Editorials

December is Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness Month which calls attention to a winter depression condition now known as Seasonal Depression. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI, the condition is characterized by recurrent episodes of depression in late fall and winter, alternating with periods of normal mood the rest of the year. This month, NAMI encourages people to…

November was Indigenous Peoples’ Month, a time to recognize and respect the history, spirituality and culture of those on whose territory we reside. We not only have recounted the traumatic history of our pre-colonial “first (Sioux and Piscataway) residents’’ but have begun to deepen our awareness and alter our own Pipestone, “Indian” and Pilgrim stories and are finding new ways to seek healing…

This week, the Star Herald offers a thumbs up, thumbs down, editorial comprised entirely of thumbs up. That’s not to say there’s nothing to complain about, but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, it’s best to focus on what’s going right in Rock County. Thumbs up — To the bumper crops hauled in by our local farmers. Just when we think our dirt can’t do any better than the year before, new genetics…

Over the decades, Thanksgiving has become my favorite holiday. It’s a day where I’ve stayed home, and Bryan and I would prepare a Thanksgiving dinner. We grew to be partners in the kitchen, each of us preparing a portion of the meal. At first, the guest list included only grandparents, but it grew to include our four children and my sister’s family. We’ve served as many as 20 people in our…

November is National Family Caregivers Appreciation Month — a time to honor and recognize the vital role that family, friends and neighbors play in caring for loved ones who need support due to age, illness or disability. In Rock County, A.C.E. of Southwest Minnesota – Rock County is proud to support caregivers through a variety of programs designed to provide respite, education and emotional…

Voices are being raised from “occupied” Washington as DC’s citizens struggle with both national and international challenges … even gutting tragedies.   National Guard members roam our parks and streets looking lost while aware they are being used as theatrical props. The darkening picture seems rooted in misguided institutional violence with authoritarian abuse of our Constitution and basic…

In Minnesota and across the country, farmers are having trouble making ends meet amid low commodity prices and increasing costs. Farmer loan repayment rates continue to decline across the Midwest, and small farm bankruptcies have reached a five-year high. Why? Our farmers can’t offset the toll of tariffs on the rural economy. As I visited family farmers across western and southern Minnesota…

The Star Herald this week has collected an assortment of mentions for our “thumbs up and thumbs down” editorial, so it’s time to share them here. Thumbs up — to mild October weather and the now glorious fall color. It’s been an unseasonably warm fall, and the cooler nights are now producing more color on trees and shrubs. You don’t have to travel east or north to enjoy the vibrant autumn scenery…

We’re now into our fourth week of a federal government shutdown since Congress failed to approve a resolution for government funding. In preparation for this shutdown, the White House Office of Management and Budget instructed agencies to prepare reduction-in-force plans, adding potentially permanent layoffs to the long list of negative shutdown consequences. Congress’s inability to pass…

Have you seen the purple ribbons displayed around Luverne? For survivors of domestic violence, the color purple is meant to be a symbol of peace, courage, survival, honor and dedication to ending violence. The purple ribbons are for these individuals and a reminder to all of us that domestic violence is a real and dangerous threat. Rock County is a vibrant healthy community, but we, like every…

This week, Oct. 5-11, is National Fire Prevention Week, and the theme of the 2025 campaign is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home.”  The national organization and our local firefighters are working this week to educate the public about using these batteries safely. Specifically, the message focuses on the importance of buying, charging and recycling lithium-ion…

Local journalism is the heartbeat of informed communities. It brings stories to light that state and national outlets don’t cover in our communities — stories about school board decisions, city council debates, town celebrations and local heroes. In a world increasingly shaped by global headlines and social media noise, the Star Herald keeps our readers grounded in civic engagement,…

Falls Prevention Week next week is a timely reminder for older adults to stay physically active, maintain balance and stay socially connected. One program helping make that possible right here in our community is SAIL – Stay Active and Independent for Life. SAIL classes are specifically designed to help adults 65 and older reduce their risk of falls and stay strong, confident and independent…

Gov. Tim Walz last week issued an executive order directing the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to expand efforts to safeguard vaccine access in Minnesota in response to federal actions restricting vaccine availability at the federal level. The executive order also directs the state epidemiologist to issue a standing order for the COVID-19 vaccine, which would provide greater flexibility…

September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness, spread hope and spark meaningful action around one of the most urgent mental health issues of our time. During September (and year-round) the focus is on bringing discussion about suicide out of the darkness and into the open. The goal is to ensure that individuals, friends and families have access to the tools, resources and…

Recently friends from across the country and the world expressed concern about what life is like in the District of Columbia, which is occupied by out-of-state soldiers. We are asking, “Why does an authoritarian national leader now feel a need to govern us with misinformation-laced theatrics and an unconstitutional military force in place of our very capable local elected officials?” It has a…