Rolland Bell, 65, formerly of Luverne, died Sunday, Dec. 23 in Sioux Falls Services will be Friday, Dec. 28 at 10 a.m. at Miller Funeral Home, Sioux Falls. Interment will follow at Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday, Dec. 27 starting at 12 noon with the family present from 7 to 8 p.m.

Martha Piepgras, 93, died Tuesday, Dec. 25 at Rochester. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. at the Madonna Towers, Rochester with a memorial service in Luverne at a later date. Dingmann Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Luverne, is in charge of arrangements.

June
Superintendent Tom Knoll verbally accepted a position in the Hayfield school district. Hayfield, located about 25 miles southwest of Rochester, has 1,005 kindergarten through 12th-grade students.

Friendship Days was celebrated June 8 and 9. Fourteen four-player teams participated in a best-ball golf scrambler at the Rock River County Club near Rock Rapids. A team consisting of Tim Plimpton, Duane Fiala, Claude Van Driel and Tom Arends emerged as champions.

After reviewing statements from six students and two teachers Assistant County Attorney Terry Vajgrt decided not to prosecute Tom Knoll for an alleged assault against student Derek Ehde at Hills-Beaver Creek High School.

In Vajgrt's opinion, there wasn't sufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing to prosecute. Derek's parents, Rick and Lori Scholten, retained an attorney to pursue the matter civilly.

Superintendent Knoll officially resigned at a board meeting to accept a position in the Hayfield district. Darold Williams, Dell Rapids, was hired as interim superintendent.

July
A head-on collision four miles south of Luverne on Highway 75 claimed the lives of Ralph Edward Kingery, Colorado Springs, and Theresa Elliott, Colorado Springs. Anthony Reese, Steen, was airlifted to Avera McKennan Hospital, Sioux Falls, from the scene.

Steen Reformed Church built a new bell tower to house a historic 1912 bell.

At one of his last School Board meetings, superintendent Tom Knoll informed the H-BC School Board that the anticipated cost of $200,000 for the locker room project would likely not be enough to complete the project.

Jil Vaughn was named district administrator at H-BC elementary, replacing Kim Grengs as elementary principal.

August
Lance Crawford, Beaver Creek, was awarded the first Dennis Schei Memorial Scholarship. The $250 scholarship is given annually to a 4-H livestock project manager.

Joyce (Kitty) Helgeson, Beaver Creek, and Victor Hoeck, Hardwick, were chosen as the Outstanding Senior Citizens to represent Rock County at the state fair.

Two Hills residences were burglarized while the residents were in their homes. Jim Roning awoke to find his wallet missing. Sue Jess awoke to find a burglar crawling on her floor.

H-BC school welcomed new teachers Marie LaRock, Jolene Hannett and Brent Steinert.

September
Three months after the murder of Carrie Nelson investigators continued to follow leads.

Hijackers crashed two commercial planes into the World Trade Center. Within the same hour, another dived into the Pentagon and another crashed outside of Pittsburgh.

Hills-Beaver Creek residents Chris Fagerness and Matt Ebert were on the scene in Washington, D.C. Ebert described the scene as something heÕd seen in the movie, "Independence Day."

Local motorists lined up prematurely at the pumps to stock up on gasoline after reports circulated of shortages and price hikes due to uncertainty after the Sept. 11 attacks.

Six candidates vied for four seats on the H-BC School Board. Matt Larson, Annette Mahone, Robert Wassenaar, Tim Baker, Alan Harnack and Lois Leuthold all filed for the openings.

Construction began on the Beaver Creek Golf Course east of Beaver Creek. Amenities in the banquet facility include a banquet hall seating about 300 people with a built-in stage area and bar and restaurant seating about 70.

October
Steen resident and School Board member Dave Roozenboom was hospitalized for burns from a gas grill accident.

Luverne Middle School Principal Dave Deragisch signed a $79,000 two-and-a-half-year contract with the H-BC School Board for the superintendent position vacated by Tom Knoll. At a later meeting the board unanimously ratified the contract.

School Board chair Roland Crawford announced his intention to retire after 27 years on the School Board.

November
H-BC senior Brad Haak won the section individual cross country championship and earned his third straight berth in the state meet.

School Board ballot totals from the Nov. 6 election were Alan Harnack, 274, Lois Leuthold, 247, Matt Larson, 216, Tim Baker, 202, Annette Mahone, 104 and Robert Wassenaar, 104.

Tuff Village, the first assisted living facility in Rock County, held an open house on Nov. 12. Pastor Lowell Berg dedicated the new facility.

H-BC students made a bench with a stained-glass facing to auction off with proceeds to help the Sept. 11 victims. After the Red Cross quit taking donations, students decided to donate proceeds to the Hills and Beaver Creek fire departments.

December
The Minnesota Genealogical Society plans to publish a directory of Minnesota cemeteries, broken down by county detailing whom to contact for information on who is buried in each plot.

Rock County Land Management Director John Burgers, Hills, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of mail fraud. In doing so, the court dismissed a more serious charge of bribery.

Roland Crawford chaired his final School Board meeting. Crawford was presented with a plaque commemorating his years of service.

By Jolene Farley
For those who think nothing exciting ever happens in small towns, just look over the year in review.

Communities were rocked by local bad news as well as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which led the United States into war.

To counter the bad news, however, the weekly Crescent issues are also peppered with happy, heartwarming tales as well.

January
The Mike Jess household, Steen, was destroyed by fire. A passerby reported the blaze, but when firefighters arrived at the scene the structure was engulfed in flames. The Hills, Luverne, Beaver Creek and Rock Rapids fire departments battled the blaze.

Cindy Niessink and Cindy McGowan organized a soup supper benefit for the family that raised $2,300 with a $1,000 match from A.A.L. Branch 9510 and Blue Mound Lutheran Brotherhood Branch 8608.

The first baby in Luverne Community Hospital in 2001 was born to Eric and Lisa Kiers, Luverne. Nicholas Johan Kiers was born Jan. 5 and weighed 6 pounds. Eric Kiers is a teacher at Hills Christian School.

Hills-Beaver Creek School mailed a survey out to residents of the district asking if the school should proceed with plans for new locker rooms and a community fitness center. The board received more than 200 responses from the 700 surveys mailed out.

February
Spencer and Pam Sells and their two children, Lindsy and Lee, Beaver Creek, were selected as 2001 Farm Family of the Year by the Rock County Extension Committee. The annual award honors families for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.

Participants in the 19th Annual Helge's Father and Son Pool Tournaments in Beaver Creek racked up more than $3,512 for Hospice of Luverne. Gordon Helgeson and his son, Gary, won first place in the event.

Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary students collected 12,270 Pepsi notes in the Share the Joy with Music Program sponsored by Pepsi. A goal of 2,000 Pepsi notes was surpassed by far. With the points, the music program was able to purchase more than $1,000 in equipment.

March
The Hills-Beaver Creek Board of Education interviewed architects to design the proposed locker room and fitness center.

At a later meeting, Group II Architects, Sioux Falls, was selected for the project.

Sioux Falls Sky Force player Carlos Daniel came to visit H-BC Elementary School as part of Read Across America Week, an annual event commemorating the birthday of children's author Dr. Seuss, creator of "Cat in the Hat."

Hills-Beaver Creek student Adam Finke was chosen as one of 15 People to People Middle School Student Ambassadors for the Sioux Falls area. As an ambassador he visited Spain, France, Germany and Switzerland over a period of three weeks.

Due to higher-than-normal fuel costs and longer labor hours, Beaver Creek Township spent nearly 40 percent more on snow removal this year than during a normal winter.

Patriot Millworks was awarded a $4,095 Youth Entrepreneurship Grant by the Southwest Minnesota Foundation. Students used the funds to purchase a trailer to deliver finished wood products.

April
Census 2000 tallies showed Rock County with fewer people than 10 years ago. The county's final count was 9,721, down 85 from the 1990 census. Hills ended up with 565 people, down from 607 in 1990; Beaver Creek was up one person. Steen's population increased from 176 in 1990 to 182 in 2000.

Hills-Beaver Creek and Ellsworth combined their track and field programs. The two schools had previously teamed up for baseball and golf.

A storm with strong straight-line winds traveled through several farms northeast of Beaver Creek, damaging buildings and trees. A bin landed on an attached garage at Bob Beyenhof's farm. Delmar DeVries lost part of a cattle shed roof, and a greenhouse was severely damaged. A cattle shed at Orville Bork's farm collapsed. Damage was also reported at the Gary Top, Jim Van Santen and Frank Matus farms.

After a year as elementary principal, Kim Grengs resigned, effective June 30, 2001. Grengs and her family returned to Farmington to the district she taught in before moving to H-BC.

oH-BC students scored among the top 10 schools in Minnesota on the math portion of the eighth-grade Basic Standards Tests.

May
Fire destroyed a calf barn, granary, two garages and a milking barn on a farm east of Valley Springs. Minnie Vis owned the property and her son, Alan, lived on the premises. Norman Vis used the buildings for his farming operation.

The Hills Economic Development Authority accepted a bid of $2,400 for the former American Salvage building from John Schwing, president of Technical Services from Sioux Falls, and Don Packard, president of Northland Precision Machine Inc..

The Rock County Sheriff's department began investigating Superintendent Tom Knoll for an alleged assault at Hills-Beaver Creek High School.

Parents expressed concern about the music programs to the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board at a regular meeting. A spokesperson for the group stated the quality of the music program deteriorated greatly in the last few years. At a later meeting the H-BC School Board accepted the resignation of vocal and instrumental teacher Dawn Griepp.

Former Hills resident 20-year-old Carrie Nelson was murdered while working at Blue Mounds State Park. She died from multi-traumatic injuries to the head due to assault. Investigators are still seeking information on the crime.

By Lori Ehde
In January, new federal budget numbers will be released, and this year's surpluses will be noticeably absent in the updated report.

That's why White House administration is dragging its feet on signing a new farm bill, and congressional representatives in agriculture are pushing to get it done.

"Technically, we have until April to get (federal) money, but realistically, the surplus is already gone," said Gary Wertish of Sen. Mark Dayton's office.

"If we don't get it done now, when the new numbers are released in January, there will be less money to work with."

Wertish is the director of agriculture outreach for Dayton. He was in Luverne Tuesday morning with an update on the pending $170 billion U.S. farm bill.

"We might disagree on what we want in the bill," he said to handful of local producers gathered in City Hall, "but we all agree we want a bill now."

The U.S. Senate is now debating new farm policy legislation which would go into effect in 2003. The House has already passed its version.

Wertish has been meeting in communities around the state since October, listening to input to bring back to Dayton for consideration.

"If he doesn't hear from you, then it's hard for him to know what you want him to support," Wertish said.

He said the most common criticism of the current farm bill is that there needs to be limits on payments and/or lower rates on loan deficiency payments.

Most of the subsidies distributed from the current $90 billion "Freedom to Farm," bill were in the form of LDPs, a federal system that ensures farmers are paid a fair price for grain, despite what the market does.

For example, when the posted county price for corn is $1.42 per bushel, and the contracted LDP price is $1.72, the loan deficiency payment on that bushel is 30 cents.

The more grain a producer harvests, and the more depressed the farm economy, the more the LDP check will be.

"It's all based on production," Wertish said.

He and the local farmers in attendance Tuesday agreed the new farm bill should create more domestic demand for U.S. commodities and less reliance on exports while at the same time establishing fair trade agreements with neighboring borders.

Luverne farmer Harold Tilstra reminded Wertish of the importance of cultivating markets for renewable fuels such as ethanol.

He said 8,000 Minnesota farmers are involved with ethanol production. "For Minnesota, a federal renewable energy bill would be better than a farm bill," Tilstra said.

He asked that Dayton's office work to revise federal tax code so that small and medium-sized ethanol producers can take advantage of tax credits, currently useful only to large energy producers.

Wertish took notes at the meeting and promised to bring that input back to Dayton.

Dayton's Minnesota office is located in the Federal Building, Suite 298, in Fort Snelling, MN 55111. In Washington, the address is 346 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510. The toll-free office number is 1-888-224-9043.

Marilyn Ann Hebig, 67, Lismore, died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2001, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Services were Tuesday, Dec. 18, at St. Anthony Church in Lismore. The Rev. Gerald Kosse and Roxanne Lisnik officiated. Burial was in St. Anthony Cemetery, Lismore.

Marilyn Sieve was born to George and Julia (Schweitzer) Sieve on Feb. 8, 1934, on a farm near Wilmont in Nobles County. She grew up on a farm near St. Kilian and attended country school. She graduated from Worthington High School in 1950. She attended Worthington Community College for a short time and then worked in Worthington.

She married Milton Hebig on Sept. 25, 1956, at St. Kilian Church. Together they farmed the Hebig farm north of Lismore where they farmed and lived on the same place all of their married life. She worked at St. Anthony Rectory as secretary and bookkeeper.

Mrs. Hebig was a member of St. Anthony Church and belonged to the WCCW and Catholic Daughters of America. She enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing, playing cards and gardening.

Survivors include her husband, Milton Hebig, Lismore; seven children and their spouses, Kevin Hebig, John Hebig, both of Lismore, Marjie and Doug Anderson, Litchfield, Patty and Patrick Thier, Adrian, Ginny and Mark Verbrugge, Rogers, Laurie and Tim Hermeling, Iona, and Lisa and Paul Kalis, Sartell; 14 grandchildren, Ryan and Jordan Anderson, Nikki, Krissi, Courtney and Tony Thier, Leah and Ian Verbrugge, Jessica, Brittney, Dani and Kasey Hermeling, and Hailie and David Kalis; two brothers, Norman Sieve and Clarence (Vonnie) Sieve, all of St. Kilian; and two sisters, Rosie (Joe) McGrath, Dennison, and Georgene (Bud) Sanchez, Raymond, Wash.

Mrs. Hebig was preceded in death by her parents, one grandson, Thomas Verbrugge, and one brother, Walter Sieve.

Totzke Funeral Home, Slayton, was in charge of arrangements.

Donald A.F. Braa, 73, Luverne, died Thursday, Dec. 13, 2001, at the Hospice Cottage in Luverne.

Services were Monday, Dec. 10, at St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. The Rev Mark Mumme officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.

Donald Braa was born to Arthur and Esther (Petersen) Braa on March 25, 1928, in Rock County where he was raised and attended country school. Following his education he worked for Vic Bowman Plumbing and Heating in Luverne.

He married Marian Lorenzen on Oct. 15, 1947, at Zion Lutheran Church in Hardwick. Following their marriage they lived in Luverne where he continued to work for Vic Bowman. Later he began working for Luverne Farm Store where he was the gas service man. In 1980 the couple moved to Pipestone where he managed Storybrook Apartments. In 1986, they returned to Luverne where he worked for several area farmers. In June 2000 he was diagnosed with cancer. He entered Hospice Cottage in Luverne on Dec. 3.

Mr. Braa was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne. He enjoyed spending the winter months in Arizona. He also loved to play pinochle and cribbage. He enjoyed fishing and hunting in his earlier years.

Survivors include his wife, Marian Braa, Luverne; five children, Barbara (Douglas) Hasert, Bruce (Janet) Braa, all of Loveland, Colo., Bernita (James) Wichmann, Balaton, Barton (Becky) Braa, Weston, Mo., and Burdell (Monica) Braa, Luverne; 13 grandchildren, Shane (Margo), Scott (Gaylene), and Travis (Flora) Hasert, James C. Wichmann, Tamara (Rob) DeKraai, Luke, Amber, Donald, David (Tanya), Douglas, Matthew, Michael and Jennifer Braa; four great-grandchildren, Alixandra, Nathan, Ilyas Hasert and Adaline DeKraai; three brothers, Emery (Marlys) Braa, Arthur (Elaine) Braa, and Lewis (Laurie) Braa; one sister, Janyce Baustian; two sisters-in-law, Luella Braa and Carol Braa; one brother-in-law, Dale DePauw; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mr. Braa was preceded in death by his parents, one grandson, Troy Hasert, two brothers, Kermit and Charles Braa, one sister, Reva DePauw, and one brother-in-law, Howard Baustian.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Hospice of Luverne Community Hospital.

Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne-Hills-Beaver Creek gymnastics team evened its Southwest Conference record at 1-1 with a 115.85-115.2 victory over Redwood Valley in Luverne Friday.

The Cardinals used balance to overcome an outstanding individual night by RWV's Becky Smith, who won the all-around (35.85), vault (8.7), beam (8.7), bars (9.3) and floor (9.15) titles during the duel.

L-H-BC had at least two athletes place in the top four positions in each individual event.

Gabe Van Dyk, who was second all-around with 29.3 points, placed second on the vault with an 8.45.

Amanda Dooyema was second on the beam and bars with respective 8.1 and 7.15 tallies, and she placed fourth on the floor with a 7.5 effort.

Callen Bosshart also had a strong night that featured her finishing third all-round with 28.05 points.

Bosshart was second on the floor with an 8.1, tied for third with RWVÕs Erica Ochs on the vault with an 8.25, and fourth on the beam with a 6.6.

Cardinal Danielle Cook placed fourth on the bars with a 6.3.

Individual results
Bars: Dooyema, 7.15; Van Dyk, 7.1; Cook 6.3; Cassie Pap 5.4; Bosshart 5.1.
Beam: Dooyema, 8.1; Bosshart, 6.6; Van Dyk, 6.5; Missy Boeve, 6.4; Brittany Boeve, 5.0.
Floor: Bosshart, 8.1; Dooyema, 7.5; Van Dyk, 7.25; B.Boeve 6.8; Morgan Bosshart, 6.35.
Vault: Van Dyk, 8.45; C.Bosshart, 8.25; Pap, 8.0; B.Boeve, 7.95; Cook, 7.65.

By Lori Ehde
An off-duty sheriff in the right place at the right time helped foil a shoplifting spree Wednesday, Dec. 12, in Luverne.

Annette Marie Jacobson, Sioux Falls, was arrested and charged with theft this week after being caught with more than $400 worth of merchandise stolen from M-M Distributing.

According to M-M owner Merlyn Lopau, the woman was working with three other South Dakota individuals who were caught with stolen merchandise from other area businesses.

When he returned from lunch, he learned from store employees that two women attempted to return items for cash. One of the items was a $27 hammer.

When they had no receipts he suspected the items may have been stolen from the store. "I saw some people getting into a car, and then they just sat there," Lopau said.

He sent a store employee to the parking lot to record the license plate on their car.

Meanwhile, Rock County Sheriff Ron McClure entered the store on personal business. "When he left, I followed him out the door and made him aware of the situation," Lopau said.

At that point, they noticed the sheriff, Lopau said, and two got out of the car and headed toward Taco John's on foot carrying bags.

McClure reportedly caught up with them when the driver stopped in the Taco John's parking lot.

Two in the back seat were holding bags, and when McClure searched the bags, he found, among other things, a $390 camcorder wrapped in a pair of jeans.

The woman holding the bag immediately said, "That's not mine," according to the complaint filed Thursday in Rock County District Court.

She was unable to produce a receipt, and all were transported back to M-M where Lopau identified the camcorder and hammer as models sold in his store.

In addition to the stolen M-M items, Lopau said the car contained clothing and merchandise stolen from other area businesses as well.

"They'd been working pretty hard," Lopau said. "It was a shoplifting ring, I'd say."

Jacobson was arrested and transported to the Nobles County Jail. She appeared this week to face theft charges.

Lopau said he's glad to see shoplifters caught and prosecuted, because it's a crime he sees plenty of in his store.

"We find empty packages here and there once in a while and an old pair of shoes on the shelf where a new pair should be," he said.

"In a store like this with so much stuff, it's hard to catch things all the time."