I learned something new. This unlikely occurrence transpired when I took the loving mother to visit her sister (my aunt) in the Sibley nursing home. My aunt Gladys is "the one who loves me" and once owned a hunting lodge in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. Her favorite flower is the gladiolus, and she loved to bake cookies, but hated to bake pies. She was (and still is) a woman with a big heart. For the past two years she has resided in the nursing home. Her health has been declining over the months, particularly in the past few weeks. When we arrived she was sleeping in a recliner in the living room area. We tried to wake her, but she was very weak and had difficulty keeping her eyes open. She’s 85 years old and has Parkinson’s disease. Just then I noticed one of her buddies, Floyd, at the other end of the room. He took Gladys under his wing when she first arrived at the nursing home, and we are deeply grateful to him for watching over her. I approached him and invited him to come over and visit with us. He maneuvered his wheelchair between the tables and chairs and parked next to us. He reached over and put has hand on Gladys’ arm and tried to rouse her from sleep. He said, "Hello sweetheart. You know I love you." Gladys opened her eyes, and a small, almost imperceptible smile came across her face. I sat there with my mouth open (as did my mother) staring incredulously. Could love actually emerge at this late stage of the game? In this environment? These are the elderly, 80-, 90- and 100-year-olds. They’re in final stages of the aging process. Most can’t walk, many can’t talk or dress or feed themselves. Yet there it was — "love" alive and well at the Sibley Nursing Home in Sibley, Iowa. For those of you who appreciate a good story where love prevails (don’t we all) you might like to try the new book by Danielle Steel, "Echoes." For the Wittgenstein family the summer of 1915 was a time of both prosperity and unease, as the guns of war sound in the distance. But for eldest daughter Beata it was also a summer of awakening. By the glimmering waters of Lake Geneva the quiet Jewish beauty met a young French officer and fell in love. Knowing that her parents would never accept her marriage to a Catholic, Beata followed her heart anyway. As the two built a new life together, Beata’s past would stay with her in ways she could never have predicted. As the years pass and Europe is once again engulfed in war, Beata must watch in horror as Hitler’s terror threatens her life and family, even her eighteen-year-old daughter Amadea, who has taken on the vows of a Carmelite nun.For Amadea the convent is no refuge. As family and friends are swept away without a trace, Amadea is forced into hiding. Thus begins a harrowing journey of survival as she escapes into the heart of the French Resistance. Here Amadea will find a renewed sense of purpose, taking on the most daring missions behind enemy lines. And it is here, in the darkest moments of fear, that Amadea will feel her mother’s loving strength and that of her mother’s mother before her. And here amid the fires of war Amadea will meet an extraordinary man, British secret agent Rupert Montgomery. In Col. Montgomery Amadea finds a man who will help her discover her place in an unbreakable chain between generations and a future she can only imagine, a future of hope rooted in the rich soil of the past.

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on January 22, 1915:OPERA HOUSE TO BE BUILTDefinite Assurance of Fine, New Opera House for Luverne is Given and Work will be Started Soon.BIG BRICK STRUCTURE ON UNION BLOCK CORNERThoroughly Modern Opera House, Two Store Rooms and Dance Hall Will be Contained in New Building"Positive assurance that Luverne will this year secure a new, thoroughly modern opera house, representing an investment of approximately $40,000, was given this week by Herman Joachims, of Schleswig, Ia. He is the owner of the property known as Union Hall, and the new play house will occupy this site. Mr. Joachims arrived here Monday and remained here until Wednesday evening, working out general plans for the new structure, which will be a brick building 63x135 feet in ground dimensions, and two full stories high, that will be similar in architecture and interior arrangements to that of the Orpheum Theatre of Sioux Falls. The plans provide for two rooms for rental purposes at the front of the building, with an entrance way fourteen feet wide extending north and south through the center of the building to the opera house proper. The store on the east of the entrance will be 23 feet wide and extend back 60 feet, and on the west side the store room will be 23 feet wide and 48 feet long. The opera house or auditorium will be located at the south end of the structure, with the stage adjoining the alley, and will occupy a space about 63x75 feet. At the rear of the auditorium will be a balcony and on each side two opera boxes. In the front end on the second floor, immediately over the entrance way and two store rooms, a dance hall will be provided with floor space 50x60 feet.Entrance to the hall and to the balcony and opera boxes will be gained by stairways at the rear of the store room on the west side of the entrance way, and immediately adjoining the stairways on the south will be the ticket office. The plans also call for another, and smaller stairway leading to the dance hall and balcony at the rear of the store room on the east side, and provision is made for entrance to the opera boxes from the stage. Aisles at the center and extreme sides of the auditorium are provided for. They extend north and south, and the side aisles lead onto the stage, connecting with the doors opening into the alley.The seating capacity of the auditorium will be 520, that of the balcony 144, and each one of the opera boxes will accommodate four people.These plans will at once be submitted to the state fire marshal and if they meet with this official’s approval, plans and specifications will be prepared and submitted to the common council. Mr. Joachims will return to Luverne the first part of February, and expects to start work on the new project March 1st. Mr. Joachims has conducted the opera house at Schleswig for a number of years and is said to be not only thoroughly familiar with all the requirements of such a venture, but also has ample means to carry out the large project that he has undertaken here. He recently disposed of his opera house at Schleswig and gives possession Feb. 1st. Donations to the Rock County Historical endowment fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

My favorite quote is by Charles Swindoll on attitude. He writes, "Life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it."At the Tollfeson Publishing we’ve seen some unexpected changes in the past year, and I’m proud to say our attitudes are in the right place.Our advertising director, graphic designer, copy editor, Hills Crescent editor and Star Herald sports editor all made career changes in the course of a few months.While we’ve missed these key players, I’m proud to say we’ve embraced the changes as opportunities to explore new directions.The positive approach has a lot to do with our new people: oMark Haugen at the sports desk, oEsther Frakes at the copy desk, oChristine Mann in advertising sales, and oLexi Moore halftime at the Crescent helm and half-time in graphic design.They’re a stellar crew and we’re lucky to have them on board.With their enthusiasm, a remaining core of talented experience, plus an ambitious newspaper consultant on board, we’re looking at all kinds of ways to improve. Our goal is to be a better business in the community and present a better product to our readers and advertisers.Our Star Herald sports readers will notice the biggest changes. In addition to presenting his own writing style and page design, Mark will add a new dimension to that section with a weekly column and a new format for bowling and pool league results.In the news department the changes will be more subtle, but still noticeable.oThe B Section now leads with a feature story or photo package. Those soft-news items take a lot of work, and we’re proud of the end result, so we’re giving them more visibility.oThe inside pages of the A Section will showcase contributing local writers on a more regular basis. We’ll be hearing from our public officials on city, county and school on timely topics in their own words with their own little mug shots attached to the write-ups.This won’t replace our already popular columnists, such as librarian Glenda Bremer, historian Betty Mann and On the Rock pastor columns. It also won’t replace our regular news coverage of local government.oThe Opinion Page will lead with weekly editorials, in addition to usual columns Sara and I take turns writing. Our writers will work on the editorials together, and the goal is to both encourage dialog and stimulate thought processes, or, as with this week’s editorial, to advocate positive activity in the community.As always, we welcome input from all our readers on ideas for editorials, or better yet, original letters to the editor.oRemember When will have shorter entries from old newspapers and more of them, with an emphasis on including more local names that appeared in the news back then. Along those same lines, Mark is planning to introduce a sports version of Remember When in his pages.oThe Dining and Entertainment Page that used to appear only in the Announcer now also appears in the Star Herald, as does the Dial-A-Specialist listing. These advertisers make our Star Herald pages more newsworthy, and in turn, their placement on our news pages adds value to their messages.We’re still the same business that’s brought you news for the past 130 years, but stay tuned for exciting new reasons to keep reading.

ORDINANCE NO. 267, THIRD SERIESAN ORDINANCE RELATING TO THE GROUP INSURANCE PROGRAM, AMENDING SECTION 2.37, SUBD. 1, AND ADOPTING BY REFERENCE CITY CODE CHAPTER 2 AND SECTION 2.99 WHICH, AMONG OTHER THINGS, CONTAIN PENALTY PROVISIONSWHEREAS, to not conflict with provisions of the City’s Personnel Policy, an amendment is needed in Subdivision 1 of Section 2.37 deleting the last sentence relating to City provided group insurance for elected officials.NOW THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Luverne, Minnesota, does hereby ordain: SECTION 1. That Section 2.37, Subd 1, be amended in its entirety to read as follows: Subd. 1. The salary of the Mayor shall be $5,100.00 per year and for each alderman $4,200.00 per year. Salaries shall be paid in conjunction with the regular City payroll for administrative personnel and shall include such deductions and withholdings as are required or authorized by law. SEC. 2. This ordinance shall take full force and effect seven (7) days after its publication. (11-18)

ORDINANCE NO. 266, THIRD SERIESAN ORDINANCE RELATING TO UTILITY EASEMENT CHANGES AS PROVIDED FOR IN CITY CODE CHAPTER 12.10, SUBD 4 (B)THE CITY OF LUVERNE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN:SECTION 1. In compliance with City Code Chapter 12.10, Subd. 4 (B), and with concurrence of the Planning Commission relative to electric utility easements, the City Council hereby:1. Vacates a portion of a perpetual utility easement for the purpose of clearing, trenching, laying, constructing, maintaining, replacing, and repairing electric light, power, telephone cables, lines, conduits, water and sewer lines, cable television lines, natural gas lines, and other appurtenances for the said City on property owned by Gregory T. and Patricia A. Aubert, legally described as follows:Lot four (4) and the North Ten (10) Feet of Lot Five (5) in Block One in Siebenahler Addition to the City of Luverne, Rock County, MinnesotaMore particularly, that portion of the easement lies on Lot 4 and the N. 10 ft. of Lot 5, is rectangular in shape (approximately 5 ft x 29 ft.), is located 6 ft. west of Phyleon Drive along the lot line of Lots 4 and 5, and was reserved for installation of an electrical transformer. This portion of the easement is no longer necessary.SEC. 2. This ordinance shall take full force and effect seven (7) days after its publication. (11-18)

NOTICE OF MORTAGE FORECLOSURE SALETHE RIGHT TO VERIFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION.NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that default has occurred in conditions of the following described mortgage:DATE OF MORTGAGE: August 1, 2001MORTGAGORS: Don W. Voeltz and Nicolle Voeltz, husband and wife. MORTGAEE: Home Federal Savings Bank.DATE AND PLACE OF RECORDING: Recorded August 2, 2001, Rock County Recorder, Document No. 150660. ASSIGNMENTS OF MORTGAGE: Assigned to: Suntrust Mortgage, Inc., Dated: August 1, 2001, Recorded: August 2, 2001, Document No. 150661. And thereafter assigned to: Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation, Dated: October 27, 2004, Recorded: November 3, 2004, Document No. 160075.LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY:Borrowers: DON W. VOELTZ NICOLLE VOELTZProperty Address: 815 E RAILROAD AVE Steen, MN 56173A tract of land lying and being in the S 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of Section 32, Township 101 North of Range 45 West, of the 5th P.M., Rock County, Minnesota, described as follows:Commencing at the Northwest corner of the S 1/2 of the NE 1/4 as the point of beginning; thence Easterly along the North line of said S 1/2 of NE 1/4 1488 feet; thence Southerly and parallel with the West line of said NE 1/4 288 feet; thence Easterly and parallel with the North line of said section 14 feet; thence Southerly and parallel with the West line of said NE 1/4 52 feet; thence Westerly and parallel with the North line of said section 82.5 feet; thence in a Northwesterly direction 173.5 feet, more or less, to a point 1266 feet East of the West line of said NE 1/4 and 313.5 feet South of the North line of said S 1/2 of said quarter; thence Northerly along a line parallel with the West line of said NE 1/4 290.5 feet; thence Westerly on a line parallel with the North line of said Section 1266 feet, more or less, to a point on the West line of said NE 1/4; thence Northerly along the West line of said NE 1/4 23 feet to the point of beginning.COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: RockORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $47,603.00AMOUNT DUE AND CLAIMED TO BE DUE AS OF DATE OF NOTICE, INCLUDING TAXES, IF ANY, PAID BY MORTGAGEE: $48,612.05That prior to the commencement of this mortgage foreclosure proceeding Mortgagee/Assignee of Mortgagee complied with all notice requirements as required by statute; That no action or proceeding has been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof;PURSUANT to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above described property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows:DATE AND TIME OF SALE: JANUARY 14, 2005 AT 10:00 AMPLACE OF SALE: Sheriff’s Office, West Entrance, Law Enforcement Center, 213 East Luverne Street, Luverne, MN to pay the debt then secured by said Mortgage, and taxes, if any, on said premises, and the costs and disbursements, including attorneys’ fees allowed by law subject to redemption within six (6) months from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s), their personal representatives or assigns.MORTGAGOR (S) RELEASED FROM FINANCIAL OBLIGATION ON MORTGAGE: None"THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR’S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES, SECTION 582.032, DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN FIVE UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED."Dated: November 5, 2004.Chase Manhattan Mortgage Corporation Mortgagee/Assignee of MortgageeUSSET & WEINGARDEN P.L.L.P.BY: /s/ Paul A. Weingarden Paul A. Weingarden Attorneys for Mortgagee/Assignee of Mortgagee 4500 Park Glen Road #120 Minneapolis, MN 55416 (952) 925-6888 30-3465 1996411864THIS IS A COMMUNICATON FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR.11-18, 11-25, 12-2, 12-9, 12-16, 12-23)

A guy has to make certain sacrifices when he gets married, and for me they were my golf clubs and my shotgun (and some might say my sanity.)It's not that my wife asked me to give them up. It's just that life gets in the way of having all the fun I want sometimes. Things like work and kids make you prioritize what you're going to do with your free time. Much of my spare time now is spent reading, writing, gardening and running, all pretty time-consuming hobbies as well.So while many of you have been out downing pheasants and plunking deer this fall, I've been doing those other things. But that doesn't mean I and others don't enjoy reading about your hunting exploits and seeing the fruits (or rather meats) of your labor.With that in mind, I encourage you hunters to send us pictures of your successful hunts. Tell us where, when and with what you tamed the wild beast and we'll share it with the readers.As a kid growing up on a farm outside of Canton, S.D., I was seldom without at least a .22 in tow. Rabbits, gophers and birds were aplenty in our groves and pasture, and the creek running through it made it a good enough wildlife environment for my buddy and me to run a trap line.The occasional mink, muskrat or skunk was stupid enough to stumble into one of our sets. The fur company in Canton rewarded us with a couple bucks or a five spot even.This was all fine and good until my friend's cat proved to be too curious and not smart enough to keep its foot out of one of our traps. I remember the tears in Travis' eyes as we extricated his cat.It put a quick end to our years-long hobby, especially when his older sister learned of her cat's misfortune. And that darn cat limped around on three legs for several more years to continually remind us of our amateur trapping skills.Now I stick to fishing, and if a cat is stupid enough to dive into the water and bite on my hook, then he deserves what he gets. At least I won't feel as guilty about that one.

Wilmina Winterswyk, 86, Luverne, died Saturday, Nov. 13, 2004, at Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne. Services were Wednesday, Nov. 17, at Luverne Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. The Rev. George Koopmans officiated. Burial was at Valley View Cemetery in Rock Valley, Iowa.Wilmina Van Maanen was born to Arie and Jennie (De Vries) Van Maanen on May 4, 1918, in Rock Valley. She completed country school. After her education she helped women on nearby farms with housework and daily chores. She married Richard Stegenga on Jan. 30, 1941, in Rock Valley. Following their marriage they lived on a farm south of Rock Valley. In 1956 the family moved to a farm south of Luverne. The couple retired in 1974 and moved to Luverne. Mr. Stegenga died in April 1975. She married Henry Winterswyk in 1977 at Luverne Christian Reformed Church. They enjoyed traveling together. Mr. Winterswyk died in December 2000. She moved to The Oaks apartments for a short time. She then moved to Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne. Mrs. Winterswyk was a member of Luverne Christian Reformed Church. She was active in Ladies Aid and the Christian School Circle. She enjoyed hosting family and friends in her home. She is also remembered as someone who was always working on projects, playing her organ at home and singing along.Survivors include three children, Arlan (Susanne) Stegenga, Austin, Robert (Sheila) Stegenga, Luverne, and Jan (Arlan) De Yong, Anchorage, Alaska; a daughter-in-law, Darlene Stegenga, Corson, S.D.; three stepchildren, Gertrude Teune, Steen, Johanna Klarenbeek, Sioux Falls, S.D., and Arlen Pap, North Richland Hills, Texas; 14 grandchildren; 16 great-children; numerous stepgrandchildren; stepgreat-grandchildren; and stepgreat-great-grandchildren; two brothers, Gerrit (Joann) Van Maanen, Rock Valley, and John (Marvis) Van Maanen, Lakewood, Calif.; three sisters, Henrietta (Herman) Kempema, Arta Kempema, and Margaret (Delbert) Kuiken, all of Rock Valley; and a sister-in-law, Gertrude Vander Ploeg, Sioux Center, Iowa.Mrs. Winterswyk was preceded in death by her husbands, Richard and Henry, and one son, Pierre Stegenga, an infant daughter, and a grandson, Nathan. Hartquist Funeral Home, Engebretson Chapel, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

Services for Grace Slieter are at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 19, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills with the Rev. Lowell Berg officiating. Burial will follow at Bethlehem Lutheran Cemetery in Hills. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. with a 7:30 p.m. prayer service and sharing time at Roste Funeral Home in Hills. Grace Marie Slieter, 98, Hills, died Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. Grace Schipper was born to Ulfred and Tillie Schipper on March 27, 1906, in rural Valley Springs, S.D. She moved with her family in 1921 to Larchwood, Iowa. She graduated from Larchwood High School. She received her teaching certificate from Northern State Teachers College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She taught for five years in Larchwood Township Schools. She married Ben J. Slieter on Aug. 17, 1930, in Sioux Falls, S.D. After their marriage they settled and farmed by Steen before moving to a farm in the Beaver Creek area in 1958. Mr. Slieter died May 13, 1961. That year she moved to Hills where she worked at Tuff Memorial Home for 19 years. For several years following she assisted the elderly in their homes. She moved to an apartment in Luverne and moved to Tuff Memorial Home in 1995. Mrs. Slieter was very active in women’s organizations at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. She was involved with 4-H and extension leadership in Rock County. Survivors include two daughters, Janet Burkholder, Pipestone, and Bonnie (Harlan) Kolsrud, Worthington; a daughter-in-law, Norma Salquist, West Fargo, N.D.; 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Mrs. Slieter was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Ben, one son, Gordon, one son-in-law, Bill, and four brothers, John, Henry, Jacob and Fred. Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.