By Sara QuamA new business is scheduled to move into the former Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce office next to the Palace Theatre.Imports Plus is a furniture and gift store that the city helped with a $5,000 loan for signage. The money actually comes from the Small Cities Development Program through the state Department of Employment and Economic Development.The Luverne Economic Development Authority approved use of the program Wednesday morning.The owners are Jennifer Anderson and Arturo Martinez. They will rent the space from Blue Mound Area Theatre, which owns the Palace and surrounding offices, for $400 a month.They expect to run the business themselves, with three part-time employees by the second year.The owners are financing the business themselves.Plaza 75Rich Dreckman’s business venture, RSD Development, is close to making an office complex out of the former True Value building on south Highway 75.LEDA may help get that venture off the ground by guaranteeing a loan or leasing one of the three office spaces until another tenant can be found.Dreckman said he expects the space to fill as soon as it is built. The bank financing construction wants lease agreements before it finalizes the deal in order for Dreckman to prove he’ll have adequate cash flow.If the LEDA does lease the space, it will be $1,313 per month. It doesn’t have a use for the space but would rent it in support of Dreckman.Dreckman said he will show the city bank loan papers, plans for the building and a structural engineer’s report on the soundness of the existing structure. The LEDA is supportive of the project because it will add to the tax base and improve the appearance of Highway 75.But, member Nate Golla said, "We’re not in the business of giving money away."

By Sara QuamThe Luverne City Council is considering enforcing the dog licensing ordinance.Of the estimated 400 dogs in town, just 60 are licensed. On top of that, the city pays for its own pound that costs between $5,000 and $6,000 a year.About 40 dogs and cats combined are impounded each year. Part of the pound’s cost is euthanizing and disposing of animals that aren’t claimed after a week.The estimate of the number of dogs came from the city’s meter reader, who goes to each household and made notes on regular rounds. The city may contact people who have unlicensed dogs and ask them to follow the ordinance.The council may adopt fees for licensing at a future meeting. The proposed fees are $8 for neutered or spayed and $15 for non-neutered or spayed. City Administrator Greg LaFond said, "We could look at making a penalty high enough where there’s some incentive to license."Otherwise, he said that the ordinance isn’t worth much.The penalty for non-licensure was suggested to be set at $150 plus a $30 administration fee. The ordinance would be enforced through administrative citations or Rock County Sheriff’s Department.Councilman Bob Kaczrowski said, "For the number of animals we impound a year, is it worth upsetting 400 people?"LaFond said the city could decide not to concentrate on bringing in money to fund the cost of the pound and just drop the pound.Mayor Gust said, "I say we shut down the pound and send a letter encouraging people to license their animals."Councilman Pat Baustian said, "It’s clearly identified in state statutes that it’s not a city responsibility."Licensing dogs isn’t just for the city’s benefit. People whose dogs are lost can be returned, and everyone is reassured that animals have up-to-date vaccinations.

By Sara QuamAs Rock County wraps up inspections of all feedlots, one family operation just completed an obstacle course to increase its permitted number of animals.The county’s feedlots continue to get stamps of approval through the inspection process that started in June 2002. One of the first to sign up for those inspections, which are called Level III inventories, was Binford Farms, owned by brothers Grant and Eric Binford. The rural Luverne farmers and livestock producers also became the latest to get another permit for more than 1,000 animal units. They are now permitted to have up to 2,300 cattle and 5,000 hogs at a time among the various facilities within their operation.Grant said, "We wanted to get to a level where we felt we would be sustained for some time."Eric describes the expansion as an important part of continuing to turn a profit in an industry that doesn’t have the margins previous generations enjoyed. He said, "We’re a family operation wanting to make a profit, so we’re investing now to help that happen.""We’re no different from the majority of modern farms," Grant said.The Rock County Board of Commissioners just passed the conditional use permit last week, but the entire process took almost a year.The permit is federal, but is written by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The county also issued a separate conditional use permit and had to take public comment, which extends the time of getting the permit.Commissioner Richard Bakken said, "Once you cross that threshold of 1,000 animal units, it’s a very long, difficult process."Binfords’ feedlot is one of only 10 in the county permitted for more than 1,000 animal units. Inspection resultsBefore the inspections began, the county had 618 registered feedlots. Some additional ones have come forward to be registered and permitted, and others were discovered by county workers during the process. Of the 641 feedlots in the county, just a handful remain to be inspected.About 570 have been visited so far, and 80 percent of those have no environmental concerns. Twenty-eight sites need engineer assistance to come into compliance.Total cost to the county has been $121,573 so far. The Level III inventories were court ordered to ensure no environmental harm was done during the tenure of former Rock County Land Management Director John Burgers. He was implicated in a bribery case involving a hog operation.Even with the scandal, Rock County is still seen as having a progressive Land Management Office, which many use as a model for their county programs. Grant said, "From a producer’s standpoint we’re appreciative of the local office. It’s easy and less intimidating to go in there to get questions answered, and I think we’re far ahead of many counties."With the new larger permit the Binford livestock operation follows guidelines set at the federal, state and county levels. They can be spot checked by state officers at any time, so they keep up-to-date records on phosphorous and nitrate levels in land and manure.Grant said they don’t mind the stringent rules in most cases. "We want to leave things better than we started, which is natural for us," he said. The Binfords have found raising animals in confinement facilities more efficient for them but also see other successful livestock owners using open pastures.Grant said, "Some people want to set mandates so everyone has to do it the same way. But there are many possibilities that are environmentally sound that we can work with."The Binfords also got a permit for stockpiling manure, which will be used on their cropland.Eric Hartman, LMO director, said, "When you look at the types of feedlots in the county, you have essentially 58 percent that are open lot facilities, and another 22 percent are combination sites that have both total confinement structures and open lots. When you take into consideration that 80 percent of all active sites have open lots and about 20 percent of all sites have some environmental concerns, I think that the efforts of the producers and the efforts of the office show when you take a look at the big picture."

By Mark HaugenLuverne has been making a name for itself at Thunder Valley Raceway outside of Sioux Falls. In the high school drag racing competition this past summer, Cardinal Racing was the top name among the 20 schools entered.Points were accumulated over five races during the summer, with the team title determined in August. Any high school student 16 years of age or older with a valid driver’s license can race. Also, virtually any car, truck or motorcycle that meets the safety requirements may be used."They are quarter-mile drag races, where the kids use their street legal cars," said Dave Hup, who has been coaching the team for five years. "The kids prep them and race them. The higher brackets are over 100 mph. The top bracket can reach 130. Some drive mom and dad’s Caravan in the slow bracket."Cardinal Racing won the team title three of the last five years, after not having won a team championship since 1981.Hup said it’s not the miles per hour that determines the winner, but it’s the seconds the driver is shooting for that matter. Drivers try to get as close to pre-set standards as possible. Of the five racing brackets, Luverne drivers won three individual championships as well as the overall points title.In Bracket 2 Dan Hup ran away with first place, netting 1,350 points. He lost only one race all season, and that was when his car broke, keeping him from competing at nationals in Illinois that he qualified for. His Luverne teammates, Stephen Berghorst, Jeremy Brinkhous and Austin Hoiland, were second, third and fourth respectively.Luverne took the top three places in Bracket 3 as well, with Justin Mann, Lindsay Hup and Breanne Hup going 1-2-3.Cardinal Ryan Wynia won Bracket 5 with 1,350 points. Teammate Dustin Donth was fourth, Erin Hoiland sixth and Ruston Aaker seventh.In Bracket 1, Luverne’s Matt Reverts was 11th and Cody Wisley 13th.Alex Wiese claimed the Junior Dragster title."We try to get kids involved who aren’t involved in many other sports," Coach Hup said. "Parents say they are so glad their kids are involved. Now they are sitting in the garage at night instead of out roaming around."

By Mark HaugenLuverne scored early but not often enough as the Cardinals lost their season-opening girls’ hockey match 9-3 Friday to the Austin Packers at the Blue Mound Ice Arena.Senior scoring ace Natalie Domagala secured the opening faceoff and scored the first goal of her hat trick eight seconds into the opening period. But Austin answered quickly with a wrap-around goal at the 15:39 mark to tie the game 1-1.Domagala knocked home her second unassisted goal with 2:38 left in the first, but it was short-lived as the Packers answered 34 seconds later with another goal.Luverne’s 2-2 lead went to pieces in the second period as Austin exploded for five goals and a 7-2 lead by the time the period was over.Two more Packer goals in the third, and Domagala’s third goal with 2:59 left in the game (assisted by Paige Olson) wrapped up the scoring."They were quicker and our girls just got tired at the end of the first period," Coach Dave Siebenahler said. "They skated good and hard the first period and then just ran out of gas. Then, when you get tired, you start making mental and physical mistakes."Luverne’s eighth-grade goalie stopped 41 of 50 shots."I was impressed with the younger players," Siebenahler said. "The seventh-graders did real well against the juniors and seniors from Austin. We just have a lot of things to work on yet to get things where we want them to be."The Cardinals managed only 26 shots on goal. "One of our goals as a team is to shoot 30-plus shots and keep our opponent under 20 shots," Siebenahler said."Usually, when we do that, we can come out on top. We just have to improve on our shots and block theirs."Luverne will shoot to achieve that formula Thursday night when they host Sioux Falls Blue and Saturday night when they host New Ulm.

By Lori EhdeRenee Sawtelle is a part-time employee of the Luverne Elementary School, but she’s a full-time supporter of the district, its students and its staff.Sawtelle was named the 2005 Friend of Education by the Luverne Education Association during a ceremony Monday afternoon."To have a person like Renee floating around helping us is absolutely invaluable," said Luverne kindergarten teacher Shirley Harrison.She said Sawtelle’s list of volunteer contributions is too long to itemize. "She’s volunteered literally hundreds of hours for teachers and students."Sawtelle is particularly involved in activities of the elementary booster club, Parents: Partners In Education.She also helps with major annual science projects, such as the rain forest and the solar dome, and she assists with music programs, finding props and costumes where needed.Sawtelle’s acceptance speech was short because her Girl Scouts troop was waiting for her at a meeting scheduled at the same time as Monday’s ceremony."For what I’ve done here, I appreciate the teachers even more," she said. "They do so much for my children, and I’m just glad I can help them."Sawtelle and her husband, Tom, have six children ranging in age from 6 to 17. "We have two in high school, two in middle school and two in elementary school," she said.With her youngest child in kindergarten, Sawtelle said she has extra time now to volunteer."The teachers have an awful lot of work to do. They put in a lot more than eight-hour days," she said. "Just think of the material your child brings home from school, and multiply that times all the other kids … I think our biggest classroom has 28 kids. It’s a lot of work."For example, Sawtelle said she helps teachers get materials ready for art and craft projects, which is time-consuming.In addition to recognizing a need, Sawtelle said she helps because she enjoys being at school."I get such a kick out of some of the kids," she said. "And they grow up so fast."Sawtelle was recently hired by the district to help on the playground and in the copy room a few hours a day, but Harrison said Sawtelle works far beyond the hours she’s paid for."She puts in way more hours in the copy room than she’s supposed to, making sure it all gets done for the teachers," Harrison said."She’s a person who’s really made a difference in our school. Many thanks to Renee Sawtelle, our Friend of Education."

By Lori EhdeSteve Kollmann’s formula for successful teaching is to build students’ self esteem while having fun."I try to create an atmosphere in my class where everyone has fun," said Kollmann, who was named 2005 Teacher of the Year during Education Week activities Monday."We do a lot of different activities so everyone can feel good about themselves."Kollmann said he hopes those classroom experiences carry over into other areas of his students’ lives — both physically and emotionally."I hope the skills they learn here will carry over into a lifetime of physical activity," he said."I try to make all the kids feel good about themselves. To some kids, phy ed is the highlight of their day. They may not excel in the classroom, but in my class they all have a chance to excel."Kollmann was named Teacher of the Year during a ceremony after school Monday in the elementary commons.Teacher of the Year for 2004, Sandy Klosterbuer, announced Kollmann as the new selection."Many consider this educator to be a constant source of encouragement and enthusiasm," she began.She said Kollmann takes pride in his work and treats students with respect."This educator has been a great ambassador for the Luverne Public Schools for over 30 years," Klosterbuer said. "He is greatly respected by not only the students and the community here in Luverne, but by past students and athletes in surrounding communities."Kollmann said he’s surprised he qualified for the honor, since he hasn’t lived in Luverne for years."This is totally awesome and really unexpected," he said accepting his plaque. "…Teaching physical education doesn’t always get the respect it deserves."Kollmann, who plans to retire after this school year, thanked his peers for the honor."I really feel part of a very, very good team," he said. "Thank you all for being part of that team and helping me achieve this."Elementary physical education teacher Dan Amborn was particularly pleased to see Kollmann named Teacher of the Year."He’s an incredible human being … extremely positive," Amborn said after Monday’s ceremony. "He cares deeply about each and every one of the kids."Amborn said Kollmann has been a mentor for him through the years."The kind of human being that he is makes him a wonderful ambassador for the school system and whatever organization he’s involved in," Amborn said.

By Lexi MooreStudents at Hills-Beaver Creek High School joined BestPrep and more than 4,250 students in 100 schools around Minnesota for a third year to compete in The Stock Market Game‘ (SMG) this fall. H-BC social studies teacher Teri Richards is advising eight sophomore students as part of the social studies curriculum.BestPrep teaches economics and finance by teaming up with students in The Stock Market Game™ program. BestPrep, a Minnesota based non-profit, administers the program, which Richards said she believes in. "I chose the Stock Market Game because it is real-time, is very realistic, well-done and administered by BestPrep, and because the students really enjoy spending money. It is a great learning tool."Student teams participating in The Stock Market Game are given a virtual $100,000 to "invest" over a fourteen-week period. Teams receive daily portfolio updates on their current holdings, brokerage fees, interest, and team rankings. During that time, teachers incorporate the Game's supporting materials into their curriculum. The Game will end in December.New this year is the addition of mutual funds; students may now invest in mutual funds and stocks. Bonnie Vagasky, vice president of educational programs at BestPrep, said it’s good for students have access to this information at this stage of their lives. "Adding mutual funds to The Stock Market Game allows students to learn how mutual funds operate," Vagasky said. "Most Americans invest some of their retirement earnings in mutual funds, and now students can learn about this investment strategy through the program."

By Lexi MooreLast summer the city of Hills purchased a street sweeper from Sanitation Products of Sioux Falls.The used Elgin Premier Pelican, which cost $12,780 should be paid off within two years and is saving the city money. In the past, Hills would pay the city of Luverne $140 to clean the streets.That bill would include the time spent in Hills and the time used while driving back and forth from Luverne. The streets were once cleaned twice a year, but rising costs forced the council to cut back to once a year. Owning the sweeper has been a nice convenience for Hills Maintenance Manager, Wayne Ward. "Now we can clean the streets whenever they get dirty," he said. ?"The rock and gravel the sweeper collects helps protect our streets."In early November residents of Steen may have seen the Hills sweeper in their area. The city of Steen arranged to have Wayne clean their streets. It took the sweeper 15 minutes to get from Hills to Steen and four hours to clean all of the streets. Offering this service to neighboring communities helps Hills pay for the sweeper and its upkeep.The city has hoped to make similar arrangements with the mosquito sprayer they purchased last spring. Ward said it’s necessary for smaller communities to rely on each other, because it’s not possible to stock all of the machinery a town needs to survive, so outsourcing to other towns becomes a viable option. Ward chooses to split the cleaning of Hills streets over a period of two days. Because the sweeper generates a fair amount of noise, he said he tries to sweep when the noise won’t bother residents.The sweeper has an industrial brush that sweeps debris off the street and onto a conveyer belt. The belt carries the debris into a hopper at the front of the vehicle where rocks and dirt collect until they can be emptied.