Borrowed the county’s cashThe following was printed in the Rose History in 1911:"In the early days of Rock County’s history incidents sometimes occurred which may be classed as remarkable in the light of present conditions. Should the county treasurer of this day loan the county’s funds to a private individual without authority from anyone, one can imagine that such action would be considered highly improper. Yet an event of this kind occurred in the early days without causing a ripple of excitement. The man who negotiated the loan — still a resident of Rock County — told me the story. It was during the terrible grasshopper scourge that the wife of the settler in question was taken ill and it was decided to have her go to her old home in Iowa. In common with nearly all the residents of Rock County of that day, the family were without means, but the desire to give his wife the benefits of the more congenial surroundings of their old home led this homesteader to make an effort to raise the money among the neighbors. He spent a day canvassing the country in a futile attempt to borrow enough money to pay the railroad fare, but not a cent did he obtain. Disheartened, he proceeded on his way home, but on the way stopped to chat with a neighbor who was also the treasurer of Rock County. The county official sympathized with his friend, but was likewise without means. He stated that he had in his possession the funds of Rock County, which reached a total of just about enough to meet the necessary expense of the journey, and remarked that it was a shame this money could not be put at his disposal. "What security could you give if I should loan you this money?" asked the county treasurer. The settler replied that he had 14 sacks of seed wheat, and then and there the loan was made. The wheat was hauled to the county treasurer’s home with the understanding that it was to be sold in case there was a call for any of the county’s funds; otherwise it was to be returned when the loan was paid. Within a short time money was secured from Iowa and the county treasurer of Rock County was again in possession of funds. The credit of the settler who made the loan is as good today as when he borrowed the county funds, and he could today give security to the extent of several choice quarter sections of Rock County land."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.

Rock County deputies to zero in on speedersStepped-up enforcement runs July 1-18Speeding motorists on Rock County roads will be tagged by Rock County Deputies during an enhanced speeding enforcement and education campaign, July 1-18. The Safe & Sober crackdown includes participation from hundreds of law enforcement agencies statewide, including local police departments, county sheriff's offices and Minnesota State Patrol. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety will coordinate the effort.Speeding is usually the most commonly reported factor in fatal crashes. In 2002, nearly 13,000 speed-related crashes resulted in 184 deaths and more than 7,000 personal injuries — costing the state an estimated $486 million. "If you're driving at unsafe or illegal speeds, you are a danger on the road and will be stopped," said Deputy Nick Schafer. "It's important to remember — the faster you go, the harder you crash."DPS reports that more than twice as many speed-related fatal crashes occuron rural roads than major urban roads."No matter how many times you've driven on a given road, it doesn't make it safe to speed," said Deputy Schafer. And time isn't on the speeder's side: traveling at 65 mph versus 55 mph over 10 miles only shaves one minute and 41 seconds off the trip time. In Rock County the minimum fine for speeding is $105.The Safe & Sober education and enforcement campaign is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and designed to reduce the number of traffic crashes and injuries.Slow Down. Or Pay the Price.2002 Minnesota speeding facts
Illegal or unsafe speed was a contributing factor in nearly 13,000 crashes resulting in 184 fatalities and more than 7,000 personal injuries.oInjuries and fatalities resulting from speed-related crashes cost Minnesota an estimated $486 million.
Illegal or unsafe speed was cited in 8,114 property damage crashes.
Illegal or unsafe speed was cited in 27 percent of all alcohol-related crashes. Nationally about 42 percent of impaired drivers were speeding.
There were twice as many speed-related fatal crashes in rural areas (less than 5,000 population) as there were in urban areas.
More than 60 percent of rural fatal crashes occurred on state trunk and county state aid highways.
Illegal or unsafe speed was the most frequently cited contributing factor in single-vehicle crashes — accounting for more than 20 percent of all factors cited in such crashes.
Younger drivers especially speed — illegal or unsafe speed accounted for about one-quarter of the factors cited for drivers under age 30, compared to only about 10 percent of the factors cited for drivers age 65 and older.
Two-thirds of all drivers report they at least occasionally exceed what they consider to be the maximum safe speed on roads they regularly travel.
Nearly 60 percent of all drivers report seeing speeding vehicles all or most of the time when they drive on residential streets as well as highways.
NHTSA research shows motorists wrongly believe speeding is not a great risk to safety or as serious as other traffic violations. In reality, the consequences of excessive speeding include:
Greater potential for loss of vehicle control;
Increased stopping distance;
Increased crash severity leading to more numerous and severe injuries.Sources: Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts 2002 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

You can’t take it with you — at least from certain hospitals. A good example of this truism is a 53-year-old British man who "harassed and abused medical staff more than 40 times since January in his quest" for free medical items, such as surgical gowns and masks. He didn’t wish to leave any medical facility empty-handed. As a result of his fetish, according to Reuters, the man "has become the first person to be banned from every hospital in England and Wales." If he should ever require medical treatment in the future, his visits to hospitals or doctors will be strictly controlled and will require prior written consent from the government. The man’s story sounds very familiar. In fact, he could have been raised by my own mother. In her personal quest to pack "everything she paid for" whenever she checked out of a hospital, she often brought home many souvenirs. The main difference between the man in England and my mother, and why he might deserve some respect, is that he bothered to ask for the items in the first place. My mother’s consumer advice while I was growing up dealt primarily with two subjects — "Never pay full price for furniture" and, "Always take home the free stuff after a hospital stay." Specifically, she noted, "Anything they won’t use for the next patient." As a result of her hospital souvenir attitude, our bathroom shelves were filled to overflowing with open boxes of tissue, fever thermometers, toilet paper roll leftovers, lotion bottles and hospital-issued toothbrushes and toothpaste. We had substantial stacks of those little, plastic dishes, often used by the bedridden for brushing teeth, rinsing and spitting. To her credit, my mother did stop short of taking home bed linens, pillows, window coverings, floor tiles, room doors, gurneys and fluorescent light fixtures. She definitely had her limits. The following telltale signs might indicate if someone’s close friend, roommate or family member has taken hospital souvenir hunting to new heights: Upon closer examination, you realize the beautifully designed, stainless steel bowl holding brightly colored, fresh fruits on the kitchen counter is actually a hospital bedpan. When you can’t find a scissors and you really need one, someone taps you on the shoulder and hands you a scalpel. What appear to be gastric tubes, with their working ends removed, serve as bendable, plastic drinking straws on hot summer days. Blue or green surgical scrubs tend to be the uniform of the day — everyday. The blinding, bright lights over the kitchen table appear to belong to one of those fixtures often seen on the TV medical show, "ER." Many of the towels and washcloths in the house are stamped with hospitals’ names or initials. (Creative couples can actually have "His" and "Hers" towels by arranging separate medical stays at the Health Institute of Schenectady and Houston Emergency Room Services.) The final indicator would be the countless fever thermometers scattered throughout the house. Although they can’t be used for noting the higher temperatures of a beef roast or a batch of chocolate fudge, they do function perfectly as glass beverage stirrers.

I am not one to write letters to the editor but a couple of events have led me to speak out. The winter of 2002, I gave my father a red aluminum gazing ball for Christmas. This was very special to both of us as we knew it would be his last Christmas with us as he was very ill with cancer. We set it in his front yard and two weeks later, it was gone. I thought of writing a letter then but passed it off as "life isn’t always fair."My father lost his battle with cancer last July. This past Memorial Day we placed the Veteran’s Star on his grave site and three days later, it was gone. My father was proud he had the honor to serve in World War II. He talked to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, not only about war but about duty, honor and the importance of being honest and hardworking. My father earned that Veteran’s Star, unlike the person who took it. It upsets me that a person would steal something for which someone worked so hard for. I have seen people lose personal belongings, have property damaged, even reputations ruined by theft, gossip and repeating privileged information and all because someone feels that since they want it or don’t want you to have it, they are entitled to take it from you. Are these people jealous over someone’s fortune or angry over their own misfortune? My father’s Veteran’s Star will be replaced but some things are not easily replaced or can never be mended. So before you take or damage something that doesn’t belong to you, I would like to share a poem that my mother has hanging near a mirror in her home."The Man In The Mirror"When you get what you want in your struggle for self and the world makes you king for a day Just go to the mirror and look at yourself and see what that man has to sayFor it isn’t your father or mother or wife whose judgment upon you must passThe fellow whose verdict counts most in your life is the one staring back from the glassSome people may think you’re a straight shootin’ chum and call you a wonderful guyBut the man in the glass says you’re only a bum if you can’t look him straight in the eyeYou can fool the whole world down the pathways of life and get pats on your back as you passBut your final reward will be heartaches and tears if you’ve cheated the man in the glassHe’s the fellow to please, never mind the rest for he’s with you clear to the endAnd you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test if the man in the glass is your friendCelebrate and respect your freedoms this 4th of July.Jan KlosterbuerLuverne

I’ll be darned if I can figure out how the word MAYOR could possibly have been rendered as JUNEOR in your Star Herald June 10, 2004, issue. What kind of computer program (or prankster) would provide such a sly and amusing transformation?Looking forward to the latter part of summer, while noting that the adjective "august" means "majestic," I wonder whether we shall read about the doings of AUGUSTOR GUST — a most impressive designation! I suspect this would be truly embarrassing, however, to the worthy gentleman who certainly is the MAYOR but not one of the Caesars.Thanks, anyway, for the refreshing and playful perspective./s/ Jerry HansenIvan J. "Jerry" HansenBoston, Mass.Editor’s note: In a fluke misapplication of a common word tool, "search and replace," all references to the word "may" on pages 1 and 2A of the June 10 Star Herald were changed to "june." The tool was supposed to have applied only to the weather entry on page 2.

Hills-Beaver Creek Dist. 671Minutes 6-14-04The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board met for its semimonthly meeting at 7:30 pm in the library in Hills. Board members present were Leuthold, Larson, DeBoer, Harnack, Boeve, Esselink, and Baker. Superintendent Deragisch was also in attendance. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Harnack. Motion by DeBoer, second by Baker, and carried to add the following to the agenda: 4.3 H-BC marching band 4.4 Al Harnack – Memorial Day service. 6.4 Sharing and pairing agreements with LuverneChairman Harnack recognized as the visitors to the meeting. Visitors were Haily Larson and Lori Ehde of The Crescent.Patriot Pride: State track participants Tyler Bush, Derek Haak, Todd Alberty, Kale Wiertzema and Lee Jackson for placing at the meet Michelle Arends from SBA for the generous donations of office furniture H-BC marching band Alan Harnack for his Memorial Day speechMinutes of the last meeting were approved as sent out.Motion by Esselink, second by DeBoer, and carried to approve the bills.Motion by Leuthold, second by Baker, and carried to appoint David Deragisch as the district LEA representative for Title I.Motion by Esselink, second by DeBoer, and carried to approve the Attachment 99 document.Personnel issues were discussed.Motion by Larson, second by Boeve, and carried to accept the resignation of Heather Erickson as paraprofessional and ECFE parent educator.Motion by Leuthold, second by Baker, and carried to approve the summer Book of the Week Club contracts as follows. Sara Oldre $600.00 for the coordinator’s position, Teri Richards $500.00 for the 0-5 years old class, Diane VandenHoek $500.00 for the K-2nd grade class, Mary Mudder $500.00 for the 3rd-4th grade class, Laura Louwagie $500.00 for the 5th-6th grade class. Reminder to the board to turn in their reimbursement sheets. Update on teacher vacancies.Dates to Remember: June 24 School Board meetingSharing and pairing agreements with Luverne for wrestling and baseball were discussed.Agenda item for next meeting: Testing resultsMeeting adjourned at 8:15 pm.Ann Boeve, Clerk(7-1)

Darlene Olson, 80, Luverne, died Sunday, June 27, 2004, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. Services were Thursday, July 1, at Grace Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Luverne. Mr. Brad Holman and Mr. Roy Williams officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.Darlene Smeins was born to John and Ella (Schwartz) Smeins on March 26, 1924, in Minnesota. Her mother passed away a few weeks after her birth. She went to live with the George Westerbur family and grew to womanhood in rural Rock County. She married Martin Olson on June 19, 1945, in Sioux City, Iowa. She was a homemaker.She loved her kitchen and was known as a fabulous cook who truly enjoyed preparing meals for others. Survivors include four children, Dean Olson, Rick (Deborah) Olson, both of Minneapolis, Allen Olson, Worthington, and Marcia Hilliard, San Antonio, Texas; five grandchildren, Casey Olson, Jennie Hilliard Kelley, Bessie Hilliard, Bobby Olson, Paul Olson; two great-grandchildren, Scott Kelley and Elizabeth Kelley; one brother, John Smeins, Sioux Falls, S.D.; and one sister, Ila Mae Wieking, Luverne.Mrs. Olson was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers and four sisters.A tree will be planted in memory of Darlene Olson by Hospice of Luverne Community Hospital.Dingmann Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Sylvia (Brovold) Johnson, 83, San Diego, Calif., formerly of Hills, died Friday, May 21, 2004, in her home. Sylvia Brovold was born on July 19, 1920, in Hills. She moved to San Diego at the age of 19. She married Peter E. Johnson in San Diego. Mr. Johnson died in 1997.Survivors include three daughters, Janine O’Brien, Diane Rapp, both of Carmel Valley, Calif., and Charlene Scoggins, Phoenix, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren, Duane, Denae, Chad, Tanya, Shannon, Dacia, Damien, Danette, Dawn, Debbie and Devin; and 14 1/2 great-grandchildren.

10 years ago (1994)"Trees, trees and more trees were the talk of the town council at their June 14 meeting. The council unanimously voted to join the Tree City U.S.A. program. John Burgers presented information to the Hills City Council about the program Tuesday night.In order to become a Tree City, the city of Hills must establish a three- to five-member Tree City Board, develop a tree ordinance, allocate at least $2 per resident per year, and to make an Arbor Day proclamation/tree month."25 years ago (1979)"Work continued on the rural water project this week as water lines were brought up to the water tower in Hills. The city of Hills will be responsible for the actual hook-up between the line and the tower when the project is completed sometime this fall."50 years ago (1954)"Quite a number of Hills folks gathered at vantage points in town early Wednesday morning around 5 a.m. to see the total eclipse of the sun, which took place about seven minutes after 5 o’clock.The first total eclipse here in around 450 years, there won’t be another one until May 3, 2123, scientists say, so if anyone intends to stick around for the next show here by old Mother Nature, they’ll have a long wait."75 years ago (1929)"All the banking institutions of Rock County will have a supply of the new smaller currency ready for release sometime in July. Most of the banks have had the new currency on display for two weeks or more, and beginning with July 10 or 12, the public will be privileged to carry it off — providing they give the bankers its equivalent.All the old paper currency will be retired eventually, and replaced with new bills. The new money will be black on the face, green on the back, and two-thirds the size of the present bills, about an inch shorter and nearly half an inch narrower." 100 years ago (1904)"Simon Linnenkohl from near Manley was a caller at this office Monday. Mr. Linnenkohl is the party whose residence was plundered recently. He followed the tramp thief, overtaking him three miles from home, and induced him to take a ride, but the burglar soon became convinced that he was not being transported with good intent, so he asked to be allowed to get out and walk, enforcing his request with a savage looking revolver, and was successful in getting away."