New search for hospital administrator It looked as though the search for the new administrator for the Sioux Valley Luverne Hospital was about to end, but for personal reasons the candidate who had been selected declined the offer. According to hospital officials, the search process will now start from the beginning.The process is expected to take approximately two months to find an appropriate candidate and another four to six weeks for the that person to give notice to his current employers.The new administrator will replace Jerry Carl, who announced his anticipated retirement several months ago.‘End of the Spear’ to show at the PalaceThe Palace Theatre is scheduled to show "The End of the Spear" this weekend, Feb. 24-26.The movie is a true story of an Ecuadorian tribesman, Mincayani, who left his homeland to become a Christian missionary after his tribe murdered a group of American missionaries.The Christian-based movie is expected to draw large crowds for the Palace and may be held over if the demand warrants it.Next on the Palace’s agenda will be the Green Earth Players’ production of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream."The production crew will move into the Palace on March 11, with opening night scheduled for Friday, March 17.The play is scheduled to run two weekends.Elderhostel at Lake ShetekShetek Lutheran Ministries, in conjunction with Augustana College, will again host an Elderhostel on the shores of Lake Shetek May 7-12.Participants will hear stories about the Buffalo Ridge as well as the prairie and lake country.Field trips to the sacred red quarries at Pipestone National Monument, the End-O-Line Railroad Park and visits to the sites associated with the 1862 Dakota Conflict at Lake Shetek will be among the activities.The group will also investigate the Buffalo Ridge wind generators, local agriculture in the 21st century, regional entomology and birds of southwest Minnesota, as well as recounting the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder.Participants may either stay on the property or commute to the programs daily.For more information contact Jon Hoyme at 507-763-3567 or visit the Web site: www.elderhostel.org.Some problems for Vets Home system, but Luverne gets high marksA recent consultant’s report to the Governor of Minnesota has given the five veterans homes in the state high marks for care and service.The report went on to say that most facilities exceed expectations.The report had some concerns about leadership roles and regulatory problems, particularly at the Minneapolis Vets Home, the largest of the five veterans homes in the system with 341 beds.The report referred to the Fergus Falls nursing home as being one of the best nursing homes reviewed in Minnesota, and it also singled out Luverne as being "a very strong performer."A total of 1380 veterans are cared for in the system’s nursing homes and assisted care facilities in Minnesota.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com