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Local Columns

Tama Co. Economic Development By Heath Kellogg

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin. It was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes - during that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that at least a thousand or so people went through the station, most of them ...

Toads By: Kevin Williams, Grundy County Conservation Director

With the oddball spring that we experienced, I thought that maybe I wouldn’t be fighting toads in my backyard pond this year. Well, I was wrong. There were a few toads that showed up early to the pond and then were gone. However, they are back with a fury now. I looked back at past ...

Slices of Life by Jill Pertler- Who are the people in your neighborhood?

Mr. Rogers made the most of his neighborhood. I try to do the same - by walking the different streets in the name of “exercise.” As a bonus, along the way I make interesting and not-so-interesting observations. You can learn a lot by walking the neighborhood, which is completely different ...

Q&A: Eye on Opioid Crisis With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

Q: How serious is the nation’s opioid crisis? A: The impact of this expanding, pervasive addiction spans the social-economic spectrum in American society, tearing apart families and creating a consequential public health crisis in its wake. For the first time ever, drug overdoses are the ...

Tama Co. Economic Development By Heath Kellogg

A little old lady answered a knock on the door one day, only to be confronted by a well-dressed young man carrying a vacuum cleaner. “Good morning,” said the young man. “If I could take a couple minutes of your time, I would like to demonstrate the very latest in high-powered vacuum ...

Slices of Life by Jill Pertler-Winding down at the end of the season

It’s a wrap. Another school year complete - in the books. TGIF: Thank Goodness It’s Finished. Because I am tired. It happens every year. Let’s face it, being a parent can be taxing. Being a parent with kids in school can be exhausting. We start out strong in September - am I right? ...

Tama Co. Economic Development By Heath Kellogg

So a moth goes into a podiatrist’s office. “Come in,” says the podiatrist, “What’s the problem?” The moth drops down into the nearest chair and says “What’s the problem? I don’t even know where to start. First of all, my boss is a vicious tyrant who gets off on the petty ...

Slices of Life by Jill Pertler-Seven wonders – of life

We’ve all heard of the Seven Wonders of the World. Most of us couldn’t name them all. I couldn’t so I Googled and discovered I hadn’t even heard of some. Embarrassing, I know. Unfortunately I’m more familiar with embarrassment than the Seven Wonders of the World. Actually, it’s ...