Luverne to Blue Mounds to be part of Prairie Passage
The road side, from Luverne to the Blue Mounds State Park are looking quite baron now, but soon the recently-sprayed ditches will be blooming with native prairie flowers and grasses.
Thanks to the Prairie Passage Program, a partnership with Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, a wildflower corridor is being created from Mexico to the Canadian boarder.
The program is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration and its purpose is to promote awareness of natural and cultural resources and encourage the protection and planting of native wildflowers and grasses along roadsides.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, the prairie plants are not only beautiful, but they are strong enough to survive the extremes of bitterly cold winters and the blazing summer sun.
Many native wild flowers and grasses develop roots that reach 16 feet or more deep into the earth.
The section from Luverne to the Blue Mounds State Park will be one of the first areas of the project.
To celebrate the local piece of the project, a program is scheduled at the Interpretive Center at the Blue Mounds State Park on Saturday, August 10.
It will begin at 7 a.m. with a prairie bird hike from the Interpretive Center followed by a program and the unveiling of the Prairie Passage sign.
Jasper gets grant and loan for new fire truck
Multiple politicians announced last week that the city of Jasper will receive both a grant and a loan to purchase a new fire truck.
The funds, which came from the United States Department of Agriculture, came in the form of a $10,300 grant and a $72,000 loan.
The USDA Rural Economic Development Office makes loans and grants to utility service providers. The loan provides funds to the community to be repaid over 15 years.
Hot Dog Night gets national attention
A small Luverne notation was made in the July edition of YM, (your magazine).
On page 34 of the nationally distributed youth-oriented magazine, their calendar for July events noted that on July 11 National Hot Dog month would be celebrated with free hot dogs at Hot Dog Night in Luverne, Minn.
Camp Ripley opens up for archery hunt
Camp Ripley is preparing for its 2002 archery deer hunt. This year's application deadline is Aug. 16.
Hunters who applied for permits in 2001 have been mailed notices about this year's hunts, which are scheduled for Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 26-27.
Hunters who did not participate in the hunt last year can apply via one of the 1,800 DNRÕs computerized Electronic Licensing System (ELS), or through the internet at www.dnr.state.mn.us.
A third option is by phone at 888-665-4236.
Hunters, when applying, can choose only one of the two-day hunting periods.
A total of 4,500 permits will be issued for the two periods, or 2,250 per two day hunt.
An application fee of $6 is required, and the applicants must be 12 years old prior to Oct. 17, 2002.
The Minnesota Deer Hunter's Association is also accepting applications for a youth-only archery deer hunt set for Oct. 12-13 also at Camp Ripley.
Only 100 permits will be issued to eligible youth ages 12-17 as of Oct. 10, 2002. Applications must be postmarked by Aug. 31.
All youth must be accompanied by adult mentors, who will not be allowed to hunt or carry bows and arrows.
A random drawing will be on Sept. 9 at MDHA headquarters in Grand Rapids to select hunting participants.
The DNR coordinates the annual Camp Ripley archery deer hunt with the Department of Military Affairs, which manages the 53,000-acre military reservation.
Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at
tolly@star-herald.com