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Thanks to MPD and a good ‘Samaritan’

I need to publicly thank an unknown citizen and the Marshalltown Police Department. I had been looking in my car and all over the house for my black ISU portfolio and enclosed documents after using it uptown to bay a bill. It was not to be found. Then one of Marshalltown’s fine policemen rings my doorbell with my lost portfolio in hand. It seems someone had found it on the street (Lincoln Street?) and turned it into at the police station. I’m now guessing I put it on top of my car, forgot to take it down, and it flew off as I drove. While it had no great value, getting it and its ...

Cleanup years ago

I am writing to share a conversation I had this morning over coffee with an older gentleman. He mentioned that when he was a child, his father had him sweep the sidewalk in front of his restaurant every morning. Interestingly, rather than sweeping the debris into the street, he swept it into a garbage bag to be disposed of properly. This made me wonder why a similar practice isn’t more common today, rather than relying on volunteers for neighborhood or storefront upkeep. I thought it was an interesting perspective on maintaining our local walkways.

Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

To: Community of Marshalltown We are happy to let you know that the Letter Carrier’s will once again hold their Food Drive “Stamp Out Hunger” on Saturday, May 9. Your letter carrier will be collecting non-perishable food donations left by mailboxes and a drop box in the post office for the local food pantries of the Salvation Army and the Emergency Food Box. This effort by members of the National Association of Letter Carriers and other volunteers is the largest one-day food drive in the nation. Grocery and gas prices are rising, and many in our community are experiencing ...

RAGBRAI housing volunteers needed

On Wednesday, July 22, Marshalltown will step into the spotlight as we host RAGBRAI 53. With approximately 20,000 riders, support crews, and visitors expected to roll into town in a single day, this is more than just a bike ride—it is a great opportunity to showcase our community’s hospitality, our vibrant spirit, and everything Marshalltown has to offer. To make this event a success, we need your help. We are currently seeking housing volunteers to open their hearts (and their yards) to our guests. Providing housing is simpler than you might think. Many riders are simply looking ...

Suggestion for the TR

The DMR is currently running a survey for the coolest thing invented in Iowa. I don’t think you get to be on the list if you won it in another year. I always vote for the Butter Braid out of West Bend, IA. I think we should do the Coolest Thing Invented in Marshalltown. Of course, there’s the Marshalltown trowel, The Flying Elbow WWF burger, Lilly Mae’s TorTush and my two favorites: MPACT, A Co-Responder Program that embeds social workers within the MPD, and REMIX Non-Profit Dance Academy that in addition to offering a full slate of classes also offers classes for adult ...

Preparing a watchtower

In Old Testament times God encouraged the Jews to build themselves watchtowers. They needed to be aware because Israel’s enemies wanted to kill them. The enemy of God doesn’t want us to live, they want to destroy our relationship to the Creator. Living in this world is like that. We must watch for the devil, he wants us to fail at knowing who God is. In Genesis 3:15 we see scriptural proof that the devil has the right to test our faith as long as we live: satan is still running the show on earth. We are in his domain, he has infected his kind with disbelief and hate. Our poor choices ...