By Rev. Micah Mitchell, Pastor, Lighthouse to Nations, Algona

You know people who smoke weed. You might not know they do, but chances are you have friends, coworkers, people you share a pew with at church, other parents whose kids are active with yours, or family members who find relief, relaxation, joy or satisfaction from smoking pot. There is an effort in the Legislature to legalize pot, perhaps a political ploy in an election year. Backers want to treat it like alcohol.

The Iowa Legislature gaveled into session this week, and over the course of the next several months we are going to read and hear about a lot of proposals, all of which are pointed at meeting the demands of some segment of society that needs to be addressed or some special interest group with an agenda and a pile of cash. All that aside, in no particularly order, here’s what the Legislature ought to do in 2022:

Somewhere west of Paris on our way to France’s Normandy coast, we came upon a huge shopping center that seemed to contain anything you could possibly need or want. It was fun to look over their furniture, kitchen layouts, appliances etc., much different than we see at home. The grocery store with its many departments was neat and orderly in the extreme. 

By Randy Evans, IFOIC Executive Director

The past couple of years have been challenging for Iowa’s 327 public school districts. Parents have become very engaged with their schools — and enraged, too, at times. This has revolved around masks and vaccines, what is being taught or not taught, the content of library books, and an assortment of other concerns.

150 Years Ago

It is proposed by the different denominations to hold Union services during the week of prayer, commencing Sunday January 7th. There will be a prayer meeting each day in the afternoon, and preaching in the evening. All are invited. 

125 Years Ago

Choose to walk in repentance towards Jesus in the new year

By Rev. Patrick Mostek - Assistant Pastor at Grace Church

Employer vaccination mandate needs review

Out of the Past - By Gene Miller

In the winter of 1994 I was living near Ackley, Iowa and one evening my son and I went to the local high school to watch a benefit basketball game being sponsored by the local Lions Club.

By Shane Goodman

The Daily Umbrella

Most of you reading this were born and raised in Midwestern states and have dealt with winter weather driving. If you weren’t, then you are forgiven for your awful driving habits when the snow hits. For the rest of you who have experienced this many, many times… come on. It’s snow. It’s slippery. Keep moving.

By Michael Tidemann

If you were on the operating table and flatlined, what would you see? 

That’s the question Tony A. Powers, former sportscaster at WHO Radio and Television in Des Moines, Iowa, tried to answer in his moving novel, Famous People You Might Meet in Eternity. 

By Brad Hicks - Publisher

People no longer hurt my pride when they tell me they don’t read city council and board of supervisors stories in this newspaper. I had that pride beaten out of me decades ago. Rather, the people who tell me that now have my sympathy.

Travel Diary - By Jim Sloter

Leaving the white church on Paris’ Montmartre, we walked back down the 277-step stairway and got on the Metro de Paris. With the map of Paris marked where our camper was parked in one hand and a map of the metro system in the other (the only way we could have found our way back to where we parked) we returned to our camper and proceeded to leave Paris. Or so we thought. 

By Vicki Mallory  - executive director for the Algona Area Chamber of Commerce.

You may have noticed an unusual storm blew through the other evening. The wind howled, the trees shook, the sirens blew. Then the lights went out, and we were in darkness.  We sat and waited. Fortunately, we were prepared with flashlights in a house that was warm and safe. Once we emerged from the basement it was pleasant to sit in the glow of candles trying to see what had happened outside. We brought out my old battery operated boom box and listened to the Algona radio.