In anticipation of the Apgar Family Water Plaza opening on June 6th at 11am in the Linn Creek District, this is the first of 3 articles documenting the legacy of the Apgar Family in Marshalltown. For 3 generations the family documented, and therefore preserved, key moments in the lives of ...
How many times have you heard someone say “the truth will set you free” when talking about something that may be true but not “the truth” according to the Bible? When Jesus Christ spoke these words in John chapter 8, he was not talking about just any truth, but the truth of God who sent him. We can see this in the immediate and remote context and in the full scope of scripture. “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” Deuteronomy 12:12-18. From ...
In rural Iowa, access to health care isn’t a political talking point — it’s a lifeline. When a hospital cuts services or a clinic closes, it doesn’t just inconvenience families. It can mean longer drives in emergencies, delayed care, and real consequences for our communities. That’s why Congress must protect the federal 340B drug pricing program which is one of the few tools that helps rural providers stretch limited resources without costing taxpayers a dime. The 340B program was created with a simple, bipartisan idea: in exchange for access to lucrative Medicare and ...
In 2050, when China will have just celebrated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and Washington will be preparing to observe America’s 275th year of independence, historians may look back at this summit meeting of the two most consequential leaders on our planet. Recognizing the meeting is coming a time when the international order that has kept our planet safe from a global conflict for 80 years seems to be called into question, these future historians may ask: What did those two presidents do that either put our planet on a trajectory toward ...
You know those whirly-gig helicopter seedlings that soft maple trees shed in the spring by the gazillions, clogging gutters and sprouting little trees in all the places you don’t want trees, like your flower bed, cracks in the sidewalk and your manicured fire bush hedge that you’re so proud of? Those seedlings are called samaras. As a kid we used to bite off the seed, and put the blade on our tongue, blow and make a buzzing sound, like locusts in the fall. We have a huge soft maple tree at the back of our house. In fact, Ginnie and I were married under that tree ten years ago. In ...
Efforts to restrict plant-based products from using the word “milk” are gaining traction again, despite little evidence that consumers are confused (Reuters, April 24, 2026). Most people know exactly what oat milk is — and choose it intentionally. So why the push to regulate language? It’s hard not to see it as an attempt to shield one industry from growing competition. Consumers benefit from clear labeling and diverse choices. Limiting how products are described doesn’t protect the public — it limits innovation and restricts access to alternatives many people prefer for ...
