10 years ago (1996)
The first graduation standards test results are back, and area schools are studying the results with interest. In Luverne 128 students took the test and 74.2 percent scored 70 or better in math and 60 percent of the students scored 70 percent or better in reading. At Hills-Beaver Creek the percentages were better. Ninety-one percent of the students passed the math portion, and 80 percent passed the reading portion.
Ten Luverne boys will advance to the Section 3A Track and Field Championships because they placed fourth or better in the sub-section meet. They are Derek Walgrave, Craig Overgaard, Mark Maranell, Lynden Reder, Tom Brockberk, Greg Hilger, Andy Stoakes, Shaun Ryan, Ryan Petersen and Dave Mulder.25 years ago (1981)
Cindy Bakke was crowned Monday as 1981 Rock County Dairy Princess.
Chris Haycraft will represent Luverne golfers at the state level in Forest Lake in his third trip to state.
Ray Koehn is the recipient of the first lifetime membership to the Luverne Chamber of Commerce. Koehn is 90 years old, and has been active in the community and Rock County since he moved with his family here in 1900. He was county auditor, served as secretary of the Luverne Commercial Club, helped establish a Senior Citizen Club that purchased the first county mini-bus and helped raise $150,000 for the Mary Jane Brown Home.50 years ago (1956)
Luverne’s municipal swimming pool is scheduled to be open Sunday if the weather stays warm so that last minute preparation can be completed, it was reported by Lewis Sower, light and power superintendent.
K.C. Sargent announced that the third anniversary of the opening of the Verne Drive In theatre will be observed next Tuesday night, with the showing of the picture, "Return of Octover."75 years ago (1931)
E.A. Brown company’s south elevator at Trosky, a box car on the Rock Island siding and also the Rock Island stockyards, about 400 feet away, were burned to the ground early Saturday morning in a fire of unknown origin that developed inside the elevator. The elevator contained about 10,000 bushels of oats at the time.
A class of 43 young people will be graduated from the Luverne high school at the 44th commencement exercises.
Twins, J.J. Klungness, Luverne, and L.I. Brevik, Sioux Falls, turn 85 this July and may be the oldest twins in the nation.100 years ago (1906)
Papers in one of the largest transfers of city property made in some time were filed Saturday, when Herman Stienmiller sold the Union block property to John Brewer for $14,000.
The 50th anniversary of the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Hamann was celebrated Friday at the home of their son, August Hamann. The notable event was attended by over 100 friends and was a memorably happy one. Numerous valuable presents were received, indicating the high esteem in which they are held by their friends.

One day I was walking to work in the morning and I didn’t feel like thinking. So I started counting cigarette butts in the street. I walked 15 blocks and counted 384 cigarette butts on one side of the street and on the boulevard. If you double that to include both sides of the street, you have 768 butts. Multiply that by every 15-block segment in the city and you have some serious cigarette butts. It was at that very moment I came up with my foolproof, three-phase plan to achieve world peace. If the technology were available, we could convert this littering problem into a new fuel source. If every city and county in the country collected their butts, we would no longer have to rely on foreign oil. The second phase would be the development of an alternative-fuel-vehicle that could run on cigarette butts or fast food wrappers or plastic Mountain Dew bottles. Just dump all your litter in the gas tank, push the trash-to-gas button, and take off. With phase one and two in place, certainly phase three world peace would follow. Note: I took a second sampling of cigarette butts two weeks later. However, the city crew had been out with the street sweeper and the butt-count was significantly lower. With the world peace issue solved, I must mention that summer is looming on the horizon. You better get busy and plan out your list of hot novels to read this summer. The following new fiction should definitely be on that list. "The Husband" by Dean Koontz. "We have your wife. You can get her back for two million cash." Landscaper Mitchell Rafferty thinks it must be some kind of joke. He was in the middle of planting impatiens in the yard of one of his clients when his cell phone rang. Now he’s standing in a normal suburban neighborhood on a bright summer day, having a phone conversation out of his darkest nightmare.Whoever is on the other end of the line is dead serious. He has Mitch’s wife and he’s named the price for her safe return. The caller doesn’t care that Mitch runs a small two-man landscaping operation and has no way of raising such a vast sum. He’s confident that Mitch will find a way, if he loves his wife enough. Mitch does love her enough. He loves her more than life itself. He’s got 72 hours to prove it. He has to find the two million by then. But he’ll end up paying a lot more! "Piano Man" by Marcia Preston. With the tragic death of her teenage son, Clair O'Neal lost more than Nathan — she lost her direction. Now, three years after his death, her life remains flat and hopeless. But with the discovery of a long-forgotten letter written by the wife of the man who received Nathan's heart, Claire feels as if she has been given a chance to connect again with her son. According to the letter, Mason MacKinnon is a talented violinist and happily married. Perhaps, if she could meet him, her son’s death would have some meaning. But when she finds Mason, he is playing piano in a seedy bar, a cynical, chain-smoking man, down on his luck and in no mood for Claire. What has happened to him in the years since his wife wrote to Claire? How dare he abuse the precious gift given to him by Claire's son? Saving a man who has lost his family, his career and his will to live is no easy task, but Claire is driven with a purpose that borders obsession. And as two lost, lonely people learn to find hope once again, they grow to understand that life's most beautiful music still comes straight from the heart.

I’m sounding the alarm, or a call to arms, or whatever it takes for you to take a close look at your rose leaves! Those little green worms are here and they are hungry! If you see small irregular holes in the leaves, you know you have a problem. A small butterfly lays an egg mass on the rose plant and when those eggs hatch, you go from a mass of eggs to a mass of worms, or caterpillars if that sounds more appealing. The damage they do when feeding is fast and devastating to roses. The worm’s life span is short but their appetite is enormous! They can completely defoliate a plant in a couple of days, and although this loss of leaves doesn’t kill the rose outright, it weakens it and often these plants die in the winter. The worms are the same color green as the leaf and are always on the under side of the leaf. Spraying when they are done feeding is pointless because they are no longer there, and spraying before they hatch is ineffective because most of the chemical sprays require contact with the pest. So what I am saying is … get after them right now! If you don’t counter their attack, they will go away, and then they will come back … every worm will be another little butterfly to lay a new egg mass … poor roses don’t stand a chance without your help! I am also seeing a lot of black spot and rust in the roses this year. Black spot starts out with a black spot on the leaf and soon the leaf turns yellow and falls off. Rust shows up as orange spots on the leaf and is very unsightly. Both of these diseases as well as mildew have the same effect as the worms in weakening the plants and making them vulnerable to winter kill. OK, here’s the good news. At the greenhouse we have a ready-to-use spray that will stop all of the aforementioned problems, and it literally is ready to use. You don’t have to measure or mix … but you do have to take the time to apply the product. Spraying both top and under sides of the leaves is important, and spraying before the problem becomes major damage is also important! Right now is also the time to be pruning any form of pines. The new growth on the mugho pine is called candles, and shearing that new growth back by two-thirds or three-fourths now will not leave discolored stubs … waiting any longer will. Shearing will give the look of a dense mounded shrub that is the real look we want to see in this form of pine. If you have fruit trees, you should have already done your first spray application. I recommend a fruit tree spray that is a combination fungicide and insecticide. Well, I don’t want to sound like a chemical salesman so here are a couple of alternatives for the insects. We sell a red sphere trap to control apple maggots. These are a red ball that you coat with a sticky product called "tangle foot". The adult insect is attracted to the ball … lands there to lay its eggs … end of story! My other trap calls for a gallon milk jug into which you mix one cup of vinegar and one cup of honey … be sure the honey gets dissolved into the vinegar … add one banana peel and fill the jug full of water. Leave the lid off and hang the jug in the tree. We use three or four jugs per large tree. I am amazed at the quantity of bugs that these traps capture! The apple maggot is the hardest insect to control. The adult looks like a small housefly except that it has white stripes on its abdomen. It emerges from the ground and lays its eggs singly under the skin of an apple. The little worm that hatches eats its way around the inside of the apple, comes back out of the apple, and falls to the ground where it pupates to remerge the next year. I’ve never found one of the worms in an apple, but the evidence of their presence is disgusting! We call those brown lines "tracks". The apple maggots are particular about the type of apple they attack -… they want only the best! The traps I have just described should be out now or in the next few days. Once those pests are present, they mature, and within 10 days the damage is done. Good news is that you can get the jump on them if you do it now!

The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on October 6, 1916:FREE MAIL CARRIER SERVICE FOR CITYCouncil Takes Steps to Have Street Signs Installed and Houses Properly Numbered.DEPARTMENT READY TO GRANT SERVICEAssurance is Given that Service Will be Provided as Soon as Signs and Numbers Are Put Up.Preliminary steps looking to the installation of mail carrier service in Luverne were taken by the common council Tuesday evening, and it is entirely probable that the council will meet the requirements of the post office department to secure such service at an early date. The city recorder was instructed Tuesday evening to at once secure samples and prices of street signs for all of the streets and also samples of numbers for houses and the prices therefore.Luverne has long been entitled to free delivery of mail, but until a short time ago nothing was done toward securing it. A few months ago the Herald took the matter up with the post office department and assurance was given that if the department’s requirements were met the service would be granted. These requirements are that street signs be put up at each street intersection, all houses in the city be numbered, and reasonable sidewalk and crosswalk facilities be provided.The latter requirements are well met, for Luverne has exceptionally extensive sidewalk facilities. The installation of street signs will not be a very expensive proposition, and it is understood that the council is willing to have this work done without delay.The matter of numbering the houses, the council believes, is up to the individuals and must be done by property owners. The cost will be trifling in each case and no difficulty is expected in having this work done. Arrangements probably will be made with some firm to take over the entire work of numbering the houses, whereby the property owners will pay when the numbers are put up, as the work can be done more economically and in a uniform manner in this way.Luverne is now the only city of its class in this section that does not have carrier service, and it is to be hoped that there will be no delay in getting this service started.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.

Ethanol consumers can feel fine about their purchases after rumors of price fixing were dispelled last week. Minnesota Attorney General Mike Hatch released a report reviewing the pricing of E85 during the fall of 2005. Customers and small wholesalers questioned rapid price increases during that season, but Hatch’s investigation found there was no evidence of price fixing.Rather, the price rose with demand and retailers matched the price of the fuel to the price of gasoline.Consumers can be assured that what they’re paying for the fuel isn’t a con. While some aren’t in favor of subsidies the industry receives, it’s those subsidies that helped get the plants up and running.As a side note on the government subsidies, plants built since June of 2000 don’t receive state subsidies. Since 1986, the state has paid $279 million to ethanol plants. The federal government also pays subsidies.We all know ethanol is good for farmers, better for the environment than standard fuel and good for local economics. Buying ethanol supports Rock County farmers who sell direct to the local Agri-Energy plant and the investors who helped start the company. … And we hope those profits are spent locally, since local people have been so supportive of the industry.

I have to tip my hat to Luverne High School tennis coach Greg Antoine.His four-year tenure at the helm of the program has been a successful one, and Antoine is enjoying the ride.When his Cardinals defeated Worthington in the Section 3A Team Tournament championship match on May 23rd in Redwood Valley, Antoine’s coaching legacy was instantly enhanced.It marked the second time Luverne earned the right to compete at the state tournament as a team (LHS first qualified last season), and it assured Luverne would be represented at the state tournament for the fourth straight year."I’ve had some pretty good luck," Antoine reflected."Dusty (Antoine) and Pat (Bennett) made it to state (as a doubles team) my first two years, and we went as a team and Dusty made it in singles last year. We’ve been fortunate. It’s been kind of a dream for me."Advancing to state as a team was a dream that Antoine didn’t think would become a reality this season.Luverne lost two key seniors in Dusty Antoine and Brandon Deregisch from a team that compiled a 12-6 record in 2005, when the Cards qualified for the state team tournament for the first time in program history.Along with losing some key performers from the 2005 squad, sub-standard weather conditions and a much-improved team from Worthington were obstacles the Cardinals had to overcome in order to repeat as Section 3A Team champions."I knew we had a chance to get back to state, but I was surprised when we won. I thought Worthington was just too strong of a team," Antoine admitted."Another thing working against us was we had very few good practices. It was either too windy or too cold, and I just didn’t think we had enough quality practices to get back to state," he added.Sound strategy and the ability of the players to adopt team-first attitudes helped the Cardinals clear the obstacles they faced on the path to state.The strategy came into play during the section title match, when LHS took on a Worthington team that saddled the Cards with a pair of 4-3 losses in the regular season.Although the prior matches could have fallen in either team’s favor, Antoine decided to enhance Luverne’s chances of winning by adjusting his lineup.The change involved moving Zach Sanderson and Erik Stegemann, who played at No. 3 and No. 4 singles most of the season, to play with Matt Kreuch and Jamie Vickery at No. 2 and No. 3 doubles respectively. This forced Austin Lee (Kreuch’s normal partner at second doubles) and Jeremy Hoff (Vickery’s normal partner at third doubles ) to fill in the third and fourth singles slots.The plan worked to perfection as LHS swept the Trojans in doubles competition and received a win from Derek Boeve at second singles to post a 4-3 victory."We basically did the same thing against Montevideo in the section championship last year, which was to stack up our doubles teams," Antoine said."We put some of our more experienced players together in doubles, and moved some of our more inexperienced players to third and fourth singles," he said."It was a decision we made as a team," Antoine continued. "It gave us our best chance to win. The kids decided if it helps us win as a team, that’s what we’re after."Putting personal aspirations aside and focusing on what’s best for the team speaks volumes about the character embodied in every member of the LHS tennis program.Throw a passion to succeed into the mix, and you have the main reasons why Luverne will be competing at the state tennis tournament in Burnsville June 6."One thing I can say about these kids is they really are competitors. Most of them just don’t want to lose," Antoine said."It may not be pretty, or fundamentally sound, but these kids do what it takes to win."

Hills-Beaver Creek Dist. 671Minutes5-08-06The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board met for its semimonthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the library in Hills. Board members present were Leuthold, Harnack, Boeve, Esselink, Fransman and Baker. Absent was DeBoer. Superintendent Deragisch and Principal Holthaus were also in attendance. The meeting was called to order by Chairman Esselink. Visitors to the meeting were recognized by the chairman. The only visitor was Lexi Moore of The Crescent. Motion by Baker, second by Leuthold, and carried to approve the agenda with the addition of 6.6 a. Mandi Kor and b. Patti Nelson. Patriot Pride: oNurses Day Honor Lois Leenderts oAmerican Education Week May 8-12oAndrew Blank received a Superior rating at the WWG art showElementary report was given by Mr. Holthaus. High School report was presented by Superintendent Deragisch. The minutes of the last meeting were approved as sent out.Motion by Fransman, second by Boeve, and carried to approve the bills.Motion by Baker, second by Fransman, and carried to change the June school board meeting from 6/26 to 6/29. Motion by Harnack, second by Boeve, and carried to approve Policy #611 – Home Schooling. Motion by Leuthold, second by Harnack, and carried to approve Policy #612 – Development of Parental Involvement Policies for Title I Program. Motion by Leuthold, second by Baker, and carried to hire Mandi Kor for an English contract for $30,893.00 for the 2006-07 school year. Motion by Boeve, second by Harnack, and carried to hire Patti Nelson for the band position for $29,714.00 for the 2006-07 school year.Legislation update was given by Esselink.Discussion was held on the possibility of use of a tower built on county property. Results from auction at Huron College. Dates to Remember: May 21 Baccalaureate 2:00 p.m. May 22 School Board meeting 7:30 p.m. May 24 High School Awards 7:30 p.m. May 26 Graduation 7:00 p.m.Meeting adjourned at 8:35 p.m.Lloyd DeBoer, Clerk(6-1)

Doris K. Sonntag, 85, Hills, formerly of Conroy, Iowa, died Thursday, May 25, 2006, at Sioux Valley Luverne Hospital in Luverne. She was the mother of Jim Sonntag, Luverne.Services were Tuesday, May 30, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Conroy, Iowa. The Revs. George Clausen and Gary Sears officiated. Burial was in Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Conroy. Doris Katherine Julia Sonntag was born Nov. 17, 1920, in Saginaw County, Mich. She grew up on the family farm northeast of Frankenmuth, Mich. She attended St. Lorenz Lutheran School in Frankenmuth. After her school years, she worked as a housekeeper for various families in the Saginaw area. She married the Rev. Martin H. Sonntag of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, on Aug. 27, 1943, at her parents’ homestead. Since her husband was a minister, they lived in various communities, including Shelby, Mich., Linkville, Mich., Spring Fountain, Iowa, and Conroy. Mr. Sonntag died on Feb. 11, 1974. She continued to live in the Conroy area until moving to Tuff Memorial Home in Hills in September 1999. Mrs. Sonntag was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Conroy, where she served as organist. She enjoyed her flower gardens, crocheting, sewing, cooking, reading and music. She remained involved in resident activities at Tuff Home until her death.Survivors include three sons, Thomas (Beverly) Sonntag, Sidney, Neb., Jim (Judy) Sonntag, Luverne, and John (Annette) Sonntag, Columbus, Neb.; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; one sister; three sisters-in-law; and one brother-in-law.Mrs. Sonntag was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Martin, two brothers and three sisters. Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.

10 years ago (1996)"Thirty-six students will cross the stage in commencement ceremonies tomorrow night in the Hills-Beaver Creek gymnasium. Five students will graduate with High Honors (a grade point average of 3.6 or higher). Those students include Femke Assmus, Jennifer Chesley, Jeff Ebert, Janel Rozeboom and Heather Van Wyhe."25 years ago (1981)"Brenda Taubert, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Floren Taubert, Beaver Creek, has been selected as a member of the 1981-82 Minnesota All-State Choir. More than 1,000 students throughout the state auditioned for the 185-member choir. It has been more than 15 years since an H-BC student has been a part of the All-State music group."50 years ago (1956)"The Martin Farmers Union Local will hold its regular monthly meeting on Friday evening, June 1, at the Otto Knoblock home. …Among the items to be discussed will be the bill adopted by Congress to provide for refund of federal taxes on gasoline used for farming purposes."75 years ago (1931)"The Hills Cooperative Creamery made another new record last month when they turned out 102,000 pounds of butter for May. This is the biggest output for the creamery since it was organized in 1896."100 years ago (1906)"Miss Tilda Julson, who has been employed as bookkeeper and stenographer at the Security bank of Montrose, S.D., during the last three years, has severed her connections with that institution and left today for Sioux Falls to accept a more lucrative position with the Sioux Falls Savings bank. It is a great pleasure to see our Hills girls getting up to the front. Success to Miss Tilda."