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Dear Editor, (9/14/21)While the country has been honoring the heroes of 9/11, I think we should also honor those who have done their part and stepped up and gotten their COVID vaccine. You should not only want to do it to keep yourself healthy, but also your family and everyone around you, especially children under 12... -
Dear Editor, (9/14/21)As a young lieutenent, my father LeRoy McCarty led his men off the D-Day beach and on behind enemy lines. During the Battle of the Bulge, three of dad's men were captured. Fortunately, later, dad and his men liberated a concentration camp where his brother-soldiers were interred. ...
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Attention retired teachers: IGLRSPA (9/7/21)What does that stand for? Iowa Great Lakes Retired School Personal Association. I know there are many of you in the area, and I am extending an invitation to join the association. IRPSA President George Holland from Dubuque says retired teachers are not just interested in IPERS, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. ...
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Community continues to support Hinderman's cause (8/24/21)This summer, in July and August, two events were held to raise money for the Oaxaca Street Children’s School in Oaxaca, Mexico. Cliff Hinderman, who was a beloved Spanish teacher at Spirit Lake High School for years, held a garage sale every summer at Grace Lutheran Church to benefit his school in Mexico. Members of the church and friends donated items throughout the year and also worked the sale. ...
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GRIDIRON GLANCE - WEEK 5 (9/21/21)Editor's Note: This is the fifth installment of a weekly series previewing prep football in Dickinson County. The rankings are according to MaxPreps. 7 p.m., OABCIG High School (Ida Grove) Spirit Lake is rolling heading into the fifth week of the football regular season. ... -
Democrats seek to keep the debt spiral spinning (9/21/21)Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently announced that, within the next month, the federal government will exhaust so-called “extraordinary measures” that are being used to fund our debt obligations. Put simply, this means a fight to raise the debt ceiling will be at the top of the agenda when the House reconvenes next week... -
I’m continuing to bring Iowans’ voices to Washington (9/21/21)Each week, when Congress wraps up its work in Washington, D.C., I can’t wait to return home to Iowa. Most weekends, that means heading out on my 99 County Tour to connect with folks, share updates on what I’m working on in the Senate on their behalf, and hear about the issues they’re facing. I also get the opportunity to visit with a number of local reporters who help keep Iowans informed and up to date as I visit each county... -
Q&A: Afghan drug trade and fentanyl (9/21/21)Deaths and illnesses from COVID-19 have caused immeasurable pain and suffering among American families for more than a year. The pandemic is distressing our economy, supply chains and schools, causing continued anguish and uncertainty for U.S. households across the country. ... -
GRIDIRON GLANCE - WEEK 4 (9/15/21)Editor's Note: This is the fourth installment of a weekly series previewing prep football in Dickinson County. The rankings are according to MaxPreps. --- 7 p.m., Spirit Lake High School (Spirit Lake) The Spirit Lake train nearly derailed in Hull, but the Indians just kept on rolling with a one-point come-from-behind victory over Western Christian last Friday. ... -
Getting rid of the inheritance tax (9/14/21)Senate File 619 made a number of changes to Iowa's tax law. One division in particular, dealt with the phase-down and eventual elimination of the Iowa Inheritance Tax. In Iowa, an inheritance received by a lineal ascendant or descendant of the deceased is exempt from the Iowa inheritance tax. ... -
From terrorist to governments (9/14/21)Twenty years ago, terrorist who were intent on destroying our Republic attacked our citizens and country in a heinous way by deliberately flying airplanes into buildings with the intent to instill fear. The thought is that the fear would cause our country to pull back into itself and become less free and more isolated. In this process, Americans would become less free... -
There’s something ‘phishy’ with that Amazon email (9/14/21)You didn’t buy a $750 television from Amazon. Then why are you getting an email from the online retailer notifying you of the impending delivery of a big screen, but only if you pay a few hundred dollars first? You aren’t going to receive a television and you’re not getting a legitimate email. ... -
College Savings Iowa celebrates College Savings Month (9/14/21)While I am always encouraging families and loved ones to save for the children in their lives no matter the time of the year, September is especially noteworthy as it is College Savings Month. With many children back in school, it serves as a great time to remind the community how important it is to invest in the education dreams of our youth...
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Q&A: 20th Anniversary of 9/11 (9/14/21)A: As the world observes the 20th anniversary of 9/11, it’s notable that an entire generation of Americans was born after the horrific terror attacks. No matter if you watched it unfold on television in real time or read about it in school, it’s still inconceivable that hijackers jetted across New York City’s skyline on a sky blue September morning and struck the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. ...
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GRIDIRON GLANCE - WEEK 3 (9/8/21)Editor's Note: This is the third installment of a weekly series previewing prep football in Dickinson County. The rankings are according to the Des Moines Register. 7 p.m., Harris-Lake Park High School (Lake Park) Harris-Lake Park played much better in Week 2 after falling to returning state champion Remsen St. Mary’s to open the 2021 season. Unfortunately, the result was the same, as the Wolves dropped to 0-2 on the year after a 32-29 loss to Northwood-Kensett in their home opener last Friday... -
Grandstand to be full of hits with Peter Noone and Gary Lewis (9/7/21)When Spencer’s Clay County Fair announced the show with Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits and Gary Lewis & The Playboys, all I could think of was, “that show will have a lot of amazing songs coming from that stage. It will be like a jukebox stuck on play with amazing hit songs coming out of the speakers.”... -
Failing to condemn Afghanistan failure (9/7/21)As an American, I can criticize my government and not be punished by that government. It is a freedom that each American enjoys. In the last few weeks, I have criticized the Biden Administration for its ineptness and inadequacies. Unlike China, where criticizing the government is met with punishments, our system of freedom of speech should be encouraged...
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Q&A: Every county. Every year. (9/7/21)My 99 county tour is one of the most important things I do to make sure I’m representing Iowans well. When Iowans first elected me to Congress, I represented 18 counties in Iowa’s third congressional district. Since day one, I made it a priority to keep in touch and keep my nose to the grindstone. ...
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The Afghanistan withdrawal has been a disaster (9/7/21)Earlier this week, the American people faced a surreal and gut-wrenching reality—America left our own behind. The president broke a promise to our citizens and to those who bravely served alongside us as he ended the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, and the Taliban celebrated...
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GRIDIRON GLANCE - WEEK 2 (8/31/21)Editor's Note: This is the second installment of a weekly series previewing prep football in Dickinson County. The rankings are according to the Des Moines Register. 7:30 p.m., Forest City High School (Forest City) Spirit Lake was the lone Dickinson County team to kick off the 2021 season with a win last week, as the Indians topped Lakes Conference rival Spencer 27-13 at home... -
The opinion page is yours, mine and ours (8/31/21)Good day, and welcome to page four. If you've not already done so, I recommend you turn to the front page of this fine publication (who are we kidding? You're most likely on your phone, so tap the back button and then hit the news tab). I say this only because, in recent weeks, I've been told both in writing and in person that this opinion page — page four — needs more work, specifically that it needs something to counter conservative Republican viewpoints... -
Mental health support through schools (8/31/21)This week, Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education, through the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund (GEER II), announced over $8.6 million in competitive grants to 64 school districts to assist in providing mental health support and other wraparound services to students and families. ...
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Q&A: Saving bacon and eggs (8/31/21)The market disruptions along the food supply chain last year created havoc from farm to fork, impacting producers, processors, grocers, restaurants and consumers. When COVID-19 shutdown processing facilities, the bottleneck resulted in a humanitarian disaster and financial hardship for many livestock farmers and poultry producers. ...
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What happened in Afghanistan? (8/24/21)Over the years, we have gotten to know one another and for me, I have enjoyed getting to know the people, towns, and areas of House District 1. Also, over the years I have talked briefly about my military service and time overseas. Today, I want to point out a foreign policy failure that will have ripples of repercussions for years to come and will influence the way other countries treat the United States...
