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Things that make me smile…

As a kid I was an optimist ̶ a glass-half-full sort of guy, almost always looking on the bright side. That optimism included a healthy mix of naiveté. I was one chunky, happy sort of country bumpkin. Then life happened and by the time I retired I had become much more cynical. Over the years I had to deal with a lot of unpleasant stuff and unpleasant people. Enough of that stuff will make anyone cynical. I lived by the skeptical creed of journalists: “If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out.” For the past few years I have been in self-rehabilitation, ...

Iowa’s small businesses are the backbone of our booming economy

Our nation’s economy is booming. Last Friday’s jobs report far-exceeded anyone’s expectations, showing we added 263,000 jobs last month and unemployment is sitting at the lowest since 1969. And at the backbone of it all? Our small businesses. Just look at my home state of Iowa. 99 percent of our businesses are small businesses. With our state’s economy continuing to grow and unemployment among the lowest in the nation, it’s clear that our small businesses’ success is Iowa’s success. These job creators in our state are leading the way by finding innovative solutions and ...

A few fishing season reminders

It's a new fishing season for anglers across the Midwest and North America! Many anglers have already been fishing, others are looking forward to their first trip to the lake, river, reservoir, or pond. Following are some things to keep in mind when you get ready to go fishing. First of ...

The tradition of May baskets

It’s May Day. Of course it is, because it’s the very first day of this month. Have you ever wondered why we don’t notice February Day or maybe August Day? Or even October Day? My theory is because the two words rhyme. September Day, for instance, just doesn’t have the same ring to it as May Day. Celebrating May Day was big in past centuries when it was a pagan festival marking the beginning of spring; think of dancing around a May pole. Now, if we do any celebrating at all, it has much more to do with May Basket Day, which is also marked today. But, like most of ...

But never on a Sunday

Driving through our suburban neighborhood a few Sundays ago I was struck by how Sundays have changed. The rush of traffic was far different than the quiet, lazy Sundays I knew as a child. I was raised in a home where the Commandment to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy was taken quite literally. Back in those days, it seems, many folks did. Family lore tells of a great-uncle who shaved on Saturday nights so he did not have to do so on Sunday in violation of the Commandment. Our family wasn’t that fanatical about it but Sundays were distinct in our home. Dad insisted, ...

Webster City Meals on Wheels in need of donations

The internet tells us that the first known deliveries of Meals on Wheels, in the United States, was in Philadelphia in 1954, and that currently the program serves 2.4 million seniors annually. It was a 1971 that Ray Roden, then pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, brought together a group of citizens to talk about starting Meals on Wheels in Webster City. The group talked about how to fund the program. After much discussion, it was decided not to become involved with government funding, but instead to get financial help from the Webster City community. Meals on Wheels was founded as an ...