Opinion

Out with the new, in with the old!

When I was a kid, my dad would take us out to a farm north of where we lived so that he could visit with his longtime friend John. John was one of these guys that LOVED to tell stories about &l...

The powerful prayer hidden in \'Pomp and Circumstance\'

The tiny but tough showy orchid: An inspirational graduation symbol. To the graduates of the Vinton-Shellsburg Class of 2015, and those who will celebrate with them today – and to those from Center Point-Urbana, Western Dubuque and any other place where the em...

Mighty Casey: A 21st Century revision for youth league parents

Yogi Berra said, or has been quoted as saying, “Little League baseball is a very good thing because it keeps the parents off the streets.” More recently, St. Louis Cardinals manage...

The kids just want to fit in

Have you ever heard this jingle: Laugh, laugh.  Thought I'd die.  Die? That means funeral. Funeral? That means flowers. Flowers? That means money. Money? That mean...

To the Editor: Funeral home thanks community for response after tragic accident

Thank you to all the people who came forward to offer prayers, assistance and support to the families of the victims, and to us, following the recent tragic accident.  The Center Po...

The Muddy Morning Blues

It seems that I write too much about sleeping, or the lack of enough sleep. Maybe because, as the joke goes, "I'm sleeping like a baby...up every 2 hours." In my case it's usually up all night ...

A brief, beautiful message above Victory Lane

Smoke forms a heart above Victory Lane during Boomtown 2013; mourners gathered there today. If you are among those who have spent the past week mourning a friend or relative who died in last week’s awful accident – and especially if you are among those who had already attende...

The Favorite Aunt

Now, I have lots of aunts. Quite frankly each aunt had their own thing that I liked about them.  My Aunt Helen, I would see a lot, and I would greet with "There's my FAVORITE...

After 150 years, there still is much to learn about the Civil War

Imagine a war that claims the lives of 6.5 million Americans. You can’t. I can’t. Nobody can. It’s unthinkable. What kind of conflict would require that many casualties? T...

To the Editor: Thanks to our local 'quiet contributors' that make Vinton better

The signs of spring are everywhere. Some are very evident. Some are less evident. There is a quiet, behind-the-scenes, hard-working group of people in town who contribute so much to our community ...