We’re just letting you know that this will be the last Beside the Point.  Apparently I’ve won $20 million and a brand new Rolls Royce! I don’t use exclamation points either, so …

Dear Editor: I have long had concerns with the former Republican Party regarding substantive policy issues, but this current manifestation is deeply troubling. I have questions for both the …

Ginnie had been after me for some time to get new hearing aids.  I put it off until after we could see some results from my cancer treatment.  I can't handle too many issues at once.  …

This Friday, the Tower by the Hour fundraiser returns—and yes, once again, I’ll be hoisted into the Santa Fe Depot tower by the Fort Madison Fire Department. At 8 a.m. sharp, …

The first word in these weekly diatribes shouldn’t be ‘I’ because it seems egocentric. So I put that sentence in there to make sure it didn’t happen because today’s …

If you’ve stopped by the Santa Fe Depot this year, chances are you were greeted with a smile, and maybe even a brochure or two. So far in 2025, our Tourism office has welcomed 1,613 guests, …

I know now the reason why I've been sick for so long.  It's given me more time, empathy and sincerity in my prayers for the healing of others.  Since my “Power of Prayer” column …

My doctor put me on Jardiance this week. I guess the pancreas isn’t producing as much insulin as it used to. Probably has something to do with years of Jameson, or just really bad jeans. Oh …

September marks Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. It’s a time to not just raise awareness, but to renew our commitment to action. As a …

If you were lucky enough to catch last week’s Tri-State Rodeo, you watched Tomas Garcilazo, “The Charro on the Road,” spinning his lasso with the kind of grace that only comes from …

Ginnie and I were lucky enough to score a couple of tickets for the number 16 Iowa State/Iowa football game in Ames.  The seats were on the 20 yard line, upper level.  There's not a bad …

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the interconnective energy of rural America. I don’t even really know why except that I’m getting older and my opinions are getting more …