By John RittenhouseA member of the Hills-Beaver Creek-Ellsworth-Edgerton track program qualified for the state track meet during the Section 3A Track and Field Championships staged in Pipestone Thursday.Mya Mann, an Ellsworth High School junior, placed second in the 400-meter dash to earn an individual berth into the state field.The top two finishers in individual events advance to state during section competition.Mann, who placed seventh in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:30.09, moves on with her second-place time of 2:30.09 in the 400.The Patriot will run 400 preliminaries at the Minnesota State Class A Track and Field Championships at Hamlin University in Roseville Friday evening. If she places ninth or better in the preliminaries, Mann will advance to the 400 finals set for 5:06 p.m. on Saturday.Along with placing in the 400 and 800, Mann ran a leg with H-BC-E-E’s place-earning 1,600-meter relay team in Pipestone.Mann, Amanda Connors and Jocelyn and Ashley Bucher finished eighth in the event with a time of 4:19.61.The H-BC-E-E girls, who scored 12 points and placed 19th in team competition at the section meet, also received an eighth-place effort from Rosie Lewis in the shot put. Lewis tossed the shot 35-0.No H-BC-E-E boys advanced to the state meet during section competition, but the Patriots did receive some strong efforts in individual and relay competition.The top effort came from the 400-meter relay team consisting of Kevin Vander Schaff, Cody Rozeboom, Pavel Matejski and Kerry Fink. The foursome placed second with a time of 45.36.Vander Schaff and Fink turned in fifth-place performances in the 100- and 400-meter dashes with respective 11.63 and 52.12 times.The 800-meter relay team consisting of Matejski, Rozeboom, Adam Finke and John Sandbulte finished fifth with a time of 1:37.05.Casey Van Midden Dorp and Dustin Verhey also placed in individual competition.Van Midden Dorp covered 19-4 1/2 to finish seventh in the long jump. Verhey ran 3,200 meters in 10:48.78 to finish eighth.The H-BC-E-E boys scored 23 points to tie for 13th place in the team standings.

By John RittenhouseA wild game in Pipestone Wednesday, May 31, proved to be the final time the Luverne High School baseball team would take the field in 2006.The Cardinals squared off against Jackson County Central for an elimination game during the Section 3AA Tournament that night.Luverne rallied from a 7-3 deficit to sport brief leads in the seventh and eighth innings of the game, but JCC answered the challenge in the bottom half of both innings to pull out a 10-9 victory."This game was the story of our entire season," said Cardinal coach Mike Wenninger."It was an up-and-down game, and it was an up-and-down season."The Cards had a positive start by turning a two-run double by Kelsey Petersen and an RBI single by Jake Clark in the second inning into a 3-1 lead.JCC countered with a six-run eruption in the bottom of the third to move in front 7-3, but the Cards answered with three runs in the top of the fourth to make it a one-run difference at 7-6.Marc Boelman and Micah Boomgaarden singled home runs and Chris Fitzer picked up an RBI with a fielder’s choice during Luverne’s rally in the fourth.The score remained the same until the top of the seventh inning, when Tyler Reisch and Andrew DeBoer provided run-scoring doubles to give the Cards an 8-7 edge.It looked like Luverne’s lead would stand when JCC had two outs with a runner on first base in the bottom of the seventh inning, but a pair of errors allowed the Huskies to score the tying run and force an eighth inning.Luverne gained the momentum again when back-to-back doubles by Fitzer and Reisch gave it a 9-8 edge in the top of the eighth, but JCC scored a pair of runs with one out in the bottom of the inning to settle the issue.Boelman was tagged with the loss after pitching one and one-third innings of three-run relief. One of the runs he surrendered was earned.DeBoer and Fitzer worked two and two-thirds innings each on the mound, while Nathan Boler logged two-thirds of one inning on the hill.Luverne ends the year with a 10-13 record.Box score AB R H BIClark 2 0 1 1Boomgaarden 5 2 3 1Fitzer 5 2 1 1Boelman 4 1 2 1Petersen 2 0 1 2Reisch 3 1 2 2Nath 4 0 0 0DeBoer 4 2 3 1Lundgren 2 1 0 0Goembel 1 0 0 0Elbers 2 0 0 0

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne boys’ track team members flexed their muscles at the Section 3A Track and Field Championships in Pipestone Thursday.One week after placing second to Southwest Christian in the team standings at the sub-section meet, the Cardinals collected a more impressive trophy by repeating as the section team champions.Cardinal athletes won six event titles during an 85-point effort at the meet.Along with winning the team title, seven LHS boys earned the right to compete in seven events at the Minnesota State Class A Track and Field Championships set for Friday and Saturday at Hamlin University in Roseville.Athletes advance to state by placing first or second in individual events, winning relay races and meeting state-qualifying standards that are in place for every event at the section meet.Luverne runners won three relays, three individual titles and one athlete finished second in an individual event to qualify for the state meet.Sophomore Chris Ashby and senior Jake Hendricks landed individual titles for the Cards.Ashby won the 110- and 300-meter hurdles with respective 15.13 and 39.77 efforts.Hendricks took top honors in the 400-meter dash with a time of 50.54.Luverne also won section championships in the 400-, 800- and 1,600-meter relays with respective 44.77, 1:32.54 and 3:28.82 performances.Seniors Hendricks, Tom Ward, Jordan Siebenahler and Mike Kunstle formed the 400- and 800-meter relays. Ashby, Ward, senior Tim Miller and junior Ben Uphoff formed the 1,600-meter team.Miller also qualified for the state meet individually by using a late push to finish second in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:03.86.All of Luverne’s state qualifiers will compete in preliminary events on Friday. Saturday’s finals begin at 3 p.m.The Cardinals received five more place-earning efforts to pad their team point total during the section meet.Thomas Christiansen made a bid to advance to state in the 3,200-meter run before placing third with a time of 10:27.09.Uphoff placed fifth in the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 41.47, and Steve Schneiderman finished sixth in the 3,200 in 10:33.8.Siebenahler and Kunstle placed sixth and eighth with respective 23.75 and 23.87 efforts in the 200-meter dash.

10 years ago (1996)
On Friday Land O’Lakes company officials in St. Paul announced as of Aug. 1 the Luverne facility will no longer receive milk directly from member farms, and it will discontinue condensing operations. The company is laying off more than half its employees.
The Rock County Historical Society has taken new residence in the former Masonic Temple on Freeman Street.25 years ago (1981)
The city of Luverne is making a plea to vandals to stop destructing and stealing park equipment. The city has spent $50,000 over the past five years on park equipment. Last year 16 tables were taken, buildings were vandalized, and equipment was destroyed.
Rock County had considered implementing a gravel tax, but the motion, made by Stan Soutar, died for lack of a second.
Keith Oldre has finished his first tough year at West Point.
The Palace Theatre preservation campaign hopes to raise $90,000 for the building.50 years ago (1956)
A proposed super highway roughly following the path of Highway No. 16 through Luverne will become a reality within a few years if Congress passes the new Federal aid highway bill.According to press reports, the proposed bill is strongly supported by both houses of Congress in the major portions and should be enacted into law within a short time.The new freeway across the southern portion of Minnesota would roughly follow the course of Highway 16, including such cities as Albert Lea, Jackson and Luverne in its path.75 years ago (1931)
The Rock County male chorus is presenting an English and Norwegian program.
Seniors of Luverne High School will present their regular Senior night program Wednesday evening, May 27, at the school auditorium. Features of the entertainment will be the class history, by Prudence Sharpe; class poem, by Elizabeth Hinkly; class prophecy, by Hildegarde Dubbe; class will, by Vernon Osgood, and class yell and song, by Hazel Hoven.100 years ago (1906)
Grover Dodds, who had been taking a course in pharmacy in Minneapolis, is expected to arrive home this morning. He has completed his course and received his diploma, passing an excellent examination.
A contract for the erection of a handsome brick residence was awarded Wednesday morning by J.P. Coffey to PnN. Gillham, and work on the excavation of the basement was begun that afternoon.
The Luverne Automobile company had one of its machines on exhibition at Adrian last Friday for the purpose of demonstrating its good qualities to several of its citizens who are in the market for "skidoo" wagons.

By Sara QuamRock County Commissioners gave approval Tuesday to convey land to either Beaver Creek Township or the city of Beaver Creek in order to get a Midwest Wireless cell phone tower in the dead zone along Interstate 90.Midwest Wireless wants to construct a new tower, but was denied its first request because of zoning issues with the city of Beaver Creek.A different location, on land owned by the county, could help the problem. The city of Beaver Creek will still have to approve a conditional use permit for the tower before it can be erected.The county’s only stipulations in donating the land are that the land be used for the tower and that the tower include a repeater for law enforcement communications. Along with those conditions, Hills-Beaver Creek School wants to reserve space for telecommunication equipment. County Administrator Kyle Oldre said, "They’re trying to meet a number of needs."Representatives of the county, school, city and township met with Midwest Wireless last week.The county gave approval for donating the land to either the township or city, depending on which government body wants it and can work with Midwest Wireless. The county doesn’t want to retain ownership of the land because in order to allow a tower on it, any company could bid and Midwest Wireless has an established need. Disaster drillPublic Health is going through a pandemic flu vaccinating drill the afternoon of Thursday, June 15, at the Luverne Armory.The drill will involve vaccinating about 2,000 people, which is the number of "essential" personnel who need to be protected at the onset of a real outbreak.Kyle Oldre is the county emergency management director and acting director of Public Health until a new one is hired. He said, "There’s going to be snags; we’re going to find things we have to change. That’s why we do the drills."The formula has six tables set up to vaccinate 120 people per hour. The drill will help healthcare personnel see procedures that have to be followed or monitored. Others will watch for organizational methods that work well. Parking, for example, has to be directed.

By Lori EhdeRoadside littering – even dumping of furniture and large appliances – often goes unprosecuted.But thanks to a concerned citizen and responsive law enforcement, one local dumper was recently caught.21-year-old Brandon James Ganun, Luverne, was ordered to clean up his mess and pay a $100 littering fine.According to documents filed in Rock County District Court, charges date back to Feb. 23, when a concerned resident called the Sheriff’s Department to report suspicious activity on Darlene’s Bend (a minimum maintenance road northeast of Luverne).The resident reported two individuals in an older green Ford pickup who may be intoxicated or involved in questionable activities.The vehicle description matched an earlier report that two young males were loading a pickup with trash near the intersection of Main Street and Cedar Street in Luverne.The deputy specifically wanted it reported, in case the trash was found dumped in an area.At the time, Ganun lived in an apartment above Jensen Management, and the deputy suspected they were planning to dump the trash.After the resident’s report of suspicious activity on Darlene’s Bend, Deputy Bryan Bose met the green pickup heading west on Main Street.He pulled the vehicle over for having loud exhaust and no lighting on the rear plates. Inside the pickup were Ganun and his passenger, 20-year-old Kyle Wayne Bents.Bose informed them of the reports that they’d been dumping and said he already knew where it was. (Sheriff Mike Winkels had radioed from Darlene’s Bend that he found two recently dumped piles of garbage.)The dumped trash consisted of rancid household garbage, old pieces of furniture and a dried up Christmas tree. Also found was the pickup’s muffler, which had fallen off during the dumping.The two were ordered to put the garbage back in the pickup and take it to the landfill. They were ordered to provide the Sheriff’s Department with a receipt from the landfill. It came to $10.When asked if they had learned anything, Bents reportedly replied, "Yes. Don’t dump trash so close to town."In addition to the littering charge, Ganun was also charged with under 21 alcohol consumption (he didn’t turn 21 until last month). For that, he paid a $300 fine, spent two days in jail (May 27 and May 28), and is on probation for a year.

By Lori EhdeA Luverne man recently spent four days in jail after local law enforcement tape recorded him threatening Sheriff Mike Winkels and Deputy Ken Baker.Forty-one-year-old Kevin Rozeboom was charged on May 26 with felony terroristic threats.The charges stem from a phone call Winkels received from Rozeboom at 10 p.m. on May 24.According to the complaint, Winkels was awakened by a call from Rozeboom, who was reportedly upset about something involving his wife, Allie Rozeboom.During the conversation Winkels said Rozeboom threatened him and others at the Sheriff’s Department, making reference to the fact that body armor didn’t cover their heads.The connection on that initial call was lost, but Winkels reportedly called dispatch and learned that deputies responded to a complaint that Allie Rozeboom had been parked in front of Deputy Baker’s house, on the wrong side of the street, watching the house and photographing the home.Deputies had issued a citation for illegal parking, and Winkels called Kevin Rozeboom back to tell him what he had found out.This time, he recorded the conversation.According to the complaint, during the course of the conversation, Rozeboom made numerous threats to law enforcement, specifically to Baker, at one point saying "dog boy" would be "f---ing dead come Friday night."He said he would get a gun and shoot Baker. "Then you can start bringing criminal charges," he said.During that conversation, Rozeboom accused law enforcement of following his wife. "… The first f---er that follows me more than two turns, I’m dropping my car in reverse. I’m going to hit him as hard as I can."He said he keeps a gun in his truck and he’ll shoot the officer.The complaint filed in Rock County District Court stated, points to a history of negative interaction between the Rozebooms and the Sheriff’s Department since Allie Rozeboom was arrested for DWI about eight months ago.Related to that arrest, the Rozebooms have alleged police brutality.Until now, Rozeboom hasn’t made specific reference to possession or intent to use firearms, but the taped conversation necessitated charges, according to law enforcement.The complaint states, "Sheriff Winkels believes that the new threats rise to a level not experienced before and present a significant threat to the public and specifically to his officers."A warrant was issued on May 26 for Rozeboom’s arrest, and he spent the following four days in Nobles County Jail. He posted bail on Tuesday, May 30.The maximum sentence for a terroristic threats conviction is five years in jail and/or a $10,000 fine.s

By Sara QuamThe Agri-Energy ethanol plant in Luverne is a mystery to many who know little more than the fact that it uses corn to make car fuel. For the 220 members of the limited liability corporation, however, it’s been as close to a gold mine as they’d find in Rock County.Agri-Energy Business Development Director David Kolsrud wouldn’t say exactly how much investors have been paid in the eight years that the plant has been up and running. He did say that the stock has increased in value "several times."Kolsrud also specified that Agri-Energy has paid more than $5 million in employee salaries, dividends and locally purchased goods since it opened. The main point people should remember about Agri-Energy, Kolsrud said, is, "Our farmers are benefiting all the while we are lessening our dependence on foreign oil."Eyes on the roadEthanol has gotten a lot of attention lately. Gas prices are high as the summer travel season is starting, and ethanol blends are slightly cheaper per gallon than standard fuel. Minnesota has the largest number of ethanol pumps, but more plants are starting production so the blend will probably be more frequently used than ever.The price of ethanol is based more on the price of crude oil than it is on corn, so it isn’t much cheaper than regular gas. Demand for the 10 percent blends is almost exceeding the supply now. Ethanol gets slightly lower mileage than regular gas, so consumers benefit most when it’s at least 30 percent cheaper than regular gas.Most vehicles can use 10 percent ethanol blended gasoline. It’s the 85 percent blend that is specific to only certain vehicles.Kolsrud said, "E-85 blends are being held low now because we want to increase demand."Golden opportunitiesAgri-Energy has invested in other plants, which Kolsrud said isn’t the most popular thing to come out of the business.Expanding in Luverne hasn’t proven feasible, but the limited liability corporation (LLC) is at least partial owner of three other plants — one in Nebraska and two in Kansas.Still, Agri-Energy is by far the highest taxpayer in the county, with $157,394 payable in 2006.Agri-Energy’s plant was started with help from being designated as a tax increment financing project."This community has been good to us," Kolsrud said. Next year, when the TIF expires, tax collecting governments will see even more of the taxes generated from Agri-Energy. (For 2006, $94,536 of the tax bill will go to pay off the TIF.)Just as the community has been good to the ethanol plant, Kolsrud says the business is equally good for the community.It has 28 employees, most of whom live and shop in Luverne, too.Plant Manager Jay Sommers lives in Luverne with his wife and three children. He came here from Idaho when the plant opened but is originally from Gaylord."It’s a nice city with a good school system," Sommers said. "We like the community, even though we don’t like that there’s no lake here."Sommers says it is important to remember that plant odors were eliminated during production as technology was developed.Each year, the Luverne plant produces 21 million gallons of ethanol. That’s enough to travel 4.2 trillion miles on a 10 percent blend. Five days a week, the plant takes in 30 semi-trucks of corn. The ethanol plant has been a supporter of the local railroad, as its biggest customer.Kolsrud said the relationship is mutually beneficial.He said, "Minnesota Southern Railway has been very significant in our success because it allows us to move to two major rail lines, which allows us to market to both coasts." In fact, almost all of Agri-Enery’s product ends up in New Jersey.In the end, Sommers and Kolsrud said they hope the support and interest in ethanol continues for the good of the community, Agri-Energy investors and to decrease the national dependence on fossil fuels.

Good numbers for Buffalo DaysWith great weather and good participation, ’06 will go down as one of the nicest Buffalo Days Luverne has had, and that is saying something, because we’ve had a lot of nice Buffalo Day weekends.With temperatures in the mid 80s, the weekend started out with the Friday night cruise-in at a new location.This year’s cruise-in was located on Luverne’s Main Street with a total of 143 cars registered for the event. They filled both sides of Main Street for two blocks from Freeman Street to McKenzie, with a little spillover on the side of the Palace Theatre.In addition to the usual attractions, the Eagles Club set up a beer garden between Minnwest Bank and the Pizza Ranch, and the Luverne Hockey Association peddled brats and root beer floats . At dusk, the event was illuminated by Luverne’s really cool new downtown lights.Sioux Valley Luverne Hospital sponsored the 5- and 10-K run/walk utilizing the new Blue Mounds Hiking and Biking Trail for the first time. According to event coordinator Darci Pap, 140 people participated in the event.This year the participants were bussed to the Blue Mounds State Park and ran back into town.You may be interested in a few other results of Buffalo Days:
260 people participated in the Dad’s Belgian Waffle feed sponsored by the Southwest Chapter of the America Red Cross.
100 vendors sold their products to large crowds at Arts in the Park. Other Arts in the Park events included The Zoo Man, the Spot Light Dancers, Tae Kwon Do Club demonstrations, and the buffalo chip throwing contest sponsored by Green Earth Players.
1,200 free buffalo burgers were distributed at the Blue Mounds State Park within an hour Sunday. The Buffalo Days free burger feed is offered in conjunction with the state park’s annual open house.Interpretive Center will now be an information centerThree years ago the State of Minnesota cut the funding for the naturalist at the Blue Mounds State Park, resulting in closing the Interpretive Center, the former Manfred home.Now, thanks to a fund-raising effort by the Blue Mounds State Park Partners, the building will once again be open to visitors.The Park Partners managed to raise $5,000, which, according to park manager Rick White, will allow the facility to be open from noon to 4 p.m. every Wednesday through Sunday until Labor Day for the next two years.Because the state did not hire a nature interpreter to staff the facility, it will be considered an information center, not an interpretive center.However, the state did agree to provide maintenance for the building and guidance training for the employee.Power outage goes more quickly than expectedTuesday’s power outage, which affected everything north of the high school and west of Highway 75, went much faster than the worst-case eight-hour scenario talked about in the Star Herald last week.Rick Hoftiezer, line maintenance foreman for Missouri River Energy Services, told the Star Herald last week that the project could take up to eight hours, but the juice was off at 8 a.m. sharp and back on before noon, an outage of less than four hours.Now the next upgrade is already being planned. The affected area will also be located in the northern part of town, in close proximity to Cashin Drive and N. Kniss Ave.The outage will take place on Tuesday, June 13, beginning at 8 a.m. and is expected to last approximately five hours.Affected residents will be getting reminders hung on their doors this week.Again the outage on the 13th is necessary to upgrade both cable and equipment.