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
Student 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 Mavis FodnessMarch 25, 2020County commissioners will meet in an emergency meeting at 9 a.m. Monday to review plans on how Rock County will operate under Gov. Walz’s two-week Shelter in Place order. The order begins midnight Friday and goes through Friday, April 10 and is intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the state. At Monday’s special meeting, commissioners will hear recommendations from department heads…
- March 24, 2020Luverne firefighters volunteered to deliver groceries in the community on March 18 to residents who weren't venturing out from home due to social distancing precautions. Firefighters picked up groceries that residents had ordered at Sunshine Foods and made stops at the Blue Mound Tower, Centennial Apartments, Good Samaritan senior living facilities and other places. These acts of generosity…
- By Lori SorensonMarch 24, 2020As Rock County and surrounding communities grasp new realities of the coronavirus pandemic, Sanford Luverne is taking its own measures as the local health care leader. “We are doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including social distancing and responsible event management,” said Tammy Loosbrock, Sanford Luverne CEO. “We want to reduce the overall number of infected persons and by…
- By Mavis FodnessMarch 24, 2020In a matter of days, area school staff transformed from classroom educators to meal caterers, child care providers and distance learning professionals. Last week state officials mandated all Minnesota schools close to stop the potential spread of the coronavirus. Schools in Hills, Beaver Creek and Luverne conducted classes on Monday, March 16, and sent students home through March 27. By Wednesday…
- March 24, 2020The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board met in regular session Monday night. Instead of meeting in the secondary school conference room, the board convened in the school commons to allow more distance between members. Pictured from left are Tim Bosch, Tami Rauk, Ethan Rozeboom, Dan LaRock, Board Chairman Arlyn Gehrke, Renae Knobloch, business manager Amanda Rozeboom, Superintendent Todd Holthaus,…
- By Lori SorensonMarch 24, 2020After 42 years working with John Deere, Dan Block recently announced he’ll retire this spring. The past 26 years of his career have been at the Luverne dealership where he grew the business and spearheaded a massive building project in 2018. Despite his role at the helm of a multi-million-dollar company, Block talks about his humble roots in the company that started in the Adrian store. “I…
- March 24, 2020Workers are taking advantage of no classes at Luverne Middle-High School with about a dozen more plumbers, electricians, dry wall applicators and demolition crews ascending on the school last week. The construction and remodeling project is now into its second year. According to site manager Dave Mulert with ICS, workers are exercising social distancing from school personnel still working in the…
- March 24, 2020On Friday the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor) announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits. They’re designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar for dollar, for the cost of providing coronavirus-related leave to their employees. This relief to employees…
- By Mavis FodnessMarch 24, 2020With tables and chairs set more than six feet apart, the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board met in regular session Monday night. The group met in the high school commons instead of the conference room in response to the coronavirus pandemic and limiting contact between individuals. H-BC closed schools March 16 with staff meeting since then to prepare distance learning plans set to…
- By Mavis FodnessMarch 24, 2020Luverne School Board members unanimously accepted a two-year union agreement with teachers during a special session conducted electronically March 19. The agreement ended six months of discussions including a Feb. 28 mediation between the district and teachers union. Combined salary and benefits is 8.87 percent over the two years. For the 2019-20 school year teachers will receive a salary…
- By Mavis FodnessMarch 24, 2020Churches in Rock County suspended weekday and Sunday services for several weeks in order to contain the local spread of the coronavirus. Many relied more heavily on local cable and radio broadcasts to stay connected with parishioners, but others added social media broadcasts, some for the first time. St. Catherine’s Catholic Church, Luverne, suspended all face-to-face activities Friday including…
- By Lori SorensonMarch 24, 2020Just days after announcing their doors would remain open, Rock County officials decided last week to restrict access to their offices in Luverne, due to coronavirus concerns. “This isn’t what we wanted, but we just weren’t able to accommodate social distancing,” said Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre, who is also the local emergency management director. “Our government services continue to…
- By Mavis FodnessMarch 24, 2020By Mavis Fodness Security Savings Bank wants to change the terms of a banking agreement with Rock County due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. “This is unprecedented,” said Ryan DeBates, Security Savings Bank branch manager in Luverne. “We are asking for a temporary amendment.” He approached county commissioners with the proposal at their March 17 meeting, but they tabled a decision until their…
- March 24, 2020What are Sanford Luverne’s resources in terms of bracing for local cases? Sanford Luverne, as well as Sanford Health, has been working to prepare for COVID-19 for several months. This is one of the advantages of being part of a larger health system. We are able to share knowledge and resources with more than 40 other hospitals to best serve our patients and community. Our local team has been…
- March 24, 2020When the state closed schools to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the mandate included the stipulation that schools devise plans for child care for emergency services personnel. Under the Governor’s Executive Order 20-02, free school age care for the children of emergency workers (including providers of health care, emergency medical services, long-term and post-acute care, law enforcement…
- March 24, 2020Rock County 4-H’ers Whitney Elbers, Steen, and Christian Kruse, Ellsworth, will receive scholarships for 2020. The county 4-H executive committee selected the students based on their involvement in state and local 4-H activities. Elbers is the daughter of Kurt and Lanette Elbers and is a senior at Hills-Beaver Creek High School. She is a member of the Blue Ribbon 4-H Club and earned scholarships…
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