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Charges filed in Luverne murder case

Lori Sorenson

July 29, 2026

Murder charges were filed Monday against 61-year-old Melvin Leon Frazier who is accused of killing 47-year-old Janelle Lea Carlson in their Luverne residence on July 24.

On Tuesday, July 21, he was released from a jail sentence for assaulting Carlson in May. On Friday, he was arrested…

Living 'in her own home' offered joy in final months of life

Lori Sorenson

July 29, 2026

Janelle Carlson died at her home in Luverne on July 24, apparently at the hands of a man she loved and who described her as “his first love.”

While her assailant is facing murder charges, Carlson’s family now wants her to be remembered for who she was, not how she died.

When…

Outdated 911 dispatch console may cost $870,000 to replace

Nicole Ronchetti

July 29, 2026

Critical communication upgrades could soon come to the Rock County 911 dispatch center, but they won’t come without a cost.

The county is considering updating its 911 dispatch console, the piece of technology that connects dispatchers to Minnesota’s ARMER system, or Allied Radio Matrix…

UPDATED INFO: School boards, small cities to see races on ballot

Jason Berghorst

July 29, 2026

UPDATED INFORMATION:

Two challengers filed to be candidates for the Luverne School Board on July 28, bringing the total number of candidates to five for the four seats to be voted on in November.

Sara Bolt and Anita Marden will join incumbents…

H-BC adopts new emergency protocols

Nicole Ronchetti

July 29, 2026

Starting this fall, teachers and students in the Hills-Beaver Creek School District will have a new emergency response protocol, one that superintendent Todd Holthaus hopes will be simpler to understand and more versatile.

For years, the school district has followed the ALICE model,…

Sports

Redbirds Casey Sehr watches as his hit falls to the ground in center field against Sioux City Friday, July 24. The Redbirds fell 14-0 to the Squirrels in exhibition play at Redbird Field. Greg Hoogeveen photo/Redbirds1

Luverne Redbirds go 1-1 in exhibition play at home

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 29, 2026

The Redbirds finished their regular season going 1-1 in exhibition play at home. The Redbirds fell 14-0 to Sioux City on July 24 and beat Milroy 11-1 on July 26 at Redbird Field. Luverne accumulated a 12-7 season record and went 9-4 in Region 10c action. Luverne, the No. 4 seed, was scheduled to…

Korbin Miles slides into third base safely against Slayton in Division II Sub-State Tournament action July 21 in Ruthton. Luverne fell 6-4 ending their playoff run. Greg Hoogeveen photo/JuniorLegion1

Junior Legion falls to Slayton, ends playoff run

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 29, 2026

Luverne was knocked out of the Junior Legion Division II Southwest Sub-State Tournament falling 6-4 to Slayton Tuesday, July 21, in Ruthton. Slayton handed Luverne their second loss in the tournament closing their playoff baseball run. Luverne, the No. 2 west seed, fell 13-9 to St. Clair, the No…

Senior Legion eliminated from sub-state playoffs

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 29, 2026

The Luverne Senior Legion Baseball team finished its 2026 playoff run falling 7-4 to St. James Friday, July 24, in St. James. St. James took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and extended its lead to 5-2 after two innings. In the bottom of the first inning, St. James scored its first…

Local racing results released for week of July 24-25 on area tracks

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 29, 2026

Rapid Speedway Rock Rapids, IA July 24 Results Sportsmans #142 Eric Gaul, Luverne – placed 2nd in the A Feature, finished first in Heat 1. #21 Larry Kracht, Magnolia – placed 7th in the A Feature, finished second in Heat 2. #17 Brandon Boeve, Beaver Creek – placed 9th in the A Feature,…

Greg Hoogeveen photos Below: Betty Mann throw out the first pitch to catcher Braydon Ripka to open the game.

Nutcrackers beat Belugas 9-8 in 2nd Annual Nutcracker Fest game

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 22, 2026

The Luverne Redbirds captured two home wins in the past week, beating the Brandon Belugas 9-8 in an exhibition game July 17 and taking down the Jackson Bull 3-2 July 19. Luverne, now at 11-6 for the season will host the Sioux City Futures July 24 and the Milroy Irish July 26 in the final two…

Greg Hoogeveen photo Luverne Junion Legion player Korbin Miles celebrates on second base after a double against Adrian Monday, July 20, in Ruthton. Luverne beat Adrian 6-1 to stay alive in the sub-state tournament elimination bracket.

Luverne Junior Legion Red Baseball team keeps hopes alive in sub-state baseball tournament

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 22, 2026

The Luverne Junior Legion Red team went 1-1 in the Junior Legion Sub-State Tournament in the past week to stay alive in elimination bracket play. Luverne fell 13-9 to St. Clair in the first round of the sub-state tournament Sunday, July 19, in Ruthton. With the loss Luverne moved down to…

Columns

It's good to be prepared - just in case

Jason Berghorst, reporter

It all began at the pre-trip meeting.

As chaperone for a church youth trip to Colorado, I was given a waiver to sign.

The waiver released the owners of the ranch from any responsibility if a planned horseback trail ride in the mountains ended poorly.

Horseback ride? No…

July 29, 2026

Tinted windows on vehicles: what's legal?

Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State Patrol

Question: I’m seeing more and more vehicles in Minnesota with dark tinted windows. I thought there was a law prohibiting dark tinted windows on both the driver and passenger windows but back windows can be dark. Unless the laws changed and I didn’t know. Thank you.

…

July 29, 2026

Column countdown ends this week; it's time to say goodbye

RIck Peterson, general manager

My column countdown is at the end of the road. This will be the last one. For over 20 years every other week I hunted and pecked out a column.

At the top of each of those columns was the heading “For What It’s Worth,” but I’m not sure what the “worth” was of most of the columns.

…

July 29, 2026

Jarvie announces August events at Rock County Community Library

Calla Jarvie, Rock County Library director

Want to know what one of the keys to having a successful library is? I know you do: it’s partnerships! Here at the Rock County Community Library, we are incredibly fortunate to have amazing partners all across the county, state and even the country.

The partnership I want to talk about…

July 29, 2026

Obituaries

Lorraine Olson

July 29, 2026

Lorraine Olson, age 96, of Luverne, Minn., passed away on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, Minn.

Visitation was from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 26, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. Funeral service was at 11 a.m. Monday, July 27, at Grace Lutheran Church in…

Thomas Sexton

July 29, 2026

With broken hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved Thomas Richard Sexton (Tom / T. T.) on July 19, 2026, at the age of 66. He was born on Dec. 28, 1959, in Slayton, Minn., to Joyce and William Sexton and grew up in Wayzata, Minn. He had also resided in Los Angeles, Calif., Lake Tahoe,…

Carol Hadler

July 22, 2026

Carol Hadler, age 81 of Hills, Minn., died Monday, July 13, 2026, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.

Visitation was one hour prior to the service on Monday, July 20, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Hills.

A funeral service was at 10:30 a.m., Monday, July 20, at the Bethlehem…

Monica Braa

July 22, 2026

Monica R. Braa, age 69, of Luverne, Minn., passed away on Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 23, at St. Catherine Catholic Church in Luverne. Mass of christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday…

Charges filed in Luverne murder case

Living 'in her own home' offered joy in final months of life

Outdated 911 dispatch console may cost $870,000 to replace

Come to the fair!

Luverne Redbirds go 1-1 in exhibition play at home

Junior Legion falls to Slayton, ends playoff run

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