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 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 Lori SorensonOctober 22, 2025A young singer-songwriter from Hills is creating soulful music that speaks from a higher place. On Oct. 24, 22-year-old Allison LaRock will release her first single, “Beauty,” which she said came from a vulnerable place. “This world doesn’t make sense sometimes, and we wrestle with what the Lord says and how to trust that he’s actually in control of things,” she said about the song. “It’s…
By Lori SorensonOctober 22, 2025Two new weather stations in Rock County are recording real-time data for local users, according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. The MDA announced last week that its Minnesota Ag Weather Network (MAWN) recently expanded with the launch of three new weather stations in southern Minnesota. One is located on Rock County Rural Water property south of Luverne, one is on private land on…
By Lori SorensonOctober 22, 2025Two Luverne churches, Grace Lutheran and First Presbyterian, will sponsor a four-week series, “God’s Gift of Soil Soup Study,” about Christian environmental stewardship. The study, starting Sunday, Oct. 26, is based on the Feikema Farms award-winning documentary, “From the Heartland.” The film follows the decade-long journey of Rock County’s Shawn and Becky Feikema as they transitioned from…
By Mavis FodnessOctober 22, 2025Theater fans will find the set for the Luverne High School fall play to be sparse at best. “With minimal sets and props, this show makes the actors rely on their skills to tell the story,” said director Shawn Kinsinger. The students will present “Trap,” by Stephen Gregg, Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 23-25, in the school’s performing arts center. Performances begin at 7 p.m. “Trap,” which…
October 22, 2025Editor Lori Sorenson and graphic designer Heather Johnson earned national recognition last week for their work at the Rock County Star Herald. The National Newspaper Association convention was held in Minneapolis Oct. 9-10 when winners of the NNA Better Newspaper Contest were honored. Sorenson earned first place in the category of Best Serious Column for her Sept. 26, 2024, entry “We’re on the…- By Mavis FodnessOctober 22, 2025Dennis Boese will join the Hills City Council in November to fill the unexpired term of Cory Metzger who moved from the community. Boese was among three Hills residents interested in filling the remainder of Metzger’s four-year term that ends in December 2026. Metzger resigned July 11, and Boese was appointed at the council’s Oct. 14 meeting on a unanimous vote by council members Vickie…
By Mavis FodnessOctober 22, 2025Kate Anderson wants her healthcare students to know they will soon play a vital role in their communities’ well-being. Nineteen of her high school students spent Thursday, Oct. 16, a day off of school, volunteering at Poplar Creek and The Oaks assisted living facilities in Luverne. The students, who attend school in Luverne, Hills-Beaver Creek, Pipestone and Adrian, spent the afternoon hosting…
October 22, 2025A Luverne teen is in custody of the Nobles County Jail following an alcohol-related assault that hospitalized a victim. According to law enforcement documents, 18-year-old Maysn Akkerman, Luverne, faces fifth-degree assault charges due to the incident that reportedly resulted in “substantial bodily harm.” The charges stem from an incident earlier this month when Akkerman reportedly assaulted a…
October 22, 2025The Rock County Corn & Soybean Growers Association recently donated SoyFoam to local fire departments. “The SoyFoam is a much safer product for fighting fires when foam is required,” said Lucas Peters of the Corn and Soybean Growers. He said the product was developed from soy flour and replaces an existing product that contains potentially dangerous chemicals. “It’s a unique new use for…
By Mavis FodnessOctober 22, 2025Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary students took advantage of the pleasant fall temperatures Friday, Oct. 10, to repaint the city of Beaver Creek snow plow blades for the upcoming winter season. Dylan Gehrke’s 33 fifth-grade students took turns painting the blades under the supervision of H-BC art instructor Isabel Sylvanie. Sylvanie said students created the designs under the “Be a Hero” theme…
October 21, 2025Lori Sorenson celebrates 32 1/2 years at the Star Herald office on October 21. She answered a few questions about her time at the Star Herald. How did your journey with the Star Herald start? I have a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, where I wrote for the Minnesota Daily campus newspaper. After an internship at the Hastings Star Gazette, I landed at the…
By Mavis FodnessOctober 15, 2025Luverne High School seniors celebrated the start of the school year with the news that their spring MCA math test scores ranked the fifth highest in the state. The students who tested as juniors in May were 72.1 percent proficient, meaning 72 percent of the class met or exceeded the state’s math standards. Minnesota’s average for 11th-grade math proficiency is 35 percent and the Luverne juniors…
By Lori SorensonOctober 15, 2025New options for affordable housing in Luverne will soon be available thanks to a grant through the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership. The Luverne Economic Development Authority during their Monday meeting reviewed progress on three twin homes (six units) that will be constructed on three lots in the Reisch Addition. The addition is located near the newly developed Lopau Housing Addition…
By Lori SorensonOctober 15, 2025The Luverne Economic Development Authority recently approved three more façade improvement projects representing investments of more than $60,000 in downtown properties. Last month, board members approved applications for the Rock County Historical Society and for Bruce and Cody Henrichs, and on Monday, they approved one for Revel Kitchen and Cocktails. History Center project The Historical…
By Lori SorensonOctober 15, 2025The highly anticipated opening of downtown Luverne’s Revel Kitchen and Cocktails drew nearly 900 patrons in its first few days of business. “We dove right in,” manager Rich Rislov said about opening night on Thursday, Oct. 9. “We cooked the full menu for staff the two nights before opening, and there is quite a variety of food. But it was well worth it, and it ended up being great.” The…
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