Remember When

10 years ago (2016)  •Al Willers is not a well-recognized name at Luverne Elementary School. He’s better known as “Grandpa Al.”  Even his school badge reads “Grandpa Al,” as it has for the past 15 school years, where Willers has been a volunteer. His focus is helping elementary students with various math equations.  “Math is used every day regardless of what they want to grow up to be,”…

   10 years ago (2016)  •Megan Westrum, Steen, is one of three Minnesota West students named to the 2016 Phi Theta Kappa All-Minnesota USA Academic Team.  Westrum, a student at the Worthington Campus, is an active member of Phi Theta Kappa and a member of the 2014-15 Lady Jay Basketball team.  Westrum, a 2014 graduate of Hills-Beaver Creek High School, plans to pursue a degree at Southwest…

10 years ago (2016)  •The artwork of 17-year-old Brandon Sprock, son of Luverne High School graduate Sara (Schomacker) Sprock, is on display at the Museum of Visual Materials, Sioux Falls, through April 30.  In December the South Dakota Arts Council and Arts South Dakota put out a call for art to be created by students across the state of South Dakota.  Sprock, a student at LifeScape Specialty…

10 years ago (2016)  •With the retirement of longtime Heartland Express employee Elaine Birkestrand set for Sunday, May 1, county officials have been discussing different options to fill her position.  Heartland Express provides public transportation to families, older adults and people with disabilities.  The countywide service  began in 1991. Birkestrand began as a part-time bus driver in…

10 years ago (2016)  •Glen Gust’s grocery career began when he was just a child.  “I started delivering bread with the bread man when I was 7, and I delivered milk with the milk man when I was 12,” Gust recalled. “I made $4 a week — $1 per day — in the summers.”  As a high school student in Canby he worked for the local grocery store, and after he graduated in 1966, he worked at Sullivan’s…

10 years ago (2016)  •The historic Carnegie Cultural Center was filled with resonating tones of mallets on metallic and wooden bars of new instruments that were delivered Wednesday, April 6.  Luverne Street Music purchased the instruments- metallophones, xylophones, glockenspiels and other percussion instruments - from the Guitar Center, Sioux Falls, with donated funds.  Continental Western…

10 years ago (2016)  •The April issue of National Geographic Magazine includes a collection of Minnesota photographs titled “93 Days of Spring” by Jim Brandenburg.  The ”93 Days of Spring” contains more photographs than any other feature in the 128-year history of National Geographic Magazine. The previous record was Brandenburg’s 90 autumn images in “North Woods Journal” in the November 1997…

10 years ago (2016)  •The gravel pit pond in Luverne has become known as the Creamery Pond, due to its proximity to the former Land “O Lakes creamery.  There’s no longer a creamery in Luverne, and Land ‘O Lakes is now Great Plains Processing, but the little body of water has retained the Creamery Pond identity for lack of a better name.  Now city leaders and adjacent property owners are…

10 years ago (2016)  •When Greg Burger reflects on more than 40 years in his banking years, the memories are accented by both challenges and rewards.  For example, he vividly recalls the farming crisis of the 1980s, but he had the satisfaction of helping people and that colors his career.  “It’s been a wonderful career,” he said. “The most rewarding part of my career is when people came to me…

10 years ago (2016)  •The Rock County Community Library has been closed to patrons over the past month, and during that time the inside of the building received fresh paint, new carpeting and a whole new update.  The library will reopen to patrons Monday.  “We finally get to share all this work with the community,” said library director Serena Gutnik. “They have been really patient through all…

10 years ago (2016) •A Luverne High School junior accomplished something no other Cardinal wrestler has in 16 years at the Minnesota State Class AA Wrestling Championships at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul over the weekend. Solomon Nielsen, who placed second at 160 pounds during the Section 3AA Tournament one week earlier, won three consecutive matches before falling in the finals to end…

10 years ago (2016) •Greg Burger, market president for Minnwest Bank of Luverne, has announced his retirement after 32 years, effective March 31, 2016. Burger began his career with Norwest Bank Luverne in February of 1984 as senior vice president. The bank became Minnwest Bank Luverne in February of 1984 as senior vice president. The bank became Minnwest Bank Luverne in February of 1987 with…

10 years ago (2016)  •Darrell Hoeck has served on the Springwater Township Board for 38 years.  He started in 1978 as a clerk at the encouragement of his father, George Hoeck, who served Springwater Township for 25 years.  So, it’s fair to say local government leadership is in the Hoeck family roots. “Dad always said we should all take our turn,” said the junior Hoeck, now 75. “And it’s time…

10 years ago (2016) •Luverne High School celebrated its first Snow Week coronation Wednesday, Jan. 27, naming seniors Hannah Hoogland and Derek Krueger as queen and king respectively. Last week featured special dress-up days and a dance, organized by the student leaders in grades 9-12 and fun winter activities. Teachers selected eight students as Snow Week royalty based on academic success,…

10 years ago (2016) •The future of the Blue Mounds State Park water recreation hangs in the balance as park officials consider how to address the flood-ravaged dam that was destroyed in 2014. An open meeting next week will allow the public to provide input on alternatives to restoring the site and to learn about issues surrounding the Blue Mounds State Park dam. … “We plan to share our…

10 years ago (2016) •Paul Tweet, Kenneth, shot a 400-pound female black bear eight years ago in Canada, so what should he do with a 400-pound male he recently shot in northern Minnesota? “I’m still trying to decide, “Tweet said. “I could have a three-quarter mount (head and front legs) of him coming out of a wall, but then we wouldn’t be able to see his girth.” The bear’s girth measured 59…