By John RittenhouseThe Luverne softball team dropped a tight decision to open the 2006 campaign Tuesday.Hosting Southwest United for a non-conference clash, the Cardinals fell behind early and couldn’t recover during what ended as a 6-5 setback.The Wildcats plated a pair of runs in the top half of the first inning and never lost the lead.Jessa Dahl’s run-scoring single in the bottom of the first cut SWU’s lead in half (2-1), but the Wildcats scored once in the second inning and three times in the fourth to open a commanding 6-1 cushion.Luverne’s Christy Van Dyke singled and scored on an error in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 6-2 game.Kerri Fransman doubled home two runs to cap the scoring in the seventh.Alison Brands went the distance on the mound for LHS. She fanned five batters, issued six walks and yielded five hits."We just weren’t very aggressive at the plate," said LHS coach Steve Semmens. "We were trying to put the ball in play instead of driving it. We have a lot of young girls without varsity experience, and it showed."Luverne plays two games in Welcome Saturday before opening Southwest Conference play in Redwood Falls Tuesday.

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne baseball team dug an early hole it couldn’t climb out of during Tuesday’s opening game of the season in Tracy.Tracy-Milroy-Balaton plated single runs in the first three innings of the contest. The way things turned out, that was all the scoring the Panthers would need to prevail as they secured a 4-2 win over the Cards.Luverne did score single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but T-M-B answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth to win by two."We had a couple of mental mistakes that cost us," said LHS coach Mike Wenninger.Luverne scored its first run of the year when Jake Clark walked and scored on a single from Derek Elbers to make it a 3-1 game in the fifth.After T-M-B answered with a counter in the bottom of the fifth, Marc Boelman belted a homer for the Cards to cap the scoring in the sixth.Nathan Boler yielded two runs in two innings and took the pitching loss. Andrew DeBoer was touched for one run in two innings in relief, and Boelman pitched one-run ball for one inning before Caleb Bruynes tossed a scoreless sixth frame.Luverne plays a double-header in Redwood Falls Tuesday.Box score AB R H BIClark 2 1 0 0Lundgren 2 0 0 0Elbers 2 0 1 1Fitzer 2 0 1 1Boelman 3 0 1 1Reisch 1 0 0 0Petersen 1 0 0 0Nath 3 0 1 0Johnson 2 0 0 0Boomgaarden 1 0 0 0DeBoer 3 0 1 0Oeding 2 0 0 0Goembel 1 0 0 0

By John RittenhouseThe Luverne boys’ track team opened the outdoor season with an impressive performance during the Cardinal Quadrangular.The LHS boys secured eight meet titles and placed second in two events during what Cardinal coach Craig Nelson called a good effort."Overall, it wasn’t a bad first outdoor meet," Nelson said. "We found some things we need to work on, but we ran pretty well."Mike Kunstle and Chris Ashby led the charge by claiming two individual titles each.Kunstle won the 100- and 200-meter dashes with respective 11.59 and 23.75 times. Ashby took top honors on the 110- and 300-meter hurdles with times of 16.03 and 41.01.Ashby and Kunstle also helped a pair of LHS relays post wins.Ashby, Ben Uphoff, Ryan Jacobsma and Jordan Siebenahler won the 400 in 46.35. Kunstle, Tom Ward, Siebenahler and Jake Hendricks ran a 1:34 to win the 800.Thomas Christensen and Hendricks claimed individual crowns in the 1,600-meter run and 400-meter dash with respective 4:58.21 and 52.07 times.Uphoff placed second to Ashby in the 110 and 300 hurdles with 16.14 and 42.69 efforts.Here is a look at the rest of Luverne’s top finishes during the meet.Third place: Craig Rogers, discus, 107-7; Ward, high jump, 5-8; Rogers, shot, 40-5; Steve Schneiderman, 1,600, 5:14.Fourth place: Aaron Altman, discus, 95-7; Jacobsma, 400, 58.8; Altman, shot, 37-11 1/2.Fifth place: Sam Dooyema, discus, 95-1; Devin Nelson, 300 hurdles, 55.4; Tim Miller, triple jump, 35-8 3/4; Schneiderman, 3,200, 11:24.

Some Luverne IBP employees will receive back wages after a court order was issued. IBP has been ordered by the U.S. Department of Labor to pay back wages that could amount to more than $7 million for 23,500 employees. They were not paid for time putting on, removing and cleaning protective gear and clothes after or before their shifts started. IBP planned to appeal the ruling. 25 years ago (1981)
Uranium exploration in Nobles County, northwest Iowa and around Sioux Falls, S.D., isn’t expected to spill over into Rock County anytime soon. Mining company representatives have taken geo-chemical tests of Rock County ground water and they have mapped several possible drilling sites by air, according to one spokesman.But Rock County has a thick mantle of gravel lying over formations explorers hope might contain uranium and "strategic metals" like copper, nickel and gold.
Bill Skewes and his father Mort Skewes were together sworn in to accept the privilege of being allowed to practice before the highest court in the land. They made the trip to the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., together. Bill is a Denver lawyer and Mort is a longtime Luverne lawyer and Rock County Attorney.50 years ago (1956)
Mr. and Mrs. Ole Overgaard celebrated 50 years of married life together.
Warren Schoon was re-elected as Luverne’s mayor and the hospital bond of $150,000 was approved by Luverne voters in the election. A total of 1,163 votes were cast — a record number.
The Rock County Red Cross fund campaign went over its quota last week, and was the first in the state to do so.
The Luverne City Council will plat about 60 residential lots and up to 100 more when they are needed. The city will expand to the north of the "dead end" Barck Street.75 years ago (1931)
Christ J. Aanenson, who resides northeast of Kenneth, has been granted letters of patent on a grounding device for radio receiver sets by the United States patent office, at Washington, D.C. He is now preparing to market his invention to improve reception and reduce radio static.
Miss Edith Mott, home fashion stylist for the J.C. Penney Co., and an authority on dress making and style trends, will conduct a piece goods demonstration here next week.
The Palace is presenting the famous comedy "Fifty Million Frenchmen."100 years ago (1906)
All of the stores in Luverne will next Monday resume the old schedule of closing at 8 p.m. every evening except Saturday, when the stores will be kept open one hour later. The barbershops will also join in this change. The closing at 6 o’clock during the winter months has been greatly appreciated by the clerks, and, no doubt, by the business men themselves, for it has given all opportunity to enjoy the evenings when social activities are at their height.
The work of excavating for the basement of the warehouse to be built by A.E. Stager on East Main S treet was completed the first of the week and the masons are now busy laying the foundation walls.

Public NoticeClose Proximity Property Owners and Local Officials of the Rock County Planning & Zoning CommissionNotice is hereby given that the Rock County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on Monday, April 17th, 2006 at the Rock County Family Services Building located at 2 Roundwind Road in Luverne, MN at 8:00 P.M. to act on the following conditional use permit application:Conditional use: Expansion of an existing feedlot located within 1/4 mile of a neighboring residence. Property Owner: Steve VisLegal Description: NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4 of Section 1 in Martin Township, T101N, R47W, Rock County, Minnesota.The conditional use permit is for the expansion of an existing feedlot on the property described above. The existing feedlot consists of a 60’ x 90’ open lot without runoff controls housing 25 cow/calf pairs. Using 1.2 animal units per cow/calf pair, the total existing animal units is 30 animal units. A portion of this lot will be closed and relocated on site to provide for runoff controls and a grass filter strip.The proposed facility consists of a 75’ x 250’ total confinement barn to house 500 head of finishing cattle. Using 1 animal unit per head, the total animal units involved in the expansion will be 500. The site will have a total animal unit capacity of 530 animal units after the expansion. The described property is zoned as A-2, General Agriculture. All persons interested may appear and be heard at said time and place, or submit views in writing or by representative. Dated: April 6, 2006By Order of the Rock County Planning & Zoning CommissionEric Hartman, Zoning Administrator311 W Gabrielson RoadLuverne, MN 56156507-283-8862(4-6, 4-13)

REQUEST FOR BIDSLUVERNE PUBLIC SCHOOLSLuverne School District is requesting bids for the 2006 tuckpointing project of the Luverne Middle/High School, Luverne, Minnesota. Bids will be received by Independent School District No. 2184 until 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, April 19, 2006, at the office of the Superintendent of Schools, Luverne, Minnesota. Bids will be opened publicly and read aloud at the above time and place. Bids received after 1:00 p.m. will be returned unopened. Envelopes containing bids must be sealed, marked on the lower left-hand corner "Sealed Bid Enclosed – Tuckpointing" with the name and address of the bidder and the date and hour of the opening and addressed to: Superintendent of Schools Independent School District No. 2184 709 North Kniss Luverne, MN 56156Each bidder must accompany his bid with a Cashier’s Check, Bid Bond or Certified Check equal to 5 percent of the amount of the bid payable to the Owner as a guarantee of prompt execution of the Contract in accordance with the Proposal and Contract Documents and that he will furnish bond acceptable to the Owner covering performance of the Contract. Copies of the plans are on file in the District Office. Bids may not be withdrawn within thirty days after the scheduled closing time for receiving bids. The Independent School District No. 2184, Luverne, Minnesota, reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any irregularities in bids.Cary Radisewitz. Ed.D.Clerk (4-6, 4-13)

Notice of Public Hearing Variance RequestPursuant to the Rock County Zoning Ordinance, Notice is hereby given by the Rock County Planning Commission Board of Adjustments that a public hearing will be held at the Rock County Family Service Center Community Room located at 2 Roundwind Road in Luverne, MN at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 17th, 2006. The purpose of the hearing is to rule on the application for a variance submitted by Clifford & Debra Scholten to construct a house that would encroach upon the 130’ setback from centerline of the County Road #4 located in the NE 1/4 of section 16 in Magnolia Township, T102N, R44W, Rock County, MN.Dated: April 6, 2006By Order of the Rock County Planning & Zoning CommissionEric Hartman, Zoning Administrator311 W Gabrielson RoadLuverne, MN 56156507-283-8862(4-6, 4-13)

Notice of Public Hearing Conditional Use PermitPursuant to the Rock County Zoning Ordinance, Notice is hereby given by the Rock County Planning Commission that a public hearing will be held at the Rock County Family Service Center located at 2 Roundwind Road in Luverne, MN at 7:40 p.m. on Monday, April 17th, 2006. The purpose of the hearing is to rule on the application submitted by Rock County Transmission, LLC. for a Conditional Use Permit for the placement of a temporary bio-diesel peaking plant at the substation located in the NW 1/4 Sec. 17, Beaver Creek, T102N, R46W, Rock County, MN.Dated: April 6, 2006By Order of the Rock County Planning & Zoning CommissionEric Hartman, Zoning Administrator311 W Gabrielson RoadLuverne, MN 56156507-283-8862(4-6, 4-13)

DISTRICT COURTPROBATE DIVISIONNOTICE AND ORDER OF HEARING ON PETITION FOR FORMAL ADJUDICATION OF INTESTACY, DETERMINATION OF HEIRSHIP, APPOINTMENT OF PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE AND NOTICE TO CREDITORSSTATE OF MINNESOTACOUNTY OF ROCKESTATE OFDenis Nieuwboer DECEDENTIt is Ordered and Notice is given that on April 24, 2006 at 3:30 (p.m.) a hearing will be held in this Court at the Rock County Courthouse, 204 East Brown, Luverne, Minnesota, for the adjudication of intestacy and determination of heirship of the Decedent, and for the appointment of Natalie Nieuwboer whose address is: 1707 Orchid Dr. S., North Mankato, MN 56003 as personal representative of the Estate of the Decedent in a SUPERVISED administration. Any objections to the Petition must be filed with the Court prior to or raised at the hearing. If proper and if no objections are filed or raised, the personal representative will be appointed with full power to administer the Estate, including the power to collect all assets, pay all legal debts, claims, taxes and expenses, to sell real and personal property, and do all necessary acts for the Estate.Notice is also given that (subject to Minn. Stat. 524.3-801) all creditors having claims against the Estate are required to present the claims to the personal representative or to the Court Administrator within four months after the date of this Notice or the claims will be barred. /s/ Timothy K. Connell 3/29/06Timothy K. Connell Judge Date/s/ Sandra L. Vrtacnik 3/29/06Sandra L. Vrtacnik Court Administrator DateAttorney For Personal RepresentativeDonald R. KlosterbuerKlosterbuer & Haubrich LLP120 N. McKenzieBox 538Luverne, MN 56156-0538507 283-911156674(4-6, 4-13)