Viewpoints

To the Editor:

We would like to personally extend our appreciation to all the volunteers and donors that contributed towards the lunches offered at Zion Church throughout the month of July. We so appreciate the time, generosity, and true Christian charity that was shared with our community.

A special appreciation also goes to Zion Church for welcoming so many children into your facilities. The lunches were loved and looked forward to daily by many. God bless you.

The Jim and Joanna Downing Family
Waukon
 

To the Editor:

The “Feed the Kids” program in Waukon completed its third July of feeding lunches and grab-and-go breakfasts to children 18 years and younger. The program grew by over 30% this year, serving 2,850 lunches and 2,380 breakfasts in 22 days.

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) provides breakfasts and lunches during June and August to local children. The “Feed the Kids” program was created to fill the July gap. The planning team started meeting in April. Volunteers from five local churches; St. Paul’s Methodist Church, St. Patrick Catholic Church,  Zion United Church of Christ, St. John’s Lutheran Church,  and the First Presbyterian Church helped prepare and serve hot lunches and grab-and-go breakfasts to mimic what was being done at the school. The meals were served at Zion United Church of Christ.

To the Editor:

I’ve never given the MAGA/Trump conspiracy theories much attention. But now I’m starting to wonder. Recent developments have forced me to reconsider, especially as serious accusations and legal findings come to light.

This is a president who declared during his campaign that he would be a “protector of women - whether they liked it or not.” This from a man who was found liable for sexual abuse, resulting in a judgment of $83.3 million in damages.

The Epstein story isn’t just about the sex trafficking and assault of girls. It’s about individuals in positions of power who appear to evade accountability for their actions. They act as though the rules do not apply to them.

Given these circumstances, I believe it’s important to ask: What might the commander-in-chief and senior staff be trying to hide? Shouldn’t we all be seeking these answers?

Ann Hart
Waukon
 

To the Editor:

The bridge should not be closed and demolished. If the contractor feels it is too dangerous for its employees, that is no excuse. The contractor knew the location of the new and old bridges when they submitted the bid and signed a contract. They knew what they were getting into.

If building the new bridge that close to the old one is a problem, then someone needs to be fired, either at the state level, or the contractor’s contract should be terminated. The states approved the design and the engineers submitted a proposal, which was accepted.

The states should keep the old bridge open until the new one is opened and the contractor should complete its contract. Residents in the area will be inconvenienced and businesses will be harmed. The states and the contactor are responsible for all damages and should pay all those that are damaged for those losses.

Tom Scholl
Lansing
Duck Key, FL
 

To the Editor:

The impact on Allamakee County life will be substantial when the Black Hawk Bridge closes this fall. You probably know that I am a fishing guide on Pool 9.

Prior to moving here, I was a professional firefighter, also federally certified in disaster management. This experience is goading me to take proactive action regarding access to the Mississippi River for rescue, commercial and recreational purposes between now and 2027 when the new bridge opens.

Bridge closure will eliminate two ramps on Hwy. 82 for access to the river from the west, leaving just Village Creek south of Lansing and the Army Road launch two miles east of New Albin for suitable access to the river once the Black Hawk Bridge closes.

To the Editor:

Alligator Alcatraz is the official name of the detention center in Florida’s Everglades. No one who’s being detained has had any due process, which violates the law. As Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida stated, no one held there was of European descent for any visa issues.

The pictures the representative showed were of the cages inside tents. Each cage had a 32-person capacity. Take out the bunk beds and three toilets and it looks like a bare cage at a zoo’s monkey enclosure. A floor and all chain-link fencing.

To the Editor:

I’m disappointed in every legislator who voted for one of the most harmful bills in history, known as “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

Many people in our state and nationwide likely don’t understand what this legislation means for our families and communities. Here’s a breakdown of how some parts of this bill will directly affect us:
- Phase out tax credits for wind and solar power, which will drive up our energy.
- Withdraw funding for agencies like NOAA that monitor extreme weather, leaving communities vulnerable to climate disaster.
- Throws millions of children, seniors, and families off Medicaid and food assistance.

Republicans cheered on the bill, despite the fact that it will be taking away healthcare, gutting clean energy programs, selling public lands, and giving massive tax breaks to billionaires. Policy reflects values, and I do not align with the values represented in this bill.

To the Editor:

Letter to the editor gurus tell us to choose one topic to expound on. Dictator/President Trump has released a herd of dik-diks, and I am not “lion”, I can’t pick just one.

Deporting innocent immigrants, removing rights from LBGTQ people, cutting Medicaid for vulnerable Americans, destroying our education system, cutting Headstart, and SNAP (food stamps),  cutting key employees from our critical services: Veterans services, Social Security and Medicare, Internal Revenue, health and safety, environmental protections, aid to starving, dying families in war-torn countries. 

To the Editor:

Hope plays a crucial role in the recovery of individuals with co-occurring disorders (addiction and mental health conditions) by fostering a positive mindset, motivating action, and promoting overall well-being. It helps individuals see possibilities and solutions, rather than getting trapped in negative thoughts, and it can lead to healthier coping strategies and reduced stress.

Here’s why hope is so important in co-occurring disorder recovery:

Motivation and Action - Hope provides individuals with the drive to pursue treatment and stay committed to recovery, even when facing challenges and setbacks.

Positive Mindset - Hope helps individuals cultivate a positive outlook, which is essential for managing the complexities of co-occurring disorders and maintaining a sense of optimism.

To the Editor:

I grew up in Lansing and will always consider myself an Iowan. I went to medical school at the University of Iowa and have worked in public health for the last 35 years, most recently in the Tuberculosis Program at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).  Eight days after the inauguration of President Trump I was terminated along with thousands of other employees by Elon Musk in what was described as an effort to root out waste, fraud and abuse. That is simply not the truth.

After years of misinformation and distortions of the true role and benefit of foreign assistance and its importance to our standing in the world and to our national security, USAID was the first agency to be completely (and illegally) dismantled. By July 1, only a few hundred of 10,000 staff worldwide remain as it has been shrunk and absorbed into the Department of State, making it impossible to deliver its prior lifesaving work in those areas of greatest need.