Forty-three years ago, when Greg Pithan was in charge of Public Works for the city of Danbury. This job required Greg, also known as Gordy to maintain the the city including the streets, water supply, and park. He was also required to become a firefighter as part of his job description. Well, 10 years ago, Gordy retired from his job with the city. However, even though he no longer was required to do tasks required as a firefighter, Gordy continued as a member of the Danbury Fire Department.
    Forty-three years is a long time to haul heavy fire hoses around burning land or properties, to wear heavy gear when it's too hot to wear heavy gear, and to serve pancakes to the public to raise more money. He has also been around the world of firefighting to see some big changes in the department. He said that among those changes are improvements to the firefighting equipment and safety gear. The trucks have also become more efficient, he added. Technology and handheld radios have made communication much better, too. The department also gained some vital rescue equipment which, fortunately, is used more during training than needed for actual calls.
    While new and updated equipment rotated throughout the last 43 years, there was one major improvement to the department of which Greg is the most proud - the fire station. In 2001, the former fire station was moved down the street to make room for the current fire station. As public works director, Greg was an integral part of the project, both moving out the old station to use for the city's equipment and and being involved in the building the new station. As firefighter, he gave his input on needs and wants for the new building.
    Gordy has been around the fire block long enough to participate in some memorable fires, hoping to save property and belongings of others. He said that his least favorite part of his firefighting career was the loss of that property when it was just too late to help save the structure. Unfortunately, more times than not, fires are detected when the smoke is visible, when it's too late to save. Being a firefighter means working in vain to save said property.
    Gordy was very committed to Danbury Fire over the years. He held offices on the department including fire chief, answered the call when paged for a fire or a vehicle crash, and was there for his fellow firemen. He also made sure he was there to help with fundraisers, be it the pancake breakfasts or Corn Days events led by the fire department. He had advice for anyone considering joining the department.
    "Be prepared to commit 100% to the whole thing," he said. "Training, meetings and community events are all as important as showing up when the page comes through. Be prepared to miss some personal stuff like birthdays and sports events. It comes with the territory when you serve in a small community department. It's a brotherhood, and you should be proud to be a part of it.:
    As for the brotherhood he has retired from, he has advice for the current firefighters.
    "Continue to learn the new stuff and go to all the training available," he added. "You never know what could happen and how you'll need to be prepared in the future. Things change so quickly, and being prepared for every situation is the best you can do for the community you serve."
    While he has hung up his turn-out gear, Gordy hasn't retired his fire shirt quite yet. He plans to help the department out for their fundraisers and give a helping hand by making meals for their monthly meetings.
    Thank you for your past and continued service to Danbury Fire Department, Greg!

    Catholic Schools Week kicks off this weekend. Sunday night the school invites all to celebrate with them and perhaps earn the chance to holler Bingo. Their annual Bingo night will be held on Sunday at the school.
    The evening event begins with food served starting at 5:00. Taverns, hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, and chips will hopefully fill tummies and will be served until food runs out of Bingo is almost done.
    The Bingo portion of the evening begins at 6:00. Thirty games will be played with cards priced at $5 each. A final blackout game will be held with the cards priced at a buck a card.
    A giveaway basket will also be present with tickets available for the raffle.
    Plan to join others for a meal and entertainment.

    The Woodbury County Cattlemen's Association will be holding their Annual banquet on Saturday, January 24th at the Anthon Events Center. Social hour will held from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. with a steak dinner catered by Staley's at 6:30. Entertainment this year will be provided by The Nolan Clark Band from 9:00 until midnight.
    Tickets are $30.00 each and may be purchased at the door.

    The League of Women Voters of Sioux City is sponsoring the first 2026 Iowa Legislative Town Hall on Saturday, January 24th from 10:00am to 11:30pm. at the Sioux City Public Museum, 607 4th Street; Sioux City, 51101. The public is invited to attend and share questions or concerns with their elected state representatives. Iowa state legislators representing Woodbury County will be asked to share their legislative priorities for 2026, followed by questions from the audience.
    Legislators invited to participate are Senator Catelin Drey, Senator Kevin Alons, Representative JD Scholten, Representative Bob Henderson, Representative Travis Sitzmann, and Representative Jacob Bossman
    The event will be live streamed on LWV Facebook page, "League of Women Voters of Sioux City." Questions may be posted in advance on the Facebook event or emailed to LWVSiouxCity@gmail.com. Future Town Halls will be on February 28, 2026 and March 28, 2026.
    Legislative town halls play a critical role in Iowa's citizen legislature, where lawmakers rely on constituent input to understand the real-world impacts of proposed bills. Town halls provide a direct and public forum for sharing concerns, personal experiences, and holding representatives accountable through civil discourse.
    Why Town Halls Matter:
    • Bridge Knowledge Gaps: As part-time lawmakers, Iowa legislators depend on public input to understand how legislation affects communities.
    • Share Personal Impact: Town halls allow constituents to explain how specific bills affect their families, businesses, or local communities.
    • Ensure Accountability: Town halls are public forums to question representatives about their votes and positions.
    • Other: Direct engagement can shape legislators' understanding before bills advance, highlight concerns that may not be on leadership's priority list, allow legislators to assess constituent views, making participation meaningful.
    How to Participate Effectively: Come informed about specific bills and their impacts, clearly state support or opposition, connect legislation to personal or community experiences, and ask direct, respectful questions.
    For more information please call Dagna Simmons at 712-624-4428 or email LWVSiouxCity@gmail.com.
About League of Women Voters Sioux City (LWVSC)
    The League of Women Voters of Sioux City is a non-partisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

    At the January 13th Danbury City Council meeting, the council including a new mayor and two new councilpersons, discussed a number of items which would indicate forward progress in this town.
    Janet Pithan approached the council and mentioned placing a sign on the shelter house designating the building as the shelter house. The sign would assist those looking for the shelter house to find it. Some discussion ensued with Mayor Bob Welte mentioning a sign on posts instead of placing on the building. The consensus of any expressing an opinion that this was a project that would be a positive step. Pithan suggested holding a community garage sale with donations from community members and all proceeds going to the sign project. This project will be discussed at future meetings.
    The council also addressed concerns from the Friends of the Library. Librarian Anna Grell, speaking for the group, mentioned that the drop box was not working for their needs, that gutters needed to be repaired or replaced, and that some landscaping was needed. Mayor Welte responded that the city would look into exactly what is required for the drop box and agreed that the gutter and landscaping issues needed to be resolved. Grell added that the Friends have applied for a grant to upgrade the bathroom and back entry so that they are handicapped accessible.
    The council also discussed the annexed area on Hawkeye on which Austin Bettin has placed a shed. Bettin was curious what options they would have for sewer. The matter has been tabled so that more information could be obtained.
    The minutes from this meeting can be found in a later article.