If you’ve read our paper, turned on your TV, been to a parade, attended the state fair, or performed any number of other everyday activities, you might know that elections are coming up very quickly. Seeing as you’re probably sick of this topic by now, I’ll make my comments brief. I ...

As I write this, at 6 am on a Wednesday morning, I have a dog lying on me in a tableau that seems to combine Norman Rockwell with Ren and Stimpy. Ya see, first of all, it was my dog, Dixie, here who decided an early morning fit of barking and running about was the way to wake everyone up, so I ...

A loyal reader once told me, I always see you standing in the back of the room being quiet—but I know you’re thinking and have opinions. Oh boy, that is definitely correct. In the past few weeks I’ve stayed quiet, holding back a dear secret. In my role as Student Body President at ...

Sipping black coffee, recliner time, and lawn care, these are just a few examples of why my roommates call me “an old man at heart”. Have I always been that way? I think my parents would probably tell you “Yes, yes he has.” Long before I could remember anything, (as the story is told) ...

August is now behind us, school is back in session, and I’ve completed my first month as Chair of the Tama County Board of Supervisors. In August the Board approved an updated Employee Handbook. Department heads were invited to meet with our HR department over the last few months for ...

I would wager that the majority of folks who read the paper have no idea what my voice sounds like. I’m sure they understand my style of writing, maybe even a bit of my humor, but not everyone knows the sound of my voice. This week I was tasked with giving a speech to the incoming freshman ...

I am here to dispel rumors this week. Members of my family and I have received a few questions over the last few months that I’d like to clear up here. Ya see, when I was but a young pup, and my sister was a teenager, she spoke of moving to New York. Once she turned eighteen, she was gonna ...

It is difficult to describe my day in one sentence, as it was filled with capricious plans, the occasional screaming, and a visit from the ghost of Mike future. Okay, so I have wanted a heavy duty H-frame easel for some time, and a couple of days ago, I saw a nice one on Facebook Marketplace. ...

As many longtime readers of this column may be aware, my life changes on a day-to-day basis. Last Thursday I had an experience that I don’t believe anyone else may have ever had before. The combination of privilege, journalistic integrity, and some good old-fashioned team bonding. I started ...

At times, I feel like I’m a guy with a bit of an older soul. Some of my habits in and around the casino only make me believe that a little more. To set the stage, last week I was getting ready to move back to college for my senior year. After spending a little too much time packing boxes, ...