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
January 28, 2026Sanford Luverne delivered its first baby of the year Jan. 2. Natalie Elizabeth DeBates was born at 8:39 p.m. weighing 7 pounds 12 ounces. Parents are Kandi Karlson and William DeBates. Shared image- By Lori SorensonJanuary 28, 2026Luverne City Council members are adjusting their public meeting schedule for 2026 following discussion at their Jan. 20 meeting. In the past several months, the council reduced its number of meetings from three per month to one, with an added monthly work session if needed. This was a change from the council’s decades-old tradition of two business meetings per month, plus a “Committee of the…
January 28, 2026The Jasper Lions Club recently purchased craft items for Rock County Opportunities (RCO). Pictured holding some of the donated items at RCO in Luverne are (in front, from left) Erika Egdorf, Mitchel Anderson, Tim Kramer, Peyton Maschino and Jack Voorhees. Jasper Lions Club members are (in back, from left) Tim Houg, Jerry Tower and Trinidad Garcia.
By Mavis FodnessJanuary 28, 2026Luverne’s one act play cast took second place Saturday at the subsection meet in Pipestone and will move on to section competition. Five schools competed at the Section 3 Subsection 10 event, and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton took the subsection title. The top two schools move on to the Section 3 meet on Saturday, Jan. 31, at R-T-R High School in Tyler. Luverne’s second-place finish was a surprise,…
By Lori SorensonJanuary 21, 2026The Luverne Economic Development Authority approved nearly $30,000 worth of improvements in local property aesthetics during their Monday morning meeting. Two of the investments were façade improvements to downtown properties and the other was a grant to help clean up blighted property near The Lake. Laundry Room Mike and Wanda Jarchow submitted an application for a façade improvement…- By Lori SorensonJanuary 21, 2026Alliance Communications is surveying Luverne residents for interest in fiber-to-the home internet service ahead of a potential expansion into city limits next year. Alliance, headquartered in Garretson, South Dakota, has been serving Rural Rock County residents since 2016 and is now considering expanding its fiber-optic network into Luverne’s city limits. Before moving forward, Alliance is…
By Lori SorensonJanuary 21, 2026Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan was in Luverne Saturday night sharing her vision for Minnesota seeking the DFL endorsement for U.S. Senate. (The seat is currently held by Sen. Tina Smith who is not seeking re-election this fall.) Flanagan spoke to roughly 50 people gathered in the Generations Events Center in Luverne about her Minnesota childhood with a single mom who relied on food stamps…
By Mavis FodnessJanuary 21, 2026The Hills Area Fire Department’s new fire rescue truck is now operational in Clinton and Martin townships, which include the communities of Hills and Steen. However, the new truck retained an important part from the previous ambulance — the box. “It’s basically the same box, just on a new chassis,” said fire chief Jared Rozeboom. “We’ve been on numerous runs already.” Hills Area received the…
By Mavis FodnessJanuary 21, 2026Luverne High School one act play cast members are using a MacGuffin in their production of “Life and Death in an Empty Hallway,” by Christopher Evans in competition on Saturday, Jan. 24. Students will perform at the Section 3A Subsection 10 Tournament at the Pipestone Area High School. The competition begins at 10 a.m. Director Joseph Stearns said the play’s plot centers on a school shooting…- 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 21, 2026Luverne Fire Chief David Van Batavia (left) and Rock County Sheriff Matthew Sorenson are pictured at the annual Heroes Behind the Badges blood drive Monday at Sanford Luverne. The event attracted 38 blood donations that will impact up to 114 patients in the Community Blood Bank supply area, according to Ken Versteeg of the Community Blood Bank. “This definitely was an outstanding turnout given…
By Lori SorensonJanuary 21, 2026More than 30 Luverne Middle School students joined roughly 300 students in 17 districts from across southwest Minnesota last week for the annual Young Writers Conference in Marshall. The event is organized through the Southwest West Central Service Cooperative (SWWC), and this was the 34th year. “I always enjoy taking students to the conference … Luverne Middle School has been attending for…
By Lori SorensonJanuary 14, 2026The Luverne Fire Department was called to rescue a dog from the ice at the Veterans Home Pond Tuesday morning. The caller reported that the dog was sitting on the ice and wouldn’t come to shore when called. He was apparently waiting for another dog that was trapped under the ice and wouldn’t leave without it. The Luverne Fire Department used its water rescue gear to retrieve the trapped dog…
By Mavis FodnessJanuary 14, 2026“I had originally said, in 2012, when I was elected, that I would serve eight to 10 years. This year will be my 14th,” he announced in a press release Tuesday. Along with term limits, Weber cited the patience of his family (wife, Barb, their two children and three grandchildren) as he steps away from 30 years of elected office. “While there remains much I would like to change and accomplish…
By Lori SorensonJanuary 14, 2026One way to measure a community’s growth over time is to track the number of building permits issued for construction. The city of Luverne issued fewer building permits in 2025 than in the prior year, but the permitted projects still represented a respectable list. Luverne building official Chad McClure compiled a building report for 2025 that shows he issued 160 permits for projects, with…- By Mavis FodnessJanuary 14, 2026Rock County will not follow state law allowing rifles to be used during the November deer hunting season. Only shotguns will be permitted if commissioners adopt an ordinance opting out of the state law that went into effect Jan. 1. A public hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, before commissioners will make a final decision. At their Jan. 6 meeting, commissioners unanimously…
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