By Sara Strong
The second in a series of midlife seminars comes to Luverne Community Hospital at 7 p.m. Monday.

Psychologist Dr. Susan Maresh will speak on depression and mood swings through a videoconference session by Sioux Valley Hospital USD Medical Center.

Maresh said, "Women are two times more likely to have depression."

She also said 40 million more people have symptoms that would get them diagnosed with some form of mental illness.

Maresh said it's important to understand that the brain is like any other body organ and needs treatment if it's ill. "You have to treat it like you would if you had poor kidney function," Maresh said.

She will speak Monday specifically on women in midlife who experience depression from hormonal imbalances.

For example, Maresh said, "Postpartum depression can be medicated and is very treatable but can last for years if untreated."

Postpartum depression isn't as severe as postpartum psychosis that's been heard of recently when Texas mother Andrea Yates killed her five children.

For some women, even admitting to depression is a difficult thing to face, Maresh said. "Especially in the Midwest we're taught to control our moods when you really can't. You can't just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get better."

Maresh tells her patients that mood swings are messages that the brain sends the body saying that it's in pain.

"That can show up as problems in eating or sleeping," Maresh said.

Her talk on midlife emotional issues is directed toward women. Maresh said that's often necessary "because they are often caregivers and aren't used to caring for themselves. It can be seen as selfish to ask for help or not feminine in a way."

One of the major reasons people are diagnosed with depression and other mental illness today, Maresh said, is because people just live longer.

"In 1900 people lived to be 48. Today a woman who's 51 can expect to live to be 87, and depression as you age is more likely," Maresh said.

Attendance at the videoconference is free, but call 283-2321 to register.

Police officer Chuck Matson spoke and showed slides Tuesday to Hills-Beaver Creek High School students on the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Juniors and seniors held a DUI demonstration Tuesday afternoon, followed by an evening meeting in Luverne open to H-BC and Luverne parents on the signs and dangers of drug use. These meetings were sponsored by the Rock County Collaborative.

Harley Eugene Habbena, 69, Ellsworth, died unexpectedly Tuesday, March 5, 2002, at Luverne Community Hospital following a sudden illness at home.

Services were Friday, March 8, at Zion Presbyterian Church in Ellsworth. The Rev. Robert Raedeke officiated. Burial, with full military honors, followed at Grand Prairie Cemetery in Ellsworth.

Harley Habbena was born to Jack and Henrietta "Hap" (Kruse) Habbena on June 15, 1932, in Ellsworth. His family moved to Little Rock, Iowa, where he grew up and attended school. He finished the 10th grade in Little Rock and received his GED from Luverne Public Schools on Feb. 22, 1971. He served his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean Conflict, receiving his honorable discharge from the active reserve on Oct. 25, 1958.

He married Joyce Hinrichs on Nov. 5, 1951, in Ellsworth where they lived. In 1962 they moved to Adrian and to Luverne in 1963. For 35 years he worked in packinghouses as a cooler supervisor. His work took him to many different packing plants including Tama, Iowa, for 14 years, Omaha, Neb., for 11 years, and Fargo, N.D., for eight years. In 1996 they retired to Ellsworth. He began working at the Adrian Rest Area. He also did many carpentry odd jobs around Ellsworth. He also did a lot of woodworking projects.

Mr. Habbena was an active member of Zion Presbyterian Church in Ellsworth, where he served as a deacon for four years and currently was an elder. He and his wife were church custodians for the past year and a half. He served on the Ellsworth City Council for four years, the Cemetery Board for six years and was also a member of the American Legion. He enjoyed fishing, going camping and reading.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce Habbena, Ellsworth; four daughters, Colleen Faye (Roger) Kelderman, Constance Raye Habbena and her fiancŽ Jack Aschinger, all of Omaha, Neb., Colette Kaye (Steven) Johnson, Huron, S.D., and Karen Lynn (Gary) Fitzwater, Kansas City, Mo.; eight grandchildren, Melissa Colleen Kelderman and her fiancŽ, Dennis Lahm, Chad Allen Kelderman, Jacqueline Mae Kelderman and her fiancŽ, Corey Schroeder, Scott Eugene Johnson and his fiancŽ Lindsey Hins, Marie Faye Kelderman, Brandon Ray Phelps, Preston Ray Phelps, and Zachery James Fitzwater; one stepgrandson Jack Daniel Aschinger Jr.; one great-grandchild, Chasidy Marie Kelderman; one sister, Sylvia (James) Munns, Early, Iowa; one niece, Carrie Woodridge, Plano, Texas; and very special family members, Jeri Lenz, and Gene, Sandy and Julie Sanders, all of Ellsworth.

Mr. Habbena was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Jackie, and two sisters, Sally and Betty.

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

By Sara Strong
The Luverne Planning Commission Tuesday voted in favor of continuing with the process to rezone a portion of Luverne.

The recommendation from the commission will go on to the City Council for final approval.

The 30 lots affected are currently R-1 or low density residential, and the commission would like to see the council pass its recommendation to make it an R-I or residential/institutional.

The area in question includes the hospital, courthouse and Catholic church.

Chairman Jim Kirchhofer said, "It would be, to me, the natural growth direction for this area of the community."

Some citizens came to the meeting concerned about future development of the hospital or similar new facility.

City Administrator Matt Hylen said, "There has not been a request from anyone or business for rezoning. It originated from within this board to reflect what direction the city is going in."

Board member Mike Reker said, "It seems to me that with possible future expansion of the hospital, clinic or county buildings, that they should know what direction they can plan for."

Reker and commission member Bob Dorn abstained from voting because they live within the area and could be considered to have a conflict of interest.

Residents who attended the public hearing before the commission voted said their concerns with the area have to deal with noise, not necessarily a zoning issue.

They said the generator installed outside the hospital almost a year ago creates a nuisance in the neighborhood. The generator helps the hospital during peak electric usage times.

Neighbors said they don't enjoy the outdoors and have to turn up televisions or radios to drown out the noise indoors. The board said it would check with the hospital administration to see if it was aware of the problem and if anything can be done about it.

By Sara Strong
The Luverne City Council Monday accepted the lowest bid of $804,192 for this summer's major street project.

Carstensen Contracting, Pipestone, was awarded the bid for work on portions Freeman and Estey streets.

The city of Luverne will begin notifying property owners individually about their specific assessments as soon as possible.

Street and alley construction includes two alleys and portions of Freeman and Estey streets, Bishop, Crawford and Brown and involves assessing the 153 affected property owners.

Curb and gutter work is also a part of the project. It will be a uniform height and allow for handicap accessibility. Drainage and resurfacing work are also a part of the project for the road that was last surfaced in 1977.

The base of the streets will be preserved so the cost is less than it could be.

The streets are a few years overdue for repair, but the project was put off because oil and concrete prices were previously higher than they will be this year.

Delaine Jensen's third-grade class is the Luverne Elementary featured class of the week. Pictured are (front row, from left) Cathryn Hartz, Megan Saarloos, Adam May, Samantha Bakker, Sundra Xaphakdy, Andrew Kannas, Katrina Eisma, (second row) Katlyn Sawtelle, Brandon Bosch, Zane Aubert, Shelby Van Santen, Sara Von Allmen, Brady Wrede, Arianna Medina, (third row) Gretchen Nowatzki, Jeremiah Johnson, Cody Knutson, Connor Fitzer, Cody Harr, Samantha Biber, (back) Mrs. Elaine Klingenberg (aide), Mrs. Cami McAndrew (aide) and Mrs. Jensen. Not pictured that day are Matthew Engesser and Cassandra Sunderland. Mrs. Jensen's third-graders have been working on completing the Minnesota State Tests in reading and math. "We are composing poems in our writing class, and we are learning some simple Spanish words and phrases," Jensen said.

Photo by Lori Ehde

"A Celebration of Music" was presented at the Luverne Middle School on Wednesday, March 5. Instrumental and vocal students from 28 schools mastered band and vocal numbers and presented the songs to the public an afternoon concert. Guest conductor Dennis Carlson led the band in four numbers, and the choir, directed by Cliff Janke, sang five numbers. Hills-Beaver Creek students Jessie Leenderts (on trumpet), Kari Roozenboom (on tenor saxophone), Ashley Kroon (on clarinet) and Jessica Penning (on flute) were selected to attend the music festival by H-BC band director Brent Stienert.

Baily and Zach are inspiring reminders to keep life in perspective
Carson, now 9 months old, has been under the weather for nearly three weeks, and heÕs finally coming around to normal again.

Let me tell you, it's been a long three weeks. I hardly recognize the kid's nose without snot oozing from the nostrils, and a solid nightÕs sleep seems a distant memory. It's a tremendous relief to put my lips to his forehead and feel a cool 98.6 degrees.

That would be the happy ending to my sad little tale, except now both Grandma Ehde and I have the sniffles - no doubt contracted from stray germs strewn about by careless baby sneezes.

My cold will take awhile to get over, but I quickly recovered from an irritating case of self-pity Monday morning. Driving to work that day, my bones ached and the rear-view mirror reflected sleep-deprived, puffy, red-rimmed eyes.

Woe, woe was me.

That was when I heard a radio spot for Children's Miracle Network about our local families featured in this year's new "Radiothon."

Suddenly our little bout with a cold and ear infection didn't seem so serious. Some parents would give their right arms to have such ailments be their biggest concerns.

Zachary Zwaan, for example, was born with heart troubles and ended up with multiple life-threatening conditions when his brain was damaged in surgery.

His parents, Monte and Staci Zwaan, are all too familiar with self-sacrifice and the emotional roller coaster of "good days" and "bad days" of ZachÕs response to medical treatments.

Luverne's Baily Vis was born with spinal muscular atrophy, a degenerative condition that causes muscle depletion and affects respiratory functions. Baily, now 4 1/2 years old, is currently recovering from pneumonia, a collapsed lung and digestive complications, among other things.

The hospital has become a second home for his parents, Shawn and Karmen, as they spend every spare minute with him.

Remarkably, these young families don't spend much time feeling sorry for themselves. In their minds, they're the lucky ones É they thank God for every minute they're granted with their precious gifts from heaven - their little angels. Their Children's Miracle Network interviews are touching and inspiring.

Sure, these parents are weary from the struggle, but they're grateful to have the opportunity to know and love their children. That, they say, is a blessing, considering so many parents donÕt get that chance.

We would all do well to remember these testimonies of human spirit the next time clouds of self-pity gather on our horizons.

The Children's Miracle Network radiothon ends today at 5:30, but there's still time to participate. Call Luverne Community Hospital, 283-2321, for pledge information.

Send Lori an e-mail

Marjorie M. Subbert, 75, Highland Springs, Va., formerly of the Rock County area, died Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2002, in Mechanicsville, Va.

Memorial services were Monday, Feb. 18, at First Lutheran Church in Brookings, S.D. The Rev. Pam Fitzgerald officiated. Interment services were Saturday, Jan. 19, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Richmond, Va.

Marjorie Mead was born to Guy Alonzo and Sarah Estella (Plank) Mead on Nov. 27, 1926, in Bay Island, Ill.

She married Norman H. Subbert on July 22, 1945, in South Mills, N.C. In 1975 they moved to Brookings, S.D., where she worked at Shriver's and J.C. Penney for many years. She then worked at Hy Vee until her retirement in 1986. In 1986 they moved to Merritt Island, Fla., where they lived until moving to Highland Springs, Va., in 1993.

Survivors include her husband, Norman Subbert, Highland Springs; three daughters, Susan E. Gruis, Luverne, Sara E. (Ronald) Bias, Sandston, Va., and Sheryl E. Thompson, Volga, S.D.; one son, Steven E. Subbert, West Palm Beach, Fla.; seven grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and one sister, Barbara Lingafelter, Aledo, Ill.

Mrs. Subbert was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Donald.

Rude's Funeral Home, Brookings, was in charge of arrangements.