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The challenges and joys of a new school

Local Columns

My wife and I reside in the Waukee Community School District in Des Moines’ western suburbs. The big news here is that our second high school, Northwest High, opened recently. As one of the fastest growing school districts in the state, Waukee Community Schools needed another high school. For some 1,300 young people, back-to-school this year meant a brand-new school. We now have the Waukee High Warriors and the Northwest High Wolves. All of this brings back memories as 59 years ago this fall I was a freshman at a brand-new high school. The buildings were old but the school district ...

Late summer and fall fishing ideas

Local Columns

The nights are getting cooler and the early migrating birds are starting to group up as they prepare for the journey to their wintering grounds. These are reminders to me that autumn is on the way, and that’s a reminder of a couple of late summer and fall fishing memories of mine. There’s ...

Just clobber me

Local Columns

Five years ago in early June, Julie and I moved into a 55+ retirement community. Our relocation choice has proven to be a wise decision. We love our home, our neighbors, our neighborhood, our church and our proximity to shopping and doctors’ offices. Our retirement community is growing with new homes and new neighbors coming at a steady pace. While working in our yard a few days ago I saw a moving van in front of one of the new homes in our neighborhood and could see workers carrying things into the house. The vision brought back memories I’d rather forget. It was shortly after ...

Mid-summer weedline action

Local Columns

It’s been said so many times in the past relative to fishing: “In the summer, when you’re fishing and just want to get bit, the deep weedline is the place to be.” There’s a reason why that phrase has been said so many times in the past. The reason is, it’s true. The weedline is the ...

Not a fan of fairs

Local Columns

We’re in the midst of fair time in Iowa. The county fair schedule is nearly complete and the big Iowa State Fair is here. At the risk of being labeled a heretic, I confess I am one Iowan who is not enthralled with fairs. Oh, I admire the 4-H and FFA kids and their projects. I enjoy seeing the livestock and all the oddities of the fair along with the new products on display. Most of all, I enjoy visiting with the folks I meet at the fair. But I’m just not the fair enthusiast many Iowans are. My earliest fair memory is riding on a county fair merry-go-round as a small child. Then, ...

It isn’t bragging if it’s true

Local Columns

They say it isn’t bragging if it’s tre. The following is true so I’ll tell my story at the risk of appearing to brag. Nearly 20 years ago I made my entertainment debut on a stage in Branson. That’s right, this large fellow who can’t carry a tune, can’t dance and has no natural sense of rhythm performed on stage at a major theater in Branson, Missouri. Here’s what happened – My first wife, Cindy, and I enjoyed visiting Branson and made at least two trips a year to the Southern Missouri community. On this visit we had made a decision to go at the last minute and had ...