A year after Memorial Day services were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, local American Legion and VFW posts hosted programs Monday.
In Hardwick the Arthur Moeller Post 478 remembered the 1.3 million U.S. men and women who died in military service as well as paying tribute to the nine former Legion members who passed away since the last Memorial Day service in 2019.
Legion member Don Bryan led Hardwick’s “Roll Call for Honored Dead” that included Herman Bos, Harold Etrheim, Henry Petersen, Keith Lemke, Larry Tweet, Dick VanHofwegen, Mel Hendriks, Harold Graphenteen and Don Etrheim.
“Let us remember our deceased members in our prayers — today and every day,” Bryan said.
Guest speaker Matt Niessink, a recruiter with the Army National Guard, recently transferred to the South Dakota unit in Sioux Falls after 10 years with the Luverne unit.
Niessink echoed the solemn reason for setting aside one day a year since 1865 as tribute to fallen U.S. soldiers.
“Freedom is never free. We must never sorrow for the loss of these great men and women, but rejoice that they have lived and made a difference,” he said.
“We will always remember those who had to be brave for us — we owe them a debt we can never repay — only that we remember the sacrifice they were willing to make.”

Maplewood Cemetery once again hosted Luverne’s annual Memorial Day ceremony with the American Legion and VFW, accompanied by the Luverne High School band.
LHS 1980 graduate Michael Welch was the featured speaker and spoke about his 21 years in the U.S. Navy and his experiences aboard a U.S. Naval submarine.
He also talked about what it meant to be American, and introduced 15-year-old Sahira Abraham, daughter of Welch’s interpreter in Afghanistan.
“Without our interpreters, we as American soldiers couldn’t have gotten anything done,” Welch said.
When Abraham’s family came to the United States seven years ago, daily living improved dramatically.
“When they moved into an apartment, the first thing he wanted to know was how far it was to get water,” Welch said. “Where they lived, they didn’t have electricity or running water.”
As a Muslim American teen, Abraham now lives in Vermillion, South Dakota, but she spent her early years in southeastern Afghanistan in a province where the Taliban was initiated.
On Monday she talked about the freedoms she enjoys as a U.S. citizen versus what it was like to live where she wasn’t free to be herself or even attend school.
“When I moved to the United States, the chains around me finally broke loose,” she said. “The America I believe in offers freedom and a chance to realize dreams better than anywhere else in the world.”
She said Americans shouldn’t take peace and security for granted because not everyone has that privilege.
“I love the fact that each morning I wake up and each night I go to bed feeling secure … America has greatly invested in protecting its citizens, and if that’s not enough, America goes on to protect the rest of the world,” Abraham said.
“I believe in America, not just because it sends its soldiers to other parts of the world, but because they have sacrificed themselves so that others can enjoy the peace they have at home.”
The Maplewood Cemetery Memorial Day event was among several throughout Rock County Monday.
Hills, Hardwick and Beaver Creek also had ceremonies, and a candlelight vigil Monday night honored veterans at the Rock County Veterans Memorial on the courthouse lawn.

Luverne Chamber staff and volunteers were finalizing posters and advertising for the 2021 Buffalo Days weekend when they learned pandemic restrictions would be lifted May 28.
Prior to that May 21 announcement, plans were in place to have the Friday Night Cruise-In at the Luverne City Park to encourage participants to spread out more safely.
They quickly pivoted and put the word out that the classic car event would return to its classic location downtown Luverne.
 
Cruise-in returns downtown
Corral parking at the cruise-in will be available for over 300 cars, trucks, antique tractors, off-road vehicles, motorcycles and more. Vehicle registration is free.
Starfire and Jorie Kosel will provide music from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. with a beer garden, food and drinks.
Chamber Director Jane Wildung Lanphere said she’s happy about restrictions lifting, but changing directions last minute presents hurdles.
“It sounds super simple to just move it back downtown, but we’re going to inconvenience the Palace and the performance of ‘Grease,’” she said of the Luverne High School musical.
Students are performing in the Palace until the new performing arts center is completed at the sch0ol.
“We’re going to have to make accommodations and figure out parking, because that’s really important.”
Cruise-in starts at 5:30, and “Grease” starts at 7:30. No-parking signs will be placed along Freeman Street near the Palace so that motorists and shuttle services can drop people off
“We’re going to do the best we can,” Lanphere said. 
“The one thing we all know and support is we all want to have events and we’ve planned them and tried to hold them with the best of our abilities given the information we have at the time. … We’re all just happy we can be out and about.”
 
Buffalo Days Expo returns to courthouse
The Buffalo Days Expo (formerly Arts in the Park) will return to the Courthouse Square after a wet city park prompted the decision two years ago. It’s from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 5.
“The public likes it there,” Lanphere said. “I’ve never had so many calls and emails from people supporting an event.”
Because fewer vendors had been coming through the years, the smaller venue made more sense so they weren’t spread apart so far.
Also, Lanphere said, contrary to social media reports, the event wasn’t moved to eliminate the Buffalo Chip Throwing Contest.
“It was moved to accommodate our businesses and the people who came and supported the trades,” she said.
“They loved it up here. It’s easier to get to, there’s parking on all sides so you don’t have to wait to go across a river. You can walk downtown. All day we had people walking from different directions from neighborhoods. It’s a beautiful location. It’s not so big to walk around the whole park.”
She said sidewalk accessibility is an important factor for many people.
“There are so many older people who love to come down to Buffalo Days that just could not make it, because you have to walk so far,” Lanphere said.
So far about 60 vendors have committed to coming to this year’s event, but many longtime vendors didn’t survive the pandemic.
“Lots of people who used to do trade shows had to give it up, because they weren’t making any money,” Lanphere said. “When I reached out to some who had always been here, they’re out of business.”
In addition to the Buffalo Days Cruise-In and Expo, the Buffalo Days Parade starts at 10 a.m. Saturday down Main Street, and from June 1-8 Sanford Health is sponsoring a virtual 5k Buffalo Days Fun Run/Walk.
A quilt show will be at the Hinkly House from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and a live band, Too Drunk to Fish, will play from 5 to 10 p.m. at Take 16.
Sunday’s events include a wrap-up of weekend baseball tournaments, pulled pork sandwiches from noon to 3 p.m. at the History Center and golf cart rides on the Loop trail from noon to 4 p.m. starting at the History Center.
See luvernechamber.com for details.

Luverne businesses are looking forward to a normal business cycle this summer after pandemic closures squelched profits.
However, I-90 road construction could present yet another setback, especially if plans go according to initial announcements.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced on May 26 that the westbound lanes of I-90 will be resurfaced from Luverne 13 miles to the west.
Westbound traffic will be shifted to the eastbound lanes, reducing travel to a “head-to-head” two-way roadway between Luverne and Highway 23.
The initial announcement stated that “Highway 75 exit and entrance ramps will be closed during construction and traffic will be detoured to Rock County Roads 3 and 4.”
This prompted a flurry of communication among local leaders about the potential of no I-90 access this summer — and no tourism business entering Luverne from the interstate.
Several hours later a corrected announcement stated that the Highway 75 westbound exit and entrance ramps will be closed during construction.
While this alleviated some concern, local leaders were still concerned about the potential hit of no westbound travelers entering Luverne from I-90 this summer.
Mayor Pat Baustian contacted the MNDOT District 7 supervisors to suggest intermittent ramp closures, rather than closing the westbound ramps for the entire duration of the project.
Baustian said MNDOT indicated it will pursue a change order with the contractor to delay the Luverne ramp closure until August.
This will allow work to wrap up on the Adrian exit currently underway.
Construction will start Monday, June 7, a month earlier than originally scheduled. It will also affect the westbound ramps at Beaver Creek on County Road 6.
Construction on the 13 miles of I-90 is expected to be complete in early September and includes resurfacing the existing westbound pavement and bridge repairs.
PCiRoads, LLC. was awarded the project with a bid of $4,844,421.70.

Meetings
Vienna Township Board will meet at 7 p.m. Monday, June 7, in the Kenneth Community Center.
Beaver Creek Township Board will meet at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 14, in the township hall.
 
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.
Monthly trivia nights resume beginning Thursday, June 3, at Take 16 on East Main Street in Luverne. The event is open the public for teams of one or more individuals. No pre-registration is necessary. A series of locally written trivia questions are read with participants providing written answers. The team(s) with the most correct answers are eligible to win prizes. Library personnel conduct the event. More trivia nights will take place the first Thursday of the month.
Excitement and fun await those who journey to the Rock County Library and participate in the summer reading program, “Reading Colors Your World!” Registration began June 1. Stop in and register and pick up reading logs. The summer reading program is open to all ages.
Join us at Poplar Creek Estates, 201 Oak Dr., for Pint Size Polkas with award-winning Mike Schneider on Thursday, June 10. The free intergenerational program begins at 2 p.m. and is open to everyone and is sponsored by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.
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:
•June 8, Evergreen Park, North Blue Mound Avenue.
•June 15, Kolbert Park, 801 W. Warren St.
•June 22, Veterans Park, 1211 N. Elm St.
•June 29, Hawkinson Park, East Adams Avenue.
•July 6, Evergreen Park, North Blue Mound Avenue.
•July 13, Kolbert Park, 801 W. Warren St.
•July 20, Veterans Park, 1211 N. Elm St.
•July 27, Hawkinson Park, East Adams Avenue.
 
Southwest Crisis Center offers trauma-informed yoga
The Southwest Crisis Center yoga support group is expanding this summer to weekly sessions from noon to 12:45 p.m. Tuesdays through July 13 at the Luverne City Park. Bring a yoga mat as limited qualities will be available. Sessions are directed by Rock County advocate Jennifer Lindsey and is free and open to the public. Contact Lindsey at 507-283-9917 or Jennifer@mnswcc.org with questions.
 
Buffalo Days Cruise-in returns to Main Street
Luverne’s annual Buffalo Days Friday Night Cruise-in returns to Main Street this year for its traditional car show and related festivities. State health officials have deemed outdoor unperson events to be safe, so the event is back on track for 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday, June 4, on Main Street in Luverne. It’s free and open to the public with hundreds of antique/collector vehicles, beer garden, food and drinks and music by Starfire & Josie Kosel. See the Luverne Chamber website for details for information about that and other Buffalo Days weekend events.
 
Blue Mound Quilters’ show June 5
Blue Mound Quilters Show will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 5, in the Hinkly House at 217 N. Freeman in Luverne. The show will feature quilts from the Blue Mound Quilters and from the 2021 Quilter of the Year Millie Lais. Also on display will be the Hospice Cottage historical quilts and the 2021 hospice raffle quilt. Face masks are encouraged.
 
Blood drive June 7 in Luverne
The Community Blood Bank will accept donations from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday, June 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Sanford Luverne. To schedule an appointment donors can log onto www.cbblifeblood.org, click on “events” and select June 7 and “Sanford Luverne” from the calendar or call 507-449-1224. All who donate will receive an All American blood donor t-shirt and a McDonald’s gift card. Drink plenty of fluids prior to donating blood and bring an ID. 
 
Rods N' Rides to stop in Luverne June 6
Bikers, classic car owners, and fellow worshipers can join the Rods N' Rides Church for a group ride leaving Sioux Center at 8 a.m. Sunday, June 6, and stop at American Reformed Church in Luverne for 9:30 worship. See Rods N Rides on Facebook or at www.rodsnrides.weebly.com
 
Come 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. June through August or by appointment. Volunteers are needed Tuesdays from 10a.m. to noon and Thursdays at 5:30 June through September. Workshops are planned for June 5 (companion planting), June 10 (tree care) and Aug. 19 (edible perennials). Contact: prairieallymn@gmail.com, 605-951-0227. Also, visit projectfoodforest.org/events.
 
Community Education announcements
Luverne Community Education will offer the following activities and classes in coming weeks. Call 507-283-4724 to sign up. See comed.isd2184.net to view the brochure and list of offerings.
Take the Beginner 8 Hour Defensive Driving Classes (for adults 55 years of age and older) in order to save a significant amount on your car insurance.  This class (offered only twice a year) will be held 4 hours on June 10 & 17 at 5:30 pm.  
Distance Learning with Clay open to all ages.  Fee is $20.  Register by June 1.
Friday morning Hands on Science Adventure Day Camp will meet on June 4 — for grades 1-4 as attended during 20-21 school year.  Fee is $15.
Professional fisherman Mike Frisch returns to Luverne on June 7 to share his fishing knowledge with students grades 3 -12 (as attended during 20-21 school year) at School of Fish.  After a classroom portion, students will actually fish at The Lake with their new fishing rod and tackle (over $50 of gear goes along with class registration).  An adult fishing buddy is welcome to come to class, too.  Fee is $30/child.  Luverne Optimist Club provided a donation to help lower class fee.
Saturday, June 12, kids ages 3 through grade 3 (as attended 20-21 school year) and adults will enjoy Nature Crafts at Blue Mound State Park.  Fee is $17 per child.
 Kids currently in grades 1-3 can sign up for Paint and Snack Classes on May 27, June 24 and July 22.  Sign up for one class or for all 3. Fee is $33 per class.
Defensive Driving Classes allows adults 55 years of age and older to save on insurance premiums. The Beginning Class – June 10 and 17 (4 hours each evening). Refresher 4-Hour Classes are May 27, Aug. 19.
Sign up for Get Fit, Stay Fit on May 26 with tips and advice from Physical Therapist, Michelle Schuman. Fee is $5.
 
Hospice event date change
Sanford Luverne Hospice is changing the date of the Hospice Dinner & Auction to Thursday, Aug. 26, to better accommodate summer weekend plans. Note: Auction donations are currently being accepted thru June 21. Contact the hospice office at 283-1805 or email: helen.saum@sanfordheath.org.
 
Crisis Center needs board members
The Southwest Crisis Center is seeking passionate community members to serve on its Board of Directors. The group encourages applications from people of diverse backgrounds, life experiences, and professional skills to oversee the organization's general operations. For more information, visit mnswcc.org or email sara@mnswcc.org.
 
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)

Luverne School District Superintendent Craig Oftedahl encouraged the 87 graduating seniors gathered in the elementary gym Sunday afternoon not to dwell on negativity that afflicted the country for the past 15 months.
“I challenge you to persevere, to push through, to not get bogged down in the rhetoric, to not allow negative thoughts and restrictions keep you down,” he said.
“Break through, rise up, move forward and keep your eyes on all that lies ahead of you.”
That forward focus was how senior Jonathan Dolo Jr. described his journey toward a Minnesota high school diploma. Dolo joined classmates Cade Wenninger and Gracie Zewiske in presenting the senior address.
Dolo and two of his six siblings arrived in the United States from Liberia, West Africa, in May 2019. His parents, Natking and Ester Cole-Kraty, and three other siblings already lived in Luverne.
“Coming from Africa, I was behind in credits and needed to make up a lot in two years’ time,” Dolo told his classmates.
“We really didn’t think it was going to happen, but with hard work and the grace of God I was able to get everything completed. And now I stand here today proudly with the Class of 2021 to say, ‘We did it.’”
Sunday’s graduation was the first in the school’s history to be livestreamed.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, last year’s Class of 2020 graduation was a compilation of video recordings of each student receiving their diplomas from their parents.
State officials lifted mask and social distancing requirements Friday, allowing for a large crowd at the in-person ceremony.
To reduce the number of people in the gym, the high school band, directed by James Jarvie, recorded the traditional graduation march, “Pomp and Circumstance,” and their musical selection, “Star Wars,” prior to the Sunday ceremony.
Videos of the band playing were shown on a screen above the stage.
The choir, directed by Seana Graber, also completed a videorecording of “In Meeting We are Blessed” that was also shown on the screen.
Motto for the LHS Class of 2021 comes from a line in the Disney movie, “Ratatouille” uttered by Chef Gusteau: “If you focus on what you left behind, you will never be able to see what lies ahead.”

Friday’s lifting of all coronavirus-related capacity limits in Minnesota meant high school graduations could have in-person ceremonies.
A collective sigh was audible as Hills-Beaver Creek High School honored 32 seniors Friday night.
“Ahhh — it is good to be together,” said Superintendent Todd Holthaus.
Last year the H-BC Class of 2020 commencement was conducted in the school’s parking lot. The graduates and their parents sat in vehicles and drove up to the school for Holthaus and school board chairman Arlyn Gehrke to hand diplomas through open car windows.
In his address to students, parents and family members Friday night, Holthaus painted the 2020-21 school year filled with wearing face masks, social distancing, hand sanitizer, washing hands and — more importantly — perseverance.
“I am convinced that our future is going to go well as the graduates integrate into society as our next movers and shakers,” he said.
Twenty of the 32 H-BC seniors were recognized as honor and high honor students.
Valedictorian Lauren Tatge and salutatorian Allison LaRock shared the student address in which they thanked parents, school staff and the community for the roles they played in bringing the Class of 2021 to this moment.
The two top academic seniors assured audience members the time invested in them won’t be wasted.
“We will strive to show the light you kindled in us and work hard to bring that light into every situation we encounter,” LaRock said.
LaRock wrote a song, “’21,” and performed it on a portable keyboard Friday night.
As we move on to the rest of our lives
I know each and every one of you will thrive
I’ll remember our red, white and blue
And how I thank God for each and every one of you.
She started a song-writing business through the Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities program in which H-BC is one of five school partners.

The Hills-Beaver Creek Education Association named special education teacher Jill Stiefvater the 2020-21 H-BC Teacher of the Year Friday night. The announcement was a part of the H-BC commencement exercises at the secondary school in Hills. Emily Opheim was named the 2020-21 H-BC Friend of Education. Both work at the elementary school in Beaver Creek.

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.
Monthly trivia nights resume beginning Thursday, June 3, at Take 16 on East Main Street in Luverne. The event is open the public for teams of one or more individuals. No pre-registration is necessary. A series of locally written trivia questions are read with participants providing written answers. The team(s) with the most correct answers are eligible to win prizes. Library personnel conduct the event. More trivia nights will take place the first Thursday of the month.
Excitement and fun await those who journey to the Rock County Library and participate in the summer reading program, “Reading Colors Your World!” Registration began June 1. Stop in and register and pick up reading logs. The summer reading program is open to all ages.
Join us at Poplar Creek Estates, 201 Oak Dr., for Pint Size Polkas with award-winning Mike Schneider on Thursday, June 10. The free intergenerational program begins at 2 p.m. and is open to everyone and is sponsored by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment.
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:
•June 8, Evergreen Park, North Blue Mound Avenue.
•June 15, Kolbert Park, 801 W. Warren St.
•June 22, Veterans Park, 1211 N. Elm St.
•June 29, Hawkinson Park, East Adams Avenue.
•July 6, Evergreen Park, North Blue Mound Avenue.
•July 13, Kolbert Park, 801 W. Warren St.
•July 20, Veterans Park, 1211 N. Elm St.
•July 27, Hawkinson Park, East Adams Avenue.