By CHUCK OFFENBURGER BANCROFT, Iowa, Aug. 17, 2019 – In this summer of mass shootings, suspicion of those different from ourselves, and outright hate, thank God for baseball, you know? Almost daily, the grand old game gives us good lessons – prepare well, get out of yourself, sacrifice for others, work together as a team,…

By CHUCK OFFENBURGER JEFFERSON, Iowa, Sept. 23, 2019 — I’m pretty sure I saw an eventual president of the U.S. on Sunday afternoon at the historic railroad depot in Jefferson in west central Iowa. Julian Castro, the 45-year-old former mayor of San Antonio, former secretary of U.S. Housing & Urban Development, twin brother of U.S. Rep.…

By CHUCK OFFENBURGER COOPER, Iowa, June 20, 2019 — It was 30 years ago this summer when I decided to get my ear pierced and start wearing an earring.  It was 29 years ago when I met Carla Burt during a bicycle ride on a recreational trail. Jim Green inspired both big moments in my life. …