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Let's not spend our resources on a splash pad

Letters to Editor

To the editor: There are expenses that our city government must undertake. Namely, those being the wastewater treatment plant, the water treatment plant and the electrical utility needs. Being on a fixed income we don’t like these expenses, but we accept them as necessary. On the other hand, there is a proposed city expense that we wish not to accept. That is the proposed splash pad for East Twin Park. Earlier, the city was advised to avoid extra expenses. Another argument is that the state of Iowa is in a serious and lingering drought. The flushing of thousands of gallons of water ...

Weighty thoughts on being heavy

Local Columns

Going through scores of old family photos recently reminded me of something for which I need no reminder: I’m the heavyweight in the family. From age four on, every photograph shows a chubby me. While the rest of my family was of normal proportions, I was wearing “husky” jeans from JC Penney. At one time in my childhood I actually wondered if I had been adopted by a skinny family. My first experience with dieting occurred during the summer between seventh and eighth grades. As a remedy for Osgood Schlatters Disease (knee problems) my doctor prescribed a diet and that summer I ...

Jane Curtis hit the nail on the head

Letters to Editor

To the editor: Jane Curtis hit the nail on the head! We’ve been strongly advised that Webster City needs to “tighten our belts.” Though the splash pad is an interesting idea, it is not necessary at this time when it would only serve a very limited age group, is extremely costly, and would put an ongoing annual upkeep expense on not only our pocketbooks, but those of our children and grandchildren. Especially with this large water rate hike in these current times of drought. Wouldn’t it be more prudent to put that money toward a new aquatic center that would bring in revenue, ...

Small Business Saturday is November 25

Local Columns

It’s customary this time of year for newspapers everywhere to write glowing editorials about the virtue of shopping local. After all, throughout the year, local businesses support the ability of local journalists to deliver local news, and we hope you will support them. Local news is important. We are not perfect, but we live and work in our communities. We care about the future because it’s our shared future. We grow as the community grows, and we need each other. I happen to be a natural born shopper. I grew up shopping extensively in my hometown of Webster City, and in mom’s ...

Congratulations to VDMC on receiving $751,000 grant

Letters to Editor

To the Editor: Throughout November, USDA Rural Development (RD) is celebrating Rural Health Day. I want to congratulate Van Diest Medical Center on receipt of a $751,000 USDA RD Emergency Rural Health Care Grant. This award is a key part of the Biden Administration’s Invest in America initiative — focused on rural America. President Biden is committed to ensuring the success of rural hospitals and health care facilities by helping them purchase supplies, equipment, renovate, replace operating costs, recover from the recent public health crisis, and meet the needs of the ...

The way to change the world is by speaking up through votes

Letters to Editor

To the Editor: Do you like the world today? Are you worried about America? Who do you blame, the politicians? And who voted those politicians in? I want you to look in the mirror and ask if you’ve done enough. In the 2022 midterm election the voting rate was 46%, less than half. Do you encourage others to vote? A fact check of the voting rate of 50 countries showed the U.S. came in 31st. Almost 250 years ago our forefathers fought a war against a king who taxed them but didn’t listen to their concerns. If you think you are too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a ...