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Our Esther Frakes arrived back in Luverne last week after galivanting through the southern United States with her friend Betty. It sounds like she had a grand time, and as such, probably didn’t miss us at the paper. We, however, missed her dearly. Esther is our proofreader, which is a humble term for the person who makes the news department look better than we are. She catches misspelled names,…

From time to time the Star Herald runs a “Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down” editorial. Almost all of the “thumbs” are based on local issues or events. We try to run a balance of ups and downs, and I’m guessing the “thumbs up” outnumber the “thumbs down.” So, with “thumbs” in mind, I thought I would share a few thumbs of my own that are life- and product-related and not necessarily local. First, “thumbs…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on May 23, 1902. Luverne Was Victorious At the Inter-Scholastic Athletic Meet The Luverne High School Team Captured Everything Worth Having and for the First Time Wrested the Championship from Marshall—Special Credit for the Victory Due to Hyke and Hulett—Royal Reception for the Victors. Luverne’s High school team returned from the 4th annual field…

The number of outdoor issues in the Minnesota news these days is mind-boggling. They won’t often show up where you might be reading, but there are game- and fish-related bills all over the place this legislative session. Some of these are going to be hitting a little closer to home than normal for the average outdoor person. The one I think will get the biggest fight is whether the state should…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on March 28, 1902. Money for the Schools March Appointment of the School Fund Made on a Basis of $1.43 for Each of the 2,281 Scholars in the County The semi-annual apportionment of public school funds was made by County Auditor C. S. Bruce and Treasurer P. O. Skyberg according to the provisions of the statutes on the 26th of this month. The total…

You may remember actresses and sisters Marlene and Darlene from Leota, Minnesota. (They drive to Luverne in their Toyota.) DJ Luethje and I created the elderly characters who performed a show, “Marlene and Darlene Present the Nutcracker,” at Luverne’s Palace Theatre in December of 2018. It was a fundraiser for the construction of a new senior citizens building. The show raised $15,000 in spite of…

The phrase “the new norm” has gained popularity since the pandemic starts to wind-down. Personally, I am not a fan of most of the new norms. Maybe over time I’ll start to warm up to people working from home or a new supply shortage of the week. I really struggle with going to the store, any store for that matter, and not always finding what I went there for. I was killing time before a grandson’s…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 21, 1902. Breeders Association Officers Elected and By-Laws Adopted—Next Meeting March 15 The meeting of the Breeders’ association was held at the court room last week, when constitution and by-laws were adopted and an executive committee elected. J. B. Dunn was elected vice president and N. R. Reynolds recorder. Members of the executive…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 17, 1902. Rural Route Established Will Begin Operations First of March Hon. Gilbert Gutterson, Special Agent of the Department, Goes Over the Route and Makes Appointment of Carrier and Substitute—Route Will be Twenty-Five Miles Long and Will Serve More Than One Hundred Families. The first rural free delivery route to be established in this…

Trips to the grocery store were frequent during my days as a mother of four growing children. Now, as an empty nester, weeks go by before I need to refill the cupboards and freezer. I’ve noticed, however, the previous several-times-a-week stops at the grocery store are now replaced with several-times-a-week stops to the farm supply store. It turns out my other “kids,” the ones of the four-legged…

It happens every year around this time. We finally have enough snow to cover the ground and folks start to think automatically that wildlife is on the verge of starving to death. The calls start coming in as to where they can find some corn to feed this destitute wildlife. It is true in years with heavy snow cover and below zero temperatures for extended periods that wildlife will start to show…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Jan. 10, 1902. After Twenty-Seven Years William F. Brown, the First Settler to Prove Up on a Rock County Claim, Visits the Scene of His Early Residence Residents of Rock county, enjoying as they do more of the advantages and benefits of a well settled, cultured and prosperous community than many older communities, are apt to forget how short a…

A friend of mine in Luverne put her recycling bin out on the wrong day. The next morning she discovered the bright yellow recycling “tag of shame” attached to it. The tag of shame is usually given to people who place non-recyclable items in recycling bins. You know the kind – they don’t wash the cans or remove the labels. (Yes, you are supposed to.) They try to recycle types of plastic that aren’…

We all know the dangers of driving with snow and ice on the roads, but driving with snow and ice on your vehicle is also a hazard. Always take time to remove all snow and ice from your vehicle before traveling. This is for your safety and the safety of other drivers. Snow and ice left on your hood, roof and trunk can shift and blow off – blinding you or the driver behind you. Limited visibility…

Some fishing and hunting outings end with full game bags or fish stringers, and others end up with nothing but the receipts of the money you spent. Empty fish stringers don’t always mean that the trip was not a fun or successful one, though.  It depends on what criteria you use to define success. I recently traveled to St. Cloud to attend the Minnesota Pheasants Forever state meeting. This event…

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on July 7, 1905. Was a Grand Success Such Was Luverne’s Celebration of the Glorious Fourth 6000 People Were in Attendance Notwithstanding Preceding Unfavorable Weather Conditions, Luverne Observes Our Nation’s Birthday With a Notable Successful Celebration—Occasion Graced by Presence of Governor John A. Johnson Who Delivers Inspiring Address—…