The entire state of Minnesota was under an air quality alert May 18 due to wildfire smoke originating in Canada.
The alert, issued by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Health, was in effect through the morning of May 19.
“Fine particle levels are expected to reach the red air quality index category, a level considered unhealthy for everyone,” the alert stated.
“In the red area, everyone should avoid prolonged time outdoors.”
Rock County was in the “red” zone where the air was hazy and had a distinctive smell of smoke.
The compromised air quality was due to a band of heavy ground smoke from wildfires in northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, according to the MPCA release.
“The smoke should clear rapidly overnight,” the MPCA said Thursday.
A full description of air quality categories is available at airnow.gov.
On Monday afternoon, the MPCA and state Department of Health issued an air quality alert due to ozone.
“Southerly winds are transporting pollutants into the state,” the statement read.
“Sunny skies, warm temperatures and low humidity will allow these pollutants to react to the air to produce ground-level ozone. … This is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
The ozone alert was made for the southern half the state and lasted through Tuesday.
During ozone alerts residents should:
•reduce vehicle trips and fill up the gas tank at dawn or dusk.
•carpool when possible.
•postpone use of gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
•avoid backyard fires.

At Monday night’s awards ceremony in the Luverne school performing arts center, Don Klosterbuer announced that Luverne’s Dollars for Scholars program was 40 years old.
The program dates back to 1983 when the local chapter was established and two $500 scholarships were awarded.
On Monday, 67 scholarships totaling $523,750 were awarded to Luverne High School seniors.
It marked 2,143 awards over the 40-year period for a cumulative total of $5,551,975.
There are now 296 individual scholarships in Luverne’s Dollars for Scholars program.
“That means 296 individuals determined that assisting graduates in pursuing their goals and dreams and aspirations was important enough to them to put their money where their mouth was,” said Klosterbuer, president of the Luverne Dollars for Scholars board of trustees.
He encouraged students to learn about the people who sponsored scholarships.
“There are some fascinating stories in there about individuals who have done amazing things,” he said.
Luverne Dollars for Scholars publishes an annual booklet outlining all the scholarships and the ones awarded this year’s seniors.
It will be distributed at Sunday’s commencement ceremony in the Luverne elementary gym.

For the fifth-consecutive year, the Southwest Minnesota Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities (CEO) program showcased student-developed business in its annual showcase event.
This year’s showcase took place May 17 at the Big Top Tent Rental in Luverne.
CEO participants, along with their school and business name, include:
•Kai Buss, LHS junior, “Airrends.”
•Kayla Bloemendaal, LHS junior, “Macra-kay & Co.”
•Anika Boll, LHS junior, “Simply Crafted.”
•Abby Boltjes, LHS junior, “Connected Creations.”
•Morgan Bonnett, LHS junior, “Memories by Morgan.”
•Liv Bork, Hills-Beaver Creek High School senior, “Liv Cleanly.”
•Conner Connell, LHS junior, “CK Baseball Academy.”
•Kristofer Eischens, Pipestone Area High School junior, “Sled X.”
•Jacie Graham, LHS senior, “Sweet Creations by Jacie.”
•Mason Hamm, Southwest Minnesota Christian High School senior, “Polar Fury Rods.”
•Lauren Hansen, LHS senior, “Front Porch Market.”
•Henry Hartquist, LHS junior, “Outdoor Apparel.”
•Camden Hoven, LHS senior, “Mocked.”
•Chloe Olivier, PAS High School, “Prairie Winds Lamb Supply.”
•Isabella Oye, LHS senior, “B’s Blankets.”
•Gavin Reisch, LHS senior, “Get Money Golf.”
•Will Serie, LHS junior, “Serie Socks.”
•Belle Smidt, LHS junior, “Carried by Christ.”
•Ana Wolf, Adrian High School junior, “Elation Gifts.”
The CEO program is open to students in Luverne, Hills-Beaver Creek, Adrian, Edgerton, Pipestone, Ellsworth and Southwest Christian in Edgerton.
Each year, the CEO committee chooses a group of incoming juniors and seniors to complete the program.
Over the course of the school year, the students follow the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship model of visiting area businesses, where they develop connections and skills toward a successful future as adult entrepreneurs.
CEO students develop a business, and their work is showcased to the public at year-end.
According to CEO facilitator Katie Baustian, many CEO graduates continue their businesses after the program’s showcase is over.
“The impact is different for all alumni, but the fact is all have learned something — one little thing that a business owner or guest speaker shared with them, that down the road they will remember as they have a fond memory of their CEO experience,” she said.
 
First Legacy Award presented to Buss family
For the first time in its five-year history, the Southwest Minnesota Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities program gave out a legacy award.
The Troy and Niki Buss family has had all three of their children participate in the CEO program.
The CEO Legacy Award recognizes those families and their children for their dedication.
In addition to their son Kai, who participated in the program this spring, son Quinn completed the program in 2020 and daughter Kendall in 2021.
“They pretty much inspired me to do it,” Kai admitted.
Family discussions about the business professionals they’ve met and the experiences among CEO students led Kai, a Luverne High School junior, to apply to the program.

The community will celebrate the grand opening of the Luverne Loop Trail during a ribbon-cutting and “Tour de Loop” bike ride Thursday, June 1.
“We’re going to try to make it an annual event that’s on the Thursday before Buffalo Days,” Chamber Director Jane Lanphere said.
“It’s going to be a family-friendly community bike ride … and this year because we’re celebrating the completion of this beautiful trail system through our community, we’re pulling out all the stops.”
The ribbon-cutting will be at 5:30 p.m. at the trailhead building on East Main Street where ride maps and Tour de Loop instructions will be available from 4 to 7 p.m.
Bicyclists will ride the trails from 4 to 7:30 p.m. entering drawings at five individual stops for prizes that will be drawn at 8 p.m. (must be present to win). They need to pick up their number at the trailhead before they ride.
Prizes for youth and adults totaling $2,500 include Trek bikes, bike accessories, helmets, repair gift certificates and more.
Berry Fast Bike Equipment and Repair, Madison, South Dakota, will be at the Trailhead from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Luverne’s Second Mile Bicycles will offer bike adjustments from 4 to 6 p.m.
Wildflowers Food Trailer and Bluestem Catering will serve at 5 p.m. with music and free root beer floats from 6 to 8 p.m.
“We have great partners working with us on this, and it’s just going to be a fun night for everyone to come out,” Lanphere said.
More information about the ribbon-cutting and Tour de Loop is at luvernechamber.org or 507-283-4061.
 
About the Loop
The Luverne Loop offers 7.4 miles of trail around the outskirts of the city. By linking to the Blue Mounds Trail, the Loop provides users a safe route for recreation and transportation that connects areas of interest throughout Luverne and Rock County.
Trail users can access the Loop by parking at the Trailhead or at other public parking places along the route.
Starting at the trailhead, users can go counter-clockwise around the Loop by heading north on the Blue Mounds Trail past Luverne Aquatics & Fitness and turning west on 131st Street. Then, heading south on Hwy 75, users have the option to take the spur to the fishing pier at Veterans Pond or cross Hwy 75 and continue on the Loop. 
Along the Loop, users will pass by the Sanford Healing Garden, Veterans Pond and Fishing Pier, city pocket parks, Child’s Remembrance Garden, prairie views northwest of town, Luverne Public Schools athletic fields (Prairie View Complex), Nature Explore Classroom, Poplar Creek, restaurants, shops, and hotels along the I-90 / Hwy 75 commercial corridor, wildlife habitat and native grasslands, Dybedock Pond, the scenic Rock River and Redbird Field.
At the Luverne City Park, Loop users can also get on the Chris Ashby Memorial Trail that is 1.95 miles in length.
Starting on the east side of the Rock River near the Trailhead, the Ashby Trail crosses the Rock River, winds through the Luverne City Park and meanders east out of Luverne along Rock River Road and terminates at Rock County Road 9 near the Luverne Country Club.
An interactive map on the city of Luverne website, cityofluverne.com, provides more details.

About 80 people gathered in the Generations Events Center Friday morning for a community conversation about mental health.
The group included a diverse mix of local leaders in city, county and school government and also mental health professionals from local and regional organizations.
Angela Nolz, mental health counselor at Sanford Luverne Clinic, said the goal of the meeting was to increase understanding of how suicide affects community members and identify ways to prevent it.
“As most of you know, our community has been affected heavily over a number of years with suicides, and our aim is to reduce suicide along with educating those around us,” she said.
“I want to thank everyone for being here to have these difficult but important conversations.”
An important component of Friday’s meeting focused on round table discussions.
“What we’d like to hear from you is your ideas about what’s going well in our community and what else we need to adopt to create improvement,” Nolz said.
Groups were asked to discuss several questions:
•If someone approached you and shared that they were struggling with their mental health, would you know what to do? If yes, list the resources you would use.
•If you or someone close experiences loss by suicide, what are your coping skills or resources you would use at this time?
•What barriers keep people in our community from receiving the help they need with their mental health?
•How can we help our youth feel more comfortable about seeking support for their mental health and suicide prevention?
•How can we help parents feel more comfortable about discussing mental health and suicide prevention?
•How can we help our grandparents and elderly population to have the discussion about mental health and suicide prevention?
•What did you come here hoping to share today but have not had the opportunity to share?
Nolz organized Friday’s conversation with Luverne School guidance counselor Amy Cook, Luverne School social worker Stacy Schepel, Jennifer Stratton of Southwestern Mental Health and Sherri Smith with Minnesota courts and chemical dependency support.
They and other professionals meet monthly as part of Luv1LuvAll Brain Health Group that was approved last fall for a Pathway to Care grant through the Minnesota Health Department.
It's a two-year grant for suicide prevention, and Friday’s meeting was part of a community assessment related to the grant.
“We’re asking what are the things we’re doing well, and what are the things that aren’t happening that need to occur?” Nolz said.
“The community engagement piece is really at the heart of this.”
She said the group has had training on language and messaging. “Because how we talk about these things matters,” Nolz said. “
The goal is to build a community resource list and make sure there are tools for screening and referral processes.
“I feel like we have a really good team of people working on this and everybody is really passionate about what we’re doing.”
Nolz encouraged everyone in the room to be part of the solution for preventing suicide, no matter how small their role.
“One of the things I’ve thought about is when we’ve had hard years and hard situations that have occurred, it’s really easy to decide this is just too big and too hard,” she said.
Once Friday’s information is reviewed, a broader community conversation may be scheduled at a later date related to mental health and suicide prevention.
 
June 5 planning meeting for Sept. 15 suicide prevention walk
Meanwhile, plans are underway for the 2023 Out of the Darkness Luverne Walk to Prevent Suicide on Sept. 16 in Luverne City Park.
It’s a fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which provides research, education and advocacy to prevent suicide.
Nolz said the Sept. 16 walk promotes health and wellness by encouraging people to get out and walk together for a common cause.
“It’s an excellent way to give back to your community and to show your support to those affected by suicide,” she said.
To involve the community ahead of the event, the group is inviting the public to a meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, June 5, in Luverne City Park.
Nolz can be reached at angela.nolz@sanfordhealth.org.

Fred and Amy Wilgenburg won’t receive a refund for 20 years of property tax overpayment.
Commissioners unanimously denied the abatement request May 16, because the assessor’s mistake is not considered a clerical error.
In 2003 the Wilgenburgs moved a 1940s house onto their acreage near Valley Springs and built on a small addition and an attached garage. The home had a new foundation, roof and matching siding.
From the outside, it appeared to be a new home, but the interior was still the 1940s structure.
“It seems to me the statute is pretty clear we have no authority or any basis for changing anything at this point,” said Commissioner Greg Burger.
“I just want to make sure that we’ve got things in line to prevent something like this from happening again.”
The contracted township assessor noted in 2003 an interior assessment wasn’t completed and, from an exterior perspective, it was assessed as a newly built home.
The Wilgenburgs questioned the property’s proposed 2024 market value, which led to the discovery that the home is older and therefore has less value than a newly built home of 2003.
As a result, for 2024 property taxes, the home’s market value was decreased by $100,000 to $325,000.
On May 9, Fred Wilgenburg approached the commissioners requesting a refund for the tax overpayment due to the incorrect assessment.
On May 15, county attorney Jeff Haubrich drafted a response letter to the commissioners about the assessment error.
“The question as to what is a clerical error has long been interpreted very narrowly by the courts stating a clerical error is ‘a mistake in the clerical work of transcribing the particular record,” Haubrich stated.
“That is not what happened here. There was no transposing of numbers, no missing a decimal point, no mistake that would be considered clerical. There was a substantive determination of a valuation that turns out not to be correct, but it was the judgment of the township assessor at that time.”
State statute limits tax assessment appeals for clerical errors to the current tax year and two years prior.
 
Assessment procedures have changed
County assessor Rachel Jacobs said her office procedures have changed since 2003.
In 2008 a list of building permits was provided to the assessor’s office from the Land Management Office. Since then, copies of building permits are forwarded to the assessor’s office providing project details and contact numbers of the property owners.
In 2020 most townships and cities in Rock County contracted with the county assessor’s office for annual services.
Jacobs said her office reviews the majority of all 8,500 parcels in Rock County every five years.
As a courtesy her office now sends postcards alerting homeowners about an upcoming review visit, which includes an interior inspection, if the homeowner grants permission.
Most homeowners are not home nor do they respond to the request to complete an interior inspection.
Home owners can call the assessor’s office to ask questions about what information has been recorded about their properties.
So far, 30 appeals have been made to the assessor’s office involving the 2024 evaluation statements. Each has had interior inspections completed.
In some instances, the home’s evaluation increased due to upgrades not noticed during an external evaluation.
To assist commissioners with future requests, a county abatement policy for evaluations is being developed.

Beaver Creek Memorial Day services May 29
Beaver Creek will sponsor Memorial Day services Monday, May 29, at the First Presbyterian Church beginning with coffee hour at 9:30 a.m. with services to follow at 10:30 a.m. Twenty-two year veteran John Roberts from Baltic, South Dakota, will be the featured speaker. Cemetery services with Honor Guard will follow at 11:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome.
 
Hardwick Memorial Day program May 29
Hardwick American Legion Post #478 will sponsor a Memorial Day Program at 10 a.m. Monday, May 29, at the Hardwick Veterans Memorial. In case of inclement weather it will be in the Hardwick Community Hall.
Guest speaker is U.S. Army Retired Colonel Kim Henningsen, a Vietnam veteran, of Jefferson, South Dakota. Readers will be Girls Stater Kiesli Smith and Army ROTC Cadet Gunnar Oldre, University of Notre Dame. Madi Oye will provide special music. Coffee, juice and cookies will follow the program.
 
Maplewood
Memorial Day program May 29
Luverne American Legion and VFW will host a Memorial Day ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 29, in Maplewood Cemetery. Guest speaker is Kent Heronimus. The service will be broadcast on KQAD.
 
Park bison tours begin May 26
The Blue Mounds State Park has announced that it will begin offering bison tours on Friday, May 26. Call the park at 507-283-6050 for more information or reservations.
 
Pop-up book sale at library June 1-3
Friends of the Library will have a pop-up book sale in the Rock County Community Library in Luverne over Buffalo Days weekend. Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, June 1,  11 to 4 Friday, June 2, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 3.
 
Pie and ice cream
Luverne United Methodist Church will serve pie and ice cream from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 2, in the church courtyard on Main Street Luverne.
 
Blue Mounds naturalist programs
The Blue Mounds State Park naturalist will offer the following upcoming programs. Contact bluemounds.statepark@state.mn.us or 507-283-6050 with questions.
Colors of the Prairie will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 2, at Eagle Rock Vista. Join the naturalist for a 1.5 mile walk on the prairie to see what plants are blooming in early June and what makes prairie plants and wildflowers unique.
Pollinator Power Nature Cart will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, June 2, at the Eagle Rock Vista. Meet some of the Blue Mounds’ most common pollinator species during the stop-and-go style program.
Bison Babies Nature Cart will be from 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday, June 3, at the Eagle Rock Vista. With calving season in full swing, drop by the pop-up naturalist’s station for some quick facts about the park’s new herd members.
Predators of the Sky will be from 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 3, at the amphitheater. Learn about the park’s birds of prey and how these birds use their adaptations to conquer the sky. Bring a chair as seating is limited. All ages welcome.
 
June 5 meeting for suicide prevention walk
A community planning meeting for the Sept. 16 Out of the Darkness Luverne Walk to Prevent Suicide will be at 7 p.m. Monday, June 5, in Luverne City Park.
The walk is a fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which provides research, education and advocacy to prevent suicide. Event organizer Angela Nolz can be reached at angela.nolz@sanfordhealth.org.
 
Bloodmobile in Luverne June 13
The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will accept donations from from noon to 6 p.m. June 13 at Living Rock Church on East Main Street in Luverne. Make an appointment through the donor app or through redcrossblood.org or call 800-733-2767.
 
Storytelling kits at library
Libraries in the Plum Creek Library System are rolling out its new Storytelling Kits in a wide range of subjects from ABCs to Zoos.
Each of the more than 130 kits contain a variety of materials based on the kit’s theme. Some include Wonderbooks, puppets, music CDs and DVDs. Various learning activities can also be found in the kits as well.
The initial checkout period for the kits is one week with two renewals.
 
SAIL classes in Magnolia
SAIL classes meet from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday mornings, June 6 through Aug. 24, in the Magnolia Post Office. The free classes, Stay Active and Independent for Life, improve strength and balance. Call A.C.E of Southwest Minnesota manager Linda Wenzel, 507-283-5064, or A.C.E. volunteer Connie Frahm, 507-220-3584.
 
Rock The Edge accepting service projects
Rock The Edge will host the local Service Over Self mission week June 26-29. If you have a project you need assistance with (painting, cleaning, yardwork, small construction, etc.) call 605-261-4000 or 507-227-1978. To volunteer as an adult, call 401-500-3427. Childcare provided upon request.
 
Community Ed
Community Education will offer the following classes in the next few weeks. Call 507-283-4724 to register.
 Students grades 3 and older (as attended during 22-23 school year) will receive training that can prepare them to be Home Alone on June 1. Fee is $15.
Co-Ed Outdoor 3 on 3 Basketball League begins on June 1 for boys and girls in grades 3-6 as attended during the 22-23 school year. Fee is $50 (or $40 if registered for another basketball camp/offering).
Early Play Ball classes begin on June 5 for children ages 4 through Kindergarten (as attended during the past school year). Fee is $35.
Girls, grades K-2 (as attended during the 22-23 school year), will learn fundamentals and skills at Girls’s Basketball Camp beginning on June 5. Fee is $50.
Book Club may be for grades 2-4 (as attended during the 22-23 school year) will meet for 4 sessions starting on June 6. A snack and book will be provided. Fee is $30.
 
Library Happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
Books on Tap takes place at 6:30 p.m. the first Monday of each month at Take 16 in Luverne.
The 50 State Challenge for adults and older teens is currently underway where patrons are encouraged to read a book set in one of each of the 50 states through Jan. 1, 2024.
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration begins at 6 p.m.
Reminiscence Kits are available featuring various topics such as gardening, pets, baking, sewing, farming and hunting. The kits are designed to use with a loved one experiencing memory loss, encouraging the loved one to open up about activities they once loved in the past.
STEAM kits are also available checkout. Motion, lights, hydropower, robotics and magnets are among the kits.
 
Food Shelf evening hours
The Rock County Food Shelf is open for an additional evening shift from 5 to 6 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month. Call Mary at 507-227-5548 or Katie at 507-227-3531.
 
A.C.E. respite care available, volunteers needed
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota (A.C.E.) offers respite care services in Rock County for those needing a break from caring for a loved one.
The respite program offers short-term (1-3 hours), temporary care for families and caregivers by providing a brief period of reprieve from the daily cares they provide to their loved one.
Volunteers provide non-professional supportive services to caregivers to give them time for themselves, relieve their stress and help them remain healthy.
Respite care volunteers are also needed. Trained A.C.E. volunteers provide respite care to family caregivers of adults age 60 and older who are suffering from long-term health conditions.
Contact Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064 or ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us.

Luverne choir students in grades 6-12 perform their spring pops concert, “It’s R Time,” the music of 2010-2021, Friday night in the school performing arts center. The Luverne Music Boosters served Take 16 root beer floats between the two performances, and senior students were recognized after the second show.

Memorial Day is a time to honor the memory of men and women who lost their lives while serving in the U.S. military.
But we must also never forget the veterans who made it home but are struggling with addiction and mental health issues and suicide thoughts.
Early intervention and prevention is critical to help veterans find the treatment they need.
More than 300,000 veterans live in Minnesota, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and 16 percent of them have served since Sept. 11, 2001.
“There are many reasons veterans become addicted to drugs or alcohol, but addiction and mental health issues are treatable,” said Michael Leach of addicted.org.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, over 3.9 million veterans have substance use disorders or mental illness.
Substance abuse significantly increases suicidality among veterans ages 18 and older and remains problematic among veterans ages 18 to 49.
Many veterans struggle with adjusting to civilian life and face financial hardships, difficulty finding employment and accessing benefits.
They’re at a higher risk of compromised mental and emotional health, often due to untreated trauma, and they tend to lean on alcohol and drugs for coping.
Veterans also experience significant barriers to care with insurance gaps, inadequate funding and limited treatment access in rural locations. Stigma regarding mental health and substance use is still an issue.
Outside of the usual VA-Facility locator offered by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, there are other options to consider.
For example, the VA has extensive resources and support for veterans and their families.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides a treatment facility locator where veterans can find specific options for substance use and mental health treatment.
And helpful phone numbers include the Veterans Crisis Line, 1-800-273-8255, and the Lifeline for Vets, 1-888-777-4443.
Drug and alcohol treatment facilities are increasingly better equipped to treat veterans by offering specific rehabilitation options and treatment for co-occurring disorders.
Families play a significant role in supporting veterans through difficult times. Speak to them openly and honestly about their substance use, and express concern without casting judgment. Help them find treatment.
Be patient and show compassion for what they are going through. Substance use and mental health disorders are treatable.
It takes communities and families coming together to help veterans who are struggling. Too many battle these issues in silence and never get their needed help.
Early intervention and prevention save lives, and providing quick and easy access to treatment and support is critical for veterans struggling with addiction.
 
— Veronica Raussin is a community outreach coordinator for addicted.org