10 years ago (2010)
•Congregation members of the American Reformed Church in Luverne broke ground Sunday morning on a major expansion that will begin this summer.
This is a significant day in the life of the American Reformed Church in Luverne,” said the Rev. Dave Sikkema during the groundbreaking ceremony outside the church.
“It has been said before and will be said again, ‘This is a faith-stretching project.’ It is a work of God through God’s people.”
The project, after more than 10 years of research and fundraising, saw an 86-percent approval during a congregational vote on June 25.
25 years ago (1995)
•In an overwhelming vote of approval, members of the Magnolia and Luverne co-op elevators decided to proceed with the planned merger of the two co-ops.
About 90 percent of the Luverne members voted yes, and more than 85 percent of the Magnolia members voted yes. Only a two-thirds majority vote was needed to pass the merger.
The boards of directors at the two co-ops proposed merging businesses for a number of reasons, including better service to customers, volume buying and merchandising, and savings passed on to customers through more competitive prices and elimination of duplicate services at the two locations.
50 years ago (1970)
•Rain, ranging in amounts of from 1 ½ inches to 3.34 inches fell over most of Rock County early Monday morning, during the day, and early evening, bringing welcome relief to drying soil conditions.
Temperatures in the 90s, fanned by southerly winds, had begun to sear lawns, crops and pastures the past week.
The rains were the first significant amounts since June 16 when 1.32 inches were recorded here. Since then, about .75 inches had fallen, with a quarter-inch being the most recorded in any one day.
Luverne had the greatest amount this week, with 3.34 on Monday and an additional .04 on Tuesday. Starting with a shower that brought sharp lightning and thunder about 4:30 a.m. Monday, rain continued throughout the day with about an inch falling in about an hour’s time, starting about 6 p.m.
Lightning during the Monday morning thundershower caused damage at the Old Bouer elevator on East Main street, and brought out the Luverne fire department. The elevator is now owned by H.A. Paulson.
75 years ago (1945)
•Holders of Rock County Fair association grandstand notes were notified this week that the fair board will make final payment on July 25.
On that date, holders of notes may bring them to Gordon Elden, fair treasurer, at the Rock County Bank, and they will receive the unpaid balance plus interest up to date.
According to L.D. Long, fair association president, the balance remaining unpaid amounts to about $500. The fair association originally borrowed $4,300 to build the grandstand, and has since been paying on the principal from year to year, and interest at the rate of four per cent, out of the earnings of the stand.
Since its destruction by the windstorm several weeks ago, the association has collected on its insurance policy.
100 years ago (1920)
•Condemnation pro-ceedings started some time ago by the board of county commissioners in order to secure an acre and a quarter of land on John Jones’ farm, southeast of town, for gravel pit purposes, reached a successful culmination Wednesday, when Mr. Jones and the commissioners accepted a board of appraisers’ valuation on the land.
The gravel deposit in question is located on land across the road on the north from the former Jaycox homestead, and adjoins the exhausted county gravel pit. The gravel was needed for continuing the state road work, and as the commissioners and Mr. Jones could not agree on the purchase price, Judge L. S. Nelson last month appointed Frank Ferguson, Herman Fitzer and C. S. Brewer as appraisers in condemnation proceedings.
Mr. Jones felt that the gravel deposit was worth $4,000, and the commissioners offered $750 for it, but the board of appraisers decided that $1,600 would be a fair price, and it was at this figure that the land was bought this week.
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