New scoring machines added to Luverne LanesWhen Luverne bowlers show up for their first week of this year’s bowling season, they will find a new addition to the lanes.Over the past three months Cory and Lisa Schneekloth have been busy adding automated electronic scoring machines.The machines were purchased from Garden Center Lanes in Alexandria, Minn., when they recently built a new 36-lane facility and had to install all new equipment.The scoring machines Luverne bowlers will be using are Brunswick Framworx, according to Lisa Schneekloth, the same equipment being used at the Empire Bowl in Sioux Falls.The first thing bowlers will notice when they walk in is that the scoring tables are gone.In their place are pedestals which can be used to enter the bowlers’ names, handicaps, etc.Above, hanging from the ceiling, will be monitors which will allow the bowlers to keep track of the scores and how their team is doing.The first test run for the new equipment was earlier this week for one of the ladies’ leagues.The rest of us will get our first look at the new system when we start league bowling next week.Senate candidate in Luverne on TuesdayThe democratic nominee for the United State Senate, Amy Klobuchar, plans to start her southwest Minnesota tour in Luverne next Tuesday.Klobuchar, the current Hennepin County Attorney, will be at the Coffee Haus in Luverne at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday for about a half hour. Everyone is encouraged to stop in and find out her opinions and let her know yours.Her other stops in the area have not yet been determined.Klobuchar will be taking on Republican U.S. Representative Mark Kennedy in November.The two are in a race for the Senate seat currently held by Senator Mark Dayton.Don’t forget the murder mysteryDon’t forget the deadline for ticket sales of GEP’s murder mystery, "Murder at the Midnight Hour," is tomorrow (Friday, Sept. 1.)The play is a joint effort of the Green Earth Players and the Luverne Area Community Foundation.Money raised from the play will go toward the foundation’s charitable causes in the community.The audience becomes a part of the play as they become the guests at a wedding where the murder occurs. Someone in their midst is the killer.The play will be presented in an outdoor setting at the Prairie Heights Bison Ranch.The evening will start at 6 p.m. with appetizers, some made from bison raised on the Prairie Heights Bison Ranch. Beer and wine will also be served.Tickets are $50 per person, $35 of which is a tax-deductible contribution to the Foundation.Tickets for the event can be purchased at the Luverne Chamber of Commerce, Minnwest Bank, Buffalo Ridge Insurance, or by calling 283-9273 or 220-2424.FRG ships supplies to Iraqi schoolsI mentioned a few weeks ago that the Family Readiness Group was collecting school supplies for Iraqi children.The effort went very well.Supplies collected from area communities included notebooks, pencils, colored pencils, erasers, rulers, schoolbags and soccer balls.Five volunteers, Eloise Wohlford, Ardie Schmidt, Janet Bush, Lucille Belau and Mary Gehrke even made school bags for the kids.According to Gina Newman, program coordinator for FRG, 75 boxes have been shipped in the past two weeks.Newman said many of the local National Guard soldiers recently deployed are doing humanitarian projects such as assisting in rebuilding schools, working with a walk-in medical facility for Iraqis, getting supplies to a local orphanage and keeping water flowing to villages.What’s next? According to Newman, the next project will be collecting medical supplies needed at the medical facility for the Iraqis.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com