Gov. Kim Reynolds’ message for Iowans has been consistent since the coronavirus pandemic arrived a year ago: Yes, wearing masks is important, the governor has made clear, but government should leave it to people to do right thing. Reynolds has been under intense pressure, both for and ...
Today’s friendly family resource information is brought to you by the letters S, I, C and F. A new resource called Sesame Street in Communities is free — available to parents, caregivers, community partners...or everyone in your neighborhood. Let’s learn more. Sesame Street in ...
While cleaning out the garage of an elderly friend who died recently, what did I find under a pile of 1967 Playboys but a typewriter. It wasn’t just any typewriter but a vintage IBM Selectric II. I moved all 37 pounds of it to the trunk of my car. There’s a scene in “Mad Men” where a ...
I read with some interest that our new Congresswoman, Ashley Hinson, visited MCC recently and toured the facility to the obvious delight of the chancellor and other college staff. They were flattered and responded very positively to her visit, “after only a month in office.” Curiously, ...
When I first moved to Iowa, I had four children ages 5 and under. The thought of getting a job, much less finding childcare for my small children was overwhelming. I became a registered child care provider. I was able to stay at home with my children and care for additional children in my home ...
House Republicans have worked hard to make childcare more affordable and accessible to Iowans. It is the hope of our caucus that the proposals we move forward will provide relief to the problems parents are facing across the state. We also hope that by addressing this issue, holes that ...
Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time to recognize their role in history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” which was the brainchild of historian Carter G. Woodson and other ...
This is not a feel-good story. Of course, it’s easy to see why it has been positioned as one. Certainly, it contains all the elements: vulnerable people, heart-rending need, someone going above and beyond. But this is not a feel-good story. Not to mock or cast aspersions on the noble ...
Watching never-before-seen video of the mob assaulting the U.S. Capitol presented by the House impeachment managers was infuriating. For the first time, Americans saw surveillance footage that showed just how close the rioters got to senators, congressmen and Vice President Mike Pence. But what ...
Through the years, the Iowa Legislature has chosen an official state flower and a state bird. There’s also a state tree and even an official rock. It may be time for lawmakers to designate an official state punctuation mark, too. The question mark seems to be an appropriate choice — ...
Being a writer with my little ole undergraduate Degree in English from Iowa State, I pay closer attention to words than maybe most people. My one class in linguistics (I didn’t even know what “linguistics” was) taught that language is fluid, and constantly changing to reflect times and ...
Thank you for printing the following articles recently. I wish to note them and add comments. “Outdoors today,” Feb. 7; Gary Brandenburg plainly describes earths climate cycles. In the next to last paragraph he accurately describes politicians attempts to distract the public into ...
One of the hot button issues of this week has been the issue of parental choice in education. Last week the Senate passed Senate File 159 dealing with several education-related issues including parental choice for families that reside in school districts that have low-performing schools. There ...
Newly elected Congresswoman Hinson is going to fit in very nicely with Iowa’s Republican delegation as she is, of course, sounding the alarm about federal spending. I realize she wasn’t there with her Republican cohorts who, for the last four years, said nothing about the overspending by ...
This was the fourth week of the legislative session. We continued our work on many important issues in subcommittee and committees, and also had more floor debate. One of the bills we discussed is Senate File 231, allowing a person holding a special minor’s driver’s license who resides on ...
As winter’s fury looms over Central Iowa, once again, I remind myself that this is February and what else am I to expect? This winter won’t last forever, and Punxsutawney Phil is just a captive groundhog — what does he really know? Phil only works one day a year, and the remainder of his ...
Warning: Disturbing stuff ahead. There’s a conspiracy theory called Frazzledrip. Even for QAnon types, it’s pretty fringe, which is saying something. Recall that the central belief in Q-world is that there’s a secret cabal of Satan-worshiping, sex-trafficking pedophiles running the ...
The purpose was pretty simple when the Iowa Legislature wrote the state’s public meetings law many years ago: Government boards are required to announce their meetings at least one day in advance, and officials must tell the public what will be discussed and voted on. People are entitled ...
Ifinally did it! I hit the 180 lb goal I‘ve been chasing for a year now. I should clarify that the scales said 180.8 lbs this morning but, hey, it‘s less than 181. I‘ll claim it! All told, I‘ve lost 50 lbs over a year-and-a-half. 180 lbs has been my target weight the whole time. ...
So last week, Sen. Josh Hawley complained that he was being “silenced.” He lodged this complaint on Fox “News” and in The New York Post. As social media observers promptly pointed out, that’s a level of media exposure that effectively refutes the senator’s claim. But Hawley is in ...