Home

News

Luverne Elementary principal retires

Lori Sorenson

July 08, 2026

When Stacy Gillette started her career in education 37 years ago, her goal was to become a high school counselor.

“That’s what I always wanted to be,” she said. “I wanted to be a counselor, because I just wanted…

Happy 250th America!

Lori Sorenson

July 08, 2026

Local residents and visitors flocked to The Lake in Luverne Saturday to celebrate the Fourth of July and the nation’s 250th birthday.

The day was marked by…

Early voting, mail voting begins for Aug. 11 primary

Lori Sorenson

July 08, 2026

Minnesota statewide early voting began last week for the Aug. 11 primary, and mail ballots will be sent out this week to those who vote by mail.

In Rock County, the Aug. 11 election will determine the next Dist.…

Citizens recirculate petition to get charter amendment on ballot

Lori Sorenson

July 08, 2026

Citizen petitioners for a proposed Luverne Charter amendment appear to have gathered enough signatures in their second attempt to advance the measure to voters this fall.

City Clerk Jessica Mead acknowledged…

Hills receives audit results, adopts data practices resolution in special session

Nicole Ronchetti

July 08, 2026

The Hills City Council received the city’s audit results from Meulebroack, Taubert & Co. during a special session held on June 30 and also adopted a resolution for data practices.

Amy Mollberg, a partner with…

Sports

Greg Hoogeveen photo/SL1 Maddox Miller heads for third base with Landyn Lais rounding second base against Windom Monday, July 6, in Luverne. The Luverne Senior Legion baseball team handily beat Windom 10-4 in the contest.

Senior Legion runs away with two wins, improves to 12-3 for the season

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 08, 2026

Luverne’s Senior Legion took two decisive wins in the past week scoring double digits in both games. Luverne beat Sioux Falls Christian 12-2 on June 30 on the road and beat Windom 10-4 at home July 6. Luverne, now at 12-3 for the season, was scheduled to host Dell Rapids Tuesday, July 7, before…

Greg Hoogeveen photo/DLT1 Left: Competitors in the Minnow race take off in kayaks in the first of a three legs in the 2026 Davis Lake Triathlon July 4 at The Lake in Luverne. The second leg was biking followed by running in the third leg that finished back at The Lake.

Davis Lake Triathlon kicks off 2026 Fourth of July celebration in Luverne

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 08, 2026

The 10th Annual Davis Lake Triathlon once again kicked off the Fourth of July activities at The Lake in Luverne Saturday. The triathlon has two divisions, the Minnows and the Sharks. The Minnows race is a quarter-mile kayak, two-mile bike ride and one-mile run. The Sharks race is a half-mile…

Redbirds fall 8-0 to Buttermakers at home

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 08, 2026

Luverne had trouble finding hits against Hadley falling 8-0 to the Buttermakers at home June 29. The makeup game was called after the fifth inning due to rain. Redbirds Isaac Bonner and Riley Sneller each hit one single against Hadley and Luverne registered six strikeouts in the game. Tucker…

Junior Legion teams split games on the road

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 08, 2026

The Luverne Junior Legion Red baseball team beat Sioux Falls Christian 11-1 on the road Tuesday, June 30. Luverne Junior Legion White fell 18-8 to Pipestone on the road Monday, July 6. Junior Legion Red was scheduled to host Dell Rapids Tuesday, July 7. Both the Luverne Red and White Junior…

Local racing results for July 3-4 include information for drivers with ties to Rock County

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 08, 2026

Rapid Speedway July 3 - Rock Rapids, IA Sportsmen #142 Eric Gaul, Luverne – placed sixth in A Feature, DNF in Heat 3. #17 Brandon Boeve, Beaver Creek – placed 11th in A Feature, finished third in Heat 1. #23T Johnathan Tiesler, Hills – DNS in A Feature, DNS in Heat 2. Overall points leaders…

The Burns children, Becky, Tom, Jean and Tim, donated funds for the scoreboard in memory of their parents Joe and Bea Burns and their love of baseball.

Burns children donate funds for new Redbird Field scoreboard

Greg Hoogeveen, sports editor

July 01, 2026

Redbird Field has a new larger scoreboard (pictured at left) thanks to the family of Joe and Bea Burns. Their children, Becky, Tom, Jean and Tim, donated funds for the scoreboard in memory of their parents and their love of baseball. They said their dad was affectionately known as the “Cardinals…

Columns

Columnist shares birthday with nutcracker dedication

Brenda Winter, columnist

At 10 a.m. Saturday, July 18, on South Highway 75 the largest nutcracker in the world will be dedicated in alignment with a pretty significant birthday.

Mine.

In a way, the Luverne nutcracker and I will now share a birthday.

In my 63 trips around the sun I’ve had some…

July 08, 2026

What does progress look like to you?

Scott Rall, outdoors columnist

There are dozens of stories swirling around the “Roadless Rule”. The Roadless Rule was put in place back in 2001 by the president Bill Clinton. The rule was put in place by a wilderness regulation and not by a bill passed in the congress. It prohibited the construction of roads across 59 million…

July 08, 2026

Human contact, hard copies will be hard to replace at Beaver Creek Travel Information Center

Star Herald Editorial

We’re in the height of summer travel and vacation season and thousands of people are motoring cross-country along Interstate 90.

As they enter Minnesota many will stop at the Beaver Creek Travel Information Center, but they won’t find travel information thanks to an unpopular decision…

July 01, 2026

Be careful what you wish for

Jason Berghorst, reporter

Be careful what you wish for.

I’m pretty sure I’ve written columns with this theme before.

It’s one of the “life mottos” I try to live by. Or at least remember at times when I think I really want something to happen.

That phrase has come to my mind a few times this…

July 01, 2026

Obituaries

Geraldine Sandstede

July 08, 2026

Geraldine Ilene Sandstede, age 81, of Luverne, died Sunday, June 28, 2026, at the Sanford Luverne Medical Center.

Gerry was born March 2, 1945, in Luverne, to Hyman and Mae (Ziegahn) Top. She graduated from Ellsworth High School in 1963.

Gerry was united in marriage to James…

Josephine "Mitzi" Baustian

July 08, 2026

Josephine “Mitzi” Baustian, age 94, of Jasper, Minn., passed away peacefully Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at the Pipestone County Hospice House in Pipestone, Minn.

A visitation was from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, July 6, at St. Leo Catholic Church in Pipestone with a rosary prayer service at 7 p.m…

Carol Hoogland

July 08, 2026

Carol Jeanine Hoogland, age 83, of Luverne, Minn., passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage in Luverne.

Visitation was from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 6, at Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. Funeral service was at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday,…

Robert Israel

July 08, 2026

Robert Israel, age 89, of Luverne, died Tuesday, June 30, 2026, at his home.

Arrangements were under the care of Dingmann Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Luverne.

Luverne Elementary principal retires

Citizens recirculate petition to get charter amendment on ballot

Candidate questionnaires: Rock County Board District 3

Candidate questionnaires: Luverne City Council South Ward

Senior Legion runs away with two wins, improves to 12-3 for the season

Davis Lake Triathlon kicks off 2026 Fourth of July celebration in Luverne

News

Sports

Columns

Obituaries

Star Herald

Announcer

Special Sections