By BO CARTER FORT WORTH, Texas, July 10, 2014 — The dust has cleared after the recent College World Series in Omaha, and Mighty Casey (er, Vanderbilt) did not strike out. Amazingly to many, including alumni like myself (I’m a 1974 graduate), Vandy came away with its first NCAA men’s championship in 124 years of intercollegiate athletics.…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER JEFFERSON, Iowa, June 10, 2014 — On the morning of May 29, just before the Iowa Racing & Gaming Commission was going to hold an afternoon public hearing on a proposal to approve a license for a casino to be built and operate here, about 200 proponents gathered at a reception for the commissioners. I was…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER In this spring of 2014, our Greene County in west central Iowa is asking the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission to grant a license so that Wild Rose Entertainment can develop a casino, hotel and conference center to serve the area around Jefferson. As we’ve learned how big, profitable and philanthropic the gambling…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER ATLANTIC, Iowa, April 9, 2014 — Along life’s way, my wife Carla Offenburger and I have been, among other things, college teachers. We loved being around college students back then — well, most of the time. And we’ve really loved it years later when we’ve been able to watch some of our former students doing some…
By CHUCK OFFENBURGER COOPER, Iowa, April 2, 2014 – The Iowa State Cyclones did not win their NCAA Sweet 16 basketball game against the University of Connecticut in Madison Square Garden in New York City last weekend. But Iowa State’s strong showing there surely must have pleased the spirit of John Crawford, who in 1954…