Dispatch report
July 9
•Motorist assistance at the Luverne City Park.
•Subject held on Rock County warrant in Montevideo.
•Complainant on N. Cedar Street and E. Main Street towed vehicle for a parking violation.
•Complainant on 170th Avenue, Edgerton, reported a hay bale fire on a hay rack.
•Complainant on N. Blue Mound Avenue reported a gas smell at location.
•Complainant on 121st Street, Garretson, South Dakota, reported vandalism at location.
July 10
•Complainant on 251st Street and Railroad Avenue S., Jasper, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on W. Main Street reported a man attempting to get into the library.
•Complainant east of 211 21st Street, Jasper, reported seeing black smoke northeast of location.
•Complainant on 251st Street, Jasper, reported hog barn on fire.
•Deputy reported open door on N. Summit Avenue, Hills.
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported a disorderly person.
•Deputy assisted motorist westbound on Interstate 90, mile marker 13, Luverne.
•Complainant on McKenzie Street to Blue Mound, Luverne, reported a power outage.
July 11
•Complainant on S. Kniss Avenue reported intoxicated person at location.
•Roadside assistance was provided on 131st Street and Highway 75, Luverne.
•Complainant on E. Main Street reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant east of 71st Street, Beaver Creek, reported a washed-out culvert at location.
•Complainant on W. Luverne Street, Magnolia, reported theft of medication.
July 12
•Complainant on E. Fairway Drive reported a credit card opened in her name.
July 13
•Complainant on Interstate 90, mile marker 13, Luverne, reported suspicious activity.
•Complainant reported debit card scam.
•Suspicious activity was reported at S. Steen Street, Steen.
•Complainant on Edgehill Street reported a dangerous driving event.
July 14
•Assistance from another county was provided on Interstate 90, mile marker 40, Magnolia.
•Deputy cleared the roadway at location on County Road 4, Beaver Creek.
•Complainant on 181st Street, Kenneth, reported an assault.
•Complainant on Gabrielson Road reported children playing in the street.
•Complainant on 80th Avenue, Hardwick, reported suspicious activity at location.
•Complainant on Interstate 90, mile marker 9, reported debris on the road.
•Complainant reported locked keys in vehicle.
July 15
•Complainant on S. 2nd Street, Beaver Creek, reported vehicles broken into at location.
•Complainant on N. Estey Street reported person has returned to location.
•Complainant on Maple and Freeman streets reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on Freeman Street reported a parking issue.
•Complainant on S. Fourth Street, Beaver Creek, reported theft from vehicle.
•Complainant south of Interstate 90, mile marker 1, Valley Springs, South Dakota, reported a fire.
•Complainant on Highway 23, mile marker 24, Jasper, reported a driving complaint.
•Complainant on Cedar Street reported a child separated from parents at location.
•Complainant on Cedar Street reported a lost child.
•Complainant on W. Warren Street reported someone trying to get into her apartment.
In addition, officers responded to 4 motor vehicle accidents, 3 vehicles in ditch, 1 deer accident, 6 escorts, 11 ambulance runs, 3 paper services, 9 animal complaints, 1 fingerprint request, 6 burn permits, 1 gas drive-off, 1 alarm, 5 purchase and carry permits, 4 stalled vehicles, 23 traffic stops, 18 abandoned 911 calls, 2 tests, 5 welfare checks and 3 reports of cattle out.

Adults and older 4-H’ers gathered Sunday night at the Rock County Fairgrounds in Luverne to show an eager group of youth how to work with beef animals prior to next week’s county fair.
Magnolia Juniors 4-H member Justin Mente suggested the practice evening with fellow club members and invited other beef project participants to the 90-minute session in the horse arena.
He asked his older brother and former 4-H’er, Trevor, to help while he performed duties as the livestock judge.
The Mente brothers showed 4-H’ers how to groom, tie and teach their animals how to lead and pose for the judge. They also explained show ring etiquette in preparation for the Friday, July 30, beef show.
The show begins at 8 a.m. in the indoor arena.
“The more practice you have and the more practice the calf has, the better the calf and you will be,” Trevor advised.
Nine 4-H’ers and one Clover Bud (future 4-H’er) participated in the outdoor practice session.
Former 4-H’er and beef project participant Michael Kinsinger demonstrated the correct way to show cattle.
According to county Extension educator Kelsey Maeschen, 27 4-H’ers have signed up for the beef show with 40 cattle expected on the grounds.

Owners of the former Hills Co-Op Creamery Association building received permission to tear down the brick and sandstone structure next month.
Kris Gagnon purchased the 68-by-68-foot building five years ago to house salvaged lumber for his Banking Barns business.
He told Hills City Council members July 13 of his plans and requested permits to tear down the two-story building on West Third Street.
“The building is not safe anymore. There’s been too much ice and water damage over the years,” Gagnon said, adding that he’ll salvage some materials from the demolished structure.
Contractor Spencer Schenk with Stone Hill Excavation of Sioux Falls, who attended the meeting with Gagnon, will handle the removal and cleanup of the half-acre site.
He asked about capping sewer and water service to the property with an understanding that one sewer and one water line will still be left open in case the services are needed for a potential new building.
Gagnon said he already removed the large cistern tanks that were used when the creamery building housed a car wash.
The property will be cleared of all Banking Barns stored lumber prior to the demolition, scheduled to take place in August.
Council members asked about asbestos in the 1927 building and Gagnon said all pipes and ventilation exchanges were removed years ago. Just the timber shell and brick veneer remains at the site.
As demolition begins. Gagnon will harvest the timber and save as many of the bricks as possible for reuse.
He also plans to reuse and possibly feature the large limestone business signs on the building’s east side in the new structure.
Banking Barns repurposes barnwood, slab lumber and live edge lumber for custom-built home furnishings.
Gagnon operates the business out of two buildings in Hills, and the creamery building was used for storage, as is another structure in Steen.
Any building of a new storage facility in Hills will wait. “It’s too expensive to build right now,” he said.
Hill City Council members voted unanimously in favor of the demolition permit. Councilor Vickie Busswitz was not in attendance.

The city of Beaver Creek learned this summer that manganese levels in its city drinking water are five times the level determined safe for infants by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Recent MDH tests show manganese in Beaver Creek’s water at 500 micrograms per liter.
For households with infants who drink untreated tap water, up to 100 micrograms of manganese per liter of water is considered safe.
If everyone in the household is more than one year old, a safe level of manganese in the water is 300 micrograms per liter.
At their July 14 meeting, Beaver Creek council members considered the information.
According to city maintenance director Travis Helgeson, there isn’t a change in the manganese level in city water; it’s just that the Health Department now tests for the mineral in its regular inspections.
It’s unclear how long the mineral has been elevated, but Helgeson said the city’s water is basically the same today as it’s been for years.
Health Department officials haven’t directed the city to change course on its water treatment, but they recommend residents be notified of the findings.
At their July 14 meeting, council members directed city clerk Jane Blank to include a letter in the next utility bill with information about the manganese level in the city’s drinking water.
“As a council we need to consider everyone’s health,” said council member Pat Bender. “In all fairness, we need to notify everybody.”
Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater across Minnesota.
Based on a recent MDH study, groundwater in southeastern Minnesota tends to have low levels of manganese (below 50 micrograms per liter).
Southwestern Minnesota tends to have higher levels — some over 1,000 micrograms per liter. Beaver Creek’s is at 500 — which the health department considers to be unsafe for infants and questionable for adults.
Although public water systems are not required to test for manganese, MDH estimates about 90 percent of community public drinking water systems have levels of manganese below 100 micrograms per liter.
 About 3 percent of Minnesota’s community public water systems have levels above 300, so Beaver Creek’s water at 500 has more manganese than most Minnesota cities.
 
Water softeners, filters reduce manganese
An important consideration is that water softeners and many household water treatment units reduce manganese to safe levels, and the city letter to Beaver Creek residents will include that tip.
Helgeson told that council that he requested the MDH test homes in Beaver Creek with softened water, and the result was that manganese levels in the treated water were drastically reduced.
Drinking water with high levels of manganese can be harmful for human health, but taking a bath or a shower in it is not.
Manganese in water can stain laundry, cause scaling on plumbing and make drinking water look, smell or taste bad.
Helgeson told council members that when Beaver Creek used Rock County Rural Water for two weeks, the new splash pad had noticeably less staining on the deck.
The city has since started softening the water used at the splash pad.
Buying rural water is an option, as is treating the drinking water, and the city may consider cost options for each.
For now, though, the only immediate action will be to inform city residents of the manganese levels in the drinking water and encourage water softeners and home water treatment options.

Luverne celebrated its 59th annual Hot Dog Night on July 15 with merchants sharing more than 12,000 free hotdogs plus creative toppings and side dishes.
After a pandemic 2020 summer of limited parties, it seemed the 2021 Hot Dog Night was bigger and better than ever.
Chamber Director Jane Lanphere thanked the businesses who participated and reflected on the origins of the celebration.
Hot Dog Night began in 1962 when Luverne businesses planned a night of free hot dogs to thank their customers.
“The event has grown over the years to add quirky entertainment and fun for all ages, and we also thank the businesses and organizations who added to the night’s festivities.
“Although businesses have come and gone over the years, the tradition of giving away free hot dogs never wavered.”
Lanphere said the event has become another endearing reason Luverne residents and former residents are proud of their community.
“The delicious and creative toppings you served, along with special treats, put smiles of joy on the faces of thousands of people who call Luverne their home (and the others that no doubt wish they could),” she said.
She again recognized Premium Minnesota Pork for donating 5,000 hot dogs to reduce the price that merchants paid for their allotted number of hotdogs.
And she encouraged businesses to join the 60th annual event on July 14, 2022.
“Thank you and your employees for making this great community event a ‘hot diggity dog’ success,” Lanphere said.

Notifications will be mailed to about 300 residents and property owners in the city of Hills directing them to clean up their properties.
The letters inform them that they could face fines and possible cleanup at their own expense.
Deadline is Oct. 1.
Councilors reviewed a letter drafted by city attorney Paul Vis outlining the cleanup process.
“I like the way it is written — it’s very clear,” said Hills City Council member Stacen Burgers.
The council voted unanimously to move forward with possible legal action brought against offenders. Councilor Vickie Busswitz was not present at the July 13 city council meeting.
The city has repeatedly sent written notifications to residents and property owners about various items left on lawns throughout the city.
The majority of items are in violation of the city’s nuisance ordinance adopted by councilors in 2013.
Instead of another mailing from the city, councilors are instructing their attorney to do the talking.
“Many residents have responded positively to communications regarding the ordinance, and the city of Hills thanks you for your efforts,” Vis wrote. “Unfortunately, there have been some offenders who have not complied to the applicable city ordinance.”
Discussions between councilors revealed violators are primarily renters of homes in the city and they are being asked to “remove all unlicensed, uninsured, inoperable vehicles, yard debris, garbage, waste, etc.” from their property.
Landlords/property owners will bear the expense if the city cleans the property.
“If no action is taken after the citation is given, the city will arrange to have your property cleaned at the owner’s expense; the cost of the cleaning up of your property will be assessed to your property taxes,” Vis wrote.

Meetings
Springwater Township Board will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday Aug. 3, in the township hall.
Parkinson Support Group will meet from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5, at Poplar Creek apartments in Luverne. Masks must be worn.
 
Field Day for carbon credits, cover crops and pasture management July 22
The Rock County Land Management Office is partnering with local organizations to host a field day from 9:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 22, in the Blac-X Farms pasture 7 3/4 miles west of Hardwick on County Road 7 (201st Street). Coming from the west, it’s 1 3/4 miles east of Highway 23.
The event will address the basics of carbon credits, cover crops and pasture management with local farmers sharing their experiences and demonstrating how to use temporary fencing in pastures. It will also provide information on financial and technical assistance for the practices.
The Rock Nobles Cattlemen’s Association will serve a free noon meal for those who RSVP. Call 507-283-8862 or email doug.bos@co.rock.mn.us.
 
Community meal July 28
The United Methodist Church will offer its Wednesday Night Free Community Meal at 5:30 p.m. July 28 at 109 N. Freeman. Pick-up option is available. Call 507-283-4529.
 
School office open for registration
Families interested in registering their students for the 2021-22 school year are encouraged to call Luverne School District to set up an appointment. The Luverne Middle School-High School office is open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the phone number is 507-283-4491. The Luverne Elementary School office will open Aug. 2 and the phone number is 507-283-4497.
 
Community Education announcements
Luverne Community Education is closed for the final two weeks of July and will reopen Aug. 2. Registrations for the following classes can be taken at that time. Call 507-283-4724 to sign up. See comed.isd2184.net to view the brochure and list of offerings.
Friday morning Adventure Day Camps End of Summer Fun will be Aug. 13 at the Rock County Fairgrounds. Fee is $15 per day. Limited to 15 students in grades 1-4 as attended during the 2020-21 school year.
Have fun cooking at Kids in the Kitchen this summer for grades K-8 includes Bakery Fun Aug. 19. Fee is $16/child.
Students ages 8-13 may attend Boot Camp the week of Aug. 2-6. Learn how to muster, march and drill, about military history and the American flag, complete service projects, hear guest speakers who were in the military and more. Cost is $60.
Art Camp is three days of creativity for students who added grades K-5 during the past school year. Dates are Aug. 10, 11 and 12. Cost is $100.
Grades K through adult will Learn to Play Chess on Aug. 10, 17, 24 and 26. Use grade attended through the 2020-21 school year. Last class is a tournament. Great adult/child activity. Fee is $15.
Taking Defensive Driving Classes allow adults aged 55 or older to save on insurance premiums. After the beginning eight-hour class, a four-hour fresher class must be taken every three years to receive the reduced premium benefit. Beginning class is Nov. 11 and 18. Four-hour refresher is Sept. 16
 
Library Happenings
The Rock County Library is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. For additional questions, contact library personnel at 507-449-5040 or rocklibrarystaff@gmail.com.
Story Time at the Park will feature songs and stories with children’s library Bronwyn Wenzel each Tuesday through June and July at a different park in Luverne. The events begin at 10:30 a.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. The schedule will be:
•July 20, Veterans Park, 1211 N. Elm St.
•July 27, Hawkinson Park, East Adams Avenue.
Zoo Man @ the Park takes place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 22, at Hawkinson Park.
Toby Kid presents “Color Your World” with interactive comedy, magic, puppetry and silliness at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at library.
Summer Reading Program, “Reading Colors Your World,” registration is now along with the adult summer reading program. Pick up a reading log at the library.
Monthly trivia nights with locally written questions are the first Thursdays of the month at Take 16 on East Main Street in Luverne for teams of one or more individuals. No pre-registration is necessary. Library personnel conduct the event.
 
Explore Prairie Ally
Free guided tours at Prairie Ally Outdoor Center (308 N. Blue Mound Avenue in Luverne) are Thursdays at 6, 6:30, and 7 p.m. through August or by appointment. Volunteers are needed Tuesdays from 10a.m. to noon and Thursdays at 5:30 June through September. A workshop on edible perennials will be Aug. 19. Contact: prairieallymn@gmail.com, 605-951-0227. Also, visit projectfoodforest.org/events.
 
Take and Make bird treat kits
Stop by the Luverne Area Chamber at 213 East Luverne Street to pick up one or more Take and Make bird treat kits. Kits are free, but a $5 to $10 donation is welcome to benefit Project Food Forest in Rock County. (Or donate online at https://donorbox.org/support-pff)

With 52 percent of Minnesota now experiencing severe drought and 4 percent in extreme drought, the state has entered the drought warning phase. With this designation, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and others are taking additional steps. Current drought information, including details on areas subject to surface water use suspensions, is available on DNR’s website.
The warning phase for drought occurs when a significant portion of the state passes thresholds for severe drought conditions at major watersheds.
We have reached this threshold. The warning phase for public water suppliers using the Mississippi River is also triggered when stream flows in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area have dropped below designated levels.
We expect this threshold to be tripped in the coming days. The thresholds for drought watch and warning conditions are specified in the Minnesota Statewide Drought Plan.
Actions that are triggered in a drought warning include:
•Convening the State Drought Task Force, a panel of state, federal, regional and local experts with water-related responsibilities. The Task Force was last convened in 2012.
•Notifying water appropriators with DNR permits that they should follow water conservation measures, such as reducing landscape irrigation, using more efficient irrigation equipment, and checking for and repairing water leaks.
•Notifying public water suppliers to implement their water-use reduction actions. Residents and landowners should watch for communications from municipal or public water supplier for details on local water use reduction actions and restrictions.
•Temporarily suspending or modifying some water appropriations in response to low stream flow conditions as necessary.
As of July 15, the DNR has suspended water appropriations in 10 watersheds. Suspension of more surface water appropriations is expected, unless there is a dramatic change in the current precipitation pattern.
Under current conditions, it will take at least three to five inches of precipitation spread over a period of about two weeks to significantly alleviate the drought.
Soils are more efficiently replenished by multiple rainfall events than by any single heavy rainfall event. Surface water and groundwater respond somewhat differently over time.
Drought is a naturally occurring feature of Minnesota’s climate. Some level of moderate and severe drought typically occurs in the state almost every year for at least a few weeks.
Most severe drought in Minnesota is short-lived, but drought in Minnesota does occasionally enter the extreme intensity classification.
“DNR is taking the drought seriously. We have a robust plan in place, strong partnerships across the state, and continue to take actions to respond to the current situation,” said DNR Commisioner Sarah Strommen.
“We understand that people are seeing the impacts of the drought in their daily lives and have concerns about water levels and availability. While occasional water level fluctuations are natural, normal and beneficial to ecosystems, they can negatively affect tourism and recreation, agriculture, businesses and other activities that are dependent on water. Times of drought remind us all about the importance of water conservation.”
Minnesotans are encouraged to learn how much water they are using compared with the average American home and identify ways to reduce water use.
Lakes, streams, and rivers are dependent on the amount of precipitation an area receives, how much of that moisture is contributed by runoff, how much water is recharged or discharged through groundwater, and how much water evaporates.
More information about drought is available on the DNR website. The website includes a link where anyone can sign up to receive drought-related notifications and information.

A year after the Rock County Fair was canceled in the pandemic, this year’s event will be one to remember and enjoy.
Included in this week’s Star Herald is a special Fair Preview section which spotlights a few highlights of the July 28-31 event.
However, there are more events than we had space in our newspaper to write about.
For a day-by-day listing of events, make sure you check out page 11 in the preview section. Better yet, just choose a day and spend it at the fair.
It will be safe to attend, according to fair organizers.
Because the coronavirus is still among us, a regular schedule is set up to daily clean and sanitize all of the buildings. Handwashing stations are available at each building entrance. If you’re so inclined, disposable facial masks are also available free to the public.
Did we mention that the fair is now a FOUR-day event?
For years, local 4-H’ers participated in two livestock shows Wednesday nights. It’s nice to see some events planned to encourage the public to drop in at the fairgrounds to see the rabbits and poultry in action.
In the words of ag society president Adam Kinsinger, come to the fair to “pet a goat, walk through livestock barns, watch pigs race for Oreos, listen to music on the patio, get something from the eat stand, have a dish of ice cream, ride some carnival rides …”
That list of experiences goes on.
If you can’t find something of interest at the fair, you’re not looking hard enough.
Our Fair Preview features interviews with the Farm Family of the Year and Rock County Century Farm families. They will be recognized by the ag society members Friday night in a special ceremony.
There is nothing quite like a small county fair, and we think ours is getting better every year.
As some summer fairs decline, the Rock County Fair continues growing, adapting and improving.
For that enthusiasm and hard work, we thank all our fair board members. You can thank them too — they wear embroidered charcoal colored polo shirts with “Rock County Ag Society” during the event.
With grandstand shows, free entertainment, food vendors, animal shows, floral hall exhibits, there’s more than enough to see and do.
At the Star Herald, we look forward to showcasing the events and winners from next week’s fair in coming editions of the print edition and online.
In the meantime, plan your visit to next week’s Rock County Fair.