By Jolene FarleyHigh school junior Tyler Bush and his date, Sarah Henning, Adrian, arrived at the Hills prom Friday evening in vintage style.Bush borrowed the 1963 Pontiac Catalina that belongs to his uncle, Tom Bush, Hills, for the evening. The green Catalina was purchased new by Tyler’s great-grandfather, Peter Bush, from Schoon Motors in Luverne for less than $3,000. The vehicle now has 80,000 miles on it.Tyler doesn’t remember his great-grandfather but still thought it was exciting to drive the car to pick up his date in Adrian and to prom. "It’s kind of cool it stayed in the family and they passed it down," Tyler said.Tyler said the vehicle has some differences from modern day cars. Reverse is on the opposite end of the gearshift and there are two drives, one for town and one for open highway driving.Bush also commented on the fact that the headlight dimmer switch is on the floor instead of the steering column and the car has only an A.M. radio.The car also doesn’t have air conditioning or seat belts. Peter, Bud Bush’s father and the original owner of the car, was a maintenance man for the city of Hills.Bud inherited the car after his father died. Although Bud’s mother didn’t drive, she kept the vehicle after her husband passed away because she knew if she could find someone to drive it, she could go somewhere.When Bud inherited the car it had only 20,000 miles on it. Tom Bush eventually traded his parents another vehicle for the Catalina.

By Jolene FarleyA projected $150,000 budget shortfall for next year at Hills-Beaver Creek schools was the main topic of a Monday School Board meeting.Superintendent Dave Deragisch and members of the finance committee met previously to determine possible areas to cut or increase revenues. They came up with $117,750 in tentative reductions or fee increases."We talked about some cuts that would adversely affect the students, and they’ve been tossed out and thrown away," Deragisch said.During his presentation Deragisch attributed the budget shortfall to: oNo increase in state funding,oA $155,000 special education payment to Luverne,oMore than $700,000 decrease in H-BC’s levy since 2002,oUnfunded mandates by federal and state governments.oIncreased costs (payroll, insurance),oIncreased heating bills,oIncreased cost of fuel for buses,oIncreased cost of property and workmen’s compensation insurance andoIncreased requisitions the last two years.According to Deragisch, solutions to the budget problem include: oreducing costs, oeliminating duplicate spending (share resources), omaking sure employees are aware of spending and olooking for alternate sources of funding for special projects.Essentially the district must either cut expenses or raise revenues, and the main ways to raise revenue is to increase enrollment or raise the operating referendum, according to Deragisch. Each new student brings approximately $5,500 in state aid to the district. "It’s really scary when I hear we have a family moving away, and there goes three kids," Deragisch said.The Hills-Beaver Creek district currently has an operating referendum of $229 per student. An operating referendum is levied to help pay for the daily operation of a school district. The average operating referendum in the area is $531 per student, according to Deragisch. The highest operating referendum in the state is $2,330 per student, with 87 percent of the districts levying.If the board agreed to all the cuts and fee increases, it would bring the district within $32,250 of a balanced budget for this year. "In reality this is a one-year fix, we can do it this year, next year it won’t be $117,000," said board member Ann Boeve.No decisions were made at Monday’s meeting. Deragisch asked the board to talk to district residents and be ready to vote on the budget at the Monday, May 10, meeting.Specific examples of possible ways to increase revenues are:
Decrease requisitions by $15,000 by delaying the purchase of new science textbooks,
Decrease office supplies use by $1,500.
Reduce the staff development budget by 67 percent or $8,400.
Reduce school board staff development (travel and education) by $2,000.
Reduce the computer budget by $5,000.
Reduce the substitute teacher budget by $1,000.
Raise lunch prices by 10 cents to add $4,500 in revenue.
Reduce the Learning Readiness budget by $3,000.
Raise driver’s education fees from $150 per student to $180 and increase revenues by $600.
Eliminate the high school early morning coverage. Deragisch or Dean of Students Steve Wiertzema will cover to save $1,500.
Reduce office personnel to save $15,000.
Reduce a teacher position to save $20,000.
Extend the computer contract for a savings of $___???___
Raise athletic fees from $20 to $30 per activity with a $100 maximum per family to increase revenues by $1,500.
Raise Community Education fees to increase revenues by $2,000.
Increase facility use fees by 25 percent to raise $1,500.
Attrition (retirements) will decrease expenses by $30,000.
Reducing bus use (including using smaller vehicles, possible coach drivers, charging more for Little Patriot and Learning Readiness busing) will reduce expenses by $3,000.

Yellow ribbons for troops now available in LuverneThe yellow ribbon car magnets used to support our troops in Iraq, are now available in Luverne.Up until now, the nearest place you could get them was at a couple of locations in Sioux Falls, according to Deb Iveland.Now through Deb and Dan’s daughter, Jennifer Iveland, who is a member of the Army Reserve 785th Medical Company out of Ft. Snelling, Minneapolis, the ribbons are available in Luverne.The 785th family Readiness Group is using the ribbons as a fund-raiser to support the needs of deployed soldiers and their families.Yellow ribbon magnets, with the words "Pray for our Troops" are now for sale at the Luverne Style Shop, Pizza Ranch and Korner Gas Stop.Twins to be on TV soonPrairieWave customers who were wondering if they would ever get to see a Twins game this year, received good news this week.Craig Anderson, CEO of PrairieWave Communications announced this week an agreement with Victory Sports One to broadcast Minnesota Twins games as well as other regional sporting events carried by the new sports channel.Victory Sports One has been in a bitter negotiating battle with cable companies in the Midwest over broadcasting rights to the Twins 2004 season.According to Anderson, the agreement will allow PrairieWave to broadcast the Twins season without affecting basic rates.Anderson cited PrairieWave’s small cable company’s size as a plus in the negotiations.PrairieWave is the 126th largest cable company in the country.PrairieWave will begin broadcasting the Victory channel as early as May 15.PrairieWave will have to add some additional equipment to their system to broadcast the signal.Victory will be broadcast on channel 23 in PrairieWave’s Luverne, Worthington, Adrian, Lake Wilson, Pipestone and Tracy areas.Monroe Crossing to perform at the PalaceMonroe Crossing, a popular blue grass band, which nearly sold out the Palace at its previous performance, has scheduled another concert.Monroe Crossing will appear at the Palace Theatre at 2 p.m., Sunday, May 9. Tickets, for the Mother’s Day appearance, are on sale now by calling 283-8294, or they can be purchased at the door.The price is $12 per ticket, but if you’re purchasing one for mom, hers is $6.Lodine to perform with Iowa SymphonyFans of Luverne’s Emily Lodine may want to head south tonight.Lodine is scheduled to perform with the Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra at 7:30 tonight, April 29.The location will be the B.J. Haan Auditorium on the campus of Dordt College in Sioux Center, Iowa.Tickets may be purchased at the door.Citywide rummage sale, followed by the Goodwill truckThe citywide rummage sale scheduled for this Saturday, should be bigger than ever.In past years, approximately 90 locations signed up for the event. This year you will have 109 locations to choose from.This is the 16th year the Luverne Chamber of Commerce has sponsored the annual event.The hours are from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.And for those of you hosting the sales, the Goodwill truck will be available to help you get rid of the things you couldn’t sell.The Goodwill trailer will be in Luverne on the parking lot south of Glen’s Food Center beginning Monday, May 3 until Thursday, May 6.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

10 years ago (1994)"Spring clean-up for Luverne residents was extremely popular this year, but it was also expensive.City Administrator Doug Bunkers reported the total cost to the city for the week of pick-up, including labor, equipment and tipping fees was $33,940 or about $10,000 more than last year."25 years ago (1979)"A gas leak at the Mobile Oil bulk tanks west of Luverne is under control. Officials said Monday that much of the nearly 4,000 gallons of regular gas that leaked from a tank has been drawn from the ground. Evaporation and four days of pumping have brought the spillage under control.Roger Henderson, Mobil agent, discovered the leak Thursday. He suspected something was wrong when he spotted the gauge reading down about seven inches from where it should have been."50 years ago (1954)"Luverne is among nine Minnesota cities for which new post offices have been authorized by Congress under Public Law 105, 81st Congress, according to information received from Congressman H. Carl Andersen.In a letter to the Star Herald this week congressman Andersen said that Luverne should be one of the first two or three post office projects in the 7th District when such work begins, because of the volume of business done here and the need for a new building. … Proposed limit of cost for the Luverne building and site would be $241,000."75 years ago (1929)"Much progress has been made the past week in the improvements of Luverne’s public park, which were started more than two weeks ago, and it is expected that the finishing touches will be put on next Tuesday afternoon, when a park bee will be held. Everyone is not only invited, but urged to take part in the bee; they are asked to bring shovels and rakes, and to report for duty promptly at 1 o’clock."100 years ago (1904)"The deal among the business men of Beaver Creek for the establishment of a local telephone exchange at that place, which had been under consideration for several weeks, was consummated last week and the installation of an exchange is now assured. Sufficient stock to make the exchange a success has been subscribed and the permit for connections with the long distance line entering Beaver Creek has been secured."

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne girls’ softball team busted into the win column in Southwest Conference play during a doubleheader in Marshall Thursday.The Cardinals won their second straight game when they bested the Tigers 4-1 in game 1.LHS, however, couldn’t keep the momentum going in the second game. Marshall scored nine runs in the first inning and coasted to a 20-7 victory."It was like we were a different team in the second game," said Cardinal coach Steve Semmens.Luverne turned in an outstanding effort in the opener.The Cardinals plated single runs in the first, second, third and sixth innings to open a 4-0 lead that was well protected by pitcher Stacy Lorenzen. Lorenzen was touched for one run in the bottom of the sixth, but she blanked the Tigers in six frames and limited the hosts to one hit. She recorded eight strikeouts and walked five batters in the win.Jessa Dahl and Sarah Wynia each had two hits and one double to lead the Cardinals on offense in Game 1.Luverne was never able to overcome the nine runs Marshall scored in the top half of the first inning in game two.The Cards trimmed the difference to seven runs (9-2) in the bottom of the first and trailed by eight (14-6) after scoring four runs in the fourth inning.Marshall outscored LHS 5-1 in the fifth inning to end the game by the 10-run rule.Lorenzen pitched the first inning and took the loss. Wynia tossed the final four innings.Natalie Domagala, Jessy Behr, Dahl and Kerri Fransman slapped two hits each for the Cards in the finale.Luverne, 2-6 overall and 1-3 in league play, hosts Marshall for a doubleheader May 6.

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne baseball team let an opportunity to climb into the Southwest Conference title chase slip away at Redbird Field in Luverne Tuesday.The Cardinals played SWC unbeaten Pipestone in a key clash, and an LHS win would have placed them one game behind the Arrows in the standings. Pipestone, however, opened a three-game lead over the Cards with a four-run victory.Luverne won a six-run, 11-inning game in Worthington Saturday.The 8-3 Cardinals will play a SWC doubleheader in Jackson May 6.Pipestone 7, Luverne 3The Arrows ran their conference record to 6-0 with a four-run victory over the Cardinals in Luverne Tuesday.Pipestone plated six runs in the top half of the third inning and fought off a late rally by Luverne to win the game handily.The loss severely hurts Luverne’s chances to win the SWC title as it slipped to 4-3 in league play.After scoring six times in the third, Pipestone increased its lead to 7-0 after plating a run in the fifth.Luverne scored two runs in the sixth inning and added a single run in the seventh, but it wasn’t enough to catch the Arrows.Luverne loaded the bases in the sixth when Adam Kurtz was hit by a pitch in between walks drawn by John Tofteland and Mark Remme.Brad Pick was hit by a pitch to force home Tofteland. Zach Wysong singled home Kurtz to make it a 7-2 game.Adam Reisch singled and scored when Scott Pick reached base on an error in the seventh inning.Kurtz tossed the first four and two-thirds innings and took the loss. He fanned seven batters, allowed 10 hits and seven runs (six were earned). J.T. Bruynes pitched two and one-third innings of scoreless, four-hit relief.Box score AB R H BIGraphenteen 2 0 0 0Tofteland 1 1 1 0J.Pick 3 0 0 0S.Pick 1 0 0 0Kurtz 3 1 0 0Remme 3 0 0 0Fodness 2 0 0 0B.Pick 0 0 0 1Wysong 2 0 1 1Boen 2 0 0 0Richters 1 0 0 0Reisch 3 1 1 0Herman 2 0 0 0Siebenahler 1 0 0 0Luverne 16,Worthington 10The Cardinals plated six runs in the top of the 11th inning to win a wild game against the Trojans Saturday morning in Worthington.Luverne scratched out single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to knot the score at 10, and won it with a six-run eruption in the 11th.The Cards trailed 10-8 after WHS scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth. The hosts, however, were blanked during the final six innings of play.Luverne’s Mark Remme reached base on an error and scored on an error in the sixth to make it 10-9. Taylor Graphenteen reached base on an error and scored the tying run when he dashed home when Worthington tried to throw out a stealing Remme at second base in the seventh.Brad Herman doubled to start the 11th inning and scored the go-ahead run when Graphenteen reached base on a throwing error by the WHS pitcher.Graphenteen scored the second run of the frame on Jared Pick’s sacrifice fly, and the Cards proceeded to load the bases with Remme reaching base on an error, Rob Fodness slapping a single and Wysong drawing a walk.Boen singled home Remme before Reisch clubbed a three-run double to give the Cardinals a six-run lead.Graphenteen gave the Cards a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when he walked and scored on a fielder’s choice by Fodness, but the Trojans scored three runs in the second to move in front 3-1.Luverne answered the challenge by scoring three runs in the third to move in front 4-3 before WHS plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to regain the lead at 5-4.The Cards loaded the bases with two walks and one error in the third. Wysong, who led LHS with four hits in the game, delivered a three-run double to give LHS a short-lived 5-4 edge.Reisch and Herman reached base on errors in the top of the fourth before Pick slapped a two-run double to give the Cards a 6-5 edge, but Worthington countered with a run in the bottom of the inning to knot the score at six.Luverne scored two runs in the top of the fifth before Worthington scored its four runs in the bottom of the inning to open a 10-8 lead.Wysong and Boen singled before Herman slapped a two-run single to account for Luverne’s fifth-inning runs.Wysong pitched seven innings of two-run relief to pick up the win. He allowed seven hits, one walk and fanned six batters.Herman started the game on the mound and surrendered five runs, four hits and four walks in two and one-third innings. Bruynes tossed the next inning and two-thirds, allowing three runs, three hits and two walks.Box score AB R H BIGraphenteen 4 4 0 0Pick 3 0 1 3Kurtz 2 2 1 0Cote 4 0 0 0Remme 4 3 0 0Fodness 6 1 2 1Wysong 6 2 4 3Boen 5 2 2 1Reisch 6 1 1 3Herman 6 2 2 2

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne boys’ golf team went 2-1 during three matches played since last Thursday.The Cardinals beat Red Rock Central and Windom in home meets Thursday and Monday respectively before dropping a match in Marshall Tuesday.Luverne, 6-2 overall, hosts Redwood Valley today.Marshall 151,Luverne 168The home-standing Tigers used four rounds of less than 41 strokes to defeat the Cardinals by 17 strokes Tuesday in Marshall.Luverne’s Colby Anderson fired a one-under-par 35 to lead all players, but it wasn’t enough to lift his team to victory.Marshall received 37s from Tom Homen, Tyler Stiefel and Tony Krogren. Marshall’s fourth scorer carded a 40.Steven Berghorst and Andy Haakenson shot 43s for the Cardinals, while Jesson Vogt contributed a 47 to the team effort.Kirk Oldre shot a 52 without influencing the scoring for Luverne, which golfed the course with five players.Luverne 173,Windom 173A tiebreaker fell into Luverne’s favor when it hosted Windom at the Luverne Country Club Monday.With the match tied at 173 when the lowest four scores of each team were tallied at event’s end, and the fifth lowest scorers for each team (Luverne’s Berghorst and Windom’s Josh Elston) both shot 49s, leaving the sixth lowest scorers for each team to settle the issue.Luverne was awarded the victory with sixth-scorer Kirk Oldre topping Windom’s Sam Voth 50-53.Luverne’s Anderson and Windom’s Dan Johnson and Adam Teirab shared medalist honors for the meet by shooting four-over-par 40s.David Nelson shot a 43 for LHS, while Vogt and Haakenson rounded out the team scoring with 45s.Luverne 155, RRC 207The Cardinals played outstanding golf while disposing of the Falcons by 52 strokes Thursday at the Luverne Country Club.Three LHS players shot sub-40 rounds during the rout of RRC.Anderson led the charge by shooting a one-under-par 35.Haakenson and Berghorst added 38- and 39-stroke rounds to the winning team tally, while David Nelson added a 42.Grant and Kirk Oldre shot 45- and 50-stroke rounds without padding the team scoring.RRC’s Tyler Beerman shot a 49 to lead the Falcons.Luverne’s B squad topped the Falcons 198-218. Skyler Hoiland led the Cards with a 46.

By John RittenhouseThe Adrian baseball team put together an impressive five-day stretch by winning three straight games since last Thursday.The Dragons topped Southwest United by four runs in Heron Lake Thursday before rolling to a 12-run win over Murray County Central in Slayton Friday. The Dragons played Windom in Adrian Monday, posting a 10-run win in six innings.Adrian, 7-3 overall, hosts Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin in an important Red Rock Conference clash today. The Dragons play in Minneota Tuesday.Adrian 13, Windom 3Adrian plated 13 unanswered runs to best the Eagles by 10 runs in a non-conference game that ended by the 10-run rule in the sixth inning.Windom drew first blood by plating three runs in the top of the second inning, but the Dragons countered with seven runs in the bottom of the second and they never looked back the rest of the way.Brandon Wolf reached base on an error and Will Lutmer walked before Tyler Wolf opened the scoring for AHS in the second with an RBI double.After Brandon Diekmann drew a walk to load the bases, Tony Sauer was hit by a pitch to force home a run, David Hoffer produced a sacrifice fly, and Levi Bullerman and Brandon Wolf slapped two-run doubles to cap the seven-run outburst.The Dragons added single runs in the fourth and sixth innings before adding four runs in the fifth to win the game handily.Bullerman delivered an RBI double in the fourth inning to make it an 8-3 game in the fourth.Brandon Wolf and Cody Kontz singled home runs, Hoffer doubled home a run and another runner scored on an error when the Dragons increased their lead to 12-3 in the fifth.Brent Tjepkes singled and scored the 13th run in the sixth on a wild pitch.Brandon Wolf tossed all six innings to get the win. He allowed one earned run, eight hits and one walk.Brandon and Tyler Wolf, Bullerman, Kontz and Hoffer registered two hits each.Adrian 14, MCC 2A big game from senior Tyler Wolf carried the Dragons to an important conference win over the Rebels in Slayton Friday.Wolf became the first AHS player to homer twice in the same game during a two-hit, five-RBI performance at the plate.The AHS leader also pitched all six innings on the hill to earn the win. Wolf limited MCC to a pair of unearned runs. He yielded eight hits, two walks and fanned three batters.The win was a big one for Adrian, who remained one game in back of conference-leading ML-B-O in the league standings. Both MCC and AHS had one league loss entering Friday’s tilt.Wolf gave AHS a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when he homered off the scoreboard in center field, but MCC tied the game at one in the bottom of the inning.Adrian, however, moved in front to stay by scoring five runs in the top of the third.Bullerman led the frame off with a solo homer.Brandon Wolf singled and Will Lutmer walked before Tyler Wolf drilled a three-run homer over the scoreboard in center field to make it a 5-1 game.Tjepkes singled and scored on an error to cap the third-inning rally.MCC scored its final run in the bottom of the third before Adrian scored twice in the fourth inning and six runs in the sixth to win the game by the 10-run rule.Bullerman doubled and scored on Glen Kruger’s RBI single in the fourth. Brandon Wolf walked and scored the second run of the inning on a passed ball.Brandon Wolf and Lutmer walked and Kruger singled to load the bases in the sixth. Tyler Wolf drew a walk to force home the first run of the inning. Tjepkes added a two-run single and David Hoffer doubled home three runs before the inning was complete.Tyler Wolf, Bullerman, Kruger and Hoffer all slapped two hits for the winners.Adrian 6, SWU 2A fifth-inning rally lifted the Dragons to a four-run victory over Southwest United Thursday in Heron Lake.SWU battled back from a 2-0 deficit to knot the score at two after scoring twice in the bottom of the fourth inning, but the Dragons countered with a four-run fifth to settle the issue.Bullerman singled and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth after Glen Kruger delivered an RBI single.Lutmer slapped an RBI single, Tyler Wolf received an RBI for a fielder’s choice and another run scored on an error as the rally continued.The Dragons plated single runs in the third and fourth innings to open the scoring.Kontz walked and scored on a single by Brandon Wolf in the third.Alex Suedkamp walked and scored on a single by Tjepkes in the fourth.Hoffer pitched seven innings of three-hit ball to pick up the win. He allowed three walks and two unearned runs during a four-strikeout effort.Tyler Wolf slapped two hits to lead the Dragons offensively.

By John RittenhouseLuverne athletes traveled to Brookings, S.D., to compete at a triathlon Sunday.The 2004 version of the I’m Ready for Summer Mini Triathlon attracted seven competitors from the area.The triathlon consisted of a 1,000-meter swim, a 12-mile bike ride and a 5K run.Competing in the division for athletes between the ages of 50-59, Luverne’s Preston VerMeer won his age group with a time of 1:31.53.VerMeer placed 39th out of 54 men in the final overall standings.Luverne’s Amy Chartier also saw individual success at the triathlon.Chartier placed third in the 20-29 division and fifth overall with a time of 1:26.07.Luverne athletes also formed a pair of three-person squads to compete in the team portion of the triathlon.Dave Duffy, Nick Van Wyhe and Jesson Vogt formed a team called Clif Bar #1, which placed second in team competition and fourth overall in all divisions with a time of 1:07.39.The team champion recorded a time of 1:06.11.Van Wyhe swam, Duffy biked and Vogt ran for the Clif Bar #1 squad.The second team of Duffy, Mike Van Wyhe and Erica Smith competed under the name of the Speed-D-Minnows.The Speed-D-Minnows placed sixth in team competition and 27th overall in all divisions with a time of 1:17.37.Duffy ran, Smith biked and Mike Van Wyhe swam for the Speed-D-Minnows.