Consistency is a word I hear quite often from area coaches on the local sports scene.Baseball coaches won’t complain when umpires rule pitches that are a couple of inches off the plate a strike, as long as the call is made on a consistent basis to both teams.When a volleyball team struggles receiving serves, or has trouble completing serves during the course of a match, coaches usually tell me their teams need to be more consistent in order to be successful.Consistency, however, doesn’t appear to be a word that concerns ESPN, especially considering how its brass handled two different analysts on its "NFL Countdown" show on Sunday mornings.Personally, I never get the chance to watch the pre-game show at our house. My daughter, Melanie, controls the remote from the time she gets up until the noon kickoffs. That’s fine with me because the girl doesn’t complain when I change the channel to the Vikings’ game at noon.With that said, I don’t consider myself an expert on the show that runs from 10 a.m. to noon on Sundays. At the same time, I couldn’t help but notice ESPN’s inconsistency when it came to doling out punishments of former employee Rush Limbaugh and current analyst Michael Irvin.In an attempt to boost ratings for the program, ESPN hired Limbaugh, a right-wing radio talk show host, a couple of years back. Although he was no more of a football expert than any fan who watches the sport on Sundays, ESPN thought Limbaugh would draw new viewers to "NFL Countdown."Before long, ESPN’s publicity stunt backfired.From what I understand, Limbaugh described Philadelphia quarterback Donovan McNaab as being a being a media darling based on the color of his skin. On the field, Limbaugh hinted, McNaab was nothing more than an average quarterback.When outraged fans overwhelmed ESPN’s phone lines with calls later that day, a decision had to be made. In the end, Limbaugh resigned from his analyst position (I’m sure it was a resign-or-else type of proposition he was facing) a couple of days after sticking his foot in his mouth in front of a national cable television audience.I’m not surprised the powers-that-be at ESPN dealt with the Limbaugh situation in a speedy manner. At the same time, I was stunned to hear Irvin will be allowed to stay on board at ESPN after what transpired in Texas earlier this month.Irvin, who pled no contest to a felony cocaine possession charge in 1996, made the news again by being arrested for a warrant on an unpaid speeding ticket and was charged for possessing drug paraphernalia in Plano Dec. 11.Apparently the former Dallas Cowboy wide receiver drew attention to himself by driving 78 mph in a 60-mph zone. A search of Irvin’s car resulted in police discovering a pipe containing marijuana residue stashed in a case for sunglasses in the glove compartment.Irvin says the pipe wasn’t his. It belonged to a friend of his.Yeah, right.I wonder how many times local judge Tim Connell has heard that same excuse over the years?As for the brass at ESPN, they must believe Irvin. After a one-week suspension, he will return to "NFL Countdown" this coming Sunday.The way I see it, ESPN is a cable station that lacks consistency when it comes to dealing with in-house problems.One man speaks his mind, and he’s ushered out the door because his comments were labeled as "laced with racism" and "politically incorrect."Another man breaks the law at least three times, and he’s invited back to the set after a one-week layoff.Now that I think about it, I’m glad Melanie will be in charge of our remote this coming Sunday. Whatever show she has us viewing from 10 to noon, it has to be better than listening to Michael Irvin explain how he’s misunderstood on ESPN.

Holidays are for families … by any definition, no matter how strange It certainly is true that at this time of the year spending more time with the family is on everyone’s agenda. It is also true that the traditional family structure has changed and can be confusing at times. My daughter sent me this e-mail the other day, and while it’s a stretch, it does put things into perspective. So read and enjoy the holiday season with your family:Many, many years ago when I was 23, I got married to a widow who was pretty as could be. This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red. My father fell in love with her, and soon the two were wed. This made my dad my son-in-law and changed my very life. My daughter was my mother, for she was my father's wife. To complicate the matters worse, although it brought me joy, I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy. My little baby then became a brother-in-law to dad. And so became my uncle, though it made me very sad. For if he was my uncle, then that also made him brother to the widow's grown-up daughter who, of course, was my stepmother. Father's wife then had a son, who kept them on the run. And he became my grandson, for he was my daughter's son. My wife is now my mother's mother and it makes me blue. Because, although she is my wife, she's my grandma too. If my wife is my grandmother, then I am her grandchild. And every time I think of it, it simply drives me wild. For now I have become the strangest case you ever saw. As the husband of my grandmother, I am my own grandpa.

Coming off a great cross country season, the support of the community hasn’t gone unnoticed.Businesses generously supported the program with donations and storefront signs encouraging the team as we prepared for the state meet.Parents supported us and trusted us with their kids, who are wonderful to work with and an inspiration to me, as has coach Bruce Gluf. It was an honor to work with him. He’s been a wonderful mentor and a great friend.The team worked so hard with such dedication and determination. I feel that it really paid off and hopefully they do, too. They had such kind words for me at the banquet and throughout the years. They have no idea what those words meant to me. These kids are all like sons and daughters to me. I see something special in each and every one of them and I hold a special place in my heart for each of them. Congratulations to everyone who played a role in such a rewarding season.Peter D. JaniszeskiVolunteer Assistant Cross Country CoachLuverne High School

It’s nice to have a pleasant experience during this season of family gatherings and planning. My wife and I had the privilege to visit and share the reading of scripture with her brother-in-law, Owen Stangeland, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. The last time we visited him he was too weak to visit much and some hours later he died. Joyce and I were saying how much we would miss him, when she happily made this comment, "He will spend Christmas in Heaven."What a statement, what a comfort for anyone who would also experience a loss of a loved one during this season. It is a pleasant experience to know that a suffering loved one has passed into the promise of glory and peace. Elmer HovlandLuverne

After last week’s wintery blast, it is safe to say David and I are not prepared for winter.Last winter, our first experienced in southwest Minnesota, was cold but manageable. I didn’t have to upgrade my winter coat, and once we discovered the furnace motor was broken, we stayed relatively warm inside our house.This year we thought we were prepared ahead of time. We installed plastic on several windows, hung some heavy duty, (although awfully ugly) curtains and bought a space heater — all in an effort to keep the house nice and toasty at a reasonable cost.However, after surviving last week, I have learned that no amount of preparation can prepare you for the bitter cold and bite of a blizzard. What exactly do people do up here when the temperatures fall below zero before winter even officially arrives.The giant mounds of snow building up around our house had to be shoveled. We watched optimistically as tractors and snow blowers were used on other driveways in the neighborhood. It was our hope that they would take pity on us and clear our driveway as well.No luck.When we moved into the house, we found a metal shovel in the garage. Since last year brought very little snow, we never had a reason to upgrade the shovel or buy a second one. Therefore, we took turns shoveling throughout the week.We were short on gloves. In fact, at the start of the week we didn’t have any real "snow" gloves.The snow on Monday was manageable. It easily lifted off the driveway in a timely manner and didn’t hinder our lives too much.By Wednesday as I sat at my desk in Luverne watching the snow fall in a horizontal direction, I knew it was going to be a long road home.Anyone coming into the office who knew me asked, "When are you going home? … The roads are getting pretty bad out there, that snow is blowing."Finally, around 4 p.m., my husband called to tell me to stay in Luverne. He had just finished a scary commute from Sioux Falls and thought it would be best to stay where I was. Of course, I didn’t like that idea. I enjoy sleeping in my own bed, putting on clean clothes in the morning and having a toothbrush that is my own. Therefore, I left the office and began my journey back to Hills.First, I stopped to get gas. While I stood freezing by the pump, I contemplated which roads I should take home.It was my logic that the interstate would offer less ice and snow, giving me better visibility. The only problem with the interstate was that if something did happen and I was forced to walk for help, I wouldn’t be near farmhouses. If I were to take Highway 75 south, I would be assured to always be within a few miles of a safe haven.Why worry about these things? Because I do not own a cell phone. We buried our cell phones last year after our contract expired and we hadn’t discovered a real need for having them.My final stop in Luverne was at Pizza Hut. I hadn’t eaten all day and figured if I went in the ditch, I could use the pizza to stay warm and to have some nourishment.As I traveled down the interstate, I didn’t have any problems. All of the other cars on the road were staying a nice distance behind me and the right lane had been cleared of all snow and ice.When I took the exit at Beaver Creek, I knew that the remaining six miles were going to be tricky.The highway was packed with snow on top of ice from earlier in the day. The winter storm winds were killing my visibility and had covered any plow work that might have been done earlier in the day.I kept my speed low, put both hands on the wheel and pointed the car south.For four miles, I did beautifully. Then I saw yellow flashing lights up ahead of me. I panicked, not knowing where the lights were positioned on the road. It took only one tap of my breaks and I knew that my fate was about to change.As my car spun the other direction and headed for the ditch on the east side of the road, I began to regret wearing a skirt to work.Fortunately, the lights were those of Erwin’s tow truck. Within minutes, he told me to remain in the car and he would pull me out after he finished another stranded driver.I peered through openings in the white sheet of winter that surrounded my car to see a bus being led by a police car, a UPS truck plowing through the snow and several trucks zooming through the area.Following Erwin’s rescue and another 2.4 miles of intense driving, I returned home to my worried husband. David and I decided that we would get ready for winter over the weekend.We gathered extra winter gear for our cars, started researching cell phones and bought a new shovel.Now … if only we can figure out how to get those men in the tractors to stop at our house, I think we will make it.Story ideas or comments can be emailed to Lexi Moore at lexim@star-herald.com or called in at 962-3561.

10 years ago (1995)"The planners of a proposed $25 million ethanol plant in Luverne kicked off a two week schedule of informational meetings with the first one in Hills Monday morning." 25 years ago (1980)"The Pipestone Arrows put the H-BC girls in deep trouble after the first period of play this week, but the Pate girls fought right back to give the guests all the ball game they wanted.The game will go into the record books as a 57-52 victory for Pipestone over H-BC, but that doesn’t begin to tell the story of a close-fought battle the Pate girls put up before falling to the Arrows."50 years ago (1955)"Hills voters chose to elect a new mayor at the Village Election Tuesday, when Marinus Schouwenburg outpolled incumbent mayor, George Schlueter, 84 to 81. A total of 170 voters showed at the polls about 100 short of a full turnout.In the three-way race for councilman, held by C.B. Sjolseth, Grant Hellie received 82 votes, C.B. Sjolseth 60, and Frank Ver Hey 23." 75 years ago (1930)"We hope that none of the Hills ladies will take offense at this, as it’s too good to keep out of the limelight. Recently, a wealthy bachelor died in Luverne, and just before passing away said: ‘I have left my entire estate to the girls that refused to marry me, as I feel I am indebted to them for the happy life I have led.’ "100 years ago (1905)"Our dray man, Henry Nelson, had a phone placed in his residence last week and is now on talking terms with his fellow business men. The local telephone is constantly growing in number of patrons. With a few more farmer lines added, the business will almost warrant a constant operator both day and night at the local exchange."

Loretta Mae (Kruger) Vanden Bussche, 84, Jasper, died Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, at Tuff Memorial Nursing Home in Hills.Services were Monday, Dec. 5, at First Baptist Church in Luverne. The Rev. Greg Standafer officiated. Burial was in Luverne Memorial Gardens, rural Luverne. Loretta Mae Kruger was born to John and Jennie (DeBoer) Kruger in Sibley, Iowa. She was raised near Ashton, Iowa, until moving to Edgerton in 1924. Two years later she and her family moved to a farm west of Hardwick in Rose Dell Township. She attended country school through the eighth grade. Following her schooling she worked at Connell’s in Luverne. She then attended Northwestern College in Roseville. In 1943 she became employed at the Morrell Company in Sioux Falls, S.D., working in the sheep department. She married Walter Vanden Bussche on June 27, 1945, at First Baptist Church in Luverne. The couple lived on a farm near Jasper. In 1957 the couple moved to a farm one mile south of their residence and in 1961 they moved to the family farm 10 miles southeast of Jasper where they lived until their retirement in 2003. She moved to Tuff Memorial Nursing Home in Hills in August 2005.Mrs. Vanden Bussche was a member of First Baptist Church in Luverne. She belonged to a snowmobile club and Bible Study. She enjoyed working outside with her husband, playing guitar and gardening. Survivors include her husband, Walter Vanden Bussche; five children, Cynthia (Bill) Reu, Luverne, Veryl (Dwayne) Knigge, Monticello, Earl (Tricia) Vanden Bussche, Jerald (Cheryl) Vanden Bussche, and Lloyd (Naomi) Vanden Bussche, all of Beaver Creek; 16 grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; one brother, Gerald Kruger, Sioux Center, Iowa; one sister, Frances Caudle, Healdsburg, Calif.; and other family and friends.Mrs. Vanden Bussche was preceded in death by her parents, one daughter, Loann Peters, two brothers, Alvin and Harvey Kruger, and one sister, Mavis Zetterlund. Hartquist Funeral Home, Engebretson Chapel, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

Kathryn Elizabeth McCune, 87, Bell, Calif., formerly of Hills, died Thursday, Nov. 10, 2005, in California. Services were Wednesday, Nov. 16, at Rainbow Chapel in California. The Rev. Sheldon Hess officiated. Burial was in Rose Hills Memorial Park. Kathryn Hoyme was born to Emil and Ella Hoyme on Jan. 31, 1918, on the family farm in Hills. She graduated from Hills High School in May 1936 and the Sioux Valley School of Nursing in Sioux Falls, S.D., on March 18, 1940. She moved to Fresno, Calif., in September 1940 where she worked at a community hospital until she enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps on June 2, 1941. She served with the 34th General Hospital stationed in the United States and spent 14 months in England during the war where they received patients directly from the front lines in Europe. She returned to Minnesota on V-E Day in May 1945 and was relieved from Active Duty as a 1st Lt. on Jan. 5, 1946. She worked at VA hospitals in Portland, Ore., Sioux Falls and Wichita, Kan. In 1960 she moved to Bell where she worked as an industrial nurse for Alcoa Aluminum until her retirement in 1982. She married Jack McCune on May 2, 1964. They enjoyed traveling and spent time in Europe, Hawaii, Panama Canal, Scandinavia and many locations in the U.S.Mrs. McCune loved flowers and plants. She was involved in many activities at her church and enjoyed playing bridge. Survivors include three brothers, Curtis (Lucille) Hoyme, Pasadena, Calif., Paul Hoyme, Bothell, Wash., and Howard Hoyme, Hills; one sister, MacLynn Larsen, La Crescenta, Calif.; six nephews, Ronald Hoyme, Bruce Hoyme, Neal Hoyme, Eric Hoyme, David Larsen and Thomas Larsen; four nieces, Joyce Packer, Susan Schussler, Holly Willmer and Sandra Wollum; and their respective families. Mrs. McCune was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jack McCune, and one brother, Neal Hoyme.

Myra Kueter, 66, Hills, died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005, at Avera McKennan Hospice Unit in Sioux Falls, S.D.Services were Saturday, Dec. 3, at The Church of St. Mary’s in Larchwood, Iowa. The Rev. Jeff Schleisman officiated. Burial was in Larchwood Cemetery, Larchwood.Myra Schlotfeldt was born to Albert and Martha (Horn) Schlotfeldt on July 11, 1939, at Hills. She grew up on the family farm. She graduated from Hills High School in 1958 and later from Nettleton College in Sioux Falls. She worked at Brown & Saenger in Sioux Falls. She married Charles Keuter on Feb. 13, 1965, at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Sioux Falls. They lived in Sioux Falls until 1971 and then moved to the family farm west of Hills. She helped her family with daycare several years. She was diagnosed with cancer in September and had surgery in October.She was admitted to Avera McKennan Hospital on Sunday, Nov. 27.Mrs. Kueter was a member of The Church of St. Mary in Larchwood. She enjoyed going out for supper on Friday nights in Larchwood. She was an avid Minnesota Vikings and Twins fan. Survivors include her husband, Charles Keuter, Hills; five children, Joyce (Brian) Meffert, Jeanette (Daryl) Spaans, all of Larchwood, Jennifer (Matt) Stephens, Filer, Idaho, Jim (Kari) Kueter, Hills, and Joe Kueter, Sioux Falls; 11 grandchildren, Cheyenne, Zane, Carson, Joshua, Kyle, Casey, Braedyn, Kullyn, Kira, Tristan and Ian; and one honorary grandson, Chris.Mrs. Kueter was preceded in death by her parents, one brother, Robert, and an infant sister, Joyce.Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.