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Being Christian

Some strong Trump supporters see him as a voice for Christianity against those who are not believers. This viewpoint should be questioned. For example in 2017, 2018, and 2019 our country had extensive forest fires. Canada sent firefighters to assist us in a time of need. Currently, Canada is fighting its own forest fire. Trump's response is to punish them for their "filthy air" by putting stronger tariffs in place. Somehow his response does not seem to be that of a true Christian. Jesus cared about and helped all. He might see Trump's response as sinful — perhaps even in the ...

To Mark Rohde

This response is for Mark Rohde. Hello Mark, I know you from days gone by but you may not remember me. I read your articles in the T.R. "More names and titles for God." Would it be right to classify those Old testament sayings merely as actions taken by God on behalf of his people, and not additional, personal names? In Exodus 3:13-15 God tells Moses that his ministry will be to God's people-the Jews. He instructs Moses to tell the people that "I am who I am". By His own authority, He names Himself. God only has one name and it is forever the same. He was in the beginning with ...

RAGBRAI: An Iowa appreciation

What better time than RAGBRAI to take a moment to appreciate Iowa? Let’s take a moment to be grateful we are Iowans, a moment to knowledge our bounty, our beauty, our history, and our “Iowa nice!” Thousands come from all over the world and for a week a community grows while feasting on sweet corn and pies of all kinds made by local church people. It’s a chance for Iowa to show the country, the world, our best. It’s a time to reflect on the past, question the present and dream of a future Iowa. Will we continue to watch cancer rates soar? Will we wonder about the education ...

Pay attention to data center discussions

I have recently learned that the city of Marshalltown has been approached about possible data center projects being built here. It doesn't feel like a coincidence that Alliant energy has applied for and been approved to expand the Marshalltown Generating Station. It already has a 650-megawatt capacity, capable of powering approximately 500,000 homes and businesses. The expansion will increase capacity by an additional 720 megawatts. It might be reasonable to assume those increases are being made to accommodate new data centers in the region or in anticipation of a facility being built ...

Whole milk in schools

The recent decision to bring whole and 2% milk back to school lunches is a step backward for school nutrition. Many children—especially students of color—are lactose intolerant, while others simply don't need dairy to maintain a healthy diet. At a time when nutritious plant-based milks are widely available, expanding dairy options instead of embracing more inclusive choices makes little sense. School nutrition programs should reflect today's students, not yesterday's assumptions. Plant-based options better serve diverse dietary needs while also addressing the ethical concerns ...

No new data centers!

Dear editor, Data centers are a huge concern for thousands of Iowans. That’s what Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement has learned from a statewide member survey we did, along with meetings, phone calls and other conversations we’ve done over the past five months. We know data centers gobble up our water, energy and farmland. And we also know they gobble up our tax dollars to the tune of billions each year through property tax abatements, sales tax exemptions and other subsidies. The technology that data centers use may be new, but their underlying story has been around a ...