Columns

George Bonnema has been gone for only a week, and already we feel his conspicuous absence. (See our front page tribute story) Who will lead Generations and be the voice of our newly energized senior citizens? Who will tend the boulevards and update the seasonal planters? Who will place fresh arrangements on tables for senior dining? Who will bake and donate award-winning carrot cake for…

Question: I am applying for a new job that will have questions about my driving record. Can I visit with someone from Law Enforcement to get a copy of that? Answer: No, this is not something that Law Enforcement agencies can provide. If you want to know what employers and insurers see, the Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division has made it easier than ever to get a copy of either your…

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older. The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on March 23, 1944. (Ole J. Skyberg's life story continues.) Mr. Skyberg is a member of the Zion Lutheran church and was one of its founders. As a…

By the time you read this, the 22-23 pheasant hunting season will have come to a close. My dad always used to tell me that if you want to see how fast time flies, take out a 90-day note at the bank. I will add to that with how time flies; just see how fast a 10-week pheasant season vanishes. I had a very good season, with more birds harvested this year over last. Like every year, the later into…

Last Tuesday the Star Herald newsroom received devastating news from the Luverne community. Josh Stroh, a 15-year-old student at LHS, died at home, another precious child lost to suicide. Our hearts instantly hurt, the shocking news momentarily bringing office chatter to a halt. In the silence, the news began to sink in and my reporter instincts began to rise. I asked myself, is this incident…

Question: I do a lot of over-the-road traveling for work. Can I stop and stretch my legs along the freeway? Answer: Do not stop on the interstate or along the roadway. The only time you can stop on the freeway is for emergencies. Use the freeway exits/off-ramps and pull off onto the shoulder and park. If you are in need, Minnesota offers several rest areas throughout our great state. According…

I started writing this column before we had our office potluck Christmas party over the lunch hour in the office. There are only 10 of us, but we had enough food for twice that number. There are some very accomplished cooks among us. About the only one that may lack in the culinary experience department might be Wyatt, our sales associate. Wyatt took the bold approach and volunteered to make…

As we usher out another year, we look ahead to a new year of possibilities and experiences. Looking back, I reflect on the sports I have covered, the people I have met, the places I have been able to go, and things I was able to do in my job as the sports editor: •all the miles I’ve driven for LHS and H-BC events, Redbird baseball playoffs, and state competitions in St. Paul. •the thousands of…

So, when does an afternoon pheasant hunt turn into a nature walk? Every hunt is a nature walk, but normally at least a few of those nature walks will result in a pheasant or two in the game vest. Late season is far harder than hunting the young and dumb ones that had never been busted by a dog. There is a certain challenge in hunting last season roosters and it is a challenge I enjoy, but this…

I was going to write a column on my favorite five Christmas movies, but the more I thought about the Christmas movies I enjoyed, the more it made me think about family traditions. My favorite family traditions are quite unique and maybe wouldn’t fall directly into the “traditional” category. We celebrate Christmas Eve on my mother’s side with a very unorthodox family meal that’s also my…

Question: My question is why electric cars and trucks do not have front license plates? These are all from Minnesota which is required by law.  They are not from out of state. Answer: Electric vehicles are required to have a front license plate in Minnesota, this is a common equipment violation. Minnesota State Statute (M.S.S.) 169.79 states: “No person shall operate, drive or park a motor…

When is the last time someone did something really impressive and you had more fun watching than if you had done that impressive thing yourself?  It happens to me all the time in the outdoors. Watching someone harvest or catch their personal best in just about any category is pretty easy to get excited about. My son Brandon moved home from the Denver, Colorado, area about a year ago, and now I…

  Watching Dianne and Rodger Ossenfort play the role of Mr. and Mrs. Claus at the annual Winterfest “Photos with Santa” event is a wonder to behold. Both have the solid emotional core required to press on in spite of being the reason several small children have become sobbing, weeping banshees clinging to their mothers. Undaunted, each child is asked what he or she wants for Christmas.…

Mary and I spend a fair amount of time driving around town after dark checking out the Christmas decorations. Frankly, the city park has never looked better. It’s just another example of Luverne doing it right. The gigantic inflatable Santa recently went up at the home on the corner of Highway 75 and Dodge Street, and it’s a perfect spot for him. It’s like he’s out there saying, “Merry Christmas…

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older. The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on March 16, 1944. A 26-year-old Clay county, Minnesota, farmer rode into Fargo, North Dakota, on top a load of choice prairie hay one day in 1897. As…

When we decorated the Star Herald office for Christmas, our sports reporter, Greg Hoogeveen, added some holiday cheer to his own workspace with an electric leg lamp. I laughed out loud when I saw it — the warm glow from a fringed lamp shade atop a shapely plastic high-heeled leg in fishnet stockings. It's parked in the center of the newsroom, and I hope our customers are familiar with the…