Opinion

The night the fireworks cried

Fireworks descend in honor of the 10th anniversary of 9/11     I hope, wherever Osama bin Laden was on Saturday night, they interrupted his eternal torment for a few minutes to let him watch as Vinton residents saw the first commemoration of the ...

The empty space where Paul Harvey\'s words used to be

Paul Harvey's last Saturday Broadcast, Feb. 7, 2009...  [VIDEO]        "A great tree has fallen, and left an empty space in the sky…"  &nb...

Who\'s the smart aleck that invented the English language?

I've had fun catching up with a neighbor "kid" I used to play baseball with, and well, I practically lived at their house during my childhood.  We talked briefly about spelli...

Understanding the impact of federal assistance on affected property owners

       Since hearing the news that President Barack Obama has made a Presidential Declaration designating Benton Countyas a "Major Disaster" area, many local resid...

What is Faith? - Part Two

Pastor Zajicek and family   Last time, I attempted to explain the nature of faith: it’s a complete and total trust in someone or something.  To summarize, the conversation narrowed towards the nature of ...

The modern day lesson of the Ahkoond of Swat

      As writers, we often approach a topic knowing what we want to say, but feeling that something is missing. So in our writing, we do some research, hoping to stumble upon the...

Please share the pop can redemption machine

  Dear Editors,      I have a pet peeve to air. John's is the only place in town to take empty pop cans for refunds, and John's hours are limited. S...

GOD\'S PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO GET THEIR FEET WET

Pastor Lanette S. Van Matthew 14:22-33                         Romans 10:5-15 Do you have be...

How the Iowa Caucus became such a big deal with a 3 percent success rate

       Every presidential election cycle, I watch unheard-of politicians, and a few whose names we know, come to Iowa, hoping to be the victor (or at least do better than t...

Ode to The State Fair Butter Cow Battle

From: 2011 State Fair-goer To:  The person or persons who put the "Go vegan" message on the Butter Cow at the State Fair.      Congratulations! Your feat ...