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The 2025 West Marshall bond referendum — through my lens pt. 2

In some instances, individual-owed state income tax may not be paid annually, so any time money is borrowed or the sale of bonds are on the table, qualified collateral assets/property are binding. Currently, West Marshall has roughly $3,000,000 in capital project savings not committed to a specific project. Potential projects are reviewed annually to determine which will be funded, put on hold, or left alone in hopes of a larger scale project. These funds could also be used for updating building code compliance or safety improvements for educational facilities. “BUT, I know my ...

The 2025 West Marshall bond referendum — through my lens

Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part editorial column regarding the West Marshall bond referendum written by Jacy Large. Part One: “What is the goal of our (West Marshall’s) school system?” This is a question any individual who has served as an educator, board member or on a facilities committee in the past 10 years at West Marshall has been asked. The top answers given in this time are: To offer superior academics and rigorous programming within a safe learning facility and instructional environment. To become a decorated school in academic programming and ALL ...

Epic since 1925: 100 years of Miller Middle School

Milestones are most often marked in time. In 1925, the building that is now Miller Middle School was opened in Marshalltown. At the newly opened Marshalltown High School (Miller), Adoph Rupp (who led the University of Kentucky’s basketball program to nearly 900 wins) began his coaching career, leading Marshalltown to a state title…in wrestling! Marshalltown was a booming industrial town. Lennox and Fisher controls were well established and the population of Marshalltown was growing. At the same time, in 1925, education in the United States was shifting from a classical approach to a ...

Board of Regents should remember its freedom of expression policy

Not surprisingly these days, free speech on college campuses is back in the headlines. That makes it worthwhile to highlight the seven-page policy the Iowa Board of Regents wrote to proclaim how it values and protects freedom of expression at the three state universities. Before getting to that, it is important to note the regents did not start with blank slate when they crafted their policy. First, they and their policy must comply with the First Amendment, which became part of the Constitution when the lands of Iowa still belonged to France. Second, any sidestepping of the First ...

Three strange paths to not thinking about You-know-who

Are you, like me, kind of freaking out a little bit? Do masked men patrol your city streets, snatching people up and throwing them into vans headed for overcrowded detention centers where they will be held incommunicado and pressured to sign self-deportation orders that abrogate their rights to a fair trial? Have your lawmakers all seemingly gone on an extended vacation, lolling around their favorite lobbyist’s vacation home, swilling free Chateau Lafite Rothschild and fielding job offers to consult in the industries they’re currently regulating, ending the day with some light ...

Summarizing my latest telephone town hall with more than 7,500 Iowans

On October 16th, I hosted a telephone town hall with more than 7,500 Iowans. I provided an update on what’s happening in Congress and answered questions about important issues ranging from tax cuts and trade to agriculture and manufacturing. Listening to Iowans and advancing our shared values in Congress remains a top priority for me, and these conversations are a great way to exchange ideas and hear directly from those I serve. On September 19th, alongside my Republican colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives, I voted to keep the government open and prevent a shutdown that ...