By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Redbirds ran their season-long winning streak to five straight games with a pair of victories on Father’s Day Sunday.Luverne edged Hadley by two runs in Hadley Sunday afternoon before returning to Luverne to edge Pipestone by one run Sunday evening.The 8-1 Redbirds will play at the Green Isle Tournament Friday through Sunday.Luverne 4, Hadley 2The Redbirds put together a three-run fourth inning to set the stage for a two-run victory during Sunday’s first game in Hadley.The teams played to a scoreless draw through three innings before Luverne opened scoring in the top of the fourth.Derek Ohme doubled and scored, Eric Edstrom reached base on a fielder’s choice and scored and Ben Winkels singled and scored during the rally.Hadley plated a single run in the bottom of the fourth before Winkels singled and scored on a double from Jeff Sehr to make it a 4-1 game in the top of the sixth.The Buttermakers produced the game’s final run in the bottom of the sixth.Jon Jarchow tossed the first six innings to pick up the win. He allowed two runs (one was earned), five hits and three walks while recording four strikeouts. Ohme tossed a scoreless seventh inning to register a save.Box score AB R H BIOhme 3 1 1 0Edstrom 3 1 0 0Winkels 3 2 2 0Weber 3 0 0 0Fisher 0 0 0 0J.Sehr 3 0 1 2M.Sehr 2 0 0 0Schneider 1 0 0 0Iveland 2 0 1 0Sandbulte 2 0 0 0Jarchow 3 0 1 0Luverne 3, Pipestone 2An RBI single by Tony Sandbulte in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Redbirds a one-run home win over the A’s Sunday evening.Pipestone erased a 2-0 deficit by scoring twice in the top of the sixth inning, but Sandbulte settled the issue in the bottom of the seventh.Mike Wenninger, who was the winning pitcher for Luverne along with slapping three hits at the plate, singled to start the seventh-inning rally. One out later, Winkels singled and Luke Iveland walked to load the sacks for Sandbulte, who singled home the game-winning run.Wenninger opened the scoring when he belted a solo homer to lead off the second inning. Iveland singled and scored on an error to make it a 2-0 game in the fifth.Wenninger fanned four of the five batters he faced in a relief performance that netted him the win.Travis Arends pitched the first five and one-third innings, allowing two runs, three hits and three walks. Arends struck out six batters.Box score AB R H BIOhme 2 0 1 0Edstrom 3 0 0 0J.Sehr 3 0 0 0Wenninger 3 2 3 1Arends 0 0 0 0Weber 3 0 1 0Winkels 3 0 1 0Iveland 2 1 1 0Sandbulte 3 0 1 1Eernisse 2 0 0 0

Luverne senior Jake Studer prepares to swing at an offering from St. Cloud Cathedral pitcher Josh Hollenhorst while players from the Crusaders’ bench look on during Thursday’s Minnesota State Class AA Baseball Tournament quarterfinal-round game at Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud. Cathedral topped the Cardinals 4-2 and went on to win the state championship with two more wins.By John RittenhouseLuverne’s impressive post-season run came to an end with a 0-2 performance during the Minnesota State Class AA Baseball Tournament in St. Cloud Thursday.The Cardinals dropped a two-run decision to St. Cloud Cathedral during the quarterfinals before falling by five runs to La Crescent in the first round of consolation play.Luverne ends the 2003 campaign with a 16-11 record.SCC 4, Luverne 2The Cardinals drew the unenviable task of playing the tournament’s top team when they met the Crusaders in Thursday’s quarterfinals at Joe Faber Field.SSC, the team that beat Luverne 6-4 in the 2001 championship game, bested the Cardinals by two runs in what turned into another state championship for the Crusaders.The 4-2 win over the Cards proved to be the closest test SCC would receive during the tournament as it topped Perham 6-0 in the semifinals and Breck 12-2 in the finals.A strong pitching performance by Josh Hollenhorst and some timely hitting in the game’s early stages by SCC snapped what was a seven-game winning streak for LHS.Hollenhorst pitched all seven innings for the Crusaders, limiting the Cards to four hits and five walks. Hollenhorst fanned three batters. Both runs he was charged with were unearned.Jesse Kuhlman tossed a strong game for Luverne, but control problems haunted the senior in the early stages of the game.After blanking the Crusaders in the first inning and recording the first out of the second frame, Kuhlman hit SCC’s Scott Halupczok before walking Adam Koopmeiners to place runners on first and second.Brian Zawacki then singled home the first run of the game before the next SCC batter popped out to third baseman Adam Kurtz. Crusader Brian Knoblauch singled to right field to chase home the second run of the inning before Mike Schmidt walked to load the bases. The first of two fielding errors in the game by LHS allowed the third run to score before the final batter of the second inning bounced out to Kuhlman.Good fortune shone on SCC when it scored a single run in the bottom of the third to make it 4-0.Hollenhorst started the inning by lifting a fly ball that landed in fair territory by two feet. The ball skipped away from right fielder Nick Uilk, allowing Hollenhorst to stretch the bloop hit into a double.SCC’s courtesy runner for Hollenhorst advanced to third on a fly ball to right field by Halupczok before scoring on a sacrifice fly to left field by Koopmeiners.While SCC was scoring runs in the early innings, the Cardinals were losing offensive opportunities on the base paths. Three LHS runners were picked off at first base in the first four innings of the game.Jake Studer drew a two-out walk in the top of the first and Mark Remme walked with one out in the second, but Hollenhorst, a right-hander, picked them both off at first base. Uilk drew a walk to start the fourth inning. One out later, Koopmeiners, the catcher, threw out a straying Uilk at first base after receiving a pitch from Hollenhorst.Moments after Uilk was tossed out at first, Kurtz lined a double to left field that may have scored Uilk from first.Kuhlman, who limited SCC to a pair of hits after the third inning, walked three batters with two outs in the fifth inning to load the bases. When he recorded his lone strikeout of the game to escape the jam, it gave the Cardinals momentum that led to a two-run top of the sixth.Zach Wysong reached base on an infield single to start the rally, but he was forced out at second base when Joey Pick reached first on a fielder’s choice.Canaan Petersen, the courtesy runner for Pick, moved to second when Uilk reached base on an error. One out later, Kurtz lined his second double of the game to left field to plate Petersen and Uilk. Remme then singled to right field to give LHS runners on first and third, but Remme was forced out at second base when a bouncer off the bat of Aaron Schmidt never left the infield.Luverne was retired in order in the top of the seventh inning, ending the 4-2 game.Kuhlman allowed five hits and five walks during his six-inning stint on the hill. Three of the four runs he surrendered were earned.Box score AB R H BIJo.Pick 3 0 0 0Petersen 0 1 0 0Uilk 2 1 0 0Studer 2 0 0 0Kurtz 3 0 2 2Remme 2 0 1 0Schmidt 3 0 0 0Reisch 2 0 0 0Kuhlman 3 0 0 0Wysong 2 0 1 0Jr.Pick 0 0 0 0La Crescent 7,Luverne 2Luverne’s season came to an end with a five-run loss to the Lancers at Joe Faber Field Thursday evening.The Cardinals led 2-1 after four and one-half innings of play, but La Crescent put together a six-run fifth inning that gave the Lancers a five-run win.La Crescent went on to beat Waconia 8-4 in Friday’s consolation championship game.The pitching of La Crescent’s Brad Bjerk proved to be too much for the Cardinals to overcome Thursday.Bjerk, a hard-throwing right-hander, fanned 11 LHS batters in seven innings. He walked one batter, allowed two hits and one earned run.La Crescent opened the scoring in the home half of the first inning.Bjerk doubled to left field with two outs and scored when Luke Shimshak doubled to left moments later.After being set down in order during the first two innings, Luverne managed to break through and score two runs to take a 2-1 edge in the top of the third.Adam Reisch drew a walk and Kuhlman singled to center field to start the rally. After Wysong laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners to second and third, Pick produced an infield chopper that was misplayed by the La Crescent second baseman. Reisch scored on the play, Kuhlman moved to third and Pick gained first base.Uilk then chopped a ball that was fielded by Bjerk. Instead of trying to make a play on Kuhlman, who was racing home from third base, the Lancer pitcher tossed to second base to force out pinch-runner Petersen. When Uilk beat the relay throw to first base, he received credit for the go-ahead RBI.The score remained 2-1 until the bottom of the fifth, when La Crescent scored six times to settle the issue.Jared Pick, who limited the Lancers to three hits and one run through four innings as Luverne’s starting pitcher, looked to be in good shape when he induced the first batter in the fifth to fly out to left field.Pick, however, walked the next two batters before giving way on the mound to Kurtz.Kurtz, who notched one win and four saves during the Section 3AA Tournament, ran out of luck during the two-on, one-out situation he inherited against the Lancers.Matt Tuka, the first batter Kurtz faced, lined a single to tie the game at two.Bjerk then fouled out to catcher Joey Pick for the second out of the inning. Shimshak, the next batter, dribbled a bouncer that was fielded by Kurtz, but the Cardinal pitcher couldn’t throw to first base in time to get out Shimshak. Scott Curran, the runner at second base when the play began, kept running when he reached first base and scored the second run of the inning to make it 3-2.La Cresent’s Zach Schoh slapped a run-scoring single to center field that plated Tuka before Kurtz walked Sean Siebold to load the bases. Another walk to Dan Wieser forced home the fourth run of the inning, and an infield error by the Cardinals allowed the final two runs to come home.After scoring two runs in the third, Luverne was limited to a single by Remme the rest of the game.Jared Pick took the loss after allowing three earned runs in four and one-third innings of work on the mound. He surrendered three hits and three walks while fanning two batters.Kurtz allowed four runs (two were earned), three hits and three walks while tossing one and two-thirds innings of relief.Box score AB R H BIJo.Pick 3 0 0 0Petersen 0 0 0 0Uilk 3 0 0 1Boen 0 0 0 0Studer 3 0 0 0Kurtz 3 0 0 0Remme 3 0 1 0Schmidt 3 0 0 0Reisch 1 1 0 0Kuhlman 2 1 1 0Wysong 1 0 0 0Jr.Pick 0 0 0 0Goembel 0 0 0 0

By John RittenhouseThe Hills Thunder couldn’t produce a win when the local amateur baseball team played Luverne twice late last week.The Thunder dropped an 11-1 decision to the Redbirds in Luverne Wednesday, June 11. Hills entertained Luverne for a game Saturday and came up on the short end of a 9-0 tally.Hills sported a 2-6 record after the setbacks.Luverne 11, Hills 1Hills’ pitchers couldn’t silence Luverne’s bats during a 10-run loss at Redbird Field June 11.The Redbirds scored at least one run in all seven innings of a game that ended after seven innings of play due to the 10-run rule.Single runs in the first three innings gave the hosts an early cushion before Hills produced a run in the top of the fourth to make it a 3-1 difference.Cade Lang singled and scored on an error for Hills.Luverne answered with one run in the bottom of the fourth before plating a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth innings before ending the game with a three-run seventh.Jared Lang took the pitching loss for the Thunder.Chad Rauk turned in a two-hit performance for Hills, doubling in the fifth inning and slapping a single in the seventh.Box score AB R H BIJ.Lang 4 0 0 0C.Lang 3 1 1 0S.Harnack 2 0 1 0E.Harnack 2 0 0 0Sammons 3 0 1 0Van Maanen 3 0 0 0Rauk 3 0 2 0Jellema 3 0 0 0C.Harnack 3 0 1 0Luverne 9, Hills 0Hills could not push a run across the plate during Saturday’s home game against the Redbirds.Two Luverne pitchers tossed a combined eight-hit shutout through nine innings.Luverne plated four runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back the rest of the way. The Redbirds put together two-run third and fourth frames before capping the scoring with one run in the ninth.Matt Funke and Wade Jellema registered two hits each for the Thunder.Funke singled in the first and third innings. Jellema singled in the seventh and ninth frames.Rauk took the loss for Hills.Box score AB R H BIC.Lang 4 0 0 0Funke 4 0 2 0S.Harnack 3 0 1 0E.Harnack 3 0 0 0Sammons 4 0 1 0Rauk 4 0 1 0Van Maanen 4 0 1 0Jellema 4 0 2 0C.Harnack 4 0 0 0Top 0 0 0 0

Hills-Beaver Creek High School sophomore Zach Wysong fires a throw to first base during Thursday’s consolation game of the Minnesota State Class AA Baseball Tournament in St. Cloud. Wysong and the Luverne Cardinal team went 0-2 at the state tournament, ending a 16-11 season.By John RittenhouseZach Wysong and the Luverne Cardinals were unable to win a state championship at the Minnesota State Class AA Baseball Tournament in St. Cloud Thursday.The Section 3AA champs opened the tournament by having a seven-game winning streak snapped at the hands of the St. Cloud Cathedral Crusaders.A season-ending five-run loss to La Crescent in the consolation bracket ended Luverne’s 16-11 campaign.Wysong and the Cards can take comfort in the fact that they lost to a pair of title-earning teams.After beating LHS 4-2 in the quarterfinals, SCC went on to beat Perham 6-0 before winning the state championship game (12-2) against Breck Friday.La Crescent, which beat LHS 7-2 in the first round of consolation play, bested Waconia 8-4 to win the consolation championship.Wysong was plagued by a pair of errors in the field, but he played roles in both of Luverne’s scoring innings during the tournament.The Cards trailed 4-0 heading into the top half of the sixth inning against SCC, and Wysong led the frame off with a single. He eventually was forced out at second base, but Luverne went on to score two runs in the sixth to cut SCC’s lead in half.Wysong went hitless during a five-run loss to La Crescent, but he did help the Cards take a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning.Adam Reisch walked and Jesse Kuhlman singled before Wysong laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved the runners to third and second base respectively.Both Reisch and Kuhlman scored before the inning was complete, and the Cards remained in front 2-1 before La Crescent scored six runs in the bottom of the fifth to cap the scoring.

ISD #2184 School Board meets May 22MAY 22, 2003MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SCHOOL BOARD MEETING OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 2184, ROCK COUNTY, LUVERNE, MINNESOTA. A regular meeting of the Board of Education, ISD #2184, was held in the MS/HS Media Center on Thursday, May 22, 2003, at 7:30 p.m. The following members were present: Don Bryan, Colleen Deutsch, Dan Kopp, Cary Radisewitz, Bill Stegemann, Steve Tofteland and Becky Walgrave. Also present: Superintendent Vince Schaefer, Marlene Mann, Stacy Gillette, Melody Tenhoff, Jane Cote, Wendy Nath, Debrah Vander Kooi, Matt Crosby, K101/KQAD Radio, and Lori Ehde, Rock County Star Herald.The meeting was called to order by Chairperson Dan Kopp. Mr. Schaefer gave announcements including there is an addendum to the agenda. Motion by Stegemann, second by Radisewitz, to approve the agenda and addendum. Motion unanimously carried. Administrative reports were given.Motion by Bryan, second by Deutsch, to approve the consent agenda including the School Board minutes of May 8, 2003; and the Student Activity Report showing the balances as of April 30, 2003. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Radisewitz, second by Walgrave, to approve payment of the District bills in the amount of $857,044.46. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Stegemann, second by Deutsch, to approve the summer curriculum work schedule as presented by Jan Olson. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Deutsch, second by Bryan, to approve the summer school contract with Dale Nelson for 4 weeks of band instruction at a salary of $5,245.00. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Stegemann, second by Walgrave, to approve the summer school contract with Dennis Moritz for 5 weeks of agriculture instruction at a salary of $5,133.00. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Deutsch, second by Radisewitz, to approve the Special Education Summer School program as presented. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Walgrave, second by Deutsch, to approve the SW/WC Service Cooperative Summer Contract for 7 hours of Occupational Therapy at a cost of $1,977.50. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Tofteland, second by Stegemann, to approve the Rock County Family Community Support Treatment Agreement for the Day Treatment program. This agreement will run from January 1, 2003, through December 31, 2003. Motion unanimously carried. Business Manager Marlene Mann reviewed the equipment requisitions that have been received from the Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and Alternative School. She also reviewed the technology budget expenditures. Motion by Stegemann, second by Bryan, to approve these purchases as presented. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Radisewitz, second by Deutsch, to table action on the Lease Agreement with Dave Breyfogle until the June 12 meeting. Discussion was held regarding some items in the Lease Agreement as well as the impact this lease may have on the CRP program. Motion unanimously carried.Motion by Stegemann, second by Walgrave, to approve the Special Education Statement of Assurances. Motion unanimously carried. Motion by Bryan, second by Walgrave, to accept the resignation of Scott Jacobson, second grade teacher. Motion unanimously carried.Motion by Stegemann, second by Deutsch, to accept the resignation of Kirsten Eisma effective June 3, 2003. Motion carried. Motion by Radisewitz, second by Deutsch, to approve hiring Tessa Lyle as Early Childhood: Special Needs teacher/coordinator. The contract is offered at a 70% minimum. Depending on the number of students, this may increase to 100%. Motion unanimously carried.Committee reports were given. It was noted there will be a Facilities Committee meeting immediately following the school board meeting. Motion by Radisewitz, second by Bryan, to adjourn the meeting. Motion unanimously carried. Dated: May 22, 2003William Stegemann, Clerk(6-19)

10 years ago (1993)"The Palace Theatre in downtown Luverne could be in for some changes in the coming months. The Blue Mound Area Theatre Board confirmed Wednesday that a private party has inquired about buying the building.The board said they have hired an appraiser to evaluate the property, but they’ve made no decisions about actually selling it."25 years ago (1978)"A feasibility study is underway to consider a new county building for the Southwestern Mental Health Center, Rock County Family Services and perhaps Great Plains Nursing Service.The county board took another significant step Tuesday when they hired the Spitznagel Partners Inc., Sioux Falls, architectural and engineering firm, to make a feasibility study for a county human services building."50 years ago (1953)"Rock County’s crops perhaps never looked better at this time of year, still there’s a dark spot in the picture. County Agent Luehr reported Tuesday.‘Green bugs,’ a name commonly given an aphid which is a type of plant lice, have been found in the county. This is the insect which caused considerable loss of small grain in South Dakota a year or two ago, the county agent said."75 years ago (1928)"In excess of seven hundred bona fide Agders, including many from unexpectedly distant points, were in attendance at the 3rd annual Agder-Laget, which opened Friday in this city and came to a close Sunday afternoon. Among these were former residents of the most southern part of Norway, who are residing in Canada and Washington, as well as a surprisingly large number from out of the county points in this state, in Wisconsin, Iowa, North and South Dakota and Illinois."100 years ago (1903)"James Fitzgerald and Perry Arnett, Martin Township farmers, have bought gasoline engines. The greater convenience of gasoline engines over windmills is coming to be more generally appreciated and an increasingly large number of engines are being used."

After years of study and research, statistics have proven that there are two methods of getting up and getting ready for work in the morning. This is method one: Set the alarm clock for 90 minutes prior to work time. Hit the snooze alarm 30 times, then pop out of bed at the last possible minute and get ready. April (children’s librarian) said she can rise 10 minutes before work starts and still be on time. I’m thinking that’s two minutes in the shower, one minute for "other" bathroom things, four minutes to apply styling products to the hair and one minute to style. That leaves one minute for makeup and one minute to drive to the library. I (library director) happen to be a follower of method two: I set my alarm to go off 90 minutes before work begins. I pop right out of bed, brush my teeth, wash my face, grab a cup of coffee, and sit down on the couch to relax. After the first cup of coffee I "get ready" — 15 minutes in the bathtub, 10 minutes for hair, 10 minutes for makeup (I obviously need more help than April) and 10 minutes to dress. Then I sit down and relax with another cup of coffee. Then I putz around the house, doing dishes or laundry, watering the plants, playing with the bird, checking the garden. By then I’m ready to face the workday. Some people may wonder why an individual would have to relax immediately after waking from a full night’s sleep. It does seem unusual. Barb (assistant librarian) is a method two person, but only after she gets the boys off to school. My niece, Michele gets up two hours before work starts so she can relax and putz. The loving husband is a method one person. He can get up at 7:30, get ready and be to work in Sioux Falls by 8:00 ... that’s a two-minute shower, one-minute "other" and one minute dressing. That leaves 26 minutes to get from our house to his bank in Sioux Falls. It’s do-able. More important than your getting-up schedule, is your going-to-bed schedule. Be sure to leave plenty of time for reading once you hit the sack. No Second Chance by Harlan Coban, is sure to keep you reading way into the night. Marc Seidman awakens to find himself in an ICU, hooked up to an IV, his head swathed in bandages. Twelve days earlier, he had an enviable life as a successful surgeon, living in a peaceful suburban neighborhood with his beautiful wife and a baby he adored. Now he lies in a hospital bed, shot by an unseen assailant. His wife has been killed, and his six-month-old daughter, Tara, has vanished. But just when his world seems forever shattered, something arrives to give Marc new hope: a ransom note. "We are watching. If you contact the authorities, you will never see your daughter again. There will be no second chance."The note is chilling, but Marc sees only one thing — a chance to save his daughter. He can't talk to the police or the FBI. He doesn't know whom he can trust. And now the authorities are closing in on a new suspect: Marc himself. Mired in a deepening quicksand of deception and deadly secrets, he clings to one, unwavering vow: to bring Tara home, at any cost. Alert: Mark your calendars…the library will be closed on Thursday, June 26, until 2:00 p.m. We are switching automation systems for cataloging, circulation and public access. The librarians will be in training that day. The migration to the new system includes all 25 libraries in the nine counties that belong to Plum Creek.

Cookie lovers should sleep better these days. A frivolous lawsuit to ban Oreo cookies in California has been dropped like a ton of lard. Stephen Joseph, the British-born attorney who filed the suit against Kraft Foods Inc. last month, said he only wanted to make people more aware of trans fats in our foods. What he didn’t take into consideration is that, for many of us, our love for Oreos transcends any fears we might have of hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Fats happen and we must swallow that fact. Oreos, tasty chocolate wafer cookies lovingly bonded together with creamy frosting, have become a comfort food for many of us. From our early childhoods to the present, we have been fully aware of the benefits of the little sandwich cookies. For example, the makers of Oreos have enhanced our holidays with exciting varieties of festive frosting colors. We expect to see orange-colored frosting fillings for Halloween and red frosting for Christmas. All of the many other frosting colors have enriched our appreciation for the holidays and seasons more than we can possibly imagine. Oreos are better coffee or milk dippers than doughnuts, pieces of pie or chunks of cake. While those other Oreo wannabes become soggy, break apart and plummet like space debris into our beverages, Oreos both soak up well and maintain their original shapes. In this sense they are a perfect food. Another advantage of Oreos is that they teach children everything they should know about sharing. They learn quickly that sharing isn’t necessarily a synonym for equal. It’s not always fair. Just ask any younger sibling who was always stuck with the unfrosted sides when Oreos were divided in halves. (In self defense I would suggest that as older siblings kind enough to do the sharing in the first place, we more or less deserved to be rewarded with the frosted halves.) Oreos have taught most of us to save the best for last. Eat the plain half of the Oreo before the frosted side. This also ties in perfectly with the Calvinist idea of suffering before you can enjoy. When compared to other questionable foods such as fried liver with onions, boiled beef tongues or lima beans, Oreos provide the best culinary way to celebrate the pursuit of happiness, one of our basic freedoms. Now that the lawsuit in California has been dropped, our country no longer faces the possibility of being torn into two groups — Oreo dunkers and Oreo debunkers. The dropped lawsuit should also serve to remind us that so-called junk foods shouldn’t be treated like much-maligned cigarettes in our courtrooms. After all, no innocent bystander has become sick from second-hand exposure to chocolate wafers or creamy frosting fillings. They may wish they had Oreos and drool a bit, but it’s only temporary. The Oreo lawsuit in California raises one important question. Who appointed Stephen Joseph to be head of our cookie police, anyway? We like our Oreos and we don’t want people to mess with them. That’s the truth and that’s the way the cookie crumbles.

In the recent weeks some of you may have heard or read that Ken Burns and his Florentine Film Company is doing a World War II film and part of the coverage includes Rock County. For those who are not familiar with Ken Burn’s work you may have seen some or all of the following on public television; the 10 part series on the Civil War, History of Baseball, or the Jazz Music History. You may have watched some or all of them.If you have any memorabilia from the World War II days, they are interested, "they" meaning the Florentine Film Company. Such things as home movies made during the War years, ration stamps, letters from loved ones overseas. If you have any of these or still pictures get them to Ray Nelson, Bob Kirsch or Warren Herreid. You will get them returned. The initial visit from representatives from Florentine Films will be in the area in early July, the week after the Fourth. This is an incredible opportunity for Luverne, Hills and all of Rock County to get nationwide visibility. The film series is projected to be shown in 2006. That sounds like a long time away but it is less than three years from now. You can call me a most interested former resident, minor historian and someone who cherishes our past. Your help in whatever way would only enhance the background research and ultimately the film series itself. Thanks!Col. Jim FlemingEdina