rick peterson
By Rick Peterson, general managerJune 28, 2022July 4th, the Fourth of July, or Independence Day – however you refer to the day, it’s generally a day that brings back memories of past July 4 celebrations. As a kid growing up in Heron Lake, my memories of the Fourth of July centered around spending the day celebrating our nation’s independence in Okabena. The memories of those bygone years are pretty much the same year after year after year.…
By Rick Peterson, general managerJune 14, 2022We finally did it. The Petersons recently said good-bye to cable TV. When we moved to Luverne nearly 18 years ago, we had two choices of cable providers, Mediacom and Knowledge. I believe those were the company names at the time. They have changed their names so many times it’s hard to remember for sure. We have actually subscribed to both cable companies over the years, going back and forth,…
By Rick Peterson, general managerMay 31, 2022About the only summer curb appeal improvement project that I am considering is replacing my mulch with landscaping rock. Who would have thought choosing between mulch and rock would be column-worthy. I know … compared to the bigger issues of the day, this issue isn’t on most people’s radar screen. From the get-go I want to be clear I am not much of a fan when it comes to using landscaping rock.…
By Rick Peterson, general managerMay 17, 2022So what’s in a name? The name parents pick to bless, or in some cases curse, their new baby with can be a daunting task. As you may know, my name is Rick, but that is not my legal name. I have no problem with Rick. After 60-plus years, it kind of grows on you. My legal name is where the curse part comes into play. I have even checked into changing my legal name to Rick. After considering the…
By Rick Peterson, general managerMay 03, 2022Last week the city of Luverne finished up another round of the citywide junk pickup. A tip of the hat goes to the crew that picked up our junk. They swooped into my neighborhood, wearing their neon green vests, with a garbage truck, a Payloader, a couple of John Deere side-by-sides and a dump truck or two, and with the speed and precision of a NASCAR pit crew, they were in and out of the hood in…
By Rick Peterson, general managerApril 19, 2022I’m not sure if it’s muscle memory or just that we’re creatures of habit, but there are things we do every day without giving it any thought. Challenge yourself to pay attention to how many daily routine things you do the same way and don’t even realize it. Here are a few of the things I do every day and never really notice as to how or why I do them the way I do. I shave the right side of my…
By Rick Peterson, general managerApril 05, 2022Ask anyone from our office or most everyone I know, and they’ll tell you I have been complaining for years about the wind. Like many of you, I grew up in southwest Minnesota and have spent my entire life in these here parts, but I don’t remember when the wind has influenced or ruined so many outdoor activities. It seems the days of a nice breeze have long been forgotten. Just off the top of my…
By Rick Peterson, Tollefson Publishing general managerMarch 08, 2022From time to time the Star Herald runs a “Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down” editorial. Almost all of the “thumbs” are based on local issues or events. We try to run a balance of ups and downs, and I’m guessing the “thumbs up” outnumber the “thumbs down.” So, with “thumbs” in mind, I thought I would share a few thumbs of my own that are life- and product-related and not necessarily local. First, “thumbs…
By Rick Peterson, general managerFebruary 22, 2022The phrase “the new norm” has gained popularity since the pandemic starts to wind-down. Personally, I am not a fan of most of the new norms. Maybe over time I’ll start to warm up to people working from home or a new supply shortage of the week. I really struggle with going to the store, any store for that matter, and not always finding what I went there for. I was killing time before a grandson’s…
By Rick Peterson, general managerFebruary 08, 2022A recent edition of the online Morning Brew cited a government report last week that 31,720 people had been killed in motor vehicle crashes in the first nine months of 2021. That is the highest nine-month total in 15 years. It’s also 12 percent higher than the same time frame in 2020, making it the biggest percentage increase over a nine-month period since records began in 1975. One might think…
By Rick Peterson, general managerJanuary 25, 2022I am learning that as you get older it’s not just your birthday that tells you and others that you’re getting older. While my birthday is down the road a bit and Mary’s is just around the corner, it seems the signs of our advancing ages are popping up all too often. Our middle child is turning 40 this month, and our oldest grandson is graduating from high school this year. After months of Joe…
January 11, 2022I finally became a Covid statistic just before the end of 2021 when I tested positive. Even though I was fully vaccinated, I still contracted the virus. I knew from the get-go that was a very strong possibility. The reason I went in for testing wasn’t because I was sick and had all the symptoms. It was more like I was a half a bubble off plumb on the feel-good level. Of course, Mary was…
By Rick Peterson, general managerDecember 28, 2021I suppose seeing how 2022 is knocking on the door, it’s probably time to jot down a few New Year’s resolutions. Well guess what? I’m not going to do the resolution thing this year. Frankly I don’t need the added pressure of trying to change my way of life or try something new. This year it’s “Keep it simple, stupid.” Sure, I might tweak a few things, but not to the point of stressing over it.…
By Rick Peterson, general managerDecember 14, 2021No one has ranted more about the high cost of medical care and the cost of insurance to cover it than yours truly. You can ask my wife, my coffee group and my insurance guy for verification if you wish. The recent financial departure packages that Sanford has doled out to a few Sioux Falls doctors and executives has been in the news and the talk at the coffee shops. It’s difficult for many of us…
By Rick Peterson, general managerNovember 30, 2021White lights or colored lights? Blinking lights or non-blinking lights? Real tree or artificial? Open gifts on Christmas Eve or Christmas morning? These are the questions that are causing more than a few discussions or debates in our household, and yours as well, I suspect. I’ll cut right to the chase. The Petersons prefer white lights, the non-blinking kind. The real tree/artificial tree debate…
By Rick Peterson, Tollefson Publishing general managerNovember 16, 2021This weekend marks the halfway point of the 2021 pheasant hunting season, so that means the really good hunting is about to begin. So far, however, pheasant hunting in Rock County is about as good as this year as it has been in many years, if not better. My 5-year-old English setter, Otis, and Hazel, my 12-year-old German Wirehair, have hunted three of the four new Rock County walk-in parcels and…
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