Lady Hounds get pitching gems in sweep
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR MT. PLEASANT – The Fort Madison Lady Hounds got two sparkling…
Mt. Pleasant
MP alum bouncing around the world – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
He’s 6’9” tall. When Bobby Quayle (pronounced “Quail”) was in grade school in Mt. Pleasant,…
Williams, Thurman key in Hounds’ split with MP
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR MT. PLEASANT – Landes Williams and Jason Thurman both had three…
Whaley homers as Hounds split season opener
BY PCC STAFF MT. PLEASANT – Fort Madison broke out for 10 hits in the…
Newspaper clipped by pandemic -Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
It’s worth a road trip to see. Located in Traer, Iowa, north of Tama, the…
Nothing is too big to fall – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
There was an explosion, followed by a crackling. The hair on the back of my…
Memoir tells story of civil war brothers – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
He was eight years old when he came west in a covered wagon from Ohio…
Kick this homebound diet around – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
Instead of gaining pounds while sheltering in place, use this home-bound time to achieve that…
Mt. Pleasant spill sends fertilizer into tributary
MT PLEASANT—The Iowa DNR is investigating a fertilizer spill on the east side of Mt….
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…
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…
Holy Land visit shows stark contrasts – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
The Dead Sea Scrolls were written on parchment that was bound in leather. When the…
DFC Educators Foundation built by struggling student
Little Johnny was a bad boy. In the third grade at Elm Grove District Number…
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…
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….
Hounds lose fourth straight
BY PCC STAFF MT. PLEASANT – Senior Jayden Fedler scored in double figures for the…
Defense helps HTC girls to Tuesday road win
Mt. Pleasant rallies in second half to down Crusaders on Monday night DANVILLE – Balanced…
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…
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…
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…
Fort Madison girls can’t hold lead at MP
BY PCC STAFF MT. PLEASANT – Fort Madison came back from a 4-point deficit to…
Hounds fall to 0-2 after 19 turnover night
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGEDITOR FORT MADISON – When a basketball team struggles to control the ball…
A full list of holiday dining hot spots – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
With the eating season upon us—Thanksgiving through Easter—here is where Ginnie and I like to…
“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…
HTC second at Mt. Pleasant tourney; Central Lee splits
Lady Hawks open Class 3A Region 8 play on Oct. 23 at West Burlington against…
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….
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…
FMMS 7th graders down Mt. Pleasant
BY PCC STAFF FORT MADISON – Fort Madison 7th grade volleyball A team went 2-0…
Hounds battle for 3-1 win over Mt. Pleasant
BY JOHN BOHNENKAMPPCC SPORTS FORT MADISON – Kent Bailey saw his Fort Madison High School…
Lady Hounds go 1-4 at Linn-Mar tourney
BY PCC STAFF MARION – The Fort Madison High School volleyball team came away with…
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…
Central Lee looking foward to winless WB-ND
Hawks fall 55-7 to Mt. Pleasant and now face school closer in size to Central…
Central Lee’s path not getting any easier
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR DONNELLSON – The road doesn’t get much easier for Central Lee…
Empty Nest garden unleashes it’s bounty – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
We’ve been having tomatoes three times a day, four and five or more, if you…
Finches, a gator, and birthday cake – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
The finches flew before us, hundreds of them, doing their “wave” flight pattern, their gold…
MP football team was perfect in ’63 – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Only one team came close to scoring. Fairfield made it to Mt. Pleasant’s one yard…
Teapot brings memories of Dutch friend – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
John Van Egmond looked over the garage sale items at the Beacon, Iowa home. Beacon…
Divorced, widowed, and leaning on God – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
The tall, handsome, dark haired man found Sharon in her shop where the Quarter Maybe…
Tragic death brings fond memories – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
We both worked for the Mt. Pleasant News in the advertising department. I was new…
Summer brings a little bitter with the sweet – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
I cut through the aronia bushes on the way to the barn. The aronia bushes…
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…;…
Tending to flowers and then tending to an escapee – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
A man ran across Sharon Bortz’s back yard. He had his shirt off and was…
Are vacations getting overrated? – Empty Nest by Curt Swarm
Ginnie calls it a “staycation.” Instead of going on a summer vacation, we stay at…
Signs of the times – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
Like a precursor to the evening, there was a rather rude outburst at the political…