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One Man’s Perspective: Seriously dude, A fire alarm?

Desperate times call for desperate measures … apparently.

For the past two weeks, the threat of a government shutdown loomed on the horizon as neither side of the aisle seemed interested in compromising to avoid the potential closure.

I’d been listening as the rhetoric continued to ramp up as the evil Republicans would be solely responsible for said shutdown. The message, consequences of this shutdown would be dire and it’s all the fault of the GOP.

Guest Commentary: Rediscovering Iowa’s fall treasures

Each season holds its own treasures, waiting to be rediscovered each year.

With the official arrival of fall, I am reminded how much I enjoy the season and its charm. From the crisp air and Friday night football to the colorful leaves and, of course, harvest.

Randy's Review: ‘The Creator’

I’m always down for a good sci-fi story, unfortunately the are few and far between in theaters this day. And often time movie trailer hypes things up to get you to spend your hard-earned bucks then lets you down in a big way. So big kudos to “The Creator” for restoring my faith in big screen sci-fi films and delivering as promised.

Performance Review: Leonid and Friends rock the PLAC again

For the third consecutive year Leonid and Friends have made the trip to Okoboji to entertain us at the Pearson Lakes Art Center. The fact that they did two shows this year — and both were sold out — shows how good they are and what a solid fan base they have.

The group was founded by Leonid Vorobyev who hails from Siberia. The band consists of 11 fine Russian musicians. However, one was absent so they had a guest bongos player, Titus Langar. He was really good too.

Pastor's Column: Listen carefully

John 10:27 “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” Has this ever happened to you? It’s when you just have a feeling that you're getting directed and you need to choose to go with the nudge or ignore it. In my life, it has played itself out time and time again that following the unction to listen to the still small voice has good results.

The CommStock Report: The absent trade discussion

Typically, trade is one of the issues debated during the presidential primary season here in Iowa but trade, free or otherwise, is not on anyone's front burner this time. Topics to do with "wokeness," which is essentially a backlash from the right against expanding diversity, have been elevated to the status of something significant. The trade issue that does get discussed has more to do with national security rather than commerce.

On The Side: Papers still vital to the community

Dear Reader:

I went to work at the Jefferson Bee & Herald as a sports writer in May 1977.

I was paid $15 per week. That was $1 for each year I had been alive. It was a windfall for a guy finishing ninth grade, which was still part of the junior high in my hometown. I had to mow five sizeable yards in a week to get paid that kind of coin.

Home Country

It was just one of those crazy mixups, you know. Like when one thing goes wrong it triggers another thing that goes wrong and that sets off a multiplicity of crash-and-burns that are remembered long after people are dead and nations fall to Visigoths and such.

That’s what happened with our buddy, Dud. You see, he was there at a time when something was needed, and he stepped forward and assumed the role.

Letter to the Editor: Mental Illness Awareness Week

"Together We Care, Together We Share” is the theme for Mental Illness Awareness Week, Oct. 1-7. The National Alliance on Mental Illness serves as an advocate to persons with the lived experience of mental illness and their families who stand with them to address their needs. This message conveys the importance of knowing that we are not alone in our struggles. By connecting with others who have similar challenges, we find that our lives are more similar than different.

Letter to the Editor: National Do Something Nice Day

It isn't fair — it just isn't fair! I mean there's a whole month to celebrate all that is dairy. Same goes for producing beef or pork. Why only one week for mental health awareness, or worse yet, why just one day for doing something nice? That's right — national Do Something Nice Day is coming up on Oct. 5. Surely we could devote more than a day or a week doing acts of kindness for strangers or loved ones — or both!

Letter to the Editor: Proposition 12

This May, in a disappointing 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld California’s ridiculous Proposition 12. This backward mandate essentially imposes California’s livestock policies on Iowa producers, saddling our family-owned-and-operated hog farms with higher costs, more red tape and fewer market options.

Guest Commentary: Securing permanent tax cuts for Iowa’s small businesses

Over the last three years, I’ve made 226 trips to farms, schools, businesses, police departments, workforce training centers, cooperatives, ethanol plants and food pantries on my biannual 36 County Tour. At each stop, I have had meaningful conversations with Iowans about their policy priorities at the federal level and real discussions about how we can work together to deliver real results for our families, farmers, small businesses and rural communities.

Lawn & Garden: Create your own garden soil

Fall is filled with preparing gardens for the following season, raking leaves and harvesting. Use plant trimmings and fall leaves to create raised beds and a quality planting mix without disturbing the existing soil. When you minimize or eliminate tilling, you’ll increase organic matter in the soil, maintain and over time improve soil health and structure, save water and boost plant growth.

Extension Outreach: Happy National 4-H Week

From Oct. 1-7, we’re excited to celebrate National 4-H Week and the incredible impact of 4-H in our community and beyond. We will be celebrating each day on our Facebook page and we encourage you to join us to share your favorite 4-H memories, stories and photos. Let's spread the 4-H spirit far and wide.

The CommStock Report: What a legacy Iowa farm looks like

Some people like to read abstracts of farms. I think that they are fascinating. There is a lot of history in them. They used to put in lots of historical details that get omitted today. I farm a farm owned by an aunt that was first purchased by my great-great-grandfather Frederick Kruse in 1896. That means I am harvesting the families 127th crop from this farm in Clay County, Iowa. He was born in Bad Doberan Mecklenburg province Germany in 1832 and emigrated to the U.S. in 1865.

Randy's Review: ‘Expend4bles’

If you’ve seen the first three “Expendables” films, you pretty much know what you’re going to get with “Expend4bles.” A largely testosterone filled — although there are some women too — action tale with lots of hand-to-hand combat, explosions, violent deaths and powerful weaponry. And, a few twists I didn’t see coming.

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