Beaver Creek firefighter Ron Rauk helps Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary kindergarten student Jeffrey Nelson try on a firefighter's protective coat. Firefighters Ron Rauk and Jason Rauk surprised the Hills-Beaver Creek kindergarten class Thursday afternoon with a fire safety talk and a ride on the fire truck. Jason visited the class dressed in full fire gear hoping to reduce the kids' fear of the way firefighters look on the scene of a fire. Students were allowed to try on the gear and were told the purpose of each piece of equipment. Students spent the morning studying fire safety rules and talking about what to do in different emergency situations.

Photos by Jolene Farley

Fire Chief Allan Top tests the grill to make sure it is the right temperature for the best pancakes.

Diane Greenfield, 60, Hills, died unexpectedly Saturday, Oct. 13, 2001, at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Services were Wednesday, Oct. 17, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. The Rev. Lowell Berg officiated. Burial was in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery of rural Fulda.

Dianne Martha Bultman was born to Fred and Esther (Beckman) Bultman on July 21, 1941, in Worthington. She was raised on the family farm southwest of Fulda and attended country school. She graduated from Fulda High School in 1959. After graduation she worked at Citizens State Bank in Fulda.

She married Dean Greenfield on Oct. 15, 1961, in Immanuel Lutheran Church of rural Fulda. Following their marriage they moved to Hills where she worked for the Exchange State Bank in Hills.

Mrs. Greenfield was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills where she participated in Ruth Circle, Altar Guild, the special events committee and the funeral committee. She also volunteered at Tuff Home with their Meals on Wheels program. She was very involved in the Hills community especially with activities which involved her children. She was a 4-H leader for many years. She was a member of the Sundem Oil bowling team that bowled on Fridays in Luverne. She and her husband enjoyed participating in various card clubs and spending time with friends. In her spare time she enjoyed walking, golfing and working in her garden.

Survivors include her husband, Dean Greenfield, Hills; two sons and one daughter-in-law, Scott and Karen Greenfield, Lamberton, and Troy Greenfield, Slayton; one daughter and son-in-law, Leah and Kent Teveldal, Lamberton; four grandchildren, Kelsey, Paige and Aric Greenfield, and Courtney Teveldal; two brothers, Douglas (Loni) Bultman, Redwood Falls, and Roger (Lois) Bultman, Jackson; one sister, Julie (Alan) Schafer, Rochester; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Greenfield was preceded in death by her parents and an infant brother.

Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.

Darrell G. Boyer, 67, Crestline, Calif, formerly of the Luverne and Kenneth areas, died Saturday, Oct. 13, 2001, at Loma Linda, Calif., hospital as a result of injuries he sustained in a fall in his home on Friday, Oct. 12.

Memorial services were Friday, Oct. 19, at the St. Moritz Lodge in Crestline.

Darrell Boyer was born on Oct. 3, 1934, in Worthington. He attended elementary school in Kenneth and graduated from Luverne High School in 1952. He graduated from Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, in 1956 with a bachelorÕs degree in civil engineering.

He moved to California soon after graduation and practiced his profession as a civil engineer in Los Angeles, Calif., and Orange County, Calif. He moved to Crestline in 1978 and established Boyer and Associates.

Survivors include his wife, Gail Boyer, Crestline; his children, Todd Boyer (Ariann), Lisa Boyer, Mark Boyer (Beatriz), Shelly Cole (Kerry), Gabriella Gaspard, Jacques Gaspard; six grandchildren; and his twin brother and his wife, Delbert and Mary Jane Boyer.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the American Cancer Society.

By John Rittenhouse
The Ellsworth volleyball team completed one of its most successful stretches of the season Tuesday with a three-game home sweep of Faith Christian.

The Panthers lost a four-game home match to Lakeview Thursday before going 2-1 and placing second at the Harris-Lake Park Tournament in Lake Park, Iowa, Saturday.

Ellsworth ends the regular season with a 5-21-1 record.

The Panthers drew the eighth seed for the Sub-Section 10 (of Section 3A) Volleyball Tournament. They will host No. 9 Faith Christian to open the tournament Monday. The winner takes on No. 1 Southwest Christian in Luverne Oct. 26.

Ellsworth 3, FC 0
The Panthers prepared for the post-season by strolling to a three-game sweep over the Falcons in Ellsworth Tuesday.

Taking on the team it will face in the first round of the sub-section tournament, EHS made a statement by posting a pair of 15-2 wins in the first two games of the match before settling for a 15-6 victory in the finale.

"We got our serves across the net, and we passed and hit well. It was a pretty good night all the way around for our girls," said Panther coach Jason Langland.

Jamie Leuthold led the Panthers at the net by recording 10 kills and four ace blocks. Laurel Drenth added five kills.

Laci DeLeeuw charted four ace sets for the winners.

H-LP tourney
The Panthers posted their first win since Sept. 18 during Saturday's Tournament in Lake Park, Iowa.

The Harris-Lake Park tournament, a four-team, round-robin event, provided some momentum for an EHS team that needed a lift as post-season play approaches.

Ellsworth won two of the three matches it played while placing second in the team standings.

"I thought we played pretty good volleyball," said Panther coach Langland. "I think the girls are starting to play more aggressive volleyball."

The Panthers got off to a good start by beating eventual tournament champion Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster in the opening round. The Raiders took Game 1 by a 15-10 margin, but the Panthers pulled out 15-13 and 16-14 wins in Games 2 and 3.

H-LP then knocked EHS out of title contention by sweeping a three-game match from the Panthers in the second round. Game scores favored the hosts by 15-6, 15-10 and 15-8 counts.

The Panthers bounced back to sweep a three-game match from Faith Christian by 15-5, 15-3 and 15-11 tallies.

Jenna Groen paced the Panthers with 29 kills for the tournament. Laurel Drenth added 11 kills.

Bev Wurpts recorded nine ace sets, and Jamie Leuthold served seven aces.

Lakeview 3,
Ellsworth 1
The Panthers lost a golden opportunity to post their first win since Sept. 18 when they hosted the Lakers for a Camden Conference match Thursday.

In a contest between two evenly-matched teams, EHS was in a position to win all four games of the match. Unfortunately for the Panthers, they produced only one game victory while scoring 55 points in four games.

Trailing 3-2 in Game 1, Ellsworth went on a 10-1 run consisting of two ace serves by Bev Wurpts, two ace serves and another point by Jenna Groen, three points from Lisa Boltjes and one kill and one point from Jamie Leuthold to open a 12-4 advantage.

Lakeview, however, put together a 12-2 run the rest of the way to steal a 16-14 win.

Ellsworth, which led 5-1 early in the second game, watched the Lakers move in front 9-7 before battling back to tie the match at one win each.

An 8-2 surge featuring four kills by Groen, two points by Leuthold, one ace serve by Wurpts and a kill from Laurel Drenth gave the Panthers a 15-11 win.

The Panthers opened a 5-2 lead early in the third game when Lakeview countered with a 9-0 run that gave the visitors an 11-5 advantage.

With Groen serving a point and recording a kill, Leuthold producing two ace tips and serving an ace, and Laci DeLeeuw adding a service point, Ellsworth tied the game at 11.

An ace serve by Devon DeBerg and a kill by Groen tied the game at 13 moments later, but the Lakers scored the final two points to prevail 15-13.

Game 4 was tied at four when the Lakers went on a 9-4 run that gave them a 13-8 cushion.

Groen served a five-point run that featured an ace tip by Drenth to knot the score at 13, but the Lakers bounced back to score the next two points and record another 15-13 win in the finale.

By Lori Ehde
With Middle School Dave Deragisch's resignation on the agenda, the Luverne School Board met Thursday, Oct. 11, in a room packed with concerned teachers and parents.

They attended to voice concern over the direction of the middle school since current principal Dave Deragisch recently signed a contract with Hills-Beaver Creek for the superintendent position there.

"We're wondering where the position of middle school principal will be going. We're concerned about Dave Deragisch leaving. Are we going to be left without a middle school?" asked teacher Gordy Hansen, speaking on behalf of teachers and staff.

"We would like to be proactive and have our input. I guess I don't want to lose a principal, and I would like to see a counselor come back."

Hanson urged School Board members to visit the school and observe the role of middle school principal.

"I think you would see how important it is to have a principal and that some of the kids could benefit from a counselor."

Local parent Vicki Baartman read a prepared statement signed by a long list of community members.

"It (middle school) is an effective way of meeting the needs of students who are in those in-between years - not little kids but not mature and independent enough yet for high school," Baartman said.

"Some of you may feel our concern is premature; however, from previous budget discussions, we know there have been thoughts of administrative cuts.

"Now that Mr. Deragisch has accepted another position, we felt it necessary to state for the record ... we do not want the position rolled into an existing administrator's responsibilities."

School Board and administration respond
Board member Bill Stegemann said he was trying to remember when the board ever seriously discussed eliminating the middle school principal's position.

He noticed discussion in the May 10 board minutes about possible administrative cuts in light of trimming $400,000 from the budget.

He said beyond that, the idea was abandoned. "It states pretty clearly that administration is not going to be tinkered with," Stegemann said.

Board member Cary Radisewitz said much of the fear of cutting the middle school position could be attributed to miscommunication.

"We brainstormed about administrative positions, and when we couldn't make the cuts, that message didn't get to the public," Radisewitz said.

Superintendent Vince Schaefer expressed frustration over reactions he said weren't warranted in the first place.

"[The middle school cut] was one of 12 ideas. I don't think it was ever given consideration," he said. "Dave gets an opportunity and suddenly I'm reading that we're swamping the middle school position."

He reminded the meeting visitors that School Board members have the district's best interest at heart.

"Which one of these board members doesn't have kids and doesn't want the best thing for kids?" he said.

Deragisch implied the message he'd been given was different.

"I've been in contact with you all summer long, and I was told, 'Dave, you're going to have a job, but it's going to be different,Õ " Deragisch said to Schaefer at the meeting.

"I'm not willing to take on any more responsibilities when I have this job (at Hills-Beaver Creek) in my backyard."

To that, Schaefer crossed the room to address Deragisch.

"Mr. Deragisch, we've had many conversations, and I've been open and honest," Schaefer said. "I can't guarantee anyone on this staff their job will be exactly the same."

Deragisch will start his new duties with H-BC in January. Luverne School Board members accepted his resignation at Thursday's meeting.

"It's like we're reading an obituary," said board chairman Don Bryan. "I hope we'll still see you around here. Thanks for your wonderful service to the district."

Superintendent Schaefer wished him well. "It's been a true pleasure working with you," he told Deragisch. "We wish you all the best as you head up the Patriots.

By Sara Quam
State workers are back on the job after the two striking unions Sunday accepted contract deals with the state.

The most affected local agency, the Minnesota Veterans Home, is operating as it was before the two-week walkout began.

Administrator Pam Barrows said the transition back to the regular staff members has been fairly smooth: however, worker relations may have suffered over disagreements on whether to strike.

"It'll take time for relationships to heal, but they will because we all want the same thing, and that's quality care for the residents," Barrows said.

Union directors will recommend ratification of the contracts in coming weeks, even though workers are now back at their jobs.

The new contracts were agreed upon shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday and give American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees members a 3.5-percent wage increase for each of the next two years. Minnesota Association of Professional Employees receive 3-percent raises for each of the next two years.

The previous final offer from the state to AFSCME was 3 percent raises for all employees for two years and a one-time 4 percent for MAPE.

The unions say the strike was worth their while, but if it had lasted much longer, it wouldn't have been.

Sticking points with both unions were specifics in health insurance, and it's what local strikers were most vocal about. They said increased co-payments and premiums would make it almost impossible to take home any raise offered.

Union members say the timing of the strike, shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was difficult in terms of public relations.

By Lori Ehde
Commissioner Charlie Weaver of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety addresses media at a press conference Thursday afternoon, Oct. 11, in the Minnehaha County Courthouse, Sioux Falls. Also pictured are (from left) Michael Campion, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Terry Vajgrt of the Rock County Attorney's Office, BCA Special Agent Paul Soppeland, Nan Karr Kaufenberg, mother of murder victim Carrie Nelson, and Carrie's father, Stan Nelson.

Friends and family of local murder victim Carrie Nelson haven't forgotten her, but others may have forgotten the circumstances of her death.

To help jar their memories, the reward for information leading to a conviction of her assailants has been increased to $50,000.

"Money talks," said Michael Campion, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

"Local investigators have followed every clue, they have pursued every lead, but they have reached a dead end."

Campion announced the $50,000 reward Thursday, Oct. 11, along with Charlie Weaver, commissioner of Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Paul Soppeland, special agent with the BCA, and Rock County law enforcement.

"Offering substantial rewards will get people thinking back to what they know about these crimes," he said at a press conference in the Minnehaha County Courthouse, Sioux Falls.

Nelson's murder case is one of three unsolved murders in Minnesota receiving funding from Spotlight on Crime.

The three cases are the first to receive money from the fund set up this year by Minnesota businesses and public safety officials. Target Corporation is the lead sponsor of the fund.

The reward fund, which now amounts to $757,500, is designed to re-energize cases - especially heinous crimes against innocent victims - where investigations have grown cold.

Nelson, a 20-year-old Blue Mounds State Park employee, was murdered on May 2 in the park office. An autopsy showed that the 1999 Luverne High School graduate had died of multiple injuries to the head.

A $15,000 reward had already been posted in Nelson's case. When asked if $50,000 would make a difference, Campion said history has shown more money does produce more information.

"We have seen where $5,000 or $10,000 isn't enough to loosen lips, but $50,000 is," he said. "If a lead generated by a reward brings a killer to justice, $50,000 is a small price to pay."

Vajgrt said he was grateful to the Spotlight on Crime organization for the additional help.

"We're optimistic the $50,000 reward money will provide motivation for someone who knows about this crime," Vajgrt said.

"All we need is one phone call from the right person to solve this crime."

Nelson's mother, Nan Karr Kaufenberg said she's glad her daughter's case is back in the spotlight.

"It's good to get this out in the open and talk about it again," she said Thursday.

Stan Nelson, Hills, talked about how much he missed his daughter. "Carrie was a wonderful girl. Whoever took her life took a beautiful thing from us. I miss her more than I can say," he said.

"The person who took her life should be brought to justice and made accountable, not for revenge - there is no payback for this - but to prevent more suffering."

Both parents wore orange ribbons made by Nelson's classmates. Orange was her favorite color.

By Lori Ehde
Luverne High School graduate Eric Steinhoff has had more than his share of terrorist experiences while interning for Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle.

On Sept. 11 he witnessed firsthand the effects of attacks on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
This week, his work was affected by bioterrorism when a letter sent to Daschle's office tested positive for anthrax Monday.

"I'm worried to death about him," Steinhoff's father, Dave, said Wednesday after speaking with his son that morning.

He said one of Eric's primary responsibilities in Daschle's office is sorting through mail, but that day he happened to be out on errands.

"He wasn't actually in that room, but it could have traveled through the air ducts," Dave said. "They're going to have to close the building down."

Eric was tested and so far appears not to have been exposed, but 29 out of 40 employees have tested positive for being exposed to spores of the potentially deadly bacteria.

Daschle was in the Capitol and was not exposed to the letter, which was opened in his other office a block away in the Hart Senate Office Building.