Brandenburg to host artist's reception
The Brandenburg Gallery will be hosting an artist's reception this Friday, but the artist won't be Jim Brandenburg.
Instead, the gallery will host a reception for Luverne native Tom Maras.
Maras will be at the Brandenburg Gallery from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 31, to show his most recent blown glass creations.
Maras will also have his work on display throughout the month of June.
The gallery recently celebrated their 4th Year Anniversary.
If you would like to check out Jim’s latest work, or see some of Maras's creations, the gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Another street project about to begin
Another street project is about to begin in Luverne.
On Monday, June 3, the county will start reconstruction of Luverne Street from Highway 75 to Cedar Street.
The project will include the removal and replacement of the pavement, curb and gutter, driveways, and sidewalks.
The project is three blocks long and will cost $225,000.
Completion is expected by August 9.
The prime contractor is Henning Construction and the project is administered by the Rock County Highway Department.
Gutknecht to visit Luverne on Friday
Congressman Gil Gutknecht (R-Rochester) will make a campaign stop in Luverne.
The congressman will tour the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Friday, May 31.
Gutknecht is a four-term congressman whose district was recently reapportioned to include southwest Minnesota.
Other stops on the southwest visit include Worthington, Pipestone and Slayton, also communities that are new to the congressman's district.
Candidates set for Minnesota House seat race
Minnesota District 22 Republicans held their nominating convention last Friday, nominating Doug Magnus to run for the position currently held by Rep. Ted Winter, (DFL Fulda).
Magnus and his wife Brenda live on a farm near Slayton and have two children.
Magnus has a B.S. degree in animal science from South Dakota State University, Brookings, and is a Vietnam vet, serving in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1972.
Magnus' political background includes being county co-chair for the Carlson/Benson campaign for Governor/Lt. Governor, member of past U.S. Senator Dave Durenburger’s agriculture advisory team, and was appointed by Gov. Carlson to serve two terms on the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board from 1993 through 1999.
In the agricultural field, Magnus was elected to the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council in 1989 and served three terms as Council Chairman.
In 1993 he was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the United Soybean Board and served as the International Marketing Chairman three terms, Communications Chairman, Secretary, Vice Chairman, and Chairman of the Board in 2001.
If telemarketers are bothering you
If telemarketers are bothering you, you have probably heard about Minnesota's new "Don't Call List."
Under the new law, Minnesotans will be able to sign up, for free, to a list that will prevent telemarketers from bothering them.
But don't call yet.
According to Minnesota Commerce Commissioner Jim Bernstein, his department will start taking names for the new list by late summer.
Although there is no charge for users, the telemarketers will be required to pay for an updated "no call" list every three months.
Phone numbers will remain on the list for four years.
By the end of the summer, the Commerce Dept. will start making public announcements about how consumers can register their number by phone, mail, or e-mail.
The new law will reduce, but not eliminate unwanted calls. The law does not apply to:
Non-profit groups
Political organizations
Businesses with a prior relationship to the consumer
Businesses that do not intend to complete the sale on the phone
Many legislators are already saying the law is a good start, but that it needs improvement.
Additional adjustments are already planned for the next legislative session.
Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at
tolly@star-herald.com