By Lori Sorenson
February 29, 2016
Saturday’s Get Hooked in Luverne Ice Fishing Derby attracted 103 adults and 59 children to the creamery pond for some friendly competition and plenty of prizes.
Nearly 60-degree temperatures threatened the ice that day, but its 8 to 10-inch thickness was deemed safe for foot traffic.
Participants, many of them families, said they were glad they decided to come out to the ice.
“I’ve enjoyed…
By Mavis Fodness
February 29, 2016
For the second year Luverne Community Education brought princesses and super heroes to the elementary commons for dancing, singing, playing, eating and a little picture taking.
“It’s just a fun night out for kids and parents,” said Community Education Director Karen Willers.
With the help of the Luverne High School peer helpers, who chose the music and games, 28 parents and children enjoyed the…
February 29, 2016
The Luverne High School speech team secured the first-place team sweepstakes at the Adrian Speech Invitational Saturday.
The win is the second one for the team after finishing first at the Redwood Falls tournament Feb. 13.
About 230 students representing 16 teams competed Saturday in Adrian, including 33 from Luverne.
Individual honors went to 16 Luverne members in 10 categories:
Storytelling:…
By Lori Sorenson, editor
February 26, 2016
Saturday’s Get Hooked in Luverne Ice Fishing Derby attracted 103 adults and 59 children to the creamery pond for some friendly competition and plenty of prizes.
Nearly 60-degree temperatures threatened the ice that day, but its 8 to 10-inch thickness was deemed safe for foot traffic.
Participants, many of them families, said they were glad they decided to come out to the ice.
“I’ve enjoyed…
By Lori Sorenson, editor
February 25, 2016
Luverne City Council members Tuesday approved a 10-year agreement with Luverne Street Music to lease the city-owned Carnegie Cultural Center.
The non-profit music agency that pairs private music instructors with interested students will rent the Carnegie building on North Freeman Avenue starting March 1.
The building has been closed since the first part of February while the previous tenants, the…
By Mavis Fodness
February 22, 2016
When the USDA released its annual crop production report last month, it confirmed Minnesota’s 2015 crop season as its best on record.
On Thursday, Feb. 18, the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Minnesota Field Office released individual county results and confirmed 2015 was also a good production year for Rock County.
The state upped its previous record corn yield set in 2010 by 11…
By Lori Sorenson
February 22, 2016
The Luverne Music Boosters hosted big crowds at their annual Winter Carnival Saturday night in the Luverne High School Gymnasium.
The night featured carnival-style games, bingo, a cakewalk, cotton candy, root beer floats, balloon art, face painting and more.
The event is one of the Music Boosters’ biggest fundraisers of the year, bringing in thousands of dollars to support music programs of…
By Mavis Fodness
February 22, 2016
After 58 days, 5 hours and 6 minutes rowing across the Atlantic Ocean, Caitlin Miller’s first steps on land were a little wobbly on Feb. 16.
“That first step we all felt we were swaying,” said Miller during a phone interview a day after the race.
Miller is the daughter of Alex and Karen Miller of rural Hardwick. She and her partner, George Pagano, from Media, Pennsylvania, finished the Talisker…
By Lori Sorenson
February 22, 2016
Rock County farmer Peter Bakken visited fourth-grade students at Harvey Dunn Elementary in Sioux Falls Friday, Feb. 19, to show them what “cow food” is made of.
Bakken has been “adopted” by the students and has been sharing video messages with the class every month since school began last fall.
In his monthly videos he shows the students what cows eat, where they live and how they are cared for…
By Lori Sorenson
February 22, 2016
The Luverne Area Chamber hosted Sen. Bill Weber and Rep. Joe Schomacker for Contacts and Coffee Friday morning in the lower level of the Chamber office.
Weber and Schomacker, both of Luverne, discussed items of interest from the 2016 legislative session and took questions from citizens and local leaders who attended the event.
Schomacker said nursing home funding reform was one of the biggest…
By Lori Sorenson
February 15, 2016
More than 100 people attended the Feb. 9 meeting about the Blue Mounds State Park lake that drained when floodwaters tore through the dam in 2014.
Most showed up to voice their support for replacing the dam and beach, but they learned — and many came to understand — water quality was the broader issue.
Even before flood damage, the lake was impaired by bacteria and sedimentation from the…
By Lori Sorenson
February 15, 2016
Darrell Hoeck has served on the Springwater Township Board for 38 years.
He started in 1978 as a clerk at the encouragement of his father, George Hoeck, who served Springwater Township for 25 years.
So, it’s fair to say local government leadership is in the Hoeck family roots.
“Dad always said we should all take our turn,” said the junior Hoeck, now 75. “And it’s time for new blood. There’s young…
By Mavis Fodness
February 15, 2016
After nearly two months of non-stop rowing, Luverne High School graduate Caitlin Miller and her rowing partner, George Pagano, safely docked in Antigua Tuesday morning.
Miller of Hardwick and Pagano of Media, Pennsylvania, competed in the “Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge,” a 90-day, 3,000-mile journey from the Island of LaGomera (one of Spain’s Canary Islands just off the coast of Africa) to…
By Lori Sorenson
February 15, 2016
Gov. Mark Dayton introduced legislation last year to mandate vegetative buffer strips along waterways in an effort to clean up Minnesota’s notoriously impaired waters.
Ever since those details have emerged, farm groups have pushed back vigorously, especially on the piece of legislation that requires producers to put buffers along private ditches on their land.
Responding to these concerns, Dayton…
By Mavis Fodness
February 15, 2016
A website made the purchase of two buses for Luverne Public Schools as easy as a few mouse clicks.
For the first time, the district personnel used the state education department’s school bus purchasing program.
Business Manager Marlene Mann said during the Feb. 4 school board meeting that the department’s website allows districts to click on various bus features and submit the information to…
By Mavis Fodness
February 15, 2016
Like its larger predecessor conducted annually in Rock County, Luverne Elementary School’s Relay for Life event features pledges, luminaries and walking.
On Friday, Feb. 5, the school’s event raised $5,656.40 for cancer research.
“We had a very successful relay,” said Principal Stacy Gillette.
Walking is not a new activity for the elementary school.
The first Friday of every month, students,…