By Mavis Fodness
July 17, 2018
When the Rock County Fair opens Wednesday, July 25, diners at the 4-H food stand are in for a pleasant surprise.
Missing is the hodgepodge of used kitchen appliances garnered over the decades by local ag society members.
Now the facility features sparkling commercial-grade appliances.
“When it (the kitchen) was furnished back then, the ag society made do with donated items,” said society…
By Lori Sorenson
July 17, 2018
Amid construction planning for major housing and industry developments in Luverne, progress is quietly continuing on the Luverne Loop trail.
Phase 1 of the trail is complete. It starts at the Veterans Home pond and circles the northwest neighborhoods of town and ends up at Dodge Street west of the school.
Phase 2 — 1.7 miles — is shaping up for a late 2018 completion.
It starts where Phase 1 let…
By Lori Sorenson
July 17, 2018
Two more previously blighted properties in Luverne will see new construction following action at the June 26 City Council meeting.
The city is working on an agreement and land sale with Cleveringa Construction for the development of two lots — 104 and 108 West Barck Avenue.
Merlin Cleveringa will develop the lots into one four-unit multi-family housing complex, and the new housing units will be…
July 17, 2018
Pink flamingos have long been a familiar lawn ornament, and an oversized plastic flamingo resides in the backyard of Jane Cote (far left) and her husband, Ron, on Harrison Street in Luverne. The blow-up pool is a favorite with day-care children Raven Hawkins (center) and Alex Gangestad. Swimming was an especially popular activity Wednesday afternoon, July 11, the first of two days of heat…
By Mavis Fodness
July 17, 2018
Six Luverne residents are among the airmen deployed with the South Dakota Air National Guard 114th Fighter Wing out of Sioux Falls on Wednesday.
Jaidyn Elbers, Joe Baustian, Makayla Sterrett, Alec Hoven, Abby Pierce and Jack Baustian were among the airmen and aircraft deployed for Southeast Asia this week in support of an Air Expeditionary Force rotation.
Their parents are Todd and Diane Elbers,…
July 17, 2018
Coffey Contemporary Arts (CCA), an arts exhibition and education facility in Luverne, is featuring artist Lindsay Carone for Lord Grizzly Gallery's newest exhibit, “Offering.” Carone is a New York-based American artist working primarily in sculpture, installation and textiles. According to gallery owners and curators Cody and Nicole Henrichs, Carone’s recent work for “Offering” reflects her…
By Mavis Fodness
July 17, 2018
An idea three years ago to update restroom fixtures at the Ellsworth ballpark blossomed into a city campground that opened this summer.
Ellsworth City Council member Spencer Swenson said the city received $2,000 for the restrooms in 2016 from the Lyon County, Iowa, Riverboat Foundation.
The mini grant started a three-year $100,000 investment project for the Ellsworth campground.
“When we got the…
By Mavis Fodness
July 17, 2018
Renewable Energy Systems hosted a landowner meeting last week to answer questions about plans for a $200 million wind farm.
RES plans to construct 36 to 40 wind turbines in Martin and Beaver Creek townships in the southwest corner of Rock County.
Scott Jansen and Lisa Bellen with RES conducted the 90-minute meeting Tuesday night, July 10, at the Hills-Beaver Creek High School in Hills.
About 50…
July 17, 2018
Crews wrap up work at the corner of Highway 75 and West Dodge Street Friday, July 13, after the intersection was torn up for more than a week.
Workers repaired a water main and moved a fire hydrant to the west. The water main problem had been discovered during the school year, but the city decided to fix it after school was out in order to avoid traffic congestion.
The hydrant was moved in…
July 17, 2018
Rock County Commissioners signed a proclamation Tuesday morning, July 10, designating Rock County as a Purple Heart County to honor local veterans who were wounded or killed while protecting the freedoms enjoyed by all Americans. “The Purple Heart is not an earned award but a reward for shedding blood,” said Ken Teunissen (right) with the Military Order of The Purple Heart Chapter 5355 in Sioux…
By Mavis Fodness
July 17, 2018
Five Luverne High School students earned national recognition at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference June 28-July 2 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Zoe DeBates, Jacinda Hustoft, Lindsey Roemeling, Sage Ver Steeg and Shane Berning participated in one of 30 family and consumer science-related competitive events.
They competed against more than 4,500 students in the Students Taking Action with Recognition…
July 17, 2018
Several local insurance professionals were recently recognized for excellence by the Insurance Professionals of Greater Sioux Falls.
Samantha DeBates, Senior Advantage Account Underwriter of Continental Western Group of Luverne, was named Insurance Professional of the Year for excellence in the insurance industry for 10 years or more.
The award considers participation in association activities,…
By Mavis Fodness
May 29, 2018
Carol Nelson’s colleagues honored her 45 years at Exchange State Bank, Luverne, on Tuesday, May 22, with a party and open house.
“I never had a job interview,” Nelson said, looking back on her career.
As a high school senior at Hills-Beaver Creek, then local bank owner Dennis Roning dropped by the business class and, on the spot, offered then Carol Wallenburg a job at the Exchange Bank of Hills…
May 29, 2018
By Mavis Fodness
May 29, 2018
When Luverne High School senior Katie Fick rolls across the stage to receive her high school diploma Sunday afternoon, June 3, the paper document represents an end to childhood and the beginning of adult independence.
Much of Fick’s determination was fostered five years ago when she joined a wheelchair basketball team in Sioux Falls.
As a youngster, Fick didn’t consider herself different from…
By Mavis Fodness
May 29, 2018
In under an hour, more than a dozen volunteers unpacked, fastened and placed 145 American flags at sunrise Monday in honor of Memorial Day.
The early morning hour didn’t bother those who showed up, including the four Sasker siblings as they quickly snapped the flags onto the metal poles and placed the poles into the ground-level holders.
“I don’t mind,” said Layne Sasker, the youngest of the…
