You could fertilize a fine field of corn with the analysis spread around on what animates rural White voters. Why did Iowa flip from Obama to Trump? Is Ohio indelibly red? Why does Joe Six Pack of …
Last month, Iowans got our bill for property taxes and then a week or so later we received a new assessment on our homes and property. For many, it was a big shock. I've heard from folks in my …
Last week was one to savor. But it also was a week to reflect on how far we still need to travel to have true citizen engagement in our state and local governments. First, some savoring. The Iowa …
Former Storm Laker Ruth Galey was featured on Antiques Roadshow Monday night on PBS. Galey brought three dozen “Dick and Jane” teacher easel cards she rescued from Storm Lake’s old South …
Buena Vista County Engineer Bret Wilkinson has come up with a financing plan for developing roads around the new soy crush plant that should be of some relief to county taxpayers. The project will …
Iowa legislators passed a bill to further restrict food stamps to hungry people, and Gov. Kim Reynolds probably will sign it. Similar efforts are underway in other legislatures. In Congress, too, …
President Joe Biden’s order that Dreamers should be allowed to receive health care benefits is appreciated, but the whole convoluted exercise would be unnecessary if Congress had an ounce of …
The Iowa Supreme Court put Gov. Kim Reynolds in her place and made clear to everyone that public records are public, and that custodians of those records — including the governor — must produce …
The legendary Murra Marilyn Murra. Where do I even begin? A great article from Jamie Knapp on this legend. I was never a volleyball player of hers (but I think she taught me typing in the late …
Iowa’s fifth congressman, Rep. Ro Khanna of Silicon Valley in California, noted that since the Iowa Caucuses have been abandoned by the Democratic National Committee it should be obvious that he …
In the final book of his Annals of the Former World anthology, writer John McPhee tackles the geology and geography of the still-young, barely holding-together Golden State. His title, like his …
We would do well to momentarily sheath our sabers and consider China’s place among Iowa’s biggest food customers, along with Mexico and Canada. The mainland’s military last weekend was …
My friend Denny and I were as different as night and day. He was conservative; I wasn't. I accused him of being to the right of Atilla the Hun. He accused me of working for Pravda, the famed …
“Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will watch the watchmen?” — the Roman poet Juvenal “Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings.” — Heinrich …
As Mary and I enjoyed the Easter buffet at King’s Pointe Sunday morning, I was reminded of my days as an altar boy as a youth at St. Mary’s Church, when I used to serve funerals. After the …
It takes guts to spend almost 50 years fighting the federal government’s Clean Water Act and then claim its failure to overcome your decades-long foot-dragging and legal maneuvering has hurt your …
It’s a relief to know that property taxes collected to pay for the development of Project Awaysis along East Lakeshore Drive are now flowing in the right direction and not to other taxing …
Child abuse awareness April is Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month, an initiative meant to prompt communities, draw their attention to a problem, and encourage them to seek meaningful …
Children are dying from gunfire in school. Waves of refugees uprooted by drought and famine are knocking at the door. And we find ourselves obsessed with drag queens and legislative decorum. Jesus …
Fresh off his indictment, booking and fingerprinting in Manhattan on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump emerged in Mar A Lago to vent his rage before a crowd of supporters. Trump called the Black …