Luverne school to host forum on rave parties
What is a rave party?
The term "rave party" has been around for a long time, but I always associated it with big-city after-bar parties where people of legal drinking age gather to do illegal things.
According to Jan Olson, the rave party is becoming more prevalent in large and small communities alike and involves underage kids, and she thinks you should know more about them.
From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28, Mankato Police Officer Allen Schmidt will conduct a presentation on the rave party and how it is becoming more prevalent in smaller communities.
According to Schmidt, a rave party is "defined as an organized event that is touted as alcohol- and drug-free, but in reality, drugs are the main factor behind the party."
Some things to be discussed include:
music played at the party
clothing worn by the patrons
economics driving the parties
drugs involved
warning signs and ways drugs are being hidden.
Olson encourages any parent, educator, or adult who has a vested interest in children and their health to consider attending.
Spring clean-up and citywide rummage date set
As spring nears, you may want to start cleaning that junk out of your basement, closet or wherever it has collected over the past year or two.
Spring clean-up will start with the branch and tree pickup on April 15-17.
Junk items, wood, metal and plastic should be set out in separate piles for pickup April 22-24
The last pickup will be appliances on April 25.
This year, you must pre-register your appliance with City Hall and pay a $15-per-appliance fee.
Items considered appliances include: dehumidifiers, water heaters, washers and dryers, refrigerators, furnaces, air conditioners, stoves, deep freezers, microwaves, garbage disposals, trash compactors, and heat pumps.
The following week, the Luverne Chamber of Commerce will sponsor its citywide rummage sale.
This year the rummage sale will be from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27. Registration fee for the annual event is $10, which pays for advertising the sale, a lawn sign and your inclusion on the published list of participants which will be distributed.
To participate, you must sign up by April 12.
Minnesota closer to having official photo
You will probably be able to add one more item to your list of "Minnesota officials."
On Monday, Rep. Loren Solberg announced that the bill to make the picture "Grace" the official photograph of the state of Minnesota passed the House on a vote of 115 to 11.
The bill will go to Gov. Jesse Ventura for his signature.
Pet obituaries?
Always on the lookout for more readers and more revenue, the Philadelphia Daily News has initiated the publishing of pet obituaries.
Pet owners now have the opportunity to express how much they miss their recently departed companion by memorializing them in a pet obituary.
According to a recent Minnesota Newspaper Assn. Bulletin, the pet obits are selling for $52.08, which include a photo and a few lines of text, in the Philadelphia Daily News.
The notices appear once a month under the heading "A Fond Farewell to our Beloved Pet."
Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at
tolly@star-herald.com