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Our emergency responders deserve the best equipment

Letters to Editor

To the editor: 911 Dispatcher: "911, what is the location of your emergency?" Caller: "1857 387th Street" 911 Dispatcher: "OK, what's going on there?" Caller: "I just found my mom. She's not conscious. I can tell if she's breathing …" And so, a family's normal daily life is instantly turned upside down. Is my mom alive? How will my kids find out? Will my mom be OK? Are we going to the hospital? Will she make it to the hospital? Oh God, who will help me? Dozens of questions flash through the mind. The next few minutes will seem like hours. Emergency personnel, many of ...

Another manner of speaking

Local Columns

When I was a teenager I tried to be a “far out groovy cat.” My ‘55 Chevy was “cherry,” my school was “cool,” and my friends were “outta sight.” When I agreed with them, I would say, “right on, man.” Every generation has its own slang vocabulary and in the ‘60s we had a lot of slang. Some slang terms carry over for generations and others come and go in a matter of years. “Broke” (as in no money) can be traced back to the 1930s but “salty” (as in “very nice”) appeared and died within the ‘60s. Back in the ‘50s something that was very nice was ...

The Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight is propelled by volunteers

Editorials

When a 737 roared into the sky above Fort Dodge Regional Airport just as the sun began to brighten the horizon Wednesday, one of the most unique and heartfelt tributes to area veterans was back in action. About 120 veterans were aboard that plane, going to Washington, D.C., for free to see the nation’s war memorials. The trip was the 26th one conducted by the Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight. The first took place in 2010. Since then, about 3,600 veterans from 228 Iowa communities have made the journey. The Brushy Creek Area Honor Flight is largely the vision of one man: Ron Newsum, ...

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

Letters to Editor

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

Letters to Editor

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

Editorials

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 ...