editorial
- By Star Herald EditorialMay 13, 2026During Mental Health Awareness Month, Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation is encouraging conversations around mental health in agriculture and reminding farmers that support, and resources are available. Farming is a rewarding yet high-pressure profession. From volatile markets and unpredictable weather to long hours and diverse daily responsibilities, the challenges farmers and ranchers face can…
- By Star Herald EditorialMay 06, 2026May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month, dedicated to raising awareness about the prevention, symptoms, and treatment of tick-borne illnesses as tick activity increases with warmer weather. Key efforts focus on educating the public to avoid infections, which can cause serious long-term health issues if left untreated. LymeDisease.org offers the following tips for prevention and awareness: …
- By Star Herald EditorialApril 22, 2026National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is a biannual, nationwide event sponsored by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It is held twice a year, typically on the last Saturday of April and October. The next national event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 25. In Rock County, the Sheriff’s Office collects unused medications year-round at a secure collection box in the…
- By Star Herald EditorialApril 15, 2026Are you ready for severe weather? Each year, Minnesota’s office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management collaborates with the National Weather Service to sponsor Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota. The week is designed to refresh, remind and educate the public about the seasonal threats from severe weather and how to avoid them. It’s also a good time to make and practice…
- By Dulee Willardson, Childi Advocacy Program manager and forensic interviewer, Southwest Crisis CenterApril 08, 2026April is Child Abuse Prevention month, a time for communities to come together and commit to the safety and well-being of children. This year is especially meaningful, as it is the first time we are bringing this type of awareness campaign to our region. At the Southwest Crisis Center’s Child Advocacy Program, we work alongside children and families during some of their most vulnerable…
- By the Minnesota Secretary of State's OfficeApril 01, 2026Sen. Alex Padilla of California and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota were joined by three Secretaries of State for a recent virtual press briefing to discuss the potential impacts of the SAVE America Act on elections. Secretary Steve Simon (Minnesota), Secretary Steve Hobbs (Washington), and Secretary Stephanie Thomas (Connecticut) discussed the impacts to voters, election administrators, and…
- March 25, 2026The Star Herald has received a number of suggestions for “thumbs up” and “thumbs down” mentions in recent weeks. They include: Thumbs down — to the removal of beautiful, mature trees on North Highway 75. Their shade and functionality will be missed as the landscape of that corridor changes drastically. The only good thing about their loss is that they’re coming down for progress — a new road…
- March 18, 2026When we talk about transparency in government, it’s natural to focus on the halls of Washington, D.C., or the state capitol building in St. Paul. But as your local community newspaper, we at the Star Herald are proud to say we’ve been advocating for government transparency at the most local levels of town, school and county government. This week, March 15-21, is Sunshine Week when newspapers…
- March 11, 2026This week, March 8-14, is National Groundwater Awareness Week, a national observation dedicated to the responsible management and use of groundwater. Established in 1999, the special week raises awareness about the critical role groundwater plays in public health, environmental sustainability and the nation’s economy. Groundwater provides drinking water for more than 44 percent of the U.S.…
- February 25, 2026This week over 1 million students across the U.S. are celebrating FFA Week, which aims to highlight Future Farmers of America and the importance of both agriculture and student leadership. For a deeply agricultural community like Rock County, it’s important to celebrate with our FFA students and do everything we can to support them on their journeys. Our Feb. 19 Star Herald carried a full-page…
- By Minnesota Gov. Tim WalzJanuary 28, 2026The Trump administration's assault on Minnesota long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement. It is a campaign of organized brutality against the people of our state. It isn't just. It isn't legal. And, critically, it isn't making anyone any safer. Quite the opposite: Immigration agents have now shot and killed two of our neighbors: Renee Good and Alex Pretti. And there are…
- January 21, 2026January is National Blood Donor Month, and the American Red Cross and Blood Banks of America encourage everyone who can donate blood to do so, especially now during the month of January. It's the time of year when blood supplies are running low, due to recent holiday schedules, winter weather and cold and flu season keeping dedicated donors from giving. Over the last two decades, blood…
- By Tom GetmanJanuary 14, 2026Two colleagues who help me stand with hope in times of grievous moments point me to the light and opportunity in darkness times. One of them is here in my DC neighborhood, Councilman David Allen. The other resides in Minnesota, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. Peggy said, “It’s no secret Minnesota has experienced unspeakable tragedy this week [in Renee Good’s murder]. We have seen so much violence and…
- January 07, 2026According to the Mental Health America, January is national Mental Wellness Month. So, we’re sharing the organization’s 10 resiliency tools to promote wellness and help you feel stronger and more hopeful. •Connect with others – Humans are social by nature: We crave feeling supported, valued, and connected. •Stay positive – Trying to be optimistic doesn’t mean ignoring the uglier sides of life.…
- December 30, 2025Happy New Year, Star Herald readers. We in the newsroom find satisfaction in reviewing and highlighting the top stories of the year in our final December edition. We feel it showcases our progressive local leadership and our resilient community residents. It also shows we at the Star Herald take our work seriously throughout the year as we document local happenings, big and small, good or bad…
- December 23, 2025Christians 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…
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