Loretta Boysen, 91, Hills, died Friday, Aug. 13, 2004, at the Hospice Cottage in Luverne. Services were Tuesday, Aug. 17, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. The Rev. Lowell Berg officiated. Burial was in the church cemetery. Loretta Irma Johnson was born on March 17, 1913, in Naples, S.D. She grew up in that area and graduated from high school in Vienna, S.D. She married Albert Borden in 1936 and later divorced in 1942. For several years she lived in Sioux Falls, S.D., where she worked for Manchester Biscuit Co. She married Perry Boysen in 1948 in Sioux Falls. They lived in Hills while Perry farmed near Steen. Mr. Boysen died on March 17, 1970. She entered Luverne Community Hospital on Wednesday, July 28. She moved to the Luverne Hospice Cottage on Friday, Aug. 13, where she died that evening. Mrs. Boysen was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills. She enjoyed taking part in the church Ladies Aid and circles. Se was also a member of an extension club for many years and was active in Hills Senior Citizens. Her favorite hobby was sewing, until she had to discontinue due to failing eyesight. She sewed many quilts that she enjoyed giving to others. Survivors include one son, Allan (Cheryll) Boysen, Sioux Falls; one daughter, Lorraine (Charles) Draper, Pipestone; three grandsons, Brian Draper, Inver Grove Heights, John (Theresa) Draper, Pipestone, and Michael (Kelli) Draper, Brooklyn Park; one great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Draper, Pipestone; one sister, Norma Christopherson, Canton, S.D., and two sisters-in-law, Eunice and Lily Johnson, both of Watertown, S.D.Mrs. Boysen was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Perry Boysen, five brothers, Alvin, Milo, Sylvester, Woodrow and Warren Johnson, and three sisters, Annette and Irene Johnson and Bernice Flora.A tree will be planted in memory of Loretta Boysen by the Luverne Hospice Cottage. Roste Funeral Home, Hills, was in charge of arrangements.

Goat races in Jasper this weekendYears ago, the Jasper Goat Races were a staple of the community’s summer. That tradition came to an end 25 years ago.Now it’s back.A new group of community activists have resurrected the tradition and the event will be this Saturday.Registration for the event will run from 10 a.m. to noon, with the race starting at 1 p.m.If you would like to participate, here are the rules.
Your goat must be healthy.
Goats can be coaxed to the finish line by their race team of one or two people, no leading or pushing.
Officials will walk behind with a sort board.
Goats must not be mistreated, which includes no shock collars, no stray paint to mark goats and no feeding the animals alcohol.There will be adult and children classes, with first, second and third place awarded in each class.Along with prizes for the race winners, prizes will also be given out for largest, funniest, longest horns, ugliest, smallest, prettiest, best dressed and most remote goat, whatever that means.If you would like to preregister, or need more information, contact Lois Westerbur at 507-348-7925.Wanted: Future HomeownersHabitat for Humanity is taking applications from families who would like to partner with Habitat for Humanity to become the 2005 homeowner.Applicants must live in Nobles, Pipestone or Rock County. One family will be chosen.Selection criteria include: current inadequate housing, inability to obtain housing by other conventional means, need based on income related to family size and the ability to pay a monthly mortgage payment.When the house is built, Southwestern Habitat for Humanity will sell the house to the partner family with a no-interest loan.The reduced cost of the house is due to financial contributions and volunteer labor provided by area churches, businesses, individuals and grants.The partner family is also expected to participate in the construction of the house, as well as pay $500 in closing costs.If you would like to request a 2005 Family Selection Application form from Southwestern Minnesota Habitat for Humanity, or if you would just like more information, contact them at 507-562-1001.Another I-90 project in Rock CountyTwo weeks ago I told you the state was planning some work on I-90 between Luverne and Beaver Creek.This week MNDOT informed us of a second Rock County I-90 project, this time between Adrian and Magnolia.The project will start on Aug. 10 for two days of work on bridge ends.On Aug. 24 work will begin on the eastbound lanes.About 6 miles of the eastbound lanes of I-90 will be milled and overlaid.In addition, four bridges between Adrian and the rest areas will have some repair work.The project was awarded to Buffalo Bituminous for $986,230.Roundwind Travel relocates to Sioux FallsRoundwind Travel, Luverne’s first travel agency, has decided to relocate to Sioux Falls.All About Travel, owner of Roundwind, plans to move the Luverne office, effective next Monday, Aug. 16.Roundwind Travel was started by the Berkley Corporation in 1975 and was sold to Eleanor Sargent in 1977.Sargent owned and managed the business until her retirement in 2000, when she sold the business to the All About Travel Agency in Sioux Falls.The move will leave Luverne with one local travel agency, Great Planes Travel, which opened on south Highway 75 on May 9, 1999.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

By Jolene FarleyAnyone interested in running for public office in Hills, Beaver Creek and Steen has from Tuesday, Aug. 24 to Tuesday, Sept. 7, to file. In Hills, the mayor and two council member terms expire. The mayor and council seats are four-year terms.Jim Jellema and Dana Dahlquist currently fill two of the seats, Jellema as mayor and Dahlquist as a council member. The third seat was vacated by Arlen Leenderts, who resigned June 30. The council will appoint someone to take Leenderts’ place until Dec. 31, 2004, when a newly-elected council member takes office. The city of Beaver Creek has one two-year term for mayor and two four-year terms for city council open. Al Blank, the current mayor, has reportedly already filed for the mayor seat. Carolyn DeBoer and Jeff Dysthe are the council members whose terms expire.Voters in Steen will elect a mayor and two council members in November. The mayor seat, currently held by Mel Van Batavia, is a two-year term and the council seats, currently held by Marlin Elbers and Rod Scholten, are four-year terms. Any person eligible for office in Hills may file at the city clerk’s office. Any person eligible for office in Beaver Creek or Steen may also file at the city clerk’s office in each town. A $2 filing fee will be charged.An application, signed by at least five voters, may also be filed on behalf of a qualified and eligible person. For questions about filing in Hills, call 962-3290. For questions about filing in Beaver Creek, call 673-2266. For questions about filing in Steen, call 855-2281.

By Jolene FarleyBeaver Creek farmer Spencer Sells was attending FarmFest in Redwood Falls when the storm hit Rock County last Tuesday. "We started hearing reports of a storm coming through," he said. When he called home, he was told the storm packed high winds and his corn was "about two feet off the ground."His first thought when he saw his fields was, "How are we going to harvest something laying that flat and how much did we lose?"All of Sells’ corn acres in Beaver Creek Township were damaged and the effect on yields will be unknown until after harvest. "The wind was so strong it’s surprising anything was still standing," he said.Since the storm, about 50 percent of Sells’ corn has recovered, but many of the ears are still close to the ground, and some corn was uprooted and would have to develop new root systems to thrive. The weather for the rest of the growing season and during harvest will determine how the crops recover, according to Sells. Another windstorm closer to harvest or wet weather could further damage the crops. "We don’t want any more weather to interfere with filling that kernel," he said.Sells’ corn had pollinated, otherwise his fields would have been a total loss because corn cannot pollinate lying close to the ground.Sells said he’d never seen anything like the damage this storm caused, but he feels fortunate that he didn’t lose any buildings. Farmers are scratching their heads wondering how to harvest the fields with tangled stalks, some stalks up, some stalks down. "They are going to be extremely hard to harvest," Sells said. "It’s probably going to be a lot of trial and error."

By Jolene FarleyThe Hills-Beaver Creek school board approved three hires and a resignation at a Monday meeting.Jennifer Madsen was approved for the 80-percent high school special education position at a salary of $26,120. Madsen is currently teaching in Vermillion, S.D. Angie Blosmo was approved for the part-time elementary gifted and talented position. Nicole Fey filled the position last year. Blosmo’s salary was set at $1,575 per year. Scott Harnack was approved for a 25 percent math position and a 25 percent computer position filled by Roger Jackson before his retirement. His salary was set at $18,218.Board member Steve Esselink ran the meeting after Alan Harnack abstained from the vote about Scott Harnack because of a conflict of interest. The district can ask for a variance to allow Harnack to teach classes after Aug. 1, according to Deragisch. Superintendent Dave Deragisch and Elementary Principal Todd Holthaus have taken on the remainder of Jackson’s duties. "That’s how we’re doing it now and we haven’t blown up the system yet," Deragisch said.The board regretfully accepted the resignation of head cook Brenda Hansel. Deragisch asked the assistant cooks if they would be interested in Hansel’s position and they declined so the job was advertised. In other business:
The board opened bids from three venders for propane and fuel oil. The issue was tabled until one of the bids was clarified. The board was uncertain if a minimum quantity of propane needed to be purchased for the listed price and the type of fuel oil wasn’t specifically identified. "I think we need to get this clarified," Deragisch said. "We need to compare apples to apples here."
The Truth in Taxation meeting for the district was set for Tuesday, Dec. 7.
Deragisch is hoping to organize an all-school reunion in June of 2006. The last time the district hosted such a large reunion was 1991.

By Jolene FarleyNew Vision Co-op in Beaver Creek continues cleanup after two elevators and a grain leg toppled during the storm last Tuesday. Crews were dismantling the elevators this week and management estimates the task will be complete in 10 days to two weeks. "Sight cleaning and harvest planning are our top priorities at New Vision," Western Area Supervisor Mick Thon said. No harvest policies will change due to the bin loss in Beaver Creek, according to Thon. "We’re still going to be able to handle all the grain," he said. New Vision is licensed for a certain amount of grain storage so any excess grain can be moved to a different location, according to ThonA 468,000 concrete silo has been under construction at the Hills facility this summer and is expected to be ready by harvest. New Vision officials haven’t decided if the elevators in Beaver Creek will be rebuilt yet. "That decision would be made by the main office," Thon said. New Vision officials in Worthington are working with insurance adjusters. The bin site was ruled a total loss. "When the insurance company comes up with an offer it will go before the board and general manager," Thon said.Management has solicited bids from contractors, but hasn’t received any estimates back yet, according to Thon. If the elevators were rebuilt, they wouldn’t be ready for this year’s harvest. Order delivery for materials is about two months out.

By Lori EhdeA large incoming class of kindergarten students has prompted concern about large classes, but administrators this week came up with a solution most are happy with.With 119 students, the previous five teachers would have had 23 to 24 students in each classroom, a number most educators say is too high for such young students.Adding a sixth teacher’s salary, however, at a time when the district is cutting its budget hasn’t been a popular option.A small crowd of parents and elementary teachers attended Tuesday’s meeting, prepared to urge the board to hire a sixth teacher.An announcement by Elementary Principal Stacy Gillette early in the meeting eliminated the need for those prepared statements.When she and the teachers took a closer look at the actual numbers attending this fall, they noticed a smaller-than-expected first grade.So, she announced Tuesday, that a first-grade teacher will be moved to kindergarten, bringing the kindergarten class sizes to a more manageable 19 to 20 students per classroom.There are 89 students in first grade, so the remaining four first-grade teachers will have 22 to 23 students per class, instead of 17 to 18 students.She said first-grade teachers receive help from Reading Recovery teachers, so that will offset the higher numbers in those classrooms.In recent months, some parents have requested the district offer the option of every-other day kindergarten or half-day kindergarten as a solution to the large class sizes.Gillette said that’s no longer a formal option."We’ve always made adjustments for parents who want to home school their children part time," Gillette said, "but I can’t guarantee what part of the curriculum they’re going to get, especially if they’re going every other day. There might be gaps."She said of 106 families questioned this summer about the part-time kindergarten option, six families were interested. In personnel matters, the board …
Accepted the resignation of Tracy Cornish, paraprofessional.
Accepted the resignation of Shelley Krueger, Early Childhood Family Education parent educator.
Hired Krueger as Early Childhood Special Needs teacher and Interagency Early Intervention Committee coordinator at a salary of $20,050.
Hired Tim Homan, middle school social studies teacher, head wrestling coach and ninth-grade football coach at a combined salary of $47,590.
Hired Lindsey Bonnett as EBD teacher at a salary of $28,643.
Hired Amy Anderson as English teacher and Fall Play director at a salary of $28,643.
Approved supervisory and confidential employees salaries (the Star Herald will follow-up on these next week).Budget cutsThe board approved the following budget cuts Tuesday:
a cheerleading advisor will be for football only (there hasn’t been interest in cheerleading for other sports lately, anyway).
middle school and high school classes need to have a minimum of 15 students for the class to be offered.
the district will provide busing for Minnesota State High School League activities only during the season.District Finance Officer Marlene Mann reported that these cuts, along with all others the board has made this year, plus staff resignations, puts the total budget cuts at a total of $342,000.The goal was to cut $350,000 to $375,000 to compensate for projected losses in state revenue in order to keep the district out of deficit spending.In other business:
The Aug. 3 storm ripped off part of the elementary school gymnasium roof. A temporary fix is in place, but it still has not been repaired. It’s unclear whether or not there will be long-term damage to the floor.
A steak fry from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 28, at the Eagles Club will benefit the Luverne School Foundation.
Approved University of Sioux Falls student teaching agreements for Jessica Christensen, who will student teach in Linda Gulden’s second-grade classroom, and for April Wessels, who will student teach in Pam Christensen’s third-grade classroom.
The board reviewed quotes for a wide-area mower with snow blower. Sun Turf, Sioux Falls, had the lowest price of $34,800.
The next School Board meeting is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26.
The first day of school is Wednesday, Sept. 1.

By Lori EhdeA Windom man faces multiple felony charges after allegedly rear-ending a motor home and fleeing the scene Friday night on Interstate 90 west of Luverne.According to the complaint filed Monday in Rock County District Court, authorities caught up with 32-year-old Abel Snell in Worthington.The accident happened at about 10:30 p.m. Friday in the eastbound lane of I-90 a few miles west of Luverne.It sent a 2004 model, 28-foot motor home into the median with a family of five from Lexington, Ken., all of whom were injured.Fourteen-year-old Steven Barnett was airlifted from the scene to Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls, with internal injuries, including a lacerated liver and injury to his lungs.His mother, 39-year-old Dayna Barnett, was taken by ambulance to Luverne Community Hospital and then airlifted to Sioux Falls with multiple broken bones, including a pelvic fracture and other internal injuries.She underwent surgery to stabilize her condition to transport to the Mayo Clinic, Rochester.Her husband, 40-year-old Mark Barnett refused treatment in Luverne for head and facial cuts, and their other two sons, Christopher, 12, and Michael, 16, were treated and released in Luverne.The motor home driver, Mark Barnett, told officers he was traveling eastbound in the right-hand lane with his cruise control set at 65 mph when the accident happened.He said the back of the motor home suddenly whipped to the right, and it entered the median and rolled.Barnett said he had not seen a vehicle coming up behind him prior to the impact.Snell was not injured and his 1998 GMC pickup received moderate front-end damage, including a length of plastic bug deflector that was later used specifically to tie him to the scene.According to the complaint, witnesses told state troopers they saw a white pickup or SUV leave the accident scene and head east.The Minnesota Highway Patrol alerted Worthington authorities to watch for the vehicle, and at about 11 p.m. city officers there reported they’d found the vehicle and were attempting to stop it.After returning to the interstate, this time westbound, Snell reportedly fled officers for 1 1/2 miles before stopping.Officers noted front-end damage on the pickup, and it was missing a piece of plastic bug deflector strip that later matched the one found at the accident scene.Snell was reportedly driving erratically and acting intoxicated, and officers recovered numerous containers of beer from his pickup.A blood sample was sent to the BCA lab in St. Paul to test its alcohol content.His driving history shows two DWI convictions in 1998 and another in 2000. His driving privileges were revoked in June this year.Snell was charged Tuesday in Rock County District Court with 13 felony counts and nine gross misdemeanor counts. The most serious of which, first-degree driving while impaired, carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, a $14,000 fine or both.The other counts of criminal vehicular injury were related to causing "great bodily harm," "substantial bodily harm" and "bodily harm."As of Tuesday afternoon, the boy was still in the intensive care unit at Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls. At that time, his condition did not appear life threatening.After 10 hours of surgery in Rochester, the woman was still in ICU as of Tuesday afternoon.

By Sara StrongThe tentative Rock County Pool and Fitness Center budget for 2005 includes a 15 percent rate increase for members.Other revenues are on the increase, too. Cash deposits were $29,000 between Oct. 1, 2003, and Sept. 30. That compares to $7,100 the previous year.Rentals or sales of goggles, earplugs and water diaper revenues are twice what they were last year as well.City Administrator Greg LaFond chalks up the revenue difference to more internal controls in depositing procedures.Revenue increases will help make up the subsidy lost by the county not contributing to the pool budget anymore.The county and city each contributed $61,000 this year, and if they both contributed next year, it would be $55,000.Another cost savings for the facility will be a reduction of operating hours, starting Oct. 1.Surveying numbers of people at given hours, staff said later evening hours were hardly drawing any use.New hours will be Monday through Thursday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.The reduction of 16.5 hours per week will save the budget staff time. Two people are on duty through most shifts.