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There’s nothing quite like coming home

The kids were ecstatic when I told them we were moving home in just one week.  April and I were pretty darn happy as well. You see, we had been in Guatemala for two and a half months living and working with a group of missionaries, and we were hea

High school sophomore’s dance moves a gymnasium full of people

I will be the first to admit that I’m not a “dance expert” by any means, but I didn’t need to be on Saturday night.Art is art, and when done right, it moves us.And on Saturday evening, all of us in the New Hampton gymnasium were touched by a high

Candlelight vigil provides crystal clear perspective to weekend

I stood up against the wall painted with an American flag Saturday night and silently wept.In front of me, scores of people held candles and listened to several speakers remember the much-too-short life of Sterling Koehn and raise awareness of the

Sometimes, plays just have to take priority

We had an article in our paper last week about New Hampton High School’s upcoming musical production of “Beauty and the Beast.” It sounds like it’s going to be a great show, and it got me thinking about theatre.It’s kind of one of my things.

It was one heck of a week to be a football father and a Chickasaw

I turned 52 last week, and although my boys would argue that I’m 16, at least maturity wise, there are days I feel like an old man.Saturday was one of those days.Throw in the fact I slept for a mere couple of hours the night before — a thrilling h

Teen's death should remind us all to keep life in persepctive

 
I don’t know where to begin today, for I am at a loss for words.
In my business, that’s not a good thing, but as I sit here at my desk on a summer Monday morning, I’m trying to come to grips with the death of a boy I never met.

Let’s put healthy snacks into vending machines

Ministries across Trinity Health, including Mercy Medical Center-New Hampton, are implementing healthy vending programs to provide convenient access to healthy options in our vending machines for patients, visitors and colleagues.This effort is a

Thankfully, the ‘encounter’ wasn’t an omen for the holiday weekend

Thankfully, the encounter with an unhappy reader on Friday afternoon was not an omen for the entire weekend.I may not be the smartest guy in the world, but I had an inkling that I was about to get blasted when Ruth Walden came back and whispered,

Congress still hasn’t figured out how to deal with the budget

Think about this for a moment: Two days away from a federal shutdown, Congress comes up with a stopgap measure to keep the government operating ...  for a week.A few days later it arrives at a bipartisan budget deal lasting a bit over four months.

‘Not In My Back Yard’ not good enough reason to oppose something

I am responding to one person’s view on a hog barn being built near her parent’s farm that she does not live by.  I understand that this person may never be OK or come to understand the need for a hog building near her family.

Lots of good things are happening here in New Hampton

We have several things to welcome here in town.Our new EMS Director Austin and his wife Breezy are all moved in, so we welcome them to our town.

Grad parties take our reporter back in time

Attending graduation parties this past weekend really took me back to missing my high school days.Who doesn’t reminisce about returning to their youth, being active in sports, choir, swing choir, extra curriculars?Simpler times when our parents to

Parks and Recreation appreciates support

Both myself and the Park Board want to take this opportunity to thank the residents of New Hampton and beyond for continuing to support the fundraising programs our young participants take part in each season.We realize that it may seem at times t

Former resident makes plea to hog operation

Dear Brady Reicks,I am writing this letter to you here, in hopes that you will read it.  I have tried reaching out to you but was denied the opportunity to speak with you.  I wholeheartedly hope that you read this letter and think about the impact

Thank a beef farmer during Beef Month

May is Beef Month and Chickasaw County Farm Bureau would like thank all the beef farmers in our area and in Iowa for providing us the beef that many of us enjoy throughout the summer when we grill, go camping, or many other things.

Save for a few past-their-prime tulips, festival was amazing

Another Iowa adventure completed last weekend, I visited the Tulip Festival in Pella with my mom as part of our bucket list of sorts.

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