By Sara Quam
The Luverne Economic Development Authority met Friday to decide if local businessman Jim Fick should get help in relocating his business.

The answer was yes in the unanimous vote that gave Fick, of Tri-State Auto Sales, a $25,000 forgivable loan.
In essence, the loan is a grant that has to be repaid with interest only if certain conditions aren't met. Portions of the debt will be canceled over a five-year period.

With Fick purchasing the former Schuur Concrete building, next to the China Inn, he will have more lot space and increased visibility for his business.

"We wanted Highway 75 exposure and a concrete parking lot," Fick said.

Fick has operated his car sales business for five years out of leased space from Align Tech and Tire.

The new site appealed to Fick from the start of his sales. In fact, he used the same lot for his first spring sale years ago.

During the LEDA's discussion on the loan, members made it clear that they supported the business move to rid the city of the current blight that's on the site.

LEDA member Mike Engesser said the city isn't in the practice of relocating businesses. "Basically, we're doing this as a South-75 cleanup," he said.

LEDA Director Tony Chladek said in a memo to LEDA members that the project is certainly "in keeping with the vision of the city and LEDA for Main Street and Highway 75."

Fick expects to move to the new location as soon as April and then start the process of cleaning the lot and setting up the office, which has been unoccupied for nine years.

Fick said he's proud of his family business, that is also managed by his wife, Renee Fick.

In addition to his own project, Fick said he's open to the possibilities. "We'll have more office space than we need so we're looking into having a separate business within that space," he said.

Fick has to meet certain conditions by the end of the year:

oRemove the cement block wall on the southwest corner of the building.
oRemove and cover the old windows on the main portion of the building.
oRemove and properly dispose of the silo.
oConstruct a new wall on the south end of the building.
oReplace the outside front on the south side of the building with new tin.
oWainscot the bottom four feet of the building on the front and south sides.
oReplace overhead doors with new doors.
oRemove loose gravel and weeds from parking area.
oInstall signs that comply with city code.
oInstall security lighting.

By Sara Quam
It's an understatement to say that Prairie Expo's first year of operation fell short of its projected $10 million profits.

Instead of raking in the millions, Prairie Expo is sucking money from cash reserves and the general fund of its owner - the Southwest Regional Development Commission.

Since opening in September, the visitors center has attracted just 30,000 guests. But Grant Lloyd, the Expo's director, said he sees a brighter summer approaching.

"We're starting to see some results from contacts we've made," Lloyd said. "There are good things happening amid all the bad things."

That isn't unusual for a first-year operation, he pointed out.

"Fifty-two percent of the visitors have been from outside the region, and most were traveling to another destination and decided to stop," Lloyd said. "We know we're going to have a good number of travelers as we build an identity."

Lloyd has already booked bus tours and made contacts with other touring companies that could view Prairie Expo as a stopping place.

Lloyd sees positive reactions coming from visitors. He said negative comments about the facility have come exclusively from those who were opposed to the project from the beginning.

"It's important that the project has support from the staff, the board and communities," he said. "We have to make sure that each of the communities is able to utilize the facility."

Modified first-year projections have Prairie Expo getting 300,000 visitors by the end of the summer, including the two busiest travel months.

The bottom line
Even with an optimistic eye to the future, there's still the matter of Prairie Expo using a good share of the SRDC's money in the meantime.

One figure puts Prairie Expo using about half of the SRDC's cash reserves through the winter in addition to what is already set aside for ExpoÕs budget.

Luverne Economic Development Director Tony Chladek said, "The SRDC works on a lot of projects for small communities, and it would be devastating to have the SRDC be affected by this."

The SRDC includes programs like Community Housing and Economic Development, Environment and Land Use, Transportation and the Area Agency on Aging.

The city of Luverne and Rock County each gave a one-time $5,000 donation to Prairie Expo last year. The state financed most of the $7-million facility.

Fund-raising isn't over yet. A new committee, made up of volunteers from the staff and directors, will approach area communities for additional money for marketing this spring.

Nate Golla, the third generation of Luverne Farm Store Gollas, flips eggs on the griddle during Pancake and Egg Day in the Farm Store's heated shop Saturday. Nate is the son of Gary and Barb Golla and the grandson of George and Vangie Golla. He said more than 1,100 people braved freezing temperatures to stand in line for the store's annual customer appreciation day meal. To feed that many people required 113 pounds of pancake batter, 180 dozen eggs, 2,000 slices of ham, 600 cups of coffee, 22 gallons of orange drink and 20 gallons of milk. "We thank everyone for coming down and joining us for customer appreciation day," Nate said. "All the Farm Store guys enjoyed it."

At right, 21-month-old Jenae Hamann could use a booster seat, but she manages to get almost all the pancakes and eggs to her mouth after her mom, Lisa Hamann, cut them into bite-sized pieces.

Photos by Lori Ehde

By Sara Quam
Luverne students who enjoy pop and the money it generates will still have access to it for now.

The proposal to restrict soft drink sales in schools was defeated by the Senate Education Committee last week. With a 26-6 vote, the bill's chances were squashed by lawmakers.

It called for an end to the sale of pop on school grounds during the day, and Luverne Student Council President Abbey Franken is glad the bill all but died.

"We get all our money from pop. That would've really hurt us," Franken said.

Soda sales generated about $8,000 for Luverne schools last year. Franken said the school council discussed the bill but took a "wait and see" approach.

Although financial reasons dominated most schoolsÕ opposition to the bill, Franken said it's also one of personal choice. "Without pop, all we have to drink is water."

Luverne Superintendent Vince Schaefer agreed. "Whatever we do with our pop or any other soft drink is up to us." He said state legislators have more important issues to discuss than soda machines, and their votes reflected that.

Critics of the bill said it was an issue of local control and personal choices and responsibility. If schools needed the money and parents and their children thought it was fine to drink pop, the state shouldn't interfere.

Supporters of the bill said it is a public health issue that goes beyond the boundaries of local control and personal choice.

Supporters said beverage companies shouldn't have a stronghold on schools looking for additional revenues.

Others said dental problems and calcium deficiencies would be greatly reduced with less pop available to students.

The Minnesota School Boards Association and the Minnesota Soft Drink Association were major adversaries of the bill, and the only major group in favor of it was the Minnesota Dental Association.

Coca-Cola Co., which has an exclusive contract with Luverne Schools, announced that it is changing its marketing in schools by adding healthier drinks.

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek opened the South Section 3A Girls' Basketball Tournament by coasting to a 56-27 victory over Sioux Valley-Round Lake-Brewster in Hills Thursday.

The seventh-seeded Patriots dominated play throughout the contest, earning a shot at No. 2 Southwest Christian in the tournament's quarterfinals (see related story elsewhere in the sports section).

SV-RL-B, which entered the tournament as the 10th seed, couldnÕt answer an early H-BC challenge that set the tone for the game.

H-BC scored the game's first six points and led by 11 ponts three times in the first quarter before Jody DeNoble drained a field goal with 31 seconds left to make it a 20-7 difference at the break.

Things didn't get any better for the Raiders in the second quarter, when H-BC went on a 15-4 scoring run to open a 35-11 halftime lead.

Senior Shanna Tilstra, who led H-BC with 19 points and four assists, helped the Patriots build a 24-point halftime cushion by scoring seven points in both the first and second stanzas.

H-BC iced the game by outscoring SV-RL-B 13-8 in the third quarter to make it a 29-point (48-19) difference.

Both teams scored eight points in the fourth quarter.

H-BC, which was aided by 26 turnovers by the Raiders, received 10 points and nine rebounds from Erin Boeve. LaDonna Sandstede contributed four steals to the cause for the 11-12 Patriots.

Box score
C.Tilstra 1 0 0-0 2, Olson 0 0 2-3 2, Sandstede 2 0 3-4 7, Rentschler 0 0 0-2 0, S.Tilstra 3 3 4-5 19, Broesder 3 0 0-0 6, DeNoble 2 0 0-0 4, Boeve 4 0 2-2 10, DeHaan 0 0 0-0 0, Arp 1 0 0-0 2.

Team statistics
H-BC: 21 of 64 field goals (33 percent), 11 of 15 free throws (73 percent), 33 rebounds, 14 turnovers.
SV-RL-B: 10 of 44 field goals (23 percent), seven of 15 free throws (47 percent), 27 rebounds, 26 turnovers.

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek put a scare into two-time defending state champion Southwest Christian before succumbing to a late Eagle rally during a quarterfinal-round game of the South Section 3A Boys' Basketball Tournament in Luverne Saturday.

H-BC, the tournament's eighth seed, gave SWC all it could handle during the first three and one-half quarters of play.

The No. 1 Eagles rose to the challenge late in the game by putting together a 14-2 run that secured a 52-42 victory for the favorites.

"Our kids really played well," said Patriot coach Steve Wiertzema.

"We played well defensively, and we rebounded well. I couldn't ask any more from our kids in that respect. SWC went 10 of 12 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, and Jeff Schaap scored 10 points for them in the fourth quarter. They went to their experienced player, and he carried them through the fourth quarter."

The 10-point difference at game's end was not indicative of how tight the contest was.

SWC led 13-12 after eight minutes of play, but H-BC countered with a 10-8 scoring edge in the second quarter to gain a 22-21 halftime edge.

The Patriots led 35-32 at the end of the third quarter before their 8-15 campaign came to an end when SWC outscored them 20-7 in the final eight minutes of play.

H-BC sported a 40-38 lead late in the game before SWC's 14-2 run settled the issue.

According to Wiertzema, H-BC's inability to cash in on its free throws (six of 21 overall) proved to be the difference in the game.

"It was the killer. We were two of 14 from the line in the first half," he said.

David Top netted 11 points for H-BC, while Lance Crawford led the way with 10 rebounds. Matt Buck charted five assists and three steals. Lyle DeBoer added four assists.

Box score
D.DeBoer 1 0 1-2 3, Haak 2 0 2-7 6, L.DeBoer 2 0 0-1 4, Van Wyhe 3 0 0-0 6, Top 2 2 1-6 11, Crawford 2 0 2-4 6, Buck 3 0 0-1 6.

Team statistics
H-BC: 17 of 34 field goals (50 percent), six of 21 free throws (28 percent), 26 rebounds, 20 turnovers.
SWC: 19 of 44 field goals (43 percent), 11 of 18 free throws (61 percent), 20 rebounds, 11 turnovers.

By Jolene Farley
On June 13, Hills-Beaver Creek sixth-grader Adam Finke will leave his home for the experience of a lifetime.

Adam was chosen as one of 15 People to People Middle School Student Ambassadors for the Sioux Falls Area. As an ambassador, he will visit Spain, France, Germany and Switzerland over a period of three weeks.

When asked if he is nervous about leaving his rural Luverne home and his parents, Jon and Sherri, he said, "maybe a little." Adam has flown once before to Disney World in Florida, but this will be a much longer flight.

The People to People delegation leaves the Sioux Falls Regional Airport and flies to New York where they join two other United States delegations, bringing their group up to 45 kids. From there they travel to Madrid, Spain.

Finke and the other delegates will learn about the government, economy and culture of Spain, France, Germany and Switzerland.

They'll learn through activities such as briefing at embassies and ministries, discussions with industry and trade officials, site visits to the headquarters of international organizations, and meetings with youth clubs.

They receive an overview of the cultural heritage of each country during visits to major historical sites and performances of ethnic music and dance.

The itinerary includes visits to Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Granada, Seville and Barcelona, Spain; Zurich and Geneva, Switzerland; Freiburg, Germany; and Paris, France.

The Alps is on top of Adam's list of things to see on the trip, but he is also excited about touring the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. He hopes to meet some visiting dignitaries.

"I thought it would be fun and a good experience," he said about the trip. He hopes to learn more about different cultures and how people live in different countries.

Adam will visit host families in each country who will include him in their everyday activities.

Each Student Ambassador is selected on the basis of recommendations, including school references and personal interviews with members of a screening committee in their local community.

Adam was notified in October he was chosen as an Ambassador. He is not sure who recommended him for the program.

Monthly orientation meetings to study countries the delegates will visit began in December. A report on a different country is due at each meeting, according to Adam. Delegates are trained on how to write in journals, so they can record their experiences.

Jon and Sherri Finke are trying to raise the $5,000 needed for Adam's trip. Sherri's employer, Cargill AgHorizons, has agreed to donate, and Sherri said they will approach a few more businesses but plan to pay the majority of the expense themselves. The $5,000 fee covers airfare and meals.

Young Americans have served as Student Ambassadors since 1963. Many former Student Ambassadors have pursued international careers in business, law, government service, and teaching, according to Pamela Leib, Junior High Delegation Leader for the Sioux Falls Area.

Alumni of the program have said their overseas experience and the maturity and world awareness they gained provide a competitive advantage for university acceptance as well as a new appreciation for life in America.

Outstanding Student Ambassadors are also eligible to apply for future service as interns.

The Student Ambassador program is operated under the auspices of People to People International, a nonpolitical, private-sector organization founded by President Eisenhower in 1956 to further international goodwill and understanding.

An international network of People to People chapters in nearly 60 American cities and 35 countries assists program administrators in arranging home stays and educational activities.

Students can obtain high school and university credit through participation in the program and may be eligible for grants.

By John Rittenhouse
The basketball season has been over for more than two weeks at Hills-Beaver Creek High School, but that didn't keep a large crowd from showing up at the school for a benefit game Monday night.

In what has become an annual event at the school, H-BC faculty members entertained the KELO-TV Almost Stars in a game to benefit the Patriot Partners organization.

The teams played in front of a crowd that nearly filled the grandstands on the south side of the gym as well as the stage on the north side of the gym.

According to Ann Boeve, one of the Patriot Partners in charge of the event, the support for the game was overwhelming.

"It was very well-received. There had to be 500 to 600 people there. You never really know how something like this will go, but I think it must have been the right time of year because people were looking for something to do," she said.

The Patriot Partners plan to use the $1,280 they raised to pad the high school locker room fund. New locker rooms are on the community's wish list, and events like these, along with the $200,000 the H-BC School District will donate to the project, could make the project a reality.

The night started with a Burger King Whopper Feed from 5 to 7:30 p.m.

With Sioux Falls radio personality Ben Davis providing pre-game music as well as doing the game's play-by-play announcing, the contest tipped off around 7:30, after the national anthem was sung by the H-BC Elementary School Singers Edition.

When the first half was complete, with the Almost Stars sporting a slim lead, the H-BC Elementary School Cheerleaders and H-BC Dance Line provided entertainment throughout the intermission.

H-BC's junior parents and After Prom Committee sold concessions throughout the game, which ended in a deadlock when the faculty members staged a second-half rally.

By Jolene Farley
Dave Crawford, Beaver Creek, has always been fond of animals, particularly dogs. Crawford turned his love of dogs into a business when he opened Midwest Canine in 1995 at his home in rural Beaver Creek.

"Training is something I have always been interested in," said Crawford, originally from Slayton. "So when I was done with school I went out to the West Virginia Canine College before I moved back here." Crawford attended college for animal science.

Midwest Canine offers dog boarding for up to eight dogs, but Crawford hopes to expand his boarding capacity next summer and also add an indoor training facility. Boarding costs for one day currently run $6 for a small dog and $7 for a big dog.

He also toys with the idea of opening boarding kennels in different towns. Midwest Canine boards dogs from all over the area.

He loves repeat customers. "The dogs are like one of your own," said Crawford. "It is like you have a pet but it goes home with someone else at the end of the week."

Midwest Canine offers dog obedience classes at the Rock County Veterinary Clinic for adult dogs and puppies. Adult dog classes are offered on Mondays and cost $45. Puppy classes are offered on Saturdays and cost $38.50.

Since turnout for the obedience class was double what Crawford expected, new classes will be offered periodically throughout the year.

He hopes to eventually add an agility class, where dogs are taught to weave around poles, run through tunnels and other fun things. His customers have expressed interest, and he says it is a great confidence builder for dogs.

Four years ago, Midwest Canine began training hunting dogs. It usually takes about two months to train a dog to hunt, according to Crawford. Costs run about $325 per month.

Before adopting a dog Crawford suggests sitting down to list what you want in a dog. "A lot of people pick the wrong breed," he said. "They see a cute little puppy and buy it right away."

A good breeder should be able to help evaluate a litter for the best puppy for prospective owners. Crawford recommends what he calls the "middle child" - not the meek, submissive puppy or the one jumping all over but the one in the middle.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is not socializing their dogs at a young age to the things they will be exposed to, according to Crawford.

Crawford works alone, except for a part-time helper during the summer. Business was brisk last year, so he anticipates needing more part-time help this summer.

In addition to boarding and training, Midwest Canine also raises German shepherds imported from Germany.

Crawford and his wife, Lisa, have two children, twins Andrew and Amanda.