Public forum addresses city charter amendment question on Nov. 3 ballot
Luverne voters will be asked in the Nov. 3 general election if they support an amendment to change their city’s government charter.
County proposed tax levy to increase 5% instead of 7.46%
After initially looking at a tax levy increase of 7.46% for 2027, the Rock County Board of Commissioners has reduced the proposed tax levy amount to increase 5%.
Merc to receive EDA grant for facade improvements
The Luverne Economic Development Authority approved a $15,904 façade improvement grant for Luverne Initiatives for Tomorrow (LIFT) for work on The Merc.
Generations celebrates 56 years, honors Neva Claussen
Generations celebrated its 56th anniversary on Sept. 12 with an open house, which included recognition for Neva Claussen who served the organization for 35 years.
Public forum to address city charter amendment
Luverne voters will be asked in the Nov. 3 general election if they support an amendment to change their city’s government charter.
Meals on Wheels faces funding shortage
A recent funding reduction has forced southwest Minnesota’s local Meals on Wheels program to scale back its services, prioritizing those with the highest needs.
News
By Lori SorensonAugust 05, 2026Organizers of the September’s Suicide Awareness Month are hoping to “Light the Town Purple” as a show of community support for brain health and suicide prevention. The initiative replaces the annual “Out of the Darkness” walk for suicide prevention awareness, which was a fundraiser for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Light the Town Purple,” is a local effort to raise funds…
By Lori SorensonAugust 05, 2026Rock County Fair Board president Lyle Rollag said the board is getting positive feedback about the 2026 event. “We’re really pleased with how everything went,” he said. Because it’s a free fair, there aren’t gate receipts to gauge attendance, but Rollag said grandstand numbers, daily participation and food sales indicated healthy participation. For example, Rock County Dairy Association…
August 04, 2026Watch the video below or use the links below to jump to specific sections of the video.
By Lori SorensonJuly 29, 2026Murder 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 on charges that he brutally beat and stabbed her that evening. According to the criminal complaint filed…
By Lori SorensonJuly 29, 2026Janelle 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 asked Monday to describe Carlson, her family eagerly provided a list: Little things made her happy. She loved to walk…
By Nicole RonchettiJuly 29, 2026Critical 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 for Emergency Response. ARMER allows dispatchers and first responders across the state to communicate and…- By Jason BerghorstJuly 29, 2026UPDATED 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 Michael DeBates, Zach Nolz and David Wrigg on the ballot this fall. The top four vote getters will be elected to four year terms. Current board chair…
By Nicole RonchettiJuly 29, 2026Starting 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, which stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate. It’s primarily built for active shooter…
By Lori SorensonJuly 29, 2026The Rock County Fair is underway this week with four full days of events and activities at the fairgrounds on South Freeman Avenue in Luverne. Traditional fair favorites — 4-H and Open Class exhibits, horse and livestock shows, midway rides and games, Historical Society buildings and displays and more — are annual draws to the fair. New attractions this year will feature a Friday night cruise-…
July 29, 2026Ken and Phyllis Vos hosted their 19th Annual Tractor Party Friday night, July 24, at their home in Luverne where 245 people of all ages enjoyed a picnic-style meal (with root beer and ice cream) and games for children and grown-ups. Children were invited to “dig for treasures” in a pool of shelled corn, and grown-ups could test their skills with a tractor-vs.-bowling pins challenge. The highlight…
By Lori SorensonJuly 29, 2026The Rock County Historical Society on Sunday will induct six new members into the Rock County Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame Committee this spring chose the following six Rock Countians for the honor: Dale Frakes, Hugo Goehle, Marvin Helling, Elmer Hovland, Emily Lodine-Overgaard and Harrison White. White was a Rock County pioneer, served as a lieutenant colonel in the Civil War, was a member…
July 29, 2026Though Minnesota has seen no confirmed outbreak clusters of cyclospora infections, 41 states have reported cases, including larger outbreaks in Michigan and Ohio. The cyclospora parasite causes severe intensive gastrointestinal issues including explosive and watery diarrhea. University of Minnesota Extension Educator Autumn Stoll, who specializes in food safety, shares what consumers can do…
By Nicole RonchettiJuly 29, 2026A new book highlighting everything special about Luverne in an alphabetical format will be introduced to the community on July 30. Illustrated by local artist Janine Brands, “A to Z Luverne” was written by a committee under the umbrella of Luverne Initiatives for Tomorrow. Throughout its pages, the book devotes each letter of the alphabet to something unique about Luverne and Rock County. “…
By Lori SorensonJuly 27, 2026Murder 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 on charges that he brutally beat and stabbed her that evening. According to the criminal complaint filed…
July 26, 2026On Friday the Rock County Sheriff’s Office released information about an arrest following a suspicious death that evening in the city of Luverne. “We wanted to be transparent about the incident and assure community members they weren’t in danger,” Sheriff Matthew Sorenson shared on the department’s social media page late Friday night. On Saturday, he posted the following: On July 24 at 8:09 p…
By Nicole RonchettiJuly 24, 2026Starting 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, which stands for alert, lockdown, inform, counter and evacuate. It’s primarily built for active shooter…
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