Save Ottumwa Post February 26, 2025

Postal Customer

Ottumwa Publishing

641-208-5505

ottumwapost.com

•••••FEBRUARY 26, 2025•••••

PAGE 2

No Kill Zone Raccoon populations have grown to the point they are endangering other species. Quail, pheasant, turkeys and all types of songbirds are vulnerable to raccoon attacks on their nests. The number of raccoons used to be controlled when fur prices were high. Some people hunted raccoons with their dogs for sport with the price received for the hides offset some of the cost of their hunts. Others hunted them as a means of supplementing their income or even as a sole source of making a living. When the price of raccoon pelts was high, our quail and turkey populations flourished.

There were times, my two sons and I could limit out on quail on any Saturday morning.

Now, it is more common to see a bald eagle than a quail. The only people that hunt raccoons now are people that do it for the sport of working their hounds.

These hunters do not really care if the kill the raccoons after they are treed. There is no longer a financial incentive to harvest the pelts.

Unfortunately, this does not help our bird population but does make for an enjoyable time in the outdoors.

Our grandson, Zane, has started training raccoon hounds for other people. These people are primarily competition hunters. He works to fine tune the natural instinct bred into coon hounds to track and tree. He will occasionally kill a raccoon to reward a dog for a job well done, but most are

SAVE OTTUMWA POST

left to run another day.

Zane does not shoot any raccoons on our place to ensure prey on which to train the dogs. Worse yet, he and I are both feeding the raccoons to make sure they stay close by.

There is a spot in the middle of the timber where we place things like outdated cereal, old bread, or just about anything else we want to get rid of. Raccoons will eat anything. One day I put some green peppers that had become freezer burnt on what we call the bait station. They were gone the next day. I think the local resident raccoons wait and watch until somebody brings a snack and helps themselves as soon as our backs are turned. They do not seem to mind occasionally being chased up a tree and barked at if they are going to be paid with food. If they were offended, I would think they would move. As it is, there are several fat and happy coons that are nearby whenever Zane wants to work a hound.

I have all but given up on the possibility of restoring the quail population. Efforts to create habitat and planting food plots is not enough to offset the toll taken by predators. Until the price of raccoon pelts increases, there will not be enough hunters harvesting raccoons to control them. I realize I am not helping the problem by providing an easy meal rather than shooting raccoons, but I do enjoy feeding them and taking pictures.

Zane also enjoys hunting dogs in an area that

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

does not require miles of walking to make a tree. When the price of fur goes up again, we will be ready to cash in with a bunch of nice fat raccoons. Until then, they get to live in a kill free zone.

Bras for a cause

2025

CARL CRAFT CIVIC CENTER

dinner

04.12.25 HEDRICK, IOWA @ 4:30 p.m.

PROVIDED BY BUBBA Q’S

AUCTION FROM live bra auction FREE WILL DONATION SILENT 4:30 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. @ 6:00 P.M.

MODELING BY THE HEDRICK VOLUNTEER FIREMEN TILING, 210 HAIR COMPANY, COPELAND AUTOBODY, OTTUMWA RADIO, sponsored by: CHITTICK J&E CERNIC SCRAP, UNDERGROUND BARBELL, I&R ROOFING, LINDER ELECTRIC, all proceeds

TO BENEFIT OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES

SOUTH OTTUMWA SAVINGS BANK, PIGTAIL CHARLIE’S DINER, CLASSIC TRUCKING, GATOR EXPRESS, DOUBLE D POWERSPORTS, GRANT RANCH GRUB & PUB, BERNIE’S BAR & GRILLE, MH EQUIPMENT, VAN METER, GENTRY INSURANCE, FCA VISION AG, RIVERHILLS COMMUNITY HEATLH CENTER, BUBBA Q’S, ODYSSY MUSIC, MILLIKIN AUCTION ASSOCIATES, KRAVE NUTRITION, NEW THOUGHTS THERAPY, DAISY DEW LANDSCAPING, M&E SIEREN FARMS, NEIGHBOR INSURANCE, MEFFORD MASONRY, TRI COUNTY SHOPPER, J&A SEIREN FARMS, MAHASKA HEALTH PARTNERSHIP

CONTACT LAURIE HORNBACK 641-777-4252

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

SAVE OTTUMWA POST •OTTUMWAPOST.COM

PAGE 3

BARN RESTORATION Specializing in Barn & Pole Barn

Repair and Restoration

See more restorations!

What Goes Around, Comes Around

WAGLER BUILDERS

(641) 777-5000 • john@waglerbuilders.com

@waglerbuilders

Karma. I hear a lot of mel marinated chocopeople talking about late coffee with skim it, so I’m sure it exists, milk and extra froobut I’ve never been a froo and fluffy stuff big believer in karma; on top.” I did the best it seems superstitious I could. Sydney was to me and I’m not a laughing so hard she superstitious person. could hardly talk.

The phrase ‘Karma is a b…,’ causes me to There was a pause. associate karma as reFinally, the lady broke venge or a pay-back. the silence, “You want I prefer other similar a what?” idioms.

The Bible says, ‘… as ye sow, so shall ye reap.’ Unfortunately, some people today do not understand what sow and reap, mean.

‘Pay if forward,’ is a good phrase, connected to positive meanings. My favorite is ‘What goes around, comes around.’ Truly, they all mean the same thing, producing positive, or negative results. I prefer the positive.

Sydney leaned across the van, through the driver’s side window, and spoke to the little box, telling the lady what she wanted.

The lady repeated the order and asked, “Will that be all?”

I added, “I’d also like a small black coffee, please.” The lady read back some fancy name. What can be so complicated about getting a cup of coffee?

Before I could make a fool of myself (again) Just the other day, I by correcting the had several errands to barista, Sydney leaned run in Duluth. I thought over to intervene, it would be nice to “Yes, that’s what he drop off a cup of Starwants.” When I pulled bucks Coffee, to my up to the window, I daughter. For the life felt like a simpleton, of me, I can’t rememtrapped between the Sydney orders at Starber all these fancy barista in the window, bucks; John replied names on the Starand a coffee connois- first. bucks menu, let alone seur to my right. This which Sydney orders. time, while in Duluth, Armed with this inI took precautions not formation, I marched One time, at a Starto embarrass myself into Starbucks and bucks drive-through, again. ordered like a pro: “Hi, Sydney told me what I’d like a caramel latte she wanted. When it I texted Sydney’s boy- made with goat’s milk; was my turn to order, friend, and her sister to go please.” I was I said, “I’d like a caraAnnie, asking what

mighty proud of myself and grinned. The barista paused instead of naturally repeating my order. An uneasy feeling came over me, thinking I had said something incorrectly, making me look like an amateur. Immediately, I knew I should not have said ‘to-go’ because all Starbucks coffee is served in paper cups – to go.

The barista smiled, “You want a what?”

Less confident, I repeated, “I’d like a large, caramel latte made with goat’s milk, please.” (This time omitting ‘to-go.’) Did I say it right? I waited nervously, waiting for a response.

Having exposed my charade, (acting as a coffee pro) she held the cup and her Sharpie, ready to write. “What name can I put on this?” I was already embarrassed, and now she wanted me to say my name? I felt like other customers were pointing at me and whispering, ‘That’s the guy that tried to order goat’s milk.’ I got busted being a poser and must now face the shame.

“Yes,” I said clearing my throat. “My name is Sydney. That’s with a y.” The lady glanced at my card, looking at my name. She handed me my receipt and I stepped aside to wait.

The lady called out, The young lady smiled “Sydney.” “Sydney,” again, “Do you mean she repeated, startling oat milk?” my wandering mind, remembering I WAS My initial thought was Sydney. “Sydney, your that John had pranked latte is ready.” me. I double-checked his message; hmpf, I got my coffee and I would have sworn scurried to the front he said goat’s milk. door. Once outside, I I felt my cheeks getlaughed all the way to ting warm as my face my daughter’s workflushed. “Yes, ma’am, place, feeling as if I’d oat milk will do just fine.” The barista gave a warm smile of merci- (Just the Other Day cont’d on pg 4) ful pity.

PAGE 4

SAVE OTTUMWA POST

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

Ray’s Longbranch Homemade 1/2 lb. Tenderloins & Hamburgers Drakesville, IA • 722-3355

(Just the Other Day cont’d from pg 3)

really pulled one off.

As I climbed the steps inside the building, I noticed the barista wrote on the cup, ‘You are amazing,’ instead of Sydney’s name.

She knew I was not Sydney, with a y. Gulp.

“Oh well,” I laughed, “no good deed goes unpunished.” I was just trying to do something nice for my kid. I continued to climb the steps.

“Hey, hey! What is this?” I looked down at the step, lying right in front of me was a twenty-dollar bill! I picked it up, looking around for the rightful owner, but no one was in sight. Then, I found another – and another…. Wow! It was like the fairytale Hansel showing the money to and Gretel. her coworkers, “Look, Fire Department my dad found a hunBob To keep from getdred dollars lying on ting lost in the woods, the steps, and he’s Curt Swarm, Empty Nest Hansel dropped bread going to let me have crumbs along their this Monopoly money!” Bob used to be a firepath so that they could We all shared a good man for the City of find their way back. laugh about that.

Denver back in the fifBut a bird was happy ties and sixties. It was to eat those bread Sydney had work to men only then. He said crumbs – just as I was do, and I had errands that while on duty, they would get so drunk that happy to gather these to run. “Thank you twenty-dollar bills! for the coffee and the he would actually pass out on the cement floor cash,” she said, hugwith his head behind the Sydney was happy to ging me. She walked see me, and I could with me and gave me dual wheels of the ladtell she appreciated two more hugs at the der truck, so that if there the unexpected treat. top of the steps – the was an alarm, he would I shared my happy kind of hugs that really have to get up, man the rear steering wheel, news with her: “I found warm a dad’s heart. a hundred dollars “I love you, Dad,” she or his head would be crushed. It was accoming up the steps!” said. cepted behavior. And expected, according to “You found a hun“I love you too, kid,” Bob. dred-dollar bill on I said, quickly turnThey all drank the steps? Just lying ing before she could there,” she asked with see my eyes leaking. heavily while on shift, and put pressure on the skepticism.

I started down the guys who didn’t drink, steps. “No matter how or drink as much, to “No,” I replied. “Not old they get, you just join in the cup-that-binone, hundred-dollar keep loving your little deth. bill, but I found five girls more and more.”

If there was a twenties!” Sydney I was sure feeling the particularly bad call, asked several times if love. like with an apartment I was serious. Finally, house fire with “crispy I convinced her that It was a good visit. critters,” he called them, I was. A few of her I know my daughter some of whom were co-workers looked on. appreciated the cofchildren and pets, the “Maybe somebody fee. Even though it firemen knew they could dropped it coming to was just Monopoly pull into the alley behind pay their bill,” I said. money, the smiles a certain bar, and drinks “I’ll leave the money and laughs we shared would be set up. No with you, and if some- were worth well more questions asked. I’m one comes looking than a hundred bucks not making this up. for it, you can return of real currency!

I told Bob he had it. If no one claims it, “What goes around, all the justification he you can keep it.” That comes around,” I said needed for a case of made Sydney’s day warmly. I wanted to do work-related alcoholism. for sure! I gave her the something to make my He shrugged his shoulders and said, “That’s five, twenties. daughter feel good, just the way it was.” and now, here I was, Fortunately Bob “Dad, this is Monopoly feeling like a million got the help he needed money.” bucks! and found a life of sobriety and fulfillment. He “Yeah, I know,” I said Walking down the wouldn’t use anything with excitement. “Five steps, I stopped, with alcohol, like detwenties, I found them smiled, and picked odorant, after shave, on the steps. Hey, a it up from the floor. hundred bucks is a “How did I miss this?” mouth wash, etc.

He was also a hundred bucks, sweet- My heart was full. I smoker, tearing the ie, and it’s all yours, no sent Sydney a photo filter off cigarettes, and strings attached!” text: “Look! I found smoking them, the torn another twenty!” end sticking out of his Sydney took the cash mouth like a hay seed. and laughed joyfully What goes around….

He claimed the tobacco

as she waved the bills,

was stronger and dryer in a cigarette with the filter removed. He also claimed he was allergic to cigarette smoke, not nicotine. (I found this flabbergasting.)

He would stand under the exhaust hood of a stove and smoke, the fan drawing the smoke away. He said it worked for him. He also had COPD, pursing his lips while exhaling.

He could also make the best fire department coffee. He would make a fresh pot, dump about half of it out, add a little more grounds to the grounds already there, and salt, reperk, and presto, some of the boldest, best tasting coffee I’ve ever had. He said he’d been the official coffee maker for the fire department because they needed full-bodied coffee with a kick for the morning after.

Before he was a fireman, Bob drove for Monfort of Colorado (later ConAgra), delivering live cattle from Greeley to Chicago for slaughter. He said Monfort “owned” the left lane of the highway. They drove 80-100 miles and hour, and people moved over. The Highway Patrol looked the other way. He said they had to drive fast because if a steer died in route, they were docked.

Bob went crazy

once. He had some sort of an infection and the doctor put him on a strong steroid. Steroids were just coming out then and people didn’t know much about them.

He lost his memory and thought his wife, whom he didn’t recognize, was trying to kill him. He thought she was going to stab him in the back while he was asleep.

He called the police.

The police evaluated the situation and were able to get Bob in the hospital for a week. When Bob came home, he apologized, and ran to the exhaust hood of the kitchen stove to smoke.

He hadn’t been allowed to smoke in the hospital.

Bob was in his eighties when he was telling me all this. His wife was listening, and didn’t contradict anything he said. She even nodded her head in agreement, chuckled, and made some hand movements, like sticking a knife in Bob’s back.

They had a colorful marriage.

I was there at their house installing a garage door opener.

Bob swore that the main spring would disengage and kill me. I tried to convince him that the main spring remained stable. He brewed some coffee, tore the filter off a cigarette, and the garage door opener worked fine.