Top Stories

The Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative (FFI) has announced it is seeking requests for activities to support and build on its efforts. This initiative is about people working together to create vibrant communities where the healthy choice is the easy choice.

by Bob Beach

During its regular meeting Monday, February 9, the Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met again with Allamakee County Clerk of Court Elizabeth Nuss to discuss her need for increased storage space at the courthouse. Also involved in the discussion were Allamakee County Veterans Affairs Director Heather Homewood, Sheriff Tim Heiderscheit and Head Custodian Mike Gallagher.

To the Editor:

Ten-plus years ago, when I moved here to the Midwest from the west coast, I was embraced by the rural community and have loved and am thankful for every minute of it. With my hubby and his family being lifelong residents of this area, it was great to be so welcomed into a great community.

To the Editor:

The four-letter word "hope" was repeated many times over during the recent Presidential election.

My first couple weeks in the Iowa Senate have been rewarding and exciting. There certainly is a huge learning curve, but everybody - Democratic and Republican legislators, staff and constituents - has been incredibly helpful in getting me up to speed on issues and procedures.

... that a university professor, after I had tried to be funny in an essay and failed, in his opinion, suggested that trying to write with humor is a great deal more difficult than other types of writing.

So, I should not have been shocked to find I had missed again in a recent column. When Caroline Kennedy apparently was seeking appointment to a senate seat, and came off in TV interviews as very dour, I suggested that the song "Sweet Caroline" probably was not written with her in mind.

Here we are in February, the short month. During some harsh winters I have been grateful that February only normally has 28 days. There have been times when I thought that if February had 30 or 31 days, we might not get through it.

As Iowa's livestock industry tries to overcome the struggles of 2008, members of the Iowa State University Extension team are looking ahead to help cattle and hog producers establish risk management strategies. The Iowa Beef Center and Iowa Pork Industry Center are partnering on an upcoming webcast on the topic, to be held February 16 from 7-9 p.m.

"For there's a change in the weather

There's a change in the sea

So from now on there'll be a change in me."

- Benny Goodman

***

If there is one thing we all "get" about the incoming Obama Administration it's that the president intends to change things. In the view of the Obamans (Obamians?), just about everything about the past eight years should be changed - even obliterated. The way things are, who can argue, eh? Only the Republicans!

2008 Busted Some Old Truths in Corn Production

The 2008 corn growing season has busted some long-held corn production "truths," according to Roger Elmore, professor of agronomy with research and extension responsibilities in corn production. During a recent interview with Iowa State University Extension communications specialist Doug Cooper, Elmore listed nine commonly held beliefs that were disproved during recent years.