Columns
By Lori Sorenson, editorJuly 02, 2025I rescued some clearance-priced begonias at Bomgaars a few weeks ago, despite completing spring planting in mid-May. The perky pink blossoms are the perfect spot of color in the wicker planter near our patio door. Especially after the ones intended for that spot are long dead. I have a poor track record for keeping flowers alive in that location at our home. Year after year I peruse the “…
By Betty Mann, Rock County HistorianJuly 02, 2025The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Feb. 7, 1963. N.F.O. Family Night will be held February 9 NFO national Directors from South Dakota and Minnesota will speak at a special Family Night gathering of the Rock County NFO, to be held in the Luverne high school cafeteria, Saturday night, February 9. Headlining the program will be Ken Stoffern, Humboldt, S.D., national director…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistJuly 02, 2025It was that time of year again when I needed to take the herd of dogs I own to the vet for some routine shots. Not that this is a new thing by any means. I normally have had at least four dogs at my house since 1995. The most dogs I have ever had at one time was six, and at the low point in my hunting past I was for a short time down to zero. I had sold a starter dog in May of that year, and…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterJune 25, 2025An email landed in my inbox last fall simply titled “Wind Turbine Visit.” The author was a Maple Grove dad whose daughter is enamored with wind turbines. Yes, that’s right. Those 300-plus-foot tall white metal towers affixed with three Fiberglas blades that spin to generate electricity. A turbine is a rather unusual item for a 5-year-old to like, but Deviana is not your typical kindergartner…
By RIck Peterson, general managerJune 25, 2025At the time I am writing this column, the topic idea is just that – an idea. With Hotdog Night just around the corner, some of the staff in our office had the brainy idea of putting together a short video centered around tossing a hot dog and catching it with a bun. Two-person teams representing each department at The Star Herald have been established, and they are as follow: Our front…
By Scott Rall, Outdoor ColumnistJune 25, 2025In the June 12 edition of the Star Herald we talked about what a handling dog is and why you might want to train your dog to this higher level. A handling dog is one that can be directed to a bird or other item to be retrieved by using a whistle and hand signals. If you missed last week’s column, you might want to catch up on that one to get a better understanding of the information being…
By Jason Berghorst, reporterJune 18, 2025It seems to be happening more often. I say or think or do something and then quickly realize, “Wow, I’m getting old.” Three weeks ago I finished my 23rd year as a teacher and began my 12th summer working part time at the newspaper. That means I’m (hopefully) well past the halfway point of my career and solidly in my “midlife” years, if I’m blessed enough to live past the average longevity of…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistJune 18, 2025It has been a very long time since I last laid eyes on a creature I saw last night. For the first time in over five years, I saw a small juvenile red fox. This animal used to be quite common around southwest Minnesota, but for reasons I mention a little later, they have for all practical purposes vanished from my area. The red fox is in the upper quartile of foxes for size around the world. They…
By Brenda Winter, columnistJune 11, 2025It’s been a long time since anyone dared me to do a trick on my bike. I was the lucky winner of a new Townie Electra at the Take 16 bike drawing last Thursday. (Thank you, Lineage Logistics!) My 10-year-old nephew rode over on his bike to invite my husband and me to join him on a test drive of my flashy new prize. He wanted to “see what she could do.” I thought he meant the bike. Once we hit…
By RIck Peterson, general managerJune 11, 2025This is the last of four columns about my take on the abundance of choices we have when it comes to selecting and purchasing a simple item. I wrote about the number of choices on the shelf for the perfect barbecue sauces at our local Sunshine Foods store, the plethora of paint colors and sheen to choose from at the Luverne ACE Hardware store, and the aisle after aisle of choices of dog food at…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolJune 11, 2025Question: I read your last article about road construction and work zones. Can you talk about the zipper merge? It seems like a lot of people don’t know what it is or can’t figure it out. Thank you. Answer: The “Late Merge - Zipper Merge” is a driving strategy that requires drivers to change their mindset about merging. Traditionally, drivers have been taught to merge early when a lane is ending…
By Scott Rall, Outdoor ColumnistJune 11, 2025My four-dog team of pheasant chasers recently reduced to three as my oldest dog Tracer, now almost 14, retires to the carpet at my son’s house in Harrisburg, South Dakota. There are two granddaughters there, ages five and six, who lavish that spoiled dog with constant hugs and kisses. He is living large, and both he and I are pretty happy about it. This leaves me with an 11-year-old, a 10-year-…
By Lori Sorenson, editorJune 04, 2025I recently tagged along with Matt to the Washington, D.C., area where he had meetings for a conference. In addition to touring the iconic memorials and monuments, people-watching was one of my favorite perks of the trip. The locals are a melting pot of diversity, but when you throw in the visitors, it’s a place like no other that offers a perfect cross-section of humanity on display. Among…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolJune 04, 2025By Sgt. Troy Christianson Minnesota State Patrol Question: I have been receiving text messages about an “E-Z Pass Final Reminder.” It’s something about having an outstanding toll and submitting payment. I was told it was a scam. Can you get me more information on this? Answer: Here is information from the Minnesota Department of Transportation E-ZPass page. https://www.dot.state.mn.us/ezpassmn…
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 RIck Peterson, general managerMay 28, 2025This is the third installment in my series of columns about what I consider growing trends of having too many choices in making simple decisions. I so far covered barbecue sauces and paint, and now we’ll cover dog food. Pet food choices are off the charts, and for this column I am zeroing in on dog food. Our local Bomgaars is where I buy my dog food, so I did my research there on the plethora…
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