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Local Columns

Garwin Valley Community Church

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

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 ...

On Nature: Birds and Climate

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

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 ...

Dengler Domain: Thoughts from the Field

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 ...

Dengler Domain: Zobel’s Memories

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Dysart baseball team. Relying on the Dysart Reporter’s archives to recreate their run through the postseason was great, but I hoped to contact a former player from the team. While not too many are left all these years later, I was fortunate to talk with ...

On Nature: Dire Predictions

Critics of scientists who tell us that the world’s climate is warming as a result of the emissions of carbon dioxide like to point out past dire predictions that did not happen. One that is often mentioned was the prediction in the 1970s that a decade of cooling temperatures could continue ...

Between Two Rivers: Lincoln Highway bridge at a crossroads

TAMA - The iconic Lincoln Highway bridge here will have to be replaced in some manner, but the exact strategy has yet to be decided. The Tama City Council held a work session last Monday (Aug. 14) to go over the options. The tug-of-war between the 1915 bridge’s status on the National ...

Dengler Domain: Winding Stairs Festival Report

In case you live under a rock, the Winding Stairs Festival was this past weekend. It was wonderful. Seeing the community come together to celebrate Traer and more importantly, the 150th celebration was great. It is fun to see Second Street explode with current, former, and new community ...

Dengler Domain: Dysart Baseball

Dysart has a history of good baseball teams. They won the American Legion Junior State Championship in 1956. This is an impressive feat, but only a few years before this monumental win, they almost won the high school state championship. They did this by defeating teams from communities ...