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Reynolds, Feenstra sold their oath for a big payoff. That's not right.

To the editor: A few years ago, landowners in northern Iowa were approached by a company with plans for installing a windmill farm in the area. They held a low-key matter-of-fact meeting with no pressure to sign contracts or threat of eminent domain. Understand that windmills are inefficient, subsidized with taxpayers' money, and ugly. The only plus is it makes the green activists feel good. After consulting a lawyer about the contract, I ordered 10 windmills. Unfortunately, I only got one. This brings me to the proposed carbon pipeline and eminent domain. Full disclosure, I am a ...

Hamilton County Childcare Coalition subsidy is a successful solution

Hamilton County, Iowa, with the establishment of the Hamilton County Childcare Coalition has led the charge on Iowa’s local solution to the childcare funding crisis. Our wage enhancement program created in early 2021 through public and private partnership has helped Hamilton County and the State of Iowa catapult to the national spotlight. Hamilton County’s child care wage enhancement program was created to provide childcare workers with a livable and competitive wage along with assisting non-profit childcare centers to retain current workers and recruit new ones. When we started ...

Welcome to Webster City

The town’s new splash pad in East Twin Park is officially inaugurated, having been the location of a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday and a subsequent After School Party in the Park. Yes, it’s a little behind the projected August completion. And, yes, it met with resistance along the way. But it must be said that the new park feature leans in the direction of telling everyone that this town cares about its young people, and it demonstrates through its existence that the place will put its money where its mouth is. One only had to watch the increase in the numbers of young kids ...

Tante Antje wanted 'blake threat'

One of the many ways in which my parents blessed their six children was introducing us to their aunts and uncles. Our mother was particularly close to her Aunt Annie, one of her father’s older sisters. We knew Aunt Annie by her German title: Tante Antje. We visited Tante Antje frequently and she often visited our home, usually several days at a time. Tante Antje, the third of seven children, was born in 1882 in an East Frisian village in northwest Germany. According to family lore, Antje’s oldest brother, Hinderk, wanted to go to America. Hinderk, however, suffered from some ...

It's going to be quite a day

This is the third installment of a series about the upcoming Honor Flight, transporting about 120 veterans for a one-day tour of memorials in Washington, D. C. Honor Flights have been flown for two decades, providing a wonderful, insightful service to veterans who have served during the ...

Because they take themselves lightly

It’s been at least 30 years since the photocopied list of “church bloopers” made the rounds. These lists claimed that all the items were excerpts from actual church bulletins. Here are a few reminders: — Remember in prayer the many who are sick and tired of our church and community. — During the absence of our pastor we enjoyed the rare privilege of hearing a good sermon when A.B. Doe supplied our pulpit. — A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow. — At the evening service tonight the sermon topic will be “What is ...