set for Jan. 5NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING OF PROPOSED ZONING ORDINANCE AMENDMENTNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Luverne City Planning Commission that a public hearing will be held in the Council Chambers, Second Floor, in City Hall, 203 East Main Street, Luverne, Minnesota, at 5:10 p.m., Central Standard Time on January 5, 2004, to consider an amendment to City Code Chapter 11 by adding a new paragraph "F" to include crematories as a Conditional Use in the R-I Residential/Institutional District, amending City Code, Section 11.14, Subd. 3. A complete copy of the proposed ordinance is available in the office of the City Clerk at City Hall. All persons wishing to be heard in favor or in opposition to the proposed City Code amendment should be present at the hearing or present written comments prior thereto to the Building/Zoning Official. Anyone needing reasonable accommodations or an interpreter should contact the City Clerk’s office, 203 E. Main St. (507) 449-2388. MARIANNE PERKINSCITY CLERK(12-24)

10 years ago (1993)"In their last meeting of 1993, the Luverne school Board swiftly dealt with a variety of matters. Twila VerSteeg, Luverne, resigned from the district as of Dec. 31. She has worked in the business office for more than 20 years and will take a position with the Minnesota Veterans Home, Luverne.Richard Baatz resigned from his custodial position for health reasons. He has worked for the district for 13 years."25 years ago (1978)"A 12-member study committee will be formed prior to Jan. 20 to consider the feasibility of joint law enforcement for Luverne and Rock County.The committee, it was decided by the county board and city council representatives Monday, will include the county sheriff, the acting city police chief, the county attorney, and city administrator, a city councilman, a county commissioner, and six lay persons, three to be appointed by the county board and three by the city council.Goals as outlined Monday will be to determine if the county and the city should share joint facilities, if a new facility should be provided for that purpose, or if existing facilities are adequate."50 years ago (1953)"Four times as many tourists used the camping facilities at Mound Springs State Park in 1953 as compared with 1949, according to Ed Mohr, caretaker. But, there were only half as many local people visiting the park as compared with 1952.His records show that there were 239 campers representing 29 states, four Canadian provinces, Panama and Sweden who visited the park last year."75 years ago (1928)"According to plans of the Rock County Health Association a nurse from state headquarters will be secured some time in February to make a thorough health survey of the schools in Luverne and in all villages in the county, the expenses of this work to be paid out of the county’s share of receipts from sale of health seals. If the sale of seals is large enough to permit, child clinics will also be conducted later in the year."100 years ago (1903)"The total assessed value of all property in Rock County is $5,334,124. On this valuation taxes amounting to $107,652 are to be raised for the year of 1903. The average rate of taxation in the county is 20.18 mills, and the highest rate is in Luverne village, where it is 42.28, and the lowest rate is in Mound Township, where it is 14.17 mills."

I have written several letters to the editor as a health educator, but today my letter is written as a parent and a Luverne resident.Recently, my husband decided that he wanted a steak. Meat not being my specialty, we decided to go out to eat. We loaded up our 3-year-old daughter and her 3-year-old cousin who was staying with us. Not wanting fast food, we went to one of Luverne’s fine eating establishments. It was only 5 o’clock. We figured we would beat the crowds, get those two kids fed quickly, and be on our way. As we walked in, we were surprised to see a fairly large happy hour crowd. Well, there goes that idea. Smoke everywhere. I’m not saying that everyone who enjoys a cocktail is a smoker. In fact, most are not. This restaurant/bar has a so-called non-smoking dining area but the smokers are just 10 feet away with no barriers between the 2 sections. My husband’s nephew, who has significant asthma, could have had an attack and died right there in the restaurant. Think I’m over-dramatic? I don’t think so. Many people see secondhand smoke as an irritant. I know that it is a deadly toxin. We wouldn’t expose ourselves or our healthy child to it.OK. Where else can we go? "Where are you going?" they said, as we were walking out. "We’re leaving," I said. "See the business that you’re losing because you allow smoking."Again, not big fans of fast food and didn’t feel like pizza. Remember… steak. I applaud Pizza Hut and Pizza Ranch for becoming smoke-free for the health of their customers and their employees. Whenever we want pizza or chicken, we are there! We started to think of other places to eat. The same thing happened as it does every Sunday after church. There is no place to take our family out to eat (other than fast food and pizza) in Luverne that can offer a smoke-free environment. If the dining room is smoke-free but the bar is not completely enclosed with ventilation to the outside, it is not smoke-free. It may not seem as bad, but it’s still there. Are we willing to take a chance on a substance that has been labeled by the EPA as having "no safe level?" No way.This night, like so many other nights and weekends, we took our business to Sioux Falls where new restaurants have figured it out; they are opening smoke-free. We love Luverne, we want to support Luverne, but many of Luverne restaurants do not give us the opportunity. And, we eat out a lot! The food is good, the environment isn’t.Paula AndersonLuverne

Why can't we all just get along? There is a hint of naiveté in that question, but it appears that collectively as a country we are going out of our way to antagonize our allies. Who would have thought the actions of America's political leaders could so thoroughly lower our status as a great nation in the eyes of much of the world (see France, Germany, et. al.). Perhaps if our president had left the security of his home more often as a young man to experience other cultures, we wouldn't be in this predicament. Let me tell you about one experience I had in the old Russia that serves as an example of why we need to keep an open mind internationally. The year is 1976. The Berlin Wall is more than a dozen years from tumbling down. To Americans, Russia is still considered a big, bad bear. Insert a dozen amateur basketball players from small Midwest colleges who have been invited to play in a tournament there, celebrating a Russian hero, their first man in space. I was last man to get into those games, but I was still content because my real job during the week was as reporter and logistics coordinator. While my teammates prepped for the games by getting rubdowns and ankles taped, I had the incredible fortune of dealing directly with the Russian people: bus drivers, tournament officials, scorekeepers, referees, administrators. I was experiencing Russia first hand; a Russia most Americans had firmly labeled "enemy." And then there was Nick. I celebrated the 200th birthday of America by tracing the indelible steps of the "Great October Revolution," the 1917 uprising which virtually created the first Soviet state. It occurred in what is now called St. Petersburg, but was the original Leningrad when my teammates and I arrived in the dark of an early October morning in 1976. If our hosts had wanted to reveal only the rosy side of life in the Soviet Union, they failed. We witnessed hardship and repression instead. At an expansive military cemetery our spirits were distressed by the ubiquitous somber, brown and gray clothing and the sameness of the city's dispiriting architecture. Observations of the harsh realities of Soviet personal life were everywhere. In order to claim "zero" unemployment, some people were required to do meaningless jobs, like sweeping streets all day with a homemade broom made of tree branches. In a poorly lit alley outside our hotel, a diminutive sad-looking man begged me to trade him the blue jeans I was wearing for several trinkets he displayed in a greasy, wooden cigar box. I heeded the warning to avoid such offers. Then we met Nick, our guide for our week in the USSR. Nick would be the only native who understood all our spoken English. He became an invaluable aide to us foreigners in bridging the very wide cultural gap that existed. He met us that dark October morning wearing black polished shoes, a black overcoat and the familiar and practical black Russian fur hat. He was in his 20’s and short in stature by anyone's standards, a fact accentuated when a dozen tall Americans encircled him to hear his advice and interpretations.( … continued in my next submission)

Thanks to caring, concerned turkey farmers in England, some holiday birds are heading toward serving platters with smiles on their little beaks. According to Reuters news services, "Britain’s farming union has released a chill-out album to help turkeys keep calm in the understandably stressful run-up to Christmas." At least 300 turkey farmers in that country have been playing recordings of Gregorian chants, whale calls and rustling forests to their birds during the past few weeks. Less stressed turkeys under the influence of music and relaxing sounds apparently make less gobbling noises and they don’t flutter around like proverbial chickens with their heads cut off. The only gobbling the turkeys do involves poultry feed. As a result, they put on more weight which means more profits for the farmers. Although British farmers believe the principal reason for stress among turkeys has something to do with the "crash and bang of farmyard life," it’s possible the reasons for turkey stress run much deeper and include the following: For example, it must be difficult to listen to people standing outside your pen as they speculate about your dressed-out weight and you don’t even own a suit. It must be stressful to have a person point at your legs and say, "Look at the size of the drumsticks on that one!" Turkey stress comes from watching your friends head for the open road in a truck and never receiving a single postcard from them during their travels. It can’t be easy to see one too many farm employees wearing mean-spirited t-shirts reading, "You can’t soar with eagles when you work with turkeys!" Stress can be the only reaction when you’re constantly hearing critical human comments, such as, "What a turkey!" or "I’ve heard turkeys are so dumb they drown if they’re left outdoors during a rain storm!" There are understandable fears among turkeys at this time of year. Turkey phobias include: "Sidedishphobia", which is the fear of having to share the spotlight and your final moments on this planet with heaping bowls of mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry relish. "Stuffingphobia" is a fear induced by nightmares where you’re lying spread-eagle on a kitchen table with a large bowl of a bread mixture (someone calls it "dressing") next to you. Seconds before you snap awake in a cold sweat, you think, "They’re going to put that WHERE?" Another reason for turkey trauma is the fear of being basted or glazed. There’s also the fear based on knowing that you’re the biggest turkey in the flock lately and that big turkeys have a way of disappearing. When you’re a turkey, size matters. Turkeys must also live with the growing suspicion that humans are mentally picturing them well-browned and decorated with sprigs of parsley. Although the British farming union didn’t plan to announce the number one turkey-soothing track until Christmas, we can only guess it includes sentimental favorites such as, "The Turkey Trot", "Turkey in the Straw" and "Five Fat Turkeys."

OK, so there you are, tying up the black garbage bag filled to the top with Christmas paper, bows and cards. Only one hour ago, your family was huddled around the Christmas tree hurriedly identifying whose gift was whose, passing out to each other the holiday prizes. Didn’t take long to open all the presents, ooh-ing and ah-ing over each gift. Now the room is quiet and you have stuffed the paper into the garbage bag and can see the carpet once more. It’s the same each year. Thirty days before Christmas you get in a huff to buy whatever the television tells you would be good for your kids and spouse. You wait for pay day and rush out and get that prize that will show each of them how much you love them. You hide it in the trunk of your car or under the bed until you can find the time alone to wrap it. It’s fun. It shows you care. It is now over!!!Drop that garbage bag, sit down and stare deep into the boughs of the Christmas tree. Look harder! There, see it? One more gift, how did you miss it? If you can’t see it look until you do. It’s there, the best gift of all. Almost forgotten. The gift that will last a lifetime.No special wrapping or brightly colored bow. There is not note or card attached. But it is there and it is beautiful. There beneath the branches of your Christmas tree is a gift from God. It is better than anything else and best of all it was given to you free. To some of you it is a child, full of giggles and bouncy energy. For others it is a warm home with dinner simmering on the stove. Still for others it is the warm hug from a friend or loved one. But for all of us it is special and can not be matched in any department store window or TV commercial. God knows what we need; God provides.God’s gifts to us are lasting. They provide for us day in and day out without end. They come in small packages and in large packages. They are miracles that touch our hearts and convince us that life is actually worth living. They are the proud feeling you get when you see a struggling child finally get it. God’s gifts help us become better people. God’s gifts help us recognize someone who is hurting and allows us the privilege of being there for a friend. God’s gifts don’t wear out or break. They don’t go out of style or get empty. God’s gifts last a lifetime. And best of all, no Christmas paper to throw away and all that is required of you is a gentle thank-you.

During the Christmas season, family tradition is important to everyone. Back in the dark ages, our family traditionally went to the Christmas Eve program at church, then spent the evening at home, opening gifts and being a family. On Christmas Day, Mom and Dad would bundle up their little sweetpeas, pack the Christmas gifts in the car, and head to Grandpa and Grandma Hattendorf’s house in Ocheyedan, Iowa. This family tradition remained intact for as long as I can remember. In 1988 Grandma Hattendorf died, so we changed our location-tradition to Aunt Gladys and Uncle Leonard’s house in Ocheyedan. The next year tradition flexed its independence and went totally haywire. My Aunt Lavera got sick and had to stay at an assisted living facility. We hauled all of the people, the food, and all of the gifts to the dining room of her temporary residence. The room was filled with folding tables, metal folding chairs and cheap Christmas decorations. The room was cold and lacked the intimacy of a real home. To beef up the festivities I brought my guitar and made the newly-acquired loving husband sing Christmas carols with me. He was totally mortified, but love makes people do all sorts of things they might not do otherwise. Christmas tradition survived that year, because we had each other. The next Christmas, our ever-fluctuating tradition changed locations again, to my parent’s house in Luverne. It stayed that way until Christmas, 1999. That year we headed to the nursing home in Sibley, Iowa, where my uncle Leonard resided and then on to Cousin Joel’s house in Ocheyedan. Through some bizarre real-estate-transaction, he purchased my Grandma Hattendorf’s old house. And so it goes, we were back to where we started 40+ years before. We’ve been all over the place since 1999. This year we finally landed at my house and I intend to keep it that way, at least for a couple years. Over the decades our family Christmas tradition learned to be flexible, adjusting, modifying, giving in, adding on, and letting go. The universe fluctuates, but love remains. If you want a totally steadfast, persistent, unwavering, tried and true Christmas tradition, I have good news, the Birth of the Christ Child should fill the bill. Happy Holidays to all of you from all of us. P.S. The library will be closing at 1 p.m. on Dec. 24. We will be closed Christmas Day and back to business as usual on Friday.

Legion-Auxiliary plan Christmas basketsThe following appeared in the Rock County Herald on Dec. 21, 1934:"Toys, clothing and candy will be distributed among the needy families here on Christmas morningOthers invited to join in benevolence.Contributions of wearing apparel and toys may be left at Wildung’s Grocery or Legion Club rooms.As a means of bringing Yuletide cheer to many needy families of this community, members of Dell-Hogan Post, No. 123, American Legion, and the Auxiliary will again join in distributing baskets of toys and articles of clothing to such homes on the morning of Christmas Day. More fortunately situated persons are invited to participate in this commendable act of generosity by making contributions for the baskets. New or used toys or unwanted pieces of serviceable wearing apparel may be left either at Wildung’s Grocery or at the Legion Club rooms in the Greene building, anytime between now and Christmas Eve, it was announced yesterday by Mrs. Norman Steine, president of the local Auxiliary. The ladies will fill the baskets and put them in order, while the men will do the work of distributing. This is an annual custom of these organizations, and its purpose is to reach as many families as possible whose circumstances are such that they might be deprived of the usual joy of the Christmas season. The Auxiliary women have already put up sacks of candy for each basket, but they solicit donations of toys and clothing. As usual, the number of toys to be left at each place will be regulated by the number of children in the family, making the distribution as even as possible. Passing out of the wearing apparel will be handled on the same basis.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.

There is a beauty in Christmas music performances that transcends the music, the sets, even the participants and eventually makes its home in the hearts of the audience.It seems, that for the duration of the show at least, the role of critic is suspended and the role of cheerleader is assumed. Moms, dads, grandpas, grandmas, directors, teachers all smile. Nod. Affirm. Cheer. Believe.The missed notes, forgotten words, long pauses, fallen halos, disorderly sheep are overlooked. This is no longer the front of the church; we have arrived in Bethlehem. Those halos may be tinsel, but from here they look like real gold. The baby in the manger is a girl but somehow, for tonight anyway, she could be Jesus.As the maestro takes up the baton, the school’s auditorium becomes Carnegie Hall. This is not the H-BC fifth grade band performing Jingle Bells. This, this is the future of music in our little town. There are no critics here. These are our kids. And they are wonderful. The maestro bows, gesturing to the musicians who giggle and shrug. Moms, dads, grandpas, grandmas, directors, teachers all smile. Nod. Affirm. Cheer. Believe. The vocalists assume the stage. Sixth-grade girls, with the voices of angels sing about love and hope and families and friends. Sixth-grade boys present an entire program without ever moving their lips. But these are our boys and, darn it, they’re good at … football … so we smile. Nod. Affirm. Cheer. Believe. There is a beauty about leaving the role of critic at the door. Looking for what went right instead of correcting the mistakes and trying to improve the performer; just plain-old loving our kids and their efforts … just because. There is a beauty in Christmas music performances that transcends the music, the sets, even the participants and eventually makes its home in the hearts of the audience.Merry Christmas.