Editorials
- March 06, 2024The American Red Cross Minnesota and Dakotas Region is kicking off its annual Red Cross Month celebration to honor local community heroes who help ensure their neighbors never face crises alone. “We’re proud to honor the people in our community who step up to support one another when help can’t wait during emergencies,” said Leah Pockrandt, executive director of the Red Cross serving southwest…
- February 28, 2024World Teen Mental Wellness Day is observed across the globe on March 2 every year to raise awareness about challenges facing teens and how to improve their brain health. And in the Hills-Beaver Creek School District, students took charge of observing the day and carrying the message. (See this week’s news section for their story). During the month of February, they raised awareness, raised…
- February 21, 2024Is it possible you overlooked a rebate check that didn’t get cashed? If so, you may soon get a reissued check, so watch your mail and know what you’re looking for. Officials with the Minnesota Department of Revenue announced last week that they will begin reissuing over 128,000 one-time tax rebate checks that have gone uncashed and subsequently expired after their November and December issuance…
- By Jody Boulay, community outreach coordinator for Drug Rehab ServicesFebruary 14, 2024There can be pitfalls for anyone playing the dating game, but protecting sobriety can be particularly tricky in new relationships. With Valentine’s Day in the recent spotlight, it’s a good time to consider tips for success in relationships and sobriety, While dating can be an adventure, it’s important to never lose sight of sobriety goals. Generally, health professionals recommend that people…
- February 07, 2024The unofficial motto of U.S. Postal Service is, "Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Unfortunately, this motto is no longer observed at the U.S. Postal Service, as quality of mail delivery has steadily declined while postal rates are steadily increasing. The Star Herald last week published a Letter to…
- January 31, 2024We in Luverne have been proud of our local artist, Andrew Prekker, who submitted the winning proposal for Minnesota’s new state flag. Of more than 2,000 proposals, his was used as the base for the final flag design. It was a process that started more than four months ago with the goal of having the new flag and emblem in the State Capitol buildings by May 11, which is Statehood Day. Why did we…
- January 24, 2024January is Poverty Awareness Month, and it’s a good time to take stock of personal beliefs and biases. We in Rock County have a proud heritage of hard-working ancestors who withstood the hardships of wars and wilderness to build the communities and livelihoods we know today. And we’ve heard time and time again that anyone can succeed if they work hard enough. The subconscious message then is…
- January 17, 2024People in the communities of Rock County are known for their generosity — of time, talents, money and more. Another way to be generous is to give blood. It’s the one way to have the most impact in the sense it saves lives, literally. According to the American Red Cross, blood supplies have fallen to critically low levels, and many areas now face emergency blood shortages. In recent weeks, the…
- January 10, 2024It’s been a while since the Star Herald issued thumbs up and thumbs down for the good and bad in our community, and our news team put our heads together for a fresh list to consider. Thumbs up — to Luverne’s citywide Christmas tree pickup. It’s a much-appreciated perk for living in the city and another reason to “Luv Luverne.” Thumbs down — to another planned postage rate increase for…
January 03, 2024Unseasonably warm weather this winter has prevented the usual ice fishing and ice activities that would normally occur this time of year. While many lakes and rivers still have open water in southwest Minnesota, colder weather is coming and some may be tempted to venture onto the ice too soon. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has been urging people to be aware of degraded ice…- By Linda Wenzel, program manager, A.C.E. of Southwest Minnesota in LuverneDecember 27, 2023The holidays can be a time of mixed emotions and extra stress for caregivers. To help reduce holiday stress, following are some suggestions for caregivers. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of extra tasks and hassles that the holidays bring. Make it a priority to take a little time for yourself to sit quietly, relax and recharge. Taking brief timeouts can help you to be a more…
- December 20, 2023Christians believe “God so loved the world that he gave his only son” to take away the sins of the world (John 3:16), and as such, Christmas is a celebration of the arrival of Jesus as told in the Bible’s second chapter of Luke: In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. … And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to…
- December 13, 2023It’s a wonderful time of year for giving and receiving gifts, and here in Rock County we have generosity down to a science — or at least a stroke of the keypad. The 2023 Christmas gift drive for our students in Luverne schools is wrapping up, and 44 families in the district will receive extra presents under their trees. Through the School Giving Tree, each child will receive two gifts and each…
- December 06, 2023Construction has started on Luverne’s giant nutcracker, and our social media announcement stirred a long string of comments, both positive and negative. As is the case with many community developments, some will support new initiatives, some will voice sincere reservations, and others are never happy. We welcome all kinds of feedback, but we can’t abide personal attacks, expletives and…
- November 29, 2023There’s an urgent need for child foster families – and adoptive homes as well. In 2022, 11,235 children in Minnesota experienced out-of-home care. For children who left out-of-home placement, 20 percent were adopted by families, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. If you’ve ever wondered about fostering children or adopting children from foster care, here’s what you…
- November 26, 2023According to a Gallup survey, 74 percent of holiday shoppers said they expect to spend about the same amount or more on holiday gifts this year compared to last, and 23 percent of shoppers said they choose one retailer over another because they want to support small and local businesses in their community. Small businesses are essential to rural America. When buying from local small businesses,…
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