Opinion

To the editor:Recently, I returned to my hometown of Fairfield to attend the needs of my mother who suffered a serious health issue which led to her death. During her hospitalization at Jefferson County Health Center, I stayed by her side day and night. This relieved my father to go home each night, to rest, and be cared for by my wife and sister.During my days and nights at JCHC, I quickly became impressed ...

To the editor:Wednesday evening, Feb. 15, the Fairfield City Council Ways and Means Committee met to discuss distribution of $48,000 in Local Option Sales Tax income and agreed to fund Fairfield 1st Fridays Art Walk in the amount of $20,000. While not meeting 1st Fridays? needs and request, FFFAW is grateful that the city recognizes the immense value FFFAW?s monthly events provide to the city of Fairfield and is ...

When a city approves a Tax Increment Financing zone, the property taxes collected are not divided between the city, county and school districts. Instead the increased (increment) revenue is all diverted to only the city that established the TIF.It was thought that by allowing the city to first develop infrastructure, such as roads, water and sewer systems in ?blighted? areas, private-sector businesses would be ...

Ever since I became a reporter, I am constantly reminded that I have what is possibly one of the best jobs in the world. The reason I say that is because I get to be where something exciting is going on and get paid for it.Sure, nothing is perfect. Many times you can?t control when said exciting occurrences will take place. It could be 3 a.m. It could be during the time that you have just sat down in a movie ...

The Washington Community School District has received the notification of results for the 2012-2013 Annual Yearly Progress Report. These results are based on the annual assessment given to students during the fall. In the past, the results have been based on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, but 2011-2012 saw a new assessment administered. The results that we received are connected to the No Child Left Behind ...

To the editor:40 Days for Life is an international program begun in College Station, Texas, in 2007, calling for 40 days of prayer and fasting to put an end to abortion. 40 Days for Life is held twice a year. This spring the dates will be Feb. 22 through April 1. This coincides with the season of Lent ? also a time of prayer and fasting.Although Jefferson County Right to Life will not have a specified prayer ...

To the editor:Fairfield?s ?Music Man? (written Dec. 15, 2005)As years fade into decades,like a race we ran.Memories drawn from the sands of timeStar Fairfield?s own Music Man.As opposed to Meredith Wilson?s ?con man?Our man was honest, solid gold.He infused music into Fairfield?s youth,A priceless gift while they grow old.He taught Bob to play the clarinet,And Jerald the trombone.Jim was a top snare ...

To the editor:Good job school board member Jerry Nelson! You are the type of elected official we need at every level of government or public service position. Keep up the good work! Keep asking the tough questions so that the school board is always assured they are ?doing the right thing? both for the school district and the taxpayers. During tough economic times like this, every dollar spent has to be spent ...

To the editor:I would like to thank the Jefferson County Trails Council for the construction of the trail system. I am with the Iowa National Guard located here in Fairfield, and we recently conducted our Soldier and Non Commissioned Officer of the Year competition here at the armory. One of the events during our two-day competition was a nine-mile road march. The competitors were in full battle dress uniform ...

We?ve all heard the saying, and maybe said it ourselves, ?It?s not the gun that kills, it?s the person pulling the trigger. Guns are not evil, people are evil.? Also, a popular slogan is, ?Take guns away, and a person bent on killing will just use something else, knife, club, car, explosives, etc.?In Des Moines, in the late 1970s, there was an incident where a police officer was shot. The officer was able to ...

One of the downsides of getting older is that your friends seem to move farther and farther away. I used to be able to see my high school friends in Pocahontas every couple of months because we all came home for holidays. High school was eight years ago, and we?ve grown up since then. I live four hours away, and many of my classmates live much farther than that.Planning a get-together can be a chore because of ...

July 23, 2012Washington, Iowa To the Editor:I believe President Obama is doing a good job of leading us out of this recession, just as FDR did during the ?Great Depression,? which I well remember as a child. That was much, much worse. Remember, President Obama inherited this mess, left to him by George W. Bush and his administration. The last good Republican president we had was Eisenhower, whom I voted ...