By Lori Ehde
Farmers aren't the only ones waiting for drier soil this spring. The harsh winter and wet spring have complicated normal processes at area cemeteries this year.

Todd Evans, Luverne, is wrapping up his first year as manager of Maplewood Cemetery and said he's learned a lot in a short time.

In the midst of one of the coldest and snowiest winters on local record, Maplewood Cemetery handled an extraordinary number of burials.

"We had 51 funerals this winter," Evans said. "That's a lot when you consider we average 65 to 70 in a year."

Now, when he's scrambling to catch up on winter burials and preparing the cemetery for Memorial Day, Mother Nature won't cooperate with drying weather.

The cemetery still has 20 graves that need to be packed and seeded, but the work can't be done until the water table drops.

The sealed vaults are in the ground covered with dirt, but water is seeping around the edges, making it impossible to finish the job.

But things could always be worse. In 1993, there were no burials for six weeks due to wet grounds.

"That was a horror show," said Vance Walgrave, former cemetery manager. "They were keeping them in funeral homes.

"Big patches of grass died from setting in water, and big trees that had been here for 50 to 60 years drowned."

This year, funerals carried on as usual, but at one point this spring, the ground was too wet for regular cemetery equipment, and a backhoe was needed to dig a grave.

The Maplewood Cemetery Association recently purchased 40 acres of land to the west, which will allow for more options in the future.

That soil is on higher ground, but Evans said it won't be available for use for at least another two years.

Meanwhile, Evans said he's holding out for drying weather.

"Every time it gets dry enough to do anything, it rains again," Evans said. "It's just like the farmers out in the field - you can't do anything until it dries."

By Lori Ehde
The axe fell on Luverne's first round of budget cuts during the School Board's regular meeting Thursday, April 26.

The new all day every day kindergarten program survived the cuts but not without other significant cuts at the elementary level.

The most controversial casualty at this point is the visual arts program.

Elementary Art Specialist Cloyce Smith will no longer work with grades K-5 in special art sessions, since her position was eliminated Thursday.

Students will still have access to art, but it will be offered at the discretion of regular classroom teachers.

Board member Becky Walgrave made the motion to approve $329,000 worth of cuts, and board member Cary Radisewitz seconded the motion.

At that point, the meeting was opened to attendees for comment.

Several art supporters spoke against cutting Smith's position, including Smith herself.

"Nobody comes into our classrooms to see what we're doing," Smith said, so she brought samples of work the students have done.

In addition to other projects, she showed the board a first-grader's experience with Pablo Picasso, a second-grader's example of Vincent Van Gogh, a third-grader's Georgia O'Keefe, a fourth-grader's work in the style of Grant Wood, and a fifth-grader's mastery of Claude Monet.

"If you cut the arts, this is what you're cutting," she said, adding that it would be a big step backward for the district.

"We finally got it up to where all the kids are getting art, but if you make these cuts, that's not teaching to excellence, that's hurting the kids."

Luverne artist Jerry Deuschle also spoke against the cuts.

"Being an art supporter in the community, I was elated with the new elementary art program and set-up," he said. "Now I feel the wind has been taken out of my sails when I see the elementary cuts proposed."

After taking comments from attendees, board chair Don Bryan asked board members if there was any more discussion and called the vote.

The motion passed unanimously to approve the cuts.
On the heels of that decision, the board took action on the specific positions related to the cuts:

oThey accepted the resignation of first-grade teacher Dixie Arends, who is retiring.

oThey discontinued the services of part-time middle-high school morning nurse Sharon Bonnema.

oThey did not renew the teaching contract of part-time elementary physical education teacher Bruce Gluf.

oThey placed the following staff on unrequested leave of absence:

Elementary technology teacher Michelle Johnson was reduced by half time
Music teacher Patty Nelson was reduced by approximately one period per day.

High school life sciences teacher Debra Vogt was reduced by about one-third time.

When asked if any of these positions would be reinstated in the event that the Legislature would come through with adequate funding, Superintendent Vince Schaefer qualified his response.

"It is a possibility, but that's a real iffy one," he said. "The intention of the cuts at this stage is to balance the budget."

Luverne School DistrictÕs expenses this year exceeded revenues by $450,000. Thursday's cuts put the district $329,000 closer to balancing the budget.

Now, Schaefer said the board is considering additional cuts, possibly activities or administrative streamlining to get closer to the goal.

Schaefer said other districts are trimming budgets with the expectation of decreased funding from the state.

But if Luverne doesn't balance its budget, and if the state allocates less funding, Schaefer said the financial situation for Luverne could be twice as bad next year.

"Which makes our situation a little more concrete," he said. "If you're $450,000 deficit spending this year, and they don't fund you at a reasonable rate, you have to trim, which is what we're doing."

Tyler Amborn and Katie Oksness stroll through the grand march.
More photos in News section.

Photo by Brenda Winter, Myhre Studio

By Jolene Farley
No sale is too big or small for Elbers Auction Service. Keith Elbers, Hills, and Clark Ahders, Rock Rapids, provide complete auction services to their customers.

Elbers attended the Continental School of Auctioneers, Mankato, in 1989. He enrolled in the week-long course at the suggestion of his boss at the Sioux Falls Stockyards. As head feeder salesman, he auctioneers at the stockyards three sales a day, three days a week.

He received the "best auctioneer award" for his class. Of the 40 students who began class with Elbers, only 14 remained at graduation. Elbers said many found out it just "wasnÕt their cup of tea."

His personal auctioneer business just "kind of grew," says Elbers. He started out doing small sales and after meeting Ahders, the business grew even more.

Auctioneers list the items to sell, help determine advertising needs and help organize items for auction.

Because sales can be held outside, summer is usually the busiest time of year for Elbers.

Elbers Auction Service also has four machinery consignment sales every year.

The most unusual item Elbers sold on auction was a coffin. Other items that come to mind are a box of laundry soap and fabric clings from a general store that closed down. The items had been sitting for years before they were put on auction, and Elbers said they "brought more than new."

A number of antique dealers attend sales faithfully, making antiques the best sellers on most auctions. This increases the sale prices for the casual auction-goer but is good for the seller.

"You are always working for the people you are selling for, not the buyers," said Elbers.

"People buy anything," said Elbers. "Don't throw anything away." People sometimes buy boxes and leave the items they do not want. Those items always seem to be picked up by other auction-goers, according to Elbers.

Some bidders are very competitive, according to Elbers. "They just don't want the other guy to have it."

Elbers' job has enabled him to meet many people, and he has made some good friends. Auctioning is just something he loves to do, he said.

Elbers' wife, Annette, and her sister, Coleen Martens, close sales and do the bookwork for the auction service.

Elbers Auction Service has a community consignment sale in Hills on Thursday, May 17, and they hope everyone plans to attend.

By John Rittenhouse
The Adrian High School baseball team had its way with Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth when the squads squared off twice since Wednesday, April 25.

Adrian exploded offensively by slapping 15 hits during a 25-0 victory in a game that ended after four and one-half innings of play due to the 10-run rule in Adrian April 25.

The Dragons scored 13 runs in their final three innings of a 14-1 win over the Patriots in Hills Monday.

After a scoreless first inning, Adrian scored five runs in the bottom of the second, 13 in the third and seven in the fourth during the 25-0 win April 25.

Derek Vastenhout (three hits and six RBIs), Jake Salter (three hits and three RBIs) and Dusty Henning (two hits and five RBIs) led Adrian's offensive assault.

Mark Kroon and Tannar Heronimus pitched a combined three-hit shutout for AHS. Kroon tossed the first three innings to gain the victory.

Steve Swayze, Paul Jess and Darin DeBoer all singled for H-BC-E. Justin Van Maanen took the loss on the mound.

Monday's game in Hills was deadlocked at one through four innings of play before Adrian plated 13 runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to win by 13.

Pete Hohn gave Adrian the lead for good when his two-run single in the top of the fifth made it a 3-1 game.

Two-run doubles by Jake Salter and Tyler Wolf increased Adrian's lead to six runs (7-1) in the sixth.

Adrian put the game away with a seven-run seventh inning. Dusty Henning supplied the big blow of the frame when he doubled home three runs. Joe Kruger, Seth Bullerman, Tannar Heronimus and Matt Eickhoff all added run-scoring singles during the inning.

Heronimus scored the first run of the game in the top of the third on a passed ball. H-BC-E countered with a run in the bottom of the third when Lee Jackson reached base with a single, stole second and third and scored on a wild pitch.

Mark Kroon tossed three and two-thirds scoreless innings of relief to pick up the pitching win for AHS. Wolf yielded one run in the first two and one-third innings, and Kruger pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

David Top took the loss for H-BC-E, which received a two-hit performance from Matt Buck.

By John Rittenhouse
Some members of the Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth track program spent parts of their Tuesday rewriting the record book at the Arrow Relays in Pipestone.

H-BC-E team members set three new meet standards and tied another one during the course of the meet.

To make the outing even more impressive, the Patriot girls captured the team title in an eight-squad field in the Class B portion of the meet.

The Patriot boys finished third overall, but they were only six points away from securing a team championship.

"It was a great meet for us," said Patriot coach Tom Goehle. "The kids ran exceptionally well all the way across the board."

A pair of relay teams came up big for the Patriot girls.

The 3,200-meter squad of Brittney Olson, Shanna and Cassi Tilstra and Bev Wurpts set a meet record with their winning time of 10:25.51.

Not to be outdone, the medley team of Erin Boeve, Shanna Tilstra, Janelle Jenniges and Wurpts set a meet record with their winning effort of 4:35.7.

Brad Haak, who placed second in the high jump by clearing 5-6, established a meet record for the Patriot boys by running 800 meters in 2:00.3.

Patriot Chris Fransman tied a meet standard when he cleared 6-3 to win the high jump.

The H-BC-E girls also fielded the winning 1,600-meter relay team of the Tilstras, Boeve and Jenniges. They turned in a time of 4:23.24.

Jenniges also ran her way to a meet title in the 1,600-meter run with a time of 5:56.9.

The Tilstras, Boeve and Sarah Rozeboom all placed second in individual events for H-BC-E.

Shanna Tilstra cleared 4-6 in the high jump, Cassi Tilstra ran 400 meters in 1:03.99, Rozeboom cleared the 300-meter hurdles in 59.03 and Boeve ran 100 meters in 13.35.

Chris Willers and Chris Reid also produced sprinting wins for the H-BC-E boys. Willers won the 400 in 52.09. Reid won the 200 in 23.89.

H-BC-E fielded the winning 1,600- and 3,200-meter relay teams, which recorded respective 3:39.74 and 8:48.26 times.

Reid, Fransman, Willers and Lee Jackson teamed up in the 1,600. Tyler Bush, Matt Buck, Jackson and Haak ran the 3,200.

The Patriots will compete at the Howard Wood Relays in Sioux Falls tomorrow and Saturday.

Here is a look at the team standings and the rest of H-BC-EÕs top six finishers from the Arrow Relays.

Class B girls: H-BC-E 105, Fulda 89, Edgerton 73, Elkton 70, Baltic 64, Adrian 62, Southwest Christian 52 and Lincoln HI 49.

Class B boys: SWC 113.5, Fulda 112, H-BC-E 108, Adrian 75. Baltic 58.5, Elkton 42, Edgerton 37, LH 34.

H-BC-E girls
Third place: Connie Lewis, triple jump, 31-0 1/2; Rozeboom, 100 hurdles, 20.05; Olson, 800, 2:42.93; 400 relay (LaDonna Sandstede, Melinda Feucht, Olson and Lewis), 56.28.
Fourth place: Sandstede, 200, 29.7; Brittney Rozeboom, 3,200, 14:12.
Sixth place: Boeve, long jump, 13-9.

H-BC-E boys
Third place: Reid, long jump, 19-3 1/2; 800 relay (Reid, Fransman, Bush and Jackson), 1:39.45; 400 relay (Reid, Fransman, Willers and Jackson), 48.07.
Fourth place: Nathan Fick, 3,200, 12:35.
Fifth place: Walraven,100, 12.34; Greg Van Batavia, 1,600, 5:18.17; Buck, 300 hurdles, 48.09.
Sixth place: Buck, triple jump, 35-5; Walraven, 110 hurdles, 21.06.

By Jolene Farley
High winds fanned the flames of a fire that destroyed a calf barn, granary, two garages and a milking barn on a farm east of Valley Springs Saturday.

The blaze broke out on the Vis "home place," owned by Minnie Vis. Her son, Alan, lives on the premises, and another son, Norman Vis, uses the farm buildings for his farming operation, according to Valley Springs Fire Chief Don Johnson.

A small fire, which the Vises put out, developed in a silage and wood chip pile a few days prior to the blaze on Saturday. Norman Vis figures high winds on Saturday blew a spark onto the calf shed causing it to ignite.

The Valley Springs Fire Department responded at approximately 4 p.m., but much of the damage was already in progress by then.

"When we pulled on the yard, the four buildings were totally engulfed," said Johnson. "The wind just fanned that fire. It was just going like crazy."

The Hills, Beaver Creek, Brandon and Garretson Fire Departments were called in to help battle the blaze.

"The most dangerous part was the propane tank that was burning," said Johnson. "They are very dangerous when they get hot."

The tank was sprayed with water to cool it down, but the valve popped continuously and one end of the tank bubbled up from the intense heat.

Vinyl siding on the south side of the house melted from heat thrown off the burning buildings.

The fire was under control by about 7:30 p.m., and firemen left the scene at about 8:30 p.m. Johnson said he checked the site again around midnight and brought a firetruck to extinguish more hot spots.

The Vises had recently added on to the dairy barn and purchased some new equipment. They were able to get all the cattle out of the dairy barn except 10 cows that refused to leave because it was milking time.

"Holsteins are ornery critters," said Johnson. "If it's time to milk they are going to the barn no matter what." Seven calves were also lost, according to Johnson.

The cattle saved from the flames are now milked in a barn owned by Norman's son and nephew.

All buildings and animals destroyed by the fire were insured, according to Norman Vis.

In another stroke of bad luck, Sunday the roof of a hog barn on Norman's place blew off in the high winds.

By Jolene Farley
Hills native Wendell Bengtson and his wife, Wilma, traveled to San Antonio, Texas, April 11-15 to reminisce with some of the many veterans who, like Wendell, served in the Korean War.

Bengtson and his wife met more than 490 veterans and their spouses at the Korean War Veterans Reunion.

Most of the vets served in the Army, but the only qualification to attend the reunion was service time during the months of the Korean War or immediately afterward.

The Wednesday through Sunday event was pulled together by the effort of many people. The veterans reminisced about their days in Korea, and pictures were taken of all who attended the reunion.

This year's Korean War Veterans Reunion was the third such event the veterans organized. The reunions are usually planned for every five years.

"We had a great reunion," Bengtson said. "It brought back to mind some of the things we experienced, both pleasant and not so pleasant."

The accommodations at the Adams Mark Hotel in San Antonio were vastly different from accommodations in Korea. Bengtson remembers living in a tent during his 14-month stint in Korea.

Wendell was drafted into the Army's 3rd Infantry Division Medical Battalion, Clearing Company, in May 1951. He served very close to the front line.

An ambulance platoon brought wounded soldiers back to Bengtson's battalion, and doctors made the decision whether they would stay at the battalion or be sent to a MASH Unit or Evac Hospital for more extensive medical services.

As an enlisted man, Bengtson's duties included loading and unloading the wounded and he also served as clerk for a psychiatric unit.

"It was nothing like you would see if you were on the line, but you saw the end result of it," said Bengtson about the fighting.

During the last four or five months of his tour, Bengtson said his unit performed more difficult surgeries because the front line didn't move, making his unit more stable.

Korea is a mountainous country, and Bengtson clearly remembers craters in the terrain from bombings and bare areas where trees were blasted away.

"We could hear the artillery going in and coming out," said Bengtson. "We could tell whose it was by the sound."

Bengtson said the Korean War was devastating for him and the Korean people, but he thinks the war was a necessity to protect the Korean people from Communist takeover. "I am not a promoter of war," said Bengtson. "Those poor people didnÕt need to be overrun."

Bengtson knows civilians were killed during the conflict, but he said anyone who saw combat would understand how it could happen.

"War is war, and war is hell. There is no question about that," he said.

Bengtson said attending the reunion was therapeutic for him and other veterans. They were invited to share their experiences with each other. Anyone could go up to the microphones and say anything they wanted.

There were several veterans who stood at the microphone and shared things even their spouses hadn't heard before, Bengtson said.

A milking barn and several other buildings on the Minnie Vis farm are a total loss after a fire Saturday. The buildings were engulfed in flames when firemen arrived on the scene. See page three in the Crescent for more photos. Story and more photos in News section.

Photo by Jolene Farley