Viewpoints

To the Editor:

This is a story about my dad. Chris Ronnfeldt was born June 8, 1904. When he was a baby, his family moved from Nebraska to South Dakota.

When Chris was four years old, he ran in front of a sickle mower cutting off his leg just below his knee. He spent a whole year in the Sioux Falls hospital recovering. At that time, his family was not able to visit him much because they were busy at home. He was all alone being cared for by the nurses at the hospital.

He was resilient learning to make the most of his situation. He accepted his condition and he didn’t give up. He was fitted with a “wooden leg” so he could walk.

To the Editor:

If anyone wonders whether the childhood vaccination schedule still matters, a quiet walk through Allamakee County’s older cemeteries answers that question.

Postville Cemetery’s alphabetical roll includes entry after entry labeled “Infant,” “Baby Daughter,” and “Baby Son.” Oakland (Waukon) and St. Mary’s/Lycurgus show the same heartbreaking pattern - tiny markers and brief lives, many from the 1800s and early 1900s. These are not abstractions; they’re families from our own towns who buried children under the age of five before modern vaccines existed.

Our county’s transcribed death register from 1893 even lists a three-year-old lost to malignant scarlet fever with kidney complications - an illness we now prevent or blunt with routine immunization and antibiotics. Those stones and lines in the ledger are the price our great-grandparents paid for diseases we can now avoid. (Source: iowagravestones.org+2iowagravestones.org+2IAGenWeb)

In late July, some of the youth from our congregation packed up their bags for a four-day trip to Spokane, WA along with over 250 others for our church body’s national youth convention. The convention was filled with worship services, presentations, a theme park, river tubing, and more.

After an encouraging and exciting trip, we headed home Sunday evening. Yet, due to thunderstorms and tornadoes near Minneapolis, our flight was delayed for an hour and then, once we approached our destination, we had to remain in the air for another hour for the weather to clear up. Finally, the pilot said we were going to attempt to land. He warned us that there might be some turbulence. He was right!

To the Editor:

I get a kick out of some of these letters to the editor. They can’t see any further than their nose. Look down the road as far as you can see.

If we don’t get this deficit paid off, just think of the interest we are paying, which all goes down the drain. I don’t know who we have to pay; I heard China, and if it’s them and they take over this country, women will survive, for a while. Men will be stood up against the wall.

Now, about SNAP. I heard a woman could not buy dog food with SNAP, so she bought it hamburger. I’ll bet that dog was happy.

Here is something to think about. There is a war brewing, or a recession, or both. You could see this coming, it’s been brewing since the last one.

Another thing, the Earth’s surface is shifting away from the equator 16 feet a day. What did the Earth weigh in the 1800s, and what does it weigh today with all the buildings and all the roads with eight lanes?

Remember, God is watching.

To the Editor:

Happy 90th Birthday Social Security and Happy 60th Birthday Medicare and Medicaid.

These programs embody the best of America’s values - economic, financial, health security and dignity.   For older Americans and individuals with disabilities, they ensure access to necessities like groceries, housing and medical care.

Trump and MAGA promised not to touch Medicare and  Medicaid but broke this promise when they passed the Big Ugly Billionaire Tax Cut Bill. Seeking savings to cover the explosive cost and debt of the Big Billionaire Bill, Hinson, Ernst, Grassley and all Republicans voted to cut $1 trillion from Medicaid and $500 billion from Medicare.

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.