column

Standing in the middle of Main Street Luverne during Thursday’s Hot Dog Night, I heard a small voice ask, “Are you a newspaper reporter?” Mary (Galagan) Arnold, LHS Class of 1972, was the voice behind the question. With an affirming smile she explained that nine members of her family came to Luverne. One, her son-in-law Kendall Rhyne, set attending Hot Dog Night as a bucket list item. He wasn…

 “Be a george” week has been underway for a few days now. I am just checking to see if you have been a george or if you have been the recipient of a george act, or maybe both. As I am typing this column, I am trying to be a george, but my computer is testing me. Every time I type the name George with a small “g,” my computer changes it to a capital “G.” While this is frustrating, it’s another…

With a break from the rains, I was willing to venture outside a bunch this past week. My rain gauge in Nobles County had 15.2 inches of rain over the past few weeks. The grass is tall, the mosquitoes are as big as fighter jets, and there are certainly a lot of them. With all of my food plots tended to and much of the “to do” list completed, I opted for an afternoon of clay bird shooting. A…

Melvin was not really a stray cat. He was obviously a cat that someone had loved and lost or, God forbid, loved and dumped at the edge of town. I introduced him to you in April. “It was just after the Big Chill a few weeks ago that Melvin appeared by our back door.  The big orange tabby was also a few feet from death’s door. He had a cut on his face, a broken tail, a gimpy leg and hadn’t had a…

I recently spent five days in New York City — my third trip there but my first time staying in the heart of Manhattan near Times Square.  I think few vacation destinations in the United States can be more different from Luverne than Midtown Manhattan.  The height and number of buildings. The crowds and constant rush of the people. The traffic jams and nonstop, pointless honking.  The sheer…

When I received my annual Minnesota registration renewal notice reminder letter in the mail a couple of weeks ago, it came as no surprise. The tabs on my vehicle come due in July. My vehicle is old enough and then some to qualify for the lowest renewal fee. It wasn’t too many years ago that my tabs cost me in the $40 range, but now it’s $96.75. Well, kind of. Roughly 30 percent of the increase…

Betty Mann, our beloved community historian, is a self-proclaimed crier. “I cry at the drop of a hat,” she says. “I cry when I’m sad, I cry when I’m glad and I cry when I’m mad.” She said if her husband encountered her in tears, he’d ask, “What is it this time?” She jokes about her tears, but as a self-proclaimed non-crier I’m a bit jealous, because I’ve learned the benefits of a good cry. I…

I went on one heck of a road trip last week. I decided to go see the world, or more precisely, a large part of the state of Minnesota. It was part adventure, part volunteer work, and part a small-paying side hustle. I am a very passionate supporter of public lands. These are often referred to as state or federal lands. I call them citizen-owned lands.  This means that every acre of a Wildlife…

Father’s Day meant a three-generation gathering at our Hardwick farm. There was food, an air-conditioned garage and a recently purchased jungle gym to keep the youngest generation busy. Laughs and a good meal were shared by all the families involved. Family, I’ve realized, has a myriad of definitions. A more traditional definition of family is those related by birth or marriage. Another…

This past Sunday was Father’s Day, and I think most dads would say every day is Father’s Day. Sure, some of those days being a dad can be a bit troublesome, but for the most part every day being a dad is a good day. Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Sept. 11 (not because of 9-11) and Father’s Day are the days I think about and remember my dad the most. Memorial Day and Veterans Day were the two days…

While most mothers of the bride spend months planning a daughter’s wedding, I’ve spent months wondering if there is something I’m supposed to be doing.  Our youngest, Kate, who is getting married Aug. 31, will never be called a Bridezilla.  “She said yes to the dress” on Facebook Marketplace. She asked her (one) bridesmaid to wear “whatever.”  I’m not even sure if I’m supposed to wear a dress…

I recently spent the day in the boat with a professional fishing guide by the name of Travis Frank. You might recognize this name as he is also the host of the Pheasants Forever television show called “The Flush.” Travis is a fully jammed up guy with a schedule this 63-year-old could never manage. He works for Ron Shara Productions and hosts several shows and is involved with the production of…

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 June 15, 1944. Adolf Steinfeldt’s life story continues as his blacksmith business takes off.   Horseshoeing was a big business for a time, and Mr…

When you have two people in the same household who could use a little aid in the hearing department, it can make for some trying times. If one of those two people needs a little more aid than the other, they should be the one to get the hearing aid first. So now you have a household of two people, one hearing much better, and the other one not so much. When the hearing deficiencies were on a…

I love an underdog. Always have. I’m GenX, so my list includes old ones. Rudy. Hoosiers. Miracle?! I suppose some recent ones I’ve seen aren’t even that new. The Hunger Games. Or Inside Out, when Joy finally recognizes the importance of Sadness. I love watching someone who is unlikely to win, sticks to their craft with perseverance and hope, overcomes the odds, and wins. Never gets old.…

The Rock County Star Herald last week published its Class of 2024 graduation special edition. It features photographs of graduating seniors with information about their high school involvement and future plans. We enjoy putting together the annual edition because it’s a chance to be part of such an exciting and hopeful time in the lives of these students and their families. We wish them well…