By Lori Ehde

It's been a month since the first round of surveys were mailed out for the Regional Health Profile 2002, and only 35 percent have been returned.

The project goal was a 55 percent return rate, so public health officials are putting out a plea for those citizens who received surveys to complete them.

The point of the survey, mailed May 20 to 20,000 homes by the Region 9 Development Commission, is to provide a comprehensive health assessment of citizens in south central and southwestern Minnesota.

There is currently no consistent source of health data for local county public departments to use as a basis for community health service plans required every four years by Minnesota law.

"The information is critical for us to get a true assessment of individual health needs and concerns in a community," said Ann Stehn, county health director for Kandiyohi County.
"The survey helps us determine health needs, existing barriers and efforts that are necessary to improve the overall health of our communities."

As an example, data from the 1994 RHP reported that women were not getting mammograms. This information was shared with doctors in the 27 counties and the number of mammograms has since increased.

Nearly 30 different local health providers have partnered with local public health officials on the Regional Health Profile 2002.

Questions about the survey can be directed to Jim Theurer at (507) 387-5643, ext. 890.

By Tracy Wieneke

The Rock County Fair Board is searching for talented people to participate in the first amateur talent contest August 1. The deadline to enter is July 24.

Jane Wildung is part of the talent contest committee along with four others. "We want to have a night where the entire family can get together and have fun without paying a large amount for their entertainment," Wildung said.

The idea came from a few different places. The Fair Board wanted a new fresh idea and something that was family friendly, Wildung said. Bob Zinnel presented the idea for a talent show after attending one at the Nobles County Fair where response was positive.

The fair Board loved the idea of a show that could involve the public.

"We have set aside two hours in the grandstands on Aug. 1, beginning at 7 p.m.," Wildung said, adding that the committee hopes for a variety of acts.

"It could be anything from singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument or even a comedy skit," Wildung said.
Registration forms are available at the Luverne Chamber of Commerce and at the Luverne Style Shop and entries require a $10 fee. Wildung can be reached at 283-4691 or 283-4053.

Cash prizes are available in each of three divisions. Pre-Teen Division is for contestants 12 and younger, and the Teen Division is for those 13 to 18 years old. The Open Division is for all other ages.

"We are not limiting this to any age group or even people not involved with 4-H. We want to see everyone out there, either involved or in the stands cheering the contestants on," said Wildung said.

"If you win at this local level you can compete at the talent contest at the Minnesota State Fair."

By Sara Strong

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency heard more reaction Tuesday from local producers as comprehensive feedlot inspections approach.

July will bring county employees and the Board of Water and Soil Resources to every feedlot in the county for a Level III, or the most extensive inspection.

The Rock County Board of Commissioners brought the MPCA to the table during their regular meeting Tuesday for a review of the random file inspection already conducted. And livestock producers turned out to offer questions and comments to the MPCA.

Admittedly, most producers don't agree with some state regulations and others don't like the agency that enforces those regulations.

Richard Bakken, rural Garretson, S.D., said he has "no respect" for the MPCA after the way he was treated 10 years ago when he was volunteering to bring his operation into compliance.

"You would have thought I was the worst guy in the state of Minnesota," he said.

Hills cattleman Gene Sandager said the scrutiny Rock County is going through isn't fair. "They don't have to do it in Nebraska, Argentina or Brazil, but we have to do it in southwest Minnesota," he said.

The county's part in the upcoming inspections include having a Land Management Office employee present during BWSR inspections and sharing some costs. The MPCA will visit the county weekly and specific sites when directed by the county to do so. The Attorney General will be updated as the process continues.

County costs will be partially covered by the settlement from a plea agreement with David Logan of Global Ventures, a hog operation that was involved in bribery crimes.

BWSR received $130,000 to spend on inspections and Rock County received $30,000.

In new county dollars spent, Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre estimates that $80,000 is needed to get through the inspections. That includes hiring an additional clerical person to help the LMO in data entry during the heavily administrative process.

Preliminary tests
The Level III inventories are being done by to ensure no environmental harm was done during the tenure of former LMO director John Burgers. He was implicated in the Global Ventures scandal.

The county's options were limited if it didn't follow through with the Level III. It could have lost permitting rights and grant money.

MPCA completed a random audit of 71 permits of the 618 in LMO files.

The MPCA isn't releasing specific findings or numbers of infractions from that audit, but said most of the files showed some type of error. They were more often administrative and minor rule violations, and were less often major ones.

Some of the areas of concern included: unpermitted and the closure of unpermitted earthen basins, open lot runoff with new construction, engineering plans for construction of manure storage areas, animal unit miscalculation and incorrectly identifying animal species.

The County Board accepted the audit review and passed a work plan outlining what the county will do to correct problems. It also passed a Memorandum of Understanding, which is an agreement with the MPCA in relation to the inspections.
By approving these documents, the county keeps its status as a delegated feedlot county, which means it can approve permits without state inspection, and keeps state environmental grants.

Doug Bos, of the LMO, said, "I think this is the best scenario we can go by."

Bakken said, "I don't know of a better way to do it than having local people work with producers on their sites."

No black and white
MPCA representatives agreed that many of its statutes and regulations are open to interpretation.

That's what concerns Rock County producers because they were granted permits based on another feedlot officer's interpretations.

Earthen basins, for example, are simply part of the ground that may collect manure.

MPCA representative Jerry Holein said, hypothetically, that a 6-inch depression could be defined as an earthen basin. "It can be anything when it gets to the point where it's stagnant and holding manure," he said.

MPCA Regional Manager Myrna Halbach said, "One of the things through this process we'll see, is that there's no black and white."

Holein said, "The concern is the integrity of the groundwater."

Commissioner Ron Boyenga said that as a member of the Rock County Rural Water Board, he understands the importance of water quality. "But we don't want to put people out of business so there's no one to drink it either," he said.
Preserving the state’s waterways is the chief concern of the MPCA when considering feedlots. If producers are found to have been wrongly permitted, they must come into compliance at their own cost, which will probably include an engineer signing off on a project.

Sandager said that's where his worries start. "My concern is this: You said it wasn't your intention to put us out of business. But we're running on zero to negative margins so putting dollars into our feedlots will cause us to go out of business."

Inevitable inspections
Rock County is the first in the state to see the total feedlot inspection, but the state has a goal of visiting every feedlot.

Rock County actually set that same goal in 1997, so this Level III inventory is just accelerating what would have been eventual. The goal end date for the Level III inspections is December 2004, but the county must continue after that date if the inspections aren’t complete.

A Feedlot Task Force is being formed to work through the inspection process in the county. Those interested in joining can contact Oldre. The Task Force will discuss rule interpretations within the statutes' gray areas and help disseminate public information.

For specific information on feedlot rules, visit the MPCA Web site: www.pca.state.mn.us. Click on Hot Topics, then Feedlots. A feedlot help-line is available at 1-877-333-3508.

Don and Bonnie Moeller have eight arbors in their rural Ellsworth yard and gardens. As a part of the upcoming Rock County Garden Tour, the Moellers will show participants how they've arranged their many garden vignettes. Roses are a favorite, but lilies and butterfly-attracting blossoms also take a spot in their large yard. Fences and different seating arrangements make the space intimate. Both Don and Bonnie said they enjoy time working in the gardens, which have even played host to a son’s wedding reception.

The Rock County Garden Tour starts at 6:15 p.m., Monday, June 24, (rain date is Tuesday, June 25) at the Luverne High School south side. A bus will load passengers from there and leave at 6:30 p.m. Besides the Moeller garden, tours include the gardens of Betty Sherwood, Carol Ceynowa, Sandra Dowie and Diane Jauert. For more information, contact the Rock County Extension Office at 283-8685 ext. 4. To pre-register contact the Community Education Office at 283-4724. Pre-registration is necessary to secure seating. The tour is sponsored by Rock County Master Gardeners and Community Education.

Luverne cancer survivor Teresa Graff helps light one of the 3,000 luminaries Friday night at the high school track for Relay for Life. She has been cancer free for eight years, and for her and her family, last weekend's event was a celebration of life.

By Jolene Farley

Curriculum advisory committee members Don Bosshart, Amy Christensen and Nicole Fey presented a $19,719 proposal to the school board to purchase a Scholastic language arts program.

"Elementary teachers were asked (by the committee) what they wanted to see in the language art curriculum," said elementary administrator Jil Vaughn.

The committee narrowed the search for new curriculum down to two programs.

Teachers visited area schools to see the language arts programs used in other districts and a reading specialist evaluated both programs.

The curriculum committee was very enthusiastic about the components of the Scholastic program.

"I like the layout of everything they (SCHOLASTIC, OR A PARTICULAR DISTRICT?) have," said Fey.

Bosshart liked the Scholastic magazines published monthly that mesh with existing curriculum.

The Scholastic sales representative worked with teachers to allow the swap of unwanted books and products for products they could use. Scholastic offered more than $12,220 in free books and products to the district.

"That way the teachers rearranged things so they get more of what they want and need," said Vaughn.

"The part we are most excited about is it goes with most of the books already in the library," said Christensen.

The committee assured the board that students would have no problems converting to the new program next fall.

The district has a $14,000 curriculum carryover from the previous school year that will be applied toward the purchase of materials.

The board voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of the committee and purchase the program.

In other board business:
Superintendent Dave Deragisch said he hopes to bring staff in the elementary and high school closer together. Deragisch speculates there are some teachers from the two locations that do not know each other's names even though they teach in the same district.

"We are two different worlds apart," Bosshart agreed.

"The district staff development goal is to make those connections," Deragisch said.

The board raised the price of admission to athletic events for adults from $4 to $5. The admission price of $2 for students will remain the same. The district will continue to offer punch passes at $31 for adults and $15 for students. The board will consider adding a family pass at a later date.
The board was assured other districts recently raised their admission prices to athletic events.

"We're gaining an extra dollar from the visiting teams," Deragisch said.

The district recently underwent a Special Education audit by the Department of Children, Families and Learning. State representatives pulled student files and read them cover to cover.

"I am very proud to say our special education department did an outstanding job," said Deragisch.

Robert J. Hendricks, 75, died Tuesday, June 4, 2002, at Sioux Valley Hospice Cottage.

Services were Friday, June 7th at Christ the King Church in Sioux Falls. Burial was at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Bob was born October 5, 1926 to Henry and Johanna (Boss) Hendricks in Ladysmith, WI. He graduated from Ladysmith High School in 1944. He then joined the US Army during WW II, serving two years in the Philippines during the Post-War Occupation.

He married Patricia Anderson in Ladysmith, WI, on October 8, 1949. He worked at the Ladysmith Creamery until 1951. They moved to Ames, IA, where Bob went on to earn a BS in Dairy Science from Iowa State University. The couple moved to Luverne, MN, where Bob worked as manager of the Terrace Park Dairy ice cream operation for 16 years. They moved to Sioux Falls in 1973 and he was operations manager of Terrace Park Dairy until he retired in 1980.

Bob was a member of Christ the King Church in Sioux Falls, the Knights of Columbus, VFW, American Legion and the Sioux Falls Duplicate Bridge Club.

Bob is survived by his wife Patricia, sons Mark (Jeanne) Hendricks, St. Louis Park, Greg (Shannon) Hendricks, St. Paul, daughters Jennifer Breckenridge, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Melinda (Jim) Jensen, Sioux Falls, Mary Hendricks, St. Louis Park, brother Leonard (Olive) Hendricks, Bruce, WI, sisters Katherine (Sherman) Clark, Rogers, AK, Florence Pavlik, Bruce, WI, nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; four sisters Ruby, Marge, Genevieve, and Rose, and two brothers, Christian and Raymond.

The family has requested that memorials be directed to Sioux Valley Hospice.

Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home, Sioux Falls, SD, was in charge of arrangements.

Eight Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth athletes represented their schools at the Minnesota State Class A Track and Field Championships in Blaine Friday and Saturday. Front row, left to right, are: alternates Tyson Metzger and Kale Wiertzema, Lee Jackson and Greg Van Batavia. Back: Tyler Bush, Erin Boeve and Greg Van Batavia.

By John Rittenhouse

The Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth boys' track team made a big impact at the Minnesota State Class A Track and Field Championships at the National Sports Center in Blaine Friday and Saturday.

Six Patriot boys competed in a total of five events during the state classic.

H-BC-E picked up top-nine performances in all of the events to score 26 points, which was good for a tie for seventh place with Concordia Academy in the team competition.

"We had a great meet and a great time," said Patriot coach Tom Goehle. "We tied for seventh place in the state, which is just awesome. To say you're the seventh-best team with more than 300 teams in your class is pretty awesome. These kids have a lot to be proud of."

Plainview ended up winning the team title with 65 points. St. Croix Lutheran (36), Warroad (33), Maple River (30), Luverne (29) and Staples-Motley (29) round out the top-six.

It takes dedication and sacrifice on the part of the athletes to experience success as a team in any sport, and nobody displayed more selflessness than Patriot senior Brad Haak.
As the defending state champion in the 800-meter run, it would have been easy for Haak to place emphasis on that event in 2002. He did not.

"Brad didn't win the 800 again, but that wasn't his main objective," Goehle explained. "When we talked about what he wanted to do before the sub-section meet, he said that we wanted to get a relay team to state and get a medal. In the end, his main objective was accomplished."

With Haak joining forces with sophomore Lee Jackson and freshmen Tyler Bush and Greg Van Batavia, H-BC-E fielded a 3,200-meter relay that placed fourth Saturday.

The Patriots produced a time of 8:17.3 in the finals, which was 12.12 seconds off the pace (8:05.18) set by the championship team from Warroad.

Haak ran a 1:56.3 split during the relay, and that effort took a lot out of the senior, who earned the right to compete in the finals of the 400-meter dash and the 800 later in the day.

The Section 3A champion in the 400 and 800, Haak ran respective times of 50.97 and 1:58.07 in Friday's preliminaries to reach the finals in both events.

Haak ran a 51.97 in Saturday's 400-meter finals, which was good for ninth place. Milaca's Craig Kotsmith won the race in 48.54.

Haak then made his appearance in the 800 finals in the afternoon, placing third with time of 1:58.51. Plainview's Pat Lehmann won the state title in 1:56.44.

Since the top nine performers in state competition make the All-State Team, Haak's name graced the list in the 400, 800 and the 3,200-meter relay.

Haak will continue his track career at Sioux Falls College next year.

"He should have an outstanding college career," Goehle said. "I think he’s just scratched the surface of how good he will end up being."

Bush and junior Chris Reid turned in all-state performances in Blaine over the weekend, too.

Like Haak, Bush qualified for the state meet in the 800.
He ran a 2:00.25 in Friday’s preliminaries to qualify for Saturday's finals, when he placed eighth with a time of 2:03.12.

Reid earned medals by placing in the top-six in two events.
After qualifying for the 100-meter dash finals with a time of 11.44 on Friday, Reid had to concentrate on two events at the same time Saturday.

The long jump preliminaries, an event Reid earned the right to compete in, were going on at the same time as the 100=meter finals. He came up with a jump good enough to qualify for the finals in the long jump, and raced his way to a fifth-place finish with a time of 11:38 in the 100. Cannon Falls’ Jared Chambers won the 100 in 11.32.

After a short rest, Reid came up with a distance of 20-7 1/2 during one of his three jumps in the long jump finals. That effort ended up being good for sixth place. Warroad's Beau Sabouathone won the long jump crown with a distance of 21-4 3/4.

Sophomore Erin Boeve represented the Patriot girls' program in Blaine Friday.

Boeve produced a distance of 15-7 1/4 during the long jump preliminaries, but she needed to beat 15-10 1/2 to reach Saturday's finals.

Boeve ended up with 12th place with her effort.
Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton's Alicia Mindermann won the state championship with her jump of 17-4 1/4.

By Sara Strong
Almost 60 local livestock producers showed up at the Rock County Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday to hear a presentation from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

The MPCA didn't have the audit report ready in its entirety, but shared some of its initial findings with the board.

So far, the MPCA has looked at 71 permits in LMO files, and has visited 11 sites.

Deficiencies ranged from small infractions - such as filing documents along with the inspector's notes - to more significant violations like miscalculating the number of animals permitted on a feedlot.

Tuesday's meeting was a first step in what will be the long-term inspection of each of the more than 600 Rock County feedlots. The entire process could last through 2004.

Local livestock producers are concerned about state officers and fines or changes that could result from errors in past permits.

County Attorney Don Klosterbuer said, "We have people here, who as far as they are concerned, have done everything right. É The objective is compliance, not punishment."

The MPCA can force producers to comply with state rules and laws. Jerry Holein, an MPCA feedlot specialist, said the MPCA allows producers time to fix problems.

He said sometimes engineers or consultants are needed to help producers get specific plans that allow their feedlots to meet expectations.

The added cost of that is what concerns local producers.

Richard Bakken, rural Garretson, S.D., said he had disagreeable dealings with the MPCA in the past.

He requested a review 10 years ago to make sure his Rock County production was in line with guidelines. He sought the help because the Rock County Land Management Office didn't exist then.

Bakken said the MPCA treated him with suspicion rather than showing him guidance. He suggested the MPCA treat producers differently during the upcoming inspection of all Rock County operations.

"I would hope you don't try to ride hard on these people," Bakken said to MPCA representatives.

He said the county deserves credit for developing programs and said producers should be applauded for approaching the LMO for help.

Bakken said, "If we hadn't made great strides [in the Land Management Office] the MPCA would have a harder time doing their inspections."

He said, "These people voluntarily registered so the MPCA knows where to find them all and what to look for."

Because the MPCA site audit review isn't ready, the County Board tabled passing a work plan Tuesday.

The work plan illustrates how the Board of Water and Soil Resources and Rock County will conduct a Level III inventory of all Rock County feedlots under the oversight of MPCA.

The work plan is supposed to be based on findings of the MPCA's audit, so board members reasoned that the MPCA should follow through with its report before they pass a plan that should be based on it.

One catch to passing the work plan is getting environmental grant funds of more than $100,000 that have been withheld until the county passes the work plan.

Findings of preliminary feedlot reviews
The MPCA found that the county had areas to improve upon in its feedlot administration. MPCA regional manager Myrna Halbach said the MPCA will also try to improve its part of the feedlot program as well.

Some of the deficiencies found in the small program review so far are:

unpermitted earthen basins not properly evaluated
tax exemptions not properly given
open lot runoff to surface water not addressed
unsigned and/or undated permit applications accepted in completing administrative actions
reissuance of a Certificate of Compliance (COC) without a new permit application
inconsistencies between the permit application and the COC
COC issued without engineer plans or with plans that do not meet the minimum requirements
abondonment of an earthen basin not documented
no inspection notes in file
use of registration form as a permit application
discrepancies between registration and permit information
using incorrect animal unit values
no Manure Management Plan submitted as required in rules
wrong permit or COC issued by the county
notification requirement for sites more than 500 animal units were done incorrectly.

These general findings will be made specific as the MPCA finalizes its reviews.

Audit is result of
bribery convictions
The Level III inventory is the most complete review of a feedlot and will be conducted as part of a plea agreement with David Logan of Global Ventures. LoganÕs fines cover costs of the inspections.

The Level III inventories are being done in Rock County to address any concerns that former Land Management Director John Burgers intentionally mishandled feedlot permits in Rock County.

Burgers was terminated in December after pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud in U.S. District Court.

Burgers admitted to abusing public trust through a scheme whereby he obtained loans and funds in connection with the hog production facility, Global Ventures Inc., in exchange for preferential treatment to the facility.

Burgers said that in March 1996 he learned that a hog production facility owned by Global Ventures was in violation of environmental regulations.

Instead of notifying the MPCA, Burgers contacted a senior officer of Global Ventures and advised him to take care of the problem before he contacted state officials.

A few months later Burgers approached the same officer and informed him that he (Burgers) was in financial trouble and needed money.

Per the plea agreement, the court dropped the more serious bribery charge.

Work plan
The work plan draft that was tabled by the County Board includes a timeline of total Level III feedlot inspection by Dec. 31, 2004.

It calls for BWSR and Rock County to conduct the inventories with MPCA overseeing the process.

Producers with the most animal units will have a higher priority and be inspected first. Next on the list of priorities is producers with open feedlots.

Reporting on findings of the Level III inventory also goes by the State's Attorney's Office for review.