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…
Mt. Pleasant
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…
Panthers take two from Lady Hounds
BY ETHAN LILLARDPCC SPORTS FORT MADISON – Fort Madison softball played a double header earlier…
Panthers throw cold water on Hounds at home
BY ETHAN LILLARDPCC SPORTS FORT MADISON – Fort Madison baseball had only been shut out…
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…
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…
King-Lynk Funeral Home obituary – Dorothy Conger, 78, formerly of Fort Madison
Dorothy Conger, 78, of Mt. Pleasant and formerly of Ft. Madison passed away on Thursday,…
Mt. Pleasant man on mission to rename Skunk River
Dan Williams wants to reclaim the name “Shecaqua” for the Skunk River. He is tall…
Treehouse getaway provides break – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
Ginnie and I went to sleep with the rain falling gently on the roof of…
Memories of Blossom during National Beef Month – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
I’ve caught more flak about butchering Blossom than any other column I’ve written. Good grief….
Hounds’ Pumphrey registers back-to-back shutouts
BY ETHAN LILLARDPCC Sports FORT MADISON – For the second-consecutive game, Fort Madison keeper Josie…
Cellphone almost ruins a good Sunday – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
It was a Sunday morning and I was using my laptop computer and Android smartphone….
FMHS girls sweep Mt. Pleasant at home
BY ETHAN LILLARDPCC Sports FORT MADISON – The last time Fort Madison’s girls tennis team…
HTC girls hand Mt. Pleasant first loss
PCC STAFF WEST POINT – A strong second half pushed Holy Trinity Catholic to a…
MP man walked more than 30,000 miles – Empty Nest, by Curt Swarm
The best way to interview an octogenarian who walked 30,000 miles in 30 years (a…
FM runners set PRs at Mt. Pleasant boys’ Invite
BY CHUCK VANDENBERGPCC EDITOR MT. PLEASANT – Despite running in some heavy south winds, rain…