Bridge construction bids set for Aug. 18ROCK COUNTY, MNBRIDGE CONSTRUCTIONCLOSING DATE – AUGUST 15, 2003NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Bridge No 67J70 – SAP 67-599-073 (Martin Twp. 23 – Old Bridge L2217) Bridge No. 67J53 – SAP 67-599-121 (Mound Twp. 10 – Old Bridge L2197)Bridge No. 67J65 – SAP 67-599-127 (Vienna Twp. 62 – Old Bridge N/A)Bridge No. 67J66 – SAP 67-599-127 (Vienna Twp. 62 – Old Bridge N/A)Bridge No. 67J69 – SAP 67-599-128 (Martin Twp. 36 – Old Bridge L-2242)Bridge No. 67J71 – SAP 67-599-129 (Beaver Creek Twp. 52 – Old Bridge L2261)The Rock County Highway Department at Luverne, Minnesota will receive sealed proposals until 1:00 P.M. on Monday, August 18, 2003.Proposals will be opened and read publicly in the presence of the Rock County Highway Engineer at the Rock County Highway Building located at 1120 North Blue Mound Avenue in Luverne, Minnesota immediately following the hour set for receiving bids for the following Rock County Highway work. Bids will be awarded on Tuesday, August 19, 2003 at the regular Board of Commissioners Meeting. Bridge 67J70 – SAP 67-599-073: The major quantities of work are: 20 Lin. Ft. Remove Pipe Culvert; 1 Lump Sum Approach Grading; 38 Lin. Ft. of 14’X4’ PCST Conc. Box Culv.: 2 Each 14’X4’ PCST Conc. Box Culv. End Sections; 1 Lump Sum Remove Old Bridge; 331 Cu. Yd. of Granular Backfill (LV); 49 Cu. Yd. of Granular Bedding (LV); 35 Cu. Yd. Rock Bedding (LV); 38 Lin. Ft. 15" CS Pipe Culv.; 2 Each 15" GS Pipe Apron; 27 Cu. Yd. Random Riprap (Class 2); and 1 Lump Sum Traffic Control.Bridge 67J53 – SAP 67-599-121: The major quantities of work are: 128 Lin. Ft. Remove Pipe Culvert; 28 Lin Ft. of Salvage Metal Pipe Culv.; 5,524 Cu. Yd. of Common Excavation (P); 250 Cu. Yd. of Aggregate Surfacing (Class 1); 61 Cu. Yd. of Structural Concrete (Mix 3A32); 84 Lin. Ft. of 14’x6’ PCST Conc. Box Culv.; 6 Each 14’x6’ of PCST Conc. Box Culv. End Section; 1 Lump Sum of Remove Old Bridge; 266 Cu. Yd. of Granular Backfill (LV); 117 Cu. Yd. of Granular Bedding (LV); 89 Cu. Yd. of Rock Bedding; 94 Lin. Ft. of 18" CS Pipe Culv.; 38 Lin. Ft. of 24" CS Pipe Culv.; 6 Each of 18" GS Pipe Apron; 2 Each of 24" GS Pipe Apron; 60 Cu. Yd. of Random Riprap (Class 2); 1 Lump Sum of Traffic Control; 1 Lump Sum of Turf Establishment. Bridge 67J65 & 67J66 – SAP 67-599-127:The major quantities of work are: 1 Lump Sum of Clearing and Grubbing; 56 Lin. Ft. of Remove Pipe Culv.; 1 Each of Remove Conc. Box Culv.; 167 Lin. Ft. of Salvage Pipe Culv.; 1 Lump Sum of Approach Grading; 446 Cu. Yd. Aggregate Surfacing (Class 1); 34 Lin. Ft. of 10’x4’ PCST Conc. Box Culv.; 36 Lin. Ft. of 12’x4’ PCST Conc. Box Culv.; 2 Each of 10’x4’ PCST Conc. Box Culv. End Section.; 2 Each of 12’x4’ PCST Conc. Box Culv. End Section; 723 Cu. Yd. of Granular Backfill (LV); 51 Cu. Yd. of Granular Bedding (LV); 140 Cu. Yd. of Rock Bedding (LV); 32 Lin. Ft. of 18" CS Pipe Culv.; 2 Each of 18" GS Pipe Apron; 58 Cu. Yd. of Random Riprap (Class 2); 1 Lump Sum of Traffic Control; 1 Lump Sum of Turf Establishment. Bridge 67J69 – SAP 67-599-128: The major quantities of work are: 26 Lin. Ft. of Remove Pipe Culv.; 1 Lump Sum of Approach Grading; 68 Lin. Ft. of 8’x8’ PCST Conc. Box Culv.; 4 Each of 8’x8’ PCST Conc. Box Culv. End Sect.; 1 Lump Sum of Remove Old Bridge; 591 Cu. Yd. of Granular Backfill (LV); 56 Cu. Yd. of Granular Bedding (LV); 41 Cu. Yd. of Rock Bedding (LV); 26 Lin. Ft. of 15" CS Pipe Culv.; 2 Each of 15" GS Pipe Apron; 1 Each of Adjust Tile Outlet; 60 Cu. Yd. of Random Riprap (Class 2); 1 Lump Sum of Traffic Control. Bridge 67J71 – SAP 67-599-129: The major quantities of work are: 1 Lump Sum of Approach Grading; 60 Lin. Ft. of 12’x6’ PCST Conc. Box Culv.; 4 Each of 12’x6’ PCST Conc. Box Culv. End Sect.; 1 Lump Sum of Remove Old Bridge; 503 Cu. Yd. of Granular Backfill (LV); 73 Cu. Yd. of Granular Bedding (LV); 55 Cu. Yd. of Rock Bedding; 46 Cu. Yd. of Random Riprap (Class 2); l Lump Sum of Traffic Control. Plans, specifications and proposals may be examined and obtained at the office of the Rock County Highway Engineer, 1120 North Blue Mound Avenue, P.O. Box 808, Luverne, MN 56156-0808.The non-refundable cost for plans and one Proposal will be $25.00.Bids must be accompanied by a certified check or corporate surety bond drawn in favor of the Rock County Treasurer in the amount of at least five-percent (%) of the proposal. Sealed bids shall be clearly marked "PROJECT NO. SAP 67-599-073 ECT."The Board of Rock County Commissioners reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any defects therein. Rock County is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Mark R. Sehr, P.E.Rock County Highway Engineer(7-24, 7-31, 8-7)

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Redbirds bounced back from a playoff-opening loss to Hills July 16 by posting a 7-2 win over Pipestone during a loser’s bracket game of the Gopher League event Sunday in Luverne.The Redbirds struck for five runs in the first inning and went on to win by five to stay alive in the double-elimination event.Luverne, 14-9 overall, earned a rematch against Hills with the victory. The two teams squared off in an elimination game played at Redbird Field Wednesday night. The winner of the game will play Hadley or Wilmont Friday.The Redbirds were never seriously challenged after scoring five runs in the home half of the first against Pipestone.Mike Wenninger delivered a two-run single to open the scoring and Luke Iveland doubled home a pair of runs to highlight the inning. Jesse Reisch received an RBI when he drew a bases-loaded walk.The score was 7-0 when Brian Weber singled home a run and Billy Schneider scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning.Pipestone plated single runs in the sixth and eighth innings, but the A’s were unable to come back on the Redbirds.Jon Jarchow pitched the first three innings for the Redbirds, blanking the A’s without allowing a hit. Jarchow fanned six batters.Terry Eernisse pitched six innings of relief to pick up the win. He allowed two runs (one was earned) and five hits while recording five strikeouts.Box score AB R H BIOhme 4 0 0 0Fisher 1 0 0 0Edstrom 4 0 1 0J.Sehr 4 1 1 0Wenninger 5 1 4 2M.Sehr 3 1 2 0Schneider 0 1 0 0Weber 5 1 3 1Jarchow 0 0 0 0Sandbulte 5 1 1 0Reisch 2 0 1 1Iveland 3 0 1 2

By John RittenhouseThe Hills Thunder opened the 2003 Gopher League Playoffs by shocking the Luverne Redbirds Wednesday, July 16, in Luverne.Hills had never beaten Luverne since joining the amateur baseball ranks in the late 1990s, but that changed at Redbird Field last week.Chad Rauk tossed nine strong innings on the mound and Eric and Scott Harnack and Matt Funke drove in three runs each to lead the Thunder to a 13-4 victory.Hills assumed control of the game by scoring two runs in the first and second innings to open a 4-0 lead.Jarud Lang opened the game with a double and scored the first run when Eric Harnack singled. Harnack scored on a sacrifice fly by Funke to make it 2-0.Cade Lang and Scott Harnack singled before scoring on a two-run double by Eric Harnack in the second as Hills doubled its lead to 4-0.Luverne cut the lead in half (4-2) when Brian Weber reached base, Micky Sehr singled before both runners scored in the bottom of the second, but Hills put the game away by scoring three runs in the fourth inning and four in the fifth to gain an 11-2 cushion.Scott Harnack doubled home a pair of runs and Eric Harnack singled home another during a three-run fourth inning.Cade Lang doubled home one run, Funke received an RBI for a fielder’s choice, Eric Harnack reached base on an error and scored and Scott Harnack walked and scored on a wild pitch in the fifth.Luverne scored single runs in the seventh and ninth innings, while Hills countered with single runs in the eighth and ninth frames.Wade Jellema received an RBI for a fielder’s choice in the eighth and Funke singled home a run in the ninth for Hills. Mike Wenninger scored on an error in the seventh and Ben Winkels singled home a run in the ninth for Luverne.Rauk limited the Redbirds to five hits and five walks while striking out five batters during his nine-inning stint on the mound.Derek Ohme took the loss for Luverne, allowing seven earned runs and nine hits in three and one-third innings.Terry Eernisse worked the next four and two-thirds innings, allowing five runs (one was earned) and seven hits. Isaac Schmidt pitched one inning of one-run, one-hit ball.Hills box score AB R H BIJ.Lang 5 2 2 0E.Harnack 4 2 3 3S.Harnack 4 4 2 3Sammons 3 0 1 0Top 0 0 0 0Funke 5 1 1 3Van Maanen 5 0 1 0Jellema 4 0 1 1C.Lang 5 3 3 1Rauk 5 0 2 0Forshey 0 0 0 0C.Harnack 0 0 0 0Krenz 0 0 0 0Luverne box score AB R H BIOhme 4 0 1 0Edstrom 5 0 0 0Wenninger 3 1 0 0Shelton 1 0 0 0Weber 3 1 0 0Iveland 1 1 1 0M.Sehr 3 1 1 0Jarchow 1 0 0 0Winkels 4 0 1 1Reisch 4 0 0 0Sandublte 2 0 0 0Fisher 2 0 0 0Eernisse 2 0 1 0Schmidt 0 0 0 0

By John RittenhouseA former Luverne resident emerged as a double winner during Friday’s races at Rapid Speedway.Anthony Mann, who now lives in Brandon, took two checkered flags at the track in Rock Rapids, Iowa.Mann won the second heat race before taking the A feature title during the top performance produced by local drivers at the track.Steen’s Billy Cowell came up with the top performance by area drivers in the hobby stock class after winning the first heat race and placing fourth in the feature event at Rapid Speedway.Kanaranzi’s Colter Deutsch (fourth in the first heat and ninth in the feature), Luverne’s Mike Buss (fifth in first heat and eighth in the feature), Magnolia’s Josh Klay (third in the second heat and 13th in the feature) and Magnolia’s Larry Kracht (fourth in the second heat and 12th in the feature) also raced in the hobby stock class Friday.Former Ash Creek resident David Kruger set the pace for local talent in the late model street stock class by placing second in the second heat and second in the feature at Rapid Speedway.Ellsworth’s Scott Overgaard (second in the first heat and third in the feature), Luverne’s Chad Overgaard (sixth in the first heat and eighth in the feature), Adrian’s Mark DeBeor (fifth in the first heat and third in the feature) and former Hills resident Darrin Korthals (fourth in second heat and sixth in the feature) also raced in the street stock division.Luverne’s Brandon Buysse placed seventh in the third heat and 16th in the feature in the 360 sprints at the Iowa track.Kruger and Cowell won heat races to provide the highlights by local drivers during Sunday’s races at Huset’s Speedway, near Brandon, S.D.Kruger won the first heat race in the street stock class before placing fifth in the feature event. Chad Overgaard placed fourth in the second heat and fourth in the street stock feature.Cowell won the first heat in the hobby stock class before placing 14th in the feature.Deutsch (second in second heat and second in the feature), Buss (fifth in the second heat and 12th in the feature) and Klay (fifth in the third heat and 16th in the feature) also competed in the hobby stock class at Huset’s.DeBoer placed second in street stock features at Lake County Speedway in Madison, S.D., Saturday and at Worthington Speedway Sunday.Luverne’s Brett DeJager placed fourth in the modified feature at Worthington Speedway.

Luverne VFW catcher Ben Nath attempts to throw out a stealing Worthington runner during Thursday’s South Third District Playoff game in Worthington. Losses to Worthington and Edgerton ended Luverne’s 12-16 season.By John RittenhouseBack-to-back losses in Worthington eliminated Luverne from the South Third District VFW Baseball Playoffs late last week.The Cardinals lost a five-run decision to Worthington during a winner’s bracket game Thursday. A one-run setback to Edgerton ousted the Cardinals from the double-elimination event.Luverne ends the season with a 12-16 record.Edgerton 3, Luverne 2Luverne was unable to extend its season during an elimination game against Edgerton in Worthington Saturday.The Cardinals sported a pair of one-run leads at times in the game, but Edgerton scored a pair of earned runs while edging Luverne by one run at game’s end.Luverne got off to a good start by scoring one run in the top of the first inning.Derek Johnson reached base on an error in the outfield and gave the Cards an early cushion when he scored on Kelsey Petersen’s RBI double.Edgerton tied the game at one with a run in the bottom of the third, but the Cardinals regained the lead at 2-1 in the top of the fourth.Nathan Boler and Brian Deutsch drew walks to get things rolling in the fourth. Dustin Richters slapped an RBI single to plate Boler.Edgerton battled back to tie the game at two in the bottom of the fourth before producing what proved to be the game-winning run in the fifth inning.Wyatt Cote went the distance on the mound and took the loss. He allowed four hits and one earned run.Petersen led Luverne with two hits.Box score AB R H BIJohnson 4 1 0 0Petersen 3 0 2 1Pick 3 0 0 0Cote 3 0 0 0Nath 3 0 1 0Boler 2 1 0 0Deutsch 2 0 0 0Richters 3 0 1 1Lundgren 3 0 0 0Worthington 9,Luverne 4The Cardinals were knocked into the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament when they dropped a five-run decision in Worthington Thursday.Luverne received an outstanding offensive performance from Derek Johnson, but No. 1-seeded Worthington simply had too many weapons for the Cardinals to deal with.Johnson had three doubles and one single and scored three runs in the game to help the Cardinals take a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.Johnson led the game off with his first of three consecutive doubles. After advancing to third on a ground out to first base by Kelsey Petersen, Johnson scored on a wild pitch.Worthington answered the challenge by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first to gain a two-run lead it would never relinquish.Johnson doubled, moved to second on a ground out by Petersen and scored when Jared Pick grounded out to make it a 3-2 game in the top of the third, but Worthington countered with two-run rallies in the third, fourth and fifth innings to take a commanding 9-2 advantage.Luverne scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to make it a five-run difference at game’s end.Pick walked, Wyatt Cote reached base on an error and Tom Ward walked to load the sacks for Luverne in the sixth. Pick scored when Brett Lundgren bounced out.Johnson singled, Petersen reached base on an error and Pick walked to load the sacks again in the seventh. Cote grounded out to plate Johnson with the game’s final run.Pick pitched all six innings and took the loss. He surrendered nine hits and five walks while striking out three batters.Box score AB R H BIJohnson 4 3 4 0Petersen 4 0 0 0Pick 2 1 0 1Cote 4 0 1 1Deutsch 1 0 0 0Ward 3 0 0 0Lundgren 3 0 0 1Richters 3 0 0 0Boler 2 0 0 0

Luverne American Legion baseball player Zach Wysong turned in two outstanding efforts during Area A Playoff games last week. Wysong drove in four runs with two doubles during an 8-7 loss to Pipestone July 16. He was the winning pitcher, slapped two hits and drove in one run during an 8-3 win over Okabena Friday.By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Amercican Legion baseball team placed second in the Area A Tournament after going 1-1 in games late last week.The Cardinals lost a bid to win the Area A title when Pipestone nipped Luverne by one run in extra innings at Redbird Field Wednesday, July 16.In a game for second and third place played in Luverne Friday, Luverne dumped Okabena by five runs to earn the second seed for Second District American Legion Baseball Tournament in Truman the next two weekends.Luverne, 7-9 overall, will play Wabasso in a first-round game of the double-elimination event 6:30 p.m. Friday.Luverne 8, Okabena 3The Cardinals locked up the second seed for the District Tournament by defeating Okabena by five runs at Redbird Field Friday.Zach Wysong went the distance on the mound to pick up the win, and he slapped two hits along with teammates Aaron Schmidt, Jesse Kuhlman and Adam Reisch to lead Luverne at the plate in the game.Wysong, who fanned 11 batters in the contest, pitched around some fielding miscues by his teammates to limit Okabena’s success early in the game. The visitors had the opportunity to put some big innings together early in the game, but all they could produce was two unearned runs.Okabena led 1-0 after plating one unearned run in the top of the first inning.Luverne countered with a two-run rally in the bottom of the first to gain a one-run edge.Schmidt singled and scored the first run on a wild pitch. Kuhlman singled and scored on a ground out by Reisch, who led the Cards with two RBIs, to give Luverne a 2-1 edge.Okabena tied the game at two with one unearned run in the top of the second before Luverne took the lead for good after scoring two runs in the bottom of the second.Devan Goembel walked and scored the first run of the second when Kuhlman lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. Jake Studer doubled and scored on a single by Reisch to make it 4-2.Okabena registered an earned run in the top of the fourth to trim the difference to one run at 4-3.Luverne, however, put the game away by scoring three runs in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth.Adam Kurtz walked and scored the first run in the fourth on a single by Wysong, who scored later in the frame on a wild pitch. Joey Pick was hit by a pitch in the inning. Jordan Kopp, the courtesy runner for Pick, scored on an error to make it 7-3.Schmidt singled and scored on an error to cap the scoring in the fifth.Box score AB R H BISchmidt 4 2 2 0Kuhlman 3 1 2 1Reisch 4 0 2 2Kurtz 3 1 1 0Jo.Pick 2 0 1 1Wysong 4 1 2 1Fodness 4 0 1 0Goembel 3 1 1 0Kopp 1 1 0 0Studer 4 1 1 0Pipestone 8, Luverne 7Luverne lost an opportunity to win the Area A championship when it dropped a one-run home decision to Pipestone Wednesday, July 16.The Cardinals sported a 2-0 lead early in the game, but Pipestone rallied to force extra innings and outscored the hosts 6-5 in the eighth and ninth frames to lock up the tournament title.Luverne drew first blood when it pushed a pair of runs across the plate in the bottom of the second inning.Adam Reisch reached base on an error and Adam Kurtz walked to set the table for Zach Wysong, who delivered his first of two two-run doubles to give the Cards an early advantage.Pipestone plated single runs in the third and fourth innings to knot the score at two.The game remained tied until the teams scored a combined 11 runs in extra innings.Luverne answered a two-run rally by Pipestone in the top of the eighth inning by scoring a pair of counters in the bottom half of the frame.Jared Pick and Rob Fodness walked before both runners scored on a double by Wysong.Pipestone plated four runs in the top of the ninth to regain the momentum.The Cardinals answered with a three-run surge in the bottom of the ninth, but a strikeout with a runner on third base ended Luverne’s chances of extending the game.Mike Remme and Aaron Schmidt walked before scoring the first two runs in the ninth when Jesse Kuhlman doubled. Kuhlman scored the third run on a sacrifice fly by Jake Studer.Kuhlman pitched into the ninth inning without gaining a decision. Fodness took the loss after pitching one inning of relief.Box score AB R H BISchmidt 3 1 0 0Kuhlman 5 1 1 1Reisch 3 1 0 0Jr.Pick 0 1 0 0Kurtz 4 1 0 0Studer 3 0 0 1Fodness 3 1 0 0Wysong 4 0 2 4Goembel 3 0 0 0Kopp 1 0 0 0Remme 2 1 1 0

I think my mother is trying to get even with me for all the trouble I caused her as a teenager. This past week she suffered a life-threatening crash that caused a great deal of trauma within in the Bremer family-unit. She was staying the night at her sister’s house in Ocheyedan. At approximately 3 a.m. she woke up and determined that a little excursion to the bathroom might be in order. Half asleep, she arose and headed toward the bedroom door. Suddenly and without warning … BAM! … she fell and hit her head on the corner of the dresser, tearing the skin on her forehead in three directions (and chipping the dresser.) Blood poured everywhere. She couldn’t move and simply wanted to lie there on floor. But the instinct for survival is strong so she slowly inched her way down the hall, struggling to get to the phone. She made it and hung desperately onto the edge of the desk, attempting to dial 911. Her mind couldn’t quite grasp the three-digit sequence. However, her mind did grasp the seven-digit number of Evelyn Claus, her best friend since 8th grade. Somehow she dialed and asked Evelyn to call 911. The ambulance screamed into the driveway and whisked her off to the Sibley Hospital, 10 miles away. Back in Luverne, the Bremer children slept peacefully while visions of sugarplums danced in their heads (and their mother nearly bled to death.) Having nothing better to do at 3 in the morning, Dr. Miedema and his trusty staff were ready to rumble when Mother arrived. They had a lovely visit, while the doctor put 47 stitches in jagged cuts of her forehead. At approximately 10 a.m. brother Gordy and I tentatively made our way to her room. There we viewed the disaster area that had once been our mother. Our jaws dropped open. She looked like Rocky Balboa in the 15th round with Apollo Creed (in Rocky 1). I wanted to cry, but maintained a stiff upper lip. Dr. Miedema arrived on the scene. He was filled with trepidation because Mother warned him about me. (OK, one time I threw a fit in the hospital when I didn’t think she was getting proper care.) Dr. Miedema explained the delicate intricacies of stitching a wound that is open to the skull. I cringed, but viewed his handiwork and had to admit that he did a lovely job. As the rest of the family trickled in, each person had the same expression of horrified disbelief. Now, a week later, she’s still a little purple around the edges, but basically back to being my mother again. I think this pretty much evens the score for my share of youthful terrors. I shudder when I think of what she might have planned for Dwight and Gordy … they were much worse than I. New at the library this week is "To The Nines," by Janet Evanovich. Stephanie Plum may not be the best bounty hunter in beautiful downtown Trenton, but she's pretty good at turning bad situations her way ... and she always gets her man. Her cousin Vinnie (who's also her boss) has just posted bail on Samuel Singh, an illegal immigrant. When the elusive Mr. Singh goes missing, Stephanie is on the case. When she interviews a McDonald's employee who knew him, he's shot as she stands there. Then rose-and-carnation bouquets with very sinister notes start appearing and a few more bodies turn up with bullet holes. What she uncovers is far more sinister than anyone imagines and leads to a group of killers who give new meaning to the word hunter.In a race against time that takes her from the Jersey Turnpike to the Vegas Strip, Stephanie Plum is on the chase of her life. This is nonstop action, high-stakes suspense, and sheer entertainment.

The following was printed in the Rock County Herald July 18, 1924:Rock County as it was 50 odd years agoBeing a paper on pioneer life as read by Rep. J.N. Jacobsen at Hills Old Settler’s Re-union"Permanent settlement began in the southwest corner of the county in 1867. A few years before that time, visiting trappers had operated in the county, visiting streams for the taking of pelts of the fur-bearing animals which were then to be found. We have data concerning the operations of only a few of these. Of those who later became residents of the county, one of the first white men who looked upon its soil was Robert Douglas, who passed through Rock County with the soldiers in pursuit of the Redskins, after the Indian uprising of the early ‘60s. He reported many elk and deer in the country and was responsible for naming Elk Slough in Magnolia Township. James A. Rice, later sheriff of Rock County, in company with G.M. Scott, trapped along Rock River and traded with the Indians in the fall of 1866 and spent more than a month within the county’s boundaries. During their stay on the river in 1866, deer and antelope, and one day they saw two buffalo which had come back before bidding adieu forever. The trappers liked the looks of the country, and Mr. Rice, in after years, told of his and his companions’ speculations as to the length of time before the country would be settled. "We knew it was as nice a country as ever laid outdoors," He said, "but we had no idea that it would be settled in 50 years."This article is a long one so it will be continued next week. Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

Some family legends seem to last forever. After many years, my relatives are still chuckling about one young couple, who headed for their newly carpeted bedroom at the end of a long workday. The husband settled into bed first. Instead of joining him, his young bride, who later related the story, began picking up conspicuous pieces of white, fluffy stuff from the dark blue carpeting. Her search seemed to go on indefinitely as she bent down here and there, picking up the lint balls as if they were so many strawberries. Her impatient groom finally blurted out, "What’s the deal, are you giving up sex for lint?" It now appears the nameless, young woman (who may or may not have been my sister-in-law) chose the handpicking lint method over standard vacuuming for a good reason. She must have foreseen a recent vacuum cleaner study at the University of Nebraska. According to Time magazine, researchers at the school decided to figure out why so many women patients at their clinic complained of angina (heart disease-related chest pain) while vacuuming. In addition to finding that vacuuming is "indeed a taxing task" — a no-brainer for anyone who has ever vacuumed — the researchers recommend that women with heart disease use self-propelled upright cleaners. Their solution is easier said than done. It’s not human nature to trade in any household appliance before its time. As in any long lasting relationship based on unconditional loyalty, we fail to see the gradual changes brought about by time. Many homemakers use clothes washers without final spin cycles, clothes dryers that sound like cement mixers and toasters that char bread slices beyond recognition. To further complicate matters, a good number of appliance owners live with appliance revivalists, who religiously believe that all appliances have life after death. According to their beliefs, no appliance should be thrown out before its time. Another used electrical cord, an on-off switch from another broken-down appliance and limitless amounts of electrical tape are all they need to keep the faith. After years of tinkering done to their systems, some appliances barely resemble their original factory designs. They gradually evolve into mechanized mutants. Another problem with the University of Nebraska study is that many women don’t know if they have heart disease. They’re too busy vacuuming or operating other household appliances to make an appointment to find out. An alternate solution might be the one used when we planned to carpet the living room of a farmhouse. After scattering brown carpet samples on the dirt driveway, we came up with a perfect match. As a result, dirt tracked in from the outside couldn’t be seen and risking a heart attack while vacuuming became less of a threat. Actually, any solution would be better than being found on the living room floor in an unflattering pose with a vacuum cleaner handle still clenched in one hand and a dust rag in another. It would be much more satisfying to meet one’s end while biting into a large wedge of chocolate fudge, surrounded by dust bunnies. Before the dust settles on the Nebraska study, we might want to think twice before we do any more vacuuming.