Q: Could you give me any information about the new senior housing development that’s going up near the Highway 20 exit by the Casey’s?
A: A new senior housing complex called San Marnan Heights Senior Living is being built in between Tower Park Drive and Fisher Drive. The complex will have 110 units with 14 of those being memory care units.
Q: I was just wondering who did the sculpture in the Cedar Falls dog park? I just noticed it first a few weeks ago and I haven’t seen anything in the newspaper and was wondering who commissioned it and who did it.
A: The new sculpture in the shape of a fox is part of a three-sculpture series by University of Northern Iowa alum and public artist Beth Nybeth. Amanda Huisman, the Cedar Falls’ communications specialist, said a rabbit sculpture was installed in Pfeiffer Park just before Christmas and the final piece, an otter, will be installed on the trail system by Cedar Falls Utilities, weather permitting. The artist was chosen through a competitive call for art by the Cedar Falls Public Art Committee. The series is named “Ready or Not.” Huisman said a ribbon cutting event with the artist will be held in spring.
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Q: Is the actor Miles Teller related to Teller from Penn and Teller?
A: No, they are not related. Just a coincidence of two famous people with the same last name.
Q: Should I cash in my jar of pennies or should I hang onto them?
A: Looks like most pennies will not be worth much, considering there are so many in production. There are a few types of pennies that have always been worth more money such as the 1943 copper Lincoln wheat pennies, which were accidentally made with copper instead of zinc during World War II. Pennies made before 1982 were still made with copper, so if you really want you could trade that in for a couple more cents. Pennies also remain legal tender indefinitely. Sounds like we should either keep them for sentimental reasons or cash them in for a few bucks.
Q: About damn time you brought back Call the Courier. I remember when I worked at the Courier over 40 years ago, it was a very popular human interest type of column. Now, when are you going to bring back “Pet of the Week?” Use them both to replace those god-awful “Sports Edition Extra” pages or the black-and-white comics appearing twice on some days.
A: We are also glad it’s back! We do run “Pet of the Week.” It is a sponsored ad in Saturday’s paper featuring pets from the Cedar Bend Humane Society. As for the “terrible” pages – you seem to be talking about E-edition pages. We try to run as much local content on our print days of Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, while on the off days we are able to run more pages that are not local on the online paper.
Call (319) 291-1550 to leave a voicemail or email newsroom@wcfcourier.com with your question.
Song remains the same
"Not only in the states most heavily affected but in every place in this country are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That’s why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more; by hiring a record number of new border guards; by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before; by cracking down on illegal hiring; by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens. … We will try to do more to speed the deportations of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes, to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace. ... We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong … to permit the abuse of our immigration laws ... and we must do more to stop it.”
President Bill Clinton received heavy, bipartisan applause in his 1995 State of the Union Address for those words. Thirty years and millions more illegal aliens later, President Trump is merely pursuing the very immigration polices Democrats once applauded, yet now condemn as “authoritarian.” Someone, please explain.
Steve Kapler, Waterloo
Thank you, and a prediction
First, I thank Mayor Hart for his dedicated service to the city of Waterloo.
I believe that when Dave Boesen becomes mayor, it will mark the beginning of the end of Waterloo’s decades of decline.
Boesen is a man with a well-balanced ego, and he is comfortable with who he is. Most importantly, he understands the importance of effective management and transparency.
His leadership will benefit all of Waterloo. Lead on, my friend.
Don Miller, Waterloo
Wrapping up 2025
Americans have so much to be thankful for as 2025 concludes, especially the competency and effectiveness of our executive branch. Discipline has been restored on the reprehensible migration debacle of the previous charlatan regime, we're no longer writing unconditional checks to Ukraine or funding the majority of NATO.
Interest rates on mortgages are reduced, as is the cost of gasoline. Fewer countries are taking advantage of American trade and major crimes have been reduced thanks to our National Guard. In most cases, retirement accounts have shown admirable returns with encouraging prospects for 2026.
Somehow this progress is willfully and continuously ignored by folks at CNN/MSNBC paid to read vitriol laced teleprompter text, 92% negative slamming of our executive branch. Is Maddow paid $20 million to inform you, or influence you? Think about that.
As MLK Day approaches, let's all work on that "content of character" attribute, nowhere more critically absent and necessary than Congress and their colluding media.
Paul Higgins, Cedar Falls
Hate and horror
They’re baaaack!
The Heritage Foundation, the folks who gave us Project 2025, are back with an update they’re calling “Restoring America’s Promise.” Despite unleashing a campaign of hate and horror on America during 2025, they claim there’s still more they can do. So they’ll continue to eviscerate environmental laws, make immigration enforcement even harsher, cut government agencies and employees, make it even harder to vote, give more tax money to religious schools, and promote the nuclear family ideal while pushing everyone else to the margins.
Are you happy that Iowa is dipping into our emergency reserves to pay for Christian school tuition for rich kids? Enjoying the videos of women and children violently detained and sent to prison camps without due process? Are tariffs making life more affordable? All this and more was planned and executed by Christian nationalists at the Heritage Foundation.
This is the year we can do something about this, but will we? Are you ready to commit to out-voting those who made our current dystopia possible? You’ll need to donate, knock on doors, make calls, and turn out as many midterm voters as possible to begin the work of reclaiming our democracy and our humanity.
Doug Smith, Cedar Falls
Two interesting truths
These two short sentences tell us a lot about our government and our culture:
1. We are advised to not judge all Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics. But we are encouraged to judge all gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.
2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. How come we never hear welfare is running out of money? What is interesting is the first group “worked for” their money, but the second didn’t.
Thank you Trump administration for your efforts to bring back sanity and less nonsense.
Dave Smith, Waterloo
All about the oil
In six months, at great cost, the U.S. will overthrow Maduro in Venezuela. The billionaires and Trump will then divvy up the oil wells. We will have spent hundreds of billions of your dollars. What will you get? Impossibly expensive health care and a feather up your nose so both the billionaires and you can be tickled.
Ronald Orf, Tripoli
New year, new lawn
As we set new goals for 2026, consider one simple change that protects your family’s health: Stop using pesticides for cosmetic lawn care. These chemicals do more than kill weeds; they pose serious risks to people and pets.
Research links pesticide exposure to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, memory loss, and impaired neural coordination. Children and unborn babies are especially vulnerable, with exposure tied to birth defects, hormonal disruption, and genetic disorders. Pesticides also increase cancer risks, including leukemia, bladder, thyroid, and brain cancers.
Pets are not safe either. Dogs and cats playing on treated lawns face higher chances of bladder cancer and lymphoma. A perfect lawn is not worth risking their health or yours.
Join Good Neighbor Iowa, a statewide initiative promoting pesticide-free lawn care. Join the other Black Hawk County residents who have already pledged to go pesticide-free. Make 2026 the year we protect what matters most: our health, our pets, and our planet. Learn more and take the pledge at goodneighboriowa.org.
Together, we can make a difference.
Jordan Holloway, Cedar Falls
As we set new goals for 2026, consider one simple change that protects your family’s health: Stop using pesticides for cosmetic lawn care. These chemicals do more than kill weeds; they pose serious risks to people and pets.
Research links pesticide exposure to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, memory loss, and impaired neural coordination. Children and unborn babies are especially vulnerable, with exposure tied to birth defects, hormonal disruption, and genetic disorders. Pesticides also increase cancer risks, including leukemia, bladder, thyroid, and brain cancers.
Pets are not safe either. Dogs and cats playing on treated lawns face higher chances of bladder cancer and lymphoma. A perfect lawn is not worth risking their health or yours.
Join Good Neighbor Iowa, a statewide initiative promoting pesticide-free lawn care. Join the other Black Hawk County residents who have already pledged to go pesticide-free. Make 2026 the year we protect what matters most: our health, our pets, and our planet. Learn more and take the pledge at goodneighboriowa.org.
Together, we can make a difference.
Jordan Holloway, Cedar Falls
"Not only in the states most heavily affected but in every place in this country are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That’s why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more; by hiring a record number of new border guards; by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before; by cracking down on illegal hiring; by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens. … We will try to do more to speed the deportations of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes, to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace. ... We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong … to permit the abuse of our immigration laws ... and we must do more to stop it.”
President Bill Clinton received heavy, bipartisan applause in his 1995 State of the Union Address for those words. Thirty years and millions more illegal aliens later, President Trump is merely pursuing the very immigration polices Democrats once applauded, yet now condemn as “authoritarian.” Someone, please explain.
Steve Kapler, Waterloo
Americans have so much to be thankful for as 2025 concludes, especially the competency and effectiveness of our executive branch. Discipline has been restored on the reprehensible migration debacle of the previous charlatan regime, we're no longer writing unconditional checks to Ukraine or funding the majority of NATO.
Interest rates on mortgages are reduced, as is the cost of gasoline. Fewer countries are taking advantage of American trade and major crimes have been reduced thanks to our National Guard. In most cases, retirement accounts have shown admirable returns with encouraging prospects for 2026.
Somehow this progress is willfully and continuously ignored by folks at CNN/MSNBC paid to read vitriol laced teleprompter text, 92% negative slamming of our executive branch. Is Maddow paid $20 million to inform you, or influence you? Think about that.
As MLK Day approaches, let's all work on that "content of character" attribute, nowhere more critically absent and necessary than Congress and their colluding media.
Paul Higgins, Cedar Falls
They’re baaaack!
The Heritage Foundation, the folks who gave us Project 2025, are back with an update they’re calling “Restoring America’s Promise.” Despite unleashing a campaign of hate and horror on America during 2025, they claim there’s still more they can do. So they’ll continue to eviscerate environmental laws, make immigration enforcement even harsher, cut government agencies and employees, make it even harder to vote, give more tax money to religious schools, and promote the nuclear family ideal while pushing everyone else to the margins.
Are you happy that Iowa is dipping into our emergency reserves to pay for Christian school tuition for rich kids? Enjoying the videos of women and children violently detained and sent to prison camps without due process? Are tariffs making life more affordable? All this and more was planned and executed by Christian nationalists at the Heritage Foundation.
This is the year we can do something about this, but will we? Are you ready to commit to out-voting those who made our current dystopia possible? You’ll need to donate, knock on doors, make calls, and turn out as many midterm voters as possible to begin the work of reclaiming our democracy and our humanity.
Doug Smith, Cedar Falls
These two short sentences tell us a lot about our government and our culture:
1. We are advised to not judge all Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics. But we are encouraged to judge all gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.
2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. How come we never hear welfare is running out of money? What is interesting is the first group “worked for” their money, but the second didn’t.
Thank you Trump administration for your efforts to bring back sanity and less nonsense.
Dave Smith, Waterloo
In six months, at great cost, the U.S. will overthrow Maduro in Venezuela. The billionaires and Trump will then divvy up the oil wells. We will have spent hundreds of billions of your dollars. What will you get? Impossibly expensive health care and a feather up your nose so both the billionaires and you can be tickled.
Ronald Orf, Tripoli
First, I thank Mayor Hart for his dedicated service to the city of Waterloo.
I believe that when Dave Boesen becomes mayor, it will mark the beginning of the end of Waterloo’s decades of decline.
Boesen is a man with a well-balanced ego, and he is comfortable with who he is. Most importantly, he understands the importance of effective management and transparency.
His leadership will benefit all of Waterloo. Lead on, my friend.
Don Miller, Waterloo
Waterloo and Cedar Falls speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Jan. 9, 2026
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Courier.
Song remains the same
"Not only in the states most heavily affected but in every place in this country are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That’s why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more; by hiring a record number of new border guards; by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before; by cracking down on illegal hiring; by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens. … We will try to do more to speed the deportations of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes, to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace. ... We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong … to permit the abuse of our immigration laws ... and we must do more to stop it.”
President Bill Clinton received heavy, bipartisan applause in his 1995 State of the Union Address for those words. Thirty years and millions more illegal aliens later, President Trump is merely pursuing the very immigration polices Democrats once applauded, yet now condemn as “authoritarian.” Someone, please explain.
Steve Kapler, Waterloo
Thank you, and a prediction
First, I thank Mayor Hart for his dedicated service to the city of Waterloo.
I believe that when Dave Boesen becomes mayor, it will mark the beginning of the end of Waterloo’s decades of decline.
Boesen is a man with a well-balanced ego, and he is comfortable with who he is. Most importantly, he understands the importance of effective management and transparency.
His leadership will benefit all of Waterloo. Lead on, my friend.
Don Miller, Waterloo
Wrapping up 2025
Americans have so much to be thankful for as 2025 concludes, especially the competency and effectiveness of our executive branch. Discipline has been restored on the reprehensible migration debacle of the previous charlatan regime, we're no longer writing unconditional checks to Ukraine or funding the majority of NATO.
Interest rates on mortgages are reduced, as is the cost of gasoline. Fewer countries are taking advantage of American trade and major crimes have been reduced thanks to our National Guard. In most cases, retirement accounts have shown admirable returns with encouraging prospects for 2026.
Somehow this progress is willfully and continuously ignored by folks at CNN/MSNBC paid to read vitriol laced teleprompter text, 92% negative slamming of our executive branch. Is Maddow paid $20 million to inform you, or influence you? Think about that.
As MLK Day approaches, let's all work on that "content of character" attribute, nowhere more critically absent and necessary than Congress and their colluding media.
Paul Higgins, Cedar Falls
Hate and horror
They’re baaaack!
The Heritage Foundation, the folks who gave us Project 2025, are back with an update they’re calling “Restoring America’s Promise.” Despite unleashing a campaign of hate and horror on America during 2025, they claim there’s still more they can do. So they’ll continue to eviscerate environmental laws, make immigration enforcement even harsher, cut government agencies and employees, make it even harder to vote, give more tax money to religious schools, and promote the nuclear family ideal while pushing everyone else to the margins.
Are you happy that Iowa is dipping into our emergency reserves to pay for Christian school tuition for rich kids? Enjoying the videos of women and children violently detained and sent to prison camps without due process? Are tariffs making life more affordable? All this and more was planned and executed by Christian nationalists at the Heritage Foundation.
This is the year we can do something about this, but will we? Are you ready to commit to out-voting those who made our current dystopia possible? You’ll need to donate, knock on doors, make calls, and turn out as many midterm voters as possible to begin the work of reclaiming our democracy and our humanity.
Doug Smith, Cedar Falls
Two interesting truths
These two short sentences tell us a lot about our government and our culture:
1. We are advised to not judge all Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics. But we are encouraged to judge all gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.
2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. How come we never hear welfare is running out of money? What is interesting is the first group “worked for” their money, but the second didn’t.
Thank you Trump administration for your efforts to bring back sanity and less nonsense.
Dave Smith, Waterloo
All about the oil
In six months, at great cost, the U.S. will overthrow Maduro in Venezuela. The billionaires and Trump will then divvy up the oil wells. We will have spent hundreds of billions of your dollars. What will you get? Impossibly expensive health care and a feather up your nose so both the billionaires and you can be tickled.
Ronald Orf, Tripoli
New year, new lawn
As we set new goals for 2026, consider one simple change that protects your family’s health: Stop using pesticides for cosmetic lawn care. These chemicals do more than kill weeds; they pose serious risks to people and pets.
Research links pesticide exposure to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, memory loss, and impaired neural coordination. Children and unborn babies are especially vulnerable, with exposure tied to birth defects, hormonal disruption, and genetic disorders. Pesticides also increase cancer risks, including leukemia, bladder, thyroid, and brain cancers.
Pets are not safe either. Dogs and cats playing on treated lawns face higher chances of bladder cancer and lymphoma. A perfect lawn is not worth risking their health or yours.
Join Good Neighbor Iowa, a statewide initiative promoting pesticide-free lawn care. Join the other Black Hawk County residents who have already pledged to go pesticide-free. Make 2026 the year we protect what matters most: our health, our pets, and our planet. Learn more and take the pledge at goodneighboriowa.org.
Together, we can make a difference.
Jordan Holloway, Cedar Falls
As we set new goals for 2026, consider one simple change that protects your family’s health: Stop using pesticides for cosmetic lawn care. These chemicals do more than kill weeds; they pose serious risks to people and pets.
Research links pesticide exposure to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, memory loss, and impaired neural coordination. Children and unborn babies are especially vulnerable, with exposure tied to birth defects, hormonal disruption, and genetic disorders. Pesticides also increase cancer risks, including leukemia, bladder, thyroid, and brain cancers.
Pets are not safe either. Dogs and cats playing on treated lawns face higher chances of bladder cancer and lymphoma. A perfect lawn is not worth risking their health or yours.
Join Good Neighbor Iowa, a statewide initiative promoting pesticide-free lawn care. Join the other Black Hawk County residents who have already pledged to go pesticide-free. Make 2026 the year we protect what matters most: our health, our pets, and our planet. Learn more and take the pledge at goodneighboriowa.org.
Together, we can make a difference.
Jordan Holloway, Cedar Falls
"Not only in the states most heavily affected but in every place in this country are rightly disturbed by the large numbers of illegal aliens entering our country. The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens or legal immigrants. The public service they use impose burdens on our taxpayers. That’s why our administration has moved aggressively to secure our borders more; by hiring a record number of new border guards; by deporting twice as many criminal aliens as ever before; by cracking down on illegal hiring; by barring welfare benefits to illegal aliens. … We will try to do more to speed the deportations of illegal aliens who are arrested for crimes, to better identify illegal aliens in the workplace. ... We are a nation of immigrants. But we are also a nation of laws. It is wrong … to permit the abuse of our immigration laws ... and we must do more to stop it.”
President Bill Clinton received heavy, bipartisan applause in his 1995 State of the Union Address for those words. Thirty years and millions more illegal aliens later, President Trump is merely pursuing the very immigration polices Democrats once applauded, yet now condemn as “authoritarian.” Someone, please explain.
Steve Kapler, Waterloo
Americans have so much to be thankful for as 2025 concludes, especially the competency and effectiveness of our executive branch. Discipline has been restored on the reprehensible migration debacle of the previous charlatan regime, we're no longer writing unconditional checks to Ukraine or funding the majority of NATO.
Interest rates on mortgages are reduced, as is the cost of gasoline. Fewer countries are taking advantage of American trade and major crimes have been reduced thanks to our National Guard. In most cases, retirement accounts have shown admirable returns with encouraging prospects for 2026.
Somehow this progress is willfully and continuously ignored by folks at CNN/MSNBC paid to read vitriol laced teleprompter text, 92% negative slamming of our executive branch. Is Maddow paid $20 million to inform you, or influence you? Think about that.
As MLK Day approaches, let's all work on that "content of character" attribute, nowhere more critically absent and necessary than Congress and their colluding media.
Paul Higgins, Cedar Falls
They’re baaaack!
The Heritage Foundation, the folks who gave us Project 2025, are back with an update they’re calling “Restoring America’s Promise.” Despite unleashing a campaign of hate and horror on America during 2025, they claim there’s still more they can do. So they’ll continue to eviscerate environmental laws, make immigration enforcement even harsher, cut government agencies and employees, make it even harder to vote, give more tax money to religious schools, and promote the nuclear family ideal while pushing everyone else to the margins.
Are you happy that Iowa is dipping into our emergency reserves to pay for Christian school tuition for rich kids? Enjoying the videos of women and children violently detained and sent to prison camps without due process? Are tariffs making life more affordable? All this and more was planned and executed by Christian nationalists at the Heritage Foundation.
This is the year we can do something about this, but will we? Are you ready to commit to out-voting those who made our current dystopia possible? You’ll need to donate, knock on doors, make calls, and turn out as many midterm voters as possible to begin the work of reclaiming our democracy and our humanity.
Doug Smith, Cedar Falls
These two short sentences tell us a lot about our government and our culture:
1. We are advised to not judge all Muslims by the actions of a few lunatics. But we are encouraged to judge all gun owners by the actions of a few lunatics.
2. Seems we constantly hear about how Social Security is going to run out of money. How come we never hear welfare is running out of money? What is interesting is the first group “worked for” their money, but the second didn’t.
Thank you Trump administration for your efforts to bring back sanity and less nonsense.
Dave Smith, Waterloo
In six months, at great cost, the U.S. will overthrow Maduro in Venezuela. The billionaires and Trump will then divvy up the oil wells. We will have spent hundreds of billions of your dollars. What will you get? Impossibly expensive health care and a feather up your nose so both the billionaires and you can be tickled.
Ronald Orf, Tripoli
First, I thank Mayor Hart for his dedicated service to the city of Waterloo.
I believe that when Dave Boesen becomes mayor, it will mark the beginning of the end of Waterloo’s decades of decline.
Boesen is a man with a well-balanced ego, and he is comfortable with who he is. Most importantly, he understands the importance of effective management and transparency.
His leadership will benefit all of Waterloo. Lead on, my friend.
Don Miller, Waterloo
