Columns
By Kent Thiesse, Farm Management AnalystOctober 08, 2025A partial shutdown of the U.S. government began on Oct. 1, with no indications regarding how long that shutdown may last. Most farmers in the Midwest are in the middle of harvest season, so there has probably not been a lot of attention paid to the government shutdown to this point. However, if the shutdown continues for several more weeks, it could start to impact financial decisions for…
By Brenda Winter, columnistOctober 08, 2025Fall 2025 has been pleasant and comfortable far beyond a Minnesotan’s ability to enjoy it. It’s been sunny. It’s been beautiful. It’s been ... unnerving. Grass that should be crusty and brown is still green. Leaves that should be clogging street drains still hang on trees happily fluttering in soft warm breezes. Children continue to play outdoors in the golden glow of October sunshine.…
By Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State PatrolOctober 08, 2025Question: I want to work for a farmer during planting and harvest season driving a semi. I have a valid Class D driver’s license but no commercial driver’s license. Can I cross a state line while working for the farmer, Minnesota into North Dakota? Answer: Yes, as long as you stay within 150 air miles of the farm. If you have additional questions regarding commercial motor-vehicles please…
By Greg Hoogeveen, Time OutOctober 08, 2025This past week the Star Herald had a visitor stop by with a surprise to show the office. Vicki (Frahm) Ewald pulled a framed original watercolor picture she had painted out of a large flat plastic bag. “I was going through your paper, and this photo caught my eye, and I had to paint it.” Jennifer Nelson and Deb Lusty in our front office area watched as she pulled out the painting and…
By Scott Rall, Outdoor ColumnistOctober 08, 2025The first day of fall has just passed us. This is my favorite time of the year and I can bet that most of you who have read my stuff already knew that. The waterfowl migrations are only a few weeks away, and as often as you might have marveled at that, there is one other creature that passes through Minnesota that many of you may know very little about. That is the sandhill crane. These birds…- By Lori Sorenson, editorOctober 01, 2025The Star Herald staff will visit the Luverne eighth-grade careers class Friday about opportunities in communication. I tell the kids that effective communicators are in demand across all job sectors. And I sometimes wonder about career paths I could have followed had I not landed at the Star Herald. For example, wordsmithing for chocolate marketing would be fun. “Close your eyes and taste the…
By RIck Peterson, general managerOctober 01, 2025My last couple of columns have been about things I love about this time of year. Well, here is one more. It’s not so much about what I love about this time of year, but more about the topic of conversation that really only happens this time of year. Pumpkins seem to be at the forefront of a lot of office conversation, as well at the Peterson household. Size, color, shape, how many and where to…
By Betty Mann, Rock County HistorianOctober 01, 2025The following article is part of the Diamond Club Member group. Members of this group consist of persons age 75 and older. This article appeared in The Rock County Star on Oct. 16, 1941. An interesting story of how Rock county gained much of its early day Norwegian population is told by Martin O. Wold, Luverne, this week’s Diamond Club member. Mr. Wold knows the story well because he experienced…
By Calla Jarvie, Rock County Library directorOctober 01, 2025I just got back from the annual Association for Rural and Small Libraries conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. If you’re thinking it was one big nerd-fest, you would be right. And it was AWESOME. As you probably gathered from the title of the conference, it was focused only on small and rural libraries. Every session at the conference was aimed specifically at libraries in areas like ours…
By Scott Rall, The OutdoorsOctober 01, 2025I can only wonder what it might be like to own vast expanses of land covered with pheasant habitat. When the opening day bell rings, you could drive up to your favorite spot and go hunting. You would know for sure that there would not be a parking lot full of other trucks all waiting to hunt the exact spot you intended to hunt. I must be asleep because for me this would certainly be a dream.…
September 24, 2025As I sat in the performing arts center Friday afternoon, memories unfolded as I watched the four retired educators inducted into the Luverne Educator Hall of Fame. Laurin Carroll, Gregg Gropel, Katie Hemme and Joseph Roberts were teachers of mine at one time or another during my elementary and secondary years in Luverne Public Schools. It’s been more than 40 years (for one teacher, 50 years)…
By Scott Rall, Outdoor ColumnistSeptember 24, 2025Last week we started a conversation about which gun is the best choice for a youth hunter with little to no hunting experience. I pretty much put the kibosh on a break-open single shot shotgun with an exposed hammer and the reasons why it is a poor choice. When selecting a gun for a new hunter I think a youth pump shotgun is the best choice. There is a variety of reasons that make this the best…
By Brenda Winter, columnistSeptember 17, 2025This fall, for the first time in 14 years, I went back to school when I joined three teachers and 18 students for the launch of Equipt Christian School in Luverne as a K-2 classroom helper. I don’t have an official title, but some of my more commonly used titles are, “Teacher” “Mrs. Teacher” “Mr. Winter" “Miss Winters” and “Gramma.” I’ve been amazed to observe, in just two short weeks, how…
By Rick Peterson, general managerSeptember 17, 2025My last couple of columns have been about things I love about this time of year. The column from a couple of weeks ago was about my affection for all things football. Thanks to the Redwood Valley Cardinals, Luverne Cardinals, HB-C Patriots – so far, so good – but the Minnesota Gophers and Vikings, not so much. This week is about fall fashions and foods. First, we are all a bit reluctant to…
By Scott Rall, Outdoors columnistSeptember 17, 2025So, how you go about finding the right shotgun for a youth who wants to be a hunter? This is one of those Ford/Chevy issues, as most folks will never agree on anything. I will just give my experience as a firearms safety instructor for the past 28 years. First and foremost, the gun has to fit. With rare exceptions, you normally cannot give an adult-size gun to a youth and then expect that they…
By Lori Sorenson, editorSeptember 10, 2025Saturday, Sept. 6, marked 11 years of marriage to a man who is an absolute gift in my life. He makes me laugh with his goofy humor, he steadies me with his solid strength, and his quiet generosity makes me a better person. I smiled while sorting photos of the two of us captured over 20-some years of adventures we’ve shared as a couple. At the same time Saturday, my sisters and I were texting…
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Columnists
