Editorials
- July 06, 2021Preliminary figures from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety show 202 people have died on Minnesota roads since Jan. 1, compared to 148 last year at this time. The state reported its 200th traffic death on July 1, the earliest since 2009, and State Patrol Lt. Matt Sorenson said this is unacceptable. “Most tragedies on the road can be prevented, and we’re working to remind motorists to slow…
- By Pat Baustian, mayor, city of LuverneJune 29, 2021I was recently invited, among other community leaders across the state, to be a Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Ambassador. As ambassadors, it will be our focus to promote and encourage fellow Minnesotans to get the COVID-19 vaccine. I plan to continue communicating through the Rock County Star Herald to help inform, educate, promote and put aside any misinformation that citizens of Luverne and Rock…
- June 22, 2021Thumbs up — to the fantastic lineup at the Rock County Fair coming up at the end of July. There is something for everyone, and it’s clear our local fair board put thought and creativity into the lineup of offerings. Thumbs down — to Mother Nature for scorching heat and stingy rainfall this month. In a typical feast and famine cycle, we’re now longing for some of those rainy days that flooded our…
- June 15, 2021One day last week something remarkable happened. Quietly, almost imperceptibly, Rock County hit a milestone with its COVID-19 data. While our masks were getting lost in glove boxes and purse pockets, and while we crowded together at Buffalo Days and began planning for the Fourth of July, and while we ramped up our social schedules after a pandemic year of isolation … … Rock County reached 20…
- By Cary Radisewitz, Building Bridges JC, LuverneJune 08, 2021We’ve started a new foundation in Rock County that I’d encourage you to join. Building Bridges JC is non-profit that is part of the Luverne Area Community Foundation (LACF). All are welcome to participate. We are not affiliated with a church or a political party. The goal of Building Bridges JC is to reach out to groups and individuals that need help and see if we can muster resources to help…
- June 01, 2021A year ago at this time, we lamented Rock County’s students in the Class of 2020 who were robbed of their graduation ceremony by the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent state guidelines barring in-person ceremonies. For the Class of 2020, it was the year that ended in sudden, unprecedented fashion. The dates clicked by on the calendar without spring sports, year-end academic challenges, prom and…
- May 25, 2021Rock County foster parent Shawna Sjaarda recently wrote about being a foster parent and about the need for others to fill the role of foster parenting. Foster care is defined as “a situation in which for a period of time a child lives with and is cared for by people who are not the child's parents.” Sjaarda said this definition barely scratches the surface of what foster care actually means…
- May 18, 2021The Southwest Minnesota CEO (Creating Entrepreneur Opportunities) chapter in Rock County is one of three CEO chapters of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship program in Minnesota. Recently Midland’s executive director Austin Brooks and national program manager Amy Tarr visited this year’s class of 14 students in Luverne. The organizers were impressed at what the three-year-old program has…
- May 11, 2021Anyone who’s paid attention over the past 18 months knows we have an active group of smart, sincere individuals working to improve mental health in Rock County. The #Luv1LuvAll Brain Health Committee led a series of informative sessions to call attention to mental health as a key component in a community’s overall success. One of the most important themes from one meeting to the next is that…
- May 04, 2021Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2-8, 2021, and if there were ever a time to thank a teacher, the time is now. Teaching can be difficult, demanding and emotionally and physically exhausting work in a non-pandemic environment. But teachers will also tell you the rewards are often worth the challenges in ways they’re not able to share, due to student privacy protection. These past two years have…
- April 27, 2021Youthful exuberance was palpable Friday as Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary students exited the school bus at the Hills Rez Park. They were laughing, running after each other and just plain excited to be outdoors. The change of scenery, however, didn’t mean they weren’t learning. Last Thursday was Earth Day, a day to protect the environment and focus on conservation. Our prairie landscape needs to be…
- April 20, 2021National Volunteer Week 2021 is this week, April 19-24, and it is an opportunity for volunteers and organizations to raise awareness of the contribution volunteers make in their communities. It is also a chance to celebrate these efforts and to promote their work in our communities. Week after week, the Star Herald has the honor and privilege of sharing stories about the local people and causes…
- By Amy Klobuchar, U.S. SenatorApril 13, 2021On May 7 of last year, the Hastings Star Gazette printed its last issue. The paper’s first issue as The Hastings Independent was published in 1857, a year before Minnesota gained statehood. Generations relied on papers like this for local news — they told you who was born and who died, whose daughter just broke the county record for the 400-meter freestyle, whose Holstein won a surprise ribbon at…
- April 06, 2021It’s always trendy to criticize government — its taxes, spending and general overreach and control over the lives of hard-working American citizens. And, sometimes criticisms are warranted. But sometimes government does accomplish good things, and this week the Star Herald shines light on a few government projects with positive impacts on the community. For example, we have an update on the Rock…
- March 30, 2021It’s been a good news week here at the Star Herald, and it’s worth pointing out that we have a lot to be happy about. For example, in our Home Yard and Garden edition in Section B, we have several uplifting stories of local young business people chasing their entrepreneurial dreams. Please take time to read their stories and, if you’re looking for ways to spend your pandemic stimulus money, take…
- By Bob Welsh, Resource and Asset Management Section Manager; Division of Parks and Trials, Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcesMarch 23, 2021We appreciate the opportunity to clarify the Minnesota Parks and Trails project to redevelop Eagle Rock Vista at Blue Mounds State Park. First, it is important to note for context that the Frederick Manfred house site is an important and valued area within Blue Mounds State Park. It reflects the contributions of a famous American author to the community of Luverne and his family’s legacy. As…
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