Board of Appeals (and 
Adjustments) sets hearing for variance to zoning request 
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR A VARIANCE
TO THE CITY OF LUVERNE ZONING ORDINACE
NOTICTE IS HEREBY GIVEN, by the City of Luverne Board of Appeals and Adjustments that a public hearing will be held in the Council Chambers located in the City Offices Building, 305 East Luverne Street, Luverne, Minnesota, commencing at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 18, 2021. The purpose of the hearing is to make a ruling on a requested variance by Travis and Rebecca Dunn, to City Code Section 153.055. Residential Uses, at 604 N Kniss (20-0835-000), City of Luverne, Minnesota.
All persons wishing to be heard in favor of or in opposition to the variance request should be present at the hearing or present written comments prior thereto to the Building Official. Anyone needing reasonable accommodations or an interpreter should contact the City Clerk’s Office, 305 East Luverne Street, Luverne, MN. (507) 449-9898.
By order of the City of Luverne Board of Appeals and Adjustments, Luverne, Minnesota, this 7th day of October, 2021.
Jessica Mead
City Clerk
(10-07)

Uithoven probate
STATE OF MINNESOTA FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
                                                                         DISTRICT COURT
COUNTY OF ROCK                                                                     PROBATE DIVISION
 
Court File No. 67-PR-21-239
 
Estate of NOTICE OF INFORMAL APPOINTMENT OF 
Viola M. Uithoven,                                PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND
    Decedent   NOTICE TO CREDITORS (INTESTATE)
                               
Notice is given that an application for informal appointment of personal repre-
sentative has been filed with the Registrar. No will has been presented for probate.
The application has been granted.
Notice is also given that the Registrar has informally appointed Greg Uithoven, whose address is 1123 190th Avenue, Magnolia, Minnesota, 56158, as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative. Unless objections are filed with the Court (pursuant to Minnesota Statutes section 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders, the personal representative has full power to administer the Estate including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate.
Any objections to the appointment of the Personal Representative must 
be filed with this Court and will be heard by the Court after filing of an appropriate 
petition and proper notice of hearing.
Notice is also given that (subject to Minnesota Statutes section 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. 
 
Date: September 24, 2021 /s/ Terry Vajgrt
Judge of District Court
Attorney for Petitioner
Donald R. Klosterbuer
Klosterbuer & Haubrich, LLP
120 N. McKenzie, PO Box 538
Luverne, MN 56156
Attorney License No: 0056674
Telepone: (507) 283-9111
FAX: (507) 283-9113
Email: drklosterbuer@khlawmn.com
(10-07, 10-14)

Warm termperatures in September pushed the 2021 corn and soybean crop toward maturity, and area farmers have capitalized on good harvest conditions.
By the end of September, soybean harvest was over 50 percent completed, while some areas still need a bit more time for soybeans to fully mature.
Many corn hybrids were also nearly ready by mid-September and local producers are taking those fields out as well.
Rock County farmer Brad Vandeberg was combining corn in a field near his home place north north of Hills and said that field had done well.
But he said many others in that part of the county had been affected by hail and wind damage.
According to Kent Thiesse, farm management analyst, soybean yields have been highly variable across the Upper Midwest due to differing impacts from drought conditions in 2021.
He said the moisture content on much of the corn being harvested dropped considerably during the last half of September and is now near 20 percent or lower.
Corn is usually dried down to a final moisture content of 15-16 percent moisture for safe storage until the following summer.
Corn will dry down about .50 percent per day naturally at an average daily temperature of 60 degrees F, which increases considerably at higher temperature levels, such as have existed in recent weeks.
In southern Minnesota normal daily average air temperature drops to about 48 degrees during October. If favorable drying weather continues in the coming weeks, it is likely that corn drying costs in many areas will be greatly reduced in 2021.
It is too early to project 2021 corn yields across the Midwest, however, early indications are that corn yields in many areas will be even more variable than the soybean yields.
In portions of the upper Midwest that had timely and adequate rainfall during the growing season, 2021 corn yields may end up average or above average. However, in western Minnesota corn yields will be well below APH yields due the drought conditions this past Summer.
Based on the Sept. 10 USDA Crop Report, Minnesota’s 2021 average corn yield was estimated at 174 bushels per acre, which is well below the record statewide average corn yield of 194 bushels per acre in 2017.

The path to developing the former Sharkee’s property has been long and winding as city leaders work with government agencies, private investors and local contractors.
Luverne City Council members took action last week to move the $8 million project closer to an October groundbreaking.
They authorized the mayor and city administrator to sign amended and “restated” documents related to the Town Square Apartments.
These include purchase and sale agreements, a development agreement and deferred loan and grant paperwork.
The changes reflect investors Aaron Smith, Bloomington, and Marc Wigder, Florida, joining existing developer Alvin Johnson, Texas, who initially signed agreements in March for the project.
Together, the three investors formed GreenSmith Luverne Holdings LLC as the new developer for the two 27-unit apartment buildings on South Highway 75 at Hatting Street.
Luverne’s Don Jahnke, who is coordinating apartment construction, brought new investors to the project after learning of their interest in green projects in small communities.
“I think both Alvin and I came to Luverne at the behest of Don Jahnke, and I would be remiss if I didn’t say that he’s a great ambassador for your town,” Smith told the council at its Sept. 28 meeting.
“He told me, ‘Aaron, I think what you’re doing … the kind of town that you want to invest in, is where I live.’”
Smith said they visited Luverne this summer and met with local leaders.
“We were so impressed with the community, with what you’re doing in the town,” Smith said.
“It’s the kind of investment that we believe in. We want to invest in smaller towns that are committed to growing and have beautiful downtowns. And, boy. Luverne just fit the bill.”
Johnson and his colleagues have been working with Luverne leaders for the past 18 months.
“All of the city staff has been great to work with,” he said Tuesday via Zoom.
“It is an honor to work with Aaron and Marc on this project. …  I think we’re going to make all you guys really, really proud of the product that’s going to be delivered.”
Mayor Pat Baustian acknowledged the long timeline and praised city staff and investors for persevering.
“It’s going to be a great project to provide housing in our community,” he said. “Everybody came together to make it happen, and we appreciate your investment in our community.”
The three investors will sign the new guaranty agreement for the $550,000 loan from the city deferred for 10 years at 2 percent interest.
They’ll also abide by the terms of the federal $680,000 workforce housing grant that Luverne obtained earlier.
All terms and conditions of the previous agreements are included in the new updated agreements.  
The two apartments will be constructed in the TIF District and the land will be conveyed for $1.
The site development provided by the city includes paving the parking areas, in addition to costs already incurred in acquiring the property, demolishing the structures and installing utilities.
Future property tax payments will provide revenue to repay the loan for all of the improvements that have been made.
Additional land in TIF District No. 23 along Highway 75 is also available for development.
First Farmers & Merchants Bank in LeSueur, is providing the financing for this project and closed on the loan on Sept. 30.
The bank loan, owner equity, and a federal PACE loan will provide the financing for the construction of the two apartment buildings. PACE (property assessed clean energy) loans finance energy-efficient and renewable energy projects on private property.
Construction will use “Extreme Structural Insulated Panels,” high performance heat pumps, in-floor heat, LED lighting that qualifies for Energy Star, and the Net Zero Ready Program.
The two buildings will have one- and two-bedroom units on three floors with elevators and off-street parking.
Plans still call for a mixed-use retail and residential property to front Highway 75.
Plans were delayed in 2019 when the area qualified for federal Opportunity Zone investments; however, parameters of the incentive didn’t meet what investors were looking for and the project proceeded without it.

Luverne High School students are learning more than lines for the upcoming fall play, “Around the World in Eighty Days.”
The play will take place in three performances Thursday, Oct. 14, Friday, Oct. 15, and Saturday, Oct. 16. Curtain rises at 7 p.m.
They are learning to perform in a new facility, which director Shawn Kinsinger said has been “fun and interesting.”
“Every theater has its own personality,” he said. “The light casts certain shadows and the sounds bounce off of surfaces in unique ways.”
Previously LHS plays and musicals were performed in the school’s auditorium or Little Theater.
Due to the school’s remodel and construction project, the theater was demolished and changed into the choral and instrumental classrooms.
Construction of the new performing arts center was completed this fall.
“In the Little Theater and The Palace, we knew how to use the strengths of the space. Now that we’re in the PAC, it’s all new,” Kinsinger said.
“Around the World in Eighty Days” by Mark Brown was chosen for its flexibility.
“Being a brand-new venue means learning all of its systems,” Kinsinger said. “(It’s) a show that lets you get as technical as you want with lights, sound and rigging — a great advantage while we’re getting comfortable in a new home of LHS theater.”
The play centers around Phileas Fogg (portrayed by senior Luke Thorson), a wealthy businessman, who agrees to a wager that places his fortune and his life on the line in a race around the world.
Fogg and his French servant named Passepartout (junior Parker Carbonneau) must circle the globe in an unheard-of 80 days while being chased by Detective Fix (senior Chance Tunnissen), who is convinced that Fogg has pulled off the bank robbery of the century and will stop at nothing to arrest him.
During the 80-day journey using trains, steamships and elephants, Fogg and Passepartout meet a variety of characters including:
•Aouda, portrayed by senior Mia Wenzel.
•Actor 1/young Parsi, junior Myles Trimble.
•James Foster/Mudge, freshman Bethany Behr.
•Andrew Stuart/Proctor, sophomore Alex Perkins.
•John Sullivan/Speedy senior Pierce Cunningham.
•Gauthier Ralph/Judge Obidiah, freshman Xavier McKenzie.
•Newspaper person, freshman Chris Bonilla.
•Actor 2/Reverend Wilson’s servant, junior Ashlyn Johnson.
•Actor 3/Oysterpuff, senior Creedence Petroff.
•Actor 4/Bunsby, freshman Brianna Kinsinger.
•British consul/U.S. conductor, sophomore Joelia Lopez-Bomstad.
•Director of police/priest, junior Grace Ingebretsen.
•Sir Francis Cromarty/ship engineer, senior Griffen Jarchow.
•India conductor/train clerk, sophomore Hannah Vaudrin.
•Elephant owner/ship clerk, sophomore Abby Boltjes.
Crew members include Zoey Berghorst, sound; stage manager Kaitlin Conger; Egypt Forrest, lights; and Gemma Nelson, promotion and marketing.
Kinsinger said he has a handful of students who do not want to perform on stage but want to be involved with the show.
“The PAC has excellent light, sound, video and rigging systems and the students are in on the ground floor as far as learning how to operate them safely and with great, effect,” Kinsinger said.
Cost is $6 for adults, $4 for students, and free to LHS students with activity passes.

Trail use on the Luverne Loop has increased by more than 24 percent in the past three years as more phases of the city path are completed and as residents and visitors become more familiar with the trail.
Luverne Economic Development Authority Director Holly Sammons shared results from a bicycle and pedestrian counter on the Loop at the board’s September meeting.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation installed  the counter on the Luverne Loop trail where the path curves from the St. Catherine’s Cemetery before the crosswalk at Highway 75 near the Veterans Home.
The counter tracked bike and pedestrian traffic from July 17 to Aug. 5, 2021.
Total bike and pedestrian traffic on the trail during this period was 1,606, with a peak of 126 on Sunday, July 18, 2021.
In 2018 the same bicycle and pedestrian counter was installed on the Loop near the same location during a similar date range.
Total bike and pedestrian traffic on the trail during this period in 2018 was 1,294, with a peak of 103.
The data shows 312 more people used the trail in 2021 than in 2018 for the time periods, which indicates an increase of 24 percent.
“Weather can play a role when collecting data,” Sammons said at the Sept. 13 meeting.
“For example, if there hadn’t been four days with air temperatures of 90 degrees or higher (with a peak high of 104 degrees on July 28) in 2021, trail use during this period in 2021 may have been even higher.”
The highest temperature in 2018 was 88 degrees on Aug. 3.
“This report is informative regarding use of the trail and provides valuable data as we plan and evaluate future trail improvements and funding opportunities,” Sammons said.
“This data also supports the efforts made to continue developing the trail system in Luverne and surrounding areas.”
She said she’ll sign up again for the MnDOT counter after the next phase of the Loop is completed in 2022.
That portion covers the southeast part of the city through the river ground area south of the city park continuing south and west toward Hatting Street where it will connect with the existing Loop path.
“I would say 2023 will be our first year of a full trail experience, so that’s when I’d like to get the counter again to probably put on that south end where people are exclusively using the Loop for that trail experience,” Sammons said.
“Sometimes on the north side they might just circle their neighborhood or circle the area by the hospital or residential area. So my goal is for 2023 to have a counter on the south end, because those people will be exclusively trail riders and walkers.”
She shared information about Luverne’s E-bike rentals from the Trailhead location at East Main Street and Blue Mound Avenue.
In June 2021 there were 122 rentals,  in July there were 160 rentals and in August there were 144 rentals.
GPS tracking of the E-bikes shows that most riders are taking them up to the Blue Mounds State Park and then all the way around the Loop.
“Almost every mapped rental is the Loop, out to the State Park or both,” Sammons said.
The Roll On Luverne bike loan program also allows people to borrow traditional bikes for up to 24 hours to go biking on the Luverne Loop.
There are eight adult bikes, two adult trikes and four youth coaster bikes available for checkout day or night at the Grandstay Hotel & Suites front desk.

Luverne Elementary School students learned about “Angry Lizards” and “Bullseye” during a daylong CLIMB Theater presentation Sept. 29.
Six actor-educators from Inver Grove Heights performed plays in the performing arts center and met with each of the 25 classrooms to discuss character.
The kindergarten through second-graders watched “Angry Lizards,” which focused on self-control.
“I want the students to learn that it is OK to have feelings,” said school counselor Marie Atkinson-Smeins. “It is important to use self-control to express feelings in a positive way that doesn’t hurt yourself, others and things.”
The “Angry Lizards” featured Dr. Kramer who is tired of being called a mad scientist. He designs an experiment to teach people all about emotions using dinosaurs.
Older elementary students learned about “Bullseye,” a brave bull who sneaks away from the arena and hides in a nearby park.
The youngest sibling of a bullfighter stumbles across Alberto, and together they define bullying and resiliency.
“I wanted the children to learn what bullying is,” Atkinson-Smeins said.
“I also wanted the children to learn how to stand up to bullying and that bystanders have a lot of power to take action.”
The new daylong format with six actors for the CLIMB productions and follow-up lessons replaced the previous weeklong format with two actor-educators.
Last year, due to the pandemic, CLIMB Theater conducted virtual presentations for the K-5 students.
“The students love the interactive presentations,” Atkinson-Smeins said. “We have had CLIMB Theatre come to our school for many years — they always do a great job.”

The 4-0 Hills-Beaver Creek football team came up against a very physical 2–2 Renville County West squad on Friday night in Hills. The Patriots were not able to continue their streak as the Jaguars handed the home team its first loss of the season by a score of 18-12.
After exchanging three and outs, the Jaguars scored first with a five-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion run failed and RCW held an early 6–0 advantage.
However, the second quarter was all Patriots as the home team scored 12 points and gave up zero.
The first score came on a six-yard run by Cole Baker. The touchdown was set up by a 29-yard completion from Oliver Deelstra to Baker down to the six-yard line. The two-point pass attempt fell incomplete and the score was locked at six.
The next Jaguar possession saw Deelstra intercept a Jaguar pass at the Jaguar 45-yard line.
H-BC put together a five-play drive that culminated with a 6-yard touchdown run by Baker. The conversion pass was incomplete, but the Patriots held a 12-6 second quarter lead.
Later during the second quarter, the Patriots were able to drive to the Jaguar five-yard line, but a fourth down pass fell incomplete for the Patriots. However, they still held a 12-6 advantage heading into half-time.
A Patriot fumble at mid-field and a turnover on downs did not help the Patriots’ cause in the third quarter.
The Jaguars, on the other hand, crossed the goal line on a 29-yard run from scrimmage to deadlock the score at 12 after three quarters.
Renville County West controlled the ball in the fourth quarter as the Jaguars ran 20 offensive plays compared to 10 Patriot offensive plays.
During the fourth quarter the Jaguars were able to take the lead on a five-yard run after an 11-play, 93-yard drive. The 2-point conversion pass was incomplete. That would finish the scoring for the night.
Renville County West was able to hold on and kneel with the ball on the final few plays of the game to clip the Patriots by six points.
The Patriots are now 4-1 and Renville County West is 3-2.
Patriots head coach Rex Metzger said the Patriot boys played well, but the defensive line of Renville County West “kept up the pressure on our quarterback all night long and played very physical.”
The Patriots take on the 4-1 Mountain Lake Wolverines on Friday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. in Mountain Lake.
 
Team Statistics
HBC – 78 rushing yards, 168 passing yards, 246 total yards, 11 first downs, 2 penalties for 10 yards, two turnovers.
RCW- 154 rushing yards, 63 passing yards, 217 total yards, 9 penalties for 56 yards, two turnovers.
 
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Baker 15 – 58, Deelstra 9 – 8 yards, Ty Bundesen 2 – 7, Drew Leenderts 1 – 5.
Passing: Deelstra 16-32 for 168 yards.
Receiving: Baker 4 – 69, Ty Bundesen 8-68, Drew Leenderts 2 – 20, Andrew Harris 1-6, Casey Kueter 1 – 5.
Defense: Ty Bundesen 12 tackles, Andrew Harris six tackles, Austin Allen six tackles, Donavan Leenderts five tackles, Casey Kueter five tackles and one QB sack, Baker 5 tackles and one QB sack, Drew Leenderts three tackles and one fumble recovery.