Mt. Pleasant News

If you think John Hancock?s part in the founding of our nation begins and ends with his memorable signature on the Declaration of Independence ? you are very much mistaken. With that said, given this week?s election, I thought it prudent to take you back to the founding of our great nation and re-introduce you to one of our integral founding fathers.The son of a middle-lower class colonial Christian reverend, ...

I must say, a truck load of people showed up for our housewarming/open house. We told the caterer to prepare enough food for 100 people, and at least that many people came. Ginnie set out eight dozen (96) paper plates, and they were all used up. That?s the best we can do for a count.We had a guest book for people to sign, but you know how that goes. Some do, some don?t, which put a real strain on Ginnie writing ...

Mark me tired.Make that tired of politics.Living in Iowa for nearly 40 years has a lot to do with it. Due to the Iowa caucuses, it seems like Iowans can never escape politics. One election cycle runs into the next. We will give the oath of office to a new president in January, and there likely will be a prospective 2020 presidential candidate visiting Iowa before 2017 ends.Taking a step back, maybe it isn?t so ...

The state cross-country meet in Ft. Dodge, which will be taking place this weekend, is a great event to experience. So why not get there a little early to make sure you won?t miss out?The state meet will be held this Saturday, Oct. 29, at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course, which is located just north of Ft. Dodge on Highway P56.This year?s meet will begin with the two Class 4A races, with the 4A girls starting at ...

?That?s the kind of love I want someday,? my 20-something nephew said to me as we watched Grandpa make his way through the crowd to her.All I could do was nod in agreement. I didn?t know anyone in the room that would argue, but to say more would have leveled my defenses against the onset of tears that kept threatening to break the floodgate.Many of my friends cite Lilly and Marshall from ?How I Met Your ...

Don?t underestimate a kid with a message ? that?s what Georgian mother, Meagan Nash, and her son, recently taught the world this month with the pair?s public reality check of a major national children?s modeling agency based in Atlanta, Ga.Just in case you aren?t up to speed with their story, let me fill you in. As of about three weeks ago, Meagan Asher has made national headlines after she took to social media ...

I Peter 2:24-25: He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds! Once you were wandering like lost sheep. But now you have turned to your Shepherd, the Guardian of your souls.Jesus took matters into His own hands. He personally took upon Himself our sins on the cross. He did not pass the buck and let someone ...

DEAR ABBY: I was married to my husband for 15 years and we have a set of preteen twins. After he was arrested and put in prison for possession of child pornography, I divorced him. After much counseling, it was determined that he had not hurt our children.He will be released soon, and I don't want to see him. However, my twins do want to see their father. He is not allowed unsupervised visits, and I don't trust ...

It?s playoff time on the north side of Chicago again, and that means a few things.It means that millions of Cubs fans like myself will be letting baseball run our lives for the next couple of weeks (or for just the long weekend if things go terribly wrong).It means a group of young ball players will have the chance to be heroes for life if they can pull out a win and give Cubs fans the chance to celebrate for ...

Live for the moment, they say.Over the past year or so, I?ve made a conscious effort to try to stay in the present. The effort has been met with moderate success. It is difficult to stay in the present when your vocation requires considerable planning. There?s an old saying that sums it up quite well ? Failing to plan is planning to fail.Even without the job excuse, it is difficult to stay in the present. We ...

You?re all invited! Ginnie and I were married here, we added on here, we want you here. We?re having a housewarming/open house on Sunday, Oct. 9, from noon until 4 p.m. Lunch will be provided. We intend to feed you, not fatten you up. The address is 2471 Marsh Ave., Mt. Pleasant. It?s about two miles east of Mt. Pleasant on Highway 34. You can?t miss it. Look for the junk, I mean sculptures, and the ?Empty Nest ...

Chris Hinkle has always been car crazy. In the 20 years I?ve known him, it?s been car after car, most of them muscle cars. He?s what we used to call a ?gear head.?His first car was an 1984 Mustang, four-speed, four banger. The ignition was broke, so it had a push-button starter. If Chris revved it up too high, and at 16 you do things like that, the rocker arm would come off. He?d have to take the valve cover off ...