Two Luverne High School girls’ basketball team players earned Big South All-Conference honors for their play during the 2021-22 season.
Brooklynn Ver Steeg, a senior, and Elizabeth Wagner, a junior, were among 10 players in the west division to be named to the All-Conference team.
Junior Christina Wagner and sophomore Kira John received honorable mention.
Luverne finished the year with a 9-3 record and was second in the west division.
Other west division schools include first-place Marshall (12-0), Worthington, Jackson County Central, Windom Area, Pipestone Area and Redwood Valley.

What can you do this time of year that is outdoors- related? One of them is to start practicing whatever shooting discipline you enjoy. 
I have a really hard time understanding how some of my avid pheasant hunting friends will comment when they head out on opening day that they never practiced shooting all summer.
I am a shotgun guy through and through. I expend hundreds if not thousands of rounds practicing so when that wily rooster pops up in front of me, he ends up in my hunting vest.
When it comes to rifle shooting, I am a complete amateur. I have never really had a desire to be one of those super intense guys or gals that can put five shots on a target at 500 yards or longer and all of the bullet holes touch each other in the bull’s eye.
This was until about three years ago. My Pheasants Forever chapter hosts a veterans appreciation hunt every year, and I met a guy named Todd Van Langen.  He is a 25-year special forces veteran who is now completely disabled. He still gets around OK but can no longer serve his county. The man is well recognized as one of the best shooters in the world.
As a thank you for inviting him to our event, he offered to put on a long-range shooting clinic as a fundraiser for our chapter.  This will be the third year he has traveled from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Worthington to instruct such a class. The dates of this year’s class are May 21 and 22.
The class is limited to 12 participants, and the cost is $750 per shooter. A husband-wife team is counted as one shooter, and any adult child pairing is also considered one shooter for fee purposes. I watched and organized the first class and actually took the class the second year.
We had a variety of different skill level participants over those two years, ranging from dedicated shooters wanting to improve their skills to the average deer hunter wanting to gain some confidence when putting the crosshairs on a big deer, elk or other big game.
The class touts that any participant will be able to make accurate shots out past 700 yards with confidence.
I looked at myself and said that sure isn’t going to be the case for me. Todd went back to North Carolina and built me a rifle from a vast array of spare parts he had accumulated over the years.
They are called skeleton guns. I have a hard time telling a $10,000 rifle from an $800 one. Other shooters had some specialty guns made specifically for long-range shooting, and others had $350 guns purchased from their uncles.
The two-day class has a half day of class time instruction and 1 1/2 days of pure range shooting. I have a range set up on one of my wildlife properties that allows for shots out to 880 yards.
Todd once told me that long-range rifle shooting is all math. You do the calculations, make adjustments and pull the trigger.  Wing shooting, on the other hand, is all instinct.
There is no ballistics table you can use to determine the lead on a pheasant winging 45 mph angling away at 45 degrees with an uphill trajectory of 20 degrees in a 30-mph wind.
We used some very sophisticated apps on my phone to dial in all of the math calculations for the velocity, weight and ballistic coefficient of the bullet along with wind speed and direction. After a basic understanding on my part, I went to the range with 11 other shooters to see what we might be able to accomplish.
Ten of the 12 participants had never shot at a target more than 300 yards away.  By the end of the two days, each and every shooter including me was hitting the 880-yard target three out of every five attempts on average. Some did even much better than that.
I am now hooked deep into this very challenging pastime. The limiting factor for me is the competition for time from other outdoor activities and the cost of ammunition.
If you would like some more information about this very unique opportunity, reach out to me at scottarall@gmail.com. All proceeds will benefit wildlife habitat across Minnesota.
The class is limited to 12 participants, and three of the spots are already filled. Act now to become a better shooter even if your goal is small holes in paper targets or a clean kill on the buck of a lifetime. You might very well get hooked like I did.
 
Scott Rall, Worthington, is a habitat conservationist, avid hunting and fishing enthusiast and is president of Nobles County Pheasants Forever. He can be reached at scottarall@gmail.com. or on Twitter @habitat champion.

Easter gives us great joy and at the same time immense sorrow. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection are all part of the Easter account.
Easter and the season of Lent reminds us of the sinful state of humanity. 
Adam and Eve couldn’t keep one command. They were told not to eat of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, yet they blatantly rejected God and ate of the fruit. This resulted in every person being born a sinner. “Just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all man (humanity) because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
The Apostle Paul tells us that “no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” (Romans 3:11-12) The Bible says we will all – every person who has lived, is living or will live, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, popular or unpopular, kind or mean – everyone will give an account to God for their life.
As you reflect on your life this season of Lent, remember what the Bible says about every person who has ever lived, is living or will live in the future. We are all sinners and have turned our back on God.
The account doesn’t stop with us wallowing in sin with no hope. Yes, we are all sinners, but the great news of Easter is that Jesus came to earth and lived a sin-free life, went to the cross to atone for our sins.
We do not deserve God’s love. We cannot earn his love. No matter how good we are, we can never do enough.
Lent reminds us of our sinfulness and Easter the celebration of the forgiveness of sin for all who “confess with your (their) mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your (their) heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9-10).
Remember you sin, confess your sin, repent of your sin and rejoice in the free gift of salvation because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross of Calvary.

St. Catherine Catholic Church
203 E. Brown St., Luverne
St. Catherine Ph. 283-8502; www.stscl.org
Monsignor Gerald Kosse, Pastor
Sundays 8:30 a.m. Mass. Public Mass will be celebrated at FULL capacity in the church. Masses: 9 a.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Friday at the nursing homes – check the bulletin. All Sunday masses will be live streamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pg/stccluverne/videos/. Visit www.stscl.org for more information.
 
Luverne Christian Reformed Church
605 N. Estey St., Luverne
Office Ph. 283-8482; Prayer Line Ph. 449-5982
www.luvernecrc.com — office@luvernecrc.com
Sundays 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 6:30 p.m. Evening worship service. We are streaming Sunday services live on YouTube at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Send him a friend request if you’re not connected. You may also visit our website for delayed broadcasts. Also our services are on local cable TV at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. In all circumstances, may we joyfully declare: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8.
 
First Baptist Church
103 N. Jackson St., P.O. Box 975, Luverne
Ph. 283-4091; email: fbcluv@iw.net — www.fbcluverne.org
Walt Moser, Pastor
Sundays, 10:30 a.m. In-person worship service. Service is also on Facebook Live at 10:30 a.m.
 
Grace Lutheran Church
500 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4431; www.graceluverne.org — graceluverne@iw.net
Ann Zastrow, Pastor
Dave Christenson, Interim Pastor
Thursday, March 24: 8:30 a.m. Missions in Action. Sunday, March 27: 9 a.m. Worship Service with baptism. 10 a.m. Sunday School and fellowship coffee. 10 a.m. 5th grade First Communion class. 1:30 p.m. Worship at Mary Jane Brown Home. 2:15 p.m. Worship at Poplar Creek. 4:30 p.m. Senior High Youth Night. 5 p.m. Worship service. 6:30 p.m. Transitional Task Force meeting. Tuesday, March 29: 8:30 a.m. Grace Notes assembly. 9 a.m. Staff meeting. 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 30: 7 a.m. Men’s Bible study. 5th grade break-making after school. 5-6:30 p.m. Lenten supper. 6:45 p.m. Lenten service. Voices of Grace rehearsal after Lenten service. Online, TV and Radio Worship options are available. Online: Sundays 9 a.m. on the church website www.graceluverne.org, click Worship tab or go directly to our Facebook page at Grace Lutheran ELCA, Luverne. TV: Vast Channel 3 will air our worship service Mondays at 4:30 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m. Radio: KQAD-AM Radio will air our worship service on Sundays at 8:15 a.m.
 
Bethany Lutheran Church
720 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4571 or 605-215-9834
Andrew Palmquist, Pastor
Sundays, 10:15 a.m. Worship service; worship online as well (at els.org). Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Zoom Bible study. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Lenten Vespers. See our Facebook page, Bethany Lutheran Church (Luverne) for other classes and events.
 
American Reformed Church
304 N. Fairview Dr., Luverne
Ph. 283-8600; email: office@arcluverne.org
Thursday, March 24: 5:30 p.m. Tumbling Tykes. Friday, March: 25: 6:3o a.m. Community Men’s Bible study. Sunday, March 27: 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. 10:50 a.m. Sunday school. Monday, March 28: 2 p.m. Movie Monday. 6:30 p.m. VBS work night. Tuesday, March 29: 12 p.m. Staff meeting. Wednesday, March 30: 5:30 p.m. Midweek Meal. 6:30 p.m. Pioneer Club. 6:30 p.m. Jr. and Sr. High youth groups. Thursday, March 31: 5:30 p.m. Tumbling Tykes. Services are also broadcast on Vast Channel 3 on Mondays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. DVD’s available upon request. To stay up to date on announcements, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @arcluverne.
 
Rock River Community Church (formerly First Assembly of God)
1075 110th Ave., 2 miles west of Luverne on County Rd. 4
Ph. 612-800-1255; email info@rockrivercommunity.church
Bob Junak, Pastor; Annette Junak, Assistant Pastor
Sundays, 9 a.m. Sunday school; 10 a.m. Worship service. Children’s church for ages 3-6th grade and nursery for ages 0-3 provided during our services. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Worship service. All services are in-person and all are welcome.
 
United Methodist Church
109 N. Freeman Ave., Luverne
Ph. 283-4529
Wednesday, March 23: 5:30 p.m. Community Meal. 6:15 p.m. FUEL. 6:30 p.m. Confirmation. 7 p.m. Lenten service at UMC with First Presbyterian. 8 p.m. AA meeting. Saturday, March 26: 8 p.m. AA meeting. Sunday, March 27: 9 a.m. Adult Sunday school. 9:15 a.m. Coffee. 10:30 a.m. Worship service. 4:30 p.m. Genesis/Revelation Bible study. Tuesday, March 29: 9:30 a.m. Folding Team. Wednesday, March 30: 6:15 p.m. FUEL. 6:30 p.m. Confirmation. 7 p.m. Lenten service at UMC with First Presbyterian. 8 p.m. AA meeting. Live streamed on Facebook and radio.
 
First Presbyterian Church
302 Central Lane, Luverne
Ph. 283-4787; email: Firstpc@iw.net
Sunday, March 27: 8-9:15 a.m. Senior high French toast brunch. 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 10:30 a.m. Sunday school. Monday, March 28: 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Quilting group. Wednesday, March 30: 5:15 p.m. Bells. 6 p.m. Choir. 7 p.m. Lenten service at United Methodist Church. Session to follow service. In-person Worship service and live on Facebook. Our Facebook page can be found under First Presbyterian Church of Luverne. We are also on the local Luverne cable station at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and 10 a.m. on Thursdays.
 
St. John Lutheran Church
803 N. Cedar St., Luverne
Ph. 283-2316; email: stjohn@iw.net
www.stjohnlutheranluverne.org
Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, Pastor
Saturday, March 26: 5:30 p.m. Worship with Communion. Sunday, March 27: 9 a.m. Worship with Communion. 10:15 a.m. Adult Bible class; Sunday School. 11:20 Junior Choir. Monday, March 28: 1 p.m. Quilting. 3 p.m. Youth Pizza Ranch Fundraiser. Wednesday, March 30: 9:30 a.m. Bible study. 6 p.m. Lent Worship. 6:30 p.m. Supper. 7 p.m. Kids for Christ; Confirmation; Choir. 7:30 p.m. High School Youth Group. Services will be available on the Vast Channel 3 Sunday and online at the city website, cityofluverne.org.
 
Living Rock Church
500 E. Main St., Luverne
Ph. 449-0057; www.livingrockswmn.org
Billy Skaggs, Pastor
 
New Life Celebration Church
101 W. Maple, Luverne
Ph. (605) 368-1924; email: newlifecelebration@gmail.com
Food mission every third Thursday.
 
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
305 E. 2nd St., P.O. Box 36, Hardwick
Ph. (507) 669-2855; zionoffice@alliancecom.net
Jesse Baker, Pastor
Sunday, March 27: 9 a.m. Worship service. 10:15 a.m. Sunday School. 10:30 a.m. Bible study. Worship service on Luverne cable at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday and Friday.
 
Ben Clare United Methodist Church
26762 Ben Clare Ave., Valley Springs, S.D.
igtwlb@WOW.net
Bill Bates, Pastor
 
First Lutheran Church
300 Maple St., Valley Springs, S.D.
Ph. (605) 757-6662
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, March 27: 9 a.m. Worship at First Lutheran. 10 a.m. Sunday school. Masks are strongly recommended, but not required, even if fully vaccinated. Worship will be streamed live on Facebook Video worship via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdQwVxFcU4
 
Palisade Lutheran Church
211 121st St., Garretson, S.D.
Ph. (507) 597-6257 — firstpalisade@alliancecom.net
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, March 27: 9:30 a.m. Sunday School. 10:30 a.m. Worship at Palisade Lutheran. Masks are strongly recommended, but not required, even if fully vaccinated. Worship will be streamed live on Facebook. Video worship via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHdQwVxFcU4
 
First Presbyterian Church
201 S. 3rd St., P.O Box 73, Beaver Creek
Ph. 507-935-5025
email: lori.firstpres@gmail.com
Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. Second Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. Session meeting.
 
Magnolia United Methodist Church
501 E. Luverne St., Magnolia
Ph. 605-215-3429
email: magnoliamnumc@gmail.com
Nancy Manning, Pastor
Sunday, 9 a.m., in-person with livestream available on the church’s Facebook site.
 
Steen Reformed Church
112 W. Church Ave., Steen
Ph. 855-2336
Jeremy Wiersema, Pastor
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Worship service in-person with livestream available on Facebook and YouTube. Radio worship on KQAD Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
 
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
112 N. Main St., Hills
Ph. 962-3270
Sunday, March 27: 9 a.m. Worship at Tuff Chapel. 10 a.m. Worship with Holy Communion. 9 a.m. Sunday School. 7-8:30 p.m. Youth group meets. Worship will be streamed live to Facebook at Bethlehem of Hills. You can find more info on our website blchills.org. Tuesday, March 29: 2 p.m. Tuff Home Bible study. 3:30 p.m. Tuff Village Bible study. Wednesday, March 30: 9 a.m. Quilting. 6 p.m. Confirmation. 7 p.m. Social/dessert time. 7:15 p.m. Wednesday night worship service.
 
Hills United Reformed Church
410 S. Central Ave., Hills
Office Ph. 962-3254
hillsurc@alliancecom.net
Alan Camarigg, Pastor

City Planning Commission
public hearing set for March 28
 
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICTE IS HEREBY GIVEN, by the City Planning Commission that a public hearing will be held in the Council Chambers located in the City Offices
Building, 305 East Luverne Street, Luverne, Minnesota, commencing at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, March 28, 2022. The purpose of the hearing is to rule and make recommendation to the Luverne City Council on the following:
1. A Preliminary Plat of the Schmuck Addition.
2. Amendments to City Code Chapter 153, Section 153.055. Residential
Uses, (D) Residential; Accessory Structures and Uses, (2) Attached/detached
accessory structures and uses.
All persons desiring to be heard on these matters should be present at the hearing
or present written comments prior to the hearing to the Building Official, PO
Box 659, Luverne, MN 56156. Anyone needing reasonable accommodations
or an interpreter should contact the City Clerk’s Office, 305 East Luverne Street,
Luverne, MN. (507) 449-9898.
By order of the Luverne City Planning Commission, Luverne, Minnesota,
this 17th day of March, 2022.
Jessica Mead
City Clerk
(03-17)

City of Luverne adopts
Ordinance No. 26
ORDINANCE NO. 26, FOURTH SERIES
 AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE REDISTRICTING OF
CITY ELECTION WARDS, AMENDING CITY CODE, SECTION 30.04
THE CITY OF LUVERNE DOES HEREBY ORDAIN:
SECTION 1. Whereas the United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, has completed the 2020 Census, the City Council, in compliance with Minnesota Statutes 204B.135 and City Charter Section 1.05, hereby reapportions
and redistricts the City election wards by the adoption of this ordinance. 
SEC. 2.  City Code, Sec. 30.04, is hereby amended in its entirety to read as follows:
SEC. 30.04. ELECTION WARD BOUNDARIES. In compliance with State law and City Charter, the City of Luverne shall be divided into two wards by a
line running generally in an easterly and westerly direction.
  A. Ward Number 1 (North) shall consist of that portion of the City lying
north of the following described line:
Commencing at the center line of Dodge Street and the west boundary of the City’s corporate limits; thence east along the center line of said Dodge Street to the intersection of Kniss Avenue; thence south along the center line of Kniss Avenue to the intersection of Crawford Street; thence east along the center line of Crawford Street to the intersection of Blue Mound Avenue; thence south along the center line of Blue Mound Avenue to the intersection of Main Street; thence east along the center line of Main Street to the most easterly portion of the east boundary of the City’s corporate limits.
B. Ward Number 2 (South) shall consist of all that part of the City which
is not located within Ward Number 1 described above.
C. New Annexations. Unless otherwise specifically provided by ordinance,
any newly annexed property to the City lying north of the dividing line between Ward Number 1 and Ward Number 2 and the easterly and westerly extensions thereof
shall be upon such annexation a part of Ward Number 1, and any property lying
south of said boundary line and the easterly and westerly extensions thereof
shall upon said annexation be part of Ward Number 2.
D. This section shall be effective and shall govern the 2022 City and State
primary election and all elections held thereafter, and shall further, in accordance
with the City Charter, govern the election of City officials to be elected at the City's general
election in 2022 and thereafter.
SEC. 3.  This ordinance takes full force and effect seven (7) days after its publication.
(03-17)

Conditional use permit hearing set for March 28
Notice of Public Hearing for Conditional Use Permit
Pursuant to the Rock County Zoning Ordinance, notice is hereby given by the Rock County Planning and Zoning Commission that a public hearing will be held at the Rock County Law Enforcement Center located at 1000 North Blue Mound Avenue, Luverne, Minnesota, at 7:00 p.m., Monday March 28, 2022. The purpose of this hearing is to rule on the application for Conditional Use Permit for the following:
Applicant: Wm. Scepaniak, Inc.
Property Owner: Kevin Rozeboom
Location: W 1/2 of the SW 1/4 of Section 28 of Battle Plain Township, T104N, R44W, Rock County, 
Minnesota
Conditional Use: Gravel mining, stockpiling, and processing
Zoning District: A-2, General Agriculture
 
Applicant: Hard Rock Aggregate, Inc.
Property Owner: Southwest Minnesota Land Partnership, LLP 
Location: E 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of Section 23 of Denver 
Township, T104N, R45W, Rock County, 
Minnesota
Conditional Use: Extraction, processing, and stockpiling quarried aggregates 
Zoning District: A-2, General Agriculture    
 
Applicant: Central Specialties
Property Owner: Spring Lake Express
Location: NW 1/4 of Section 13 of Vienna Township, 
T103N, R44W, Rock County, Minnesota
Conditional Use: Placement and operation of a temporary hot 
mix asphalt plant
Zoning District: A-2, General Agriculture
 
Applicant: Central Specialties
Property Owner: Bremik Materials, Inc.
Location: E 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of Section 23 of Denver 
Township, T104N, R45W, Rock County, 
Minnesota
Conditional Use: Placement and operation of a temporary hot 
mix asphalt plant 
Zoning District: A-2, General Agriculture
 
By Order of the Rock County Planning and Zoning Commission
Eric Hartman, Zoning Administrator
311 W. Gabrielson Road
Luverne, MN 56156
507-283-8862
(03-17, 03-24)