By Sara Strong
Home is where the heart is, and for Shari Kracht that will soon be the southwest corner of Southwest Park and Warren streets.

As the first Habitat for Humanity homeowner in the area, LuverneÕs Kracht said she looks forward to the freedoms home ownership brings.

"I want to be able to walk outside ... have a backyard barbecue," Kracht said.

She said the best part of living in her own home will be having a private place for her children to play.

Kracht and four of her six children live in a rented town home now and look forward to being more independent.

Eight-year-old Nicholas said, "I've been so happy about this. I look forward to it so much."

As far as the extra responsibility a home can bring, Kracht said she'll gladly take it. "It's just something I've been dreaming of," she said.

Kracht applied to the Southwest Minnesota chapter of Habitat for Humanity in November and interviewed in February.

The interview process could have been more stressful, she said, if the people on the selection committee weren't so nice.

The Habitat home is financed through a zero-percent interest loan and comes at a reduced price with extra donated labor and materials.

Because of area weather conditions, the organization is permitting the Southwest Minnesota chapter to build the home with a basement, which is usually forbidden.

Homeowners are required to put in 500 sweat-equity hours, which Kracht will complete with some extra hours donated by her older children.

To qualify, Kracht had to establish that she had need for a home at a reduced price and that she'd be able to handle one if she got it.

All of the technical details don't matter much to her at this point, though. She's just happy to see a home on the horizon for her family.

"It's still so overwhelming and hard to believe," Kracht said.

Up next
Habitat for Humanity will break ground on the construction project in April.

Pam Dobson, is the home's construction volunteer coordinator. She said a youth group from Tracy has already signed on to help with the project, and because it is a regional Habitat home, expects to see help come from the entire area.

Volunteers are needed for skilled and unskilled labor. Calling ahead is essential so the project has the correct ratio of skilled to unskilled workers. Painters, plumbers, electrical and dry-walling skills are especially needed.

If people can't help with the actual construction or finishing of the home, Dobson said volunteers can be a great help in other ways.

She said, "We'd like to have lunches on the site so the workers don't have to leave and purchase a meal. I'd also like to train a site hostess for every Saturday who can be there and greet people and know their way around a little bit."

Dobson can be reached at 283-4431.

By Lori Ehde
Luverne's historic Palace Theatre is back in community hands following the annual meeting of the Blue Mound Area Theater Board Tuesday.

The Palace doors may reopen as soon as June 1, and options for management and entertainment are under consideration.

Nearly 50 people attended the 7 a.m. meeting that ended with nine new faces on the board.

BMAT Board President Mike Hesch reported the Palace had been repurchased for $60,000 - $10,000 more than it had been sold for last summer.

Minnwest Bank has extended a $15,000 line of credit, debts have been paid and roughly $5,000 sits in the account for upcoming tax and insurance payments.

In addition to ticket and concession sales, the Palace receives rent revenue from FGL Commodity Services, apartment residents and the Chamber of Commerce.

Tuesday's meeting in the library attracted a crowd of 40 new BMAT members who elected the following new board members. They are Marilyn Bloemendaal, Connie Connell, Randy Creeger (treasurer), Keith Erickson, Betty Mann, Dave Smith (secretary), Roger Tollefson, LaDonna Van Aartsen (vice president) and Ben Vander Kooi (president).

Incumbents Bob Dorn, Bonnie Jordahl and Heidi Sehr were re-elected.

Among the first items of business for the new board was to discuss future uses of the facility and ways to make it cash flow.

Many of the members supported bringing back live drama to the stage of the Palace. Many also supported continuing movies, and a majority supported both.

"In the past, there have been conflicts between the two, as I'm sure the Green Earth Players will tell you," Vander Kooi said. "We hope to bring in some people for insight on how to make it work.
The next BMAT meeting was scheduled for 7 a.m. April 8, and an evening retreat is planned to include input from Twin Cities theater professionals.

"I know I'm glad the Palace is back in the community," Vander Kooi said at the close of the meeting. "Now we have to make it work."

He thanked retiring board members for their work. They include Hesch, Grace Loose, LaJean Lammert and Verlyn Van Batavia.

Hesch told the Star Herald he enjoyed his years on the board. "Anytime you serve on a board for 18 years, it's always with mixed emotion that you leave," he said. "I'll definitely miss it."

Hesch said the timing for his retirement is good, because he's sold his Slumberland business in Worthington and plans to move to north central Wisconsin.

Background
BMAT's decision last year to sell the Palace Theatre to manager Jeremy Esser raised a public outcry, mostly from those who feared for the historic preservation of the Palace and its future as a viable business in Luverne.

Hesch said the board acted in the best interest of the Palace when it authorized the sale.

He reiterated at Tuesday's meeting the board's original rationale for the sale: Esser has proven experience in the movie business, he respected the historic nature of the building, and he was optimistic the Palace could be profitable under private ownership.

Optimism, however, didn't pay the bills, and Esser closed the Palace doors Feb. 14 after racking up $10,000 in debt.

Meanwhile, when Vander Kooi researched the bylaws of BMAT, a public non-profit organization, he learned the sale may have been illegal and contacted the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.

The state office confirmed the transaction hadnÕt taken place according to bylaws, but it is not pursuing the issue.

Instead, a letter addressed to BMAT instructed the board to adhere to its bylaws, specifically to schedule an annual meeting and board election, and to be more aggressive in seeking new members.

Prior to Tuesday's meeting Vander Kooi solicited memberships and paid dues from 40 interested community members, some of whom agreed to be board members, if elected.

"I have been amazed by the number of people expressing interest in helping out," Vander Kooi said in February. "...There's a real appreciation for the history of that building."

By Sara Strong
The future of the Rock County Pool and Fitness Center was again discussed Monday by the city, county and pool boards.

While the discussion mostly dealt with wording in an advertisement for proposals, pool and fitness members are still concerned about what those proposals could mean for the facility.

The city and county, which jointly own the Pool and Fitness Center, will advertise requests for proposals for other companies or individuals to lease, manage or purchase the facility. But that doesn't mean changes are inevitable, because the legal advertisement states that any and all proposals can be rejected.

Supporters of the Pool and Fitness Center are concerned about what sweeping changes from new owners or managers could bring to the place they frequent.

County Commissioner Jane Wildung said, "If we don’t find out what else is out there for the public, we're not doing our jobs."

The center recently raised rates 20 percent at the same time the county and city subsidy is increasing to $72,000 each in 2002.

Pool Commission representative and County Commissioner Ken Hoime said, "The subsidy has been an escalating thing, so I don't see anything wrong with seeing what's out there."

The Pool Commission, which recommends decisions to the county and city, wanted to request proposals months ago to discover whether other businesses or managers could find ways to increase membership and services without increasing government subsidies.

Wildung said the county will not be able to invest any more in the facility in the way of building or capital improvements, beyond what the subsidy is already covering.

"I’m looking at this as a way that we might find investment capital where we can get more out of the facility," Wildung said.

Luverne City Council member David Hauge said, "We can't look at this just from the business perspective I want to continue to provide the service."

Councilman Keith Erickson said he wondered what could be done internally if all proposals were turned down or if none came back to the boards.

Recent improvements to the Pool and Fitness Center have been televisions, new treadmills and elliptical walkers in the fitness area and an access ramp in the pool.

The pool ramp had been discussed for 10 years and was high on a set of goals for the center.

The request for proposals allows potential new management, owner or leasing party to decide what will be done with current employees. However, the proposal must outline those plans to the boards.

Mayor Glen Gust, who also serves on the Pool Commission, said, "As a potential buyer, I would think being forced to keep the employees would be a negative." But he added, "The staff we have now would be pretty hard to replace."

When going over any proposals, plans for current and future employees will be considered alongside the business plans for the facility.

A tentative meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, June 17, has been set to discuss the proposals and hear presentations from interested parties, if any.

By Sara Strong
A local hog operation controversy puts Rock County on the list of defendants in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court March 19.

In their suit, Glenn, Mabel and Loren Overgaard claim, among other things, the county didnÕt act according to law when permits for a feedlot were granted.

Other defendants besides the county itself are: Rock County Board of Commissioners; John Burgers, individually and in his official capacity as feedlot officer and director of the Land Management Office; Robert Jarchow, individually and in his official capacity as a County Commissioner; Overgaard Pork; Chad Overgaard and Scott Overgaard.

The plaintiffs are relatives of the Overgaard defendants, who constructed a hog feedlot near the Glenn Overgaard property in the spring of 2001.

The Minnesota County Insurance Trust is handling the lawsuit for the county, but local County Attorney Don Klosterbuer said, "The county feels it followed proper procedure."

The suit claims that conflicts of interest, falsified records, inappropriate conduct and pollution should negate the permit that allowed for Chad and Scott Overgaard, of Overgaard Pork, to construct and operate where they are.

Glenn, Mabel and Loren Overgaard are each seeking monetary damages exceeding $825,000 from the defendants.

Chad Overgaard said he was surprised by the suit because the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency gave clearance to what the county had previously inspected.

He also plans to build a home near the feedlot site so it would be in his best interest to keep it environmentally sound.

Part of the complaint points out Burgers' past crimes in bribery and mail fraud related to the Pipestone County hog operation, Global Ventures.

Chad Overgaard said the insinuation that the two are related is wrong. "We've never had anything to do with Global Ventures, and the only connection we have to John Burgers is that he worked for the county."

Suit claims
The only papers filed with the courts at this point are from the side of the plaintiffs.

One of the claims Glenn, Mabel and Loren Overgaard make is that the hog facility was wrongly permitted as an existing feedlot.

Jarchow, outside of his duties as a County Commissioner, handled the estate of the late Abraham Oydna, which is where the feedlot is now. The suit says Jarchow backed up a false claim that the feedlot was existing when he reported that he heard animals on it during one of his visits to the site.

The suit says the defendants "conspired to fabricate the existence of a prior feedlot used within five years in order to avoid the legal requirements associated with new animal feedlots..."

The suit says property owners and residents within 5,000 feet of the proposed hog feedlot weren't properly notified of the proposed hog feedlot.

The plaintiffs said in the suit that the setback measurements from other properties weren't followed.
The suit also said water, soil and air pollution occurred as a result of the feedlot.

The suit alleges Luverne attorney Damon Eisma helped falsify the date of the land sale to Scott and Chad Overgaard.

It also says Burgers used intimidation tactics on Glenn Overgaard to stop him from questioning the progression of the permits.

Rock County will respond to the claims in about a month. Since the defendant Overgaards were permitted through the county, they are waiting to see how the county defends its permits before they will know what to do.

By Lori Ehde
Flames destroyed the rural home of Vicki Lenderts late Tuesday night, and fire officials are still working to determine a cause.

Fire fighters from Beaver Creek, Hills, Luverne and Valley Springs were called to the blaze, which apparently started sometime after 11 p.m.

Rick Tatge of the Beaver Creek Fire Department said flames were shooting from the second floor when his men arrived on the scene.

A neighbor reportedly made the 911 call at 11:26, but Lenderts and her boyfriend called it in at about the same time.

"I'm pretty much beside myself right now," she said at the scene. "I can't believe this is happening to me."

Four of five house cats escaped unharmed, but Lenderts said one is still unaccounted for.

She said she and her fiancé, Brad Gould, were downstairs watching television in the kitchen when they heard a popping sound upstairs and saw sparks coming down the stairwell.

As of press time, it was too early to determine a cause of the fire, but Lenderts said they were burning the wood stove, and she wondered if something started in the chimney.

Lenderts said her house was uninsured, but she said she has a place to live. Her mother, Margaret Lenderts, died Feb. 23, and that house, near Ellsworth, is sitting empty, still furnished.

Fire crews remained on the scene into the early morning hours Wednesday and returned to control flare-ups later Wednesday morning.

Mary Jacobson's kindergarten class is the Luverne Elementary School featured class of the week. Pictured are (front row, from left) Savanna Thielbar, Tessa Gyberg, Dalton Javner, Audrey Emery, Matthew Marshall, Trevor Vander Steen, (second row) Tucker Horn, Kira Graber, Kristen Kienholz, Kellen Gerloff, Joey Flores, Zane Hiller, (third row) Zach Hollander, Briana Erickson, Brennan Nelson, Amanda Barnhart, Mackenzie Huls, Caitlin Goldie-Brown (back) Mrs. Kirsten Eisma, Mrs. Jacobson, Mrs. Nyla Sohl. Not pictured are Ross Steensma and Drew Winter. Mrs. Jacobson's kindergartners are excited to have only three consonant sounds and two vowel sounds left to learn. "The children are reading many books all on their own now and are taking classroom books home to read to their parents," Jacobson said. "The children are also doing a great deal of writing on their own." She added that her students are also looking forward to their Easter party.

Photo by Lori Ehde

Fire destroyed the home of Vicki Lenderts Tuesday morning near Beaver Creek. Story inside.

Judy Janelle Bertsch, 62, Corona, Calif., formerly of Hills, died Friday, March 22, 2002, due to complications of diabetes.

The family had a private memorial service on Monday, March 25.

Judy Steen was born to Otis and Alice (Wroe) Steen on May 19, 1939, in Rock County. She graduated from Hills High School in 1957. She attended St. Paul Bible College in St. Paul. She later received her bachelor of arts degree in culinary arts in California.

She married William Bertsch. She retired early from the California School System in 2001 due to health issues from diabetes that required kidney dialysis.

Mrs. Bertsch was a member of the Sons of Norway. Her hobbies included travel, painting and cooking.

Survivors include one son, Timothy "Skip" Scott Bertsch, Grand Terrace, Calif.; two grandsons, Timothy Bertsch and Matthew Bertsch, and special friend, Bob Bell, all of Corona; four brothers, Daniel Steen, Modesto, Calif., David Steen, Otsego, John (Linda) Steen, Kent, Wash., and James (Robin) Steen, Sioux Falls, S.D.; and six sisters, Nancy (William) Erchul, Burnsville, Betsy (Frank) Antinozzi, Rosemary and (Hassan) Steen-Omari, all of Minneapolis, Jan (Ron) Cleys, Portland, Ore., Jo (Wayne) Alink, Windom, and Lora (Dean) Arnott, Owatonna; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Bertsch was preceded in death by her parents.

Chris Spykerboer, 58, Luverne, died Monday, March 25 at the Luverne Community Hospital. Services will be Saturday, March 30 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, Luverne, with Rev. Dale Phelps officiating. Burial will be in River View Cemetery, Rock Rapids. Visitation will be Friday, March 29 from 1 to 6 p.m. with the family present from 4 to 6 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne.