To the editor, I was appalled at the display of dishonesty and disrespect shown by our convicted felon president and vice president to the courageous Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Trump and Vance put on a show of vicious childishness beyond anything a civilized person would do. Trump has made the United States an unreliable, untrustworthy ally. He’s attempting to extort Ukraine’s…
Read MoreCategory: Opinion
Flowers, the Brits, the Far Right, & dandelion wine
~a column by Colleen O’Brien Believe it or not, what with Iowa’s February snowstorms, it will soon be time in the northern hemisphere for dandelions; they are preparing to cheer you up as soon as the snow starts melting. I’m in a warmer place right now, and the yellow “weeds” are dotting the hillside. They bring joy to a beleaguered…
Read MoreView from my window – Local resistor
~a column by Mary Weaver This is a profile and story of soon to be 83-year-old Joyce Conklin VanKirk. Joyce lives nearby in Perry. She has been the force responsible for the RESISTOR group. The first rally was held Saturday, Feb. 8. I was intrigued about her willingness to be out in 30 degree weather holding a U. S. Flag.…
Read MoreCapitol Roundup-
Property taxes & water quality: We must address these issues “Senator Green, my wife and I are 70 years old and retired. Our property taxes have been going higher to a point that if one of us dies the other would have to sell the house. Are there any tax relief bills or property tax freezes in the works for…
Read MoreTo the editor – D. Lautner
To the editor, In regards to the Bryan Helmus article on transgenders: I agree that transgenders need to be treated with respect and dignity. But he one aspect he failed to address was sports. We don’t need trans men in the girls locker rooms. There are only two reasons why the trans men want to be there; 1) the are…
Read MoreTo the editor – Climate change or climate trend, D. & N. Hanaman
To the editor, Dale is a retired United Methodist pastor and Nancy is a retired public librarian. It is clear to both of us that the need to make the substitution of climate “trend” for climate “change” and “creation science” instead of “evolution” is a move to the conservative religious right – to not offend these people. In our study…
Read MoreThe truth, the whole truth, please
~by Victoria Riley, GCNO editor A few years ago I was in Ames with one of my adult daughters. As we drove past Best Buy on S. Duff, she noticed the name of the access street, Chestnut St. “Hey, Mom,” she said. “When I was in high school I was hanging out with …” and she named a few friends.…
Read MoreLetter to the editor – Practice what is right
To the editor, Barbara Brown Taylor, author and theologian, in her book An Altar in the World, says “it is wisdom we need to live together in this world. Wisdom is not gained by knowing what is right. Wisdom is gained by practicing what is right.” Think about the difference in ‘knowing’ and ‘practicing’ what is right. Thinking each person…
Read MoreDummkopfs/Doomkoffs
‘It seemed wrong to write about normal life after that horrendous election.’ -American novelist Anne Tyler The quote above was sent to me by a Jefferson friend, and I immediately thought of a column I wrote a couple of weeks ago that was about my life as an elder rather than my usual political comment; and how I felt when…
Read MoreUnderstanding our transgender neighbors
~by Bryan Helmus Transgender individuals, whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth, deserve the same fundamental rights and respect as everyone else. Significantly, the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association hold that gender is expressed on a wide spectrum, not a binary structure consisting only of males and females. But none of us need…
Read MoreLetter to the editor – D. Lautner re: library
February 12, 2025 To the editor, I’ve been tagged as the most negative person in Jefferson by a former Bee & Herald editor. I wear the badge proudly, but honestly I’m just a realist – telling things like they are – not “sugar coating” them. Let’s start with the library. Do we need a $10 million addition to the Carnegie…
Read MoreView from My Window – February Black History Month
~by Mary Weaver There are so many concerns to write/talk about. Twenty-one days into President Trump’s second term has brought an overwhelming deluge of executive orders brought forward by Elon Musk and DOGE. I am certain readers are either extremely frightened or feeling exhilarated, depending upon your political persuasion. Rather than tackle all the issues facing our country with the…
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