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Local Columns

A little appreciation is the least we owe

It’s October and this is Pastor Appreciation Month. With regular church attendance in the United States on the decline this observance could seem to be losing importance. As someone for whom faith is important, I maintain it is more important than ever. A survey by the Hartford Institute ...

Did I ever tell you the story of that ditch?

In the late fall of 1979, the Iowa Department of Transportation learned that there is nothing simple about installing a 150-foot ditch. It happened in Highview. Karen Strunk didn't mind losing a little business this fall to road construction. She didn’t even raise her voice when traffic ...

There’s a doo-hickie for that

Perfectly in line with a personal belief that any DIY plumbing repair attempt requires at least two trips to the hardware store, a recent one of mine did just that. Thank goodness there are resources right here in Webster City. Having at least one source for household fix-it supplies was ...

Singin’ the haircut blues

A few decades ago singer Ray Stevens wrote and made famous a comical number called “The Haircut Song.” “When you get a haircut,” Stevens sang, “be sure to go back home. When you get a haircut, get a barber you have known.” He goes on to tell of the harrowing experiences he ...

There’s a ribbon for that

Anna Woodward gave me a ride after the open house at Community & Family Resources Wednesday and there in the passenger seat of her SUV was a giant roll of ribbon. It’s no secret that the pace of ribbon cuttings has ramped up recently. And with good reason. Webster City has long ...

Another manner of speaking

When I was a teenager I tried to be a “far out groovy cat.” My ‘55 Chevy was “cherry,” my school was “cool,” and my friends were “outta sight.” When I agreed with them, I would say, “right on, man.” Every generation has its own slang vocabulary and in the ‘60s we had a ...