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Columnists

250 years of presidential scandals: Time to remodel politics

During 250 years of America’s existence, whenever a scandal involving a U.S. President occurred, the public was shocked and dismayed. When presidential scandals erupt, faith and trust in America – by its citizens as well as allies throughout the world -- is lost and takes decades to ...

The Warme Wire: Week 1

This week marked the first week of the 2026 legislative session, and I was grateful to be back at the Capitol in Des Moines representing you. The opening week is always a busy one, filled with speeches from legislative leaders, the Governor, the Chief Justice, and the Adjutant General. It sets ...

Inside Education: From high achievement to high impact

Phi Theta Kappa plays a vital role in helping high-achieving students at Marshalltown Community College turn their academic potential into real opportunities for scholarships, leadership, and transfer success. As the premier honor society for two-year colleges, it gives MCC students recognition ...

Barker Bulletin: Off to the races

The 2nd Legislative Session of the 91st General Assembly convened on Monday. It was my honor to ceremonially notify the Governor that the House was duly organized and ready to receive whatever messages she wishes to convey. With this being a shorter session, deadlines come more quickly and the ...

District 53 Newsletter from Rep. Dean Fisher

The 2026 Legislative got underway this week with the usual pomp and circumstance of speeches from the House leadership and the addresses from Governor Reynolds, Chief Justice Christensen of the Iowa Supreme Court and Major General Osborn, Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard. Gov. ...

Moving the community forward

As the calendar turns toward 2026, it is worth reflecting not just on what Marshalltown has accomplished in 2025, but on how, and why, we continue to move this community forward. At its core, local government is about delivering excellent services to every resident, every day. In 2025, that ...