Ever since Adam and Eve’s failure in the Garden of Eden, humans have had to work with emotions that were not there in creation’s beginning. Sin allowed Satan to offer his violence as an alternative to God’s love. All kinds of feelings emerged. It was God’s love against the hostility of ...

Dean Fisher effective in the Iowa house? Why didn’t he convince fellow Republican then governor Terry Branstad to keep the state juvenile home open in Toledo, Iowa? Branstad closed it down. Dean Fisher wasn’t effective in keeping it open.

Sometimes we just need a laugh. The wife and I were driving to Des Moines from Marshalltown and along the highway were around seven or eight dead raccoons. The thought crossed my mind, “Why don’t we put up raccoon crossing signs like we do for the deer?” Then I thought about the show ...

I am writing this letter to congratulate the 2020 graduates of Marshalltown High School and the surrounding school districts. It has been a very difficult year for these seniors and their parents, dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, social distancing and missing out on the fun spring sports ...

In her May 7 update Gov. Kim Reynolds spent considerable time defending meat packing plants, and her new testing program. Noting that one in 48 Iowans have been tested, Iowans were urged to be proud of the program and our recognition. While it’s apparently true that about 66,000 tests have ...

 The book of Romans is sometimes called the Ten Commandments of the New Testament. Within its contents are two special Timelines: • The laying aside of Abraham’s covenant with the Jews and • The New Testament inclusion of the gentile world into the family of God. Because ...

After being cooped up by cold weather and COVID-19 for the past few weeks my wife and I took a short trip to Pella this past weekend to get a look at the tulips and some springtime color from the safety of our car. What we saw were hundreds of people walking around the town at relatively ...

I have attended few city council meetings in my years in Marshalltown. However, I was keenly aware, growing up in a Minnesota small town, of the responsibilities my father felt in his more than 25 years as mayor. In many ways it was a thankless job; no one hesitated to complain and few offered ...

I am a physician in Ames, and I became a doctor because I wanted to help people. That’s why it’s so frustrating to see Senator Joni Ernst voting to allow insurance companies to discriminate against patients with pre-existing conditions. We are in the midst of a public health crisis, and ...

I am a frequent trail user for bicycling. I enjoy riding bicycle on the trails while viewing the nature along the trails. The nice wide trail makes it easy to maneuver. There are some trails near where I live. Some of the areas of the older trail need to be resurfaced to insure safety for ...

Well, after more than 50 years I have decided to quit tilling gardens for the second time. Over the years I have tilled many gardens and made a lot of friends. I will always remember the stories and I could tell of some things that happened to me on the tour. Thanks to all of the steady ...

What’s going on with all these viruses that the United States has to fight to keep Americans safe almost on a yearly basis? Each virus seems to be worse than the one before it. I have a suspicious mind and I am thinking some of these viruses are man-made to kill Americans. It’s no secret ...

I also have a concern about the Fifth Avenue extension. Once upon a time Plaza Heights Road was a very quiet street. There was wild turkey, pheasant and deer that lived on what has become the Walmart hill. When the street connecting the Marshalltown Mall to Walmart was built that all ...

First, I want to disclose that my wife is a current team member at Iowa River Hospice. Second, I want to disclose that both of my late parents spent their final days at the Iowa River Hospice House. I have personally experienced the enormous value of the Iowa River Hospice House and its ...

Watching the new courthouse dome put in place was amazing — such planning and follow through; a time in our history. However seeing so many people bunched together watching was disappointing. I sincerely hope we do not see a huge spike of COVID-19 around April 15. Come on people, be ...

Well I see the dome was put onto its place yesterday on the courthouse. Unfortunally 100 people were side by side, watching the event, risking their lives and the people they love. I don’t understand what it is going to take the people of Marshalltown to wake up. My family used to live ...

I understand that our City Administration has been reviewing the idea of extending Fifth Avenue past the Iowa River Hospice (IRH) home. In my opinion, the recently built housing development to the west of the IRH home was built before giving careful consideration to the requirements for streets ...

What Republican should we listen to? Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republicans closed the government down — schools closed, a lot of businesses closed or limiting business like restaurants only have carry out. I went to the bank and it was only drive up. Business couldn’t go ...

I think there may be at least one positive result from the recent pandemic one that we are all having to practice each day, whether we want to or not. In fact it is actually a responsibility we all have to self-isolate, which has an unintended consequence of “slowing down” of our lives and ...

After reading the March 20 Times-Republican column “Coronavirus is the Chinese virus” by Ben Shapiro and March 21 Ask Augustine section by Dr. Paul A. Tambrino both employed selective memories. Regarding Shapiro, Leonard Pitts latest March 22 column “viruses do not carry passports” ...