rock county
By Nicole RonchettiAugust 19, 2026After 33 years on the job, Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre officially submitted his notice of retirement during the Aug. 18 county board meeting. Oldre’s final day of service will be Feb. 28, 2027. “After 33 wonderful years, making the decision to step away is truly bittersweet,” Oldre told the board. “It has been a distinct privilege to serve the residents of Rock County for over three…
By Nicole RonchettiAugust 19, 2026A misunderstanding between Rock County and Lyon County led to a temporary budget shortfall for the local construction and demolition landfill. The two counties have been operating under an agreement in which Rock County hauls its municipal solid waste to Lyon County, and Lyon County sends its construction and demolition waste back to Rock County. “This agreement goes back probably 25, 30…
By Greg Hoogeveen, sports editorAugust 05, 2026The 2026 Rock County Fair showcased several grandstand events and entertainment over the past week. On Wednesday, July 29, the Good Ol’ Plowboys featured several local and regional participants in a lawn mower pull. These were not your everyday off-the-shelf models. Rather, they were machines designed to tear through the dirt and not care about grass. There were five classes of pullers from…
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 By Nicole RonchettiJuly 15, 2026Social services and public health programs in Rock County, may be looking at a $2.1 million dollar funding shortfall, due to federal and state cost shifts. The Rock County Board of Commissioners learned how these shifts will affect local budgets during their July 7 meeting with Southwest Health and Human Services. Agency director Stacey Timm outlined the numbers and requested additional funding…
July 01, 2026The early morning storms of Sunday, June 28, caused significant damage in some areas of Rock County. In Hardwick high winds downed trees that damaged properties and blocked roads, with community members spending much of the next day in clean-up efforts. Nearby farms and acreages also reported storm damage, with trees on structures, rooftops ripped off buildings and crops flattened and twisted…
By Nicole RonchettiJune 10, 2026Now that the filing period for county and large city elections has closed as of 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, local races have started to take shape. Here are the candidates who are seeking election to positions in Rock County and the city of Luverne. Rock County District 2 Two candidates have filed to compete in District 2 for a seat on the Rock County Board of Commissioners. Stan Williamson,…
By Nicole RonchettiMay 22, 2026Since the start of 2026, use of Rock County GAP Fund has increased by over 200%, bringing affordable mental health care to county residents who otherwise might not be able to access it. Angela Nolz helped found the initiative in 2024 and updated Rock County Commissioners at their May 19 meeting about the project’s importance and its recent growth. “There are two reasons people don’t get…
By Nicole RonchettiMay 13, 2026The Rock County Board of Commissioners approved an order for a new dump truck during its meeting on Tuesday, May 5. The equipment will be a 2026 MAC GU 713 tandem axle dump truck and plow, with attachments. Due to the extended production time, the new dump truck wouldn’t arrive in Rock County until spring of 2027. “We’re asking to reserve a slot,” said county engineer Mark Sehr. “They only…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 29, 2026Nine hundred thousand dollars from the Federal Emergency Management Agency intended for Rock and Nobles counties is currently inaccessible due to the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. The funds would reimburse counties for damages to their jointly owned railroad that occurred during flooding in 2024. “We ended up suffering a lot of damage (to the railroad),” said Rock…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 29, 2026Rock County Rural Water received approval from the county board to submit an application for a $250,000 loan to build a storage shed. The loan will be through the Minnesota Rural Water Association, with systems director Ryan Holtz explaining the need to the county board during its April 21 meeting. “Right now, we have an oversized double garage out there, (but) it’s just plain too small,” he…
By Lori SorensonApril 29, 2026Rock County officials worked fervently on damage control Friday after they learned a county email had been hijacked by scammers. According to Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre, a township official called Auditor-Treasurer Ashley Kurtz Friday afternoon questioning an email he had received from her office. It requested election information and instructed him to reply. He instead called Kurtz…
By Lori SorensonApril 24, 2026Rock County officials are working fervently on damage control today after they learned a county email has been hijacked by scammers. According to Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre, a township official called Auditor-Treasurer Ashley Kurtz this afternoon questioning an email he had received from her office. It requested election information and instructed him to reply. He instead called Kurtz…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 15, 2026The property values for 2026-27 are out for Rock County, and while the value of most of the area remains relatively steady, the townships of Springwater and Beaver Creek saw sharp decreases. Rachel Jacobs, director of the Rock County Land Records Office, presented numbers during the Rock County Board meeting on April 7. Springwater Township saw a 32% decrease in property values, and Beaver…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 15, 2026The number of expansions and new permits for feedlots in Rock County is remaining steady, though the numbers still haven’t recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Brandon Bosch, from the Rock County Soil and Water Conservation District, provided an annual report on feedlots to the Rock County Board during its April 7 meeting. The report shared that the county has approximately 610 feedlots,…
By Lori SorensonMarch 18, 2026A culvert in Judicial Ditch No. 2 will be replaced with a larger one, despite pushback from landowners downstream. That’s according to a March 3 Rock County Board decision based on engineers’ recommendations and a hydrologic study. The decision comes after a Feb. 3 public hearing about upgrading a 60-inch culvert under 221st Street in Rose Dell Township with a 72-inch culvert. The current…
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