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Friends and explosions

Local Columns

As we near the 80th anniversary of the explosion that ultimately convinced the Japanese that World War II was lost to them, I am reminded of another, far less volatile explosion, that perfectly illustrates the relationship between the Curtis family and the Dinsdales. Dad, as in my father, Leonard Curtis, returned from the Pacific Theater of the war having served with the Air Apaches, the American 345th Bomb Group. It was, according to military historian Jay A. Stout, “legendary in the war against Japan. The first fully trained and fully equipped group sent to the South Pacific, the ...

The trauma of geekhood

Local Columns

Being a teenage geek (or nerd) is sad enough but when your kids find out it hurts. I remember the day my daughter realized the truth of my past. Arriving home from work one afternoon some 30 years ago, I discovered my then-about-16-year-old daughter reading her mother’s and my old high school yearbooks. She glared at me with that condescending look girls learn in “Womanhood 101.” The conversation took place long ago but this is as close as I can remember it: “What’s up?” I asked. “Just reading the autographs in your yearbooks,” she responded with a hint of ...

Union leader: Don't fix what's not broken

Letters to Editor

To the Editor: On Thursday July 24th of 2025, an email was sent out to the Wester City Police Departments dispatchers (5 employees) that over the last 6 months, unbeknown to them, that City and County officials had been working together to develop a merger of dispatch services within the community and as a result of the “collaboration,” the Webster City Police Department’s dispatch center will close and all dispatch responsibilities will be transferred to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. Supposedly this process required a great deal of thought, research and discussion ...

Webster City, it's been an honor

Local Columns

Serving as your representative on the Webster City Council for the past 12 years has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. The pride and fulfillment I’ve felt during this time are difficult to put into words. With my current term concluding at the end of this year, it’s again time for reflection — a ritual familiar to any public servant approaching an election year. And this year, my reflections have led me to a clear and heartfelt decision. As I near my 45th birthday next month, I find myself more aware than ever of time’s quiet passage. When I first joined the ...

Staying awake

Local Columns

Name the most difficult physical task you can imagine. Lifting a heavy object? Out running an angry bear? Jumping over a wide chasm? How about this one: staying awake when your mind and body want to sleep? You know the feeling. It’s been a long day and you’ve enjoyed a good evening meal. Now you’re at a meeting and the air conditioner just isn’t doing its job. As the speaker drones on and on, your eyelids begin to droop and your eyeballs roll back as if to examine their sockets. Your mind begins to shut down. Your head begins to nod. Suddenly, your head nods a bit too far ...

Anger management: Using soft words

Local Columns

As a twice-married man and a father I have been made fully aware of all my faults. One of those faults is my temper. Over the years I have learned to control that temper … until someone pushes all the right buttons. Back in Sunday school days we had to memorize a Bible verse every week. One that I’ve never forgotten is Proverbs 15:1 — “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.” That verse has been helpful over the years, because when I am angry soft words come with difficulty. I thought of these things one day when I stopped to pick up some dry ...