Howard and Lois Hoyme went to Pierre, S.D., for an early Christmas with their son, Neal and family. They were joined there by a granddaughter from Belle Fourche, S.D., and Holly and Kevin Willmer, Cheyenne, Wyo. Holly and Kevin are spending this week in Hills with them. Having their Christmas gathering Saturday in the home of their parents, Gary and Deb Bowman, were Chris and Pam Bowman, Sioux Falls, S.D., Becky and Troy Woe and Emma, and James and Nicole Bowman, all of Aberdeen, S.D.Joanne and Tom Goehle entertained 11 girls’ varsity basketball players and their parents at the Joanne Goehle home Friday night following the girls’ basketball game here with Edgerton. Wendell and Kathryn Erickson motored to Balaton Sunday to attend the visitation of Hilding Swan. He was a great-uncle of Jeff Swan of Hills. Chuck and Rheta DeBoer and Rachel attended the Christmas service Sunday night at Trinity Reformed Church in Sioux Falls. Orlan and Joyce Anderson, Omaha, Neb., and Dorene Anderson, Luverne, were guests of Arnold and Dorothy Thorin at dinner Sunday at Tuff Village. Dorene is Orlan’s sister and all are cousins of the Thorins. Dorene will celebrate Christmas with them in Omaha. Berneta Johnson, Russell, spent from Tuesday through Thursday with Bob and Twila Kirsch. Judy Kruse who teaches school in Hilo, Hawaii, arrived Sunday to spend over the holidays with her sister, Shirley and Gene Sandager and family, and her mother, Ruth Kruse at Tuff Memorial Home. Bob and Twila Kirsch spent the weekend at the Ted and Cindy Pohlman home in rural Lakefield. On Saturday, Deb, Luke, Dylan and Alison Mathias joined them for their Christmas celebration. On Sunday they attended the Sunday School program at Heron Lake. Dean, Peggy, Tony and Annette Goettsch spent the weekend in Freeborn at the home of her mother, Helen Schoen, where they celebrated the Schoen Christmas party. Charles and Dawn Sandager hosted the Sandager families at their Christmas party Sunday. Those from away included Beth Sandager and Joyce and Floyd Wulf, Herrick, S.D., and Andrew Norton. Don and Edyth Briggs traveled to Odebolt, Iowa, to take in the Winter family Christmas gathering over the weekend. Jean Hanson, Sioux Falls, was a Sunday dinner guest in the home of Ray and Lois Nelson.Bob and Twila Kirsch visited with Vernon and Ardoth Kraetsch in Windom on Sunday afternoon. Cynthia Sundahl Olmsted, a former Hills resident, is now a resident of the Carbondale Nursing and Rehab Center, 500 S. Lewis Lane, Carbondale, IL 62901.

10 years ago (1993)"Hills-Beaver Creek fifth-graders got a taste of TV land Tuesday when they recorded "The Twelve Days of Christmas" for Saturday’s edition of Hot Country Videos.The program, featuring H-BC and their vocal instructor, Jill Fitzsimmons, will air at noon on Christmas Day on the FOX channel." 25 years ago (1978)"Beaver Creek has the good fortune of having ‘Santa Claus and an elf in its midst. Their names are Plona and Lucy Cupery. A walk into their home a week before Christmas is like stepping into a gift store.Dogs; big dogs, little dogs, light colored dogs and dark colored cats and kittens, elephants and even an oversized mouse make up the array of stuffed animals this year."50 years ago (1953)"Several of the service boys from this vicinity, Roger Nelson, Dries Elbers and possibly Stuffy Elbers expect to leave from the Far East for the USA shortly after New Year’s. Arvin Tilstra has returned home a short time, being discharged."75 years ago (1928)"Another double victory for Hills.Last Friday night the boys and girls showed a decided improvement in their playing, when the girls’ and boys’ teams of Jasper High School came to clash with our teams. …Even though Jasper did not win they were good sports. Their yelling squad and ‘pep band’ helped to make up for their defeat."100 years ago (1903)"Carpenters have the new horse barn at the Synod Church enclosed. The structure is 28x80 feet with a gable roof and is a great improvement over the old ‘shacks’ both in appearance and durability. It will accommodate 20 teams and will be of great benefit to farmers who have children attending school here, thereby doing double service."

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 OFCornelia SchouwenburgDECEDENTIt is Ordered and Notice is given that on January 12, 2004 at 9:00 (a.m.) a hearing will be held in this Court at the Rock County Courthouse, 204 East Brown, Luverne, Minnesota, for the formal probate of an instrument purporting to be the will of Decedent, dated March 30, 2001 and codicil (N/A) to the will dated, and separate writing (N/A) under Minn. Stat. 524.2-513 ("Will"), and for the appointment of Ronald Schouwenburg whose address is: 405 S. Church Ave., Box 521, Hills, Minnesota 56138 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. Connell 12/18/2003Timothy K. Connell Judge Date/s/ Sandra L. Vrtacnik 12/18/2003Sandra L. Vrtacnik Court Administrator DateAttorney For Personal RepresentativeDonald R. KlosterbuerSkewes, Klosterbuer & Vajgrt, L.L.P.120 N. McKenzieBox 538Luverne, MN 56156-0538Telephone 507 283-9111Attorney License #56674(12-24, 12-31)

STATE OF MINNESOTA IN DISTRICT COURTCOUNTY OF ROCK FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICTCase Type: Quiet Title ActionCourt File: Gregory A. Eitreim, as Personal Representativeof the Estate of Irid A. Eitreim, Plaintiff,vs.Nancy C. Vikman; Jeffrey D. Eitreim; Gregory A. Eitreim; Donald Eitreim; Warren Eitreim; Milton Eitreim; Shirley Knowlton; Dorothy Oien; Bernice Miller; Mildred Larson; Richard Eitreim; Catheryn Meier; Mary Simco; Loren Eitreim; Ivan Eitreim; Clarice Megard; Gene Eitreim; Marlene Wassenaar; Allen Eitreim; Jerry Eitreim; Mark Eitreim; James Eitreim; Jeannette Fitzgerald; LeAnn Eitreim; Mary Eitreim; and all other person unknown claiming any right, title, estate, interest or lien in the real estate described in the complaint herein, Defendant.SUMMONSTHE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS. You are hereby summoned and required to serve upon Plaintiff’s attorneys an Answer to Complaint, which is filed in the office of the Court Administrator of the above-named county, within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons upon you, exclusive of the day of service. If you fail to do so, judgment by default will be taken against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. This action involves, affects, or brings in question real property situated in the County of Rock, State of Minnesota, described as follows: The One (1) acre in the Northeast corner of the Northeast Quarter (NE1/4) of the Southeast Quarter (SE1/4) of Section Eleven (11), Township One Hundred Two (102) North, Range Forty-seven (47) West of the 5th P.M., County of Rock, State of Minnesota, except the one-half (1/2) square acre tract of land located in the Northeast corner of said tract. The object of this action is to remove, terminate and quiet any interest of the defendants to this action and to the real estate described above. The undersigned hereby acknowledges that sanctions may be awarded pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 549.211. Dated this 10th day of December, 2003./s/ Douglas E. EismaDOUGLAS E. EISMAAttorney at Law130 E. Main, PO Box 625Luverne, MN 56156(507) 283-4828FAX (507) 283-9188Attorney ID No. 158343(12-24, 12-31)

Paul Boom Sr., 85, Ellsworth, formerly of Luverne, died Sunday, Dec. 21, 2003, at Park View Manor Nursing Home in Ellsworth. Services were Wednesday, Dec. 24, at American Reformed Church in Luverne. The Rev. David Sikkema officiated. Burial was in Beaver Creek Cemetery in Beaver Creek. Paul Boom Sr. was born to Chris and Sarah (Miersma) Boom on Oct. 24, 1918, in Hills. He attended rural school. After his schooling he helped on the family farm. He married Marian Dodeward on Aug. 5, 1942, at Lester, Iowa. After their marriage, they farmed near Lester for six years. They moved to a farm near Beaver Creek in 1950. After they retired from farming, they moved to Luverne. They moved to Park View Manor Nursing Home in 2001.Mr. Boom was a member of American Reformed Church in Luverne. Survivors include one son, Marlin (Mary) Boom, Ellsworth; two daughters, Cheryl (George) Krumholz, Richfield, and Connie (Robert) Melton, Worthington; 11 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; one brother, Louis (Ann) Boom, Rock Rapids, Iowa; and three sisters, Winnie Van Engen, Hull, Iowa, Sarah Bowman, Brandon, S.D., and LuBertha Boom, Lester.Mr. Boom was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Marian, on Feb. 8, 2002, one son, Paul Boom, Jr., one great-granddaughter, Kaylon Metzger, one brother and one sister. Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

Santa’s going to be in townSanta has agreed to stop in Luverne on Saturday, Dec. 20.Santa, along with Mrs. Claus, will be walking up and down Luverne’s Main Street beginning about 2 p.m. This will be Santa’s second visit to Luverne. He also was in town last Saturday.State troopers crack down on seatbelt violatorsThe latest crackdown by the Minnesota Highway Patrol to help put people in the habit of wearing their seatbelts took place from Nov. 19 through Dec. 1.The troopers, out of the Marshall office, stopped more than 200 motorists, and issued 172 seatbelt tickets during the Safe & Sober enhanced enforcement campaign.According to Lt. Brian L. West, 70 percent of Minnesota drivers are regularly using their seatbelts when they drive.Getting our share of the ‘pork’The Minneapolis Star Tribune recently published a story about the federal spending (some call it "pork") that came back to Minnesota.On the inside of the publication, the newspaper listed the amount the state has received in 9 categories.Here are the totals:
Defense: $108 million
Grants from departments: $55.6 million
Veterans housing and urban development: $5.14 million
Energy and water: $49.25 million
Military construction: $12.65 million
Transportation: $116.45 million
Health, education and arts: $2.96 million
Justice: $2.85 million
Miscellaneous: $21.32 millionMinnesota households on the riseA recent report from the State Demographic Center reports that Minnesota will increase its number of households by 287,000 between the years 2000 and 2010.Over the next 30 years, an increase of 750,000 households is expected.Approximately two-thirds of the growth is expected to take place in the Twin Cities metro area, so don’t expect the boom to be centered in Luverne.The number of married couples with children under age 18 living at home will decline slightly by 2010, while the number of married couples without children and people living alone will grow substantially. The report already shows a big increase in empty-nesters.After 2010, the aging of baby boomers will produce a sharp increase of elderly people living alone.I suppose you already knew college was getting expensiveA bill currently being considered in Congress would punish colleges financially if they raise their tuition rates too much.With that in mind, the Minneapolis Star Tribune compiled the current tuition rates for Minnesota schools and what the percent of increase their rates are from last year.Here is a list of the top five most expensive Minnesota colleges and their percent of increase over the past two years.First Carleton College: $28,527, up 11.7 percentSecond Macalester College: $25,088, up 11 percentThird St. Olaf College: $23,650, up 11.1 percentFourth Minneapolis College of Art & Design, up 11.4 percentFifth Gustavus Adolphus College: $21,460, up 11.5 percentThe five most inexpensive schools are:First Hennepin Technical college: $3,074, up 22.4 percentSecond Minneapolis Community and Technical College: $3,466, up 25.5 percentThird Metropolitan State University: $3,852, up 23.9 percentFourth Minnesota State University-Moorhead: $4,260, up 25.9 percentFifth Minnesota State University-Mankato: $4,506, up 24.5 percentPublisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

By Lori EhdeBob Latham will be remembered in Luverne as a quiet, effective leader.He died Thursday night at age 62 of an aortic abdominal aneurysm. Steve Perkins, Luverne, gave the eulogy at Latham’s funeral Tuesday. He described Latham as an "uncommonly common" man."It was this ‘uncommonness’ about him that was so great," said Perkins, who was Luverne’s City Administrator in the late 1980s when Latham was a City Council member."He was a listening leader, not a noisy one. As a city administrator, I saw Bob’s quiet leadership carry the day many times. When Bob spoke, like E.F. Hutton, everybody listened. Never haughty or boastful, just uncommonly common."Tom Serie, Luverne, shared business and government ventures with Latham, in addition to a love of flying."I truly liked the guy. Everyone who knew him really liked him," Serie said.The two served City Council and Airport Board together, and even owned an airplane together."He loved flying," said Serie, who agreed with the words in Perkins’ eulogy Tuesday."Uncommonly common pretty much sums it up," Serie said. "Bob was such a quiet leader … He would listen and analyze. He wasn’t a ‘rah-rah’ leader, but his leadership was a matter of making the right choices."Serie said that even though Latham was involved in countless organizations, from public bodies to civic groups, his dedication wasn’t spread thin."Not only did he join all these things, but he was active in them," Serie said."Luverne’s truly going to miss him. His agency is going to miss him."Latham’s son, Mike Latham, has been working with his father at Beaver Creek Mutual Insurance Agency for the past few years."I’ll cherish that," Mike said Monday. "The best thing I ever did was come to work with him."Mike agreed that his father would likely be remembered for wanting to make a difference in Luverne."It’s overwhelming to think about all the things he’s had his hand in the community," he said. "He was dedicated to the community, and he just thought the world of Luverne."He said despite his father’s active role in the community, Mike remembers his father also making time for his family.Bob Latham died around 11:30 p.m. Thursday night in Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls. Latham had been diagnosed a year ago with a brain aneurysm, but when he complained Wednesday of abdominal pain, doctors focused attention on his recent colon infection.By the time he was rushed to Sioux Falls Thursday night, it was too late for a CAT scan to locate the aneurysm for doctors to operate.

By Sara StrongThe Luverne City Council received a recommendation on its search for a new city attorney.City Administrator Greg LaFond said he thought the current attorney’s office, Skewes, Klosterbuer and Vajgrt, Luverne, did a good job with the prosecutions and should remain with the city in that capacity, at a cost of $105 per hour.To keep most of the legal work local, general counsel work would be done by Vander Kooi Law Offices, Luverne, at the cost of $120 per hour.Also a part of staff’s recommendation to the City Council Tuesday was to appoint a special counsel to assist the city attorney in special cases or take over in the case of a conflict of interest.LaFond said appointing a special counsel isn’t necessary, but might keep a relationship with a particular firm open. Flaherty and Hood, St. Paul, was the recommendation at $100 to $110 per hour for attorneys there.Flaherty and Hood represents the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, and has worked with the city of Luverne before in lobbying efforts.The city will likely act on the attorney proposals at its next meeting, Dec. 23. Up until now, Skewes, Klosterbuer and Vajgrt handled all legal matters for the city at an hourly rate of $95. Don Klosterbuer said that when the city and county were both represented by him as city and county attorney, the city was charged half.City water ratesAfter four years of no rate increases, the city of Luverne is considering raising water rates 9.1 percent in 2004. The base fee for most customers will be $10, and $2.16 for water usage up to 20 units.The council will take a final vote on that at its next meeting, after some discussion Tuesday.The next few years have scheduled increases too. 2005 will be 5.1 percent increase; 2006 will be 5 percent; and 2007 will be 4.6 percent.Mayor Glen Gust said he hoped by then, that the city could level off the increases, considering the next few years will bring 23.8 percent more water costs to customers.Finance Officer Barb Berghorst said it’s important to note that the increases are funding depreciation on the costly city water equipment. With this kind of financial planning, customers won’t have big increases after the first few years, and the city can afford upkeep and replacements. A new water tower costs about $1 million, for example, and Luverne’s current water tower was built in the 1940s and is near the end of its usefulness.

By Lori EhdeThe Rock County Board of Commissioners approved an ordinance Tuesday making it illegal to inhabit a building that housed a meth lab until after it’s been cleaned.The ordinance, recommended by Nobles-Rock Public Health, would also make homeowners liable for cleanup costs.When local law enforcement seize drugs and methamphetamine labs from a home, the Minnesota Drug Enforcement Agency removes drugs hazardous materials, and the state pays for that work.But before it’s safe to live there again, Public Health officials say it needs a good housecleaning.Rock County Sheriff Mike Winkels agrees with the ordinance, especially with regard to rental properties."We bust the druggies, they go to jail, and someone else rents the property," he said. "The new renters don’t even know what’s there … What hazard is still there?"Winkels said there have been four meth labs seized in Rock County homes in the past two years.The ordinance, among other things, puts the burden of cleanup — and associated costs — on property ownersIn its recommendation to the County Board, the Health Board wrote, "We are estimating that each clandestine lab incident could consume up to three days of Public Health Director and Sanitarian time with the potential cost of $840."No additional money is being allocated to Nobles-Rock Public Health Services for the enforcement of this proposed ordinance …"Commissioners adopted the ordinance, which becomes effective in January, but had questions about its fairness to property owners.Commissioner Richard Bakken said meth manufacturers are attracted to rural rental properties because of their remote locations and hands-off landlords."There are a lot of properties owned by little old ladies who don’t have much knowledge of what’s going on out there," Bakken said.Commissioner Jane Wildung also pointed out that landowners are bound to act within the law as far as reasons for evicting tenants.The board agreed to work with law enforcement townships to try to find solutions for the cost of cleanup for homeowners – particularly for properties that have no value.