This appeared in the Rock County Herald May 9, 1930:LONG SERVICE STATION NOW BEING REMODELEDStructure is being relocated, super service plant installed and other improvements under way.Preliminary work toward the installation of a super service station is now well under way at the V.A. Long service station at the junction of trunk highways No. 9 and No. 6, in this city. This includes the re-location of the office building farther north on Kniss Avenue, the laying of concrete driveways, and the general improvement of the grounds.Besides moving the station back a little farther from the corner, there are several other alterations that must be made to permit widening the driveways. The confectionery stand that abuts on the sidewalk north of the station will be set in a few feet, and the greasing pit adjoining the north side of the station is to be filled in. Next to the cement driveway, which will clearly be a splendid asset to the station, the foremost improvement in the line of service facilities is a hydraulic hoist that Mr. Long intends to install on a platform directly northwest of the driveway and to the right of the station in its new location. This system of greasing has unquestionable advantages over the old methods because it is faster and cleaner. The new basement and foundation for the station were finished Saturday. Work on the driveway will be under way the fore part of next week, if weather conditions are suitable. Note: This is where the Dairy Queen is now.Donations to the Rock County Historical Endowment Fund can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, P.O. Box 741, Luverne, MN 56156.Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

Sometimes the mundane can be exciting, especially when it’s someone else’s everyday life you’re seeing.A couple of books have gotten a lot of attention, and they are composed entirely of submitted bits of average people’s lives. One author, Sasha Cagen, is soliciting information for her new book to be published in the fall of 2007 by Simon & Schuster: "Your To-Do Lists."It will include the bits that make up our daily lives. People scan in their handwritten lists and those images will essentially be the book. I saw a preview of the book and somehow I can’t turn away.It includes everything from garden-variety daily to-do lists to lifelong goals, pros and cons lists, wish lists, work lists, honeymoon ideas, clichés to avoid, boys/girls you have kissed, vocab lists and movies to see. Some people made menus, lists of what they’d lost, what they love about someone and lists of resolutions.I laughed yesterday when I saw how my own list for the day looked: make Glen’s shopping list, try zucchini cake recipe, get latest law enforcement report for story, Habitat house picture?, from home — write column, write business story, check name spellings, write law enforcement story. … Not so interesting. If your lists are worth other people seeing, send your real, handwritten lists to: TO-DO LIST BOOK P.O. Box 40128 San Francisco, CA, 94140. The deadline is Sept. 15, but sooner is better. You should include your name, mail address, e-mail address, phone number, and a few lines about what was going on in your life when you wrote your list. You can also scan the lists and e-mail them to todolistblog@gmail.com.Another interesting book that came out last year wasn’t really written by the author either.It was a compilation of what Frank Warren received in the mail when he invited strangers to anonymously write their secrets on postcards and mail them to his Maryland home. He’s received more than 10,000 secrets from around the world, some of which appear in "PostSecret: Extraordinary Confessions from Ordinary Lives."Some examples: oI tell people I’m an atheist, but I believe I’m going to hell.oI’d rather get skin cancer than be pale.oI hate people with gross feet who wear open-toed shoes in public.oWhen I was a little boy I wanted to be Punky Brewster.Most of these postcards were hand-written or artistic to look at, good reading aside.I don’t know why these kinds of books are selling so well these days. Maybe it’s because they make for short, easy reads. Or maybe it’s because we like to peer into people’s lives and relate them to our own. Small things like lists and secrets can make us feel connected. These books remind me of how I may be driving or walking at night, and a home is lit up and the window shades aren’t closed. I can’t help but turn to see the décor, or who’s reading or watching TV or whether the man of the house is cooking or doing dishes. As ironic as it sounds, it’s the minutiae that can end up being meaningful and can make us all a little interesting.

When it comes to the Star Herald Thumbs-Up, Thumbs Down series, when we’re up, we’re up (sometimes sharing all thumbs up) and when we’re down, we’re down.This week, we’re down.Thumbs down — to residents who insist on a perfectly green lawn in the middle of a drought. If everyone did this, we’d already have a watering ban in place. It seems greedy, almost, not to conserve water at times like these. Why not turn off the hose occasionally and let the brown lawn blend in with neighboring (more sensible) residents?Thumbs down — (speaking of the weather) to global warming and to those who don’t believe it’s real. Scientists are now all in agreement that our earth’s atmosphere is in danger. No matter how hard corporate-friendly politicians try to smooth over the alarming facts, it’s time to face the truth. There should no longer be discussion about if there’s a problem, rather, we should be addressing how our energy choices can positively affect climate change. Business and government need to work together to develop cost-effective strategies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.For starters, we as voters need to put a different administration in the White House — one that will take the problem seriously and stop pandering to those who are causing it.Thumbs down — to the FCC for its recent ruling on profanity. It’s a good idea to curtail profanity in the media, but the ruling will also affect documentary films, which by nature depict truthful, unedited stories.Ken Burns and Florentine Films have been working for several years on their 14-hour documentary, "The War," which reportedly includes "salty" language by veterans sharing their recollections.That valuable footage is in danger of major edits to fit guidelines — and may risk the purity of the soldiers’ original stories.War isn’t pretty, and graphic descriptions of the horrors of war by those who lived it shouldn’t be censored by a well-intentioned rule run amok.Thumbs down — to the Star Herald editorial staff for being so down. This week we’re down, but we’ll soon find a list of positive things again for a Thumbs Up editorial.

These are exciting times for followers of Minnesota’s two professional sports teams.The Minnesota Twins have dug themselves out of an early grave to put themselves in a position to challenge for a playoff spot in the American League wild card race.At the same time, the Minnesota Vikings recently opened training camp under the guidance of an entirely new coaching staff.I’m cautiously optimistic about the fates both teams will meet in the upcoming months, but that’s better than falling into a category of having no hope at all.Unfortunately for the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Minnesota Wild, they have, in my mind, earned a place in the no-hope category.Since 1989, the Timberwolves have been a constant disappointment. They did have one run that landed them in the Western Conference playoff finals three seasons ago, but that was it.Before that run was a series of six straight first-round playoff losses. After the appearance in the conference finals, the Wolves failed to make the playoffs for two consecutive years.The past two dismal seasons and the previous six playoff failures lead me to believe our basketball franchise has no direction. Kevin McHale was a great basketball player, but the time has come to hold the franchise’s general manager accountable for his inability to give us a competitive team to follow on a yearly basis.The Wild suffer from a different problem.Unlike the Wolves, who have an owner willing to spend money on talent, our hockey franchise is a frugal one.Minnesota has been tabbed the "State of Hockey" by many, and the fans have lived up to that billing by buying every ticket for home games since the Xcel Energy Center opened in St. Paul in 2001.The Wild continue to sell out their home games, but the front office brass have yet to reward their faithful by spending some of the incoming cash on improving the team they have been putting on the ice.I think it was circus great P.T. Barnum who once said, "There’s a sucker born every minute."Considering the team has qualified for the playoffs once in five years, that could be exactly what Wild management is thinking every time their team takes the ice in a sold-out arena.So, when it comes to the Twins and Vikings, at least I hold some hope.It’s probably a stretch, but the Twins seemingly caught fire right about the same time they found out they would be getting a new stadium in late May.With the exception of the Detroit Tigers, I don’t think any team in baseball has surpassed their preseason expectations more than the Twins.They’ve created some great memories for my son and me, as we shared the experience of witnessing some of the Twins’ late-inning comebacks from the comfort of our living room.Now that a new stadium is on the way, we’re hoping Minnesota’s management side toward P.T. Barnum’s line of thinking.General manager Terry Ryan said the franchise now can focus on keeping the players it has developed when the stadium bill passed.We’ll soon find out if he was speaking the truth when the time comes to sign Joe Mauer and Francisco Lirano to long-term contracts, or if he was just offering some lip-service.The picture is not as clear when it comes to the Minnesota Vikings.Like everyone else, I know little about first-year head coach Brad Childress and the rest of the coaching staff.However, since the Vikings only advanced to the playoffs one time in Mike Tice’s five-year tenure, one of the worst runs in the team’s history, it’s hard to imagine we’ll be any worse off than we were before.Childress already impressed me when he shipped Daunte Culpepper off to Miami.The coach appeared to be put off by Culpepper’s greed and his lack of a team concept during their preliminary meetings back in January and decided to deal with the problem accordingly.That was a move I only could condone.Instead of explaining how he could make the Vikings a better team, Culpepper, who threw 12 interceptions and six touchdowns while leading us to a dismal 2-5 start last season, was more concerned with becoming a quarterback that would earn $10,000,000 each year.For that move alone, Childress and the Vikings’ brass proved that they are not suckers.They realize they’ll be better off with a leader that puts the team in front of personal interests.In the case of Culpepper, who led the Vikings to the playoffs twice in seven seasons as the starting quarterback, he was living in a fantasy world with an overestimated sense of self-worth.

Wow! We did it! The temperature reached 100 degrees on Sunday. We really didn’t have anything to do with the temperature getting to 100 degrees, but we like to say we did it anyway. It’s like 99 degrees isn’t hot enough; we have to hit 100 degrees for bragging rights or something. And if 100 degrees doesn’t make you feel really uncomfortable, you can refer to the heat index which is always five to 10 degrees more uncomfortable. The heat index is the opposite of winter’s wind chill factor. As if 20 degrees below zero isn’t cold enough, we throw in the wind chill so it feels like 30 below.Let’s hope the heat stays away for the three-day run of the Rock County Fair. I’ll be working the Star Herald booth tonight, so if it isn’t too hot, stop by and say hi. The Rock Nobles Cattlemen’s Association beef feed is also today at 5:30 p.m., and after that, check out the Rock County Talent Contest at 7 p.m., sponsored by Sioux Valley Energy in the grandstand. On Friday, the Rock County Pork Producers will have their pork feed at 5:30 p.m. Grandstand entertainment for Friday will be the Ranch Rodeo at 6 p.m., sponsored by the Rock County Ag Society and the Rock River Wranglers. Saturday’s main attraction will be the Bio Fuels Enduro Race at 7 p.m. The race is sponsored by the Rock County Corn and Soybean Association and Agri-Energy, LLC.So you know what you say this time of the year? It’s not "See ya later," it’s "See ya at the fair."

Minnesota has long been a national leader when it comes to education.Yet if we are going to continue that success, it is essential that we address some of the challenges that will face our state in the near future. For example, in the next 10 years, jobs in scientific and technical fields are forecasted to increase in Minnesota by 20 to 33 percent. Unfortunately, far too few Minnesota students are expressing interest in exploring those fields. Recent data from the ACT Educational Planning and Assessment System (EPAS) showed that only 10 percent of Minnesota eighth-graders and about 21 percent of Minnesota tenth-graders expressed interest in pursuing careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. Through several initiatives proposed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, the Minnesota Department of Education is working with education, business and community leaders to encourage more students to participate in the STEM fields. For example, as part of a partnership established by the governor, Massachusetts-based global PTC Software Company is donating millions of dollars worth of software to Minnesota schools in the form of their Pro/ENGINEER Schools Edition software. I encourage teachers and school districts who are interested in participating in the program to contact PTC at 781-370-5528, or they can visit the Minnesota Technology Education Association Web site at www.mtea.net for a current training schedule and cost information.Through these kinds of initiatives, we can prepare Minnesota students for the global economy and carry forward Minnesota’s standing as a national leader in education.Commissioner Alice Seagren, Minnesota Department of Education

By Lori EhdeRock County and several area counties received much needed rain this week, but the big question is, "Did the moisture come in time to help drought-stricken crops?"According to SWMN Farmers Co-op crop consultant Shawn Vis, corn was starting to suffer under the stress of the recent heat wave."We’ve had corn pollinating under extreme heat," Vis said. "When that happens — even under normal rainfall — 90- to 100-degree heat when corn is shedding pollen is not ideal."He said the weather is changing just in time."These rains, and especially the 10-degree drop in temperature, will really help to relieve stress on the corn," Vis said, "especially since it’s in blister stage and starting to set an ear."Recent rainfall totals in Rock County vary widely depending where the reports come from.The northern part of the county, such as the Kenneth and Hardwick areas, received an inch to 1 1/2 inches last week Monday. That same day, Luverne had only a few tenths, and south of Luverne, in the Kanaranzi and Ash Creek areas, reports were only trace levels.As of Tuesday afternoon, those areas were still quite dry and some fields there were starting to show wear. "It’s pretty bone dry there," Vis said Tuesday.Wednesday morning totals in Luverne at 1.19 inches, and in Hills 1.85 inches. But north of Beaver Creek, farmers were reporting nearly 5 1/2 inches of rain."That’ll pretty much make those guys for the year," Vis said.As varied as Rock County’s rainfall has been, so is its soil quality from one area to the next.The Steen and Hills areas haven’t received much rain (only six tenths Tuesday morning compared with nearly an inch by Hardwick) but the soil there is richer, and crops are still in good condition."We have to remember we had an abnormally wet spring," he said. "And our soil can hold moisture fairly well, so there’s still some moisture down there."Vis said the hot, dry spell hit at a bad time for corn development, but he still predicts a relatively decent yield this fall."It won’t be a record setter like last year, but it will still be good," he said.As far as soybeans are concerned, Vis said they should be relatively unaffected by the heat wave."It’s still early to tell, but the story will be told in August. We make soybeans in August," he said. "So I have a lot of optimism for soybeans. Even after a drought you can get some really nice beans in August."He said the story with soybeans this year is again the destructive soybean aphid. "It’s a big problem, but we know how to manage it," Vis said. He said this week and next, most soybean producers will spray their fields with pesticides, either by ground application or by air with crop dusting planes."It’s not just a Rock County problem," Vis said. "It’s a regional problem."

To help curb the rising costs of getting students prepared for the start of a new school year, the Steen Reformed Outreach Committee has organized a Back-to-School Yard Sale.The sale will feature new and used clothing, school supplies and toys that have been donated by the community. Each item, regardless of value, will sell for only 25 cents.The group is keeping the price low to prevent any family from being excluded. They saw a need to reach out to the community and help young families with tight budgets."Gas prices are high, rent and mortgages are climbing, clothes are extremely expensive and most families can’t afford to buy their kids all new clothing and school supplies," said youth pastor Brian Dengler, a member of the group. "This hopefully with help them out."Items will be for sale in the Steen City Hall at the corner of Steen Street and Sanford Avenue in the evenings, Monday through Friday, Aug. 14-18.The group encourages families from the outlying areas to participate in the sale, both with donations and as buyers. They are looking for donations of gently used or new clothing, toys for young children and school supplies. Donations can be dropped of at the Steen Reformed Church prior to the sale. The sale is being geared toward school-age children, so donations should reflect those sizes."We would like to see people from northwest Iowa, Luverne, Beaver Creek, Hills and wherever come to Steen and take advantage of this opportunity," Dengler said.Free pop and popcorn will be offered to shoppers.This is the first time the Outreach Committee has organized an event of this kind, and Dengler said it might be the first in Rock County. Community donations are going to make the event a success. They anticipate they will have plenty of families stopping in Steen that week and want to ensure they have plenty of quality items on the sale."We are really unsure as to what the response will be from the community, but we have high hopes that this will make a positive impact on young families’ lives," Dengler said.He said the group does not intend to make any money at the event; they just want to help local families. If at the end of the week they still have clothing that didn’t sell, they will donate it to the Worthington Thrift Store.Steen Back-to-School Yard Sale6 p.m. – 8 p.m. August 14-18Steen City Hall

The grandstand lineup for the 2006 Rock County Fair includes two nights sporting activities.The fair’s first Ranch Rodeo is set for Friday night. Saturday night features the annual Bio Fuels Enduro Race.The Ranch Rodeo, sponsored by the Rock River Wranglers, will make its fair debut at 6 p.m. tomorrow.Those who love horses and like to watch local riders compete in some unique events will not want to miss this show."It’s a good event for the entire family to watch," said Marty Bonnett, one of the event organizers."The whole family can sit down and watch a Ranch Rodeo pretty easily. It can turn into a pretty comical event. We’re working with horses, so you can expect to see some entertaining things, including some of the riders rolling in the dirt."Bonnett and the Rock River Wranglers introduced Rock County to Ranch Rodeo competition last summer when they staged an event in Luverne Aug. 20 to raise funds for the fairgrounds.Bonnett said Friday’s event, which runs from 6 to 10 p.m., is similar to last year’s attraction."We’ll have 25 four-person teams competing in four different events. Two of the events were a part of our Ranch Rodeo last year, and the other two are slightly modified events that should be more entertaining for the crowd," Bonnett said.The four different events making up Friday’s show will be Trailer Loading, Doctoring, Add’em Up and Pinning.All 25 teams will participate in the four events, competing for event prizes and the overall championship during the evening.Bonnett said having local talent competing in the Ranch Rodeo should generate more interest to the public."I would say over one-half of the teams competing will be local teams, including one 4-H team. A lot of the riders, including myself, jump from team to team during a rodeo."The Enduro Race long has been one of the fair’s top attractions and should be again on Saturday.The 2006 version of the event, which is sponsored by the Rock County Corn and Soybean Association and Agri-Energy, LLC, is set to begin at 7 p.m.As usual, the Enduro Race is a 200-lap or a two-hour event, whichever comes first.A majority of the field consists of local drivers."As of Sunday, we have 40 cars entered," said Burdette Braun, one of the event organizers."I’m hoping to get 50 cars on the track Saturday night. We’ve had 60 or more cars the last couple of years."Braun said 16 of the 40 cars entered in the race on Sunday were from Luverne. The field also has drawn 12 drivers from the Adrian, Rushmore, Hardwick and Kenneth areas.Perry Schneekloth, the 2005 champion, will return to defend his title. Tracy’s Mike Bents and Luverne’s Ryan Walker, who placed second and third respectively at the race last year, will be some of the drivers trying to knock off Schneekloth.Tom Walker, who won the Pre-Fair Enduro Race three weeks ago, will not race on Saturday night.In order to make the race safer for the drivers, Braun said each car is required to have a fuel cell and racing seat installed this year.Those requirements are not expected to influence an event that has been a fan favorite for fairgoers in the past."We could use a little rain on the track prior to Saturday’s race so we don’t have to dump so much on it on Saturday," Braun said. "Other than that, I’m hoping to get 50 cars on the track and another big crowd into the grandstands on Saturday."