Opinion

Fire department Fourth of July breakfast announced

Published by admin on Wed, 07/01/2020 - 12:59pm

To the Editor,

     The Monticello Fire Department will be hosting our annual Fourth of July breakfast. We will be offering our traditional dine-in seating and also NEW this year is a drive-thru/carry-out option. The dine-in seating will be spaced out so we respect the social distancing recommendations. If you are to dine in, we ask that you sit with your household members or whomever you will be socializing with the day of the Fourth.

Despite pandemic, our job never ended

Published by admin on Wed, 06/24/2020 - 11:04am

     While society might have slowed down since COVID-19 hit in mid-March, that didn’t stop the news.

     It’s funny but so many people have assumed or asked me what I’ve been doing since then. Working! The news most certainly does not stop because of a pandemic.

Old Stone Bridge worthy of saving

Published by admin on Wed, 06/24/2020 - 11:02am

To the Editor,

     The Old Stone Bridge has become a football politically and always it is about money and where we spend it or where we do not.

     The practical side of this question is why does this road have to go through to Timber Road? The business of a “farm to market road” loses its arguments because of the hill on one side of the bridge. Dragging equipment or grain trailers up this hill does not make much sense, and what land that lies along the road has largely been developed or is in pasture.

Words on Wellness

Published by admin on Wed, 06/24/2020 - 11:02am

How to Know if a Recipe is Safe

     We see many video and print recipes on social media. How do you know if a recipe is safe to use?

     Fight Bac, a partnership of organizations devoted to food safety, has three tips to ensure your meals don’t include a side of foodborne illness.

     1. Wash your hands. Up to 99 percent of people don’t correctly wash their hands when preparing food at home. You should wash your hands for 20 seconds. If you sing “Happy Birthday” twice, that is about 20 seconds.

Iowa GOP sends wrong message for absentee voting

Published by admin on Wed, 06/17/2020 - 10:13am

     Iowa saw a record turnout of voters for the June 2 Primary Election. Chances are, most of you who are reading this voted in the primary.

     The Secretary of State’s Office reports that 24 percent of Iowa’s registered voter population took part in the primary. Over 530,000 ballots were cast (420,000 were absentees), breaking the previous record set in 1994 with over 449,000 ballots.

     Jones County also set a record with almost 4,000 ballots.

Thank you, Iowa, for voting

Published by admin on Wed, 06/17/2020 - 10:06am

To the Editor,

     Iowans are amazing. The level of civic engagement among our citizens is unrivalled. We proved that, once again, when voters turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots in the June primary election. Despite an ongoing pandemic and civil unrest across the state, Iowans were determined to make their voices heard the best way possible: by voting.

Now is the time for coaches to step up

Published by admin on Fri, 06/12/2020 - 8:23am

To the Editor,

     This is a time of opportunity. The situation at the University of Iowa provides that opportunity for the State of Iowa.

     Whether or not you are a sports enthusiast, I think you will agree that sports play a big part in our society. As a result, coaches can have great influence on many citizens: young, old, and in-between. This is a time when coaches at all levels – university/college, middle/high school, and club/recreation – can be key players in long-overdue changes in the ways we view each other. This a great time for all coaches to step up.

#ShopSmall #ShopLocal

Published by admin on Fri, 06/12/2020 - 8:22am

To the Editor,

     Thank YOU, Monticello area residents and organizations!

     As Monticello Area Chamber of Commerce (MACC), Inc. board members, your support for our #ShopLocal #ShopSmall MACC Chamber Bucks program has exceeded all expectations. To date, over $42,000 in Chamber Bucks has been purchased.

Monticello Chamber grateful for Fareway partnership

Published by admin on Fri, 06/12/2020 - 8:22am

To the Editor,

     What an amazing community partner Fareway Food Stores is!

What would Harry Truman do?

Published by admin on Fri, 06/12/2020 - 8:21am

To the Editor,

     Right after FDR passed, Harry Truman, then Vice President and now President of the United States, at the time had to decide whether to use the first nuclear bombs. He was a Midwest guy – some might say a “deplorable,” others might say he was “exceedingly common.” Yet, he had to decide whether one million soldiers (GIs) should die invading Japan or an unknown number of Japanese would die without invading.

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