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  • By Mavis Fodness
    September 12, 2017
    Suicide is the 10th most common cause of death nationwide, with one person becoming a victim to suicide every 11.9 seconds. Sunday was World Suicide Prevention Day, kicking off National Suicide Prevention Week Sept. 10-16. The occasion was marked locally as a Luverne couple thinks one person lost to suicide is one person too many. Tony and Wendy Gacke opened their home and are sharing their story…
  • By Mavis Fodness
    September 12, 2017
    After 40 years behind the grill, Randy Slade decided last week to pass the spatula and drive-in dining tradition to the next generation. The sale of JJ’s Tasty Drive-In on South Highway 75 in Luverne to James Montag was completed in a matter of weeks. The official sale took place Sept. 2. Slade’s birthday was the next day. “It was kind of a fluke that all of this happened,” he said. Montag, a…
  • By Mavis Fodness
    September 12, 2017
    Luverne students in grades one through six experienced what it would be like to play on the varsity football field Friday nights. A mini football clinic took place Friday afternoon at Cardinal field, where students working on catching, passing and other skills to play football before the evening’s home game. High school coach Todd Oye said the mini clinic doesn’t always occur, but weather and…
  • By Lori Sorenson
    September 12, 2017
    Residents in the Roundwind Road neighborhood are mostly against proposed residential development in the green space east of the pool and fitness center. They made their opinions clear at a public hearing July 13 about rezoning the space from commercial to residential use: They oppose any development of any kind in that space. However, city leaders have made it clear that the public space is under…
  • By Lori Sorenson
    September 12, 2017
    Work is continuing this summer on the “four corners” project at Main Street and Highway 75 in Luverne. The flag park on the southeast corner was completed late in 2015; the northeast corner and its lighted sign at the W-2 Quality Meats corner wrapped up last fall. Now work is underway on the northwest corner in the Laundry Room parking lot and boulevards. It will follow the “four corners” theme…
  • September 12, 2017
    Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines has selected Luverne Initiatives For Tomorrow as one of seven finalists vying for a $15,000 Strong Communities Award. Exchange State Bank, a Federal Home Loan Bank member financial institution, has partnered with LIFT to help engage local partners and move Luverne forward. “We have all partnered together to make Luverne a better place,” said Ryan DeBates,…
  • September 12, 2017
    Senior Citizens Monday, Sept. 18: Chicken casserole, broccoli, lettuce with dressing, bread, tropical fruit. Tuesday, Sept. 19:  Lemon pepper fish, baked potato with sour cream, creamed peas, bread, slice of pie. Two-buck Tuesday sponsored by Rock County Red Arrow. Wednesday, Sept. 20: Sweet and sour pork, rice, vegetables, fruit, gelatin with whipped topping. Program: Dietitian; Site Council.…
  • September 12, 2017
    The Luverne High School Marching Band performed for a home football game audience at halftime Friday night in what was their first official performance of the competitive season. The theme this year is “Totally 80s” and includes “Any Way You Want It,” by Journey, “Take on Me,” by Aha, “Careless Whisper,” by George Michael and “Thriller” by Michael Jackson. Luverne band members will march in…
  • By Lori Sorenson
    September 12, 2017
    Luverne’s Kim Rockman is planning to grow a Food Forest near her family’s home on North Blue Mound Avenue. A Food Forest is a public site that provides “free, nutrient-dense food for citizens.” The concept isn’t new, but it’s new to Luverne, and Rockman has been working to get plans in place for a spring groundbreaking. The Food Forest will be located in the grassy area between the city Public…
  • By Lori Sorenson
    September 05, 2017
    More than 350 dairy calves perished in a barn fire Friday night at the Gary Frodermann farm south of Magnolia. Neighbor Chad Nelson called in the fire shortly before 8 p.m. Firefighters from Magnolia, Kenneth, Ellsworth, Adrian and Luverne were on the scene from 8 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday fighting to prevent flames from spreading to nearby buildings. Despite the loss Frodermann said, “It…
  • By Lori Sorenson
    September 05, 2017
    There were farm tires and smokestacks as far as the eye could see Friday when nearly 70 tractors left Luverne City Park and tooled around Rock County. Many of the riders and drivers were returnees from last year’s popular event, which immediately prompted plans for a 2017 encore. “It was a good ride,” Iowa rider Jim VanDerWerff said Friday. He and his friend, Ken Johnson, also from Iowa, were in…
  • By Mavis Fodness
    September 05, 2017
    In her 30 years of working in education, Vonda Viland has taken an important lessen to heart. “I’ve never met a student who wants to be a failure,” she said. Viland spoke at Luverne Public School’s final teacher in-service day on Thursday, Aug. 31. Students returned to classes on Tuesday. Viland’s message evolved around the students whom she encountered in her position as principal at Black Rock…
  • By Mavis Fodness
    September 05, 2017
    For two decades Adrian educator Cate Koehne immersed herself as a classroom teacher in helping her special education students achieve their individual learning goals. On Tuesday, Sept. 5, when Adrian’s 350 seventh-through twelfth-grade students return to school, Koehne steps into the official role as the school’s new principal. “I loved special education,” she said. “I got to work with students…
  • By Mavis Fodness
    September 05, 2017
    Entering its 10th year, the Luverne Backpack Program is experiencing growing pains and needs renewed financial support from the community. The program gives preschool through 12th-grade students foods they prepare and serve themselves each weekend during the school year. The volunteer-led organization provided food for 206 students during the 2016-17 school year. “For some of these kids, this is…
  • By Lori Sorenson
    September 05, 2017
    A new option for senior housing is now available in Luverne with the recent opening of the Oasis Care Home at 514 Britz Drive in the Evergreen Addition. An open house for public viewing will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 16. The 3,500-square-foot house offers six bedrooms and three bathrooms on the main level, with common living room and kitchen areas. The half basement has a meeting area…
  • By Lori Sorenson
    September 05, 2017
    Plans are underway to develop a bike share program in Luverne that would allow people to “borrow” and return bicycles around town. The Luverne Chamber Office last summer requested state funding to purchase bikes for a loan program, but it didn’t qualify. But last month the Statewide Health Improvement Program offered Luverne $3,000 for bikes — if they could be purchased and invoiced prior to Nov…
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