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Washing the dust of the soul from everyday life

Local Columns

I was robbed. My children robbed me of one of the privileges of fatherhood. When I was a teenager listening to my little blue transistor radio, my father frequently demanded that I turn “that junk off.” Dad didn’t like Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis. I did. Back when my children were still teenagers, we drove from our home in Creston to Des Moines one evening for dinner and shopping. The kids brought along their cassette tapes, which were still in vogue at the time. We listened to classical music all the way to Des Moines and to big band and country music all the way home. Upon ...

What are you doing on New Year’s Eve?

Local Columns

The “returns and exchanges” line was moving slowly and my patience was running thin. A familiar voice from behind me asked, “What’s wrong, Moose, didn’t Omar the Tentmaker make your new Christmas jammies large enough?” I turned around to see my irascible buddy, Ebenezeer Griper, and his trademark sneer. “Actually, Eb, my new panty hose don’t fit.” Eb looked as though he was going to be ill. “You’ve got a sick sense of humor, you know that?” “Know it? I’m proud of it.” Eb shivered and changed the subject. “So I suppose you and the missus are planning a ...

Lessons learned from my father

Local Columns

Quite a few years back I came upon a small book that left a lasting impression. Entitled “A Father’s Book of Wisdom,” the book is a compilation of bits of wisdom gathered by H. Jackson Brown from several boxes of materials found in his late father’s closet. The book offered a great deal of good advice from a variety of sources including Brown’s father. I jotted down a few: In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins — not through strength but by perseverance. There is never a wrong time to do the right thing. Success is getting what you ...

Days of Brylcreem and narrow ties

Local Columns

When I was in the newspaper business I took pride in my photography. I could shoot traffic accident scenes, county fair animals, kids at play and football games; even decent mug shots. But I never mastered portraiture. Several of my friends and acquaintances are professional photographers and create excellent portraits. Four of them post some of their work on Facebook. This is the season for high school senior portraits and I am amazed at the quality and creativity of these photographers’ work. Numerous changes of wardrobe, multiple backgrounds, various poses; their photographs are ...

Share in the holiday spirit with community Saturday

Editorials

Things are going to be very festive in Webster City on Saturday as local businesses, the city of Webster City, the Chamber of Commerce and other community organizations collaborate for Christmas in the City. At various venues around the community, local residents will have an opportunity to meet Santa, experience a pioneer Christmas, hike the trails in search of candy canes and hear a reading of the holiday classic, “A Christmas Carol.” Santa will be a busy guy on Saturday. He starts off the morning with Breakfast with Santa from 9 to 11 a.m. at Hy-Vee. Then he’ll meet with ...

Letters to Editor

To the Editor: In US Sen Joni Ernst’s guest editorial in this paper on Nov 22nd, she demonstrated what is wrong with today’s politics: Blaming others for the problems without offering any solutions. Blaming is a political tool that promotes tribalism defined as the behaviors and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one's own social group. Left unchecked in politics, tribalism can lead to despotism as it did with Hitler in Germany. Tribalism does not require listening to others or learning new perspectives or ideas. Tribalism lets us off the hook for finding solutions with ...