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
July 08, 2026Local emergency responders were dispatched to a crash June 30 at the intersection of US Highway 75 and Main Street, Luverne. According to the accident report, 26-year-old Ashton Elizabeth Vanderbeek of Valley Springs was traveling westbound on Main Street making left turn onto southbound Highway 75 in a 2009 Chevrolet Malibu. She failed to yield and collided with Neil Arvin Bly, age 81, Hills,…
By Jason BerghorstJuly 01, 2026Luverne’s 64th annual Hot Dog Night may look different this year with Highway 75 traffic detoured downtown for construction. Organizers say there will be just as many free hot dogs given away as ever around town July 9, but Main Street businesses will find other locations to grill from since the street can’t be closed for the event. “Our business partners with storefronts on Main Street have…
July 01, 2026A long lineup of events are planned for July 4 at The Lake in Luverne to celebrate Independence Day, culminating with fireworks at 10 p.m. The morning will start off with the Davis Lake Triathlon, which will feature kayaking, biking and running. There will be two divisions, the Minnow Race starting at 8:30 a.m. and the Shark Race starting at 9:15. Registration details can be found at tinyurl.…
July 01, 2026Hardwick community members celebrated Jubilee Day Saturday with an all-school reunion, parade, inflatables, haybale toss, pedal pull and Main Street parade
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 Lori SorensonJuly 01, 2026Jayson Delfs, Hardwick, appeared in Rock County District Court Monday on charges of third-degree murder and vehicular homicide related to the March 2025 fatal crash northwest of Beaver Creek. At the settlement hearing, conducted by District Court Judge Kayla Johnson, the attorneys announced they had reached an agreement for Delfs to plead, and a plea hearing was set for Aug. 17. Felony…
By Nicole RonchettiJuly 01, 2026ACE of Southwest Minnesota, an area nonprofit that serves aging population members across eight counties, celebrated its successes of the last year during an annual report presented to the Rock County Board on Tuesday, June 16. Executive director Michelle Baumhoefner began the presentation with a broad overview of the organization’s accomplishments across the entire region. These included…
By Jason BerghorstJuly 01, 2026Two Luverne High School students attended Minnesota Boys State at St. John’s University in Collegeville June 14-20. Charlie Mostad, Luverne, and Maximo Williamson, Jasper, were both sponsored by Arthur Moeller American Legion Post 748 of Hardwick. They will be seniors in the 2026-27 school year. Boys State is a program put on by the American Legion in 49 states and the District of Columbia…- July 01, 2026Staff members with the Rock County Star Herald and Luverne Announcer were recently recognized by the Association of Community Publishers in the ACP Best of the Best Awards. In the 2026 contest, designer Brooke Huisman earned second-place honors for her entry in the “banner or nameplate” category for the Luverne Announcer. The Announcer and Star Herald staff earned third-place accolades in the…
By Nicole RonchettiJuly 01, 2026- By Minnesota Secretary of State's OfficeJuly 01, 2026This week, three U.S. District Courts issued new rulings upholding current election laws across the country. •On June 22, the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia ruled that the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system violates federal law. In her ruling, Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan stated, “All in all, the federal government has knowingly trampled on the privacy…
July 01, 2026Twenty-four students and two teachers from Luverne High School returned June 24 from a 10-day educational tour of Spain and Germany. The group visited some of Europe’s most iconic landmarks as they toured the cities of Barcelona, Girona, and Figueres in Spain and Munich and the Bavarian region in Germany. Some specific highlights included visiting La Sagrada Familia, the Picasso Museum,…
July 01, 2026After qualifying for a competition held in Worcester, Mass., two Hills-Beaver Creek robotics teams have returned from the trip, one with an award in tow. H-BC robotics advisor Lexi Moore shared that both teams performed well in the competition, and that the team Brick Wall 2.0 was recognized with the second place in the Motivate Award, which honors teams known for working together, showing team…
By Nicole RonchettiJune 24, 2026The long-awaited day has arrived, and Luverne is now home to the world’s largest nutcracker. It stands 73 feet from ground level, with the nutcracker itself towering above visitors at 65 feet, plus the 8-foot-tall base it stands on. A long-standing project, the statue stands just outside of Those Blasted Things, clearly visible from Interstate 90. According to Katie Walgrave, whose family owns…
By Nicole RonchettiJune 24, 2026Work is continuing on Highway 75 in Luverne, with the closure of the Dodge Street intersection as the next big change residents can expect. The intersection was slated to close on Monday, June 22, but this was delayed due to weather, according to Robert Sneller, the project’s construction supervisor. “People should expect it to be closed anytime,” Sneller said Monday. “The alternate route is…
By Lori SorensonJune 24, 2026The Kids Rock! Childcare Center in Luverne has been open for one year, and a cthe milestone. An outdoor open house event will feature ice cream floats and inflatables from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 26, at the childcare center on 1 Roundwind Road in Luverne. For children enrolled in Kids Rock, the milestone represents a year of acclimating to new surroundings, new caregivers and new…
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