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What an education

Local Columns

The best formal education of my life came through two professors at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, when I was doing master’s work in creative writing and acting. Anne Greene and John Hawkins released me from the kind of secondary education boundaries created by the metaphorical mental handcuffs some paths of education place on budding students’ creative energy. My undergraduate at Iowa State in journalism was peppered with some intensely dedicated professors, Tom Emmerson and Bill Kunerth highest among them. But for sheer launching power, I remember not just the ...

Red and yellow, black and white ...

Local Columns

Growing up in rural Iowa in the ’50s and ’60s I was not exposed to much diversity. Our small-town schools in those days were nearly all white. In kindergarten and first grade I had a classmate from England. Other than her accent, which I thought was cute, she was like the rest of us kids. A couple of years later a classmate who was also a neighbor was the son of a Native American mother and a white father. Sonny was a good friend and we had a lot of fun playing together. At my first full-time job I worked with a young Mexican lady. Maria was an excellent worker and I have ...

A note from the editor:

Letters to Editor

A note from the editor: As we near the November 4 election, please take note of the special deadlines that will be in place regarding your submitted opinions and letters to the editor. The last submitted opinion or letter regarding the election will be published on Friday, October 31. That means that your submissions must reach the editor no later than Thursday, October 30, by noon. As always, letters and opinions must be signed with the writer's name and town of residence and accompanied by a working telephone number for purposes of contact.

Rotary Club thanks the community for a great Turkey Dinner

Letters to Editor

To the editor: On behalf of the Webster City Rotary Club, we are writing to express our deepest gratitude to the community for their incredible support of our Annual Rotary Turkey Dinner, held this year on October 19th at the Briggs Woods Conference Center. We are pleased to report that we served over 1,360 meals — maintaining our volume of more than 10 meals per minute during the two-hour event. The overwhelming response we received reaffirms what we have always known: Webster City is a community of compassion and unity. Each meal served helps us fund invaluable local causes that ...

Pruismann supports Dave Stoakes for school board

Letters to Editor

To the editor: As a proud father of six children within the Webster City Community School District, I am writing to express my strong support for Dave Stoakes for the Webster City School Board. I was going to stay out of this race as we have six excellent candidates that I cannot see the public going wrong with any. However, after much thought and consideration I have decided to come out in support of Dave. Dave embodies the qualities we need in leadership — professionalism, track record of success, a vision, and a genuine dedication to the future of our Webster City students and ...

Van Diest encourages renewal of Iowa Central bond

Letters to Editor

To the editor: Tuesday, November 4, is election day. One of the items on the ballot is a request from Iowa Central Community College to renew an existing bond. This renewal will not increase your property tax rate. The average home owner currently pays $2.08 per month for this. This rate will not increase and it helps Iowa Central provide needed training programs. Iowa Central Community College is continuing its mission to help prepare students, support employers, and strengthen communities across North Central Iowa. We have a need for healthcare and workforce training. Iowa needs ...