2025

Hills-Beaver Creek High School alumnus Wade Blomgren addressed students, staff and members of the public Monday morning as the keynote speaker for the annual H-BC Veterans Day Program. A member of H-BC’s Class of 1996, Blomgren served in the U.S. Army for 13 years before starting Hero Haven, a non-profit organization that organizes “life-giving adventures” for veterans. His Veterans Day message…

Dispatch report Oct. 29 •Equipment testing/drill occurred on N. Kniss Avenue. •Report of sudden death/body found on U.S. Highway 75. •Complainant on S. Water Avenue, Hills, reported a civil issue. •Complainant east-bound on Interstate 90, mile marker 6, near Beaver Creek, reported a road and drive law issue. •Complainant on E. Main Street reported suspicious activity. •Rock County Sheriff’…

The Luverne Elementary School Student Council hosted the annual Veterans Day Open House Tuesday morning in the school commons. Area veterans were invited to have a cup of coffee and a sweet roll while having conversations with fifth-grade students during the two-hour event. “This is an amazing opportunity for us every year,” said adviser and fifth-grade teacher Amy Von Holtum. “So many great…

Despite the cold and wet conditions, hundreds of trick-or-treaters turned out for Luverne's Annual Halloween Trunk ’n Treat event at the school parking lot Friday evening. Weather was cold, wet and blustery, but dozens of local businesses and organizations greeted costumed participants from creatively decorated trunks and displays to hand out thousands of pieces of candy.

Fareway Stores Inc. has launched a monthlong initiative throughout November to support individuals and families facing food insecurity in the communities where it does business. “As part of our ongoing commitment to giving back, Fareway is making it easier than ever for customers to help nourish their neighbors,” said Fareway CEO Reynolds Cramer. He said customers can participate in three ways…

Nine “trunks” lined Summit Avenue in Hardwick Friday night for the first Hardwick Fire Department “Trunk ’n Treat” event that was successfully conducted between rain showers in temperatures that reached at best into the upper 30s. Organizers are planning to make the “Trunk ’n Treat” in Hardwick an annual event.

Editor Lori Sorenson and graphic designer Heather Johnson earned national recognition last week for their work at the Rock County Star Herald. The National Newspaper Association convention was held in Minneapolis Oct. 9-10 when winners of the NNA Better Newspaper Contest were honored. Sorenson earned first place in the category of Best Serious Column for her Sept. 26, 2024, entry “We’re on the…

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Luverne High School seniors celebrated the start of the school year with the news that their spring MCA math test scores ranked the fifth highest in the state. The students who tested as juniors in May were 72.1 percent proficient, meaning 72 percent of the class met or exceeded the state’s math standards. Minnesota’s average for 11th-grade math proficiency is 35 percent and the Luverne juniors…

Thirty-five athletes competed in the 2025 Duff Dog Backyard Ultra challenge Saturday, Oct. 11, through Sunday, Oct. 12, in the Blue Mounds State Park. Local runner Amy Feit, 45, won the competition, completing 120.843 miles in 29 hours. Jerry Kyte, 43, of Sioux Falls got the assist (second place), going 116.88 miles in 28 hours. Wikipedia defines the event as “a form of ultramarathon race…

Sunday marked six years since two Hills families created an organization to assist families in times of crises. Game Plan 4 Hope (GP4H) began as a simple idea in 2019 by Missy and Jeff Bass and Heather and Aaron Erickson. Under the theme of “Harvest of Hope,” the families thanked the 80 supporters attending Sunday’s event at The Cidery at Blackshire Farms in Beaver Creek. “Game Plan 4 Hope was…

More than 230 people attended the Rock County Pheasants Forever Banquet Thursday night, Oct. 2, in the Big Top Tents and Events Center in Luverne. Pheasants Forever is a nonprofit conservation group focused on improving and conserving wildlife habitat for pheasants, quail and other upland game birds and wildlife. Last week’s banquet was a fundraiser to support those efforts in Rock County. Above…

Luverne Optimist Club members hosted their annual Optimist Club Fishing Derby Sunday, Sept. 7, at the Veterans Pond in Luverne. The event included hot dogs and $750 worth of prizes for participants. Pictured are (from left) Demetri Spillman, Brody Bailey, Charlie St. Clair, Jayden DeKam and Beau Paquette. (Shared image and information)

Janine Papik, Luverne, was recognized this summer with the Advocate for Choral Excellence Award for her contributions to choral music in her community. The award was presented by the Southwest District of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) during the annual conference at Concordia College in Moorhead. “It’s a reflection of our great choral tradition here in Luverne,” Papik said…

LSS meals at Generations   Monday, Oct. 13: Baked pork chop with pork gravy, scalloped potatoes, mixed vegetables, wheat bread, oatmeal raisin cookie. Tuesday, Oct. 14: Chicken cordon bleu, sliced carrots, rice pilaf, applesauce cup, wheat dinner roll. Wednesday, Oct. 15: Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, brown gravy, green beans, dinner roll, vanilla wafers. Half-Priced Day sponsored by…

At their Sept. 23 meeting, Luverne City Council members approved a preliminary levy of $3,887,585 for taxes payable in 2026. That represents a 9 percent increase over the current levy of $3,566,592 for an additional $320,998. By statute, local governments are required to set preliminary levies in September. Those amounts can be lowered but not increased by the time levies are certified in…