Opinion
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Pedley's Ponderings
My coaching portfolio grew this fall with addition of flag football. This wasn’t exactly by choice, but my stint on the sidelines has been an interesting one nonetheless. I coached my son’s T-ball team here in Hartley for the past two summers....
S-N Editorial
Accentuate the positives when you can Progress comes in all shapes and forms. Just look around at our local communities. In Hartley, progress took the form of demolition last month when city’s never-opened new pool had its never-used deck torn up....
Evans: Misguided government proposal targets 'vexatious' people
Many decades ago, Mrs. Gentry and Mr. Halferty put up with an inquisitive kid’s classroom questions about American democracy and the workings of government. I did not imagine back then how the meani...
33 trillion reasons to restore fiscal responsibility in Congress
Roughly three months after our country exceeded $32 trillion in debt, we have surpassed another grim milestone and broken another unfortunate record. Our national debt has officially eclipsed $33...
Q&A with Sen. Chuck Grassley
Q: What’s your take on the budgeting process in Washington? A: It’s broken. As a taxpayer watchdog and ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, I continuously look for ways to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure the government is working... Full story
S-N Editorial
Safety is something many of us take for granted. We have video cameras at our front doors, our vehicles remind us when to buckle our seat belts, and our cell phones alert us of any rain cloud within...
Pedley's Ponderings
I've had billions of great ideas in my life, but rarely have I carried through. Last weekend, I carried through. I got a wild hair two weeks ago after the annual Cy-Hawk matchup. Iowa was slated to...
The Final Two Thoughts
Although I can't start this off by telling you how many rounds of golf I got in this weekend like Eddie would have, I can tell you about a few of my favorite memories of Eddie Robinson. I first met...
Our fair
There is only one thing that gets a Midwesterner out of school that's not a holiday, snow day or in-service day – the Clay County Fair. The World's Greatest County Fair has a reputation for...
Letters: Auxiliary replacing weather-tattered flags in Hartley
To the editor: There’s nothing as majestic as the American flag waving in the air! The past winter and summer season has damaged many of the flags around Hartley. The Hartley American Legion Auxiliary has decided to help provide a flag for those... Full story
Evans: Judicial ethics in Iowa differ from Washington ethics
There were more disclosures in recent days in the ongoing saga involving the ethical standards of justices on the U.S. Supreme Court – or, more accurately, the lack of ethical standards. With each...
Ernst: Ripple effect from U.S.'s Afghanistan pullout still being felt
Two years ago, I warned against the risk a hurried withdrawal from Afghanistan would cause. Now, the consequences of a Taliban takeover are a reality. Even against the advice of his own military...
Iowa is best state to retire in
Recently, Bankrate rated Iowa the No. 1 state for retirement after consideration of affordability, overall well-being, cost of quality healthcare, weather and crime. Bankrate stated that affordability...
Iowa betting scandals no surprise
Watch any sporting event broadcast in America, and you’ll be bombarded with ads from sports books urging you to bet on the game. “Deposit your first $5, get $250 in free bets!” “Refer a friend, get $100!” “Cast your first $50 bet, get...
Letters: Reynolds must take control of the IUB hearing
To the editor: When questioned about eminent domain during the 2022 gubernatorial candidate debate, Gov. Reynolds answered many times that “there is a process in place.” That process is playing out now at the Cardiff Event Center in Fort Dodge...
The Writer's Pen
The following pieces were written by members of the Hartley Writing Group, who penned each submission during a writing exercise at a recent gathering. Members could choose to write a prompt on one of five topics: a cooking/baking failure; a good or...
Letters: IUB should put the brakes on the Midwest Carbon Express
To the editor: North Dakota’s Public Service Commission threw a major roadblock in the path of Summit Carbon Solutions’ Midwest Carbon Express on Aug. 4 when it voted unanimously to deny the company’s hazardous CO2 pipeline permit. According to...
Pedley's Ponderings
I love college football. Specifically, I love the stupidity of it. I love watching a PAC-12 game at 1 a.m. on Sunday morning. I love that Iowa can win a football game 7-3 with two safeties and a field goal. I love watching Kansas beat Texas in overti...
S-N Editorial
The idea of congressional term limits has been a pie in the sky for both American voters and ambitious candidates for eons. Recent incidents from some of Washington’s most tenured lawmakers have sparked worthy debate about just how long our...
Evans: UFOs, The issue we didn't know was an issue
Silly me. I thought I had been paying attention to the issues about which Iowans feel strongly. You know, things like inflation, taxes, government spending, the war in Ukraine, a new farm bill, water...
A record for roads
Two of the most common concerns I hear are about roads not getting fix and too much road construction. Our local department of transportation folks are constantly reviewing road conditions,...
Marion D. 'Jay' Jaycox, 101, Hartley
A funeral service for Marion D. “Jay” Jaycox was held Monday, July 31, 2023, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Sanborn. Pastor Joseph Bangert officiated. Pallbearers were Paige Malven, Melissa Carlson, Kieja Evans, Robin Steller, Shannon...
S-N Editorial
Ronald Reagan famously said, “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.” Apparently the late president’s 11th Commandment doesn’t apply in the Hawkeye State. Just as summer’s heat is about to peak, so too is the mudslinging from...
Letters: New daycare needed in Hartley
To the editor: It’s getting time to put our mindset to school days coming. We need to look at helping the Hartley Community Daycare Center with a new building for the safety of the children and workers! When people are looking at our town to move...
The Writer's Pen
g up in school, I showed some talent in writing essay questions, or even small story answers, but really never considered myself a writer. Poetry was much more significant as I literally hated the...