Sheldon and Ellie Sandager returned from South Africa to spend overnight in the Cities and returned to Hills, Thursday, March 16, after attending the wedding of their grandson, Sheldon Norton and Desirae Valnes. Desirae is from Luverne where her parents, Curt Valnes and his wife Kellie, live.Sheldon is the son of Jo Wulf and Fraser Norton. Also attending were Gene and Shirley Sandager, Brittany and Kelly, Hills, Jo and Floyd Wulf, Herreid, S.D., the groom’s sister, Carolyn Norton, Sioux Falls, S.D., his brother, Andrew, and his father, Fraser Norton, Roseau. The wedding was at Kingswood Chapel in Grahamstown, South Africa, where the couple resides. Sheldon works for the Cargill Company there. Sheldon and Ellie also got to see some of their former exchange students who came from that area and also spent a couple of days in Johannesburg, S.A. Melvin and Violet Hecht drove to Howard, S.D., Sunday to visit her brother, Chester Erland, 95, who is a resident of the assisted living center, the Whispering Winds, where Jim Iverson Jr., a former Hills resident is the administrator. They also visited Violet’s cousin’s wife, Martha Abrahamson, at the assisted living center in Madison, S.D. Martha is 100 years old. Dick and Audrey Heidenson and Wendell and Kathryn Erickson attended the U.S. Army jazz band at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux Falls on Tuesday, March 15. Chuck and Rheta DeBoer attended the 90th birthday party Saturday afternoon for Jessie Dykstra in Worthington. Luella Schlueter spent from Thursday until Sunday in the home of her son, Gerry and Sue Schlueter, at Lake Park. Gerry belongs to the Great Plains men’s chorus in Fargo, N.D., and she got to hear this chorus sing at the Waterford Home in Fargo Friday night. Then Saturday she attended the afternoon and evening performances of the "Skipper’s Chorus" of Detroit Lakes of which her son is a member. This was at the historic Holmes Theater in Detroit Lakes where a special guest quartet, called Downstate Express, was performing. This group consists of members from the Wabasha, Winona, and Rochester areas in Minnesota and one who just moved to Indianapolis. They recently won the International Seniors quartet championship in Biloxi, Miss. Gerry likes barbershop singing. Dick and Audrey Heidenson attended the Side Street Strutters jazz band at Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls Sunday night. Wendell Erickson was among many of the Rock County rural board members who attended the District’s 25th anniversary on Thursday, March 17, at Sharkee’s. Wendell was on the steering committee that helped get Rural Water in our communities, and he was the speaker of the evening.

It didn’t do us much good to think spring this weekend as Friday we received several inches of snow. I have heard anywhere from 6 to 12 inches and, of course, the wind had to blow. I think there was also some freezing drizzle mixed in as the roads were slippery as well as snow-packed which made travel very hazardous. In fact Interstate 90 was closed from Luverne to Blue Earth at one time. That doesn’t happen very often!By Sunday morning most of the highways were in good driving condition so everyone could get to their destinations. We should know if we are ever going to have bad weather it will be during the basketball tournaments. I have traveled in some very severe weather just to see my favorite team play in the tournaments. So the weatherman must keep his same schedules every year. Joan Hoogeveen, Lucy VanWyhe, Winnie Scholten, and Henrietta Huenink attended the Christian Women’s Club meeting at United Methodist Church in Rock Rapids Wednesday afternoon. The theme was "Aprons" and many came wearing one. The speaker made it a very interesting afternoon. All moms of Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School students as well as ECFE families will host a Mom’s Night Out with Mom at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31. They will feature the movie, "Shark Tale." In addition to the movie popcorn and pop will be available. Have fun!Melba Boeve joined her sister, Wilda Pfeifer, Coffeen, Ill., for a 10-day vacation trip. They left on Saturday, March 5, for Sedona, Flagstaff and Sun City, Ariz. They returned home on Tuesday. March 15. Ann Tilstra underwent back surgery at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls on Tuesday.Don Schouwenburg will have heart bypass surgery on Thursday at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the Dale Sandbulte family on the death of Jodi’s grandmother from Iowa who passed away on Tuesday evening. The Steen Reformed Church Women will host an Easter Brunch at 9:30 a.m. Friday, April 1. The offering will go for the Center of Hope. Joyce Aykens, Worthington, Mildred Keunen and Jo Aykens drove to Orange City, Iowa, on Monday to help Joyce celebrate her birthday which was that day. They enjoyed supper at the Pizza Ranch in Orange City. Paul and Carole Aykens, Andrea Aykens, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Susan and Jadeyn Veldkamp, Vince and Laurie Kurtz and McKenzie, joined them for supper. Happy birthday to Joyce!Easter arrives early this year. It falls on Sunday, March 27, when we have our Easter Sunday morning church services. Many churches and organizations have Easter sunrise services so thought you might enjoy knowing where that custom came from. Easter sunrise services are based upon an ancient tradition brought to the United States by Moravian settlers, with the first such ceremony conducted in 1741 near Bethlehem, Pa. Some early Christians believed the sun danced in the sky at daybreak on Easter morning. Sunrise services were often conducted on hilltops. Other awe-inspiring sites in this country where early morning Easter services are conducted include The Garden of the Gods near Colorado Springs, Colo., and the Theater of the Red Rocks near Denver, the Hollywood Bowl in California and the Hawaiian Punch Bowl. Many of our churches today have sunrise services and I have attended many, but I never really understood how they came to be a part of our Easter worship. As we prepare for Easter we can appreciate many of our customs and where they came from. But let us not forget the real meaning of Easter is our risen Lord and Savior.

If unattached, older women hope to attract men, they must smell like teenage girls. That’s the finding of researchers at Harvard University, where hormonal scents, or pheromones, isolated from a young woman’s armpit sweat were dabbed on 22 post-menopausal women. Another group of women received placebo dabs. During the next six weeks, 68 percent of the pheromone users experienced substantial increases in what the researchers referred to as "four intimate, sociosexual behaviors." In other words, the pheromone users partied until the cows came home. The most interesting part of the study was the statement in New Scientist magazine that neither the researchers nor the women knew who was in each group until the study’s end. That seems highly unlikely. The post-menopausal women who splashed on pheromones every morning and were suddenly attracting men of all ages like magnets must have noticed a difference in their lives. They must have asked themselves plenty of questions. "Is it the new support stockings? Could it be the tooth whitener I’ve been using? Could it possibly be the stuff the researchers dabbed behind my ears that’s attracting men like so many flies?" So if you’re a post-menopausal woman from the Midwest and you take a vacation in the Boston area, and a researcher from Harvard offers to spritz you behind the ears with some unidentified scent, be forewarned. After your return home, be prepared for the following changes: When you’re leaving the local grocery store, the carryout boys from the high school tussle with each other in a frantic attempt to carry your groceries to the car, but they don’t know why they’re acting that way. When you offer the local car dealer considerably less than he’s asking for a new car, he smiles helplessly, flutters his eyelids and whispers, "OK." You’ve lost any semblance of personal space when people are around. Men, in particular, hover around so closely you would think they need extra body warmth to make it through the rest of the winter. But you know that can’t be the reason — it’s sunny, it’s 70 degrees outside and it’s July. Countless men of all ages appear out of the blue, grab your arm and help you across the street, even when you don’t want to go there. With all of the unnecessary street crossings, your shopping trips to town are at least twice as long as they should be. Even when they don’t have packages to deliver to your house, the UPS and FedEx guys have begun showing up at your door just to ask how you’re doing. The mailman now hand-delivers the mail to your door rather than leaving it in the mailbox at the end of the driveway. "It’s the least I can do, " he confides, with a tip of his hat and a wink of his eye. "What are YOU wearing?" finally demands one woman in your bridge group. "You smell like a sweaty gym locker room!" A new twist on an old expression comes to mind — instead of "one man’s trash is another man’s treasure," this time it’s "one woman’s sweat is another woman’s perfume." At this point you recall that you had to break three dates to play bridge in the first place, and you vaguely remember the Harvard researchers dabbing some stuff behind your ears. Ah, that must be it.

I am a reality TV junkie. I gave up on scripted television the first week I discovered I could watch unpaid Americans compete to stay alive and win $1million on Survivor. It’s much better than watching a group of high-class unbelievable friends act like idiots and get paid millions.As I have tuned in over the past six years I have noticed that elements of reality TV trickle into my reality.These behaviors have never been as evident as they were last week when I left Minnesota to attend a wonderfully eccentric wedding in Marfa, Texas.During a wedding adventure to the foothills of the Davis Mountains in far southwest Texas teams of friends and relatives gathered to witness the marriage of a French man and a Puerto Rican woman.All of the reality show criteria were met, modes of transportation included a bus, car, train, plane and foot. Participants had little knowledge of our destination, there were plenty of people speaking foreign languages and, of course, we all had a common goal: not money or prizes, but to make this adventure lovely and peaceful for the bride and groom.David and I left for the Sioux Falls airport at 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 16, to board a flight to Chicago. Once in Chi-Town we caught our connecting flight to the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.We were given the customary reality show rest and relaxation period that evening and Thursday morning.Thursday afternoon we joined a caravan of cars heading toward Houston. About an hour into our journey, the tire on my friend’s GMC Jimmy blew out – this would be our first Road Block.The tire was fixed in record time, and we were back on the road. In reality TV as in reality, being efficient and making good time is important.In Houston, teams of wedding guests from Fort Worth met up with teams from France, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Houston at the home of the bride and groom.Next, 32 members of the wedding party, including the happy couple, boarded a chartered bus at 12:30 a.m. Friday. Our destination was FortDavis, Texas, population 1,050. Fort Davis is located 595 miles west of Houston nestled in the Davis Mountains, just north of Big Bend National Park.On reality TV this 12-hour bus trip would have meant more rest and relaxation, time given to contestants to prepare, sleep and plot. In reality the bus took on a nightclub atmosphere.Even after seven hours of travel people could be heard mixing drinks and rejoicing about the spectacular sunset they were lucky enough to watch as others slept. Yes, they were saying "sunset." After all, it was their second day in America.These comments stirred me from my sleep. As I looked out the giant picture window next to my bus seat I realized I had been transported to the middle of nowhere.The landscape of Texas strip malls and car dealerships had been replaced by a desolate environment. Low-lying shrubs and cacti dotted vast stretches of land. The horizon was littered with plateaus. Even the interstate seemed empty.Once in Fort Davis teams would be on foot until given word to board the bus to Marfa for the wedding. Suddenly there was opportunity and time to compete in challenges. Guests could choose among mountain climbing, yoga, shopping or cacti jumping.Our final pitstop on the race to a wedding was in the most spectacular of settings, just like on TV.Wedding guests were dropped off at a courthouse that was built in 1893, and they had no idea as to where to go or what surprise would be next.When the door to the building was unlocked we began climbing stairs. There were three flights of wooden stairs, much like you would expect to find in a courthouse, but then a door in the ceiling was opened. It exposed a much smaller, narrower flight of stairs. This led to a tower with a panoramic view of the surrounding desert landscape.Guests stood along the perimeter of the tower watching the sun set behind the mountains and waiting for the bride to arrive.The race was over, everyone had survived and we were much better off for having participated.When the spontaneous host and hostess exchanged their vows I felt that the love for them in that tower could never be exceeded nor taken away. The lengths they had gone to ensure that every guest felt entertained and safe was worthy of any reality TV set. All teams were happy and aware that this was a winning couple. They had the guarantee. Their marriage was based on love; it would work.

By John RittenhouseHills-Beaver Creek High School instructor Tom Goehle is a man of many interests.Being so, Goehle decided to give up something he loves in order to pursue another one of his passions.Goehle turned in his letter of resignation as the girls basketball coach to the H-BC School Board March 14.He will retain his positions as the school’s head cross country and track and field coaches, but his 10-year run as the girls basketball coach is complete.Instead of coaching basketball next year, Goehle wants to spend more time working with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.Goehle helped start an FCA group named The Huddle in 1993, and he wants to focus his attention on it more next year."I want to spend more time doing things with the FCA," he said. "I’ll still be working with kids after school, after games and with Saturday activities."Goehle will leave the H-BC program after compiling a 143-105 career record.After serving two years as assistant coach to past H-BC mentors Brian Sudenga and Todd Davis, Goehle took over the head girls coaching position in 1995.Under his instruction, the Patriots won Tri-County Conference titles in 1997 and 1998. H-BC advanced to the South Section 3A championship game in 1998 and won the event last winter, only to fall to eventual state champion Wabasso in the Section 3A title tilt.Goehle said he has mixed emotions about leaving the basketball program."I’ve coached a lot of great young ladies in the past, and there are some more great kids coming up in the future," he said. "I’ll miss a lot of things, but I’m content and at peace with the decision I’ve made. I’ll be thankful for what I’m going to be doing rather than thinking about what I’ll not be doing."Goehle will miss practice sessions, which he called the highlight of the day during the winter season."It gave me a lot of joy to see the girls improve even in the smallest of ways. I’ve been extremely blessed to coach a number of outstanding young ladies for 10 years," he said. "I know, and some people won’t believe it, that I’ve learned as much from them as they did from me."One thing coach Goehle can say with pride is that his teams always played hard."Our girls played the game the right way. They gave their best effort, and that’s all that was ever asked of them," he said."Every team I coached always got better. We were playing our best basketball at the end of the year, and that’s what we were shooting for."

By John RittenhouseMembers of the 20004-05 Hills-Beaver Creek girls basketball team are basking in post-season honors.Seniors Cassi Tilstra and Brittany Boeve made the All-Red Rock Conference team, and classmates Kelly Mulder and Melinda Feucht drew honorable mention from the league’s coaches.Tilstra drew an honorable mention to the Associated Press’ All-State Girls Basketball team. Tilstra, Mulder and Feucht made the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association’s Academic All-State Team.Eighteen players made the 2005 All-RRC squad.Senior Abby Oakland and sophomores Rachel Christiansen and Laura Kramer made the team from Fulda. Kirsten DeWall, Amber Rasche and Brittany Cranston cracked the list from Southwest Star Concept.Murray County Central and Comfrey drew two all-conference selections each.MCC juniors Rachel Christianson and Darielle Gengler grace the list, as do Comfrey juniors Angela Hesse and Allison Kelley.Adrian eighth-grader Samantha Lynn, Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster junior Amanda Evans, Red Rock Central senior Christa Fishel, Edgerton sophomore Amy Kallemeyn and Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin sophomore Lacey Jensen round out the roster.Other players drawing honorable mention are Adrian senior Kelly Banck, Southwest Christian junior Katie Vis, MCC sophomore Laura Beers, SV-RL-B sophomore Kelli Correll and junior Molly Eichenberger, RRC senior Justine Walker, Comfrey senior Emily Mathiowetz, Edgerton senior Kendra Van’t Hof, ML-B-O seniors Brittany Harder and Tracey Hildebrandt and Westbrook-Walnut Grove junior Jenny Olsem.

By John RittenhouseHills-Beaver Creek senior Kale Wiertzema has been nominated to play in a special basketball series event April 1-2.Wiertzema, a three-year starter at H-BC, will compete in the Minnesota Coaches Association All-Star Basketball Series, which features 40 of the state’s outstanding players.Wiertzema will play for the Gold Team, one of four all-star squads, which will be coached by Lakeville’s John Oxton.The series begins Friday, April 1, at St. Cloud State University’s Hallenbeck Hall. Wiertzema’s Gold Team will play the second game of the evening at 8:45 p.m. The first game starts at 7.The series concludes with 2:45 and 4 p.m. games at the Gangelhoff Center on the campus of Concordia University in St. Paul on Saturday.Three-point shooting and dunking contests will precede the games at both sites.Tickets for the events can be purchased at the door.

By Lexi MooreOn Feb. 5 the Hills-Beaver Creek and Luverne school districts welcomed Japanese English teacher Naoko Kamimura to their classrooms.Kamimura came to Minnesota through the American Cultural Exchange Service because of a desire to observe how American elementary children learn English. "I wanted to see how American children learn at school, especially English, and how it’s different from the Japanese educational system," Kamimura said.In Japan Kamimura taught English at a private language school for elementary children in the small southern town of Miyazaki.She is observing and helping in classrooms at H-BC and Luverne. In addition she is teaching students about Japan."I show them how to write their names in Japanese, do origami, and how to use chopsticks."Kamimura has noticed several differences between the education system in America and that in her native Japan. She feels that classes are less structured in America."Japanese elementary schools are more like high schools here," Kamimura said. "For example, in Japan we have to follow the bells, and we have short breaks between classes."Another difference is that American students participate on a more regular basis during classroom activities.The exchange program places foreign teachers in American households to encourage the teachers to learn more about American culture outside of the classroom. Kamimura lives with host family Jason and Naomi Graves in Steen.Although Steen is smaller than her community in Japan, Kamimura said she has enjoyed the peaceful and quiet aspects of the small town.Kamimura travels back to Japan on April 1 where she plans to start giving private English lessons.

PROBATE COURTDISTRICT COURT—COUNTY COURTPROBATE DIVISIONORDER AND NOTICE OF HEARING FOR FORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE IN SUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION AND NOTICE TO CREDITORSSTATE OF MINNESOTACOUNTY OF ROCKIn Re: Estate of Edna Moeller, a/k/a Edna I. Moeller DeceasedTO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS AND CREDITORS:It is Ordered and Notice is hereby given that on the 18th day of April, 2005, at 3:30 O’clock P.M., a hearing will be held in the above named Court at Rock County Courthouse, Luverne, Minnesota, for the formal probate of an instrument purporting to be the will of the above named deceased, dated October 9, 1997, and for the appointment of Maurice Fitzer, whose address is 202 E. Veterans Dr. Luverne, MN 56156, respectively, as personal representative of the estate of the above named decedent in supervised administration, and that any objections thereto must be filed with the Court. That, if proper, and no objections are filed, said personal representative will be appointed to administer the estate, to collect all assets, pay all legal debts, claims, taxes and expenses, and sell real and personal property, and do all necessary acts for the estate. Upon completion of the administration, the representative shall file a final account for the allowance and shall distribute the estate to the persons thereto entitled as ordered by the Court, and close the estate. Notice is further given that ALL CREDITORS having claims against said estate are required to present the same to said personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the date of this notice or said claims will be barred. Dated: March 17, 2005 /s/ Timothy K. ConnellTimothy K. ConnellDistrict Court Judge/s/ Damon T. Eisma /s/ Sandra. VrtacnikDamon T. Eisma Sandra L. VrtacnikAttorney for Petitioner Court AdministratorEisma and Eisma130 East Main, Box 625Luverne, MN 56156(507) 283-4828I.D. #249269(3-24, 3-31)