Opinion

We’re in a season of transition, here in our community, from summer activities that are now behind us. School has started, and even the Clay County Fair has come to an end for 2019. In the next few weeks moving into October and November harvest will be under way for our farmers. ...

U.S. agriculture is one of the most immigrant dependent industries in the U.S. for its labor force. Immigrants have historically been the labor engine for agriculture over the history of the nation regardless whether the servitude was involuntary or voluntary over that time. Only the ethnic groups and race of immigrants providing that labor force has changed. Today it is dominantly Hispanic with some Eastern European, African and Asian contribution. They tend not to be white...

DES MOINES — Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig commented on the Iowa Crop Progress and Conditions report released by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. “An unexpected complex of thunderstorms moved through the state on Saturday producing heavy precipitation,” Naig said. ...

Oversight is often a vehicle for change in the federal government. In order to solve a problem, you need to know what it is, how bad it is and why it’s happening. Oversight is an important tool to find answers to those questions as well as ensure the appropriate steps are taken to solve the problems...

When scanning your copy of the paper, or any other, you may run into an unusual photo credit that reads “file photo,” or maybe a photo credited but that seems in an odd place. These are file photos, which are pretty self-explanatory. These are the photos that are in our filing system, and these have either run before or never ran and have been waiting for their chance to shine. ...

I need to start this column with an apology. I didn’t write my usual Tuesday missive last week. I can count on my fingers of one hand the weeks I’ve skipped this assignment in two decades at The Daily Reporter. I was presented with a far larger, and far more important writing task on Saturday, Sept. 7, when my beloved mother, Carol Johnson, passed away suddenly and without warning, at her home in Northwood, Iowa...

Well we can close the books on another Clay County Fair. With a nine-day stretch filled with everything from chilly wet weather to extremely warm and humid ― there was something for everyone. From the 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit to the Moto Maniacs; from classic country to a high flying ATV show; from tributes to Elvis, Elton, Billy and the Beatles to Spudnuts, cookies and a variety of stuff on a stick ― fairgoers could roam the grounds looking at farm equipment, animals and vendors or take a ride on the wild side at the Midway. ...

Recently, the Iowa Department of Revenue went live with an all-new website. The new site includes better navigation, improved search functions, and a simplified homepage. The department utilized customer feedback and data analytics in designing and building the site...

As I write this the Clay County Fair is in full swing. The fairgrounds is a busy hub of activity. Some people sauntering along, others stepping quickly and who seem to be late for something — perhaps a volunteer role, a musical act they don’t want to miss, or meeting a special someone. And some days this year everyone stepping over puddles until the “puddle vacuum” comes along...

What are you going to plant next year ... that is profitable? President Donald Trump's trade war has destroyed the soybean and cotton markets. Wheat is no better. Those that planted soybeans this year out of a desire to maintain crop rotations will be maintaining the burdensome carryover at considerable expense and if they continue to plant soybeans in 2020 the carryover will get worse. ...

So I'm walking out of the Clay County Fair the other night, and a friend and I are talking about the Foreigner concert that didn't happen last Saturday. I understand that a cancelled grandstand show is a pretty rare event. Anyway, my friend says something about the financial loss The Fair, vendors, patrons all sustain when something like this occurs. The more we talk and go into the details, the more an idea emerges...

President Trump stated “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and not lose any voters.” Amid daily gaffs, false statements, praise of foreign dictators while alienating allies, and imposition of tariffs that cost Americans millions of dollars, his supporters march lock step to defend him...

My typically clear, concise and coherent musings must have recently been misread, dyslexically speaking. In last week's Spencer Daily Reporter, a guy named Bill wrote a letter concerning birds and wind turbines. The next day, Mr. H S. seemingly attributed the letter to me. It was not I. He also referred to me as Dr. Kersting. That, too, would be inaccurate, as I only have a masters degree...

I want to thank Jerry Crew for his response to my letter. I do respect his military service and his intelligent commentary on agricultural matters. I have less regard for his political judgement. I do want to correct one misstatement by Crew. Elizabeth Warren never claimed Indian ancestry to win a faculty job at Harvard. ...

My daughter, Anna and I, arrived in Dingle, County Kerry, Ireland, approximately 3 p.m. local time on Sept. 11, 2001. Anna went in to check on our reservation while I unloaded our luggage. There was a light mist in the air so characteristic with Ireland. Anna came out to tell me she had bad news...