Remember When
- February 25, 202010 years ago (2000) •Joel Johnson and his wife, Maggie, both grew up in Watertown, S.D. And, now, the couple is growing into business ownership together. “I love it,” Joel said. “I have yet to meet a person in Luverne that I didn’t like … everybody’s nice.” The Johnsons bought Wayne’s Body Shop from Wayne Walgrave at the beginning of the year. The business is located on West Hatting Street just…
- February 18, 202010 years ago (2000) •Longtime local hospital employee Tammy Loosbrock will be Chief Executive Officer of Sanford Hospital in Luverne. Her appointment was announced this week, and her duties as CEO will begin March 24. “I’m excited,” Loosbrock said Tuesday. “This will be a great opportunity.” Brad Schipper, vice president of Sanford Health Network, said Loosbrock brings a wealth of local…
- February 11, 202010 years ago (2010) •The 2001 Blue Mounds State Park murder will be featured on an upcoming segment of the Discovery Channel television show, “Solved.” Camera crews from California were in Luverne this week interviewing local law enforcement and others involved in the case. Park worker Carrie Nelson, 20, was murdered in the Blue Mounds State Park office on May 20, 2021. Her killer wasn’t brought…
- February 04, 202010 years ago (2010) •Winter weather closings tend to affect roads and schools, but they can also include county public offices. Following the 25-car pile-up on Interstate 90 last week (Jan. 25), the Rock County Courthouse and other offices closed their doors to the public — employees continued working. Under current policy, county offices close when I-90 closes. The intent is to keep the public…
- January 28, 202010 years ago (2010) •The Luverne district moved one step closer to completing its application for next year’s flexible learning calendar. Board members unanimously accepted a resolution for the pre-Labor Day start. As part of the application process, the school was required to hold three public meetings. These took place Thursday, Jan. 7, Monday, Jan. 11, and Tuesday, Jan. 13. “The commissioner (…
- January 21, 202010 years ago (2010) •The Luverne National Guard Armory was home to roughly 50 stranded motorists Monday night. And that number seemed to be climbing as of 8:30 p.m. The group included travelers from as far away as Duluth and the Twin Cities and as near as Worthington. They all found themselves in Luverne when they were unable to drive farther, or they had gotten stuck or were in an accident on…
- January 14, 202010 years ago (2010) •Luverne native Amber Top has been closely watching the news about the Jan. 12 earthquake devastation in Haiti. Top, now of Brandon, traveled here in February 2009 for a two-week mission trip that she now describes as a life-changing experience. During her mission work, Top said she made lasting human connections with Haitian residents whose lives are now in danger. “Knowing…
- January 07, 202010 years ago (2010) •The Magnolia Steak House’s service has been staked on family ownership for 71 years. Now called the Magnolia Restaurant and Bar, the dining facility will continue in the tradition with a new family. Tim and Dawn Rohrbach purchased Magnolia Steak House from Brad and Amy VerSteeg on Friday, Nov. 13. The VerSteegs previously took over the business from Amy’s parents, Tim and Sue…
- January 01, 202010 years ago (2010) •On Wednesday, Dec. 30, postal carrier Dennis Brady completed his 10-mile drive and 10.5-mile walk for the last time. For 32 years Brady has spent 6 1/2 hours per day en route. “The street is my office,” he said. At that average rate, if Brady had worn a pedometer, he would have clocked 96,768 miles in his career; each year he walked the distance from the East Coast to the…
- December 22, 201910 years ago (2009) •One approach to cleaning the Rock River focuses on livestock manure, and now there’s grant money for greener manure management. The Rock County Land Management Office has been approved for a grant through the EPA Section 310 from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. The 319 Grant, as it’s called, will provide nearly $150,000 for the “Rock River Watershed Management Project…
- December 17, 201910 years ago (2009) •A going-out-of-business sign went up on the front of Gabe’s Clothing and Shoes store Sunday afternoon. The sign tells the same story that was mailed to Gabe’s customers and that was advertised on the front page of the Luverne Announcer this week. After seven years in business, owner Kathy Jarchow is closing the doors. “This is by far the hardest message that I have ever had…
- December 10, 201910 years ago (2009) •Last week’s dusting of snow was only a precursor to the winter storm that came through the region Tuesday. Snow started falling Tuesday morning and continued through the day, prompting cancellation of high school sporting events and community activities across the area. School late starts were announced Tuesday night, only to result in closings the following day as subzero…
- December 03, 201910 years ago (2009) •A report of early morning deer shining and shooting from the road resulted in a citation Sunday, Nov. 29. According to the Rock County Sheriff’s Department, an individual had called to report someone shining deer and shooting along a roadside in the area northeast of the Blue Mounds State Park lower dam. The incident was reported just after 6:30 a.m. Statute prohibits…
- November 25, 201910 years ago (2009) •Starting Dec. 1, Luverne residents can bring their old light bulbs to Luverne City Hall and exchange them for new battery-efficient bulbs. The light bulb exchange is part of the city’s goal to reduce residential energy consumption through the state’s Conservation Incentive Program. Switching to compact fluorescent light (CFL) saves energy and money. According to Luverne…
- November 19, 201910 years ago (2009) •Yields are good, but test weights are down. That’s the report so far on the 2009 corn harvest, at least from one part of the county. According to Brad Berkhof, western area manager for New Vision Coop, Hills, the local corn harvest was about 35 percent complete as of Monday. In a normal year Rock County’s harvest season is wrapping up by now. “The corn didn’t mature in the…
- November 12, 201910 years ago (2009) •The man found guilty last summer of murdering Luverne’s Carrie Nelson is appealing his conviction. Randy Swaney, now 38, is serving a life sentence in prison for the May 20, 2001, murder of 20-year-old Nelson in the Blue Mounds State Park. In August last year, a jury found Swaney guilty of all seven murder charges, and he was sentenced to life in prison without possibility of…
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