Hills-Beaver Creek grad is guest Veterans Day speaker in Hills
Hills-Beaver Creek High School alumnus Wade Blomgren addressed students, staff and members of the public Monday morning as the keynote speaker for the annual H-BC Veterans Day Program.
'Little Shop of Horrors' takes Palace stage Nov. 14-16, 20-23
Green Earth Players (GEP) cast members admit their upcoming “Little Shop of Horrors” might be rated PG-13 compared with the family-friendly productions they typically
Energy companies host 'PowerOn Midwest' open house in Luverne Nov. 5
An open house Friday night at Generations in Luverne offered information for the community about a major transmission line planned in the region.
Blue Mounds to discontinue tipis as camping option due to cultural sensitivities
Tipis will no longer be a camping option at the Blue Mounds State Park after officials opted not to improve or replace the current ones that need maintenance.
News
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 Mavis FodnessNovember 12, 2025Hills-Beaver Creek High School alumnus Wade Blomgren addressed students, staff and members of the public Monday morning as the keynote speaker for the annual H-BC Veterans Day Program. A member of H-BC’s Class of 1996, Blomgren served in the U.S. Army for 13 years before starting Hero Haven, a non-profit organization that organizes “life-giving adventures” for veterans. His Veterans Day message…- By Mavis FodnessNovember 12, 2025Hunters in Rock County may have an additional firearm option for deer hunting beginning the fall of 2026. Unless local commissioners adopt an ordinance keeping Rock County as a “shotgun only” zone, rifles may also be used to harvest deer beginning next season. However, before making a decision on whether or not to pass an ordinance to remain a “shotgun only” zone, commissioners will conduct a…
By Mavis FodnessNovember 12, 2025Green Earth Players (GEP) cast members admit their upcoming “Little Shop of Horrors” might be rated PG-13 compared with the family-friendly productions they typically perform. “It’s a little dark, so just be prepared for that, and maybe question whether or not you want little kids to come,” cast member Emily Crabtree told Star Media last week. “It’s a bit edgy.” Crabtree plays the role of “…
By Lori SorensonNovember 12, 2025An open house Friday night at Generations in Luverne offered information for the community about a major transmission line planned in the region. Great River Energy, ITC Midwest and Xcel Energy hosted the open house where company representatives shared details about a series of electric transmission projects anchored by a 765 kV transmission line. Known as “PowerOn Midwest,” the project will…- 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…
By Lori SorensonNovember 12, 2025Tipis will no longer be a camping option at the Blue Mounds State Park after officials opted not to improve or replace the current ones that need maintenance. According to park manager Chris Ingebretsen, the tipis are in poor condition, needing significant repairs and canvas replacements. “It was a good time to discontinue their use,” he said. “There’s no plan to re-use them at this time. In…
By Mavis FodnessNovember 12, 2025Dennis Boese is the newest member to the Hills City Council. He was sworn into office Monday night, where he was both excited and nervous about his new position. “I never did something like this before,” Boese said. Boese and his wife, Mona, moved to Hills from Pipestone in 2012. They worked at Grand Falls Casino until their recent retirement. “We wanted to move away to a warmer climate, but…- By Lori SorensonNovember 12, 2025An ATV rollover accident took the life of a Luverne man Saturday morning when he was deer hunting by Ash Creek. According to information from the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, 68-year-old Charles “Chuck” Van Whye failed to reconnect with his family Friday after leaving home earlier in the morning to go deer hunting. He had driven his ATV from the roadway across a field to his hunting stand,…
By Mavis FodnessNovember 12, 2025Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary staff and students will be in their new elementary school Dec. 1, if the schedule goes as planned. Workers are still assembling and finishing various areas in the new 57,400-square-foot facility in Beaver Creek. Inspections will take place Wednesday, Nov. 12, and would need to be passed before the district can occupy the building, according to Superintendent Todd…
By Mavis FodnessNovember 12, 2025After an 18-year absence, Sue Stroh and Kiesli Smith are back together again. This time the two work together at the Kids Rock! Child Care Center in Luverne. Stroh cares for infants, and Smith works with school-aged children. The last time the two were together was when Smith was an infant in Stroh’s in-home day care in Luverne which Stroh operated for 53 years. For five of those years, she…
November 08, 2025Greg Hoogeveen celebrates 3 years at the Star Herald office on November 8. He answered a few questions about her time at the Star Herald. 1. How did your journey with the Star Herald start? I had known about the position for some time but hesitated to apply for several reason. I had been shooting sports events for several years on my own and finally realized I could get paid to do what I…
November 05, 2025Despite the cold and wet conditions, hundreds of trick-or-treaters turned out for Luverne's Annual Halloween Trunk ’n Treat event at the school parking lot Friday evening. Weather was cold, wet and blustery, but dozens of local businesses and organizations greeted costumed participants from creatively decorated trunks and displays to hand out thousands of pieces of candy.
By Mavis FodnessNovember 05, 2025Construction will begin next year for a running track at Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary School in Hills. The running track, or half-track, will be built on a grassy area on the west side of the existing school. The H-BC School Board approved moving forward with construction Oct. 27, since funding for the project has now been secured. In October 2023, school board members approved $100,000 toward…- 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 Lori SorensonNovember 05, 2025Luverne City Council members took action last month to assess $19,000 worth of unpaid utility bills to property owners in the form of taxes on the property. The council each year reviews unpaid utility bills at a public hearing where property owners can discuss their bills with the council. No one attended the 2025 public hearing during the Oct. 21 City Council meeting where council members…
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