Opinion

Dear Editor, John Deere has làid off hundreds of employees in Waterloo and perhaps in Moline. The company is moving some manufacturing to Mexico. Trump will impose tariffs, and that's exactly what a President should do.  America first. Protect union workers.John Stiegelmeyer

Dear Editor, It is without question that the Democrat Party has taken out a “Contract” on Donald Trump.  They want him dead.  Period.Their reasons are repeated over and over and over . . .“He’s Hitler!!!”“He’s a threat to Democracy!!”“He’s an existential threat!!!” . . . I guess to the very existence of the planet??“He’s a tyrant, he’ll be a Dictator!”“He won’t let us kill our unborn children anymore!!!”“He’s a racist!” Golly, they had me at “Hitler”.

The city council met on Thursday evening. As part of the meeting was the Citizen’s Input segment. It's a grab bag of thoughts that come before the council in this department. Thursday night was no exception. The community once in a while will get all riled up about the former Iowa Braille and Sight Savings School property. Some aren't happy with it being broken up and voice their opinions on the topic.

September 11, is not a day that anyone forgets. Toby Keith summed up all of my feelings in his song, "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue."He sang, "American Girls and American Guys, We'll always stand up and saluteWe'll always recognize, When we see Old Glory FlyingThere's a lot of men dead, So we can sleep in peace at nightWhen we lay down our headMy daddy served in the army, Where he lost his right eyeBut he flew a flag out in our yard, 'Til the day that he diedHe wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me, To grow up and live happyIn the land of the freeNow this nation that I love, Has fallen under attackA mighty sucker punch came flyin' in, From somewhere in the backSoon as we could see it clearly, Through our big black eyeMan, we lit up your world, Like the 4th of JulyHey, Uncle Sam Put your name at the top of his listAnd the Statue of Liberty, Started shakin' her fistAnd the eagle will fly, And there's gonna be hellWhen you hear Mother Freedom Start ringin' her bellAnd it'll feel like the whole wide world is raining down on youOh, brought to you Courtesy of the Red, White and BlueOh, justice will be served, And the battle will rageThis big dog will fight, When you rattle his cageAnd you'll be sorry that you messed with The U.

CITY OF VINTONCOUNCIL MEETING AGENDA – SEPTEMBER 12, 2024 -- 7:00 PMVINTON CITY HALL, 110 W 3RD STREET, VINTONWatch live at https://www.youtube.com/@CityofVintonIAhttps://us06web.zoom.us/j/89135368369; 1-646-931-3860 Webinar ID: 891 3536 83691. Call to order and roll call2. Pledge of Allegiance3. Approve agenda4. Consent Agendaa. Receive & file Council meeting minutes of August 22, 2024b.

Dear Editor, I had some thoughts on the morning of 9/12/2001. Sadly I believe it shows we have learned little and remembered little. Once a year our politicians get to show how much they "care", that they "remember" the pain and fear of "the day". I believe President Biden yesterday said he was going to "Do 9/11!" today. Yet . . . here we are . . . 23 years later.

WHO AM I VOTING FOR - AND WHY????? That comes the moment when someone says, 1."I can't believe you would vote for Trump.” I simply reply, “I'm not voting for Trump.” I'm voting for the First Amendment and freedom of speech. 2. I'm voting for the Second Amendment and my right to defend my life and my family. 3. I'm voting for the next Supreme Court Justice(s) to protect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Dear Editor, Following is an Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Statement about what MAGA means – it is not copyrighted so I assume it can be published without restriction.  I have written before that he deserved to be heard.  He should have been given the privilege of contenting in a Presidential primary; he deserved a hearing unrestricted by the hierarchy of the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party as a whole.

Dear Editor, $250,000, now $140,000! And hopefully, not another high-dollar payout claim that’s possible. But what a RELIEF that the supervisors reassured the taxpayers of Benton County that we are still in good standing with Heartland Insurance Company, our liability insurance provider. Now if I did something that warranted large claims as such,

It was another great weekend in Vinton thanks in a huge part to the behind the scenes residents who organize, plan and then set up the events for Boomfest and Boomtown. On Friday night a team was marking the pavement for booth slots for vendors to set up the following morning. WIth 93 slots to shop from in downtown Vinton, the town was buzzing with activity.