mavis fodness
By Mavis Fodness, reporterMay 28, 2025Imagine running 437 miles across the state of South Dakota. In September my nephew-in-law is doing just that — running a relay race from Rapid City to Sioux Falls in five days. Izzo is one of 12 runners selected for the 437 Project, an awareness and fundraising event for the Helpline Center based in Sioux Falls. Izzo, a former Marine, is bringing attention to his fellow veterans and current…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterMay 07, 2025Yukon Cornelius is the name of the Arctic prospector in the animated holiday special, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” It’s also the name we’ve given to our new-to-us GMC Yukon sport utility vehicle. Like the animated character, our Yukon has become a trusted friend, especially after a recent drive to California to visit our youngest son. My husband and I spent nine days, 3,676 miles and an…
By Mavis FodnessApril 16, 2025My youngest daughter is getting married next Saturday, and she’s asked me to give a little speech at the event. I’m happy to oblige. It’s not very often that children ask parents what they think, let alone listen to what they have to say. Thoughts about what I’ll say are still being formed, as Lyndsey has taken a very long route in the choices of how she’s living her life. I’d liken Lyndsey…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterMarch 26, 2025For more than four decades, the Minnesota Horse Expo offered a variety of vendors, exhibits and educational talks for horse owners and fans of the four-legged animals. I’m a huge fan of the Minnesota Horse Council-sponsored event, and I recall, probably 30 years ago, packing the kids into the minivan to spend a day at the state fairgrounds in St. Paul. We learned a few things and left with a…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterFebruary 12, 2025Just before Christmas, an obsession began in our house thanks to the office holiday party. A Star Herald gift exchange resulted in a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle coming home with me. The intriguing “Coca Cola memorabilia” picture ultimately led to the opening of the box and clearing off the dining room table for my husband and me to work on it. As a result, we’ve finished 10 puzzles since mid-…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterJanuary 22, 2025Madi Oye’s kindergartners embarked on a special lesson this month. She’s seeking your help in garnering postmarks from all 50 states via the mailing of Valentine’s Day cards to her Luverne classroom. So far, her students have received 17 cards and have checked a dozen states off the 50-states list. With Feb. 14 three weeks away, we need to get our cards sent to the kindergartners sooner rather…
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 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 Mavis Fodness, reporterNovember 20, 2024Monday was a special day for the Rock County Star Herald. For a portion of the afternoon, the office was closed, and all nine of my colleagues and I traveled to the school for the annual Luverne Education Association awards announcement. We were named the LEA 2025 Friend of Education. I say “we” because even though general manager Rick Peterson in his message to those in attendance said, “…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterOctober 30, 2024As the junior member in my 37-year marriage, I’ve often joked with and about our seven-year age difference. It's always felt pretty good that I’m always going to be younger in the relationship. Recently the tables turned as he is now retired and enjoys doing his favorite activities on a daily basis and only working when it suits him. I, on the other hand, continue to work full time whether I…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterOctober 09, 2024Remember as children when life seemed worry-free? I’ve had glimpses of those simpler times as I divide my time among my six grandchildren. I’ve even named them to keep references simple: Iowa grands, Minnesota grands and South Dakota grands. During the most recent visit with the Iowa grands, who are the oldest at 7 and 5, they introduced me to the public “petting zoo” in Schaller, Iowa. There…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterSeptember 11, 2024Ten years. It was September 2014 when I started working as a full-time reporter at the Star Herald. A decade’s worth of time capturing the local news and happenings of Rock County. It seems like time has just sped by, and yet it doesn’t. I’ve attended hundreds of meetings and events … talked to hundreds of sources and completed hundreds of stories. I’ve been there for times of joy and…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterAugust 14, 2024Two months ago I wrote about how my mother blossomed into a different person since moving into Tuff Home in Hills late last year. For as long as I can remember, she mainly showed her stubborn side and rarely let a softer side of her personality shine. On Sunday, at the age of 96, and after living a full life on her own terms, my mother died. Her service is today (Aug. 15), and I agreed to…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterJuly 17, 2024Standing 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…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterJune 19, 2024Father’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…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterMay 22, 2024September 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, “…
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