To the editor, The Raccoon River Valley Bike Trail, which runs through Greene, Guthrie, Dallas counties and on to Des Moines, has been nominated for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Hall of Fame and has been an undeniable asset to our community for over 30 years. The DNR’s North Raccoon Water Trail has nine access points in Greene County with Squirrel Hollow…
Read MoreCategory: Opinion
I seem to be stuck on this
~a column by Colleen O’Brien When the Republicans passed a bill during the last administration to give the uber wealthy a tax break, the McConnell Republicans and the previous administration were not worried about the debt. Today they are pretty worried about it – the other side is writing the budget demands now, you see. But it’s not the debt…
Read MoreLetter to the editor – ACCESS services
Dear Editor, Everybody and every child in Greene County and beyond, deserves a safe and supportive home. ACCESS (Assault Care Center Extending Shelter and Support) is an agency working locally to prevent homelessness. ACCESS is a non-profit that strives to support survivors of domestic and sexual violence as well as other violent crimes. We do this in a variety of…
Read MoreGotta love words
~a column by Colleen O’Brien I just came across a word I’d never seen before. This is always a thrill – not because I know so much that I never have to look up a word but because people who write a lot tend to use the same words again and again. I’ve never known that I had occasion to…
Read MoreA letter to our elected officials
~a column by Colleen O’Brien Dear Senators, Congresspeople and other federal, local and state government elected employees of all political persuasions, please tax us all. Do not let some of us, including yourselves (for example, members of Congress have written into law for themselves a $3,000 annual income tax deduction for maintaining a second residence*), escape paying taxes. Taxes are…
Read MoreA slight wiggle in thinking
~a column by Colleen O’Brien A neighbor kid I knew in the 1980s, youngest of four boys and friend of my kids, grew up to earn a doctorate in psychology and become a nationally certified counselor and a marriage and family counselor. Steve, now Dr. Steven W. Nicholas, recently wrote a book on how to deal with suicides, writing in…
Read MoreOur goal: becoming good ancestors
a column by Colleen O’Brien A nonprofit group called Our Children’s Trust was notified in mid-May that its case, Juliana v. U.S., would be heard on June 25, 2021. This case, brought to the courts under three administrations – in 2015, 2017 and now 2021 – claims that the U.S. Constitution protects the fundamental right to a climate system capable…
Read MoreA good – no, a great – idea gone awry
a column by Colleen O’Brien The point of war? Now and throughout history, the purpose of war has been to break the harsh rule of an invading power or of a capturing power or of a colonial power (these are the same thing). Humans have gone to war to stop a grasping power – think Hitler. Often, leaders go to…
Read MoreDear Anonymous
~a column by Colleen O’Brien The following email was sent via anonymousemail to the editor of this news source: “Dear Ms. O’Brien, “I voted tor Trump. You think you know people like me and what motivates us, but you don’t have a clue nor do you care to understand. You have your reality and nothing’s ever gonna change your mind.…
Read MoreLetter to the editor – Ces Brunow in support of Early Learning Center
Dear Editor, It’s no surprise that good things continue to happen in Jefferson! Please join me and many others in support of “Growth Happens Here”, a fundraising campaign for the construction of a 9,484 square foot center dedicated to early childhood care and education. As the only nonprofit childcare program in Jefferson, the Greene County Early Learning Center has achieved…
Read MoreThe lies are killing us
~a column by Colleen O’Brien One of my favorite quotes is from Winston Churchill – “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” Many times in a long life, I’ve done this, at the time not realizing I was doing anything extraordinary, but only so much later – now, in fact – realizing that I was never giving up, I was…
Read MoreThe Capitol Roundup
~by State Sen Jesse Green May 14, 2021 Greetings friends and neighbors, I would like to start doing something different once in a while and highlight some special people I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with. This week I am going to introduce you to a young man you’ll meet if you visit the Capitol, Sam Sampson. Sam…
Read More