Luverne woman dies in apparent homicide; suspect in custody
On Friday the Rock County Sheriff’s Office released information about an arrest following a suspicious death that evening in the city of Luverne.
World's largest nutcracker dedicated
The World’s Largest Nutcracker, “Verne,” was dedicated and named Saturday morning with a ribbon-cutting celebration at the nutcracker’s base on South Highway 75 in Luverne.
'On Golden Pond' coming to Luverne's Palace Theater July 24
A classic play centered on the complex relationships of families, the realities of aging and finding acceptance and reconciliation is coming to the Palace Theater in Luverne.
What should we do about e-scooters?
Luverne recently launched a civic assembly group for residents to help shape local decisions about electric scooters.
Luverne's Bull Pen Sports Bar and Grill featured on America's Best Restaurants
The Bull Pen Sports Bar and Grill in Luverne will host national media and marketing company America’s Best Restaurants (ABR) for an on-site visit next month as part of an upcoming ABR Roadshow.
This young pro became a licensed operator at age 18
Ryker Johnson became one of Minnesota’s youngest wastewater operators when he earned his Class D license at age 18.
News
April 08, 2026The Easter Bunny made an appearance in the Hardwick community Saturday morning when roughly 60 children and their families enjoyed an Easter egg hunt along with prize drawings, Easter cookies and juice boxes. The event, hosted by the Denver Go-Getters 4-H Club and Zion Lutheran Board of Evangelism, was moved indoors in the Hardwick Community Hall, due to Saturday’s wintery weather. Tammy…
By Lori SorensonApril 03, 2026A flight instructor and student pilot walked away from a plane crash this morning at the Luverne Municipal Airport. Their single-engine Cessna came to rest upside-down near the south end of the runway around 10:20 a.m. Friday when a passerby reported the crash landing. Local ambulance, law enforcement, fire department and first-responders were dispatched to the scene where they encountered the…
By Lori SorensonApril 01, 2026The Luverne Area Community Foundation will now be known as the Rock County Community Foundation with a new logo and website. The public announcement came Tuesday, March 31, after the organization introduced the new name and logo at several “reveal” events earlier in March. At a March 16 meeting at Take 16, foundation director Emily Crabtree addressed a group of people she called “friends of…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 01, 2026Luverne may soon have fiber-to-the home internet access, according to discussion at the March 19 city cable board meeting. Representatives with Bluepeak announced plans to bring fiber to Luverne at the meeting where they also answered the board’s questions about the process. Bluepeak is a cable and internet provider in Luverne formerly known as Vast Broadband. The company’s senior…
April 01, 2026Luverne’s first- and second-graders took to the stage for their spring programs on March 27 at the performing arts center. Both programs told heartwarming stories alongside the music. In the first-grade program, “Unity Tree,” audiences saw the barriers between cats and dogs break down and end in friendship. In the second-grade program, “Lemonade,” fairytale characters were able to resolve their…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 01, 2026The 2026-27 school year calendar is still up for debate among Luverne School Board members who voted at their March 26 meeting to table a decision. The board opted to delay the decision after receiving an additional calendar proposal backed by the Luverne Education Association. At the board’s March 12 work session, members had generally agreed on a calendar that would start the school year on…
By Lori SorensonApril 01, 2026Rock County deputy Jeff Stratton last week announced his intention to file for election as sheriff in the fall general election. Stratton has been with the Rock County Sheriff’s office for six years, the last four of which have been as school resource officer for Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek school districts. He is a Luverne native from the LHS class of 1998 and moved back to Rock County…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 01, 2026Luverne Superintendent Craig Oftedahl announced his retirement during the school board’s March 26 meeting but hopes to stay on in his position with the district. The retirement, which is effective June 30, comes with an opportunity for Oftedahl to be rehired. If he is, Oftedahl could begin drawing from his pension while retaining his role as superintendent. He would also likely transition…
April 01, 2026In cities across the country, millions took to the streets Saturday in protest against the policies of President Trump and his administration. The rallies are the third wave of demonstrations since Trump took office for a second term. Last year, millions attended protests in June and in October. At right, the group in Luverne greets traffic along Highway 75. Below a local band plays music…
By Kent Thiesse, Farm Management AnalystApril 01, 2026Due to the high cost of investment in farm machinery, an ever-increasing number of farm operations are hiring other farm operators to provide some or all of their machinery resources for their farm operation. This is especially true with new and younger farm operators, as well as with children that decide to start farming with their parents. In addition, some land investors are choosing to…
By Lori SorensonApril 01, 2026More than 100 people attended last week’s Minnesota Department of Transportation open house to learn about the Highway 75 reconstruction project that starts April 15. The meeting at Generations Tuesday, March 24, was hosted by MnDOT officials and representatives from Henning Construction, Adrian, which is the contractor for the project. In the center of the room was a long poster-size aerial…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 01, 2026The Hills-Beaver Creek chapter of the National Honor Society inducted its first 15 student members during a ceremony on March 16. The brand-new chapter recognized the achievements in service, leadership, character and scholarship of the 15 juniors and seniors who submitted applications that required proof of volunteering and two recommendation letters. Families, teachers and supporters…
April 01, 2026For the eighth year in a row, the Minnesota Veterans Homes – Luverne, received the Customer Experience Award from Activated Insights in the Skilled Nursing Facility category. The Luverne Veterans Home is one of seven Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs-run skilled facilities receiving this recognition. The other locations include Fergus Falls, Minneapolis, Silver Bay, Bemidji, Montevideo…
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 Lori SorensonMarch 31, 2026In the early 1990s, the arrival of the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne marked the beginning of unrivaled economic development in Luverne. For one thing, more than 100 health care workers and their families would need housing, so as plans for the facility came together, the city planned its Veterans Addition housing development. The new neighborhood, with its streets and cul-de-sacs winding…
By Nicole RonchettiMarch 25, 2026In a celebration of the 70-degree weather and the official start of spring, over 50 people took to the trails for the Blue Mounds State Park’s Equinox Hike on Friday, March 20. Led by state park naturalist Tiffany Muellner, the highlight of the hike was the park’s rock alignment, a quarter-mile string of rocks that lines up perfectly with the sunset on the spring and fall equinoxes. Hikers…
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