Viewpoints

To the Editor:

Boys and men use only their bathroom and locker-shower room in public places. Girls and women use only their bathroom and locker-shower room in public places. These first two sentences were unquestioned and went without saying until 2016.

I am sorry that meddling bureaucrats in the  Department of Justice and the Department of Education and  the Obama administration tried to dictate what our public schools, colleges and universities should allow. We should not comply to a transgender bathroom edict from Washington D.C. Presently our federal government is dysfunctional.

We must exercise our Tenth Amendment right to maintain order in our schools and prevent chaos.

Bruce Palmer
Waukon
 

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that these are called the Dog Days of Summer, and this year, that seems more than usually apt. The period, from some time in July through August, is so-named because of when the Dog Star, Sirius, is most noticed. It is the doldrums.

As I mowed my lawn last week, I noted that it has required weekly mowing since first started, and recalled many years when a dry spell would halt grass growth and we could skip a few days or maybe even a week between mowings. This year, with abundant rain and extremely high dew points, the grass and other foliage has grown with wild abandon. With periods of sun and clouds while I mowed, it seemed as if the property was almost tropical looking with its green lushness.

To the Editor:

I would like to commend the lifeguards and pool supervisor on the great job they did this season keeping the Lansing Swimming Pool a safe and happy place. Patty Olson, pool supervisor, trained all the guards herself and made sure the pool was operating properly. She worked tirelessly this summer without even a weekend off.

The lifeguards, Jordyn Burroughs, Spencer Colsch, A.J. Gagner, MaKayla and Tammy Manning, Erin Rud and Elizabeth Schwartzhoff, all did their part to keep the kids safe and entertained. Their pleasant attitudes and caring dispositions were always present. I appreciate the Lansing Pool staff for all they do.

Marylu Baker
Lansing
 

To the Editor:

Lansing Fish Days has a long history of family fun and entertainment. This entertainment does not come cheap, as the volunteers and coordinators plan for the greater part of the year to get all of the permits, licenses and registrations complete in time for the second weekend in August.

Merely shooting off fireworks on the water resulted in piles and piles of paperwork and coordination with the Coast Guard. Many behind the scenes projects must be completed every year which very few people realize. To the Fish Days Committee and all of the volunteers who make their lives a little easier, thank you for a job well done.

In a few short months the committee will begin to plan for next year’s Fish Days to ensure that you and your family will have a great time. If you see a member of the committee around town, please thank them for all of their hard work.

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that as the weekend approached, it became clear to me that one of the 39 gallon garbage bags would not be enough to handle the load come Monday collection, so a second was started.

Since I live alone, I usually get by with one sack, and sometimes that is only half full.

But it is that time of the year that always reminds me of the days when one man with a horse (or mule?) pulled an open cart used to collect garbage around the city of Waukon.

This time of the year, you could see cornhusks and corn cobs and tomatoes and pepper “guts” and cucumber peels and melon and squash rinds in his cart. He fed his pigs with those things, which would not be allowed today on a farm so close to town.

He carried the stuff from homes in a metal bushel basket.

To the Editor:

Almost any chance I get, I go to Lansing. My parents started the tradition years ago and my family of 21 goes there for getaways as often possible.  We enjoy fishing, boating, the restaurants, the scenery and the wildlife. This area is very special to me and my family.

There is also a hill called “Wrestler’s Hill.” It’s a road that many champion wrestlers have used for training. It’s also a reminder of the rewards realized through the investment of persistence.
These are reasons why I agreed to serve as one of the Honorary Campaign Chairs for the Beyond the Plateau capital campaign to build the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center. Every time I visit, I look forward to seeing the progress of this facility.

To the Editor:

Progress came to NW Waukon this summer in the form of a construction project to manage water flow and prevent flood damage. This change has required some adjustment from nearby residents. While the need to manage water run-off was clear, it still took some time for this change to begin to show a positive side for me. During the first heavy rain storm the middle of July, I was able to see just how well the system worked and was impressed with the results.

As a resident of Waukon and a Master Gardener since 2008, I watched the process taking some digital photos. I decided to share what I know, realizing that others might be interested.

While valuable cropland was sacrificed there may be an opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade. Here are some thoughts…

by Dick Schilling, "Editor Emeritus"

... that an article in the summer issue of lowaNow, the publication which goes out to The University of Iowa alumni and friends, deals with the destruction of the Quadrangle dormitory, or residence hall, as it is now called.

I had read of those plans elsewhere and it does not surprise me, because it was outdated as far as modern living quarters are concerned.

It was built in 1919-1920, and was first used as a barracks for military recruits after WWI. It exceeded military requirements because the university hoped to later use it as a dorm for students. That lasted until WWII, when the Navy then rented it for cadets in training. Among them: Nile Kinnick, Heisman football trophy winner, and astronaut John Glenn.

To the Editor:

As a human animal, and a cancer patient, just letting go is a life sentence. That’s my reality. I have begun to notice that I have to ask folks more often to please not steal my reality.

You know what would really be interesting? I know it is not going to happen in my lifetime, but how about ‘just’ accepting, instead of stealing, the reality of others?

How could it be all that difficult? We could start by actually listening to what our fellow humans are actually saying and not interrupting them with (pointing to the head), “What the heck are you thinking?” Or the famous (with a hand over the mouth), “You shouldn’t say that.” Of course, there’s the ever popular (waving hands in the air), “You just need to let it go.”

To the Editor:

Saturday, August 20 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank will hold the very first shred event in Waukon. Anyone that has old personal documents stacked up is invited to dig them out and bring them to the bank’s upper parking lot to have them shredded. We have procured a shred truck which will gobble them up on site.

This event is free and open to anyone in the community that has old documents that need to be destroyed in a safe and secure manner. You do not need to be a Farmers & Merchants Savings Bank customer to take advantage of this opportunity. We would love to be really busy.   If we can fill the truck all the better.

All you need to do is box them up or put them in a garbage bag. You will need to help us out by sorting through the documents first before you bring them for shredding. You do not need to remove staples or paper, or black, or metal clips, and the truck will shred manila folders.