By Jolene Farley
Erwin DeBoer opened his business, Erwin's Towing and Recovery, 23 years ago in the same shop he currently occupies on Highway 270 in Hills.

Erwin's started as an auto repair shop but soon branched into towing, snow removal, storage and even a car wash. This transition began when electronics became more widespread in automobile engines.

"A town this size is not big enough to support the cost of the technology needed to work on these engines," said DeBoer.

So Erwin's began to concentrate more on the towing end of the business.

Erwin's Towing has already racked up 30,000 miles on a tow truck purchased in June. DeBoer expects his business to do 80,000 miles of towing this year.

Their furthest tow job was from El Paso, Texas. Erwin's receives periodic calls from insurance companies looking for someone to transport disabled vehicles.

This winter has been a "respectable winter," according to DeBoer. He and his son, Mark, have been working 50 to 100 hours per week, generally in inclement weather, to keep up. DeBoer's wife, Faith, answers phones and keeps the books for the business.

"Business has been good, but it is making an old man out of me," said DeBoer. "Hours, hours, hours."

DeBoer said there have been several rollovers this year. "Fortunately there was not one injury that I am aware of," he said. "I am sitting on four rollovers (cars) from last week."

DeBoer said Hills is a good community to do business in. "Ninety-nine percent of the people are real easy to get along with."

DeBoer's secret for success is: "You never stand still; if you are not keeping up you are sliding backwards. You have to keep up with the times."

Edwin and Faith have three children, Mark, Sharon and Pam.

By Sara Quam

The Luverne City Council met Friday in what was called a council retreat.

Retreats are typically a way for council members to brainstorm with one another, but this one was just as much a way for them to get over personal differences.

"It was emotional at times," councilman Keith Erickson said.

The meeting began at 4 p.m. and didnÕt end until 9 p.m. "What we needed to discuss was what's expected of each of us, and we hammered away at that for most of the night," Erickson said.

The discussion wasn't always civil. Accusations of overstepping job descriptions were flung at both City Administrator Matt Hylen and Mayor Glen Gust.

Luverne's council is set up as a weak mayor, strong council, which means the council votes on issues and the mayor, with no vote, has little power.

It was said at the meeting that both mayor and administrator took too much liberty in working outside the council's authority.

Council members agreed that communication among them was a priority. After the meeting Gust said, "The worst thing that could happen is a council that canÕt work together."

During the retreat Gust made comments to the effect that the prior City Council never listened to citizen input.

Erickson, who held a term through the last election, said heÕs offended by those remarks. He said he fields phone calls and listens to citizens - just as he said he would during his own campaign more than 11 years ago.

At certain meetings, a prevailing public opinion was voiced, and although Erickson's vote differed from that, he doesn't think he was an ineffective representative.

One other council member, Jim Kirchhofer, was a member of the previous council.

New councilman David Hauge said he understands some of what the old administration went through with public perception. When committees meet to research city business, the council is often aware of the background before it votes. However, with so much prior information, council votes appear to be pre-decided and create an impression of corruptness.

The current council and mayor have been in office only two full months. Even though moments of the retreat were tense, the council and mayor seemed willing to work through problems that aren't unique to this new administration.

March 5-9 has been designated "Home Delivered Meals Week" to increase awareness of the program and to recognize volunteers who make the service possible. Pictured are (from left) Shirley Roos with Home Delivered Meals; Lorraine Klooster and Burdella De Jager, Retired Senior Volunteers, and Trudy Den Herder with Western Community Action. Kitchen help not pictured are Eleanor Johnson, RSVP, and Theresa Persing, Western Community Action.

At left, volunteers Bruce and Carol Boelman carry meals Monday to the Blue Mound Towers apartments next door to the Senior Dining Center. They, along with Louella Voigt and Marlene Wassenaar, served as the local volunteers that day for First Presbyterian Church. Local churches provide Home Delivered Meals volunteers for the program on a rotating basis. To receive home delivered meals, residents must be unable to come to the Senior Dining meal site.

Luverne Senior Dining Center, which prepares more than 150 meals per day, serves as the central kitchen for Luverne, Adrian and Worthington. About 35 meals are delivered Monday through Friday in Luverne, and Western Community Action employee Debi Scholten drives 35 to 40 to the Senior Center in Adrian and more than 40 to Sunshine Apartments in Worthington.

Home Delivered Meals receive support from participant contributions, local support from churches, civic clubs and the community Red Arrow Fund. The meals are made possible in part under a contract with the Southwest Area Agency on Aging as approved by the Minnesota Board on Aging.

Photos by Lori Ehde

By Sara Quam
The local Corn-er Stone Farmers Co-op intends to construct and operate a soybean processing facility in Luverne.

This information came to the Luverne Economic Development Authority Tuesday in the form of a letter of intent signed by Corn-er Stone representative David Kolsrud and University Technology Inc. of Baton Rouge, La.

The letter says the joint venture operation will defat soybeans and convert the oil and defatted soy meal into value-added products.

The project has been in the works for about a year and is waiting on verification that the products are commercially viable. Then the agreement to build in Luverne will be final.

Initially, Kolsrud thought the plant might request a loan of about $40,000 from the city of Luverne, but that won't be necessary.

The local farmers co-op spearheaded the efforts to get a first-of-its-kind soybean processing plant.

The process is unique because of its method of soybean processing. Currently, chemicals and heat are used to extract oil and make flour from the beans. But a newly-patented cold process can achieve the same results at room temperature.

After-school program
During their Tuesday meeting, LEDA members heard an update on Family U, a new after-school program through Luverne Community Education.

Renae Reu supervises the program along with one other part-time employee. Family U was first started by funds from the Blandin Foundation and then supplemented by the Southwest Minnesota Opportunity Council.

Fourteen students in grades kindergarten through fifth grade are listed on the program's roster, but about nine show up every day for snacks, play, educational activities or field trips.

"We try to balance between fun and work," Reu said.

Reu said she's working on the possibility of continuing the program into the summer.

Now the program runs afternoons from 3 to 5:30 p.m. weekdays for a cost of $70 a week if the child attends every day. An hourly rate is available for part-time users as well.

In other business Tuesday, the LEDA:
-Received a border city legislation update from Mayor Glen Gust. He and City Administrator Matt Hylen visited legislators again last Tuesday and reaffirmed support from local representatives and got in the door with a declared non-supporter, Rep. Ron Abrams.

Gust said, "He said he would revisit the issue... With a little bit of help, we can compete with the powerhouse Sioux Falls."

-Learned that Economic Development Director Tony Chladek will have a high school intern this year. The intern will help with marketing economic development activity to businesses locally or for business recruitment.

Chladek will also continue to market the city through updating the city's economic web site, which is a link on the bottom of the city's home page at www.ci.luverne.mn.us .

By Lori Ehde
An Adrian man has posted $10,000 bail and is back at home in the same neighborhood as the young girl he allegedly raped.

Since accused sexual offender William Joseph Kafka posted bail on Feb. 22, Adrian residents have been calling the Nobles County Courthouse to complain of his release.

"Everyone's quite upset about it, wondering who bailed him out and why," said Pat Thier, who lives near Kafka.

"We're quite concerned about the fact that he's out, in light of all the evidence and what he's done."

Kafka's home is on Main Street in Adrian, within a block of the elementary school, and in the direct path of students walking to and from class.

Even more upsetting for residents is the fact that his alleged victim lives on the same block, along with several other young families and a home day-care provider.

"We're just still in shock that he's out," Thier said.

Kafka, 37, was charged on Feb. 21 with two counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of kidnapping.

The charges stem from an incident late in January involving a 9-year-old girl who said Kafka grabbed her and molested her in his house.

According to the criminal complaint filed in Nobles County District Court, the assault wasn't reported until two weeks later when the girl reportedly confided to an aunt that she had been bleeding.

The complaint details a grisly account of a girl who was tied with rope and muzzled with duct tape while her offender raped her.

The girl told authorities that when he was finished, he untied her, took the tape off her mouth, put her clothes on (while keeping her underwear) and let her go - but not before he threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

When the girl's parents took her to Luverne Community Hospital on Feb. 13, hospital staff referred her to Child's Voice, a Sioux Falls facility that specializes in treating sexually abused children.

Court documents state that examiners at Child's Voice concluded their interview with the girl is consistent with the belief that she'd been sexually assaulted.

During execution of a search warrant in Kafka's home, officers found a .38 caliber revolver in a desk drawer, a piece of brown rope, several sexually oriented videotapes, items to which duct tape had been applied, feminine undergarments and a tube of lubricating jelly, among other things.

When Kafka was arrested, he reportedly refused to give a statement.

When asked about Kafka's Feb. 22 release, Worthington Judge Jeff Flynn, who set Kafka's bail, said his decision fell within constitutional and state law.

"Everyone accused of a crime is entitled to reasonable bail," Flynn said Tuesday. "All bail is intended for is to insure appearance of the defendant at the next court hearing."

He said other factors, such as the defendant's employment, ties to the community and the nature of the offense, are also considered when setting bail.

Further, Flynn said Kafka's bail was set along with other clear conditions. For example, he is not to have contact with the victim or with other children, he is not to possess or consume alcohol, and he's to keep in contact with his attorney and keep his scheduled court appearances.

Flynn said if residents have reason to believe he's violating these conditions, they can contact law enforcement.

First degree criminal sexual conduct in this case means sexual contact and penetration with a person younger than 13 by individual more than 36 months older than the victim.

If found guilty of the charges, Kafka faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and $40,000 in fines for criminal sexual conduct. The maximum penalty for kidnapping is 20 years in prison and $35,000 fine.

The case has since been assigned to District Court Judge Timothy Connell.

By Sara Quam

Luverne could have another banquet and meeting place option as soon as mid-June.

Glen Gust, starting up the Blue Mound Banquet and Meeting Center, was granted a variance to allow less than the required 60-foot setback Tuesday night by the Board of Appeals and Adjustments. The actual setback will be 37 feet after a final finding of fact is approved by the board.

"Since the Blue Mound Inn closed, there's only one other meeting facility, [Sharkee's] in Luverne. We thought it'd be nice to have another one," Gust said.

The 401 West Hatting Street site by M-M will use the existing building and add on to the north side.

The northerly addition brought some objections from neighbors, who want a generous setback from their homes. (The building is in a B-2, highway service business district.)

Gust said he wants to do the facility "right."

"I'll do what it takes to be a good neighbor," Gust said. "We want to make it a nice facility, and landscaping is part of that."

Gust will also use minimal lighting to be less intrusive on neighbors. Traffic activity will be limited to the east and south on Gabrielson Street to impact neighbors even less. About 95 percent of the traffic will be on the south side of the building.

In granting the variance, board chair Jim Kirchhofer said he did so reluctantly.

"At least one citizen has indicated that traffic shifted to the other street is worth something. But I still hate to vary from the setbacks in the code books."

The Blue Mound Banquet and Meeting Center will be unique. It will offer a smoke-free environment with three soundproof rooms that can be used for wedding receptions, dances, family reunions, business meetings or seminars.

Gust plans to get a liquor license, but the facility won't be a bar.

Another attraction Gust looks forward to providing is high-speed Internet access and technologies that could be used for taking classes at the facility or for other kinds of communications.

Luverne's Kay Franklin chips away at layers of ice that finally began to melt on her driveway Friday. It was a common sight all over the county during the past week as temperatures inched their way above the freezing point. Much to everyone's delight, spring appears to be on its way.

Photo by Lori Ehde

As I sit at my desk looking out the office window at the end of my day, the first thought that occurs to me is that all the snow gently falling looks so beautiful.

My second thought, closely following the first, is that I will not find it nearly as beautiful after I finish driving through it and scooping it.

After my daughter calls to report thatwe are now in a blizzard warning, I know my second thought is the most accurate.

She dramatically states, "Mom we are going to have a blizzard in 25 minutes!" At 10 years old, she has not learned that weather prediction is more of an art than a science. Our blizzard could begin anywhere from 25 minutes, two days, to never.

After two mild winters in a row, this winter has been a rude awakening. The fact that I now have to drive the 15 miles from Adrian to work has added to my perception of this winter as long. Although I am fortunate enough to drive a sports utility vehicle, four wheel drive is no help on ice.

There are those who would argue that my own driving should scare everyone the most, but it is the driving of others that strikes fear in my heart.

When vehicles pass you driving 105 mph and you are driving 10 mph and have been fishtailing all over the slick road you tend to tense up. "Over driving road conditions" is the term that comes to mind.

I have found I feel safer off the interstate. There is just enough traffic on Old Highway 16 that someone would offer help if you happened to slide into the ditch but few enough cars that you do not have to worry about meeting Mario Andretti on the road.

Thinking "safety first," this winter I invested in a sleeping bag to keep in my vehicle permanently.

I briefly thought about throwing together a winter driving emergency kit. It is December, but I have not purchased any food or any of the other items needed to polish off my kit. So if I do happen to go in the ditch on my drive home today, I will be warm but hungry.

I would like to just forget about my emergency kit and go south! I feel the urge to book a trip somewhere - anywhere warm.

The Beach Boys song, "Kokomo," from the Tom Cruise movie, "Cocktail," rings in my head.

Avoiding my drive home, I do a search on the Internet trying to locate one of the destinations mentioned in the song. Typing in "warm places" doesn't produce any hits (no pun intended).

Not knowing the correct spelling, I type in Coco Mo. All that comes up is something about a German shepherd and information on a house painting company. I found no information about a wonderful vacation destination.

Not to be discouraged, I type in Arouba (which should have been spelled Aruba). All that search produces is something about the Austrian president and his wife.

A co-worker announcing that the "blizzard" is due to hit us at 5 p.m. quickly snaps me back to reality. It is time to quit searching for my fabulously warm vacation destination and brave the cold Minnesota winter once again.

Oh, well. I probably would not have traveled anywhere anyway. I just keep telling myself a winter emergency driving kit is much cheaper than a vacation. For now, I'll just have to work on learning to love these wonderful Minnesota winters!

P.S. My new travel policy is if I cannot spell the name of my vacation destination I don't need to go there anyway.

By John Rittenhouse
The Hills-Beaver Creek boys will enter post-season play on a winning note as the Patriots defeated Lake Benton 69-46 in the regular season finale in Hills Monday.

H-BC, which had a conference game against Edgerton cancelled due to Friday's snowstorm, rode a 35-21 rebounding advantage against the Bobcats to a 23-point victory.

"We played pretty decent," said Patriot coach Steve Wiertzema. "We probably won the game on the boards again. We outrebounded them by 14, so we did a good job in that area."

H-BC will open the South Section 3A Tournament tonight in Fulda with the momentum of winning two of its last three games. The eighth-seeded Patriots, 7-14 overall, play No. 9 Ellsworth in a preliminary-round game at 6 p.m.

The Patriots opened a six-point cushion (15-9) over LB in the first quarter before using an 18-14 scoring edge in the second quarter to make it a 33-23 game at the intermission.

With Chris Fransman netting five of his 11 points to lead the way, H-BC went on a 20-9 scoring run in the third quarter to open a 21-point (53-32) lead. The Patriots used a 16-14 scoring edge in the final eight minutes of play to increase the final margin of victory to 23 points.

Matt Buck had 14 points, six rebounds and four assists for the winners, while Lyle DeBoer added 12 points to the cause.

Lance Crawford and Brad Haak snared five rebounds each for H-BC. Darin DeBoer had five assists and David Top three steals.

Box score
Jess 0 1 0-0 3, D.DeBoer 1 0 0-0 2, Van Batavia 0 0 0-0 0, Van Maanen 0 0 0-0 0, Fransman 2 3 1-3 11, Haak 2 0 1-2 5, L.DeBoer 3 1 3-4 12, Van Wyhe 3 0 2-2 8, Top 3 0 2-6 8, Crawford 3 0 0-0 6, Krull 0 0 0-0 0, Buck 6 0 2-2 14.

Team statistics
H-BC: 27 of 56 field goals (48 percent), 11 of 19 free throws (58 percent), 35 rebounds, 14 turnovers.
LB: 16 of 47 field goals (34 percent), 11 of 20 free throws (55 percent), 21 rebounds, 23 turnovers.