Remember When April 15, 2021

10 years ago (2011)
•Since the spring of 1979, Rock County Highway Department Maintenance Supervisor Walter Stearns has worked through more than three decades of Minnesota season changes.
Friday, April 29, is his last day at the highway department, which concludes 32 years of work for the county in which he was born and raised. …
On May 7, 1979, Stearns was hired as a fulltime equipment operator. The maintenance supervisor at the time was Russell Swenson, whom Stearns then succeeded 14 years later.
Although being maintenance supervisor never crossed his mind before that time, he has held the title for the last 18 years, managing the county’s maintenance staff through 72 season changes.
 
25 years ago (1996)
•Three Rock County students are among 448 competitors in the 1996 Minnesota State High School League speech tournament Friday and Saturday at Stillwater Area High School.
Matt Ebert, representing Hills-Beaver Creek, is returning to the great speeches category after winning the state contest in 1995. He is a junior and the son of Gregg and Cyndi Ebert of Hills.
Lavelle Kroontje will represent Southwest Christian High School, Edgerton, in the informative speaking category. She is a senior and the daughter of John and Rachel Kroontje, Kenenth.
Luverne High School junior Matt Tilstra is competing in the state contest in the discussion category. Tilstra is the son of Harold and Mary Tilstra, Luverne.
All three Rock County students will compete in the A division of the tournament.
 
50 years ago (1971)
•Viste Manor, the new retirement center apartment building at Hills, will be dedicated Sunday, April 18, John Nelson, administrator of Tuff Memorial Home, announced. The apartments are located south of the home and will be managed from the Tuff Memorial Home offices.
The sixplex was recently completed and is now ready for occupancy. Some of the apartments are expected to be occupied at once, Nelson said.
 
75 years ago (1946)
•Alyce Anderson, daughter of Dr. A. M. Anderson, and Luverne high school senior, attained the highest laurels obtainable in Minnesota high school public speaking circles last week.
Participating in the state contest in the dramatic reading division, Miss Anderson was given a rating of superior with her selection, “Elizabeth and Essex”. She was one of five to attain that rating, entrants from Fergus Falls, Carlton, Red Wing and Litchfield also winning the honor.
Eldon Michaelson, Luverne’s entrant in the state extemporaneous speaking contest, won a rating of excellent.
Jean Ellen Canfield, entered in the original oratory division, received a very good rating.
 
100 years ago (1921)
•For the first time in at least fifteen or twenty years, the regular state reward of $200 for the capture of a horse thief, was paid this week by Rock County.
This sum was paid for the capture of John Longnaker, a Hawarden, Ia., lad who on the evening of January 22nd stole a horse and buggy owned by E. M. Hanna, of Beaver Creek township, while the rig was standing on a street of Beaver Creek.
The lad was captured and the rig recovered two weeks later near Beresford, S. D., by A. J. Leech, Mr. Hanna and Elmer Lape, of Larchwood, and less than twenty-four hours after Mr. Lape had furnished a clue as to who the thief might be, the young man was in the Rock county jail.