Based on a recent dining-out experience, I have developed serious concerns about the state of our society.When I was just a little girl, going out to eat was a rare and exciting event. Dad would take us to the A&W once every three months if we were lucky. We were never allowed to have a large A&W root beer with our meal because it was too expensive (10¢). We could only have the small size (5¢). Once a year, we went to the airport in Sioux Falls to watch the planes take off and land. Remember, this was in the late 1950’s (yes, I was alive in the 50’s) and air travel wasn’t as commonplace as today. Afterward, we ate at the airport restaurant. My aunt Marge and cousin Joel always went with us. Back then, the airport restaurant was a pretty decent place to dine. It wasn’t just a hamburger joint or snack bar. The menu included steaks and fresh seafood, plus white fabric tablecloths and napkins. On this once-a-year occasion, my dad let us order lobster tail, which we all did. I just couldn’t believe that we could afford to spend so much money on one dinner. Then, to top off the yearly excursion, we got to go to a movie in Sioux Falls. It was like a whole year of living in a single day. This is all leading to my societal concerns. Last weekend, the loving husband and I ate out at Sharkee’s on Friday night and Magnolia Steak House on Saturday night. On Sunday night we planned to grill a couple of steaks in the backyard, with some fresh asparagus from the garden, and a salad with our own homegrown lettuce, spinach, onions, radishes, etc. We worked hard in the garden most of the afternoon and then ran over to Brandon to pick up the table and chairs we had lent to my niece. As we were heading across town to the freeway entrance, the loving husband said, "I’m really hungry. Maybe we should stop and get a bit to eat." I replied, "But, what about the steaks?" Well, he didn’t really feel like cooking and neither did I. Then he suggested that maybe we should just have one of our Schwans’ frozen pizzas. I said, "Yeah, but then we have to take it out of the box and put it in the oven." So, at the last minute, we turned left and swung into Tailgator’s. We ate our third dinner in three nights at a restaurant. All day Monday, I looked forward to the rare and exciting event of eating at home. Reading a good novel can be a rare and exciting event, as well. This is the latest book by Janet Evanovich, "Eleven on Top." Stephanie Plum is thinking her career as a fugitive apprehension agent has run its course. She’s been shot at, spat at, cussed at, firebombed, mooned, and attacked by dogs. Its time to find the kind of job her mother can tell her friends about without making the sign of the cross. So Stephanie Plum quits. Resigns. No looking back. She wants something safe and normal. As it turns out, jobs that are safe and normal for most people aren’t necessarily safe and normal for Stephanie Plum. Trouble follows her and her past has come back to haunt her. She’s stalked by a maniac returned from the grave for the sole purpose of putting her into a burial plot of her own. He’s killed before, and he’ll kill again if given the chance. After disturbingly brief careers at the button factory, Kan Klean Dry Cleaners, and Cluck-in-a-Bucket, Stephanie takes an office position in security, working for Ranger, the sexiest, wildest bounty hunter on two continents. It might not be the job she’ll keep for the rest of her life, but for now it gives her the technical access she needs to find her stalker.

I hope the old becomes new with Law Enforcement CenterThe future of Rock County’s Law Enforcement Center is as uncertain as the building is beautiful.County commissioners are considering either remodeling and expanding it or building new. A couple of commissioners want to build new to save money and improve efficiency. A couple want to preserve the existing facility’s use as a Law Enforcement Center. One might even cast a vote not to do anything just yet.Either way they go, the decision they make as a collective group will displease about half of their constituents.I am one of those constituents … and right now I’m leaning toward advocating an expansion and renovation instead of building new.I just can’t picture the courthouse campus with other county offices in the LEC. This county would have a difficult time supporting and staffing another museum. And I can’t picture any private use that would be feasible.It seems that Land Management staff needs more space than the LEC has, and something like Extension doesn’t need that much space at all.Would anything make a good neighbor to our courthouse, which some have said is the best looking in the state?Some have suggested a bed and breakfast would work. I suppose that would be doable — after they got rid of the lead paint, and after they met a few hundred code updates for overnight stays, and after they put a ton of money and labor into redecorating.One suggestion I would like to make to the county or to the designers is to forget the idea that the LEC needs some sort of community room. A training or meeting room large enough for employees would be all the LEC needs. I don’t think community groups and circles of up to 40 people would choose to meet and use space in a law enforcement center when there is adequate time and space in the library, Human Services building and courthouse, among others.The question of whether to remodel or rebuild isn’t just an interesting question to me. The project matters to people outside of Rock County, too. The Minnesota State Historical Society got wind of a possible expansion and worried that one of the "jewels of the prairie" would be modified beyond recognition.Any addition compromises the initial design of the building. For that reason, they advocate making the addition obviously an addition, where the original can still be seen, separate from the new.Talking to people who actually have to work inside the "jewel" would tell you that it needs modification as badly as it needs preservation.Not only is mildew and grossly inefficient space an issue — but safety for officers and dispatchers who can’t put prisoners in actual holding cells is a much bigger issue.People may see the beautiful exterior and think the LEC’s interior is similar to the remodeled courthouse. Not even close. The paneled walls, antique décor, new lighting and adequate office spaces of the courthouse are far from the outdated, cramped and haphazard surroundings of the LEC. I hope the old becomes new, even though building a new law enforcement center would be cheaper and more efficient. But whatever commissioners decide, I hope the employees, inside the walls of whatever LEC we have, enjoy better surroundings while protecting and serving us all.

It’s been three months since the Peterson’s zip code changed to 56156. Officially it was both 56283 and 56156 until the couple of weeks ago. It’s been 16 years between moves and I forgot or really hadn’t noticed how big a role numbers play in our everyday lives. In addition to the change in zip codes our old 509 East 2nd address is now 203 Pine Drive, The 627 phone prefix is now 449. Not to mention the change in office phone numbers, the fax number, the office address and new PO box number. The cell phone numbers will be changed soon as well.While some things change, others seem to stay the course. When I was a kid growing up in Heron Lake our family lived two doors down from the local funeral home. In the early 1970s our family moved to Brewster, and our new house was just down the road from the local cemetery. When I moved my own family to Redwood Falls in the late 80’s we moved in right next store to the local funeral home. Now I that we have settled in Luverne, our new house is just down the road from the cemetery.It’s not just the similarity in living quarters that make this move feel like déja vu. Shortly after I started at the Redwood Falls newspaper there was a change in both the school superintendent and city administrators positions. Rick Ellingworth filled the superintendent position and Jeff Weldon took the job as city administrator. Today both are well-respected in their professions and have enjoyed long careers in Redwood. So, all things being equal, and if history continues to repeat itself, the future is looking good for the City of Luverne and Luverne School District.There are lot of similarities between Luverne and Redwood Falls. Both hover around the 5,000-population mark. The Cardinal is the mascot for the both schools, as is red and white for the school colors. Both school district had a failed referendum last fall and both will try again this fall. As I did in Redwood, I’ll encourage you to support the referendum here. You might think I’m throwing my support for the local school referendum somewhat blindly. But one of the reasons I supported the Redwood Falls referendum and will do so here is because it is an opportunity to pay back the folks over the past years who supported referendums that benefited my kids educational opportunities. Now my kids are graduated from Redwood Falls and have moved on but as far as the referendum issue goes a Cardinal is Cardinal.

The Dutch village of Staphorst has had the final word on bad words. Its council recently approved a ban on swearing by a 13-to-4 vote. My first reaction to this news was that it’s fortunate my father’s family emigrated from Holland more than 100 years ago. Had they not, my father eventually might have received a maximum sentence for his command of a colorful language. Not only was my father a colorful speaker in stressful situations, but he developed what could be described as his second language into a fine art. In any given situation calling out for the use of expletives, my father could weave together 10 solid minutes’ worth of them. Yes, 10 solid minutes without repeating a single word or phrase. However, instead of attributing his somewhat dubious verbal skills to his Dutch heritage, my father was likely to blame the long hours spent in the Pacific during World War II. Ît’s clear life will have to change in Staphorst in order to accommodate the new ban on swearing. The punishment obviously will be greater than having bars of soap inserted in their mouths or having to write on a school blackboard at least 100 times, "I will not swear, I will not swear … "For starters, houses and other buildings in the Dutch village will eventually fall into a state of disrepair. Few people will dare to pick up hammers and nails for fear they might smash a thumb and yell out something incriminating. Anyone within earshot of an evil-sayer (as opposed to an evil-doer) could possibly become an informant for the cussing police. This would include neighbors, in-laws and one’s own children. Whenever their favorite, national soccer teams, Ajax and Feyenoord, lose games, the outbursts of disappointed fans in Staphorst will be limited to "Aw shucks!" and "Gee whillikers!"Parents of teenaged daughters will no longer be able to express their true feelings when prospective suitors, covered from head to toe with tattoos and body piercings, show up at the front door.Otherwise proud gardeners will be required to remain speechless when they discover early morning frosts have turned their prize tulips into objects resembling frozen, yet colorful, Popsicles. Horrible things that might happen to their cars, such as door dings or smashed fenders, will only be dealt with an absolute silence or a few words. "I just saw what happened to the car, dear. That repair work should cost a pretty euro."When a rural resident of Staphorst notices a small, leaking hole in the dike separating his farmland from the sea, and there’s not a legendary, little Dutch boy to remedy the situation within sight, the potential drownee will have to remain silently resigned to the situation. The Staphorst ban on swearing may be difficult to enforce because the practice must be allowed when it’s an expression of the constitutional freedom of speech. In the end, the strict limitations set by that (blankety-blank) freedom of speech thing must have reduced the 13 council members with winning votes to tears. They certainly can’t swear.

Something to be Proud ofI wanted to comment on the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event that I attended last Friday evening. I have attended a number of these events the past few years and found Rock County’s to be one of the most positive experiences I have had. Thank you to all of the people who contributed time, energy, items and money that enabled our local committee to have the success that it did. From the local agricultural groups who donated product and "sweat" preparing the evening meal to the "home-grown" musical entertainment and the local RFL committee that coordinated it all. This event raised in excess of $70,000 at last count, which is approximately $7 for every man, woman and child that lives in this county. This happens to be one of the best per capita contributions of any county in this region. If our contributions make a difference in one resident’s life in the next year, it will have been well worth it. It says something of the quality of this event and the community we live in when even the teenagers want to stay and participate. Thank you again for such a wonderful evening. Paul T. Pietz,Luverne

It was a year ago that I came across a real estate listing for my house on the Internet. The princess tower, ample garage space and a children’s playground horse on a spring were enough to make me an interested buyer.My sister was kind enough to attend an open house and send David and me the video she shot while at the open house. We fell in love with the place! It was our perfect home.In July, David made his way from Fort Worth, Texas, to see the big ol’ house in Hills and immediately began making the arrangements to purchase.Now, a year later and in our 10th month of ownership, the trials and tribulations of owning a house are really coming into focus.To be honest, it seems first-time home buyers have more trials during that first year.When buying a home, you get to fill out more paperwork than you do for any other event in your life. But none of the paperwork includes an instruction manual for what to do when you get into your new home.I propose that all houses sold should come with a book of instructions.A simple guide would be all that was necessary, just something explaining the process of winterization, how to check your furnace, plumbing, air conditioning and the exact workings of the breaker box.For me, owning my first home has made me feel so stupid. I have no idea how to use these appliances, let alone stay on top of their necessary maintenance.When purchasing my home, I was warned by several people that I must plan on investing one percent of the buying price to yearly maintenance. I figured that one percent maintenance would include paint for the walls, tile for the bathroom, carpet for the basement and new antiques to fill the rooms.Boy, was I mistaken!After only three months in Hills the harsh reality of where that money really has to go set in…… when the furnace motor went out and I realized the price of fuel oil.Because Tuesday marked the first day of summer, I decided it would be OK to turn on the air conditioner that is so conveniently attached to the side of my house. But to my begrudging surprise, another giant appliance that I don’t know how to use was no longer functioning.It would just be easier if I had a manual to follow — something pointing me in the right direction. With helpful hints such as, there are two ways for ceiling fans to spin. Fan owners must change that direction depending on how they want the air circulated.I am still not sure if mine are running the correct way, but until Father’s Day (when my father enlightened me as to the workings of ceiling fans) I had no idea it even mattered.I really don’t mean to complain, but sometimes it is easy to overlook the wonderful surprises owning a home brings when there are so many costly catastrophes.For instance, last week when the plumber replaced a broken pipe, the roses started to bloom.In purchasing the house we became the owners of giant, very well-established rose bushes. I like to think of them as an add-on bonus. But their blooming was heavily overshadowed by the quarter of an inch of water in my basement.Home ownership is the fulfillment of the American Dream and the traditional starting point for American families to accumulate wealth. Home ownership provides shelter and security to families and fosters involvement in community life as well as participation in democratic institutions. But, man! Homeownership can sure be a pain in my butt.Story ideas or comments can be emailed to Lexi Moore at lexim@star-herald.com or called in at 962-3561.

Kim Dahlquist and Tim Hansen were united in marriage on Saturday, June 11, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Tea, S.D. Both are teachers and coaches at Tea High School. Kim is the daughter of Dana and Kay Dahlquist, Hills. Erma Schubbe returned home last week Wednesday from visiting her children in Afton and Stillwater. She attended the graduation of her grandson, Thomas Schubbe, from Stillwater High School.Last Sunday Jim and Marj Roning attended the open house at Grand Valley Lutheran Church of rural Canton, S.D., for their new fellowship room. The Canton Greig Chorus and Sioux Empire Brass performed. Charise Kniep, Scottsdale, Ariz., is spending this week in the home of her parents, Orval and Bonnie Sundem. Others here for Aiden’s baptism were Chad and Tara Sundem, Cole and Carson, from Gilbert, Ariz. Dr. John Berdahl and wife, Tamme, are moving to North Carolina from Scottsdale, Ariz., where John will do his ophthalmology residency at Drake University. Paula Sundt (nee Nelson) returned to her home in Minneapolis Friday after spending a few days in Hills visiting her brother, Stanford Nelson. Jim and Marj Roning attended the concert given by the men’s chorus from Lillehammer, Norway, Friday evening at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. The repertoire included national, religious and numerous songs. Leona Goehle, Tyler, was an overnight guest Tuesday of Fran Sandager. Sunday they, along with Homer and Marj Prunty of Brookings, S.D., were Father’s Day dinner guests in the home of Mark and Karen Sandager. Last week Dick and Audrey Heidenson spent four days at their son’s resort. Their daughter and husband also spent the time there.Bonnie Olson and Laurie Hynes and daughter, Ellen, returned to their homes in the Cities Sunday after spending since Thursday with Luella Schlueter. Saturday they attended the wedding of Ruth Schlueter and Ed Ganz at Zion Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls.Saturday Jim and Marj Roning took in the Nordland Fest Family Heritage Day at the Elmen Center. Featured were Scandinavian crafts, heritage exhibits, ethnic foods, and programs in the center stage. Jerry and Diane Thorin, Sioux Falls, and Kurt and Tammy Stewart, Salt Lake City, Utah, were visitors of Arnold and Dorothy Thorin on Wednesday afternoon.Dick and Audrey Heidenson joined the family of their son and daughter-in-law for dinner Sunday in honor of Father’s Day. Berneta Johnson, Russell, visited Friday in the home of Bob and Twila Kirsch.Aiden James, infant son of Aric and Amy Sundem of Champlin, was baptized at services Sunday at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. His sponsors were Chad Sundem, Charise Kniep, Jill Hettwer and Rich Wurdemann. His great-grandmother, Esther Berkhof, Sioux Falls, was in attendance. There was a reception at noon at the Brandon Steak House in Brandon, S.D.

It seems our weather remains in the same pattern so when I ran across this article about the arrival of June with summer soon beginning, it also reminded us that we are on the last leg of the first half of 2005. We all know that time does not fly, but speaking of flying it is also the first fly month!Fight the Filthy Fly Month!Do your part in supporting the fight against flies by upholding the illuminating fact that June is Cat and Kitten Month. The purpose of this occasion is to acquaint more people with the pleasure of owning a cat and to promote better cat care. You all know I am a cat lover. Perhaps you could get a cat and let him help you fight the flies?Winnie Scholten spent last Thursday and Friday in the home of her sister, Matilda Regnerus in Sioux Center, Iowa. She had been hospitalized for some time and had just returned home from the hospital. Funeral services for Leonard Bajema were on Friday at Steen Reformed Church. Our deepest sympathy goes out to the family.Pastor Dan and Karen Ramaker left on Friday for Wisconsin, where they will help his mother celebrate her 90th birthday. They plan to return home the first of the week. Joyce Aykens, Worthington, and Jo Aykens, Steen, were Wednesday evening supper guests in the Vince and Laurie Kurtz home in Orange City, Iowa, to help Paul and Carole Aykens celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. Those hosting the meal were Laurie Aykens and Susan Veldkamp also of Orange City. Congratulations to the happy couple!Swimming lessons will be offered through Friday, July 1. If interested, go to the H-BC School. Have you ever shopped in Steen? Now is your chance! There will be a huge rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25, at Caroline Garvick on 410 South Main Street. Everyone is welcome. Mike Van Der Brink underwent surgery at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester and was able to return to his home again recently. Ginnie Menning from Luverne and Mildred Paulsen from Steen attended the "Morning Apart" for the Southwest District United Methodist Women, which was Tuesday morning at Slayton.The Hills-Beaver Creek Book of the Week Club will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday mornings, June 29, July 6 and 13.June has always been known as a romantic month. It is a month of many engagements and weddings. As time goes by we are invited to many anniversaries so thought we would take a little time to understand just what is an anniversary. This question was answered in this small definition. Hope it adds some new meaning to what we’ve been doing.What is an Anniversary?An Anniversary is a memory … A wedding corsage pressed into a treasured scrapbook — and a honeymoon. A hundred little private jokes that have more meaning with every anniversary.An Anniversary is a dream … A whispered conversation over candlelight, the silent recollection of the dream two hearts held that day; A dream that has since changed many times, and yet remains the same.An Anniversary is a promise … marking the beginning of another year of sharing, planning, hoping, building; another year of the happiness, and the fulfillment. …That is marriage.—Rey WheelerI hope this leaves us with a few new thoughts.

The Dutch village of Staphorst has had the final word on bad words. Its council recently approved a ban on swearing by 13 to 4 votes. My first reaction to this news was that it’s fortunate my father’s family emigrated from Holland more than 100 years ago. Had they not, my father eventually might have received a maximum sentence for his command of a colorful language. Not only was my father a colorful speaker in stressful situations, but he developed what could be described as his second language into a fine art. In any given situation calling out for the use of expletives, my father could weave together 10 solid minutes’ worth of the. Yes, 10 solid minutes without repeating a single word or phrase. However, instead of attributing his somewhat dubious verbal skills to his Dutch heritage, my father was likely to blame the long hours spent in the Pacific during World War II. Ît’s clear life will have to change in Staphorst in order to accommodate the new ban on swearing. The punishment obviously will be greater than having bars of soap inserted in their mouths or having to write on a school blackboard at least 100 times, "I will not swear, I will not swear … "For starters, houses and other buildings in the Dutch village will eventually fall into a state of disrepair. Few people will dare to pick up hammers and nails for fear they might smash a thumb and yell out something incriminating. Anyone within earshot of an evil-sayer (as opposed to an evil-doer) could possibly become an informant for the cussing police. This would include neighbors, in-laws and one’s own children. Whenever their favorite, national soccer teams, Ajax and Feyenoord, lose games, the outbursts of disappointed fans in Staphorst will be limited to "Aw shucks!" and "Gee whillikers!"Parents of teenaged daughters will no longer be able to express their true feelings when prospective suitors, covered from head to toe with tattoos and body piercings, show up at the front door.Otherwise proud gardeners will be required to remain speechless when they discover early morning frosts have turned their prize tulips into objects resembling frozen, yet colorful, Popsicles. Horrible things that might happen to their cars, such as door dings or smashed fenders, will only be dealt with an absolute silence or a few words. "I just saw what happened to the car, dear. That repair work should cost a pretty euro."When a rural resident of Staphorst notices a small, leaking hole in the dike separating his farmland from the sea, and there’s not a legendary, little Dutch boy to remedy the situation within sight, the potential drownee will have to remain silently resigned to the situation. The Staphorst ban on swearing may be difficult to enforce because the practice must be allowed when it’s an expression of the constitutional freedom of speech. In the end, the strict limitations set by that (blankety-blank) freedom of speech thing must have reduced the 13 council members with winning votes to tears. They certainly can’t swear.