Opinion

September is Suicide Prevention Month — a time to raise awareness of an urgently important crisis. The goal this month is to shift public perception, spread hope and share vital information with people affected by suicide. Ultimately, we want to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to resources they need to discuss suicide prevention and to seek help. How can you help?…

Thanks for supporting veterans Letter to the Editor: As president of the American Legion Auxiliary in Luverne, our busy season starts with Memorial Day when seeking donations with poppy posters and then poppy sales the last Friday in May. Our many thanks to all the businesses and our community who so generously supported our fundraiser. One hundred percent of the monies we receive gets used…

Ten years. It was September 2014 when I started working as a full-time reporter at the Star Herald. A decade’s worth of time capturing the local news and happenings of Rock County. It seems like time has just sped by, and yet it doesn’t. I’ve attended hundreds of meetings and events … talked to hundreds of sources and completed hundreds of stories. I’ve been there for times of joy and…

We get two magazines at the Peterson household on a regular basis, one being AARP and the other is the Pheasants Forever magazine. The AARP gets a quick thumb-through until I spot an article of interest. The Pheasants Forever is read cover to cover by me … Mary not so much. The most recent issue of the Pheasants Forever magazine is something they call the Upland Bird Hunting Super Issue 2024.…

When Luverne voters cast ballots in the general election this fall, they will have choices in local leadership. Luverne Mayor Pat Baustian is being challenged by Isaac DeBoer for the privilege and responsibility of guiding city government. Two open seats on the Luverne City Council will be contested on the general election ballot. Josh Gangestad is challenging longtime council member Dan Nath…

The wedding of our youngest daughter, Katherine, to her man of many years, Dylan, last Saturday was a mountaintop experience. Literally. They got married on a mountaintop. It was dark when we headed west out of Denver toward Boulder. I rode in the back seat through several miles of hairpin turns as we ascended the wedding mountain. I was flanked by two granddaughters, one of whom spilled a…

Question: I’ve been helping my neighbor prep for sale a 1955 Ford pickup that has been in her family since new.  I noticed the other day that the VIN plate is missing from the glove box door (the rivet holes are still there).  It must have been lost by the body shop that painted the truck about 15 years ago, and is now out of business.  I was able to locate the VIN stamped into the frame and it…

Green: We the people must decide our nation's path ahead with our votes Letter to the Editor: In a letter published a few weeks ago, I expressed the opinion that when voters are considering which political party to vote for on Nov. 5, they should consider which party and candidate are most aligned with the U.S. Constitution. Voters have now seen both the Republican National Convention (RNC) and…

As students prepare for the start of the fall school year, the American Red Cross offers essential safety tips to help ensure a smooth, safe start to the school year. Whether walking, biking or taking the bus, consider these practical tips for safety.  Teach your younger students key safety skills: Ensure they know their phone number, address, and how to reach you or another trusted adult at…

Matt and I were married 10 years ago, on Sept. 6, 2014, and we came across my wedding column titled “Cross-county courtship results in marriage — and new byline for the editor.” The column shared that Matt and I knew each other professionally through his work in the State Patrol and mine in the media. We connected personally in December 2005 when he responded to a playful request for Christmas…

Had a bit of a weird experience the other evening. It was more of an odd observation. Mary and I stopped at the new Alibi bar and restaurant on the east side of Sioux Falls on Highway 42 between Sioux Falls and Brandon. If you take the back way to Sioux Falls, you might remember the old Alibi Bar on the corner of Highway 42 and Six-mile Road. It’s fair to say the old Alibi was a bit of a dive.…

Government “by the people” depends on voters having the information needed to select leaders who will serve their interests. At the Star Herald we’re working hard to inform our readers about their election choices. We published candidate profiles ahead of last week’s primary election, and we’ll offer similar profiles ahead of the general election. Our Rock County voters will have choices in…

Sometimes it’s good to step outside your box.  Other times it might be good to step off the dock and into a small fishing boat.  In my experience last weekend, the two mean the same thing.  As a teacher, my summer ends this week. It’s been a great summer and I’m always thankful for the opportunity to rejuvenate and reset for the new school year.  My last opportunity for rejuvenation came last…

Question: Since I've moved to Minnesota, I've seen many drivers use right turn lanes as a bypass lane.  Is this legal or does the sign reading "lane must turn" mean exactly what it says? Answer: White signs are regulatory and failing to comply can result in a citation for “fail to obey traffic control sign/signal.” “Right Turn Lanes” are what they are posted for, not passing or bypassing. The “…

Minnesota students who use e-cigarettes, also called vaping, are finding them-selves increasingly trapped in nicotine dependence, according to new data from the Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey. About 7 in 10 students who vape want to quit, and nearly two-thirds have tried to quit, with some trying to quit 10 or more times. Nicotine dependence has implications for youth mental health. Youth and…

Two months ago I wrote about how my mother blossomed into a different person since moving into Tuff Home in Hills late last year. For as long as I can remember, she mainly showed her stubborn side and rarely let a softer side of her personality shine. On Sunday, at the age of 96, and after living a full life on her own terms, my mother died. Her service is today (Aug. 15), and I agreed to…