High school students from nine districts attended a Medical Assistant and Surgical Technologist Camp Thursday, March 23, at Minnesota West Community and Technical College and Sanford Health in Luverne.
The sophomores, juniors and seniors toured the Minnesota West Learning Center and Sanford Luverne Medical Center where they were exposed to hands-on experiences in medical assisting and surgical technology and learned about career opportunities in the field.
They learned about the college coursework, some of which can be completed online, and they learned about career paths and specialized areas of health care within the programs.
Students came from Mitchell High School, Fulda High School, Hills-Beaver Creek, Spirit Lake High School, Brandon Valley, Mountain Lake, Worthington, Southwest Christian, Hendricks and a home school.  
The camps were a collaborative effort of Minnesota West, the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council, and Sanford Aspire.

To say that I am happy to see our snow cover disappearing is an understatement!
Snow is melting in spite of the temp being slightly above freezing, and that is a blessing. I am not seeing much water running, so hopefully what is melting is soaking into the ground to replenish our deficit from last year.
Visiting some friends last week, the “guy gardener” asked me about his unhappy-looking hibiscus plants. The light area they were in was perfect. The plants were about 30 inches tall with some wimpy flower buds and just a few pale yellow leaves.
Questioning the care they have received from the time they got moved indoors last fall until now, he told me that he had root-pruned and repotted them when he brought them indoors for the winter. It was obvious that when he root-pruned them, he did not prune back the “above ground” plant to compensate for the loss of sustaining roots removed by the root pruning. That pretty much explained the problem.
Providing there is not a root rot issue going on (which I couldn’t tell without taking the plant out of the pot), I told him to cut the stem portion of the plant back to about 10 inches, cut back on the amount of water, and give the hibiscus time to initiate new growth, which I think will happen in a couple of weeks.
My point in this monologue is that root pruning is a good thing to do, but the visible plant itself needs to be pruned at the same time or the plant will suffer immense shock from loss of a root system that has been supporting that top growth. This type of renewal pruning is beneficial for the plant and the plant caregiver. You plant the candidate back into the same pot you took it out of, thereby eliminating the need to keep shifting to larger and larger pots.
March is absolutely the best time to do any repotting. We are getting longer days and more sunlight which will result in a new burst of energy from plants that have been kind of hibernating for the winter.
For Boston ferns, or any fern for that matter, now is the best time to renew them. They tend to get root-bound as the aerial roots move to the edge of the pot, and often the stems get so dense on the edge that you can’t insert a finger to check the soil.
Remove the fern from the pot, and using a serrated knife, cut the root mass into quarters, trim away the lower half of the root mass, and cut off the center point of the wedge which would be the oldest growth. From each wedge, cut out any old fern stems and stem stubs. Fill the pot halfway with new potting soil and group three of the pieces you have trimmed back into the center of the pot, fill in with new soil and water thoroughly. The fourth quarter you can repot as a new start or just compost it.
You will be amazed by the number of new fronds that will be showing up in May if you do the work now.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is waiving vehicle permit fees at all 75 state parks and recreation areas on four dates in 2023.
The Free Park Days will be Saturday, April 22; Saturday, June 10; Saturday, Sept. 9; and Friday, Nov. 24.
With the support of the state legislature, the DNR offers Free Park Days to encourage Minnesotans to get outdoors and enjoy the health and wellness benefits of spending time in nature.
“Minnesota state parks and recreation areas are open year-round, and there’s plenty of fun to be had in the outdoors in every season,” said Ann Pierce, director of the DNR Parks and Trails Division.
“We hope offering a series of free entrance days will encourage Minnesotans to visit these special places to spend time enjoying the outstanding natural resources our state has to offer and recharge from the stresses of everyday life.”
Getting outdoors makes exercise more fun and can boost mood and immunity. According to the American Psychological Association, exposure to nature is linked to benefits like improved attention and lower stress.
There’s a state park or recreation area within 30 miles of most Minnesotans.
In addition to offering popular activities such as hiking, biking, camping, swimming, skiing and birding, a variety of state park programs are open to all visitors.
Programs are free, but some require pre-registration. Find state park programs online at the state parks and trails events calendar (mndnr.gov/ptcalendar).
The entrance fee waiver on Free Park Days does not cover activities like camping, rentals or tours.
For more information, visit the DNR’s Free Park Days page (mndnr.gov/freeparkdays) or contact the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us or 888-646-6367 between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday, or 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

It’s been said that for every tragedy there is a miracle to make up for it somewhere else.
I don’t know who says this or if it actually happens, but I hope it’s true.
Sometimes in grief after tragedy, hope is all we have.
… Well, that and prayer.
Lots of prayer. … By lots of good people who have been very good to us.
In the days and months following the Sept. 13, 2022, death of our Carson, many people were very generous — with food, gifts, thoughtful words and deeds … and cash.
… Lots and lots of cash.
Someday I will appropriately thank each and every one, even if it’s a year from now. Because I’m so very grateful.
Meanwhile, we’re pleased to announce these gifts are already being put to good use with “Carson’s Cause” through the Luverne Area Community Foundation.
The gifts recently funded a series of clever children’s books to guide elementary school approaches to brain health (see page 3A). And Carson’s Cause will sponsor Climb Theatre plays (customized for brain health) in classrooms this fall.
We believe the language we use (or don’t use) to talk about brain health is among the reasons suicide is becoming an epidemic.
It’s hard to get help for our brains if we’re ashamed to acknowledge we need help. And if we can’t even talk about it, it’s hard to improve a health care system that’s failing us.
If we need medicine for diabetes or high blood pressure, we have no problem talking about it. But if we need a prescription for brain health, we’d rather not disclose that weakness. (And health insurers bank on that.)
It’s hard to change existing bias, but we’re hoping to change future attitudes by guiding today’s children.  
Students can spot a bully in the playground a mile away, and they know how to help. Why? Because thoughtful educators have made it part of their everyday dialogue in school.
They don’t use the R word (“retarded”) and they embrace students who are different (in wheelchairs or with other “special” needs).
With similar guidance, we believe kids who know how to talk about brain health will know how to ask for help when they’re not feeling well, and they’ll know how to help someone else who may not be feeling well.
It's a bit more complicated than a toothache, but our hope is that today’s kids will be tomorrow’s grownups who discuss a brain health appointment like they would a trip to the dentist.
Ultimately, we’re hoping for a brighter future … for people seeking brain health care to get help before they consider suicide as an option.
Will it help? We think so.
Will it prevent suicide? We hope so. We’re hoping for small miracles.
And hope, in the wake of a tragedy like suicide, is a very good thing.

H-BC Teacher: 'I encourage your to vote April 11'
To the Editor:
I often feel like I’ve hit the jackpot in my job teaching kindergarten at Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School!  We were named a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School in 2019.  We’ve got a great staff, working together like clockwork to educate our students.  We’ve got an acclaimed administrator who leads us to keep moving forward for the sake of our students’ education.  Our small size makes it easy to build relationships with our students and families that are second to none.
In our school building, however, we are lacking.
Sure, walking through the hallways of H-BC elementary, you’d see a well-kept school with clean floors, freshly painted walls, even new(ish) carpet.  Our custodial and grounds staff have always done a fantastic job.  You likely won’t even hear a complaint from anyone on our staff, as we focus on the positive and always try to put our best foot forward. ...
But what you might not see walking through the facility is a barrage of shortcomings that do not match up with the high standards to which our school holds itself.
I can speak specifically of my kindergarten classroom, which this year serves 16 students (currently the smallest class in the school).  We have fewer than 700 square feet; no space to set up the learning centers or play centers that a kindergarten classroom should be based on.  I gave up having my own teacher’s desk so I could set up a reading corner for my students.  Next year I will welcome a class size in the mid-20s, and somehow find space for them and their belongings.
The aged heating and cooling system in our school is beyond repair, literally.  My room will generally be 80 degrees or warmer in the middle of the winter, unless I open a window.  This is without the blower unit on the heat vent even turned on – just heat that radiates into the classroom from the boiler down below.  The window and the window air conditioner are the only way I have to control the temperature in my classroom.  Don’t tell the person paying the electric bill, but I’ve been known to turn on the AC on a 50-degree day just to keep my little people awake.
But even the AC poses a problem. You see, when I switch it on, it often trips a breaker, powering down my smart board. Other days I’ll be running the AC and I'll go to sharpen a pencil ... power outage again. “Just sit tight 5-year-olds, while I call the custodian to flip that back on for us, then we can continue with our lesson.”
The need for a new facility is apparent!
The community has spoken through surveys that they prefer the new school to be built in Beaver Creek. Let’s unite!  Let’s work together as a staff and a community to uphold our tradition of excellence in all areas of our school, including the school building itself.
I encourage you to vote on April 11 to build a new elementary school in Beaver Creek.
Haley Tollefson,
Luverne
Jarchow: 'Please, help protect our children'
To the Editor:
To begin with, I have many times thought how thankful we should be for our local Chamber and all they do to promote our town and help organize the many activities in our community. I commend them for being proactive in planning special events for children/youth for St. Patrick’s Day as well as Easter with the long, snow-impacted spring.
For St. Patrick’s Day they assembled enough treats for children kindergarten through 12th grade. When my children came home with their treat of Skittles from the Chamber, they also had a coupon donated by Take 16 for a free draft root beer. Am I the only one having trouble with this? I can think of better options than having families enter a brewery with their children to redeem the offer. There are several family-friendly retailers who offer fun beverages, such as Wildflowers, The Bean, and Firefly, just to name a couple.
I’ve read articles where breweries are focused on promoting their locations as family-friendly and parents can enjoy their “adult” beverages and bring their children. I’ve seen the family reading nights and Father’s Day promotions inviting parents and children. One parent in an article even said he wants his children to be comfortable around alcohol.
Why are we trying to desensitize our children to an alcohol atmosphere? Would we be okay with the local liquor store or Herb N’ Legend providing coupons for some child-appropriate item and inviting families into their establishment?
Kids are starting to drink earlier and at younger ages, and it’s no wonder why. When we normalize alcohol consumption and have it present at every family-friendly community event or even children/youth events, the message we are sending is that it is a normal part of everyday life.
What we aren’t saying, but should, is that alcohol is a drug that is mind-altering and addictive and many people unintentionally become addicted to it.
I am concerned about the lackadaisical attitude we have around alcohol and how it is impacting our children today and what that will look like in the future.
Please, help protect our children and give them a safe, substance-free environment to grow up in. 
Wanda Jarchow,
Luverne
Lanphere apologizes for lapse in judgment over St. Patrick's gift
To the Editor:
I would like to personally apologize for my lapse in judgment and thought in my actions as director of the Luverne Chamber. I take full responsibility for coordinating the efforts to provide all children in our schools with a small gift in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day.
When the opportunity arose to include a gift card for a free root beer at Take 16, I did not take into account the issues with alcohol and abuse that some families struggle with. I deeply regret that didn’t cross my mind when we put together the bags to hand out to the children in this community.
Hindsight doesn’t matter when you make a mistake like I did. You can only move on and pledge to take into account all aspects of decision-making in the future. I hope that you forgive me and that the decision that I made doesn’t reflect on what the Luverne Area Chamber and its members do to support community. 
With deepest regrets,
Jane Lanphere
 

Dispatch report
March 17
•Complainant on 41st Street and 30th-40th Avenue, Hills, reported a road closure.
•Complainant reported vandalism.
•Complainant on W. Dodge Street reported a scam.
•Complainant reported theft.
•Complainant on 3rd Street and Church Avenue, Hills, reported a parking issue and noise.
•Complainant on Spring Street and Brown Street reported a road and drive law issue.
March 18
•Complainant on N. Spring Street reported burning and smoke.
•Complainant on 41st Street and 30th Avenue, Hills, reported a road closure.
•Complainant reported a runaway.
•Complainant on E. Luverne Street reported lost property.
•Complainant on Highway 23, mile marker 9, Beaver Creek, requested assistance from another department.
March 19
•Complainant on County Road 9 and 21st Street, Ash Creek, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on County Road 4 and Redbird Road reported debris.
•Complainant reported a civil issue.
•Complainant westbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 6, Beaver Creek, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on S. Church Avenue, Hills, reported weapons.
•Complainant on S. Church Avenue, Hills, reported a parking issue.
•Complainant reported a scam.
March 20
•Complainant on N. Spring Street reported a parking complaint.
•Complainant on Highway 75 and 251st Street reported personal injury.
•Complainant on N. Kniss Avenue reported a vulnerable adult.
March 21
•Complainant requested assistance from another department.
•Complainant on W. Warren Street reported a civil issue.
•Complainant on E. Warren Street reported an NSF check.
•Complainant on E. Warren Street reported an NSF check.
•Complainant on State Highway 270, Hills, reported a driving complaint.
March 23
•Complainant reported an outage.
•Complainant on N. Cedar Street reported suspicious activity.
•Complainant in Hills reported found property.
•Complainant on 141st Street, Luverne, reported suspicious activity.
•Complainant reported an outage.
 
In addition, officers responded to 8 motor vehicle accidents, 1 deer accident, 3 vehicles in the ditch, 14 ambulance runs, 4 paper services, 3 animal complaints, 1 fingerprint request, 6 burn permits, 2 drug court tests, 14 purchase and carry permits, 9 stalled vehicles, 38 traffic stops, 10 abandoned 911 calls, 3 welfare checks, and 2 follow-ups.

A Luverne Public Schools custodian shovels a few areas Friday afternoon at the school’s tennis courts, allowing Mother Nature to penetrate through the ice layer under the estimated 6 inches of snow covering the playing surface. The boys’ tennis season started Monday. Earlier last week, custodians cleared the track of snow and allowed the sun to successfully remove the ice underneath.

Rock County Engineer Mark Sehr unveiled his preliminary five-year road and bridge construction plan to commissioners March 21.
In the plan, Sehr anticipates completing two mill and overlay projects, six bridge replacements, one bridge rehabilitation and 41 miles of seal coating in 2023.
Commissioners asked Sehr if his annual $100,000 gravel budget needs to be increased.
“It’s all the department can handle with the current workforce,” he said.
If necessary, Sehr indicated he would hire additional contractors to haul gravel.
The copy of the plan for projects in 2023 through 2027 is located at the highway department’s website.
For 2023, six miles of County Road 6 from Hills to Beaver Creek will be milled and overlayed.
Another four miles of County Road 5 from Highway 23 to County Road 6 will also be milled and overlayed.
Five township bridges will be replaced in Kanaranzi (County Road 1), Rose Dell (221st Street) and three in Martin (along County Road 6).
The historic Spring Brook bridge in Beaver Creek will be rehabilitated this fall.
Sehr said the 2023 schedule also calls for 41 miles of asphalt county roads to have cracks cleaned and filled and the roadway seal coated.
“It’s on the roads that have had work done in the last five years,” he said. “And those county roads in the cities.”
The cities include Hardwick, Magnolia, Steen, Beaver Creek and Hills.
Bids for the two mill and overlay projects were awarded to Duininck Inc. of Prinsburg earlier this year.
Bid letting for the five township bridge replacements is set for April 3 and the seal coat bid opening is April 16.

After a three-year hiatus, Discovery Time Preschool opened its doors to visitors Friday in a special Cookies & Cardinals event for both its morning and afternoon programs. Preschoolers invited parents and grandparents to see what they do on a daily basis that included reading, playing in the gym, painting, and sharing cookies in the commons. Preschool teacher Angie Janiszeski named the event and worked with fellow teacher Amy Chapa to coordinate events with the adults in mind. “We figured they are taking time off work,” Janiszeski said. “We needed to make it worth their time.”