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Columns

  • By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical Society
    April 19, 2022
    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. This is continued from last week’s edition of the Star Herald. Mr. Kennedy was married May 4, 1894, at Luverne to Susie Kean, a native of Village Creek, Ia. and they made their home on the farm at the…
  • By Scott Rall, outdoors columnist
    April 19, 2022
    April is designated “Think about open water fishing in May” month. Tinkering with your fishing equipment and restringing fishing rods is far better than shoveling snow. I took my brother’s boat out on a recent nice day to help him unload it before the ramp docks were in. High-tech gadgets are common on many boats these days. I have an older GPS and sonar unit that works just fine, but $3,000 to $…
  • By Mavis Fodness, reporter
    April 12, 2022
    Tiger Woods’ return to competitive golf at last weekend’s Masters tournament is both awe-inspiring and motivating. Tiger could have easily retired from golf after each of his injuries, but he’s returned after each one, more determined and more fit to possibly win yet another major tournament. I watched him walk the Augusta, Georgia, course and listened to him talk with his caddy about club choice…
  • By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota Highway Patrol
    April 12, 2022
    Question: I saw your recent article about flooded roads. Do you have any advice on what a person should do if their vehicle plunges into the water? Answer: The dynamics of such an incident are ever-changing, so there is no one answer that will cover it all. Having witnessed and responded to these types of situations, here is what I would recommend. Most vehicles will float on the water’s surface…
  • By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical Society
    April 12, 2022
    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 visit of Jesse and Frank James, two of the most noted robbers in the 1870’s, to Rock county was recalled this week by James P. Kennedy, Luverne. Although he did not actually see the men, he recalls…
  • By Scott Rall, outdoors columnist
    April 12, 2022
    It is pretty amazing how a little thing can turn into a big thing. This can happen when a small issue or discovery really turns and stuff hits the fan. Every once in a while, though, a little thing can become a big thing in a positive way. When this happens, it can really make your day, and I am going to share one of those little things that turned into a very great outcome. Last spring I was…
  • By Brenda Winter, columnist
    April 05, 2022
    Both of my grandmas had fat arms. As youngsters growing up in St. John Lutheran Church in Luverne, my siblings and I would occasionally sit with either set of grandparents during the church service instead of with our parents. When the morning grew exceptionally long, our grandmothers’ large, pillowy arms served as lovely headrests. I recalled those moments as my six-year-old granddaughter,…
  • By Rick Peterson, general manager
    April 05, 2022
    Ask anyone from our office or most everyone I know, and they’ll tell you I have been complaining for years about the wind. Like many of you, I grew up in southwest Minnesota and have spent my entire life in these here parts, but I don’t remember when the wind has influenced or ruined so many outdoor activities. It seems the days of a nice breeze have long been forgotten. Just off the top of my…
  • By Scott Rall, outdoors columnist
    April 05, 2022
    Prescribed fire is one of the most beneficial management tools and is one of the most misunderstood. Spring burning gets a really bad rap from those who do not fully understand prairie ecosystems. Even when these benefits are explained, there will always be a certain percentage of folks who will disagree as they have drunk the wrong Kool-Aid served up at some local coffee shop. The most difficult…
  • By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical Society
    April 05, 2022
    The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on July 18, 1902. This is continued from the March 31 edition of the Star Herald. Summer Training School For Teachers of Rock County and Vicinity—Four Weeks’ Term Begun Monday. READING. The study of some good selection as Vision of Sir Launfal. With this I plan to give outlines of work from Clark on “How to Teach Reading” applying the steps from…
  • By Lori Sorenson, editor
    March 29, 2022
    It’s college basketball playoff season and also calving season in our neighborhood. And thanks to modern technology, we took in riveting versions of both last week over beers and brats at the neighbors. One of the supper guests was casually monitoring his cell phone for live-feed video of a heifer in labor. A nearby television screen carried riveting Arkansas upset of No. 1 Gonzaga in NCAA…
  • By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota Highway Patrol
    March 29, 2022
    Question: With spring being here and the melting snow, can you talk about what a person should do when coming across water on roads? Answer: Flooding can occur when streams and rivers flow over their banks, when dams or levees break, when there is run-off from deep snow, or any time there is heavy rainfall. Floodwaters can be found on roads, bridges and low areas. Flash floods can come rapidly…
  • By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical Society
    March 29, 2022
    The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on July 18, 1902. Summer Training School For Teachers of Rock County and Vicinity—Four Weeks’ Term Begun Monday. The Rock County Summer Training school for teachers opened Monday in the High school room with Prof. E. M. Phillips, of Albert Lea as conductor, and Estella Scofield, of Ortonville, F. E. George, of Pipestone, and Ella Probst, of…
  • By Scott Rall, outdoors columnist
    March 29, 2022
    Writing an outdoor column can help make our readers more informed about wildlife and resource issues.  My column today is about Earth Day, and my research for this script has resulted in my gaining a large amount of new information to share with you. Earth Day was started in 1970 primarily as a student campus activity. The date of April 22 was chosen because it fell between spring break and…
  • By George Bonnema, Luverne Horticulturalist
    March 22, 2022
    Last week I encouraged you to get started cleaning up and pruning your landscape. There are a few plants that I do not want you to prune now. This list includes all forms of lilacs, weigela, forsythia, spring-blooming spirea, mock orange, azaleas, and rhododendron. All of these shrubs have their flower buds formed in the buds of new growth, and any pruning now will remove potential flowers. For…
  • By Mavis Fodness, reporter
    March 22, 2022
    In two months voters in Congressional District 1 (which includes Rock County) will face the first of several ballots to fill the U.S. representative vacancy. I say “several” ballots because in the middle of filling the vacancy for five months, another vote will take place to fill the same position during the November general election for the two-year term beginning in January. The best scenario…
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