×

Opinion

Garwin Valley Community Church

Local Columns

As of July 1st, 2023, Garwin United Methodist Church officially disaffiliated from the United Methodist Church (UMC) denomination and changed its name to Garwin Valley Community Church. We joined 100+ churches across Iowa and 6,000+ across the nation to do so this year, with more joining this ...

Dengler Domain: Public Schools

Local Columns

What is a rural town without a school? There is a little going on, but the town is not much to speak of. It is no fault of the town when it cannot hang onto a school. Unfortunately, due to economics and the free-market picking winners and losers with a thumb on the scale on the opposite side ...

Iowa, El Niño, and La Niña

Editorials

You may have heard these terms bantered about in the media. They have strange names and impact our weather. Let’s take a look at El Niño and La Niña and how they impact us. Before we start, let's describe how these events got their names. During the 1700s, fishermen, living on the coast ...

On Nature: Birds and Climate

Local Columns

Climate change is predicted to bring more frequent and more severe heat waves that can have severe consequences for people and wildlife, including birds. All will need to find ways to escape the heat. According to information from the National Audubon Society, birds can reduce their ...

Dengler Domain: Weather

Local Columns

Some days living in San Diego would be the dream. On the iPhone Weather app, it always looks to be around 70 degrees and sunny every day. Iowa sometimes gets these temperatures but only for four days. The other days it is at or above these temperatures, it is always humid. No ocean breeze can ...

From the Desk of Senator Giddens: Celebrating Labor Day

Editorials

Greetings friends and neighbors! As I write, the air has turned from hot and humid to mild and fall-like. I love this time of year when families and communities get back into a routine around school, work, and community activities. August was another busy month for me, filled with town ...

The Best Days Ever

Editorials

One of the things I love about the Iowa State Fair is that you always run into someone you didn’t expect to meet. This year was no different: while refilling drinks for folks at the Iowa Pork Tent, I encountered an organ donor wearing a t-shirt promoting the importance of this selfless ...

Dengler Domain: Thoughts from the Field

Local Columns

Here are my thoughts from the field: 1. I am one lucky son of a gun. Few live their passion every day, let alone try to earn a living doing it. Farming does this. I also love performing comedy and MCing events, but those are not exactly paying the bills. Shameless plug, please hire me if ...