By Sara Quam and Lexi MooreThe face-off between the city of Luverne and Rock County over law enforcement costs came to an end last week.Both elected bodies agreed on a contract outline that will be finalized Feb. 15.Along with county commissioners and city council members, Sheriff Mike Winkels signed the resolution.County Commissioner Jane Wildung made the motion which was seconded by Richard Bakken.The joint resolution to continue contract law enforcement services amends the current contract to allow the city to pay $604,000, instead of $669,000.Bakken said he felt the county compromised, but he thought this agreement would be best for his constituents."Even though we had to make concessions with this agreement, it is still a better way to go for the communities and it will cost us less."County Commissioner Ron Boyenga voted against the contract, mostly, he said, because the county’s continued partnership in the Pool and Fitness Center was a condition."Without that, I might be able to support it," he said. "I hope that for [County Attorney Don Klosterbuer and County Administrator Kyle Oldre’s] sakes, it works out because they’ve had quite a year."Bakken said he was happy to sign on for a commitment to the Pool and Fitness Center. "I didn’t want to see us get out of the pool. Overtime, especially as preventive health care picks up; I think it will be a good idea to be involved."Boyenga had concerns that other cities that contract for law enforcement with the county will have problems.Boyenga said, "They’re going to say Luverne got a deal."Bakken assures smaller communities like Hills and Beaver Creek that the county plans to meet with all small cities as soon as the contract is signed to discuss what the county agreed to and why.Most smaller cities, including Hills, Beaver Creek and Steen, are in their second year of a three-year contract agreement. The county hopes it will be able to offer the smaller cities an extension on their current contracts with no additional cost increase.Bakken said he feels smaller communities receive several benefits through joint law."We get better coverage and it costs much less than if we were separate."Currently the town of Hills receives two patrols every eight hours. This would dramatically decrease if Hills were not involved with joint law.In addition, Bakken spoke about the benefits of the deputies knowing the towns well."They know whose lights should be on and when."The contract to be signed on or before Feb. 15 is new and includes the following provisions:oUpon execution of this law enforcement extension, Rock County will continue its joint powers agreement for the Rock County Pool and Fitness Center.oThe county agrees to provide not less than 24-hour patrol and investigative coverage to the city of Luverne from Jan. 1, 2006, through Dec. 31, 2010.oThe city’s annual contract price for law enforcement will increase over the prior year’s contract at the same rate as the county’s budgeted increase for law enforcement. The county cannot contract for an increase of more than 5 percent without the city’s agreement.oPayments will be quarterly instead of the annual payment method used now.oIf the city’s Local Government Aid (from the state of Minnesota) decreases by more than 15 percent, the city can negotiate a new contract price and change services it wants provided.Kaczrowski said in a recent meeting, "We want to be able to negotiate to cut back on our service contract."oThe city and county liaison committee, made up of two commissioners and two councilmen, will work with the sheriff to develop a system for providing information and reports of law enforcement activities.

By Lexi MoorePunxsutawney Phil arose from his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pa., yesterday to predict the weather for the rest of winter.According to folklore, if he sees his shadow on Feb. 2, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. Conversely, if he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.The event has turned into a major tourist attraction for the town of 20,000. Not only do most media outlets send crews to cover the event, but hotels fill with tourists awaiting the groundhog. Preparations for the event included a live webcast on www.groundhog.org.This year, when he emerged in front of thousands of spectators, he saw his shadow.

By John RittenhouseA Hills-Beaver Creek High School senior is wrestling with the Luverne High School squad this winter.H-BC’s Cody Scholten has competed at the junior varsity and varsity level for Luverne.Scholten is 1-9 as a varsity competitor and 4-2 at the junior varsity level.Luverne and Scholten had a rough night Tuesday when traveling to Adrian for a match against the state’s third-ranked Class 2A team. Adrian blanked the Cards 83-0, and Scholten was pinned by Tyler Wagner at 1:49 of the 171-pound match.Scholten dropped a pair of tough matches during the Plum Creek Tournament in Westbrook Saturday.He trailed Dawson-Boyd’s Chaz Oschendorf 4-0 before being pinned at the 1:02 mark of the second period in the first round. Scholten and Clinton-Graceville’s Tristen Zych battled to a draw at four before Zych pinned Scholten at 5:06 in the consolation round.Luverne wrestles in the first round of the Section 3AA Team Tournament in Adrian Tuesday against Pipestone.

By John RittenhouseThe Hills-Beaver Creek boys notched their ninth straight basketball victory by defeating Southwest Star Concept 77-52 in Okabena Friday.Kale Wiertzema recorded a double-double by scoring 29 points and pulling down 13 rebounds and Zach Wysong hit five three-point shots during a 19-point effort to help the Patriots reel off their 11th consecutive Red Rock Conference win.Wiertzema, who also charted six assists in the game, tossed in 13 points to lead the Patriots to a 36-23 halftime lead. Wysong burned the net for 13 points when H-BC outscored the Quasars 29-21 in the third quarter, giving the Patriots a 21-point cushion (65-44) that swelled to 25 points at game’s end.Tyler Bush, who charted four steals, scored 16 points and passed for 11 assists to produce another double-double effort for H-BC. Robert Baker added seven rebounds to the cause.The 17-2 Patriots play at Edgerton Public tonight before hosting Sioux Falls Christian Monday and Murray County Central Tuesday.Box scoreWysong 2 5 0-2 19, Bush 5 1 3-4 16, Wiertzema 8 3 4-6 29, Baker 0 0 0-1 0, Broesder 1 1 0-0 5, LeBoutillier 3 0 0-0 6, Rozeboom 1 0 0-2 2.Team statisticsH-BC: 30 of 71 field goals (42 percent), seven of 15 free throws (47 percent), 42 rebounds, 11 turnovers.SSC: 21 of 48 field goals (44 percent), five of 16 free throws (31 percent), 30 rebounds, 21 turnovers.

By John RittenhouseApplying pressure defense and hitting shots from long range carried the Hills-Beaver Creek girls basketball team to a 54-43 win over Russell-Tyler-Ruthton in Hills Monday.H-BC’s relentless defense forced R-T-R to cough up the ball 20 times in the game. A couple of the turnovers led to some of the seven three-point shots made by the home team.In the end, it was a combination of tough defense and sharp shooting that gave the Patriots their 12th win of the campaign.R-T-R scored the first three points of the game before H-BC put together a 9-0 run capped by a field goal from Cassi Tilstra at the 3:00 mark of the first quarter to give the hosts a six-point (9-3) cushion.The Knights trimmed the difference to five points (12-7) by the end of the first quarter and trailed 12-10 in the second period before H-BC’s Brittney Rozeboom drained a three-point shot during a 5-2 spurt to leave the Patriots with a 17-12 lead with 2:37 left in the first half.R-T-R closed the gap to three points (20-17) at halftime and trailed by one (20-19) early in the third quarter, but the Patriots countered with a 20-6 run that ended with Chelsi Fink hitting a three at the 1:06 mark of the third period to give the Patriots a 40-25 advantage.H-BC extended its lead to 18 points (48-30) when Stacy Bush hit a shot from three-point land with 6:09 remaining in the fourth quarter.The Knights, however, scored the next 10 points to trail 48-40 with less than three minutes left to play. H-BC thwarted R-T-R’s challenge by outscoring the Knights 6-3 the rest of the way to win by 11.Cassi Tilstra led the Patriots with 15 points and eight assists in the contest. Kerri Fransman contributed eight rebounds and three steals to the winning cause. Kelly Mulder added eight rebounds.Box scoreRozeboom 2 1 0-0 7, Fransman 0 3 0-0 9, Bush 2 1 2-4 9, Feucht 2 0 3-4 7, Fink 1 1 0-0 5, Tilstra 5 1 2-2 15, Koozenboom 0 0 0-0 0, Mulder 1 0 0-0 2.Team statisticsH-BC: 20 of 55 field goals (36 percent), seven of 10 free throws (70 percent), 30 rebounds, 13 turnovers.R-T-R: 16 of 48 field goals (33 percent), five of 18 free throws (28 percent), 29 rebounds, 20 turnovers.

I believe animals can develop personalities, especially when people take the time to notice.My husband and I acquired our furry friends while in college so we had plenty of time to devote to our new housemates.Consequently, they developed big personalities and pretty much run our lives. They determine when we get up in the morning and when we go to the store. We can live for days on noodles and bread, but we get to the store as soon as the cat food is gone.Our cats are city kitties, raised mostly in apartments with little to no contact with other animals.This upbringing has made their adjustment to rural life in Hills a bit tricky. They are scared of tractors on the road, trucks on the highway and Asian lady beetles, and they hate having stray cats in their yard. They have never seen a mouse, let alone have any idea how to catch one that is not made of plastic.Bottom line – they are spoiled and we adore them.This spring neighbors will see us chasing them around the yard, laughing as they climb a tree and calling for them if they have not returned home before the sun goes down. So I figure I should introduce my kitties before spring comes. That way if you spot one of them in your yard, you will understand how loved and pampered it is before you spray it with a hose.Magic is a wise calico princess with plenty of attitudeShe was acquired when a friend found a litter of kitties in their apartment’s parking lot.She was the runt and remains very petite. Nobody wanted her because she would sit in the corner and make terrible noises, but I could see something in her, something special.Eventually she allowed David and me to pet her and occasionally she shows us some affection. She rarely allows other people to touch her but will give an abundance of hugs to any near-by leg.She is the hunter of the bunch, fast and fearless, although the tractors do cause her to take cover in a nearby bush.Merlin – my tubby white boyAs we were shopping in a giant retail pet store about a year after Magic decided she would tolerate us as owners, we wandered into the cat adoption area.A little white cotton ball of a cat with bright blue eyes caught my attention. He was so precious and cried when I made eye contact.After I pulled him from his cage, he purred and nuzzled in my hair. I wrote a check for the adoption fee and took him home.He grew quickly in all directions. He is scared of everything, whether it is a piece of a newspaper or a person. He will attack anything that is out of place.Taking care of two cats meant twice as much food, litter, treats and twice as much cat hair. We were done with cats. Two was the limit. Until …Figaro – my little angelWhen I spotted his fuzzy white nose sticking out of the cage at the adoption center, I instantly knew I would not be leaving without him.I had long ago sworn off even walking by the adoption area of the pet store, as we already had our hands full with two cats. On this day I just walked by and couldn’t resist this little face with super long whiskers and he was crying. Literally he was crying. This cat needed us. The cats at home were not very excited about having a new brother, in fact I think after six years they still fight the idea. But he wedged his way into our world. Soon he made himself a permanent fixture in our bed, once Merlin’s spot.He is by far the most vocal and was long ago voted kitty ambassador for the Moore family. He makes up where Merlin and Magic lack in social skills.So, until the Moore family acquires a goat, these three cats will get as much attention as we have time to give.Our cats entertain us and help keep us healthy. "Current research has demonstrated that pets in general can provide many physical and psychological benefits. Cats decrease blood pressure and can even lower cholesterol. They can also reduce the mortality rate related to heart disease. Cat ownership can lead to fewer office visits to the doctor and a significant reduction in minor health problems."I admit that I am a cat lady. Whether or not I am crazy has yet to be determined. I like to think that I am just a friend of the animals

10 years ago (1995)"Hills-Beaver Creek’s One-Act Play cast and crew won top honors at the Sub-Section 2 competition last week. "This week, they will vie for the Section 3A crown. Members of the cast were Austin Cragoe, Andy Anderson, Beth Jansma, Jeff Ebert, Alicia Sandager and Laressa Sandstede, Director Kay Dahlquist, Wade Blomgren, Matt Ebert, Corey Nuffer, Samantha Vahey and Jamie Nuffer." 25 years ago (1980)"The results of the telephone survey in regard to holding our pre-school sessions at the Blue Mound Cooperative Center instead of at the Steen Reformed Church as we have done for the past two years are as follows:"Of the 36 possible parents canvassed, 24 did not mind or oppose driving to Luverne for classes. Seven opposed the Luverne location. Two parents said they would not attend the sessions. Two said they though they would wait to attend with their youngster next year. One of the parents moved out of the district and one is undecided whether they’ll attend or not."50 years ago (1955)"Work was started this week in the complete remodeling of the Christian Reformed Church basement. New floors, ceilings, rest rooms and other improvements are planned, along with a fine kitchen."75 years ago (1930)"Next Sunday is the national ski tournament at Canton, S.D. If you do not go, take your skis, sleds, toboggans or even barrel staves to Halls hill next Sunday afternoon and have a sliding tournament of your own. You will not be the only one there."100 years ago (1905)"Some of our people, especially the farmers, are kicking about taxes being high; but over across the line in Minnehaha county, South Dakota, the taxes on a quarter section run from $60 to $80."

Ione Luella DeHaan, 85, Hills, died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.Services were Monday, Jan. 31, at Apostolic Christian Church in Lester, Iowa. Burial was in the church cemetery. Ione Moser was born to John and Rose (Kellenberger) Moser on May 14, 1919, in rural Larchwood, Iowa. She attended Larchwood Country School #2.She married John DeHaan in Dakota City, Neb. During the first year of their marriage they lived in Battle Creek, Mich., and Louisville, Ky. After World War II they farmed west of Hills for six years before moving to an acreage near Hills where she lived for 44 years. She worked at the C&E Café in Hills for many years. Mr. DeHaan died June 5, 1994. She moved to an apartment in Hills and then to Tuff Memorial Home in Hills in January 2003. Mrs. DeHaan was a member of the Apostolic Christian Church of Lester. She loved sewing and was well known as a talented seamstress. She also enjoyed crocheting, quilting and fine needlework, leaving a legacy of memories for her family. Survivors include four children, Susan (Arlyn) Van Der Wolde, Shirlee DeHaan, all of Sioux Falls, S.D., Sharon (Ernie) Gerber, Danville, Ind., and Tim (Lois) DeHaan, Hills; 16 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; two brothers, Leo (Leona) Moser and Franklin (Verna) Moser; and six sisters, Mariann (Elmer) Metzger, Betty (Paul) Leuthold, Estelle Leuthold, Evelyn (Roy) Metzger, Donna (John) Gerber and Janet Wysong.Mrs. DeHaan was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, John DeHaan, four brothers, three brothers-in-law and one sister-in-law. Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.

Rosemary Joyce Dahlquist, 79, Sioux Falls, S.D., died Friday, Jan. 28, 2005, at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. Services were Tuesday, Feb. 1, at Augustana Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls. Burial was in Rosehill Cemetery, Parker, S.D.Rosemary Benson was born to Oscar Sr. and Nellie Mae (Bemelman) Benson, on Aug. 31, 1925, in Parker. As a child she moved to many small towns with her parents. She graduated from Rock Valley High School in Rock Valley, Iowa. As a child she began a love of the violin which she played throughout her life. She moved to Sioux Falls where she attended Sioux Falls College. She married Robert Dahlquist on Oct. 13, 1945, in Sioux Falls. The couple lived in Sioux Falls. She played the violin in the South Dakota Symphony for five years and worked as a clerk at Family Drug. She was a textbook librarian at Lincoln High School until she retired in 1982. Mrs. Dahlquist was an active member of Augustana Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls, the Women of the Moose and the PTA as past president of Garfield and Edison. She enjoyed traveling, shopping, going to romantic movies and cooking, specializing in cakes, cookies and pies. Survivors include her husband, Robert Dahlquist; three sons, Terry (Kay) Dahlquist, Sioux City, Iowa, and (Kay) Dahlquist, Hills, and Mark (Lori) Dahlquist, Sioux Falls; one daughter, Diane (Earl) Williams, Lennox, S.D.; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two brothers, Dean (Ruth) Benson, Washington, and Oscar Jr. (Marcia) Benson, Sheldon, Iowa; and a host of other relatives and friends. Mrs. Dahlquist was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Lyle Benson. Memories may be shared with the family at www.millerfh.comMiller Funeral Home, Sioux Falls, was in charge of arrangements.