Columns
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 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…
By Brenda Winter, columnistDecember 04, 2024It was early on a Friday morning and still dark in Luverne, Minnesota. Six a.m. was too early for even the sun to be up. It was so dark they called it “Black Friday.” I was snuggled into my fluffy winter bathrobe, sipping my first cup of organic, fresh roasted Honduran coffee with heavy whipping cream when Mr. Romantic interrupted the solace. “Wanna go to Bomgaars with me? Everything is 20…
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…
By RIck Peterson, general managerNovember 26, 2024It’s time for the annual “What I am thankful for” column. Before I started pecking away at the keyboard, I sat there staring at the screen. After a longer pause than I care to admit, I decided to start by mentioning the little things I am thankful for that oftentimes are overlooked. The automatic garage door opener comes to mind as does the motion light. Thank goodness for that little sliding…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolNovember 26, 2024Question: My vehicle is equipped with airbags. Do I need to wear my seat belt? Answer: Yes, seat belt use is required. An airbag is a supplemental restraint system. Airbags work with seat belts to prevent injuries but are not designed to keep occupants from being ejected. For safety reasons, children under age 13 must ride in the back seat if it is available. Try to keep at least 10 inches…
By Scott Rall, Outdoors columnistNovember 26, 2024I saw a dead deer on this spot and then I saw another deer dead in another spot, and overall, this pheasant hunting/deer hunting season I have seen at least a dozen dead deer that were not as a result of a deer hunter’s bullet. The reports of dead deer in large numbers are circulating in my hunting circles, but I cannot confirm with any of my sources more than just a sporadic deer here or there…
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 Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolNovember 20, 2024Question: I can’t help but notice that it seems like a lot of people are following each other too close out on the highways. It’s been many years since I was in driver’s education but what is the recommendation for following distance? Answer: Here is information that is shared in the Minnesota Driver’s Manual. Applying the "Three-Second Rule" helps you keep a safe distance between your car and…
By Scott Rall, Outdoors columnistNovember 20, 2024So how is your pheasant hunting season going? Mine has been pretty bleak, but this is not the result for all hunters who chase ringnecks on the pheasant range of Minnesota. The weather has been so nice I can find no way to complain. The higher-than-normal temperatures in November certainly make the winter shorter, and I am all for that. What it also does is make getting a rooster into gun range…
By Brenda Winter, columnistNovember 13, 2024Well, it’s time. “The Charitable Sisterhood Christmas Spectacular” will be performed on stage at the Palace Theatre this weekend and next. The first time I took the stage was in 1979. I was a sophomore at Luverne High School playing the part of the maid in a murder mystery, the name of which I have forgotten. Opening night I was shocked when cast members began to encourage each other to “break…
By RIck Peterson, general managerNovember 13, 2024Oh, what to write about this week … Politics, I’ll pass. The weather, the Vikings, Medicare — again I’ll pass. I have mentioned more than once that the fall is my favorite season of the year. The reasons are the usual suspects, like the fall colors, the weather, football season and, of course, hunting season. The downside to fall is the prep work we have to do to get ready for winter. Raking…
By Scot Rall, Outdoor ColumnistNovember 13, 2024The big deer hunting opener is Saturday, Nov. 9. The firearms season runs nine days in southwest Minnesota, but that is far from the end of deer hunting for the season. Muzzleloader hunting starts a few days after the gun season and runs for a few weeks, and bow hunters can continue until Jan. 1. I was able to track down my local conservation officer, Dustin Roemeling, for a short question and…
By Lori Sorenson, editorNovember 06, 2024My friend Wendy and I have a daily standing date to walk the gravel roads in our neighborhood — sometimes near my home, sometimes near hers. Sometimes it’s in the afternoon, sometimes in the evening. Often this time of year it’s in the dark. (We wear reflective vests.) Typically, we go four miles — five if we’ve had a rough weekend of too much chocolate or pizza. And we keep a close eye on our…
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