Voters weren’t looking at names on Election Day. They were looking at parties, and they were looking for change. more

Nov. 14, 2001: Eldridge voters turned out in record numbers, calling for change at city hall and roundly rejecting a proposal for an outdoor aquatic complex. Mayor Larry Rauch was defeated by newcomer Frank Wood, and council member Marc Brandt was voted out. Newcomers Steve Mohr and Mike Webber were elected to four-year seats. There was also set to be a run-off for a two-year council seat – although Brian Dockery garnered the most votes on Election Day, he did not earn a majority. He would face off against incumbent Tom Knapper on Dec. 4. Meanwhile, 63.36% of Eldridge voters sided against the pool, which surprised supporters of the proposal. Based on a phone poll, they’d been confident of victory. A record 1,250 residents showed up to the polls on Election Day. more

I got to thinking this morning about the word “community.” This is a word I try to avoid, even though I work for a “community newspaper.” The Associate Press Stylebook, a standard reference for journalists, does a decent job explaining why. It advises: more

Nov. 4, 1976: There would be a run-off in Eldridge, as none of the three candidates running to fill a vacancy on the city council earned a majority on Election Night. Gary Ewoldt and Frank Pancratz advanced to the run-off, with just nine votes separating them in the official Election Night tally. more

This year, Lancer Productions is going to the dogs. more

I hereby present my list of endorsements. more

Nov. 2, 2011:  The North Scott football team carried a very special flag into the postseason – a Lancer flag that was flown in Iraq the same day as the Homecoming game, Sept. 16. A group of soldiers from the Mount Joy Army Aviation Facility had been stationed in Iraq since January, and with so many of them having ties to North Scott and the football team, Todd Isley thought it might be a morale booster to have a Lancer flag on base. His wife and football coach Kevin Tippet arranged for flags to be sent to Isley in Iraq, and they were flown during a mission. “Our kids have to understand that there are people giving up a lot so that we can have some of the freedoms we enjoy,” said Tippet. “Seeing this flag and hearing how soldiers halfway across the world are rooting for them helps them understand the big picture a little bit.” more

Sometimes you hear something so bonkers it just makes you laugh. To wit: Republican candidate for governor Zach Lahn’s proposal, in a recent debate, to eliminate property taxes on single-family homes. “I don’t believe you should be renting your home from the government,” Lahn said. more

Oct. 24, 2001: The Scott County Health Department held a press conference regarding the county’s bioterrorism preparedness plan in the wake of an anthrax scare across the country. “Anthrax is the ‘threat du jour,’ but the risk appears to be very small,” said Dr. Louis Katz, county medical director. “I think whatever groups are doing this have recognized the true nature of terrorism. It’s more the perceived threat than the reality.” more

Wednesday morning I was caught in a shower of walnut leaves: yellow, spotted, starting to curl. A gentle breeze had sent them pirouetting down through the cold morning air. The tree reaches over my garage, dropping pollen, leaves twigs, and fist-sized green walnuts. I had never paid it much attention. more

Oct. 14, 1976: Members of the North Scott Education Association said they were “shocked” and unhappy after their proposal for their 1977-78 contracts was made public at a school board meeting. Board member Ned Mohr made the announcement after the contract negotiator said he felt it would be all right for the public to know what the NSEA was requesting. more

It is not every day that I get a notice on legal letterhead, but it happened last week. The attorney for the city of Princeton had some concerns about my article last week, “Mobile home tenants must vacate by Oct. 30” (NSP 9/30). more

Oct. 6, 2021: The Eldridge City Council voted 3-2 to fire city administrator Lisa Kotter, following an independent investigation recommended her termination. The investigation report detailed complaints from department heads saying Kotter was a bully who facilitated rumors and gossiped behind employees’ backs. However, the report also placed equal blame on Kotter and Eldridge mayor Marty O’Boyle for creating a chaotic and negative work environment at city hall. more

Oct. 3, 2001: Controversy surrounded a flyer mailed out by members of the Eldridge Family Aquatic Center Committee. Residents raised questions after the city logo appeared twice in the flyer, once next to the words “vote yes.” City hall was also listed as the return address for the mailing. That led to concern that the city had paid for the mailer, and even accusations that the committee was trying to dupe residents into believing the city was endorsing the pool project. A resident even raised questions about campaign finance violations, as the brochure didn’t include a financial disclosure. Council member Brad Noel and mayor Larry Rauch said no city money had been used for the project.  more

When I was a kid in Chilmark, Mass., my parents counted the votes on election night.  Voters cast paper ballots and the town gathered them in a hand-cranked ballot box. My parents then joined the city clerk, whose son was my best friend, to count the votes. With a few hundred ballots it took several hours. It was a social occasion. more

Flannery O’Connor said that a good man is hard to find. more

Sept. 23,. 1976: Eldridge farmer Roy Keppy was named the national chair of the Farmers for Ford Committee of Gerald Ford’s presidential campaign. Keppy personally met with Ford, as well as representatives of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “It was a real thrill to meet the president,” said Keppy. “He was real easy to visit with. He really impressed me … I’m honored to be asked to assist in the election of President Ford.” Keppy, a nationally known pork producer, was recruited for the position by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz. more

Scott County’s Reagan Dinner last Thursday, Sept. 10, was a veritable who’s who of Iowa Republicans. more

Sept. 19, 2001: The North Scott area was reeling in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Throughout the school district, principals praised their staff for handling the day with professionalism. In most of the buildings, older students were allowed to watch some of the events on television and guidance counselors were available for all students. “A lot of reassuring was done that day,” said Alan Shepard counselor Kelly Mangels. more

Maybe it’s just a sign I’m getting old, but whenever the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks comes around, despite my understanding of linear time, I’m often taken aback thinking about the fact that there are adults walking around that have no memory of a pre-9/11 world. So, I wonder what their understanding of that day is like. If you lived through it, how do you explain that day? more