By John RittenhouseThe Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton boys will be team to contend with in track and field this season.With 45 athletes in grades 7-12 participating in the program, H-BC-E-E has the numbers to compete for meet titles.Considering the team has a lot of top-notch, proven athletes in the mix, the Patriots will be a squad foes will not be able to overlook in the quest for Red Rock Conference and Sub-Section 10 championships."We’re in great shape numbers-wise, and we’ll be a very competitive group," said H-BC-E-E coach Tom Goehle. "I think we have a definite range of athletes as far as covering all of the events goes. It’s going to be an interesting season."The Patriots are coming off an interesting 2003 season, when they made some noise in Southwest Minnesota as well as the state meet.H-BC-E placed third at the annual RRC and Camden Conference meets before placing second to Luverne at the Sub-Section 10 event.The Patriots placed a strong third at the Section 3A event, then turned in a stunning second-place performance (best in school history) at the state meet in Blaine.H-BC-E-E, however, lost key performers in Dylan Kvaale and Chris Reid to graduation.Kvaale emerged as one of the team’s top hurlders. He also scored some points in the triple jump.Reid is the type of athlete that will be impossible to replace.As well as running with H-BC-E-E’s 1,600-meter relay team, which won a sub-section title and placed third at the section level, Reid was an outstanding individual performer.He won sub-section titles in the 100- and 200-meter dashes as well as in the long jump. Reid met the state-qualifying standard while placing third in the long jump at the section meet, and he also advanced by placing first and second in the 200 and 100 respectively.Reid’s dream season continued at state, where he won championships in the 100 and long jump, and placed third in the 200.Reid’s performance at state set the stage for the team’s second-place finish in Blaine, but he received some help from some boys who will be the leaders of the 2004 team that consists of five seniors, 11 juniors, four sophomores, four freshmen and 21 seventh- and eighth-graders.Eleven Patriots return with varsity letters from the 2003 campaign. The list features six boys who competed at the section meet, including four who advanced to state.Seniors Todd Alberty and Lee Jackson and juniors Tyler Bush and Kale Wiertzema return to the team with state exposure in 2003.Bush won sub-section and section titles in the 800-meter run before placing fifth in the event at state.Bush also joined Alberty, Jackson and Wiertzema in the 3,200-meter relay, an event H-BC-E-E won sub-section and section titles in before placing eighth at the state meet.Bush, Alberty, Jackson and Wiertzema also formed a strong 1,600-meter relay team, placing second in the sub-section and third in the section one year ago.Alberty and Jackson experienced success individually. Alberty advanced to the section meet after placing third in the 400-meter dash and fourth in the triple jump at the sub-section level. Jackson qualified for the section meet by placing fourth in the 800 at the sub-section attraction.Senior Curt Schilling and junior Cody Scholten also experienced success in the postseason meets for H-BC-E-E.Schilling, the team’s top returning thrower, placed fourth in the sub-section and sixth in the section in the shot put. He also was a member of H-BC-E-E’s 800-meter relay team, which advanced to the section meet after placing fourth at the sub-section level.Scholten won a sub-section title and placed sixth at the section meet in the high jump.Juniors Jared Drenth and Derek Haak return as letter winners from the 2003 season.Drenth will run distances in 2004, Haak will run races 800 meters and longer.Sophomores Roger DeBoer, John Sandbulte and Devin DeBoer round out the returning letter winners from last spring.Roger DeBoer is a hurdler, Devin DeBoer runs middle distances, and Sandbulte runs 200s-800s as well as performing as a jumper.Goehle expects production from seniors Lee Farrell and Soren Trebesch, who are participating in the program for the first time this year. The coach is unsure what events they will compete in at this point.The coach has a better idea what events juniors Tom LeBoutillier, Travis Broesder, Greg Van Batavia and Paul DeLeon will help the team in.LeBoutillier received experience as a member of the Westbrook-Walnut Grove program as a hurdler, sprinter and jumper. Broesder is a sprinter, DeLeon is a sprinter-hurdler, and Van Batavia will run races between 400 and 1,600 meters.Two first-year juniors, Robert Baker and Brett Hood, are searching for the events they will be able to produce in.Goehle feels sophomore Javier Cisneros has the ability to help the team as a sprinter, and thinks sfreshmen Tanner Scholten, Adam Voss and Tom Leuthold have the potential to become good throwers. Cody Rozeboom, another freshman, will run races between 400 and 800 meters this season.The coach said the 21 seventh- and eighth-graders on the roster will get the chance to help the varsity team this season.Goehle singled out eighth-grade distance sprinter-distance runner and seventh-grade distance runner as underclassmen who could excel at the varsity level this season.A mix of proven and untested talent will form the H-BC-E-E girls’ team this season.The Patriots will take a 36-athlete roster into the season consisting of three seniors, six juniors, four sophomores, eight freshmen and 15 seventh- and eighth-graders.The list includes 14 letter winners, 10 section participants and two state qualifiers from the 2003 campaign."We have a lot of new faces on the girls’ team," Goehle said. "We have a lot of inexperienced kids, but, at the same time, we have a lot of potential.""We also have a core group of experienced girls," he continued. "Hopefully, our core group can make the new kids better."H-BC-E-E placed third at the CC, RRC and Sub-Section 10 meets last season, and ninth at the Section 3A event.The Patriots lost a solid senior in sprinter-jumper Amber Poppen.Poppen placed second in the high jump and third on the long jump at the sub-section level, and she finished eighth in the high jump at the section meet. She also was a of the 800-meter relay team, which placed third in the sub-section and fourth in the section.Senior Erin Boeve and junior Cassi Tilstra return as key members from the 2003 team.Boeve, jumper-sprinter, excelled in individual events and relays last season. She placed second in the long jump and 100-meter dash at the sub-section meet. Boeve placed fifth in the section in the 100, and earned a trip to state by placing second in the long jump. She placed 10th at the state meet in the long jump. Boeve also ran with the 800-meter relay.Tilstra ran individually and with relay teams, too.She won sub-section 10 and Section 3A championships in the 800-meter run, but was unable to advance to the finals at state. She also ran with the 800 relay.Junior Kelly Mulder, sophomore Rosie Lewis, freshmen Amanda Tilstra, Chelsi Fink, Amanda Connors and Mya Mann, and eighth-graders Jocelyn Bucher and Ashley Bucher return to the team with section experience from 2003.Mulder teamed up with Connors, Lewis, and Fink to place fourth in the sub-section in the 400-meter relay.Mann was a key member of the 2003 team as an eighth-grader.Along with running for the 800-meter relay, Mann advanced to the section meet in the 800-meter run by placing third at the sub-section meet. Mann placed sixth in the section in the 800, and ran a leg for H-BC-E-E’s 1,600-meter relay, which placed third in the sub-section and eighth in the section.Cassi Tilstra, Amanda Tilstra and Jocelyn Bucher are other members of the 1,600-meter relay.Amanda Tilstra, who placed third in the 1,600-meter run at the sub-section meet, helped form H-BC-E-E’s 3,200-meter relay, which placed second in the sub-section and eighth in the section meet. Ashley and Jocelyn Bucher also ran with the 3,200-meter relay team.Other girls returning to the program with varsity letters from 2003 include sophomores Stacy Bush and Katie McGaffee, freshman Tyra Hinrichs and eighth-grader Brittany Helgeson.Bush will run the 1,600 and high jump for the Patriots. McGaffee is a thrower. Hinrichs runs the 800, and Helgeson runs sprints and middle distances.Joining Boeve as senior members of the team are exchange students Martina Majchrzak and Miriam Heitz. Heitz will compete in the high jump. Goehle is unsure what events Majchrzak will compete in.Junior Melinda Feucht is practicing with the team, but the sprinter is coming off a knee injury sustained during the basketball season. It is questionable if she will be able to make an impact at the varsity level this season.Goehle is unsure what events juniors Shannon Ashby, Amy Bechler and Çathy Serikawa will participate in.The coach lists freshmen Laura Timmer and Shelly Sas as a thrower and a sprinter respectively.Freshmen Lacey Latten and Brittany Osborn are searching for their events of strength.The remaining 12 seventh- and eighth-graders on the roster will be asked to step up and help the varsity team as the season progresses.

By John RittenhouseA pair of Hills-Beaver Creek High School students made their debuts as members of the Luverne High School softball team last week.Freshman Kerri Fransman and sophomore Stacy Bush started for the LHS varsity team in the first two games of the season.Luverne lost a 4-3 home decision to Edgerton Thursday before falling 10-4 to Southwest United in a game played in Luverne Tuesday.Fransman started at second base and Bush in center field in both games.Fransman reached base with a walk, but she was zero-for-three at the plate during Tuesday’s six-run loss to SWU.Bush grounded out to the shortstop during both of her trips to the plate in Tuesday’s game.Both Fransman and Bush drew starting assignments during the opener against Edgerton in Luverne Thursday.Bush was hitless in one trip to the plate as the starting center fielder. Fransman was hitless in three at bats, but she did reach base after being hit by a pitch.The 0-2 Cardinals will play a Southwest Conference doubleheader in Redwood Falls April 15.

Law Library 9:00 AMRock County Courthouse March 23, 2004Chair Jarchow called the meeting to order with all Commissioners present. Motion by Hoime, seconded by Bakken, to approve the March 23, 2004 County Board agenda, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Boyenga, to approve the March 2, 2004 County Board minutes, declared carried on a voice vote.The County Board reviewed the following consent agenda items: 1. New Day Care Licensing – Angie Hubbling; Tara Pap; Ginger Schomacher.2. Day Care Relicensing – Kim Hudson; Heather Roberts; Coleen Martens; Pamela Franken; Deanna Stanley; Carrie Bakker. 3. Voluntary Day Care Closing – Maria Hartshorn.4. Foster Care Licensing – Mark and Julie Anderson5. Re-appointment of Rock County Rural Water Board members Dave Wynia and Diane Schwartz6. Resolution No. 12-04, approving the purchase of a new transit bus (separate action item)After review, item #6 was removed from the agenda and moved to informational to allow for additional discussion; motion by Bakken, seconded by Hoime, to approve consent agenda items 1-5, declared carried on a voice vote.Holli Arp, University of Minnesota Regional Director, presented program updates and stated that Amy Chartier was the new Big Buddies Coordinator in Rock County. Ms. Arp also provided Minnesota Atlas information that had been compiled by the University of Minnesota. Gloria Rolfs, Auditor/Treasurer presented the claims; motion by Boyenga, seconded by Hoime, to approve the claims as presented, declared carried on a unanimous vote. A complete listing of the claims is available by request at the Auditor/Treasurer’s office. General $ 30,761.08LEC 619.13Road & Bridge 21,295.85Welfare 95,988.81Landfill 5,030.29TOTAL $153,695.16Motion by Wildung, seconded by Bakken, to approve the fund balance report, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Hoime, seconded by Boyenga, to approve the following Solid Waste Abatements, declared carried on a voice vote.oParcel No. 14-0018-000 located in the Auditor Outlots 9 & 10 of 26-104-45 - $42.00oParcel No. 09-0069-100 located in the NE 1/4 of 15-103-45 - $11.00oParcel No. 11-0162-000 located in the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of 22-103-46 - $42.00Motion by Bakken, seconded by Wildung, to re-issue lost FSA warrant number 43585 for $33.40, declared carried on a voice vote. The Budget Committee presented the following bids for the audit of 2003, 2004, 2005: 2003 2004 2005oVirchow, Krause & Company, LLP $43,700 $45,900 $48,300oAbdo, Eick & Meyers, LLP $31,275 $28,010 $29,110oLarson, Allen, Weishair & Co, LLP $26,975 $29,600 $29,900Motion by Boyenga, seconded by Wildung, to accept the low compliant bid from Larson, Allen, Weishair & Company LLP, declared carried on a voice vote. Tom Houselog, Assessor, presented a 2004 assessment review; the County Board thanked Mr. Houselog for his efforts inputting the assessment numbers together. Randy Ehlers, Family Services Director, presented the 2004-2005 Adult Mental Health Plan that identifies how funds are to be spent in providing community support to persons with severe and persistent mental illnesses. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Bakken, to approve the plan, declared carried on a voice vote. The FSA Director also presented a year to date budget report; no action was taken.Mark Sehr, Engineer, discussed improvements to be made to the Kanaranzi Park and that Kanaranzi Township would be requesting Park & Rec funds in the event their funding became low.The Engineer presented a review of the Five Year Construction Plan; no action was taken.Jane Hennigar, MCIT Representative presented the 2004 member report; the County Board thanked her for the presentation and update of services provided. Don Klosterbuer, County Attorney and Eric Hartman, Land Management Office Director, presented information pertaining to wind tower and other tower permitting processes. Currently, it is a one-time conditional use permit with an annual renewal fee. After discussion, motion by Hoime, seconded by Bakken, to refer the issue back to the Planning & Zoning Committee with emphasis on up front fees for certification, declared carried on a voice vote. The County Board directed the Administrator to send a letter to the City of Luverne requesting a communications plan identifying the topics and scope of discussion as well as the composition of a committee for the purposes of discussing joint power agreements as well as other contractual relationships between the city and county. This correspondence should also request that a copy of the written communication plan be mailed back to each County Commissioner following their development of the communication plan.The County Board acknowledged receipt of an annual report from the Minnesota Southern Railway, Inc. agency. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Boyenga, directing the Administrator to send a letter to agency owner Mr. Brent Pollenchek, expressing the County Board’s gratitude for the continued good partnership between his agency and the Rock/Nobles railroad, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Wildung, seconded by Boyenga, authorizing to bid for a new Heartland Express bus, declared carried on a voice vote. Motion by Hoime, seconded by Bakken, authorizing (2) Heartland Express individuals to attend the National Conference in Seattle, Washington and send a letter of congratulations to Linda Anderson for her selection for competition in the National Bus Rodeo to be held during the National Conference, declared carried on a voice vote. Commissioner Bakken and Hoime informed the County Board that he had attended a meeting with Representative Gutknecht for the purpose of discussing the Lewis and Clark project. Commissioner Hoime informed the County Board that he had attended the pool meeting and informed the board of some potential growth projects. Commissioner Boyenga informed the County Board that he had attended the last DAC meeting. Commissioner Jarchow stated that he had attended the interview process for the Sergeant position for the Sheriff’s Office and that additional testing would take place before a selection was made. 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(4-8)

10 years ago (1994)"Cooperation and Combination Committee members gathered Tuesday in Luverne to review a fast-track proposal for combining the Luverne and Magnolia school districts, but they didn’t take action.The Magnolia Board will meet April 13 and Luverne will meet April 14 before gathering for a joint meeting April 18 to make a final decision on C&C."25 years ago (1979)"A crucial vote faces residents of the Magnolia School District next Monday.The voters will be asked if they choose to dissolve the school district at the end of this year. The voting will be conducted at the school from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. with the same requirements as a regular school election.If the question is approved by the voters, special legislation will have to be passed by the Minnesota Legislature to allow the district to dissolve without meeting the required time table."50 years ago (1954)"Only 224 votes were cast in last Tuesday’s annual city election, one of the smallest votes recorded in a city election here in recent years. The total was 357 less than was cast last year when 581 votes were recorded.There was no opposition for any of the posts which might have been a big factor in the small turnout."75 years ago (1929)"Forty-four single bowlers and an almost equally large number of two-men teams participated in the 5th annual Southern Minnesota Bowling Tournament which opened March 24 and came to a close Sunday night. Three games were bowled by all who competed in the tournament. Many gratifyingly high scores were made both in singles and doubles.Albert Jauert, of this city, won first honors in the singles with 638 pins to his credit; Henry Petersen, second, 635 pins."100 years ago (1904)"R.J. Cobban has recently completed a well 184 feet in depth in Ole H. Ellefson’s farm in Denver township, three miles southwest of Hardwick. After drilling 76 feet in dirt the well was cut through 108 feet in solid rock. The water supply appears to be inexhaustible."

"Friendship is born at the moment when one person says to another, "What? You too? I thought I was the only one." --Unknown "Are we going to be friends forever? Asked Piglet. Even longer, Pooh answered." --A. A. Milne Winnie the Pooh "Friends are the bacon bits in the salad bowl of life." --Unknown "I get by with a little help from my friends." --John Lennon The above "friendship" quotes are to remind you that it is time to renew your membership to the Friends of Library. If you’re not a member, we’d love to have you as a Friend. The Friends support the library in many ways. (In the cookies of life, Friends are the chocolate chips.) They raise money for us to purchase equipment, furniture, and library materials that the library budget cannot cover. The Friends provide volunteers for story hours, field trips, and special programs. They organize the annual book sale. The Friends like books. They like librarians. And they care about the Library. You can be one of our Friends. When you check a book out during April, we will include a membership form with your date due slip. If you would like to join, just fill in the form and make out a check for the membership dues. Individuals are $10. Families are $15. Business/Organizations are $25. The Friends of the Library is a non-profit organization and your gift is tax deductible. New on the shelf this week is "Nighttime is My Time," by best-selling author, Mary Higgins Clark. "The definition of an owl had always pleased him: a night bird of prey ... sharp talons and soft plumage which permits noiseless flight ... applied figuratively to a person of nocturnal habits. 'I am The Owl,' he would whisper to himself after he had selected his prey, 'and nighttime is my time.'" Jean Sheridan, a college dean and prominent historian, sets out to her hometown to attend the 20-year reunion of Stonecroft Academy alumni, where she is to be honored along with six other members of her class. There is something uneasy in the air: one woman in the group, Alison Kendall, a beautiful, high-powered Hollywood agent, drowned in her pool during an early-morning swim. Alison is the fifth woman in the class whose life has come to a sudden, mysterious end. Adding to Jean's sense of unease is a taunting, anonymous fax she received, referring to her daughter — a child she had given up for adoption 20 years ago. At the award dinner, Jean is introduced to Sam Deegan, a detective obsessed by the unsolved murder of a young woman who may hold the key to the identity of the Stonecroft killer. Jean does not suspect that among the distinguished people she is greeting is "The Owl," a murderer nearing the countdown on his mission of vengeance against the Stonecroft women who had mocked and humiliated him, with Jean as his final victim. Also new on the shelf is David Ellis‚ "Jury of One." Shelly Trotter, the daughter of the state's governor and a children's-rights advocate, is thrust into a world in which she's completely unschooled — the criminal court. The defendant is a 17-year-old former client who is accused of killing a cop. Shelly soon learns that this boy was caught in the middle of an undercover operation to trap corrupt officers. But what was his role in the sting? And what does the prosecution really have against him? Then comes the shocker: The boy says he is the son she gave up for adoption, kept hush-hush by her father, who had political ambitions beyond their small town. As the evidence mounts, Shelly finds that nothing — not legal ethics, not her father's reelection campaign, nothing will stop her from keeping her son off death row.

Rock County NewspapersThe following was printed in the Rose History in 1911: "For the purpose of publishing the News, the Rock County News Company, composed of prohibitionists, was organized and the plant of the Democrat was purchased Oct. 4, 1888. N.R. Reynolds was selected to edit the paper and Clifford Reynolds, was for a time, associated with him in the business management. Harmony did not dwell among the stockholders of the company and there were several changes of stock within the next few months. Mr. Reynolds conducted the News as a prohibition paper until October 1889, when he was succeeded by F.N. VanDuzee. The latter leased the plant for a time and then became one of the stockholders, later still becoming sole owner and conducting the paper in the interests of the alliance party. Mr. VanDuzee published the News until August 1893, when he sold to John E. King, publisher of the Nobles County Democrat, and S.S. Bellesfield, who was the local representative. They made the paper a democratic organ. In the latter part of October, 1893, the News was purchased by a syndicate styled the Rock County News Publishing company and composed of John J. Ryer, Max H. Voelz and W.M. Cutcheon. The company was capitalized at $3,000. Messrs. Ryder & Voelz, who had previously been connected with the St. Paul Globe, took the local management and published a democratic paper. Later Mr. Voelz became the sole editor. Early in January 1898, F.N. VanDuzee, the former proprietor, foreclosed a mortgage on the plant and at once sold to E.S. Holman. The latter conducted the News as a democratic paper (for a short time in partnership with Edward S. Peterson) until Nov. 28, 1900, when publication was suspended. The subscription list and good will were sold to the Luverne Journal, which had then been founded, and the plant was moved to Hardwick, where it did duty in publishing the Hardwick News, which had been founded the year before but which had no plan of its own. During a part of its career the Rock County News was ably edited and enjoyed a statewide reputation. Western Literary Journal was the name of a little monthly magazine devoted to literature which was issued a few times in the fall of 1889. F.M. Bailey and F.L. Hinkly were the publishers.The last paper founded in the county seat was the Luverne Journal which is still published. The Journal came into existence Aug. 18, 1898, and was founded by W.H. Workman. It was founded as a five-column quarto and as a republican paper, but at the end of two years became a disciple of the democratic faith. Mr. Workman presided over the new paper four years and eight months, selling in April 1903 to Daniel Gagen. The latter managed the Journal only a few months, selling in November to P.I. Niester and J. Edward Jensen. The latter took charge of the office but remained only a short time. In April 1904, R.R. Hickie located in Luverne and assumed control of the Journal under contract with Mr. Niester, who was the owner, the two publishing the paper together. The plant was sold under a mortgage in July 1904, being bid in by the former owner, W.H. Workman. The following day he sold to R.R. Hickie and A.H. Osborne Jr., and in September the latter became sole owner by purchasing his partner’s interest. Mr. Osborn published the paper until July 1905, when W.V. Olin took the management, being assisted by J.L. Marshall. Later A.E. Smalley was the manager. The ownership became vested in A.C. Finke, A.J. Daley and C.D. Edkliff. Mr. Finke bought his partners’ interests and on Feb. 1, 1909, sold to C.C. Lowe. The latter greatly improved the Journal and made it an excellent publication. Mr. Lowe sold the Journal in August 1910, to E. D. Lum, who published it until the following spring. R.H. Ross became the managing editor in February 1911."Next week we will write about the early papers in Beaver Creek.

What’s good for TV viewers and couch potatoes in China should be good enough for the rest of us. According to Reuters news services, China rang in the New Year "by banning advertising for sanitary towels, hemorrhoid ointments and items deemed unappetizing during meal times." The State Administration of Radio, Film and Television of China has already set up a hotline for viewers to report violations. Another new rule is guaranteed to send TV owners to the hotline as it limits the number of ads allowed to interrupt television programs. In 2000, a viewer in Xi’an became angry when too many commercials cut into his favorite soap opera. A local court awarded him $87. Unappetizing ads are also prevalent in our country, where TV viewers are obligated to hear about breakthrough solutions to personal problems that weren’t openly discussed only a few decades ago. If we did talk graphically about hemorrhoids or male performance, parents had no choice but to stick bars of soap into our protesting, little mouths. Other offensive commercials on our TV screens tout the superiority of certain toilet bowl cleaners, cat box fillers (complete with successfully filled scoops), and creams for unsightly foot and toenail fungi. Of course, a major hurdle in our country with banning unappetizing commercials during mealtimes would be to find times when people aren’t eating in front of the TV. With most of our 300 million or so population owning TV sets and at least 60 percent of us overweight or certifiably obese, watching TV and eating have become mutually interdependent. We can’t do one activity without the other. As a result of our eating habits, a similar ban in our country might find most of the unappetizing ads running between 2 and 3 a.m., when people tend to take a sleep break from multitasking (viewing and chewing). Couples still in the platonic, hand-holding stage of their relationships, if such relationships still exist, shouldn’t have to be exposed to embarrassing ads while they watch TV. Other awkward topics — their past histories with the opposite sex or even how they dislike certain vegetables — should be dealt with before the couple is forced to endure sales pitches with cures for feminine odors or jock itch. After watching countless thousands of TV commercials during a lifetime, the following observations can easily be made: It can’t be appetizing for anyone to listen to a commercial voice-over about male dysfunction solutions while they’re staring at a plate of wrinkled lettuce leaves or a fork full of limp, cooked spaghetti. The world will be a much better place when the only feminine products on TV are limited to those used outside the body — shoes, jewelry, perfumes and clothing. On the flip side, unappetizing ads — aired under the extreme notion that more is better — might actually help the overeaters in our country lose weight. Perhaps that fourth serving of food might not look quite as appealing or perhaps dessert will be out of the question after we’ve seen nonstop, back-to-back, tasteless TV commercials. It’s not as though we have nothing to lose.

As the House author of the JOBZ legislation last session, I am proud to hear of the recent announcement that Luverne has used its JOBZ status to land the expansion site of a South Dakota company. Total Card, Inc., a privately-held credit card processing and service company has been looking to expand in Sioux Falls or Luverne, and has chosen Luverne.This is great news for the Luverne Community. Total Card is looking conservatively to bring 150 jobs to Luverne to begin with, with 240 eventually employed there and the potential of up to 350 employees. Operations are expected to begin in early or mid-summer.This was a truly impressive effort of many people. I want to thank Mayor Glen Gust, the City of Luverne employees, Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and local economic developer Dan Statema. The hard work of all of these individuals and government agencies paid off with these new jobs for the community of Luverne.According to Matt Kramer, the DEED Commissioner, Total Card made an offer which Luverne will accept, to buy the former Tri-State Insurance building that has been vacant for several years. Luverne will utilize the JOBZ legislation I authored last year, and put JOBZ acreage under the building to give them 12 years of JOBZ benefits.DEED will offer $500,000 in federal funds to help equip the building's telecommunications needs. The Luverne Economic Development Authoritywill offer $24,000 grant for job training, and will provide other low interest loans for furnishings and roof repair. Further, the city will provide re-location assistance for three key management staff whom the company will require to live in Luverne, and will provide reduced-rate home lots for about 20 other employees. State Rep. Doug Magnus (R-Slayton)

There is a decision up for vote that is going to affect all of us on disability and MFIP.State Rep. Doug Magnus and his committee will probably vote against the bill to help us get back what was taken from us on S.S.I. and getting MFIP. Why is it that people on a low to no income, some making less than $1,000 a month, keep having things taken from them? We didn’t ask to be disabled and not able to work as hard to make ends meet every month, but to have money taken every month makes it impossible at times. The children are the ones who suffer.It seems like the rich get richer, while the less fortunate go without. And a lot of it is just the basics of life, like food, shelter and clothing we can’t always get. Then they wonder why there are so many people on the streets, the suicides, murder and stealing. The people who make decisions on things that affect our livelihood should take a cut in pay, not get raises. If all the government workers, the senators, etc. would take cuts in their pay, there would be no need to take from us.Sheila JonesMagnolia