I-90 work to start next weekThe Minnesota Department of Transportation is planning to do some work on I-90 next week.Eastbound motorists between Beaver Creek and Luverne should expect delays due to lane closings beginning Monday, Aug. 2.The joint repair work will run from the Rock County Highway 4 bridge to the west end of the bridge over the Rock River.The project is expected to take about two weeks.The next major I-90 project for this area is to resurface the eastbound lanes of I-90 in 2005.The year’s joint repair work is in preparation for the overlay.Bituminous Paving, Inc, Ortonville, is doing the joint repair work at a cost of $90,770.Community Blood Bank schedules driveThe Community Blood Bank has scheduled two blood drives for the month of August.The first will be at the Luverne Community Hospital, from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18. The second drive will be at Continental Western Group, from 8 to 11:30 a.m. and in the afternoon, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.Although walk-ups are welcome, if you would like to make an appointment, contact the Luverne Community Hospital, at 283-2321, ext 224.Donors must be at least 17 years of age and weigh at least 110 pounds.In April, the two-day drive took in 67 units of blood.Natural gas prices could be going upCenterpoint Energy Minnegasco has filed a request with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to change its natural gas distribution rates.This is the first time the company has requested an increase in rates since 1995.If the MPUC approves the increase, the residential rates will rise an average of $38 per year, or $3.17 per month.A final decision by the MPUC is expected in May of next year.According to Centerpoint, the reason for the increase is because current rates do not recover the increased costs of providing utility distribution to their 745,000 customers.While the cost of distribution has increased, the average customer demand for their product has decreased.If approved, the rate increase will generate $21.77 million in annual revenues, an increase of 1.8 percent.The increase is only relative to the cost of distribution, which makes up approximately 20 percent of the customers’ bill.The cost of the gas itself fluctuates based on the wholesale price of gas, which is sold with no mark-up.Although the MPUC will not make a decision until May 2005, customers could see their first increase in October of this year when a temporary rate increase will likely take effect.If the final MPUC decision is lower than the Centerpoint request, the difference will be refunded to the customers with interest.And now she’s 106One year ago, the Star Herald featured a story about the amazing experiences Lil Peterson accumulated in her 105 years of life.As of last Monday, she can add one more year to that list of memories since she turned 106 on July 26.As Lori told you in her feature story last year, Peterson spent her early years before paved roads, automobiles, electricity and running water.Her chores after school included cleaning kerosene lamp chimneys and refilling them with fuel.Her working career started when she graduated with an eighth grade education from Rock County Dist. 10 schoolhouse.Her advice for longevity included, “Don’t smoke and don’t lay in bed in the morning. Get up and enjoy the day.”Since last year she has changed her residence from the Centennial Apartments in Luverne to the Tuff Home in Hills if you would like to drop her a card.Publisher Roger Tollefson can be reached by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com