Opinion
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistJanuary 08, 2025I started out the new year with a spearing trip to northeast South Dakota. I was looking to do a little pike spearing, and southern Minnesota is not the greatest place to do that. For one, we only have a few lakes that have a decent pike population and even fewer lakes that have water clear enough to make spearing enjoyable. Some of only decent pike lakes had frozen out two years ago, and even…- December 30, 2024The Minnesota Department of Commerce is encouraging Minnesotans to identify and prevent scams that harm consumers, organizations and communities. “We are seeing an alarming increase in scammers who trick people into sharing their private financial information,” said Commerce Assistant Commissioner of Enforcement Jacqueline Olson. “As you set goals for the new year, especially with plans to…
By Mavis FodnessDecember 30, 2024Amid the excitement of this spring’s NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament, I purchased matching “You break it, you own it” Nike T-shirts for my 6-year-old Iowa granddaughter and me to wear. The slogan was a nod to Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking basketball season. Neither of us is a diehard basketball fan — we just appreciate Clark’s athleticism and love of the game. An added bonus is that Clark…- By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolDecember 30, 2024Question: Hello, I am looking at getting my kids an e-scooter for Christmas. I was just curious before making the purchase what are the laws and rules for these things. Answer: Motorized foot scooters (also termed “electric scooters” or “e-scooters”) have seen a marked increase in use recently, primarily due to their introduction in fleets of shared rental offerings in cities throughout the…
- December 24, 2024Christians 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…
By Brenda Winter, columnistDecember 24, 2024Our Kentucky granddaughters told us their “Other Grandparents” are taking them on a Disney cruise. They’ve been promised day spas and swimming with dolphins, carnival shows, island expeditions and food served from mile-long buffets. Grandpa and I were spending last week with the two girls, ages 7 and 9, when we learned about the cruise. Their parents were off galivanting at a tropical resort…
By RIck Peterson, general managerDecember 24, 2024Christmas on a Wednesday followed by New Year’s Day just a week later are not ideal days for those of us in the paper business. Early deadlines set forth by our printer and postal deadlines make for a very chaotic two weeks. A big thank you to our advertisers for their understanding and willingness to get us copy for their ads well ahead of normal deadlines. To the staff at the Star Herald,…- December 18, 2024As the holiday season continues, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is coordinating a statewide driving while impaired (DWI) extra enforcement campaign through Dec. 31. More than 300 local law enforcement agencies will be providing extra DWI enforcement weekends through New Year’s Eve. Drivers are urged to make responsible decisions and drive sober to…
By Lori Sorenson, editorDecember 18, 2024The calendar says our Dec. 19 edition of the Star Herald is the final publication before Christmas. Next week’s paper is Dec. 26, at which point we’ll be working on our year-in-review coverage and moving on to 2025. That means on Dec. 15 — a good 10 days away from Christmas — I found myself considering a column about Christmas. Which I wasn’t ready for. Again. It’s not that I’m a scrooge. I…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistDecember 18, 2024With about 10 days before the big Christmas holiday, I suppose I should start to think about those on my Christmas list. I never fail in this department, but I won’t fight the crowds on Black Friday or any weekend day, for the most part. I really try hard not to buy gift cards. Sure, they work and get the job done, but they do show limited effort to match a gift to the recipient. So, I made up…- By Eric Sage, executive director, Rock County Opportunities, LuverneDecember 11, 2024This year Rock County Opportunities (RCO) is facing a new challenge that affects not only work opportunities for our clients, but local seniors who have benefited from a service that helps them remain independent, living in their own home. RCO recently received a notification from one of our long-standing partners that the funding to provide free laundry and cleaning services for seniors will…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterDecember 11, 2024Results from last month’s general election may have surprised many, but no one was more surprised than I was. Come January, my oldest son, Andrew, will be sworn in as the mayor in Lismore, and I couldn’t be more proud as he steps into a local government leadership role. He said that when he received his mail-in ballot, no candidate was listed for Lismore mayor. Concerned, he started asking…
By RIck Peterson, general managerDecember 11, 2024It’s been just a little over two months since the Rock County Star Herald introduced you to Star Media, our way to expand our presence beyond the printed page. Star Media aired its first podcast in late September and in relatively short order produced 20 different podcasts resulting in over 4,000 downloads. Just in case you have no idea what Star Media is, take a moment and crawl out from under…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolDecember 11, 2024Question: Every once in a while, I notice some vehicles stop in the road at the railroad tracks when nothing is coming. Can I pass them when they do this? Answer: Some vehicles, such as passenger vans, buses, and larger trucks, are required to stop at all railroad tracks, whether or not a train is present. Do not pass these vehicles. It is illegal to pass any vehicle within 100 feet of a…- November 26, 2024On four days each year, all Minnesota state parks and state recreation areas offer free admission to everyone, with no vehicle permits needed. Friday, Nov. 29, is the next free parks day, and it couldn’t come at a better time, considering Thanksgiving celebrations are typically all about food and sedentary gatherings. While there’s nothing wrong with indulging in gravy and pumpkin pie, we could…
By Lori Sorenson, editorNovember 26, 2024This is the story of Cookie, the Hero Kitty of the Kroontje farm … or at least the farmhouse. On a recent cold and blustery November night, there was a fire scare in our childhood home near Kenneth. The ancient electric heater under the kitchen cabinets was chugging away … blowing warm air across a cold linoleum floor, just as it has for 50 years. After our parents died in 2019 and 2020, we…
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