editorial
- July 21, 2020After months of stay-at-home or stay-safe orders, we are eager to be get back to our normal routines and activities. Last week our summer routines received a reality check. Some of our youth participating in summer games of baseball recently tested positive for the coronavirus. As a precaution, youth baseball was halted as we take a step back and assess what this new public enemy will do next. It…
- July 07, 2020We want to recognize our community activity organizers who are creatively moving forward during this coronavirus pandemic by continuing our annual summer celebrations with interesting social distancing twists. A thumbs up to the Luverne Area Chamber for their recent activities and the Helping Build Communities Stronger, who are organizing this Saturday’s fireworks display in Hills. This past…
- June 30, 2020This weekend we’ll no doubt enjoy the familiar tune and lyrics of our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Beyond the nostalgia, we may not reflect on the history of the piece or its additional unsung verses. It’s storied that the author was a pro-slavery lawyer and the melody was borrowed from a British song about drinking and sex. Yet, the song has lifted our nation’s spirits through…
- June 16, 2020The Star Herald has worked hard to cover the pandemic and its effects on our community, and because much of the news was so important and timely, we offered it for free online. We hope that over the past three months readers — both new and current — have seen the pride that goes into gathering and reporting local news and appreciate the value of being informed. Our pay wall online returned June 4…
- June 09, 2020Gov. Tim Walz last week announced another “turn of the dial” to allow business to resume almost as usual in Minnesota, effective Wednesday, June 10. (See the front-page story.) The idea is that our coronavirus case numbers have remained conservative, which has given us time to prepare for what was expected to be a greater “surge” in case numbers than we’ve experienced. What does that mean for us…
- By Safe Minnesota, editorial, virus,June 02, 2020It’s been a long three months of social distancing and cautious avoiding of public spaces for fear of transmitting or contracting the highly contagious and sometimes deadly coronavirus. Hyper focus on disinfecting and disconnecting has been effective in our little part of the world, and for that we can be proud. Our community has been spared a widespread and sudden outbreak of the disease. Is it…
- May 19, 2020In this week’s Star Herald we proudly present the Class of 2020 Graduation Edition that features high school seniors from the four schools in the Star Herald coverage area. It’s no small feat to collect nearly 200 student photos and information in a normal school year, but during distance learning — when seniors aren’t gathered in common spaces at regular times — it was challenging at best. But…
- April 21, 2020There aren’t many positive aspects about the coronavirus and its impact on our community, from a reeling economy tofrontline workers in harm’s way, and we fear we may lose loved ones to the deadly virus. That’s why staying home and suspending life’s big events are so important — reduce exposure to stay safe. Our graduating seniors understand the necessary sacrifices that come with…
- April 14, 2020Dear readers, advertisers and subscribers: While we learn to live with the new normal in our community for the next several weeks, we are determined to make the best of it. So, please be aware that the Rock County Star Herald remains committed to reporting on news and information that offers glimpses of our community a week at a time … every week, every month, every year. As we have for nearly…
- April 07, 2020Gov. Tim Walz on Sunday delivered his second State of the State address from the Governor’s Residence where he has beenin self-quarantine. “Self-quarantine. Self-isolation. Social distancing,” he said at the start of his speech. “Phrases that many of us never usedbefore now roll off our tongue in daily conversation.” Walz lamented with all Minnesotans that the new vocabulary defines a new reality…
- March 24, 2020Luverne and Rock County have always been leaders in our little corner of the state on policies ranging from schools, the environment, agriculture and most recently the census (we’re leading the state right now in data response). Now, dear readers, we must again step up and be leaders. Our governor has issued mandates and our local businesses and governments are following through. But just 30…
- March 03, 2020In this week’s paper we have a story on page 6 about Dental Day in the elementary school. This happens to be a puff piece about kids having fun learning about oral health, but it’s part of a broader effort to bring dental health care to an underserved community. Rock County’s 9,000-plus residents are served by one local dentist office and we’re darn lucky to have it, considering other communities…
- February 18, 2020We are an agricultural community, and what’s good for the farm economy is what’s good for the Main Street economy. This isn’t news. Especially not to those of us who live in Rock County or even grew up here. And lately, agriculture has been a rapidly changing industry, in terms of technology, farm practices, global economy and other aspects. The temptation, then, can be to focus so much on the…
- February 11, 2020Nearly 22 percent of Rock County driver’s license or ID cardholders are REAL ID ready, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Driver and Vehicle Services division. As of Jan. 30, 1,652 Rock County residents or 21.80 percent of the total license and ID cardholders have completed the necessary steps for the enhanced driver’s license or ID card. Pope County is ranked last out of the…
- February 04, 2020Rock County’s social calendar 20 years ago amounted to summer town celebrations, Tri-State Band Festival and, of course, Hot Dog Night. These were a lot of fun and offered great photo opportunities for news people. Today there’s a major event on the calendar nearly every other weekend, illustrated by the Chamber’s quarterly report during the Jan. 28 Luverne City Council meeting. For anyone taking…
- January 28, 2020The Star Herald editorial staff from time to time publishes a list of what we call “Thumb Up and Thumbs Down” to call attention to matters in the community that could use improving and deserve some praise. We set out to compose one for this week but we found that we were pleasantly short on Thumbs Down entries for the article. Either we’re eternal optimists here at the paper, or we really do live…
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