Week two at the State House has consisted of reflection on the past and looking to the future. As Americans, we are blessed with freedoms and liberties, in which we must never forget the importance of.Monday we celebrated Martin Lutheran King Jr. Day. Across the state people converged to ...
Jam of the Week: "Tea Leaf Dancers" by Flying LotusThe internet is interesting in many ways. Not just the fact that a communications network initially developed to share research and military information is now largely used to share cut cat videos, but that too.One exciting thing that people ...
Howdy, pilgrim. Let's talk about this global warming thing. They almost had me convinced. Now, I'm not so sure. Right out of the chute it gets confusing. It's not a one and done thing anymore. I'll be honest with you, I didn't see any of this stuff coming.I'm still not sure and I'm still not ...
What are you happy about today?It's a fair question and I've heard it asked before. A couple of weeks ago, however, I heard it asked, and answered, in a most unexpected place.One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is speaking to clubs, churches and other organizations about my employer, The ...
I grew up on a farm in a time when most farms had a variety of animals. Farmers often kept some cattle, a few pigs, maybe some chickens and milk cows. Some farmers had turkeys. And everything, of course, lived outdoors in the barn or the hog house or the chicken house or a shed.That was true ...
So, how goes those New Year resolutions?At the dawn of a new year, while many are making their annual resolutions, I'm thinking about how much I dislike the whole concept of resolutions.It seems like most resolutions are designed to set people up to fail. Folks make lofty goals that are way ...
The gift left by Kendall Young at his passing in 1896 did more than establish a free public library in Webster City; it also started a literary and artistic legacy in the town that has continued to this day.MacKinlay Kantor is probably the best known author from Webster City, with over forty ...
Jam of the Week: "When You Sleep" by My Bloody ValentineThe joy of cooking is a joy that many people in my life know well. I've been trying to get a piece of that enjoyment lately with a New Year's resolution.If you read my columns regularly, and good on you for being such a trooper if you do, ...
The feeling of pride occurs when we look at something, someone or an event reflecting on it with a great sense of personal satisfaction and comfort. It is something that you feel good about and appreciate. For a youngster it can be the satisfaction of planting a flower or a tree and for an ...
To the Editor:On Christmas night, about 125 people attended another highly successful Community Christmas dinner at Asbury United Methodist Church. The guests enjoyed a great turkey dinner, entertained by Von Ketelsen, Adele Bowden, along with Genna and Mara Borer.The dinner was one of the best ...
Last week, I told you why I hate cold weather. On Dec. 9, 1950, it was the coldest night in 100 years in North Korea at the Chosin Reservoir, and by cold, I'm talking 60 degrees below zero with 65 knot winds. When we finally came down off the Koto-Ri Plateau and arrived at the sea on on the ...
When it's 30 degrees outside you might see me running from the car into the supermarket in a light jacket. I don't like wearing bulky winter coats. Never have.This month's cold snap, however, convinced me of the need for bulk. Our office was closed on January 6 because of the arctic ...
Occasionally during the winter-especially a bitter one like we've been experiencing these days-I remember the story someone told me about what he remembered happened to him one bitter cold day at country school.That was when youngsters wore layers to keep warm in the winter, perhaps not much ...
I'm not what you would call a regular attendee at the Iowa State Fair. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I've spent the day at the fair in the past 15 years. There's a lot of reasons for that - it's a busy time of year, the heat of August and the huge crowds.Don't get me ...
To the Editor:In 2010, the Iowa Board of Pharmacy unanimously recommended the legislature consider legalizing cannabis for medical use. Legislation will be introduced this session to implement a medical cannabis program. This would allow physicians in Iowa to recommend medical cannabis to ...
To the Editor:Did you know there are veterans waiting in our county to go on their deserved Honor Flight to Washington, D.C.?It costs about $600 per vet to cover their expenses - what a small price to pay for what they gave to us. Everyday we need to thank these men and women who were willing ...
Story: A man took his new hunting dog on a trial hunt. Presently, he shot a duck that fell into the lake. The dog walked out over the water, picked up the duck and walked back to his master, laying the duck at his feet. The man was flabbergasted. He shot another duck. Once again, the dog walked ...
New Year's resolutions are tough. I've tried to make them over the years but have never succeeded.In the year just ended, however, I made some resolutions and I plan to carry them on into this New Year.You see, 2013 was the most difficult year of my life. My wife of 43 years died in January and ...
When this house was put up six years ago, one of the features I wanted to be included was a storeroom. I don't mean a closet, and I'm not talking about some little cubby hole stuck in a corner somewhere. No, what I wanted was a real, bona-fide, walk-in storeroom with a door to close and space ...
When the clock struck midnight and ushered in the New Year, were you one of many making a New Year's Resolution or two? Don't abandon it by the end of the month; stop by the library and pick up a book or two to help make that resolution a permanent change! These common resolutions are covered ...