Columns
By Scott Rall, outdoor columnistJune 30, 2020The Fourth of July should have every American thinking about our independence and those who made sacrifices to keep America free. I am not sure that an ever-growing percentage of our population still keeps those thoughts at the top of the list for this national holiday. As a kid growing up, I remember that almost every neighborhood would be plastered with American flags waving in the wind up and…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistJune 23, 2020I was kidding my girlfriend, Cindy Scott, about how excited she would be when the new puppy shows up at our house on or about the 20th of July. She has never house-trained a dog before, and I was really piling it on when I said how much fun it would be. House training a puppy is not all that hard, but for some dog owners it is just a miserable task. If this is difficult for you, then all I have…
By Jason Berghorst, reporterJune 23, 2020We all want to be right. We all want and need to be part of a group. We believe that those who share our opinions are also always right. These three concepts form the basis of partisan politics. Republicans agree with and defend other Republicans and Democrats do the same for other Democrats. My team vs. their team. Conservatives vs. liberals. We’re right. They’re wrong. It’s how it works.…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyJune 23, 2020The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911. Rock County Village of continued from 6-18-20 edition of the Star Herald. The next item we have to consider in the history of Hills was also an important one — no less than the removal of the entire business section of the town. The village was originally located three blocks west of the present location, on low ground. In 1893 F. C. Finke…
By Mavis Fodness, reporterJune 16, 2020Since the first cases of the coronavirus hit Minnesota in March, one of my colleagues went missing. Gone. Poof. Vanished. In the past three months only a handful of sightings of former sports editor John Rittenhouse have been passed on to the newsroom, but none of these by me, this former colleague. Three months ago, as the newspaper was scrambling to understand the new health rules, John quietly…
By Rick Peterson, general managerJune 16, 2020The Luverne Area Community Foundation has created a worthy dedicated fund called the Rock County Veterans Fund. Don’t confuse this fund with the Rock County Veterans Memorial fund. The Rock County Veterans Memorial Fund is dedicated to the perpetual care of the Veterans Memorial on the front lawn of the Rock County courthouse. In fact, while you have the checkbook out, write two checks — one for…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyJune 16, 2020The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911. Rock County Village of continued from 6-11-20 edition of the Star Herald. The growth of Hills during 1892 was substantial and its permanency was assured. It distanced some of the neighboring villages and boasted a larger growth than its rivals.9 Among the new enterprises of the year were the town’s first hotel by T. O. Strandness, a bank…
By Scott Rall, outdoors columnistJune 16, 2020Does anybody know what I am talking about when I call a bird a “shy poke”? This was the name I first learned from my grandpa, Arnold Bender, who lived in Leola, South Dakota. This is the nickname for the great blue heron. Another name for them is a looper. This is for their large slow wind beats. The great blue heron was the subject of many watercolor paintings by my favorite wildlife artist,…
By Scott Rall, outdoor columnistJune 09, 2020My friend Ken Red has wildlife property in Pine County, Minnesota, where there are pheasants, wood cock, sand hill cranes, ruffed grouse and deer. I am impressed by the difference between my similar spot in southwest Minnesota and his property only 285 miles away. His game species is way more diverse than that of the grasslands in our area. One bird I really admire that’s not found here is the…
By Brenda Winter, columnistJune 09, 2020I was just learning to read when I handed my mom the anniversary card I’d found in a box on her desk. With all the over-dramatic “ohhs and ahhs” one gives a child for doing a good thing, Mom received the card with appreciation and read it silently. Then — she collapsed into a heap of laughter and could not stop laughing. She laughed the kind of laugh one laughs when trying not to laugh. I’m sure…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyJune 09, 2020The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911. Rock County Village of Hills, continued from 6-4-20 edition of the Star Herald. In April the store building of Jacobson & Sexe was moved across the fields from Bruce, and early in May that firm opened a general store one block north of the Thompson store. The same month A. T. Sexe moved his lumber yard from Bruce and installed P…
By Lori Sorenson, editorJune 02, 2020More than once in the past several days, I’ve opened my mouth to say something profound, but stopped short, realizing that words aren’t enough. There simply are no words to describe the occurrences of the past week in Minneapolis and their ripple effect statewide and now in cities across the nation. There are no words to explain why a police officer would lean on the neck of an already handcuffed…
By Rick Peterson, general managerJune 02, 2020I wear my coronavirus mask more often than not, but not 100 percent of the time, which I probably should. I kind of relate the habit of wearing the mask to wearing my seatbelt in the car. When the recommendation to wear your seatbelt first came out, it was done so as a way to save lives. Wearing one’s seatbelt was voluntary at first, and very little compliance was the result of said…
By Betty Mann, president, Rock County Historical SocietyJune 02, 2020The following appeared in The Rose History in 1911. Rock County Village of Hills continued from 5-28-20 edition of the Star Herald. The farmers residing in the vicinity were given the privilege of christening the new town. They chose the name Oslo, but before the site was platted, late in October, it was learned that there was a town of the same name in Marshall county, Minnesota, and…
By Scott Rall, outdoor columnistMay 26, 2020Star Herald editor Lori Sorenson recently told me her son just acquired a black Lab puppy for hunting. Most new puppies go to their new homes at seven to eight weeks of age, so that little one will be about 7 1/2 months old when he gets to use his natural instincts. I wrote a few months back about the differences between flushing breeds and pointing breeds. Today we’ll talk about how to choose a…
By Jason Berghorst, reporterMay 26, 2020Staying positive was one of my main goals as the pandemic began to impact us in mid-March. As the weeks – and now months – have gone on, it’s gotten somewhat harder to stay positive for me, and maybe for you, too. In order to focus on the positive, I’ve been making a mental list of the changes COVID-19 has brought that I hope remain long term. Or, to use popular pandemic phrases, these are the…
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