By John RittenhouseThe slumping Hills Thunder couldn’t snap what has grown into an eight-game losing skid in amateur baseball play.Hills dropped a six-run decision in Pipestone Wednesday, June 18, before losing a five-run game to Wilmont in Hills Sunday.The 2-10 Thunder play in Butterfield (at noon) and in Jackson (7:30 p.m.) Sunday.Wilmont 8, Hills 3The Thunder let a one-run lead slip away during Sunday’s home game with Wilmont.Although Hills was limited to a pair of hits in the game, the hosts managed to score three early runs to take a 3-2 advantage after Wilmont plated single runs in the first and the second frames to open the scoring.Hills cut Wilmont’s lead in half (2-1) when Jarud Lang walked and scored on a bases-loaded walk, drawn by Chad Rauk in the bottom of the third.The Thunder scored twice in the fourth inning to gain a 3-2 edge.Jarud Lang reached base on a fielder’s choice before Cade Lang walked to set the table for Eric Harnack, who delivered a two-run single to give the hosts their lead.Wilmont, however, outscored Hills 6-0 the rest of the way.The visitors plated five runs in the top of the fifth inning to gain a 7-3 cushion before capping the scoring with a single run in the sixth.Jarud Lang pitched all seven innings for Hills. He fanned five batters while allowing 11 hits and four walks during a losing effort.Box score AB R H BIJ.Lang 1 2 0 0E.Harnack 3 0 1 2S.Harnack 3 0 0 0Sammons 3 0 0 0Top 0 0 0 0Funke 1 0 0 0Van Maanen 2 0 0 0Jellema 1 0 1 0C.Lang 2 1 0 0Rauk 2 0 0 1Forshey 0 0 0 0C.Harnack 2 0 0 0Krenz 0 0 0 0Pipestone 10, Hills 4A 7-1 surge by the A’s late in the game led to a six-run setback for Hills June 18 in Pipestone.The Thunder led 1-0 early and the score was tied at three after four and one-half innings of play, but Pipestone outscored Hills 7-1 the rest of the way to nail down a victory.Hills opened the scoring in the top of the first when Cade Lang walked before scoring on a fielder’s choice by Eric Harnack.Pipestone moved in front 2-1 by scoring twice in the bottom of the second, but Hills tied the game in the third when Scott Harnack singled before scoring on Chris Harnack’s single.The A’s regained the lead at 3-2 in the fourth only to have Hills tie the game at three in the top of the fifth.Scott Harnack walked and scored on a single from Rauk to create a deadlock at three.Pipestone moved in front to stay when it plated three runs in the bottom of the fifth to open a 6-3 cushion.Wade Jellema reached base on an error and scored on Cade Lang’s fielder’s choice in the sixth to make it a 6-4 game before the A’s put the game away with a four-run eighth inning.Rauk tossed all eight innings and took the loss for Hills. He surrendered 12 hits and five walks and recorded five strikeouts.Chris Harnack led the Thunder at the plate with a three-hit game.Rauk, Jellema and Scott Harnack added two hits each.Box score AB R H BIJ.Lang 4 0 1 0E.Harnack 3 0 0 1S.Harnack 4 2 2 0Sammons 3 0 0 0Top 3 0 0 0Funke 0 0 0 0Van Maanen 0 0 0 0Jellema 4 1 2 0C.Lang 3 1 0 1Rauk 4 0 2 1Forshey 0 0 0 0C.Harnack 5 0 3 1Krenz 0 0 0 0

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne Redbirds went 1-1 without placing at a 16-team tournament in Green Isle over the weekend.Luverne topped the host team 5-2 in Friday’s opener before falling 3-0 to St. Francis Saturday.The 9-2 Redbirds host Bancroft at noon Sunday before playing in Windom at 5 p.m. the same day.Luverne 5, GI 2The Redbirds advanced to the winner’s bracket by topping the host team by three runs in Friday’s opener.Jeff Sehr drove in two runs with a pair of doubles to lead the offense. Four Redbird pitchers combined efforts to limit Green Isle to two earned runs and six hits in seven innings.Sehr gave Luverne a 1-0 lead when he doubled home Tony Sandbulte, who reached base with a single, in the top of the first.Eric Edstrom doubled and scored on Jon Jarchow’s groundout to make it 2-0 in the second.Sandbulte walked before scoring on Sehr’s second double of the game in the third. Sehr scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to give the Redbirds a 4-0 cushion.Green Isle broke through for a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth before Luverne capped the scoring with a single counter in the seventh.Terry Eernisse singled and scored the final run when Sandbulte doubled.Jarchow pitched a scoreless first inning before giving way to Travis Eernisse, who allowed two earned runs, three hits and four walks over the next four innings to pick up the win.Kyle Kruen walked one batter and surrendered two hits while pitching one-third of one inning. Edstrom allowed one hit in one and two-thirds innings to record a save.Box score AB R H BIOhme 4 0 0 0Sandbulte 2 2 2 1J.Sehr 3 1 2 2Weber 1 0 0 0Fisher 2 0 0 0M.Sehr 2 0 0 0Schneider 1 0 0 0Iveland 3 0 0 0Edstrom 2 1 1 0Jarchow 1 0 0 1Tr.Eernisse 1 0 0 0Shelton 1 0 0 0Te.Eernisse 3 1 1 0SF 3, Luverne 0The Redbirds had a six-game winning streak snapped when they were eliminated from the tournament by St. Francis Saturday.Luverne couldn’t get anything going offensively against SF, and the Redbirds were limited to one hit in the game.SF plated single runs in the second, fourth and sixth innings.Luverne’s best scoring chance came in the fourth inning.After the first 11 Redbirds to bat in the game were retired, Sehr slapped a two-out single before moving to second base when Mike Wenninger was hit by a pitch. The rally ended when the next batter struck out.Luverne had three more base runners after the fourth inning, but none advanced past base.Derek Ohme pitched all six innings and took the loss. He allowed two earned runs, five hits and fanned four batters.Box score AB R H BIOhme 2 0 0 0Sandbulte 3 0 0 0J.Sehr 3 0 1 0Wenninger 2 0 0 0M.Sehr 2 0 0 0Fisher 1 0 0 0Edstrom 3 0 0 0Weber 2 0 0 0Iveland 2 0 0 0Te.Eernisse 2 0 0 0

Luverne VFW third baseman Wyatt Cote prepares to slide safely home while the Worthington catcher tries to scoop up the ball during Monday’s baseball game in Worthington. Cote scored Luverne’s lone run in a 5-1 loss to Worthington.By John RittenhouseThe Luverne VFW baseball team was unable to even its season series with Worthington when the teams squared off in Worthington Monday.The young Cardinals put up a better fight than when they took a 23-1 pounding from the Trojans in Luverne June 3, but Luverne came up on the short end of a 5-1 decision in the end.Jared Pick, who played a key role with Luverne’s state-bound high school team when the teams met in early June, kept the Cardinals in the game with a strong pitching effort Monday.Pick limited Worthington to a pair of hits, but it wasn’t enough to put the Cards in the win column.After Pick blanked Worthington in the first two innings, the hosts broke through to score three runs in the bottom of the third.Luverne countered by scoring once in the top of the fourth, but the Cards were unable to score the rest of the way.Luverne’s Wyatt Cote reached base when he was hit by a pitch to start the fourth inning. Cote advanced to second when John Tofteland laid down a sacrifice bunt before scoring on a double by Kelsey Petersen to make it 3-1.Worthington scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to ice the game.Luverne, which slips to 2-2 in the league with the loss, was led at the plate with a two-hit effort by Petersen.The 6-8 Cardinals host Marshall tonight before playing four games at the New Ulm Tournament over the weekend. Luverne plays in Slayton Monday.Box score AB R H BIGraphenteen 3 0 0 0Nath 3 0 1 0Pick 3 0 0 0Cote 2 1 1 0Tofteland 2 0 0 0Petersen 3 0 2 1Johnson 2 0 0 0Oeding 1 0 0 0Lundgren 3 0 1 0Deutsch 2 0 0 0Boler 1 0 1 0

By John RittenhouseThree Luverne High School girls graced the All-Southwest Conference Softball roster that was released last week.Two Cardinals made the All-SWC Team. Another drew honorable mention.Senior Karen Jarchow and junior Jessy Behr made the 18-player All-SWC roster.Sophomore Natalie Domagala is one of nine players to receive honorable mention from the SWC coaches.Pipestone Area, the SWC champion and runner-up at the state tournament, led all league teams with five All-SWC selections.Seniors Stephanie and Stacy Plahn, Jody Kontz and Kelley Cunningham and junior Stacey Evans represent the Arrows on the roster.Jackson County Central placed second in the league and drew four all-conference selections.Seniors Christina Flatebo, Ashley Bezdicek, Tammy Kolander and Shelly Chozen are the Huskies on the team.Marshall picked up three all-league selections in senior Terri Klein and sophomores Hayley Martin and Gracie Henderson.Worthington matched Luverne with a pair of all-conference selections. Senior Amanda Duitsman and sophomore Brandi Schmidt are the Trojans on the team.Redwood Valley senior Amanda Jacobson and Windom junior Naomi Jacobson round out the all-league team.Pipestone senior Mindy Cunningham and junior Allison Hubers, JCC junior Danielle Stump and sophomore Hatty Rossow, Marshall junior Becca Freeman, Worthington senior Tracy Obermoller, RWV senior Rachael Bloedow and Windom junior Liz Thon join Domagala as honorable mention selections.

By John RittenhouseThe 2004 Luverne High School volleyball team will be led into battle by a new head coach when the Cardinals take the court next fall.Lori Jacobs has been tabbed the program’s new head coach after a recent meeting of the District 2184 School Board. Jacobs will replace Mary Jo Graphenteen, a 19-year coaching veteran, as the LHS head coach. District officials opted not to renew Graphenteen’s coaching contract at a spring meeting.Jacobs won’t bring a lot of coaching experience to the volleyball program, but she’s enthusiastic about the opportunity of working with the players from Luverne."This is my first coaching job, and I’m really excited about it. I’m very much looking forward to it," Jacobs said. "I’m excited about meeting the girls, working with them and, hopefully, seeing the team improve."Jacobs is a native of Madelia, and a 1999 graduate of Madelia-Truman High School.She played volleyball, basketball and softball for the M-T Jay Hawks during her high school days.Jacobs attended Northern State University (Aberdeen, S.D.) after high school, earning her teaching degree in May.She did not play college volleyball at Northern State.Jacobs, who learned of the coaching position at a job fair in Sioux Falls, plans to meet with Cardinal players and their parents prior to the opening day of practice Aug. 11.Jacobs, who will be assisted by Luverne’s Paula Lammert in the volleyball program, will be a second-grade teacher.

Nine athletes represented Luverne at the Hershey’s District 2 Track and Field Meet in Windom Saturday. They are (from left) Devin Nelson, Chris Ashby, Paige Olson, Sarah Schneekloth, Alyssa Stegenga, Kayla Raddle, Cody Raddle and Lexi Heitkamp. Missing is Johnny Solma.By John RittenhouseSix athletes representing Luverne came up big during the District 2 Hershey’s Track and Field meet in Windom Saturday.Sarah Schneekloth, Alyssa Stegenga, Kayla Raddle, Paige Olson, Lexi Heitkamp and Chris Ashby all earned berths in the Minnesota State Hershey’s Track and Field event for their performances in Windom Saturday.Individuals and relay teams need to place first or second at the district level to qualify for the state meet, which will be staged in Apple Valley Saturday.Luverne athletes won seven district titles in Windom.Ashby won the 100- and 200-meter dashes for boys’ division for 13- and 14-year olds. Heitkamp won the 800- and 1,600-meter runs in the girls’ 13-14 division.Stegenga won the 100 and Schneekloth took top honors in the 200 in the girls’ 11-12 division.Schneekloth, Stegenga, Raddle and Olson also took top honors in the 400-meter relay for girls in the 11-12 division.Along with advancing as members of the relay team, Olson and Schneekloth earned trips to Apple Valley by placing second in the 11-12 100-meter dash and softball throw respectively.Kayla Raddle placed third in the 800 during the district meet.Devin Nelson placed third in the boys’ 11-12 standing long jump, Cody Raddle placed third in the boys’ 9-10 200-meter dash, and Johnny Solma placed fourth in the boys 9-10 400-meter dash.

DISTRICT COURTPROBATE DIVISIONFIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICTNOTICE AND ORDER OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORSSTATE OF MINNESOTACOUNTY OF ROCKESTATE OFVernon J. Stroh, a/k/a Vernon Stroh DECEDENTIt is Ordered and Notice is given that on July 14, 2003 at 9:00 (a.m.) a hearing will be held in this Court at the Rock County Courthouse, 204 East Brown, Luverne, Minnesota, for the formal probate of an instrument purporting to be the will of Decedent, dated April 9, 1979 and codicil (N/A) to the will dated N/A, and separate writing (N/A) under Minn. Stat. 524.2-513 ("Will"), and for the appointment of James V. Stroh whose address is: 514 South Donaldson, Luverne, Minnesota 56156 as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent in a SUPERVISED administration. Any objections to the petition must be filed with the Court prior to or raised at the hearing. If proper and if no objections are filed or raised, the personal representative will be appointed with full power to administer the Estate, including the power to collect all assets, pay all legal debts, claims, taxes and expenses, to sell real and personal property and do all necessary acts for the Estate. Notice is also given that (subject to Minn. Stat. 524.3-801) all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the date of this Notice or the claims will be barred. /s/ Timothy K. Connell 06/17/2003Timothy K. Connell Judge Date/s/ Sandra L. Vrtacnik 06/17/2003Sandra L. Vrtacnik Court Administrator DateDonald R. KlosterbuerSkewes, Klosterbuer & Vajgrt, L.L.P.120 N. McKenzieBox 538Luverne, MN 56156-0538Telephone 507 283-9111Attorney License #56674(6-26, 7-3)

City of LuverneNotice of Public HearingThe City of Luverne will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, July 22, 2003 at 5:00 p.m. for the purpose of considering economic development, social and environmental effects of the proposed development at the Luverne Municipal Airport and its consistency with the goals and objectives of such urban planning as has been carried out by the community. The City of Luverne is intending to undertake the following developments at the Luverne Municipal Airport:1. The exiting runway 17-35 will be relocated 450’ to the west and realigned to 18-36, for a total length of 4,200’.2. A parallel taxiway to runway 18-36 will be constructed the full length of the 4,200 primary runway. The taxiway will be located 250’ east of the runway centerline, will have a width of 40 feet, and be 4,200 feet long. 3. Associated lighting and approach navigational aids. 4. Land acquisition needed for constructing the above-mentioned improvements. As required by paragraph 22 of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 5050.4A, Airport Environmental handbook, the proposed development requires the preparation of an Environmental Assessment (EA). The project also requires the completion of an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) under Minnesota Rules Chapter 4410. The EA has been prepared to fulfill the EAW requirements. A separate EAW will not be prepared. The EA has been prepared and is available for public review at the offices of the City of Luverne, 203 East Main Street, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A copy is also available for review at the Rock County Community Library, 201 West Main Street, Luverne. The public hearing will be held at 5:00 p.m. on July 22, 2003 in City Council Chambers of Luverne City Hall, 203 East Main Street, Luverne. All interested parties are invited to attend the public hearing. Questions can be directed to Jeff Haubrich, Interim City Administrator, City of Luverne, 203 East Main Street, P.O. Box 659, Luverne, Minnesota.(6-26)

10 years ago (1993)"Area farmers aren’t expecting pennies from heaven, but they do expect some help from the federal government for flooded cropland.The one man that could ultimately make a positive difference paid a visit from the White House to discuss options with farmers yesterday afternoon.U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy … along with Rep. David Minge and an entire congressional delegation, visited the Eugene Petersen farm to see first-hand what southwest Minnesota farmers are dealing with in terms of flood damage.25 years ago (1978)"Work on the city tennis courts and the airport runways is included on the list of projects for the city of Luverne this summer.Bids for work at the airport and the tennis courts were accepted by the Luverne City Council at the regular meeting Tuesday. Asphalt Surfacing was the low bidder for the overlay and patching work at the airport at $60,600.29. … Pipestone Bituminous was the low bidder for the work on the tennis courts at $9,903.10."50 years ago (1953)"The Verne Drive-In Theater opened for business in Luverne last Friday night. The drive-in theater is located one mile south of Luverne on Highway 75. Owner of the Verne Drive-In is K.S. Sargent. The opening, which climaxed months of preparation, had been in doubt for several days as vital pieces of equipment had been delayed en route from the factory."75 years ago (1928)"A marked decrease will be made in postal rates on a number of classes of mail matter beginning with July 1st, when the new postal law enacted by Congress, and approved by Pres. Coolidge, will become effective.The one-cent rate on private mailing postcards, instead of the two-cent rate, is restored, as is the old rate of one cent for each two ounces or fraction thereof on newspapers and magazines mailed by others than publishers."100 years ago (1903)"Luverne should have a ‘rest room,’ a place where women and children from the country could be comfortably entertained while in the village. The Herald has made this recommendation before and it should not be necessary to urge the matter more upon the business men and ladies’ clubs of this village."