From parched to drenched
Harvest is in full swing for much of Rock County this week, marking the final stretch of what’s arguably been a challenging growing season.
Highway 75 project proceeds (almost) on schedule
Contractors have been given a five-day extension on completion deadlines due to September’s frequent rainy weather.
H-BC School Board Candidates share priorities
There are five candidates seeking election to four open seats on the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board.
The Loft after-school program helps kids find community
Starting at 3:20 p.m. on the dot, the quiet halls of First Presbyterian Church in Luverne start to fill with the noise of children.
Luverne preliminary levy set to rise 7.12%
Luverne City Council members are proposing a 7.12% levy increase for taxes payable in 2027.
Adrian reporter to contribute to Star Herald
The Rock County Star Herald is expanding its coverage area east toward Adrian, and Deb Kroon will be the face of those stories for the Star Herald news team.
News
By Mavis FodnessJanuary 08, 2025A third house is under construction in a city-school partnership called Today and Tomorrow’s Tradesmen that began in 2021. The Luverne Public Schools’ yearlong vocational education class trains interested seniors in the home construction process from the ground up. The city of Luverne provides the residential lot and covers the construction expenses for the nine-month program. Once the homes…
By Lori SorensonJanuary 08, 2025Rock County residents can now sign up for affordable counseling sessions with the new Grant Assistance Program (GAP) through Luv1LuvAll. The No. 1 barrier for those seeking mental health care is cost due to high insurance deductibles and/or ineligibility for existing low-income programs such as Medicaid. As a result, many do not seek help, and some with serious conditions end up in emergency…- By Lori SorensonJanuary 08, 2025The Southwestern Mental Health Center is rebranding itself as ElevaCare, according to a company announcement earlier this month. “Our improved care coordination model focuses in on the holistic wellbeing of an individual,” the press release stated. “The name ElevaCare stems from our ongoing commitment to elevate and support people as they rise toward a better version of themself with our care…
January 08, 2025Re-elected Rock County Commissioners Jody Reisch and Gary Overgaard were sworn into office by Rock County court administrator Natalie Reisch prior to the Board of Commissioners’ first meeting of the new year Tuesday morning. Jody Reisch, Overgaard and re-elected Commissioner Greg Burger (who was unable to attend the ceremony) will each serve four-year terms. Overgaard and Burger are beginning…- January 08, 2025Applications are now open for the Minnesota Farm Bureau Sesquicentennial Farm program, honoring Minnesota families that have owned their farms for at least 150 years. The deadline to apply is March 3, 2025. To qualify, the farm must: •Be at least 150 years old this year (2025) according to the abstract of title, land patent, original deed, county land records, court file in registration…
By Mavis FodnessJanuary 08, 2025A series of inspirational speeches began Monday as Hills-Beaver Creek Schools launched the inaugural Blue Ribbon Alumni Talks Monday in the secondary gymnasium in Hills. Tom Goehle, H-BC Class of 1988, kicked off the series as the first guest speaker. “Tom really exemplifies our core values of goal-oriented respect, accountability, determination and excellence,” said secondary principal Andrew…
January 08, 2025For the third straight year, the fifth-graders at Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary assisted the city of Beaver Creek in painting messages in the front of the snow-moving equipment this fall. Under the guidance of district art teacher Isabel Sylvanie, the students painted the plows in late October. One plow featured the school’s name and Patriots mascot, and the other blade depicted the school’s…- By Lori SorensonDecember 31, 2024City of Luverne union employees are in their third year of a three-year contract, which calls for a 3.5-percent increase in 2025. However, at their year-end meeting Dec. 23, council members acted on wage adjustments that reflect cost of living increases and additional compensation. The amended terms of the 2023-25 labor agreement were recommended by Abdo Consulting following a 2024 study. …
- By Mavis FodnessDecember 30, 2024The cost to house a prisoner in the Nobles County Jail increased from $60 to $75 per day, according to a new agreement accepted by Rock County Commissioners at their Dec. 17 meeting. For the past five years, the amount was $60 per day, and the $15 increase was anticipated over the past year, according to Rock County Sheriff Evan Verbrugge, due to increased personnel and operating costs. From…
By Lori SorensonDecember 30, 2024The honorable Terry Vajgrt retired Dec. 31 after nearly 13 years as district judge of the Fifth Judicial District. He said his career has been both challenging and rewarding. “From Day 1 I’ve thought about how fortunate I am to have been able to do this. I’ve enjoyed it,” Vajgrt said. “I’ve had an opportunity to make an impact. That could be through consequences, but it can also mean…
By Lori SorensonDecember 30, 2024Luverne voters will no longer cast their ballots in the Luverne High School gym, according to action at the Dec. 23 Luverne City Council meeting. Following discussion with Generations volunteers and Luverne election judges Corrine Bonnema and Marian Schneekloth, the city designated Generations as the polling place for the 2026 elections. Generations, formerly Luverne Senior Citizens, purchased…- December 30, 2024Minnesotans could avoid an estimated 10,000 strokes per year through stroke prevention efforts, according to updated national stroke prevention guidelines. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain suddenly stops. This can lead to brain damage, which can cause long-term disability or even death. However, up to 80 percent of strokes may be preventable, according to newly updated…
By Mavis FodnessDecember 30, 2024As we reflect on stories that made headlines in 2024, many involved friends and neighbors who prompted reflections on what makes us a community. For example, after George Bonnema died Dec. 26, 2023, it took an entire community to fill the shoes of the former Luverne Flowers owner, Star Herald columnist, and community volunteer. Those efforts played out throughout 2024. The Magnolia Juniors 4-H…- December 30, 2024The following is a list of the obituaries that appeared in the issues of the Rock County Star Herald in 2024. December 2023 Dec. 7: Robyn VanDinther, Grand Rapids, Mich. Dec. 13: William Krotzer, 76, Beaver Creek. Dec. 24: Mary Kraetsch, 89, Luverne. Dec. 25: Lloyd Matthiesen, 87, Luverne. Dec. 26: George A. Bonnema, 74, Luverne. Dec. 29: Joseph Kellen, 82, Adrian. Dec. 31: Steven…
December 24, 2024The monthly gatherings of the Amazing Greys (anyone age 60 and older) at Grace Lutheran Church took on a festive nature Dec. 17 when the group hosted a Christmas Celebration. The group invited the Luverne High School Cardinal Choir to perform at the morning event in which the group engaged the Amazing Grey members into the singing of holiday carols. The program also included the Grace Lutheran…- By Mavis FodnessDecember 24, 2024A year after the Rock County Commissioners adopted the first hemp-derived products ordinance, a second ordinance will be in effect Jan. 1. After a 55-minute public hearing Dec. 17, commissioners adopted the ordinance for the sale, growth and manufacturing of high-dose hemp products in Rock County. The ordinance is in response to the state legalizing recreational marijuana in 2023. While the…
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