Shaun Swenson is a handyman working a dozen or so odd jobs that add up to one demanding and growing business.
To encourage the business, Swenson Scrapping, Mowing, Painting & More, the Luverne Economic Development Authority is loaning him $5,000.
“He’s really filling a niche in the community,” Mayor Pat Baustian said at the Monday morning LEDA meeting when the loan was approved. “Good for him for stepping up to meet a need.”
In addition to work described in the business name, Swenson landscapes yards, trims trees and cleans rain gutters. In the winter months he removes snow.
But metal scrapping is where he started after working for collector Bill Fluit, Kenneth, for eight years.
“People have been really good at dropping stuff off here,” he said Monday at the lot owned by Al Aanenson next to the former Exhaust Pros building.
“Al lets me use the lot, and he’s trying to sell me the building.”
For now, Swenson said he’s fine with business size as it is. “I’m trying to keep it small,” he said. “But I’m thinking about hiring someone.”
As demand grows for his services, so does his fleet of equipment.
He currently uses four trailers (one enclosed and one a “versa-dump” trailer) plus a small tractor with pallet forks, lawn mowing equipment, and the recent addition of a sprayer to pull behind a John Deere Gator.
The Rural Business Assistance Loan through LEDA will be used for capital equipment purchases and will be repaid at 0-percent interest over five years starting in September.
Swenson is also working with the LEDA to develop a business logo for signage. One of his slogans is “Quality service at a fair price.”
In addition to accepting scrap metal at his trailer on South Highway 75, Swenson travels for a good share of business.
Recent storm damage kept him busy around the clock for over a week. He cleaned up two damaged sheds after a tree fell on them. One was metal and one was wood, but he took it all, because landfill fees are built into his bids.
Swenson said he often gets calls from local businesses who have scrap metal from various projects.
“I do a lot of commercial work,” Swenson said, “but I accept metal from anyone.”
Scrap metal can be dumped in his trailer on South Highway 75, as long as they comply with the “metal only” rules: “No garbage, tires or TVs” and people are asked to call before placing items in the trailer, which is monitored by surveillance cameras.
Swenson’s number is 507-227-6345.

It was four more wins for the Luverne Redbirds amateur baseball team this week.
The team ran its record to 19-2 overall and 16-2 in Gopher-First Nite league play.
The Redbirds, with a winning streak of thirteen games, defeated the Ruthton Royals and Marshall A’s on the road before coming out on top of the Adrian A’s and Heron Lake Lakers at Redbird Field.
“We haven’t lost since June 8, and it’s been a really fun stretch,” said Luverne player-manager Brooks Maurer.
“We’ve gotten contributions from all different players,” Maurer said. “We’ve maybe had 13 different line-up combinations during the 13-game stretch.”
“I think that really speaks to the depth of our team and how many good players Luverne produces,” the Redbirds manager said.
Luverne was scheduled to host Worthington Wednesday (July 13) and will complete the regular season in Jackson on Sunday. 
 
Luverne 6, Ruthton 1
The Ruthton Royals came to Luverne Wednesday, July 6, to face the Redbirds.
The home team won its tenth consecutive game by defeating the Royal 6-1.
Ben Serie was dominant on the mound for the Birds. The righthander gave up only one hit, no runs and no walks while striking out twelve in eight innings of work.
Skyler Wenninger came in to pitch the final inning for Luverne. He gave up one run, two walks and struck out two.
The Birds started off the scoring in the bottom of the first inning by plating three runs.
Derek Lundgren led off with a double to left field. Three batters later, Serie singled and advanced Lundgren to third.
When Declan Beers hit a fly ball to center and advanced to second, Lundgren and Serie scored.
Beers then scored on a line drive single by Newt Johnson.
Phil Paquette added a run for Luverne in the second inning off an RBI single by Skyler Wenninger.
In the third inning, a fielder’s choice by Gaige Nath scored Jake Haugen and advanced Cade Wenninger to third base.
Lundgren, the next batter, belted a double to left field that scored Cade Wenninger.
The Redbird lead remained 6-0 until the top of the ninth inning.
With the bases loaded with Ruthton runners, the fourth Royals batter was hit by a pitch to score Ruthton’s first and only run of the game.
Lundgren,  Skyler Wenninger and Cade Wenninger led the Redbird offense with two hits each. Beers had two RBIs in the game.
 
Ruthton    0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1    1
Luverne    3 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 x    6 
 
                           AB  R      H      BI
D Lundgren     4      1       2       1
P Paquette       4      0       1       0
E Beyer            1      0       0       0
S Wenninger   4      0       2       1
C Sehr              1      0       0       0
B Serie             5      1       1       0
D Beers            4      1       1       2
N Johnson       2      0       1       1
C Zeutenhorst 1      0       0       0
J Haugen         3      1       1       0
C Crabtree       1      0       1       0
C Wenninger   4      1       2       0
G Nath              2      1       0       1
C Reisch          1      0       0       0
 
Luverne 15, Marshall 2
The Marshall A’s had a slim 1-0 lead over the Luverne Redbirds after five innings at American Legion Field in Marshall Friday night.
Then the Birds came to bat in the top of the sixth and erupted for 12 runs. In all, Luverne had 18 at bats in the decisive inning.
Cade Wenninger, who pitched an outstanding seven-inning complete game giving up only two hits and two runs and striking out nine, began the offensive fireworks in the sixth stanza with a two-RBI single that scored Serie and Beers.
Wenninger then scored when Charlie Reisch hit an RBI single to center field.
Two batters later, a triple to center by Paquette scored Reisch before Serie hit a hard ground ball that scored Paquette.
A triple by Beers then scored Serie and a single line drive by Haugen sent Beers across home plate.
Two batters later, Ethan Beyer hit a two-RBI double that scored Haugen and Cade Wenninger, who scored for the second time in the inning.
The twelfth and final Redbird run of the inning came two batters later when Nath earned a bases-loaded walk that scored Beyer.
The Birds scored three more runs in the top of the seventh to secure the ten-run rule victory.
Beers was three for four at the plate with two runs and an RBI.
Reisch was also three for four, with three RBIs and one run scored.
Cade Wenninger tallied two hits, scored twice and added three RBIs to help secure his win on the mound.
Beyer also had two hits, two runs and two RBIs.
Wenninger was quick to credit his teammates for the impressive victory.
“We are all players who have known each other for years now,” Wenninger said. “We know how to build off each other, and a night like that shows just how we do it.”
 
Luverne    0 0 0 0 0 12 3 x x    15
Marshall   0 0 1 0 0   1 0 x x      2 
 
                           AB  R      H      BI
D Lundgren     5       1       0       0
G Nath              3       1       0       1
P Paquette       5       1       1       3
B Serie             1       2       0       0
Casey Sehr     1       1       1       0
D Beers            4       2       3       1
M Sterrett         0       1       0       0
J Haugen         3       1       1       1
B Maurer          1       0       0       0
C Wenninger   4       2       2       3
E Beyer            4       2       2       2
C Reisch          4       1       3       3
 
Luverne 11, Adrian 1
The Redbirds defeated the Adrian A’s 11-1 in five innings Saturday night in Luverne.
Adrian took an early lead in the game by scoring its only run of the game in the top of the second inning.
Luverne answered with three runs in the bottom of the third to take a lead they would retain the remainder of the contest.
Beers, Haugen and Cade Wenninger all scored runs in the third after reaching base on singles.
Serie plated a run in the third inning before Beyer and Casey Sehr scored off a two-RBI double by Paquette in the fourth stanza.
Haugen started the offense for the Birds in the fifth inning with a single. Cade Wenninger then hit an RBI-triple that scored Haugen.
Cade Wenninger scored by tagging up after a fly out to center by Sehr.
The Redbirds then loaded the bases with a single by Lundgren and Nath and Codie Zeutenhorst being hit by pitches.
When the next batter, Serie, was hit by the pitch, Lundgren scored and the bases remained loaded.
Beers then drew a walk, which scored Nath.
Haugen hit a ground ball to center that scored Zeutenhorst and ended the game 11-1 due to the ten-run rule.
Haugen led the offense for Luverne, going three for four at the plate with two runs and two RBIs.
Beers and Cade Wenninger added two hits each and Wenninger also scored twice.
Paquette, Beers and Sehr also tallied two RBIs for the Redbirds.
Haugen pitched the complete five innings. He gave up one run on seven hits and struck out eight Adrian batters.
 
Adrian       0 1 0 0 0 x x x x    1
Luverne    0 3 1 2 5 x x x x   11 
 
                           AB  R      H      BI
D Lundgren     4      1       1       0
G Nath              3      1       1       0
P Paquette       3      0       1       2
C Zeutenhorst 0      1       0       0
B Serie             3      1       1       1
D Beers            3      1       2       2
J Haugen         4      2       3       2
C Wenninger   3      2       2       1
E Beyer            2      1       1       0
C Sehr              2      1       0       2
 
Luverne 13, Heron Lake 3
Luverne won its third game in three days, and its 19th of the season, with a 13-3 victory over the Heron Lake Lakers Sunday afternoon at Redbird Field.
The Redbirds won all three games with the ten-run rule.
Against the Lakers, the Birds scored first in the bottom of the first inning.
With Beers at bat, Lundgren, who had reached base on a walk, scored on a wild pitch before Beers hit an RBI triple that scored Paquette.
After adding another run in the third, Luverne held a 3-1 lead until the Birds exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Nath was hit by a pitch before Paquette and Serie earned walks. When Beers hit a double to center field, Nath and Paquette scored.
Cade Wenninger batted next and hit a double of his own to center field to score Serie and Beers. Zeutenhorst then singled to score Wenninger.
The Lakers got two outs before Lundgren hit a homerun to left field that also scored Zeutenhorst.
 Heron Lake scored single runs in the top of the sixth and seventh stanzas. Luverne added a run in the bottom of the seventh when a Skyler Wenninger single scored Lundgren’s third run of the game.
In the bottom of the eight inning, Luverne’s Mark Sterrett opened the inning with a solo home run to left field.
One batter later, Cade Wenninger reached base on a single. Zeutenhorst then hit a walk-off single to center that scored Wenninger to win the game 13-3 due to the ten-run rule.
Lundgren was on the mound for six innings. He gave up two runs from six hits and struck out eight.
Zeutenhorst pitched in relief for the last two innings. He gave up three hits and one run and struck out two.
 
Heron Lake   0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 x    3
Luverne        2 0 1 0 7 0 1 2 x   13 
 
                           AB  R      H    BI
D Lundgren     4      3       2       2
G Nath              3      2       1       0
S Wenninger   1      0       1       1
P Paquette       1      2       0       0
C Sehr              2      0       0       0
B Serie             3      1       1       1
M Sterrett         1      1       1       1
D Beers            3      1       3       3
B Maurer          1      0       0       0
C Wenninger   4      2       2       2
C Zeutenhorst 5      1       3       2
C Reisch          4      0       0       0
E Beyer            2      0       0       0
J Haugen         1      0       0       0

The Luverne Senior American Legion baseball team began playoff action as the top seed in their sub sub-state division.
Luverne lived up to the ranking by advancing to this weekend’s Southwest Sub-state Tournament in St. James with wins over Tracy and Russell-Tyler-Ruthton last week in Milroy.
Luverne will open sub-state play at 2 p.m. today (Thursday) against Windom in St. James.
With a win, Luverne will play either Springfield or Blue Earth at 5 p.m. Friday.
A loss would send Luverne to a consolation bracket game on Friday.
Round three games, if necessary, are scheduled for Saturday in St. James.
The semifinals and finals of the Southwest Sub-state Tournament are scheduled for July 22 and 23 respectively.
As hosts of this year’s Division II Minnesota Senior American Legion State Tournament, Luverne will automatically advance from sub-state play.
The Southwest Sub-state champions, if not Luverne, or the second-place team if Luverne wins the sub-state, will also quality for the state tournament.
 
Luverne 10, Tracy 4
Luverne opened the playoffs with a 10-4 victory over Tracy at Yankee Field in Milroy Thursday, July 7.
Casey Sehr led the Luverne offense. He went three for four at the plate, scored two runs and added two RBIs.
Riley Sneller also had two RBIs, including a triple during the seventh inning.
Ethan Beyer, Kaden Anderson and Will Serie also had two hits each in the game.
Anderson pitched six strong innings for Luverne. The right-hander gave up four runs off four hits and struck out nine.
Casey Sehr came to the mound for the final inning and gave up no hits and no runs to earn the save.
 
Tracy              1 0 0 1 0 2 0     4
Luverne          3 1 4 0 0 0 2   10
 
                          AB    R    H     BI
B Ripka              3     1     1     0
E Beyer              3     1     2     1
K Anderson       4     2     2     1
Casey Sehr        4     2     3     2
R Sneller            3     1     1     2
W Serie              4     1     2     1
J Stroh               3     0     0     0
Carter Sehr        1     0     1     1
C Overgaard      2     2     2     0
E Domagala       2     0     0     0
 
Luverne 10, RTR 2
After winning the first game in Milroy Thursday, Luverne moved on to face Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Thursday night.
Luverne enjoyed a 9-2 lead in the middle of the fourth inning, when the game was delayed until the next day because of rain.
The teams returned to Milroy’s Yankee Field Friday for the final 3 1/2 innings.
In the bottom of the fifth, Luverne scored the only run of the 28-minute Friday portion of the game.
On Thursday evening, Anderson hit an RBI triple in the first inning of the game, with Luverne scoring three runs.
Anderson totaled two hits, scored two runs and added two RBIs in the win.
The Luverne offense then exploded with two homeruns and six total runs during the second inning.
Serie belted a three-run bomb and Braydon Ripka hit a tw0-run homer in the inning.
Beyer and Casey Sehr each had doubles in the contest.
Beyer was the winning pitcher for Luverne. He spent four innings on the mound, giving up two runs on two hits, walking three and striking out eight.
Casey Sehr pitched the final three innings. He struck out one and gave up just one hit.
 
RTR               1 1 0 0 0 0 0     2
Luverne        3 6 0 0 1 0 0    10
 
                      AB    R     H    BI
B Ripka            3     1     1     2
E Beyer            3     2     1     0
K Anderson     4     2     2     2
Casey Sehr      4     2     2     1
R Sneller          3     0     0     1
W Serie            3     1     2     3
C Overgaard    3     0     0     0
E Domagala     3     1     1     1
Carter Sehr      2     1     1     0

More than 150 vehicles followed each other through Rock County communities Saturday for the “Connell Classic Cruise” in memory of Terry Connell, who died last year at 57. The ride started and ended at the Eagles Club in Luverne where an estimated 400 people gathered that evening for live music (Southern Detour Band) and a meal, catered by Mickie’s Restaurant and Bar, operated by Stan and Vickie Steensma in Ellsworth. “It was a good day,” Chantel Connell said. “The band was spectacular; the food was awesome, and the weather was great. We raised some good money to start a Dollars for Scholars fund in Terry’s name.” She said she’s grateful for the show of support. “We thank the friends and family who participated in the event,” she said. “We thank each and every one of them from the bottom of our hearts.”

After more than a year of planning, the Cardinal Pride weekend is underway, starting with Thursday night’s 60th anniversary of Luverne’s iconic Hot Dog Night.
The anticipated 15,000 free hot dogs, courtesy of Luverne businesses, will hit the grills all over town around 5 p.m. with serving from 5:30 until they’re gone.
Hot dogs, of course, are only a small part of what’s become a weekend affair with Wiener Dog Beauty Contests, Wiener Dog Races, live music, beer garden, Tae Kwon Do and Spotlight Dance demonstrations and much more ... such as a fire department sprinkler, corn hole tournament, inflatables, balloon designs and, yes, more.
See the Luverne Chamber website or this week’s Announcer for details.
The Friday Night Cruise ‘N Park continues the summer event with classic cars lining Main Street from 5 to 9 p.m. and the arrival of the Gray Ghost set for 6 p.m. Food trucks, live music and a beer garden round out the evening.
The rest of the weekend lineup is geared specifically for the all-school “Cardinal Pride” reunion celebration.
The Star Herald has been following these plans and compiled them in a magazine-style special section enclosed with this edition.
Also, see page 12 for the Cardinal Pride poster and visit the Luverne Chamber website for updates.

As alumni return home for Luverne’s All School Reunion this week, they may notice new developments in their hometown, including the $30 million school improvement project.
Weekend tours of the school will include the new performing arts center, new commons, kitchen and media center and updates to the 1956 high school building.
While the new district building will be a main attraction for former students, the community itself has several areas of improvement to boast.
 
Fareway coming to Luverne
One of the more visible developments is the Fareway meat market construction at Main Street and Highway 75 opening this fall.
The company also negotiated an option to buy city-owned lots across the intersection (near the liquor store) for a brand-new stand-alone meat market store.
While the Fareway construction is most conspicuous, downtown Luverne has several significant business updates, and alumni would do well to tour other parts of town to see millions of dollars of new development.
 
Premium Minnesota Pork
Premium Minnesota Pork is building a $70 million processing facility that will add nearly 100 more jobs in Luverne’s industrial park near its current pork processing facility along County Road 4 west of town.
The expansion marks a significant investment for the company that already spent $30 million in 2019 to expand the 78,000-square-foot building to 145,000 square feet.
Following a 10,000-square-foot, $7 million cooler addition, the once shuttered IBP property is now a 4,000-hog-per-day operation that employs more than 450 workers.
 
Luverne puts $14 million into wastewater improvements
PMP negotiated a wastewater treatment agreement with the city of Luverne to improve the city’s water treatment capacity.
The city, which was already planning to refurbish its 1950s equipment, approved a $14 million wastewater treatment plant construction project, and Premium Minnesota Pork agreed to pay for nearly half, $6.7 million.
With Luverne’s plant improvements, PMP is guaranteed a 300,000-gallon-per-day treatment capacity, which accommodates higher production goals.
 
Lineage announces $50 million construction of cold storage warehouse
Lineage Logistics is building a 235,000-square-foot cold storage warehouse near Premium Minnesota Pork (which will store its products in a portion of the facility).
The warehouse, with an estimated construction value of more than $50 million, will be roughly the size of four football fields and built to store food products requiring temperatures ranging from minus 20 to minus 45 degrees.
Lineage has indicated it will create up to 75 new “quality paying” jobs in the area to support the operation.
 
National Guard breaks ground on $17.5 million Readiness Center
Minnesota National Guard is building a $17.5 million Luverne Readiness Center on 15 acres west of Papik Motors along I-90.
The new 47,902-square-foot facility includes assembly halls, work bays, storage areas, classrooms, a learning center and fitness center with locker rooms.
The project received more than $6.2 million in private funds from the KAHR Foundation of Luverne native Warren Herreid II and his wife, Jeanne Rivet.
Their support accelerated the project timeline, influenced the decision to locate the new armory in Luverne, and financed an additional assembly area in the facility.
The facility is expected to be operational in 2023.
 
PrairiE Loft apartments
As local development increases, so does demand for housing for workers and their families.
In a long-awaited help for local housing shortages, an October 2021 ground-breaking set the wheels in motion for two 27-unit apartment buildings known as PrairiE Loft I and II.
The $8 million project (on the former Sharkee’s and Mert’s Repair lots) is named with a capital E for “environmental sustainability and smart building practices.”
The two buildings have one- and two-bedroom market-rate rental units on three floors with elevators and off-street parking.
They’ll be ready for occupancy this fall with rents ranging from $900 to $1,450 per month.
 
City sells 157 housing lots
Meanwhile, city leaders have created other housing opportunities.
For example, 157 city-owned lots have been developed since 1994 in the Veterans, Evergreen and Manfred Heights additions on the northeast side and Sybesma Addition on the west side.
New townhomes were built on Barck Street, along the west side of North Blue Mound Avenue, on Roundwind Road east of the pool and fitness center and in the Uithoven Addition on the west side of town.
Several future lots are planned in the Lopau Addition northwest of the Good Samaritan Society -Mary Jane Brown Home.
Also, the Schmuck Addition near the hospital was recently annexed for four more lots. Those utility connections will access 400 acres to the north for future residential growth.
 
Day care center
As state and national child care shortages continue to stifle business growth, Luverne leaders announced late in 2021 they’re tackling the issue with a day care center that would serve the needs in Rock County and surrounding area.
The city paid $515,000 for the former Tri-State Insurance Building (recently Total Card Inc.) on Roundwind Road to develop a community day care center in it.
The 1974 building (just north of the pool and fitness center) has 30,000 square feet on 4.7 acres of land, which would provide adequate outdoor “green space” required by the state for day care centers.
The city is seeking funding sources for necessary retrofits and remodeling estimated at $1.5 million as well as furnishings and equipment at roughly $2.5 million.
The intent is for the city to own, maintain and insure the building, and a commercial or non-profit day care business will operate in it.
 
Pool and Fitness Center
The Luverne Area Aquatics and Fitness center reopened this spring after completing a $5 million remodel and expansion.
Improvements include an outdoor splash pad, new locker rooms, four family changing rooms, flat space rooms for group aerobic exercise, new office space and staff area, larger rooms for 24-hour weightlifting and aerobic exercise machines and a new mechanical and heat, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
Membership fees were increased slightly, but the city of Luverne subsidizes the facility’s operations as a “quality of life” amenity for residents.
 
Loop and Ashby Trail
While the facility was closed for construction, members worked out on cardio equipment that moved temporarily into the city’s trailhead building at Main Street and Blue Mound Avenue.
The city bought the former Casey’s building as a trailhead for bicycle repair stations, public restrooms and electric car charging stations.
The Luverne Loop path connects to the Blue Mound Trail for 13 total miles of hard surface riding and walking between the city and the Blue Mounds State Park.
The final portion of The Loop is nearly finished along the Rock River south of the wastewater treatment plant to connect with the existing trail behind the Econo Lodge hotel on South Highway 75.
The Loop intersects with the 1.95-mile Christopher Martin Ashby Trail funded by Gene and Barb Ashby in memory of their late son.
The Ashby trail starts near the Rock River and winds through the city park toward County Road 9 near the Luverne Country Club.
 
Walleye Wind farm
An out-of-town but significant local development is the 109-megawatt Walleye Wind Farm in western Rock County.
NextEra is building 40 wind turbines on a 49-square-mile (31,000 acres) footprint, bringing more than 200 workers to Rock County communities and businesses.
Starting this fall, the turbines will generate $400,000 to $600,000 in annual local tax revenues and feed electricity to the Minnesota Municipal Power Agency through a 30-year agreement.

Downtown properties labeled with former occupants
The Rock County Historial Society has distributed updated information about which businesses previously occupied stores and properties on Main Street Luverne. If additions or corrections should be notes, call 507-283-2122.
 
Prairie Ally seeks workers
Volunteer workers are needed from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays at Prairie Ally public food forest for a variety of maintenance tasks. No RSVP necessary. Other work opportunities are available by appointment by contacting info@projectfoodforest.org. Donations are also welcome for Prairie Ally, which is located along Blue Mound Avenue in Luverne.
 
‘Service Over Self’
Camp July 20 at Inspiration Hills
Rock the Edge is coordinating a Service-Over-Self-inspired work day on July 20 at Inspiration Hills Camp in Inwood, Iowa. Youth who have completed grades 8 through 12 are welcome to register, with adult volunteers also needed. Deadline to register is July 14. To request a registration form, call 507-283-2316 or rocktheedgemn@gmail.com.
 
Mobile dental clinics coming to Luverne
Mobile dental clinics will be in Luverne July 21 and Aug. 3 and 4 at the Rock County Health and Human Services community room. This clinic provides dental care for adults and children of all ages. Call 612-746-1530 to schedule an appointment. All forms of insurance are accepted. Organized by #Luv1LuvAll's Rock County Oral Health Task Force.
 
Senior Nutrition Program July 21
A.C.E. of SW MN will offer Nutrition Assistance Program for Seniors 60 & older from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, July 21, as a drive thru distribution in the parking lot off Maple Street at the new A.C.E. office on the east side of Generations Event Center.  Pre-registration is required. Call 507-283-5064.
 
Food distribution is July 21
New Life Celebration Church’s third Thursday monthly food giveaway is now at the Atlas building at 101 W. Maple St. in Luverne. The next distribution is 4:30 p.m. Thursday, July 21, until the food is gone.
Enter from Maple Street and stay along the west side of the building. Parking lot opens at 3 p.m. Do not block the Redeemed Remnants parking lot, intersection or alley entrance. Food will be loaded into vehicles, which then exit via the alley going west toward Estey Street.
Call 507-283-8963 or 507-283-4366 with questions.
 
Rock County Revival July 22-24
Rock County Revival (worship, testimonies, preaching, activation) will be at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, July 22 and 23, and at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, July 24, in the Luverne City Park. Guest speaker Friday will be Charles Karuku. A free meal will be served at 5 p.m. Saturday and also on Sunday following the service.
 
Library Happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
The Adult Summer Reading Program is currently underway at the Rock County Library. For every five books read between now and Aug. 15, an entry may be placed in the drawing to win one of four gift baskets. The program is open to ages 18 and older and includes e-books and e-audiobooks.
Storytime @ the Park will be 10:30 a.m. Thursdays in various parks in Luverne.  Bring a lawn chair or a blanket. Dates and parks are:
•July 14, Kolbert.
•July 21, Veterans Memorial.
•July 28, Hawkinson.
Teens in Action (grades 5-12) will meet from 3 to 4 p.m. Thursdays. A different activity will be featured each week.
Michael Albert and POP ART program will be Friday, July 15. Registration is required.
Movie and Snacks for The Lorax begins 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 19. The movie is 1 hr. 35 min., rated G. All ages are welcome.
A naturalist from Prairie Ecology Bus Center will present the program “Animals Can Do What?” from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, for grades K-4.
The summer reading program, “Camp iRead: Read Beyond the Beaten Path,” continues to Aug. 1.
Readers in grades K-4 who completed all eight weeks of the summer program will be invited to an End of Summer Pizza Party at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4.
Teens (grades 5-12) who complete a bingo card will be invited to a pizza/prize party at 3 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 5.
Seed library is open and available to anyone in the public who wants to plant a garden. Flowers, fruit and vegetable seeds are available for free.
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration begins at 6 p.m.
Reminiscence Kits are available featuring various topics such as gardening, pets, baking, sewing, farming and hunting. The kits are designed to use with a loved one experiencing memory loss, encouraging the loved one to open up about activities they once loved in the past.
 
Register by July 14 for Luverne
Community Ed
Community Education office is closed for 2 weeks, from July 15-29. Please watch registration deadlines carefully.
Missoula Children’s Theatre returns to Luverne on August 15-20! Needed: There are openings yet for participants ages kindergarten (as attended during 21-22 school year) through age 7 and ages 12 - 18 to take part in the live production of Hansel & Gretel. Fee is $45.
Taking Defensive Driving Classes allows adults 55 years of age and older to save on insurance premiums. A four-hour refresher class will be offered on Aug. 18. The eight-hour beginner Defensive Driving class will be offered on Nov. 7 and 10.
Register now for Discovery Time preschool starting in September for your child ages 3-5 years of age. There are openings in all sections. Early Learning Scholarships may be available to those who qualify.
 
A.C.E. respite care available, volunteers needed
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota (A.C.E.) offers respite care services in Rock County for those needing a break from caring for a loved one.
The respite program offers short-term (1-3 hours), temporary care for families and caregivers by providing a brief period of reprieve from the daily cares they provide to their loved one.
Volunteers provide non-professional supportive services to caregivers to give them time for themselves, relieve their stress and help them remain healthy.
Respite care volunteers are also needed. Trained A.C.E. volunteers provide respite care to family caregivers of adults age 60 and older who are suffering from long-term health conditions.
Contact Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064 or ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us.

Just in time for summer visitors, the Herreid Military Museum’s website is ready for browsing.
It shares information about the museum and its displays while also serving as a guide to pavers surrounding the Rock County Veterans Memorial on the courthouse south lawn.
Since the memorial was dedicated in 2007, nearly 1,700 pavers have been etched with names, rank, military branch and service dates of Rock County veterans, both living and deceased.
As families visit the monument, they often spend time searching among the pavers for the one bearing their loved one’s name.
Now, they can consult herreidmilitarymuseum.org for the general area their veteran’s paver is located. Searching an alphabetical list, families can link to a map showing the highlighted area where their paver is located.
“The paver listing with the locations on a map makes it so much easier for people to find their paver,” said Chamber Director Jane Wildung Lanphere.
She credits the efforts of museum curator Terrie Gulden, former Chamber assistant Reva Sehr and high school intern Camden Hoven for successfully launching the website.
Lanphere said the site also features photographs from the Veterans Photo Show the Carnegie hosted in 2017, and she said the Chamber is hoping to add more.
“If anyone has a photo and listing they would like us to put on the website for any veteran from Rock County or with Rock County ties, we would be happy to do so,” she said.
 The Luverne Chamber, Brandenburg Gallery and Herreid Military Museums, located in the renovated jail building next to the courthouse, will host open house tours during this weekend’s Cardinal Pride all-school reunion.
Open house hours will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Four seats on the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board will be on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election.
Filing for the positions is open from Aug. 2 through Aug. 16 at the district office in Hills. Filing fee is $2.
The positions are currently held by Harley Fransman, Renee Knobloch, Ethan Rozeboom and Arlyn Gehrke.
Election filing was discussed at the June 27 meeting of the Hills-Beaver Creek School Board.
Also at that meeting the board:
•approved offering the afterschool enrichment program (PEAC) during early dismissal days.
•hired Allesia Kolles as full-time vocal instructor. She will receive a salary of $44,970 plus stipends of $1,332 and $1,612 for the secondary and elementary concerts respectively.
•hired Isabel Sylvanie as K-12 art teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Her salary is also $44,970.