column

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…

I went on one heck of a road trip last week. I decided to go see the world, or more precisely, a large part of the state of Minnesota. It was part adventure, part volunteer work, and part a small-paying side hustle. I am a very passionate supporter of public lands. These are often referred to as state or federal lands. I call them citizen-owned lands.  This means that every acre of a Wildlife…

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…

While most mothers of the bride spend months planning a daughter’s wedding, I’ve spent months wondering if there is something I’m supposed to be doing.  Our youngest, Kate, who is getting married Aug. 31, will never be called a Bridezilla.  “She said yes to the dress” on Facebook Marketplace. She asked her (one) bridesmaid to wear “whatever.”  I’m not even sure if I’m supposed to wear a dress…

I recently spent the day in the boat with a professional fishing guide by the name of Travis Frank. You might recognize this name as he is also the host of the Pheasants Forever television show called “The Flush.” Travis is a fully jammed up guy with a schedule this 63-year-old could never manage. He works for Ron Shara Productions and hosts several shows and is involved with the production of…

The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group that began in the January 7, 1943, issue of the Rock County Star Herald. Members of this group consist of persons of age 75 and older. The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on June 15, 1944. Adolf Steinfeldt’s life story continues as his blacksmith business takes off.   Horseshoeing was a big business for a time, and Mr…

When you have two people in the same household who could use a little aid in the hearing department, it can make for some trying times. If one of those two people needs a little more aid than the other, they should be the one to get the hearing aid first. So now you have a household of two people, one hearing much better, and the other one not so much. When the hearing deficiencies were on a…

I love an underdog. Always have. I’m GenX, so my list includes old ones. Rudy. Hoosiers. Miracle?! I suppose some recent ones I’ve seen aren’t even that new. The Hunger Games. Or Inside Out, when Joy finally recognizes the importance of Sadness. I love watching someone who is unlikely to win, sticks to their craft with perseverance and hope, overcomes the odds, and wins. Never gets old.…

The Rock County Star Herald last week published its Class of 2024 graduation special edition. It features photographs of graduating seniors with information about their high school involvement and future plans. We enjoy putting together the annual edition because it’s a chance to be part of such an exciting and hopeful time in the lives of these students and their families. We wish them well…

I am so glad May 15 has come and gone. This date is the deadline for many of the projects I engage in for conservation purposes. When you light prescribed grassland fires for habitat regeneration, this needs to be done by May 15.  This allows the habitat interruption to take place before the onset of the primary nesting season. The same is true for mowing newly planted CRP acres. These are…

September marks my longest stint working at the same job, and I’d like to thank my predecessor for the opportunity. I began working at the Star Herald in September 2014 as Brenda Winter left the newsroom to focus her energies on her health. This year will mark an important milestone for her, too. Luckily for the Star Herald and our readers, Brenda continues to regularly write her column, “…

Last week I hung out the “gone fishing” sign and headed to the West Bend, South Dakota, Recreation Area on the Missouri River. As always, the fishing was great and the weather was hot. The wind ranged between calm and gusts of up to 45 mph … which is about the norm, so all things considered, the weather was pretty darn good. The time in the boat with my two fishing buddies was priceless. The…

As a U.S. Navy Chaplain who served the sea services from 2006-2014, I officiated at funeral and memorial services of active duty U.S. sailors and marines plus those Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor attack survivors who chose to be buried with shipmates at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, rather than be buried with loved ones in their hometowns. A few of those services were for troops killed in action. Memorial…

I recently found myself behind the wheel of Carson’s pickup. It’s been almost 32 months since he died, and it’s been about that long since he’s driven it, but if I close my eyes, I can still see him behind the wheel. … Tinted window rolled down, long hair flowing in the breeze, stereo blasting and engine rumbling as he idled slowly down the gravel driveway to avoid dust. It’s a maroon 1997…

You may have noticed me walking around town recently with the aid of a cane. The need for the assistance from a cane is because of a recent hip procedure. Truth be told, my wife Mary wasn’t real keen on the idea of me going out in public with the cane. I will admit the tennis ball I added to the bottom of the cane may have taken away a little bit of the aesthetic appeal of my cane. Back in the…