By Sara Quam
Rock County parents and babies will get a better start on their lives with the help of a new home visiting program.

Nobles-Rock Public Health and the Rock County Collaborative, along with a sampling of other community agencies, hope to get the program to the public by October.

Colleen Deutsch, a public health nurse, is coordinator of the program called Healthy Families of Rock County.

"The whole goal is to help families - make sure all families have access to programs and services," Deutsch said.

The term "home visiting" means a public health nurse will make contact with families expecting a baby or with a newborn. By touching base, Deutsch hopes parents will know agencies to contact when they need extra help or have basic questions.

Deutsch said information on things like family counseling or even nutrition doesn't get to all families in the county.

Families that struggle to make ends meet, yet don't qualify for financial assistance, don't have connections to social services. Others may not have a network of family or friends to rely on.

Those groups of people often aren't aware of all that they could benefit from - things like car seat safety, daycare options, child development and parent education.

People of all income levels could use extra support when having a baby. Shaken baby syndrome and postpartum depression are things Deutsch said all families need to be aware of and will be given that chance through home visits.

The visits won't necessarily mean a public health nurse shows up at everyone's doorstep. The visits are voluntary and are preferred before the baby is born. Also, new parents can stop by public health to have their babies weighed and gather the same information that would be covered during home visits.

Healthy Families of Rock County ties into another Collaborative program called Books and Babies.

As a measure to encourage healthy reading habits, the Collaborative is sponsoring gifts of books in installments and a trip to the library for new parents in the county. One of the books will be "Rock-a-Bye Baby Reader," by former Luverne resident Carole Olson's.

The Collaborative wants to give that particular book because it is a children's book that is also for parents and encourages babies and parents to read together.

The book emphasizes the importance of early reading to baby's brains. The Collaborative wants to make sure parents read to babies as a vital part of giving children a head start on reading and on learning.

The book program and home visiting combine in an effort to prevent family or social problems before the county has to intervene in other ways.

By Lori Ehde
Local history buffs will enjoy the Hinkly House at its best Tuesday during the Tea and Tour from 2 to 4 p.m.

The tea, featuring authentic orange pekoe tea, spritz cookies and finger sandwiches, will honor the grandchildren of R.B. Hinkly.

Hinkly was a pioneer Luverne businessman and mayor who built the house in 1892 of Sioux quartzite hauled in from the Blue Mound Quarry.

He willed the house to his nine grandchildren, five of whom are still alive.

Of those five, three will attend Tuesday's tea and tour to greet visitors and to answer inquiries about the house.

Luverne's Sister Mariella Hinkly will be joined by her sister, Elizabeth Hinkly Kaiser, from the Chicago area, and her cousin, Charlotte Hinkly Pugsly, from Baton Rouge, La.

Providing tours of the home during the tea will be 4-H members costumed in turn-of-the century clothing.

According to Sister Mariella, Charlotte lived in the house for six years and has an impeccable memory of what it was like at the time.

Though she's well into her 80s, she still serves as a valuable resource for those working to restore the house.

The house, located on North Freeman Avenue, is on the National Register of Historic Sites.

The two lions at the front entrance were carved by a Norwegian stone cutter, Knute Steine, in 1895. The name HINKLY is displayed in a panel of stained glass. Leaded or stained glass transoms imported from England are featured in the main floor rooms.

The word WELCOME is engraved in the oak parquet floor, and oak paneling with beveled mirrors lines the dining room walls and stairway.

Voluntary donations are accepted, but Tuesday's tea with a $5 admission is presented as a fund-raiser to defray costs of restoration and upkeep.

Heating costs ate up much of the Historical Society's budget last winter, and the house is now in need of paint.

By Lori Ehde
Five juvenile boys from Luverne have been arrested in connection with a rash of automobile break-ins earlier this month.

Countywide, Sheriff Ron McClure said there were roughly 30 reports of thefts from vehicles during the first two weeks of August.

According to the dispatch log, items stolen were mostly CDs and related equipment, such as CD players and CD holders.

Considering individual CDs are worth nearly $15 McClure said a stolen collection adds up to a sizeable loss.

The total value of the items stolen during the spree exceeds $1,000.

It would seem obvious, but McClure is advising residents to lock their car doors.

"Don't leave your car doors unlocked with stuff on the front seat. People are making it too easy," McClure said. "The kids are just walking by and helping themselves."

He said some of the thefts, including one in Beaver Creek, occurred in vehicles parked in garages.

"It doesn't do any good to put your car in the garage if you're not going to lock the doors or lock the garage," McClure said.

According to the Rock County Attorney's Office, the boys, ranging in age from 12 to 16, all face felony theft charges.

Five juvenile petitions were filed Wednesday against the boys, some of whom have prior juvenile delinquency records.

If found guilty, penalties can range from probation and community service to time served in a secure detention facility or treatment program.

By Sara Quam
The Luverne City Council talked budget during its Tuesday night meeting. The levy has to be set mid-September, so now is the time for public input and requests.

The Luverne Fire Department was represented at the meeting to request an increase in its pension contribution.

Now, firefighters get $1,700 a year in a pension fund that they qualify for only after 20 years of service and at the age of 50 or older. The city of Luverne pays 75 percent of that cost, with townships picking up the rest.

The request is to increase the annual pension contribution to $2,100 a year. Last year there was no increase, and the hourly wage hasn't been increased from $6 an hour for many years.

Council members said they would like to increase the pension to make it similar to other departments of this size as a measure of gratitude for service.

However, the state has imposed levy limits this year, and that puts the city in a budget crunch.

The proposed budget the city is reviewing now has the pension amount at $1,900, which is a smaller increase than the department is asking for. That budgeted amount is about $65,000 total.

Councilman Keith Erickson said he is in favor of keeping the budget as it is and making up the rest of what the firefighters want in the council's contingency fund.

Jim Kirchhofer said he would prefer to meet the request over two years. David Hauge said the council should wait a week and vote on it at next week's council meeting, which the council ultimately decided to do.

One of the reasons the fire department wants an increased pension is for an incentive for new firefighters to join. Right now there are no openings, but the average age of firefighters is more than 40 with a few retiring this year.

The department does fund-raising and grant writing to keep the cityÕs costs down wherever possible.

Armed with their home-made butterfly nets, Nathan Visker joins his neighbor, Tiffany Schley, in her mother's flowers on Warren Street to scout for butterflies Monday afternoon. If there were ever a time for butterfly hunting, this summer is the time. Due to favorable wintering conditions last fall and abundant migrations this spring, local flower beds are now adorned with several species of fancy fliers not normally seen in such plentiful populations.

Photo by Lori Ehde

Anthony Ray Reese, 21, Steen, died Monday, Aug. 20, 2001, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D., as a result of an automobile accident on June 29.

Services were Thursday, Aug. 23, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Rev. Dell B. Sanderson officiated. Burial was in Adrian Cemetery, Adrian.

Anthony Reese was born to Alan "Corky" and Judie (Balster) Reese on July 28, 1980, in Adrian. He attended school in Hills and Luverne. He worked at Ellison Meats in Pipestone for more than a year and a half. He had just become employed at Bell Inc. in Sioux Falls.

Tony enjoyed all kinds of cars, bicycles, boating and animals. He volunteered many hours to the youth of Luverne. He especially enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews.

Survivors include his father, Alan Reese, Steen; his mother, Judie Reese, Luverne; his grandmother, Donna Balster, Adrian; two brothers and one sister-in-law, Brian and Dionne Reese, Luverne, and Adam Reese, Steen; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Angela and Terry DeRoo, Versailles, Mo., and Amanda and Richard Fongemie, Luverne; three nephews, Brian, Dunken and Damian; and five nieces, Ashley, Tamara, Mackenzie, Samantha and Skylar.

Tony was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents and his maternal grandfather.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills Thunder capped a 2-15 regular season by dropping a pair of road games since Wednesday, July 11.

The Hills amateurs lost a five-run decision in Luverne July 11 before falling by seven runs in Hadley Sunday.

Luverne scored all six of its runs before the Thunder came up with its lone run in a 6-1 game played at Redbird Field July 11.

The Redbirds plated two runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings before Hills broke through for a run in the top of the seventh.

Matt Funke singled and scored for Hills when Kurt Bly delivered an RBI double.

Chad Rauk was touched for six runs in the first six innings and took the pitching loss for Hills.

Chris Putnam pitched two innings of scoreless relief.

Bly was the lone Thunder player to have a multiple-hit game, going two-for-three at the plate.

Hills had a 1-0 lead early in Sunday's game in Hadley before falling 8-1 at game's end.

The Thunder struck for a run in the top of the second, but the Buttermakers scored the next eight counters to prevail by seven.

Rauk singled and scored Hills' run in the second on a passed ball.

Hadley tied the game at one in the bottom of the third before winning it with six runs in the fourth inning and one in the fifth.

Jarud Lang worked the first three and two-thirds innings on the mound for Hills. He was saddled with the loss.

Matt Carroll pitched the final two and one-third innings.

Rauk's single in the second was one of five safeties produced by Hills in the game. Eric Harnack, Lang, Funke and Bly had one hit each.

Motor sports will form two-thirds of the grandstand lineup during the 2001 Rock County Fair.

After the Johnny Holm Band performs for the first grandstand show tonight, Friday and Saturday evenings will be taken over by two different motor sports.

Sioux Valley Southwestern Electric will sponsor the fair's first Garden Tractor Pull tomorrow night. The Rock County Fair Board and the Rock County Corn and Soybean Association will present the annual Enduro Race on Saturday. Both shows begin at 7 p.m.

The Garden Tractor Pull is new to the lineup, replacing the Tractor Pull from the 2000 fair.

According to Randy Kruse, an Adrian man who has helped put on similar shows in the towns of Adrian, Hardwick, Dundee and Rushmore this summer, the Garden Tractor Pull is an event that will provide entertainment to people of all ages.

There will be four classes of competition, including a special class for the children.

"We have a special class for kids the age of 12 and under, which is really fun for them," Kruse said. "We furnish the lawn mowers and the skid (the gear-driven weight box all the tractors will be pulling tomorrow night) for this class. WeÕll even put the tractor in gear for the kids as well as operate the clutch. We'll be with them the whole way. Basically, all the kids have to do is steer."

The children competing in the 12-and-Under Class will all receive ribbons for their efforts. The two children who produce the longest pulls get trophies.

After the children leave the infield, competition in the Stock Class, the Stock Modified Class and the Modified Class will take center stage.

The Stock Class features normal lawn-mowing tractors which will be pulling in weight classes of 800, 900, 1,000 and 1,200 pounds.

Bigger tires and weights will be allowed on the tractors that will be competing in the Stock Modified Class. Weight classes in that division include 800, 950, 1,050 and 1,200 pounds.

Anything with an unaltered mower frame will be allowed to compete in the Modified Class. Motorcycle or snowmobile engines are allowed to power these tractors, which will be the feature event of the night.

Residents are encouraged to bring their tractors to the competition Friday. Fans can watch the event for $2 from the grandstands or $5 from the pit. Children 8 and under are admitted free.

The Enduro Race, always one of the fair's best draws, takes the spotlight on Saturday. Admission is $7. Children 8 and under are admitted free.

The Enduro Race will be a two-hour race, or a 200-lap event. The first driver to complete 200 laps in less than two hours is the winner. If no driver can complete 200 laps in two hours, the winner will be the driver who has completed the most laps at that point.

As of early this week, last year's Enduro Race champion had not registered for the 2001 version of the event.

Rock Rapids, Iowa, driver Curt Dieren completed 135 laps to take top honors in the 2000 race, which attracted 45 drivers.

Dieren may not compete this year, but four of the top 10 finishers from the 2001 race have pre-registered for the event.

Adrian's Randy Kruse (second place), Sioux Falls' Randy Harms (fourth place), Rock Rapids' Todd Dieren (fifth place) and EdgertonÕs Owen Tinklenberg (seventh place) will be on the track.

Forty-two cars pre-registered for the 2001 race as of early this week, and 25 of them are drivers from the Star Herald coverage area.

LuverneÕs Travis Van Santen, Jason Chesley, Perry Schneekloth, Nick Mann, Josh Vanden Hoek, Jared Rowden, Adam Kinsinger, and Josh DeKam are on the list, as are MagnoliaÕs Brian Schneekloth, Mark Knips, Jason DeBeer and Josh Klay.

Hardwick and Ellsworth will be represented by Brent Hulstein and Kevin DeBeer respectively.

Adrian's Kruse, Brad Lonneman, Brent Henning, Colt Bullerman, Justin Wieneke, Chris Kruger, Brad Bullerman, Tim Banck, Will Nytes and Marty Weiss are also signed up to compete.

All Rock County residents are encouraged to come out and watch their friends and neighbors compete in the motor sports events at this year's Fair.

By Jolene Farley
Anyone considering running for the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board will soon have the opportunity.

Candidates may begin filing affidavits of candidacy on Tuesday, Aug. 28, for four vacancies on the board. Each term is for four years.

A general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 6, for the spots on the board held by Lois Leuthold, Rollie Crawford, Dave Roozenboom and Al Harnack.

When contacted by phone, Leuthold said she will seek re-election to the board. However, Roozenboom will not run again. Crawford and Harnack did not return phone calls.

Candidates must be eligible to vote, must be 21 years of age or more upon assuming office, must have been a resident of the district from which the candidate seeks election for 30 days before the general election, and they must have no other affidavit on file for any other position at the same general election in order to run for office.

For those who intend to run, a $2 filing fee and Affidavit of Candidacy must be filed in the office of the school district clerk prior to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 11.

Affidavits of candidacy are available from Hills-Beaver Creek District clerk Dave Roozenboom, RR1 Box 9, Steen, MN 56173.