Guilty plea entered in vehicular homicide case
Twenty-three-year-old Jayson Delfs, Hardwick, entered a guilty plea Monday morning in Rock County District Court to the charge of criminal vehicular homicide.
Murder case proceedings on hold
Legal proceedings for Luverne murder suspect Melvin Frazier are suspended following a Rule 20 motion that was granted in Rock County District Court Monday.
Administrator announces retirement
After 33 years on the job, Rock County Administrator Kyle Oldre officially submitted his notice of retirement during the Aug. 18 county board meeting.
Oldre’s final day of service will be Feb. 28, 2027.
Charter amendment measure advances
Luverne voters will be asked in the Nov. 3 general election if they support an amendment to change their city’s government charter.
Peterson wins election for county commissioner
Rick Peterson won the special election for Rock County’s District 3 and is set to join the county board of commissioners early next week.
PowerOn Midwest narrows routes
PowerOn Midwest has narrowed its preferred route for a proposed high-voltage transmission project, and one of its choices would cut through Rock County within one mile of the Blue Mounds State
News
By Mavis FodnessFebruary 18, 2026To prepare for a possible energy sale, the Elk Creek Solar Farm’s developer is updating a five-year-old service agreement. At their meeting Feb. 3, Rock County commissioners unanimously approved the updated agreement with Commissioner Gary Overgaard abstaining, due to a conflict of interest. In the original 2021 agreement, the Elk Creek Solar Farm would have been built in two 80-megawatt (MW)…
By Lori SorensonFebruary 18, 2026Nicole Ronchetti joins the Star Herald this week as the newest member of the local news team. She replaces longtime reporter Mavis Fodness who retired earlier this month after 11 years in the position. “I’m looking forward tcommunity is passionate about,” she said about joining the Star Herald and writing about communities in Rock County. “What are the things people here care most about? What…- By Nicole RonchettiFebruary 18, 2026The 2026-27 school year may start before Labor Day for students in Hills- Beaver Creek, pending final approval by H-BC School Board members at their next meeting. Superintendent Todd Holthaus brought forward the recommendation to start Sept. 1 at the board’s meeting on Monday, Feb. 9, and the idea was met favorably by the board’s members. Minnesota law normally prohibits public schools from…
By Nicole RonchettiFebruary 18, 2026A white SUV was stolen from a farm in Rose Dell Township on Tuesday, Feb. 10, and while the vehicle has been recovered, the suspect has not been found. Law enforcement received a phone call at 8:10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, after an individual was seen on a security camera walking around a farm site before entering and stealing a 2003 white GMC Envoy. During the investigation, the Rock County…
By Mavis FodnessFebruary 18, 2026For the first time in three years, the Luverne High School mock trial team resumed its bid Friday for a regional title after compiling a 3-1 season record. The young team, led by second-year advisor Megan Klumper, was ranked No. 5 in the regional contest, and faced No. 3 Owatonna in Friday’s Zoom matchup. Owatonna’s plaintiff team took the win 252-227, ending Luverne’s season with a 3-2…
By Lori SorensonFebruary 11, 2026Luverne’s Joe Schomacker announced Tuesday that he’s not seeking re-election to the Minnesota House of Representatives. Schomacker has represented Rock County and southwest Minnesota for 16 years but will turn only 40 years old this summer. “The people of southwest Minnesota were good to send an introverted young man to make decisions for them in the Capitol,” Schomacker said, reflecting on his…
By Lori SorensonFebruary 11, 2026Fifteen students ranging in age from kindergarten through fifth grade joined local professional baker Victoria Stearns last week for a special Valentine’s session of Kids in the Kitchen through Luverne Community Education. The students met Tuesday, Feb. 3, in the Luverne Middle School-High School Family and Consumer Sciences kitchen where they created several varieties of traditional Valentine’s…- By Mavis FodnessFebruary 11, 2026County commissioners tabled a decision to improve water flow in Judicial Ditch No. 2 after downstream landowners questioned the impact during a Feb. 3 public hearing. Commissioners will resume discussions at their Tuesday, March 3, meeting. Six farmers addressed commissioners Feb. 3 during the 30-minute hearing. Discussions centered on upgrading a 60-inch culvert under 221st Street in Rose…
By Lori Sorenson, editorFebruary 11, 2026Mike Davis is among a small minority of local residents wishing for colder weather. As one of the organizers of the annual Get Hooked Ice Fishing Derby, recent mild weather has taken a toll on the ice thickness at The Lake in Luverne. “We’ll be down to 10 inches by the end of the week,” he said Monday, considering several more days of thawing weather in the forecast. “It might be a little…
By Greg HoogeveenFebruary 11, 2026Luverne School Board members hosted an informational meeting Thursday, Feb. 5, to consider options for a new electronic scoreboard at the west end of the football field. The existing 10-year-old scoreboard has been failing, and the board is considering sponsorship-funded options for a new scoreboard through Daktronics of Vermillion. “The existing scoreboard went down twice last year after power…
By Lori SorensonFebruary 11, 2026The Rock County’s 2026 precinct caucuses drew relatively large crowds Tuesday, Feb. 3, with both the Republican and DFL parties reporting over 70 in attendance. Local Republicans gathered in the Luverne High School-Middle commons, and the Rock County DFL group were in the Generations Events Center. Precinct caucuses are the initial first steps for voters to engage in the political process.…- By Lori Sorenson, editorFebruary 11, 2026A Magnolia couple are facing multiple gross misdemeanor charges after a local investigation revealed a child has spent years living locked in a small space in deprived conditions. Byron Dale Davis, 43, and his girlfriend, Samantha Rae Auch, 36, are both accused of keeping a minor child locked in a small laundry room. According to criminal complaints filed in Rock County District Court, the…
February 11, 2026Luverne Mayor Pat Baustian swore in Quinn Buss as the newest member of the Luverne Economic Development Authority board Monday morning in Luverne City Hall Council Chambers during the LEDA regular monthly meeting. Buss replaces longtime EDA board member Sherri Thompson who resigned midway through her term, which was due to expire in 2031. The terms are for six years.
February 11, 2026Jordyn Pater, a registered nurse at Sanford Luverne Medical Center, recently received the Daisy Award for her passion and commitment to patient care. A nurse intern who worked alongside Jordyn last year nominated Pater for the Daisy Award. “I watched as she took time with each of her patients, getting to know them and their families, making sure they never were in the dark or had unanswered…- February 11, 2026Area residents and business owners are invited to an informal community event on Tuesday, Feb. 17, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. to learn more about the possibility of bringing fiber-optic internet and phone service to the Luverne community. The event will be held at the Trailhead facility (the former Casey’s on Main Street) and is designed as a come-and-go gathering, allowing attendees to stop by at…
By Mavis FodnessFebruary 11, 2026Since the Luverne High School Business Professionals of America Chapter began in 2022, the largest local contingency of members will compete in state competition March 5-7 in Minneapolis. Thirty-four LHS students advanced from the Region 8 BPA contest Jan. 19 in Marshall. “The students were well prepared on Monday (Jan. 19) and represented Luverne well,” said advisor Katie Kopp, who’s in her…
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