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Columns

  • By Greg Hoogeveen, Time Out
    October 08, 2025
    This past week the Star Herald had a visitor stop by with a surprise to show the office. Vicki (Frahm) Ewald pulled a framed original watercolor picture she had painted out of a large flat plastic bag. “I was going through your paper, and this photo caught my eye, and I had to paint it.” Jennifer Nelson and Deb Lusty in our front office area watched as she pulled out the painting and…
  • By Scott Rall, Outdoor Columnist
    October 08, 2025
    The first day of fall has just passed us. This is my favorite time of the year and I can bet that most of you who have read my stuff already knew that. The waterfowl migrations are only a few weeks away, and as often as you might have marveled at that, there is one other creature that passes through Minnesota that many of you may know very little about.  That is the sandhill crane. These birds…
  • By Lori Sorenson, editor
    October 01, 2025
    The Star Herald staff will visit the Luverne eighth-grade careers class Friday about opportunities in communication. I tell the kids that effective communicators are in demand across all job sectors. And I sometimes wonder about career paths I could have followed had I not landed at the Star Herald. For example, wordsmithing for chocolate marketing would be fun. “Close your eyes and taste the…
  • By RIck Peterson, general manager
    October 01, 2025
    My last couple of columns have been about things I love about this time of year. Well, here is one more. It’s not so much about what I love about this time of year, but more about the topic of conversation that really only happens this time of year. Pumpkins seem to be at the forefront of a lot of office conversation, as well at the Peterson household. Size, color, shape, how many and where to…
  • By Betty Mann, Rock County Historian
    October 01, 2025
    The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Oct. 16, 1941. An interesting story of how Rock county gained much of its early day Norwegian population is told by Martin O. Wold, Luverne, this week’s Diamond Club member. Mr. Wold knows the story well because he experienced…
  • By Calla Jarvie, Rock County Library director
    October 01, 2025
    I just got back from the annual Association for Rural and Small Libraries conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. If you’re thinking it was one big nerd-fest, you would be right. And it was AWESOME. As you probably gathered from the title of the conference, it was focused only on small and rural libraries. Every session at the conference was aimed specifically at libraries in areas like ours…
  • By Scott Rall, The Outdoors
    October 01, 2025
    I can only wonder what it might be like to own vast expanses of land covered with pheasant habitat. When the opening day bell rings, you could drive up to your favorite spot and go hunting.  You would know for sure that there would not be a parking lot full of other trucks all waiting to hunt the exact spot you intended to hunt. I must be asleep because for me this would certainly be a dream.…
  • September 24, 2025
    As I sat in the performing arts center Friday afternoon, memories unfolded as I watched the four retired educators inducted into the Luverne Educator Hall of Fame. Laurin Carroll, Gregg Gropel, Katie Hemme and Joseph Roberts were teachers of mine at one time or another during my elementary and secondary years in Luverne Public Schools. It’s been more than 40 years (for one teacher, 50 years)…
  • By Scott Rall, Outdoor Columnist
    September 24, 2025
    Last week we started a conversation about which gun is the best choice for a youth hunter with little to no hunting experience. I pretty much put the kibosh on a break-open single shot shotgun with an exposed hammer and the reasons why it is a poor choice. When selecting a gun for a new hunter I think a youth pump shotgun is the best choice. There is a variety of reasons that make this the best…
  • By Brenda Winter, columnist
    September 17, 2025
    This fall, for the first time in 14 years, I went back to school when I joined three teachers and 18 students for the launch of Equipt Christian School in Luverne as a K-2 classroom helper.  I don’t have an official title, but some of my more commonly used titles are, “Teacher” “Mrs. Teacher” “Mr. Winter" “Miss Winters” and “Gramma.” I’ve been amazed to observe, in just two short weeks, how…
  • By Rick Peterson, general manager
    September 17, 2025
    My last couple of columns have been about things I love about this time of year. The column from a couple of weeks ago was about my affection for all things football. Thanks to the Redwood Valley Cardinals, Luverne Cardinals, HB-C Patriots – so far, so good – but the Minnesota Gophers and Vikings, not so much. This week is about fall fashions and foods. First, we are all a bit reluctant to…
  • By Scott Rall, Outdoors columnist
    September 17, 2025
    So, how you go about finding the right shotgun for a youth who wants to be a hunter? This is one of those Ford/Chevy issues, as most folks will never agree on anything. I will just give my experience as a firearms safety instructor for the past 28 years. First and foremost, the gun has to fit. With rare exceptions, you normally cannot give an adult-size gun to a youth and then expect that they…
  • By Lori Sorenson, editor
    September 10, 2025
    Saturday, Sept. 6, marked 11 years of marriage to a man who is an absolute gift in my life. He makes me laugh with his goofy humor, he steadies me with his solid strength, and his quiet generosity makes me a better person. I smiled while sorting photos of the two of us captured over 20-some years of adventures we’ve shared as a couple. At the same time Saturday, my sisters and I were texting…
  • By Scott Rall, outdoors columnist
    September 10, 2025
    The numbers are in, and they are the best we have had in a very long time. The Minnesota DNR has released the results of the August roadside counts, and if you are a pheasant hunter you should be excited. I have been doing the Nobles County Roadside Count routes for about 15 years. It took me over 20 years of waiting to get that volunteer job. I had to wait until the current driver either…
  • By Mavis Fodness, reporter
    September 03, 2025
    We take our eyesight for granted. Each morning we don either glasses or contacts, with the luckier ones having no assistance whatsoever, in order to see clearly. I’ve learned recently that some people need transplants in order to achieve clear sight. Two Minnesotans currently have their sight again, thanks to Bryan’s donated corneas. A letter from the Dakota Lions Sight and Health in Sioux…
  • By Rick Peterson, general manager
    September 03, 2025
    I can’t help myself this time of year, but all I think about is football. High school, college and the pros – I can’t get enough of it. I share my high school team loyalties between the Redwood Valley and the Luverne Cardinals. This year there isn’t a Peterson grandson on the Redwood varsity team, so the local Cards get all my support. That is subject to change next year, however. As a product…
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