Luverne-Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth senior Canaan Petersen (top) looks for ways to score points against Jackson County Central’s Kent Scheff during Thursday’s Southwest Conference wrestling match in Luverne. The Cardinals beat JCC 54-25 for a Parents’ Night crowd.

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne-Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth wrestling team broke into the win column in Southwest Conference competition by beating Jackson County Central by 29 points in Luverne Friday.

The 3-16 Cardinals were scheduled to open the 3AA Team Tournament against Pipestone in Westbrook Tuesday, but the match was postponed until tonight.

The 11th-seeded Cardinals take on No. 6 Pipestone at 6 p.m. The site of the match has been switched to Lamberton.

L-H-BC-E 54, JCC 25
The Cardinals avoided a winless SWC campaign by beating the Huskies by 29 points during Thursday’s Parents’ Night match in Luverne.

After giving away at least three forfeits per match most of the season, L-H-BC-E was able to field a complete team while reaping the benefits of six forfeits offered by JCC.

The match turned into L-H-BC-E’s favor after JCC’s Jordan Burmeister beat Dusty Seachris by technical fall at 135 pounds to give the Huskies a 22-12 lead.

L-H-BC-E scored team points in seven of the final eight weight classes, including five forfeits, while outscoring JCC 42-3.

The match ended with Cardinals Joel Evans (1:15 over Levi Kruse at 215) and Cody Jagow (1:04 over Jared Knips at heavyweight) recording pins.

JCC’s lone win in the final eight matches came from Kent Scheff, who nipped Canaan Petersen at 160 pounds.

JCC took an 11-0 lead when Sterling Bargfrede pinned Mike Fletcher in 1:42 at 103 and Nate Hodenfield beat Mike Van Wyhe by technical fall before L-H-BC-E’s Anthony Boyenga pinned Corey Dehn in 3:29 to make it an 11-6 difference.

JCC’s Justin Kolander pinned Kerry Fink in 1:34 at 125 before L-H-BC-E received its first forfeit of the night at 130.

Match wrap-up
103 (J) Bargfrede pins Fletcher.
112 (J) Hodenfield t.f. Van Wyhe.
119 (L) Boyenga pins Dehn.
125 (J) Kolander pins Fink.
130 (L) Aaker by forfeit.
135 (J) Burmeister t.f. Seachris.
140 (L) Mann by forfeit.
145 (L) Meyer by forfeit.
152 (L) Je.Saravia by forfeit.
160 (J) Scheff dec. Petersen.
171 (L) Jo.Saravia by forfeit.
189 (L) Cronberg by forfeit.
215 (L) Evans pins Kruse.
275 (L) Jagow pins Knips.

By John Rittenhouse
A five-goal performance by sophomore Natalie Domagala wasn’t enough to extend the season for the Luverne girls’ hockey team Saturday.
The 12th-seeded Cardinals took on No. 4 Austin in a quarterfinal-round game of the Section 1A Tournament in Austin on Saturday.
Luverne, coming off its first post-season victory in program history five days earlier, was unable pull off an upset as the Cards came up on the short end of a 7-5 decision.
The loss ends Luverne’s 9-13 campaign, while Austin advanced to Tuesday’s tournament semifinals played in St. Peter.
Domagala, who recently scored her 100th-career goal, did her best to keep the Cardinals in the game with her five-goal effort.
Unfortunately for LHS, Austin received a four-goal effort from Courtney Hughes and counters from three other players while ousting the Cards from the tournament.
Hughes and Kati Radford-Garcia scored goals for the hosts in the first 8:03 of the game before Domagala found the net with 3:41 remaining in the first period after being set up by Stephanie Morgan to make it a 2-1 game.
Jenny Nemitz answered for Austin with 2:32 remaining in the first period to make it a 3-1 difference.
Jenny Braa and Natalie Morgan set up Domagala’s second goal of the game 45 seconds into the second period to make it a one-goal difference, but Kristen Faber and Hughes found the net before the second period was complete to give the hosts a 5-2 lead.
Hughes scored a power-play goal 24 seconds into the third period, but Domagala countered with a goal with 9:55 remaining after being set up by Natalie Morgan to make the score 6-3.
Hughes increased Austin’s lead to 7-3 with a goal at the 8:44 mark of the final period. Domagala scored two more goals with assists going to Maggie Vanden Hoek and Stephanie Morgan as the third period progressed, but it wasn’t enough to catch the hosts.
Luverne outshot Austin 33-30 in the game. Alyssa Wieneke made 23 saves for the Cards.

By John Rittenhouse
The Adrian girls’ basketball team locked up its second consecutive Red Rock Conference championship by winning a pair of games in Edgerton.

The Dragons beat Edgerton Public by 21 points to gain a share of the RRC crown Thursday before clinching the title with a 12-point win over Southwest Christian.

Adrian, 17-3 overall and 14-0 in the league, ends the regular season by hosting Hills-Beaver Creek tonight before playing in Slayton Monday.

Adrian 56, SWC 44
The Dragons sewed up their second straight RRC title by besting the E-Gals by 12 points in Edgerton Tuesday.

AHS outscored SWC in each of the first three quarters and was never challenged in the final eight minutes of play.

The game was up for grabs at halftime as Adrian sported 11-10 and 22-18 edges at the first two quarter breaks, but the Dragons outscored the hosts 19-9 in the third period to open a 41-27 lead that was trimmed by two points at game’s end.

Maria Gengler, who led the third-quarter charge with 11 points, recorded a double-double with 24 points and 14 rebounds. Andrea Lonneman chipped in 11 points and five assists for the winners. Kylie Heronimus recorded six rebounds and four steals, while Jenna Honermann chipped in five assists and four steals.

Box score
Heronimus 3 0 2-2 8, Honermann 2 0 4-9 8, Cox 2 0 1-2 5, Lonneman 5 0 1-2 11, Gengler 9 0 6-9 24.

Team statistics
Adrian: 21 of 56 field goals (38 percent), 14 of 24 free throws (58 percent), 25 rebounds, 15 turnovers.
SWC: 19 of 42 field goals (45 percent), three of eight free throws (38 percent), 17 rebounds, 19 turnovers.

Adrian 61,
Edgerton 40
The Dragon girls dominated play while coasting to a 21-point win over the Flying Dutchmen in Edgerton Thursday.

Adrian opened an 18-point halftime lead (35-17) and extended the difference to 30 points (53-23) by outscoring Edgerton 18-6 in the third period.

The Flying Dutchmen outscored Adrian’s reserves 17-8 in the fourth quarter, but the game had been settled at that point.

"We played extremely well," said Dragon coach Randy Strand. "We made 61 percent of our field goals, and we did a decent job defensively, too."

Lonneman scored 11 of her team-high 23 points to help AHS open a 15-7 lead in the first quarter. She also had six rebounds in the game.

Gengler scored 20 points to go along with seven rebounds and four blocked shots. Heronimus dished out 13 assists. Honermann recorded 10 assists and six steals.

Box score
Heronimus 1 0 3-5 5, Honermann 2 0 1-1 5, A.Henning 1 0 0-0 2, Cox 1 0 0-0 2, Lonneman 9 0 5-6 23, Gengler 10 0 0-2 20, Mulder 2 0 0-1 4.

Team statistics
Adrian: 26 of 43 field goals (61 percent), nine of 15 free throws (60 percent), 20 rebounds, 20 turnovers.
Edgerton: 15 of 51 field goals (29 percent), 10 of 15 free throws (67 percent), 30 rebounds, 28 turnovers.

Hills-Beaver Creek junior post Trey Van Wyhe lets go of a shot in front of Sioux Falls Christian’s Dustin Warntjes during Monday’s boys’ basketball game in Hills. The Patriots beat SFC and Southwest Christian to extend their winning streak to 10 games.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek boys’ basketball team owns a 10-game winning streak after besting a pair of foes since Friday.

H-BC earned a share of the Red Rock Conference championship by topping Southwest Christian by four points in Edgerton Friday. The Patriots beat Sioux Falls Christian by three points in Hills Monday.
The 17-4 Patriots can win the RRC crown with a win in Adrian Tuesday.

H-BC 59, SFC 56
The Patriots came out on top by three points in a hard-fought game against the Chargers in Hills Monday.

SFC stunned the Patriots by taking 9-6 and 25-23 leads at the first two quarter breaks, but H-BC rallied to outscore the Chargers 36-31 in the second half to prevail by three.

H-BC moved in front by two points (37-35) by outscoring SFC 14-10 in the second period. The Patriots led by as many as 10 points in the fourth quarter before SFC made some late threes to make it a three-point difference in the end.

Trey Van Wyhe and Kale Wiertzema led H-BC’s second half charge. Van Wyhe, who led the winners with nine rebounds, scored 12 of his team-high 22 points in the third and fourth quarters. Wiertzema scored nine of his 12 points in the second half. He also charted seven assists and six rebounds.

Tyson Metzger added seven rebounds to H-BC’s cause.

Box score
Bush 0 0 7-8 7, Wysong 0 0 0-0 0, Roozenboom 1 0 0-0 2, Broesder 0 0 2-2 2, Wiertzema 1 2 4-7 12, Metzger 1 0 6-8 8, Van Wyhe 9 0 4-4 22, Leuthold 2 0 0-0 6.

Team statistics
H-BC: 17 of 40 field goals (43 percent), 23 of 29 free throws (79 percent), 34 rebounds, 14 turnovers.
SFC: 17 of 50 field goals (34 percent), seven of eight free throws (88 percent), 14 rebounds, 14 turnovers.

H-BC 64, SWC 60
The Patriot boys locked up a share of the RRC championship by topping the Eagles by four points in Edgerton Friday.

H-BC sported leads at all four quarter breaks and put the game away by making some clutch free throws down the stretch.

Metzger, who scored 33 points in the game, made three free throws in the game’s final 12 seconds to ice the contest.

H-BC raced to a seven-point lead (20-13) in the game’s first quarter before SWC whittled the difference to three points (32-29) by halftime and to one point (49-48) by the end of the third quarter. The Patriots outscored the Eagles 15-12 in the final eight minutes of play to prevail by four.

Wiertzema, who snared six rebounds, recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 assists for H-BC. Van Wyhe scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds. Jesse Leuthold added five rebounds.

Box score
Bush 0 0 1-2 1, Wysong 0 0 0-0 0, Roozenboom 0 0 2-2 2, Broesder 0 0 0-0 0, Wiertzema 3 1 4-6 13, Metzger 7 3 10-12 33, Leuthold 1 0 1-4 3, Van Wyhe 5 0 2-5 12.

Team statistics
H-BC: 20 of 40 field goals (50 percent), 20 of 31 free throws (65 percent), 23 rebounds, nine turnovers.
SWC: 24 of 65 field goals (37 percent), six of eight free throws (75 percent), 33 rebounds, 10 turnovers.

By Lori Ehde
Gold’n Plump executives announced Monday that 140 of the 270 employees at the Luverne poultry processing plant will be out of work as early as this spring.

The announcement follows a corporate decision to relocate the deboning process from Luverne to the Cold Spring plant by April in order to gain some efficiencies.

Gold’n Plump CEO Mike Helgeson said the Cold Spring Plant now has the technology to handle deboning and it makes sense to handle that step there, rather than to transport the product to Luverne.

He said it was a difficult decision to make, considering the impact on jobs in Luverne, but he said the poultry processing market is highly competitive, especially since Russia and other foreign markets have stopped importing American chicken.

"In the end we felt it was necessary to improve our production efficiency and remain strong in a very competitive industry," Helgeson said. "It’s hard to make these decisions when it affects the lives of our people."

While the move will result in the elimination of about 140 positions in Luverne, it will create about 30 new positions in the company’s other facilities.

The first of the layoffs will occur April 17, based on seniority among shifts and departments, and the remaining positions will be eliminated in late May.

"We’re making every effort to minimize the impact to employees affected by this move," said Luverne Plant Manager Greg Aubert. "We realize this will be difficult for many people."

Aubert will remain with the plant, which will continue to operate two shifts. Some salaried workers will be affected, but specific layoffs haven’t yet been decided.

According to Helgeson, of the 140 laid off, the majority of employees commuted to the Luverne plant from Worthington, but at least 10 are Luverne residents and others live in nearby rural communities.

This doesn’t necessarily lessen the blow for a Luverne economy still reeling from the recent loss of Jubilee Foods and its 70 employees.

"Like IBP’s closing, it’s going to have a devastating impact," said City Administrator Matt Hylen. "We had hoped these [technology improvements] would take place in Luverne, rather than Cold Spring."

When Gold’n Plump came to Luverne in 1998, it paid nothing for the use of the plant, which had been donated to the city by IBP when it left town earlier that year, laying off 340 people.

In return for the free building, Gold’n Plump guaranteed it would maintain 120 jobs in Luverne.

Tuesday’s announcement doesn’t breach that contract, Hylen said. "The good news is the plant isn’t closing."

Helgeson said the Luverne plant remains an important part of the company’s future plans, and will continue to produce value-added, ready-to-cook chicken products.

"We have an excellent employee base in Luverne, the community has been a great supporter of our company," Helgeson said.

While there are no firm plans at this time, he added that as the company expands into fully cooked lines, the Luverne plant could see additional lines from that and other ventures.

"We’re not planning to close the plant," he said.

Displaced workers will be encouraged to apply for new positions in Cold Spring, Arcadia or St. Cloud and will be offered relocation packages.

Affected employees will be given at least 60 days notice, and the Displaced Worker Program will be available to eligible employees. The Workforce Center will be invited to conduct meetings on site, and resume assistance will be available.

By Sara Strong
In what local planners are calling a golden opportunity, Prudence Johnson is scheduled to perform at the Palace Theatre between stops in Fargo, N.D., and Minneapolis.

Her vocals have also been called golden, earning Johnson praise and attention across the country.

Her latest CD, "Moon Country," is a tribute to Hoagy Carmichael, writer of popular mid-20th century songs like "Heart and Soul," "Moon Country" and "Skylark."

While at the Palace (2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23), Johnson will take stage with just a piano to accompany her voice.

When her CD was released in May 2002, critic Jim Walsh of the St. Paul Pioneer Press said, "Here’s the sound of a true artist hitting her timeless stride."

Variety Magazine also said in a performance review, "As she sang, a silence born of hearts deeply moved fell over the audience."

One of Johnson’s earlier CDs, a collection of lullabies, got her a Grammy nomination in 1992. But she still calls "Moon Country" her best work yet … even though she almost didn’t make it.

Johnson pulled back from the music scene in the 1990s, after a failed effort in Nashville, where her eclectic style wasn’t welcomed by producers looking to fill pigeonholes.

She and her husband moved back to Minnesota to run a bed and breakfast in Taylors Falls.

Three years later, music brought her back to the Twin Cities to live and work. Music always seems to call on Johnson.

One of 10 children brought up on a farm outside Moose Lake, music has always been her work (besides breaking to get a degree in international studies). Music is even what gave her a bit part in the Robert Redford movie, "A River Runs Through It," in which she played a 1920s flapper singer.

And, of course, her music is what brings Johnson to Luverne to perform.

Tickets for the show can be reserved at 283-8294, or purchased at the Carnegie Cultural Center, Luverne. Otherwise, doors will open an hour before the show to sell tickets.

By Sara Strong
The city of Luverne doesn’t agree with its image of a bad guy in the state budget showdown.

In fact, much of greater Minnesota is objecting to a recommendation by State Auditor Patricia Awada to cut 42 percent in Local Government Aid. More than the recommendation itself, Luverne sees political statements about LGA as being loaded.

Some statements from the auditor’s office could leave people thinking cities like Luverne are coasting along, almost hoarding money, while the rest of the state foots the bill.

"There are assumptions and generalizations that are not true to Luverne in many cases," City Administrator Matt Hylen said. "While this is an interesting analysis they’re trying to make, it doesn’t fit Luverne."

Awada said, "This study shows that when it comes to overall city spending, the more LGA that a city receives, the more they spend. … When residents do not directly bear the full cost of programs, they are less likely to exert control of costs."

In the past, Luverne got increasing amounts of state aid as the state imposed taxing limits on the city, in effect stopping the local control that is now being urged.

Hylen said the city shouldn’t be penalized for good financial planning, having what he feels is a comfortable amount of reserves.

Financial Director Barb Berghorst said, "Across the board cuts in LGA would have a significant impact on the Luverne Governmental Budget."

However, she said, Luverne is right at the median level of state aid for non-essential services (about $113 per capita).

So if the auditor’s recommendation for cuts in LGA based on the median level of spending on non-essential services goes through, Luverne wouldn’t lose much in aid. … But other area cities would, and lobbying efforts on their part might change the story when the next proposal comes down from the capitol.

Essential, non-essential
Just to put the importance of LGA in perspective for Luverne — if it were eliminated altogether, city property taxes would quadruple. While that’s not proposed, any cut is a significant part of the city’s budget.

For the 2003 budget, local taxpayers will pay $534,818 of the total governmental budget of $3,537,615. The levy is actually a decrease of almost 3 percent from 2002.

When talking about non-essential services, like the library and parks and recreation. Essential services are those that provide standard city infrastructure like general government, public safety and streets.

Awada said in her report, "The [Office of State Auditor] found that while it is not feasible to totally eliminate LGA, or to make across the board reductions, it is possible to make adjusted reductions … and still allow virtually all cities to provide essential services at current levels, and non-essential services at the current per capita median level, without raising property taxes."

According to that median number ($113 per capita), Luverne’s non-essential services wouldn’t have to be cut.

Other cities in the area can’t say the same though: Pipestone spends $228 on non-essential services; Marshall spends $221; Windom spends $170; Jackson spends $163.

Berghorst said the richer Metro-area cities won’t feel much from any aid cuts, which is what bothers her the most. Those cities whole-heartedly support the LGA cuts, but have high property tax bases for their own non-essential services.

In all services, essential or not, Luverne is at or below the median (middle) spending level, and Berghorst thinks that’s an important point to make.

"Even though cities above the median LGA per capita spend 42 percent more on total current expenditures, they do it with 28 percent less property tax revenue per capita," the report said.

Berghorst points out that LGA was designed to help smaller cities keep population and businesses by stabilizing property taxes, while affording cities enough to pay for services.

The Metro area of the state isn’t without its own sort of state aid. The state took over suburban transit property tax levies costing more than $129.5 million in the current biennium. It will cost another $282.7 million in the next biennium.

The city of Luverne realizes that it, along with all parts of Minnesota government, will have to adjust because of the deficit. It just doesn’t want to be falsely pointed to as an easy budget solution.

By Lori Ehde
Friday is the deadline for teams to sign up for the 2003 version of the Rock County Shape Up Challenge.

The six-week Challenge, sponsored by Luverne Community Education and Nobles-Rock Public Health, starts March 17 and continues through April 27.

Public Health Educator Paula Anderson said the Challenge is not about losing weight, but rather improving lifestyle.

"It not only focuses on proper activity and nutrition, but on the person as a whole," Anderson said.

She added that losing weight is often a pleasant side-effect of the program.

"If you're eating five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, you're not going to have a lot of appetite left for things that are fattening," she said.

"Plus, if you're happier overall, as a person, this tends to be motivational in meeting personal goals."

She warned some people actually gain weight from adding extra fruits and vegatables to their current diet. The point is to replace junk food with fruits and vegetables.

More than 180 people participated last year, and many later reported they found themselves continuing many of the good habits they picked up during the Challenge.

"People realized it wasn’t that hard to get their five-a-day servings of fruits and vegetables, especially when you factor in juices," Anderson said.

"A lot of people said they enjoyed the requirement to spend 10 minutes a day on themselves. When you plan on that time for yourself, your whole day goes better."

The Challenge calls for teams of six to eight members to compete in a friendly health competition they say is a BLAST.

The acronym stands for Better nutrition (five servings of fruits and vegetables each day), Lifestyle change (drink eight glasses of water a day), Activity (structured exercise 20 minutes a day), Self care/Social connection (maintain annual checkups and complete random acts of kindness) and Time out (10 minutes a day of relaxation time, deep breathing or prayer).

These are all things anyone can do at any time, but joining the Shape-Up Challenge can be a catalyst for lifestyle changes.

"Most people aren’t self-motivated, but when you have to answer to five to seven other people, you take time to eat right and take care of yourself," Anderson said.

"So, maybe you’ll choose water over pop and carrots over cookies."

Team members earn points in each of the BLAST categories (minimum requirements apply).

At the end of six weeks, the team with the most points wins.

Weekly prizes are awarded during the Challenge, with a grand prize awarded to the most successful team, and special motivational events will be planned.

Call Community Education, 283-4724, or Public Health, 283-5066, to sign up. The cost is $8 per individual.

By Sara Strong
After a second round of advertising, the Mounds View and Evergreen Apartments have just one potential buyer.

The Luverne Economic Development Authority owns the apartments and had two groups interested in their purchase. Monday was the deadline for submitted purchase proposals, which the LEDA received at its Tuesday meeting.

Doug Eisma, Dan Vis, Paul Vis and Bill Vis made the first offer as a group, but stepped back on the most recent chance to purchase, leaving Luverne’s Steve Perkins in the running.

To buy both apartments, Perkins offered $1.45 million and for just the Mounds View, offered $1.05 million.

Perkins’ offer was about $50,000 more than his previous. One of the points in his offer was to not increase rent for a year.

The LEDA will host a public hearing on the potential sale of the apartments at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25.

Other city buildings
The LEDA also discussed other buildings the city owns.

It received a change order request from Christensen Corporation (Virgil Christensen) to increase the contract amount it was paid for work on the recent Continental Western Group expansion.

The original agreement was for $40,000 but work was completed a month ahead of schedule and $80,000 under budget.

Christensen attributed the success of the project to city employee Darrell Huiskes, who served as the construction manager on the job, with no additional compensation.

Christensen requested an additional $10,000 be added to his contract payment, which he indicated he’d give Huiskes.

LEDA member Mike Engesser said, "I feel it’s warranted."

Christensen actually turned the request in to the city in November, but was being reviewed by the city attorney.

The city can approve change orders on any contract, and the receiving party can choose to do whatever it wants with the money.

Exsito building
The LEDA has a couple potential occupants for the 610 W. Hatting building, which formerly housed Exsito tomato products.

The LEDA approved the building committee to work with potential leasers and negotiate an agreement.
One potential business is Gold’n Plump, which needs some short-term extra space. The other company is out of Michigan, called Falcon Pallet Company. It is also interested in short-term use of the building, but may locate to Luverne and construct a new facility if it does.

For Falcon Pallet, another open building in Luverne could be suitable since it’s a short-term interest for now.

Tri-State
The portion of the former Continental Western Group campus that the city now owns is still for sale. It’s the building at 1 Roundwind Road.

The city is trying to recruit new businesses to the location and is facing the possibility that it will have to pay for some roof repair.