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Beaver Creek elevator coming down piece by piece

Larson Crane Services, Worthington, continues demolishing the grain elevator in Beaver Creek Tuesday afternoon. The 125-foot-tall wooden elevator hasn’t stored grain for over a decade; it was being used only for its office and scale. New Vision put up three new bins — with a total grain storage capacity of 1.1 million bushels — 15 to 20 years ago. The old elevator will be replaced with a new office and scale in time for harvest this fall.

On the Record March 4-11, 2022

Dispatch report
March 4
•Complainant on Bluemound Avenue and Luverne Street flagged down a deputy for assistance.
•Complainant eastbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 12, Luverne, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported threats via phone.
March 5
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported suspicious items found.
•Complainant westbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 12, Luverne, reported a driving complaint.
March 6
•Complainant on W. Virginia Street requested a deputy to contact family.
•Complainant on N. McKenzie Street reported an activated carbon monoxide detector.
•Complainant on 160th Avenue, Luverne, requested extra patrol.
•Complainant on E. 4th Street, Hills, reported suspicious activity at location.
•Deputy reported an equipment outage.
•Complainant eastbound on County Road 4, Beaver Creek, reported a driving complaint.
March 7
•Complainant in Nobles County, Worthington, reported subject with a Rock County warrant.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported a Crime Stoppers tip.
•Complainant on N. Estey Street reported harassing communication.
•Complainant had questions about child custody agreements.
•Complainant on 150th Avenue, Luverne, reported a refrigerator in ditch at location.
•Complainant on W. Hatting Street reported welding parts were stolen.
•SFPD reported a stolen vehicle may be in Luverne.
March 8
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported receiving counterfeit money.
•State patrol assisted another department on Highway 23.
•State patrol assisted another department westbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 9, Luverne.
March 9
•Complainant on W. Interstate Drive reported theft.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported employee is threatening her.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported a disorderly at location.
•Complainant on 180th Avenue, Magnolia, reported a vulnerable adult situation at location.
•Complainant on 101st Street, Magnolia, reported a suspicious vehicle.
•Deputy out with two vehicles at location on S. Kniss Avenue.
March 10
•Complainant in Minneapolis requested out-of-county 911 assistance.
•Complainant on 180th Avenue, Magnolia, reported a vulnerable adult situation at location.
•Complainant on E. 4th Street, Hills, reported possible threats.
March 11
•Metro reported a 911 text in Jasper.
In addition, officers responded to 4 motor vehicle accidents, 1 escort, 5 ambulance runs, 6 paper services, 3 fingerprint requests, 14 burn permits, 1 driver’s license check, 1 alarm, 5 drug court tests, 6 purchase and carry permits, 51 traffic stops, 8 abandoned 911 calls, 1 test, 1 OFP and 3 follow-ups.

Menu March 21-25, 2022

LSS meals at Generations
Monday, March 21: Chicken wild rice, broccoli, pineapple, dinner roll, cookie.
Activities: A.C.E. of SW MN-Rock Co.: 8:30 a.m. Quilters.
Tuesday, March 22: Tater tot hotdish, green beans, warm peaches, cookie.
Half-Price Day sponsored by Grace Lutheran Church.
Activities: 12:30 p.m. Bunco; pinochle.
Wednesday, March 23: Meatballs, mashed potatoes, carrots, bread, dessert.
Thursday, March 24: Roasted turkey with gravy, mashed potatoes, peas, sage dressing, dessert.
Friday, March 25: Barbecue pork on a bun, baked beans, pears, dessert.
LSS Dining offers well-balanced and affordable meals in a community atmosphere.
Call Lynette Hoiland at 283-9846 to arrange to pick up a dinner or for home-delivered meals.
Gift certificates are available at the meal site or online at www.lssmn.org/nutrition.

People in the News March 17, 2022

Magnolia woman earns business accolades
Rock County native Wendy Wills is among the Top 25 Women in Business for 2022 named by Prairie Business Magazine.
“We are grateful for her leadership, dedication to our customers, and support of the Sioux Falls community,” was the Facebook by First International Bank & Trust, Sioux Falls, where Wills is “Chief Experience Officer.”
The annual contest honors creative and successful businesswomen in North Dakota, South Dakota and western Minnesota and the impact they have on industry and economy in the region, according to Prairie Business.
Recipients are selected through nominations based on professional achievement, community contributions and volunteerism.
The 25 honored women come from finance, health care, manufacturing and a number of other industries and professions.
“Each of the women listed has made exceptional contributions in their chosen careers and communities,” according to the magazine.
Wills is the daughter of Dennis and Norma Remme, Magnolia, a graduate of Luverne High School and Concordia College. She and her husband, Thomas Wills, live in Sioux Falls.

1902: Skeletons, relics found near Kanaranzi hill

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on June 13, 1902.
Relic hunters have been busy the past week unearthing Indian skeletons which were discovered by a road crew engaged in excavating a road through Kanaranzi hill, about two miles north of town, says the Rock Rapids Review. “The skeletons found are similar to those found in the mounds on the Sioux river in the west part of the county, save for the fact that their condition would indicate that they have been longer in the ground than have those on the Sioux. Another difference is that in the instance of the remains found no beads or other relics with the skeletons, while these are almost invariably found in the mounds in the west end of the county. Altogether since the first discovery of the relics nine or ten skeletons have been excavated, several of them having been found in the pasture of the poor farm. Old settlers state that in the earlier days of this community it was nothing uncommon to find these skeletons at this location, ‘but it has been so long since they were known that the recent find created quite an amount of excitement. The skeletons  thus far found have been placed with the heads to the north, a characteristic common wherever the remains of deceased Indians have been found.”
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

Remember When March 17, 2022

10 years ago (2012)
•A series of unfortunate sports injuries led Luverne High School junior Jake Guy to launch his own extra-curricular activity.
In the fall of 2010, as a sophomore athlete, he suffered two football concussions, followed by another in winter wrestling, prompting him to call it quits in sports.
This fall, when Jake’s friends returned to school sports, he found himself with extra time on his hands, so he followed up on a small business venture.
The Game Trailer, officially launched this month, is a self-contained mobile gaming theatre that is delivered directly to clients’ doorsteps. …
Jake looked around the Sioux Falls and Tri-State Area and discovered there weren’t any such businesses in the area, so he began the process of starting one of his own.
 
25 years ago (1997)
•Luverne and Beaver Creek fire departments were called to the elementary school in Beaver Creek Monday morning when a fire broke out in a crawl space near the roof of the building.
Beaver Creek fire chief Rick Tatje speculated that sparks from a cutting torch used by workers in the building may have kindled the fire overnight.
The fire broke out in the old part of the building which is about to be demolished, but it was close enough to the new part of the building to get people nervous.
 
50 years ago (1972)
•A proposal to discontinue kindergarten at Hardwick and have Hardwick kindergartners bused to Luverne brought a delegation to the school board meeting Friday night to voice their objections.
The proposal was made at the February meeting of the board, when the matter of per pupil costs was raised. Hardwick has a potential of 14 kindergarten pupils for next year. Supt. Harvey Eitreim had questioned the validity of retaining that small a class in Hardwick when it could be absorbed in the Luverne school which is also experiencing a downtrend in kindergarten enrollment.
A recent meeting of the Hardwick Parent Teachers Association voted 65-0 in favor of maintaining the kindergarten through sixth grade elementary program in the Hardwick school. At that time, a committee comprised of Alan Slieter, Gerald Baker, Harold Kindt, Kenneth Hoime, Don Pap and Sigfried Johansen, was named Principal William DeBates to meet with the board to voice objections to the proposal.
DeBates told the board that a full discussion was held at the PTA, and that voting was by secret ballot.
 
75 years ago (1947)
•Southwestern Minnesota is the setting for the new novel of Feike Feikema, “This Is the Year,” which is being placed on sale today throughout the nation. And here last week for a two day picture taking assignment were Ray Swan and John Cotton, photographer and picture editor of the Minneapolis Star. Four local people were selected to re-enact  scenes from the novel which will appear within a few weeks in the Minneapolis  Sunday Tribune. If the Minneapolis paper, in its pictorial story about the novel, uses full color photos the layout will appear in the feature section in about six weeks. If black and white pictures are used, the feature will appear in about three weeks.
 
100 years ago (1922)
•A new kindergarten department of the Luverne public schools will start Monday morning Mar. 27, and all children who will be five years old by April 1st, and therefore eligible to start school work next fall, may enroll in the new department.
The basement of the Presbyterian church has been secured for the kindergarten department, and it will be taught by girls of the normal department of the high school, thereby eliminating the expense of employing a teacher especially for this purpose.
The establishment of the new department was authorized at the meeting of the school board held Tuesday evening, and Supt. Bell has leased the church quarters for a period of nine weeks, which will be the length of the kindergarten course for the present term.

Anna Van Batavia

Anna VanBatavia, 79, Luverne, died Thursday, March 10, 2022, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A funeral service was Tuesday, March 15, at the American Reformed Church in Luverne. Burial followed at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Luverne.
Anna was born on Nov. 4, 1942, to John and Henrietta (Smeins) Brommer. When Anna was an infant, her father was killed in a car accident. Anna was then adopted by Chris DeGroot, who married Henrietta and raised Anna as his own.  She spent her childhood in Luverne. Music became a very important part of her life, and she played tenor drum in band in high school. She also worked as a car hop at A&W Drive-in and cleaned the Rock County Bank.  She graduated from Luverne High School in 1960.
She immediately started working part time for the Rock County Bank as a teller and was employed by the bank until her retirement in 2007.
Anna married Virgil VanBatavia on Nov. 2, 1962. The couple later divorced but remained good friends. Anna took great pride in her work at the bank, where she worked nearly every position. She moved from part time to full time in 1971, working as a security loan officer, then a consumer loan officer, and eventually rose to the position of consumer mortgage lender vice president.
After retirement in 2007, Anna worked part time for Manitou Carpets and remained very active in the community.
Anna was a member of the American Reformed Church for many years, serving as first-grade Sunday school teacher for much of that time.  Her love of music brought her many opportunities to serve, from the Tri-State Band Committee from 1986-2013, then as People’s Choice Judge from 2014-2017, and as a Parade Marshall in 2009.  Anna was also an active member of the Luverne Chamber of Commerce and the Rock County Bankers Association. She participated in bowling league for many years and really enjoyed long rides in her convertible.
The most important thing to her was her family. She supported her grandchildren and great-grandchildren by going to all of their events and spending as much time with them as she could.  She was known for her quick wit, sense of humor, goofy pranks and laugh. Anna was never afraid to talk to people and had a special gift at bringing out the best in those around her. She loved dressing up as the good witch for Halloween and baking hundreds of cupcakes to deliver around town to the nursing homes, businesses, hospice cottage and more. Anna also loved animals, especially her cats, Toby and Muffy.
Anna is survived by her daughters, Tammy (Tom) Johnson of Hardwick and Debbie Pantekoek of Pipestone; seven grandchildren, Lyndsie (Brandon) Deragisch, Brandie (Justin) Hulstein, Kaila Hamann, Emilee (Nate) Haraldson, Nic (Melanie) Johnson, Torri (Austin) Raatz, and Jamie (Mason) Pantekoek; six great-grandchildren; and many friends.
Anna was preceded in death by her parents, Chris and Henrietta DeGroot; her biological father John Brommer; and her brother, Lloyd DeGroot.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com.
(0317 F)

Donald Weinkauf

Donald “Wino” Weinkauf, age 66, of Hardwick, Minnesota, died peacefully on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at the Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Visitation will be held on Sunday, March 13, 2022, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Hartquist Funeral Home – Luverne Chapel.  A short memorial service will be held at 3:45 on Sunday, March 13, 2022, with burial to follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne. To view a complete life history and sign an online registry, please visit www.hartquistfuneral.com
Donald Eugene Weinkauf came into this world on Dec 17, 1955. He was born in Pipestone, Minnesota, to Ramona (Lear) and Duane Weinkauf. Don lived his childhood on the farm near Jasper, Minnesota, and graduated from Jasper High School in 1973, going on to Pipestone Vo-Tech where he studied meat cutting.
Don was united in marriage to Rebecca Christensen on August 17, 1974, and to this union were born three girls:  April (1975), Amber (1978) and Arrin (1984).
Don and Becky owned Don’s Meat Market in Hardwick until 1986. Don made the best beef jerky and people would travel from miles around to buy it. It was during these years that Don developed very deep friendships and gained the nickname Wino. He was passionate about fast-pitch softball and loved the night lights of the ball diamond. Wino spent many hours sharing this love with his girls by playing catch in the backyard.
Don went to work at Bayliner Marine in Pipestone to build boats, celebrating 25 years of employment with them. He again developed very close relationships with friends and co-workers that lasted the test of time.
He then moved into the role of the facilities manager of the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne. He retired from the home in July 2020. It was here where he really found his calling. He was very proud of his work, even being selected as Employee of the Year in 2014. He retired from Good Sam in July 2020.
Wino loved spending time with his girls and especially loved music. They enjoyed concerts and saw many of the greats: Heart, Paul McCartney, Bob Seger, Fleetwood Mac and The Stones. Don was fun-loving and down to earth; he could talk to anyone and always had a smile on his face. He would say, “Do what makes you smile.”
Don is fondly remembered by his daughters, April (Heath) Kooiman, Amber (Brian) Hoogestraat, and Arrin Weinkauf (Tony Buchholz); granddaughter Macy Kooiman; grandsons Elliot, Hudson and Cooper Hoogestraat; and bonus grandchildren Dane and Vail Buchholz. Wino is also lovingly remembered by so many friends that call him brother.
He is survived by his siblings Pam (Jim) Schloendorf of Pipestone, Deb (Doug) Sorenson of Madison, South Dakota, and Jerry (Shawn) Weinkauf of Woodstock, Minnesota, and sister-in-law Kristie (Dennis) Weinkauf of Jasper and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Don is preceded in death by his parents, Duane and Ramona Weinkauf, his brothers Dennis Weinkauf and Brad Weinkauf, grandparents, nephew Justin Weinkauf, and brother-in-law Sam Comp.
Blessed be his memory.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Hardwick Community Fund.
https://luverne.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create?funit_id=1396
(0317 V)

Iva Elbers

Iva Jean Elbers, 83, Luverne, died Tuesday, March 8, 2022, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne.
A funeral service was Saturday, March 12, at the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. Burial followed at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Iva Jean Wessels was born to Fred and Jennie (Bergman) Wessels on Nov. 23, 1938, on a farm near Hardwick. The family later moved to a farm near Ash Creek, where Iva spent much of her childhood helping with chores, hanging out with her siblings, and playing in the barn or at the nearby Rock River. She graduated from Luverne High School in 1956 and married Edwin Elbers on Sept. 9, 1960, at State Line Presbyterian Church. They made their home initially in Sacramento, California, while Ed was in the Air Force. They returned to Rock County in 1962. They lived in the towns of Steen, Hills and Luverne during their marriage.
Iva was known for her kind nature, her ready smile, her artistic talents, and her love for crafting and decorating. She was also known for her sense of humor and had no problem laughing at herself, one of her most endearing traits. She battled for 35 years against the effects of rheumatoid arthritis and for many years with dementia, yet retained her sunny nature and could often be heard humming as she worked on household chores or on one of her latest craft projects. When she needed additional care, she moved to the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.
She created a warm and caring home. She loved her family and the family reunions and holiday gatherings to the fullest.
She is survived by her husband, Edwin; three children and their spouses, Deb (Jim) Garvin, Jeff (Linda) Elbers, and Joel (Jill) Elbers; five grandchildren, Dan (Lauren) Garvin, Kaitlyn Garvin, Jenna Elbers, Joe Elbers, and Breanna Elbers; her siblings Norman Wessels, Enore Boelman, Lowell Wessels, Harold Wessels, Doug Wessels and David Wessels; her sisters-in law Gert Wessels, Theresa Wessels, Bev Wessels, Nelvina Kroese, Betty (Harold) Babbitt and Ruth Verbrugge; brothers-in-law Don Schouwenburg and Vern Verbrugge; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her father and mother-in-law, Ed and Verna Elbers; brothers Stan Wessels, Darrel Wessels and Dale Wessels; sisters Vernice Wessels and Phyllis Schouwenburg; sisters-in-law Joyce Wessels, Jolene Wessels, Sharon Wessels and Ginny Wessels; and brothers-in-law Edwin Boelman, Chuck Kroese and Wilmer Elbers.
Arrangements were provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, hartquistfuneral.com. (0317 F)

College News March 17, 2022

Area students graduate from SDSU
Several area students graduated from South Dakota State University, Brookings, following the Summer and Fall 2021 semesters.
The following graduates are listed with honors, degree and hometown:
Dakota Steensma, Master of Science, graduate school, Hills; Colton Kunkel, Bachelor of Science, agriculture, food and environmental science, Kenneth; Hunter Harvey, Bachelor of Science, education and human science, Luverne; Jasmine Lingen, Bachelor of General Studies, arts, humanities and social sciences, Luverne; Danielle Watts-Boll, summa cum laude, Bachelor of Science, arts, humanities and social sciences, Luverne;  Tanner Wiese, Bachelor of Science, engineering, Luverne.

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