BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR For the first time I can recall, if ever, the Fort Madison High School held a signing day for seniors who have been accepted to college trade programs, full-time trades positions, [Read More…]
It was a Sunday morning and I was using my laptop computer and Android smartphone. All of a sudden the smartphone locked up and wouldn’t do a thing, like a cold mackerel. Hmmm.I tried to [Read More…]
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR As state legislators rubbed their eyes after debating into the early morning hours Thursday, a bill was being sent to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds desk that will do little to increase [Read More…]
Dear Editor: The Fort Madison High School family had a tough week recently. We lost one of our own. It wasn’t the first time this has happened in my tenure at the High School, unfortunately. [Read More…]
I don’t want to keep droning on about it this…see what I did there…but this past week was a true adventure. And a lesson in what a good community this is. This idiot editor went [Read More…]
Fort Madison Community, Over the last couple of weeks, Pack 7, in Fort Madison has participated in Scouting for Food. During this event, bags are distributed throughout the community and food is collected from residents [Read More…]
I arrived in Mt. Pleasant on a Sunday morning after driving all night. My 12-step sponsor in Colorado had told me, “The first thing you do when you get to Mt. Pleasant is go to [Read More…]
Dear Editor; This is a letter of gratitude to those whom have supported the past school bond referendums and a request for others to join them in supporting the current proposal. I am grateful for [Read More…]
Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, As members of the Fort Madison Community School Board, we are continually humbled by the generosity of the volunteers, donations, and philanthropic work that make the community of Fort [Read More…]
Tony Baxter told me he doesn’t seek out the media. He said he got burned a couple years back and tries to stay away from the press. After a couple different times of trying to [Read More…]
Dear Editor On behalf of the Fort Madison Education Association I would like to encourage you to vote YES for a unified elementary school. There are many factors to take into consideration when voting. I [Read More…]
Dear Editor; We’d like to extend a thank you to the following businesses, organizations, and individuals for their contributions to this year’s Bloodhound Booster Club Cake Auction. We appreciate your support! Ameriprise (Josh Denning); Appleberry [Read More…]
The Fort Madison city budget has hit the skids. Despite an increase in county valuations of almost 23%, the city is staring at a loss of almost $330,000 in sales tax in this current year [Read More…]
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR DES MOINES – The best stories are those that come with happy endings, but sometimes stories deserve to be written even when the end is met with heartbreak. Fort Madison’s Sam [Read More…]
Most of the time in newspapers, when a reporter/editor or balding owner makes a mistake, you get something buried in the bottom of page three off the valuable front page, but plausible. Not me. I [Read More…]
A huge thank you to all who helped make the Eagles’ Fish/Shrimp Fry dinner benefiting the Fort Madison Food Pantry the very best ever! To all who came for dinner; who brought friends; who told [Read More…]
I woke up at 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, actually I was up at like 5 because I got a couple of messages from people wanting doughnuts. Kiwanis is selling doughnuts and they wanted on the [Read More…]
Libertarians believe every person has the right to arm themselves in self-defense. The right to self defense is one of our most fundamental rights. Few people will argue against that. However, some believe that people [Read More…]
Dear Editor: Catholic Schools Week, January 27-February 1, 2019, is an important time to celebrate the history and future of Catholic education in our communities. Holy Trinity Catholic is proud to carry on the tradition [Read More…]
“Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.” – Pablo Picasso John Bloom’s exhibition, “Close to Home” was on display at the Figge Art Museum in Davenport. It was a Tuesday, a day [Read More…]
With the Fort Madison Riverfront Business District dropping its partnership with Main Street Iowa, it’s clear that some healing needs to be done downtown. The RBD dropped the Main Street flag officially in December, but [Read More…]
On Friday, the Fort Madison High School inducted four well-deserving men into the Bloodhound Hall of Fame. Dick Burch, Jim Allen and Jay Skinner were brought into the Hall for their contributions to the athletic [Read More…]
Seven hundred sixty-three days and counting. Pen City Current will enter its third year of writing about the people of north Lee County on Dec. 6…. and we couldn’t be happier to still be here. [Read More…]
I stopped by to visit with Kumar Wickramasingha at the Elliott Test Kitchen on Monday after Sunday night’s heavy snow storm. He was in back shoveling about six inches of snow off the small sidewalk [Read More…]
I’m going to toss out four books for consideration or consumption, like tossing out bones for the canine to choose from—one, two, maybe three, or all of them? It’s going to be cold and the [Read More…]
I can’t drive 55…or 65 for that matter, there’s just too much to do. This week I’ve made the mind-numbing trek to the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids on what will be three straight [Read More…]
People have been at the door knocking a couple times a week. Democrats mostly, trying to shore up votes. I’m a registered Democrat, but I would have had conversations with foot soldiers of Republican candidates. [Read More…]
November 3rd, 1989, 2:00 a.m., all alone, and blind drunk, I fell through the glass top of my coffee table, cut myself to smithereens, and almost bled to death. Like an Iowa tornado ripping through [Read More…]
Dear Editor: October 6, the day Kavanaugh won a seat on the Supreme Court is a day that will change America. It was a good day for corporation, and the super rich but for people [Read More…]
Lee County Supervisor Gary Folluo rubbed his head in frustration at Tuesday’s board meeting as the county leaders worked through an issue about a maintenance shed that sits between two properties in Argyle. The building [Read More…]
National Dog Day, which was in late August, right around Ginnie’s birthday, found Buddy a little worse for wear. It has been a bummer summer for the ole Buddy Boy. First of all, in July, [Read More…]
ANIAH ROSS PCC Intern FORT MADISON – The Old Fort Players is just a few days from pulling the curtain back on its next production – Steel Magnolias. Set in the eighties in a quaint [Read More…]
To the Editor: On Saturday August 4th the Fort Madison Kiwanis Club along with countless volunteers held a Back to School Health Fair at the Fort Madison High School. 150 children, ages preschool through 8th [Read More…]
Brad Heald was still weed eating 45 minutes before his daughter’s wedding. He wanted everything to be perfect for his only daughter, Coral. To the wedding guests, everything was perfect. There was a beautiful display [Read More…]
In my generation, a four-year degree was the path often taken. “Get your degree” my mom would say. It took me a while to get my crap together, but I got it done. I graduated [Read More…]
I’ve been following the recent news where Western Illinois University has directed budget cuts at Tri-State Public Radio’s three radio stations and it’s Audio Information Services (AIS) as of March 1, 2019. It’s not a [Read More…]
Dear Editor: A huge thank you to Bob Schierbach and the Fort Madison Community Hospital for the timely donation of a roll-out commercial refrigerator to the North Lee County Food Pantry. During the summer months [Read More…]
Randy Miller, a retired editor at the Burlington Hawk-Eye and former employee at the Daily Democrat, has an opinion piece in the Hawk-Eye Sunday morning. You can read it on their website at www.thehawkeye.com. Just [Read More…]
Watching thousands of people crowd around the majestic riverfront that serves as the front yard to Fort Madison’s downtown district was something to see last week. I live about four blocks from RiverFest and decided [Read More…]
To Pen City Current readers: It has recently been announced that the University of Iowa intends to dissolve their Labor Center. For almost seventy years the University of Iowa Labor Center has been built up, [Read More…]
So it’s news literally heard across the world that Pen City Current is seeking visual evidence of an alleged incident from a December assembly at the Fort Madison Middle School involving Principal Todd Dirth. We’ve [Read More…]
A nice story of locals pulling together to keep a local business alive unfolded right in front of us here in Lee County. Keokuk radio KOKX (AM 1310) and Z93 was on the chopping block [Read More…]
Dear Editor; Tom Kruse is the son of Dan Kruse and Shelly Kruse, grandson of Ceil Kruse and Letta Grosekemper. Tom was born with three major heart issues that required surgery and long recoveries at [Read More…]
Now that we know that Officer Jesse Hill lied and Police Chief Beard and Attorney Amy Beavers covered it up, shouldn’t they be the ones to pay this lawsuit to the deserving Steele family? Why [Read More…]
I went puddle jumping Thursday afternoon. Literally. But I wasn’t dressed for the occasion. I was busy at the computer as usual in the afternoon and got up to stretch my legs. I walked through [Read More…]
Blossom doesn’t particularly like her small pen. She runs from one end of the small enclosure to the other, kicking up her heels, letting us know that if she had a larger pasture she would [Read More…]
BY CHUCK VANDENBERG As an elected official, you have an inherent responsibility to keep the trust of the electorate and to do your best to represent those that cast a ballot in your favor. When [Read More…]
Letter to the Editor: This letter is to show support of Bob Morawitz, Democratic candidate for the Iowa House. Bob has proven himself to put the constituents he is representing first, making sure their voices [Read More…]
Dear Editor I want to go on record as endorsing Bob Morawitz for the office of State Representative for House District 83. Bob currently serves on the Fort Madison City Council and represents my ward. [Read More…]
Editor My name is Kim Fehseke and my daughter McKenna Fehseke was involved in the senior prank at Fort Madison High School Sunday, May 20th. In recent days there has been much miscommunication and speculation [Read More…]
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