By Jolene FarleyEmployees at New Vision Co-op, Hills, loaded their first 108 railroad car corn train earlier this month.Before the addition of new rail and upgraded equipment, the facility north of Hills could load only 54 rail cars. "We added 75,000 feet of rail and we upgraded the complete loading system from 30,000 bushels per hour to 80,000 bushels per hour," said Hills New Vision Coop Manager Mick Thon. New Vision Coop, Worthington, purchased the elevator from Cargill in September and started construction late in the fall. The work was completed by February.New equipment upgrades included an 80,000-bushel-per-hour bulk load out scale designed to accommodate anticipated growth. The new system allows the facility to load a 110 rail car train in the time it used to take to load a 54 rail car train."It enables us to load a shuttle train (110 cars) in 15 hours," he said. "With our old system, we couldn’t have loaded in 15 hours." The new track and grain handling equipment performed at designed capacity during the test run, according to Thon. Recent grain demand by China has improved markets for elevators served by the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad, according to Thon.The ability to transport more grain at once has decreased freight costs and made new markets accessible for the Hills facility. The new markets and decreased freight costs have improved farm prices by six to seven cents per bushel for area grain producers, according to Thon.The New Vision Co-op Board of Directors visited the facility to watch employees load the first train.

By Sara StrongThe Rock County Board of Commissioners Tuesday reviewed the Highway Department’s road and bridge plan for the next five years.The Topeka shiner fish and its breeding season is still a hindrance to work, because federal protections prevent work on projects near Missouri River waterways until after Aug. 15.Rock County is one of four in Minnesota that has to follow this guideline. Engineer Mark Sehr is also counting on increased material costs for construction in the next few seasons.County projects for 2004:
Because of the new hospital and clinic, the Rock County Highway Department is working on roads near that new site. It will grade and apply a new bituminous surface on County State Aid Highway 37, from Highway 75 to CSAH 18.Highway 75 and CSAH 37 will be graded, a turning lane added and paved from Veterans Drive to CSAH 37.
Bridges in the city of Beaver Creek and townships of Battle Plain, Beaver Creek, Clinton, Martin and Mound will also be replaced.Total estimated cost for the projects this year are $2,140,000. Of that, almost all will be federal and state aids. Township bridges account for the local expenditures of about $50,000.County projects for 2005:
CSAH 4 (Luverne Main Street) will get mill and overlay as well as patching from Highway 75 to the Rock River.
CSAH 11 (the Steen blacktop) will get a mill and overlay from Highway 270 (the east-west Hills blacktop) to CSAH 4 (Old Highway 16).
CSAH 18 (Blue Mound Avenue) from CSAH 4 to the northern city limits will get a mill and overlay.
CSAH 20 (asphalt east-west to the state park) will get a mill and overlay from Highway 23 to Highway 75.
The county also plans to replace six bridges in 2005.

By Sara StrongThe city of Luverne settled a lawsuit Tuesday involving the serious injury of an electric worker in December 2001.The agreement both saves the city money and reduces the citation to a less serious category.Originally, the Minnesota Occupational Safety and Health Division cited Luverne for "willful" violations in the accident that left Fulda Electric employee Phillip Kramer without his left hand and part of his forearm.The fines to the city were originally $56,000, but the city contested those fines. The city’s penalty is now reduced to $16,000, and the citation was changed to "serious" instead of willful.The settlement was reached between the city and the Attorney General’s Office, which handled the case for OSHA. Former assistant city attorney and interim city administrator Jeff Haubrich finished this case for the city because he had started it originally.The city originally had received two citations for $28,000 each:
One citation was for failing to properly de-energize, or turn off power. In this case the electrical equipment operated at 14,000 volts.
The second citation said the city did not adequately test or otherwise determine the power source was turned off, even if it was believed to be.The city is involved in civil litigation, which is still in the discovery and deposition phase.The Luverne City Council met in closed session to discuss the settlement agreement Tuesday night, and opened the session only to cast its unanimous vote.Along with the fine of $16,000, the city:
Agreed to request a review of its safety and health programs, including electrical utilities operations.
Agreed to develop and implement more comprehensive procedures for safe entry into potentially hazardous location, including but not limited to, electrical distribution facilities.
Agreed to review and update its health and safety training and to provide safety and health update training sessions for employees.
Agreed to request random audits of its electrical distribution system from the Minnesota Municipal Utilities Association for a year. Those reports will be forwarded to OSHA, which may conduct further inspections.As a part of this agreement, the city doesn’t necessarily admit liability, but "enters into this agreement for compromise and settlement purposes."

By Lori EhdeRock County deputies found themselves assisting state BCA officers with an arrest Friday that resulted in the seizure of $13,000 worth of powder and crystal methamphetamine.Erick Mangual Flores, 24, Bigelow, was arrested on South Highway 75 at I-90 after he delivered 2 1/2 pounds of meth to an undercover BCA officer.The transaction occurred from his car, a 1990 gray Grand Prix at almost 11 a.m.Suspected accomplice Rivera Soto Salvador, 22, Worthington, was arrested a short time later in the Sears parking lot on East Main Street. He was driving a late-model Nissan Altima.The drugs and cars were seized, and both men were taken without incident to the Prairie Justice Center, Worthington.Salvador, an illegal alien, is now in custody of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and will return to Mexico.Flores has been turned over to federal officials in Minneapolis where he will appear on federal charges.A search of his Bigelow residence turned up more evidence, and three additional suspects were arrested in Nobles County.Arrests involving such large amounts of drugs become federal cases, according to Rock County Investigator Jeff Wieneke."He was a major dealer," Wieneke said. "When you’re talking pounds, that’s a big deal, considering we’re used to dealing in terms of quarter ounces."Undercover BCA officers had been negotiating for some time with Flores for a purchase in Nobles County.But when last-minute arrangements were made for the purchase to occur in Luverne, Rock County deputies became involved, along with the State Patrol, several Nobles County deputies and about 10 BCA officers.Flores lived in Luverne for a short time a couple years ago, but Wieneke said he’s so far been unable to prove that Flores and Salvador had supplied drugs for dealers in Rock County."That’s what we’re investigating," Wieneke said. "We don’t have evidence that they’re connected to any of our cases over here."

By Sara StrongLuverne could be the first city in southwest Minnesota to ban smoking in parks and recreational areas if the City Council passes a policy at the request of Partners in Prevention.The City Council is now reviewing a modified draft of a policy.The draft shows a more strict tobacco policy than what’s currently in place, but doesn’t ban its use in all public areas as the group requested. The new policy would:
Designate neighborhood parks as tobacco-free areas
Prohibit smoking in city parking and storage facilities
Prohibit smoking in recreation areas where scheduled youth sports events are occurring. The prohibition includes an area 100 feet around the perimeter of the area where such scheduled youth sports events are occurring.
Discourage, but not prohibit tobacco use in the city park during adult sports events
Discourage, but not prohibit smoking in picnic and camping areas of the Luverne City Park
Discourage, but not prohibit, tobacco use on city trail systems.The Council will discuss the policy at an upcoming meeting.LaFond salaryAfter a positive performance evaluation, City Administrator Greg LaFond received a salary increase of $2,856. The exact salary for LaFond is now $76,856, which was voted on by the City Council Tuesday.The Council didn’t spend time discussing LaFond’s compensation at the meeting.Award of excellenceFinance Director Barb Berghorst received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the ninth consecutive year.The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.Berghorst thanked the City Council for emphasizing sound financial reports in its leadership, and thanked staff in City Hall who help to make reports accurate and complete.The award is largely for the comprehensive annual financial report, which has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

By Jolene FarleyMembers of the Beaver Creek Sportsmen’s Club attended a Monday City Council meeting to discuss their plans to upgrade the Rez. Club members want to treat the water with barley straw again this year to control algae growth. The barley straw treatment was considered successful at stopping new algae growth last year.They plan to manually remove some of the algae already in the water by raking it off the surface. Members want to bring in gravel to extend the point further into the water. A portion of the point has eroded away and fishermen hook their lines on the slab of concrete that used to mark the end of the point. The group plans to spread sand on top of the ice on the swimming beach. When the ice melts, the sand will settle on the beach."We were throwing around the idea of a floating dock," said Club President Arlyn Gehrke. The group looked into purchasing a handicap accessible dock. "We thought that would be really nice if someone from the home would like to come out there," Gehrke said. A handicap accessible dock would cost $13,000 to $14,000, according to Gehrke. The group could get a dock without the extra rails needed for handicap accessibility for about $1,600. The group was advised that the chances of winning a grant for purchasing the handicap assessable dock were slim, because they would have to compete with the whole state of Minnesota.Mayor Jim Jellema suggested asking the Optimist Club for a donation from their pulltab account.The group will also look into adding rails to non-handicap accessible dock to make it into a handicap accessible dock.In other business:oThe council will decide at next month’s meeting whether or not to spray for mosquitoes this spring. The council elected not to spray last year because of the cost. The individual or company that sprays must be licensed, according to Ward.oSpring Clean Up Day in Hills is set for Saturday, May 15. City employee Wayne Ward suggested that the city not pick up sheetrock and building materials during Spring Clean Up. The council agreed it was unfair for the city to have to pay to dispose of the items. oThe council won’t build a skate park in Hills in the near future. "At this point, I guess we probably aren’t going to do anything with it," Jellema said.He told Hills resident Justin Hinks that the council places priority on rebuilding the tennis and basketball courts removed when the school built the locker room addition.Hinks attended the February council meeting with a petition signed by 45 people asking that a skate park be built in the community. oBud Hoogeveen has opted not to rent space in the American Legion building for his barbershop. Hoogeveen moved his business to his garage after the building where he rented space, owned by the city, was sold.

By Jolene FarleyHills-Beaver Creek Superintendent Dave Deragisch informed the School Board of an anticipated $100,000 to $150,000 shortfall for next year’s budget at a Monday meeting.Deragisch told the board that the district would have to look at cutting programs or expenses or increasing revenues somehow.No specific answers to the shortfall were discussed, but Deragisch asked the board to brainstorm ideas for a discussion at the Monday, April 12, board meeting.Deragisch said that the retirement of some of the teaching staff could help. The longer teachers are with the district the higher the pay scale.In personnel
The board accepted the resignation of Marie LaRock as Special Education
The board approved a five-year leave of absence for elementary teacher Cindy Larson. In other business
Hills-Beaver Creek elementary students raised $707.01 for the Pennies for Patients campaign. The Pennies for Patients money is donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The students placed sixth in the category of schools with 200 students or less. WCCO will broadcast the information about the fund-raiser at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, March 26.
Kindergarten Roundup was Tuesday, March 16. Twelve families attended and three families remain to be contacted.
Sixty people attended Family Math
Classes will dismiss early Friday to work on different technology, specifically dealing with computerized grades. Staff will also go through the implementation schedule for new state standards.
The Hills-Beaver Creek staff takes on the KELO Almost-Stars Monday, March 29. Junior parents have scheduled a soup and pie supper from 5 to 7 p.m. before the game.

By Jolene FarleyA mission trip to El Salvador and Guatemala by the Hills-Beaver Creek Fellowship of Christian Athletes group is featured in the March issue of the national publication, Sharing the Victory, Faith and Sport (STV).The magazine is published nine times a year by the national Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization with the mission "to communicate the love and power of Jesus Christ in the changed lives of athletes and coaches through the influence of FCA’s ministry."A group of 18 high school and college athletes left for El Salvador and Guatemala Monday, July 28, of last year and returned Friday, Aug. 8. Following are excerpts of that article, written by Christian Ditchfield:It was an opportunity they just couldn’t pass up.When Coach Tom Goehle invited the Hills-Beaver Creek Huddle to join him on a mission trip to Central America, the answer was a resounding "yes!" High school juniors and seniors, plus a few college students — all of them basketball players — made up the 18-member team. Together, they would spend 12 jam-packed days traveling through Guatemala and El Salvador, using basketball, dramas and personal testimonies to share their faith with those who had never heard the Gospel."Once in Central America, the Boys’ and Girls’ teams competed against the top men’s and women’s teams in both Guatemala and El Salvador. They won a few games; they lost a few.For most of the Huddle members, it was exciting just to play against athletes of such a high caliber, even if it meant they were over-matched. But the greatest thrill came after the game, when they took turns sharing their testimonies and inviting the other players and coaches to receive Jesus Christ as their savior.… "The entire experience in the juvenile prison was absolutely life changing for all of us. Jesus and only Jesus could pull off something like that!’ Coach Goehle exclaimed. There were 200 boys ages 14 to 19 being held at the detention center. All of them had been tried and convicted as adults and would be transferred to an adult facility on their twentieth birthdays. They were gang members, drug dealers, murderers — some of them sentenced to more than 150 years for their crimes.Team member Ashley Bosch explains, "When we went to the jail, I went there thinking I would change their lives and bring them closer to Jesus Christ. But when we got there, we realized that their faith was greater than our own. You could see God in them. I will never forget how they changed my life."A more detailed account and photos of the group’s experiences in Central America are included on the website www.hbcfca.com.

There's lots to smile about, some things to frown uponThis week has been full of wonderful things — the first days of spring, the arrival of my new contact lenses. There’s also been all sorts of newsy tidbits floating around that are worth printing, but they don't always warrant an entire story or headline. Some of those made me smile, some make me frown.A smile, for instance, is due to downtown Luverne. It appears that all of Main Street storefronts are occupied, except for the recently vacated Chamber of Commerce office. This is a wonderful change from just a year or so ago when yellowed "for sale" signs and covered windows lined the street.
Another empty building may be filled, too. Last week I wrote about the city of Luverne’s advertising efforts to fill Job Opportunity Building Zones and the former Tri-State building getting some notice. Well, Mayor Glen Gust just reported that the building was shown to a potential new business already. Let’s do a collective finger-crossing for that to come through.
While we’re on the subject of the city, it’s worth noting again the award Barb Berghorst (and others who work on the annual financial report) received for the ninth year. The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting isn't exactly handed out like candy at Halloween. From personal experience, Barb is always ready to explain city finances to people who don't have to face them every day. That’s clearly reflected in the user-friendly financial reports the city publishes.
The most obvious smiles around town are on the faces of families who have their National Guardsmen home. Six months is a long time for anyone, but it seems like years for kids waiting for Daddy’s return.Now, the reasons to frown
People may be wondering what’s going on between city and county relations, after disputes over shared contracts. The news isn’t bad, but you could call it stagnant, which explains the frown.Formerly, the city and county met in a liaison committee, consisting of a couple representatives and staff from each government body. Those meetings were stopped by the city in the fall, but now some from the city want to restart the meetings.
Another frown came across my otherwise pleasant expression Tuesday when the County Board of Commissioners again talked about permit and land use fees for wind turbines.The turbine groups first objected to the $960 up-front cost of getting turbines permitted. Now, they aren't complaining so much because they’re getting a little tired of all the meetings haggling over whether a $100 annual inspection fee is needed.They’d probably rather pay the fee and end the discussion.Considering the towers bring in more than $900,000 in government subsidies and grants and power generation revenue, it seems a little silly to have even brought it up.Now, the county sees it as an overall zoning and permitting issue that should be examined to unify charges for all structures or land uses. Even though the extra meetings and work are probably worthwhile, Commissioner Ken Hoime may have said it best: "I think a $100 inspection fee is relatively peanuts."So, in essence, this week is just about like every other week of life — a few extra laugh lines and few deeper frown marks.