Luverne Community Hospital hosted a class Tuesday night for children expecting little brothers or sisters. The informal class covered what to expect when babies come home, including what they'll be wearing, like little hats and wrist tags. Teacher Ruth Opsata talked about choking hazards, washing hands and how not to handle the newborns. Pictured above are students are Nathan and Dillion Hoiland experimenting with diaper changes. Also shown are Chelsea and Dalton Javner, Hardwick, trying to measure the length of their pretend newborn to expectant mom Deb Javner.

Photos by Sara Strong

Wendy Bosshart's fifth-grade class is the Luverne Elementary Class of the Week. Pictured are (front row, from left): Jonathon Kurtz, Jacob Gonnerman, Matt Knips, Jon Swenson, Amanda Ward, Liz Solma, Maryha Johnson, Kelby Robinson, (middle row) Eric Woodley, Codie Swanson, Steven Randolph, Katie Kreuch, Maddy Halfmann, Diana Hanson, Rachel Nath, Erika Rust, Patrice Tate, (back) Alyssa Novotny, Justin Hamann, Matt Stensland-Bos, Sammy Dara, Kenny Olson, Nick Gibney, Chris Bolt, Sandra Jaqua, Chelsea Ykema and Mrs. Bosshart.

The students have been working hard on reaching their goals in accelerated reading for the second quarter and are looking forward to receiving their rewards for meeting their goals.

Photo by Lori Ehde

Cronberg probate
DISTRICT COURT
PROBATE DIVISION
FIFTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT
NOTICE OF INFORMAL PROBATE OF WILL AND APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
STATE OF MINNESOTA
COUNTY OF ROCK
ESTATE OF
Lucille E. Cronberg, a/k/a Lucile E. Cronberg, and as Lucile Cronberg
DECEDENT
Notice is given that an application for informal probate of the Decedent's will dated Sept. 13, 1967, and codicil (N/A) to the will dated N/A, and separate writing (N/A) under Minn. Stat. 524.2-513 ("Will"), has been filed with the Registrar. The application has been granted.

Notice is also given that the Registrar has informally appointed John Cronberg whose address is: Rural Route 1, Box 115, Luverne, Minnesota 56156 as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent. Any heir, devisee or other interested person may be entitled to appointment as personal representative or may object to the appointment of the personal representative. Unless objections are filed with the Court (pursuant to Minn. Stat. 524.3-607) and the Court otherwise orders, the personal representative has full power to administer the Estate including, after 30 days from the date of issuance of letters, the power to sell, encumber, lease or distribute real estate.

Any objections to the probate of the will or appointment of the Personal Representative must be filed with this Court and will be heard by the Court after the filing of an appropriate petition and proper notice of hearing.

Notice is also given that (subject to Minn. Stat. 524.3-801) all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the date of this Notice or the claims will be barred.

/s/ Timothy K. Connell 1/15/02
Timothy K. Connell
Registrar Date
/s/ Sandra L. Vrtacnik 1/15/02
Sandra L. Vrtacnik
Court Administrator Date
Attorney For Personal Representative
Terry Vajgrt
Skewes, Klosterbuer & Vajgrt, L.L.P.
120 N. McKenzie
P. O. Box 538
Luverne, MN 56156-0538
Telephone 507 283-9111
Attorney License #205035
(1-17, 1-24)

Mortgage foreclosure sale set for March 12
01-21149
8042047715
NOTICE OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE SALE
THE RIGHT TO VERFICATION OF THE DEBT AND IDENTITY OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR WITHIN THE TIME PROVIDED BY LAW IS NOT AFFECTED BY THIS ACTION.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that default has occurred in the conditions of the following described mortgage:

DATE OF MORTGAGE: November 24, 1999

ORIGINAL PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF MORTGAGE: $57,531.00

MORTGAGOR (S): Danny R. Kephart and Evelyn Kephart, Husband and Wife

MORTGAGEE: EquiCredit Corporation of Mn., n/k/a NationsCredit Financial Services Corporation
DATE AND PLACE OF RECORDING: recorded December 3, 1999, Rock County Recorder, Document No. 146866

LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTY: The East 74.4 feet of Lot 2 in Block 1, Auditor's Plat no. 1 to the City of Luverne

COUNTY IN WHICH PROPERTY IS LOCATED: Rock

AMOUNT DUE AND CLAIMED TO BE DUE AS OF DATE OF NOTICE, INCLUDING TAXES, IF ANY, PAID BY MORTGAGEE: $68,858.21

THAT all pre-foreclosure requirements have been complied with; that no action or proceeding has been instituted at law or otherwise to recover the debt secured by said mortgage, or any part thereof;

PURSUANT, to the power of sale contained in said mortgage, the above described property will be sold by the Sheriff of said county as follows:

DATE AND TIME OF SALE: March 12 2002 10:00 A.M.

PLACE OF SALE: Sheriff's Main Office, West Side Sheriff Dept., Front Step, Luverne, MN
to pay the debt secured by said mortgage and taxes, if any, on said premises and the costs and disbursements, including attorneys fees allowed by law, subject to redemption within six months from the date of said sale by the mortgagor(s) their personal representatives or assigns.

"THE TIME ALLOWED BY LAW FOR REDEMPTION BY THE MORTGAGOR, THE MORTGAGOR'S PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OR ASSIGNS, MAY BE REDUCED TO FIVE WEEKS IF A JUDICIAL ORDER IS ENTERED UNDER MINNESOTA STATUTES SECTION 582.032 DETERMINING, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT THE MORTGAGED PREMISES ARE IMPROVED WITH A RESIDENTIAL DWELLING OF LESS THAN 5 UNITS, ARE NOT PROPERTY USED FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION, AND ARE ABANDONED.

Dated: January 10, 2002

NATIONSCREDIT FINANCIAL SERVICES
CORPORATION
Mortgagee
SHAPIRO & NORDMEYER, L.L.P.
BY /s/ Nancy A. Nordmeyer
Lawrence P. Zielke
Beth W. Asmussen
Attorneys for Mortgagee
7300 Metro Blvd., Suite 390
Edina, MN 55439-2305
(952) 831-4060
THIS COMMUNICATION IS FROM A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
(1-17, 1-24, 1-31, 2-7, 2-14, 2-21)

Registered Nurse Deb Vander Kooi said she enjoys her work as school nurse because it brings something new every day.

By Sara Strong
Deb Vander Kooi wears many hats in her line of work. As the Luverne School nurse, she is part administrator, psychiatrist, disaster aide and mom to the students who enter her office.

And, oddly enough, the little white nurseÕs hat is absent from her wardrobe.

Vander Kooi has held the position for 10 years and deserved recognition Wednesday - National School Nurse Day.

In general, Vander Kooi said she enjoys working with people, and that means she's kept plenty busy with the more than 1,300 students who could have health issues that need addressing.

She sees an average of 50 to 60 students a day, and that's considering other employees help dispense daily prescription medications.

Considering all the students with whom she comes into contact, every day brings a new challenge.

"Each has their frustrations," Vander Kooi said, "but each age group can be fun. The grade-schoolers are fun, but the high school students have neat insights."

Before her start as a school nurse, Vander Kooi spent nine years working as a hospital nurse. She's also taught the vocational nursing courses at Luverne High School and helped set up the nursing program at Minnesota West Community and Technical College, Pipestone.

Much of her hospital work time was spent in the emergency room. "That was a change. Here, just because someone had a stomach ache didn't mean they had appendicitis," she said.

"The biggest transition was being on my own. There are no other nurses to talk to or doctors to ask questions when they're on rounds."

Even though some of her patients' symptoms are less alarming, some chronic illnesses need serious care.

She's developed specific plans for students with severe allergies, seizure disorders or asthma where doctors, parents, teachers and other school staff are aware of the conditions.

In other words, her days are filled with much more than scraped elbows and wet pants.

Along with responding to individual health problems, Vander Kooi has a long list of standard duties. She deals with immunizations, education of blood-borne pathogens and teen pregnancies, along with regular screenings for things like vision, preschool readiness, and scoliosis.

Vander Kooi refers students to family doctors, Public Health or eye doctors when she sees a reason for further examination. SheÕs also called upon in cases of suspected anorexia, for example, because a school nurse might have the only ongoing height and weight charts on a child.

"I don't get in classrooms very often, mainly because I don't have time," Vander Kooi said.

Because she sees students who need help, she realizes that her view of the student population may be slightly warped.

"I see 10 percent of the kids 90 percent of the time," Vander Kooi said.

She even knows some parents' work schedules and phone numbers by heart because she's in contact with them so much for ongoing problems.

But, then again, there's always the occasional finger-stuck-in-the-test-tube to mix things up a bit.

By Sara Strong
A public hearing on proposed street work and its attached assessments drew about 40 concerned citizens to Luverne Council Chambers Tuesday.

The scheduled reconstruction includes two alleys and portions of Freeman and Estey streets, Bishop, Crawford and Brown and involves assessing the 153 affected property owners.

The property owners will be assessed specific amounts depending on how much they own. The assessments are calculated at 50 percent of the sidewalk, 50 percent of the street and 100 percent of the curb and gutter work.

Some property owners have an estimated $8,000 or $12,000 on the high end that they'll have to pay for the project - but that's considering the engineer's estimate using worst-case-scenario numbers. The total estimate is between $850,000 and $1 million.

Assessments are often paid off in increments over the span of the bond the city uses to pay for the project.

After the hearing, the Luverne City Council passed a bill allowing the council to move forward with plans for the project. There will be a special meeting at 5 p.m. Friday in which the council will approve plans and specification and order advertisement for bids.

If the council ultimately decides to continue with the street reconstruction, it will have to accept the lowest responsible bid. The bids are open to the public for examination, and the council will be looking at them in March.

When the project is done, the curb and gutter 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 concrete of the streets will be preserved so the cost is less than it could be. In cases where city streets are built up from nothing, property owners have to pay all of the costs, similar to new homes built in the cityÕs subdivisions.

The streets are overdue for repair by a few years. The project was put off before because of high oil and concrete prices, making the construction costs higher than they will be this year.

The hearing
Property owners were notified by letter and in some cases visited in person about the proposed construction. The large area of construction will mean the neighborhood will be inconvenienced from April to August if it goes through.

Although the streets will be open to driving because of the concrete base, individuals' driveways and sides of streets will be blocked or dug up for weeks at a time.

Even with the inconveniences, people at the hearing said their main concerns were about the money they have to pay.

Many questioned why public streets used by all people in the community are assessed to connected property owners.

Leon Pick said, "I live on the north end of town, but I drive on Freeman and Estey at least twice a day, and there are other streets IÕve never been on."

The City Council discussed the way it assesses construction costs at previous meetings. It decided to keep the same policy as past councils to be consistent. Some cities assess total construction costs, and others pay completely for street projects. LuverneÕs percentage system is somewhere in the middle.

Pick said, "I do think that in the future we should look at a monthly rate."

He and others at the hearing compared it to utility bills that charge small fees for a new sewer system.

That would mean all city residents would pay in advance for anticipated projects.

Councilman Keith Erickson said, "People who had to pay their assessments in the past don't want to pay again for another street project."

Making the transition from assessments to general budget covering street projects would first have to be a governing decision on the part of the council. Then it would be up in the air as to how the city would collect for projects at unforeseen dollar amounts.

One property owner, Joy Vineyard, said even if she pays her assessment, she would gladly pay a few extra dollars each month in the future to prevent other property owners from facing huge assessments. She said the assessment she owes could force her to sell her home because she may not be able to afford it.

Other suggestions were that the city take on a larger portion of the bill and gradually take over all street projects; set a lower interest rate that the assessment increment payments are charged or limit individual property ownersÕ liability to a certain dollar amount.

The council can still change the way the street project will be constructed or paid for. But most citizens said they realized the streets needed the work done.

Erickson said, "I think we see that we don't want to stop the project. The streets need repair, and it is the cityÕs responsibility to do that."

By Lori Ehde
Luverne True Value owner Mark Novotny spent much of his day Monday seeing each of his five employees, laying them off one at a time.

He and his wife, Beth, have decided not to rebuild their business after a Dec. 7 fire destroyed much of the building and inventory.

"We got the numbers back from the insurance company, and we can see it's not enough to go on," Novotny said Tuesday.

"I spent yesterday letting my employees know. They were all good employees. I can't say enough good about them."

In addition to him and his wife, Beth, also employed at True Value were Jan Van Eck and Lois Hatting, both of Luverne, Carol Dohlmann, Magnolia, and Gert Steinberg, Hills. High School student Merrick Van Otterloo, Luverne, also worked after school and summer hours.

He said it wasn't an easy decision, but the deciding factor seemed to be an insurance clause that allows reimbursement of 25 percent over the limit for loss during peak business times.

In the past two years, Novotny said peak season for True Value has been May and June when the store was busy with rental equipment, lawn and garden supplies, paint and bridal registry gifts.

"Up until three years ago, peak season was November and December," Novotny said. "Now it's my second-busiest season."

The bottom line, Novotny said, is that insurance, which he carries through Auto Owners in Michigan, won't cover costs of starting over.

"I'll be able to pay all my bills, and I'll basically get back all the money I put into it," Novotny said.

"But I had more inventory at the time than I was insured for, and I'll take a loss on that."

Damage was originally estimated at more than $600,000 on the building and contents destroyed at a time when shelves and storerooms were overstocked for holiday sales.

A new freight shipment worth about $8,000 had just arrived the night before the fire and included $1,200 worth paint.

He said he'll be busy this week with a salvage company that comes in with buyers. "Some of that paint is salvageable, but I'll be lucky if I get 10 cents on the dollar I paid for it," Novotny said.

What also made a difference in the Novotnys' decision not to rebuild was learning many of their personal investments in the store were not covered by insurance.

"When I bought the business, I bought it as a package," he said. But through the years, he's added shelving and other improvements that would need to be purchased all over again if he were to rebuild.

"Nobody thinks about all those little fixtures you buy," he said. "It's considered personal property, and you don't think about that when you're insuring the place."

Also not covered was a $7,000 paint mixing computer. "I didn't think about adding that to the policy," Novotny said.

Hard drives from melted computers were sent to a company that was able to retrieve information, so Novotny said he has all his records and has been able to close accounts and pay and collect bills.

"If someone comes forward wanting to start a hardware store, I've got all the information," he said.

The Novotnys have owned the Luverne True Value store for six years. He said he's unsure what his next job will be.

"I've got a lot of skills that I think are pretty marketable," he said. "But this will all take awhile, so at this point I haven't even started looking for a job yet."

He said his farming background in South Dakota taught him to be a self-starter and do-it-yourselfer, which made him a good match for a hardware business.

He came to True Value in 1995 after 12 years as a software specialist with Berkley Information Services.

Novotny said his family is taking the tragedy in stride and dealing with it one day at a time. "The hardest part was driving up on the fire and seeing it and realizing everything is upside down and not knowing what to do next," he said.

He said it helps to be living in Luverne. "The community support has been phenomenal," he said. "I've had so many people stop out to ask what they can do."

He added the area True Value stores have been supportive as well.

Investigators say the fire was started to mask a robbery in which the company's safe was stolen along with $1,200 in it.

A $2,500 reward is offered by the Minnesota chapter of International Arson Investigators for information leading to the identification of persons responsible. The arson hotline is 1-800-723-2020.

Dusty Bullerman pinned Beresford's Steve Bogue (1:49), Flandreau's Travis Powell (3:37) and Harrisburg's Harley Mauch (1:05) at 130.

Tyler Bullerman pinned Beresford's Andrew Kennedy (51 seconds), Vermillion's Taylor Birgen (4:52) and Harrisburg's Bill Hayes (1:12) at 189.

Dragons Chris Kruger, Nate and Lance Bullerman all went 4-0 with two forfeits each.

Kruger won by technical fall over Harrisburg's Scott Gackle and pinned Beresford's Chad Andrews in 53 seconds at 135. Nate Bullerman pinned Harrisburg's Tyler Hudson (4:15) and Beresford's Corey Ostrem (53 seconds) at 145. Lance Bullerman pinned Harrisburg's Brad Barber in 1:11 and downed Flandreau's Bo Severtson 8-3.

Adrian's Brandon Bullerman, Trent Bullerman and Brandon Schettler went 3-1 at 103, 152 and 215 respectively. Cody Reverts (112), Clint Metz (119), Tom Slater (140) and Josh Winselman (275) all went 2-2.

Match wrap-ups
Adrian 77, Beresford 3
135 (A) Kruger pins Andrews.
140 (B) Faehenrich pins Slater.
145 (A) N.Bullerman pins Ostrem.
152 (A) Tr.Bullerman pins Mendoza.
160 (A) La.Bullerman by forfeit.
171 (A) Lv.Bullerman t.f. Lounsbery.
189 (A) Ty.Bullerman pins Kennedy.
215 (A) Schettler pins Boden.
275 (A) Winselman pins Serck.
103 (A) B.Bullerman pins Dubs.
112 (A) Reverts pins Knutson.
119 (A) Metz pins Myers.
125 (A) Kunkel pins Kennedy.
130 (A) D.Bullerman pins Bogue.

Adrian 60, Flandreau 15
135 (A) Kruger by forfeit.
140 (A) Slater by forfeit.
145 (A) N.Bullerman by forfeit.
152 (A) Tr.Bullerman pins Jensen.
160 (A) La.Bullerman
pins Severtson.
171 (A) Lv.Bullerman pins Claflin.
189 (A) Ty.Bullerman by forfeit.
215 (A) Schettler dec. Belkahm.
275 (A) Winselman pins Kneebone.
103 (F) Reed pins B.Bullerman.
112 (F) Sutton dec. Reverts.
119 (F) Christensen pins Metz.
125 (A) Kunkel pins Rydell.
130 (A) D.Bullerman pins Powell.

Adrian 78, Vermillion 6
135 (A) Kruger by forfeit.
140 (A) Slater by forfeit.
145 (A) N.Bullerman by forfeit.
152 (A) Tr.Bullerman by forfeit.
160 (A) La.Bullerman by forfeit.
171 (A) Lv.Bullerman pins Cusick.
189 (A) Ty.Bullerman pins Birgen.
215 (A) Schettler pins Simons.
275 (V) OÕConnor pins Winselman.
103 (A) B.Bullerman pins Hubert.
112 (A) Reverts pins Powell.
119 (A) Metz pins LaMie.
125 (A) Kunkel pins Hayner.
130 (A) D.Bullerman by forfeit.

Adrian 44, Harrisburg 24
135 (A) Kruger t.f. Gackle.
140 (H) Johnson m.d. Slater.
145 (A) N.Bullerman pins Hudson.
152 (H) Cawthorne
pins Tr.Bullerman.
160 (A) La.Bullerman pins Barber.
171 (A) Lv.Bullerman
pins Cawthorne.
189 (A) Ty.Bullerman pins Hayes.
215 (H) Dullerud m.d. Schettler.
275 (H) Aleck dec. Winselman.
103 (A) B.Bullerman pins Fink.
112 (H) Campbell dec. Reverts.
119 (H) Cawthorne pins Metz.
125 (A) Kunkel dec. Engberg.
130 (A) D.Bullerman pins Mauch.

By John Rittenhouse
The Adrian wrestling team appears to be on a roll after winning five straight dual matches since Saturday.

The Dragons went 4-0 while taking top honors at the Harrisburg Tournament Saturday. Adrian topped Madison, S.D., by 33 points in Adrian Tuesday.

Adrian. 11-3 overall, competes at the Federated Duals in Owatonna Saturday before taking on Fulda-Murray County Central in Adrian Tuesday. A win over the Rebels would give the Dragons the Red Rock Conference championship.

Adrian 45, Madison 12
The Dragons continued their domination over South Dakota competition by recording a 33-point home win over Madison Tuesday.

After falling behind 6-0 with losses at 145 pounds (Madison's Mitch Walker nipped Nate Bullerman 4-2 in overtime) and 152 (Josh Hodne edged Trent Bullerman 6-5), the Dragons put together a 36-point, seven-match winning streak that iced the victory.

The run consisted of pins from Lance Bullerman (1:16 over Charles Wallowingbull at 160), Tyler Bullerman (3:45 over Mike Palmquist at 189), Brandon Croat (3:05 over Chris Weber at 103) and Brandon Bullerman (1:43 over Blake Hodne at 112), a six-point forfeit to Cody Reverts at 119, and decision wins from Levi Bullerman (6-1 over Adam Hanson at 171) and Josh Winselman (7-2 over Ben Kapell at heavyweight).

The team's split the final four matches of the night.

Adrian's Dusty Bullerman notched a 10-4 decision win over Phil Downs at 130, and Chris Kruger pinned Ben Knapp in 1:08 at 135.

MadisonÕs Dan Coomes and Jerae Wire secured 7-0 and 10-3 decision wins against Eric Kunkel and Tom Slater at 125 and 140 respectively.

Match wrap-up
145 (M) Walker dec. N.Bullerman.
152 (M) Hodne dec. Tr.Bullerman.
160 (A) La.Bullerman
pins Wallowingbull.
171 (A) Lv.Bullerman dec. Hanson.
189 (A) Ty.Bullerman
pins Palmquist.
275 (A) Winselman dec. Kapell.
103 (A) Croat pins Weber.
112 (A) B.Bullerman pins Hodne.
119 (A) Reverts by forfeit.
125 (M) Coomes dec. Kunkel.
130 (A) D.Bullerman dec. Downs.
135 (A) Kruger pins Knapp.
140 (M) Wire dec. Slater.

Harrisburg tourney
The Dragons captured their first tournament title of the season when they recorded four consecutive victories in Harrisburg, S.D., Saturday.

Adrian basically was untested in dual competition, posting wins over Beresford (77-3), Flandreau (60-15), Vermillion (78-6) and Harrisburg (44-24) by comfortable margins.

Seven Dragons went 4-0 in their respective weight classes, and Eric Kunkel and Levi Bullerman led the way by taking all four of their tests on the mat.

Kunkel pinned Beresford's Joe Kennedy (36 seconds), Flandreau's Chad Rydell (3:47) and Vermillion's Andy Hayner (48 seconds) at 125. He also recorded an 8-3 decision win over HarrisburgÕs Eric Engberg.

Bullerman pinned FlandreauÕs Ernie Claflin (2:25), VermillionÕs Kellen Cusick (1:29) and Harrisburg's Kelly Cawthorne (3:32) at 171. He won by technical fall over BeresfordÕs Justin Lounsbery.

Dusty and Tyler Bullerman won three matches each while taking forfeits from Vermillion and Flandreau respectively.