Breaking News

Your View

Jeremiah’s Dilemma

Jeremiah was standing in a line of conquered Israelites, heading for Babylon! For a few hundred years, God had given Israel time to repent and change. They had the opportunity to show God they could be His people. But much like today, folks did not believe God would do what He proclaimed; sending a warring nation to destroy Israel. But Babylon came, killed a million folks and took about 100,000 prisoners. Jeremiah was one of the educated kids who had many skills. In disgrace, they were marched to Babylon naked and shackled together. God had begun what he promised. Sin caused God’s ...

2026 National Ag Day

Dear Editor, Please join our Mid-Iowa Youth Beef Team to observe National Ag Day on March 24, 2026, with the theme of “Together We Grow” as we celebrate 250 years of agriculture progress. Agriculture producers have made great progress in their production since the 1960’s. Today, cattlemen and women are producing 75% more beef per animal with 43% less environmental emissions on ground that cannot be used for any other crop production and preventing wildfires through controlling the growth by grazing that ground. Cattle producers have contributed to each American farmer today ...

The psychological opposite of racism

Seeing both the panoramic vision of racism, destruction of Gaza and the infantcide bombing of an Iranian school I thought about the psychological opposite of racism, the evolution of the art of gift giving. First the greatest gift God’s forgiveness of Cain! Then comes the 3 Magi, Saint Nicholas a Greek bishop of Maya (Modern Day Turkey) up to our present day Santa Clause. Then I recalled Santa was embroiled in controversy last year when a farmer told Trump his son wanted him to come to his house not Santa Clause! Legend Informs us that Santa is very diverse in generosity ...

Support for John Worden

John, after I’ve followed & supported you from Feb of 2023, it is almost impossible to believe a public library director can yield such power & control over a supposedly ‘public-represented’ board of trustees. I feel the Marshalltown city fathers would ‘roll over in their graves’ if they knew such a public humiliation & unfairness was happening as our current city council & mayor quietly watches, even though it is their responsibility to put a stop to such a shame happening to our community.

How I lost my house without knowing about it

A suspicious laggard sauntered up the steps outside my house at 409 N 9th St carrying a piece of paper and a blue roll of masking tape. He plastered a homemade eviction notice onto my front door. The stranger didn’t represent the sheriff or any government official: rather the note appealed to the authority of a Waterloo-based lawyer, soliciting on behalf of a mysterious entity, ACC in Des Moines, who claimed to be the new homeowner. I took the crooked note about as seriously as I would’ve an old letter from Ed McMahon or an email from a Nigerian prince. But, later that day, when out ...

MPL Boardroom Antics pt. 8

Editor, “blankets” (Call Number GN Thompson) is a book available at MPL. Summary according to MPL “Loosely based on the author’s life, chronicling his journey from childhood to adulthood, exploring the people, experiences, and beliefs that he encountered along the way.” “Quaint, meditative and sometimes dreamy, blankets will take you straight back to your first kiss.” “blankets” review by author Matthew Hughstun. “Implied molestation, child abuse, child negligence, scenes showing the difficulties of mental retardation and family life, drug use, violence, ...