Features
‘If you can’t be first, be better’
Thursday, January 23, 2025 10:59 am
Sometimes folks seem to believe we journalists are supposed to be all-knowing, but unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), we aren’t. Take for example, the recent situation at Aase Haugen here in Decorah.
Greetings from the Capitol
Wednesday, January 22, 2025 10:59 am
The first day of the 91st General Assembly began with the swearing-in ceremony. As the week progressed, the House and the Senate convened for a joint session to hear Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Condition of the State address, as well as Chief Justice Susan Christensen’s Condition of the Judiciary. Lastly, we heard from Major General Stephen Osborn, the adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, on the Condition of the National Guard.
Seek out reliable information, because digital lies require no work
Wednesday, January 15, 2025 3:32 pm
I’m increasingly irked at how quickly misinformation crops up following natural disasters in the digital age.
Snow days and shovels call important lessons to mind
Tuesday, December 24, 2024 10:11 am
As this column is being written, it looks like we might still get a white Christmas with a few days to spare — Iowa weather can be fickle though, so forgive me if I’m wrong.
You’re not alone if you cry ahead of Christmas
Tuesday, December 24, 2024 10:03 am
Saturday’s snowfall certainly went a long way to making things feel like Christmas is actually upon us, and I’m going to make a confession, dear readers — that’s not always easy on me. And I imagine there’s a chance it might not always be easy on all of you either.
Schmitt’s story still inspires today
Thursday, December 12, 2024 3:48 pm
Saturday was Dec. 7. The day which will live in infamy sometimes doesn’t seem quite so infamous as the holiday rush bleeds further and further into our calendars each year, but it’s worth remembering nonetheless.
Biden pardoning his son won’t help restore public’s trust in government
Monday, December 9, 2024 9:49 am
I had it all planned out in my head. I was going to write a post-Thanksgiving column inspired by some of Norman Rockwell’s well-known art. It was going to make some great points on things like togetherness and community by juxtaposing Rockwell’s “Freedom from Want” (you know the one, it’s got the family and the turkey dinner) with one of his not-quite-as-well-known pieces titled “Shuffleton’s Barbershop.” Then President Biden had to go and grant an unconditional pardon for his son Hunter (and as someone who is occasionally referred to as a wordsmith, I feel I ought to point out the intentionality in choosing the preposition “for” rather than “to” in this instance).
Whatever you do, don’t stay home during local elections
Saturday, November 30, 2024 1:47 pm
My very first editor moderated live candidate forums each and every election cycle, and he’d always end them by thanking the candidates and telling the public to “vote early, and vote often.” From what little research I’ve done, it’s a bit unclear who exactly coined that phrase but, despite the historical ties to political corruption in Chicago, my old editor used those words with a more humorous tone aimed at encouraging the community to actually get out and vote.
Ramaswamy once aimed to eliminate the Department of Education, now he’s in line to oversee a new government efficiency department
Sunday, November 24, 2024 1:32 pm
I’ve never been able to drum up much interest in the lists of proposed cabinet members each president makes following an election. Perhaps that kind of news just feels too similar to sports enthusiasts jabbering over NFL draft picks — I’ve never been much of a sports fan. But last week’s announcement of who the incoming Trump Administration means to put in charge of the proposed Department of Government Efficiency snagged my ear. If you haven’t heard, former presidential candidate and millionaire businessman Vivek Ramaswamy is expected to be at the helm alongside billionaire businessman Elon Musk (yes, there are going to be two people in charge of the Department of Government Efficiency — insert your own joke).
Echoes of the Past: Vikings are football champs
Thursday, November 21, 2024 1:28 pm
It was big news back in the fall of 1974 when the Decorah Vikings football team made it to the state playoffs (and beyond). Spoiler alert: They won the championship in a big game on the Iowa State University campus in Ames in late November of 1974.
I hope the maps are helpful
Wednesday, November 20, 2024 1:36 pm
Years ago, I used the phrase kinetic journalism to describe a key component of effective local reporting. My point back then was that community-level reporting requires journalists to apply their past experience in a practical way that benefits their readers each and every week, year after year.
Driftless Home & Harvest: Decorah couple brings new life to one-room country schoolhouse
Friday, November 15, 2024 3:50 pm
The once abandoned schoolhouse is just off Locust Road north of Decorah, and the Dahlens have been working to revive it ever since they purchased the property in 2018. The former Clay Hill School No. 5 — also known as Matter’s Schoolhouse — has been painstakingly transformed into a quaint guest house/Airbnb.
No matter who won Tuesday, I hope they’ll reach across the aisle
Tuesday, November 12, 2024 8:27 am
My very first time I registered to vote, it was in a middle school gym.
Driftless Home and Harvest: A new chapter begins for Horn Hollow estate
Thursday, November 7, 2024 3:51 pm
When Danielle Dotzenrod had a chance to buy a historic farmhouse near Decorah, she couldn’t have imagined the depth of the project.
Driftless Home & Harvest: Jewell Enterprizes makes strides in conservation and organic farming
Wednesday, November 6, 2024 3:38 pm
Rob said he believes consumers need to think more about the food they eat. “I just think the public needs to be introduced to healthier food options,” he said. “Cheap food is an illusion. The real costs are passed down to your health and the environment.
Driftless Home & Harvest: Dahlen family takes hands-on approach to new home build
Wednesday, November 6, 2024 3:33 pm
“You build homes for other people, so it’s kind of fun to either borrow their ideas or try new ideas that inspire you,” Kerbie said.
The appeal of autumn A Halloween column, sans costume
Friday, November 1, 2024 3:17 pm
There were a few years in my career when I dressed up my weekly opinion column in a sort of costume ahead of Halloween each year, changing my style of writing to masquerade as a well-known author. I presented myself to readers as Dr. Seuss that first year, while taking on the subject of group think.
Don’t forget about the opinion page when election season is over
Thursday, October 24, 2024 11:01 am
I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I’m ready for this election season to be over. Thankfully, that day is steadily creeping closer and closer. And, as promised in my Sept. 5 column, we’ve hit that point in the cycle when we’ll be keeping all politically-centric content off our opinion page next week — but don’t worry, it’s just for one week.
Honest questions deserve honest answers, so here you go
Friday, October 18, 2024 10:11 am
Some readers noticed last week that we at the Decorah Leader did not mention candidate Sarah Corkery, candidate for Iowa’s District 2 seat in the U.S. House, in our coverage of the Oct. 6 Politics in the Park event here in Decorah. And some have asked why that was (see elsewhere on the opinion page).
The hum of the press may be calling
Wednesday, October 9, 2024 1:25 pm
An announcement from the state’s newspaper association got me thinking about the future of papers like ours.