The night before Nicole Wiertzema attended her first group fitness class, she was so nervous she couldn’t sleep. What if she looked like she didn’t know what she was doing? What if other people judged her?

At their Tuesday, Feb. 17, meeting, Rock County commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance to remain a shotgun-only deer hunting county.

The ordinance was unanimously approved following a public hearing that morning when several local people weighed in on the issue.

Rock County Commissioner Greg Burger has resigned from his seat on the County Board, effective Feb. 28.

He made the announcement at the Tuesday, Feb. 17, regular board meeting when commissioners accepted his resignation “with regret.”

Luverne’s Heather Johnson was recently recognized by the National Newspaper Association Foundation for a graphic design she submitted in a recent contest.

Hills-Beaver Creek School District’s newly formed National Honor Society (NHS) chapter will install its first members in March.

Luverne City Council members took action at their Feb. 17 meeting to award the sale of $2.18 million in general obligation utility revenue bonds.

Gavin Ballard, a 10th grader at Luverne High School, is the first-place winner of VFW Post 2603’s annual Voice of Democracy essay contest.

The second-place winner was Natalie Berning, also from Luverne, and third place went to Taylor Anderson from Fulda High School.

The Luverne girls’ hockey team finished its 2026 state tournament run falling twice to two strong contenders.

LHS fell 5-1 to the No. 1 seed Warroad Warriors Wednesday, Feb. 18, and lost 4-0 to the No. 5 seed Proctor-Hermantown Mirage.

Luverne junior Brodie Kopp qualified for the state wrestling meet placing second in the 107-pound weight class at the Section 3A Individual Tournament Saturday, Feb. 21, in Springfield.

The 2026 State Wrestling Tournament will be held Feb. 25-29 at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.