‘Luverne Bodyworks’ has new owner and new nameSuzy Lewison has purchased "Luverne Bodyworks" from Amanda Rouzer. The new business name will be "4 Seasons Massage."Lewison is a graduate of National American University in Sioux Falls, S.D., with a two-year degree in massage therapy.The business location, 109 S. Freeman, and the phone number, 507-449-5811 have not changed.Planning for TV-Turnoff WeekIf you can’t watch TV, what are you supposed to do?According to the Turn-Off TV Week on April 21-27, you should take the opportunity to read, converse, think, create and do.During Turn-Off TV Week, thousands of schools, libraries and community groups nationwide will be coordinating their efforts to convince Americans to turn off their TV sets for seven days, and turn on life.Americans spend 1,023 hours in front of a TV, compared to 900 hours in school.According to their Web site, www.tvturnoff.org, there are more than 17,500 organizations worldwide, which include more than 6.4 million people.According to Marie Atkinson-Smeins, elementary school counselor, "Three hours of TV watching a day is simply unhealthy for our children, families and communities."TV Turnoff Week is coordinated by TV-Turnoff Network, a national nonprofit organization that encourages adults and children to watch less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities.If want to know more, you can go to their Web site at www.tvturnoff.org.It could be a bad year for Lyme diseaseLast year’s record Lyme disease season has prompted health officials to put out strong warnings to guard against tick bites this year.In Minnesota, 867 people developed Lyme disease, which is an 88% increase over 2001 totals. Wisconsin was up 39%.Some of the problems caused by Lyme disease include heart damage, neurological problems and arthritis.To avoid exposure to deer ticks, the most common carrier of the disease, you should avoid brushy areas, wear long sleeves and pants and apply tick repellent that contains DEET.Along with the rapid increase of Lyme disease, HGE (human granulocytic ehrlichiosis) also took a significant jump.HGE, which is also spread by deer ticks, rose 61% from the previous year.Deer ticks generally become active as soon as the snow melts. Once a tick is on a person, it must feed for 24 hours or more to transmit the bacteria that causes Lyme disease or HGE.Deer ticks are generally about the size of a sesame seed, but the deer tick nymphs, adolescent deer ticks, can be the size of the period at the end of this sentence.Nymphs can also transmit the disease, but are often overlooked because of their size.Parents should be particularly vigilant about checking out their kids. About a third of Minnesota’s Lyme cases are in children.The circus is coming to townThe Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce announced last week that the Culpepper-Merriweather Circus would again be coming to Luverne.The circus will set up tents at the Rock County Fairgrounds, on Monday, June 30.The event is used as a fund-raiser for the Chamber of Commerce.More information on the circus will be announced later.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
