By Sara StrongThe house on the southeast corner of Main Street and Highway 75 in Luverne, known as the Britz house, will be sold and removed this summer. High bid for the home at 219 W. Main St. came in at $10 from Darrel Van Aartsen. Vince Gacke submitted a bid for "zero," not meeting the advertised bid requirements, and was the only other bidder.The Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau has expressed an interest in turning the corner into a point of interest to draw travelers down Main Street.In 2001, the city also went through the bidding process for the Britz house. High bid for the house then came in at $1,500 from Rich Dreckman. The council at that time rejected the bid, saying it would prefer to move the house to the airport and use it as a home for a potential resident airport manager.The house cost the city $56,000 when it was purchased in 1999 for a possible turning lane.Airport plans slowingThe Council approved a capital improvement plan for the airport, including spending $15,000 on snow removal equipment.The Federal Aviation Administration entitlement monies of $150,000 have to be spent by Sept. 30 and can go toward capital purchases and land acquisition. The Airport Board recommended the purchase as the environmental assessment for the new runway is stalled at the federal level. The assessment needs to be completed before the expansion project can move into the land acquisition phase.

By Lori EhdeSeveral storms in the past week have sent Rock County residents to their yards cleaning up fallen branches, and some cases, removing entire damaged trees.The area has been fortunate to escape hail and tornadoes, but middle-of-the-night thunderstorms often came with damaging winds that left messes in their wake.Cleanup has become a daily affair for many people, since four of the past seven nights have been stormy.According to information from the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, storms passed through the area July 3, 4, 6 and 7 in the past week alone. Much of the clean-up work amounted to simple picking up sticks and using simple supplies, like rakes and wheel barrows.But in some locations, heavy equipment was needed to remove downed trees and correct affected power lines.According to Luverne Public Works Employee Darrel Ykema, city crews on Wednesday were finally able to get back to mowing and their other usual duties."We’re two days behind on everything," he said.Most Public Works employees and some city linemen were involved in city cleanup all day Monday and Tuesday.Public Utilities Director Red Arndt said linemen were involved in trimming some wayward branches, but he said there were no damaged lines."Most of ours are underground, so we didn’t have an outage," Arndt said. He said having power lines underground saves the city in repairs and labor in times like these."There were whole cities in South Dakota without power," he said. "This is why we did it."The thunderstorms also dropped about 1 1/2 inches of rain in Rock County during the past week, as of Wednesday noon.

By Sara StrongAfter being on alert for a few weeks, local members of the National Guard got official notice Tuesday that they will leave for Europe in about a month.They will be in European bases for an estimated six months.The 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery — with 46 local members — will go to U.S. bases in Europe as part of security missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.Col. Denny Shields works in public information for the Minnesota National Guard. He said, "They basically need more people power to implement security changes."Since security measures are more strict than in the past, National Guard members are helping bases around the world and across the United States implement the higher security standards. Guard members serve as additional security officers, and could be doing things such as checking IDs and patrolling bases. Shields said the battalion will be mobilized sometime in mid-August, and that exact deployment locations will be known at that time. He said the date could vary by a few days also.The options for guardsmen locations are United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Belgium or Turkey.Maj. Gen. Eugene Andreotti, the Minnesota National Guard’s Adjutant General said, "This mobilization will provide the necessary forces to ensure security for our troops, their dependents and U.S. military installations."

Meghan Horvath peers at a 1941 4-by-5 Star Herald negative Tuesday.By Lori EhdeFlorentine Films Associate Producer Meghan Horvath spent two days in Luverne this week gathering material for the upcoming Ken Burns documentary film, "The War."It will feature Luverne as one of four cities across the United States in a story about how the war affected those communities, their soldiers and their families back at home.Horvath had encouraged Luverne residents to share photos, home movies, diaries, letters and anything else that might be helpful in portraying Luverne during World War II and in the decades leading up to it. She and Historical Society President Betty Mann set up a time Monday night at the Rock County Museum to meet with residents and review materials.This meeting drew 12 residents who had valuable memoirs to share, according to Horvath, who traveled from New York for her Luverne research. "I saw a ton of fabulous scrapbooks," Horvath said. "This has definitely been a productive trip."Among other promising materials gathered, Horvath said Linda Maras shared a priceless audio recording from her uncle to his mother. "Hi, Mom. I love you. I miss you," was a message from young the soldier overseas.Alex Frick’s mother, Edna, kept a diary from 1935 to 1980, and Alex had found an entry she had written in 1941 about the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor.Frick also has love letters his father, Ray, had recorded on audio cassette for Edna when he was overseas."There are so many wonderful things," Horvath said about the materials Luverne residents have shared.She said the hardest thing to find in all of the communities featured in the upcoming film is home movies.In Luverne, Warren Herreid, George Gabrielson and Jim Herman were all able to help out in that department. Horvath said they even have footage of Luverne soldiers departing from the Omaha Depot, with teary goodbyes."Home movies were a big deal back then," she said. "People were taping home movies to send to the boys in Kodiak, and these soldiers in Kodiak taping their activities to send to their families at home."She said she found accounts in the Rock County Herald of community gatherings to view these movies at local theatres. The "Pix Theatre" was mentioned in one story.Overall, Horvath said she was impressed by the national military presence Luverne has had throughout history."Everyone has a sense of Luverne’s military role in the country," she said. "I was surprised by that because for such a small town, there are a lot of veterans here."Outside personal visits with veterans and the arranged meeting Monday with the public, Horvath spent the bulk of her visit in the Star Herald office buried in the pages of old newspapers.From those pages, she was able to cross reference information from the Star Herald negative archive.Hundreds of 4-by-5 negatives held promising images of Luverne and its people that Horvath said the film could likely use.After a long day of wrapping up loose ends Tuesday, Mann and Herreid made sure Horvath didn’t leave town without experiencing a few of its trademark qualities.For example, they had dinner the Magnolia Steak House, took a tour of Prairie Heights Bison, and came away with bison jerky to share with her friends in New York."I had never been to this part of the country, and I was surprised that I like it so much," Horvath said. "I enjoyed driving around looking at farm houses. I imagined the town to be much smaller than it was. … The houses are really gorgeous. I didn’t expect all the trees that I saw."Horvath returned to her New York office Wednesday, and she said the next step will be to organize the information and meet with film editors to determine how it will be used, what to use, and what more is still needed.She said there’s a possibility a film crew will visit Luverne next year to incorporate live footage into the movie."The War," which is set to air across the country in 2006, also includes Sacramento, Calif., Waterbury, Conn., and Mobile, Ala."The film will juxtapose and intertwine the experiences of servicemen who fought on the front lines in all theaters of the war with those of their families and neighbors back home," Horvath said."We will also track the larger military drama as it unfolds, so that we can comprehend the experiences of these ordinary people in a larger social and historical context."

By Jolene FarleyThe Hills Telephone Company has a new owner and will soon have a new name.In 1996, Alliance Communications, Hector Communications and Golden West Communications purchased telephone exchanges in Hills, Steen and Alvord, Inwood, Larchwood and Lester, Iowa, together. Effective Monday, July 7, co-owners Hector Communications and Golden West Communications sold their interests and Alliance Communications became the sole owner of Hills Telephone Company. Because of the ownership transfer, the Hills Telephone Company name will change to Alliance Communications for accounting, customer service and marketing functions, according to a press release from the company."Alliance Communications has played a crucial role in the operations of Hills Telephone Company for the past seven years," General Manager of Alliance Communications Don Snyders said. "I’ve served as a member of the board of directors that has overseen Hills Telephone Company. We’re very familiar with how Hills Telephone Company has operated over the past several years." There are no anticipated rate increases as a result of the ownership transfer. The four technicians currently working out of the Hills office will continue to serve the Alvord, Hills, Inwood, Larchwood, Lester and Steen communities. "It’s important for Alliance Communications to have a strong local presence in the communities it serves," Alliance Communications Office Manager Mark Bahnson said. "These technicians live in the communities they serve, and they’re very committed to the people in the communities."Alliance Communications also owns exchanges in Alcester, Baltic, Brandon, Carthage, Crooks, Garretson, Howard, Hudson, Oldham and Romona, S.D.The company has three business offices, with headquarters in Garretson, S.D., and satellite offices in Baltic, and Brandon, S.D.

By Jolene FarleyLocal talent will again vie for prizes and a chance to advance to the Minnesota State Fair in the annual Rock County Talent Show next month. The local talent show is planned for 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, in the grandstand during the Rock County Fair. "It’s local people from our area, a lot of parents and grandparents watching their kids," Talent Contest Committee member Ida Reverts said. "Just good local talent that I think everybody enjoys."Last year the event, sponsored by the Rock County Agricultural Society, drew 25 entries in three categories with a grandstand crowd of more than 500 people watching the contestants. Last year’s entries included instrumental, vocal and dance acts, according to Reverts."We’re hoping to get a few more this year," she said. There are three categories of competition: the open division is for any age contestants, the teen division is for young adults 13 through 18 years old, the pre-teen division is for children ages 12 and younger. First place prize in all categories is $100, second place prize is $75 and the third place prize is $50. First place winners will be invited to participate in the Minnesota State Fair contest, scheduled for various dates from Thursday, Aug. 21, to Sunday, Aug. 31.Talent contest committee members Ida Reverts, Bob Zinnel, Lyle Nelson and Jane Wildung are each asked to find one judge for the contest, according to Reverts. The stage, sound system, piano and lighting system are provided by the Fair Board during the two-hour event. Acts cannot be longer than four minutes and practice times will be arranged on the day of the event.Entry forms may be picked up at the Luverne Chamber of Commerce and at the Luverne Style Shop. To receive a registration form by mail, call Wildung at 283-4691 or 283-4053, or mail a request to 202 East Main St., Luverne, MN, 56156. Questions can also be directed to Ida Reverts during the day at 449-4900. Registrations and a $10 registration fee must be postmarked no later than Thursday, July 24, or hand-delivered by Friday, July 25, to Wildung at the Luverne Style Shop.

By Jolene FarleyCounty Board Member Richard Bakken attended the Hills City Council meeting Tuesday asking for the council’s support in the county budget process.He thanked Mayor Jim Jellema for a letter he had written detailing how budget cuts could affect a small community like Hills and make the community a less attractive place to live. Sen. Jim Vickerman read and commented on the letter, according to Bakken.Bakken said Rock County will have to cut or find $500,000 in its budget and asked the council for input."The biggest thing you are going to notice is cuts in services," he said."If anything comes up here that you would like me to take to the County Board, let me know," he said.The most visible cuts are likely to be in the Human Services Department, according to Bakken. The Highway Department may also lose funding, but that may not be as apparent because projects may be only delayed.The Sheriff’s Department is facing the challenge of providing 24-hour coverage to the county with limited staff, Bakken said. Currently, the county has two fewer deputies on staff than it has in the past."We’re a small county, but the sheriff’s got a million dollar budget," he said. "Everything is pretty much on the table. I really would like some input, because that’s the only way I can represent you."In other business:
Mayor Jim Jellema asked council members their opinion on paying for an agri-lime application for the softball diamond."We furnish the lights, we mow it," he said. The council also recently paid for the cost of materials for a sandbox at the field.Jellema added the Baseball Association paid for the agri-lime application for the baseball field. "I can see their point. It should have been done a long time ago," said Council Member Arlen Leenderts.The council asked for a price on the application for their next meeting."There’s two ball teams that play on there. Let them kick in," Jellema said.
The council reviewed a bid to paint the interior of the Hills Legion building. The council asked City Clerk Connie Wiertzema to get another bid for comparison pricing.The bid is for painting all the walls and the stage, including the paneling, in the building. Jellema said he hopes a fresh paint job will brighten up the interior of the building.
The council asked City Employee Wayne Ward to seek bids to fence in the designated burn area on the edge of town. Jellema said batteries and a recliner have shown up at the sight.The council discussed locking the gate after a fence is installed and allowing set hours for dumping.
Ward suggested that the council adopt a policy of not renting out city equipment unless it’s operated by a city employee. The council agreed after discussing possible liability issues."My suggestion would be that the only time we do rent it out, he’s (Wayne) doing it," council member Keith Elbers said. The rental rate is $40 per hour and time and a half for the employee with a minimum rental charge of one hour.
The cost to remodel the Post Office building was less than anticipated at $3,112. Contractor Jeff Bass bid the job at $2,500 with out the cost of the door included.

Dave and Dawn Leenderts, Hills, are expecting triplets soon. The babies will join a big brother, Dawson, who will turn 3 in August. The triplets were conceived without fertility drugs, making them a rare occurrence, because only one in 10,000 pregnancies naturally result in triplets.By Jolene FarleyDave and Dawn Leenderts, Hills, will be welcoming not one baby, but three into their family soon.Dawn, 31, found out during a routine 19-week ultrasound in April that she was the one out of 10,000 women that conceives triplets. The test revealed that Dawn is carrying two boys and a girl.The couple’s son, Dawson, will turn 3 years old in August and they used no fertility drugs to conceive. Although the Leenderts couldn’t find any triplets in the family tree, they have two distant relatives that had twins. Dawn’s grandmother’s sister had twins 70 years ago and Dave’s cousin had twins. Dawn, who was alone when she found out their family was growing much faster than expected, said she cried. "They found two of them," she said. "Then she looked around and they found three.""I was by myself, just shocked," she said. When she called her husband at work to tell him of the findings she warned him he better be sitting down. Dave said he had to calm his wife down. After the ultrasound, Dawn was referred to Perinatologist Dr. William Watson, a specialist in multiple births. Dawn said the only indications she had of a multiple pregnancy was she was larger earlier in the pregnancy and although she had morning sickness with Dawson, it was more severe with this pregnancy."It never went away," she said. "It lasted all day long." She also had urinary tract infection, a common ailment with a multiple pregnancy because the babies press on the bladder.With a due date of Sept. 12, Dawn is now 30 weeks into her pregnancy. Doctor Watson advised the couple that 32 weeks is an important milestone for premature births. Babies born past 32 weeks have better lung development, according to the couple.Earlier in the pregnancy, Dr. Watson prepared the couple for the reality that the babies will be born small and early and they will stay in the neonatal intensive care unit for a while after birth. He told the couple women carrying triplets are usually on bed rest by 20 weeks and sometimes hospitalized.Luckily, Dawn and the babies have done remarkably well and only recently has Dawn been put on semi-bed rest for a couple hours a day. Ideally, Dr. Watson would like to see the babies delivered after 36 weeks, but at the last visit he told the couple it could happen earlier. They have a girl’s name picked out but haven’t chosen names for the two boys. All the names will begin with a "D" like their son, Dawson. Friends and co-workers have given or loaned the couple cribs and other baby items. "The support of the community and family and friends has been wonderful," Dave said.The couple hasn’t developed a definite schedule for help after the babies are born but they say everyone is willing to pitch in. Family members are using vacation time to come and help care for the babies. "The toughest part after the babies are born will be adjusting and figuring out how to manage three infants at one time, three schedules, three feedings," Dawn said. "And trying to find room in our house."The couple was forced to purchase a mini van because their car couldn’t accommodate four car seats.Dave works at New Vision Co-op in Hills and Dawn worked as a Special Education Teacher for the Brandon School District. Dawn was granted 12 weeks of maternity leave, but was turned down when she requested a one-year leave of absence. Dave said his main concern is to make sure that everybody is healthy and things are proceeding well with Dawn and the babies. "I told her we’d just take everything else as it comes," he said. The couple has been trying to prepare soon-to-be big brother, Dawson, for two new brothers and a sister."He likes the sister idea," Dawn said, "But doesn’t say much about brothers." Dawn said she’ll be relieved when her pregnancy is over. "I’m getting very uncomfortable," she said. "They’re in my ribs and they’re all over. There’s not a lot of room for them."The babies will be delivered at Sioux Valley Hospital in Sioux Falls .

Britz Open scheduled for July 20 at LCCThe Luverne Country Club is planning the first Britz Open, which it hopes will become an annual event.Hosted by former LPGA U.S. Open Champion, Jerilyn Britz, the July 20 tournament will be an 18-hole, 2-person event.The first nine holes will be a scramble, followed by an alternate shot.The tournament is divided into four divisions: Junior (15 years and younger), Women’s, Men’s and Mixed.If you would like to participate, you need to sign up by Friday, July 18.Contact the Luverne Country Club at 283-4383 for more details.Hot Dog NightLuverne’s 41st annual Hot Dog Night is set to go tonight, Thursday, July 10.Fifty-two businesses will take part in the event this year that is expects to give away more than 10,000 hot dogs as well as the buns and drinks to wash it all down.The grilling is expected to start at 6 p.m.The American Dairy Association plans to sell ice cream cones and the Luverne Lions Club will have their concession trailer downtown.Entertainment will be a part of the night.The spotlight dancers will have a demonstration beginning at 6 p.m. in front of the Palace Theatre.At 6:45 p.m. the Luverne Tae-Kwon-Do will demonstrate their skill in the vicinity of the Pizza Ranch.The Heartland Prairie Band will perform in the lawn of the Carnegie Cultural Center from 6 to 8 p.m.At 8:30 p.m. the 4-H will hold their annual dress review at the Hinkly House.There will also be a Noah’s Arc Jumping Castle open from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in front of city hall for kids to use, free of charge.Luverne Lanes reopens under new ownershipThe newly remodeled and renovated Luverne Lanes will open for the first time tonight under the new ownership of Cory and Lisa Schneekloth.Since purchasing the business in May from John and Ahne Serie, the Schneekloth’s have remodeled the interior with a 1950s theme as well as adding to the concession options.The new opening will coincide with Luverne’s annual Hot Dog Night.Pheasants Forever promotes GRPPheasants Forever is encouraging area farmers and landowners to sign up for the new Grassland Reserve Program .Sign-up for the GRP began nationwide on June 30, and runs through Sept. 30.The GRP is a new program authorized by the 2003 farm bill to address the loss of grasslands, rangelands, and pasturelands across the country.GRP participants collect payments for restoring and conserving these environmentally sensitive areas.Grasslands provide critical habitat for pheasant and a wide variety of wildlife, as well as play an important role in preventing soil erosion, improving water quality, and contributing to rural economies.GRP is patterned after Conservation Reserve Program, (CRP) which was started in 1985 and is the federal government’s largest environmental improvement program.Privately owned grasslands and shrublands cover more than 525 million acres in the United States.Between 1982 and 1997 more than 23 million acres were converted to cropland and another six million were urbanized during that same time.During 2003 fiscal year $49.9 million was made available for the implementation of the program.For those who wish to participate, several options are available.oPermanent easementsoThirty year easementsoRental agreements in 10-, 15-, 20- and 30-year durationsIf you have more questions about the program, you can contact either the Farm Service Agency or NRCS at 283-2369.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com