By Lori Sorenson
November 29, 2023
This weekend is Luverne’s annual Winterfest Celebration, and the 2023 weekend will include new activities and events for residents, families and visitors to the community.
“Winterfest is truly a community-wide event,” said Chamber Director Jane Lanphere. “We have hundreds of partners and supporters who go the extra mile to encourage and promote people to come to Luverne to enjoy weekend…
By Lori Sorenson
November 29, 2023
Workers broke ground Monday morning on the site of a future 73-foot-tall nutcracker that will be “the world’s tallest nutcracker” on South Highway 75 in Luverne.
It will be funded by Just For Nuts Inc., a Luverne private nonprofit that has drawn more than $200,000 in local donations and $50,000 from the Blandin Foundation.
Structurally, the 65-foot-tall nutcracker will stand on an 8-foot-tall…
November 29, 2023
Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary fifth-graders joined the city of Beaver Creek for the second annual Paint the Plow activity with art teacher Isabel Sylvanie. “We are still on our PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) theme of “Level Up,” so we went with arcade games on our designed plow and we all signed the black plow,” she said. As part of the plows’ regular maintenance, the blades…
By Mavis Fodness
November 29, 2023
Luverne 1986 graduate Dyan Ebert encouraged the 23 members of the 2023 National Honor Society Luverne Chapter to look beyond LHS and their immediate communities.
“Think more broadly about your role in the world,” she encouraged. “It is crucially important that you embrace and build upon the foundation and values that you have been provided by this community.”
Fifteen new members were inducted…
November 29, 2023
Luverne FFA Chapter members challenged sixth-graders to compete in four Harvest Day activities Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 21, in the Luverne Middle-High School small gym. Katie Mostad’s flex class answered the challenge, competing in the pie eating, turkey bowling, small square bale toss and cow milking events. “We want to expose the younger generation to agriculture events and get the name of FFA…
November 29, 2023
LHS Honor Roll
Quarter 1
A Honor Roll
Seniors: Morgan Ahrendt, Tyler Arends, Tucker Banck, Alexsis Berg, Zoey Berghorst, Hailey Boll, Cassandra Chesley, Conner Connell, Jenna DeBates, Elliot Domagala, Elle Halverson, Henry Hartquist, Roselynn Hartshorn, Kyliauna Hendricksen, Uriel Hernandez, Samuel Honerman, Julia Hoogland, Addison Huiskes, Kira John, Patrick Kroski, Maya Limones Gonzalez,…
November 29, 2023
H-BC Honor Roll
Quarter 1
A Honor Roll
Seniors: Grace Anderson, Lanae Elbers, Sylvia Fick, Alexis Gardner Swenson, Cooper Gehrke, Taylor Gehrke, Sadie Kessler, Tahliya Kruger, Ty Leuthold, Joshua Lohr, Brynn Rauk, Justin Roelfs, Taylor Spykerboer, Larissa Steinhoff, Avril Susie, Olivia Susie, Riley Tatge, Joylynn Taubert.
Juniors: Beau Bakken, Gracie Fagerness, Jackson Gacke, Lukas Hubbard…
November 29, 2023
Santa (portrayed by Joey Streeter) visited the Hills American Legion Monday night as part of the HBCS (Helping Building Communities Stronger) committee-sponsored Appreciation Supper. Area children waited in line for pictures and to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas.
Jacobson Park was officially lit Monday night for the the HBCS Appreciation Supper. Committee member Cory Metzger said the…
By Lori Sorenson
November 26, 2023
First Presbyterian Church in Luverne on Saturday hosted a community retreat, “Declutter Christmas,” that involved a mix of story-telling, crafts, gifts, cookie decorating and other traditional holiday practices.
“Our intention is to help folks with something that has become troublesome — how to celebrate Christmas happily again,” Pastor Steve Voris said.
He said too often families cling to…
By Lori Sorenson
November 26, 2023
A Luverne counselor is back on the mainland after spending two weeks in Hawaii helping traumatized victims of the Maui wildfires.
Erica Hough, who started Luverne Counseling in 2015, is a certified brainspotting therapist and recently volunteered with the organization, Brainspotting Help.
The group is assisting Maui residents in the wake of the August wildfires that killed more than 100 people…
By Mavis Fodness
November 26, 2023
After a 33-year hiatus, the city of Luverne once again qualifies as a State Aid City and will take control of certain streets back from Rock County.
County commissioners passed a resolution Nov. 7 returning 2.72 miles of hard-surfaced streets back to the city of Luverne to receive the direct maintenance funding under the Municipal State Aid for Streets (MSAS) program.
About 5 miles of Luverne…
November 26, 2023
Third-graders filled the performing arts stage at Luverne Public Schools as the 85 students performed “The High Seas” in front of friends and family. The songs and dialogue told the story of a group of sailors and pirates sailing their ships to a singing competition. When sea creatures distract and ultimately capsize the sailors’ ship, the pirates come to their rescue. Both groups end as winners…
November 26, 2023
Luverne Elementary fourth-graders turned the performing arts stage into a school cafeteria in their performance of “Let’s Eat” Friday afternoon. Directors Morgan Van Holland and Christine Thorson took the 89 students through a variety of food-themed songs that all culminated into sitting down and eating. Banana splits, fast food, pizza and Grandma’s pretty good chicken pot pie were among the menu…
By Lori Sorenson
November 26, 2023
A Christmas lighted train engine and Santa at the depot will again highlight the start of the local holiday season, which kicks off with fireworks Nov. 26 in Luverne City Park.
Ellis and Eastern Railroad will transport Santa and Mrs. Claus through several communities on Sunday, starting in Rushmore at 11:30 a.m. with stops in Adrian at 1:15 p.m. and Magnolia at 3 p.m. before ending in Luverne.…
By Mavis Fodness
November 26, 2023
Citing time constraints, Hills City Council member Stacen Burgers resigned his position on the governing board.
In his resignation letter, he said his resignation was effective immediately.
“I no longer have the time needed to give the attention this position needs, as my full-time job has added additional duties to my position,” he wrote. “I am grateful for having the opportunity to serve in…
November 26, 2023
Retired Smithfield Foods employee and Luverne resident Rodger Ossenfort (pictured far left) distributed 250 fresh hams of various sizes to the Rock County Food Shelf, the Centennial apartments and Blue Mound Towers Wednesday morning in Luverne.
He’s pictured at the Blue Mound Tower with Jean Bolluyt (center) and Ossenfoort’s wife Dianne (far right), who assisted with the distribution.…
