Columns
June 03, 2026Sometimes I’m proud to be “old school.” I didn’t get a cell phone until 2006. And I still haven’t adopted the use of GPS or other personal navigation technology. That’s right; when I travel I use my trusty “mental map” or look at Google Maps to plan ahead. I don’t let anyone or anything on my phone or car tell me where to go. This is especially true when the route is familiar. Why…
By RIck Peterson, general managerJune 03, 2026The column count has now entered June, leaving just five columns left, counting this one, before my retirement on July 31. One of the joys of this job is being involved in a whole host of community events. This weekend is Luverne’s annual Buffalo Days, and because of the Highway 75 construction some of the traditional events have detoured to different locations. For example, the Friday Night…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolJune 03, 2026Question: In last week’s article you wrote about e-bikes. Can you also just provide a reminder on all around bicycle safety? Thank you. Answer: If you’re riding a bicycle, you must: •Obey all traffic control signs and signals, just as you would when driving. — The only exception is that bicyclists may treat stop signs as yield signs when the intersection is clear. •Use signals, if able, to…
By Scott Rall, Outdoor ColumnistJune 03, 2026It was a few months back that I wrote about how hard it is to say goodbye to your dog. It really doesn’t matter if that dog was a world class hunting dog or your tiny lap dog. Their last days or last day to be precise is a really hard one. I do think that dog owners who have spent thousands of days with their hunting partners do have a deeper bond than other dog owners. Just my opinion. My…
By Scott Rall, Outdoor ColumnistMay 27, 2026For many hunters spring provides their greatest calling. Most hunting takes place in the fall when pheasants, grouse, rabbits, squirrels, deer and other game seasons are in full swing. Spring has one stand out that happens in the opposite end of the calendar. This calling is actually the gobble of a Tom turkey. Now I consider myself a die-hard pheasant hunter and an under motivated deer hunter…
By Nicole RonchettiMay 27, 2026If you had asked me a few weeks ago whether a theater production of “The Hobbit” could capture the heart and the whimsy of Tolkien’s original book, I would have said, “Maybe, but it’d be tough.” If you had told me that the adaptation was set in a post-apocalyptic 2056, I would have said, “Never in a million years.” I am, against my better judgement, a bit of a Tolkien purist. So, when I sat…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolMay 27, 2026Question: Did I hear something about a new law about stopping for school buses? Answer: In March 2026, Minnesota law changed to require drivers to stop at least 20 feet away from a school bus whenever the red lights are flashing. The stop arm does not need to be fully extended. This new requirement aims to remove confusion and clarify expectations for every driver on the road. WHAT CHANGED…
By Calla Jarvie, Rock County Library directorMay 27, 2026School’s out and summer is here! It’s the library’s busiest season with our Summer Reading Program! We have two reading programs — one for kids and one for adults. The theme for this year’s program is “Plant a Seed, Read!” The summer reading program kick-off is at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 5, with The Zoo Man, sponsored by the Friends of the Library. The Friends are also handing out treats at…
By RIck Peterson, general managerMay 20, 2026This is my last column for the month of May. I have June and July left and then I step away from the computer on my July 31 retirement date. Before I do step away, we have two very busy months ahead. Last week we published the 2026 Business Directory. This week’s Star Herald will have the 2026 Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek Graduation special edition. Then in early June the Arts and Academic…
By Wyatt VanSteenbergMay 20, 2026Spring may finally be upon us with a recent string of mild, sunny weather. That got me thinking about things that we take for granted here in Rock County that people in bigger cities may not get to experience. The first one is as simple as smelling the fresh air when you go outside or after a good spring rain. Obviously when farmers are laying fertilizer — especially manure — the smell might…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolMay 13, 2026Question: In my community and on my daily commute I encounter two roundabouts each morning, others that I work with will encounter three roundabouts in less than five minutes. Please use your platform to remind drivers how to safely and properly use a roundabout. I see, almost on a daily basis, drivers physically stop their vehicle for other drivers that have not even entered the roundabout.…
By Lori SorensonMay 13, 2026As the child of a farmer, wife of a farmer and mother of a farmer, this week’s Farm Bureau editorial content resonated with me. Farming is among the most physically and mentally hazardous occupations in the world, yet farmers are the least likely to reach out for care when they need it. That’s partly due to high-deductible health insurance that makes you think twice before scheduling an…
May 06, 2026Highway 75 through Luverne is closed. The highway, for those unfamiliar, is not just a road. It is — the — road. It’s the road that gets us to church, school, the Tasty Drive In, the world’s largest half-of-a-nutcracker and I-90. Highway 75 is the road we take if we’re going anywhere. I live on the north end of town which now feels like a gated community with an exceptionally long driveway…
By Rick Peterson, general managerMay 06, 2026I started my 40-year newspaper career in 1985 at the Worthington Daily Globe. It was called the Daily Globe back then because it was six days a week, so close enough. I have a handful of columns left to write before I punch out for the last time on my July 31 retirement date. Today, my column reflects on the technology advances in the newspaper industry over those 40 years. In 1985 the Globe…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolMay 06, 2026Question: Like most people I travel every day for work and I know that construction season is upon us. Can you write about getting people to understand the zipper merge? I still see a lot of people that can’t seem to figure this out. Answer: The zipper merge is a driving strategy that requires drivers to change their mindset about merging. Traditionally, drivers have been taught to merge early…
By Nicole RonchettiApril 29, 2026When I was growing up, books were very nearly my entire life. Every morning before school I would wake up early to read before breakfast. If there was a spare minute in class, I would pick up my book. I even read while I was walking home from school, taking my nose out of the pages only to look both ways before crossing a street. But then my life changed. I went to college. I graduated. I…
You must log in to continue reading. Log in or subscribe today.
Columnists
