Opinion

Rock County is now considered part of the Sioux Falls, S.D., Metropolitan Statistical Area. What it means is the U.S. Office of Management and Budget has determined that based on 2020 census data, Sioux Falls, population 202,000, and Rock County, population 10,000, have a high degree of economic and social integration. Columnist Karen Tolkkinen shared her thoughts in a July 19 column in the…

We celebrated a 70th wedding anniversary for Matt’s parents Saturday, and I kept thinking what an amazing gift it is to reach that milestone. Arden and Mary Ellen were married on July 17, 1954, at the tender ages of 20 and 19, which sounds terribly young today, but they fit right in with their peers at the time. To be married at that age also gave them a better shot at reaching a 70-year…

This is the week, folks, the “be a george week” in honor of the late George Bonnema who would have turned 75 on July 18. The T-shirts have been distributed, and if you bought one (or three), now’s the time to wear it. If you committed to the mission, now’s the time to ‘be a george.’ It’s an exciting week in Luverne and Rock County, where people are already known for their generosity. If you…

Standing in the middle of Main Street Luverne during Thursday’s Hot Dog Night, I heard a small voice ask, “Are you a newspaper reporter?” Mary (Galagan) Arnold, LHS Class of 1972, was the voice behind the question. With an affirming smile she explained that nine members of her family came to Luverne. One, her son-in-law Kendall Rhyne, set attending Hot Dog Night as a bucket list item. He wasn…

 “Be a george” week has been underway for a few days now. I am just checking to see if you have been a george or if you have been the recipient of a george act, or maybe both. As I am typing this column, I am trying to be a george, but my computer is testing me. Every time I type the name George with a small “g,” my computer changes it to a capital “G.” While this is frustrating, it’s another…

With a break from the rains, I was willing to venture outside a bunch this past week. My rain gauge in Nobles County had 15.2 inches of rain over the past few weeks. The grass is tall, the mosquitoes are as big as fighter jets, and there are certainly a lot of them. With all of my food plots tended to and much of the “to do” list completed, I opted for an afternoon of clay bird shooting. A…

In case you missed Lori's lovely article in the paper a couple of weeks ago, or if you need a reminder, “Be a george” Week is coming July 14-20. Next week will be your opportunity to do something for someone else for no other reason than it’s the right thing to do. If you knew George Bonnema, you know he was always doing something for others … often without them even asking. In case you…

Melvin was not really a stray cat. He was obviously a cat that someone had loved and lost or, God forbid, loved and dumped at the edge of town. I introduced him to you in April. “It was just after the Big Chill a few weeks ago that Melvin appeared by our back door.  The big orange tabby was also a few feet from death’s door. He had a cut on his face, a broken tail, a gimpy leg and hadn’t had a…

There is nothing else to talk about in southwest Minnesota except flooding. I have lived in this part of the state for 50 years and have only seen it this bad a few other times. Lives are changed and fortunes ruined. The only light at the end of this tunnel is that the waters are receding and most of the roads that were once closed are now open again. I was blown away about how fast the gravel…

It’s been a rough start to the summer of 2024, as many in Rock County have suffered the effects of devastating flooding. Some of us are reeling from crop losses, water-damaged homes and other flood-related disaster, and the realities of extreme weather are coming into focus. While it’s easy to get discouraged, the July 4 holiday is a good time to recenter life perspectives. Despite our recent…

I recently spent five days in New York City — my third trip there but my first time staying in the heart of Manhattan near Times Square.  I think few vacation destinations in the United States can be more different from Luverne than Midtown Manhattan.  The height and number of buildings. The crowds and constant rush of the people. The traffic jams and nonstop, pointless honking.  The sheer…

Words can send a powerful message, and this is especially true during an election season. But sometimes words — thoughts and ideas — are shared in a way that can be hurtful or damaging. Sometimes the truth is detrimental to somebody, and that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t share truths. But deliberately harming someone out of spite is counterproductive, and it seems social media and its anonymous…

Betty Mann, our beloved community historian, is a self-proclaimed crier. “I cry at the drop of a hat,” she says. “I cry when I’m sad, I cry when I’m glad and I cry when I’m mad.” She said if her husband encountered her in tears, he’d ask, “What is it this time?” She jokes about her tears, but as a self-proclaimed non-crier I’m a bit jealous, because I’ve learned the benefits of a good cry. I…

Being a father is not easy; it takes sacrifice, which means being present for children and loving them unconditionally. The greatest joy for any father is seeing their children thrive. Yet kids and teens experiment with risks, and fathers have a responsibility to speak to them about drugs and alcohol and help them understand risks and consequences. Minnesota’s drug education and prevention…

Father’s Day meant a three-generation gathering at our Hardwick farm. There was food, an air-conditioned garage and a recently purchased jungle gym to keep the youngest generation busy. Laughs and a good meal were shared by all the families involved. Family, I’ve realized, has a myriad of definitions. A more traditional definition of family is those related by birth or marriage. Another…

This past Sunday was Father’s Day, and I think most dads would say every day is Father’s Day. Sure, some of those days being a dad can be a bit troublesome, but for the most part every day being a dad is a good day. Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Sept. 11 (not because of 9-11) and Father’s Day are the days I think about and remember my dad the most. Memorial Day and Veterans Day were the two days…