Commentary
19 results total, viewing 1 - 19

People need to pick up after dogs

Last Wednesday as I was walking to the post office, I accidentally stepped in feces that someone’s dog left on a downtown Kalona sidewalk. I didn’t really notice it until I got inside the … more

Goodbye Horses: My Farewell to Kalona

About nine years ago, my mom called to tell me about a classified ad she noticed in the paper – the G****** I think it was. Thanks to her, I ended up at The News. After years of creating … more

Great response to Optimists’ Community Blood Drive

Once again, the Kalona community responded by turning out in good numbers for the Kalona Optimists’ Community Blood Drive on Monday, July 10, at the Kalona Mennonite Church. ImpactLife, … more

City of Kalona helps fund fireworks for enjoyment of Kalona residents

If you enjoyed the fireworks displays of the Sons of AmVets at Richmond and at Wellman, you can thank the City of Kalona (and many other contributors) for helping to fund both displays. The City … more

A conversation with Senator Grassley

Last Wednesday I was invited to join a journalist with the Fairfield radio station for a discussion with Senator Charles Grassley for his weekly podcast, Capitol Hill Report.   The Fairfield … more

1% sales tax paying for school construction

Anyone driving on H Avenue north of the Mid-Prairie Middle School will notice that the soccer field for youngsters between the East Elementary and Middle School has been replaced with a fenced off … more

Supervisors ignore public opinion, hire architect

The Washington County Board of Supervisors ignored public opinion and property taxpayers last week and signed a contract with Carl A. Nelson to develop plans on how to remodel the Orchard Hill … more

To ensure transparency, government notices should continue to be published by independent newspapers, not a government-controlled website

Some members of the Iowa Senate do not think that public notices published in newspapers remain relevant and necessary. A bill filed in the newly formed Technology Committee just over a week ago … more

Now and Then: Mom, Dad and creatures of the night

Several requests have been made for more stories about the times when I was growing up and to include my parents in the stories. Well, there are a lot of those days, very clear in my mind, yet. Some … more

Why I voted for school choice

This week the Senate and House both passed the Students First Act. Governor Reynolds introduced this bill after her Condition of the State speech. She has led on this issue for years and made it a … more

The spelling bee

Back in the “Old Days” when I had a problem with what I was trying to say on paper, an eraser was the best and sometimes only solution, but nowadays it takes little more than a quick tap … more

Students First Act advances

Last week the Senate Education and Appropriations committees passed Senate File 94, commonly known as the Students First Act. Governor Reynolds spoke at length about this bill in her Condition of the … more

The Driscoll Dispatch

        The gavel has fallen and the 2023 session of the 90th General Assembly has begun. This week, we welcomed a total of fourteen new members to the Iowa Senate. Along with the … more

What happens when your office server crashes on production day

Monday morning started off with a crash that presented a real challenge for The News staff to get this week’s issue of The News to press. The News’s central server where all ads, … more

Small favors are worth appreciating

On the day after Christmas just past, there came a person, well-known to me, to clear off my driveway and uncover my snow-coated vehicle one more time. Oh, happy day! It’s not the first … more

Looking ahead to serving you in 2023

The City of Kalona and KCTC should be congratulated on cleaning up the front of the old Kalona Bakery building. They have removed the store hours and the name “Kalona Bakery” from the … more

Holidays: an opportunity to help others in need

Thankfully we are five weeks past the 2022 midterm election. I can hear many voters exuding a sigh of relief and shouting, after $17 billion was spent on disinformation, misinformation and the … more

News, Advertisers give $1699.80 to firefighters

This week, The News/Slechta Communications sent checks totaling $1699.80 to our fire departments thanks to a revenue-sharing special section The News published during Fire Prevention week on Oct. … more

Sartorial Christmas wishes

Oh wow!   How can I be so lucky sometimes to remember the right things to say—and, at the right time? I’m referring to my recent reference to a subject matter commonly viewed as … more
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