Viewpoints

To the Editor:

Recently, I had a stay at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. I entered  the hospital through the emergency room, and then I was admitted. It was then that I realized how lucky our community is to have a facility like this.

I received the best care from all the staff there. Everyone made me feel at home from the doctors, staff in the emergency room, laboratory, nurse’s station, therapy, kitchen, housekeeping and front desk. I am so grateful for each and every one of the staff. I wanted to take this opportunity to let the community know how very blessed we are to have such an outstanding hospital to go to when we need it.

Robert Fossum
Waukon
 

To the Editor:

Sadly, only a very small percentage of Iowans caucus. It’s our only chance to be the first deciders of who might win the presidential primary vote. It’s our chance to influence the rest of the nation by being the first state to caucus. It’s also quite an education in our democratic process.

In order to caucus we meet Monday, February 3, doors opening at 6 p.m., at our precinct locations. (Watch The Standard for these locations.) We divide into presidential candidate preference groups, which sometimes means a lot of convincing, compromising, switching, and suspense, especially when there are so many candidates. It’s exciting!

After viable groups are chosen, delegates and alternates will be elected within these groups to represent their candidates at county, and then state conventions.

To the Editor:

In her letter to the editor in the December 18, 2019 edition of The Standard, Ann L. Hart used a play out of the playbook from the Main Stream Media and the Democrat Party in criticizing Senator Joni Ernst’s  position on Social Security reform. She totally misrepresented the facts, took some statements out of context and resorted to prevarication.

Senator Ernst, while campaigning for the U.S. Senate, acknowledged the need for reforming Social Security and offered suggestions on how that might be done. Ms. Hart suggests that Senator Ernst only wants to discuss reforms behind closed doors so she and those dastardly Republicans can pull the wool over the eyes of the public, maybe in the same way the Democrats tried to do in the closed door impeachment hearings against President Trump. Ms. Hart is taking that comment totally out of context and making it appear that no one, except Republicans, will have any input.

Submitted by Allamakee County Attorney Anthony Gericke

Having completed my first year as Allamakee County Attorney, I felt an update to the county on the current state of this office should be an annual part of my duties as an elected official.  The three most often asked questions I am presented with are:  Who are you?  What do you do?  Is marijuana in Iowa legal or not?

To the Editor:

What happens when it hurts too much to live? Can it really be too painful to live one more moment with emptiness, depression, and despair? Yes, for some people suicide seems like the only way out.

Not every person who contemplates killing themselves is truly interested in ending their time on earth. For many, suicidal thoughts are about escape - musing about the idea of leaving the bonds that bind them to other people, responsibilities to burdens, and the despair of what they can’t change. If they could just escape it, maybe they still could go on somehow. Not right now, but after a while. They just need to get away from it.

To the Editor:

Our team at Helping Services for Youth & Families wants to thank all of the volunteers, sponsors, and visitors that made Holiday Lights another success. Having completed its 15th year, Holiday Lights continues to be a wonderful community event that also serves as Helping Services for Youth & Families’ most important fundraiser. Helping Services for Youth & Families is a nonprofit organization with programs that promote healthier and safer families residing throughout eight counties in Northeast Iowa.

Holiday Lights brought over 4,000 cars through Pulpit Rock Campground in Decorah, hosted 1,600 visitors for the opening Walk-through event, and enlisted the help of over 300 volunteers throughout the season. If you are interested in ways to support Holiday Lights and/or Helping Services for Youth & Families, please contact us at info@helpingservices.org or 563-387-1720.

To the Editor:

As a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, I have my opinion with the Christmas Pageant presented on Sunday, December 15.

It is my belief that the pageant presented is an untrue version of the birth of Jesus Christ, written by Pastor Gentry.

Read the true version of the birth of Jesus Christ in the Gospels of Matthew Chapter 1 and 2 and Luke Chapter 2.
 
Harvey Estebo
Waukon
 

To the Editor:

Saturday, December 14 proved to be a day of unusual activity for me, and one I won’t forget.

About 7 a.m. I was admitted to the emergency room at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) here in Waukon; by 10 a.m. I was being wheeled into surgery to remove my gall bladder; and by 5 p.m. I was out of recovery and Sheryl was driving me home. Not long after, I had my feet up watching RFD TV.

I’m not writing to whine about my big day but to offer praise and thanksgiving for the wonderful facility and staff at VMH. From the time we entered the doors, until we left, we encountered nothing but kindness, caring, efficiency and professionalism. The exceptionally competent nurses, doctors, technicians and surgeons could not have been more attentive and skilled. What a blessing for me to have all that available right here, when I needed it most.

To the Editor:

In the spirit of the New Year, we suggest the following New Year’s Resolutions:
• Practice gratitude daily
• Notice needs of others
• Use kindness to help lift up a discouraged heart
• Understand that not all struggles are consequence-based
• Be an example of integrity, compassion and service to others
• Care for the innocent and those who can’t speak for themselves
• Become a child advocate as a CASA or FCRB volunteer in your community
• Visit childadvocacy.iowa.gov to apply

Iowa Court Appointed
Special Advocates (CASA) for Children
 

To the Editor:

Wow! We Iowans are going to California for a bowl game. Tons of Iowans will be going there to spend their money. Included in this bunch are hundreds of people, including the team, the band and lots of staff - all being paid for by the State of Iowa.

We are doing this in spite of the fact that just a few months ago we were scolded by the State of California because we had the temerity to not compel all sellers of health insurance companies in our state to cover sex change surgeries. Because Iowa gave that option to these companies, California also stated they would not pay for any of its State-paid employees to attend any functions in Iowa.