By Lori Sorenson
May 07, 2025
Four Springwater Township landowners were granted requests for adjusted property valuations during the Board of Appeals and Adjustments process this spring.
Rock County assessor Rachel Jacobs described the Springwater Township Board’s decision as a departure from the norm and against her recommendation.
In her report to the County Board April 8, she said Springwater Township ag land property…
May 07, 2025
The Nature Explore Outdoor Classroom at Luverne Community Education was on the list for Luverne High School seniors who were performing community service work Friday for their Senior Service Day. The senior class worked on various tasks around Luverne and ended with lunch at the Luverne City Park. Instead of a Senior Skip Day, students who volunteer to complete a service project had an excused…
May 07, 2025
Rock County Deputy Ahmed Kadhim recently earned a statewide “Drugged Driving Enforcement Award” from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Every year MADD honors law enforcement for the number of impaired driving arrests made annually. They’re recognized along with first responders, prosecutors, probation officers and MADD volunteers for their life-saving efforts as each impaired driver taken off the…
May 07, 2025
On Monday the Minnesota House passed the Human Services Finance and Policy bills, delivering meaningful support for nursing homes, seniors, and vulnerable Minnesotans.
Representative Joe Schomacker (R–Luverne), co-chair of the Human Services Committee, praised the bipartisan effort to protect essential services while improving accountability.
“Nursing homes are the backbone of care for many of…
May 07, 2025
ITC Midwest will conduct aerial patrols of high-voltage transmission structures and lines throughout its service territory from approximately May 12 through May 23, weather permitting.
Helicopter patrols provide an overall status of the overhead transmission system owned and operated by ITC Midwest.
The flights take place across the following areas of the ITC Midwest service territory that…
May 07, 2025
The approaching walleye fishing season comes with a reminder from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to always follow state laws to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Most anglers and boaters in Minnesota take the “clean, drain, dispose” steps for invasive species prevention every time they leave a lake or river. DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said prevention takes…
By Lori Sorenson
May 07, 2025
Jocelyn Jacoby recently received national recognition for her work as activities director at the Tuff Memorial Home in Hills.
She was nominated for the Quality of Excellence Award at the National Association of Activity Professionals (NAAP) conference in Dallas, Texas.
The award honors activities professionals “who go above and beyond to enhance the well-being of our residents, set new…
By Mavis Fodness
May 07, 2025
Luverne children’s author and retired educator Shirley Harrison received the Jeanette Fair Memorial Book Award this weekend at the Delta Kappa Gamma (DKG) Minnesota State Convention in Bemidji.
Harrison’s book, “We All Need,” was chosen as the top children’s book for preschoolers (ages 3-5) and for primary students (kindergarten through grade 5).
The award is named after Jeanette Fair, a…
May 07, 2025
Four Hills-Beaver Creek students were recognized for their writing at the annual Southwest/West Central Cooperative Creative Writing Contest in Marshall.
Award recipients and their placings included:
•Vivienne Tatge, fourth-grader, first place fiction grades 3 and 4.
•Bryce Metzger, fifth-grader, first place nonfiction grades 3 and 4.
•Penni Moore, seventh-grader, first place nonfiction…
May 07, 2025
Volunteers from the Rock County DFL completed an Adopt-A-Highway service project along Interstate 90 on Monday, May 5.
May 05, 2025
Brooke Huisman celebrates 4 years at the Star Herald office on May 5. She answered a few questions about her time at the Star Herald.
1. How did your journey with the Star Herald start?
I was looking for a job with flexibility after having my first child but still wanted to be able to use my creative side.
2. Can you make a comparison between then and now? What was your role in the…
By Lori Sorenson
April 30, 2025
The city of Luverne has so far received three conditional use permit applications for cannabis licensing since the process went live on the city’s website last week.
The conditional use permit application window for the first round of applicants is from April 25 through May 9. The non-refundable application fee is $400.
They will be reviewed by the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, and a…
By Mavis Fodness
April 30, 2025
Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary School sixth-grader Sophie Gehrke was welcomed home Thursday night, April 24, with a drive-by parade in her honor.
Gehrke, 12, underwent her third open-heart surgery April 10.
During the nine-hour procedure, Sophie’s mitral valve was replaced with a mechanical one.
Gehrke is the daughter of Pete and Melissa Gehrke of Hills.
The April 10 surgery may not be Sophie’s…
By Mavis Fodness
April 30, 2025
The county will soon accept credit or debit card payments online or in person.
It’s uncertain, however, when the service will be available.
“We are still waiting on the equipment to show up, and then we have to get it all hooked up and take training to get it going,” said auditor-treasurer Ashley Kurtz.
Kurtz received approval from Rock County commissioners April 22 to contract with the Fort…
By Lori Sorenson
April 30, 2025
The Rock County Sheriff’s Office, with information from the National Weather Service, sounded emergency sirens in Luverne Monday afternoon.
It was the first time the sirens were enacted under the new local policy that allows use of the sirens for severe thunderstorms, and not just tornadoes.
As the sirens blared just after 1 p.m., residents received Sheriff’s Office texts advising that a severe…
April 30, 2025
Sixth-graders from the Luverne School District visited the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center nursing home Wednesday afternoon, April 23, to spend time with their “adopted grandparents.” The residents and visiting students took advantage of pleasant spring weather to spend their time outdoors with sidewalk chalk. The students visit the nursing home weekly for activities that have included…