Editorials
- By Pat Baustian, mayor, city of LuverneAugust 18, 2020A citizen contacted me last week about a concern that several downtown retailers were not wearing masks in their stores and were not asking patrons to wear masks when shopping in their store. The citizen was concerned for personal health reasons, but the information concerned me on a much broader level. The city of Luverne — its council and its staff members — worked quickly and furiously to…
- August 11, 2020The Star Herald this week carries a story about volunteers assembling personal care kits to be shared with community members. The primary idea is that social isolation and economic hardships of a pandemic take a toll on human beings, especially those with fewer resources. This is especially true for our community members who struggle with brain health. Mark Jabcobson, a peer support specialist in…
- August 04, 2020The coronavirus pandemic isn’t easy. It isn’t easy for people who get sick. It isn’t easy for their families and loved ones who can’t gather at their bedsides. It isn’t easy to properly grieve losses, COVID or not. It isn’t easy for communities to support residents and businesses. It isn’t easy for our mentally ill who already feel isolated and insecure. It isn’t easy for their caregivers and…
- By Evan Verbrugge, Rock County SheriffJuly 28, 2020As you all have heard or read by now, Gov. Walz ordered the use of masks in all buildings in his new Executive Order 20-81. Since this announcement I have been contacted by a number of people asking how the Sheriff’s Office would enforce the mask order. I can tell you that we will continue to do the same enforcement that we have been doing since the Governor started his executive orders. No…
- July 21, 2020After months of stay-at-home or stay-safe orders, we are eager to be get back to our normal routines and activities. Last week our summer routines received a reality check. Some of our youth participating in summer games of baseball recently tested positive for the coronavirus. As a precaution, youth baseball was halted as we take a step back and assess what this new public enemy will do next. It…
- By Linda Tobias, Client Service Center Supervisor, Senior Linkage Line and Minnesota River Area Agency on AgingJuly 14, 2020Turning 65 comes with many emotions for me. I am excited to begin thinking about the next phase of my life. Is retirement a reality for me? Or am I going to continue to do the job I love with the Senior LinkAge Line and the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging? I will turn 65 at the end of October. Over the last month I have been inundated with phone calls from people trying to sell me a Medicare…
- July 07, 2020We want to recognize our community activity organizers who are creatively moving forward during this coronavirus pandemic by continuing our annual summer celebrations with interesting social distancing twists. A thumbs up to the Luverne Area Chamber for their recent activities and the Helping Build Communities Stronger, who are organizing this Saturday’s fireworks display in Hills. This past…
- June 30, 2020This weekend we’ll no doubt enjoy the familiar tune and lyrics of our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Beyond the nostalgia, we may not reflect on the history of the piece or its additional unsung verses. It’s storied that the author was a pro-slavery lawyer and the melody was borrowed from a British song about drinking and sex. Yet, the song has lifted our nation’s spirits through…
- By Audrey Nelson, Willmar, President of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota CitiesJune 23, 2020The special session was a train wreck. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn and recent civil unrest, Minnesotans need strong state leadership at the Legislature now more than ever. Instead we got arbitrary deadlines, broken deals and partisan battles. I’m frustrated at the Senate GOP majority for their insistence on adjourning prematurely. The decision to adjourn June 20 was…
- June 16, 2020The Star Herald has worked hard to cover the pandemic and its effects on our community, and because much of the news was so important and timely, we offered it for free online. We hope that over the past three months readers — both new and current — have seen the pride that goes into gathering and reporting local news and appreciate the value of being informed. Our pay wall online returned June 4…
- June 09, 2020Gov. Tim Walz last week announced another “turn of the dial” to allow business to resume almost as usual in Minnesota, effective Wednesday, June 10. (See the front-page story.) The idea is that our coronavirus case numbers have remained conservative, which has given us time to prepare for what was expected to be a greater “surge” in case numbers than we’ve experienced. What does that mean for us…
- By Safe Minnesota, editorial, virus,June 02, 2020It’s been a long three months of social distancing and cautious avoiding of public spaces for fear of transmitting or contracting the highly contagious and sometimes deadly coronavirus. Hyper focus on disinfecting and disconnecting has been effective in our little part of the world, and for that we can be proud. Our community has been spared a widespread and sudden outbreak of the disease. Is it…
- May 19, 2020In this week’s Star Herald we proudly present the Class of 2020 Graduation Edition that features high school seniors from the four schools in the Star Herald coverage area. It’s no small feat to collect nearly 200 student photos and information in a normal school year, but during distance learning — when seniors aren’t gathered in common spaces at regular times — it was challenging at best. But…
- By Luke Comeau, Southwestern Mental Health Center interim executive directorMay 12, 2020The month of May is known for its warmer days, flowers in bloom, and students anxious to burst through their school's exit doors one final time to the freedom of summer break. Yet, this May is entirely different for all of us, whether it was the change in plans for Mother's Day, a birthday party celebrated over Zoom, or working from home while the kids scream during your corporate…
- By Craig Oftedahl, Luverne Public Schools SuperintendentMay 05, 2020Thank you, Luverne teachers! During the past six weeks, I have been reminded many times why I became an educator. It has been and always will be about the students for me. As a teacher, coach, principal, athletic director, and now as a superintendent, I always wanted students to have better opportunities than I had as a student and participant of extra-curricular activities. …
- By Sara Wahl, executive director of Southwest Crisis CenterApril 28, 2020Earlier this month, Minnesota Governor Walz reported that two-thirds of police calls over the weekend were related to domestic violence. As individuals are coping with the uncertainty of the COVID- 19 virus, loss of income and staying in their homes, the stress can be overwhelming. Abusers often resort to the use of manipulation, power, control and violence, correlating to higher incidence of…
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