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
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…
By Lori SorensonMarch 18, 2026Tree removal scheduled to begin this week on Highway 75 in Luverne was postponed until next week, due to Sunday’s snowstorm. The contractor, Husky Construction, was facing travel obstacles in getting to Luverne from Eden Prairie this week, and icy conditions weren’t conducive for tree removal. The work will now begin Monday, March 23, and continue for approximately a week, according to…- March 18, 2026Did you know it takes over 30,000 election judges to run elections across Minnesota? That’s a small army. These trained local residents work at more than 4,000 precincts statewide to help voters check in, answer questions and ensure ballots are counted accurately. They’ve stepped up to help democracy run smoothly, working before the polls open and staying until after the last ballot is…
By Lori SorensonMarch 18, 2026Renovation work is continuing on the former National Guard Armory building on Freeman Avenue in Luverne — months past the promised completion date. This means the contractor working on the project is now in “penalty phase,” according to County Administrator Kyle Oldre. “Again, last week they didn’t have anyone on site,” Oldre said at the March 3 County Board meeting. “They want to do a…
March 18, 2026Two teams from Luverne’s Future Farmers of America chapter will go on to the state competition after placing second and fifth in a Region IV Career Development Event in Jackson on March 9. The team of Charlie Mostad, Lucas Williamson and Kale Ver Steeg earned fifth in Farm Business Management, with Mostad placing eighth individually in a field of 47 competitors. In Ag Mechanics, Lucas Madison,…
By Linda Wenzel Program manager, ACE of Southwest MinnesotaMarch 18, 2026March 22 marks You Are as Young as You Feel Day, an annual reminder that staying young at heart has less to do with the number of birthdays a person has celebrated and more to do with outlook, purpose, and staying engaged with life. The day encourages people of all ages to embrace activities that bring them joy — whether that means listening to favorite music, sharing stories with friends,…
By Lori SorensonMarch 11, 2026A 176,760-square-foot manufacturing facility is coming to a 15-acre site in Luverne’s industrial park and will require 125 full-time employees at a $9 million annual payroll. That’s according to Don Jahnke, Luverne, who presented information about his company, Luv Modular LLC, to the Luverne Economic Development Authority Monday. “What we’re proposing to build is a factory to build housing…
By Lori SorensonMarch 11, 2026District Court Judge Kayla Johnson has issued a written order addressing contested facts and evidence in the third-degree murder and vehicular homicide case against Jayson Delfs, Hardwick. His charges stem from the March 27, 2025, fatal crash northwest of Beaver Creek that claimed the life of Grant Crawford, rural Jasper. Delfs’ last court appearance was a Dec. 12, 2025, contested omnibus…
By Nicole RonchettiMarch 11, 2026For some students, school is easy. For others, it’s the hardest thing they do each day. Regardless, it’s Jon Schomacker’s job to help them succeed. “Everybody comes to school with baggage,” Schomacker said. “They’re still great kids to their core; it’s just working through that.” Schomacker, a former fourth-grade teacher, is the behavior interventionist at Luverne Elementary School. For…
By Nicole RonchettiMarch 11, 2026Rock County and local governments nationwide could soon face increased costs as unfunded mandates in the federal HR1, known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill” go into effect. During their regular March 3 meeting, Rock County commissioners heard an annual report from Southwest Health and Human Services, which administers social services and public health programs for Lincoln, Lyon, Murray,…
By Lori SorensonMarch 11, 2026Rock County Commissioners at their regular meeting Tuesday, March 3, approved a resolution spelling out the process for filling the seat left vacant by Greg Burger. Burger, who served on the board for nine years, resigned from his District 3 seat on Feb. 17 effective Feb. 28. Because he is leaving the board with three years remaining on his four-year elected term, the County Board took…
March 11, 2026Starting in June, Luverne will have a brand-new business catering to those who love salt and sweet alike. Cowbells Quality Meats & Treats will open at 220 W. Main St. in the building formerly occupied by Fareway Meat Market. Alongside traditional offerings of cut beef, pork, seafood, soups Cowbells Quality Meats & Treats to open in former Fareway building and breads, Cowbells will…- March 11, 2026The impact of opioid epidemic can be felt in communities both large and small throughout the United States. In 2021, a national settlement spanning over 18 years was reached between various pharmaceutical companies and the United States government in order to attempt to reduce damage done and prevent further harm from opioid use/misuse. These funds, paired with national efforts to reform…
- March 11, 2026The Minnesota Department of Transportation will host a public construction open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, at Generations (105 South Estey Street, Luverne) to share information about the upcoming Highway 75 project in Luverne. There will be no formal presentation, and people are welcome to stop by at their convenience during the open house. Staff from MnDOT and the contractor,…
March 11, 2026The Rock County Corn and Soybean Growers sponsored the “Dueling Duo” dueling pianos event Friday night at Big Top Tents and Events to benefit the Sanford Hospice Cottage in Luverne. “We are so incredibly grateful to everyone who turned out and supported the dueling pianos fundraiser,” said Carrie Overgaard, hospice volunteer coordinator who organized the event, which sold more than 160 tickets…
By Kent Thiesse, Farm Management AnalystMarch 11, 2026In mid-February, the U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Congressman Glenn (GT) Thompson (R-PA) released the text for the revised version of the U.S. House Farm Bill, which is titled: “Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026” (FFSNA), or so-called “Skinny Farm Bill”. The House version of the Farm Bill was reviewed and was approved by the entire U.S. House Agriculture Committee by a…
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