"As 2023 comes to a close, I hope that families and businesses in North Scott and surrounding districts who will benefit from the RIC will consider joining us in making a year-end, tax-deductible gift, further building on the grants secured and private gifts already given ..." more

"Iowa credit unions serve 1.4 million members who count on their credit union to be safe, sound, and modern. Banks have evolved and their code has been updated. The same needs to be done for credit unions ..." more

"Count your blessings (family, friends, food, laughter, good health) – you have already won the lottery and are richer than your wildest dreams ..." more

Dec. 14, 1983: Annie Glenn visited her husband’s namesake school in Donahue. Sen. John Glenn was running for president, but Mrs. Glenn didn’t focus too much on politics, other than telling the students they had been very busy on the campaign trail. She received a personal honor guard that included members of the school safety patrol and student council officers Lance Golinghorst and Elizabeth Carlton. more

Today, Dec. 13, is the day I was anticipating all fall, the day of my cardiac bypass surgery at University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, Madison. I wrote about it in this space on Sept. 27: the surgery in which they open the chest cavity and transplant arteries from the legs to "bypass" blocked arteries. more

Today, we salute long-serving public officials who did not leave abruptly with secretly negotiated severance settlements. more

"Thank you to North Scott bus drivers and bus garage people ..." more

"All Iowans need to know how much AEAs add to school districts–everything from training, professional development, to student help and more ..." more

"What a shame that the mayor of Princeton vetoed the recreational trail that had been in development locally for over 20 years ..." more

"Thank you, North Scott, for spearheading this vital initiative. We look forward to contributing to its success and witnessing the positive impact it will have on our community ..." more

Dec. 19, 1973: Two area women were hospitalized after a strange car accident between Eldridge and Long Grove. Geese flew up out of a farm field and into the path of a southbound vehicle. The driver braked to avoid striking the geese and slippery road conditions caused her vehicle to skid into the path of a northbound vehicle. Both vehicles were totaled. more

In the Aug. 2 issue I shared impressions of the country of Uganda in a column entitled, "Did you see any unhappy people?" The answer was no, despite the enormous challenges the people of this nation of 50 million souls in the heart of equatorial Africa face in their daily living. more

"Now we have an election that will determine whether or not we continue to have a Democracy ..." more

"That hatred will continue to plague us until we stand together to elect tactful and capable people ..." more

City leaders in Davenport seem to have forgotten that city government there belongs to the people. It does not belong to the folks who were elected to city offices. more

Dec. 28, 1983: Princeton, LeClaire and Pleasant Valley firefighters battled a fire early on Christmas morning at the Cole home, five miles southwest of Princeton. The family huddled in a barn as firefighters battled the flames and frigid wind chills. Two rooms and an outside wall were damaged, due to the fire, which was caused by faulty wiring. But there were no injuries, and no presents were damaged. more

There were a number of items I had hoped to write about at year's end, but time was slipping away before Christmas, and my triple bypass surgery that was to have taken place Dec. 13 was rescheduled Dec. 26 at University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics in Madison due to Covid, which I wrote about in the Dec. 13 NSP. more

"The Extension Council would like to congratulate Bill Tubbs on being honored as Friend of the First Amendment by the Iowa Freedom of Information Council ..." more

"Biden is supporting people on the demand side of the economy in the belief that what drives economic growth is the demand for goods and services ..." more

"If after hundreds of years of educating our youth in the space of a full five-day week, we have finally discovered that a weekly early dismissal is the answer to better education, then offer it on Mondays ..." more