Say good-bye to Don and BettyNext month Luverne will be losing two of the most liked and respected people in the community, Don and Betty Cashin.The Cashins moved to Luverne in August of 1981 when Don was appointed president of First Farmers and Merchants National Bank, then known as First Bank.Although the Cashins have been active in many things, probably the most notable was the start of the St. Patrick’s celebration in Luverne, an event which just celebrated its 25th anniversary this past March.To bid them farewell, the public is invited to an open house from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21, at First Farmers and Merchants. Cake, coffee and punch will be served, and you’ll have a chance to wish them well in their new venture.Their new destination is Albert Lea, where they lived before coming to Luverne back in ’81.Stoltenberg’s painted bison can be viewed on the InternetI had mentioned in an earlier column that Shelley Stoltenberg had been chosen to be one of 22 artists to paint a life-size bison for the Custer Stampede.The painted bison are now on display around Custer.If you happen to be going through the Custer area, Shelley’s bison, "Big Red," can be seen outside the Purple Pie Place on Hwy. 16.According to Shelley’s husband, Scott, the bison paintings will be auctioned off at the Custer Stampede on Saturday, Sept. 30, in Custer.On the Web site, Shelley said her goal "is to show the inner strength and beauty of Tatanka. In the Lakota culture the bison is represented by the color red. Red is the color of the direction North and it symbolizes sacrifice and purification. I believe that when people see the red Tatanka, they will instinctively feel the power and honor of this great animal. Red is not the only color I will use, but it will be dominant."If you would like to see Shelley’s painted bison as well as the others, you can view them at www/custerstampede.com, then click on 2006 artist.Lt. gov. candidate at Brandenburg Gallery todayMaureen Reed, the Independence Party’s candidate for lieutenant governor, will be at the Brandenburg Gallery from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight.The public is encouraged to attend to discuss issues of their concern and also to get her take on the various topics the state will be dealing with over the next four years.Reed is running with Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Peter Hutchinson.Hutchinson is a former commissioner of finance in the Perpich administration and a deputy mayor of Minneapolis.Reed is a medical doctor who has served as medical director of HealthPartners and chaired the University Board of Regents.The candidate is in Luverne for both personal as well as political reasons. Her nephew, Denis Paquette, is getting married on Saturday in Luverne.Reed is the sister to Luverne’s Rosie Paquette.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com