Flash! Mr. and Mrs. Minnesota, and all the ships at sea … Hills has another slow news day!That is to say, a slow news day compared to the usual, if declining, COPS – television program — like crime reports that this Texan is used to consuming from the media in "Cowtown." (Fort Worth, Texas) I only witnessed the peace of Hills/Luverne for a couple of days but enough to begin satisfying the urge I had to escape the news of crime, natural disaster and war.Too much info-tainment can sometimes clog the happiness one receives from every day pleasures and miracles. We see talking heads tell us that other parts of the media only bring bad news stories, while others complain of too much fluff. Why, than, is not good news the lack of bad news?My dear reporter friend only informed me, and did not brag about the crime reports last year, how involved young people are in philanthropy, and how your community, involvement and good will are par for the course in this corner of the state.As I’ve enjoyed the elegant scenery, warm hearts, and polite ways, I am forced to respect the correlation of abundant crop yields with the same. Down south some forget that pride in self, community and country can be held with modesty. So let me do the boasting for Y’all: Extra! Extra! This just in! Hills just had a high school group work to better their own school, no homes were broken into, domestic disturbances remain scarce and the good news of the day is the lack of bad news, much like yesterday.Peace through music!Rob LaneyFort Worth, Texas

Dry, dry, dry as a pie on the Fourth of July. The lack of rain is the big news item in Steen this week. It’s another week without rain, which makes for six weeks without measurable precipitation.Lawns are shriveled up and even the weeds are starting to show their thirst. The crops continue to hang tough but are starting to fire on the bottoms. All you have to do is turn on the six o’clock news and you will quickly see that we are not the only ones dealing with this drought. Cattlemen out in north central South Dakota are looking for new homes for their herds of cattle and have to sell herds that they have worked decades to build. I guess when you look at their situation, we don’t have it all that bad.Governor Rounds of South Dakota declared a week of prayer, asking South Dakotans and neighboring states to pray for rain. This week I would encourage all of us to pray that God may shower us with quenching rains. Enduring the heat this week and last is the Ver Hay Concrete crew who are laying new sidewalks in portions of Steen. They started last week by pouring concrete on the east end of Church Avenue. This week they hope to finish the east end and move to the west end of Church Avenue. The city of Steen is helping residents remove the existing sidewalks and is encouraging those who can afford new cement to take advantage of their offer.Escaping from the heat are many Steen families who are on vacation or are just getting back. Two weeks ago the Art and Henrietta Boeve family vacationed at Roberd’s Lake in Minnesota. Present were Glenn and Ann Boeve, Tara and Derek Venenga, Matt and Andrea Boeve, Erin Boeve and boyfriend Rex Metzger, Greg and Anita Bosch, Ryan and Amy Bosch, Chad and Sheri Bosch and two girls Mikayla and Olivia, and Greg and Michelle Van Whye and children Riley, Rex and Regan. They had a wonderful time; activities included the Mall of America and a Twins game. Dale and Zach Van Westen kept the farm running smoothly as the Boeve family enjoyed a few days of R&R. Other families gone on vacation this week are the Baker and Bosch families. They are on their annual family outing to North Long Lake where fun is always center stage. More than 50 family members gather for some laughter, food and fishing. Friday evening another Steen family gathered to celebrate a long heritage of togetherness in the Steen Reformed Church fellowship hall. The Nelson Bonnema family gathered to celebrate the lives of their parents and to celebrate Aunt Mildred Keunen’s 77th birthday. This was the first time that all six Bonnema siblings had gathered together since Nelson’s passing nine years ago. Mark and his wife from Seattle, Wash., were present, along with Stan and his wife from the Twin Cities, Mike Bonnema and wife of rural Steen, Beth Sakurai of Japan, Ginger France and husband of Sioux City, Iowa, and Don Bonnema of Rock Rapids, Iowa, along with many children, aunts and uncles and family friends. Special guests Naomi and husband June Neuchi of Japan, daughter to Beth Sakurai, were present bearing Japanese gifts and hospitality. More than 50 people were present for this event. I would also like to extend a special happy birthday to Mildred Keunen, a close friend who celebrated her birthday on Friday. We all wish you many more happy and healthy birthdays. And we want to thank you for all you do for the people in Steen! Saturday Linn and Mary Jo Susie of Steen and grandson Bailey went to Sioux Falls to see the air show. They had a great time and a little personal tie to the air show as son Tyler Susie was in charge of fueling up the jets for the Air Guard. The summer rec program continues in Steen. If you are driving through town on Wednesday night, you can see several town kids and country kids having a blast in the city park. This past Wednesday evening we played water balloon volleyball which went great with the heat and we had bubble relays. Both were big hits! Any kids ages 5-12 are invited to join us on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. This past Thursday Henrietta Huenink had company. Sister Margaret and husband Orval Harbarts of George, Iowa, came for an afternoon visit. Also her Son Kenny and grandson John Bodewitz shingled Henrietta’s garden shed. I apologize that there is no softball news this week. My reporter is on vacation and so next week I will update the softball news. Keep in mind that over Labor Day weekend there will be the Steen softball tournament. Mark your calendars.In upcoming events mark your calendars for the Steen Back-to-School Yard Sale which will be at the Steen City Hall. All members of the community are invited Aug. 14-18 between the hours of 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to come and rummage through clothes for their kids and pick up school supplies. Free popcorn and pop will be provided.Another large Steen event is the Steen summer carnival which is to be Aug. 23 at the city park and church parking lot. Events include a 3-on-3 basketball tournament with the registration fee being $10, train rides, jump tent and slide, obstacle courses and food, food, food. Harvey Rozeboom will once again do his famous hog roast, there will be laser tag, pony rides, several carnival games and much, much more.Lots going on in Steen during the month of August, and we encourage you all to come out and capture the spirit of Steen.That’s all for this week. If you have any news you would like placed in the Steen news, please contact Brian at 855-2232 or at knowgrowshow@hotmail.com. Blessings!

By John RittenhouseZach Wysong turned in a clutch performance for the Luverne Redbirds last week.Wysong, who plays shortstop and pitches for the amateur baseball team, homered twice and drove in six runs during an 11-5 victory over Hadley Wednesday, July 12.The Redbirds were experiencing a seven-game losing streak before taking on the Buttermakers in Luverne.Wysong played a key role in ending the slide by belting a two-run homer in the first inning before delivering a grand slam in the sixth frame.For the game, Wysong was 2-for-3 at the plate with six RBIs, and he scored three runs.He also pitched three innings of three-hit, four-walk, two-strikeout relief. Wysong surrendered two earned runs.Wysong also appeared in two more games for the Redbirds after the contest with Hadley.He went hitless in four plate appearances during a 5-1 home win over Adrian Thursday.Wysong went 1-for-3 during a 5-1 home victory over Windom Sunday.Luverne also posted a 5-2 win in Fairmont Saturday without Wysong on the field, helping the Redbirds take a four-game winning streak into the Gopher League Playoffs.The 11-11 Redbirds host Pipestone or Hadley at 7:30 p.m. Friday to open the playoffs.

By Lexi MooreThe Hills-Beaver Creek Personnel and Building committees gave presentations during a meeting Monday night.Gary Esselink, chair of the Personnel Committee, presented the board with the committee’s plan to encourage community pride."We want to get community passion and fire back at H-BC," he said. "It has to start within our school with our staff, our students and the board."Committee members have adopted a new district motto, "Excellence is an Attitude," which they hope will encourage students and staff to strive to be better."We don’t want to accept mediocrity," Esselink said. "We want to do better."Plans to build community passion are still being formulated, but the district hopes to have many of them ready for the start of the new school year.First on the agenda is replacing the bleachers in the gym and possibly expanding the gym on the north side.Lloyd DeBoer, Buildings and Grounds Committee Chairman, reported to the board on progress being made with both of these projects.Last night, a group of volunteers met to begin disassembling the old bleachers. One set of bleachers will be saved for use on the stage during games. The rest will be broken down into their raw materials. Metal will be given to Doug Boeve, while the wood will be saved for sale on an upcoming auction.The new bleachers, which are being stored in the agriculture building, will be installed once the old bleachers have been removed.DeBoer and David Deragisch discussed the possibility of moving the opening for the stage back several feet, creating space for the players to sit on the north side of the gym during games.Coaches and players have often complained about having to sit in the stands with the fans. They claim it is a distraction and in the winter, water tracked in by spectators is a problem for the players.The new plan would decrease the size of the stage by several feet, creating an area for chairs and a scoring table to sit courtside in front of the stage on the north side of the gym.The Building Committee members are still gathering quotes for the project but warned the board they may need to call a special meeting in July to get approval for the project.If the board approves the project, work would begin immediately with the intent to be finished for the first home volleyball game on August 28.In other school news:üStaff at the high school have finished the installation of 45 new e-Mac computers. The purchase of the new computers was approved by the board during a meeting earlier this year.The school plans to sell the old computers in August. They will be available to staff as of Aug. 1 and to the public on Aug. 7. The computers range between 12 and 16 years old, but all work. The school will not offer any kind of warranty on the systems. Computers that are not sold will be placed on an auction at the end of the summer.New computers will be installed at the Beaver Creek Elementary School following the conclusion of the Book of the Week Club, which uses some of the affected classroom space.üThe board recognized and congratulated Lyntausha Kuehl on the publication of her poem Shadow.üTaking care of regular summer business, the board approved new versions of the High School Handbook, the Elementary School Handbook, the Staff Handbook, the Little Patriot Academy Handbook and Attachment 99.Few changes were made to the handbooks. The most notable change was made to the Little Patriot Academy Handbook. The enrollment cutoff date was changed from May 1 to Sept. 1. The preschool program is now open to all children who are at least 3 years old by Sept. 1.

By Lexi MooreMajor Charles Erickson of the U.S. Army Reserve has given up a healthy portion of his adult life working for the Army.Erickson, son of Wendell and Kathryn Erickson, Hills, joined the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) at the University of Minnesota while studying to earn an engineering computer science degree. Following graduation he joined the National Guard and Army Reserve.In 2003 he spent eight months in Afghanistan, where he earned a Bronze Star for his service. When he finished in Afghanistan, he returned home to Waconia and to his wife, Naomi. He started working for Hutchinson Technology. Last winter he was informed he was needed again with the Army reserve.In January he left for Iraq. His mission as a major is to work with international coalition partners to help form a government in Iraq. The central part of their mission is working with Iraqi elected officials to set up a new democracy.They are now working to set up provincial elections in various areas of the country.In a recent letter home he wrote, "Earlier this week I spent three days at Taqqadum in Anbar Province out west. We were moving some election materials and escorting the Iraqi election officials there. There was a lot of work outside during the day when it was very hot, but it was a fun trip overall."During the trip Erickson spent time with an Iraqi man named Abbas, who speaks English."He has given me a lot of insight into the language and the culture," Erickson said.He is stationed at Camp Victory in Baghdad, but works inside one of Saddam Hussein’s former palaces. Al Faw Palace is located in Baghdad and offers air-conditioned office space for the officers.Often he has to attend meetings at the U.S. Embassy in the International "Green" Zone. Unlike attending a meeting in America, he must be escorted by a convoy of armored vehicles when traveling through Baghdad. If a convoy is not available or if he is one of few needing to be escorted, a helicopter is used for transport.Erickson will be back in Minnesota for two weeks in August. He will spend part of the time in Hills with his parents and the rest of the time with his wife in Waconia.

10 years ago (1996)
For the first time in 10 years, a primary election will be necessary to name two candidates for the general election. Three candidates have filed for the District 4 County Board seat currently held by Bill Brakke. Candidates are Jim Harner, Bob Jarchow and Norma Stewart.
The architectural team of Neumann, Monson and Wictor, Sioux City, Iowa, reviewed site plans and building costs for a proposed elementary school addition with the Luverne School Board. The 121,000 square-foot elementary building is estimated to cost more than $10 million, or about $62 per square foot.25 years ago (1981)
Judge Gary Crippen has called the area drug and alcohol problem overwhelming.
Downtown merchants are planning to plant trees in front of Main Street stores in the sidewalks.
Michelle Mann and Laura Schmidt won the fashion review and are going to the State Fair.
Ida Reverts has been selected 4-H Mother of the Year.50 years ago (1956)
Luverne’s beauty is enhanced by the new Grace Lutheran Church on North Kniss Avenue, which will have its dedication ceremonies Sunday.
There will be an air raid test alert in Luverne at 9:03 a.m. Friday. The practice alert is held so that local residents will become familiar with alarm signals and various instructions that will be given over the conelrad radio band later in the day.75 years ago (1931)
A class of one hundred and three boys and girls who have completed their studies in the schools of Rock County will be awarded diplomas at the 20th annual eighth-grade graduation exercises to be held this evening at the Luverne High School auditorium.
L.W. Rolph’s Herefords got high money at Sioux Falls. As one of the consistent cattle feeders of Battle Plain township, he topped the cattle market with eleven Herefords that weighed 11,805 and brought $8.50 per hundred.100 years ago (1906)
The excavation for the basement of the $8,000 school house to be built in Hardwick this summer was finished last week and the work of laying the foundation is now progressing rapidly.
So far as is known, J. Innes, of this city, has the distinction of cutting the first barley in the coming harvest, having commenced cutting Tuesday. Several fields of rye have been cut and by the first of the week barley harvest will be in full blast.
Dr. C.O. Wright has sold his old residence building to the German Lutheran Church Society. The society will have the building moved to their property adjoining their church in the Barck, Adams and Howe addition and will have it fitted out for a parsonage.

By Lori EhdeDonn Rakow, who recently retired from 31 years of teaching, is the new United Methodist Church pastor in Luverne"God called me out of teaching, which is something I love, to something I love more," Rakow said Tuesday.He said the ministry isn’t a far cry from the teaching profession. "I teach; I counsel," he said. "It wraps everything I used to do in a secular setting into the world of Christianity."Rakow grew up in Minneapolis and graduated from Minneapolis Public Schools, Central. He earned his bachelor’s degree in teaching at Augsburg College and taught four years in Pine City before serving two years in the military during the Vietnam War as a science laboratory technician.He returned to teach four more years in Pine City before earning his Master of Science degree in school counseling at St. Cloud State University in 1977.He then launched a 21-year stint as a science teacher and school counselor in Nicollet, where Rakow said he first heard God’s call to pastoral ministry.He started a course of study at St. Paul Theological Seminary in 2001 with an anticipated graduation in July of 2007.His last day teaching was June 3, 1999, and his first appointment to preach was July 5, 1999."My wife calls it the shortest retirement on record," Rakow said.He and Wanda have been married 34 years and have two children and three grandchildren.His first ministerial assignment was in Sleepy Eye, where he led Faith United Methodist Church as a licensed local pastor for seven years.When asked if it seemed like a big step, Rakow said, "When you trust God, you trust God." He helped officiate a funeral his first day there.His first sermon in Luverne was on June 25 when he baptized a baby (Sean and Kirsten Limesand’s daughter, Larissa). "That was a welcome change," Rakow said.He was in Kansas City for training during the week Chris Ashby died in the car accident, so Rev. Bart Fletcher was called back to officiate that funeral.Rakow was called to the ministry in Luverne when the bishop appointed Fletcher to serve a congregation in Mankato, which happens to be where the Rakows became Methodists.He tells his denominational history this way:His dad was born Catholic, but when his mother died, he was adopted by a Methodist.His dad married an Episcopalian, but they became Lutherans (in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America).So Rakow grew up with ELCA, but Wanda was Evangelical Free, so they became Presbyterians. However, finding no Presbyterian churches in Nicollet, they became Methodists.... in the very church where Fletcher is now serving.Further, he said the man who mentored him and brought him to the ministry is the one who retired, prompting Fletcher’s move and thus his own call to Luverne."I believe God’s hand is in this, so I believe there’s a reason I’m here," Rakow said. "What that is, I don’t know yet."He said he’s pleased so far with his new home in Luverne and with the people."I found them to be warm, friendly, and very hospitable," he said. "A lot of people say ‘hi’ both in and outside the church. … The neighbors are unbelievable. They’re very supportive."

By Sara QuamThe city of Luverne will be able to build on the historic look of downtown, with the donation of a town clock.Warren Herreid said he and his extended family would like to buy a standing clock that would be installed next to the Palace Theatre, in front of FGL Commodities and in line with the streetlights.Herreid said to the Luverne City Council Tuesday, "The way I came up with it was after you council people put in the old fashioned-type street lights, I thought it would make a nice statement for the town."He approached Mayor Andy Steensma, who brought it before the council."We thought it would be appropriate," Herreid said, "since my family has been a part of the community for so long."The clock will go in front of the former Herreid jewelry store, which was a business for 50 years and involved many members of the family.Herreid family members also managed the Palace Theatre for a time and owned the café that is in the corner space next to the Palace."It’s sort of a Herreid corner," Herreid said at the meeting.Herreid said he hopes people in the community not only appreciate the aesthetics of a town clock, but that they will find it useful.The council will approve the placement and design of the clock at an upcoming meeting.Possible roof work on old hospitalTuesday night the council also looked into renovation costs that may come with the old hospital.The city owns the hospital and is working on a lease with Minnesota West Community and Technical College.The college is committed to occupying part of the hospital, starting in the spring of 2007.The city has already approved $500,000 out of the latest bond issue to go toward building improvements. There has also been consideration that City Hall may move to a portion of the former hospital/clinic campus.The city has noticed some water leaking through parts of the roof, so the council invited architect Marquis Erickson to outline options for the roof. Erickson said the roof installed in 1980 could get a detailed inspection and be repaired for a cost of about $50,000.He said, "That would last five to seven years. The cost I gave you is just a budget number, not what you might get from a low bid."The roof is 29,800 square feet.

By Sara QuamTuesday there were 17 Rock County children in out-of-home care. Some are in local foster care; others are in juvenile treatment facilities. Behind the numbers are stories that social workers, attorneys and law enforcement officers see daily.Child protection supervisor Nancy Lange and child protection social worker Stacy Schepel have more than 30 years of combined experience with Rock County children.Schepel said, "It’s hard for kids. They ultimately want a family and you don’t realize what a family means until you see people without one."She said, "One boy said it best when he said, ‘This sucks.’ The visitation issues are hard. It’s hard to tell kids that their parent relapsed or messed up."Lange said, "Some children take ownership that they’re the reason that they’re in foster care. Sometimes they are told that by their parent because they might have confided in someone who turned it over to us."The most difficult part of the social worker’s job — although it can lead to the best results — is removing children from their homes.Removal comes only after correct documentation and court proceedings, however. A social worker can’t simply make observations about a home environment and remove children. In certain emergency cases, a child may be placed out of the home until court procedures can be followed.Schepel said that through the difficult times of counseling, guidance and intervention on many levels, parents in her case files have changed and become leaders of healthier families."Several children have gone home and things work out well and they’re happy. They’re interacting and spending time together. They can count on mom and dad and things are totally different," Schepel said.So far in 2006 there have been 32 children who have spent at least a night in out-of-home care — care that through June of this year has cost the county $141,295.The total cost last year was $413,369.About 75 to 80 percent of the child protection caseload involves parents with mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction or a combination of both mental illness and addictions. The remaining are not able to parent for other reasons.Lange said, "I’m seeing third generations of some families now."Some parents simply haven’t had good models and don’t know correct parenting methods, how to clean house or utilize available healthcare, for example.Lange said, "If we believe the kids can be safe at home but they need some services, we can still help them."A mixture of social workers, mental health counselors, public health workers or chemical dependency counselors are used while keeping families together."We still believe, and through federal guidelines are told, that the best place for the child is with the family," Schepel said.That can be difficult for some people to understand, she said.Neighbors, teachers or others may report concerns to Family Services, but they still see children in the same home and doubt that work is being done for their benefit.Sometimes social workers are building files that have to be brought before the court to get action. Other times, the family is connected with helpful resources.While removing children from the home isn’t a goal of Family Services, it can help families in the end. Laws have changed requiring that children younger than 8 have a permanency plan within six months of being placed out of the home. That prevents lingering foster care stays and further weakening of parental bonds. Sometimes that permanency plan means children will be transferred to the custody of another relative or placed in long-term foster care. Other options are reunification of the family (the ideal by law) or permanent termination of parental rights.To explain the process of how children are taken out of their home and what happens afterward, this ficticious scenario is outlined:A probation officer receives a phone call with a report that Susan Flower, a known meth addict, has relapsed. Flower has three children and lives in a small apartment. The probation officer had received other reports and decided to contact Sheriff Mike Winkels at law enforcement to request that a deputy pick up Flower at her home for a random urinalysis as allowed by her probation agreement.(Social workers and probation officers may request the urinalyses, which are carried out by court order.)Flower was tested and it was determined that she was positive for methamphetamines and marijuana. Flower admitted that she had used the previous night with her boyfriend.(Most people who are on probation admit when they have used drugs after a urinalysis. If they don’t admit to using when the test is completed locally, the test is sent to a lab for confirmation, which can take two weeks.)Flower is charged with violation of probation, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of controlled substance in the fifth degree.Sheriff Winkels decides to contact the on-call social worker, Stacy Schepel, to request assistance with placement of Flower’s three children. Schepel responds to law enforcement and contacts the assistant county attorney, Jeff Haubrich, to assure that out-of-home placement is appropriate and that statutory requirements are met.Haubrich agrees and Sheriff Winkels places the children on 72-hour hold.Flower is taken to the Nobles County Jail and her three children are placed in emergency foster care with local foster parents.(Where it is possible, relatives are used for emergency or temporary placement. If those nearby relatives are in South Dakota or Iowa, however, their placement isn’t allowed until they become licensed by that state. The county can apply to the state to allow children in out-of-state homes. That can be a three-month wait.)The criminal proceedings against Flower proceed. She admits that she violated the terms of her probation by using the methamphetamines and her stay of imposition is revoked. She is sentenced to a period of 12 months and 1 day and given credit for time already served, which is about 4 months. The county files a Child In Need of Protection Services petition with the county court. (Through this phase, the parent or parents are appointed attorneys and the children are appointed a child advocate to speak for them. A judge decides whether the child needs protection and, if so, transfers custody to Rock County Family Services.)During her time in jail, the children are placed with local family members. (In some cases, children have different fathers, which would mean they could be separated.)Initially, Flower is ordered to complete her sentence resulting from her criminal charges. Subsequent to her release, Flower is court ordered to comply with the following recommendations: home-based therapy, chemical use assessment, parenting capacity assessment, family/group decision making.Family/group decision making guides the parent or parents and people important in their lives through the process of making decisions that will help their family. The county has to approve their plans.In addition, Flower agrees to visitation and random urinalysis by the county.(After families are reunited, social workers often keep visiting families for six months to a year.)