luverne
By Nicole RonchettiFebruary 25, 2026Gavin Ballard, a 10th grader at Luverne High School, is the first-place winner of VFW Post 2603’s annual Voice of Democracy essay contest. The second-place winner was Natalie Berning, also from Luverne, and third place went to Taylor Anderson from Fulda High School. This year’s topic for the essays was “How are you showing patriotism and support for our country?” Local essay contest winners…
By Lori Sorenson, editorFebruary 11, 2026Mike Davis is among a small minority of local residents wishing for colder weather. As one of the organizers of the annual Get Hooked Ice Fishing Derby, recent mild weather has taken a toll on the ice thickness at The Lake in Luverne. “We’ll be down to 10 inches by the end of the week,” he said Monday, considering several more days of thawing weather in the forecast. “It might be a little…
February 11, 2026Jordyn Pater, a registered nurse at Sanford Luverne Medical Center, recently received the Daisy Award for her passion and commitment to patient care. A nurse intern who worked alongside Jordyn last year nominated Pater for the Daisy Award. “I watched as she took time with each of her patients, getting to know them and their families, making sure they never were in the dark or had unanswered…- February 11, 2026Area residents and business owners are invited to an informal community event on Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. to learn more about the possibility of bringing fiber-optic internet and phone service to the Luverne community. The event will be held at the Trailhead facility (the former Casey’s on Main Street) and is designed as a come-and-go gathering, allowing attendees to stop by at…
February 04, 2026Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown nursing home residents celebrated Groundhog’s Day Monday by making ‘pop-up Groundhog cupcakes with Oreos. Activity director Katie Petersen hosts a weekly ‘Bake and Taste’ class with residents, featuring sweet treats requested by residents. Residents participate in both the creation of the treats and, of course, sampling their creations. Petersen has…
February 04, 2026Ronald Leroy Boyenga, age 85, of rural Ellsworth, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at his home with family by his side, on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Memorial visitation was from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne, Minnesota. A graveside memorial service will be held at a later date at the Stateline Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Arrangements were under the care of…
By Betty Mann, Rock County HistorianFebruary 04, 2026The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group and it appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 26, 1942. Of all Luverne residents, there is perhaps no one who can tell you more about building and construction than Frank Soutar, early day contractor and builder, who is this week’s Diamond Club member. Mr. Soutar lives in a home which he built at 218 W. Warren street. He retired…- By Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, St. John Lutheran Church, LuverneFebruary 04, 2026In AD 303, the Roman Emperor Diocletian had a problem: Christians. First, they were nearly atheists in the eyes of the Romans. After all, they only believed in a single God. They also were increasingly rejecting the ways of the culture that threatened to influence Roman society. So on Feb. 23, the Emperor issued an edict designed to end Christianity once and for all. The date was deliberate. It…
- February 04, 2026Leona Sandbulte, age 98, of Luverne, Minnesota, passed away on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at the Luverne Hospice Cottage. Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the American Reformed Church in Luverne. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at the American Reformed Church in Luverne. Interment will be in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Luverne,…
- By Lori SorensonJanuary 28, 2026The Rock County’s 2026 precinct caucuses will be Tuesday, Feb. 3, in Luverne. Registration is at 6:30 p.m. and caucuses start at 7. Local Republicans will gather in the Luverne High School-Middle commons on Kniss Avenue, and the Rock County DFL group will gather in the Generations Events Center on South Estey Street. Precinct caucuses are the initial first steps for voters to engage in the…
January 28, 2026A winter-time tradition at Luverne High School celebrates its 10th year as Snow Week kicks off on Monday, Feb. 2. The Snow Week king and queen will be crowned at 1:50 p.m. Monday, which is also the first of five school-wide dress-up days. Ten Snow Week candidates were nominated by faculty in recognition of their positive leadership in the classroom, in school activities and in the community.…
January 28, 2026Colton Paul Arends was born on May 10, 1996, to Paul and Teresa (Menning) Arends at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was raised on the family farm east of Luverne, Minnesota. From a young age, his beaming spirit always found a way to light up the room. Colton was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne where he was baptized and confirmed his faith in the Lord. Growing…
January 28, 2026A gathering of friends and family took place from 4 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at the Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in St. Cloud for Virgil VanBatavia, who died on Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, at the St. Cloud Hospital. Memorial services also took place on Thursday, Jan. 29, at American Reformed Church in Luverne at 1:30 p.m. with a visitation 1 hour prior to the church. Burial was at…
January 28, 2026Norman "Norm" Ykema, age 95, of Luverne, Minnesota, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne. Visitation was from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, at the Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. Funeral service was at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, at the Christian Reformed Church in Luverne. Interment with military honors followed at the Maplewood…- By Pastor Sarah Zender, Grace Lutheran Church, LuverneJanuary 28, 2026Sometimes, reading that Bible can seem perplexing with its different cultural traditions and practices. But, at other times, it’s as if it could have been written today with a few names changed and it would align perfectly for what is happening right now. If the apostle Paul were writing to us today, I suspect his letter to the Corinthians might sound uncomfortably familiar. I’m currently…
- By Lori SorensonJanuary 21, 2026Alliance Communications is surveying Luverne residents for interest in fiber-to-the home internet service ahead of a potential expansion into city limits next year. Alliance, headquartered in Garretson, South Dakota, has been serving Rural Rock County residents since 2016 and is now considering expanding its fiber-optic network into Luverne’s city limits. Before moving forward, Alliance is…
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