Category Archives: Opinion

This year marks the 76th anniversary of National Newspaper Week, Oct. 2-8. The annual observance celebrates and emphasizes the impact of newspapers in large and small communities. “Way to Know” is the theme this year. When you hold your local newspaper in your hands – whether in print or digitally – you hold a powerful tool...

Letter to the Editor: Ask any contractor what their largest challenge is and nine times out of 10, they will answer with something related to attracting the next generation of workforce. The shortage of workers in the skilled trades is high and will continue to grow in the years to come. This shortage has the potential...

Every week, I receive literally hundreds of emails, especially related to the upcoming election these days. I receive numerous survey results of no interest to me and probably most of you, so I actively use my keyboard delete key. On a recent “down day” when things weren’t going as well as they should, I received an...

When we’re little, we learn about the four seasons and the climate changes that accompany each. Fall, autumn, season before winter, harvest time – whatever you call it, it’s here now, the season of piles of pumpkins, crops, and apples. Today, Sept. 22, is the first day of autumn at 9:21 a.m. The morning air...

World Gratitude Day is celebrated annually on Sept. 21. The celebration of Gratitude Day allows both individual citizens and organizations within wider society to celebrate the broad meaning of gratitude in a variety of ways. The celebration started in 1965 in Hawaii when an international gathering decided it would be a good idea to have one...

During 11 out of the 12 months of the year, we enjoy a wide range of holidays. When we get to August, there is a major shortage of big holidays to celebrate. Perhaps it is just as well there are no big holidays to compete with National Marshmallow Toasting Day every Aug. 30. After all,...

I would like to share a few of my thoughts in regards to the trucking industry. This year, the industry representatives from across the state came together and made the determination that we have a good story to tell, and we needed to share it with our fellow Iowans. Did you know one out of every 13...