PROBATE COURTDISTRICT COURT—COUNTY COURTPROBATE DIVISIONORDER AND NOTICE OF HEARING FOR FORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE IN SUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION AND NOTICE TO CREDITORSSTATE OF MINNESOTACOUNTY OF ROCKIn Re: Estate of Rodney J. Stroh Deceased TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS:It is Ordered and Notice is hereby given that on the 2nd day of February 2004, at 9:00 O’clock A.M., a hearing will be held in the above named Court at Rock County Courthouse, Rock, Minnesota, for the formal probate of an instrument purporting to be the will of the above named deceased, dated February 3, 1986, and for the appointment of Debra L. Kruger whose address is 524 121st Ave., Beaver Creek, Minnesota 56116, as personal representative of the estate of the above named decedent in supervised administration, and that any objections thereto must be filed with the Court. That, if proper, and no objections are filed, said personal representative will be appointed to administer the estate, to collect all assets, pay all legal debts, claims, taxes and expenses, and sell real and personal property, and do all necessary acts for the estate. Upon completion of the administration, the representative shall file a final account for the allowance and shall distribute the estate to the persons thereto entitled as ordered by the Court, and close the estate. Notice is further given that ALL CREDITORS having claims against said estate are required to present the same to said personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the date of this notice or said claims will be barred. Dated: January 13, 2004 /s/ Timothy K. ConnellTimothy K. ConnellDistrict Court Judge/s/ Daniel W. Vis /s/ Sandra L. VrtacnikDaniel W. Vis Sandra L. VrtacnikAttorney for Petitioner Court AdministratorEisma and Eisma130 East Main, Box 625Luverne, MN 56156(507)283-4828I.D. #158343(1-15, 1-22)

By Lori EhdeThe charred remains of a Rock County Sheriff's Department squad car is parked behind the County Highway Department Building while local officials await word from the insurance company.The car was burned in a freak accident involving Deputy Glen Reisdorfer last fall.According to Sheriff Mike Winkels, Reisdorfer had pulled onto the shoulder of a township road northwest of Hardwick to write reports. When he put the vehicle in gear, "the shoulder gave way and he got hung up," Winkels said.When the deputy tried to free the car from the ditch, the exhaust system underneath ignited a grass fire, which eventually consumed the vehicle.The Hardwick Fire Department responded to the call at about 2 p.m. on Nov. 17.The 2000 Ford Crown Victoria had almost 95,000 miles on it and an estimated trade-in value of $5,400. Law enforcement hardware installed in the vehicle, such as radar and communication equipment, was valued at nearly $10,000.A claim was turned into to the Minnesota Counties Insurance Trust Fund, an insurance pool shared by a group of Minnesota counties.The local department will end up paying a $500 deductible, plus about $200 for miscellaneous personal items that were in the vehicle.According to County Administrator Kyle Oldre, the Sheriff's Department has had a bad year in terms of insurance claims.In 2003, squad cars hit two deer and a large raccoon (which caused considerable damage under a vehicle) and deputies were involved in a three-squad fender bender during a police chase in December 2002.There were a number of claims reported in the past 13 months, but Oldre said the total dollar amount of damage was relatively low, and it's fortunate no one was injured.

By Sara StrongA positive attitude and a philosophy of fairness earned Rock County Deputy Greg Lingen the honor of Rock County Employee of the Year.He was nominated by fellow deputy, Evan Verbrugge, who said it was an easy nomination to make.Verbrugge wrote in his nomination letter, "Law enforcement is an occupation where you deal with negativity all the time, whether it is dealing with a domestic situation, victim of a crime, ambulance call, a traffic citation or crash. Dealing in the negative begins to wear on you and you can become hard toward others. Working with Greg is like a breath of fresh air."Lingen said he was surprised by the recognition, even though he enjoys his job. "I guess the best part of it is just being around the people," he said.Lingen has been with the Rock County Sheriff’s Department for six years, and before that, he worked in Pipestone.A Ruthton native, Lingen didn’t pursue law enforcement work right out of high school. He worked at an elevator for eight years, and was asked to train to be manager. "I thought that if I was going to go to college, it should be for something that I really like, and this was always a sort of dream of mine," Lingen said.Even though it’s difficult to get him to talk about his strong points, Lingen did acknowledge that he’s good at making light of dark situations and respecting others in all circumstances."I believe that everybody is worth the time to listen to them, even if nobody else wants to deal with them," Lingen said.Verbrugge said, "I look forward to working with him because it makes working much more enjoyable. … Greg does what he needs to do and he is always looking out for you when you are not looking. He will always back you up if it is possible, and he cares about what he is doing."The Rock County Board of Commissioners votes on the nominees. Chairman Bob Jarchow said, "We have a good place to work, and I think we can be thankful for that. .. .We could give more than one award each year because we have so many good employees."Past winners of the award include Elaine Vanden Berg, Pam Nelson and Al Hartz. Other nominees this year were Gary VandenBerg, building maintenance, and Jennifer Schmidt, Family Services.

By Brenda WinterTwelve-pound Sarah Catherine doesn’t look like a participant in a nation-wide disease research project. At six weeks old, her chubby cheeks and pink jumpsuit don’t even hint at the drama that surrounded her gestation. Sarah’s mom, Hills Crescent editor Jolene Farley, contracted the West Nile virus during the second trimester of her pregnancy. She was the only pregnant woman to contract the disease in the state last year. Farley spent a few tense weeks hoping her baby would be healthy, but upon arrival Sarah Catherine was declared OK – mostly.She has a slightly cleft palate and two uvulae (that thing that hangs down in the back of the throat.) The birth defect is so minor that unless it becomes a problem later in Sarah’s life the current plan is to do nothing about it. Surgery is sometimes performed on babies with cleft palates if the problem interferes with the baby’s ability to eat, but Sarah is growing and eating well.The big question is, of course, "does West Nile cause birth defects?"Farley said the researchers following Sarah’s case believe the cleft palate was not caused by West Nile, because there is no evidence of West Nile antibodies in Sarah’s blood.They also theorize that babies exposed to West Nile later in the gestation period are better able to fend off the virus – although it seems Sarah was never exposed to the virus. Farley said, "It appears that my anti-bodies passed through the placenta but the virus didn’t."Farley said along with preliminary blood samples, doctors working with the Centers for Disease Control have asked that Sarah see a pediatric eye doctor because another baby exposed to West Nile was born with an eye disorder. They would also like a CAT scan to see if there are problems that are less obvious. And finally, genetic tests may be performed to help determine if the cleft palate is a genetically-based birth defect.Farley said Sarah will be evaluated at three, six and 12 months. "We’ll continue to be involved." Farley said. "Regardless of the relationship between West Nile and the cleft palate they want to continue to evaluate all the babies born under West Nile."Cutline:Six-week old Sarah Catherine Wieneke, pictured with her mom Jolene Farley, was born with slight birth defects that do not appear to be related to her exposure to the West Nile virus in utero. Sarah will continue to be a part of on-going research with the Centers for Disease Control.

By Lori EhdeLuverne’s Oliver Crawford was sentenced Friday in Rock County District Court for his role in the Thanksgiving meth arrests in 2002.Crawford, 49, is already serving a prison sentence for the Harvey’s Trading Post burglary on Dec. 21, 2001.In Friday’s sentence hearing, he was ordered to serve 58 months for the drug conviction.In a two-day trial Sept. 3 and 4, a jury found Crawford guilty of aiding the sale of a controlled substance (meth), offering to sell a controlled substance (crack) and selling marijuana.Crawford is the last of six individuals arrested in November 2002 to be convicted of drug charges.The arrests were the result of local law enforcement and state authorities working with an undercover informant in videotaped drug transactions.

By Sara StrongBuilding and renovation projects in Luverne exceeded $9.24 million in 2003.Luverne’s Building Official and Zoning Administrator Dan Delgehausen said 2003 was the biggest recent year for the city in that department. In 2002, the valuation was $4.6 million; and in 2001 was $5.28 million.The value of projects is calculated by the work that’s done on the buildings as Delgehausen inspects them.Delgehausen said, "There were several big-money projects and a lot of housing work. … Only $1 million of the hospital is done."The future hospital and clinic will bring even bigger valuations in 2004.Other large building and renovation projects in 2003 were the courthouse heating and cooling system, a wing of the school’s heating and cooling system, the armory remodel, work on the new assisted living facility and a more-than-usual number of new housing units.Luverne Economic Development Director Dan Statema said the extra investment helps the city economically."It shows that people are putting money into their properties, and it increases the tax base," he said. "Our goal is to have a diversified tax base, with taxable industries and homes."Delgehausen issued 362 permits and completed 1,796 inspections, which is about average. His office also brought $70,000 in to the city in fees in 2003.

By Lori EhdeA Beaver Creek man was sentenced Monday in Rock County District Court to serve 58 months in prison for manufacturing methamphetamines.Marvin James Kolsrud was arrested June 19 when authorities executed a search warrant of his home — a rented acreage a couple miles south of Beaver Creek.Kolsrud, 50, told law enforcement that he had "cooked a batch" of meth the previous night and intended to "cook another batch" that evening after stealing anhydrous ammonia from the elevator in Beaver Creek.He said he usually "cooks a batch" once a week, or "whenever he needs some money." Each "batch" results in 8 to 10 grams of finished meth, worth about $800.Kolsrud at one time was a trucker, but he was unemployed at the time of the arrest.He entered a guilty plea in an Oct. 27 hearing. In Monday’s sentence hearing, Judge Timothy Connell ordered Kolsrud to serve two-thirds of his time in prison, and he is allowed on supervised release for the remaining one-third (or about 19 months).The informant that provided the tip on Kolsrud’s meth production also alerted police that Kolsrud kept a loaded sawed-off shotgun in the house.Assisting with the arrest were six Rock County deputies, one BCA agent from St. Paul, two South Dakota officers, and a deputy from Lyon County.Kolsrud was the fifth person arrested in the Beaver Creek and Valley Springs area on drug charges in the past few years. Law enforcement speculates that low-cost rental acreages and the proximity to the South Dakota border may be common denominators.

By Sara StrongThe Rock County Board Tuesday elected Commissioner Bob Jarchow as chairman. After that, the board had its regular meeting.The county is following a South Dakota bill that could allow Rock County residents to be committed to facilities across state lines. Minnesota allows doctors or a court judge to commit people to mental treatment facilities across its borders, but the partnering law wasn’t in place in South Dakota, so it’s not done.Now, treatment facilities in Worthington or Willmar are often inadequate or full, and jails can’t handle all of the cases even when a crime has taken place.Until the legislation is passed, people can commit themselves voluntarily, but that means they can also check out on their own. With the bill in place, they can be ordered to a facility, most likely in Sioux Falls.Family Services Director Randy Ehlers said, "Some of these incidents take up a lot of time for law enforcement personnel especially."The Board of Commissioners is sending a letter of support to South Dakota lawmakers.In other business, Tuesday the board:oReviewed snow routes with County Engineer Mark Sehr. He said that five or six plows are on the road at once when they are needed to clear roads. Each driver takes care of 37 to 42 miles of a route. That means they actually cover double that number of miles because they do both sides of the road. Sometimes, they are required to repeat a road.They start as early as 6 a.m. from the main garage in Luverne, and move outward from there.County Administrator Kyle Oldre said the system works well for the county, because of seasoned workers in a department with little turnover, and because of good equipment. oDecided to pursue setting up a program for living snow fences to help with ground drifting over key spots on local roads.

By Lori EhdeIn 2003, 15 new businesses (not counting home-based offices) opened in Luverne, and 11 closed, according to unofficial sources.Information gathered from the LEDA office, Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce and local advertising sales people resulted in the following lists.New businesses in 2003:
Ace Hardware opened in the former Glen’s Food Center building on Lincoln Street in October.
American Family Insurance district office moved into the Frakes Realty building on Main Street in December.
Brothers Central Vacuum opened in the east side of the Shear Reflections building on Main Street in June.
Dr. Mark Bierma opened Cornerstone Dental on Freeman Ave. in July after Dr. Bill Bollinger retired.
Kathy Jarchow opened her clothing business, Gabe’s, in the former Cook’s Clothing building on Main Street in March.
Magnolia native Kim Von Tersch and her family opened Grapevines in October after buying the Main Street business from Curt Laudon who retired from his gifts and collectibles business.
Jeff Ernst (son-in-law of Bob Zinnel) opened Identity Sports, an online sports marketing company, on East Main Street and shares half of the building with Bob Martin of Cellular Advantage, which opened in December.
Kawasaki, an ATV company, committed to the Bargain Center space on Maple Street downtown. It hasn’t yet opened, though.
Dr. Jeff Priebe left town to do business in Brandon, S.D., but returned in 2003 to open Blue Mound Chiropractic in the former Estensen Company building on Main Street next to Tollefson Publishing.
Ramsgate Insurance operates out of the office space in the Creeger building next to Brandenburg Gallery.
New Dawn, a non-profit agency that works with disabled individuals, also opened a management office in the Creeger building in October.
Earl Hanson and Jim Sonntag opened Blue Mound Insurance and Financial Services on Main Street in March.
Suzy Lewison opened Four Seasons Massage in April.
Jeff Stewart opened another massage business, Total Relaxation, in May.
Mary Aukes, former Hair Ltd. owner, opened Salon JaRiah on East Main Street in July.Luverne closings in 2003 include:
Jubilee Foods
Cook’s Clothing
Netbriefings
Bargain Center
Harvey’s Trading Post
Laudon Gifts and Collectibles
Bollinger Dental Office
Luverne Bodyworks
JC Penney Catalog Store
Rock County Auto Glass Same places, new faces
Rock County Co-op Oil merged with Farmers Union Co-op Oil.
Cory and Lisa Schneekloth bought Luverne Lanes Bowling Alley from John and Ahne Serie in June.
Cary K. Schroeder took over as manager of Edward Jones Investment Services.
Mike Cleveringa and Brad Witt are now owners of FGL Commodity Services.
Diane Elbers purchased the Hair Ltd. business from Mary Aukes.New homes for existing businesses
Meulebroek Taubert and Company moved to the brick building on South Freeman (the old Tri-State Building) where Dr. Terry Poe also operates his chiropractic business.
F&L Management moved from that same brick building to an office on North Cedar.
The Chamber office moved to the Brandenburg Gallery on East Main St.
County Extension moved to the Senior Citizens building on Lincoln and Spring Streets.
Heartland Express moved to the Family Services building on Roundwind Road.