2025
- February 04, 2026Quarter 2 H-BC A Honor Roll Seniors: Micah Bush, Caidence Ellis, Mya Erickson, Dania Hadley, Claire Knobloch, Jayden Kueter, Gavyn Leuthold, Jamin Metzger, Abigayl Olson, Sarah Prohl, Ella Sammons, Hadley Spath, Joshua Ternus. Juniors: Brynn Bakken, Katelyn Chesley, Brooklynne Hubbard, Makynzie Koller, Hailey Sievers, Ava Steinhoff. Sophomores: Aspyn Bartels, Kersi Billet, Claire Boeve,…
- February 04, 2026Luverne A Honor Roll Seniors: Bergen Ask, Anna Banck, Rhiannon Bartels, Isabella Benson, Julia Beyer, Connor Bose, Jenna Bullerman, Tyler Hodge, Ella Hoogendoorn, Rebecca Hoogland, Hannah Kempema, Allie Kracht, Addyson Mann, Paula Martinez-Penuelas, Greta McClure, Makayla Oechsle, Jordyn Reisch, Adelyn Rodriguez, Kimberly Rogers, Emma Saarloos, Austin Sandbulte, Ella Schmuck, Ava Sieve, Clay…
- By Mavis FodnessJanuary 21, 2026After setting a record for aggregate tax collected in 2024 in Rock County, the amount collected in 2025 dropped, but it’s still the third highest in the past 15 years. Six operators paid $189,698 in taxes in 2025, down from the highest amount collected ($210,485) in 2024, which broke the previous high of $195,419 collected in 2023. “We had a pretty decent dip really,” said county administrator…
January 07, 2026Community 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 Lori SorensonDecember 30, 2025Rock 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, 2025A 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 Kent Thiesse, farm management analystDecember 30, 2025In the following, I am highlighting my “Top 5 Ag Topics for 2025,” based on issues that were discussed in my columns throughout the year. They include tariffs and China trade, low grain prices tight profit margins, high government farm payouts, the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ and record beef prices. Tariffs and the China Trade Deal If there was a “2025 word of the year” in agriculture, it…- December 30, 2025Happy New Year, Star Herald readers. We in the newsroom find satisfaction in reviewing and highlighting the top stories of the year in our final December edition. We feel it showcases our progressive local leadership and our resilient community residents. It also shows we at the Star Herald take our work seriously throughout the year as we document local happenings, big and small, good or bad…
- December 30, 202510 years ago (2015) •A white Christmas arrived in Rock County Friday evening, Dec. 25, blanketing the area with roughly 7 inches of fresh snow. Just to be thorough, Mother Nature followed up with another 6.5 inches Monday night into Tuesday morning, prompting a whole new round of cleanup. The combined 13.5 inches in only a few days transformed the area into winter wonderland of snow-laden tree…
- December 30, 2025The 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 “…
By Greg Hoogeveen, sports editorDecember 30, 2025Looking back at the sporting events covered in the Star Herald during 2025, I was amazed at all the accomplishments of our local teams and individual athletes in Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek high schools. From team titles to individual medals, our sports year in review highlights the big events that shaped the seasons. From personal and season bests to school and individual records I’ve had…- By Mavis FodnessDecember 23, 2025The first class of the new Hills-Beaver Creek Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame will be inducted in April. Nominations are due by Wednesday, Dec. 31, and include two categories: individual coach or athlete and team. All nominees must be alumni or coaches of the consolidated Hills and Beaver Creek schools, which became one district in the fall of 1965. H-BC athletic director Tyson Metzger…
By Lori SorensonDecember 23, 2025Luverne City Council members presented city attorney Ben Vander Kooi with a plaque of appreciation during their Dec. 18 meeting when they accepted his resignation. Vander Kooi has served as Luverne’s city attorney for the past 22 years and is leaving the post effective Dec. 31. He said he enjoyed his work with the city “where there was always an interesting problem to solve,” because Luverne…
By Lori SorensonDecember 23, 2025The Luverne Area Chamber and the Convention and Visitors Bureau recently announced the winners of the September-October CVB Photo Contest. “Our photo contest judging team met yesterday to make some very difficult decisions from the wonderful photos that were entered in our contest,” Chamber Director Kenzi Klein said. “Thank you all for participating.” The winners for the September-October…- By Lori SorensonDecember 17, 2025At their Dec. 10 meeting Beaver Creek City Council members discussed the position on the council vacated by Cody Dietrich, who resigned in October after moving out of the city. Mayor Josh Teune said he invited former Beaver Creek City Council member Josh Boomgaarden to fill the remainder of Dietrich’s unexpired term. Teune pointed to Boomgaarden’s experience serving on a city council from…
By Lori SorensonDecember 17, 2025uverne Street Music and Generations presented “Carols and Cake” Sunday afternoon at Generations Events Center on South Estey Street. The event at Generations featured live vocal and instrumental music, cake and beverages by Bluestem Catering and a visit by Santa. The fundraiser for Generations and Luverne Street Music attracted more than 100 paid ticketholders plus dozens of talented volunteer…
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