by Elaine Rassel

The excitement from last week has settled down! What a week it was! Hopefully it will be less than 36 years before we see another time to go to State.
I happened to bring up 2021 when we went to State and lost to Exira-EHK. I gave the names of the cheerleaders who still cheered even though they had to wear a mask. This year I forgot to mention the cheerleaders and apologize. You girls are important to keep things going. There isn’t much sitting down for what you do all during the game. Also, thanks to the Pep Band and their instructor for providing some music while we were down there. How many pep bands get to play in an area as big as what you played in? As well as the girls’ basketball team, the cheerleaders and pep band members have memories of 2022 in this Arena memories that many other kids will never get to have.
I went to the Band Pops Concert at MMCRU High School on Tuesday evening, March 8. It was good to see all the students that are in band.
Two nights later, I was at the Middle School in Remsen for the 5-12 Choir Pops Concert. The grades 6-7/8 had one selection where the entire grade sang and then the other presentations were broken down to boys and then another selection to girls. This was different but change never hurts to try. The band instructor, Ms. Davis even played a drum beat for the background in one of the 5th grade selections!
On Saturday I went to the Library to find information on what happened 36 years ago_Marcus Eagles Basketball Girls went for the first time to State! We have just experienced this in 2021 and better yet, in 2022. I was at the game where Marcus lost and didn’t get to play in the finals. They really did try but the other team was just a bit better. This was the game where Kim Means’ mother, Bonnie Corrington died. Her death and where it was goes to show that we don’t know when we will be called from this Earth.
In the write-up, the Cheerleaders gave thanks to the Marcus Spirit Boosters for the corsages and the profits of sales of the buttons to help pay expenses of the rooms. Steve showed me two pins that he had. One has a football on it (with Marcus Eagles on it) and the other one is the button one “This is the Year_State Bound 1986”. Both are made to wear on a jacket or shirt.
Hopefully you remembered to Spring Ahead one hour! If state lawmakers go along with legislation already approved by the Iowa House, it could be the last time Iowans have to go through the twice-a-year ritual of changing their clocks_but only if Congress agrees to it also.
Those in favor of NOT changing time twice a year say that the time changes are an impact on families, schools, mental health, public safety and even farmers say their cows like to milked the same time every day. Changing twice a year leads to an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events, mood disorders and motor vehicle crashes. 63% of people nationwide wanted to stop clock changing as well as 67% of Democrats and Republicans favored year-round daylight saving time.
On the other hand, if some states go to NO changing, what about the states around these states that still do change twice a year? Can you imagine what it would be like having an appointment or doing business in one state that doesn’t have the same time you have? It could be a messy situation. It would have to be that all states agree to NO change to get out of this twice-a-year change. Over the past seven years, state legislatures have considered 450 bills and resolutions on the topic, but nothing has come from it.
Year-round daylight saving time was implemented around 1942 for the duration of World War II and again during the global energy crisis of the winter of 1973-’74. In the United States, daylight saving time dates to World War I when it was started as a temporary measure to conserve energy and provide more usable hours of daylight. Benjamin Franklin had the perfect solution to this changing time if everyone went to bed earlier and got up earlier, there would be less need for candles!
From my 1934 files comes this thought: Friend “Did you raise any cucumbers this year in your little garden as you expected?”
Bride—“No. The direction was to plant the seeds in hills, and you know our lot is perfectly level.”
Remember in your thoughts and prayers those who have lost loved ones to death, have been diagnosed with a health problem with some being terminal, those who are struggling to make ends meet even though they have a job, encourage those not working to find a job even if it is not one they are trained for, to those in Ukraine who are being invaded by Russia, and those who are distanced from family or friends to build a bridge rather than a wall. Count your blessings.
I will leave you with this quote from John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) U.S. president: “A positive agenda and outlook overcomes a negative one as light dispels darkness.”