By Lori EhdeThe middle school-high school office remodeling project became another casualty in the long and difficult process of cutting the budget.During their Thursday, April 29 meeting, Luverne School Board members rejected all bids on the project, postponing the work at least another six months.Plans were to continue the heating, air-conditioning and ventilation work on the south wing of the building, in addition to remodeling student services and administrative offices.The bids came in higher than anticipated, and Schaefer recommended putting the project off in light of current budget constraints."It’s all about prioritizing spending," he said. "These offices needed to be updated since I got here how many years ago, but it’s not an emergency."He mentioned the all-weather track is in dire need of resurfacing, with some places worn down to bare concrete."It’s time to redo that track, but it’s time to do lots of things," he said. "We never want to do anything that loses the confidence of the voters and supporters of our school."The remodeling project will be rebid in January, when contractors aren’t as busy, and there’s more competition for work.
Saw a presentation by Adaptive Physical Education Teacher Jeanne Bowron and some middle school students on cup stacking.
Heard that four high school students qualified for the National Spanish Exam. They are Amanda Saum, Nicole Willers, James Broomsfield and Becca Sandager.
Heard from High School Principal Gary Fisher that prom went well. "We need to thank the parents and community — especially all the businesses — for their support for prom," he said.
Heard from Fisher about a new program, "Breaking Ranks," a process to improve school environment and structure of schools. It involves drawing on information from a cross section of ninth- through 12th-graders."Information we get back will help us look at things we need to do to improve," Fisher said. "It’s a starting point for school reform at the high school level."
Heard from Middle School Principal Stacy Gillette that the sixth-grade choir concert is May 6 and the Middle School play is at 5:30 p.m. May 14.

By Lori EhdeSeparating emotions from issues was difficult at times during the first round of budget cuts at the Luverne School Board meeting Thursday, April 29.Faced with a projected $375,000 deficit spending over the next few years, the board plans to make a series of budget cuts between now and July 1, the end of the school fiscal year.Most controversial so far is the board’s 5-2 decision Thursday to eliminate the positions of curriculum coordinator and alternative school director, at an annual savings of $39,000 for each position.Jan Olson has filled both positions for the past five years, with a strong record of improving both the alternative school and the district’s curriculum planning process.While it’s unclear how those responsibilities will be farmed out and what the ramifications of the cuts will be, one likely scenario would be that Olson’s time would divided between classroom teaching and administrative work.Board member Steve Tofteland voted against the motion, saying he wished he’d had more information about the cut and discussion on possible alternatives."I just got this information two days ago, and I’d like some discussion on it," he said.Board member Cary Radisewitz said he disagreed with Tofteland’s interpretation of the process, and he said the board was acting on a recommendation from people close to the issue."We’ve talked about this for a long time," he said to Tofteland. "What you’re saying is, ‘I think I know better than the superintendent and administrative team.""Can’t I ask questions?" said Tofteland, who also raised the issue of a $472,585 fund balance. "Can’t we use some of that money to take care of some of these cuts?"Radisewitz said that, too, had been discussed at length at prior meetings. "When I got on the board eight years ago, our goal then was to have two to three months of operating capital," he said. "You can ask questions, but I think you’re micromanaging."District Finance Officer Marlene Mann said the $472,585 fund balance is what appears on paper; and that doesn’t reflect what the state is withholding and "metering" slowly to districts to balance state budgets.She also said the proposal to cut the two positions had been presented at the April 15 board meeting and published in the Star Herald.Tofteland said he was merely trying to encourage an open process, and he quoted the board’s recently approved code of ethics that states board members must, for example take action after "considering the recommendation of the superintendent and only after the superintendent ahs furnished adequate information supporting the recommendation."Radisewitz said it’s not responsible for the board to put off unpopular decisions indefinitely."We’re called on to make tough decisions," he said. "This is an outstanding person, no doubt about it."The motion to eliminate the positions of curriculum coordinator and alternative school director was made by Don Bryan and seconded by Bill Stegemann.Board members voting in favor were Radisewitz, Stegemann, Bryan, Dan Kopp and Becky Walgrave. Voting against it were Tofteland and Colleen Deutsch.Schaefer clarified that cutting the position of alternative school director does not mean the alternative school is closing."It will continue, just with a new person at the helm," Schaefer said.Other personnel actionOlson wasn’t the only district employee affected by Thursday’s board action. Several others were notified that they’d either be terminated or their contracts not renewed.There’s a legal procedure and timeline the state requires for terminating non-tenured staff. Schaefer said he hoped the action could be temporary."When the budget process is completed there’s a chance this action may be reversed," Schaefer said. "But it’s important to note that this is in no way a reflection on their teaching abilities."That said, the board approved resolutions relating to the termination and non-renewal of the teaching contracts of probationary teachers Kelly Bergan, Jennifer Engesser and Lori Jacobs.In addition, the board passed resolutions placing James Lunder on unrequested leave of absence for half-time.In other personnel action the board:
Accepted the retirement of Lorna Harms, elementary head cook, effective at the end of the school year.
Accepted the resignation of Stacey Lihs, Middle School English teacher, effective at the end of the school year.
Approved a maternity leave request for Kari Lais, health teacher, from Sept. 1 through Jan. 2, 2005.Community inputUnder the agenda item, "community input," two people asked for the floor during Thursday’s meeting.Second-grade teacher Jane Cote urged the board to protect Luverne’s quality educational tradition heading into budget cuts.She also urged the public to get involved with the process. "Now is the time for everyone in the community to become involved, and it starts here," Cote said. "The quality of our children’s education does affect each and every one of us.Cheryl Thacker, parent of a incoming kindergarten student, encouraged the board to explore alternatives to all-day-every-day kindergarten, which is being considered as a cut in 2004-05 to save $137,000 per year.She said the most notable benefit of all-day- every-day kindergarten is identifying special needs students early, to rectify learning problems before they need more costly attention in later grades. "So does it not make more sense to concentrate our resources on those children who most need, rather pulling in all children with the same net," Thacker said.She suggested the board consider proven programs, such as Kindergarten Plus that works all day every day with kindergarten students who have been identified as having risk factors.

By Lori EhdeCell phone users dialing 911 will get better emergency service in Rock County, thanks to grant money that’s allowing some local improvements.Dispatch Supervisor Terri Ebert learned last week that the Rock County Sheriff’s Department was approved for a $164,800 grant through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.The money will be used for hardware improvements that will make it possible for Rock County dispatchers to locate cell-phone users using Global Positioning System."If someone’s upside down in their vehicle in a blinding snowstorm, they call us, and we ask them where they are and lots of times they have no idea," Ebert told County Commissioners at their Tuesday meeting.With Rock County’s current emergency system, 911 calls placed from residential locations automatically alert dispatchers where the call is coming from.Cellular 911 calls aren’t linked to this system."We’re getting cell 911 calls, but they’re coming up with no information," Ebert said.She said cell phone companies assign their users to geographic emergency centers, but since Rock County borders South Dakota and Iowa, it presents unique problems."We get calls from Iowa — way down in Iowa," she said.In addition to improving emergency cell service, the grant will allow Rock County to make related technical improvements in the Law Enforcement Center and to boost reception on the west side of the county with a 150-foot-high radio tower.Out of 110 applicants vying for $2.5 million in available grant dollars, Rock County was one of 17 recipients.This year has been a good year for emergency management money in Rock County, with a total of $220,000 granted so far in state and federal funding.Rock County has also been approved for an additional $50,000 in federal Homeland Security funding, and another 4,000 from the Minnesota Office of Domestic Preparedness.

By Lori EhdeOn Tuesday, it was the County Board’s turn to take the lead on re-establishing connections with Luverne City Council.Commissioners decided to schedule a meeting with the council to appoint a City-County Liaison Committee.County Commissioners had requested in March that City Council provide direction as to which services the city would like the county to continue providing. Specifically, the City-County Liaison Committee is in charge of the joint law enforcement contract.The city took action at their April 13 council meeting to send a letter to county commissioners requesting a meeting time to discuss the liaison committee.As of their Tuesday meeting, County Board members hadn’t received that letter, and decided to initiate their own correspondence instead."We have July 1 budgets, and it’s now the first meeting in May," said Commissioner Jane Wildung. "We should have been doing this in January, February and March. It’s getting critical that we begin thinking about a lot of issues out there."The County Board suggested meeting dates of May 10, 11, 19 and 28, with full boards present, along with administrators and legal counsel.Last-minute approval of hot mix asphalt plantThe board approved a last-minute provisional permit for Duininck Bros. Inc., Prinsburg, to start an asphalt mixing plant in a pit about five miles east of Hardwick.Harris Duininck requested County Board members grant early permission to start the asphalt pit before the permitting process was technically complete.A company representative had mistakenly overlooked the permitting timeline, and the company already has a portion of Highway 91 in Nobles County torn up, ready for an asphalt overlay.To complete the legal permitting process would take two weeks, and Duininck said that would pose a hazard to motorists in that area if left that long.The board asked County Attorney Don Klosterbuer if granting early permission would be legal, and Klosterbuer replied that doing so would be to ignore their own land use ordinance."You open yourselves to liability issues with the public," Klosterbuer said. "Your risk is if you grant it and any one of the neighbors at any point objects to the process."Duininck said he would personally contact anyone within a half-mile radius of the asphalt plant to see if there are objections.As far he knew, affected residents include Dwight Bremer, Arlyn Sneller and John Schiebout in Battle Plain Township. Meanwhile, the board approved a provisional permit to start a hot mix plant, subject to complying to the legal process by the next County Board meeting and subject to obtaining signatures from the affected neighboring residents.Klosterbuer warned Duininck of the tight restrictions on the provisional permit."There better not be one load of that going anywhere but Highway 91," Klosterbuer said. "We’re doing this for Highway 91, so there better be no commercial sales."Tobacco-free county parks coming soonPublic Health Educator Paula Anderson and student members of Rock County Partners in Prevention attended Tuesday’s County Board meeting to present information on tobacco-free parks.They asked the county to adopt a policy similar to one recently approved by the Luverne City Council that would prohibit tobacco in all Rock County parks.County areas affected would include the Little League ball diamonds east of the County Highway Department property, the soccer fields along north Blue Mound Avenue and Schoneman Park south of Luverne.The board agreed to endorse the idea and develop a plan clarifying the terms of the policy for county residents and employees.The actual policy will be approved at a future County Board meeting. Recycling contractCommissioners are reviewing the county’s contract with Ketterling Services for recycling and are considering some changes.The contract was on Tuesday’s board agenda because the county is receiving less money from the state to support recycling and other environmental programs."We don’t have enough money to continue the current recycling program," Commissioner Wildung said.The board is considering cutting services or changing the materials included in the program.The Solid Waste Committee of Wildung and Commissioner Ron Boyenga will bring a recommendation to the board.

By Sara StrongRock County Sheriff Mike Winkels said the battle against methamphetamine is a part of his every day work. Whether someone calls a dispatcher about suspicious activity, or a deputy and investigator compare notes, meth is much more than a loose topic."People are talking about it all the time — that’s the important thing, that people are more aware," Winkels said.The awareness appears to be countywide, not just in his office.Retailers let the Sheriff’s Department know about suspicious purchases and the general public reports quick stops at certain homes — adding up to many eyes and ears working for the sheriff."The public in the last couple years has really been affected and they know about it," Winkels said.County Administrator Kyle Oldre said, "Law enforcement has done an effective job in making these arrests. Per capita, we’re near the top in our ability to make arrests."When asked whether department dog Tarzan should get credit, Winkels said, "If I have to attribute it to anything, I have to attribute it to the public. A couple years ago we had a big push for the public to be involved — and they’re doing it."He said people in all age groups are concerned about the drug problem.Its devastating side effects are felt in many families, and almost everyone knows of a user or past user. One mother of an addict previously told the Star Herald, "It’s a mean drug. I think it’s the Devil."Counting the costEven if there wasn’t a human element, the county is concerned about meth because of its monetary cost.Ten meth labs in just two years had to be cleaned and property reclaimed, and numerous possession cases had to make it through the court system, usually with a public defender.Meth users typically cost the county more than the standard $55 a day for jail costs, because they often require more medical, dental, nursing and psychiatric services.Many of those services are picked up by public agencies long after a meth user is out of jail.Costs such as children in Social Services, and medical costs are difficult to tally over a lifetime. Many related social problems can’t be calculated. Winkels said the trend for meth manufacture and use spreading to rural areas doesn’t seem to be subsiding. "They can rent houses really cheap, and the nearest neighbor isn’t for a mile or more," Winkels said. The southwest region of Minnesota is seeing similar counts of meth labs as other areas of the state.Meth labs in the immediate area through the past five years are: Cottonwood, 0; Jackson, 2; Lincoln, 6; Lyon, 12; Martin, 4; Murray, 5; Nobles, 2; Pipestone, 2; Redwood, 3, and Rock, 10.These numbers of reported labs include large anhydrous ammonia thefts, because it assumes those thefts went toward manufacturing the drug.There are a few stand-out counties with high numbers of labs throughout the past five years: Anoka had 82; Chisago had 67, and Olmsted had 77.The drug itselfMethamphetamine, or speed, is common in the Midwest after rapidly gaining popularity across the country.It is a stimulant that sends a message to the brain to produce more dopamine. Hours after ingestion, the feel-good chemical, dopamine, isn’t turned back on, and the brain wants more meth to pick up the slack. Other drugs considered to be heavy stimulants allow the brain to repackage the dopamine, but methamphetamine doesn’t. Instead, the brain cells release another enzyme that diminishes the dopamine and kills it off for a long time. With repeated meth use, there is a chemical change in the brain that lasts a long time and can create a violent, irritable person incapable of feeling happiness or having fun, even after the meth use stops.Many people are on medications for lifelong mental and emotional problems brought on by meth.Methamphetamine can be smoked, inhaled or injected. Symptoms of use:
increased alertness
paranoia
hallucinations
aggressive behavior
violent behavior
loss of appetite
acne or sores
depression
convulsions
severe weight loss
putrid body odor
open sores on the skin
liver damage
stroke or heart attackMeth is made from:
lantern fuel
drain cleaner
battery acid
cold tablets
rock salt
sulfuric and muriatic acidSheriff Winkels said that meth manufacturers are continually finding faster, more efficient means to make the drug. What used to take several steps, can be done by some in less than an hour. Winkels said anhydrous ammonia is being substituted by other chemicals in some recent formulas.If anything should be known by the public at this point, Winkels said, it’s that people shouldn’t be under the false impression that large or recent arrests are curbing use. "It’s a daily concern for us, and it hasn’t gone down," Winkels said.

Fair GameA bill making its way through the Minnesota House of Representatives would get duck hunters out of bed earlier on opening day, reinstate a game bird season that has been outlawed for several years, and encourage youth hunting.Some of the bill’s provisions include:
Mourning doves would be added to the statutory list of game birds and authorize a mourning dove hunting season, which has been prohibited since 1947.
The bill will also move opening day for duck hunters to 9 a.m. from its current noon start. Woodcocks and mourning doves would stay at noon.
Toughen up the law for people who fail to show up in court or pay court-ordered fines for game and fish violations. Under the bill, those transgressions could result in the three-year revocation of game and fish license privileges.
Allow turkey hunters under the age of 16 to be accompanied by un- licensed, unarmed adults.Planning way aheadJust in case you are one of those people who like to plan way ahead, there is an All-School Reunion on the drawing board.The event will be next summer, July 29-31, 2005.Moonlight bowling, various individual class reunions and a movie at the Verne Drive-In will consume most of Friday.Saturday’s schedule will include a parade, golf tournament, the all-school reunion dinner and program and a Brandenburg/Monroe show at the Palace Theatre that evening.A Buffalo Brunch will begin at noon on Sunday, with a replay of the Brandenburg/Monroe show at the Palace that afternoon.A prairie program will conclude the weekend at 4 p.m. on Sunday.A lot of scheduling is still in the planning stages. Some things can, and probably will, change between now and then, so we will keep you posted.The reunion is being organized by the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce, so if you would like to volunteer to help with some aspect of the weekend, give them a call at 283-4061.Brandenburg receives book awardLuverne native, Jim Brandenburg has received a Minnesota Book award for "Looking for the Summer."Brandenburg received his most recent award at the 16th annual Minnesota Book Awards Ceremony.Brandenburg was one of five finalists in the nature and region category.According to the judges, Brandenburg "reminds us that none of us owns nature, but we have an ongoing relationship with it and a responsibility for it.""Looking for Summer" is a collection of photos around Brandenburg’s Ely home."Looking for Summer" is the first completely digital story published in National Geographic Magazine and Outdoor Photography Magazine and is the sequel to the best-selling book "Chased by the Light."This is Brandenburg’s 4th Minnesota Book Award.Watch out for deerThe Minnesota Department of Public Safety is putting on a big push to get people to look out for deer.According to the Department of Public Safety, more than 5,000 deer-vehicles crashes are reported every year in Minnesota, and it speculates that number could be as high as 60,000 if you add in the number of unreported crashes.Because of recent mild winters, the number of deer in the state is estimated to be more than 1 million, and those 1 million deer are continuously coming in contact with the 12,000 miles of state highways.Motorists can increase their safety by remembering:
Deer are most active from dusk until dawn.
The majority of deer-vehicle crashes occur between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Deer often travel in groups. Drivers who see one deer should expect to see more.
Deer pop up everywhere, but most often in wooded areas and near waterways.
Motorists should watch for deer-crossing signs. They mark areas where deer-vehicle crashes are common.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

By Jolene FarleySince 2002 local vehicle owners have had the option of renewing their license plate tags online directly through a Department of Revenue Web site instead of at the county court house. The cost for tags is the same on the Web site, but when renewals are done online, Rock County loses the revenue generated from fees charged for each license plate renewal and title transfer.Rock County charges a $4.50 fee when license plate tags are purchased for motor vehicles at the courthouse and a $7 fee for long form applications used when transferring a vehicle title. License plate and title fees alone generated a record $66,310 for the county in 2003, up from $65,358 in 2002, according to Rock County Deputy Registrar Wanda Kafka. The office also handles driver’s license applications and renewals, boat and snowmobile licensing and hunting and fishing licenses. Rock County officials have no way to gauge how much revenue has been lost by online renewals but they suspect it is a low amount."We don’t know who sends them in," Kafka said. "I have a feeling it’s quite low for Rock County." But Kafka said if more people renew online, the county will lose money."It will be less revenue because we will not see any of the fees, everything goes directly to the state," she said. "When 100 people do that it’s quite a lot of money. … That’s the operating income for our office. The state doesn’t fund the offices with any income to operate off of."Kafka attributes the low Internet renewal rate to the fact that some in the county don’t have Internet access or a computer and some don’t like to give credit card information online.Kafka said she never knows how many renewals they will have during the year because residents aren’t required to renew their license plates in the county they live in.

By Lori EhdeCell phone users dialing 911 will get better emergency service in Rock County, thanks to grant money that’s allowing some local improvements.Dispatch Supervisor Terri Ebert learned last week that the Rock County Sheriff’s Department was approved for a $164,800 grant through the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.The money will be used for hardware improvements that will make it possible for Rock County dispatchers to locate cell-phone users using Global Positioning System."If someone’s upside down in their vehicle in a blinding snowstorm, they call us, and we ask them where they are and lots of times they have no idea," Ebert told County Commissioners at their Tuesday meeting.With Rock County’s current emergency system, 911 calls placed from residential locations automatically alert dispatchers where the call is coming from.Cellular 911 calls aren’t linked to this system."We’re getting cell 911 calls, but they’re coming up with no information," Ebert said.She said cell phone companies assign their users to geographic emergency centers, but since Rock County borders South Dakota and Iowa, it presents unique problems."We get calls from Iowa — way down in Iowa," she said.In addition to improving emergency cell service, the grant will allow Rock County to make related technical improvements in the Law Enforcement Center and to boost reception on the west side of the county with a 150-foot-high radio tower.Out of 110 applicants vying for $2.5 million in available grant dollars, Rock County was one of 17 recipients.This year has been a good year for emergency management money in Rock County, with a total of $220,000 granted so far in state and federal funding.Rock County has also been approved for an additional $50,000 in federal Homeland Security funding, and another 4,000 from the Minnesota Office of Domestic Preparedness.

By Sara StrongRock County Sheriff Mike Winkels said the battle against methamphetamine is a part of his every day work. Whether someone calls a dispatcher about suspicious activity, or a deputy and investigator compare notes, meth is much more than a loose topic."People are talking about it all the time — that’s the important thing, that people are more aware," Winkels said.The awareness appears to be countywide, not just in his office.Retailers let the Sheriff’s Department know about suspicious purchases and the general public reports quick stops at certain homes — adding up to many eyes and ears working for the sheriff."The public in the last couple years has really been affected and they know about it," Winkels said.County Administrator Kyle Oldre said, "Law enforcement has done an effective job in making these arrests. Per capita, we’re near the top in our ability to make arrests."When asked whether department dog Tarzan should get credit, Winkels said, "If I have to attribute it to anything, I have to attribute it to the public. A couple years ago we had a big push for the public to be involved — and they’re doing it."He said people in all age groups are concerned about the drug problem.Its devastating side effects are felt in many families, and almost everyone knows of a user or past user. One mother of an addict previously told the Star Herald, "It’s a mean drug. I think it’s the Devil."Counting the costEven if there wasn’t a human element, the county is concerned about meth because of its monetary cost.Ten meth labs in just two years had to be cleaned and property reclaimed, and numerous possession cases had to make it through the court system, usually with a public defender.Meth users typically cost the county more than the standard $55 a day for jail costs, because they often require more medical, dental, nursing and psychiatric services.Many of those services are picked up by public agencies long after a meth user is out of jail.Costs such as children in Social Services, and medical costs are difficult to tally over a lifetime. Many related social problems can’t be calculated. Winkels said the trend for meth manufacture and use spreading to rural areas doesn’t seem to be subsiding. "They can rent houses really cheap, and the nearest neighbor isn’t for a mile or more," Winkels said. The southwest region of Minnesota is seeing similar counts of meth labs as other areas of the state.Meth labs in the immediate area through the past five years are: Cottonwood, 0; Jackson, 2; Lincoln, 6; Lyon, 12; Martin, 4; Murray, 5; Nobles, 2; Pipestone, 2; Redwood, 3, and Rock, 10.These numbers of reported labs include large anhydrous ammonia thefts, because it assumes those thefts went toward manufacturing the drug.There are a few stand-out counties with high numbers of labs throughout the past five years: Anoka had 82; Chisago had 67, and Olmsted had 77.The drug itselfMethamphetamine, or speed, is common in the Midwest after rapidly gaining popularity across the country.It is a stimulant that sends a message to the brain to produce more dopamine. Hours after ingestion, the feel-good chemical, dopamine, isn’t turned back on, and the brain wants more meth to pick up the slack. Other drugs considered to be heavy stimulants allow the brain to repackage the dopamine, but methamphetamine doesn’t. Instead, the brain cells release another enzyme that diminishes the dopamine and kills it off for a long time. With repeated meth use, there is a chemical change in the brain that lasts a long time and can create a violent, irritable person incapable of feeling happiness or having fun, even after the meth use stops.Many people are on medications for lifelong mental and emotional problems brought on by meth.Methamphetamine can be smoked, inhaled or injected. Symptoms of use:oincreased alertnessoparanoiaohallucinationsoaggressive behavioroviolent behavioroloss of appetiteoacne or sores odepressionoconvulsionsosevere weight loss oputrid body odoroopen sores on the skinoliver damageostroke or heart attackMeth is made from:olantern fuelodrain cleanerobattery acidocold tabletsorock saltosulfuric and muriatic acidSheriff Winkels said that meth manufacturers are continually finding faster, more efficient means to make the drug. What used to take several steps, can be done by some in less than an hour. Winkels said anhydrous ammonia is being substituted by other chemicals in some recent formulas.If anything should be known by the public at this point, Winkels said, it’s that people shouldn’t be under the false impression that large or recent arrests are curbing use. "It’s a daily concern for us, and it hasn’t gone down," Winkels said.