Britz Open scheduled for July 20 at LCCThe Luverne Country Club is planning the first Britz Open, which it hopes will become an annual event.Hosted by former LPGA U.S. Open Champion, Jerilyn Britz, the July 20 tournament will be an 18-hole, 2-person event.The first nine holes will be a scramble, followed by an alternate shot.The tournament is divided into four divisions: Junior (15 years and younger), Women’s, Men’s and Mixed.If you would like to participate, you need to sign up by Friday, July 18.Contact the Luverne Country Club at 283-4383 for more details.Hot Dog NightLuverne’s 41st annual Hot Dog Night is set to go tonight, Thursday, July 10.Fifty-two businesses will take part in the event this year that is expects to give away more than 10,000 hot dogs as well as the buns and drinks to wash it all down.The grilling is expected to start at 6 p.m.The American Dairy Association plans to sell ice cream cones and the Luverne Lions Club will have their concession trailer downtown.Entertainment will be a part of the night.The spotlight dancers will have a demonstration beginning at 6 p.m. in front of the Palace Theatre.At 6:45 p.m. the Luverne Tae-Kwon-Do will demonstrate their skill in the vicinity of the Pizza Ranch.The Heartland Prairie Band will perform in the lawn of the Carnegie Cultural Center from 6 to 8 p.m.At 8:30 p.m. the 4-H will hold their annual dress review at the Hinkly House.There will also be a Noah’s Arc Jumping Castle open from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in front of city hall for kids to use, free of charge.Luverne Lanes reopens under new ownershipThe newly remodeled and renovated Luverne Lanes will open for the first time tonight under the new ownership of Cory and Lisa Schneekloth.Since purchasing the business in May from John and Ahne Serie, the Schneekloth’s have remodeled the interior with a 1950s theme as well as adding to the concession options.The new opening will coincide with Luverne’s annual Hot Dog Night.Pheasants Forever promotes GRPPheasants Forever is encouraging area farmers and landowners to sign up for the new Grassland Reserve Program .Sign-up for the GRP began nationwide on June 30, and runs through Sept. 30.The GRP is a new program authorized by the 2003 farm bill to address the loss of grasslands, rangelands, and pasturelands across the country.GRP participants collect payments for restoring and conserving these environmentally sensitive areas.Grasslands provide critical habitat for pheasant and a wide variety of wildlife, as well as play an important role in preventing soil erosion, improving water quality, and contributing to rural economies.GRP is patterned after Conservation Reserve Program, (CRP) which was started in 1985 and is the federal government’s largest environmental improvement program.Privately owned grasslands and shrublands cover more than 525 million acres in the United States.Between 1982 and 1997 more than 23 million acres were converted to cropland and another six million were urbanized during that same time.During 2003 fiscal year $49.9 million was made available for the implementation of the program.For those who wish to participate, several options are available.oPermanent easementsoThirty year easementsoRental agreements in 10-, 15-, 20- and 30-year durationsIf you have more questions about the program, you can contact either the Farm Service Agency or NRCS at 283-2369.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
