Letters to the Editor

Republican conservatism used to center on: Free trade, family values, fiscal conservatism, limited government and strong international leadership. These are admirable values that I totally agree with. It’s hard to see these values embraced by our Republican conservative administration today...

Recent opinion pieces in the Spencer Daily Reporter have focused on the need for our country to get back on the civility trail, and embrace once again the values upon which our country was founded. To my knowledge, those would be Judaeo-Christian values, such as "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” Those adhering to these values don't claim they can do anything they want, any time/place they want, and to anyone they choose. ...

Have been thinking about moving to Iowa from the west but in researching on Zillow, property taxes on a house here are $140 a month while in Spencer with a comparable house the taxes would be $500 a month. Add $500 a month to a house payment!? That’s a real deal breaker. Don’t know who’s responsible for property taxes — the city, county or state — but if their intention is to keep people out of the area, someone should let them know they’re doing a great job...

A couple of weeks ago Editor Randy Cauthron had an article on immigration covering it as a conservative in support of President Donald Trump's policy, and the next day Publisher Paula Buenger articulated the other side that opposes everything the present administration proposes. In fact, the ONLY area of agreement between the two sides — It's a HUGE problem!...

Recently our family experienced the awful ordeal of a family member going to a federal prison for 10 years for a nonviolent crime. This family member is not a terrible criminal. He is not a threat to society, he is a good person, father who made a bad mistake...

On June 30, 2018, hundreds of thousands of people from Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., to the Highway 71 bridge in Arnolds Park, Iowa, joined protesters in all 50 states to show their objection to the “zero tolerance” policy implemented by the Trump administration. ...

Last week I attended my first Coffee with the Editor. I walked in a little reserved and cautious as there were quite a few Republicans around the table, and I’m running for Iowa House of Representatives as a Democrat. Most of the people around the table were people I’ve worked side-by-side with on various efforts around the community, so I opened up in a short amount of time. ...

OK, the primaries are over, we have our 2018 candidates. Let’s not just sit back and say I’m going to vote “party.” I watched the debates and I listened. The right people won! In both parties. Now we have to choose the “right” person to win the election. I urge all voters to watch, listen, pray and then vote in November. The right people will win. Iowa will still be the No. 1 state in the nation...

Praise God that this year will be our third year declaring God’s word at the Clay County Courthouse! This, of course, will not make it to its third year without your help! We, as a state, are embarking again, continuing the history that we have started in our county while we approach the celebration of our Independence! The Bible Reading Marathon starts on June 30 and ends on July 3. To ensure the event goes smoothly and in order, we have provided you a list of responsibilities...

The week of June 10 is momentous for many reasons. First of all, on June 12, we note the historic summit between the leader of North Korea and President Trump. Much lies in the balance. It is just the two of them, sitting down for a talk. How will it go? What will be the outcome? One thing is true: there's very little we can do to influence either men. ...

Just to give a few details about my life. My name is David Ellenwood and I am 62 years old. I was born and raised in Spencer. I have gone to church most of my life. The Lord spared my life at the age of 48, by allowing me to have a blood clot near my stomach and liver, that my father and uncle passed away from in their 40s from this blood disorder. ...

The story in the Reporter last week announcing David Johnson will not seek reelection after 16 years serving in the Iowa Senate left me with mixed emotions. I was a loyal supporter throughout his first three terms lauding him for his strong support for Birthright, (an organization strongly opposing abortion) his allegiance to his Roman Catholic faith and quite willing to help me, and many others, with matters dealing with the Legislature. ...

As I sat and watched various patriotic programs and movies depicting a variety of naval and land battles in World War II this past Memorial Day weekend, I couldn't help but ponder a few of the sentiments conveyed earlier in a reader's letter. This reader, in his piece "What is the kneeling about?" seemed to be trying to justify the NFL players who take a knee, rather than stand with hand over heart as is the traditional pose when the national anthem is played. ...

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of the wonderful people who volunteered their time to help put up flags Memorial Day morning and to all of the volunteers who dropped everything during the last minute rush to get the flags down before the storms moved in ... thank you!...

Steve Kerr, coach of the NBA Golden State Warriors told it as it is! President Donald Trump called the new policy to fine the team owners if players kneel “good” for the NFL and even went on to say of any player who kneels, “maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.”...

If there's one thing the disturbed cowards who shoot up schools have in common, it seems to be this: the vast majority, in recent memory, are teenage males. Many are adults in the physical sense, but they so frequently are the bullied, the outcasts, the alienated, the incapacitated...

Last Tuesday the Daily Reporter reprinted an editorial written by the Quad City Times which took the Iowa Legislature to task for passing the fetal heartbeat bill that will eliminate abortions in Iowa after a heartbeat is detected in the unborn child. ...

On Saturday, May 12, myself and two other people had diner at noon at the Family Table in Spencer. When I went to pay my bill, the waitress said this has already been paid for. This day I was wearing my Honor Flight Veteran hat. It appeared that someone had seen my hat and had paid for our meal. ...

I can’t begin to thank the Daily Reporter, the community, the folks who wrote nomination letters and those who said and wrote so many nice notes on social media and emails. Being named the “Citizen of the Year” is by far the greatest honor ever bestowed upon me...

The week of April 15, we celebrated National Volunteer Week. For years we have known that without the dedication and passion of millions of volunteers in this country, the good works and spiritual support of people of all races, colors and creeds would be severely curtailed. ...

The cover of the latest issue of Successful Farming (one of agriculture's prime publications) was "HSUS goes to church" which is a story of how the humane society aims to influence animal agriculture through our religious institutions. Yes, Humane Society of the United States is the organization behind the tear-jerking ads playing continuously on cable channels showing the sad faces of pets waiting to be adopted. ...

The week of April 15, we celebrated National Volunteer Week. For years we have known that without the dedication and passion of millions of volunteers in this country, the good works and spiritual support of people of all races, colors and creeds would be severely curtailed. ...

Sitting at my desk, watching the raging blizzard we are experiencing this 14th day of April, the city of Spencer has pulled the snow plows, and many businesses have closed. A multitude of thoughts and awarenesses pass through the old bean. Mother Nature can be quite fickle. Spring is just around the corner! What corner?...

I surrender! Did I flip the calendar at the end of March? Think about this — in a couple of days we'll be celebrating the second month of spring! A year ago today I was in the asparagus patch harvesting our first meal of the delicious "slice of heaven" green/purple spears soon to be popped into a pan of water, brought to a boil, drained, seasoned with some salt and pepper and a large glob of real butter! Viola! Only to be equaled, if not surpassed, three days later with our second culinary treat — bacon-wrapped asparagus spears!. ...

This past week many area residents were intrigued and some were inconvenienced when the big red horse barn was moved from West 18th Street around the beltway of Spencer to Oneota Park. The Clay County Conservation Board took advantage of a unique opportunity to relocate the iconic building. The next step will be to convert it through adaptive reuse into an area Environmental Education Center and headquarters for the CCCB...

One longtime legislator in the present majority party said he’d never voted for a tax increase. I am thinking, wow, my property taxes go up every two years so how can that be? Let’s see, sometimes a tax cut is really a tax increase. Let’s take a look at how. ...