Editorials
- October 20, 2020We get a kick out of recalling the “good old days” of wrestling with our siblings in the back seat or sleeping in the rear window of the family sedan on long road trips. And we survived to tell the tale. … Well, most of us did. In 1987 more than 4,000 people suffered severe injuries in traffic crashes. Today that number is roughly 1,000. Why? Seatbelts. Belted motorists often walk away from…
- September 29, 2020Next week, Oct. 4-10, is National Newspaper Week, and the 2020 theme is “America Needs Journalists.” It’s a fitting theme for so many reasons, but 2020 has proven in countless ways that professional journalists are more necessary than ever before. In recent years we’ve watched the ranks of journalists dwindle while the selection of digital “news” sources widens. At the same time, our commander in…
- September 15, 2020Who knew the postal service and mail ballots would be politicized? Who knew we would distrust mail service to deliver our ballot, yet trust it to deliver our tax refunds? Who knew that same mail ballot voting that military members have used for decades would be discouraged for average citizens seeking safety from pandemic exposure at the polling station? Who knew? These are the times we live in…
- September 08, 2020Schools in Rock County resumed classes Tuesday, and that means student pedestrians will be crossing streets and driveways, and school buses will be present for pickups and drop-offs. What that means for the rest of us, especially the motoring public, is that we need to be hyper-vigilant in school zones and in neighborhoods where student pedestrians and buses are present. Further complicating…
- September 01, 2020Census takers are visiting households in Rock County communities to follow up with residents who have not yet participated in the 2020 Census. (See the front-page story) They’re paid, part-time temporary government employees, but the work isn’t easy. Gone are the days of door-to-door salesmen and Avon Ladies, and we rarely get a knock from random Girl Scouts for cookie sales. It’s the world we…
- August 25, 2020The Minnesota Department of Transportation is thanking thousands of Adopt a Highway volunteers across the state and encouraging others to clean a section of roadway in celebration of the program’s 30th anniversary. More than 3,800 volunteer groups, ranging from four to 25 people, spent an estimated 272,000 hours cleaning roadway ditches in 2019, picking up 40,000 bags of trash across Minnesota.…
- By Pat Baustian, mayor, city of LuverneAugust 18, 2020A citizen contacted me last week about a concern that several downtown retailers were not wearing masks in their stores and were not asking patrons to wear masks when shopping in their store. The citizen was concerned for personal health reasons, but the information concerned me on a much broader level. The city of Luverne — its council and its staff members — worked quickly and furiously to…
- August 11, 2020The Star Herald this week carries a story about volunteers assembling personal care kits to be shared with community members. The primary idea is that social isolation and economic hardships of a pandemic take a toll on human beings, especially those with fewer resources. This is especially true for our community members who struggle with brain health. Mark Jabcobson, a peer support specialist in…
- August 04, 2020The coronavirus pandemic isn’t easy. It isn’t easy for people who get sick. It isn’t easy for their families and loved ones who can’t gather at their bedsides. It isn’t easy to properly grieve losses, COVID or not. It isn’t easy for communities to support residents and businesses. It isn’t easy for our mentally ill who already feel isolated and insecure. It isn’t easy for their caregivers and…
- By Evan Verbrugge, Rock County SheriffJuly 28, 2020As you all have heard or read by now, Gov. Walz ordered the use of masks in all buildings in his new Executive Order 20-81. Since this announcement I have been contacted by a number of people asking how the Sheriff’s Office would enforce the mask order. I can tell you that we will continue to do the same enforcement that we have been doing since the Governor started his executive orders. No…
- 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…
- By Linda Tobias, Client Service Center Supervisor, Senior Linkage Line and Minnesota River Area Agency on AgingJuly 14, 2020Turning 65 comes with many emotions for me. I am excited to begin thinking about the next phase of my life. Is retirement a reality for me? Or am I going to continue to do the job I love with the Senior LinkAge Line and the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging? I will turn 65 at the end of October. Over the last month I have been inundated with phone calls from people trying to sell me a Medicare…
- 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…
- By Audrey Nelson, Willmar, President of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota CitiesJune 23, 2020The special session was a train wreck. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn and recent civil unrest, Minnesotans need strong state leadership at the Legislature now more than ever. Instead we got arbitrary deadlines, broken deals and partisan battles. I’m frustrated at the Senate GOP majority for their insistence on adjourning prematurely. The decision to adjourn June 20 was…
- 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…
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