Skip to main content

On second thought

It’s not rocket science:Good parents turn off TV and pick up a bookMost days, I’m a pretty good mom.I adhere to a regular bedtime routine, I’m a stickler for balanced meals (I bribe my 3-year-old with dessert to get him to eat his vegetables) and my 8-year-old son isn’t embarrassed yet to hug me in public.In fact the best compliment anyone can give me is to say, "Lori, you’re such a good mom."I’m not alone feeling this way.Most all parents will do anything for their kids, and they love their kids more than anything in the world.Unfortunately, love, vegetables and a bedtime routine aren’t enough, according to child development expert Hilary Stecklein.I and a roomful of other conscientious parents were a bit humbled by her presentation, "How to Build a Better Brain," Tuesday in the Luverne Elementary School commons.We learned that despite our best efforts at stellar parenting, we often fall short and let the TV mind the children.Stecklein said TV and other media (computers, video games, etc.) aren’t necessarily bad. They’re only bad if parents allow them to be.In essence, she said, too much screen time (anything more than two hours per day) causes brain damage — especially for developing children.It’s partly due to bad messages and stimulation overload, but it’s mostly due to the fact that when children are watching TV, they’re not doing other positive things that promote healthy brain development.For example, they’re not playing creatively, they’re not socializing, they’re not getting physical exercise and they’re absorbing all kinds of negative messages about violence, body image, etc.Stecklein empathized with parents, but encouraged us all to try harder.She said the sad truth in most homes is that many days we and the kids come home tired, hungry and — consequently grumpy. It seems the best fix at those times is to turn on the TV and decompress.The problem, though, is that it often never gets turned off.Her No. 1 challenge Tuesday night was to at least turn off the TV at meal time and have everyone sit down and eat together — to actually speak to one another, face to face, without media competing for attention.Her other equally important challenge is to read to our children."The message you’re sending them," she said, "is that nothing in the universe is more important than this moment."Stecklein, a pediatrician, points to an abundance of scientific research that says too much media decreases children’s success in life, and that reading to them — even if it’s only 20 minutes a day — markedly improves their chances at success in life.It’s really not rocket science.Common sense would dictate that a little one-on-one with a book is better for kids than TV is.But common sense for tired families requires a little effort, and that, Stecklein said, is the challenge, even for the best parents.

Guest Column

(The following was written in 1984 after my attendance at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics. Prior to each Olympiad, the world prays the Olympic spirit will prevail and remain until the final medal is awarded. This month's Olympics (2004) is a more dangerous and complicated celebration, but could the following be apropos today?) A solitary runner brought the 90,000 spectators to their feet, section by section, as he laboriously circled the oval Coliseum track. The gold medal in this distance race would be claimed nearly 30 minutes earlier and when this lone Olympian crossed the finish line, the billion or so people from around the world witnessing the Games would never see him make it there.But in the Los Angeles Coliseum that warm evening, the entire crowd, a cross section of the world's cultures, stood and cheered a long-distance runner from an obscure country whose name no one will ever recall. The chills I experienced at that moment came from awareness that I was witnessing a charitable, Olympian effort by us in the audience.To cheer passionately for an unknown competitor who is laps behind the rest of the field — that, I thought, is what the ancient Greeks had in mind for these games. And if they didn't, they should have!I believe the Olympics hold high esteem because we envision such great potential for them. We see there is a remote possibility they could actually bring nations closer together, not just the athletes who participate. This belief is born from our experience of witnessing at these games (and other venues) sensibility override people's differences.That dream faded slightly with the recent boycotts by two superpowers. How can we accomplish unity if everyone isn't at the unity meeting? Fortunately, all involved in '84 were able to overlook Olympic demons and salvage some unity among the 140 nations.As I left the Coliseum after the final day's events, I couldn't help but wonder why, if Christmas truces are called in war and differences forgotten for 16 Olympic days, twice every four years, why isn't it possible to put down our arms forever? It's a shame on all of us.Now that the games are over, the next four years will be turned over to their opponents. Back in the news will be drug-related stories, the hypocrisy of allowing East-bloc professionals to compete against our amateurs, and the hypocrisy of claiming our athletes are amateurs when we know different!Despite the pains, there is a glimmer of hope that the Olympics is striving to overcome its adversities. In our modern world there are few such obvious opportunities to enrich the human race.The athletes have proved it can be done, however, if only on a smaller scale. At Mexico City in 1968, athletes were directed to watch the closing ceremonies of the XIX Olympiad from the stands. But they felt an urge to celebrate the events as one, and soon participants from all the nations were climbing over the protective barriers to join hands on the field. This was a first, but not a last show of emotion as we so vividly witnessed in the mutual celebration at this year's closing ceremonies. We can only hope the lesson does not go unnoticed.

Letters from the farm

The mayor of Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, hopes to throw a wet blanket on your vacation plans. That’s especially true if you fantasize about traveling to his city and gawking at newly washed laundry hanging from outdoor clotheslines. According to Reuters, "The unseemly sight of underwear flapping in the breeze along narrow streets of the medieval city will be punishable with a 50 Cyprus pound ($96) fine as of October 1." Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but apparently not in Nicosia, where it carries a price. The mayor, who hopes to clean up the city’s image for visitors, told Cyprus radio, "Imagine walking along a road and having wet washing drip all over you...from someone else’s underwear." He added that washing wardens will also prevent city residents from beating carpets and rugs on their balconies and throwing laundry water into the streets. The announcement is unfortunate news for travel agents who might have been busy during the past year, developing winter vacation packages centered around the theme, "Nicosia – – Real people, real lives." The new travel plans, if they exist, are intended to placate tourists who become eventually bored with thousand-year-old cities. They want something more than the 1570 Famagusta Gate, the Presidential Palace and the Cyprus Archaeological Museum have to offer. The most promising tour package was The Underwear Tour, and it understandably was for adults only. "If you can’t see enough long underwear, thongs or high rise briefs in your own neighborhood, this is the tour for you! You will be fascinated with the fast-drying characteristics of silks and synthetics. Members of your tour group will not only languish in a lovely landscape of lingerie, but you also gain a new appreciation of how quickly undergarments can dry under the hot Cyprus sun. A shortened, light-hearted version of the tour is also available and it’s appropriately called, The Briefs." The On the Beaten Path Tour might also have been popular with tourists of all ages. "Watch in amazement as rugs and carpets of every imaginable size and color are dragged from homes and artfully draped over fences, clotheslines and balcony railings. Be prepared for the thrill of a lifetime as homeowners, equipped only with wire rug beaters or sticks, pound upon those carpets and rugs for all they’re worth. Experience second-hand what it must be like to have your sweat-covered face and body bake in the sweltering Cyprus sun as you take out all of your pent-up aggressions on a four-by-six wool rug. " No boats would be required for The Nicosia Underwater Tour. "This exciting tour simply involves walking up and down the side streets and alleys of the ancient city and playfully dodging washbasins, pails and tubs of water unexpectedly thrown from balconies high above you. Immerse yourself in this primitive version of a water park as you try to sidestep additional wash water tossed from open windows and doorways. The surprise drenchings of this tour will make the wet t-shirt contests back home pale by comparison. " Given what these three tourist packages might have offered – – glimpses of everyday life on a Mediterranean island – – the mayor’s plan is definitely a washout.

To the Editor:

I would like to expand on the photo caption under the picture of the Luverne 92 Lions women packing school bags in the Aug. 19 Star Herald.Each fall the Luverne 92 Lions women get a referral list from Rock County Family Services, school personnel or other professional agencies in our area that know of a family who might need help with school supplies. The list we receive consists of a group of children who are numbered with their grade and gender. Only the referral agencies know the names of the children. We then secure a list from the school as to what supplies are needed for each grade and the committee then goes power shopping watching the sales from the various businesses taking advantage of all of the sales that we can find. We also take advantage of clearance sales out of season and pick up some things for a very reasonable price. We try to complete each child’s list for school supplies as fully as we can and try to get a backpack for each child to start the new school year. This year our list consisted of 55 children from preschool through the 12th grade not only in Luverne but all of Rock County. After we are done purchasing our supplies and assembling the backpacks they are brought back to the Agency that referred the students and distributed from there. The value of the backpacks are $50 to $60 — the average cost if a parent went shopping for school supplies, did not access any sales and bought brand-name products. What we spend is actually much less with the same results and the same amount of supplies. We are a small Lions club of 32 members and we try to do the most with what we have in making sure Rock County children have what they need to start school. Dianna TomlinsonPresident, Luverne 92 Lions

Steen qualifies for national tournament

By John RittenhouseThe Steen fast-pitch softball team earned the right to play at an all-new level after participating at a weekend tournament in Sioux Falls.Steen, a member of the Border League, went 3-0 to win the American Softball Association’s Class C Regional Tournament Saturday and Sunday.By winning the event, Steen will advance to ASA’s Class C National Tournament in Hastings, Neb., Sept. 1-6.The 2004 Steen squad will be the town’s first team to compete at a national level."We didn’t think we would make it that far," admitted Steen player-manager, Myron Sandbulte. "We’ve been playing quite a bit of ball recently."Steen earned the right to compete at the region tournament by tying for fifth place at the Minnesota State Class C Tournament in Mankato two weeks ago.Teams that finish eighth or better at the state attraction advance to the national tournament.Steen breezed through the region field by outscoring its opponents 22-3 in three games.After receiving a first-round bye, Steen topped Geneva 5-1 in the tournament’s second round before earning a berth in the championship series by topping Young’s, Watertown, S.D., in the semifinals.Young’s emerged out of the loser’s bracket to face Steen for the region championship, and Steen rolled to a 12-0 win to take the title.Sandbulte said the Steen squad has a 9-5 Border League record this season, and is playing .500 ball in tournaments this season.Other team members include Nathan, Dale, Brian and Craig Sandbulte, Randy and Dean Baker, David Top, Justin Van Maanen, Clint Roozenboom, Cory Meinerts and Lyle DeBoer. Adam Huisman played for Steen during the regional tournament.

Doubles teams lead LHS at tennis debut

By John RittenhouseTwo doubles teams provided the highlights at the 2004 debut for the Luverne High School tennis team.The Cardinals made their annual appearance at the Worthington Invitational to open the season Tuesday.Luverne’s No. 1 and No. 4 doubles teams posted three wins each against squads representing Worthington, Pipestone and Martin County West High Schools."We had a very encouraging day," said Cardinal coach Greg Antoine. "We beat some girls who I didn’t think we would be able to beat. I thought our girls were very aggressive, and that’s what you need to be in tennis. You need to force the issue."Coasting through the No. 1 doubles field for LHS were Brittany Boeve and Andraya Gacke. They handed Worthington’s Sam Tate and JoAnn Loosbrock a pair of 5-2 setbacks, topped Pipestone’s Lauren Jones and Tracy Eerne by 5-1 and 5-0 scores, and notched 5-1 and 5-2 wins over MCW’s Melanie Schweiss and Jessica Dreesen.Robin Madtson and Amy Herman posted three straight wins at No. 4 doubles. They saddled Worthington’s Kelsey Toso and Meghan Knigge with 5-2 and 5-1 losses, they handed Pipestone’s Heather Manderscheid and Amy Keller a pair of 5-3 setbacks, and posted 5-3 and 5-1 wins against MCW’s Kristie Gaalswyk and Ashley Hansen.Luverne’s Samantha Gacke, Alyssa Klein and Nikki Van Dyk, and the No. 2 and No. 3 doubles teams placed second with 2-1 records.Playing at No. 1 singles, Gacke blanked Worthington’s Megan Ahlquist in a pair of 5-0 sets before besting Pipestone’s Tory Hess by 6-4 and 6-1 counts. MCW’s Megan Biehm topped Gacke by 5-1 and 5-3 scores.Klein handed Worthington’s Shelly Morrow 5-2 and 5-1 losses at No. 1 singles before beating Pipestone’s Abby Brady by 5-2 and 5-3 scores. MCW’s Cailey Grupe bested Klein by 6-4 and 5-1 scores in the final match.Van Dyk, playing at No. 3 singles, beat Worthington’s Kassi Buysman 1-5, 6-5 (7-3 in the tie-breaker) before winning 7-1 in the tiebreaker played for the third set. Van Dyk saddled Pipestone’s Christy Cunningham with a pair of 5-3 setbacks before losing 5-1 and 5-3 sets to MCW’s Stephanie Biehn.Luverne’s Heidi Sandbulte and Jessica Klein placed second at No. 2 doubles, as did the No. 3 team of Lindsey Severtson and Katie Kraetsch.Sandbulte and Klein notched a 5-3, 2-5, 7-4 win over Worthington’s Jessica Loosbrock and Raquel Leinen before falling by a 2-5, 5-3, 3-7 tally to Pipestone’s Britt Sendelbach and Allison Zollner in the second round. The Luverne team bounced back to beat MCW’s Shannon McConnell and Krista Weiss by 5-1 scores in the third match.Severtson and Kraetsch beat Worthington’s Leah McCuen and Janne Morrow by 5-2 and 5-3 scores before falling to Pipestone’s Carolyn Cooper and Tonya Rudie by 5-2 scores in the second round. The LHS squad topped MCW’s Emily Schleuk and Jenna Kuehl by 5-1 scores in the finale.Luverne’s Kaitlyn Deragisch went 1-2 and placed third at fourth singles."This is a nice tournament to see where you are at after the first week of practice," Antoine said. "You can see where your strengths and weaknesses are and find out where you need to go from here."Luverne, which played in a doubles tournament in St. James Wednesday, Aug. 25, plays at a tournament in Fairmont Friday. The Cards play Yellow Medicine East at noon Monday in Pipestone before hosting Sioux Falls Lincoln at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Serie coasts to fifth club championship

By John RittenhouseA scene on the tee box on the Luverne Country Club’s eighth hole speaks volumes about Dan Serie’s state of mind Sunday.While the other three members of the final foursome of the championship flight were preparing to take their next shots, Serie was busy doing something else.Spotting his children (Ben and Carly Serie, who were standing nearby with their mother, Christal), Serie quickly stepped off the tee box and waived excitingly to the kids. Prompted by Christal, the kids waved back at their dad with equal enthusiasm.With a five-shot advantage and two holes left to play in the Men’s Club Tournament, Serie could afford to be carefree at that point. He was poised and comfortable beyond his own belief, and that’s the way he played while winning his second consecutive club championship."I was very comfortable," Serie admitted, after accepting his fifth men’s club championship trophy since 1991. "Ben and Carly were out watching the last two holes. I was excited to see them, and they were excited that I finished in first place."Being comfortable on a golf course can turn an average player into a good player. In Serie’s case, who played with an apparent sense of confidence for 18 holes on Sunday, being comfortable turns a very good player into an unbeatable one.Trailing by one shot after 18 holes of play on Saturday, Serie played a near mistake-free couple of rounds while shooting a two-over-par 74 on Sunday. He assumed control of the championship flight by carding a 37 and opening a five-shot lead during his first round on Sunday, and recorded another 37 during the final round to win his fifth club tournament (1991, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2004) title."On the front side (Sunday’s first round), I played as solid as I could have," he said. "I hit seven greens in regulation, and made par eight times. For the day I made 14 pars, bogeyed three holes and made one birdie. I just felt really comfortable out there, and was fortunate to play pretty well."Serie’s play on Sunday turned what was a competitive championship flight on Saturday into a convincing win on the final day of play.With nine of the 13 players in the flight separated by five shots after 18 holes of play, the championship appeared to be up for grabs.Mike Haakenson set the pace during Saturday’s opening round by shooting a 37. Serie and Chris Nowatzki, Victor Van Dyk and Steve Smedsrud carded 38s to trail the leader by one shot. Joe Dorhout was two shots back after shooting a 39, and Gary Golla trailed by three shots after posting a 40.Dorhout made some noise during Saturday’s second round by shooting a par-36 to finish the day as the flight leader with a total of 75 strokes.Serie and Nowatzki, who matched their first-round scores by carding 38s, finished one shot behind Dorhout with 76s. Van Dyk carded a 39 to complete a 77-stroke day, which left him two strokes off the pace.Haakenson trailed by four shots after shooting a 42 during the second round for a 79 total. Tim Connell, Dick Iveland, George McDonald and Steve Smedsrud all shot 80s to trail the leader by five strokes.Serie’s strategy for Sunday was to make par as many times as possible. His plan of attack wasn’t invincible, but it worked because of his long drives and accurate approach shots."I was hitting my driver and irons as well as I have all year, but my putting was the worst it’s been all year. I was putting for birdie 13 or 14 times, and I made one. The good thing was I had a lot of tap-in putts," he said.A series of making par, combined with misfortune of his contenders, turned the tide in Serie’s favor on Sunday.Serie made par eight consecutive times before taking a bogey on the final hole of the round to finish with a 37.After making a pair of birdies to start the third round, Nowatzki ran into trouble as the loop progressed. He finished the round with a 42, and found himself five strokes behind Serie in second place.Dorhout’s luck changed dramatically. After taking a one-shot lead into play on Sunday, he turned in a 44 to fall six shots off the pace along with McDonald, who shot a 39 during the opening round.Iveland and Darwin Elbers were seven shots off the pace when Sunday’s first round was complete. They slipped past Van Dyk, who shot a 44 to trail Serie by eight shots.The way things played out, Serie never led by less than five strokes during the final round.Nowatzki had a chance to trim the lead on the 28th hole of the tournament when he reached the green with two shots, but he ended up needing three putts to complete the par-4 hole. Serie overcame an errant tee shot to make par, giving him a six-shot lead over Nowatzki and Dorhout, who also made par.Nowatzki did make par on the par-3 30th hole to trim the difference to five shots when Serie bogeyed the same hole, but the players proceeded to match scores over the next four holes.Then came the par-5 35th hole, where Serie put an exclamation point on his title run. After exchanging waves with his children, Serie blasted a long drive that was followed by an iron shot that came to rest right in front of the green. Serie then lifted a chip that came to rest four feet away from the hole, where he calmly sank his first birdie putt of the day.Nowatzki bogeyed the same hole, falling seven strokes off the pace.Both Serie and Nowatzki made par on the 36th hole.Although he pulled away from them in the end, Serie said Nowatzki and Dorhout earned his respect for their play in the final foursome on Sunday."Chris got off to a great start by going birdie-birdie on the front nine. Then he had a couple of bad swings late in the round, and a couple of bad swings on this course can get your mind going in the wrong direction. Joe played really well on Saturday, but he struggled on the front nine on Sunday. In Joe and Chris, you have two of the club’s best players who have not won championships, but they deserve to," Serie said.Although it was Dorhout and Nowatzki pushing Serie in the final group, past champions Iveland and Connell played their way into the top-four finishers in the championship flight.Iveland shot a 76 on Sunday, finishing six strokes behind Serie in second place. Connell turned in a 77 on Sunday, sharing third place with Nowatzki.Here is a look at all of the final scores produced by the players in the championship flight of the Men’s Club Tournament.Serie 38-38-37-37-150, Iveland 42-38-40-36-156, Nowatzki 38-38-42-39-157, Connell 41-39-40-37-157, Dorhout 39-36-44-39-158, Darwin Elbers 41-42-37-39-159, Golla 40-42-40-38-160, Smedsrud 38-42-40-41-161, McDonald 41-39-39-42-161, Van Dyk 38-39-44-45-166, Haakenson 37-42-47-43-169, Corey Nelson 41-43-41-44-169, Micky Sehr 41-43-44-42-170.

H-BC staff prepares for start of school year

By Jolene FarleyStaff members in the Hills-Beaver Creek district are busy preparing for classes to start Wednesday, Sept. 1. Kindergarten teacher Shelly Fischer began working in her classroom the second week of August.This week, she continues to prepare for the arrival of her 16 students. Before the school year officially starts, she designs bulletin boards, makes copies and nametags for her new students.Staff workshops are planned for Monday and Tuesday of next week. At the workshops, teachers get reacquainted with each other after the summer, set goals for the year, review information from the state, and sometimes listen to speakers. Each building has separate staff meetings before students arrive. Fischer contacts each of her students before school starts. "I send a letter in the mail — a welcoming letter," she said. An open house Monday, Aug. 30, at the elementary and high school are a good start to the school year, according to Fischer. "I think that’s a great way to communicate with parents," she said.It’s also a way to relieve some anxiety students have about attending school for the first time.Hills-Beaver Creek District encourages the public to attend the open house from 6 to 8 p.m. at the elementary school and from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the high school."This is a great opportunity to meet the staff, drop off the school forms from student packets and to pay for any fee or lunch account," Superintendent Dave Deragisch writes in the school newsletter. Fischer has some suggestions to prepare students for the new school year:oEstablish a routine such as an earlier bedtime in the days before school starts. oMake sure children eat breakfast before school each day. Fischer finds that students can’t concentrate on anything but lunch if they skip breakfast.oGo over family schedules so students know when and where to go after school, what bus to ride or what day care to walk to. oFischer also suggests reviewing reading and math skills with children before they start back to school.

School board takes tour of buildings

By Jolene FarleyThe Hills-Beaver Creek School Board and administration walked through the elementary school in Beaver Creek and the high school in Hills Monday for an annual inspection. Issues at the elementary building were a leaky roof and correcting a tripping hazard by one of the doors.At the high school, Superintendent Dave Deragisch pointed out some ripples that have appeared in the wood floors in some of the classrooms. He also pointed out some joints that opened up in the new locker room addition. The construction has a year warranty that should cover correcting the problem.Water pressure is still an issue in the addition, but Deragisch has withheld partial payment to the parties involved. If a pump to increase water pressure isn’t installed by the year cutoff, the district will use that money to hire someone else to do the job, according to Deragisch.In other board business:oThe board scheduled a finance committee meeting to discuss the operating levy and possibly refinancing the district’s current bond. Deragisch wants to present recommendations from the finance committee to the full board at the next meeting Monday, Sept. 13.The current levy expires next year, according to Deragisch. "We need more money for cash flow purposes," Deragisch said. "To pay the bills one month to the next is tough." oThe board approved hiring Wade Jellema as part-time cross country coach for $400 for the cross country season.With 30 athletes out for the sport this year, head coach Tom Goehle asked for extra help. With runners at different skill levels, the athletes can be spread out while practicing, making only one coach a safety issue.There are times when Goehle attends meets with more experienced runners and less experienced athletes stay behind. "It’s a time when Tom feels his younger, less experienced runners would be out in the cold," Deragisch said. "You have to give Mr. Goehle credit; he’s built this up from close to nothing," board member Gary Esselink said. oDeragisch is interviewing for the head cook position. "I’ve been very pleased with not only the number of applicants but the quality of applicants," he said. oThe board awarded the fuel oil and propane bids to Popkes Oil, Rock Rapids, Iowa, after Deragisch clarified the bid the company submitted for the last meeting. Popkes Oil bid $.949 for LP and $1.199 for #2 heating oil up to 40,000 gallons."I’m very comfortable awarding the bid to Popkes," Deragisch said.

Steen team sweeps tournament

By John RittenhouseThe Steen fast-pitch softball team earned the right to play at an all-new level after participating at a weekend tournament in Sioux Falls.Steen, a member of the Border League, went 3-0 to win the American Softball Association’s Class C Regional Tournament Saturday and Sunday.By winning the event, Steen will advance to ASA’s Class C National Tournament in Hastings, Neb., Sept. 1-6.The 2004 Steen squad will be the town’s first team to compete at a national level."We didn’t think we would make it that far," admitted Steen player-manager, Myron Sandbulte. "We’ve been playing quite a bit of ball recently."Steen earned the right to compete at the region tournament by tying for fifth place at the Minnesota State Class C Tournament in Mankato two weeks ago.Teams that finish eighth or better at the state attraction advance to the national tournament.Steen breezed through the region field by outscoring its opponents 22-3 in three games.After receiving a first-round bye, Steen topped Geneva 5-1 in the tournament’s second round before earning a berth in the championship series by topping Young’s, Watertown, S.D., in the semifinals.Young’s emerged out of the loser’s bracket to face Steen for the region championship, and Steen rolled to a 12-0 win to take the title.Sandbulte said the Steen squad has a 9-5 Border League record this season, and is playing .500 ball in tournaments this season.Other team members include Nathan, Dale, Brian and Craig Sandbulte, Randy and Dean Baker, David Top, Justin Van Maanen, Clint Roozenboom, Cory Meinerts and Lyle DeBoer. Adam Huisman played for Steen during the regional tournament.

Subscribe to

You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.