opinion
Of politics and people
Monday, August 26, 2024 1:25 pm
It would seem local politics is still a hot topic of conversation in our community — assuming that our opinion page is a remotely representative sample. I myself got a bit of feedback for my last opinion piece. And that’s …
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The road to better community involvement
Monday, August 26, 2024 1:23 pm
Dear, Editor. We are hopeful. Over two years ago, the Winneshiek supervisor board meetings were attended by very few folks. Today the house was packed to overflow. Not only attendance is huge compared, but online viewers are very numerous. The …
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‘A pattern of disrespect’
Monday, August 26, 2024 1:22 pm
A letter to the editor in last week’s Leader noted that, at the Aug. 5 public hearing on a rezoning request, Board of Supervisors Chairman Dan Langreck shouted at some members of the public and discouraged attendees from sharing their …
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Climate change is upon us
Monday, August 26, 2024 1:21 pm
Dear Editor: Recently, on June 25, a letter to the editor listed the ways in which Spencer, Iowa, residents had their lives upended with the recent extreme rain and subsequent flooding. No city services, businesses closed, no gas or electricity, …
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Parks and rec board seats should remain elected positions
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 4:46 pm
To the editor: It was recently reported in the Decorah Leader that some of the Decorah City Council members would be interested in possibly changing the structure of the Decorah Park and Recreation Board from an elected board to an …
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Public hearings are for the public
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 4:45 pm
In early 2023, I started attending weekly Winneshiek Board of Supervisor meetings either in person or online. Today — Aug. 5 — I attended, in person, a meeting that included a public hearing related to rezoning Winneshiek County farmland from agricultural …
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Arrogance of power
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 4:45 pm
I have been watching the Winneshiek Board of Supervisors’ Meetings for many years. Since early 2023, I’ve followed the current Board, missing only five of the weekly meetings. What I have seen and heard from Supervisors Langreck, Vick and Kelsay makes …
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I don’t know. I wasn’t there. But I do know a couple things about local government
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 4:37 pm
I’m probably about to do something unpopular — defend a politician. More so, I’m going to defend a local politician — well, perhaps more accurately, I’m going to defend a claim he supposedly made in a recent meeting. I only …
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Things have changed, but you can’t blame the farmer
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 4:26 pm
I’m an 86-year-old former farm boy, and I’d like to take you on a little history trip. After high school, I served in the United States Military, and I cam home to the family farm to farm with my dad …
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Winneshiek County sees improvements
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 4:25 pm
Good things are happening in Winneshiek County. Ossian and Castalia and Spillville and Ridgeway are getting much needed sewer improvements. Fort Atkinson is getting improved wells. Childcare providers are getting help with expanding much needed services. Our farm to market …
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Some criticism of changes to state CBD laws
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 4:25 pm
I want to send a big thank you to our fearless leader and her rubber stamp legislators! They revealed some infinite wisdom with the CBD law. I just ran out of my CBD gummies that I use to numb my …
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Sights on Spencer
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 1:59 pm
Letter to the editor, Not that long ago, there was midnight terror. It was raining, lots of rain, and it covered a wide area of northwest Iowa. Rising rivers and flooding occurred, causing mountains of misery. A lone relative living …
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Let’s show civility and respect when it comes to yard signs this election season
Wednesday, July 31, 2024 1:58 pm
It’s campaign season again, and a new crop of yard signs are beginning to pop up all over northeast Iowa. And, unfortunately some are incorrectly located in right of ways, and some have been stolen. Yard signs can serve as …
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Some thoughts on flood mitigation
Tuesday, July 30, 2024 10:26 am
Dear Editor, Twenty-plus river gauges across the Midwest hit major flood stages in the past few weeks. This begs the question, why do decision makers make crucial decisions involving large capital outlays and possible elimination of flood buffer projects? Why …
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Here’s to hoping Biden’s withdraw is the end of political posturing
Saturday, July 27, 2024 1:57 pm
I was only one of many bustling reporters holding cameras, recorders and notebooks in the upper level of a northwest Iowa bar to hear former presidential candidate Nikki Haley speak. It was December of 2023, and Haley called a second …