Did you hear?

Vietnam vets celebrate 30th anniversaryThe Sioux Falls VA Medical Center is inviting Vietnam veterans, their families and area residents to attend a welcome home celebration on July 2nd, in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.According to Ron Hansen, Rock County Veterans Service Officer, the program honoring the vets will begin at 10:30 a.m. on the grounds of the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center.James Sursely, Vietnam Vet and National DAV Commander, will be the keynote speaker.The Air National Guard traveling band will be on hand to perform, and lunch will be provided for Vietnam vets and their immediate family members.Where is my refund?If you are one of those still wondering where your federal tax refund is, you can check with the IRS Web site.In 2004, more that 14 million people used the "Where’s My Refund" Web site to check on the status of their money.For Minnesotans, the IRS processed 1.7 million refunds by June 1. In 2004, 1.88 million refunds were processed for Minnesota residents.So far in 2005, the average refund is $2,113.To get your refund status, you will need the following information:
Your social security number
Your filing status
Your refund amountAre you ready for the circus?The Luverne Chamber of Commerce is once again teaming up with the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus to bring the Big Top to Luverne.Culpepper and Merriweather will perform two shows on Wednesday, June 29, at the Rock County Fairgrounds.The shows will run from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and again from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.But that’s not all. From 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. you can watch the raising of the Big Top, then stay for the free morning show and tour.You will even get to learn circus facts from the performers, history of the show and different species of animals in the circus family.Advance tickets can be purchased at the Luverne Chamber office or at Glen’s Food Center.For more information on the circus, contact the Chamber at 283-4061.I’m from the DNR and I’m here to helpUnfortunately, a lot of people view the Department of Natural Resources as the agency that is really good at "just saying no."They probably do say "no" a lot, but they also have a lot of advice and assistance that can be very beneficial on various projects you want to tackle on your property.Whether a landowner is interested in establishing native grasses, restoring a wetland, planting trees and shrubs, controlling exotic species such as buckthorn, or improving water quality, a DNR private land specialist can be a valuable ally for any landowner interested in enhancing or adding wildlife habitat to their property.According to Jodi Provost, a private land specialist with the DNR, most private landowners think that if they get the DNR’s help, their land won’t be private anymore. Not so.According to Provost, over 75 percent of the land in Minnesota is privately owned and in northeast Minnesota 87 percent of the sharp-tailed grouse habitat is on private land.If you have land that you would like to improve for natural habitat, you can find out more about how the DNR can help by going to their Web site at www.dnr.state.mn.us or contact Emily Hutchins at 507-445-5841.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com