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A response to Steve Corbin

When catching up on reading the TR last weekend, the large print headline on the editorial page of the Feb. 15 issue quickly caught my attention. My reaction was ”Yes, yes maintaining a democracy is not a spectator sport.” As I read the article, my first response was very different from Steve Corbin’s. Government takeover happens when it silences the people. For a democracy to continue, people need to speak up. My list would be: Life is precious from conception till natural death. The nuclear family is the backbone of a healthy society. Religious freedom should not be ...

City council’s Municipal Band decision was wrong

Citizens of Marshalltown who have attended a Memorial Day program at the local cemeteries, a Veteran’s Day program, the Courthouse dedication, the 4th of July fireworks show, or numerous other community events, will have enjoyed the patriotic spirit and music of the Marshalltown Municipal Band. We were both disappointed and saddened to see our city council vote to defund the Marshalltown Municipal Band. Certain things go into the fabric of what we call “community.” Without these things that lift us up, we devolve into a bunch of ornery old folks complaining about potholes. The ...

Patrons must stay vigilant on library materials

As far as I know, our library is well run. I have always been treated well and the staff has gone out of their way to be helpful. I think we have a very capable and devoted library director. Great! So is there a problem? I don’t know? I hope not. But I read the T-R article of Feb. 9, 2024 titled, “There is a war on libraries.” The focus was on Iowa HSB678 which, if I understand right, would take power for library decisions from library boards to “elected officials” of a city council. Why? This bill was sparked by an incident in Pella, where the book Gender Queer was placed ...

A letter to Jesse Green

Dear State Senator Green, You must have nothing else to occupy your time. For the second time in a month, you have introduced bills to restrict the rights of local libraries, first with SSB 3131, now with SSB 3168. You were rebuffed the first time, so you try a different tactic. This time you want the city councils to approve the hiring and firing of library directors and not the public. Your rationale? You have heard complaints from city councils about their library directors. You do not identify the cities who you say complain. I can assure you that Sarah Rosenblum is so popular that ...

Miracles in nature

Nature has a way to make long-distance trips enjoyable, whether it is cloud-formation, natural beauty or forest placement. Some years ago, we were traveling to Colorado. We saw some pretty interesting scenes on the way. Near the west corner of the Kansas border there was one, lonely, scrub-tree. Halfway up this twenty-foot twisted specimen, the constant wind had bent it forty five degrees to the East. For additional viewing, on the west side the bark was dead and the inner wood was bleached white, but the East aside was still alive. It was an amazing sight. How could it live in that ...

Let’s talk about global warming

If you’re unsure about climate science, you’re welcome to keep reading, but I’m not going to try to change anyone’s mind. For Marshall County residents who acknowledge global warming, let’s talk. According to the 2023 Yale Climate Opinion Factsheets, more people in Marshalltown are becoming aware of and concerned about climate change. Seventy percent of us believe in it, and 62 percent understand it will impact the weather. Concern is growing. So, what do we do? For starters, let’s talk about what’s happening in our own backyards. We’re seeing the signs of climate ...