Editorials
- May 25, 2021Rock County foster parent Shawna Sjaarda recently wrote about being a foster parent and about the need for others to fill the role of foster parenting. Foster care is defined as “a situation in which for a period of time a child lives with and is cared for by people who are not the child's parents.” Sjaarda said this definition barely scratches the surface of what foster care actually means…
- May 18, 2021The Southwest Minnesota CEO (Creating Entrepreneur Opportunities) chapter in Rock County is one of three CEO chapters of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship program in Minnesota. Recently Midland’s executive director Austin Brooks and national program manager Amy Tarr visited this year’s class of 14 students in Luverne. The organizers were impressed at what the three-year-old program has…
- May 11, 2021Anyone who’s paid attention over the past 18 months knows we have an active group of smart, sincere individuals working to improve mental health in Rock County. The #Luv1LuvAll Brain Health Committee led a series of informative sessions to call attention to mental health as a key component in a community’s overall success. One of the most important themes from one meeting to the next is that…
- May 04, 2021Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2-8, 2021, and if there were ever a time to thank a teacher, the time is now. Teaching can be difficult, demanding and emotionally and physically exhausting work in a non-pandemic environment. But teachers will also tell you the rewards are often worth the challenges in ways they’re not able to share, due to student privacy protection. These past two years have…
- April 27, 2021Youthful exuberance was palpable Friday as Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary students exited the school bus at the Hills Rez Park. They were laughing, running after each other and just plain excited to be outdoors. The change of scenery, however, didn’t mean they weren’t learning. Last Thursday was Earth Day, a day to protect the environment and focus on conservation. Our prairie landscape needs to be…
- April 20, 2021National Volunteer Week 2021 is this week, April 19-24, and it is an opportunity for volunteers and organizations to raise awareness of the contribution volunteers make in their communities. It is also a chance to celebrate these efforts and to promote their work in our communities. Week after week, the Star Herald has the honor and privilege of sharing stories about the local people and causes…
- By Amy Klobuchar, U.S. SenatorApril 13, 2021On May 7 of last year, the Hastings Star Gazette printed its last issue. The paper’s first issue as The Hastings Independent was published in 1857, a year before Minnesota gained statehood. Generations relied on papers like this for local news — they told you who was born and who died, whose daughter just broke the county record for the 400-meter freestyle, whose Holstein won a surprise ribbon at…
- April 06, 2021It’s always trendy to criticize government — its taxes, spending and general overreach and control over the lives of hard-working American citizens. And, sometimes criticisms are warranted. But sometimes government does accomplish good things, and this week the Star Herald shines light on a few government projects with positive impacts on the community. For example, we have an update on the Rock…
- March 30, 2021It’s been a good news week here at the Star Herald, and it’s worth pointing out that we have a lot to be happy about. For example, in our Home Yard and Garden edition in Section B, we have several uplifting stories of local young business people chasing their entrepreneurial dreams. Please take time to read their stories and, if you’re looking for ways to spend your pandemic stimulus money, take…
- By Bob Welsh, Resource and Asset Management Section Manager; Division of Parks and Trials, Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcesMarch 23, 2021We appreciate the opportunity to clarify the Minnesota Parks and Trails project to redevelop Eagle Rock Vista at Blue Mounds State Park. First, it is important to note for context that the Frederick Manfred house site is an important and valued area within Blue Mounds State Park. It reflects the contributions of a famous American author to the community of Luverne and his family’s legacy. As…
- 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…
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