Don and Edyth Briggs returned to Hills last Wednesday after spending about a month in California. They visited Don’s brother, Rod Briggs, in Seal Beach, Calif., Joyce Brooks and also Jack Winter in Escondido, Calif., also a cousin, Helen Weitman, in Arizona and Willi Mae and Bob Bance. Ray Nelson has recently received word his niece, Connie Astrup, Howick, South Africa, has resigned her duties as manager of a nursing home due to poor health. Her sister, Evangeline Murphy, Fox River Grove, Ill., has flown there for a visit. Fran Sandager and Beth Sandager enjoyed dinner out Saturday night and then attended the ice show at Blue Mound Ice Arena in Luverne. Friday afternoon guests of Mae Top were Vernon and Annet Wiese, Sioux Falls, S.D. Evening guests were Jerad, Kristen and Tess Top, Valley Springs, S.D.Chuck and Rheta De Boer spent the weekend in the home of David and Bonnie Fagrey in Rapid City, S.D.Tuesday Cliff and Vi Van Wyhe visited her brother, Mervin Warner, at Fellowship Village in Inwood, Iowa, and her uncle and aunt, Elmer and Leona Warner, in Rock Rapids, Iowa. Mae Top attended the baptism for her great-grandson, Dylan James Top, in Sibley, Iowa, on Sunday. He is the son of Kelley and Shannon Top. Sunday night, Ray and Lois Nelson attended the opera, "Carmen," at Washington Pavilion. Lois and Twila Kirsch took in the Quatrocelli performance there on Thursday night.

Our weather continues to support what the groundhog predicted. We have really been enjoying beautiful weather. Sunday was absolutely perfect. The sun was shining, the wind wasn’t blowing (imagine that!), the geese were flying overhead and talking to us as they headed to their home further south. I haven’t seen anyone in the fields as yet. Some families have given in to the call of spring and have spent a weekend at the lake where they did some fishing. Just remember to keep thinking spring and it will be here before we know it.Mildred Keunen spent the weekend visiting in the home of her niece and husband, Ginger and Jim France, in Sioux City, Iowa.Happy birthday to Harold Wissink who will celebrate his 94th birthday on Thursday, March 17. Why not send him a card to help him celebrate?The Hills-Beaver Creek schools will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday, March 17, with special snacks and lots of fun and games. Be sure to wear green!Sunday afternoon visitors in the Orrin and Bernice Aukes home were Brian Aukes and his fiancée, Janna Hogland, from Sioux Falls. Other guests were Lisa Telford and her daughter, Taylor, also from Sioux Falls. Winnie Scholten and Mildred Paulsen joined the Freedom Club at Rock Rapids last week where they left by bus for Freeman, S.D. When they arrived they enjoyed a delicious meal together. Following the meal a play, "The Cemetery Club," was presented by local citizens. It was very humorous and needless to say enjoyed by everyone.The Inspiration Hills Women’s Auxiliary will have their annual meeting Thursday, March 24. Registration and coffee will be at 9:30 a.m. with the meeting beginning at 10:30 a.m. The cost for the day is $8.50. Malena Boeve was the guest of honor at the home of Hendrene Veldkamp in Luverne on Friday where they celebrated her birthday. The Steen Reformed Church is sponsoring an all-church roller skating party from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, March 28, at the Carousel Skate in Sioux Falls.We are all looking forward to spring. It is such a pleasant time of the year when the lawns get green, the trees leaf out and the first flowers begin to bloom. It also brings us many extra chores, such as cleaning house, planting flowers and gardens, raking lawns and I could go on and on. But what I really think is that it is more fun to think about what makes a home. Nora Morison Ruth shares these thoughts with us titled "What Makes a House a Home.""Each house has things that endear it to you … to make it a home such as a paper being delivered, the coffee perking, the toaster on, working in the garden at dawn speak pleasant of your dearest things.Hot caramel rolls a neighbor brings, friends come to visit, the telephone rings, all of these endearing things. a place to make tomorrow’s memories, a meeting place for friends and family. A place you can be glad to come back to after being gone a while, a place you can live your own lifestyle, where there are moments of silent prayer, with moments of quiet renewal there.These special touches make a house your home, yours alone, and these make your home, Home Sweet Home!"

Somewhere along the way, we stopped making excuses. Coming up with the perfect excuse or alibi was once such a fine art that even author Arthur Huxley offered his opinion, "Several excuses are always less convincing than one." Instead of excuses or a simple "I’m sorry" we now have the non-excuse. It may sound like, "I just want to put this behind me and move ahead" or "I only want to put this behind me and get on with my life." Non-excuses have many variations, but they basically mean the same thing — take it or leave it, I refuse to be responsible for my own actions. Don’t expect an apology or an explanation. Non-excuses have been revealed from steps in the nation’s capitol, on brief stops between courthouses and jails or at press conferences. The most celebrated non-excusers in recent months have been politicians, professional athletes, Hollywood personalities and even the world’s most famous kitchen diva, Martha Stewart. When Stewart announced last September that she wanted to go to jail immediately to serve her five-month sentence for obstruction of justice, she added that she wanted "closure," "finality" and "to put this nightmare behind me." After interviewer Geraldo Rivera asked him about possible steroid misuse, baseball legend Barry Bonds responded, "I only want to get on with my life." Rapper Eminem offered a non-excuse three years ago when a Michigan court found him guilty of carrying a concealed weapon. "I just want to get it behind me," he told reporters after the trial, "and get back to spending time with my little girl and making music." Quite interestingly, he didn’t offer a non-excuse for his particular style of music. Convicted killer Charles Manson gave Rolling Stone magazine his own version of a non-excuse, "Past, get behind me. The Devil is in the past." In spite of his slightly different and creative wording, he remains imprisoned. A pattern of non-excuses is definitely developing in our country. When President Bush mentioned Iraq with European leaders recently, he urged them to "put this behind us." Non-excuses can happen to the best of us. Instead of groveling, humbling ourselves and begging for forgiveness, we project the appearances of winners. Taking a cue from HBO’s Tony Soprano we can do all sorts of wrong things and laugh, "Fuhgeddaboutit." Non-excuses possibly began when golfers started taking mulligans after bad tee-shots on golf courses. Casual do-overs became socially acceptable. It might have begun when both children and adults stopped saying, "I’m sorry." It wasn’t that long ago when children were expected to say, "I’m sorry," "please," "thank you," "May I please be excused from the table?" and "You look pretty today, Mama," if they hoped to reach adulthood. It’s a far stretch, but actress Ali McGraw might have started non-excuses in the 1970 movie, "Love Story," when she told Oliver (Ryan O’Neal), "Love means never having to say you’re sorry." If that’s the case when it comes to excuses or admissions of guilt, we’re a lovesick society. When non-excuses truly become mainstream, whether we burn a dinner in the oven, dent a car fender, run into debt or forget a birthday, we will only have to smile and say, "Let’s just put this behind us and get on with our lives."

By Lexi MooreSchool districts across Minnesota are getting involved to help the American Red Cross raise money for the victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster.It has been 2 1/2 months since one of the largest earthquakes to strike the globe rocked the ocean floor off the coast of Indonesia. The historic quake triggered tsunami waves that brought massive flooding, swept away entire coastal villages and took tens of thousands of lives with little or no warning throughout southern Asia and coastal regions as far as eastern Africa. The waves also left a staggering number of people injured and homeless. Hills-Beaver Creek joined school districts from Pipestone, Luverne, Brewster, Murray County and Worthington in raising money for the Red Cross Tsunami Relief Fund.Student council members at the H-BC Elementary School organized a fund-raiser in February.Students brought loose change and funds to the school for a total of $345.22. Student Council Secretary Megan Leuthold wanted the fund-raiser "to help the survivors."The American Red Cross has publicly thanked the country for participating in "one of the greatest demonstrations of compassion and support in its 124-year history." Support is felt in the local chapter as well, according to Luverne’s Carol Morgan. "Out of five counties in our chapter we have donated $12,699.22 to the international effort, which is astounding," said Morgan, executive director of the American Red Cross, Southwest Minnesota Chapter."That is a lot of elementary students digging into their piggy banks," she said.Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of the American Red Cross, said she’s appreciates national support for the organization."We are honored and inspired that so many Americans have confidence in the American Red Cross to turn their care and compassion into action," she said on the Red Cross Web site. "The generous outpouring of support has enabled us to provide immediate lifesaving aid as well as prepare to provide longer-term assistance to help rebuild families and communities."To donate to the American Red Cross for tsunami relief or to help support their efforts in responding to any disasters, see www.redcross.org or call Morgan at 507-372-4702.

By Lexi MooreHills-Beaver Creek girls Basketball Coach Tom Goehle turned in his letter of resignation to the school board Monday.Goehle resigned after leading the girls basketball program for 10 years. He will continue to coach H-BC’s track and cross-country teams.According to Goehle’s letter of resignation, he needs additional time to work with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes."I am extremely excited about what is in store for me," he said. "This organization could be even stronger. We need someone to spearhead the changes from within the community."In other personnel matters Monday, the board accepted a letter of resignation from Emily Walgrave, H-BC fourth-grade teacher.Walgrave will finish her 17th year of teaching prior to her retirement at the end of the school year."As a board, we would like to thank her for a job well done," Lois Leuthold said.Patriot student accomplishmentsPatriot student accomplishments topped the agenda of the H-BC School Board meeting Monday. Board members recognized the H-BC girls and boys basketball teams for their outstanding seasons. Superintendent David Deragisch said he was pleased with the fan support during the regular season and playoff season."I am very proud of our teams, coaches and fans as they demonstrated good sportsmanship and school spirit. Cheering for our team only, instead of cheering against the opponent is getting better," Deragisch said. "The band also played very well."Board members congratulated Kale Wiertzema for being chosen as one of 40 students to play in the Minnesota All-Star Game.Deragisch informed the board that 11 H-BC junior high students were selected to perform in the Luverne Middle School Music Festival Wednesday, March 9.He wished seven FFA students luck as they were going to compete in a meat judging events in Pipestone Tuesday."These kids aren’t always the star athletes, but this gives them an opportunity to shine."In other school news:
The majority of H-BC paraprofessionals passed the required tests to meet No Child Left Behind requirements.
H-BC Elementary Kindergarten roundup registrations so far indicate 20 to 25 students will enroll in kindergarten for the 2005-06 school year.
The elementary school will offer study skills classes for grades 2 - 5 on April 5, 7, 12 and 14. Each class will last about an hour and will meet at the end of the school day. These classes will help prepare students for the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments.

Mark your calendars! The traveling museum "Behind Barbed Wire: Midwest POWs in Nazi Germany" will be at the Rock County Library from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 25. This mobile museum (a converted bus) will be parked on the west side of the library building. "Behind Barbed Wire" explores the experiences of Midwest prisoners of war in Nazi Germany during World War II. The exhibit consists of photographs, documents, audio and DVD documentaries, artifacts, and more. The exhibit will help visitors understand the conditions of the POW experience; how art and religion helped them survive and how the liberated POW’s later came to terms with their experiences. Write down the date and time so you can attend this innovative traveling exhibit. If you want to learn more, log onto www.TRACES.org and click on "Bus-eum" or contact Glenda at (507) 449-5040 or gbremer@plumcreeklibrary.net. We have new books this week, lots of them. "Lost Lake" by Phillip Margolin looks like an intriguing plotline. It's a beautiful summer night in Portland, Ore. Ami Vergano, a young attorney and single mother, arrives at her son Ryan's Little League game with their tenant and new friend, Dan Morelli. When the assistant coach calls in sick, Morelli volunteers to fill in. But then a fight erupts and, before the game ends, Ami witnesses violence that shocks and horrifies her and makes her question everything she thought she knew about Morelli. On the other side of the continent, in a cheap motel room in Washington, D.C., ex-mental patient Vanessa Kohler, a reporter for Exposed, a tabloid that specializes in alien-abduction stories, watches a piece on television about the Little League massacre and quickly places a call to the FBI. For years she's been telling everyone about a secret military unit headed by Gen. Morris Wingate, a presidential candidate. When Vanessa sees Dan Morelli fighting, she believes she's found the key to proving that her theories are true. Also new on the shelf is "Saving Cascadia" by John Nance. A few hundred years ago, Cascadia Island didn't even exist. It was a rock submerged beneath the Pacific. A massive earthquake changed that, exploding the rock upward, making it land — unstable land, according to seismologist Dr. Doug Lam. Lam has spent years researching the Cascadia Zone. He published a theory that the unrelieved tectonic strain beneath the idyllic landscape of Cascadia Island could be triggered with modern construction processes — with catastrophic results. The paper was disregarded by his peers and by mega wealthy developer Mick Walker, who stands to earn millions from the construction of a luxury resort on Cascadia. When a series of earthquakes begins to shake the Northwest Corridor, Doug's worst fears are confirmed. In an attempt to convince Walker to evacuate Cascadia immediately, Doug hurries to join guests arriving for the resort's grand opening. As the tremors wreak havoc across the Northwest coastal area, the military is left with too few resources to assist the people on Cascadia. Convinced that the island will be in ruins within hours, Doug reluctantly calls upon his girlfriend, Jennifer Lindstrom, president of Nightingale Aviation — a major medical transport helicopter company — for help. With snow falling, visibility dropping, and winds increasing, Doug embarks on an impossible mission with Jennifer and Nightingale's helicopters to evacuate more than 300 people, while smaller earthquakes continue to herald the approach of a catastrophic tsunami.

The Last of the StormThe following appeared in the Rock County Weekly on July 25, 1884:Springwater TownshipWRECK AND DISASTEROur Springwater correspondent, D. Artemus Harden, furnishes the following report of the damage done in Springwater township:The storm struck the north-west corner of Springwater township at 2:40 p.m. The first buildings in its course were those of Charles Reynolds, a large barn and a new house. The barn was completely demolished and the new house moved sixteen feet from its foundation. The old house was completely riddled by the flying timbers. A. Birdsong’s buildings were all damaged, and his machine shed was torn down. A. Kimball’s house and barn were destroyed. His family took refuge in the cellar. All the furniture, clothing and bedding were destroyed. Some of it was carried into J.J. Loeffler’s grove half a mile away. J.J. Loeffler’s out-buildings, including a large new machine barn, were driven from the foundations and badly racked. Nearly all his hay was in stack and this was mostly destroyed. Next was a schoolhouse which the writer was plastering, accompanied by my son, a boy eight years old. My team was tied to my wagon on the east side of the house. The house was moved from its foundation and was carried about forty feet, striking the wagon, breaking down two wheels and the box and damaging it otherwise. Tim Birgen’s new barn, 16x50, 14-foot posts, was torn to pieces. Some of the timbers were driven through the side of the house. Nat. Gartland lost a large amount of hay.Dave Noonan’s granary was moved from its foundation.Al. Acheson’s milk house and stable were damaged. E.Y. Graham’s new house 14x29, and all its contents, clothing, bedding, furniture, etc., were entirely destroyed, and his machinery was damaged. W.A. Raymond’s barn, 16x36, and house, 16x24, all new, were both totally destroyed. Mr. Raymond and family left the house and lay down and clung to some small plum trees near the house, and there remained until the storm subsided. Mr. Raymond’s loss will reach $500.A new house and barn belonging to Mr. Armstrong, occupied by a Dane, was damaged. A considerable amount of grain stored in the house was destroyed.A barn belonging to Earnest Curtis was torn to pieces.B.M. Pengra’s hay and sheds were injured and, in fact, every farmer suffered more or less. A schoolhouse in District No. 20 was moved from its foundation. Miss Flora Mather was teaching and school was in session at the time. When the storm struck the house they all left and took refuge on the bare prairie. One little girl, daughter of Mr. Ingleson, found her way home, one mile and a half distant. Others, after being beaten with wind, rain and hail, found their way to Earnest Curtis’ place. Hiram Raymond’s barn was blown down and his horses driven over the prairie. One span of mules was found one mile from home, still tied to the manger.The northeast part of the town I have not heard from, but suppose it was full as bad as the rest. This concludes the long article about the storm. 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.

Celebrating Seniors ‘05The Blue Mound Banquet Center is the location for this year’s Celebrating Seniors.The event was started a few years ago to give senior citizens an opportunity to talk to a variety of organizations that have products and services specifically tailored to seniors.The $6 admission includes coffee, cookies, a noon meal and entertainment, along with 28 tables of agency and organization reps from the area.You may want to attend for yourself or check out what options are available for a senior friend or family member.The event is from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 18. Who at CWG and BTS got to kiss the pig?An additional twist to fund-raising efforts for "Relay for Life" was added by employees of Berkley Technology Services and Continental Western Group (formerly Tri-State Insurance).Seven managers at CGW and four managers at BTS were in the running for the privilege of kissing a pig.Each of the 11 managers had a piggy bank set up in their office with one of the supervisors’ names on it.Employees, family and friends had an opportunity to contribute to the piggy bank of their choice.At the end of the contest, the managers whose banks had the most money in them earned the privilege of kissing a pig. Managers were added into the contest for a one-day contest as well. Nadine Schoep, Gary Ptak, Eugene Richter and Linda Mollberg, as top money raisers, each kissed a pig.The kisses took place at noon Wednesday, and a pork feed for the employees followed with all proceeds going to Relay for Life. The total amount raised was $3,524.20.The managers from CWG participating included Curt Bloemendaal, Doug Radtke, DeeDee DeBoer, Jane Novotny, Pat Broesder, Nadine Schoep and Julie Burmeister.The BTS managers included Joni Gacke, Gary Ptak, Wayne Robinson and Eugene Richter.War from women’s perspectivesA women’s veterans panel will discuss the issue of women in the military on March 23 on the campus of Southwest Minnesota State University.The discussion will be entitled "Our Experience in Wartime Military Service."The panel will consist of Norma Jean Johnson of Ivanhoe, a U.S. Army Corps nurse during WW II, Jeri Haug of Marshall, who served in the U.S. Navy in World War II, and Pam Barrows of Luverne, who served with the U.S. Army Nurse Corps in Vietnam.Barrows currently serves as the administrator of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.The event is part of Women’s History Month activities at SMSU and is sponsored by the SMSU History Club.For more information, contact the SMSU History Program at 507-537-7336.Tomorrow’s the deadline for Sioux Valley Energy ScholarshipIf you are a graduating senior and a customer of Sioux Valley Electric, tomorrow is the deadline for its scholarship program.The program was started in 1996 and awarded nearly $70,000.This year $11,000 will be awarded in $1,000 and $500 awards.Of that, $10,000 will come from Sioux Valley Energy’s Operation Round-Up program and $1,000 from Basin Electric Power Cooperative.Applications can be printed out from its Web site at www.siouxvalleyenergy.com.Typically 200-300 students apply for the scholarships.Judging is based on overall grade point average, SAT or ACT test scores, extracurricular activities, community and volunteer service and career goals. A 250- to 500-word essay is required.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

It really does all go to the same place in the endLearning the details of wastewater treatment isn’t high on most people’s priority list, but I decided to tag along with the Luverne City Council as it toured our facility Tuesday. I knew a little about it before, but for this week’s paper, I dove deeper into wastewater than I ever have. I discovered it’s actually a less stinky, more fascinating tour than I expected.Workers there see things most of us wouldn’t want to.Some people don’t even know where Luverne’s Wastewater Treatment Plant is (behind Redbird Field), but it’s worth knowing about, or at least appreciating a little. Going through the plant with Supervisor Al Lais, he pointed at a round, brown, slightly dehydrated object and said, "Oh, one got hung up on the screen there. See?"My heart skipped a beat, but by the second or third close-up, my guard was way down. Of course, Al points these things out very nonchalantly, as his index finger hovers mere millimeters above "it." It’s all in a day’s work for him, though. Wastewater treatment involves removing or neutralizing everything that comes to the plant via Luverne residents’ toilets.The long, scientific process means a dozen or more steps of sifting, sorting, sanitizing and neutralizing. Al supervises the facility, which is also run by Verlyn Van Batavia, Jim Rockman and Jesse Frey.Of course, there are probably lots of funny stories the crew doesn’t want to share, but they’ve found keys, vegetables, coins, a $20 bill, and even a set of dentures somewhere along the filtration system.They can tell whether the school served peas or corn too, because sometimes whole products get through the sanitary sewer system.They also see plenty of feminine hygiene products and used condoms.The whole purpose of the operation is to make the water clean enough to put back out into the environment. It’s discharged at a point where it’s almost clean enough to drink. Almost. All that work keeps the city up to strict state and national specifications, which are intended to keep our Rock River and our drinking water supply safe.In this extremely sanitized and high-tech world, someone still has to deal with … well … crap, and Luverne’s got a few good men on the clock to do it.