By Lori Ehde
The Luverne High School junior charged with stabbing a girl pleaded guilty to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon during a hearing Friday in Rock County District Court.

Seventeen-year-old Sarah Elizabeth Smook had previously pleaded not guilty to two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and one count of fifth-degree assault.

She was charged Jan. 4 with the felony crime and was expelled Jan. 9 for the remainder of the school year.

Smook is attending classes at Minnesota West Community and Technical College through the Post Secondary Option at Luverne High School.

Smook allegedly stabbed another 17-year-old, Danielle Cook, after a dispute between two girls and their friends escalated to violence.

Cook has since recovered from the stab wound incurred by a seven-inch steak knife.
Smook's next court appearance is set for June 13.

By Lori Ehde
The results are in on Minnesota's eighth-grade Basic Skills Tests in reading and math, and Luverne students passed with flying colors.

Of the Luverne eighth-graders who took the tests, 92 percent passed the reading portion and 81 percent passed in math.

This compares to statewide results of 80 percent passing in reading and 74 percent passing math.

"We're doing tremendously well," said Luverne's Curriculum Coordinator Jan Olson. "Our scores have been consistently in the top of our conference for the past three years."

She said it's especially encouraging to see the high percentage of Luverne students passing the math test, considering Luverne recently implemented what she called a controversial integrated math curriculum.

To what does she attribute Luverne's success?
"Our teaching staff should be recognized for that," she said. "We do offer remediation classes in the winter and summer prior to the test dates, and teachers - especially in eighth-grade English and math - work really hard to prepare students."

Minnesota Public School students are required to pass these two tests and a 10th-grade writing test in order to graduate.

By Lori Ehde
The Luverne Farm Store has signed a purchase agreement with Tony Bosch for the former Jubilee Foods building in Luverne.

The 11,500-square-foot structure has been empty since Jubilee moved into its new facility in August 2000.

According to Nate Golla, the Farm Store intends to use the facility for a hardware store and a Purina Mills "pet and companion" animal store.

The hardware supplier has not yet been determined, but Golla said there's definitely a need for those products and services in Luverne.

"Growing up in this town there's always been a hardware store, and it's almost always been True Value," Golla said.

"Just hearing the rumors around town, obviously there's excitement about having that type of business here again."

He added that the location just off West Main Street will be good for the downtown retail district.

"Luverne is a pretty good retail area waiting for customers to come in a shop," Golla said. "I guess my hope is that we'll help strengthen Main Street and the retail business in Luverne."

The Purina Mills part of the business will likely be structured similar to the Farm Store's former Premier Specialties store on Highway 75.

"It will be nice to get that focus for pets back here in Luverne," Golla said. "I think there's a definite need."

He said the term "pet and companion" has come to describe businesses that cater to pet owners and hobby farmers.

"This is for people with dogs and cats or a few chicks or a few goats or for horse people," Golla said.

"We've got some Purina Mills products and services we carry now, but they'd have a better focus in a store where there's more convenient access."

The option of offering grooming services is still just a consideration, Golla said, as are many aspects of the business so far.

"We're still in the process of naming it and setting it up," he said.

Also undetermined are who will manage the business and how many employees are needed.

The Farm Store is named as the owner on the purchase agreement, signed April 25.

It is expected to take possession June 1, and the opening of the new retail facility will likely be later this year.

By Sara Strong
A program that could help the city clean up its East Dodge Street dump won't work out after all.

The city of Luverne hadn't pursued the program much further than continuing to study it, but it now knows that the dump doesn't qualify for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's special offer.

John Moeger of the MPCA said, "The volume is excessive and would cost considerably more than expected."

The city and county were approached earlier this month about old dumps in the area.

The county's landfill is being recapped this summer. As MPCA has the county landfill uncovered, the city and county were told they could deposit old landfill material in the current transfer stationÕs dump without the usual tipping fees.

The city was considering taking the opportunity to clean up the dump at the end of town, east of the intersection of Phyleon Drive on East Dodge Street.

The MPCA said it could accept only about 40,000 cubic yards of material before it recaps the county landfill.

Tests on the East Dodge Street location have shown that about 60,000 cubic yards of waste are buried there, and what could be close to that much is also under what is now the privately owned land of Jim and Cathy Rockman.

But other residents' back yards might also border the old dump or contain a portion of it.

Under the MPCA's offer, only governmentally owned landfill plots could have been redeposited in the county's landfill.

To put 60,000 cubic yards of material into perspective, Moeger said it would take up to six weeks of constant semi trailer loads to haul the old dump to the landfill.

The smaller county landfills would have been more suitable en masse, but the Rock County Board of Commissioners didn't want to pursue the cost of uncovering and hauling the material to the transfer station, which could have cost as much as $150,000. That figure doesn't consider clean-up costs if hazardous materials had been uncovered.

Moeger said he understood the county and city's cautious approach to unearthing landfills. "It's your nickel if you strip, uncover, excavate and transport the material," he said.

But with water a concern in the area, Moeger said, "We are concerned about the city well field and the groundwater."

The MPCA will start uncovering the county landfill, lining it and recapping it in June and could continue through September.

By Sara Strong
The once-every-10-years project of redistricting is almost done in Rock County.

Based on census figures, the city of Luverne has drawn its precinct lines and the county will discuss its districts May 7.

But the discussions on districts and precincts has been ongoing for some time.

When the city of Luverne drew its new precinct lines last week, the population balance within the lines was such that the Rock County Board of Commissioners would be forced to run against each other, and city residents would be all or a majority of three commissioner districts. (Those have to run against each other would likely have been what are now the districts of Ken Hoime and Ron Boyenga.)
Some in rural Rock County didn't like that balance of power, so with the help of Commissioner Boyenga and county staff, Luverne Township stepped in.

Township representatives met Monday to form their own precincts, which the county could use for flexibility in drawing its districts, with the hope of swinging power away from the city of Luverne.

Counties have to follow city and township precincts in drawing district lines. Luverne Township is the first to draw precincts in Rock County.

Luverne Township Board member Geff Fitzer said, "It's for the whole county and all the townships that we're doing this."

County Commissioner Ron Boyenga said of the township's vote, "It's the lesser of a couple different evils."

Luverne City Councilman Keith Erickson admits the cityÕs lines were drawn to increase its representation on the County Board.

But he said that's only fair. "In our relationship to the county, the city does have about 50 percent of the population," Erickson said.

Luverne Township's vote came after a message was delivered by Erickson. He said that if the township divided in just two precincts, instead of the previously discussed four, that the city wouldn't hold the scheduled special meeting to adjust its lines accordingly.

Some of the interesting aspects of the redistricting were the "what-ifs."

In theory, if the township hadn't adjourned its meeting Monday, after voting the pre-arranged precincts, the City Council would have met Tuesday. Then the township would reconvene in reaction to whatever changes the city of Luverne made to its precincts.

That could have gone back and forth until the midnight deadline for redistricting.

Erickson calls the final precinct lines and where they will leave both the county and the city "a fair and proper settlement."

Luverne Township and Boyenga agreed. Luverne Township board members are Chairman Lowell Fick, Melvin Fick, Eldon Walker and Fitzer. Eldon Ehlers is township clerk.

County lines
Even though the county's districts aren't drawn, population guidelines mean they are forced into few options.

The good news from the County Board's standpoint is that the balance isn't too far in favor of the city of Luverne or the townships.

The County Board will apparently be made up of two city representatives, two township representatives and one thatÕs almost split.

It's likely that the current districts of Wendell Erickson, Bob Jarchow and Ken Hoime will stay the same.

Jane Wildung, who now represents only city residents, will probably take on about 200 township residents. Ron Boyenga will likely pick up 300 more city residents than before, meaning that his district is made up of about half city and half township residents.

With Boyenga's district seeing an increase in constituents, there is more opportunity for city residents to run for office. Erickson said, "It depends on who runs now and how people want to vote."

The county's guidelines for drawing districts is based on population. Its districts must contain 10 percent more or less than 1,944 individuals.

Wildung and Erickson were up for election anyway, but the rest of the commissioners will probably have to run because of the new districts.

At the city level, Mayor Glen Gust, Erickson and Councilman Jim Kirchhofer's terms end this year, but none are ending because of redistricting changes.

Sheryl Berg's fourth-grade class is the Luverne Elementary featured Class of the Week. Pictured are (front row, from left) Justin Krueger, Kiley Henrichs, Lexy Kindt, Jackie Broomfield, Mandi Kremin, Erin Smidstra, Rebecca Marshall, Kelli Smook, Michaela Fitzer, (second row) Trever Stoffel, Lucas Saarloos, Matt Mortimer, Nick Sandager, Greg Muller, Dylan Richters, Kate DeBoer, Marissa Marr, Kayla Evers, (third row) Spencer Dammann, Joey Knap, Stetson Gath, Mrs. Berg, Shane Kramer, Amanda Buus, Brianna Malwitz and Katie Ailts.

Mrs. Berg's fourth-graders are busy writing and publishing their own books. In science they are studying land use and will make pheromone traps. "We now know the states and capitols, including how to spell them," Berg added.

Photo by Lori Ehde

Community members gather for a ceremony Friday at Schoneman Park where 60 trees were planted for Arbor Day. Of those, 25 bore yellow ribbons and were dedicated in memory of hospice patients who died in the past year. Friday's program was a combined city, county and school Arbor Day program that also served as the annual Hospice Tree Dedication ceremony. "My mother was in hospice," said County Commissioner Ron Boyenga. "The people of hospice did such a wonderful job, I'll never forget it." He said trees symbolize life, and it's fitting they're dedicated in memory of loved ones. The county and city of Luverne shared in the cost of the trees, which included oak, ornamental, ironwoods and maples. In addition, 200 seedlings were distributed to Luverne elementary second- and third-graders, who also attended the ceremony.

Photo by Lori Ehde

Matt Boeve disks a field near Steen Tuesday. Matt, his father, Glen Boeve, and grandfather, Art Boeve, farm 1,500 corn, soybean and alfalfa acres in the Steen area. "We've really just gotten started," he said. "It's good now we've gotten some good rains. It's really working up nice." Roger Carlson, director of the Rock County Farm Service Agency, estimates more than half of the corn acres are planted in Rock County. A few soybean acres are planted, but ideal conditions so far ensure farmers will quickly finish planting.

Photo by Jolene Farley

By Sara Strong
The Luverne City Council voted on its new districts based on 2000 census figures Tuesday.

The city is divided into two wards, and further into precincts. Tom Martius and Keith Erickson represent the north ward on the City Council, and Dave Hauge and Jim Kirchhofer represent the south ward. Mayor Glen Gust represents the entire city.

The polling place for all wards is at the Luverne Middle School gymnasium.

Population breakdown
North Ward: 2,283
South Ward: 2,334
NE Precinct: 1,784
NW Precinct: 499
SE Precinct: 1,806
SW Precinct: 528

The council passed this version of the districts, because it kept most neighborhoods together and the map had as many straight lines as possible to keep the population numbers within guidelines.

The council estimated that the city will see more growth in the north half of town, so it allowed for that in its north-south dividing line.

The county will use precincts as part of its process for drawing district lines.

Fire damage fund
The council defeated a resolution that would have allowed the city to hold 25 percent of an individual's insurance claim after a fire. The city would hold that settlement money in an escrow account and return it to property owners after the fire damage was repaired or removed.

State law allows this to be done as a way to prevent taxpayers from having to pay for the city to clean up property damaged in fires if it is neglected long enough to become tax forfeited.

The issue was tabled at a previous council meeting, and council members got negative feedback on the ordinance from citizens.

The council reasoned that intercepting insurance claims stepped too far into the private business of citizens.