Genevieve "Mutt" Carlson, 79, Hardwick, died Monday, Oct. 14, at Luverne Community Hospital. Visitation will be Thursday, Oct. 17, from 4 to 8:30 p.m. at Hartquist Funeral Chapel, Pipestone with a prayer service at 8 p.m. Services will be Friday, Oct. 18, at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Jasper. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery.

Fannie Van Wyhe, 95, Hills, died Wednesday, May 22, 2002, at Luverne Community Hospital in Luverne.
Services were Saturday, May 25, at Steen Reformed Church in Steen. Burial was in Eastside Cemetery, Steen.

Fannie Zwart was born to Ralph and Fannie (Bosch) Zwart on Feb. 22, 1907, in rural Carmel, Iowa. She grew up and attended school in Carmel.

She married James "Jim" Van Wyhe on Jan. 29, 1929, in Rock Rapids, Iowa. After their marriage they farmed near Hills. Upon retirement they moved to Tuff Memorial Home Apartments in Hills. Mr. Van Wyhe died June 28, 2000.

Mrs. Van Wyhe was a member of Steen Reformed Church.

Survivors include three sons, Henry (Clazina) Van Wyhe, Sioux Falls, S.D., Ray (Carol) Van Wyhe, Luverne, and Clarence (Arlene) Van Wyhe, Rock Rapids; 10 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; five stepgreat-grandchildren; and three sisters, Henrietta Fredriks, Jeanette Regenerus and Bertha Fiske.

Roste Funeral Home, Rock Rapids, was in charge of arrangements.

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne girls’ cross country team made history by winning its first Southwest Conference team championship during the annual league meet staged in Marshall Tuesday.

According to Cardinal coach Bruce Gluf, no LHS girls’ squad had won a SWC title in the history of the program prior to Tuesday.

That changed when three Cardinals placed in the top-10 individually to lead Luverne to a 45-71 win over Marshall and the rest of the field.

"I can’t say enough about these kids," Gluf said. "The girls were really fired up, and they wanted to win this meet. Then, they went out and ran a lot of personal and career bests. The kids competed really well today.

Lexi Heitkamp and Sadie Dietrich turned in all-conference performances by placing third and seventh with respective 15:55 and 16:04 times.

The top-seven finishers in league competition make the All-SWC squad.

Amanda Saum, Victoria Arends and Kesley Dooyema made contributions to the winning team tally by finishing eighth, 11th and 16th with respective 16:08, 16:23 and 16:54 times.

Jessica Willers and Breanna Studer placed 51st and 61st in 19:38 and 20:51 without influencing the scoring.

The Luverne boys also competed well Tuesday, placing third out of six complete teams. All of the Cardinal runners produced personal best times.

Jake Studer and Jesse Kuhlman led the chase for LHS by placing 12th and 14th with respective 17:35 and 17:36 efforts.

Ruston Aaker, Dusty Antoine and Jesson Vogt padded the team score by placing 17th, 18th and 20th in 17:54, 17:55 and 18:06 respectively.

Travis Halfmann (28th in 18:39), Trevor Maine (33rd in 18:50), Devin Goembel (35th in 18:38), Brent DeGroot (72nd in 21:33), Michael Nelson (75th in 21:54) and David Nelson (79th in 22:14) ran without influencing the team tally.

The Cardinals will run at the Section 3A meet in Slayton Oct. 24.

Here is a look at the team standings and Luverne’s other individual results from the SWC meet.

Girls’ standings: Luverne 45, Marshall 61, Jackson County Central 71, Windom 77, Redwood Valley 124, Worthington 165.

Boys’ standings: Marshall 15, JCC 58, Luverne 81, RWV 127, Windom 132, Worthington 156.

Girls’ junior high: Justin Heintzman, third, 8:27; Amanda Kannas, fifth, 8:37.

Boys’ junior high: Eric Kraetsch, fifth, 7:20.

By Sara Strong
The Lewis and Clark Rural Water System is asking members to sign a new agreement that has made the Rock County Rural Water Board a little nervous.

It recommended that the Rock County Board of Commissioners not sign the new agreement because of some cost and operational issues that differed from the original agreement.

Rural Water also asked that the County Board find funding if it wants to continue with the project, which plans to bring additional water to the entire region.

County Attorney Don Klosterbuer recommended that the Rock County Board of Commissioners table voting on the issue, which it did.

Rock County Rural Water Manager Dan Cook said, "We can stay or get out Ñ but if we sign the agreement, it may cost us double."

The new agreement caused Rock County Rural Water to rethink its position on Lewis and Clark. Some of the specific concerns include:

The new agreement allows the Lewis and Clark board discretion on billing procedures. It doesn't clarify how the "per gallon consumption charge" is determined, how the board would determine "variable costs" or what amount the "meter charge" will be.

The new agreement is more binding in that it says each member is committed to pay their proportionate share of the construction cost unless the project is abandoned by the Lewis and Clark Board.

The new agreement allows the Lewis and Clark Board to require members to make advance payments of their projected share of the capital cost. At the earliest, new water could reach Rock County in 2011, so advance payments would probably pay for construction in South Dakota. If, then, the project would not get federal funding to reach completion, some members would have paid for the system with no benefit.

The original agreement said members were obligated to continue with the project contingent on receiving at least 90 percent funding with state and federal grants. That language has been removed and it's now estimated that federal money will take 80 percent of the cost, with state and user funds making up the difference.

State funding is uncertain right now, and federal funds have come in less than the Lewis and Clark board expected when determining its cost estimates.

Cook, said he's essentially concerned about the increasing cost to stay a member of Lewis and Clark. The advance payment portion of the agreement is the biggest concern to Klosterbuer.

The estimated cost to complete the project is increasing, largely due to inflation and less federal funding than was originally planned. Original total cost for the system was $235 million.

Also, if the state doesn't come through, Rural Water would be liable for the state's portion - as would all members of the system.

In 1993 Rock County Rural Water signed on to the project for a 300,000 gallon per day delivery at 71¢ per thousand gallons. Now, that cost is now $1.25 per thousand.

Rural Water dedicated $514,216.80 to the project originally. Now cost estimates could be as high as $755,741, using 2001 dollars and supplementing state funds that might not come through.

Cook said, "It started out to be a doggone good project. The board thought, 'What good is money in the bank if you donÕt have water in the pipe?' so we were for it."

The 300,000 gallons Rural Water is allocated is about half the average consumption, and would serve mostly as a safe, reliable water backup.

Cook is also concerned about lobbyist costs to get federal and state funding. Of course, lobbyists get paid whether the funds come through or not. Rural WaterÕs estimated lobbying cost from 2002 through 2012 are $200,000.

Cook said in a memo, "As you can see, LCRW is becoming very, very expensive if you consider RCRW's well #10 can produce more than 300,000 gallons per day for less than a $50,000 development cost. Well maintenance costs would need to be paid. However, the cost of production is considerably less than LCRW proposed $1.25/1000 gallons."

The city of Luverne is also a member of Lewis and Clark, and has an allotment of 750,000 gallons a day, or half of what it expects to use at high capacity.

By Sara Strong
The Rock County Family Service Agency is looking for public comment about a possible new way of doing business.

The Rock County Board of Commissioners Tuesday approved of Family Services amending its Community Social Service Act Plan to include what's called an Alternative Response to Child Protection Services.

Rock County Family Services Director Randy Ehlers will accept comments on the amendment through Nov. 30, when the Board will formally approve the amended form of Child Protective Service.

The change, according to Jessica Sandbulte of Family Services, is for the better.

"It implements what we've already been informally doing," she said.

The Alternative Response isn't a typical investigation because it is a community-oriented approach that addresses family issues in a way that isnÕt threatening to the family unit.

Nancy Lange called it a "non-confrontational" way of dealing with families and their problems with children.

The alternative approach has been used in other counties and is gaining popularity.

Ehlers said it enables families to take care of themselves by using services available in the community - rather than being forced through the courts to change when things are too far gone.

Of course, the court system will be used in cases of severe abuse or neglect.

Ehlers hopes that families see social workers as helping them rather than coming into their homes to point out problems.

Sandbulte said families that are best served by Alternative Response are those struggling with:
child supervision
educational neglect
domestic violence without imminent child harm
physical abuse (that isnÕt statutorily prohibited)
unmet basic needs
chemical addiction
emotional abuse
Traditional Response allows workers to recommend changes or go through the courts to order change.

Alternative response means that the county will work with families through changes until they are able to move out of the Family Services umbrella and function on their own.

If implemented, the county wouldn't have to spend more for programs or hire additional staff.

By Sara Strong
The Luverne Economic Development Authority apartments have interested buyers for the second time this year.

The city went through an advertising process, called a request for proposal, six months ago and got no solid offers.

City Administrator Matt Hylen said he's sent out the information packet on the apartments as recently as three months ago and has gotten no offers on Evergreen and Mounds View Apartments.

At Tuesday's LEDA meeting, interested buyers Doug Eisma, Dan Vis, Paul Vis and Bill Vis asked the board to reconsider selling the apartments.

The board previously said it wouldn't sell the apartments for any less than the debt service still owed, which is now $1,320,000.

The LEDA will hold a public hearing if a sale is closer to taking place.

The apartments were built in the early 1990s when interest rates were higher, making it difficult for private parties to build. At that time, rental property availability was a high priority.

Earlier this year, when the sale of the apartments from public to private ownership was raised, tenants in the complexes spoke against the proposition, citing fears of rent increases and maintenance quality.

Eisma said at the meeting that he would try to hire the same maintenance managers and listen to tenant concerns before coming back to the LEDA.

By Lori Ehde
Today's the day Tri-State Insurance celebrates 100 years of doing business in Luverne.

Employees have been digging into company archives, collecting historical artifacts and planning a festive party for the public open house from 3 to 6 p.m.

Regional manager Curt Bloemendaal, who has been with Tri-State for 38 years, compiled an abbreviated history of the company.

"Tri-State's roots reach back to 1902 when a group of mill and elevator owners founded Tri-State Grain Shippers Indemnity," he wrote. "The goal was protection against financial loss in the event fire would damage or destroy buildings and grain."

At the close of the initial year, premium revenue amounted to $7,230. That compares with more than $70 million at the close of 1999.

At the time, the business included more than 30 elevators in Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa. Thus, the name "Tri-State."

That name changed in 1908 to Tri-State Mutual Grain Dealers Fire Insurance Company, and in the 1920s, the firm began writing protection on other businesses besides elevator buildings.

"Eventually, Tri-State added coverage for homes and household furnishings, as well as automobiles, inland marine, workers' compensation and other property and casualty lines," Bloemendaal recorded.

Embracing change
Changes in technology highlight Tri-State's history.

Bloemendaal said one of the first big changes in automation came in 1940 with the introduction of electronic calculators.

Computers changed the workplace in 1967 when an IBM 360 mainframe computer moved into the office. "I was an underwriter in training at the time, and I remember we had these code slips we had to fill out," he said. "All that information had to be key punched into a card, which was then fed into the computer."

Bea Rogness, who has recently retired from Tri-State, was instrumental in key-punching those cards, and ironically, she's the one who's returned to the company in recent months to help with digital imaging of Tri-State's documents.

Bloemendaal said 1974 stands out as the biggest year of changes for Tri-State.

"It was a huge year, because we adopted a new computer processing software system, we changed ownership from policyholders to W.R. Berkley Corporation, and we moved to a new building," Bloemendaal said.

That year, the company moved from 7,000 square feet in what is now Family Chiropractic downtown Luverne to 30,000 square feet in its current building just off Blue Mound Avenue.

He remembers a chaotic work environment in 1974. "We had to pull every file and key information into the new system," he said. "We were doing that as we were moving. We had stacks of files everywhere."

When it became part of W.R. Berkley Corporation in 1974, the name changed from Tri-State Mutual Insurance Company to Tri-State Insurance Company of Minnesota.

Another change took place in 1999 amid Berkley reorganization and Tri-State became a member of Continental Western Group. The Luverne office is now Continental Western Group, Tri-State Region, selling products under the name of Tri-State Insurance Company of Minnesota, Continental Western Insurance Company and Union Insurance.

Changes on the horizon
Tri-State's 100th anniversary will be celebrated in its 1974 building, but its employees will move across the street to the Berkley Technology Services building later this fall.

In exchange for Luverne Economic Development adding 8,500 feet to the BTS building, Berkley will give the $1 million Tri-State building to LEDA and sign a 10-year lease on the BTS building.

Considering Berkley had previously announced Tri-State would leave Luverne, the arrangement is good news for both the employees and for the city.

It's all about people
Today, Tri-State employs 112 people. "Tri-State is proud of its employees," Bloemendaal wrote in his anniversary report.

"Tri-State people are involved in the community in all levels, providing leadership and service to clubs, churches, professional groups and government entities. É I am very grateful for the opportunity of working side-by-side with many co-workers and agents for over one-third of the 100 years."

Open house at Tri-State
from 3 to 6 p.m. today
Black-and-white photos, 100-year-old bank ledgers and canceled checks along with plenty of other company memorabilia will be on hand for viewing at the open house.

Bloemendaal and other Tri-State employees will dress in period attire, and countless party details will provide a turn-of-the-century appeal.

For example, long-time Tri-State employees Ardell Bowman and Al Stoakes will tend a soda fountain built just for the occasion. They'll serve malts, root beer floats, sodas and New York cheesecake, courtesy of Berkley executives.

Local talent will provide entertainment, such as banjo music, barbershop quartet singing and piano playing, throughout the event, and W.R. Berkley will give an address at 4 p.m.

"We're pretty excited about reaching 100 years," Bloemendaal said, "and weÕre gearing up for our next 100."

By Sara Strong
State candidates joined a local forum Monday to help give Rock County voters a clearer picture of their options in the November election.

The Luverne Chamber of Commerce sponsored the forum, which included State Senate candidates Ñ Jim Vickerman, DFL, and Alex Frick, Republican, and State House candidates Ted Winter, DFL, and Doug Magnus, Republican.

They addressed specific questions from moderator Matt Crosby.

On prescription drugs
Frick said, "I really feel this can;'t be solved on the state level."

Vickerman said, "I think the state has to take some part of it." He said the disparity between different insurance coverages or Medicare is too variable.

Winter said it's important to pass the Fair Drug Pricing Act.

"We have to tell these pharmaceutical companies that they canÕt sell at such a high price here and sell it cheaper to Canada and Mexico."

Magnus said senior citizens are a key group to pay attention to when talking prescription drugs.

On the state's $2.5 to
3 million budget deficit:
Magnus said taxing isn't the answer to solving the deficit. "That hinders the economy," he said.
He said he wouldn't rule out a tax raise, but said running the government like a family or business, trying to cut costs, is the key to balancing the budget.

Winter said cutting budgets and finding more efficiencies in government is important to balancing the budget. He said the state should be careful where it cuts, however, because county, township, city and schools are affected by state aids.

"We donÕt want to shift the burden to local units who will pass on a levy," Winter said.

Vickerman said the state had a $900 million budget shortfall when he started in the legislature and the state managed to work through it before. He said the governor and both parties have to cooperate to balance any budget.

Vickerman said he saw some areas that shouldn't be cut when tightening the budget - schools, nursing homes and the Department of Natural Resources. He suggested different departments come up with cuts from within before more work is done on balancing.

Frick said the state has had a clear spending problem, doubling its spending in the past seven to 10 years and becoming the largest employer in Minnesota.

Before cutting existing programs, Frick suggested the state stop adding more costs. Specifically, Frick took issue with non-married partners of state workers getting state health benefits.

On health care
in rural areas
Vickerman said keeping local health care in rural Minnesota has been an important issue to him throughout his political career.

The Metro area of the state has drawn dentists, optometrists, nurses and doctors from rural areas.

Vickerman said a loan forgiveness program for nurses working in rural areas might help the situation.

Frick said the health care issue stems from the larger issue of rural areas steadily losing population.

"It's a basic problem and we can't support businesses or schools without population. We have to work hard to reverse out-migration."

Frick suggested recruiting workers in health care by advertising the high quality of life and schools in rural Minnesota.

Magnus said addressing population and looking into a loan forgiveness program would combine for better coverage in rural health care.

He said his wife worked at a hospital and quit because of the 80 to 90 hours of work expected of many workers. "That's not good for doctors or patients," Magnus said.

Winter said rural hospitals need to keep updated with technology to keep their patients from traveling to bigger facilities for their health care.

He said a key point for rural hospitals, and Minnesota hospitals in general, is the Medicare reimbursement rates.

"When many of the patients are elderly, the Medicare reimbursement keeps the hospital functioning."

Winter said rural hospitals get a lower reimbursement than Metro area hospitals, which get lower reimbursements than hospitals in some other parts of the country.

On education funding
Winter said education funding shouldn't be cut to help the state budget, because schools have to pass that cost on to local taxpayers through levies or ask for special referendums.

He said he thinks the state funding formula should be altered so that instead of per pupil funds, school are given progressively increasing funds. Winter said infrastructure costs are often the same in large and small districts with busing and building expenses. He said a progressive structure would mean Metro schools don't come out far ahead of rural.

Magnus said, "Without good education, our future is really doomed."

He pointed out that the state hasn't cut education funding, which he believed was a misconception. He said he thought the formula should stay as-is.

Frick said, "It has to be a top priority to fund education. But we have to have people living here if we're going to have people in the schools."

Frick said an option for saving education money would be combining small districts.

Vickerman said, "Wherever you live, you should have equal access to quality education."

He advocates smaller class sizes, aid for textbooks and technology, and early childhood education. He said some costs might be saved by sharing administration between smaller schools.

In closing statements
Magnus said, "The legislature needs to be run like a business by people with proven business experience."

Winter said, "I've always tried to be connected with people and issues they care about." He pointed out his past work in funding Lewis and Clark Rural Water System; working with ethanol and soybean plants and biodiesel and being a strong advocate for education.

Vickerman said he is one of the five most senior members of the DFL and prides himself on working with both parties to get things accomplished. He's been a supporter of wind energy and carried the bill to locate the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. He said people should know he's honest and that his constituents come first.

Frick said he acknowledged that Vickerman did some good things in his years in office, but that the DFL leadership of the state had to change. They've been in control for 30 years, Frick said, and in that time Minnesota has increased taxes to be one of the top in the country and jobs have left Minnesota for other states.

NOTE: The Star Herald will publish Luverne Mayor and Rock County Sheriff candidate profiles next week.

Vincent Meyer, 84, Luverne, died Thursday, Oct. 17 at Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center, Luverne. A family and friends gathering will be Monday, Oct. 21 from 12 noon to 2 p.m. and memorial services at 2 p.m. at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Luverne, with Father Andrew Beerman officiating. Burial will be at St. Catherine Catholic Cemetery. Dingmann Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Luverne in charge of the arrangements.