opinion
By Brenda Winter, columnistApril 15, 2026We are building a yard shed. All of our neighbors have yard sheds. Some have two. We need a shed. The key words for architecture and space planning are “form” and “function.” Form is what something looks like. Function is what something does. As for what this new yard shed will look like, Jim and I both want it to look “kind of cool.” We want it to have a bit of a mid-century modern…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 08, 2026I’ll admit that I cry very easily. If a book or a movie has a bittersweet ending, my friends and family know to have a box of tissues on standby. But I don’t think I’ve ever cried as hard as when I watched “When Life Gives You Tangerines.” That might not sound like a winning endorsement, but bear with me. The story starts off in post-war Korea, focusing on a young, soon to be orphaned girl…- By Dulee Willardson, Childi Advocacy Program manager and forensic interviewer, Southwest Crisis CenterApril 08, 2026April is Child Abuse Prevention month, a time for communities to come together and commit to the safety and well-being of children. This year is especially meaningful, as it is the first time we are bringing this type of awareness campaign to our region. At the Southwest Crisis Center’s Child Advocacy Program, we work alongside children and families during some of their most vulnerable…
By RIck Peterson, general managerApril 08, 2026April is Earth Month and earlier this week we hosted a Star Media Conversation with Shannon Dwire, president of Millennium Recycling in Sioux Falls. Starting this Thursday, you can watch that episode on our Star Media YouTube page, www. starmedia.today website, the Star Media Facebook page, or on the Star Herald website and Star Herald Facebook page. We discussed the do’s and don’ts of…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolApril 08, 2026Question: Can you write about the laws on headlights on when they are to be used? It would probably be a good idea to mention the rules of dimming one’s bright lights. Thanks. Answer: When you are within 1,000 feet of an oncoming vehicle or following another vehicle at a distance of 200 feet or less, your headlights must remain on low beam. Your headlights must be turned on at sunset and used…
April 01, 2026Question: I just purchased a pull behind camper. I have never owned or pulled one before. What do I need to know? Answer: If you pull a camper or trailer with your vehicle, you must maintain at least 500 feet of following distance from other vehicles. When loaded, 10 to 15% of the trailer’s weight should be balanced on the hitch between the trailer and vehicle. When correctly loaded, the…- By Kayla (Gradert) McKenzie, Luverne native, Apple ValleyApril 01, 2026To the editor: A front-page article in the Thursday, March 12, edition titled “County bracing for unfunded mandates in ‘Big Beautiful Bill’” describes cuts to SNAP. The county must now cover a portion of these costs because the federal government is not. These cuts hurt the most vulnerable amongst us, families just trying to get by. Readers are encouraged to reach out to state representatives…
- By Larry Green, LuverneApril 01, 2026To the editor: We have relatives, neighbors and friends standing in harm’s way, serving America in the war in Iran. More troops have been ordered to deploy to the Mideast. Already, 13 Army and National Guard members have died, and more have been wounded, some grievously. On March 12 an Air Force KC135R Stratotanker crashed, killing all aboard. In the March 18 Minnesota Star Tribune newspaper…
- By Art Ehde, LuverneApril 01, 2026To the editor: I am concerned about the Northern Con-Agg interim use permit application to open a new gravel pit. One concern is the amendment approved last year which allows expansion of a gravel pit in the A-1 zone as long as the land is contiguous or next to a current pit. Northern-Con-Agg asked to have the previous A-1 zoning ordinance amended to allow expansions of existing gravel pits…
- By the Minnesota Secretary of State's OfficeApril 01, 2026Sen. Alex Padilla of California and Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota were joined by three Secretaries of State for a recent virtual press briefing to discuss the potential impacts of the SAVE America Act on elections. Secretary Steve Simon (Minnesota), Secretary Steve Hobbs (Washington), and Secretary Stephanie Thomas (Connecticut) discussed the impacts to voters, election administrators, and…
By Nicole RonchettiMarch 18, 2026It’s difficult to describe what it feels like to taste a familiar family recipe. Every person has one, something that their mother or grandmother made that instantly transports them back to their childhood home, even 60 years later. It’s a mixture of comfort, and memory, and nostalgia. This year will be the first time I’ll be spending a major holiday by myself, and as a result I’m going to be…- March 18, 2026When we talk about transparency in government, it’s natural to focus on the halls of Washington, D.C., or the state capitol building in St. Paul. But as your local community newspaper, we at the Star Herald are proud to say we’ve been advocating for government transparency at the most local levels of town, school and county government. This week, March 15-21, is Sunshine Week when newspapers…
- By Larry GreenMarch 18, 2026To the editor: Last week, a Tomahawk “precision missile” that has been attributed to the United States’ military struck an elementary school in Iran, killing 180 students and teachers. I am a parent of two grown boys, and cannot fathom the pain of losing a child in the “safe haven” of their school. Last week Trump was considering sending “boots on the ground”, American foot soldiers, into…
- By Larry GreenMarch 11, 2026To the editor: I didn't think things could get much darker in our domestic and foreign affairs, but once again I underestimated Trump, "our supreme leader," as he apparently wants to be referred to. And, to a bunch of pandering Republicans in the Congress who refused to use their Constitutional mandate to enforce the War Powers clause. They will ultimately suffer at the polls in November for…
- By Alan HarnackMarch 11, 2026Once again, we’ve grabbed our guns, and sent our daughters, and our sons, to a place where wars, are never won; ALL IN THE NAME OF OIL. Venezuela and Iran, are full of oil, so, what do we do, we bomb their soil. The ground below, will begin to boil, ALL IN THE NAME OF OIL. We break up families, we break up friends; the split to our country, may never end. Will it…
By Lori SorensonMarch 11, 2026According to Wikipedia, “knocking on wood” is a superstitious tradition to avoid “tempting fate after making a favorable prediction or boast, or a declaration concerning one’s own death or another unfavorable situation.” I’m here to tell you, dear readers, knocking on wood did nothing to help my fate after I recently declared, “Gosh, I haven’t been sick in years. In fact, I can’t remember the…
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