass polio vaccination of all Rock County first and second grade children. The vaccination will be free, after an evaluation report from the University of Michigan confirms its safety. The university studied the Salk vaccine field trial, which involved 1,830,000 children last year.
Orlie Davis, Luverne, purchased the service station property known as Noll’s Corner Station, a half mile east of Beaver Creek.75 years ago (1930)
Geo. E. Holliday & Son will open their new implement house with a complete new stock of farm implements tomorrow in the Hinkly building on East Main Street. Vernon Holliday will manage it.
John B. Mann, of Mound Township, received a Hereford summer boar pig Wednesday from John C. Schulte, of Norway, Iowa, the originator of this new variety of swine.100 years ago (1905)
Nelson Brothers have completed arrangements for building two large safety deposit vaults in their store building for the preservation of their books, accounts and jewelry in case of fire.
A deal was completed Saturday whereby J.H. Thiel traded his building and saloon stock and fixtures on Main Street, to the Minneapolis Trust company.

DISTRICT COURTPROBATE DIVISIONFIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICTNOTICE AND ORDER OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORSSTATE OF MINNESOTACOUNTY OF ROCKESTATE OFOPAL I. NELSON, AKA OPAL NELSONDECEDENTIt is Ordered and Notice is given that on April 4, 2005, at 9:00 (a.m.) a hearing will be held in this Court at Rock County Courthouse Luverne, Minnesota, for the formal probate of an instrument purporting to be the will of Decedent, dated April 7, 1999, and codicil (N/A) to the will dated N/A, and separate writing (N/A) under Minn. Sat. 524.2-513 ("Will"), and for the appointment of Arthur Ehde whose address is: 1410 150th Ave. Luverne, MN 56156 as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent in a SUPERVISED administration. Any objections to the petition must be filed with the Court prior to or raised at the hearing. If proper and if no objections are filed or raised, the personal representative will be appointed with full power to administer the Estate, including the power to collect all assets, pay all legal debts, claims, taxes and expenses, to sell real and personal property, and do all necessary acts for the Estate. Notice is also given that (subject to Minn. Stat. 524.3-801) all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the date of this Notice or the claims will be barred. /s/ TIMOTHY K. CONNELLTIMOTHY K. CONNELLJudge Date/s/ SANDRA L. VRTACNIKSANDRA L. VRTACNIKCourt Administrator DateAttorney For Personal RepresentativeBENJAMIN VANDER KOOI, JR.VANDER KOOI LAW OFFICES, P.A.127 E. MainPO. Box 746Luverne, MN 56156-0746507-283-9546Attorney I.D. No. 112124(3-10, 3-17)

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGConditional Use Permit for Gravel ExtractionPursuant to the Rock County Zoning Ordinance, notice is hereby given by the Rock County Planning Commission that a public hearing will be held at the Rock County Family Service Center located at 2 Roundwind Road in Luverne, MN at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, March 21st, 2005. The purpose of this hearing is to hear public comments on the following conditional use permits for gravel extraction:Brad Bos Gravel Extraction Located in the NE 1/4 of Section 26 in Clinton TownshipWayne Biever Black Dirt Extraction Located in the SE 1/4 of Section 26 in Luverne TownshipHenning Brothers Gravel Extraction West 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of Section 35 in Mound TownshipNorthern Con-Agg Gravel Extraction Located in the North 1/2 of Section 1 in Luverne TownshipNorthern Con-Agg Gravel Extraction East 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of Section 19 in Vienna TownshipNorthern Con-Agg Gravel Extraction East 1/2 of the SW 1/4 and the West 1/2 of the SE 1/4 and the SW 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 36 in Mound TownshipZoning AdministratorEric Hartman(3/10, 3/17)

Law Library 9:00 A.M.Rock County Courthouse February 22, 2005Chair Hoime called the meeting to order with all Commissioners present.Motion by Jarchow, seconded by Bakken, to approve the February 22, 2005, County Board agenda, declared carried on a voice vote.Motion by Bakken, seconded by Wildung, to approve the February 8, 2005, County minutes, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Wildung, to approve items on the consent agenda, declared carried on a voice vote. 1. Resolution No. 12-05, a rural water split on parcel 08-0071-000 located in the SE 1/4 of 13-101-462. Day care licensing – Rhonda Feit3. Day care re-licensing – Judy Ripley, Glenda Groen, Tara Pap, Angela HubblingMark Sehr, Engineer, presented Resolution No. 09-05, a cooperative agreement between Rock County and MnDOT for the construction of US Hwy 75 adjacent to Sioux Valley Hospital; motion by Jarchow, seconded by Wildung to approve Resolution No. 09-05, declared carried on a voice vote.Motion by Jarchow, seconded by Bakken, to approve the bid letting for the US Hwy 75 and CSAH 37 project for March 29, 2005, declared carried on a voice vote.The Engineer presented a request for out of state travel for Lee Hamann to attend a conference in Fargo, North Dakota, for training on the proper selection and maintenance of all types of pavement markings, signs and temporary traffic control measures; motion by Boyenga, seconded by Bakken to authorize the out of state travel, declared carried on a voice vote. The Engineer informed the County Board that the annual weed and road/bridge informational meetings are scheduled for April 5, 2005, at 1:00 P.M. in the basement of the Rock County Community Library. The County Board received notice that Excel Energy is hosting an Open House for the Split Rock to Lakefield Junction Transmission Project on February 24th, 4:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. in Brandon, South Dakota. Gloria Rolfs, Auditor/Treasurer, presented a License Center activity report and the claims. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Jarchow, to pay the claims as presented, declared carried on a unanimous vote. A complete listing of the claims is available by request at the Auditor/Treasurer’s office.General Revenue $ 22,835.08Family Services $ 72,290.71Road & Bridge $ 26,899.56Land Management $0.00Rural Water $0.00TOTAL $122,025.35Motion by Bakken, seconded Wildung, to approve the fund balances report, declared carried on a voice vote.The County Board discussed the possibility of participating/enrolling in the Magic Fund, a joint powers investment fund with seventy-six county members; the County Board requested the Auditor/Treasurer to draft financial comparisons over the last calendar year between the Magic Fund and the local investments. Randy Ehlers, Family Services Agency Director, and Bonnie Burkett, School Mental Health social worker for Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek schools presented a program update; no action was taken. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Jarchow, to pull from the table a PPIE funding request of $750.00, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Bakken, seconded by Boyenga, to deny the funding request from PPIE for $750.00 and inform them that the county already subsidizes the Rock County Pool & Fitness Center to help keep the rates affordable, declared carried on a voice vote. Mike Winkels, Sheriff, requested permission to declare surplus (3) VHS Radius Radios and (2) Vista Light Bars and sell or transfer to another governmental unit; motion by Jarchow, seconded by Boyenga, to approve the equipment as surplus and authorize the sale or transfer of the surplus equipment, declared carried on a voice vote. Don Klosterbuer, County Attorney, and Mike Winkels, Sheriff, presented a review of a contract for Law Enforcement Services for the City of Luverne. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Jarchow, to approve Resolution No. 11-05, entering into a contract with the City of Luverne for Law Enforcement Services; roll call vote was taken with Commissioners Bakken, Jarchow, Wildung, and Hoime voting aye and Commissioner Boyenga voting nay. Terrie Gulden, Heartland Express Transit Director, presented discussion on state funding for a building project. Currently, Rock County was awarded $160,000 in grant funding (considerably less than anticipated) for the construction of a Heartland Express garage and office complex. Following considerable discussion, motion by Wildung, seconded by Boyenga, to decline the $160,000 in grant funding and request to be placed on the funding list for 2006, and authorize up to $10,000 for architectural design and directed the Building Committee and Transit Director to determine the building design, declared carried on a voice vote.Commissioner Bakken stated that the Extension Committee would be holding an Estate Planning seminar on March 15th. The County Board directed to schedule a meeting for all cities with law enforcement contracts, with the exception of the City of Luverne, on March 3, 2005, at 7:00 P.M. at the Human Services Building. Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Bakken, to lease and sell Lots 1 & 4 of Outlot 3 of the Sioux Valley addition, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Bakken, to approve Resolution No. 10-05, rescinding Resolution No. 48-03 dated 12/29/2003, terminating the joint powers agreement for the Rock County Pool & Fitness Center, declared carried on a 4-1 vote with Commissioner Boyenga voting nay. With no further business to come before the County Board, meeting was declared adjourned.Ken Hoime, Chairman of the BoardATTEST:Kyle J. Oldre, Clerk to the Board(3-10)