Hills
By Nicole RonchettiApril 22, 2026Three landowners with agricultural property inside of Hills city limits are requesting that their parcels — a total of approximately 91 acres — be designated as rural service districts. The designation, common in rural cities throughout the state, would allow the land to be taxed at a lower rate since it does not receive the benefits of city services. “It’s taxed at a much higher rate than…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 22, 2026Hills resident Allen Saakyan presented a demonstration of what a new city website could look like during the city council meeting on April 14. The presentation brought council members on a tour of the potential website, which Saakyan said would be simple to transfer to city ownership. “I put together a little demo of what a beautiful, modern city website can be,” Saakyan said, showing the…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 22, 2026Hills City Council members heard a recommendation to establish a fire escrow account during their April 14 meeting. The account would provide financial protection for the city in the case of a property owner abandoning a damaged structure after a fire. “How we’ve seen this play out in other areas is there’s some kind of structure fire or building explosion, and the property owner takes the…
By Nicole RonchettiMarch 31, 2026For Dennis Hartman, the best projects aren’t just blueprints, they’re a story. That’s why when Brian and Wendy Carlson approached him with a stack of ash wood and a vision, he didn’t hesitate. The wood wasn’t sourced from a lumber yard. Instead, it came from the Carlson’s own acreage northwest of Beaver Creek just into South Dakota. When they knew the ash trees on the property had to come down…
By Mavis FodnessFebruary 25, 2026Since founding Rock Ranch as a nonprofit organization in 2016, Marie LaRock is still building on the vision she saw for her grandparents’ farm located west of Hills. “I could see what we could do here, but I didn’t want to just serve people with disabilities,” she said. “I wanted to be able to serve all abilities, and I wanted to incorporate everybody together in a Christ-filled setting.”…
By Nicole RonchettiFebruary 25, 2026The night before Nicole Wiertzema attended her first group fitness class, she was so nervous she couldn’t sleep. What if she looked like she didn’t know what she was doing? What if other people judged her? Today, as owner of The Well Fitness Studio, Wiertzema and her team help newcomers overcome the same fears she once faced about group exercise. “I never thought I would instruct classes, and…- By Mavis FodnessJanuary 28, 2026Editor's note: Story has been revised to correct Kate DeBoer's first name and the name of her business. Members of the newly formed Hills Chamber of Commerce envision their new organization not only supporting and promoting local businesses but also enhancing the quality of life in Hills. Five of the Chamber members met with the Hills City Council Jan. 13 to collaborate with them by sharing…
- January 21, 2026Arlene Mae Kooistra, age 91, of Hills, died Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. Funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 22, at the American Reformed Church in Luverne, officiated by Pastor Mike Altena. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Thursday. Burial will be in the Beaver Creek Cemetery. Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, is in…
By Lori SorensonJanuary 07, 2026Glenda McGaffee is in her 50th year of working at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, a milestone she will celebrate with co-workers and residents on Jan. 15. “She does so much for our residents, staff, and the HBC community, we want the day to be special,” said Tuff Life Enrichment Director Jocelyn Jacoby. To prepare for the 50th work anniversary party, Jacoby wrote a profile piece about McGaffee in…- By Mavis FodnessNovember 12, 2025The number of retail cannabis businesses allowed under county ordinance will remain at one, after commissioners revisited plans by a Hills businessman. Dennis Hartman and his son, Tim, spoke with commissioners at their Nov. 4 meeting. Dennis Hartman said he is in the process of purchasing property in Beaver Creek Township near I-90 for a retail cannabis business (Integrity Farms Cannabis) and…
November 12, 2025Gerald Allen Ackerman, age 79, of Hills, Minnesota, died Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A public visitation will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, with the family present at the Community Reformed Church of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A graveside service will be at 10:30 a.m., Monday, Nov. 17, at Eastside Cemetery near Steen, Minnesota. A memorial…
By Mavis FodnessOctober 29, 2025Bethlehem Lutheran Church and Tuff Memorial Home, both in Hills, teamed up to provide an afternoon of trick-or-treating fun at the two locations Sunday. For two hours more than a dozen businesses and organizations handed out candy and other treats from car trunks outside on a windy, 65-degree day. Inside, Tuff residents handed out candy from the doorways of their rooms.
By Lori SorensonOctober 22, 2025A young singer-songwriter from Hills is creating soulful music that speaks from a higher place. On Oct. 24, 22-year-old Allison LaRock will release her first single, “Beauty,” which she said came from a vulnerable place. “This world doesn’t make sense sometimes, and we wrestle with what the Lord says and how to trust that he’s actually in control of things,” she said about the song. “It’s…
October 08, 2025Anna Mae Berghorst, age 90, of Hills, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills. Visitation will be Thursday, Oct. 9, from 6-8 p.m. at the Steen Reformed Church in Steen, Minnesota. A funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, at the Steen Reformed Church in Steen, with Reverend Jeremy Wiersema officiating. Burial will follow in the…- By Mavis FodnessOctober 01, 2025Hills business owner Jessica Martens envisions the first “Fall Festival on Main” to be more than a community event in Hills. Scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, from 3 to 8 p.m., she said the festival will bring families and businesses together for a memorable day. “As a small business owner, I’ve learned that our community thrives when families have opportunities to come together,” she said. “…
- By Mavis FodnessAugust 20, 2025The Hills City Council will appoint a council member to replace Cory Metzger, who submitted his resignation last month. At their Aug. 12 meeting, council members Vicki Busswitz, Joseph Sweeter and Dusty Seachris passed a resolution to appoint someone to fill the unexpired term at their Sept. 9 meeting. Metzger submitted his resignation July 11 due to the fact that he’s moving from Hills. “It…
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