January 07, 2026
Community members were invited to “Flick and Float” at Luverne Aquatics and Fitness Tuesday, Dec. 30, when they enjoyed free pool admission, a movie and a goodie bag with T-shirts and treats to take home them. The event (including pool admission, movie royalties and goodie bags) was sponsored by the Luverne Optimist Club as a healthy way for children and families to spend time during the…
By Mavis Fodness
January 07, 2026
General fund expenditures in the Hills-Beaver Creek School District finished less than 1 percent above budget projections, according to auditors.
Matthew Taubert with Meulebroeck, Taubert and Co. of Pipestone explained fiscal year end audit results to school board members Dec. 29, commending them on the balance created between expenditures and revenues between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. …
January 07, 2026
At the end of December, the USDA announced the payment rates for various crops that are included in the “Farmer Bridge Assistance” (FBA) program.
FBA payments are being made available to provide short-term financial relief to U.S. farmers facing economic hardship from low commodity prices, high input costs, and market disruptions due to tariff impacts on export markets.
The payments are…
By Mavis Fodness
January 07, 2026
Luverne Middle-High School social studies teacher Sam Goldsmith was chosen to share one of her classroom lessons at the National Council for Social Studies in Washington, D.C., earlier this month.
“I felt it was a great opportunity to share teaching strategies about the Dred and Harriet Scott case,” Goldsmith said.
The Scott case is a standard lesson in classrooms across the U.S., and Goldsmith…
By Lori Sorenson
December 30, 2025
Rock County’s biggest news stories in 2025 follow a theme of growth, development and progress, and the Star Herald headlines over the past 12 months reflect strong and resilient communities driving those stories.
Kids Rock! Child Care Center opens doors
The need for child care across the region has been a recurring headline for the past several years, culminating in the spring 2025 opening…
December 30, 2025
A rollercoaster of temperatures descended on the area this weekend after a warm, foggy and brown Christmas. Saturday’s temperatures reached 49 degrees before a strong weather front dropped an inch of snow and blizzard conditions throughout the day Sunday. Temperatures were in the single digits with 31-mph wind gusts overnight, which dropped the windchill to 12-degrees Monday morning. To close out…
By Mavis Fodness
December 30, 2025
Hardwick native Sam Hansen spent his 78th birthday (Nov. 12) transporting Luverne Public School students to and from school, a job he’s done for the past 60 years, and he’s not giving it up anytime soon.
“I just got my license renewed,” Hansen said. “It’s for four years, so I’m planning on driving for another four years.”
Hansen first passed the necessary chauffeur licensure tests in 1965 after…
By Mavis Fodness
December 30, 2025
Commissioners approved pay increases for county employees at their last meeting of 2025 on Dec. 16.
The increases take effect Jan. 1.
Most of the increases follow the 3-percent cost of living increase approved for the Rock County Highway Department union employees.
The recently negotiated three-year union contract for 2026-28 provides for increases of 3 percent, 4 percent and 5 percent…
By Lori Sorenson
December 30, 2025
City of Luverne union employees are negotiating a new contract that will be in effect for the next three years.
Meanwhile, at their Dec. 18 meeting the City Council approved 2.25-percent step increases for eligible non-union, administrative and department heads.
The following increases, effective, Jan. 1, include step and grade changes and account for additional duties where applicable.
•City…
By Lori Sorenson
December 30, 2025
Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary secretary was honored last week by students, colleagues and the community for her 30 years with the district.
At their Dec. 22 meeting, H-BC School Board members accepted Scholten’s resignation, some of them remembering her when they were students at H-BC.
"She's going to be missed," Superintendent Todd Holthaus said at the meeting.
The next day, the district’s…
By Mavis Fodness
December 30, 2025
Sioux Valley Energy and Basin Electric Power Cooperative presented Rock County with a $10,000 check to purchase new playground equipment at Kanaranzi Park.
The amount brings the county more than halfway toward meeting the $30,000 goal of paying for the equipment.
There are two county parks in Rock County: Schoneman Park, located south of Luverne and Kanaranzi Park, located in the unincorporated…
December 30, 2025
The following is a list of the obituaries that appeared in the issues of the Rock County Star Herald in 2025.
December 2024
Dec. 21: Cynthia McDowell, 82, Fruita, Colo.; Vance Kohl, 87, Eagle Point, Wisc.
Dec. 23: Peter Hauff, 76, Luverne.
Dec. 24: Melvin Viessman, 84, Luverne.
Dec. 27: Marilyn Carlson, 84, Lake Wilson.
January
Jan. 3: Joan Fransman, 94, Hills.
Jan. 5: Cornelius “…
December 30, 2025
Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary teachers and staff are settling into their new spaces at the new elementary school in Beaver Creek. They agreed to pose for a photograph just before the Christmas break on Pajama Day. Pictured are, front, from left, Kayla Kindt (Reading Corps), Danielle Johannsen (kindergarten teacher), Renee Edmundson (second-grade teacher), Easton Harnack (special education teacher…
By Lori Sorenson
December 23, 2025
If the Christmas wreaths seem brighter on Luverne’s light poles this year, it’s because are.
Thanks to a combined effort of city staff and local volunteers, the 20-year-old wreaths have new, brighter LED lightbulbs to replace the aging, dimmed bulbs.
“The number of volunteers was outstanding,” said Jane Lanphere of the Luverne Chamber.
“We had volunteers of many ages, from all walks of life,…
By Mavis Fodness
December 23, 2025
Anticipated increases in human services costs prompted Rock County Commissioners to certify the 2026 levy at a 5-percent increase over the current levy for taxes payable in 2026.
The levy will increase by $373,192 to $7.835 million, which is nearly half of the county’s overall budget of $16.1 million.
In September, commissioners approved a preliminary levy increase of 5 percent hoping to…
By Lori Sorenson
December 23, 2025
At their Dec. 18 meeting, Luverne City Council members certified the levy at $3,789,392 for taxes payable in 2025.
That represents a 6.25-percent increase over the current levy of $3,566,592 for an additional $222,800.
The council hosted its 2025 truth in taxation hearing on Dec. 18 with City Administrator Jill Wolf presenting the city’s 2026 budget.
In the General Fund, there is 6.4 million…
