By Lori Ehde
Lisa Dinger is the new Guide at Luverne Elementary School. She is full-time, replacing two part-time guides who ran the program last year.

Child Guide is a program implemented last year in Luverne designed to connect students with positive things in their communities.

"All these assets are in your communities, but the problem is children aren't connected to all these good things," Marlyn Benson told Luverne School Board members when she introduced the program last year.

Benson works with the Southwest-West Central Service Cooperative to coordinate the program in area districts.

"We don't provide the assets," she said. "We connect kids to programs and programs to kids."

In school districts that use Child Guide, teachers and staff are asked to keep their eyes open for students who may be struggling - either from problems at home or with their peers.

Child Guide doesn't do the work of a school psychologist or counselor but works on referrals from them.

Help is often as simple as a cheery greeting to a student in the morning or offering special praise for a minor accomplishment.

In many cases, students' self-confidence can benefit from involvement in 4-H or Scouts, but parents don't have the time or funds to enroll the child - or don't see the need.

In that case, a Child Guide representative might make a friendly contact with the parents about the advantages of involving the child in a certain activity.

If costs or transportation are an issue, Child Guide might connect the family with local sources of revenue or with volunteers to drive or carpool.

Child Guide came about when the Legislature took aim at reducing juvenile corrections costs. It asked the Southwest-West Central Service Cooperative to design a program to help kids before they get into trouble.

The cooperative and Southwest Minnesota Foundation developed Child Guide as a result.

After piloting the program for six years in the Willmar School District, Kandiyohi County Family Services reported a noticeable decrease in juvenile-related caseloads.

Dinger, who has already started in the halls of Luverne Elementary School, said sheÕs excited about the program and is eager to meet the students.

"The Child Guide program is an excellent program to be utilized by the school and community for all children in meeting their needs," she said, "and not any one specific group."

Dinger said the existing Child Guide activities, such as Kids in Commons and the elementary newspaper will continue, and she'll start a new one if interest is there.

She and her husband, Don, live in Luverne and have children in Luverne Public Schools.

Child Guide in Luverne is funded through the Rock County Collaborative, Blandin Foundation, SW/WC Service Cooperatives, Southwest Minnesota Foundation, Minnwest Corporation and The Sheltering Arms Foundation.

No district funds are spent on the project. Child Guide representatives will be employees of the Service Cooperative. All the district is asked to do is provide desk space.

Rock County Transit Director Terrie Gulden, standing, and full-time dispatcher Elaine Vanden Berg work at the dispatching center Monday. They are testing new digital equipment that would prevent rider information from being broadcast over public airways. One of the potential vendors estimates a new system would cost about $8,000.

By Sara Strong
Heartland Express, Rock County's busing system, may change its dispatching methods this year.

There's nothing particularly wrong with the current radio system, but Rock County Transit Director Terrie Gulden wants to improve it for Heartland Express passengers.

He's seeking funding for a more secure system of dispatching that would prevent people with scanners from hearing private or sensitive information.

Gulden said his concern wasn't prompted by specific problems with the current radio system.

"There's just heightened security everywhere," he said. "My push is to look at things we can do here, proactively - I'd like to do something if we can."

A change in dispatching would mean better security through a more private radio system.

Heartland's busing isn't on a schedule with times and locations on a route, like many other public transits. Here, customers call when they need a ride, and one of three or four buses accommodates them.

Gulden is concerned about security, but funding is also a concern.

In 2001, legislators voted to stop counties from being able to levy for transit, and Gulden expects state funding to be flat this year with probable cuts in the future.

"We're finding that it's not enough," Gulden said.

He's applied for a grant to help fund a communication system upgrade, but heÕs also looking for funds locally.

"I'm not going to wait for [the state] to say no in January," Gulden said.

He's hoping for local or state organizations with community grant money available to help pay for a change in dispatching system.

Because of its limited funds, Heartland Express is increasing passenger rates for the first time in four years, starting January 2003. A ride in Luverne will increase 25¢, up from the current $1.25; countywide rates will increase 50¢, up from the current $2.50.

This year Heartland Express will complete an estimated 30,000 rides.

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth began defending its 2001 Southwest Ridge Conference football championship with a win in Hills Friday.

The Patriots entertained Southwest Star Concept, a talented team that is expected to be one of H-BC-EÕs top challengers in the league this year.

SSC put up a good fight in Friday's game, but the Quasars never had a lead in the game that went to the Patriots by a 23-14 margin in the end.

The game was close most of the way, but H-BC-E dominated the contest statistically while avoiding mistakes that could have turned the contest into an upset.

"It seemed like we had the ball most of the time," said Patriot coach Dan Ellingson. "The score was close in the end, but we seemed to be in control of the game most of the time."

SSC quarterback Tyler Leopold passed the ball for 87 yards and two touchdowns in the game, but it was the three interceptions he threw early in the game that helped the Patriots build a lead they would never relinquish.

Leopold threw interceptions to end each of SSC's first three offensive possessions, and H-BC-E ended up scoring 10 points off the turnovers.

Cody Scholten's first of two picks of the game, which ended SSCÕs first possession of the tilt, didn't lead to any points.

Leopold's second interception went to Zach Wysong, who returned the ball 21 yards into Quasar territory. When H-BC-E's ensuing drive stalled, Wysong was called upon to boot a 27-yard field goal that gave the hosts a 3-0 cushion.

According to Ellingson, H-BC's field position after plays like WysongÕs defensively tilted the game in favor of the hosts.

"I think the big key in this game was field position. We were able to force them to do some things they didn't want to do because of where they were at on the field. That was a big advantage for us," he said.

Scholten's second interception of the game late in the first quarter came back to haunt SSC as well.

After taking over near midfield, the Patriots advanced the ball inside the SSC 10-yard line before Chris Reid, who ran for 153 yards in the game, scored on an eight-yard scamper at the 9:14 mark of the second quarter. WysongÕs extra point made it a 10-0 game.

SSC got back into the game late in the first half, when Leopold hooked up with Eric Joens for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 2:24 left in the second quarter. Javier Jemenez added the extra point to make the difference 10-7.

Good field position helped the Patriots again when Wysong returned the kick following SSC's first touchdown 44 yards into Quasar territory.

The big return set up a drive that appeared to be in trouble when the Patriots faced a fourth-and-goal situation with two seconds left, but quarterback Curt Schilling delivered an eight-yard touchdown pass to Reid as time ran out in the first half. Wysong booted the extra point to make it a 17-7 game at the intermission.

SCC trimmed the difference to three points (17-14) with its first possession of the second half. Leopold hit Stephan Mathias for a 21-yard score at the 6:12 mark of the third quarter, and Jemenez's extra point followed.

The Patriots got six of the points back late in the third quarter, when Schilling tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Brant Deutsch with 19 seconds left in the period. Wysong's extra-point attempt was blocked, leaving the Patriots with a 23-14 advantage they were able to keep by blanking SSC in the final 12 minutes of the game.

"It was a close game, and we knew it would be," Ellingson said. "With the guys SSC had coming back, we knew this game would be a good test for us. We were happy to come out on top."

The 2-0 Patriots will play 1-1 Lake Benton in their first road game of the season Friday.

The Bobcats lost a 26-6 game to Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster last Friday, but Ellingson said the Bobcats will offer the Patriots a challenge.

"Defensively, Lake Benton always is one of the hardest hitting teams we'll face all season. That's something weÕll have to be prepared for. Offensively, they like to run plays out of a full-house backfield. TheyÕll run power-running plays out of the full-house set. They also like to get their running backs involved in the passing game," he said.

Team statistics
H-BC-E: 213 rushing yards, 61 passing yards, 274 total yards, 13 first downs, four penalties for 26 yards, one turnover.

SSC: 54 rushing yards, 87 passing yards, 141 total yards, four first downs, two penalties for 20 yards, three turnovers.

Individual statistics
Rushing: Reid 26-153, Schilling 11-25, Jesse Leuthold 8-21, Wysong 1-5, Dusty Seachris 1-9.
Passing: Schilling 7-13 for 61 yards.

Receiving: Tyson Metzger 5-39, Reid 1-9, Deutsch 1-13.

Defense: Schilling 11 tackles, Wysong four tackles and one interception, Scholten three tackles and two interceptions, Leuthold one tackle.

Hills-Beaver Creek junior hitter Erin Boeve tips the ball past a Sibley-Ocheyedan blocker during Monday's volleyball match in Hills. Boeve had eight kills and six blocks during a 3-0 loss to the Generals.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek volleyball team was unable to shake what now stands as a four-match losing skid to start the 2002 season when it hosted Sibley-Ocheyedan, Iowa, Monday.

The Patriots played a pair of strong games after a rough start, but it wasn't enough to keep the Generals from walking away with a 3-0 win.

S-O took control of Game 1 by turning a 3-2 edge into an 11-2 cushion with an 8-0 run.

Erin Boeve, who led the Patriots with eight kills and six blocks in the match, ended S-O's run with an ace block. The Generals, however, scored the next four points to prevail 15-3.

Games 2 and 3 were much more competitive.

One service point by Brittney Rozeboom and two more from Angie Sjaarda gave the Patriots a 3-0 lead early in the second game, and the difference was four points (6-2) when Sarah Rozeboom served a point as the game progressed.

S-O moved in front 7-6 with a 5-0 run and led 10-8 when Boeve served a pair of points and one ace and Cassi Tilstra served a point to give the Patriots a 12-10 advantage.

The score favored H-BC 13-11 when S-O reeled off four straight points to clinch a 15-13 victory.

A three-point service run by Boeve gave H-BC a 5-2 lead in the third game before S-O countered with a 6-0 run to move in front 8-5.

Two kills and a tip by Boeve tied the game at eight, but the Generals scored four straight points to gain a 12-8 cushion.

One block, one ace serve and one point from Boeve trimmed the difference to one point (12-11) before S-O scored three straight points to prevail 15-11.

Tilstra (six of six), Sjaarda (eight of eight with one ace) and Brittney Rozeboom (five of five with one ace) were perfect at the service line for H-BC.

Sarah Rozeboom provided three kills. Kelly Mulder had four blocks and one kill.

H-BC hosts Mountain Lake-Butterfield-Odin tonight before playing at the Central Lyon Tournament in Rock Rapids, Iowa, Saturday.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek volleyball players lost a chance to record their first win of the season when they traveled to Comfrey for a Red Rock Conference match Thursday.

The Patriots led 2-1 after winning the second and third games of the match, but Comfrey bounced back to win Game 4 and erased a six-point deficit to win 16-14 in the decisive fifth game.

H-BC coach Curt Doorneweerd was glad his team was in a position to win the match, but that doesn't erase the disappointment of losing a five-game tilt.

"I have mixed emotions, because you hate losing a close match like that," he said. "The girls played hard and never gave up. We just made a couple of mental mistakes that let Comfrey back in the match. We couldn't shut the door on them."

After dropping Game 1 15-9, H-BC pulled out a 15-12 win in Game 2 before coasting to a 15-6 victory in the third game to gain position for a possible match win.

Comfrey battled back to post a 15-8 win in the fourth game to force a fifth and deciding tilt.

The Patriots appeared to be in good position when they opened a 12-6 advantage in the finale. The Rockets, however, went on an 8-1 run to gain a 14-13 edge before the Patriots knotted the score at 14. Comfrey then scored the final two points to lock up a 16-14 victory.

Erin Boeve dominated the meet by recording 16 kills and seven blocks for H-BC. Angie Sjaarda added five kills, and Kelly Mulder chipped in five blocks and three kills.

Cassi Tilstra completed all six of her serves and registered three kills. Sarah Rozeboom and Jody Rentschler charted two and three kills respectively.

By Jolene Farley
Hills-Beaver Creek School Board memvers approved a 4-percent increase in the 2002-03 budget at their Monday meeting.

The board action raises the budget from $2,292,644 last year to $2,384,350 this year. The jump will cover cost-of-living pay increases to employees, according to Superintendent Dave Deragisch.

He said salaries represent about 85 percent of the budget.

Deragisch will present the final budget draft for approval at the board meeting on Sept. 23.

More students this year
More students mean increased revenue to the district, so Deragisch was pleased to report better-than-anticipated enrollment.

"We are really sitting in pretty good shape, financially, compared to what I thought in June," Deragisch.

A total of 300 students were enrolled for the first day of classes at H-BC. Of those, 153 were high school students and 147 were elementary students.

Those student counts include 13 new open enrolled students, eight in the elementary and five in the high school, from Iowa, South Dakota and neighboring Minnesota districts.

"Our numbers are looking good," said Deragisch. He said his goal is to maintain student numbers or gain.

State aid is weighted in favor of high school students. The district is reimbursed an average of $5,000 per open enrolled student.

Board member Gary Esselink asked if administration monitors new students that move into the district.

Deragisch said he frequently receives calls or tips from area residents when new families move to the district.

"I think we have a pretty good handle on who should be here and who is here," he said.

In other board business:
Coronation is at 7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16. The homecoming dance will be at the Beaver Creek Golf Course to avoid wear and tear on the gym at the high school, let the volleyball team practice, and eliminate decorating time and expenses.

The elementary open house will be from 7 to 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23.

More than 70 elementary students responded to a questionnaire sent home about starting a soccer league. The first game will be Saturday, Sept. 14. Volunteers are needed.

By Jolene Farley
At their Monday meeting, Hills City Council members approved a 2003 budget of $239,045 with a levy of $52,089, a 5-percent increase to taxpayers.

The council had agreed unofficially at the last meeting to a levy of $55,089. Council member Arlen Leenderts wanted that figure decreased by $3,000.

"I feel it's too much," he said. "Myself, I feel we should do some cutting."

Leenderts, who wasn't present at the August council meeting when budget allocations were discussed at length, said he wanted to keep any budget increase around 5 percent.

After some discussion, the council decreased funds allocated for the American Legion building by $1,000, funds allocated for the purchase of a new tractor for the city by $1,000 and funds allocated for the purchase of a pickup by $1,000.

Jellema said the budget is really just a numbers game.

"The cold hard facts remain," said Mayor Jim Jellema. "When one of these babies is done (tractor or pickup) we're going to have to do something."

In other board business:
The council cancelled water restrictions; then discussed other water-related topics.

Mayor Jim Jellema suggested obtaining a price on a larger pump for the city well. Jellema was concerned about the possibility of running out of water during a dry period or a period of heavy water usage.

"I would like to have a backup," he said. "If we end up with a six-inch line, it's not going to make much of a difference, but we could just as well use that water for the elevator or for fires."

Discussion stemmed from a Tuesday, June 25, incident when the city water tower was pumped dry.

Rock County Rural Water has offered an option of installing a six-inch water line from two miles north of Hills to the northern edge of town.

The larger water line would increase water pressure and capacity, but would cost the city $219,024.

The council will meet with Rock County Rural Water and a Rural Economic Development representative Tuesday, Oct. 8, to discuss the proposed water improvement project.

Leenderts suggested the land the city owns behind the Southern Hills Apartments should be surveyed and possibly sold. The council anticipates the land could be divided into three or four lots.

"Maybe we should get someone in there and measure the thing off," Jellema said. "We need a legal description to it for sale."

Council members decided to start council meetings at 6:30 p.m. rather than 6 p.m. beginning in 2003.

It just occurred to me that primaries could be more important than the final election.

Not just locally - with the auditor/treasurerÕs office having seven candidates - but in state offices. Primaries are important, because in theory, the best people make it through to the final election.

I consider primaries to be like weeding a garden before the harvest, if you know what I mean.

A very important race takes place this year in the office of Rock County Auditor/Treasurer.

Not being from here, I won't vote based on personality or family history - and even if I knew that about the candidates, I wouldn't form a decision on those factors anyway.

I don't think church affiliation matters, and I wonÕt count candidates' children or volunteer activities when I make my vote.

This is a position that manages county finances, investments, tax collections, elections and a host of other important duties that voters need to take seriously.

Good luck at the polls, and may the best woman win.

I honk for anonymity, not bumper stickers
A few weeks ago, I pondered the use of bumper stickers to proclaim car drivers' theories on life.

I've gotten a few comments since then and found a list of interesting bumper stickers that are clever ... but I still wouldn't put them on my car.

If You Drink Don't Park, Accidents Cause People

If At First You Don't Succeed ... Blame Someone Else And Seek Counseling

If You Can Read This, I've Lost My Trailer

Horn Broken ... Watch For Finger.

You're Just Jealous Because The Voices Are Talking To Me

The Earth Is Full - Go Home

I Have The Body Of A God ... Buddha.

This Would Be Really Funny If It Weren't Happening To Me

So Many Pedestrians - So Little Time

Cleverly Disguised As A Responsible Adult

The Face Is Familiar But I Can't Quite Remember My Name

Eat Right, Exercise, Die Anyway

Honk If Anything Falls Off

Cover Me, I'm Changing Lanes

He Who Hesitates Is Not Only Lost But Miles From The Next Exit

I Refuse To Have A Battle Of Wits With An Unarmed Person

You! Out Of The Gene Pool!

Where Are We Going And Why Am I In This Handbasket?

Heart Attacks ... God's Revenge For Eating His Animal Friends

How Many Roads Must A Man Travel Down Before He Admits He is lost?

Money Isn't Everything, But It Sure Keeps The Kids In Touch

My Hockey Mom Can Beat Up Your Soccer Mom

All Men Are Animals, Some Just Make Better Pets

Your kid may be an Honor Roll student but you're still a moron