By Lori EhdeSioux Valley Luverne Medical Center employees participated in a mumps vaccination drill Wednesday to test their preparedness in the event of any outbreak in Rock County.Kristin Peterson is the infection control and safety officer for Sioux Valley Luverne Hospital. She said there are 70 local medical employees who either know they need a shot or haven’t found documentation of their mumps immunization.Not all those employees were scheduled to work Wednesday morning, so all employees working that day were asked to participate, even if they didn’t actually get a shot."We wanted to see how many people we can get done in a certain amount of time and if our plan works," Peterson said. "We’re the only hospital in our area using this opportunity to test our planning."According to information from the National Center for Disease Control, anyone born after 1957 was likely immunized against mumps."Anyone born prior to 1957 who hasn’t had the mumps should consider getting a shot," Peterson said.People are encouraged to research their immunization history in case of a local mumps outbreak.There have been confirmed mumps cases in Iowa, but the closest cases to Rock County were suspected cases in Jackson and Sioux Falls.At this point, Peterson said health professionals are the first priority in terms of getting immunized."We need to make sure we’re not spreading it to those who aren’t immunized," Peterson said.Peterson is a member of the Southwest Minnesota Emergency Preparedness Committee, which is planning a community-wide immunization drill involving Rock and Nobles counties next month.About mumpsMumps is a viral infection spread by airborne droplets from the nose or throat.The symptoms of mumps include a low-grade fever and swelling or tenderness of one or more of the salivary glands in the cheeks and under the jaw. Symptoms usually appear between 12 and 25 days after a person has been exposed to the virus. However, about one-third of infected people do not have symptoms.Mumps usually begins with two days of discomfort and an increasing temperature. This is followed by an uncomfortable feeling in the jawbone and a swelling of the parotid glands. Often the swelling occurs unevenly, on one side of the face before the other. People with mumps often experience pain when opening their mouths. In mild cases the swelling may only last three to four days, but it can go on for a week or more.Although the swollen parotid glands and high temperature caused by mumps may be unpleasant, the most serious repercussions involve possible infection of other organs.

By Sara QuamYou never stop being a mother … even when your sons are almost 62 and 64. Martha Bakken doesn’t have any secrets to share about why she’s so close to her sons or why she seems to stay on top of what’s going on in their lives. She said, "Mothers always give advice. It’s the thing to do."Martha is the mother of Richard — a farmer, cattleman and Rock County Commissioner — and Howard Bakken, who is a musician and retired music teacher living in North Carolina.Martha now lives in the Tuff Village, Hills, where Richard spends Sundays visiting her. They catch up on family news and often discuss county politics.Richard describes his mother as humble, well-read and wise. "She’s lived her life by the Golden Rule and I think that’s how she judges politics," Richard said.She follows news locally, but also reads the Argus Leader and watches television news stations.Martha wouldn’t say how much influence she has over Richard’s commissioner votes. However, she did help talk him into running for office when he was first asked to do so by retiring commissioner Wendell Erickson."She encouraged me when I was little and she still does," Richard said.Martha said she is proud of her family. "One son is a good farmer and one is a good musician."Leading with loveAs a former one-room schoolhouse teacher, Martha is still the family leader and the go-to person for fast facts. How many feet are in a mile, it will occur to one of them. Martha knows it’s 5,280.She had her boys when, because of the war, there were still grocery rations and a shortage of diaper-covering rubber pants. Richard said, "She had a certain way of doing everything." Martha did the wash on Mondays and gathered eggs from the hens at noon. She led the family and still leads it with the idea of togetherness.Richard said family time didn’t have to be worked into their schedules. "When there were chores, we would all be in the barn together. Family time was most of the time," Richard said.Martha won’t let anyone tell her she is a great mother or wonderful matriarch. She just loves her family and tries to do right by them.The only thing she dislikes seeing in some mothers is unloving treatment toward their children. "We all make mistakes," Martha said, "but I don’t remember ever spanking them."Richard said, "I consider myself fortunate to have grown up in a home where we were allowed to do what we wanted to do … We just had good parents. They expected us to do well so we expected us to do well. They respected us and expected good things from us, and we respected them."Howard said, "Long before Dr. Phil and his ilk, she sensed that Richard and I had many different interests and goals, and she supported us both in a non-preferential manner." He said that continued with Martha’s grandchildren. Richard’s children grew up across the road from their grandparents. Howard’s children, who then lived near Chicago, never sensed a difference in their relationship.Martha now has six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, whom she enjoys watching grow and succeed.She has been widowed for a few years and is mostly independent — still managing her finances, exercising, checking out books from the library and attending church."I’m thankful now that I’ve got my family to help take care of me," she said.

Luverne grad responsible for new Viking designI recently received an e-mail from former Luverne resident Rolf Berg telling me that the newly designed uniforms announced by the Vikings recently were designed by his son Eric Berg.According to Rolf, Eric’s company, Berg Design Company, a graphics company in Minneapolis, has been doing the graphic design work for the Vikings for the past several years.Rolf also pointed out that Eric’s early artistic talents were cultivated at Luverne High School by LHS’s current teacher of the year, Kim Schmidt.Eric’s grandmother, Esther Paulson, also resides in Luverne.According to Reebok, the manufacturer, the jerseys are made of a new twill material that makes them 30 percent lighter.Stripes appear around the shoulder, down the seams and down the leg.The players will wear black shoes for the first time since 1983 and purple pants for the first time since 1964.Horns will still be on the helmet but will now appear three-dimensional.The team logo will be moved front and center above the jersey number.First care packages to be sent by FRG groupAccording to a recent e-mail from Gina Newman, project coordinator for the Family Readiness Group (FRG), the group will be doing their first care packages at the FRG meeting at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at the Luverne Armory.If you have any items you would like included in the packages, contact Gina Newman at ginanewman@myclearwave.net or at 507-926-5220.Items may also be dropped off at the armory.According to Newman, she would like to include notes in the packages to let the soldiers know where some of the items are coming from, so if you drop items off at the armory, include a note.Sump pumps have been working hardAs most of you have probably noticed, the sump pumps around town have been working overtime this spring.According to a recent city newsletter, the average flow into our wastewater treatment plant for the month of March was 850,000 gallons per day.When the April rains started, that number went up to an average of 1.8 million gallons per day, with a peak on April 7 of 2.8 million gallons per day.The major cause in the increase is that sump pumps around town are being discharged into our sanitary sewer system instead of our storm drains.Overloading the sanitary sewer system, according to the city, can cause backups of sewage into basements and can create property damage as well as health problems.Bayliner celebrates no lost-time incidentsBayliner announced this week that its Pipestone production facility recently achieved 1 million hours of work without a lost-time incident.The safety achievement comes with a $10,000 prize from Brunswick that U.S. Marine employees can donate to the charity of their choice.In addition, U.S. Marine contributed an additional $10,000 to four local Pipestone charities.Approximately 12 workers from Rock County work at the Pipestone facility, according to a Bayliner spokesperson.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

What is one thing the Church must get right?To preach and teach the biblical gospel is my business, not because I am a pastor, but because I am a Christian first and foremost. In Paul’s letter to Corinthians, Paul says, "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2). The gospel is your business if you are a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, the gospel is the church’s primary business. That is why the gospel is very personal and precious to me and it should be to you, to your family, and the church you are a member of. It is utterly important that we properly understand it, live it, defend it, tell others about it, fight for it, and be willing to even die for it.I would argue that many people in the church or outside of the church do not understand the biblical message of the gospel and salvation. It is perfectly understandable if the people outside of the church do not have the gospel or understand the gospel. But it is truly tragic when the people in the church do not have the proper understanding of the gospel or the biblical view of salvation. And when that becomes the case, a church is no longer a church; rather, it has forfeited its right to call itself a church regardless how popular that church is or how many people attend it. Thus one of the main reasons for wanting to write this particular article arises out of my deep concern for churches in general and specifically the church that God has called me to shepherd.If there is one thing we must get right, it is the gospel. We have room to make mistakes in the church since there is no perfect church (however, I am not advocating low quality in any sense). We can make mistakes in music or how we do announcements, etc. But there is one thing we cannot afford to make a mistake or fail. And that is the gospel. Because without it, there is no salvation and there is no solution to my sin and yours. And without the gospel, there is no heaven, and there is no hope. And without the gospel, there is no reason for the church’s existence.As the apostle Paul clearly warns in Galatians 1:7 there are individuals who disturb and distort the true gospel with false gospel. One of the God-given duties as a pastor is not only to preach and teach the Word of God, but also to warn the people of God concerning the false gospels and the people who spread those heresies. A true shepherd watches over the flock of God (cf. Luke 2:8; Heb. 13:17). And the apostle Paul demonstrates here in Galatians 1 what a true shepherd does. He protects and watches the flock of God by giving warnings. A shepherd or pastor who fails to do this is not a good shepherd let alone a true shepherd. My question to you is: Do you know the true and biblical gospel? If you are interested, visit our church’s Web site: www.fbcluverne.org.

I hope you are getting to appreciate the glorious display the flowering crab trees are giving us this week! The cool, wet weather should make that color show last for a few days. This is a good time to see the different colors and observe the shape and character of each variety … and there are a lot of them. Some of the varieties have "persistent" fruit, meaning the fruit does not drop from the trees in summer or fall. This feature means another color show in the fall when the leaves drop and the little apples shine in contrast to other colors of leaves, or the absence of leaves. The migrating birds appreciate this food source being available to them in spring. A problem we are noticing more in recent years is certain varieties being susceptible to a disease called "scab". The leaves develop circular yellow spots with a black center, and once this begins to show, leaf drop will soon follow and generally will continue until almost all the tree becomes defoliated … not only a mess, but also very unsightly! Last week, I told you about a systemic fungicide we have available here at the greenhouse … I recommended it for prevention of mildew and diseases in phlox, roses, etc. This same fungicide applied as a spray immediately after the crabs have finished blooming does a great job of warding off that scab disease. Timing of the application is the key to success. You cannot wait until the disease is present to control it. Just as with mildew and black spot, the spray protects the foliage from getting infected. Once the leaves are infected, you cannot get rid of it. At that point, the fungicide spray only protects new growth from becoming infected. Now I’ve told you how to do it … you just need to do it! This is Mother’s Week … a great time to show your appreciation to your mom for her part in your being here, let alone all the other things she does because she feels responsible for your being here! We have some great "Mom" gifts if she is or is not a gardener … stop out and have a look around … we might even have something you’d enjoy for yourself. Our greenhouses are in grand color!

Tri-State Mutual Grain Dealers Insurance Co.The following appeared in the Rock County Herald on July 16, 1916:INSURANCE COMPANY ORDERS BIG DIVIDENDTri-State Mutual Grain Dealers Insurance Co. Holds Annual Meeting—Officers are Re-Elected.After adding $2,000 to the reserve fund, a dividend of 50 percent of the premiums collected on policies during the past year was declared at the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Tri-State Mutual Grain Dealers’ Fire Insurance company held in this city Tuesday afternoon.This company is composed of grain dealers throughout Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota, whose elevators are insured at the regular old-line fire insurance company rates, and at the end of each year the excess premium is returned to policy holders in the form of dividends.During the year just passed the company wrote $2,643,225 of insurance, receiving $42,796.00 as premiums there-on, and sustained nine losses, aggregating $15,055.15. Of this amount $4,153.52 was paid by other insurance companies that carried risks on the destroyed property, making the net fire loss for the year $10,901.63.The company was first organized fourteen years ago, and during its early existence returned as high as 95 percent of the premiums to policy holders, while last year the dividend was 40 percent. During the entire existence of the company the annual dividends have averaged 53 percent. In addition to this remarkable showing the company now has $34,065.93 of assets, consisting of $32,286.77 deposited in banks, $373.04 in premiums not over 30 days due, and $1,406.12 in accrued interest, with all losses paid in full.The board of directors of the company consisted of E.A. Brown, of the city, president; H.S. Greig, of Estherville, Ia., vice president; E.H. Moreland, of this city, secretary; B.P. St. John, of Worthington, treasurer; W.Z Sharp, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, agent; W.J. Shanard, of Bridgewater, S.D., and A. H. Betts, of Mitchell, S. D., all of whom were re-elected for the ensuing year. The secretary was also authorized to employ an assistant.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.

As I hit the road this weekend to visit my mom (Happy Mother’s Day!), I have all kinds of negative comments swirling in my head. Not about the wonderful Debbie Quam, of course, but about my home state. I take a lot of teasing because I come from North Dakota. Rock County natives apparently think their prairie is vastly superior to the one on which I was raised.I get questioned as to whether I had computers in my classrooms and whether I heard rock ’n roll on the radio stations that broadcast in my neck of the woods. These comments and questions don’t irritate me; they make me laugh, mostly. Somehow I feel like an ambassador from North Dakota. I tell people the Badlands are much more beautiful than the Black Hills. I tell people the eastern plains offer ocean-like views (waves of grain) without the cost of airfare or the trouble of crowds. I came here for the job seven years ago, and this place grew on me. I love my homeland (which I talk about as if it’s a foreign country) just as much as I love where I live now. The people from North Dakota are also at the top of my list. Nobody can craft a funny story like the people in North Dakota — from Bismarck to Tolna. They are truly warm, whether I’m related to them or not. (I sometimes think the western North Dakotans aren’t quite as friendly or open-minded, but I will not put a firm judgment on them right now.)Somehow, nobody believes in the merits of North Dakota as much as they should.Just this week, I was interviewing a source and he told me this joke: "A man was at his doctor’s office and the doctor said he had just six months to live. The man thought of all the things he wanted to accomplish in his life and how fast that last six months would go. The doctor said the terminally ill man should marry a Swedish woman and move to North Dakota and those final six months would crawl by."Someone else sent me a story of a North Dakota State Trooper who found a drunk driver stalled on the side of the road. The driver actually thought he was still in motion. The trooper ran in place and the "driver" was amazed at his ability to keep up with his vehicle. To make a long story short, the man was arrested, still believing the trooper outran his car. This week in North Dakota news, I read an article about students from the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, developing a space suit for NASA to use in missions to Mars. Instead of praising the geniuses educated in North Dakota schools, the article started out with the lead, "Fabio Sau says moving from his native Italy to attend the University of North Dakota was like coming to another planet — and now he’s using the state’s wildest terrain for a simulated mission to Mars."The space suit saved NASA about $22 million in development costs, and three newly invented components are now under patent application.But all of that doesn’t mean I still won’t hear the slams against North Dakota, and probably laugh with them.… Like when people ask, "Were you proud when you made the national news for being the coldest place in the country 50 days last year?"Or "At least you can still have a conversation with someone when you dial the wrong number if you’re from North Dakota."And "Why does everybody install motion detector security lights if they leave their doors unlocked?"I’ll admit it. To me, a southern accent is anything below Nebraska and I measure distance in hours traveled. So, I’ll drive 5 1/2 hours north this weekend to see dear Mother, and I’ll watch my rear view mirror for all the snickering Rock Countians looking down on this North Dakotan. (All in good fun, I’m sure.)

The Southern Minnesota Alliance has turned into a now-you-see-it, soon-you-won’t proposition.During a meeting of Alliance officials in St. James on May 4, member schools voted 13-0 to dissolve the SMA, ending a partnership that lasted nearly two years.On Dec. 1 of this year, the SMA will be officially disbanded.My reaction to the stunning news coming out of St. James was mixed.On one hand, I was surprised how quickly an agreement that was supposed to benefit the Southwest and South Central Conferences so much was scrapped so quickly.Then, when I found out the reason why the decision was made to end the alliance, my feelings of surprise turned into anger.You may not have known this (I sure didn’t), but it appears that some members of the SSC are far superior to SWC teams in hockey. To that end, two of the schools threatened to drop out of the SSC altogether if SMA officials voted to pass a measure to form a merger in hockey.According to my sources, it was the egos of two schools (New Ulm and Waseca) that led to the SMA’s demise.I was told it was New Ulm (where some parents and other residents of the district believe they play a far better brand of hockey than we do in the southwest corner of the state) which made the most noise at the May 3 meeting.Waseca wasn’t far behind New Ulm in that respect, and both schools indicated they would cut their ties with the SSC if a motion passed to form the SMA in hockey.I’ve long believed that an inflated self-worth can be a healthy thing in some cases. In this situation, I think New Ulm and Waseca have proven to be a little too self-absorbed. In fact, their perceptions of themselves are downright insulting in my book.It’s not like we’re talking about Roseau and Warroad, two schools with storied hockey pasts that should serve as model programs for every smaller school in the state.Instead, we’re talking about New Ulm and Waseca, which have combined efforts to make zero (and I mean not a single one) appearances at the state hockey tournament in the history of their programs.Although they don’t have the credentials to be deemed hockey heavyweights, it appears New Ulm and Waseca carry some clout when it comes to the rest of the schools in the SSC.When the time came to vote on a hockey merger, the six SSC schools voted against it. The seven SWC schools voted for it. In order for the measure to be passed, 10 of the 13 schools would have needed to vote for the merger.The 13-0 vote to dissolve the SMA followed the hockey vote.I don’t know about you, but I’ve never been more proud to be affiliated with the SWC based on the second vote that day.SWC officials signed off on joining the SMW to make it easier for them to fill their football schedules, and knowing the aligning of conferences could include more sports (hockey was at the top of the list) in the future.Considering the action taken in St. James, it doesn’t look like the SSC schools are interested in any more league-sharing agreements. The only thing they appeared to be interested in was the convenience the SMA offered them in scheduling football games.Luverne will compete in the SMA during the 2006 football season before the partnership dissolves in December.It’s my hope, as it always is, that coach Todd Oye and the Cardinals go undefeated in the regular season.If they can’t go unbeaten, I hope the Cardinals can throw this old dog one large bone.Show the three SSC teams on your schedule the respect every team you face deserves before, during and after the game.By following those instructions alone, you’ll display more character and class than the New Ulm and Waseca officials did at last week’s meeting in St. James.

If you’re a son, you could also be a father; if you’re a father, you could also be a grandfather. Because I am all three, that means that remembering Sunday is Mother’s Day is priority No. 1 for me this week.First, I have to call and remind my son to take his son shopping for my grandson’s mother’s Mother’s Day gift. I don’t have to remind my son to send his mother a card because that is my son’s wife’s responsibility.Next I’ll call both my daughters and remind them at the very least they’d better call and wish their mother a happy Mother’s Day.As far as my mom goes, if she gets a card or a call from me on Sunday, that would be because Mary, my wife, reminded me to do so.My mom raised three boys, no girls. So, as far as Mother’s Day gifts go, she probably came up on the short end over the years. I am sure that when my brothers and I were growing up, we gave her the economy-size bottle of perfume or some cheesy costume jewelry. Thanks to a caring grade school teacher, Mom at least received a handmade card from each of us when we were in second or third grade.I remember one Mother’s Day my brothers and I were going to do the dishes for Mom after dinner as a Mother’s Day present. It wasn’t long before the three of us were fighting over who was going to wash, rinse or dry. Not long after that, Mom was in the kitchen doing the dishes on Mother’s Day. Granted, that wasn’t one of those Hallmark Mother’s Day moments, but it was the thought that counted.My guess is this Mother’s Day will be like those of past years. Mom will receive three phone calls — one from each of the fighting dishwashers wishing her a happy Mother’s Day. I wonder if Mom ever wishes she would have had daughters instead.