Opinion

In 2008, when Barack Obama was running for president, I had the opportunity to meet him in Fred and Lois Crane?s backyard in Mt. Pleasant. I got to feel the warmth of his handshake, look him in the eye, and ask a question. I didn?t care for the answer, but it was honest.Fast forward to 2012: When I heard President Obama and Vice President Biden, along with their wives, were going to be in Iowa City the day after ...

Richmond, Iowa 52247September 10, 2012 To the Editor:I attended the Washington County Board of Supervisors meeting on August 28, 2012, and I found it very interesting indeed.Mr. Dennis Ostwinkle, director of the Washington office of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) came to the meeting and refuted the oft-repeated canard that his agency is mandating a lagoon sewer system for the village of ...

One of the towns I lived in while growing up was Prairie City. For a couple of years, we lived in an apartment above the grocery store, overlooking the town square. The town square was my front yard. Even though it was surrounded on all four sides by streets and buildings, I found privacy and enchantment in the town square. There was a bandstand to jump from, trees to climb, and a huge old lilac bush that was ...

It has just gotten light on Tuesday when we reach our intended hunting destination, only to find it already occupied by another group, catching us by surprise. We are amazed that dove hunting has gained popularity so rapidly! We head out to other properties in search of harvesting the number-one game bird in North America- keying our efforts on habitats that attract them.It is nearly 10 a.m. when we find an ...

When Devalyn and I were married, I got a stepdog in the deal. She was a schnauzer-poodle mix, not very house-broken and pretty much queen of the house.We were on a collision course. When the new carpet was laid, Bogie broke it in.I was raised in houses where dogs were walked on leashes. At the end of Kodi Circle, Bogie roamed free.That freedom meant chasing the Gleason?s cat, digging through the neighbors? ...

To the editor:I would like to offer the school board three reasons why I voted against the last bond issue for a new school. First, I don?t believe the ?build it and they will come? theory that some school board members repeatedly use for the justification. The reason I moved to this community and why I will stay is because of a job, and I believe that is the case with the large majority of people who have ...

This Saturday is the most anticipated day in the state of Iowa. It?s the day when students from the two largest state-sponsored universities duke it out for 60 minutes on the gridiron. When the final buzzer sounds, we will know the answer to the age-old question: which school is the best? To answer that question we will have to examine the storied histories of these two illustrious academic institutions. Star ...

So, we measured today in gym and I?m 5?3?, announced my daughter during our latest ice cream trip.I waved it off; probably just a rough estimate. After all, if she was 5?3?, it would mean two things. One, she grew two inches since she had her physical a month ago. And two, she would be taller than me.No, she insisted, they measured right. Can?t be, I returned, so back to back we stood so her sister could eye us ...

The main house I grew up in, from the fourth grade through high school, was a two-and-a-half story, pre-Civil War, behemoth called Maple Hill. Maple Hill was located one-half mile west of Monroe on a gravel road that was eventually blacktopped, relieving the dust problem.We rented this house from a fine gentleman named Ulrie Clevenger. Mr. Clevenger lived in a similar house on the edge of Monroe, or one-half ...

?So, how?s your summer going?? Sounds like such an easy question, but without an easy answer. Not this year.The greater portion of my summer time is made up of either leading summer camps or preparing for summer camps. I fully enjoy my camps and the ability and flexibility to do activities that just are not feasible for school programs.This year, however, I pulled out my old camp schedules to plan for this ...

A few years ago I was at home visiting my parents and my youngest sister, Mary, who was in high school at the time. Mary was going to hang out with her friends one night, and before she left, my parents reminded her of her 10 o?clock curfew.After Mary shut the door, I turned to my dad and said, ?Curfew?? I never had a curfew when I was growing up. Perhaps my parents had become overprotective since I moved out. ...

To the editor:Just for clarification, our last bond issue was NOT for a new high school. We proposed an addition to the west side of the high school that would house all of our core classes, add new restrooms, centrally locate our administrative offices and library, improve security, and add handicap accessibility to the auditorium. After students were moved into that section we could remodel the empty classrooms...