10 years ago (2011)
•The Luverne Fire Department was called to the Blue Mounds State Park late Monday afternoon to assist with a controlled burn that got out of control.
The park conducts annual prescribed prairie burns in different areas of the Blue Mounds to control non-native species and to encourage the growth of native prairie grasses and flowers.
But the flames in this case spread to unintended areas of the park when the wind blew them over the fire break.
According to Fire Chief Dan Nath, the blaze was contained within the park boundaries and it reportedly didn’t cause damage to property.
Park officials say that the intended burn area was east of the interpretive center driveway around the hill to the Alice Birkeland home.
But the wind fanned the flames north of the driveway igniting grasses to the north that weren’t part of the intended prescribed burn.
25 years ago (1996)
•The sudden death of Dr. Donald Odland last week left Rock County residents without an official coroner.
Rock County Commissioners exercised their statutory right Tuesday to appoint a new coroner to assume Odland’s previous duties.
While they tabled actually naming a physician until Friday, they did pass a resolution to make the position an appointed one, rather than elected. …
With Dr. Odland’s recent death, commissioners decided now would be the time to change Rock County’s policy as well.
50 years ago (1971)
•Theft of about $250 worth of Roto-tube feed augering equipment was reported to city police Sunday night by E. A. Herrmann, Luverne truck operator. The material was believed to have been stolen sometime last week. It was stacked near his truck garage on West Harrison, police said. The equipment weighed about six tons, they reported.
75 years ago (1946)
•A wide array of small-type passenger planes will be on display at the Mc Dowell Sky Ranch on Sunday.
W. Earl Mc Dowell, owner and manager, stated this week that a number of distributors of various makes of planes had indicated that they would be on hand for the air show at the Sky Ranch, 5 miles north, and 5½ west, of Luverne Sunday. Occasion for the show is the first anniversary of the opening of the airport.
Feature attraction, as previously announced, will be the “Seabee,” the four-place amphibian plane.
The public is cordially invited to attend. There will be no admission charge.
100 years ago (1921)
•With the completion of the new Stager building at the corner of Main and Spring streets, the Pelstring-Erickson Creameries, Inc., of this city, will occupy quarters second to no other creamery and produce concern in this section of Minnesota.
In connection with the advantages of the new quarters, the corporation will be enabled to not only materially enlarge its operations in all its departments, but institute a number of changes in its business policies that will be of material and direct benefit to its patrons.
Work on the new building has been under way since last spring, under the personal direction of its owner, A. E. Stager, and the pronounced improvement to East Main street which it effects is pleasingly apparent to all who pass.
The building is a two-story fire-proof structure of brick and hollow tile construction, with stucco facing, 50x70 feet in ground dimensions. It has been planned and arranged with special attention to convenience for its occupancy as a creamery and produce station, and is expected to be completed within the next two or three weeks.
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