Every election year about this time I start getting calls about people receiving four or five ballots in the mail. I always caution people with that Iowa does not just send ballots out to individuals. With that said, I have received many phone calls and in person requests to tighten up election integrity in Iowa. I would like to let you know that Iowa’s election system is among the best in the nation, if not in the world.

At age 66, I am helping organize a 50th high school class reunion. I have also spent a month pursuing mental wellness: May, Mental Health Awareness month.

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When I was growing up in Cedar Falls, hamburger “joints,” such as Henry’s, or the Pink Elephant, or the root beer drive-in (Duds ‘n Suds), along with the giant tenderloin stand (Murphy’s Chuckwagon) joined Newberry’s hand dipped ice cream shop, and the Steamboat restaurant as possible places for families to eat out. None of these were chains; all were privately or “family” owned. This was before pizza came into the scene, so it was pre-Shakeys, pre-Pizza Huts, and way before Godfathers.

There’s been a lot in the news about the Spencer Area Activity Center and its planned closure June 30, 2022. We can thank the vision and dedication of recent Board members to allow the Save the Center Team the opportunity to reenergize the center’s mission and place in the community. The SAAC Board had worked diligently through COVID-19 and other formidable challenges to keep this public nonprofit viable in spite of dwindling attendance and struggling financial support.

Across Iowa, store shelves are bare, and families are scrambling to find affordable infant formula for their children with limited luck. This is a scary situation — especially for parents — who are spread thin from the pain of inflation, grocery bills, high gas prices, and now, severe formula shortages that threaten the health and development of our children.

In a recent commentary titled, “So, I made a deal,” David Kruse announced that he signed with Summit Carbon Solutions. He’s delighted that negotiations that included his neighbors and a relative, saying they “went very well” and “exceeded his expectations.” Kruse said he did it to secure Iowa’s future for his son and his grandson.

Here’s a headline I would never have thought I’d read in America in 2022: “Iowa families scour stores for baby formula.” But that’s the grim reality today under President Biden.

In their reporting, the Des Moines Register cataloged the story of one mother who visited more than five different stores without finding the formula she needed for her newborn. Her story, tragically, isn’t an outlier.

Enjoy your garden and landscape once the sun sets with strategically placed and attractive landscape lighting. Select the best type of light that complements your garden design and best accomplishes the intended purpose.

This year we had 22 4-H seniors graduate in the county. Sophia Behrens, Lauren Berberich, Haley Berends, Liliah Burhans, Victoria Bussell, Sean Connor, Gracie Dehrkoop, Austin Eickhoff, Hanna Gee, Brianna Holt, Kaylee Iedema, Sam Jensen, Natalie Joenks, Elizabeth Maki, Lindsey Nelsen, Landon Olson, Ethan Stave, Emma Strohman, Erin Strohman, Bailey Swanson, Kelsey Versluis and Kaiden Woodall.

Most here in northwest Iowa have wrapped up planting or are close to it. There may be two soybean harvests here next fall. We planted our soybeans before corn in April and those soybeans are up. They look good for having gone into such cold soil. We did not get my corn in until May 12 and many farmers here planted soybeans after corn so they are just going in now. I think that farmers here planted what they wanted to plant.

1. Work twice as hard on your character as your job skills. Your character lasts far longer than your profession and makes life nice for your family.

2. Don’t create a world where no one is allowed to question your motives.

3. Don’t just hang out with the folks who will tolerate your weaknesses. Find friends who challenge you to do better.

4. If you’re super successful at work but not so much at home, that’s too much losing.

The greatness of rural America, and specifically rural Iowa, is fading away.

Members of the human race have been making choices since the one our first parents (Adam and Eve) made. You remember, they chose to eat of the tree God told them to avoid. And that has made all the difference. Talk about the validity of the belief that actions have consequences! Of course they do: whether it be in regard to being charitable or selfish, oppositional or conciliatory, friendly or attacking, and so forth.

Numerous items have been impacted by supply chain issues and other factors in recent months; however, one of the more concerning ones is the current shortage of baby formula available.