Sanford Luverne named 2022 top critical access hospital
Sanford Luverne Medical Center has been named a 2022 Top 100 critical access hospital by the Chartis Center for Rural Health.
This is the sixth time in the past seven years that Luverne has made the top 100 list.
“I am incredibly proud of the team that we have at Sanford Luverne and the hard work and dedication they demonstrate every day to provide quality health care in our community,” said Tammy Loosbrock, senior director at Sanford Luverne.
“I am reminded every day how grateful we are to have a strong team of caregivers in Luverne, but having an organization like Chartis recognize their hard work as well is remarkable.”
The Chartis Center uses the Hospital Strength Index to determine the list, which assesses performance in eight areas including inpatient and outpatient market shares, quality, outcomes, patient perspective, cost, charge and financial efficiency.

Seven area students receive 4-H scholarships
Seven area high school seniors received 4-H scholarships as selected annually by the Rock County 4-H Executive Committee.
Recipients for 2022 include:
•Morgan Gonnerman, Luverne, member of the Willing Workers 4-H Club and daughter of Mike and Paula Gonnerman and Andy and Heather Hess.
•Danette Leenderts, Hills, Blue Ribbon 4-H Club, daughter of Dave and Dawn Leenderts.
•Donavon Leenderts, Hills, Blue Ribbon, son of Dave and Dawn Leenderts.
•Drew Leenderts, Hills, Blue Ribbon, son of Dave and Dawn Leenderts.
•Justin Mente, Magnolia, Magnolia Juniors 4-H Club, son of Dave and Stacy Mente.
•Samantha Moser, Beaver Creek, Blue Ribbon, daughter of Stuart and Karen Moser.
•Grace Sandbulte, Kenneth, Magnolia Juniors, daughter of Derek and Angie Sandbulte.
Scholarship sponsors include Sunshine Foods, Luverne, and the Marcel Reisch Memorial Scholarship Fund.

When out on my wildlife rides, I routinely stop at bridges to check water clarity and to see if northern pike can be seen getting ready to spawn.
Pike are about the first fish in our area to spawn and will often stage in the shallows under the ice when there is open water near shore. This happens even when the lake is still ice-covered.
This time of year, most of the water I see is usually pretty clear. Even if the water looks high quality, the tale of the microscope or a chemistry lab might very well tell a different story.
One of the No. 1 issues in the heavily row-cropped areas of southwest Minnesota is nitrates. This is a chemical that is very dangerous to children and expectant mothers.
Water treatment plants can treat this pollutant out of drinking water supplies, but it is very expensive to do so.
Another water quality issue is phosphorus, a chemical in fertilizers that is normally transported in eroded soils. When dirt is washing down a stream, it moves phosphorus with it. This chemical is the one credited for creating algae blooms in our lakes during late spring and into the summer.
Grass buffers and other undisturbed grasslands slow down this moving water and, in many cases, allow the soils suspended in the water to settle out on land before reaching a lake or stream.
Storm water or flood retention ponds also capture large rain events and hold that water for a predetermined amount of time. As the water is allowed to pause in these areas, much of the suspended solids that carry phosphorus are allowed to settle to the bottom of the temporary holding area.
It was a really big deal years ago when Gov. Mark Dayton created the buffer bill. This was a regulation that required landowners to leave a 16-foot strip of grass along drainage ditches and also required a 50-foot-wide buffer along natural streams, creeks, rivers and lakes.
In many cases this required setback had been in Minnesota law for decades but was never enforced. This regulation removed from production the acres that were right along water flows, some big and some small.
Some farm programs compensated producers for lost income from these buffer acres. Other buffers could be hayed or grazed. The buffer law is kind of old news today as it was implemented in 2015, and compliance is very high.
So, as we work to try to protect our water resources from all kinds of different threats — chemical pollution, erosion, manure and the like – I  often wonder just how much difference we are making with these efforts.
Almost all the public and private surface waters in southwest Minnesota are not fit to drink or swim in. In many cases they cannot support the normal aquatic life that would live in them. The EPA did this study, and you can easily find it with a Google search.
Even as we implement different processes to protect water, the quality of our water is still very, very bad.
Almost all the lakes in the southwest region carry multiple warnings not to let your dog or your children swim in them after the first of August.
Lake property owners and other recreational users deal with the smell of rotting algae for two months a year. It would seem to me that this would have everyone up in arms, and it is just not the case.
When did we get to the point where we just accepted unsafe, stinky water as OK? This is now just the way it is? When will cleaning up our lakes and rivers become a high enough priority to actually prompt action on a scale big enough to make a difference?  I have no idea. All I can say is that we should not accept undrinkable and unswimmable waters as the norm.
Conservation lands are very often acquired in some of the most sensitive water quality locations, like wellhead protection areas.
I will keep doing my part to champion clean water as a primary benefit to public conservation lands and do my very best to direct those who do this work to always make clean water an important part of any decision regarding their acquisition.
 
Scott Rall, Worthington, is a habitat conservationist, avid hunting and fishing enthusiast and is president of Nobles County Pheasants Forever. He can be reached at scottarall@gmail.com. or on Twitter @habitat champion.

The Luverne girls’ hockey team won the Section 3A Academic Award for being the team with highest average GPA in the section.
Individually, Luverne senior Cheyenne Schutz was academic all-state for having a GPA of 3.9 or higher.
In other conference honors, Coach Ellen Wenninger was the recipient of the Section 3A assistant coach of the year, voted by section coaches.
Kamryn VanBatavia was named to the Minnesota all-state team, which is recognized by the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association.
She and her teammates Reghan Bork and Payton Behr were selected for the Big South Girls’ Hockey All-Conference Team for their performances during the 2021-22 season.
Senior Cheyenne Schutz and junior Mallory Nelson were named to the honorable mention team.
New Ulm also had three players on the all-conference team, with two players from Marshall, Minnesota River and one player each from Fairmont, Windom and Worthington.

Luverne High School senior Braydon Ripka is the only Cardinal wrestler to be named to the list of 54 students earning all-conference honors for their efforts in the Big South Conference.
Conference team champion Jackson County Central led the list with 10 all-conference wrestlers followed by Fairmont/Martin County West (eight), New Ulm (six wrestlers), St. Peter (six wrestlers), Pipestone (five), Worthington (four), Waseca (four), Marshall (four), Blue Earth Area, (two), Redwood Valley (two), St. James Area (one) and Windom/Mountain Lake (one).

Three gymnasts from Luverne High School were named to the Big South Conference All-Conference Team.
Sophomore Sarah DeCesare and freshmen Amira Cowell and Ella Reisdorfer were among the 15 athletes named to the west division team.
Pipestone had three gymnasts listed on the team along with Big South team champions Worthington.
Marshall and Jackson County Central had two athletes named to the team and Redwood Valley had one athlete.
They join 14 other gymnasts named to the east division team for the 2021-22 season.
East division schools include New Ulm, Fairmont-Martin County West, Blue Earth Area, St. Peter and Waseca.

Luverne’s Brock Behrend, a junior, and Patrick Kroski, a sophomore, were among 13 boys’ hockey players chosen for the 2021-22 Big South All-Conference team.
Receiving honorable mention honors were LHS sophomores Tyler Arends and Owen Sudenga.
Luverne posted a 13-3 record for 2021-22 and finished second in the Big South Conference behind New Ulm, 16-0.
Other teams in the conference include Fairmont, Marshall, Waseca, Windom Area and Worthington.

In Exodus 19 it is recorded that God descended on Mount Sinai. When this happened, the mountain was covered in dark clouds; there were flashes of lightning and thunder. There was smoke because the Lord descended on the mount in fire, and the people of Israel were afraid.
Fear can cause us to make all kinds of poor choices.
Can you think of a time when fear has led you to make the wrong decision?
In Exodus 32 we have a biblical example of the Israelites making this kind of mistake.
“When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, ‘Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’” (Exodus 32:1 NIV)
This statement is made in fear.
Moses, their leader, was nowhere to be found. What would they do? Where would they turn? The answer they came up with was to tell Aaron, the priest, to make them a new god to lead them. Basically, in fear the people of Israel looked for a human solution to their problem. They took matters into their own hands.
We need to challenge ourselves to reflect on how we as a nation have responded to the plague we have labeled as COVID-19.
When people got sick and the world panicked in fear, where did we turn?  Who did we turn to for answers? Did we respond to our fears like the Israelites by taking matters into our own hands? Did we look to other human beings for the answers to this huge problem?
It is clear that the Israelites, because of fear, took matters into their own hands. They demanded that Aaron make a god to lead them.
What could the Israelites have done differently?
Imagine if the Israelites chose to pray for help and to pray for Moses’ safe return.  Imagine if they chose to reach out to God in the midst of their fear. How might their story have ended differently?
What if we turn to God for help in the midst of our fears and choose to trust in God’s love, grace and mercy?  Then how will our story end differently than the story we read in Exodus 32?

St. Catherine Catholic Church
203 E. Brown St., Luverne
St. Catherine Ph. 283-8502; www.stscl.org
Monsignor Gerald Kosse, Pastor
Sundays 8:30 a.m. Mass. Public Mass will be celebrated at FULL capacity in the church. Masses: 9 a.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Friday at the nursing homes – check the bulletin. All Sunday masses will be live streamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pg/stccluverne/videos/. Visit www.stscl.org for more information.
 
Luverne Christian Reformed Church
605 N. Estey St., Luverne
Office Ph. 283-8482; Prayer Line Ph. 449-5982
www.luvernecrc.com — office@luvernecrc.com
Sundays 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 6:30 p.m. Evening worship service. We are streaming Sunday services live on YouTube at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Send him a friend request if you’re not connected. You may also visit our website for delayed broadcasts. Also our services are on local cable TV at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. In all circumstances, may we joyfully declare: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8.
 
First Baptist Church
103 N. Jackson St., P.O. Box 975, Luverne
Ph. 283-4091; email: fbcluv@iw.net — www.fbcluverne.org
Walt Moser, Pastor
Sundays, 10:30 a.m. In-person worship service. Service is also on Facebook Live at 10:30 a.m.
 
Grace Lutheran Church
500 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4431; www.graceluverne.org — graceluverne@iw.net
Ann Zastrow, Pastor
Dave Christenson, Interim Pastor
Thursday, March 17: 8:30 a.m. Missions in Action. Sunday, March 20: 9 a.m. Worship Service with baptism. 10 a.m. Sunday School and fellowship coffee. 10 a.m. 5th grade First Communion class. 5 p.m. Worship service. 6 p.m. Senior blanket making. Monday, March 21: Grace Notes deadline. Tuesday, March 22: 7 a.m. Dorcas Circle at The Bean. 9 a.m. Staff meeting. 5 p.m. Altar guild meeting. Wednesday, March 23: 7 a.m. Men’s Bible study. 5-6:30 p.m. Lenten supper. 6:45 p.m. Lenten service. Online, TV and Radio Worship options are available. Online: Sundays 9 a.m. on the church website www.graceluverne.org, click Worship tab or go directly to our Facebook page at Grace Lutheran ELCA, Luverne. TV: Vast Channel 3 will air our worship service Mondays at 4:30 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m. Radio: KQAD-AM Radio will air our worship service on Sundays at 8:15 a.m.
 
Bethany Lutheran Church
720 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4571 or 605-215-9834
Andrew Palmquist, Pastor
Sundays, 10:15 a.m. Worship service; worship online as well (at els.org). Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Zoom Bible study. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Lenten Vespers. See our Facebook page, Bethany Lutheran Church (Luverne) for other classes and events.
 
American Reformed Church
304 N. Fairview Dr., Luverne
Ph. 283-8600; email: office@arcluverne.org
Thursday, March 17: 9 a.m. Cookie Crew. 5:30 p.m. Tumbling Tykes. Friday, March: 18: 6:3o a.m. Community Men’s Bible study. 7 p.m. Middle school gathering. Sunday, March 20: 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. 10:50 a.m. Sunday school. Tuesday, March 22: 12 p.m. Staff meeting. 1 p.m. Piece Out. Wednesday, March 23: 5:30 p.m. Midweek Meal. 6:30 p.m. Pioneer Club. 6:30 p.m. Jr. and Sr. High youth groups. Thursday, March 24: 5:30 p.m. Tumbling Tykes. Services are also broadcast on Vast Channel 3 on Mondays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. DVD’s available upon request. To stay up to date on announcements, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @arcluverne.
 
Rock River Community Church (formerly First Assembly of God)
1075 110th Ave., 2 miles west of Luverne on County Rd. 4
Ph. 612-800-1255; email info@rockrivercommunity.church
Bob Junak, Pastor; Annette Junak, Assistant Pastor
Sundays, 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10 a.m. Worship service. Children’s church for ages 3-6th grade and nursery for ages 0-3 provided during our services. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Worship service. All services are in-person and all are welcome.
 
United Methodist Church
109 N. Freeman Ave., Luverne
Ph. 283-4529
Saturday, March 19: 10 a.m. Baby shower for Kristin Ruppert. 8 p.m. AA meeting. Sunday, March 20: 9 a.m. Adult Sunday school. 9:15 a.m. Coffee. 10:30 a.m. Worship service. 4:30 p.m. Genesis/Revelation Bible study. Monday, March 21: Messenger deadline. Tuesday, March 22: PPR meeting. Wednesday, March 23: 5:30 p.m. Community Meal. 6:15 p.m. FUEL. 6:30 p.m. Confirmation. 7 p.m. Lenten service at UMC with First Presbyterian. 8 p.m. AA meeting. Live streamed on Facebook and radio.
 
First Presbyterian Church
302 Central Lane, Luverne
Ph. 283-4787; email: Firstpc@iw.net
Sunday, March 20: 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 10:30 a.m. Sunday school. Wednesday, March 23: 5:15 p.m. Bells. 6 p.m. Choir. 6-8 p.m. Youth fellowship. 7 p.m. Lenten service at United Methodist Church. Session to follow service. In-person Worship service and live on Facebook. Our Facebook page can be found under First Presbyterian Church of Luverne. We are also on the local Luverne cable station at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and 10 a.m. on Thursdays.
 
St. John Lutheran Church
803 N. Cedar St., Luverne
Ph. 283-2316; email: stjohn@iw.net
www.stjohnlutheranluverne.org
Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, Pastor
Saturday, March 19: 5:30 p.m. Worship Service. Sunday, March 20: 9 a.m. Worship Service. 10:15 a.m. Adult Bible class; Sunday School. 11:20 Junior Choir. Monday, March 21: Newsletter deadline. 1 p.m. Quilting. 7 p.m. Parish Planning Council. Wednesday, March 23: 9:30 a.m. Bible study. 10:30 a.m. Newsletter assembly. 6 p.m. Lent Worship. 6:30 p.m. Supper. 7 p.m. Kids for Christ; Confirmation; Choir. 7:30 p.m. High School Youth Group. Services will be available on the Vast Channel 3 Sunday and online at the city website, cityofluverne.org.
 
Living Rock Church
500 E. Main St., Luverne
Ph. 449-0057; www.livingrockswmn.org
Billy Skaggs, Pastor
 
New Life Celebration Church
101 W. Maple, Luverne
Ph. (605) 368-1924; email: newlifecelebration@gmail.com
Food mission every third Thursday.
 
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
305 E. 2nd St., P.O. Box 36, Hardwick
Ph. (507) 669-2855; zionoffice@alliancecom.net
Jesse Baker, Pastor
Sunday, March 20: 9 a.m. Worship service. 10:15 a.m. Sunday School. 10:30 a.m. Bible study. Worship service on Luverne cable at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday and Friday.
 
Ben Clare United Methodist Church
26762 Ben Clare Ave., Valley Springs, S.D.
igtwlb@WOW.net
Bill Bates, Pastor
 
First Lutheran Church
300 Maple St., Valley Springs, S.D.
Ph. (605) 757-6662
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, March 20: 9 a.m. Worship at First Lutheran. 10 a.m. Sunday school. Masks are strongly recommended, but not required, even if fully vaccinated. Worship will be streamed live on Facebook Video worship via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdQwVxFcU4
 
Palisade Lutheran Church
211 121st St., Garretson, S.D.
Ph. (507) 597-6257 — firstpalisade@alliancecom.net
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, March 20: 9:30 a.m. Sunday School. 10:30 a.m. Worship at Palisade Lutheran. Masks are strongly recommended, but not required, even if fully vaccinated. Worship will be streamed live on Facebook. Video worship via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdQwVxFcU4
 
First Presbyterian Church
201 S. 3rd St., P.O Box 73, Beaver Creek
Ph. 507-935-5025
email: lori.firstpres@gmail.com
Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. Second Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. Session meeting.
 
Magnolia United Methodist Church
501 E. Luverne St., Magnolia
Ph. 605-215-3429
email: magnoliamnumc@gmail.com
Nancy Manning, Pastor
Sunday, 9 a.m., in-person with livestream available on the church’s Facebook site.
 
Steen Reformed Church
112 W. Church Ave., Steen
Ph. 855-2336
Jeremy Wiersema, Pastor
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Worship service in-person with livestream available on Facebook and YouTube. Radio worship on KQAD Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
 
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
112 N. Main St., Hills
Ph. 962-3270
Sunday, March 20: 9 a.m. Worship at Tuff Chapel. 10 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion. 9 a.m. Sunday School. 7-8:30 p.m. Youth group meets. Worship will be streamed live to Facebook at Bethlehem of Hills. You can find more info on our website blchills.org. Tuesday, March 22: 2 p.m. Tuff Home Bible study. 3:30 p.m. Tuff Village Bible study. Wednesday, March 23: 9 a.m. Quilting. 6 p.m. Confirmation. 7 p.m. Social/dessert time. 7:15 p.m. Wednesday night worship service.
 
Hills United Reformed Church
410 S. Central Ave., Hills
Office Ph. 962-3254
hillsurc@alliancecom.net
Alan Camarigg, Pastor