~a column by Colleen O’Brien The word postmodern bugged me for years. No one I asked could give me a definition I could understand. The dictionaries I searched through were not much help. Postmodernism was defined as “…reacting against the theory and practice of modern.” I looked up modern: “breaking with the past….” So, it seemed to me they meant…
Read MoreCategory: Opinion
Oh, un-sweet mysteries of life
~a column by Colleen O’Brien Wanting to make America great again sounded like a complaint to me at first, and then I looked up a few stats and found that the U.S. could use some work. Historically, we have tried to make our country always better; it has been a running theme from decade to decade, a bravado and brag…
Read MoreLetter to the editor – Dick Finch
To the editor, I love living in Jefferson but we’re not a Carroll or Boone and residents and city management and council should start to realize this and quit trying to spend us into the next century. All these walking trails, beautifying our businessless county square and signs all over directing people to ??? Lest we all forget about our…
Read MoreThe trouble with borders
~a column by Colleen O’Brien Friday, July 12, 2019 was designated by a national group of activists to protest the incarceration of “unaccompanied minors” crossing our southern border. In 700 cities across the country, activists and children’s advocates, ordinary citizens with no affiliations, kids, people young, middle aged and old, female and male, black, brown and white gathered at children’s…
Read MoreA prairie writer
~a column by Colleen O’Brien When I was 10 or so, I discovered a row of books in the Jefferson library that I’d never seen, or I’d skipped by them. Or maybe I’d wandered into the adult section. For some time, I’d been waylaid by the “Silhouette Series,” biographies of the heroes of America – Betsy Ross, Daniel Boone, Kit…
Read MoreDoomed to repeat?
~a column by Colleen O’Brien We are taught that if we don’t learn our history, we’re doomed to repeat it. To the dismay of lots of us, it’s happening; and quicker than we thought possible. After what I was taught as a schoolgirl in the ‘50s and ‘60s of the fascist Axis countries that brought the world to its knees…
Read MoreLetter to the editor – Pat Griffin
To the editor, Greene County is behind bringing people to the County. I am all for that. Greene County gave concessions to Wild Rose to bring their business to Jefferson. I am all for that. How many ambulance calls, police calls, and OWIs come from that part of town. I understand, but they serve alcohol. It promotes tourism.
Read MoreBoone Co Dems to host picnic
Several presidential candidates and surrogates to speak Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, will be speaking at the Boone County Democrats “Picnic For The People” this Saturday, June 29, at McHose Park shelter house, 1215 Francis Mason Drive, in Boone.
Read MoreWho uplifts their neighbors?
~a column by Colleen O’Brien A couple of years ago, I wrote a “What if” about Jefferson being attacked by an enemy, and what I would do if I lived through the attack and into the occupancy by a hostile army. Would I go along because of fear of torture, imprisonment, death? Or the threat of any of these to…
Read MoreJack Bucklin explains ‘protest sign’ in parade
“Somebody’s got to do something!” That’s what I said to a friend who told me “Oh, Jack, don’t do it” after I told her what I was about to do, carry a war protest sign in the Bell Tower parade. I was feeling it, though, feeling it especially hard when I saw the news that the US was moving a…
Read MoreOne more holiday?
~a column by Colleen O’Brien June nineteenth is a ceremonial holiday (meaning you don’t get off work) in several states in the U.S.; it has never been declared a national holiday. Juneteenth, sometimes called Freedom Day, sometimes called Emancipation Day, is an American holiday celebrated by African Americans because they were freed from enslavement. It grew out of the announcement…
Read MoreLetter to the editor – David Weaver
To the editor, I am writing in support of Darren Jackson, who is running for Jefferson city council. I met Darren in 2018 after announcing my candidacy for the Iowa House. I was attending the Inaugural BOOST Bash when Darren introduced himself to me. He was polite and professional but also curious about why I had put my name on…
Read More