By John RittenhouseThe Luverne tennis team upped its season record to 16-4 after competing in a pair of events since Saturday.The Cardinals went 2-0 to win the Yellow Medicine East Tournament in Granite Falls Saturday. Luverne swept a seven-point home match from Martin County West Tuesday.Luverne will compete at the Southwest Conference Tournament in Redwood Falls today. The Cards will host a Section 3A Team Tournament match Monday, but the opponent has yet to be named.Luverne 7, MCW 0A day featuring nice weather seemed to sit well with the Cardinals when they entertained the Mavericks Tuesday.Luverne dominated play during a windless outing that featured temperatures in the low 70s."It was a gorgeous day for tennis," said LHS coach Greg Antoine. "The kids felt good and loose, and they played really well."Luverne secured straight set wins in three of four singles matches.Dusty Antoine coasted to 6-0 and 6-1 victories over Matt Harbitz at No. 1, Patrick Bennett posted a pair of 6-0 wins over Josh Richter at No. 2, and Derek Boeve prevailed by 6-1 and 6-3 counts against Nate Janssen at No. 3.Luverne’s David Nelson dropped his first set (3-6) to Mike Lundquist at No. 4 singles, but the Cardinal bounced back to take sets two and three by 6-4 and 6-2 tallies.Steven Althoff and Brandon Deragisch secured a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5 in the tiebreaker) win over Chris Kuehl and David Anderson at No. 1 doubles. John Kreuch and Kyle Fletcher nailed down 7-6 (7-4 in the tiebreaker) and 6-4 victories over Mike Johnson and Nate Scheiber at No. 2. Chris Vickery and Nick Heronimus topped Cole Wohlers and Lucas Schwager by 6-2 scores at No. 3.YME tourneyThe Cardinals won two straight matches to take the title during Saturday’s three-team tournament in Granite Falls.Luverne nipped Pipestone 4-3 in the first round before coasting to a 7-0 win over host Yellow Medicine East in the finale.Luverne’s doubles teams came up big during the tournament. The Cardinal squads, which have compiled a 45-12 record this season, won all six of their matches Saturday."Our doubles teams continue to play very well," said Cardinal coach Antoine. "Our doubles players are much more experienced than some of the other teams we’ve been playing, and we keep on winning."Althoff and Deragisch played at No. 1 doubles. They beat Pipestone’s Richie Pederson and Greg Mitchell by 6-1 and 6-2 scores before posting 6-1 and 6-0 wins over YME’s Brett Jacobsen and Clark Christian.Kreuch and Fletcher won both of their matches at No. 2 doubles. They beat Pipestone’s Pavel Nikolov and Nick Wieme by 6-0 and 6-1 scores. After losing the first five games to YME’s Lee Cherveny and Colin Bennett, Kreuch and Fletcher won 12 straight games to secure a 7-5, 6-0 victory.Trevor Maine and Heronimus went 3-0 at No. 3 doubles. They notched 6-0 and 6-1 wins over Pipestone’s Erik Henrickson and Chad Vander Poel before posting a pair of 6-0 victories against YME’s Eric Danielowski and Barry Jacobson.Boeve went 2-0 at No. 3 singles for LHS. He topped Pipestone’s David Janssen by 6-3 and 7-5 tallies before notching a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win over YME’s Eric Dubbelde.Dusty Antoine, Bennett and Nelson went 1-1 at No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 singles respectively.

Master Gardeners to hold plant saleRock County’s Master Gardeners have scheduled their first Farmers Market Plant Sale.The sale is scheduled for Saturday, May 22, in the parking lot of M-M Distributing at 321 W. Hatting. The sale will run from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.Rock County Master Gardeners are encouraged to bring in their extra pre-priced perennials, annuals, etc. to sell. No professional growers will be allowed.Shoppers, you are encouraged to come in and get some great deals on some great flowers.The event will be held rain or shine. If you have any questions, contact Lynn Lopau at 283-4252Would you consider adopting a highway?Throughout southern Minnesota, close to 500 community organizations and families are cleaning nearly 90 percent of the state’s highways.For obvious reasons, the state loves the program.District 7 transportation engineer, Jim Swanson recently said "This is an invaluable service to all Minnesotans and helps to leave visitors with a positive impression of Minnesota as they travel highways throughout the state, especially here in southern Minnesota."So, you think it’s something you might be interested in?Here’s what you should know:Each sponsoring organization agrees to pick up roadside trash along a two-to-three mile section of a state highway for a minimum of two years. Volunteers’ efforts help beautify roadsides and also save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in litter removal costs.Because of those efforts, that money can be spent on other programs to make our highways safer.If you do volunteer, the state of Minnesota will provide you with safety training, orange vests, and trash bags.Once the trash is collected, Mn/DOD personnel remove the bags from the roadside.If you would like to volunteer, contact the state at www.dot.state.mn.us/adopt or phone 800-804-3295.Assisting organ donors A bill making its way through the Minnesota House of Representatives could give some financial relief to those who choose to donate organs.The bill, sponsored by Rep. Doug Magnus, would grant organ donors an income tax subtraction for the out-of-pocket cost that accumulates when making a donation.The bill is called the "Gift of Life Act."According to Magnus, "When people make the choice to help save the lives of others, they are often surprised and overwhelmed by the financial strain that is associated with their sacrifice."Magnus feels the financial sacrifice families have to go through is often a disincentive to those who are considering becoming a donor.Magnus said the recent story about Zach Zwaan, in the Rock County Star Herald reminded him of the importance of the bill.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

I like to sip a glass of wine on occasion. Usually when dining out I will order a glass of chardonnay. While perusing the wine list I have come upon some unusual descriptions of what I am about to drink. Example 1: Powerfully aromatic with very ripe fruits, and rich oak accents. A sumptuous attack leads a full-bodied palate with a smooth, textured mouthfeel. I ordered this one to experience the sumptuous attack. In retrospect, I don’t know if I was attacked in a sumptuous manner. It’s possible the wine didn't attack me at all. I’m still confused. Example 2: attractive, forward, intense, toasty, earthy, lemony, spiced apple aroma; full body; big, rich, lush, toasty, textured, ripe tropical fruit flavors with good depth. I didn’t order this because I didn’t fully comprehend the meaning of "toasty." To me "toasty" means hot. At my age I don’t need anything to increase my "toastiness." Example 3: a voluptuous wine-- with exotic fruit, spice aromas and ornate oak. The texture is buttery and rich, balanced by crisp acids. Lime and tamarind flavors come forward in the finish, sweet and with vanilla oak bringing it all to a close. I passed one on this one as well because I didn’t think I could fully appreciate the "lime and tamarind coming forward in the finish." I kept thinking "horserace." Example 4: ripe characters of peach and rock melon on the nose, leading to fresh and floral palate with upfront sweetness and a lengthy richness. Flickering scents of green herbs and country hay greet the senses. Full on fruit, the firm acid adds to the wine's briskly clean style and youthful appeal. The oak is present only to support and not to dominate. Country hay?? A non-dominating oak presence?? Help me!! Some times I miss the days when the only two wines I knew were Mogan David Concord Grape and Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill. They were both vibrant, yet subtle, with uncommon balance and elegance, full-bodied, yet unpretentious, not to mention aromatic and sumptuous. There was no toastiness, no supporting oak presence, and no lime and tamarind coming forward in the finish. And I liked it that way. I hope my book descriptions are a bit easier to comprehend than the usual wine jargon. This week we have a pretentious little title on the new fiction shelf, Dumping Billy, by Olivia Goldsmith. The author of The First Wives Club delivers a modern-day battle of the sexes-dished up with scathing wit, hilarity, and plenty of attitude. There's something magical about Billy Nolan. It's not just that the Brooklyn bar owner is wickedly handsome; it's also that any woman he dates and dumps and he dumps them all immediately goes on to marry the next person she meets. But Kate Jameson is immune to Billy's charms. She left Brooklyn for upward-mobility in Manhattan at the first chance she got, and she's not about to fall for some cad from the old neighborhood. But when her best friend Bina's engagement is broken off, Kate hatches a plan: All she has to do is get Billy to date and dump Bina. Then, they'll wait for Bina's wayward fiancé to return and for the magic to happen. But the one thing Kate hasn't counted on is how Billy feels about the whole plot and how she begins to feel about Billy.

Magnolia’s newspapersThe following was printed in the Rose History in 1911:"Magnolia’s first paper was the Magnolia Citizen, founded in February 1893 by I.M. Cady. It was printed in the office of the Adrian Guardian and was published only a short time, discontinuing in April. The town was not destined to long remain without a newspaper, however. In April 1893, publication of the Adrian Citizen, a peoples party organ, was discontinued, and in May the plant was purchased by I.M. Cady and G.E. Green, who on June 16 issued the first number of the Magnolia Advance. In October 1893, Mr. Green sold his interest in the paper to S.S. Smiley, but purchased it again the next month, and the Advance was published by Cady & Green until 1895. That year Mr. Green retired, since which time Mr. Cady has been the owner and publisher. The Advance is a seven-column quarto. It is independent in politics but has always supported the republican national ticket. For a time Magnolia had a second paper, the Initiator, which was published as a peoples party journal by L.C. Long, at one time the nominee of this party for congress. In February 1900, he discontinued the publication, moved the plant to the new town of Wilmont, and on March 2, 1900, started the Wilmont Initiator."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.

I’m Sara Strong and I approve this message Here’s how I’d advertise if I were up for election:"Hi, I’m Sara Strong. I am campaigning for the title of favorite reporter because I want to prove to readers that I care about the things they want and need to know.If I win the title, I pledge to continue with the unbiased way I report the news and the unabashed way I share my opinions.Beyond that, I will do things my opponents won’t: I will be at your salad luncheons, at your class reunions, and in your garden if you have large produce to be photographed.If there’s a dog wearing a sweater, I will be there. If your group donates $50 to a charity — I will capture the check passing.My opponents claim to run a positive campaign, but they can’t claim they’ll give you as many news clippings for your scrapbook as I will.Again, my name is Sara Strong and I approve this column because the people who read my writing matter to me." oooooIs it obvious that I’m already tired of campaign ads? It may be too early, but it’s true. It’s especially tiresome for us Minnesotans to see so many South Dakota races on our "local" TV stations. Meanwhile, campaigns for November elections in Rock County probably won’t start until sometime in October.This paper covers only our local governments, because no other news outlet does to any depth, (except Matt Crosby at the local radio station, of course). Exclusively covering Rock County news means I can be relieved that I don’t have to cover other politics. There are plenty of interesting stories I don’t mind missing.I find it almost painful to talk to other politicians who have canned answers for every question, yet somehow don’t really answer most questions.On the other hand, we can have long, meaningful conversations with our politicians here at home. In the last election, for example, Fledgling Field’s future and law enforcement (especially regarding drugs) were big issues. Our stories illustrated what the candidates truly felt, and readers could make educated votes.Compare that to the general drivel that we get on other political races, and it’s no wonder voters are either confused or disgruntled. At least we know that sound bytes like "family farming background," or "small-town values" won't work here because that describes almost everyone in Rock County. And being we all know we’re already in God's country (or at least adjacent to it) there’s no need to tout personal values. So, while some of our national leaders are starting to look like scoundrels and have turned even the most dedicated voter into a cynic, concentrating on important local decisions is the best thing we can do. … And isn’t one of those vital decisions to cast your vote for me?

My most vivid repeating dream does not involve wine, women or song. There are no game-ending sports heroics or fantasies of swimming in a pool of double-fudge ice cream.Rather, my favorite recurring dream involves weeds, snakes and a wet work shirt. Perhaps I should explain!It traces back to my very first job as a "worker" at the Blue Mounds State Park beginning in 1970 between my sophomore and junior years of high school. Too young for management, I spent most of my 40 hours a week cleaning up after other people — and loving it!At the time, my family lived in what is now the state park Interpretive Center. So basically, I lived where I worked and was accustomed to the harsh uncertainties of Mother Nature. My responsibilities, however, often revealed the realities of human nature.My most consistent duty at the park was to collect the garbage of the previous day's campers. As any refuse collector can attest, you can learn a lot about a person's life by sifting through their garbage. I don't have any stories to tell about your neighbors, but let’s just say my perspective on human nature was forever altered.Yet, I fully loved my job. Every day was distinct. In addition to collecting garbage, I might be assigned one or more of the following duties:oMow everywhere. Do you know how many directional, safety and informational wooden posts there are in a bureaucratic state government setting?oClean bathrooms. Yes, campers try to shove all varieties of material down the toilet. (A broken hair dryer? A can of bug spray?)oChop wood for the camper's fires. Not a problem for us Paul Bunyan Minnesotans.oClean tools. My dad taught me the significance of this.oSpray weeds. Never-ending and probably unknowingly dangerous.oPaint buildings. Didn't they have another color besides brown? oBeing lowered into (and I mean into) the multi-seat metal toilets to ... ah ... remove the ... ah ... deposits one shovel at a time. Such a life-enhancing experience!More enjoyable duties:oFilling pop machines. I'm kind of an orderly guy, so there was something exciting about how all the shiny ends of dozens of cans lined up in their respective columns so ... orderly.oHelping visitors find a lost possession or, once, locating a lost child.oDriving the big payloader, pretending to know how to use all the levers.oA "walk-by" of the upper and lower lakes, their two dams and the beach searching for abnormalities. Oh, I'm sorry. Wasn't I supposed to spend half that time skimming stones across the water? oAnd finally, returning to my dream, taking a water break. There was nothing I enjoyed on this job more. I had the choice of drinking bottled water from a plastic jug wedged in the corner of a sterile office. Or (idyllic music here), I could stroll near a quaint forest of rustling oak trees through a verdant meadow of prairie long grass, wild flowers and rainbow-colored butterflies to the cold and exhilarating ground water spilling from nature’s source?! Just a few hundred feet down the road to the main campground, at the base of the embankment, a constant stream of fresh water flowed from an artesian well. Oh, sure, there was a thicket of weeds and an occasional harmless garter snake to traverse. But the rewards were worth the trouble — a cold and safe drink of Mother Nature's nectar. An additional treat was soaking my head and work shirt under the invigorating, chilly flow. It was a spiritual experience, to be sure. I thanked the appropriate gods for my good fortune and Mother Nature for her generosity. Even today, as nitrates have affected my Mecca, I relive the sensuality of that pure water whenever I need to calm my soul.

The happiness of squirrels must be a top priority in Council Bluffs, Iowa. A story about the town’s squirrel protection ordinance, which dates back to the 1930s, would have gone by unnoticed had it not been for News of the Weird. It’s one of my favorite news sources. "An 18-year-old man (in Council Bluffs) received a $325 citation last week," recently reported the column, "because it is illegal not only to ‘maim, injure, or kill’ a squirrel, but to ‘annoy’ or ‘worry" one." It’s easy to understand the maim, injure or kill part, but annoy or worry? Squirrels must be highly sensitive creatures. If that’s the case, it might be better to shelve plans for any upcoming book with a title resembling, "How to Annoy, Worry or Tease a Squirrel". It might not be politically or creaturely correct for the following suggestions to be available in print: If you really want to tease a squirrel, try covering its favorite low-hanging tree branches in your yard with slippery Vaseline. Relocate its winter stashes of acorns and dry seeds to hard-to-find places. Stand under a tree and loudly recite offensive jokes about squirrels. The rowdier the better. "Did you hear this one? It’s about a three-legged squirrel that walks into a bar..." If you see any squirrels on the road while you’re driving, don’t swerve. In fact, drive toward the squirrels, even if they’re in another lane. Whenever you are in a squirrel’s hearing range, sing verses of Mike West’s "Squirrel Song", which was written in 2000, presumably near his home in Arabi, La. "Some folks they like chicken and steak me, they give me the belly ache but I could eat a squirrel, I could eat a score when I get done I could eat a dozen more." A catchy, little tune like that could literally send a squirrel scampering up a tree, fleeing for its safety. No matter where you go, regardless of the weather, always be seen wearing a coat, hat and gloves made from squirrel pelts. Hide quietly and patiently behind a tree and when you see a squirrel passing by, jump out and shout, "Gotcha!" Lean over your backyard fence and loudly share your recipe for Stewed Squirrel with a neighbor. "This recipe calls for one squirrel, two chopped onions, and that’s about all. First, field dress the squirrel..." So there you will be — covered from head to toe with squirrel furs, shouting "Gotcha!" at the top of your lungs, reciting offensive squirrel jokes and singing the lyrics to the Squirrel Song. Of course, your friends and neighbors might view all of your anti-squirrel antics as squirrelly behavior and you will be assigned to trained professionals in some out-of-the way facility. No, it would definitely be better to squirrel away book plans like that for another day.

Luverne is a city in which one can be proud. People take pride in their homes and property, a credit to their neighborhoods. There are ordinances guiding homeowners to be good neighbors and good citizens. As a reminder, these ordinances regulate excessive noises, barking dogs, unnecessary junk on property, including junk cars and other sensibilities that make for good living. However, it seems some will ignore good guidelines and go out of bounds. So as a reminder, let’s resolve to be good neighbors and keep Luverne’s high standards.Elmer L. HovlandLuverne

Law Library 9:00 AMRock County Courthouse May 4, 2004Chair Jarchow called the meeting to order with all Commissioners present.Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Bakken, to approve the May 4, 2004 County Board agenda, declared carried on a voice vote.Motion by Wildung, seconded by Boyenga, to approve the April 19, 2004 County Board minutes, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Wildung, to approve the following consent agenda items, declared carried on a voice vote. 1. Day Care licensing – Emilie Brands2. Day Care relicensing – Marti Boltjes, Kairie Franken, Sherri Ladd3. Voluntary Day Care closing – Crystal Ellefson4. Four year re-appointment of the Rock County Highway Engineer Mark Sehr5. Request for final payment to Central Specialties, Inc. on SAP 67-604-19, the reconstruction of CSAH 4 from the WCL of Luverne to CSAH 11.Doug Bos, Land Management Office Assistant Director, introduced Engineering Intern Russell Hoogendoorn at the Land Management Office that was hired through a grant through the Joint Powers organization. The County Board welcomed Mr. Hoogendorn to the county. Mr. Bos proceeded to inform the County Board of their request to dissolve the Water Plan Committee and re-assign those duties to the Rock County Soil and Water Conservation District. Following the discussion, motion by Boyenga, seconded by Hoime, to dissolve the Water Plan Committee and assign those duties to the Rock County Soil & Water District board and send letters of thanks to the Water Plan Committee members for their hard work in completing the initial plan, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Hoime, seconded by Bakken, to assign Commissioners Boyenga and Wildung to the recycling contract negotiating committee, declared carried on a voice vote.Gloria Rolfs, Auditor/Treasurer and Tom Houselog, Assessor discussed Solid Waste Assessment fees and some apparent issues that needed to be updated, creating a resolution as well as additional information on the collection of solid waste assessments. The Chair assigned Commissioners Wildung and Boyenga, Assessor Tom Houselog, Auditor/Treasurer Gloria Rolfs, Assistant County Attorney Jeff Haubrich and County Administrator Kyle Oldre to review the Solid Waste Assessment Fees Resolution and bring back an updated draft to the County Board. Motion by Bakken, seconded by Boyenga, to pay the claims, declared carried on a unanimous vote. A complete listing of the claims is available by request at the Auditor/Treasurer’s office. General $17,090.91LEC 1,217.16Road & Bridge 16,276.77Welfare 34,738.16Landfill 427.40TOTAL $69,750.40Motion by Hoime, seconded by Bakken, to approve the fund balances, declared carried on a voice vote.Motion by Wildung, seconded by Boyenga, to approve Resolution No. 14-04, a rural water split on parcel number 09-0150-000 located on the S 1/2 of the S 1/2 SE 1/4 in 32-103-45, declared carried on a voice vote.Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Hoime, to change the solid waste abatement from commercial to residential on parcel number 17-0039-000 located in the City of Kenneth and reimburse the current year plus two years prior totaling $63.00, declared carried on a voice vote. The Auditor/Treasurer informed the County Board that the county’s tax information could be accessed by the public via the Internet through a stand alone AS400 that would be managed by Computer Professionals Unlimited for a cost of $1,950.00. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Bakken, to authorize the Auditor/Treasurer to set up the community access and notify the taxpayers in a method of her choosing, declared carried on a voice vote.Ms. Rolfs informed the County Board that they are continuing with the GASB34 implementation and that they need to maintain funding for on site tech support and programming; the County Board acknowledged those costs and allocated $5,000.00.Sheriff Mike Winkels and Dispatch Supervisor Terri Ebert presented information pertaining to meth lab arrests. The Sheriff’s Office and Nobles/Rock Public Health are to be commended on the creation of the Clandestine Lab ordinance that currently serves Rock and Nobles counties and congratulated the Sheriff’s office on their efforts to make those arrests – ten arrests in the past two years. Mr. Winkels and Ms. Ebert also informed the County Board that they had received a grant for $164,800 to make 911 system upgrades as well as radio console upgrades in the Law Enforcement Center. The County Board congratulated them on their successful application and grant award. The Administrator informed the County Board that he had received notice of a $50,000 grant award from the Office of Domestic Preparedness for Emergency Management Prevention and Preparedness as well as a minimum of $4,000 for an Emergency Management Performance grant. Paula Anderson of Nobles/Rock Public Health along with members of the Rock County Partners in Prevention, Brad Herman, Katie Kraetsch, Sara Vorderbruggen, Lindsey Severtson and Whitney Oye presented a Tobacco Free Youth Recreation presentation; motion by Hoime, seconded by Bakken, to develop a policy making all county owned property tobacco free and present at the next County Board meeting, declared carried on a voice vote. The County Board also requested Department Head input on the location of designated smoking areas and the Chair directed that thank-you’s be sent to the partners in the presentation on Tobacco Free.There was a request from Duininck Brothers to approve a conditional use permit for the extraction of gravel and a hot mix plant. Following considerable discussion, motion by Hoime, seconded by Bakken, to grant a provisional conditional use permit for the hot mix plant subject to receiving written authorization from the neighbors within the notification zone and that they continue through the process for a regular permit prior to the next meeting, declared carried on a voice vote. Don Klosterbuer, County Attorney, discussed communication relations with the City of Luverne; the County Board directed that a meeting be scheduled on either of the following dates; May 10, 11, 19, or 28. That correspondence will be relayed. The County Board discussed health insurance and on a motion by Wildung, seconded by Boyenga, that VEBA plans be studied for implementation for all eligible county employees and relay that back to the Personnel Committee, declared carried on a voice vote. The County Board was informed of the AMC District meeting scheduled for May 27th, 8:00AM – Noon at the Blue Mound Banquet Center. The County Board also received notice of the Nobles/Rock Public Health Annual meeting, May 13th @ 5:30PM in the Nobles Government Center as well as the Lewis & Clark Annual meeting to be held May 27th @ 5:45PM in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.There was a request from Commissioner Wildung, for funding to rent space at the county fair for the Senior Citizen booth to distribute Medicare information; motion by Boyenga, seconded by Hoime, to authorize an expenditure of up to $100 for fair booth rent, declared carried on a voice vote.Commissioner Bakken stated that he had attended a Law Library Committee meeting and a Soil & Water Conservation District meeting. With no further business to come before the board, the meeting was declared adjourned. Bob Jarchow, Chairman of the BoardATTEST:Kyle J. Oldre, Clerk to the Board(5-20)