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Editorial
Local residents refuse to bow down to big corporations
Our Opinion
I t’s becoming increasingly clear that large corporations hold significant control over today’s world.
From online shopping to local services, it’s hard to do much without a corporate giant in the mix. Some of these companies are now taking a serious toll on well-established Hartington businesses.
Amazon has already reshaped retail, wiping out many malls and forcing big-name stores into bankruptcy. Now, smaller corporations are having a similar impact on small towns like ours.
The recent purchase of the Arbor Care Center by Des Moines-based Accura Care is just one example of how outside corporations are extending their reach into our community.
Accura recently brought in representatives working with a national pharmacy. They told local nursing home residents they had to work with this company, rather than the local pharmacy, or face exorbanent extra fees.
The residents, their family members and care givers came out in force last week to oppose the idea.
In a meeting here last week, they told the national firm they didn’t believe additional fees were fair and they wanted to stick with the local pharmacy.
This situation is a powerful reminder that small towns thrive when residents stand together.
The overwhelming response from local families, caregivers, and residents who opposed the forced switch to a national pharmacy sends a clear message: community matters.
When we support each other — whether it’s choosing a local pharmacy, shopping in Main Street stores, or defending long-standing institutions — we help preserve the independence, trust and personal care that define towns like Hartington.
We don’t have to accept the slow erosion of our local economy by distant corporate interests.
Every dollar spent at a local business strengthens our town’s foundation. Every stand we take for fairness and local control helps keep our community vibrant and self-reliant.
Hartington has always been built on neighbors helping neighbors — and now more than ever, that spirit is worth protecting.
