By Lori Sorenson
March 31, 2020
Area residents are looking for ways to help friends and neighbors who are affected by coronavirus hardships, and the Luverne Area Community Foundation is matching dollars to causes.
“COVID-19 will affect our community in more ways than we realize, and this will act as disaster relief funding to allow us to step in and fill a need,” said LACF director Emily Crabtree.
Specifically, LACF set up a “…
By Mavis Fodness
March 31, 2020
Rock County employees are conducting their usual business in very unusual ways under the governor’s shelter-in-place directive that began at midnight Friday.
No county layoffs are planned as each department provides “critical services” as defined by the state.
Commissioners approved the plan Monday morning in special session via videoconference.
Because each county department…
By Mavis Fodness
March 31, 2020
Monday marked the first day of distance learning for area school district students who are sheltering at home to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Students last attended classes in Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek school districts on March 16. All Minnesota schools were closed by March 18, and since then teachers and staff have been working on the most effective methods to instruct students…
By Lori Sorenson
March 31, 2020
Local law enforcement was involved in a standoff with a Luverne resident for several hours Monday night before the ordeal ended without incident.
The Rock County Sheriff's Office was called to 123 North Estey at about 5:20 for a welfare check on Douglas Randall Schmidt.
Law Enforcement was advised that Schmidt was intoxicated and that weapons may be involved. When officers arrived, Schmidt…
March 31, 2020
Luverne school staff assembled 500 sack breakfasts and lunches for students who have been sheltering at home since March 16 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Last week the “lunch ladies” posted a social media message to students reaching out to them with a greeting that read, “Hi, kids, from the Lunch Ladies.” Pictured from left are Cathy Mulder, Holly Barber, Laurie Hunter, Donna Vahey, Pat…
By Lori Sorenson, editor
March 30, 2020
Local law enforcement was involved in a standoff with a Luverne resident for several hours Monday night before the ordeal ended without incident.
The Rock County Sheriff's Office was called to 123 North Estey at about 5:20 for a welfare check on Douglas Randall Schmidt.
Law Enforcement was advised that Schmidt was intoxicated and that weapons may be involved. When officers arrived, Schmidt…
By Mavis Fodness
March 25, 2020
County commissioners will meet in an emergency meeting at 9 a.m. Monday to review plans on how Rock County will operate under Gov. Walz’s two-week Shelter in Place order.
The order begins midnight Friday and goes through Friday, April 10 and is intended to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the state. At Monday’s special meeting, commissioners will hear recommendations from department heads…
March 24, 2020
Luverne firefighters volunteered to deliver groceries in the community on March 18 to residents who weren't venturing out from home due to social distancing precautions.
Firefighters picked up groceries that residents had ordered at Sunshine Foods and made stops at the Blue Mound Tower, Centennial Apartments, Good Samaritan senior living facilities and other places. These acts of generosity…
By Lori Sorenson
March 24, 2020
As Rock County and surrounding communities grasp new realities of the coronavirus pandemic, Sanford Luverne is taking its own measures as the local health care leader.
“We are doing our part to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including social distancing and responsible event management,” said Tammy Loosbrock, Sanford Luverne CEO.
“We want to reduce the overall number of infected persons and by…
By Mavis Fodness
March 24, 2020
In a matter of days, area school staff transformed from classroom educators to meal caterers, child care providers and distance learning professionals.
Last week state officials mandated all Minnesota schools close to stop the potential spread of the coronavirus.
Schools in Hills, Beaver Creek and Luverne conducted classes on Monday, March 16, and sent students home through March 27.
By Wednesday…
March 24, 2020
The Hills-Beaver Creek School Board met in regular session Monday night. Instead of meeting in the secondary school conference room, the board convened in the school commons to allow more distance between members. Pictured from left are Tim Bosch, Tami Rauk, Ethan Rozeboom, Dan LaRock, Board Chairman Arlyn Gehrke, Renae Knobloch, business manager Amanda Rozeboom, Superintendent Todd Holthaus,…
By Lori Sorenson
March 24, 2020
After 42 years working with John Deere, Dan Block recently announced he’ll retire this spring.
The past 26 years of his career have been at the Luverne dealership where he grew the business and spearheaded a massive building project in 2018.
Despite his role at the helm of a multi-million-dollar company, Block talks about his humble roots in the company that started in the Adrian store.
“I…
March 24, 2020
Workers are taking advantage of no classes at Luverne Middle-High School with about a dozen more plumbers, electricians, dry wall applicators and demolition crews ascending on the school last week. The construction and remodeling project is now into its second year. According to site manager Dave Mulert with ICS, workers are exercising social distancing from school personnel still working in the…
March 24, 2020
On Friday the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the U.S. Department of Labor (Labor) announced that small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits.
They’re designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar for dollar, for the cost of providing coronavirus-related leave to their employees.
This relief to employees…
By Mavis Fodness
March 24, 2020
With tables and chairs set more than six feet apart, the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board met in regular session Monday night.
The group met in the high school commons instead of the conference room in response to the coronavirus pandemic and limiting contact between individuals.
H-BC closed schools March 16 with staff meeting since then to prepare distance learning plans set to…
By Mavis Fodness
March 24, 2020
Luverne School Board members unanimously accepted a two-year union agreement with teachers during a special session conducted electronically March 19.
The agreement ended six months of discussions including a Feb. 28 mediation between the district and teachers union.
Combined salary and benefits is 8.87 percent over the two years.
For the 2019-20 school year teachers will receive a salary…