Times change. Even so there are a few constants in life. One is the pleasure provided by the county fairs that continue to be a highlight of summer in Iowa. For as far back as anyone who now lives in this part of the state can remember, these summer festivals have been much-anticipated and ...

When a June 24 fire sent flames blasting out some third floor windows on the south side of the old Fair Oaks Middle School, it caught the attention of anyone going by on nearby Fifth Avenue South. It should have caught the attention of everyone else in the community also. The fire was bad, ...

Whether you spend this Fourth of July picnicking, enjoying a parade, attending a community celebration, watching a fireworks display or just plain loafing, there should be at least a brief time to pause and reflect on this country’s enduring experiment in constitutional democracy. And that ...

When Americans enjoy fireworks on every Fourth of July, they have John Adams to thank for the colorful displays. Adams, one of the Founding Fathers who became the country’s second president, wrote to his wife, Abigail, when the Declaration of Independence was approved in July 1776 in ...

In every town there are special people who contribute to the success of the community through the giving things they do. These folks — whose selfless contributions make life better for others in their hometowns — sometimes go unacknowledged. That’s unfortunate because many of the people ...

Science tells us that summer technically started Thursday, but many people feel like we are in the middle of that much anticipated season. School has been out for weeks now and long days all but beg to be filled with fun activities.That is especially true for younger folks. The kids are, ...