Editorials
- By Ken Paulson, director of the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State UniversityMarch 16, 2021When government fails, it’s the rare public official who says, “Oops. My fault.” That’s human nature, particularly for officials in the public eye who may have to run for office again. No one wants to be held directly responsible for letting the public down. Case in point is the recent catastrophe in Texas, when unexpected winter storms left four million homes without power, ruptured pipes and…
- March 09, 2021Daylight saving time returns Sunday, March 14, signaling more late-afternoon sunshine and the upcoming warmer season. It also kicks off National Sunshine Week, March 14-20, which celebrates and brings awareness to free and open access to public information and an accountable government. The theme this year is “It’s your right to know,” and it sheds light on the importance of community journalists…
- March 02, 2021The federal REAL ID full enforcement deadline is less than eight months away, and Minnesotans need to know their options so they’re prepared on Oct. 1, 2021. Beginning Oct. 1, 2021, Minnesotans will not be able to use their standard driver’s license or ID card to board domestic flights or enter federal facilities. Instead, they will need one of three options: a passport or passport card, a REAL…
- February 16, 2021Thumbs up to local electric utility workers for their round-the-clock work at Luverne’s power plant to man the back-up generator that was called into service. Thumbs up also to Luverne city leaders who had the foresight to maintain an independent power source for the community. Thumbs down to climate change deniers. Our Arctic cap is melting, it’s snowing on the beaches of the Gulf, and our…
- February 09, 2021The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS) on Monday announced an extra speed enforcement and awareness campaign. Motorists can face serious penalties and lose driving privileges for choices that destroy lives, including losing their license for six months for speeding 100 mph or more. DPS is collaborating with the Minnesota departments of Health and…
- February 02, 2021As the state continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and lawmakers begin to craft the next two-year state budget, we in greater Minnesota need to make sure our voices are heard. On Friday the Star Herald participated in a press conference call with board members of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC). The meeting addressed priorities to bolster economic recovery in rural…
- January 19, 2021One thing sets the Southwest Minnesota CEO program apart from others across the country — community support. As the 2020-21 CEO class opens their group business venture, “Souper” Supper, this weekend, the students will have already reached half of their fundraising goal of $15,000 through business sponsorships. Other members who follow the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship model only raise a…
- January 12, 2021Some of you know that one of life's joys that I take pride in is my athletic career long ago on the championship football and basketball teams in Luverne. These memories, if verbalized, honor the coaches who were men of active faith who cared deeply for those of us who played for them. They focused more on character building than on winning, and as a result were perennial champions as…
- January 05, 2021According to data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, 2020 has proven to be a challenging year on state roadways. Preliminary reports show there were 394 traffic deaths on Minnesota roads in 2020, compared with 364 in 2019. Of the 2020 fatalities: •64 were motorcyclists, compared with 44 in 2019. •10 were bicyclists, compared with 10 in 2019. •45 were pedestrians, compared with 50 in…
- December 08, 2020With 21 days left in 2020, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety released a grim milestone — 367 people died on Minnesota roads since Jan. 1 this year. That compares with 364 fatalities in all of 2019. On a 10-year average, 30 people die on Minnesota roads in December. Public safety officials said more crashes were speed-related, involved more motorcycles, more drivers were alone when the…
- December 01, 2020We’re not getting the Christmas we dream of this year, but that doesn’t mean we’re getting lumps of coal. This year more than ever we need to count our blessings and watch for bright spots in the season. On Sunday we watched our Luverne City Park light up with dozens of festive holiday displays decorated by local businesses and organizations. They were ushered in by a 20-minute spectacular…
November 23, 2020We try to leave our readers each week with editorial messages to advocate, encourage, enlighten and inform. This week we’re torn between two messages: get out and support local businesses and stay home to protect vulnerable loved ones and health care workers. Our holidays are coinciding with the peak of pandemic spread, which means we should hunker down with our immediate households at a time…- November 17, 2020In the November Chamber Chatter, the Luverne Area Chamber Director Jane Wildung Lanphere offered ways to be grateful this holiday season. Specifically, she suggested being thankful for this list of blessings: •Awakening alive. Just waking up is something we should be grateful for every day of our lives. Being alive allows us to love, enjoy, make decisions, act and make our day the best. •…
- November 10, 2020Nonprofit organizations are at the heart of our communities, but many of our local organizations have canceled fundraiser galas and activities due to the pandemic. This is not only a loss of social connections, but it represents lost fundraising that would support 2021 projects that strengthen the community. Nov. 19 is Give to the Max Day, a 24-hour online campaign that supports local nonprofits…
By Jessica Mead, Complete County Committee chairperson and Luverne city clerkNovember 03, 2020Way to go, Rock County and city of Luverne, for your high level of participation in the 2020 U.S. Census! Being counted helps our community get its fair share of the more than $675 billion per year in federal funds spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other vital programs. Businesses use census data to decide where to build industry, offices and stores, and this creates jobs and…- October 27, 2020The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is considered by many to be one of the most effective pieces of civil rights legislation in our nation's history. Now as we head into the final stretch of the 2020 presidential election, it’s abundantly clear how necessary the law is. Before the Voting Rights Act was in place, several states openly and legally suppressed the votes of African-Americans and other…
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