Pedal Pull contestant Josh Connell toughs it out in his division of the popular contest Saturday.

By Lori Ehde
The 2002 version of Luverne's Buffalo Days celebration enjoyed pleasant weather and subsequent generous crowds.
An estimated 12,000 people participated in the three-day event, according to Lorna Bryan at the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce.

The world-famous Buffalo Chip Throwing Contest drew 18 teams, with a local entry, the Turd Chuckers, emerging as winners. Team members Shane and Tracey Hoag, Luverne, and Nathan Hoag, Minneapolis, took home the trophy with nine points.

The No. 2 team entry of Vulcanus Rex and his Krewe took second place with seven points. The St. Paul group joined the Buffalo Days celebration to show off their 1932 Luverne Fire Engine and to promote the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Third-place winners were Tyler Reisch, Andy DeBoer and Mark Boelman of the Terry’s Trophies team, Luverne.

Because Vulcanus Rex and his Krewe gave their winnings back, money was generated for fourth place winnings. The Luverne Poo Crew of Seth Goemble, Matt Beranek and Jacob Arndt took those honors.

Luverne's annual Buffalo Days celebration officially began Friday with a 6:30 p.m. Cruise In at the Magnolia Steak House with 50s and 60s music by Larry Goebel.

Also Friday night, 93 people participated in the 5K and 10K run and walk sponsored by the Luverne Community Hospital.
Results are as follows:
Eric Kraetsch took first place in the 15 and younger version of the men's 5K, Josh Metcalf was first in the 16- to 29-year-old division, Dan Sorenson won among the 30- to 49-year-olds and Jerry Nelson was first in the 50 and older group.
Mya Mann came in first in the 15 and younger version of the women's 5K, Amy Donth was first in the 16- to 29-year-old group, Teresa Buresch was first among 30- to 49-year-olds, and Peg Nelson won in the 50 and older group.

In the men's 10K Don Murtha came in first among 16- to 29-year-olds, Tony Thoreson won in the 30- to 49-year-old division and Midg White won in the 50 and older group.
Steph Hoven was first in the 16- to 29-year-old women's 10K group and Mary Ann Vos was first among the 30- to 49-year-olds. There were no entries in the 15 and younger and the 50 and older divisions.

It featured a 12 and younger half-mile race and a 5 and 10K walk and run that started at the Rock County Community Pool and Fitness Center.

Saturday started with a Buffalo Bike and Run at the Pool and Fitness Center with one-, two- or three-person teams biking eight miles, participate in a four-mile trail run and complete a two- and one-half-mile road run ending at the pool.

Results from the Bike and Run can be found in the sports section.

The Red Cross served Belgian waffles at the American Legion downtown from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The parade saw 65 entries, with one of the highlights being the Fire King Vulcanus Rex and his Krewe of 40 in their 1932 Luverne Fire Engine.

Arts in the Park, with 150 booths by vendors from seven states, was abuzz with activity from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Luverne City Park.

The Luverne Elementary School choir started the afternoon entertainment with the "Buffalo Days" song written by Emily Lodine Overgaard. Other entertainment included shows by the "Zoo Man" and a presentation by the Spotlight Dancers.

A musical group from Central and South America offered music throughout the day near the shelterhouse.

Herman Motors again sponsored the auto show with Perry Schneekloth earning the People's Choice Award. Tony Olsen won Best Engine, Dave Bowen won Best Paint and Wayne Walgrave won Best of Show.

Other attractions at the park included the Tae Kwon Do demonstrations and the tractor pedal pull. Results for the pedal pull were not available as of this writing.

On Sunday, the Luverne Chamber of Commerce served more than 1,300 free buffalo burgers at the Blue Mounds State Park starting at 11:30 a.m. Servers ran out at 11:45 a.m.
Local historical attractions, such as the Hinkly House, Holy Trinity Church and Carnegie Cultural Center were open throughout the weekend.

The Rock County Sheriff's Department has a certified apprehension and search dog as of May 30. Tarzan and Deputy Ken Baker (pictured above) completed 12 weeks of training at a police dog training center in Maplewood. Tarzan, a German Shepherd, is now on the job throughout Rock County. He will complete further training this fall to become a drug dog.

The cost of the dog will be deferred by money from Pipestone veterinarian Gordon Spronk, who pled guilty to making false statements to a federally-insured bank. As part of the plea agreement, he is paying $500,000 to area government bodies, and part of Rock County’s portion is going toward the dog.

An estimated 12,000 people converged on the City of Luverne last weekend for the community's annual Buffalo Days Celebration. Crowds at Arts in the Park in Luverne City Park enjoyed mild weather and plenty of family activities. 150 vendors from seven states provided wonderful shopping opportunities for both local residents and Buffalo Days visitors. Story inside.

The Rev. Carl Hort, 78, Brooten, died Tuesday, May 21, 2002, at Veterans Administration Hospital in Minneapolis.

Services were Friday, May 24, at Hope Lutheran Church in Sunburg. The Rev. Ronald Knutson officiated. Burial wasin Kenneth Lutheran Cemetery, near Kenneth.

Carl Hort was born to John Peter and Mary Elizabeth (Goeringer) Hort on July 27, 1923, in Cherokee, Okla. After graduating from Cherokee High School in 1941, his family moved to Alva, Okla., where he attended Northwestern College.

In February 1944 he entered active duty in the U.S. Army during World War II serving under Gen. George Patton. He was stationed in Europe with the 317th Infantry, 80th Division, and was a rifleman during the Battle of the Bulge. After his honorable discharge in November 1945, he returned to college to complete his bachelorÕs degree in mathematics. For several years he worked at Boeing and Cessna Aircraft companies and also farmed with his brother, Jack. He enrolled at Concordia Seminary in 1956 and finished his training in 1963 at Luther Seminary in St. Paul with a masterÕs degree in divinity.

He met his future wife in Minneapolis before taking his first pulpit call at Martin Luther Lutheran Church in Detroit, Mich. He married Anita Halverson on Dec. 28, 1963, at Kenneth Lutheran Church in Kenneth. He continued in Detroit until 1972 when they moved to Eden Prairie where he pastored the King of Glory Lutheran Church. In 1977 they moved to Brooten where he served Our SaviourÕs Lutheran Church, Crow Lake Lutheran and Sunburg Free Lutheran Churches.

Survivors include his wife, Anita Hort, Brooten; one son, Andrew Hort, Minneapolis; one daughter, Marie (Andy) Martinson, Minneapolis; one granddaughter, Alexa Jean Marie Hort, Minneapolis; one brother, Jack Hort, Alva; and several nieces and nephews.

Rev. Hort was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Marjorie Weber, and numerous other family members.

Hoplin Funeral and Cremation Services Glenwood, were in charge of arrangements.

Luverne senior Melissa Kopp watches a shot during an early-season match at the Luverne Country Club. Kopp led the Cardinal girls to a section team championship in Marshall Friday by shooting an 82.

By John Rittenhouse
Friday turned out to be a special day for some Luverne high School golfers competing in the Section 3A Championships at the Marshall Country Club.

The Luverne girls' team easily out played the rest of its opponents in a four-team field to capture its second consecutive section team championship and ninth berth in the state tournament as a team.

Joining the entire girls' team at the state tournament will be Luverne senior Pete Connell, who secured one of five individual qualifying positions up for grabs in the boys' competition in Marshall Friday.
The Cardinal girls and Connell will compete at the Minnesota State Class A Golf championships that will be staged at the Izaty's Yacht and Country Club near Onamia June 5-6.

Luverne's girls, the co-state champions from 2001, will compete on The Sanctuary course. They will tee off a 8:30 a.m. for 18 holes of play each day.

Connell, who will be the first boy to compete at a state tournament since Phil Oksness qualified in 1997, will play on the Black Brooke course. He is scheduled to tee off at 8:35 a.m. for 18 holes of play each day.

Winning a section championship came much easier than winning the sub-section crown for the Luverne girls.

Luverne won its ninth straight sub-section title last week on the basis of a tie-breaker that was used to decide a deadlock that the Cardinals and Fulda Raiders found themselves involved in after 18 holes of play.

That wasn't the case at the section meet in Marshall, where the Cardinals tallied a 348-stroke team tally to post a 29-stroke win over second place Redwood Valley, which recorded a 377.

Ortonville and Canby capped the field with respective 392- and 412-stroke totals.

"The girls played great," said Cardinal coach Chris Nowatzki. "They held their composure and pulled it off again. We're happy to be going back to state. The girls are looking forward to playing the course again, and I'm hoping they can play some more good golf."

Luverne, which raised its season record to 36-1 by winning the section title, was paced by senior Melissa Kopp during the 18-hole event.

Kopp shot a 10-over-par 82 to tie for fourth place in the individual standings.

Gabe Van Dyk, Kim Bennett and Amber Top made contributions to Luverne's team effort by recording respective 85-, 90- and 91-stroke scores.

Cara Wynia and Mindy Lysne shot 96- and 99-stroke rounds without influencing the scoring.

Fulda's Erin Oakland shot a 75 to win the section individual title. Redwood Valley's Alecia Prins (81), Ortonville's Lindsey Nelson (81), Fulda's Abby Oakland (82) and Canby's Kelly Endahl (83) round out the individual qualifiers.

Connell shot a five-over-par 77 to lock up the fourth qualifying position during the boys' competition.

RWV's Tim Suedbeck won the section individual title with a 72. Since RWV won the section team title, Suedbeck's effort was not counted as one of the five individual qualifying positions that were on the line Friday.

BOLD's Matt Phingsten (74), Yellow Medicine East's Mark Arneson (75), Ortonville's Pete Ross (75) and BOLD's Mark Kodet (78) joined Connell as state individual qualifiers.

Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth sophomore Tom Janssen also competed at the section meet for the second straight time.

Janssen shot an 83 to end his campaign.

By Jolene Farley
Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School teachers Amy Christensen and Nicole Fey were present at the School Board meeting Tuesday to report on the search for a language arts program.

The district has a curriculum guide which dictates textbooks are evaluated every so often. The current language arts textbooks were published in 1996.

Christensen and Fey will be present at the next meeting with a proposal and price for the curriculum chosen by the elementary teachers.

Teachers in both the elementary and high school have been working on a plan listing all curriculum taught by teachers in each grade.

This information would ensure teachers were not duplicating curriculum and would make it easier for teachers to transition to different grades. The teacher could look at the plan and know exactly what the kids were taught in other grades.

"Nothing is connected," said Superintendent Dave Deragisch. "We have no vision of one to the next (grade). That’s what we need to get done."

The information could be compiled in a binder for each grade level to use.

In other business:
The board adopted Attachment 99, a state program that requires the district to review health and safety hazards and implement plans and programs to manage them.

"We need Attachment 99 to be approved so we can continue to apply for health and safety funds," said Deragisch.

The board approved running new pipe to the kitchen in the high school building. A plumber was called to unclog pipes two times in the last two weeks. The board approved a bid from Hansel Plumbing for $2,984 to replace the lines.

The board accepted the resignation of Little Patriot Academy teacher Angie Blasmo. Blasmo and her husband are relocating to Wyoming.

"There will be people who will be disappointed because I’ve heard nothing but good comments," said board chair Alan Harnack.

The former home of Luverne's Al and Marge Christensen on North Blue Mound Avenue was moved Thursday, May 23, to it's new location 27 miles away to an acreage near Rushmore. It's pictured here navigating the curves along the east side of Blue Mounds State Park on County Road 8. The house was sold Thursday, Feb. 28, to the highest bidder for $22,000. Scot and Cherry Schnoor, Rushmore, are the new owners and plan to restore the house to its original historic specifications. The Luverne Economic Development Authority purchased the property in the mid-1990s for the purpose of subdividing lots in the Evergreen Addition, which has grown around the acreage.

Al and Marge lived in the house since they were married in 1945. Al grew up in the house since his father, Jasper Christensen, purchased it in 1924. At that time Al was 9 years old, and the nearest cluster of residential homes was on Barck Street, which aligns with Roundwind Avenue between Human Services and Tri-State Insurance. Al died in October 2000, and Marge has since moved to Sioux Falls.

Photo by Lori Ehde

Kindergarten fans judge circus by snow cones and swords

Considering I'm not a big fan of the circus, it's significant that I attended two in the past few weeks. We went to the El Riad Shrine Circus in Sioux Falls last month and a lso to the traveling outfit that stopped at the Armory last week.

Both versions offered free tickets to kids at school, but that's where the similarities ended.

The Shriners put on a fantastic three-ring show in the Arena, which was viewed by a sold-ou t crowd with a median age of 7.

The three-hour event featured glittering trapeze artists, dancing elephants, bicycling bears, hilarious clowns and the whole shebang.

Luverne's version last week featured three rows of sparsely-filled folding chairs circ l i ng a single ring in the middle of the floor in the National Guard Armory.

The hour-long show included limited acrobatics, magic stunts, an unpainted clown, a handful of pigeons and ducks.

The adults in the crowd eyed each other with raised brows. N o o ne actually said it, but our looks translated to something like, "We paid $9.50 for this? It's a good thing the kids had free tickets."

I'm glad the big people kept their comments to themselves, because the little people had a ball. The clown selec t ed v ol unteer children from the audience to hoola hoop with him, and he played practical jokes at their expense - to their delight.

They shrieked with laughter when the bumbling chef couldn't keep up with his pans twirling on poles. And broken eggs f rom a faile d juggling act appealed to their grade-school sense of humor.

It sure wasn't the Shrine Circus, but in their minds it was a class act. They left with smiles on their faces, cotton candy stuck on their fingers and cheeks and balloons and other ci r cus paraphernalia in hand to prove they'd been there.

It struck me how, despite our best efforts, kids really are easy to please.

While we were at the Shrine Circus in Sioux Falls, I noticed how many of the quality acts were wasted on Jonathan and his c ousi ns. Once they had lighted circus swords, it seemed nothing could top the entertainment of a rousing fencing match among themselves and the good-sported hot-dog guy that wondered into their battle zone.

As far as a kindergartner is concerned, the sno w con es t asted as sweet in the Armory as they did in the Arena, and pretty girls in sparkling costumes are just as fun to watch with pigeons as they are with dancing elephants.

The lesson in all this? Don't judge a circus by its number of rings, bu t rather b y its ability to captivate audience members - as undiscriminating as they may be.

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By John Rittenhouse
Nineteen members of the Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth track program earned berths in the Section 3A Track and Field Championships with their performances during Thursday's Sub-Section 10 meet in Luverne.

Ten Patriot girls and nine boys will be competing at todayÕs section event, which begins at 4 p.m. in Pipestone.

The top-four relays and top-four finishers in individual events at the sub-section level qualify for the Section meet.

H-BC-E will be represented in 10 events in the boys' and girls' competitions.

The Patriots placed third in the boys' team competition and fourth on the girls' side in Luverne.

Luverne and Southwest Christian led the boys' field with 206 and 134 points respectively, while H-BC-E compiled 119.5. Pipestone-Jasper (117), Murray County Central (70.5) and Edgerton ((24) round out the boys' teams.

P-J took top honors with 191 points in the girls' team competition. Luverne (180), MCC (112), H-BC-E (91), Edgerton (46) and SWC (43) capped the field.

Senior Brad Haak helped the Patriot boys land three meet championships.

Haak won the 400-meter dash and 800-meter run with respective 50.97 and 2:01.97 times.

Haak, Lee Jackson, Greg Van Batavia and Tyler Bush won the 3,200-meter relay and established a new sub-section meet record with a time of 8:16.59.

The boys' 400-, 800- and 1,600-meter relays also qualified for section competition.

The 1,600-meter squad of Jackson, Lee Walraven, Tyson Metzger and Bush placed second with a time of 3:47.73.

The 400- and 800-meter squads finished third with respective 46.77 and 1:39.84 efforts.

Chris Reid, Metzger, Jackson and Jesse Leuthold ran the 400. Metzger, Walraven, Van Batavia and Leuthold formed the 800-meter team.

Reid and Bush placed second during individual events.

Reid, who was third in the long jump with a distance of 19-9, placed second in the 100- and 200-meter dashes with respective 11.43 and 23.0 efforts.

Bush came in second to Haak with a time of 2:03.86 in the 800.

Patriot Kale Wiertzema qualified for the section meet by placing third in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:03.74.

Leuthold and Van Batavia will advance to Pipestone by placing fourth in the 100 and 3,200 with respective 11.75 and 11:10.72 performances.

The Patriots girls won a meet championship in the 3,200-meter relay.

Mya Mann, Cassi Tilstra, Brittney Rozeboom and Bev Wurpts captured H-BC-EÕs lone title with a time of 10:17.5.

The girls' 400-, 800- and 1,600-meter relays also qualified for the section meet.

The 400-meter team of LaDonna Sandstede, Kelly Mulder, Melinda Feucht and Erin Boeve placed third with a time of 54.75, and Wurpts, Boeve, Mann and Tilstra came in third in the 1,600 in 4:23.17.

Amanda Connors, Feucht, Sandstede and Mulder placed fourth in the 800 in 2:00.03.

Boeve came up with a pair of second-place finishes and Wurpts and Mann recorded one each in individual events.

Boeve finished second in the long and triple jumps with distances of 15-7 and 32-9. Mann ran 800 meters in 2:32.71. Wurpts was timed at 5:40.72 in 1,600.

Cassi Tilstra qualified for the section meet by finishing third in the 400-meter dash in 1:02.99, and Amanda Tilstra made it in the 3,200-meter run after finishing fourth in 13:10.22.

Here is a look at the rest of H-BC-EÕs top-eight finishers during the sub-section meet.

H-BC-E boys
Sixth place: Roger DeBoer, 110 hurdles, 20.05; Adam Sieff, 300 hurdles, 51.7; Cody Scholten, pole vault, 8-6.
Seventh place: Lee Farrell, 300 hurdles, 54.68; Scholten, high jump, 5-2; Kerry Fink, triple jump, 32-2.
Eighth place: Walraven, 200, 24.97; Fink, 800, 2:27.21; Derek Haak, 3,200, 12:09.63; Sieff, 110 hurdles, 20.76; R.DeBoer, 300 hurdles, 56.08; Devin DeBoer, triple jump, 31-9.

H-BC-E girls
Fifth place: Kari Roozenboom, 100 hurdles, 18.63; Rozeboom, pole vault, 6-0.
Seventh place: Kerri Fransman, 3,200, 13:43.06; Feucht, 300 hurdles, 5.06; Rozeboom, high jump, 4-2; C.Tilstra, pole vault, 5-0.
Eighth place: Chelsea Fink, 400, 1:09.24; Roozenboom, high jump, 4-0; Mulder, long jump, 13-3; Sandstede, triple jump, 29-10; Rosie Lewis, discus, 83-0.