Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
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Two years ago, an 18-month-old Catahoola Cur named Gabby became part of our family. We had been without a dog since the previous January, when our beloved chocolate Labrador Heidi left us. For the second time in our lives, Cheri and I agreed we would have no more dogs. The loss of Heidi did leave a huge hole in our hearts, and life was not the same for us. After our daughter got a new dog, our resolve to never have another one started to weaken. Finally, in August of that year we decided to...
I’m a little obsessed with the German notion of schadenfreude. It describes a feeling of pleasure someone derives from another’s misfortune. It sounds especially unkind as a concept, but is rampant in daily life. It can be sparked by an embarrassing loss from a despised sports rival, or as a spectator of celebrity divorce, or as witness of the guy in the brand new BMW getting pulled over for failing to signal. As a logical flipside to this unfortunate trait of human nature, it seems like it...
To the editor: Fact 1: Kids in Pre-K and elementary school seldom catch COVID-19 and are generally low shedders of the virus. High school students and adults can easily catch the virus and can spread it rapidly when contact with other people occurs, especially when no masks or social distancing is practiced. Fact 2: If two or more people in any of the above age groups meet together without social distancing, no masks are worn and one person is spreading the virus, the chance of spreading the virus is very high. If both of the people are...
To the editor: I am painfully aware of the ways in which limited access to quality care can lead people to distrust the medical community; it is one of the reasons I chose to focus my practice in underserved and rural populations. Most physicians and scientists that I know are in the business of learning, constantly striving for greater understanding. A global pandemic, especially with the current ease of travel, is new and challenging for everyone. My husband and I moved back to raise our family somewhere safe, where our children would be...
The term "personal responsibility" is a loaded one. Everyone claims to possess this virtuous attribute, but it's often weaponized against people who apparently lack it. It seems many folks believe that if everyone took a little personal responsibility in their lives, there would be no addiction, poverty or societal injustices across this great land. Of course, it's not that simple and by no means that easy. That reality has been made abundantly clear during this never-ending pandemic. You don't...
To the editor: Veterans Day has a long history in our great country. It was first established on May 13, 1938. This was a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day. This was a day that was set aside to honor veterans of World War 1. Many changes of date occurred throughout the years following World War II and the Korean Conflict. President Gerald Ford signed a bill into law on Sept. 20, 1975 which returned the annual observance of...
In January, our representatives and senators head to Washington to be sworn into office. The 117th Congress will be called to order, and the nation’s business will resume. The last session of the grand body had a public approval rating of 17 percent. Obviously, we the people are not pleased with the work, or lack thereof, in Congress. This legislative branch has become an exclusive club far from what the Founders envisioned. When the Founders designed the three branches of government, they e...
If there’s something we can all agree on right now, it’s that we can’t agree on anything. Sure, we might all think the sky is blue, but given enough time to squabble over it, there would probably be half the country that claims it’s green. Things are just so incredibly divided it seems Americans’ first reaction is to fight. Pick any topic and it’s likely to be an inferno of debate: Coronavirus, masks, economic recovery, sports, race, policing, the Supreme Court – you name it, and people are mad about it. Then there’s the election. Presidential...
As Iowans know, biofuels are an essential part of our state’s economy. From Burlington to Cedar Rapids and Sioux Center to Council Bluffs, and every community in between, Iowans depend on the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). And they expect the federal government to uphold and adhere to this law. In both Washington, D.C., and Des Moines, we’ve relentlessly pushed the administration to take action on the so called “gap-year” small refinery exemptions since the minute oil companies came up with th...
Iowans have options about how we choose to vote. We can cast an absentee ballot from the comfort of our home, in-person at the county auditor's office, or vote at the polls on Election Day. All three methods are safe and secure. Whichever method you choose, it's important to have a voting plan. A lot of Iowans have been swamped with absentee ballot request forms in the past few weeks. My office sent forms statewide in early September. Other officials and groups have mailed request forms as...
The days are shorter, the breeze is a bit cooler and cornfields throughout northwest Iowa have already turned that special shade of gold. It's harvest season once again, and with its arrival comes certain precautions for both area travelers and local farmers alike. September 20-26 was National Farm Safety and Health Week. This time of year, specific emphasis is placed on raising awareness about the many dangers farmers face in their day-to-day jobs, and the numbers certainly reinforce those...
I’m starting to realize I have a lot in common with timeless Peanuts character Charlie Brown. We’re both going bald, we have an affinity for beagles and possess poor taste in clothing. Lately, however, I’ve started to acquire his oppressive apathetic attitude towards one subject in particular. The return of sports has been heralded by many as the “one good thing” to happen in 2020. They were yanked from the schedule in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned this summer after protocol was developed to ensure some semblance of player...
As if our political landscape weren't already a warzone, an added grenade was thrown last month with the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Those on the left mourned the passing of a hero and an icon, while the right saw only the death of a notorious Supreme Court justice. Whatever one thinks of RBG, love her or loathe her, there is a part of her legacy we should all take to heart. Ruth Bader Ginsberg was a lightning rod for controversy. She became a trailblazer for women in the 1950s by being one...
When I was a young, single man, I didn’t believe in superstition. I looked for black cats and purposely waited for them to cross my path. I walked under every leaning ladder I saw and then, just for the heck of it, I walked back under them again. I broke several mirrors. I didn’t really experience any bad luck from doing it, that is, if you don’t count the butt chewing I received for being so clumsy and careless. I always figured that if the 13th fell on a Friday, all it meant was that the weeke...
To the editor: Can you believe the American Legion Auxiliary has been in existence for 100 years? Yes, the auxiliary is celebrating 100 years this year. You see, there is something going on in 2020 besides a pandemic! Even though the Arthur Kirchhoff Unit 288 has not held a formal meeting in 2020, the executive board has met. Our auxiliary has given monetary donations to the local Kids Backpack Program, the Veterans Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D., the flower fund for our local nursing home and...
When I hear people mention that election season is approaching or that we are just now in the midst of it, I can almost feel the air from the commentary going over my head before it rolls down my back. Isn't it always election season? When was the break? I'm not sure if you felt it, but I sure didn't. It would be easy to blame the negative gravity of this cycle on 24/7 news coverage or the far-reaching power and implications of big money in politics. While I think there are definitely issues to...
A triple play in baseball or softball is a very rare occurrence. Though I don’t have the statistics to prove it, I believe it is more likely for a punt to be returned 90 yards for a touchdown in a football game, or for a 75-foot shot to go through the net in a basketball game. None of these things happen very often, so when they do, I remember them for a long time. I like to think of my children as a triple play since there are three of them. Justin is our oldest child, and only son. Our m...
If you're old enough, you probably remember where you were 19 years ago tomorrow when you heard the news. Two planes had hit the Twin Towers in New York City and another crashed into the Pentagon. Yet another fell short of its target in a Pennsylvania field thanks to the heroics of the passengers on board. Once the buildings fell and the fires were put out, 2,977 people were dead and many more wounded. Two wars followed, one of which continues to this day. You probably also remember how united...
My house is constantly being invaded. From carpenter ants in the spring to the ever-present daddy long legs in the corners of our ceilings, I'm always on the look out. This summer was no different. The dreaded carpenter ants crawled in sometime around late summer followed by their grease ant counterparts in June and July. If you're unfamiliar with latter, Google them – they are diabolical. Despite all the "friendly" faces, I found myself battling a new, yet familiar, foe last month. Paper wasps...
The pandemic has reached its eighth month, but it feels like eight years. There's still no end in sight and hope is admittedly hard to come by these days – it's just one thing after another. COVID-19 hasn't gone anywhere. The threat is still very real, and here in the Hawkeye State, lackluster leadership and poor decisions have led to a spike in cases. Ames, home to Iowa State University, was identified by the New York Times for having the highest number of new cases in the country relative t...
Doesn't it just seem like one thing after another? We're in the midst of a global pandemic, which has taken the lives of more than one thousand Iowans, and then we get hit by a derecho. It's been a trying year for folks across Iowa. The challenges we're facing as a state, and a nation, are some of the toughest in a lifetime. But it's in these dark times that the light can shine through. I believe in Iowans. I've seen your grit and determination throughout this pandemic and as we start to...
Two months from today, Americans will vote in what is arguably the most important election in our lifetime. Yet, 62 days out, the ballot is awash in a sea of controversy. Due to safety concerns during the pandemic, many do not want to go to the polls and prefer to vote by mail instead. With the future of this country at stake, we must ask ourselves if the mailbox can be a reliable substitute for the ballot box. There are two ways to cast a ballot by mail: Universal mail-in voting and absentee...
Parenthood is an exercise in fruitless repetition. I was reminded of that recently by our energetic 3-year-old, Oliver. As he’s prone to do, the boy was bouncing off the walls one day and climbed atop our living room couch. He grinned wildly and flashed me a crazed look, which told me all I needed to know. “Don’t do it,” I said coldly. “You’re going to hurt yourself…” The boy jumped, promptly hurting himself and causing a mini-meltdown. After comforting him, I offered a bit of advice that I hoped might stick somewhere in his rapid-fire brai...
Last week I restarted my in-home daycare. I typically do not take any time off; however, I had a teacher's child that does not need summer care and COVID-19 pretty much threw a wrench in the rest of my lineup. After careful consideration, I changed my daycare hours from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. I have only endured this change and its benefits for one week, but Lord almighty what a difference! I am waking up at 5 a.m. to do my daily 10k so that I can be back and ready for the day before...
I'm a "go with the flow" kind of guy – I usually row with the current, not against it. But I recently experienced something that ruined my day, and I feel the need to expound on it. You know how bread wrappers are usually closed with those little wire twisty things? You wouldn't think there is anything about them that could upset a person. Most of them are innocuous little wire ties that you simply unwind to grab a couple of pieces of bread to make your morning toast with. Here is where the t...
