Opinion
- By Minnesota League of Women VotersAugust 05, 2026The leaders we elect make decisions that affect our daily lives. Elections are our chance to stand up for what matters most to us and to have an impact on the issues that affect us, our communities, our families and our future. It’s our civic duty to vote, and it’s our responsibility to be prepared for Election Day. Aug. 11 is the primary election, and the Minnesota League of Women Voters has…
By Brenda Winter, columnistAugust 05, 2026I’m going to teach the Life Skills class at E q u i p t Christian School in Luverne this fall so I’ve spent a lot of time lately pondering which life skills are most important to students in grades K-6. Big Picture skills come to mind such as “how to maintain committed relationships” or “how to manage money.” Last year the students studied carpentry, farming, sewing, cooking, party planning…
August 05, 2026Question: With summer being upon us, can you get some information out in regards to motorcycle safety? Answer: Operating a motorcycle requires different skills than driving a car, so there are some additional requirements for motorcycle riders: •Motorcyclists are entitled to the full use of their lanes and have all the rights and duties of other drivers. •Operators must have a valid license…- By Star Herald EditorialJuly 29, 2026Rock County voters will participate in the Aug. 11 primary election that also affects the Dist. 3 Rock County Board seat and the South Ward Luverne City Council seat. Rock County District 3 generally encompasses the northwest neighborhoods of Luverne and rural Rock County sections four miles west of Highway 75 between 131st Street and the Iowa border. It also includes the sections east of…
By Jason Berghorst, reporterJuly 29, 2026It all began at the pre-trip meeting. As chaperone for a church youth trip to Colorado, I was given a waiver to sign. The waiver released the owners of the ranch from any responsibility if a planned horseback trail ride in the mountains ended poorly. Horseback ride? No way. Guys my size with limited animal experience are not meant to ride horses on flat ground, let alone on hillsides. …
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolJuly 29, 2026Question: I’m seeing more and more vehicles in Minnesota with dark tinted windows. I thought there was a law prohibiting dark tinted windows on both the driver and passenger windows but back windows can be dark. Unless the laws changed and I didn’t know. Thank you. Answer: In Minnesota, you can have your windows tinted to a light transmittance of 50 percent, but not less. Light transmittance is…
By RIck Peterson, general managerJuly 29, 2026My column countdown is at the end of the road. This will be the last one. For over 20 years every other week I hunted and pecked out a column. At the top of each of those columns was the heading “For What It’s Worth,” but I’m not sure what the “worth” was of most of the columns. I was more interested in them being entertaining or humorous, often times poking fun of myself and sometimes Mary…
By Calla Jarvie, Rock County Library directorJuly 29, 2026Want to know what one of the keys to having a successful library is? I know you do: it’s partnerships! Here at the Rock County Community Library, we are incredibly fortunate to have amazing partners all across the county, state and even the country. The partnership I want to talk about today is a new one: it’s with Rock County Extension and 4-H. We have teamed up to do four incredible programs…- July 22, 2026We encourage lively exchanges of ideas during election seasons on our opinion page, however we strive for fairness in publishing those expressions. In addition to our standard guidelines for letters to the editor (outlined below) the following policies are in place: •We allow one letter per writer per election season (plus one for a rebuttal, if necessary) to allow for multiple voices and…
By Nicole RonchettiJuly 22, 2026There’s no place like home, except maybe Camp RYLA. It’s a youth leadership camp for high school juniors and seniors sponsored by local Rotary clubs. While our regional Rotary District 5610 sponsors a camp held in Nebraska, the RYLA that’s closest to my heart is in my home district of 5580 and is held in Crookston. Each year nearly a hundred teens from North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin and…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolJuly 22, 2026Question: Hello, I live in “cabin country” and it never fails, during the summer months with the influx of traffic, there are always arguments regarding traffic “laws” or “it’s just being Minnesota nice”. There’s been several near misses and I can see both sides of the argument and wondering if you can help clear up an ongoing discussion. At a single-lane intersection, the roadway is…- By American Heart AssociationJuly 22, 2026As summer heat intensifies across the U.S., the American Heart Association warns that soaring temperatures don’t just make people uncomfortable — they can put serious strain on the heart and increase the risk of life-threatening complications. Although tragic deaths from major disasters like hurricanes and tornados may get the most news coverage, extreme heat is actually the leading weather…
By Lori SorensonJuly 15, 2026Jeane Leslie stopped in last week to deliver some columns she had clipped from the Star Herald through the years. There were some for Brenda, Mavis, Rick and me, each small stack organized by our bylines and neatly paperclipped under handwritten notes from Jeane. Some from 20 years ago I’d long forgotten, but it pleased me that she thought enough of them to clip and keep them. I’m guessing the…- By The National Alliance on Mental IllnessJuly 15, 2026NAMI Minnesota (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) is sounding the alarm over newly issued federal Medicaid regulations that will make it significantly harder for people with mental illnesses to maintain health coverage. This puts thousands of Minnesotans at risk of losing access to essential mental health services. The new rules implement provisions of the 2025 Congressional Budget…
- By Deon Carriere, Candidate for Rock County Commissioner District 3July 15, 2026To the editor: I would like to begin by thanking the Star Herald for its continued commitment to local journalism. Your coverage of local government, community events, and, most recently, the upcoming elections provides voters with the information they need to make informed decisions. In an era when local newspapers across America continue to disappear, the Star Herald remains the lifeblood…
By Rick PetersonJuly 15, 2026My column countdown continues with just one more remaining after this one. I know you’re probably thinking enough already. As I think back about my newspaper career I can’t help but remember how it all started. It all started with Scott Rall. Yeah, that Scott Rall. He was working at the Worthington Daily Globe way back then and he knew I was looking for work and he called me and told me about…
You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.
