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This year in Rock County started out in the usual way with local headlines about business developments and school activities and the annual fishing derby at The Lake.
But after March, there isn’t one Star Herald edition untouched by news relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It started abruptly with the March 19 paper that splashed several breaking stories about the pandemic closing schools, restaurants, salons, businesses, churches, recreation facilities and all other places where people might gather.
Health professionals urged residents to stay home and immediately began preparing for PPE (personal protective equipment) and for staffing a potential “surge” of sick people.
Leaders encouraged people not to panic, but many people were afraid.
These March headlines ushered in countless more news stories about lives and livelihoods affected by the pandemic.
COVID-19 impact on businesses
Each week the paper went to press, it carried more news of pandemic impact. Local businesses especially suffered.
In July Skyler Hoiland announced he had to close his Bluestem Restaurant, which had been the darling of local eateries, owned and operated by the “local boy done good.”
He focused instead on his catering business, and other restaurants similarly pivoted to outdoor dining and carryout and delivery.
But their overhead costs continued accruing while revenues became pitifully anemic.
Small businesses received government aid to stay afloat, and local disbursements of federal CARES Act dollars helped cover important gaps.
CARES stands for Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security. Congress passed the $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill on March 27.
CARES became a household name as its funds made their way to local governments and then to recipients. Another round is on the way in 2021.
Rock Countians, however, aren’t known for sitting back on their heels to wait for handouts.
In November the Luverne Chamber teamed up with the Star Herald and KQAD to launch “Rock Solid Together — Take Out Challenge.”
The local promotion sold a surprising $250,000 in local gift cards that went directly to local businesses.
COVID-19 impact on farming
The work of farmers is never “shut down” due to a pandemic or any other sort of disaster, but COVID-19 did leave its mark on the ag community.
Livestock producers — swine especially — took a hit when meat processing facilities had to shut down due to the illness spreading among workers.
The impact was immediate and devastating.
The Star Herald carried stories of Rock County farmers making impossible decisions to euthanize herds that had nowhere to go for processing.
These were among the darkest days many could remember in farming, on the heels of several years of declining farm income.
Mental health professionals weighed in on discussions, urging farmers to take care of themselves and to seek help when things felt overwhelming.
By midway through the year, however, things began looking up. Government COVID-19 relief checks arrived, on top of aid for previous disasters and trade losses.
Decent growing conditions produced better than expected crops, and by year’s end many farmers were in better financial shape than they’d seen in years.
According to December data from the USDA, farm income is expected to increase by 43 percent above 2019 levels. The 2020 net farm income is now estimated at the highest since 2013 (adjusted for inflation) and is 32 percent above the 20-year average.
However, the 2020 net farm income is greatly inflated by the highest level of government farm program payments in decades.
Government farm program payments accounted for 39 percent of the net farm income in 2020, which was an increase from 26 percent in 2019, and compared to 9-16 percent in most other years from 2011 to 2018.
COVID-19 impact on human celebrations
Meanwhile the pandemic prompted organizers to cancel or modify town celebrations to prevent people from gathering in crowds.
There was no Buffalo Days or Arts in the Park, no Fourth of July at The Lake and no Rock County Fair, Tri-State Band Festival, Halloween Trunk’N Treat or Winterfest.
Still, community members found ways to connect safely.
Local 4-H families met for in-person livestock shows, and Minnesota 4-H conducted a virtual state fair showcase to celebrate excellence. Racing enthusiasts took to the track and food vendors brought a taste of the fair to town for limited hours of operation.
The Chamber office, volunteers and other creative organizers designed drive-through and drive-by events, such as the Buffalo Days Friday Night Cruise-In, the Halloween Street of Treats,
And there’s nothing like well-staged fireworks show to stir community pride and build human connection.
Thanks to generous donations and commercial sponsors, the skies over Luverne lighted up with spectacular explosive displays for the Fourth of July and holiday “Love the Lights” kickoff at the park.
COVID-19 impact on milestone celebrations
For graduation, Luverne school leaders arranged for meaningful video-recordings of parents handing diplomas to their seniors.
Hills-Beaver Creek graduation was outdoors, socially distanced and also recorded for online viewing.
Graduates in both districts were celebrated in festive parades around town. Heartfelt community cheers, colorful signs and balloons offered an appropriate, upbeat close to a difficult senior year.
Despite pandemic cancelations, these events preserved the spirit of the occasions while keeping citizens connected to each other — at a safe social distance.
High school seniors weren’t the only ones robbed of traditional celebrations.
All milestone events, such as weddings and funerals, were also restricted by social distance requirements.
COVID-19 impact on schools – classrooms and activities
While beloved local festivals were missed, there were few things more disappointing than empty stadiums and gymnasiums and the absence of school activities altogether.
Cardinal field in the center of town remained dark and quiet, as did gymnasiums. Communities that would normally buzz with school activities and related post-game stops for gas and food and drink were also more quiet than normal.
Schools and their teachers and families were perhaps hit the hardest by the pandemic. (See the related story).
COVID-19 impact on health and emergency management
As it turned out, early efforts to keep people from mingling with each other did go a long way toward “flattening the curve” of COVID-19 illness in Rock County.
Public health professionals tracked the virus as local numbers of positive cases grew from single digits to the current tally at nearly 1,000 cases so far and 10 recorded deaths.
Rock County’s first recorded death was on Sept. 25 when Luverne’s Tony Miller passed away from complications related to the virus. Incidentally, his wife, Sharon, was among the first Sanford Luverne staff to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when it arrived Dec. 18.
When cases began spiking just before the holidays, data showed Sioux Falls ICU beds were 93 percent filled.
Sanford Luverne doesn’t have ICU services, so this number mattered to those who were paying attention.
Most people who contracted COVID-19 were only mildly ill or even asymptomatic, but those (young and old) who did get sick often needed medical attention, and the hope was that it would be available if and when needed.
The COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Rock County the week of Dec. 15, allowing a glimmer of hope for a return to normal, whatever that used to be.
Medical professionals were the first to receive the vaccine, and they were openly emotional about the turning point in COVID-19 care.
“I cannot even express how meaningful it is,” Dr. Judy Chesley said about receiving her COVID-19 vaccination Dec. 18. “Tears of joy. Really.”
Presidential election of historic proportion
Amid all the upheaval caused by the pandemic, Rock County voters participated in a 2020 presidential election of historic proportions.
A contentious Donald Trump-Joe Biden campaign paved the way for high voter turnout.
But the real story of the 2020 election is the integrity of the American election system and dedication of local election officials nationwide.
Due to pandemic social distancing, record numbers of voters participated in the 2020 election via mail ballot or early voting.
Rock County’s voter turnout in the 2020 presidential election was 94.94 percent, a record as far as chief election official Ashley Kurtz can recall.
Yet, Rock County was the second county in the state to be 100 percent reported on Election Night, a testament to efficiency of local election workers.
Kurtz said the 2020 election was significant for many reasons, but she said the most important message to voters is that everyone who properly submitted ballots had their votes counted in Rock County.
Premium Minnesota Pork
While the pandemic touched nearly every aspect of nearly everyone’s life, progress continued in Rock County on other fronts.
For example, Premium Minnesota Pork launched operations in May in the former Gold’n Plump facility and by August was operating at full capacity and making a big impact on the local economy.
The family-owned PMP processes roughly 2,500 hogs per day in Luverne and employs roughly 250 people with starting pay at $13 to $15 per hour.
The company broke ground on a $30 million project to retrofit and expand the 78,000-square-foot facility to the current 128,000 square feet, counting the enclosed monoslope hog barn.
As part of the agreement on the 17.5 acres, PIP acquired an option to buy an additional 28.75 acres (at $5,000 per acre) from the Luverne Economic Development Authority.
By summer of 2020, the plant was already expanding. In August the company broke ground on a 10,000-square-foot $7 million cooler addition that would allow the plant to double its capacity.
With an estimated completion next spring, the new cooler will allow for 4,500 head per day, in response to market demand, and hundreds more employees.
Luverne puts $14 million into wastewater improvements
Along the way, PMP negotiated a wastewater treatment agreement with the city of Luverne on a plan to improve the city’s water treatment capacity.
The city, which was already planning to refurbish its 1950s equipment, approved a $14 million wastewater treatment plant construction project, and Premium Minnesota Pork agreed to pay for nearly half, $6.7 million.
Both parties were pleased with the outcome. Luverne got help with an expensive project, and Premium Minnesota Pork got the water treatment capacity it needed.
Construction continued on the city project throughout 2020 and at year’s end is more than 95 percent complete.
With Luverne’s plant improvements, PMP will be guaranteed a 200,000-gallon-per-day treatment capacity, which should more than accommodate higher production goals.
School construction project reaches 90 percent completion in 2020
Another continued bright spot has been progress on the $30 million school construction project in Luverne.
The pandemic boosted remodeling and construction work at the Luverne Middle-High School that started in March 2019.
A year later, students and staff couldn’t return to the classroom to finish the 2019-20 school year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Gil Haugen Construction took advantage of extra workspace and demolished the rest of the inside walls of the original two-story 1956 high school building.
Six months later when classes resumed for the 2020-21 school year, all but 10 rooms were ready for students and staff.
To accommodate teachers and students whose rooms were yet to be finished, makeshift classrooms were constructed in the high school gym.
By the end of September all the rooms were ready.
Construction was again helped due to only half the students attending in-person classes, as workers were able to complete some punch-list items during the school day.
Workers have since turned to constructing the new middle-high school commons and performing arts center.
The entire $30 million project is expected to be finished in August 2021.
News to watch in 2021
Several other promising stories are brewing for Rock County in the near future.
•The $16 million Minnesota National Guard Luverne Readiness Center will break ground next spring on 15 acres west of Papik Motors along I-90.
The new 47,902-square-foot facility is expected to be operational in December of 2022.
•Ellis and Eastern will begin a $14 million improvement to the 41-mile local railway in 2021.
Work on the short line rail between Worthington and Manley will provide another avenue for moving products in and out of Rock County.
•The city of Luverne this fall approved a $5 million improvement and expansion of the pool and fitness center.
Plans include an outdoor splash pad, 24-hour fitness access, flat space for group exercise, remodeled locker rooms and more.
Bid letting will be in January and construction will start in the spring.
Sportswriter retires from 35 years at Star Herald
And finally, on an “inside the Star Herald” note, longtime sports writer John Rittenhouse left the paper this spring, timing his departure with the pandemic shutdown of school sports.
He came to Luverne from Breckenridge, fresh out of college and dedicated his 35-year career to following high school sports in and around Rock County.
He said he and his wife, Astrid, had discussed the possibility of his retirement after their daughter Melanie graduated from high school in May of 2020.
The pandemic, as it turns out, put his retirement just ahead of graduation, and Rittenhouse bid farewell after his final edition on March 19.
Indeed, there were few high school sports to follow after March, and Brennen Rupp joined the Star Herald in September to resume coverage of the pandemic-altered sports scene.