KJ’s gets new ownerKJ’s Bar in Hardwick has a new owner.Lori Wendt, Bloomington, closed on the property on Sept. 12.Wendt is also the owner of a karaoke business and plans to increase the number of karaoke nights KJ’s will host.Other changes being made at the bar include adding several new TVs, putting homemade pizzas on the menu and adding several new vending games.In the kitchen Wendt hopes to change the menu to allow more healthy choices for her patrons.The name of the bar will continue to be called KJ’s, only now it stands for her connections to her other business, because she is a "Karaoke Jockey."Crop Walkers take on blustery weather to raise money for the hungryAlthough the numbers were down, 125 walkers on this year’s Crop Walk managed to have a successful rally.The walk, which was Sunday, Sept. 28, raised more than $5,000 that day. Together with other matching funds, more than $7,000 was raised in total for their efforts.The money raised is divided into four equal groups and donated to the Rock County Emergency Food Shelf, Minnesota hunger programs, national hunger programs and international hunger programs.Seven million people die from hunger-related causes annually, and more than 15,000 children die each day from hunger.The national fund-raising effort is sponsored by the Church World Service of the National Council of Churches.Brandenburg starts promo tour for his new bookIf you liked "Chased by the Light" you’ll love "Looking for Summer," according to those who have critiqued Jim Brandenburg’s latest book release.Brandenburg used the latest digital technology to shoot the book, which he did from the summer solstice in June to the autumnal equinox in September.John Echave, from National Geographic magazine described Brandenburg’s latest release this way:" ‘Looking for the Summer’ is the culmination of a lifelong love affair with coolstreams, shimmering stands of birch, bitter foggy mornings, scented pine forests, secretive wolves and majestic herons. Brandenburg shares his world with patience and kindness, one glorious image at a time....This is not just a nature book, but a journey in which we share the mood swings of a north woods that is not only kindhearted and giving, but one that teaches us that our lives are as fragile as nature itself."For 93 days, beginning on the year’s longest day, the summer solstice, and ending with the autumnal equinox, Brandenburg took a series of photographs, choosing one from each of the 93 days.The images he captured for the book include trees, shorelines, wild fruits, flowers, plants, animals, grassy fields, skies, waterfalls, sunrises and sunsets.From now through the end of the year, Jim will be busy talking to statewide media about "Looking for Summer."On Thursday, Oct. 9, he will be on WCCO’s Don Shelby show, which runs from 3 to 5 p.m.On Sunday, Oct. 12, he will appear on WCCO-TV at 10 a.m.The book is currently available at the Brandenburg Gallery in Luverne.Dayton’s state director to host vets roundtableSenator Mark Dayton’s State Director, Jim Gelbmann, will be in Luverne on Friday, Oct. 10, to host a roundtable discussion about recent cuts in VA Medical Care.In July, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to cut $1.8 billion from the VA Medical Care funding which was authorized earlier in the year.The Senate will soon consider the same veterans’ funding bill.A summary of the discussion will be given to Sen. Dayton to help him prepare for a floor fight in his efforts to restore the cuts.The meeting will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Law Library of the Rock County Courthouse.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
