Columns
By Rick Peterson, Tollefson Publishing general managerAugust 10, 2021I was having somewhat of a frustrating day a week or so ago. It was late in the afternoon and I was driving back to the office sulking a bit more than I should have. Nevertheless, it was a bummer of a day. I was listening to the Dan Barreiro radio show, and he was doing a segment on how important the arts really are. He was trying to convey the message that we never really can comprehend the…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyAugust 10, 2021The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 22, 1935. Rock County Now in Drought Relief Area Farmers in Dire Need of Feed for Livestock Can Secure Emergency Feed Loans to Meet Situation Rock county is now included in the emergency drought relief area in Minnesota, which means that farmers who happen to be in dire need of feed for livestock can secure emergency feed loans.…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistAugust 10, 2021Now is the time to grab a few boxes of shells and get your shooting eye tuned up for the dove season that starts on Sept. 1. Not everyone hunts doves, but a keen shooting eye will benefit every hunter, whether it’s ducks, pheasants, grouse or any other game on the wing. When I finally got serious about hunting winged birds, I was already about 25 years old, and now this outdoor activity has…
By Jason Berghorst, reporterAugust 03, 2021A few weeks ago our church hosted a “Christmas in July” Sunday just for fun. Adrian’s town celebration is known as “Christmas in July.” Of course, there’s Christmas in July on the Hallmark Channel. And, not surprisingly, more stores are offering “Christmas in July” sales. All of this Christmas talk caused me to think of a wish list. I’ve written about my personal wish list for Luverne in…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota Highway PatrolAugust 03, 2021Question: I've often wondered why Troopers wear their badges on their pocket flaps and not their chests like other law enforcement officers. Can you tell me the story behind that? Answer: Each individual agency and department will have different rules and regulations as to how the badge is to be worn, although badge placement isn’t random and has some historical significance. Law enforcement…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyAugust 03, 2021The following appeared in The Rock County Star-Herald on Jan. 17, 1946. Rock County’s New Extension Agent and Soil Conservationist Are Named George Golla, 27, Shevlin, Minn., arrived this week to begin his duties as Rock county’s new extension agent. A native Minnesotan, he was graduated from Mahnomen high school in 1936, and from the College of Agriculture, University of Minnesota in 1942. He…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistAugust 03, 2021August is the month to thin or transplant German bearded iris and peonies. Dividing fern leaf peonies is a bit more complicated than regular peonies in that they have a “neck” between the eye of next year’s growth and the tuber. Just cutting into the clump with a spade will often ruin a lot of the potential new divisions because of the way they intertwine. The safest way to divide fern peonies is…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistAugust 03, 2021The headline of the Star Herald a few weeks back announced that a nearby community’s drinking water had levels of magnesium that were five times higher than what was safe for infants. It really doesn’t matter where in the state you live, this is becoming a far too frequent headline. There is a very old saying that “whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting,” and water issues are now one…
By Brenda Winter, columnistJuly 27, 2021My husband, Jim, has been telling people that we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary last week by “getting a room” in Orange City, Iowa. Then he slyly adds, “a hospital room.” (Long story. Sanford and Avera are “out of network” for our insurance.) It all started two weeks ago with what I thought was heartburn. A week later, the “heartburn” returned with a vengeance. I was hot. I was cold. I…
By Rick Peterson, general managerJuly 27, 2021Just when you’re about to give up on people in general, something happens and you realize there are still good people out there … more than we realize. As strange as what you’re about to read may seem, it really happened. A week or so ago on a Saturday, Mary and I thought we would take our side-by-side to Rowena, South Dakota, to the junk fest. We were going to zigzag our way over there, and we…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyJuly 27, 2021The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 22, 1935. Birthday Ball Shows $157.15 Net Proceeds Total Receipts From Sale of Over 800 Tickets, $215,10; Funds Will be Used for Health Activities A financial report covering receipts and disbursements for the President Roosevelt birthday ball, held in Luverne on January 30th, was presented yesterday by F. A. Leicher, treasurer for the…- By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistJuly 27, 2021Every time the United States Department of Agriculture announces additional acres for the CRP program, sportsmen and women across the country cheer. The federal Conservation Reserve Program pays farmers to take marginal cropland out of production and plant it to native grass and flower cover. Contracts range from 10-15 years with rental rates as high as $350 per acre per year and as low as $42…
By Lori SorensonJuly 20, 2021Our sports reporter is leaving the Star Herald to move with his wife to Portland, Oregon. It’s a beautiful part of the country where they met each other and where their close friends live. And, he said, “We’d like to do some things while we’re still young and before we have children.” He assured me he’s not leaving because his editor got after him about missing box scores and photos with feet…
By Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolJuly 20, 2021Question: I junked two vehicles about 30 days ago and have only received one "Junk Certificate" in the mail. I contacted the DVS with the VIN # in question and they have no record of the vehicle being junked and told me to contact the repair shop. I contacted the repair shop that I mailed the signed title to, and they said they have taken care of it. I do not want to get into any sort…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyJuly 20, 2021The following appeared in The Rock County Star-Herald on April 7, 1949. County Public Health Nurse Would Cost Residents Estimated 40 Cents Per Person Maximum Annual Outlay For Program Would Be $5,000, According to Report Cost of maintaining a public health nurse in Rock county will average 40 cents per person per year, it was announced here Friday night. A meeting, arranged for by the Luverne…
By George Bonnema, Luverne HorticulturalistJuly 20, 2021Japanese beetles … they’re back and they’re hungry. I saw the first of these pests on my rose blossoms last week. Last summer I fought them on my roses, my zinnias, my beans and my raspberries. Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) are small insects that carry a big threat. They do not discriminate when it comes to what types of plants they feed on, though they do have favorites (like roses.) In…
You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.
