By CHUCK OFFENBURGER PEOSTA, Iowa, Jan. 16, 2018 — As I was scribbling on my notepad here the other day, my 93-year-old friend Father Jim O’Connor said, “It looks like you’re interviewing me.” Maybe, I answered. “I can see the headline now,” he said, “it’ll be, ‘Monks still hiding out but police are getting close!’…
ELDORADO, Iowa, Oct. 31, 2017 — Photographer Don Poggensee reports that in mid-October, he did a three-day, 875 mile drive from his home in Ida Grove on east across northern Iowa and back, taking photos all along the way. “We saw a lot of fall color,” he said, “and we took some time to record…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER JEFFERSON, Iowa, Oct. 16, 2017 — The “Courthouse 100” committee, which for nearly two years has been planning events celebrating the centennial of the Greene County Courthouse, has had some fun surprises while sifting through the history of the inspiring building in Jefferson. That history, and the continuing operations of county government…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER FAIRFIELD, Iowa, Nov. 6, 2017 – I’m more optimistic about finding solutions to Iowa’s clean water problems – especially in rural Iowa – than I’ve been in a long time. Why? The right person is getting involved. I’m talking about Ed Malloy, for 16 years the mayor of Fairfield, the always-interesting southeast…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER SHENANDOAH, Iowa, Oct. 24, 2017 — This school year’s top local education awards will be presented at a free, public reception on Wednesday evening, Nov.15, at the Elks Lodge in Shenandoah. The event is being held as part of the celebration of American Education Week. Sponsorship is by the Shenandoah Education Association (SEA),…