Locals travel to path of totality to view 2024 eclipse
The highly anticipated 2024 total eclipse of the sun occurred Monday, April 8, across North America, and several groups of Rock County residents traveled to experience the once-in-a-lifetime ev
Students perform 'Legally Blonde The Musical'
When the LHS production of “Legally Blonde, the Musical” opens next week for six evening performances, audiences will be surprised at what they see.
Roeman retires from 38-plus years with county FSA
Stacey Roemen celebrated her retirement from 38 years with the Rock County Farm Service Agency Saturday night at Take 16, which was crowded with family, friends and well-wishers.
Thone wins spelling bee C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N-S-H-I-P
Twenty-three of the best spellers in southwest Minnesota participated Saturday morning in the 2024 SW MN Spelling Bee hosted at the Luverne Middle School.
History Center to host April 18 celebration
The Rock County History Center’s construction project is complete, and staff and volunteers are hosting a celebration from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 18.
Palisade Lutheran Church celebrates 150 years of worship
Palisade Lutheran Church will celebrate its 150th anniversary Sunday, April 14, at the corner of Minnesota Highway 23 and 121st Street (County Road 5).
News
- By Jason BerghorstJune 16, 2020The Luverne amateur baseball team played two games in Castlewood, South Dakota, Saturday and won both contests. The Redbirds defeated the Castlewood Monarchs 9-5 before coming out on top of the Castlewood Ravens 9-0. The local team has played its first three games in South Dakota because coronavirus-related restrictions on baseball games being played had not yet been lifted in Minnesota. The…
- June 09, 2020Luverne’s annual Buffalo Days celebration was canceled due to social distancing requirements of coronavirus, but the Friday Night Cruise-In organizers decided last week to show off their classic wheels anyway — with an informal “cruising” Friday Night Cruise-In. Dozens of classic cars, trucks, motorcycles and tractors looped around town from 6 to 8 p.m. while residents and visitors enjoyed…
- By Lori SorensonJune 09, 2020When protests turned violent in Minneapolis and St. Paul on May 27, troopers from around the state were dispatched with the Minnesota State Patrol to support Twin Cities law enforcement. In the days following George Floyd’s May 25 death under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, dozens of southwest Minnesota personnel in uniform were called to help. Austin Christensen, Luverne, was among six…
- By Mavis FodnessJune 09, 2020Andrew Kellenberger, a 1999 graduate of Hills-Beaver Creek High School, will return to the school July 1 as its principal. Kellenberger was one of 13 applicants for the position vacated by Molly Schilling, who was hired by the Adrian district last month as its superintendent. Kellenberger comes to Hills from Dakota Meadows Middle School, one of two middle schools in Mankato, where he has been…
- By Mavis FodnessJune 09, 2020The Rock County Historical Society would like the county to increase its annual contribution from $10,00 to $35,000. Society president Betty Mann addressed commissioners at their June 2 meeting about continuing a $25,000-per-year contribution the county has been paying for six years as part of a capital improvement pledge. “As your $25,000/year building fund pledge sunsets in 2020, we humbly ask…
- By Mavis FodnessJune 09, 2020In a special ceremony June 2 on the lawn of the Rock County Courthouse in Luverne, Rock County officials presented a Lifesaving Award to Briella John of rural Kenneth. “Heroes do not always wear capes, they can come in the form of a 9-year-old girl named Briella,” said Rock County Sheriff Evan Verbrugge. John was joined by family members including her parents, Kenneth and Cerrisa Heath, and the…
- By Lori SorensonJune 09, 2020The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency will host a public online forum at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 11, to provide information about changing standards for wastewater effluent in the Rock River. “It’s important to the city and its waste water treatment,” said Forrest Peterson of the MPCA Marshall office. Luverne’s wastewater plant operates on a five-year permit through the National Pollutant…
- By Mavis FodnessJune 09, 2020The fairgrounds in Luverne will be prepared as usual this summer even though the 2020 Rock County Fair was canceled last week. The Rock County Ag Society Board of Directors met Tuesday, June 2, in a socially distanced, in-person meeting at the fairgrounds. Society president Adam Kinsinger said discussions focused on whether or not they could conduct the annual event and still meet each of the…
- By Lori SorensonJune 09, 2020When the filing period closed at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, four candidates had announced their candidacy for the District 22 Minnesota Senate. That position is currently held by Luverne Republican Bill Weber, who is seeking election to his third term in office. Shawna Marshall, rural Luverne, and Roger Elgersma, Pipestone, both filed for that Senate seat as DFL candidates and Brian Abrahamson,…
- By Lori SorensonJune 09, 2020After three months of pandemic-driven social distancing, Gov. Tim Walz last week announced another “turn of the dial” to allow business to resume almost as usual in Minnesota. As of Wednesday, indoor dining, gyms and entertainment venues are cautiously reopening. “Thank you, Minnesotans, for the sacrifices you’ve made to slow the spread of COVID-19,” Gov. Walz said at a June 5 press conference. “…
- By Mavis FodnessJune 09, 2020Rock County Commissioners on June 2 unanimously declined to forgive penalties and late fees assessed to the Econo Lodge and Super 8 by Wyndham hotels in Luverne. In an email to auditor-treasurer Ashley Kurtz, Ash Patel, an agent with SARP, LLC in Sioux Falls, asked for the $8,866 to be forgiven. Patel stated the reason for the non-payment was “due to the economy downturn in 2019-2020.” No tax…
- By Mavis FodnessJune 09, 2020On June 2 the Rock County sheriff’s office became the first in Minnesota to have its own phone app to communicate with the public. “Rock County Sheriff’s Office MN” is free through app stores. At their June 2 meeting, Rock County Commissioners approved an annual support fee of $2,995 with OCV, LLC of Auburn, Alabama. Sheriff Evan Verbrugge said the phone app is funded through the department’s…
- By Lori SorensonJune 02, 2020Luverne City Council members on Tuesday took action to streamline permitting processes for businesses to begin offering outdoor services on June 1. On May 20, Gov. Tim Walz issued Executive Order 20-56 that allows for bars and restaurants to open on June 1 for outdoor service, as long as social distancing measures are maintained. To serve customers outdoors, restaurants will need permits to…
- By Lori SorensonJune 02, 2020For decades Luverne has kicked off the official start of summer with its community Buffalo Days celebration, with a Friday Night Cruise-In, Buffalo Days Parade and Arts in the Park with its signature vendor booths, carnival food and live entertainment. And it always involves crowds of people closely gathered to enjoy each other’s company. Since March, however, the coronavirus pandemic has changed…
- By Lori SorensonJune 02, 2020Elmer Bartels spent a good share of his final days gazing out the dining room window at Tonto Park across the street from his home in the northwest part of Luverne. Homebound for 18 months, he found joy in watching families and children play on the equipment and enjoy the outdoors, Eunice said about her late husband. “We watched little kids and especially day care providers,” she said. “That was…
- By Mavis FodnessJune 02, 2020A love of learning propelled Lisa Nath to the helm of Luverne Community Education, which views education as a lifelong activity. Nath is the third director to head the program that began in 1978 with Gregg Gropel, who laid the groundwork for the then new program. Karen Willers filled the position from 1999, when Gropel retired, until she decided to retire this spring. Nath embraces the scope that…
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