When I was a kid, one of the things I loved to read were the “Christmas letters” that were inserted into the holiday cards that we received by the dozens.

It’s a phone call that is seared into my mind.
My wife at the time and I were on our way to Mason City, and it was a little after 10 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2014.

Lucille C. Whitney, age 95 of Waverly and formerly of Plainfield, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2019, at Bartels Lutheran Retirement Community in Waverly.

The text message came in on Saturday night, and for a moment my mind wandered back to my high school days.

Robert “Bob” Hubert Lechtenberg, age 89 of Lawler, died Monday, August 19, 2019, at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City.

Ronald G. Nolte, age 78 of Waucoma, died Tuesday, July 2, 2019, at his home. 

The date was June 16, 2010, and I had already made the decision that we were not getting this dog.
But the boys – and they were really boys back then — begged me to go at least see this beagle named Shelby, and I caved.

Austin Lee Rasing, age 26 of Ionia, died Friday, May 24, 2019, at his home.
Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at the First United Methodist Church, New Hampton, with Pastor Candraeah Carey presiding. 

Before rumors, emotions, and exaggerations take over conversations I’d like to report the facts that have been discussed in open public meetings.The ambulance council rejected a contract bid Monday from the Chickasaw Ambulance and I would like to

I knew we were in deep trouble in the annual Chickasaw County Farm Bureau Grocery Cart Race almost as soon as I turned over the clipboard.No where on the list did I see “Snickers,” “frozen pizza” or “ice cream.”Instead, our list included good food

I don’t often get goosebumps when I’m doing interviews, but Monday morning, despite having a space heater directly in front of me, I shivered as Jeff Bernatz recounted a Sunday maybe never seen before here in Chickasaw County.Bernatz is the Chicka

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I remember the day like it was yesterday even though the story I’m about to write occurred in August 2010.

This one hit me especially hard, which is saying something because there is no worse job in this profession than writing about the death of a young person.I’ve been doing this for journalism deal for almost 35 years, and all I can say is that Sund

Back in my drinking days, I have to admit that New Year’s Eve was not my favorite night of the year, which may explain why finding sobriety almost 23 years ago was probably a good thing.When I was “using,” though, I thought Dec.