Per its annual New Year’s Eve tradition, Hills Crescent staff recently combed 12 months worth of published Crescents for news highlights of the previous year.In 2003, despite their sleepy, small-town reputations, Hills, Beaver Creek and Steen communities produced a fair amount of notable news.Following is a week-by-week compilation of those highlights:January 2, 2003A venture into the wind energy market by two local investment groups has gone well so far, according to Minwind I president Mark Willers.The first wind generator, three miles southeast of Beaver Creek or seven miles southwest of Luverne, started operation Wed., Oct. 8, 2002.Jan. 9, 2003Shareholders in Hills-Beaver Creek Co-op Farm Service will vote Monday, Feb. 3, on whether or not to merge with New Vision Co-op, Worthington. In late September, the board was forced to begin reviewing options for the cooperative with locations in Hills and Beaver Creek.Jan. 16, 2003The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board voted 4–2 Monday to allow voters to decide whether to build new locker rooms and a fitness facility at the high school. If passed, the proposed levy would increase taxes by 35 cents per acre per year on ag land and $5 on homes with a market value of $40,000, according to estimates by Superintendent Dave Deragisch.Jan. 23, 2003After 25 years of wearing a badge in Rock County, former Sheriff Ron McClure returns to civilian life this year. He lost the last sheriff election to Mike Winkels and decided to see it as a chance to start over. What he’ll be doing – other that fishing – is still unknown. But at 56, he said there’s plenty of time to "see what comes up."Jan. 30, 2003Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School students are saving their pennies and spare change this month and bringing the money to school. Each classroom has a can for students to drop spare change into for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Pennies for Patients program.Feb. 6, 2003A Hills-Beaver Creek High School junior joined a select group of the school’s past athletes during Thursday’s girls’ basketball game against Edgerton Public in Hills. Erin Boeve, a 6-1 forward, became the second girl in the school’s history to reach the 1,000-point barrier during a 49-32 win over the Flying Dutchmen.Feb. 13, 2003Hills native Doug Deragisch, Marshall, has been named middle school Principal of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Middle School Principals. Deragisch, the son of Doris Deragisch Blom and the late Dean Deragisch, graduated from Hills-Beaver Creek High School in 1981. He married another Hills native, Dannette Hadler, and they have three children.Feb. 20, 2003Hills-Beaver Creek High School students audition next week for a dinner theater production planned for April 10 and 11 at Drivers Restaurant and Banquet Center at the Beaver Creek Golf Course.Feb. 27, 2003Palisade Lutheran Church is a stereotypical little country church whose new remodeling brought it up to modern standards. Now its small congregation can comfortably age in a church that’s accessible to everyone and focus on adding new members.March 6, 2003Kurt and Melissa Bly, Hills, hit the $100,000 jackpot in a Saturday, Feb. 22, Powerball lottery drawing. The couple collected their winnings, $73,000 after taxes, and plan to invest it. They hope the money will grow into a nice education fund for their kids, Houston and Regan.March 13, 2003Voters passed the $400,000 levy Tuesday, ensuring that construction on the locker room and fitness center at Hills-Beaver Creek High School will move forward. March 20, 2003The Beaver Creek Sportsmen’s Club is trying to come up with a plan to clean up the Hills Rez. During dry years like the last few years, algae and weeds grow in the pond when water movement slows or stops. The Rez is usually fed by a creek flowing from north of Hills.March 27The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board nailed down the details of the sale of $400,000 in general obligation bonds at a Monday Board meeting. Proceeds from the sale of the bonds, along with some cash assets currently on hand, will be used for the locker room construction project.April 3, 2003FBT Sawmill and Lumber, Steen, is still buzzing along. Owner Erwin Bonestroo recently branched out into furniture making.Bonestroo said they make almost anything. "If they bring in a picture and some measurements, we can make it."April 10, 2003If the weather cooperates, the Beaver Creek Golf Course will open the last week in May. All the frost has to be out of the ground and soil temperatures need to rise, according to investor Mike Blank.April 17, 2003Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary students and their families are doing their part to support American troops in Iraq. Students collected enough goods to fill 17 boxes. "Our students were interested and concerned about what was happening in Iraq," third-grade teacher Michele Baker said.April 24, 2003The Hills and Beaver Creek fire departments were called to a structure fire between 3:30 and 3:45 a.m. Thursday. When firemen arrived at 124 Main Ave., homeowner Nancy Sprouse and her dog were trapped in an upstairs bedroom. Firemen were able to rescue Sprouse with a ladder but were unable to save her dog.May 1, 2003In the swing of planting, this year’s season seems to be on track for Rock County farmers so far. "I would say it’s going very good," Rock County Farm Service Director Roger Carlson said. "They’re in full swing." Carlson estimates 60 to 70 percent of the corn crop is planted.May 8, 2003Ericka Erickson returned abruptly to the United States last month after studying at Beijing University in Beijing, China. Erickson, 21, a junior media studies major, was called home after school officials in Pitzer College determined the severity of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) was too great to allow students to remain in China.May 15, 2003The Hills City Council opened three bids Tuesday for the former Patriot Academy and current barbershop building on Main Street. Eugene Immediato, Jasper, submitted the highest bid of $10,000 and the Council voted to sell him the property.May 29, 2003The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board approved the locker room addition bids Tuesday without the fitness center/weight room addition.June 5, 2003Bethlehem Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School begins next week and the organizers of the event have many fun things planned for those who attend. The whole week will "kind of bring back the old-time, old-fashioned county fair and also teach about patience, kindness, peace, love and joy, according to co-director Glenda McGaffee.June 12, 2003The Beaver Creek Golf Course is open and ready for experienced and not-so-experienced golfers. The course opened Friday, June 6, and 75 to 80 golfers tried their luck despite a lack of warm weather, according to general manager Anthony Hacker.June 19, 2003The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is sponsoring a comedy show and silent auction Monday, June 23, to raise funds for a mission trip to El Salvador. Eighteen high school and college athletes plan to leave for El Salvador Monday, July 28, and return Friday, Aug. 8.June 26, 2003Twenty Hills-Beaver Creek students and their three chaperones returned home from Costa Rica Tuesday.The group traveled to Costa Rica on an educational adventure for their high school science and Spanish classes. "I think the trip was more than we expected," teacher and chaperone Teri Richards said. "We saw such an amazing array of land."July 3, 2003Representatives of Hills area softball leagues attended the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board meeting Monday to request the district pay for two loads of agri-lime for the softball field. July 10, 2003Dave and Dawn Leenderts, Hills, will welcome not one baby, but three into their family soon. Dawn, 31, found out during a routine 19-week ultrasound in April that she was the one out of 10,000 women that conceives triplets. The test revealed that Dawn is carrying two boys and a girl.July 17, 2003Tuff Village resident Marie Hensch will celebrate "alotta living" this week. Hensch turned 100 on Wednesday, July 16. "It’s kind of scary in a way," she said. "I can’t do a lot of things I used to do." Both of Hensch’s parents lived into their 80s, a good age for their generation, so longevity does run in the family.July 24, 2003The Glen and Ann Boeve family, Steen, has been recognized as the 2003 Rock County farm family of the year. "It’s an honor to be picked," Glen said, "We were kind of surprised. It was a nice surprise." The annual award recognized outstanding farm families and their contribution to agriculture and their communities.July 31, 2003The 93rd Annual Rock County Free Fair starts today at the fairgrounds in Luverne. It will have all the usual makings of a festive, hometown county fair, including livestock shows, open class competition midway rides and corndogs.Aug. 7, 2003Three Rock County residents are recovering from injuries they received in a two-vehicle accident northwest of Hills Thursday. Sherry Knobloch, Hills; Ryan Burgers, Luverne and Chris Louwagie were in vehicles that collided at a blind, unmarked intersection about 4 1/2 miles north of Hills. Burgers said he was impressed with the way rescue workers responded to the accident. "I think the Hills Fire Department did an outstanding job," Burgers said from his hospital bed Monday. "They were there quickly and they did a very good job."Aug. 21, 2003The Dave and Dawn Leenderts household swelled by three after the birth of triplets last week, but things are running smoothly, according to the couple.August 28, 2003Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School was among 53 schools that earned a five-star rating in math and reading in the Minnesota Department of Education report card in 2003. Of 921 state schools, 114 schools received five-star rankings for reading and 92 for math. Just 53 schools received five stars in both categories.Sept. 4, 2003Todd Holtaus, new Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School principal, began his duties last week during teacher in-services. Holtaus said he’s been impressed with the staff and community. "Everybody has been so welcoming and I have heard and seen so many great things coming from the staff and their families."Sept. 11, 2003Superintendent Dave Deragisch informed the Hills-Beaver Creek school board that the district’s total enrollment is 300 students – 152 in the grade school and 149 in the high school.Sept. 18, 2003Two new deputies, Glen Reisdorfer and John McCarty, joined the Rock County Sheriff’s Department this summer. Reisdorfer grew up in Adrian and graduated from Adrian High School. McCarty grew up in Keister, a small town in eastern Minnesota. Both deputies are working as general patrol officers in Rock County.Sept. 25, 2003The five-inch drenching rain two weeks ago came too late to feed most drought damaged crops in Rock County. For that reason, Farm Service Agency Director Roger Carlson predicts a 10 to 15 percent decrease in soybean and corn yields this year.October 2, 2003As of Wednesday, Sept 24, the Cargill facility north of Hills belongs to New Vision Co-op, Worthington. Manager Frank McDowell said the purchase has been in the works for a couple of months.October 9, 2003A benefit for Chris Louwagie and his family is planned from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Monday at the Pizza Ranch in Luverne. The benefit, sponsored by the Hills-Beaver Creek Education Association, will include a free-will offering and a pizza buffet with 20 percent of the proceeds donated by Pizza Ranch to the Louwagie family.Oct. 16, 2003Local law enforcement put the Beaver Creek Elementary School in "lock down" status Wednesday when Rock County law enforcement was notified a South Dakota prison escapee was headed that way. The district learned Wednesday morning that 29-year-old Jason Heasley was potentially headed for Beaver Creek. He is facing drug and burglary charges.October 23, 2003Doors remain locked and extra safety precautions in place at the Beaver Creek Elementary School as law enforcement in Minnesota and South Dakota continue to search for jail escapee Jason Lee Heasley.October 30, 2003Earlier this month six members of the Hills Senior Citizens dined out for a final farewell meeting. The group had in recent years dwindles in numbers according to president Anna Mae Top. At a regular meeting in September the group decided to disband.November 6, 2003Life in Beaver Creek is back to normal after the arrest of jail escapee Jason Lee Heasley in the morning of Wednesday, Oct. 29.November 13, 2003Local wind energy leaders cleared a monumental hurdle this fall with an agreement with Xcel Energy. Minwind I and Minwind II members have signed a 20-year agreement with Xcel and its parent company Northern States Power. With the new agreement in place, seven new wind turbines will be built 2 1/2 miles north of Beaver Creek on more than two sections of land.Nov. 26, 2003New Life Celebration Church conducted its first service at its new location in the Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School, Sunday. "We had about 140 in attendance," the Rev. J.R. Henderson said. "The transition to the new facility is going smoothly." New Life Celebration, under the Reformed Church of America, has grown steadily and the group needed more room, Henderson said.Dec. 4, 2003A daughter, Sarah Catherine, was born to Hills Crescent editor Jolene Farley, Saturday, Nov. 29. Dec. 11, 2003Hills-Beaver Creek School Board members certified the district’s tax levy at the Dec. 8 meeting. Last year the district levied $297,659 for taxes paid this year. On Monday, the Board set the levy at the maximum allowed by the state which comes to $338,060.Dec. 18, 2003Superintendent Dave Deragisch told school board members at a recent meeting that the boiler pipes in the high school may not last until spring.Dec. 24, 2003Tours of the new Hills-Beaver Creek locker rooms were punctuated with "ooohs" and "aaaahs" Saturday as district residents got their first look at the facility. Munching on chips and barbeques, curious taxpayers explored the new locker rooms and coaches offices.
