rock county
By Lori SorensonOctober 29, 2025Rock County farmers are hauling in a bumper crop — potentially record-breaking — this harvest season, according to local reports. “This is the biggest harvest I’ve ever seen,” said Miles Brown who manages the Chandler Feed and Grain elevator in Hardwick. Many local producers have seen corn yields this fall of 225 to 275 bushels per acre (upwards of 290 in some fields). Brown said local fields…- By Lori SorensonNovember 05, 2025Rock County residents who rely on government food assistance payments are in limbo this week after the government shut down affected SNAP benefits. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is administered through the USDA, and the Trump administration has withheld half of SNAP payments from being processed as scheduled. This has some families wondering about future meals and local…
- By Mavis FodnessOctober 29, 2025Truth in taxation statements will reach Rock County property owners in late November, and Rock County commissioners encourage landowners to read the mailed documents. Landowners have two years to question the assessments and taxes on the property tax statement in order to receive monetary refund for any overpayment. A Steen resident’s statement has been incorrect for more than 20 years, and he…
By Lori SorensonOctober 22, 2025Two new weather stations in Rock County are recording real-time data for local users, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The MDA announced last week that its Minnesota Ag Weather Network (MAWN) recently expanded with the launch of three new weather stations in southern Minnesota. One is located on Rock County Rural Water property south of Luverne, one is on private land on…
October 08, 2025More than 230 people attended the Rock County Pheasants Forever Banquet Thursday night, Oct. 2, in the Big Top Tents and Events Center in Luverne. Pheasants Forever is a nonprofit conservation group focused on improving and conserving wildlife habitat for pheasants, quail and other upland game birds and wildlife. Last week’s banquet was a fundraiser to support those efforts in Rock County. Above…
October 08, 2025Rock County's new sheriff was sworn into office Wednesday, Oct. 1, by Fifth Judicial Judge Kayla Johnson in the Rock County Courthouse in Luverne. Matthew Sorenson, retired Minnesota State Patrol lieutenant, replaces Sheriff Evan Verbrugge who retired Sept. 30 midway through his elected term. Sorenson, who lives northwest of Beaver Creek, was appointed to fill the remaining 15 months of the term…
By Mavis FodnessSeptember 17, 2025Six 4-H’ers represented Rock County at the 2025 Minnesota State 4-H Horse Show Sept. 5-9 at the Simons Arena in Cannon Falls. Gabriella Porter, Reagan Spath, Blakely Fick, Claire Boeve, Caul Bonnett and Hayden Devine represented the county in the horseless horse project, and the riding events of games and pleasure. Porter of Luverne received a third-place place ribbon in the horseless horse…
By Mavis FodnessSeptember 10, 2025Three years after their first meeting, community leaders came together again to continue economic development efforts. Representatives from Luverne, Hardwick, Steen, Hills, Kenneth and Beaver Creek met Aug. 20 at the Hardwick Community Center as part of the Revive 2030 initiative through Sioux Valley Energy. Paula Jensen with Dakota Resources from Renner, South Dakota, led the community…- By Pastor Mark Eliason, Palisade Lutheran Church, Rock CountySeptember 10, 2025Grief is a powerful thing. It can, and often does, take control of our lives in ways we never thought possible. Much of the time we feel alone and as though no one understands how we are feeling and that no one can ever understand or help us through our grief. This past year I have been feeling this way. Since the beginning of 2025 up to today, I have lost 11 friends and loved ones to death;…
By Mavis FodnessSeptember 03, 2025Editor's note: Corrected the ribbon color awarded to the Magnolia Juniors to red. Rock County 4-H’er Evan Ossefoort and his beef steer named Maverick were among the 115 youth and livestock invited to participate in the Purple Ribbon Auction Aug. 23 at the 2025 Minnesota State Fair. Ossefoort earned the auction invitation when judges selected him and the 1,565-pound steer as champion slick…- September 03, 2025Extension Master Gardener volunteers share science-based horticulture knowledge and practices with people across Minnesota, promoting healthy landscapes and communities through various projects and volunteer efforts. Priorities for the program include providing information about horticulture skills, local food, pollinator health, plant biodiversity, green spaces, clean water and climate…
By Mavis FodnessAugust 13, 2025Retired Minnesota State Patrol Lieutenant Matt Sorenson will serve as Rock County Sheriff for 15 months starting Oct. 1. Rock County commissioners unanimously approved the hire at their Aug. 5 meeting after interviewing Sorenson and Rock County deputies Troy Wenzel, Jeff Stratton and Chad Kempema. The sheriff is an elected position, but current sheriff Evan Verbrugge announced this spring he is…- By Mavis FodnessAugust 13, 2025If county officials followed the proposed five-year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), costs would total more than $31 million. At a public hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, the Rock County Commissioners will consider specific projects and projected costs. The hearing is intended to solicit input from citizens and other government units. Changes to the county’s proposed CIP will be…
- By Mavis FodnessAugust 06, 2025Commissioners spent four hours Tuesday interviewing four candidates who applied for the job of Rock County sheriff. They interviewed retired Minnesota State Patrol Lieutenant Matt Sorenson and Rock County Sheriff deputies Troy Wenzel, Jeff Stratton and Chad Kempema. The Rock County sheriff is an elected position, but current sheriff Evan Verbrugge is retiring before his current term expires Dec…
By Lori Sorenson, editorJuly 23, 2025Rock County crops are in prime condition following a dry planting season and timely rain, according to Lucas Peters, president of the Rock County Corn and Soybean Growers Association. “The warm, dry spring allowed planting to start and progress at a fast pace,” he said. “Emergence was generally really good in our area as we avoided widespread heavy rain or any crusting issues.” He said the…- By Lori Sorenson, editorJuly 23, 2025Bids for a new Rural Water tower recently came in 30 to 50 percent higher than the engineer’s estimate, due to tariffs on imported steel. “The increase in steel prices enlarged the cost of the water tower significantly and caused a deficit between the grant award and the low bid,” Kyla Branick, an engineer with Banner Associates, wrote in a July 10 memo to the Rural Water Board. “This sharp…
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