Lori Sorenson celebrates 32 1/2 years at the Star Herald office on October 21. She answered a few questions about her time at the Star Herald.
How did your journey with the Star Herald start?
I have a journalism degree from the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, where I wrote for the Minnesota Daily campus newspaper.
After an internship at the Hastings Star Gazette, I landed at the Worthington Daily Globe as a copy editor, and a few months later I accepted the editor’s position at the Rock County Star Herald in Luverne.
Can you make a comparison between then and now? What was your role in the beginning, and where are you at right now?
I was hired to be the managing editor, and I’m still the managing editor. But that’s about the only thing that hasn’t changed, because technology changed nearly everything else.
For example, when I started in 1993, we were developing film and printing black-and-white photos in the darkroom.
Today, of course, everything is digital and online, but our job is still the same: To tell the story of Rock County and its people through thoughtful images and fair and accurate reporting.
What do you consider your biggest achievement?
We routinely win state and national awards for our writing and photography at the Star Herald, and I’m proud of that. But mostly I’m proud of the work we put into each weekly edition — recording government processes, capturing photographs of community events and sharing people’s stories of trial and triumph. It’s truly an honor to be in this position, and the fact that I’m still here after three decades is an achievement in itself!
What is your favorite part about working here? How does your job inspire you?
My colleagues at large daily newspapers have questioned my career path to a small weekly paper, but I have good reasons for being here. I believe it’s more rewarding and more impactful to be a journalist in a smaller media market, especially in my hometown (I grew up on a farm near Kenneth).
There are opportunities to make an impact and to connect with readers and sources on a personal level, because I live with them in this community and share many of the same hopes and dreams and concerns. This inspires me to be more and do more.
Share a fun office memory.
I have experienced many fun moments with current and former staff — too many to mention here.
My co-workers are like family, and it’s interesting to observe the family dynamics in the Star Herald office. It sometimes looks like sibling rivalry, but it also means we’re quick with hugs and support for each other when needed.
Reflecting on 32 years, I distinctly remember being the kid in the group, and now I’m more the “matron” of the office (and I’m not afraid to correct office grammar).
Share something personal about yourself. What do you like to do outside of the office?
I enjoy outdoor exercise, either alone, with a dog or with a friend. The gravel roads of rural Rock County have been my lifelong, life-saving therapy.
I appreciate simple pleasures, such as morning coffee (or evening wine) on the porch, and I live for moments with family — my husband, our kids and our extended families.
How do you envision yourself in 10 years?
I won’t be at the Star Herald, but I still hope to continue making a difference in the community. I’ll continue the work of Carson’s Cause, the foundation we started in memory of my 21-year-old son, Carson Ehde, who died of suicide in 2022.
Also please include a little about your family
My husband, Matt, and I live in western Rock County with our 14-year-old lab-pyrenes, Chance.
Our grown children and their families include Matt’s daughter, Alexx Sorenson, in Edgerton and my son, Jonathan Ehde, in Luverne.
