In response to TJ Newgard’s letter to the editor in the March 21 Star Herald, I had several red flags come to mind after reading his letter.I wasn’t able to be at the 3AA Sub-section boys basketball final at Southwest Minnesota State University where Luverne defeated Pipestone Area. Therefore, I am not here to defend the accusation being placed on the coach. Mr. Newgard, being a former Pipestone student-athlete, stated the game "showcased two bitter, long-time rivals." Why would Luverne be bitter to Pipestone? Should they be? Is it right for fans to heckle a coach as Mr. Newgard said was being done by some Pipestone Area fans? Is this acceptable? What kind of message is this sending to all others in attendance?In the future, I hope both communities use their best sportsmanship when these two schools are competing, whether it is sports, music or academics. Congratulations on your fine competition at State, Cardinals!Brenda KnipsLuverne

I have a few clarifying comments to make in regard to last week’s editorial. Interestingly, no one contacted my office for any comment relative to the hospital feasibility review. It had been made clear in two Council meetings that I had reviewed these plans.Is the building perfect? No. Does it have years of useful life remaining? Yes! Anyone with some construction knowledge could see this was not an attempt to reuse a building but an attempt to build a new building inside the old one. They moved bathrooms from one corner of a room to another. They moved bearing walls, which is very expensive. They moved the kitchen and a locker room from one area to another.Based on my review (30 years of experience in the construction industry, a certification in Construction Management and Building Inspection Technology and four years experience as a Minnesota Certified Building Official), the original study was an effort to make an existing building, parts of which are a little old, into a new building.Now I may not know as much as this editorial board, but I do have the best interests of the City in mind. It is rational to evaluate the hospital as a positive asset which has remaining value and life.What good can we gain by finding a use for it? First, we don’t have the expense to tear it down and clean up the site. This could cost $200,000-$250,000. I would think that the citizens of this City would want us to make the effort to find a higher use for the building before we spend that amount on tearing it down. This remodeling project can possibly solve several other issues, namely the expansion and parking problems of a couple of local churches and the needs of the Fire Department. The Fire Department currently uses a 40-year-old building that doesn’t provide enough room for its equipment, adequate rooms for training and a long list of other deficiencies. Talk to the fire fighters who protect your homes in the event of a fire or community disaster. Ask them if they need more room; you don’t have to take my word for that.Staff of Rock County government was contacted several weeks ago (Friday, March 11) to ask if they had any interest in looking at a "part" of the building. We are looking at the least amount of remodeling to gain the best possible use for the building with the least amount of investment. This will not involve the whole building and a large portion will be available for other uses. We understand at this point the County is going another direction.Facts are a good place to start when writing editorials but they failed to contact a single member of the city staff to ask a single question. I guess negative journalism (that word used loosely) sells papers. Facts and the truth don’t. Dan Delgehausen,Luverne Building Inspector

NOTICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETINGAn open meeting will be held to discuss the road and bridge replacement program for the transportation system of Rock County. The meeting will be at the Rock County Community Library at 201 West Main Street, in Luverne, MN Tuesday, April 5th, 2005 beginning at 2:30 p.m.This public informational meeting will be held at the Rock County Community Library. Any individual, group or agency wishing information is urged to attend and participate in this meeting. The meeting is to provide information on the planning, programming and schedule of work on the County Highway system.Mark R. SehrRock County Highway Engineer(3-31)

10 years ago (1995)"After sorting through the bids for the four-plex apartment building, the Hills Economic Development Authority gave tentative approval for the project in a special session Saturday morning. The price tag on the project is $214,221. That figure does not include the cost of the land." 25 years ago (1980)"James Theis, a law student at the University of Minnesota, came home Saturday, March 22, to spend the spring quarter break at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Theis." 50 years ago (1955)"Two students from Hills High School have been honored by South Dakota State College for scholastic achievement and invited to attend Scholarship Recognition Day at State College Saturday, April 23. Receiving invitations for the event are Carolyn Scholten of Steen and Vermayne Sundem."75 years ago (1930)"Mr. and Mrs. T.T. Sundal, Misses Cynthia and Clarice, and Frederick Nuffer and Orly Nash autoed to Mankato last Sunday where Cynthia, Frederick and Orly Nash took a bus to the Twin Cities to resume studies at the Minnesota U. Mr. Sundal and family returned home the same evening." 100 years ago (1905)"The recent term of court was the first in which C.H. Christopherson appeared as county attorney and the net results are very satisfactory. Charles Benson of Ash Creek was indicted for running a gambling den; plead guilty to the charge and was fined $75. Aug. H. Reichman, who was indicted for running a blind pig at Kanaranzi, skipped out and his bondsmen contributed $200 to the county’s ‘cash on hand.’ As a whole it was a very satisfactory beginning to all lovers of law and order. If C.H. keeps up the good work so well begun, he cannot be pried out of the office of County Attorney with a crowbar, two years hence."

Last week I mentioned that Jim Iverson, former resident of Hills, is the head of a nursing home in Madison, S.D. It is a retirement home, Bethel Retirement Home, in Madison. He is also on the board of the Whispering Winds nursing home in Howard, S.D.Lexi and Dave Moore returned home March 22 from attending the wedding of a friend at Marfa, Texas.Spending three days in the home of Dean Greenfield were his children, Scott and Karen Greenfield and family, Lamberton, Troy Greenfield, Slayton, and Kent and Leah Teveldal, Lamberton.Easter guests in the home of Gerald and Henrietta Haak were Doug and Char Leuthold and family of Ellsworth, Rhonda Haak, Woodbury, Darla and Brian Kraayenhof and Deb and Larry Haak and boys. Easter supper guests in the home of Allan and Judy Top were Mae Top, Mike, Melissa and Chantz Top, Sioux Falls, S.D., Jerod and Kristen Van Maanen, Valley Springs, S.D., and Mark Top, Hills.Carole Lonkey came Thursday from Brooklyn Center to spend until Sunday with her mother, Martha Lindrud. Easter guests in the home of Wendell and Kathryn Erickson were Charles Erickson, Waconia, Kirsten and Patrick Anderson, Sioux Falls, and Margaret and Joese, Worthington. There was a gathering Sunday at the home of Shawn and Jill Swenson when family celebrated Easter and one-year-old Macie’s birthday. Present were grandparents, Greg and Dianna Spath, Wells, also Audrey and Mike Spath, Sioux Falls, Jennifer and Ardell VanWettering and family, and Mike, Robin and Madison Spath and others. Jan Solberg spent Saturday visiting her mother, Hattie Walz, at Wheaton. Tim and Brenda Plimpton, Jayme and Stuart, had Easter dinner with Brenda’s family in Lennox, S.D., and spent the evening with Tim’s family in Sioux Falls. Vi VanWyhe visited Monday with Eloise Warner at Larchwood, Iowa. Harlan and Bonnie Kolsrud came from Worthington to have Easter dinner and to spend the afternoon with his mother, Alice Kolsrud. Easter Sunday guests in the Bob and Twila Kirsch home were Deb, Luke, Dylan and Alison Mathias, Heron Lake, Cindy and Ted Pohlman, Jessica and Riley, Breann Wheeler and Todd Runge, Lakefield, and Shirley Olson, Hills. Riley spent several days with grandma and grandpa.Easter guests in the home of Eric and Wanda Hoyme were Neal and Kathy Hoyme and Katie, Pierre, S.D., Jessica Hoyme, Spencer, Iowa, Jim and Sharon Boeve and Howard Hoyme.Spending Easter with Dennis Roning were Deneise Swanson, Big Fork, Matthew and Ian Swanson and Sam, Duluth, Dennis Swanson and Paul, New Hope, Julie Swanson, Blake, Sidney and Morgan Swanson, Woodbury. Easter guests in the home of Pastor and Sonja Berg were Brian Hoelker and son Andrew, Bobbie Jo Leggett and husband, Tony, and daughters, Annalee and Hollie, and Amy Berg, all of Sioux Falls. Sunday dinner guests in the home of Chuck and Rheta DeBoer were Seth and Susan, David and Grace Hofman, Melvin, Iowa, and Jeremy and Rachael Van Beek, Doon, Iowa. Dave and Lexi Moore spent Easter in the home of her parents in Madison, S.D.Tom and Joanne Goehle motored to Herrick, S.D., to spend Easter at the Jons family get-together with all of Joanne’s brothers and sisters present. Present at an Easter gathering in the home of Gene and Shirley Sandager were Jo Wulf, Herrick, S.D., Carolyn Norton and Jim Stargel, Sioux Falls, Andrew Norton and Kilee Theedi, students at the University of Minnesota, Tarah Jo and Chole, Spirit Lake, Iowa, the Charlie and Mike Sandager families, Albert and Michael Van Dam, Beaver Creek, and Sheldon and Ellie Sandager. Friday evening Betty Elbers attended church services with Tom and Twila Walker at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. Barb Koch, Bismarck, N.D., and Barry Kirsch, Riverside, Iowa, came Wednesday and returned to their homes Thursday. They, along with Bob and Twila Kirsch, attend memorial services for Sandi Block Johnson on Wednesday at Luverne. Spending the weekend in the home of Luella Schlueter were John and Laurie Hynes, Gregory and Ellen of St. Louis Park.Mary Carter spent Easter in the Alf and Marilyn Metzger home, spending overnight there and returning to Hills Monday.

Just a little over a week ago we had a beautiful white landscape following six inches or more of snow. This past week our temperatures have definitely been on the mild side and we even had some sunshine! Now we know spring is here. After the snow melted the fields were brown, and some of the grass was getting a touch of green. So, never give up on the weather for it is like the old saying, "If you don’t like our weather, just wait 15 minutes!" Personally, I think it takes a little longer than that but spring is definitely in the air.The Steen Opportunity Extension Club had their March meeting at the Cena Mae Tilstra home on Tuesday afternoon. Etta DeJongh and Jane Baker Bosch presented the lesson "Food Facts." New officers were elected for the coming year. Elected were Henrietta Boeve, president; Cena Mae Tilstra, vice president; and Etta DeJongh, secretary/treasurer. Following the meeting a delicious lunch was enjoyed by all. Scott and Ladene Marquart and sons from Gresham, Ore., spent several days this past week visiting in the home of her parents, Bill and Bertha Bosch. The Hills Christian Reformed Church Spring Auction will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 1. Everyone is welcome. Guess what! Daylight-saving time begins Saturday evening. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed. Steen Reformed Church had a Good Friday morning brunch. It was hosted by the Women’s Mission, Circle four. A program was presented on the Good Friday theme and lunch was served. A free will offering was taken which was given to the Center of Hope mission.Daryl and Marie Paulsen returned home on Sunday from a business trip to Las Vegas. They accompanied their daughter, Suzanne, and her husband, Clark Meyer, to attend the four-day meeting.Easter Sunday dinner guests in the Joyce Aykens home in Worthington were Mildred Keunen and Jo Aykens, Steen, Paul and Carole Aykens and Susan Veldkamp from Orange City, Iowa. Fred Keller and his wife, Alice Aukes Keller, formerly of Ash Creek, moved on Monday to their new home which will be at Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. We wish them lots of happy days there! Congratulations to Robert and Lorraine Sandbulte on the birth of their first grandchild. Troy Douglas Pyle was born on March 15 to Jason and Stephanie (Sandbulte) Pyle of Iowa City, Iowa. The new baby’s paternal grandparents are Clayton and Nancy Pyle, Hartley, Iowa. Robert, Lorraine, Janet and John Sandbulte traveled to Iowa City on Monday, March 19, to visit the new baby boy and his parents. They returned home on March 21. Saturday night JoAnn and Melvin Paulsen, Steen, and Laura Paulsen, Hills, met their son and grandson, Mark, and his wife, Lisa, and family from Marshall at Luverne Pizza Ranch where they enjoyed an early Easter dinner together. Easter weekend guests in the Clarence Groen home in Steen were his son, Tim and wife, Nancy, from Des Moines, Iowa. March has always been known for its strong wind and this year has been no exception. It always manages to blow from one direction or another and always at a time when you really don’t need it. So when I read this article titled "The Winds of Life," it aroused my curiosity and I thought you might enjoy it. "March is supposed to be the windy month. Its blustery gales, so tradition has it, are winter’s last gasp before giving way to gentle spring. Did you ever watch the limbs of a tree bend before a March wind? At the first violent blast, the limb leans over, letting the onslaught of air stream harmlessly past. When the gale has subsided, the limb whips resiliently back into position. Many people have this quality of reacting simply to the winds of life. When misfortune hits them, they bend before it, not permitting it to break them. When it is past, they spring up again, ready for more. During a lifetime, we are all bound to encounter certain degrees of misfortune. This is the way of life. Some encounter it to a greater extent than others, but we all experience it. As someone has so aptly put it, "It is not so much the misfortune itself that counts, but the way you meet it!"We don’t always want to think that but actually, "No truer words were ever spoken."

Grandmothers who knit and professional football players have more in common than you might imagine. Surprisingly, both groups can be very competitive. Speed-knitting championships were given recently in Zwolle, Netherlands, according to The Wall Street Journal. Hazel Tindall, the reigning champion (255 stitches in three minutes) from the Shetland Islands in Scotland was the hands-down and needles-up favorite, but then Miriam Tegels of Zwolle scored 257. The hometown crowd undoubtedly went wild, or as wild as fans can get in a room full of power-knitters. Miriam definitely had the home rocking chair advantage. When the competition was over, Hazel presumably gathered up her knitting supplies and headed back home, where she faced playful needling from her nearest and dearest friends. ("So what be it, Hazel, that brought ye down? The knit stitch or the purl stitch? Heh, heh.") The Journal article noted that the Shetland Islands "produces power-knitters the way Texas produces high school football players." As speed-knitting competitions develop more followers, it’s only a matter of time before the power-knitters will be compared with the big boys — pro football players. The following situations might indicate if your own dear, sweet grandmother has joined a speed-knitting team: She is suddenly comfortable with contracts and negotiations. You overhear her telling a grandchild, "So, dear, you would like Nana to knit you some mittens and a neck scarf for winter, would you? Well, tell you what. See that paper on the nightstand next to my teeth? It’s called a contract. If you sign it and promise to wash my car every weekend for six months, the mittens and scarf will be ready tomorrow. Won’t that be wonderful?" She becomes the Randy Moss of knitting. Whenever she finishes speed knitting a baby blanket or some other item that’s rather time consuming (at least five minutes), she triumphantly throws down her needles, jumps up from her rocking chair, turns around and pretends to moon anyone unfortunate enough to be sitting in the room. Whenever you drop in for a visit, you can hear her cheerleader friends, also members of her church circle and garden club, in the next room, practicing their latest cheer. "Knit one, purl two, we’re from Sioux City, whoo-whoo!" Grandma’s stooped-over posture, which reminds you of a pretzel, can no longer be blamed on arthritis or bone density loss. It’s mostly caused by the heavy gold chains hanging from her neck and her oversized, diamond stud earrings. Family members tend to steer clear of Grandma. For no apparent reason she might swat you so enthusiastically on your rear end that sitting down will be painful for several days. Instead of parceling out grandmotherly hugs, she insists on having what she calls "team huddles." Her parting words at the front door aren’t, "Call me when you get home, dearie," or "Drive carefully!" Instead, she will grab you by the neck and grunt, "Now, get out there and kick some butt!" She trades in her old Buick for a brand new Corvette. When you ask her why, she looks up from her speed knitting and explains, "Honey, I’ve got this need for speed!" Of course, the greatest similarity between speed knitters and pro football players is that when the competition is too intense, both groups tend to become unraveled.

MINUTES OF THE HILLS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITYMarch 8, 2005Dana Dahlquist, President of the Hills EDA called the meeting to order with the following Board members present: Dana Dahlquist, Ross Metzger, Jim Jellema, Keith Elbers, and Linus Svoboda. Guest: Lexi Moore-Hills Crescent. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Metzger to approve the minutes of February 8th. Motion carried. Motion by Jellema, seconded by Elbers to approve payment of the February expenditures. Motion carried. Motion by Elbers, seconded by Metzger to refund the security and pet deposits to Brad and Leah Callahan. Motion carried. No further discussion, meeting adjourned.Connie J. WiertzemaEDA Secretary(3-24)

MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETINGOF THE HILLS CITY COUNCILMARCH 8, 2005Mayor Jim Jellema called the meeting to order at 6:02 P.M. with the following council members present: Jim Jellema, Dana Dahlquist, Linus Svoboda, Keith Elbers, and Ross Metzger. Employees present: Connie Wiertzema, City Clerk; Joanne Goehle, City Treasurer; and Wayne Ward, City Maintenance. Guests: Jeff Bass-Hills Fire Department; and Lexi Moore-Hills Crescent. Motion by Elbers, seconded by Dahlquist to approve the February 8th minutes. Motion carried. Motion by Dahlquist, seconded by Metzger to approve payment of the February expenditures: General $5,104.10; Park $1,061.85; Fire $3,965.88; Street $3,806.28; Legion $1,295.25; Sewer $965.10; Garbage $1,883.69; Recycling $490.20; Water $3,778.38; Baseball $20.97; Softball $11.74. Motion carried. General Checking 133,055.44General Fund CD#18197, 2.5%, 12/4/04 243,300.81General Fund CD#17792 (prev. #15742) 2.5%, 5/29/03 - cashed in 6/3/03General Fund CD#17760 (prev. #17573) 2.5%, 3/15/05 20,994.17Sewer Fund CD#17877 (prev. #17433) 2.5%, 10/18/03 – cashed in 10/03 – ($21,000 to general)Sewer Fund CD#18255, (prev. #18171) 1.5%, 7/19/04 – inter-fund loan to Southern Hills Apts. to pay-off apt. bond - $70,771.64Fire Truck Replacement Fund CD#18647, 2.0%, 1/13/06 26,578.89Hills EDA Security Deposit Account 1,441.81Hills EDA Checking – Acct. #1248 23,513.04Southern Hills Condo Acct. #1263 66.67Southern Hills CD#17759 (prev. #17572) 2.5%, 3/15/05 5,248.54EDA CD#17850 (prev. #17384) 2.5%, 5/7/05 28,668.82EDA CD#18275 (prev. #17268) 1.25%, 07/04 – inter-fund loan to Southern Hills Apts. to pay-off apt. bond - $10,661.76EDA CD#18597, 1.0%, 1/17/05 (renew & int. added each month) 20,353.16EDA CD#18505, 1.0%, 1/22/05 (renew & int. added each month) 10,713.35Motion by Elbers, seconded by Dahlquist to add $50.000 from general checking to general fund CD#17760 and reinvest for six months. Motion by Dahlquist, seconded by Svoboda to renew Southern Hills (now EDA) CD#17759 on a monthly basis until May 2005; and then consider combining those funds with EDA CD#17850 for renewal on May 7, 2005.Motion by Dahlquist, seconded by Elbers to transfer $20,000 from EDA checking to be included in the renewal of CD#17759. Motion carried. The Council agreed not to seal coat streets this summer. City maintenance was instructed to obtain proposals to blacktop Sixth Street. City maintenance will attend the County noxious weed meeting on April 5th.Motion by Elbers, seconded by Metzger to proclaim April 22nd as the City’s Arbor Day. Motion carried. Jeff Bass, Hills Fire Chief, presented the Council with the Fire Department’s proposed budget for 2006 totaling $23,700.A committee will be formed of firemen, one city councilperson, and one township member to discuss and review information to replace the Fire Department’s tanker truck. Linus Svoboda volunteered to serve on that committee. A motion was made by Svoboda, seconded by Elbers to approve the Fire Department’s 2006 proposed budget. Motion carried.Svoboda, Wiertzema, Jellema and Elbers will attend the Local Board of Appeal and Equalization training meeting on March 31st. The City’s 2004 records were audited on February 17th; the auditor will present the written audit at a later date. Motion by Svoboda, seconded by Dahlquist to adjourn. Meeting adjourned at 6.54 P.M.Connie J. WiertzemaCity Clerk(3-24)