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 SorensonDecember 23, 2025At their Dec. 18 meeting, Luverne City Council members certified the levy at $3,789,392 for taxes payable in 2025. That represents a 6.25-percent increase over the current levy of $3,566,592 for an additional $222,800. The council hosted its 2025 truth in taxation hearing on Dec. 18 with City Administrator Jill Wolf presenting the city’s 2026 budget. In the General Fund, there is 6.4 million…
- By Mavis FodnessDecember 23, 2025The first class of the new Hills-Beaver Creek Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame will be inducted in April. Nominations are due by Wednesday, Dec. 31, and include two categories: individual coach or athlete and team. All nominees must be alumni or coaches of the consolidated Hills and Beaver Creek schools, which became one district in the fall of 1965. H-BC athletic director Tyson Metzger…
By Lori SorensonDecember 23, 2025Frank Mongold will officially retire at the end of the year after 28 years with the City of Luverne. He started in 1997 picking up city garbage, and on Dec. 31 he’ll end his career in the same position. It's smelly, dirty and often thankless work, and Mongold had opportunities to transfer to other city departments but didn’t. “I liked it,” he said when asked why he stuck with it. “I got up…
By Lori SorensonDecember 23, 2025Luverne City Council members presented city attorney Ben Vander Kooi with a plaque of appreciation during their Dec. 18 meeting when they accepted his resignation. Vander Kooi has served as Luverne’s city attorney for the past 22 years and is leaving the post effective Dec. 31. He said he enjoyed his work with the city “where there was always an interesting problem to solve,” because Luverne…- By Lori SorensonDecember 23, 2025Beaver Creek City Council members approved their 2026 budget and levy during their Dec. 10 meeting. The levy was set at $169,326 for taxes payable in 2026. That’s a 5.5-percent increase over the current levy of $160,496. The levy will help bridge the gap between Beaver Creek’s revenues of $139,033 and its expenses of $308,359 in 2026. The fire equipment levy in 2026 will be $28,062 and…
December 23, 2025New signage greets motorists at the corner of Highway 75 and County Road 75 near the community of Hardwick. According to Hardwick City Clerk Tammy Johnson, the updates are thanks to grant funding a community and business effort to pursue the new look. “The Sioux Valley Energy $5,000 was from their Revive 2030 fund,” Johnson said. “Then we applied to the Prairie Rose community fund for $5,500.…
By Lori SorensonDecember 23, 2025Rock County Rural Water Director Ryan Holtz recently shared Dec. 16 photographs of the new water tower construction project in southern Rock County. “The pictures do not show it very well, but this hole is massive and so is foundation,” Holtz shared. “I believe the hole is about 50 feet around and about 20 feet deep, to give you an idea of the size of this foundation.” He said this part of…
By Lori SorensonDecember 23, 2025The Luverne Area Chamber and the Convention and Visitors Bureau recently announced the winners of the September-October CVB Photo Contest. “Our photo contest judging team met yesterday to make some very difficult decisions from the wonderful photos that were entered in our contest,” Chamber Director Kenzi Klein said. “Thank you all for participating.” The winners for the September-October…- December 23, 2025The Minnesota Department of Transportation reminds the public that it is illegal to deposit snow on or next to a public highway or street. MnDOT asks for the public’s help in not pushing snow on to roads as it creates hazards, including drainage problems, drifting, sight obstruction and unsafe access. For everyone’s safety, it’s important to keep crosswalks, intersections, entrances and exits…
By Mavis FodnessDecember 17, 2025A large crowd gathered at the Hardwick Community Hall Saturday afternoon for the local community club’s Santa Claus Day. The 90-minute event featured comic magician Jesse Moffitt, Brandon, who selected audience members to assist him with various tricks. Prior to the visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, children decorated sugar cookies and made crafts. Everyone was encouraged to have a free…- By Lori SorensonDecember 17, 2025Jayson Delfs, Hardwick, appeared in Rock County District Court last week on charges of third-degree murder and vehicular homicide related to the March 27 fatal crash northwest of Beaver Creek. Friday’s appearance before District Court Judge Kayla Johnson was a contested omnibus hearing for the purpose of reviewing evidence in the case. Delfs’ attorney Charles Hawkins, Minneapolis, filed motions…
By Mavis FodnessDecember 17, 2025Students in the Hills-Beaver Creek School District had an e-learning day Monday and Tuesday due to a broken sprinkler at the newly opened elementary school in Beaver Creek. A building fire alarm paged the Beaver Creek Fire Department to the elementary school at 5:40 a.m. Monday. When they arrived, firefighters found hundreds of gallons of water pouring from a broken sprinkler head in the…- By Lori SorensonDecember 17, 2025Christensen Broadcasting, Pipestone, has purchased KLQL-FM and KQAD-AM radio, Luverne, according to announcement earlier this month. “We are grateful for the opportunity to strengthen locally focused broadcasting within these communities,” Christensen Broadcasting said in the press release. “Our organization remains committed to delivering reliable, community-centered programming that reflects…
By Lori SorensonDecember 17, 2025The Luverne Fire Department practiced water rescues in the Veterans Home Pond in Luverne Monday night. Firefighters took turns rescuing a volunteer “victim” from the frigid waters of the frozen pond, which has an area of open water in the ice, due to an aeration system. Trainees — eight in all —teamed up with each other and used special equipment to fish their colleague out of the water. The…- By Lori SorensonDecember 17, 2025At their Dec. 10 meeting Beaver Creek City Council members discussed the position on the council vacated by Cody Dietrich, who resigned in October after moving out of the city. Mayor Josh Teune said he invited former Beaver Creek City Council member Josh Boomgaarden to fill the remainder of Dietrich’s unexpired term. Teune pointed to Boomgaarden’s experience serving on a city council from…
By Lori SorensonDecember 17, 2025Rock County’s Soil and Water Conservation District earned prestigious statewide recognition during the Minnesota Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts annual conference in Bloomington on Dec. 1-3. The Minnesota Drinking Water Protection Award is a joint recognition of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and Minnesota Rural Water Association (MRWA). This is the first year the…
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