News

Locals prepare for marijuana legislation
By Mavis Fodness
August 01, 2023
Recreational marijuana use will be limited in Rock County if a countywide ordinance is adopted later this month. City leaders from Beaver Creek, Hills, Steen, Magnolia, Luverne, Kenneth, Jasper and Hardwick met with Rock County commissioners July 25 to discuss the state’s recent marijuana legislation and how it will be implemented locally. County attorney Jeff Haubrich will draft a countywide…
Two longtime teachers tender resignations in H-BC School District
By Mavis Fodness
August 01, 2023
The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board members accepted resignations of two tenured secondary teachers during their meeting last week. Randi Oftedahl submitted her resignation to Superintendent Todd Holthaus on July 19, effective July 24, and Kale Wiertzema submitted his resignation July 20, effective immediately. Oftedahl taught middle school science and social studies. She requested the…
Open class fair winners announced
August 01, 2023
The Open Class superintendents were pleased with all who exhibited this year and for their patience with the heat during entry times. Judges commented on the high quality and how difficult it was to select the champions. The results reported for the Open Class competition at the 2023 Rock County Fair are as follows: Floral •Best of Show: Lynette Jauert. •Reserve: Jennifer Ainsworth. •Champions…
Blue Mound park announces August programs
August 01, 2023
The Blue Mounds State Park has announced its August programs and events. Contact bluemounds.statepark@state.mn.us or 507-283-6050 with questions or special requests. Colors of the Prairie Participants hike with the naturalist from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 4, to see wildflowers and learn some basics on how to use a wildflower identification field guide. The hike may cover up to one mile. Come…
H-BC Class of 1973 meets for 50th reunion
August 01, 2023
The Hills-Beaver Class of 1973 met for their 50th class reunion on July 29 at Take 16 Brewery. Pictured are (front, from left) Lex (Van Wyhe) DeWit, Carol (Wallenburg) Nelson, Joyce (Sandager) Norton Wulf, Beth (Oolbekkink) Gravley, Laurie Schlueter-Hynes, Cathy Aykens, Carolyn (Schubbe) Randall, Sandy (Stoltenberg) Sisk, (second) Bill Stegemann, Wayne Beyenhof, Brad Larson, Rodney Bajema, Becky…
LHS Class of 1968 celebrates 55th reunion
August 01, 2023
The Luverne High School Class of 1968 celebrated their 55th class reunion July 22. Attending the reunion are (front, from left) Mary (Foight) Sites, Sandy (Haakenson) Parpart, Linda (Wessels) Schoon, Cheryl (DePauw) Enger, Monica (Swenson) Hintze, Karen Radermacher, Carole (Bowman) Hemme, Dianne (Lorenzen) Ossenfort, (second) Gregg Fitzer, Keith Rapp, Tim Burns, Steve Leslie, Becky (Frakes)…
The Great Salt Lake
By Heather Johnson
July 27, 2023
The Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth-largest terminal lake in the world. It lies in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah and has a substantial impact upon the local climate, particularly through lake-effect snow. It is a remnant of Lake Bonneville, a prehistoric body of water that covered much of western Utah. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet…
Food shelf puts out plea for donations
By Jason Berghorst
July 25, 2023
On July 18 Rock County Food Shelf Co-Director Katie Baustian posted a call for donations on the organization’s Facebook page. “It has been a while since our shelves have been this bare,” she wrote. “If you enjoy donating items, we are in need of many.” The post included photos of mostly bare shelves at the food shelf location on Maple Street in Luverne along with a list of a dozen specific…
All-terrain trackchair arrives at Blue Mounds State Park
By Mavis Fodness
July 25, 2023
Blue Mounds State Park became the sixth location last week where an all-terrain trackchair is available for public use through the DNR. The trackchair is battery-powered and can travel on trails that can’t be accessed using a regular wheelchair. According to Blue Mounds State Park manager Chris Ingebretsen, the trackchairs can maneuver on the majority of the park’s trails. “They won’t be able to…
City reviews $4 million in 2024 capital expenditures
By Jason Berghorst
July 25, 2023
The Luverne City Council is considering $4,039,200 in capital improvements for the proposed 2024 budget. At their July 19 meeting, council members heard budget requests from city department heads as part of the normal city budget process. Expenses for water, wastewater, electric, fire, government buildings, parks and recreation, streets, airport, pool and fitness, parking lots, Luverne Loop and…
County approves letter of support for housing grant
By Mavis Fodness
July 25, 2023
Commissioners issued a letter of support for the housing project proposed for the city of Luverne. County administrator Kyle Oldre wrote the support letter for the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership (SMHP) project. “The county board believes the units, consisting of two, three and four-bedroom townhomes, will help address the critical shortage our community currently faces in affordable…
Beaver Creek Community To Host First-Ever 'Beaver Days' Aug. 4-5
By Jason Berghorst
July 19, 2023
The city of Beaver Creek will host its first-ever community celebration Aug. 4-5. “Beaver Days” will include a 5K run/walk, parade, vendor fair, car show, community meal, street dance and more. “We have been talking about doing something for a while now between city officials and members of the fire department,” said Beaver Creek Mayor Josh Teune. “We have always said that if other towns…
Erickson fulfills granddaughters’ dollhouse wish
By Mavis Fodness
July 19, 2023
It was Christmas in July for Keith and Joan Erickson’s granddaughters who visited during the Fourth of July holiday. Since April, Grandpa Keith has been building a to-scale dollhouse replica of the Erickson home, complete with the detached garage. The girls, ages 8, 10 and 11, saw it for the first time during their early July visit to Luverne. “This has been crazy — “I’m not a builder or a…
Luverne pre-med student studies in Africa
By Lori Sorenson
July 19, 2023
Luverne High School 2020 graduate Sydney Biever spent part of this summer in Africa through her studies at the University of South Dakota, Vermillion. The faculty-led study-abroad trip was for a Field Ecology course that brought students to African national parks and introduced them to wildlife within each park. “We learned about field ecology in a few ways,” Biever said. “We had meetings…
Luverne celebrates 61st annual Hot Dog Night
July 18, 2023
A passing thunderstorm hurried activities along Thursday night, July 13, for the 61st annual Hot Dog Night. The annual wiener dog race was ended about 7:30 p.m. as light rain fell for a short time along Main Street Luverne. Evening activities were delayed but resumed in cooler temperatures.
Rock County Fair 2023 is next week
By Jason Berghorst
July 18, 2023
The 2023 Rock County Fair kicks off in Luverne on Wednesday, July 26, and continues through Saturday, July 29. The annual event continues to grow each year with entertainment, 4-H exhibits, food, education programs, rides, racing, concerts and much more, according to Rock County Ag Society President Lee Sells. “We are always trying to offer as much free entertainment as possible to make the…