By Sara QuamEach year, the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs provides information on the economic effects veterans make in their community through federal and state programs that provide income, medical care and nursing home care to veterans and their dependents.Minnesota Veterans Affairs Commissioner Clark Dyrud wrote a letter to Rock County Commissioners. "Your County Veterans Service Office is an incredible asset to the economy of your county," Dyrud wrote."An active Veterans Service Office dramatically increases the use of these programs, since veterans are not aware of the range and scope of benefits available to them and their dependents."Following are the 2004 and 2005 figures of benefits received by veterans in Rock County:
There were 839 veterans in Rock County in 2004.
In 2003, the amount of compensation and pension to veterans in Rock County was $1,281,327.
In 2004, the amount of compensation and pension to veterans was $1,380,344.
The VA Regional Office spent $1,640 per veteran in Rock County in 2003 and $1,804 in 2004.
The VA Medical Center spent $5,882 per veteran in Rock County in 2003 and $5,128 per person in 2004.
The actual number of veterans visiting the VA Medical Center was 221 in 2003 and 224 in 2004.
The total amount of federal and state dollars the county received through veterans benefits was $2,675,557 in 2003 and $2,631,509 in 2004.

10 years ago (1995)
Rural Connections, Jackson, has signed a contract with Berkley Information Services, Luverne, to bring Internet access to the company and, thus, to Rock County. People can communicate over the Internet and can read newspaper, and listen to radio and television broadcasts.
A Jasper company called Hi-Fat Specialties, owned by Ron Sievert, is a pioneer in soybean processing. 25 years ago (1980)
The city of Luverne is asking the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to ease up on standards for discharging treated sewer water back into the Rock River. The city says it already pumps more clean water into the river than is already in the river.
County commissioners said they would offer a bigger schedule for the senior citizen mini bus. 50 years ago (1955)
Two inductees from Rock County for the armed forces are Walter Baustian and Franklin Dirks.
Luverne will be visited by all children’s favorite actor in the Christmas season play when old Santa Claus himself comes to town. Drawings for free merchandise prizes donated by Luverne merchants will be after the program at the circus stand.
A total of 101 deer hunting permits were sold through the Rock County Auditor’s Office for this season. 75 years ago (1930)
Plans for organizing a Community Glee Club were considered at a meeting of singers held Thursday evening of last week. The club is to constitute a unit of the United Norwegian Singers of America and will affiliate with the national society.
Five Rock County men were arrested in a prohibition enforcement wave.
A recreational firm from Sioux Falls has installed an 18-hole indoor miniature golf course at the Luverne Armory, which will be opened to the public. It will be maintained throughout the winter if it proves to be a paying proposition.100 years ago (1905)
The Episcopal Church society has purchased the residence of W.E.E. Greene at the corner of Estey and Crawford streets, for the purposes of a parsonage.
H. Bierkamp, who owns the livery barn property on the corner of McKenzie and Lincoln streets, is having extensive improvements made in the property, which has been vacant for some time.

By Lori EhdeRising energy prices are fueling the search for alternative heating mechanisms, and rural residents are turning to a source close to home — corn. A Lismore couple has been selling corn-burning stoves since 2001, and suddenly they’re finding they can’t keep up with demand."This went absolutely wild," Nancy Brake said. "Business has been picking up steadily, but this year it just blew out of the water. And it was frustrating, because we couldn’t keep up with demand."Lismore farmers Nancy and Jack Brake are dealers for two corn-burning stove companies, Countryside Stoves (a division of American Energy Systems in Hutchinson) and St. Croix Corn Burning Stoves (manufactured by Eventemp Corp in Waco, Neb.)Their dealership area reaches as far north as Pipestone, as far east as Jackson, as far west as the South Dakota border and south just into Iowa.Last year the Brakes sold 35 stoves, and this year more than 40 since August."We have 20 people on a waiting list," Nancy said. "We’re putting them in as fast as we can get them."A big selling point for the stoves is that they can save 50 percent on an average home’s heating bills, largely because heating fuel prices have risen so sharply this year.Shelled corn is worth about $1.43 per bushel, and a corn-burning stove takes about a bushel per day for an average home.One bushel of shelled corn is equal to about 5.5 gallons of LP, in terms of heating units. A gallon of LP now costs $1.35. For the Brakes, who raise corn on their farm, their heating costs amount to what it cost to raise the corn. "We always say, if you aren’t a farmer, make friends with a farmer," Nancy said.The environmental benefits of burning corn are another selling point for the Brakes."They burn clean, they’re efficient and they don’t pollute groundwater," Nancy said.Plus, she said, there’s no dependence on foreign oil. "We’re the Saudi Arabia of corn," she said of the Midwest.In the early years of American corn production, pioneers knew corn burned hot and offered good fuel for heating. But it wasn’t until recently that technology allowed for corn to be a viable heating source. The secret to efficient corn burning that the pioneers didn’t have access to was a controlled air flow and augers timed to feed the corn into the fire pot safely and efficiently.An auger slowly feeds corn into a burning pit. The faster it’s set to burn, the warmer the house gets, depending on the thermostat.Corn-burning stoves look like traditional wood-burning units, and prices range from about $1,300 to more than $3,000, depending on the size of the house and vent work needed.The Brakes can be reached at jnbrake@yahoo.com.

By Lori EhdeA rural house near Hills will need to be destroyed after authorities seized a meth lab on the property last week.Charlie and Dawn Sandager, Hills, were renting an acreage to Donald Wilson and Darwin Otten, who were arrested on Nov. 12 on meth-related charges.As property owners, the Sandagers are by law responsible for the cost of decontaminating the property, and they’ve decided not to do it."It just isn’t worth it," Charlie Sandager said Friday. "I just think this law kind of sucks."For every one pound of meth produced, five to six pounds of toxic waste are generated, and taxpayers used to be saddled with the cost of cleanup.Minnesota law requires that rental properties are cleaned if they’ve housed known meth labs. And cleaning to the specifications of the law is a costly process — up to $10,000, depending on the size of the home.Rock County passed an ordinance last year that puts the burden of cleanup cost on property owners."In the end, the property owner is left with the mess," said Nobles-Rock Public Health Sanitarian Jason Kloss. "They need to keep track of who they rent to. It’s very risky."He met last week with the Sandagers at the acreage, which is located in Section 17 of Martin Township.He said the first step of the process is to determine if the house needs to be cleaned, and that requires a $1,000 test up front."In law enforcement interviews with the suspects, we know they did most of their cooking in the outbuildings," Kloss said. "But they probably smoked (meth) in the house."Sandager said the house — a two-story, typical farm house — is run-down as it is, so the plan is to destroy it."I don’t see myself as a victim here," he said. "The house wasn’t worth anything when we first got it, and Donny did a lot to fix it up and clean up the place. … The real victims here are the kids. I didn’t want to evict them while the kids were living there."The kids are now living in Valley Springs, so Sandager said he now just feels bad for the addicts."I feel bad that he exposed the community to all this," Sandager said. "You always kind of hope they can turn around and make something of their lives."The Sandagers described Wilson as a nice man who has rented the property since the early 1990s, but this was the fourth search warrant executed on the property since 2000. Three were for controlled substance crimes and one for stolen property.The Nov. 12 search was the first to produce an active meth lab.In addition to recovering a 9 millimeter handgun, a long list of items used to manufacture meth were also seized, mostly in a shop and corn crib on the premises.The list includes, for example, starter fluid, paint stripper, acetone, pseudoephedrine, glass jars, rubber gloves, coffee filters, lithium batteries, drain opener, anhydrous ammonia tanks, a hot grill, a bong and miscellaneous containers with colored, layered mixtures.The Sandagers will notify Wilson and Otten of a reasonable time frame to remove personal belongings before the house is destroyed.On Monday, Nov. 14, Wilson, 50, was charged with first-degree controlled substance crime for manufacturing meth and fifth-degree controlled substance crime for possessing meth.Otten, 45, was charged with two first-degree controlled substance crimes — one for attempted manufacture of meth and one for conspiracy to produce meth (for possessing the precursors to produce meth). He was also charged with fifth-degree controlled substance crime for possessing meth.They remain in custody at the Prairie Justice Center, Worthington. Wilson is being held on a $20,000 bond and Otten has a bond of $5,000.

Report measures economic impact of healthcare industry in Rock County in terms of jobs and income and their secondary effectsBy Lori EhdeWhen Sioux Valley Hospitals and Health System opened its new hospital and clinic in Luverne, it promised economic benefits for the entire region.It was understood that patients and medical professionals coming to the facility in Luverne would also do some business in Luverne. They’d buy gas and household goods, and maybe eat at local restaurants, for example.At the same time, the medical jobs would generate peripheral jobs and purchasing power, also boosting the rural economy.To put a price on that economic impact has been so far measured in only vague terms.But a recent study by the Minnesota Department of Health attaches some real numbers to the value of healthcare in Rock County.The study, produced by the MDH Office of Rural Health and Primary Care, considered all sectors of healthcare in its study. Those sectors include hospitals, doctors, dentists, chiropractors, optometrists, pharmacists, veterinarians, nursing and protective care (such as nursing homes and group homes) and health services (such as home healthcare, rehabilitation and county health departments).The study concluded that healthcare services provided locally improve not only the community’s health, but the health of the local economy. For Hospital Administrator Jerry Carl, this is an important message for the community."We don’t always have the opportunity to walk into a local retail store and buy things because we’re part of a larger purchasing system," Carl said. "But we bring the patients into town, and the patients make the sale, and we hire the employees who come to town and make the purchases."Highlights from the study include the following points:oFor every one dollar spent on healthcare in Rock County, an additional 25 cents is spent in other sectors.In Rock County, the per capita expenditures on healthcare services are $2,924. Rock County’s population is roughly 10,000 people, so Rock County residents are spending an estimated $29.2 million on healthcare annually.This number, times the 25-cent multiplier, means healthcare business is generating an additional $7.3 million in other areas of the county.oEvery $100 of income earned in the healthcare sector in Rock County leads to another $30 earned in other sectors.The income impact of healthcare in Rock County is $16.8 million, roughly 13.5 percent of the county’s total economic output.The healthcare industry provides nearly $13 million in income annually in Rock County. Roughly $3.9 million in additional income is supported by the healthcare sector through the multiplier effect.The $11 million spent in the healthcare sector of Rock County has created another $3.5 million in other sectors of the county’s economy.oHealthcare services account for approximately 10 percent of total employment in Rock County.The health sector in Rock County has one hospital, one physician office, four dentists, three nursing homes, four home care agencies, one mental health treatment facility, two pharmacies and two assisted living facilities.The total healthcare sector employs 588 people with a combined annual payroll of nearly $13 million in 2004. Plus, the health sector purchases $11.8 million in goods and services from other sectors of the economy, bringing total healthcare expenditures in Rock County to more than $24.8 million.Sioux Valley employs 188 people with an annual payroll of $5,589,300.In Rock County, the 60 and older age group represents 24.5 percent of the population (compared with 12.6 percent statewide), so a large number of elderly and farmers retire in Luverne.Nursing homes and assisted living facilities employ 241 people with an annual payroll of $4,047,000 — an important part of the total healthcare payroll in Rock County.oThe overall economic impact due to healthcare in Rock County is estimated at $32.2 million.The report summarized its findings as follows:"The health sector is vitally important as a community employer and important to the community’s economy," its findings stated."The health sector and the employees in the health sector purchase a significant amount of goods and services from businesses in Rock County."

By Sara QuamLast year Sharing Hearts Are Reaching Everyone brought Christmas gifts to Rock County families in some of its biggest numbers.Groceries, toys, household goods and clothing were delivered to 150 families, 222 adults and 220 children in 2004.Cheryl Cox and Norma Stewart are co-chairs of the local giving effort this year.SHARE is a Rock County program that administers the collection of donations and distribution of Christmas gifts and food to local people. SHARE is a completely volunteer-run program.This is the 21st year of the program. Cox said some longtime volunteers have been bringing Christmas to homes for many years. "The fact is," Cox said, "we live in a very generous area."When the money and goods are collected and organized, an avid group of deliverymen step in to do their job.Keith Aanenson estimates he’s been helping people get their packages for about eight years. He said the atmosphere on pick-up day is very busy and hectic, but fun."It’s a nice feeling to help people and you’re helping people who do need it," Aanenson said.He also said it’s nice to see so many busy business people take time out of their day to do the charity work.Cary Radisewitz has helped with package carryouts for about 12 years.He said, "I thought it was such a neat program and wanted to be a part of it."Radisewitz said the delivery days are always different. "One year it may be cold and snowing, and the next year it may be warm. But, either way, it’s the kick-off to the Christmas season for me."Radisewitz said one year a few deliverymen saw two donated bikes that needed repairs, which a mother wanted to take home for her sons. On the spot, they quickly pooled a few dollars to get new tires and to make sure the bikes would be ready for spring riding for the boys.Radisewitz said, "I get choked up when I bring people a package and see little kids getting their gifts because that’s probably all they’re getting for Christmas." Growing up as one of eight children himself, Radisewitz said he knows how some families have trouble affording Christmas gifts or even extra groceries or new clothes."SHARE helps people have a good Christmas and it helps the volunteers realize how blessed they are to have what they do," Radisewitz said. "There are so many good wishes exchanged all day. Sometimes it’s a struggle for people to admit they need help and it’s hard for them to come and pick up gifts, but the atmosphere is so fun and we know we’re all in it together." Mary Tilstra, who is on the SHARE Board, said, "I think the guys do a great job of making the recipients feel at ease. There’s a lot of joking around and good-natured teasing. They almost fight over which one of them gets to help a person. They are a great bunch of guys to work with and they make the distribution go smoothly."There is a SHARE tree at Pamida and forms and posters with SHARE information are hanging at many local businesses.(To go with scanned form)To receive from SHAREDistribution is from 10:30 a.m. to noon Friday, Dec. 9, at Sharkee’s.For more information, call 283-4310 or 283-9664.Fill out this form and return it by Dec. 1 to SHARE, PO Box 792, Luverne, MN 56156.To donate to SHAREoItems needed are: New and used seasonal clothing, toys for children of all ages, diapers and baby items and household items.oPrior approval is required for donations of large household items or large appliances. oDo NOT wrap any donated items, whether used or new.Bring items to Sharkee’s from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 7, or from 8 a.m. to noon Thursday, Dec. 8.Cash donations can be made by sending them to SHARE, PO Box 792, Luverne, MN 56156.

It’s cold out, so be carefulThe Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/Dot) is once again reminding us of the dangers of cold weather.Most notable is the effect the recent influx of cold weather can have on frosty or icy bridge decks, overpasses and ramps.According to Mn/DOT, the driving surfaces of bridges can freeze sooner than the roadway because off-the-ground highway structures are not insulated by the ground.Even when the roadways appear to be dry and safe, the bridge decks can be frosty or icy, particularly early in the morning and at night.Mn/DOT also partnered with other states in sponsoring a Winter Hazard Awareness Week. You can find additional information on the subject at www.hsem.state.mn.us.Enter the Ginger Bread House contestFor the second year, a Ginger Bread House contest will be a part of Winterfest.Who should enter? That could be you, a group of your friends, your family, your business or an organization you might belong to.Each entry will be on display in a Luverne area business.The contest will be divided into three categories, over 18, 13 – 18 and children 12 years of age and younger.The winner of the contest will collect a $50 cash prize, with second place receiving $25.If you would like more information about the contest or complete rules and registration forms, contact the Luverne Chamber office at 283-4061.Help a soldier get home for ChristmasCurrently more than 400 National Guard soldiers from southern Minnesota are training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, in preparation for deployment to Iraq.Prior to departure, the soldiers will receive 15 days leave over the Christmas holiday.Since they are not compensated for travel expenses should they want to return to Minnesota for the holiday, Project Homecoming has been organized to help.According to the group, nearly half of the soldiers lose income when they are called to active duty.The goal of Project Homecoming is to ease the financial burden on the soldiers and their families by helping pay their bus fare home.Would you care to help?Donations for the project can be sent to Project Homecoming, P.O. Box 1251, Mankato, MN 56002.Mankato’s American Legion Post 11 will be overseeing the finances of the project.To adequately plan for the soldiers’ return for Christmas, donations are requested by Dec. 5.In other military matters …The Postal Service is offering free military mail kits.To help address the demand for those wanting to mail packages to their military friends and family overseas, the postal service has created a kit that contains the necessary mailing materials based on the most popular items ordered to send care packages to the troops.The kit contains 10 priority mail boxes, five "Mili-Pacs", one roll of Priority Mail tape, and ten customs forms with envelopes.The kits can be ordered by calling 800-610-8734 and requesting "Care Kit 04".Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

Enjoy Thanksgiving indulgences; enjoy your Star HeraldThanksgiving is traditionally one of my favorite days of the year. I enjoy cooking the Thanksgiving feast, but more than that, I love eating the feast. That overindulging not only at Thanksgiving but hundreds of other meals over the course of the year has helped me balloon up nearly 280 pounds. Many of our regular Star Herald readers have been following our Big Loser promotion on a weekly basis.Today’s issue of the Star Herald is being delivered to every household in Rock County so some of you may not know what I am writing about. Just across from this page to your right is the Big Loser page. The 12 participants have been weighing in each week at the Sioux Valley Clinic — Luverne. Dietitian Margaret Kuiper has been tabulating and tracking our weekly results and, as you can see on the next page, we have all been shedding the pounds.No doubt tomorrow will be a test for us all, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy ourselves. As you can also see on the next page, I gained a pound last week. You would think gaining a pound while trying to lose weight isn’t a good thing. But look at it this way: I was on vacation that week and ate out every day. I enjoyed my time off and tried not to put on the 5 to 10 pounds that normally follows me back from a vacation. See? Success is all how you look at it.For those of you reading this column for the first time and reading about the Big Loser promotion, that is just the tip of the information iceberg that you’re missing each week by not being a subscriber to The Rock County Star Herald. We take great pride in our weekly publication, bringing the residents of Rock County the local news, sports, personal features of triumph and tragedy along with regular special sections featuring seasonal events and all the local sports teams. In addition to all of this, we provide a strong editorial page with opinions, columns and letters to the editor. The Star Herald, along with the Luverne Announcer, provides our advertisers with a cost-effective and results-producing advertising vehicle which helps you find the goods and services you are looking for.For those of you who are Star Herald subscribers, thank you. For those of you enjoying your complementary Thanksgiving copy, enjoy. By the way, our office will be open Friday if you would like to call or stop in and start your subscription (the Star Herald makes a great Christmas gift).

Family and food bring out the Thanksgiving spiritI would like to help myself and all my readers remember what it’s like to be a kid at Thanksgiving time. As an adult, I think Thanksgiving has a charm — it’s at a special time of year, just after harvest, when we have a reason to gather for a big meal and enjoy thankful thoughts. Even with that charm, Thanksgiving doesn’t earn near as much fanfare as other holidays, especially with children.To the children in Mary Jacobson’s kindergarten class in Luverne, Thanksgiving is about all kinds of things. I conducted mini-interviews with those students and this is some of what they had to say about the holiday:oMadilyn Dinger said her favorite part of Thanksgiving was having turkey. She said, "We celebrate Thanksgiving because it’s fun. I’m thankful when I get to help take care of my little sister."oJim Erickson said, "I’m thankful for my mom and dad because I love them." He said his family celebrates by sitting at a "special table" and eating turkey, corn and sometimes deer. He said his mom makes a good turkey by baking it with lettuce. "She puts a little salt on it — I like salt — and some spice that makes it taste really good with the salt. It cooks for about one hour."oPayton Fick said he would like to hunt pheasant and cook it for Thanksgiving. He said the holiday Thanksgiving was designed as a "time to be thankful for all the food." oEva Kruse said for Thanksgiving, "We always eat together and do family stuff and snuggle and stuff."She said Thanksgiving was invented "because people want another holiday." If she could cook a Thanksgiving meal, it would include turkey, potatoes, ham, french fries and something to drink.oKasyn Kruse doesn’t like turkey (it would probably take 30 seconds to cook one). He hopes someone gives him chicken nuggets instead. He said he can’t remember what he normally does on Thanksgiving. "I think we eat," he said. He is thankful for a race car. oKalee Morrison said she’s thankful when her parents take her places. She likes to eat a turkey in a pie that cooks for 10 or nine minutes.oCourtney Nath said Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate "because you like to eat turkey." She also likes onion bread that she eats at her grandma and grandpa’s house. "I’m thankful for my whole family," she said.oTucker Oeltjenbruns said he is thankful for his mom and dad. He likes the way they cook a turkey on Thanksgiving, but they have it other days of the year, too.oJocilyn Oye said her family has Thanksgiving for God and it’s the only day they eat turkey. "I’m thankful for my family and friends," she said.oMichael Rahm said Thanksgiving is about the "Pilgrims and Indians helping each other out." He likes cranberries and ice cream, but not together. He is thankful for being able to go to his friend’s birthday party.oDonald Ray said he is thankful for his dog and two cats. He hopes he gets to eat chicken and dumplings on Thanksgiving. "I think we are going to our friends’ house on Thanksgiving," he said.oAnthony Rogers said he likes to go to his grandma’s on Thanksgiving where he can play. "We go out to eat to get good food. One time my dad made a pizza that was good," he said. One day Anthony will make his own turkey by throwing it into a fire where it will cook fast because of the high temperature. "I am thankful for my mom and dad." Sometimes he is not thankful for his four sisters, however.oMcKenna Westphal said she couldn’t remember much about Thanksgiving. "I know it’s about turkeys and you wash them, but I don’t know how to cook one." She is thankful for her mom and dad and her sister. oTrey Baustian said he likes Thanksgiving and traveling to see his grandparents. He is thankful for his toys, and "When we put up stuff that I make at school."oMitchell Buss said, "It’s a special day. I eat turkey and I like it." He is thankful for his mom and dad … and for the times when he can beat his big brother at wrestling.I guess it looks like Thanksgiving means the same to most 5-year-olds as it does to me. It’s about food and togetherness … even though sometimes it’s about bad food and wrestling family members.