By Jolene FarleyThe Hills City Council accepted the resignation of City Councilman Arlen Leenderts at a Tuesday meeting. Leenderts handed city clerk Connie Wiertzema a handwritten letter stating his intentions to resign after June’s council meeting. "As of June 30 I resign from city council and EDA (Economic Development Authority)," Leenderts wrote. "Because of vacation and ballgames this fall I won’t be able to make hardly any more meetings. So, for the good of the city, they need somebody that will be there all the time." A notice will be published asking for volunteers to fill Leenderts’ seat until the election in November, according to city clerk Connie Wiertzema. "We can appoint someone for his position until the election," she said. The person appointed by the council would fill Leenderts seat until his term expires at the end of the year. Council member Dana Dahlquist’s and Mayor Jim Jellema’s terms also end this year.

By Sara StrongRecycling throughout Rock County will change immediately: glass will no longer be accepted, but magazines will.The county is removing glass from its recyclable materials because it is costly to sort and has little or no value.Doug Bos, at the Land Management Office, said, "Recycling markets have changed, and by the time you process glass and sort it, you’ve lost money."Putting glass in landfills isn’t the worst alternative, since it’s non-toxic, and there’s not as much glass on the market anymore. Glass makes up just 5 percent of what’s currently recycled.However, the local recycling changes will have a big impact on businesses that use glass bottles. Luverne Sharkee’s co-owner, Dave Halverson figures his garbage collection fees will double, to about $415 a month, with the extra glass in dumpsters."I’m sure it won’t make much difference to residential people," Halverson said, "but for businesses, it’ll add up."While glass is no longer recyclable in the county, magazines, which create more landfill waste, will be accepted at Ketterling Services, Luverne. People can’t put magazines, glossy paper or catalogs in the county recycling sheds or in their curbside pick-up bins, but they can take them to Ketterling’s.Rock County will pay Ketterling $35,000 for processing, and $12,000 for hauling recyclables from out-county sheds. The county will receive $49,800 from the state for the recycling program next year.People are reminded to recycle newsprint, white paper, corrugated cardboard, aluminum, tin and plastics Nos. 1, 2 and 3. People should also rinse items and remove lids.The current county recycling contract, approved Tuesday, is in effect through Dec. 31, 2007.

By Jolene FarleyNinety kids are learning and exploring in the Book of the Week Club at Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School.The club, in its third year, began meeting 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 23, and will end for the summer Wednesday, July 21. The sessions are partially funded through a grant from the Southwest Minnesota Foundation and the Rock County Collaborative, with additional funds contributed by Hills-Beaver Creek Community Education. This year the Exchange State Bank, Hills, and Minnwest Bank, Luverne, donated money to sponsor needy families that would like to enroll children in the program. Students from birth through the sixth grade keep the books and materials covered each week. Themes range from the farm, nature, games, pets, and fairy tales for the birth-to-five-years-old group, to ocean animals, dissecting owl pellets, poetry, mysteries, and preparing a PowerPoint presentation for the fifth-and-sixth grade group. Students, in small groups or one-on-one with an adult, do activities relating to the theme of the week. The activities are tailored to increase reading skills and enhance the students enjoyment for reading. In addition to being educational, the program is an intergenerational experience for students, according to club coordinator Sara Oldre. The groups visit the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills during the program and groups of Retired Senior Volunteers read to the students or perform in the Reader’s Theater.There are four student volunteers, five parent volunteers and 12 community and grandparent volunteers.Grandparents use the club as a fun and educational outing with their grandchildren. "We have a lot of grandparents bring kids in," Oldre said.Besides Oldre, the program has four teachers. Teri Richards teaches students from birth to five-years-old, Diane VandenHoek kindergarten through second-graders, and Mary Mudder third through fifth-graders. Laura Louwagie teaches the fifth-and-sixth-graders.The program is open to children outside the Hills-Beaver Creek district.

By John RittenhouseThe 2004 baseball season came to an end for Zach Wysong and the Luverne American Legion during the Area A Playoffs.Luverne opened the double-elimination tournament by dropping a one-run decision in Slayton Friday.The Cardinals ended a 10-8 campaign by losing a one-run game in Adrian Tuesday.Luverne and Adrian battled to a draw at five through seven innings of Tuesday’s tilt before Adrian pushed across the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth.Wysong had a three-hit game at the plate, but it wasn’t enough to extend Luverne’s season.Wysong singled and scored one of Luverne’s two runs in the game’s first inning.Wysong and the Cardinals dropped the opening game of the playoffs when they lost a 7-6 decision in Slayton Friday.Wysong scored a pair of runs in the contest, including a counter that tied the game in the top of the seventh, but Slayton snapped the tie by plating the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh.The Luverne shortstop, who was 1-4 at the plate, reached base on an error and scored his first run in the top of the first.Luverne was trailing 6-4 with a runner on first base with two outs in the top of the seventh when Wysong stepped to the plate.Wysong chopped the ball to Slayton’s shortstop and beat what ended up being a wild throw to first base for an infield single. The ball rolled up the right-field line, allowing one run to score while Wysong raced to third base. Wysong drew a throw to third that skipped by the Slayton defender, allowing Wysong to score the tying run.Slayton, however, settled the issue in the bottom of the seventh when a two-out single allowed the game-winning run to score from second base in the bottom half of the inning.Luverne capped a 10-6 regular season by posting a 16-2 win in Okabena Thursday. Wysong did not play in that game.

By John RittenhouseIf a recent performance at a summer camp in the Twin Cities is any indication, Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth football fans can expect a strong senior season from Cody Scholten.Scholten, a two-way starter for the Patriots the past two seasons, emerged as one of the top players at the Tice Brothers Football Camp in St. Paul June 20-24.The camp, which is hosted by Minnesota Vikings’ head coach Mike Tice and his brother, is billed as one of the top summer camps in the Midwest.The event draws more than 400 athletes from a number of different states, and they receive professional instruction from the likes of current Vikings Daunte Culpepper, Jim Kleinsasser, Gary Rosenthal, Chris Hovan, Michael Bennett, Matt Birk, and others.Scholten, an All-Southwest Ridge Conference selection and a member of the Worthington Daily Globe’s All-Area Team last year as a lineman-linebacker, turned some heads with his efforts as a linebacker in St. Paul.The son of Steen’s Rick and Lori Scholten earned a spot in the camp’s Top-30 Club.Campers who display the most athletic ability, best attitudes, leadership skills and coach-ability make the Top-30 Club. By making the elite club, Tice Brothers officials will mail out statistical information on Scholten to 2,500 different colleges throughout the United States."It really is quite an honor," Rick Scholten said. "A lot of kids have been trying to make the Top-30 Club for a number of years, and Cody made it the first time he was there."Cody Scholten drew another important honor when he was named the camp’s No. 1 linebacker."That’s the one I’m really proud of," Rick Scholten stated. "Cody just loves the game of football, and he gives 100 percent all of the time."Cody said the five-day camp consisted of three, two-hour practices each day. One session was dedicated to offensive instruction, another to defensive instruction and another to a combination of both.The H-BC senior said it was a rewarding experience, and he will be able to apply what he learned at the camp on area fields this fall."It was a lot of fun," Cody Scholten offered. "I really learned a lot, especially defensively. I know I’ll be able to use some of the pass coverage skills I learned at the camp."

10 years ago (1994)"If residents near the airport could have voted Monday, plans to expand and move the current runway would have been tabled indefinitely.More than 40 people attended the first public hearing on the Minnesota Zoning Ordinance for the Luverne Municipal Airport. Their message seemed to be, ‘Progress is great, but not near my land.’"25 years ago (1979)"The Rock County Rural Water Systems target date has been missed. At one time, it had been hoped that water could be flowing in part of the system by the end of June.Dan Cook, construction inspector for the system, said excessive ground water and poor working conditions this spring put the contractor behind in the timetable."50 years ago (1954)"An agreement made in 1889 between Mound and Denver townships concerning the maintenance of a township road is still valid today, according to an opinion by Joseph J. Bright, assistant attorney general.An inquiry was made by County Attorney Mort B. Skewes when the question arose between Denver and Mound townships and the village of Hardwick as to whose responsibility it was to maintain and keep in repair the road in question, and to maintain a bridge on the road between the village of Hardwick and Mound township.The essence of the opinion returned by the assistant attorney general states that the road and a bridge, which is in need of repair, is the responsibility of the township of Denver and the village of Hardwick."75 years ago (1929)"F. Munger, a representative of the entomologist department of the University farm, arrived Monday and began work on a thorough investigation of the grub worm situation in Mound Township. The state department’s decision to send an entomologist here for this purpose is the result of a survey made last spring by County Agent C.G. Gaylord as to the extent of the common white grub worm infestation and the damage being done by it."100 years ago (1904)"A petition is being circulated for the incorporation of Luverne as a city, under the provisions of Title 2, Ch. 10, of General Statutes of 1894, which applies to the organization of cities having from 1,000 to 15,000 inhabitants.If this movement is successful it will greatly improve our municipal government. We would then have a city council consisting of four alderman — two from each ward, one elected each year for a term of two years, so that two members of the council would always be familiar with the city affairs. The mayor and recorder would be elected at large for one year, and neither of them would have a vote in or be a member of the council. The mayor would be the chief executive officer and would have a veto on the actions of the council."

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Redbirds went 1-2 while playing three games since Wednesday, July 7.Luverne dropped a two-run decision in Pipestone July 7. The Redbirds fell by two runs at home to Wilmont Saturday before posting a two-run victory in Worthington Sunday.The 9-6 Redbirds, who played a game in Wilmont last night (Wednesday, July 14), will cap the regular season by playing a doubleheader in Hadley Sunday.Luverne 5,Worthington 3Single runs in the fourth and fifth innings lifted the Redbirds to a two-run victory in Worthington Sunday.The game was tied at three when the Cubs plated a run in the bottom of the third, but Luverne countered the challenge by scoring runs in the middle innings of a seven-inning game.Brian Weber put the Redbirds in front 4-3 when he led the fourth inning off with a solo home run.The Redbirds picked up an insurance run in the fifth, when Jared Pick singled and scored on Mike Boen’s RBI double.Boen, who drove in three runs at the plate, helped the Redbirds score three runs in the top of the second after the Cubs scored twice in the bottom of the first.Joey Pick doubled and Jesse Kuhlman singled before Jared Pick chased home the first run of the second with an RBI single. Boen plated Kuhlman and Jared Pick with a two-run triple.Joel Nath worked the first six innings on the mound to earn a victory. Kuhlman tossed the seventh inning to gain a save.Box score AB R H BIBoen 3 1 2 3Studer 1 0 0 0Fisher 3 0 0 0Weber 4 1 2 1Shelton 3 0 0 0Jo.Pick 2 1 1 0Nath 3 0 0 0Kuhlman 3 1 1 0Jr.Pick 3 2 2 1Wilmont 2, Luverne 0The Redbirds squandered a solid pitching performance by Jeff Sehr when they lost a two-run home decision to Wilmont Saturday.Sehr limited Wilmont to two hits and a pair of unearned runs during the game, but his effort wasn’t enough to earn a win.Wilmont’s two unearned runs in the top of the first proved to be the only runs scored on the game.Luverne was limited to four hits in the seven-inning game.Boen slapped singles in the first and third innings. Mike Wenninger singled in the fourth, and Barry Shelton singled in the fifth.Sehr walked one batter without recording a strikeout during his seven-inning stint on the hill.Box score AB R H BIBoen 3 0 2 0Studer 3 0 0 0J.Sehr 3 0 0 0Wenninger 3 0 1 0M.Sehr 2 0 0 0Fisher 1 0 0 0Kuhlman 2 0 0 0Jo.Pick 2 0 0 0Shelton 2 0 1 0Pipestone 5, Luverne 3The A’s scored a pair of late-inning runs to nip the Redbirds by two runs during a game played in Pipestone Wednesday, July 7.Luverne erased an early 3-0 deficit by scoring three times in the middle innings, but Pipestone plated single runs in the seventh and eighth frames to seal the victory.The A’s opened the scoring with a three-run first inning. Luverne battled back to knot the score at three by scoring one run in the third inning and two in the fourth.Joey Pick singled, stole second and scored Luverne’s first run when Jake Studer singled.Brian Weber led the fourth inning off with a solo homer. Jon Jarchow singled, advanced to third on an error and scored the second run in the fourth when James Fisher bounced out.Jesse Kuhlman tossed the first seven and one-third innings for Luverne. He took the loss after allowing five runs (two were earned) and four walks (two were intentional) during a six-strikeout effort. Joel Nath recorded the final two outs in relief of Kuhlman.Box score AB R H BIStuder 5 0 1 1Sandbulte 5 0 1 0Sehr 5 0 3 0Weber 1 1 1 1Jarchow 5 1 1 0Winkels 2 0 0 0Fisher 4 0 0 1Iveland 4 0 1 0Jo.Pick 3 1 1 0

By John RittenhouseIf a recent performance at a summer camp in the Twin Cities is any indication, Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth football fans can expect a strong senior season from Cody Scholten.Scholten, a two-way starter for the Patriots the past two seasons, emerged as one of the top players at the Tice Brothers Football Camp in St. Paul June 20-24.The camp, which is hosted by Minnesota Vikings’ head coach Mike Tice and his brother, is billed as one of the top summer camps in the Midwest.The event draws more than 400 athletes from a number of different states, and they receive professional instruction from the likes of current Vikings Daunte Culpepper, Jim Kleinsasser, Gary Rosenthal, Chris Hovan, Michael Bennett, Matt Birk, and others.Scholten, an All-Southwest Ridge Conference selection and a member of the Worthington Daily Globe’s All-Area Team last year as a lineman-linebacker, turned some heads with his efforts as a linebacker in St. Paul.The son of Steen’s Rick and Lori Scholten earned a spot in the camp’s Top-30 Club.Campers who display the most athletic ability, best attitudes, leadership skills and coach-ability make the Top-30 Club. By making the elite club, Tice Brothers officials will mail out statistical information on Scholten to 2,500 different colleges throughout the United States."It really is quite an honor," Rick Scholten said. "A lot of kids have been trying to make the Top-30 Club for a number of years, and Cody made it the first time he was there."Cody Scholten drew another important honor when he was named the camp’s No. 1 linebacker."That’s the one I’m really proud of," Rick Scholten stated. "Cody just loves the game of football, and he gives 100 percent all of the time."Cody said the five-day camp consisted of three, two-hour practices each day. One session was dedicated to offensive instruction, another to defensive instruction and another to a combination of both.The H-BC senior said it was a rewarding experience, and he will be able to apply what he learned at the camp on area fields this fall."It was a lot of fun," Cody Scholten offered. "I really learned a lot, especially defensively. I know I’ll be able to use some of the pass coverage skills I learned at the camp."

By John RittenhouseA pair of one-run losses in the opening rounds of the Area A American Legion Playoffs ended a 10-8 season for Luverne.The Cardinals fell in Friday’s opener at Slayton before ending the campaign with a loss in Adrian Tuesday.Luverne capped the regular season by besting Okabena by 14 runs in Okabena Thursday.Adrian 6, Luverne 5The home-standing Dragons rallied from three deficits to oust the Cardinals from the playoffs Tuesday in Adrian.Luverne sported 2-0, 4-3 and 5-4 leads during the game, but Adrian answered every challenge and prevailed by one in the bottom half of the eighth inning.Luverne took a 5-4 lead when Jared Pick doubled and scored on an RBI single by Adam Reisch in the top of the sixth inning. The Dragons bounced back to knot the score at five when Glen Kruger reached base on an error and scored on Will Lutmer’s single in the bottom half of the frame.The score remained deadlocked until the bottom of the eighth, when Brandon Wolf singled, stole second and scored the game-winning run on a single by Kruger.David Hoffer, who went the distance on the mound for Adrian, found himself in some early holes when he surrendered two runs to Luverne in both the first and second innings.Pick walked and scored on a passed ball in the first inning. Zach Wysong singled and scored on a single by Adam Kurtz to give the Cards a 2-0 lead as the inning progressed.Adrian scored three runs in the bottom of the first to move in front 3-2, but Luverne regained the lead at 4-3 in the second before Adrian tied the game with a single run in the third.Taylor Graphenteen and Pick singled before scoring Luverne’s second-inning runs on a two-run single by Kurtz.Pick tossed the first six and two-thirds innings for the Cards without earning a decision. Kurtz took the loss after yielding Adrian’s eighth-inning run.Box score AB R H BIPick 4 3 2 0Wysong 4 1 3 0Johnson 0 0 0 0Reisch 4 0 1 1Kurtz 4 0 2 3Fodness 3 0 1 0Herman 5 0 0 0Bruynes 3 0 0 0Goembel 3 0 0 0Graphenteen 4 1 2 0Slayton 7, Luverne 6Luverne was sent to the loser’s bracket of the Area A Playoffs when it lost a one-run game in Slayton Friday.In a game that concluded with a wild finish, the Cardinals rallied to score two runs in the top of the seventh inning to knot the score at six before losing it by allowing one run in the bottom of the inning.The Cardinals, who allowed Slayton to score five unearned runs in the game, plated a pair of unearned runs for themselves to knot the score at six in the top of the seventh.Pick drew a two-out walk to start the rally. Wysong then chopped the ball to Slayton’s shortstop and beat what ended up being a wild throw to first base for an infield single.The ball proceeded to roll down the right-field line, allowing Pick to score and giving Wysong a chance to race to third base. Wysong drew a throw to third that skipped past the Slayton defender, allowing the Luverne runner to race home with the tying run.Slayton answered the challenge in the bottom of the seventh by placing a runner on second base with one out. A single to center field by Mitchell Magnus gave the hosts a chance to score the tying run, but Luverne’s Pick gunned the runner down at home plate for the second out.Slayton’s Buddy Prahm stepped to the plate with Magnus positioned at second base, and Prahm sent a single to center field that chased Magnus home with the winning run.The teams scored 10 of the game’s 13 runs in the first four innings.Luverne took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first when Reisch chased home a run with a groundout and Mark Remme delivered an RBI single, but Slayton tied the game at two in the bottom of the first.Brad Herman doubled and scored on a single by J.T. Bruynes to give the Cards a 3-2 edge in the top of the second only to have Slayton plate a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a 4-3 edge.Reisch doubled and scored on a single by Kurtz to tie the game at four in the top of the third. Slayton, however, scored single runs in the third and fourth innings to take a 6-4 lead that lasted until the seventh frame.Kurtz tossed all six and two-thirds innings for Luverne and took the loss. He fanned nine batters and yielded eight hits.Box score AB R H BIPick 3 2 1 0Wysong 4 2 1 0Reisch 4 1 1 1Remme 3 0 1 1Kurtz 3 0 1 1Fodness 2 0 0 0Herman 3 1 1 0Bruynes 3 0 1 1Goembel 2 0 0 0Graphenteen 1 0 0 0Luverne 16, Okabena 2The Cardinals wrapped up a 10-6 regular season by rolling to a 14-run win in Okabena Thursday.J.T. Bruynes tossed a complete game and Seth Goembel drove in five runs to lead the Cardinals during the lopsided victory.Bruynes pitched all five innings, limiting Okabena to one earned run and three hits. Bruynes fanned eight batters and walked two.Goembel, who led Luverne with three hits, delivered a two-run triple and a two-run single in the game. He also drew a bases-loaded walk.Okabena scored twice in the home half of the first inning, but the Cards outscored the hosts 16-0 the rest of the way.Goembel’s two-run triple highlighted a five-run second inning that put Luverne in front to stay. Kurtz singled home two runs in the frame. Rob Fodness singled and scored on an error.Fodness reached base on an error and scored the first run of a two-run third inning when Derek Johnson was hit by a pitch with the bases full. Goembel drew a walk moments later to give the Cards a 7-2 cushion.Luverne scored five runs in the fourth inning and four in the fifth to ice the victory.Goembel singled home two runs and Bruynes, Pick and Kurtz added run-scoring singles during the five-run fourth.Pick doubled home two runs, Bruynes slapped an RBI single and Johnson picked up an RBI with a sacrifice fly during the four-run fifth.Box score AB R H BIPick 3 1 2 2Kurtz 5 0 2 3Reisch 4 0 1 0Remme 4 1 1 0Fodness 4 3 2 0Herman 2 4 1 0Bruynes 3 3 2 2Johnson 2 1 0 2Goembel 3 3 3 5