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Legislators should maintain local control of county budgets

Legislation currently being considered by the Iowa Legislature would hinder the ability of local elected officials to make budget decisions to fund the programs and services their constituents depend on and desire. House File 773 would place an arbitrary 2 percent annual growth limitation on property tax revenue that a county or city could collect. Senate File 634 would place the cap at 0 percent growth with the ability to go to 2 percent by resolution and 3 percent subject to reverse referendum. This one-size-fits-all does not consider the varying needs of Iowa’s 99 counties and ...

Under His Wings I am Safely Abiding

The first funeral I can remember was for a 3-year-old cousin who drowned in his family’s farm stock tank. I was 6-years-old. The service was at Ramsey Reformed Church north of Titonka in Iowa’s far northern Kossuth County. This is my extended family’s church; my parents worshiped there until I was 4-years-old and we moved away. I was baptized there 71 years ago. I remember two things from my cousin’s funeral. First, the incredible sadness that clouded the day. Second, a mixed group sang an old hymn, Under His Wings. Over the years, I have attended scores of funerals ...

Kindness all around us

So there I was last week, paused at the end of the row where my seat was at the Civic Center in Des Moines. It was about three minutes before curtain, and all the seats were occupied between me and my seat. Although there was plenty of room for me to slide in front of those already seated, as I paused I wasn't quite secure in getting all the way to my seat in the middle of the row. Seeing no option, I stepped into the row, amazed that the very first lady seated on the edge of that row held up her hand, her elbow on the arm rest, so I could steady myself in case I needed it. ...

Open water fishing plans

Open water fishing has started in many areas of the Midwest, and where it hasn’t started yet, it will soon. I have a few plans for the upcoming open water season that I hope to start putting into action soon. Following are some of those plans. I plan and hope to go fishing more this ...

Celebrating National Pet Day

I am writing this on National Pet Day, So perhaps it is fitting that my cat Maxine is sitting on my lap, one of her favorite spots any time and almost any place I'm sitting. Sometimes she leaps up as soon as I pull out my chair before I can even sit down myself. She never even meows for permission; she just quietly and gracefully jumps up and settles in. Even when I make her leave, it never seems to discourage her for the next time. Maxine is my first inside pet. I was raised on a farm in an era when animals belonged outside, so it took some time for me to get used to the idea ...

Eb Griper’s problems with robo calls

The prevailing image of Ebeneezer Griper in my mind is a grumpy old man frowning as he reads his daily newspaper. The other day I ran into him frowning at his cell phone. It was at Eb’s favorite coffee shop. I had stopped in for a cup o’ joe and saw him sitting in his favorite booth at the back of the shop. “Where’s your newspaper?” I asked as I slid into the booth. Eb looked up with an even deeper frown. “Who can read a newspaper when your cellphone rings all the time?” Eb grumbled. “Women looking for a good time, I assume.” “You ain’t funny, fat ...