rown and news of his death have shown that social media is a double-edged sword. Social media is a powerful and great tool, but it is no replacement for news. Sharing on social platforms is a great way to spread information and it’s an avenue news organizations use all the time. But too ...
As journalists, it is our job to find out the who, what, when, where, how and most importantly the why of any given situation. We seek to provide our community with answers and explanations for anything that has happened. But sometimes we can never find a reason why. We are heartbroken ...
Once a year, all local governments in Iowa are required to publish a public notice in a newspaper listing the salaries of every one of their employees. Anyone who thinks public notices aren’t important or aren’t read by the average Iowan should visit their local coffee shop the day that particular item is published. Chances are good that some of the conversation in that shop will be about the salaries of public employees. But those salary lists are far from the only thing that local governments are required to publish as public notices. Vital information about budgets, tax ...
Disaster response is both chaotic and frightening but it could not top the outstanding leadership of city and county employees in the wake of July’s EF-3 tornado. Thanks to that leadership, our community — while still suffering — is on the road to recovery six months later. As the ...
Mental health is a stigmatized topic. Some don’t even believe mental illness exists. However, mental health issues have a grave impact on our community, state and nation and we need to address them and support those who are struggling. One in five adults in American experience a mental ...
Kindness has been apparent from strangers and friends alike following the July 19, 2018 tornado. Without judgement and many times without being asked, people jumped in to help. It’s that spirt that helps make a community great for all. In 2019, we need to carry on that spirit with all our interactions. It’s impossible for us to know what someone may be dealing with. A stranger may be facing domestic violence, financial struggles or addiction without our knowledge. Even those we are closest to may be battling mental health issues that we’re unaware of. If we can all act ...
