Opinion

Steps through life are very straightforward. As children we’re told we’ll attend school when we’re old enough and we’re encouraged to achieve a high school diploma. Then we embark on a 50-year journey working at a job or advancing a career before retiring. Some of us get married, have children and become grandparents. And then we die. Instructions for the first three-fourths of my life have…

My wife, daughter and granddaughters, not to mention a couple of Star Herald staff members, are sporting permanent bracelets these days. Personally, I had never heard of such a thing until just recently. Apparently, a permanent bracelet is just that – permanent. Go figure. If you’re in the dark on this like I was, let me clue you in on how this works. In my case, our daughter made an…

Question: I am puzzled as to why seat belts are mandatory in vehicles along with a fine for not complying, but our precious cargo in school buses are not required to wear them? Answer: School buses are one of the safest modes of transportation even without seatbelts. School buses are safer because of their large size and design. School bus interiors are designed on “compartmentalization”, which…

By Scott Rall There is so much going on at the Capitol it’s hard for the average outdoor guy to follow it all. I have two issues I want to share. One will be this week and the second to follow in my next column. The first is of the native tribes and the land give-backs that have happened and several others that are proposed to happen if certain bills pass this session or any session for that…

Law enforcement agencies and traffic safety partners are dedicating extra time in April to educate motorists and enforce the hands-free cell phone law while stopping other distracting behaviors. Distracted driving contributed to nearly 30,000 crashes in Minnesota from 2019-2023 (preliminary figures). The distracted driving extra enforcement and awareness campaign runs April 1-30 and focuses on…

One of the last pictures of my mom is of her in the garden picking zinnias. We actually used it for the cover of her funeral folder. She’s smiling at the camera, clippers in one hand and a bunch of fresh-cut zinnias in the other. We had no idea that 12 short weeks later, cancer would take her from the garden and from us. Her beautiful silver hair glistens in the sunshine. Her blue eyes twinkle…

Hohn and collectors: 'We give Luverne a five-star rating'   To the Editor: The Siouxland Collectors of Sioux Falls hosted the Minneapolis Moline Collectors Inc. Winter Show in Luverne March 21, 22 and 23 at the Big Top events center.  We chose Luverne for its location and facilities that help make this event a success.  We would like to thank the residents and businesses of Luverne for…

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison is warning consumers of ongoing imposters targeting people across the Midwest. The warning follows a recent cyberattack against the UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, Change Healthcare, the largest health care payment system in the United States. The attack destabilized the health care industry across the country, and opportunistic criminals are taking…

Friday started cold and gray, but inside the elementary school gymnasium in Beaver Creek, the atmosphere was bright and festive. It was Pie Day (not the math day for pi), the day Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary kids could throw pies at the H-BC High School kids. It was a long-awaited and highly anticipated event following a weekslong Penny War between student councils — the littles vs. the teens…

Last month, February had an extra day, yet it always is the shortest month every year. March has its regular complement of 31 days as always, but for some reason it seems to have gone on forever. One thought as to why March seems to never end this year is because we’ve had a hint of four different seasons the last four weeks. Sub-freezing temps followed by mid-summer temps. Throw in a touch of…

Harnack: 'Am I here all alone?' Am I here all alone?!   From the moment I could listen, My parents said to me, “Always treat people with respect, The way you want to be.”   They also told me not to boast, Don’t brag, don’t bully, or lie, ’cause you will have to answer to these, The moment that you die.   I learned the “Sermon on the Mount,” Memorized the “Beatitudes.” But, it seems…

Tuesday, March 19, was National Agriculture Day with the theme, “Agriculture: Growing a Climate for Tomorrow.” The celebration includes virtual and in-person events nationwide, and in Luverne, “Ag Day” became “Ag Week” at the Rock County Library. Library staff teamed up with Rock County Farm Bureau members and local ag businesses to celebrate agriculture. Monday was “Farm Show and Tell” as…

Next week the Star Herald will publish its annual Home, Lawn and Garden special section. For this year’s feature in that edition, I interviewed Madison Ziegler who recently started Carzel Interior Solutions in Luverne. Among other things, her business finds solutions to the clutter we tend to collect in our homes. After talking with Madison, I’ve decided to do some decluttering by joining…

State Representative Joe Schomacker (R-Luverne) said good and bad can be found in Minnesota's latest economic update. Our state’s fiscal experts are projecting that Minnesota will see a $3.7 billion budget surplus for the remainder of the current budget term. But in the next budget cycle a $1.5 billion budget deficit is expected. “The economy is stronger than what we were told it would be back…

Minnesotans seek assistance from U.S. government agencies for a variety of reasons — whether it’s to get an answer about Social Security, access to veterans benefits, or assistance with renewing a passport. But, too often bureaucratic red tape gets in the way. That’s why our state office makes it a priority to cut through this red tape to get action and answers. Last year alone, our office…

This week, March 10-16, is National Sunshine Week, which celebrates and brings awareness to free and open access to public information and an accountable government. And it sheds light on the importance of community journalists in keeping the public informed. Laws requiring open meetings and public data exist for everyone, but journalists are trained to navigate the sometimes complicated avenues…