From the mound to your computor screen

The name on the side of the building can hardly be made out, giving way to its age. This grand old building is the Thorpe Opera House, and without donations to renovate the inside of the building, David City could lose a huge piece in its revitalization process downtown.

Wiped away and gone

To understand the history behind the Thorpe Opera House, you must go back to a time that predates the 20^th century. The year is 1889, less than twenty years after David City was established. This is when the grandest project in the town’s history took place. To put into context how significant it was not only to the town but the state, it was the biggest Opera House West of Omaha, NE.(cite) In a time when life was hard and became meticulous at times, the Opera House offered an escape from the ordinary for many people.

Wiped away and gone.

Because of its importance at the turn of the century, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.(cite)

Wiped away and gone.

Through the years the building, though not as big as it once was, still served as a centerpiece for the town and place to go watch a good performance for locals.(cite)

Wiped away and gone.

This is what will happen to the Thorpe Opera House if Thorpe Inc. can’t make renovations to the building.

The work that needs to be done includes adding an elevator on the side of the building and reconstructing the inside to make the stairs more manageable to climb up and to open office space.(cite)

Making the building much more accessible to the public, especially senior citizens in the community, while also attracting businesses to rent out office space.

The goal is to eventually make this building the centerpiece of the town once again. A place where people can hold wedding and graduation parties. (cite)

Make it a place where musicians and other performers want to come and perform.

With renovations done to the building, the Thorpe would have a leg up on other places rented out throughout the town, because of its history and the rustic look and feel that the other places can’t replicate.

With added space, there would be room for other historic David City pieces to be stored, like the Boston Studio photograph collection and the Banner-Press paper collection.(cite)

This building is a significant piece of David City, that’s a part of our town’s past and our future as well. Not only in revitalizing the arts but to attract businesses in downtown as well.

Wiped away and gone.

It doesn’t have to be that way. Be generous and give to this wonderful cause to preserve this landmark. To donate contact Erin Roh at 402-367-4260.

I wanted Tim Miles to be the guy at Nebraska. When he was hired back in 2012, I thought it was the smartest hire Nebraska had made in any sports in a long time.

He took a Huskers team that hadn’t seen the big dance in almost twenty years and got them there in only his second season.

The 2013-2014 success looked like only the beginning for Nebraska. They had everyone back and were set to be a powerhouse the next season in the Big Ten.

Right?

To the bafflement of every Nebraska fan, an exact replica roster from an NCAA tournament team the previous season, ended at the bottom of the conference and with a losing record.

Last season, Nebraska notched a program high with 22 wins. Though they fell short of the NCAA tournament, fans were anxious with many starters returning.

Now fast-forward to today, the Huskers are coming off an absolute beat down by Michigan. With the loss Nebraska has lost three in a row and dropped to second from the bottom in the Big Ten.

In fact, Nebraska has only won 2 of their last 12 games.

Unless Nebraska wins the Big Ten Basketball Tournament, this will be the second time a Tim Miles coached Huskers team have fell flat living up to high expectations.

I had Tim’s back the first time around, but this time he needs to go.

In my opinion he is a coach that has giving up. His comments on a podcast with Jeff Goodman say it all.

“If they fire me, they’re still going to pay me. … I’m still a millionaire. So I’ve got that going for me.”(cite)

Everybody at one point or another hits their peak, and I think Tim hit his at Nebraska back in 2014.

When Bill Moos makes the decision after the season to resign or fire Miles, I fully expect him to send him packing.

It might be good for Miles, he can go use some of those millions from Nebraska on a early vacation.

Walking through downtown David City, Ne nothing stands out at first glance. Not until you hit D street, do you see a big majestic building that looks straight out of a black and white photograph. The name on the side of the building can hardly be made out, giving way to its age. This grand old building is the Thorpe Opera House, and without donations to renovate the inside of the building, David City could lose a huge piece in its revitalization process downtown.

To understand the history behind the Thorpe Opera House, you must go back to a time that predates the 20^th century. The year is 1889, less than twenty years after David City was established as a town. This is when the grandest project in the town’s history took place. To put into context how significant it was not only to the town but the state, it was the biggest Opera House West of Omaha, NE.(cite) In a time when life was hard and became meticulous at times, the Opera House offered an escape from the ordinary for many people.

Wiped away and gone.

Because of its importance at the turn of the century, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.(cite)

Wiped away and gone.

Through the years the building, though not as big as it once was, still served as a centerpiece for the town and place to go watch a good performance for locals.(cite)

Wiped away and gone.

This is what will happen to the Thorpe Opera House if Thorpe Inc. can’t make renovations to buildings.

The renovations include adding an elevator on the side of the building and reconstructing the inside to make the stairs more manageable to climb up and to open office space.(cite)

Making the building much more accessible to the public, especially senior citizens in the community, while also attracting businesses to rent out office space.

The goal is to eventually make this building the centerpiece of the town once again. A place where people can hold wedding parties, and graduation parties.(cite)

Make it a place where musicians and other performers want to come and perform.

With renovations done to the building, the Thorpe would have a leg up on other places rented out throughout the town, because of its history and the rustic look and feel that the other places can’t replicate.

With added space, there would be room for other historic David City pieces to be stored, like Boston Studio photograph collection and the Banner-Press paper collection.(cite)

This building is a significant piece of David City, that’s not only apart of our town’s past but could be a part of its future as well. Not only in revitalizing the arts but the businesses in downtown as well.

Be generous and give to this wonderful cause to preserve this landmark. To donate contact Erin Roh at 402-367-4260.

Policy Claim

1. Citizens of David City need to support and donate to renovations for the Thorpe Opera House to keep revitalization of downtown alive.

Factual Claim

1. The Thorpe Opera House is apart of David City, with its origins dating back to 1889.(cite)

2. Was added to national register of Historic places in 1988.(cite)

3. This building at one time, was the biggest opera house west of Omaha Ne.(cite)

4. An elevator will allow elderly people who can’t climb up the buildings steep stairs, to enter it and enjoy performances.(cite)

5. Renovations to the building will allow it to be rented out, possible for weddings and other special events.(cite)

6. Renovations will create much needed office space for the businesses operating in the building.(cite)

7. More space would open up a home for the Boston Studio photo collection, another piece of David City history.(cite)

Casual Claims

1. This building is an opportunity not only to preserve history, but to also help businesses expand and grow in the downtown area.
2. The building has an old rustic feeling to it, that you can’t get at other locations throughout David City.

Looking through Mr. Mahoney 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning pieces, the two I will be analyzing are Warren Country Supervisors should air contract in public before voting and every citizen has the right to information from public officials. I really like Mahoney writing in these two pieces. He writes in such a way, that anyone who picks up the paper and starts reading can understand what he is talking about. With the last Pulitzer Prize writers we read, I had a hard time understanding what they were talking about at times. I think this is due to the fact, they used big confusing language.

The other element of Mahoney writing that I enjoyed, was his abilities to tell stories. We see this in the right to information from public officials editorials. He talks about situations where he has had to get government information for his articles for the paper. The two individuals he mentions, he stated give exactly what he needs and sometimes more, with no questions asked. After reading the whole article, I believe he wrote this for the people who tried to get government information but were denied. It was almost like his recommendation of who to look for if you want government information for the community.

In the Warren County supervisors should air contract editorial, Mahoney, in my opinion, is doing a call to action piece. He uses very short sentences in the beginning, which I found appealing. The quotes by the supervisor, mixed with the satirical comments by him, let you know what way the editorial was moving from the beginning. Another thing I like about this piece is his ability to keep the focus on the editorial about the government hiding information from the public. You can tell by his statements, in the beginning, he doesn’t think it’s right the police are getting a bonus, but for the majority of the editorial he focuses on the main issue of the editorial. I appreciate that, because when you have to many different arguments going on in a piece it can be hard to follow.

The editorial I am choosing to analyze is from the Columbus Telegram entitled What makes a real hero? (cite) In this article, it talks about the shooting of Police Officer Bradley Wangler. He was shot by Jorge Robledo while executing a warrant on him in the summer of 2018. Through this whole ordeal that almost cost Wangler his life, he has kept a positive attitude and has stated he harbors no ill will against the shooter Robledo. The paper argues that he is a hero because he has come back as police officer for the community after the shooting, and continues to have an exceptional outlook on the situation.

I agree with the article that Wangler is a true hero. I look at myself as pretty forgiving person, but even I think that would be extremely hard to forgive someone after something like that happened. What I found extortionary is that Wangler is hoping the best for Robledo. Even behind bars he hopes that he can turn his life around and be a leader for the other inmates in jail.

Honestly I have learned so much from this editorial. Probably one of the biggest lessons is that it’s easier to forgive than to hold on to anger. In the long run it makes you feel so much better and makes life less miserable. When you hold onto anger and hatred you don’t allow yourself to grow from a situation. I think in Wangler’s case, he made a conscious decision to move on from the past and focus on the things that make him happy like his friends, family, and his job as a police officer. This is the type of attitude I want to have when bad things come my way.

There are many unique qualities to the town of David City, Ne. Maybe it’s the fact its the only town in the United States with it’s name or the fact that it used to be one of the biggest go through spots for Union Pacific Railroad back in the early 1900s. In my opinion, what makes David City unique, is the Thorpe Opera House. According to the Banner-Press, the Thorpe Opera House is looking to renovate the building, by adding an elevator and offices to the building. All with the hope of getting use out of the building once again. (cite)

The Thorpe Opera was built in 1889 by W.P. Thorpe in the town square of David City. At the time it was built it was one of the biggest performing art center west of Omaha, Nebraska. During the years the building held big music and theater events and has been used for a multitude of purposes. It was a dance hall in the 1920s, a youth center in the 1930s and 1940s, and was a movie house in 1950s.(cite) It remained vacant until 1981 when Beth Klosterman bought it. Through the years it has gone through renovations to keep the building in tach, but issues still remain. The Thorpe Inc. who owns the building now puts on monthly events but wants to expand it’s uses further. The goal is turn to it into a historic destination, to rent and use for wedding parties and all types of celebrations.

In my opinion, the renovations are worth doing on the building. I think adding an elevator and putting air conditioning in the building are great ideas. The people who appreciate this work of art, are the elderly in Nebraska and the community. By adding air conditioning you expand the events you do into the warm summer months.

The Air Conditioning renovation would allow you to store town treasures in the building. One would be the Boston Studio photo composites that are stored in Hruska Public Library. This building is smaller and barely has enough adequate space to house all the photos. You could also store the Banner-Press original copies in the building. This has been an issue in the area because these papers need to be in a temperature controlled building to keep them in pristine condition. If the Thorpe Opera House gets air conditioning it is plenty big enough to hold both collections.

This is a historic landmark and if the Thorpe Inc. can’t make these renovations, this treasure of David City is destined to turn into other forgotten old landmarks of our state’s and nation’s past.

In a country that leans more liberal, Nebraska stays rooted in its conservative values. Views that have been accepted by most of the country like same-sex relationships are not the same views of many Nebraskans. To change their child’s understanding of their sexuality parents, send their kid away for Conversion Therapy, not knowing the horror’s that might be awaiting him or her. Ignorance isn’t an option anymore, and we as a state need to stand up to horrors of Conversion Therapy by outlawing it.

                In the United States, there have been 700,000 adults and teenagers that have undergone this treatment. Many scared and lonely not understanding what was about to happen. (Turban, 2018)

Upon arrival clients have any clothes deemed inappropriate taken from them. For men, this could be muscle shirts or clothes that are tight on them, and for women, this could be any clothes that take away their femininity. (Hicklin, 2018) On a regular basis, they here about what they’re doing is wrong, but that’s not where it stops.

To make sure clients understand the severity of their problem, they are exposed to the pain of electric shock. Like that isn’t enough, they are now put in front of a screen and forced to watch gay and lesbian pornographic situations. (Hicklin, 2018)The hope with all of this is the individual will be a heterosexual person.

But that’s not what’s happening.

Kids who go through conversion therapy, are ten times more likely to try and attempt suicide. (Turban, 2018) This is due to the guilt and shame they feel about their decision, that’s amplified through the therapy.

Nebraska Senator Megan Hunt looks to end this travesty in the state of Nebraska. She has been the leading spokeswoman against this therapy and even proposed a law to ban it. The goal was to get conversion therapy labeled as child abuse. Earlier this month she withdrew the bill, due to concerns that the bill would punish unknowing parents. (Press, 2019)

Megan plans to continue her work with conversion therapy, with the hope of one day seeing it banned.

                This is an issue that we as Nebraskan’s can’t take likely.

Whether you’re for or against same-sex relationships doesn’t matter, this isn’t about that. This is about the safety or hundreds of adults and teenagers across our state.

We need laws put in place that protect everyone from the dangers of conversion therapy. Specifically, against the use of electric shock and watching of pornography. To say we don’t want parents to get in trouble isn’t an excuse.

Parents and guardians need to step up and monitor where they are sending their kids for therapy. They don’t have to accept the behavior but sending them away to be mentally abused is not the option.

There are religious based therapy groups out there like Catholic Social Services that are good, you must go and find them. (Services, n.d.) With a law banning conversion therapy practices, we can weed out the bad therapist and leave the good ones standing. Something whether you’re on the right or left side, you can get behind.

Nebraska has never been known for following the norm. In a country that leans more liberal, Nebraska stays rooted in its conservative values. We see this in the little towns who barely have any businesses left but still have two functioning churches. Views that have been accepted by most of the country like same-sex relationships are not the same views of many Nebraskans. To change their child’s understanding of their sexuality parents, send their kid away for Conversion Therapy, not knowing the horror’s that might be awaiting him or her. Ignorance isn’t an option anymore, and we as a state need to stand up to horrors of Conversion Therapy by outlawing it.

In the United States, there have been 700,000 adults and teenagers that have undergone this treatment. (cite) Many scared and lonely not understanding what was about to happen.

Upon arrival clients have any clothes deemed inappropriate taken from them. For men, this could be muscle shirts or clothes that are tight on them, and for women, this could be any clothes that take away their femininity. On a regular basis, they here about what they’re doing is wrong, but that’s not where it stops. (cite)

To make sure clients understand the severity of their problem, they are exposed to the pain of electric shock. Like that isn’t enough, they are now put in front of a screen and forced to watch gay and lesbian pornographic situations. The hope with all of this is to confirm the individual back into a heterosexual person. (cite)

But that’s not what’s happening.

Kids who go through conversion therapy, are ten times more likely to try and attempt suicide. This is due to the guilt and shame they feel about their decision, that’s amplified through the therapy. (cite)

Nebraska Senator Megan Hunt looks to end this travesty in the state of Nebraska. She has been the leading spokeswoman against this therapy and even proposed a law to ban it. The goal was to get conversion therapy labeled as child abuse. Earlier this month she withdrew the bill, due to concerns that the bill would punish unknowing parents. (cite)

Megan plans to continue her work with conversion therapy, with the hope of one day seeing it banned.  

This is an issue that we as Nebraskan’s can’t take likely.

Whether you’re for or against same-sex relationships doesn’t matter, this isn’t about that. This is about the safety or hundreds of adults and teenagers across our state.

We need laws put in place that protect everyone from the dangers of conversion therapy. Specifically, against the use of electric shock and watching of pornography. To say we don’t want parents to get in trouble isn’t an excuse.

Parents and guardians need to step up and monitor where they are sending their kids for therapy. They don’t have to accept the behavior but sending them away to be mentally abused is not the option.

There are religious based therapy groups out there like Catholic Social Services that are good, you must go and find them. With a law banning conversion therapy practices, we can weed out the bad therapist and leave the good ones standing. Something whether you’re on the right or left side, you can get behind.

Over the last several decades, Iowa was has put its name on the map as one of Mecca’s of news writing. The state’s bolstered two Pulitzer Prize editorial winner’s in as many years, one of them being Art Cullen who is co-owner of the Storm Lake Times. I have gained some opinions from reading his prized work and will share that with you today.

BV is losing the public

I really enjoy how Art constructs this articles. He starts off very frank and matter of fact. There are counties that are throwing polluted water into the Raccoon River and it needs to stop. He backs that claim up with a source from the Des Monies Register, stating that 60% of surveyed people think it’s wrong for these counties to dump polluted water in the River. He uses description of senses like being able to see the pollution in the river and being able to smell the pollution, to really drive home the point that there is a major problem that needs to be fixed. My favorite part is when he talks about the public’s misconception of the problem. The agriculture industry in the state wanted people to believe it was a billion dollar problem they couldn’t afford to fix. Art was very matter of fact and stated, it was a cheap problem that farmers in the state could fix by not farming under the fence in the ditch. I give him a lot of respect for doing that, in a state where farmers are the majority it probably wasn’t the easiest thing to do.

Leave sales tax alone

Art does a great job of emulating how one big issue in the state the water contamination issue ties into another big state issue of overcrowding in Iowa schools, specifically the Storm Lake school system. The fertilization that contaminates the Raccoon River is from Hogs that are butchered at Tyson in Storm Lakes by workers who send their kids to the school.

He doesn’t tiptoe around the fact that it will be expensive for Storm Lake to build onto its school. I like how he also talks through the Superintendent of Storm Lake schools. Sharing his concerns about proposing an increase in property taxes. The reason for this is a lot of the tax money is being redirected to the water quality problem in Iowa. He says worry about the water problem later and deal with overcrowding problem in Storm Lakes schools now. I think it was a smart stance to take, especially due to the fact that the waterworks case was still up in the air either way. So essentially you could redirect that tax money for waterworks, and the case fails. Makes more sense to me to put your money on the fore sure bet.