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Opinion

Wanting to pay it forward after supportive birthday greetings

Columnists

I was turning 50 a few months ago and I was a little apprehensive about it. It’s a milestone birthday that felt a little more palpable — like it hit me harder than other birthdays. Following suit with some of my classmates, I decided to post a picture of me on Facebook denoting my half ...

Is it your time to serve others?

Columnists

It has been a difficult start to the year at the Marshall County Courthouse with the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Supervisor Kevin Goodman. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him as his passion for life and all that he involved himself in was contagious. While Kevin himself ...

Iowa Outdoors

Columnists

Last year, more than 4,600 Iowa taxpayers helped boost wildlife conservation with donations to the Fish and Wildlife Fund on their state tax form. This represents a decline of 12 percent from the 2023 tax year. Overall, the number of donors to the long-standing check-off have declined by more ...

Clean water needs to be a focus point this legislative session

Columnists

Iowa is an agricultural state and plays a major role in feeding America and the rest of the world. Iowa has the best soil in the world. We need to value the impact that agriculture has on our economy and Iowans who are involved in that industry. We must realize that we have work to do in ...

The wind effect, tax relief for Iowa schools

Columnists

Rural Iowa schools are deeply committed to maintaining quality education, but they must continually navigate the fiscal pressures of shrinking enrollment and stagnant local tax bases. In some counties, a steady fiscal boost has arrived in the form of tax revenue from local wind energy projects, ...

What defines me

Columnists

When I was in the throes of cancer treatment and so miserable with nausea and the lower GI’s, I ran across this aphorism: “What Cancer Cannot Do! Cancer is so limited...It cannot cripple Love; It cannot shatter Hope; It cannot corrode Faith; It cannot destroy Peace; It cannot kill ...