With the exception of Swiss army knives, inventions with multi-purposes tend to be disappointing. A perfect example of this might be futons, uncomfortable sofas which can be transformed into even more uncomfortable beds. Other less-than-perfect transformers include the home laundry machines which were both washing machines and clothes dryers and cars that can also be used as boats. While we’re on the subject, how well did those cars that transformed into trucks actually sell? Were they really all that easy to operate? According to Reuters, "A German firm has begun offering sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses with detachable frame arms that double as chopsticks or forks. The glasses designer says there is growing demand from time-pressured sushi fans eating their favorite food on the go." First of all, it’s difficult to imagine huge numbers of "time-pressured sushi fans." Eating raw fish should be an activity requiring both ceremony and great mental preparation. Sushi was never intended to be gulped down with the reckless abandon often associated with a quarter-pounder and fries. One obvious drawback to the dual-purpose glasses frames is that diners have trouble seeing their food when their eyeglasses have been disassembled for use as chopsticks. In the case of sushi, this might also be an advantage. The so-called "sushi specs" may be selling well in Japan but there might be additional problems when they are customized for other foods. Chopsticks made from eyeglass stems will be perfect for entrees such as sushi or General Mao chicken with a side of rice, but it will be dangerous to have the frame stems do double duty as steak knives, shish kabob skewers or sharply pointed fondue forks. Self-amputated ears will become the rule rather than the exception. When that happens, there will be nothing to keep our hats from sliding down over the lower halves of our faces. Without two ears, we will have no places to anchor our sun glasses, reading glasses or even the wonderful, new eyeglasses with removable stems for eating purposes. The dual-purpose eyeglasses will defeat their own purpose. We will also run the risk of having unsightly bits of food stuck to our hair and faces if the eyeglass stems aren’t rinsed off properly. Of course, running around without two complete ears can also have an upside. For example, people will no longer have to pay for expensive pairs of earrings. They will be able to share the expenses and the earrings with their one-eared friends. We will tend to look artistic and worldly. Natural comparisons will be drawn between us and Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, who removed the lobe of his left ear with a razor in 1888. With missing ears we will look more intimidating, a good thing if that’s the look we’re after. We will resemble people who simply can’t get along with boxer Mike Tyson. Actually, we really don’t need dual-purpose frame stems for eyeglasses. That’s why hands were invented the way they were. It’s no accident that fingers on hands resemble the tines on forks. Most, if not all, foods can be eaten without utensils. That is, if you’re hungry enough.

I have always been proud to say I am from Luverne, Minn. Why? Our community has always been a proactive and forward thinking town. I see us now as being reactive and moving backwards which, I believe, is not beneficial for Luverne or Rock County. One entity cannot survive without the other. Luverne and Rock County need to continue to work together for the benefit and survival of all of us. Five years ago, I was extremely fortunate to be one of 24 participants from Luverne and Rock County to go to the Blandin Community Leadership Program. It was an intense five days of training to build and improve leadership skills emphasizing the capacity of local citizens to create healthier communities in which to live, work and play. Working together, cooperation and collaboration within the community or multiple communities was the core principles of BCLP. We were encouraged to return home and continue or become more involved in our area community using the core principle skills we learned. Some participants are elected officials, employees of local government, and many are volunteers serving on committees striving to continue to make Luverne and Rock County a growing and vital area. Unfortunately, this is no longer happening in Luverne and Rock County. I am disappointed that these principles of cooperation and collaboration have been set aside. I encourage all Luverne and Rock County citizens to talk to your elected officials reminding them that working together is so very important to our communities. This is not a time to be silent!Barb GollaLuverne

You start to wonder if some people have too much time on their hands when you read about things like two seventh-grade girls from St. Louis who had their lemonade stand shut down by the City Health Department.The girls had sold lemonade for the last three years trying to earn enough to purchase a laptop computer — a noble pursuit.A neighbor complained and a health inspector told them they didn’t have proper licensing and were selling unsafe ice cubes. Then he shut them down. The girls were using powdered lemonade mix and ice cubes purchased at a store.The neighbor apparently complained because she "didn’t want them blocking her walkway." How about asking them to move? The girls said their stand was on the grass behind the neighbor’s property. After the stand was closed down, one of the girl’s mothers called a television station and the family pastor, who informed the mayor of the community.Temporary food and beverage vendors are required to obtain permits in the city, but the law doesn’t apply to children’s lemonade stands. In the end, the city’s health commissioner apologized to the girls and purchased a glass of lemonade from their stand at a steep markup.After the stand reopened, business was brisk for the girls. There is something about beating bureaucracy (and power trips) that spurs people to offer their support. The girls reportedly learned something from their experience. They learned to stand up for themselves — a valuable lesson.Lemonade out of lemons Taxpayers in Rock County should stand up for themselves. If government, whether local, county, state or federal isn’t operating effectively, say so. If there isn’t an ability to work together for the good of the taxpayers … (those paying salaries and footing the bills) something needs to change. Don’t be oblivious and think problems will solve themselves. What I find distressing about the current situation in Rock County is that the ability to work together for the good of everyone living in the county has disappeared.Relations between the city of Luverne and Rock County have broken down into a huge power struggle, and we need to ask ourselves who wins when government has become more and more about power and personalities and less and less about people, the public good and taxpayers. What happens in Luverne with county contracts can affect how people in Hills, Beaver Creek and Steen are charged for services or how they’re taxed. Make your opinions heard! If you are unable to attend a County Board meeting, call County Commissioner Richard Bakken at 507-597-6378 and voice your view.I hope the citizens of Luverne do the same if they are unable to attend a City Council meeting.All the time spent fighting and bickering isn’t free, and in addition to monetary costs, there are hidden costs. The hidden cost is county and city governments that used to work well together, now cannot seem to agree on much of anything anymore.

MINUTES OF THE HILLS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYAUGUST 10, 2004Dana Dahlquist, President of the Hills EDA called the meeting to order at 8:30 P.M. Board present: Dana Dahlquist, Jim Jellema, Linus Svoboda, and Keith Elbers. Employees present: Joanne Goehle, EDA Treasurer, and Connie Wiertzema, EDA Secretary. Motion by Jellema, seconded by Svoboda to approve of the minutes of July 13th. Motion carried. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Jellema to approve payment of the July expenditures. Motion carried. Mike Kerkhove and Amy Brandt’s new home construction will begin on August 16th, on Lot 1, Block 1 of Park View 3rd Addition. Due to Arlen Leendert’s resignation, Linus Svoboda was appointed EDA Vice President. Motion by Jellema and seconded by Elbers. Motion carried. Motion by Jellema, seconded by Elbers to adjourn.Connie J. WiertzemaSecretary(8-19))

10 years ago (1994)"There will be a $20 activity fee for Hills-Beaver Creek students in grades 7-12 who will participate in the following activities: volleyball, girls’ basketball, gymnastics, track, football, boys’ basketball, wrestling, golf and cheerleading. There is a $60 maximum fee per family, and if an individual cannot pay, they will be allowed to work for the school at a rate of $5 per hour."25 years ago (1979)"Scott Greenfield, 16, Hills, won two categories of competition at the Regional Future Farmers of America Sheep show last Friday at Windom. Scott, an H-BC junior, came home with ribbons for the champion Hampshire ram and the champion Hampshire ewe. He will show his animals at three competitions at the Minnesota State Fair." 50 years ago (1954)"Minneapolis, which was the birthplace of softball 59 years ago, is playing host to the World Softball Tournament Sept. 18-23 under the sponsorship of the Minneapolis Jaycees with the cooperation of the Park Board. The game was designed so all firemen at their station could take part in a recreational activity between calls. Originally called kittenball, the game was also known as diamond ball before softball became the accepted title."75 years ago (1929)"Paul Ruud was washing windows last Tuesday morning, and as a Crescent reporter happened by, Mr. Rudd was asked how many window lights the school building contained. ‘I’ve forgotten,’ said Paul, ‘but I’ll let you know later.’ The same afternoon he dropped in at the office — and now make a guess how many lights there are. Wrong — it’s twice as many as you guessed. There are more than 2,000 of them, and they must be washed on both sides. Who said the janitor’s job was only a bed of roses? Anyone wanting pointers on window washing just call on Paul."100 years ago (1904)"One of the most frightful accidents that ever occurred in Martin Township happened Sunday at 5:30 p.m. when the Illinois Central passenger train from the west ran into a team of horses and buggy occupied by Thos. Sayre and Walter Cogswell, killing them instantly on the railroad crossing between the farms of Lars Engebretson, occupied by D.R. Smith, and the farm of Chris Thompson, four miles west of town."

Visiting in the area for a short holiday was Victoria (Anderson) Throop and her three children. They were visiting friends and family in the area. Ms. Throop, a 1970 graduate of Luverne High School and a Hamline University alumnus, is the daughter of Darlene Anderson and the late Elmer Anderson, formerly of Steen. She and her children, William, 17, Barton, 14, and Alvhild, 12, have been living in Anji, China, in the Zhejiang Province since the summer of 2002. Living in a mountain community with no other foreign families, they have enjoyed the friendship and adventure of this beautiful bamboo covered area where tea is the major agricultural product. Ms. Throop has been serving as a foreign expert in the Bureau of Education and Tourism for the Chinese government. For two years she taught in a boarding school for the children of peasants and factory workers. Upon her return to China, Ms. Throop will remain in the same community, but will be training Chinese teachers and establishing a foreign language program in a magnet school for gifted students. In 2003, she was awarded the Houzho Friendship Prize by the Chinese provincial government for her volunteer work in the community. In May 2004, she received a journalism award from the Chinese bureau of communication for several newspaper stories that have been printed in translation in the local papers. The family is now visiting Texas and will return to China on Aug. 22. Dana and Kay Dahlquist returned home last week after spending a week in the Seattle, Wash., area where they visited Kay’s college roommate. While there they celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary with a dinner at Space Needle.The Martha Circle of Bethlehem Lutheran Church had a surprise birthday party for Evelyn Rogness at noon in Jacobson Park on Wednesday, Aug. 11, when she turned 90 years old. Steve and Marilyn VanWyhe, Steen, Tom and Matt VanWyhe and Ron, Lexia and Ashley DeWit, Sioux Falls, and Cliff and Vi VanWyhe, were guests at the home of Hugh and Mary Warner in Sioux Falls late Sunday afternoon to celebrate the "Happiness of Hugh’s 5th heart" birthday.Guests from Monday to Wednesday of last week in the home of Don and Edyth Briggs were Don’s cousin, Helen Weitman and husband, Dick, from Mesa, Ariz. Madison and Mitchell Elbers, Valley Springs, spent a few days last week in the home of Wilmer and Betty Elbers. Gerald and Rosemary Kraetsch, Kasson, spent Wednesday night with Bob and Twila Kirsch. They all attended the Moeller cousin reunion at Don and Bonnie Moeller’s home in rural Ellsworth. Chuck and Rheta DeBoer joined the Sinkgraven family in Sioux Falls for dinner Sunday. Sheldon and Ellie Sandager and Aaron Sandager spent last week with Beth Sandager and Jo and Bill Wulf at the ranch at Herrick, S.D.Cliff and Vi VanWyhe, along with Steve and Marilyn VanWyhe, Tom and Matt VanWyhe and Ron, Lexi and Ashley DeWit enjoyed a family dinner Sunday at the Westward Ho Country Club in Sioux Falls. Rheta DeBoer attended a bridal shower Wednesday for Melissa Burgraaf, bride to be of Cameron Vanden Berg at Trinity Reformed Church in Sioux Falls. Kenneth and Julie Hyink have moved into their newly constructed home on South Josephine Ave. They come to Hills from Sioux Falls where some of their adult children live. Kenneth was in the Air Guard and returned and later worked, for a time, at Billion Motors. He has now retired. Julie, in the earlier years, worked for newspapers at Parker, S.D., and Hayti, S.D. Welcome to Hills!

Our weather continues to be on the unpredictable side. It is feeling like fall as temperatures remain on the cool side. In fact, I turned the air conditioner off and the furnace on and believe me it felt very good! It looks like the hay is plentiful also. I just can’t believe it is time for school to begin as I am still waiting for summer. Oh well, we just can’t have everything. Come to think about it, we haven’t had hardly any flies so far. No matter how strange things are there is always something good if we just take the time to look for it. The flies are usually plentiful during summer and I truthfully have not missed them one bit. If they don’t appear a little later I will certainly not miss them. Florence Sandstede entered Luverne Community Hospital the first of the week. She is being treated for a bleeding ulcer. We wish her a speedy recovery. Gary and Carlotte Paulsen, Ogden, Iowa, spent Wednesday and Thursday in the home of his mother Mildred Paulsen.Otto Van Wettering, a long time resident of the Steen area, who has been making his home at Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne, entered Luverne Community Hospital on Saturday with a case of pneumonia. We wish him a speedy recovery. Bill and Bertha Bosch, Mildred Keunen, Megumi Sakurai, Beth Sakurai, both from Japan, Joy and Joyce Aykens were Sunday afternoon visitors in the Paul and Carole Aykens home in Orange City, Iowa. Dries Bosch entered Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls Wednesday evening. He had been experiencing chest pains. After a thorough examination they found no damage had been done to his heart and he was able to return to his home on Thursday. Daryl and Marie Paulsen and Tanner, Tyler and Trevor Paulsen, their grandchildren, attended the fair in Sioux Falls on Friday. They also attended the Beach Boys concert. Needles to say, a good time was had by all. Bill and Bertha Bosch, Milton Bonnema, Malena Boeve, Mildred Keunen, and Jo Aykens attended the Psalm and Hymn Sing at Tuff Home in Hills on Wednesday. Delwyn Huenink underwent knee replacement surgery last Monday at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls. He was able to return to his home in Worthington on Thursday. Do you ever catch yourself saying I don’t have time to do this today, I will do it tomorrow. However, when tomorrow comes it seems there is always something else that has priority. This reminds me of the old saying, "Tomorrow never comes!"In hopes of doing better I think this article, written by Alfred Montapert titled "Today," will be helpful. "This is the beginning of a fresh new day, I greet it with hope.Today comes only once, and never again returns,I must show my love and be kind,God has given me these 24 hours to use as I will. I shall have a cheerful attitude.I must do something good with this day and not waste it.This is my day of opportunity and duty.I expect something good because I am going to help make it happen. This is a new day in my life, a new piece of road to be traveled, I must ask God for directions.Today will be filled with courage and confidence.I must show my faith in God.What I do today is very important because I am exchanging a day of my life for it. The cost of a thing is the amount of my life I spend on doing it.When tomorrow comes today will be gone forever.Leaving in its place something I have traded for it.In order not to forget the price I paid for it, I shall do my best to make it useful, profitable, joyful. This seed I plant today determines my harvest in the future. My life will be richer or poorer by the way I use today.Thank you, God, for today. I shall not pass this way again — What I must do — I will do today!"I hope this inspires all of us not to put off until tomorrow what we need or should do today. Most of all, I will remember to do it today.

With the exception of Swiss army knives, inventions with multi-purposes tend to be disappointing. A perfect example of this might be futons, uncomfortable sofas which can be transformed into even more uncomfortable beds. Other less-than-perfect transformers include the home laundry machines which were both washing machines and clothes dryers and cars that can also be used as boats. While we’re on the subject, how well did those cars that transformed into trucks actually sell? Were they really all that easy to operate? According to Reuters, "A German firm has begun offering sunglasses and prescription eyeglasses with detachable frame arms that double as chopsticks or forks. The glasses designer says there is growing demand from time-pressured sushi fans eating their favorite food on the go." First of all, it’s difficult to imagine huge numbers of "time-pressured sushi fans." Eating raw fish should be an activity requiring both ceremony and great mental preparation. Sushi was never intended to be gulped down with the reckless abandon often associated with a quarter-pounder and fries. One obvious drawback to the dual-purpose glasses frames is that diners have trouble seeing their food when their eyeglasses have been disassembled for use as chopsticks. In the case of sushi, this might also be an advantage. The so-called "sushi specs" may be selling well in Japan but there might be additional problems when they are customized for other foods. Chopsticks made from eyeglass stems will be perfect for entrees such as sushi or General Mao chicken with a side of rice, but it will be dangerous to have the frame stems do double duty as steak knives, shish kabob skewers or sharply pointed fondue forks. Self-amputated ears will become the rule rather than the exception. When that happens, there will be nothing to keep our hats from sliding down over the lower halves of our faces. Without two ears, we will have no places to anchor our sun glasses, reading glasses or even the wonderful, new eyeglasses with removable stems for eating purposes. The dual-purpose eyeglasses will defeat their own purpose. We will also run the risk of having unsightly bits of food stuck to our hair and faces if the eyeglass stems aren’t rinsed off properly. Of course, running around without two complete ears can also have an upside. For example, people will no longer have to pay for expensive pairs of earrings. They will be able to share the expenses and the earrings with their one-eared friends. We will tend to look artistic and worldly. Natural comparisons will be drawn between us and Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, who removed the lobe of his left ear with a razor in 1888. With missing ears we will look more intimidating, a good thing if that’s the look we’re after. We will resemble people who simply can’t get along with boxer Mike Tyson. Actually, we really don’t need dual-purpose frame stems for eyeglasses. That’s why hands were invented the way they were. It’s no accident that fingers on hands resemble the tines on forks. Most, if not all, foods can be eaten without utensils. That is, if you’re hungry enough.

Services for Sharon Ruppert is Friday, Aug. 20, at First Presbyterian Church in Lismore. The Rev. Harold Preston will officiate. Burial will be in the Lismore City Cemetery. Visitation is from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at First Presbyterian Church in Lismore and one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Sharon Kay Ruppert, 48, Lismore, died Monday, Aug. 15, 2004, at her home. Sharon Brower was born to Ron and Jennie (Vanden Top) Brower on May 15, 1956, in Canton, S.D. She attended school in Canton, Wisconsin and Worthington before she graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1975. She married Mike Ruppert on Dec. 21, 1989, in Canton. After their marriage, the couple lived in Canton before moving to Lismore in 1996. Due to a work-related injury in 1992, she was diagnosed with chronic pain that rendered her disabled. Mrs. Rupert was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Lismore, the Lismore Legion Ladies Auxiliary and the Red Hat Ladies Club in Adrian. Before her injury she was very active. She enjoyed fishing and plants. Survivors include her husband, Mike Ruppert, Lismore; two sons, Ed Lewis and Jason Lewis, both of Omaha, Neb.; three brothers, Doug (Jacque) Brower, Worthington, Dave Brower, Sioux Falls, S.D., and Dan Brower, Hills; two sisters, twin sister, Karen (Verlyn) Timmer, Ellsworth, and Rhonda (Brian) Keeney, Sioux Falls; five nephews and two nieces. Dingmann Funeral Home, Adrian, is in charge of arrangements.