Rosie the Riveter, becomes Mary the Mask Maker – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Mt. Pleasant beauty salon owner, Judy Williamson, took in stride the governor’s order to close…
editorial
Let’s be smart in lieu of shelter in place
My house smells like bleach. Not crazy bleach, but it just hangs in the air…
Some have a bit more social distance – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
We might think we have it rough with restaurants closed, “shelter in place” (fancy words…
Salem pastor started at a young age – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Diego knew he was on the right path, that God had spoken to him. Coming…
Iowa bucking trend in virus testing
It’s been a week full of press conferences, press releases and literally a minute-by-minute news…
Mishap puts crazy end to Holy Land trip – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
The uneven stone steps going down were damp. Her heel caught on the edge of…
Procedure good for mind, body- Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
My wife and I mark our time together by Colonoscopies. Yup. You see, we had…
It may be time to pull the lever in Iowa
Yes, as Fort Madison’s Joe Little reminded me Monday night, caucuses were born of the…
The crazy that is Iowa caucuses is now even crazier
In Iowa, you’re primary votes are cast with your feet. Seriously. You walk into a…
Something good came from the war – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
At 101 years of age, Quentin Fackler still remembers his dog tag number: 37047361. A…
Cancer survivor reaching for the stars – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
He wants to be an astronaut or a flight director, the person who leads the…
County makes right call on LCEDG budget
Budgeting’s tough business. This is our fourth year digesting city and county budgets to turn…
City’s grit on building is a good sign
A message of sorts was sent to city residents late Friday afternoon. Mayor Matt Mohrfeld…
Syndicated or not, it’s working – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
I’m often asked, by aspiring writers, how I got my column into so many newspapers….
Thank You notes have started year right
Empty Nest – by Curt Swarm “If you have one friend, you’re a wealthy person.”…
Scavaging for existence turns to hobby – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Larry stuck the yardstick under the laundromat washer and scraped around. He pulled out a…
Mueller’s vision for Parish Hall close to reality – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 The snow was wet and…
Time to look at unpacking news from 2019
Christmas gifts don’t always have to come wrapped in a package with some ribbon and…
Auditors’ group working to keep voting secure
The 2020 elections are rapidly approaching, and we want Iowans to know that your state…
Dodging the pitfalls of an aging body- Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
It all started when an old hernia surgery scar began hurting—real bad! What was going…
Here comes year four
They say when you climb a ladder quickly, about half the time you’re dangling in…
124-year-old barn one of oldest in state – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
It’s the only barn left on 8-Mile Road. There used to be 18 – 20…
New push to clean up city has to include downtown
Not being able to go down Eighth Street is a bigger pain than I thought…
“Give this day a good pull” – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
They, the omniscient “they,” say that when you retire the majority of your time is…
Ancestry search turns up pain – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
From an early age Scott Pieper (pronounced “Pipe-er” not “Peep-er”) wanted to be a mortician….
Mud run mirrors 30 years of sobriety – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
November 3, 1989, a day I shall never forget. I had fallen drunk through the…
This Veteran’s Day, hug a vet – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
The little green sign at 18th and Main Street, in downtown Keokuk, doesn’t really do…
Fall’s spectacular in Minnesnowda – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
There are two seasons in Minnesota: winter and road construction. Ginnie and I were on…
New MLB proposal concerning for Bees future
Bob Henley will be coaching third base for the Washington Nationals in the World Series….
Perfection is unreachable – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Ginnie and Curt: One key to happiness is someone to share that happiness with. “Happiness…
French honor Iowa’s Hunger – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Ned Hunger’s P-47 Thunderbolt, along with three other P-47’s buzzed the town of Arches, France….
Life has come full circle for Hoiberg
ROSEMONT, Ill. — Fred Hoiberg didn’t do the math. But if there had been a…
Douds race announcer takes final lap – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
I had a Facebook message from a Scott Watson in Douds. He is a SE…
A full, silly, weird day at ISU’s Jack Trice
AMES — They had enough. The Iowa State students in the northeast corner of Jack…
Inklings of fall bring changes, adventures – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
The “Mump Truck” (mums + dump truck) is now spilling over with blanket flowers. You…
Jones a pesky checker in Hawkeyes’ win
IOWA CITY — Amani Jones’ road to quarterback Brett Gabbert was an open path of…
Parents, adult fans biggest challenge facing high school sports
The following editorial is submitted by Karissa Niehoff, executive director of the National Federation of…
Crushing it on his 71st birthday – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Gator rides for my grandkids were on the menu for my 71st birthday, along with…
Central Lee board president addresses bond issue
On September 10, Central Lee Community School District residents will vote on a bond question….
Zumdome’s “Purse and Boots” a favorite at art contests – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
The art awards were announced. “In 2D, second place goes to…, first place goes to…;…
Let’s get some things straight – including Avenue L
There’s a whole lot going on in this town right now- good and bad –…
Working vacation shines light on FM program
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR Well, as you can probably gather from the pictures of your…
Are vacations getting overrated? – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Ginnie calls it a “staycation.” Instead of going on a summer vacation, we stay at…
Superintendent’s family says editorial was ill-informed – Letter to the Editor
June 16, 2019Response from the Slater Family: The Slaters were extremely disappointed in your ill-informed…
School board needs to address Superintendent concerns
Spring storms have wreaked havoc on communities up and down the river this year, but…
Wet spring causing late gardens – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
We finally got our garden in, about a month late, we figure. There was way…
Happy to have bridge reopened to Keokuk
BY ETHAN LILLARD The band Cinderella said it best, ‘You don’t know what you got,…
Empty Nest empty without Barney
Barney has disappeared. It happened on Mother’s Day (wouldn’t you know). Barney has always been…
Trip brings meeting with Pulitzer winner – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
The last time I was in Jefferson, Iowa, I was six years old and had…
Mt. Pleasant man on mission to rename Skunk River
Dan Williams wants to reclaim the name “Shecaqua” for the Skunk River. He is tall…