Hometown greeters are ready to greetMore than 80 Luverne businesses have signed up for the new Hometown Greetings program.Hometown Greetings is a Chamber-sponsored program implemented by Beth Bartels and Becky Feikema.Any new residents who have become a part of the Luverne community since September 2004 will be visited at their new homes with gifts and information about the community.If you’re new to Luverne and would like to be visited, call the Luverne Chamber of Commerce at 283-4061.Worthington gets next Habitat houseThe Southwest Minnesota Habitat for Humanity organization, which consists of the communities of Luverne, Worthington and Pipestone, has chosen Noc Le with her four children as the next Habitat home owner.The home will be built in 2005 at a tentative location on Third Avenue in Worthington.Groundbreaking is planned for later this month, and the house will be finished sometime in September.After the local Habitat organization was formed, Luverne’s Shari Kracht and her four children were the first to benefit from the program in 2002 with a new Habitat home at the corner of Warren and Southwest Park streets in Luverne.Spring cleanup set for April 25-27One of Luverne’s most popular events, spring cleanup, is approaching.The city of Luverne spring housecleaning will start with a branch pickup on April 18th.Branches must be out that day by 7 a.m., placed parallel with the curb.The branches must be bundled, and no plastic bags are allowed.But the big days will be Monday through Wednesday, April 25-27.The city calls these "junk days," but for some it’s Luverne’s "Big Swap Meet."Along with the opportunity for everyone to get rid of their junk, they also have the chance to put out some things that they have no use for any more but that someone else might want."One man’s junk is another man’s treasure" is the old expression that seems to apply here.The city reminds you of a few rules. If you do choose to go "junking," you shouldn’t do it after dark. You’re not allowed to block traffic, and most importantly, don’t leave someone’s neatly stacked pile of "junk" in a mess for the city crews who have to pick it up.The last items to be picked up are appliances on April 28.Appliance disposal costs $15 and you must register for appliance pickup the week before, but if you get rid of appliances during spring cleanup, there is no additional hauling charge.Items that fall into the appliance category include dehumidifiers, water heaters, washers and dryers, refrigerators, furnaces, air conditioners stoves, freezers, microwaves, garbage disposals, trash compactors, heat pumps and dishwashers.Of course, not every household item is a candidate for cleanup week.Tires, as well as toxic and hazardous chemicals, are not allowed.You will have the opportunity to dispose of left-over paint and lawn chemicals when Rock County schedules a hazardous waste collection day at a later date.Items such as books, toys or clothes, which are small enough to fit in weekly dumpsters, are considered household garbage and should be put out on weekly routes.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com
