To the Editor:

It was generous of the Rock County Selection Committee to have selected me as Rock County's Outstanding Senior Citizen for the year 2000.

This award is appreciated and will be a source of inspiration for me for the rest of my life. I hope to continue working with local organizations, especially with the local Hospice and with the Southwest Crisis Center, which deals with domestic abuse.

Thanks to Rock County and to the committee for the recognition of the work done here by these important organizations. They truly, I believe, help improve the quality of life throughout Rock County, a marvelous place to live.

Jeanette Tangeman

Luverne

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne Redbirds passed their first test during the Minnesota State Class C Amateur Baseball Tournament in Fairfax Sunday.
Playing Lake Henry in a single-elimination game during the tournament’s first round, Luverne fell behind early in the contest only to outscore its opponent 12-0 the rest of the way in a 12-1 victory.
The win sends the 23-12 Redbirds into the tournament’s second round of single-elimination play Saturday in Fairfax. Luverne plays Perham at 7 :30 p.m.
A victory would give the Redbirds a berth in the tournament’s championship rounds with seven other teams. The final eight teams compete in double-elimination play.
Luverne would start the championship-round action with a 7:30 p.m. game Sunday in Fairfax if it can knock off Perham Saturday.
Things went well for the Redbirds during Sunday’s tournament opener against Lake Henry.
Lake Henry plated an earned run off Redbird starting pitcher Robert Peterson in the bottom half of the first inning, but the rest of the game belonged to Luverne.
The Redbirds were limited to eight hits in the game, but walks by Lake Henry’s pitchers and a number of fielding errors allowed Luverne to score 12 unanswered runs and win the contest by the 10-run rule after seven innings of play.
Luverne scored twice in the top of the second inning to take the lead for good.
Mike Wenninger reached base on an error and scored the tying run when Petersen doubled. Redbird Corey Nelson was hit by a pitch as the inning progressed and gave Luverne a 2-1 lead when Jesse Reisch singled.
Reisch walked and scored an unearned run in the fifth inning to give the Redbirds a 3-1 cushion, which set up a nine-run rally in the fifth inning that all but ended the game.
Lake Henry was its own worst enemy in the sixth as the home team’s pitchers allowed four walks and hit one batter during the inning. Two errors by Lake Henry also fueled Luverne’s rally.
Wenninger supplied the biggest hit of the eruption when he singled home a pair of runs. Jeff Sehr had an RBI single, and Nelson drew a bases-loaded walk during the frame.
Peterson pitched one-run ball through six innings to pick up the win. Wenninger, who led Luverne with two hits, pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the winners.
Box scoreABRHBI
Ohme3100M.Sehr3110Miller1000J.Sehr5111Irish3100Wenninger4322Peterson2111Moerke1000Nelson2211Reisch3111Eernisse4110

McCoy is the International Pro Rodeo Association’s world champ in the saddle bronc riding the past two years and set an IPRA record while winning the all-around title last January at IFR30 in Oklahoma City.

McCoy, from Tupelo, will be competing Friday night in his specialty event, as well as the bareback bronc riding and bull riding.

Also on hand will be 11-time steer wrestling world champ Dale Yerigan and four-time barrel racing champ Betty Roper.

Both Yerigan and Roper will also be competing on Friday.

In addition to the all-star cast, a big number of local cowboys and cowgirls will be competing here both nights. Included in that group is former world champ Terry Crow.

The rodeo is sponsored by the Miami Area Chamber of Commerce along with Miami Ford and Cheek Auto Mall.

Advance tickets are available at the Miami Area Chamber of Commerce, Miami Ford, Cheek Auto Mall, Buy For Less, Osborn Drugs, The Stables, Bilkes and Reynolds Boot Shop.

Adult tickets purchased in advance are $6 for Friday and $13 for Saturday’s go-round, which also features a concert by Daryle Singletary.

At the gate, adult tickets will be $8 on Friday and $15 on Saturday.

Advance tickets for children (3-12) are $3 for Friday and $11 for Saturday. At the gate they will be $4 and $13.

Thunderbolt Rodeo Productions is again the stock producer.

By John Rittenhouse
Karen Fey has overcome many obstacles during her many appearances at the Luverne Country Club’s Women’s Club Tournament, but Mother Nature offered a different kind of challenge during Saturday’s version of the event.
At about the time the players in the championship flight took the course, a light, annoying rain began falling and continued to dampen the links throughout the entire first round of play and well into the second round of the 18-hole competition.

Kim Grengs is the new Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School principal, and already she’s feeling at home in the community.
"The people were very friendly and everything seemed very organized," she said about her decision to work in H-BC. "The district was on the cutting edge of curriculum."
She received her degree in administration from Minnesota State University last summer, and Hills is her first administrative job. Formerly she was a fifth-grade teacher in Farmington, a town near Northfield.
"I felt ready for a leadership role," she said of her new degree.
Grengs started in Beaver Creek Tuesday, Aug. 15, and said she’s enjoying her work so far. "It’s been great," Grengs said. "The staff is very helpful and nice."
She plans to keep many of the same programs at Hills, at least for this year. "I feel I can continue the excellence Hills has in teaching. I’m going to keep a lot of what’s going on," Grengs said.
One program she hopes to implement is a program on citizenship, or "a garden of values," as Grengs calls it. "The children would learn lessons in politeness and other qualities that would make them better citizens," Grengs said.
Grengs received her bachelor’s degree in education from Augsburg College, Minneapolis, and her master’s degree in education from St. Mary’s University.
Grengs and her husband, Brent, who teaches in Tea, S.D., have two children, daughter Annie, 4, and son Darby, 2. She and her family live in a rented home in Steen.
Grengs grew up in Richfield, and her hobbies are reading, spending time with her family and being outdoors.

By Katrina Vander Kooi, summer intern

So far, no arrests, but anyone with information
is encouraged to call Sheriff's Department at 283-5000
By Lori Ehde
August has been a busy month for the Rock County Sheriff’s Department as deputies are working on a string of burglaries, break-ins and vandalism.
Aug. 1 dawned with a report by Rock Veterinary Clinic of a burglary in which someone broke into the clinic through a lobby window and stole any cash that could be found inside.
Cash was taken from a candy box and from a floor safe that was taken outside and pried open. The safe was later found on the property.
According to clinic employee Dan Breuer, the cash loss was modest (about $450) considering the value of other items not stolen from the veterinary office.
"It definitely could have been worse, considering a vet’s office has bottles of medicine worth about $200 bottles a crack," Breuer said.
"It’s kind of interesting – we had keys in a vehicle in the garage, and they left that alone, and other than the window and the safe, they didn’t break anything or throw papers around."
Breuer said the clinic hasn’t been notified of any leads on suspects in the investigation.
The Sheriff’s Department did make progress last week, however, on a burglary at Hills Locker Service that was reported Aug. 2.
According to locker owner Tedd Larson, deputies have recovered a $425 digital scale that was stolen sometime between the business’ closing on Aug. 1 and opening on Aug. 2. In addition to the scale, between $150 and $175 was also stolen.
Larson said the scale was found Friday in a car belonging to someone from Luverne. When asked why someone would steal a scale, he speculated that such a scale could be used to measure illegal controlled substances in a private methamphetamine lab. He also added that the Hobart scale salesman had noted other reports of similar scales being stolen recently.
Larson said he was just happy to have the scale returned, and other than scratched off serial numbers, he said the equipment is not damaged.
Rock County Sheriff’s Department investigators aren’t commenting on any of the cases or the likelihood that they’re related, but given the numbers of reported thefts and vandalism this month, deputies have their work cut out for them.
On Aug. 2, Hills-Beaver Creek High School reported two windows were broken out of a school bus. Damages are estimated at $200 or more.
On Aug. 8, Deloris Dressen reported her 1988 Chevrolet Sprint, valued at about $800, had been stolen from her garage in Magnolia. The following day, it was found in Magnolia and returned to her.
On Aug. 9, Nancy Palmquist, Luverne, reported the theft of a girls’ Huffy bike, valued at about $100, from her front yard.
On Aug. 11, Chris Smook, Luverne, reported the theft of a Huffy "flat bed" chrome bike valued at $60 taken from the front yard sometime during the night.
On Aug. 14, Hills Co-op Farm Elevator reported someone had been either taking anhydrous ammonia (used in illegal production of methamphetamines) or just leaving the hose off the connections in Hills.
Also on Aug. 14, the Luverne Building Center reported that someone had broken in and stolen an undetermined amount of cash.
On Aug. 15, the city of Hills reported five streetlights had been shot out. Damage is estimated at about $300.
On Aug. 17, Luverne High School reported that someone had damaged a football blocking dummy with a knife or other sharp object. Damage is estimated at $200. It would cost $500 to replace the dummy.
On Aug. 18, Micky Sehr reported that an undetermined amount of cash had been stolen from the Redbird Field concession stand in Luverne. Further, a Coke machine, valued at roughly $2,000, was taken.
Also on Aug. 18, Patricia Melsness reported a decorative Scooby Doo house flag, valued at about $35. had been stolen.
On Aug. 19, Evie VandenBerg, reported a cell phone and its 12-volt adapter had been stolen from her vehicle, which was parked in the garage. The items, valued at about $200, were taken sometime between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m.
Also on Aug. 19, George Lass reported someone drove a vehicle about 30 feet into his cornfield near Hardwick, causing about $100 worth of damage.
Also on Aug. 19, Kristy Groen reported someone had damaged her 1985 black Thunderbird by putting scratches and nasty words on the vehicle. Damage is estimated at about $1,600.
Also on Aug. 19, Gordon Swenson, Hardwick, reported his cell phone, valued at about $50, had been stolen from his vehicle while it was parked at Casey’s on South Highway 75. He estimated it had been taken sometime between 6 and 6:30 a.m.
On Aug. 22, Hohn Implement, Luverne, reported someone had broken through a shop window and stole an undetermined amount of cash.
Anyone with information on any of these cases is encouraged to call the Rock County Sheriff’s Department at 283-5000.

By John Rittenhouse
The Luverne High School tennis team opened the 2000 season at Worthington Pre-Season Invitational Tennis Tournament Tuesday.
The Cardinal girls played three matches against teams from Martin County West, Pipestone-Jasper and Worthington.
Luverne went 2-1 for the day, besting MCW and Worthington by respective 7-0 and 6-1 tallies. P-J downed LHS 6-1 in a contest that needed four tie-breakers to settle matches.
Sophomore Becky Antoine played her way to an individual championship by winning all three of her matches at No. 2 singles.
Antoine secured 5-0 and 5-1 wins against MCW’s Becky Kuehl, she topped P-J’s Abby Wiltrout 5-0 and 5-3, and downed Worthington’s Kelly Cunningham 5-1 and 5-3.
Cardinals Amanda Aning and Rachel Tofteland placed second at No. 1 and No. four singles with 2-1 records.
Luverne’s No. 1 doubles team of Chelsea Cronin and Allana Gacke, No. 2 squad of Gabe Van Dyk and Patricia Willers, and No. 3 team of Sarah Lange and Jenny Braa all finished second with 2-1 records.
Cardinal Ashley Gacke placed third at No. 3 singles with a 1-2 mark.
Luverne will play at a doubles tournament in Fairmont Friday before playing Yellow Medicine East in Pipestone Monday.

Commissioners buy time to study balance
between rural living and gravel industry
By Sara Quam
In light of recent gravel extraction controversies, the Rock County Board of Commissioners voted to hold action on new permit requests for up to one year to allow time to study gravel issues.
Effective immediately, the board passed an interim ordinance and moratorium, from a minimum of 60 days to a maximum of one year, subject to review of the county attorney. The moratorium will allow time to study how a balance between rural living and economic development can be achieved.
Tuesday’s action comes in the wake of heated public meetings this summer over a request by Henning Construction to extract gravel from a rural neighborhood south of the airport. That permit was eventually denied, but discussion since then has focused on rezoning areas to prevent future controversy.
Rock County isn’t alone in its search for this balance. The statewide issue will be discussed at the next Association of Minnesota Counties meeting, but the board felt it necessary to avoid conflict until the issue gets more study locally.

Land management
The Board also approved a new Land Management Plan, which updates information, and a Planning and Zoning Ordinance, which updates the enforcement of the ordinances.
The policy guide was reviewed and updated to respond to changes in times and conditions. The plan, available for public viewing, is divided into seven chapters: Population and Demographics, Economic Development, Housing, Climate and Physical Features, Transportation and Infrastructure and History and Recreation.
The most noticeable change to the ordinance plan is the fee schedule. Variance and conditional use hearings will increase from $250 to $500 and from $300 to $500. The hearings actually cost the county $1,075, so the fees do not account for all costs.
Those increased fees affect the gravel business and not feedlots. Land Management Office Director John Burgers said state money set aside for managing the feedlot program helps compensate for those user fees so not increasing feedlot charges is justified.
The argument can be made that agricultural businesses and gravel businesses should be charged the same for permits regardless of state aid, but Burgers said feedlots require fees for additional inspections so the scale is fair.
"I think it’s more important to spend time with inspections on site, and spend money there, than in hearings where no one shows up," Burgers said.
"We looked at where our costs are and where we’re recouping."
The new ordinance book includes guides for wind and wireless towers for the first time. Dwellings now require two acres instead of one, which makes it more suitable for septic system guidelines and roadway setbacks.

In other business Tuesday the board:
Drafted a resolution on the driver’s exam testing station to be sent to the Commissioner of Public Safety. The resolution says the state should provide the service because the county will be harmed by a test-station relocation. It says that since fees are equal statewide, testing sites should be available to all residents within a reasonable distance.
Accepted a petition asking that County State Highway 16 be paved and maintained by Rock County. The petition asks for pavement on a two-mile section that continues into Nobles County. The east-west gravel road that intersects Highway 75 two miles south of Luverne has similar traffic counts to other roads in the county, according to County Engineer Mark Sehr. He said it has been in the five-year plan to improve existing paved roads before adding more to the system. The petitioners have also approached the Nobles County Board with the petition.
Heard an update from Randy Ehlers on the flex plan in the Family Services. He said many employees have started to use the system to work 40 hours a week in fewer days, and customer service has been maintained.
He also said he is proposing legislation that would make the Department of Corrections responsible for investigating allegations of maltreatment in DOC licensed juvenile facilities.
Ehlers said the rules and regulations of those facilities are too specialized for Family Service agencies to investigate on their own. Each case takes about 40 hours of personnel time, and Ehlers said the unfunded mandate is unfair to the county to pay for.
Heard a request from Don Amos for additional work to be done on Shoneman Park’s driveway. He represented a group that wants the county to extend the parking lot and driveway so fishers can access the water with less walking. The work would involve about 300 feet. The county is also considering installing another dock for the south pond.