Lions member Gordon Mulder and current Lions Club president Steve Cattnach show one of three bike racks donated by the Luverne Lions Club to the Blue Mounds State Park.  

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is continuing its investigations into the alleged misuse of dicamba herbicide products intended for dicamba-tolerant (DT) soybeans, though ongoing work reveals a pattern of issues with label violations.
In 2021 there were 304 reports of alleged dicamba misuse which resulted in 120 dicamba investigations. Due to the significant number of investigations, the MDA does not expect to complete the review and enforcement related to the investigations prior to the 2022 growing season.
However, based on the dicamba investigations reviewed to date, the MDA has documented multiple incidents of the following label violations:
•Failing to provide proof of and/or attend dicamba-specific training.
•Failing to measure the wind speed at boom height.
•Applying dicamba when sensitive plants, crops, or residential areas were downwind.
•Failing to document that a sensitive crop registry/specialty crop registry was consulted.
•Failing to record a survey of adjacent areas.
•Incomplete application records.
A vast majority of the associated dicamba application records reviewed by MDA field investigators were incomplete. Missing, inaccurate or partially recorded information does not meet the label requirements and, therefore, is a violation of the label.
The MDA will continue to enforce the use of these products by investigating reports of alleged dicamba misuse and reviewing dicamba application records.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the following Minnesota-specific restrictions in 2022 for three dicamba products: XtendiMax by Bayer, Engenia by BASF, and Tavium by Syngenta.
 
•Date cutoff:
•Do not apply south of Interstate 94 after June 12.
•Do not apply north of Interstate 94 after June 30.
 
•Statewide temperature cutoff:
•Do not apply if the air temperature of the field at the time of application is over 85 degrees Fahrenheit or if the National Weather Service’s forecast high temperature for the nearest available location for the day exceeds 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Forecast temperature must be recorded at the start of the application.
In addition to the cutoff date, Xtendimax and Tavium have crop growth stage cutoffs.
Applicators must follow all product label directions and restrictions. The product labels can be found on the product manufacturer’s websites (Bayer, BASF, or Syngenta).
Additional information regarding the Minnesota-specific restrictions can be found on the MDA’s website.
For more information contact Allen Sommerfeld at 651-201-6185 or email: allen.sommerfeld@state.mn.us

Corporal James Blunt Dunn, the last Civil War veteran buried in Rock County, who died at age 93 in 1938, will be honored in a ceremony at 1 p.m. Sunday, May 1, at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
The ceremony is open to veterans, those with an interest in Civil War history and the general public. Corporal Dunn’s descendants are most cordially invited to attend as special guests.
The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) will conduct the ceremony with the assistance of the Rock County Historical Society and the local chapter of the American Legion.  
The SUVCW, with great assistance by the Rock County Historical Society, did extensive research to locate this last American Civil War veteran in Rock County.
In addition to the online research, Walk and Search Specialist Chuck Lursen from Fulda worked to find Civil War veterans in Rock County.
The original list provided to Chuck and his team had five veterans listed; they found 110.
SUVCW William Colvill Camp #56, Department of Wisconsin, will preside over the ceremony. The ceremony will feature the Last Soldier dedication ritual of the SUVCW and includes the placing of a Last Soldier Marker on the veteran’s grave.
The Department of Wisconsin, whose territory is the entire states of Wisconsin and Minnesota, supports the national goal of identifying and placing a marker on the grave of the last Union veteran buried in each of Minnesota’s 87 counties.
The members of Camp #56 consider the Last Soldier ceremony an honor and a fitting tribute for a Union soldier whose service helped preserve the liberties Americans enjoy as a nation today.
 
About James Dunn

James Blunt Dunn enlisted on March 2, 1865, as a private and he mustered into Company A of the Wisconsin 52nd Infantry. His regiment was assigned to duty in western Missouri and Kansas to protect the men building railways and restrain the depredations of lawless men. His pension record states that he suffered a broken left arm and fractured wrist during his four months of service.
He was mustered out on July 28, 1865, at Leavenworth, Kansas, as a corporal.
 
About the SUVCW
The SUVCW is a national veterans organization made up of the descendants of Union soldiers who fought in the Civil War.
The SUVCW has more than 6,000 members across the country and is the successor to the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R), the veterans organization formed after the Civil War by soldiers who served in the Union Army. The last member of the G.A.R., Albert Woolson of Duluth, Minnesota, died in 1956.

During “Take a Mom Fishing Weekend” Saturday, May 7, to Sunday, May 8, moms who live in Minnesota can fish without purchasing a license.
The Minnesota State Legislature established this special weekend in 1988 to coincide with Mother’s Day.
Most years, the fishing opener and Take a Mom Fishing Weekend are on the same weekend, but not this year.
On Take a Mom Fishing weekend, fishing is open for many species like crappie, sunfish, catfish, or native fish like buffalo, sucker, bullhead or sheepshead.
Walleye and northern pike seasons will open the following weekend on Saturday, May 14.
Fishing season dates and regulations are available on the DNR fishing page (mndnr.gov/Fishing).
Find out how and where to fish, learn about fishing equipment, read about ways to catch different kinds of fish and get acquainted with fishing ethics and stewardship on theDNR learn to fish page (mndnr.gov/GoFishing).

Though sexual assault and child abuse happens every day, now is a particular time to remember those impacted by it.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.
According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network), every 68 seconds someone in America is sexually assaulted. Furthermore, one in 10 children will experience some sort of abuse as a child.
Locally, in the last year the Southwest Crisis Center has worked with 54 individuals who have experienced sexual violence and/or child abuse.
Unfortunately we know that the incidences of such violence are much higher. Again, according to RAINN, more than two out of three sexual assaults are never reported.
As a community there are many ways we can become more informed and aware of how abuse impacts those we care about. In doing so, we can help survivors of all ages feel believed and supported without judgment.
I want to emphasize that it is not easy for victims to share. Sometimes it can take years, even decades, for someone to admit that abuse happened, process it, and have the courage to talk about it. When they do, I ask that the community supports and believe them, regardless of how long it took them to share their experience.
The prolonged effects of trauma are not something that goes away in one day. Healing is a process, and it affects each individual differently.
So how do we support healing in kids and adults who have experienced abuse?
First, we must acknowledge that the problem exists. We need to believe the person when they choose to tell and connect them with resources and help.
Please help us by being informed about this topic, addressing victim-shaming when you hear it, and refer individuals and families for resources and assistance.
The Southwest Crisis Center provides support, advocacy, and hope to individuals and families impacted by sexual violence, sexual exploitation and child abuse. Our vision is to end domestic and sexual violence, exploitation and abuse for all people. Until that time, you can find us online on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and at mnswcc.org or reach us at 507-283-9917.

Dingbat sisters Marlene and Darlene from Leota, Minnesota, are creations of my imagination. 
DJ Luethje and I will bring the sisters to life on stage Thursday, April 28, for a dessert auction fundraiser for Generations in Luverne.
We will play the roles of two hapless, elderly sisters trying their best to recover from the Covid lockdown.
The funny thing about older sister Marlene is that much of her personality is eerily similar to mine. 
Like Marlene, I’ve gained a bit of weight “since the Covid hit.”
I avoid exercise and am a bit fond of cake. Marlene is my soulmate.
Like Marlene, I’m “frugal” and tend to leap before I look. 
Even though she can be a little blunt at times, I like Marlene. She says it like it is. And she means well.
In this particular show, Marlene and Darlene mock being old and fat and even death itself.
Jeff Hartquist generously agreed to join us in our nonsense: “At Hartquist, we put the F U N in funeral!”
A main goal, and really the only goal, of the Marlene and Darlene skits is to make people laugh.
The message of this performance is that people can’t just sit at home letting life pass them by.
It’s become far too easy since “the Covid hit” to just stay home. To eat another slice of cake and maybe take a little nap. 
The elderly, like Marlene and Darlene, have been hit especially hard by the isolation caused by the corona virus response.
Along with a stomachache from laughing, DJ and I hope those who attend the fundraiser will leave wanting to take a little better care of themselves — possibly by checking out senior dining options.
We hope someone feels motivated to try out the “stretch and bend” classes offered by A.C.E. at Generations and other locations in Rock County. 
And we hope the beautiful new building our seniors now have will become a community hub where people gather to laugh and eat and exercise and … maybe have just a little bit of cake.

Wilde: May is Mental Health Awareness Month
To the Editor:
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. As a volunteer and advocate with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, this month I am asking everyone to join us and demand #MoreForMentalHealth.
I am doing more by calling on my legislators at the federal and state levels to support legislation that will fund the implementation of 988 and the suicide and mental health crisis system across our nation, particularly for those in underserved communities. 
Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at 1-800-273-8255 and de-escalates the crises of tens of thousands of callers each day. On July 16, those in distress and those that support them will be able to reach the Lifeline through a simple 3-digit number: 988. By making the Lifeline more accessible through this shorter number, calls, texts, and chats to the Lifeline's network of crisis call centers are expected to increase. It is vital that the federal government work with states to ensure callers in distress will have: 1) someone to call, 2) someone to come help, and 3) somewhere safe to go. We must act NOW to secure funding to equip call centers and community crisis response services throughout the country with the staff and resources to respond to everyone in crisis. 
Join me this month in urging our federal and state public officials to do #MoreForMentalHealth. You can start by visiting moreformentalhealth.org.Together, we can help #StopSuicide.
 Stephanie Wilde
Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Question: I spend a fair amount of time on the road and I see a lot of drivers on their cell phones. What are you guys doing about it?
Answer: Right now, to help change dangerous driving behaviors, law enforcement agencies statewide are participating in a distracted driving enforcement campaign April 1-30. We’ve been doing this for several years now as April is “national distracted driving awareness month.” Along with enforcement, we continue to put this information in newsprint, radio, TV and social media.
No one intends to seriously injure or kill someone by driving distracted, but good intentions alone don’t prevent crashes. Smart choices do. In Minnesota distracted driving contributed to more than 39,000 crashes from 2017 to 2021 and an average of 28 deaths and 161 serious injuries each year.
Drive smart and keep yourself and others safe by parking the phone, avoiding distractions and paying attention. Visit HandsFreeMN.org and DriveSmartMN.org for more information.​​​​​​
You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober.  Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.
If you have any questions concerning traffic-related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at Statue 169.791 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester MN 55901-5848.  (Or reach him at, Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us)

Dispatch report
April 15
•Complainant on E. Luverne Street reported loud music at location.
•Complainant on W. Maple Street reported a crime in another county.
•Complainant on N. McKenzie Street reported property damage.
•Complainant on N. Kniss and Veterans Drive reported streetlight knocked down into grass.
April 16
•Complainant reported information on sale of vehicle.
•Complainant on W. Veterans Drive and N. Kniss Avenue reported a light pole down at location.
•Complainant on 3rd Street NE, Waseca, reported a scam call at location.
April 17
•Complainant on E. Lincoln Street reported damage to property and left.
April 18
•Complainant on S. Cedar Street reported theft of copper and other items.
•Complainant on N. Kniss Avenue reported possible theft of money.
•Complainant on N. Kniss Avenue reported possible theft of money.
•Lyon County Sheriff’s office requested info on a subject.
April 19
•Deputy out with vehicles revving engines.
•Complainant on E. Dodge Street reported a small extinguished fire.
•Complainant on 141st Street, Beaver Creek, reported an abandoned vehicle at location.
 
•Deputy reported a vehicle not stopping/fleeing.
•Complainant eastbound on County Road 4 and County Road 11, Luverne, reported vehicle for poor driving conduct.
April 20
•Complainant on E. Brown Street reported subject with Rock County warrant.
•Complainant on N. Kniss Avenue requested a deputy at location to file report.
•Complainant requested a birth certificate/court documents.
•Complainant reported information on a registered offender.
•Complainant on Elmwood Street reported unsafe driving.
•Complainant turned self in on warrant.
•April 21
•Subject in Sioux Falls on a Rock County warrant.
•Complainant on S. Walnut Avenue reported multiple campers vandalized at location.
•Complainant on County Road 4 reported a found license plate.
•Complainant on Highway 75 reported a fire at location.
•Complainant on Main Street and Redbird Field reported vehicle parked in bike lane.
April 22
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported tools stolen from vehicle.
In addition, officers responded to 1 motor vehicle accident, 3 deer accidents, 1 vehicle in ditch, 1 escort, 6 ambulance runs, 5 paper services, 4 animal complaints, 3 fingerprint request, 11 burn permits, 1 alarm, 5 drug court tests, 7 purchase and carry permits, 32 traffic stops, 7 abandoned 911 calls, 2 tests, 1 welfare check, 3 reports of cattle out and 3 follow-ups.