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Inflation and nickel ice cream cones

Local Columns

On a recent Saturday morning my wife and I had run a few errands when she reminded me she had been given a gift card for a new business. Neither of us were familiar with the place but gathered from the name of the business that they sold cookies. After a frustrating search to find the business, we finally pulled into a parking place. Julie asked what kind of cookies I preferred. I told her it was her gift card; get whatever she liked. She said she would get some chocolate chip cookies which we both like. When she returned to the car, she was carrying an attractive box which she ...

Why God made fathers

Local Columns

God made a wise decision when He decided females would serve as mothers. Men generally just can’t do mommy things as well as mommies. Of course, the flip side of this is true. God wisely appointed males to the role of father. Over the centuries, men have made plenty of mistakes, as we continue to do today, but we’re still the best choice for the role of daddy. Think about it. Who gives the best “horsey-back” rides, dads or moms? Dads generally aren’t afraid to get down on the floor and wrestle and serve as a beast of burden. In fact, men often show some of the best attributes ...

An outside perspective from a mayor's point-of-view

Letters to Editor

To the editor: I'm Kurtis Bower, the current mayor of Roland, Iowa, and a Story County resident. You might be thinking, "What's his interest in our issues if he doesn't live here?" I campaigned to be a state representative in the Iowa House of Representatives, and during the campaign process, I got to know so many of you and I care about all of you. I find it amazing that many of you take an interest in your local governments and the processes that they undertake. I can tell you that as a sitting mayor of a small town, whenever you discuss money, it is often an unpleasant, but ...

Just be in the room

Local Columns

For the past year, I have been sitting in many, many meetings, sometimes the only one present outside of staff or other media. This sounds tedious. But one thing I’ve learned. It’s important to be there. Most of these meetings include elected officials, voted on by me, my neighbors and the community. And I appreciate the time it takes to work in these positions. These are not easy jobs if they are reading the materials and studying the issues. So I respect those who have taken up the challenge, campaigned for the positions, and then find themselves placed in a totally new ...

Supports use of electric cars

Letters to Editor

To the editor, As communities across the country grapple with rising fuel costs, air pollution, and the growing impacts of global warming, one solution is becoming increasingly clear — the widespread adoption of electric vehicles. Electric cars offer a cleaner, more sustainable alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles. By producing zero tailpipe emissions, they reduce air pollution and improve public health, especially in urban areas where smog and poor air quality disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. When you factor in that EVs cost roughly 50% less to fuel, and ...

Tipping should be for good service, not automatic

Letters to Editor

To the editor: Tipping used to be something people did to reward good service. Now it feels like it’s being requested everywhere, all the time, no matter what kind of service is actually provided. I recently ordered a coffee through an app. Before I had even driven to the window or received my drink, the app was already asking me for a tip. How am I supposed to judge the service before the transaction has even happened? Another example was at Casey’s Arena in Des Moines. I grabbed my own slice of pizza, filled my own drink, and checked myself out at a self-service kiosk. Yet ...