I started my career in rural Iowa in 1974 as an English, speech and reading teacher. Our students were top performers and the state’s education system was the gold standard. Educators and public schools in general were revered and respected by their communities. We didn’t have a lot of ...
Lent began as a way for professing Catholics to remind themselves of the value of repentance. Many people believe that giving something up or fasting for Lent is a way to attain God’s blessing and grace. But the Bible teaches that grace cannot be earned; grace is, by definition, a gift. Also, ...
As we wrap up Week 5 of Session, let me share what has been happening this week. Agriculture Committee Pushes Important Bills Ahead of Funnel The House Agriculture Committee was active this week, advancing legislation on a range of issues including thoroughbred and quarter horse racing, ...
They say that who you are is a product of the books you read and the people you spend time with. They also say that kids are sponges, that the brain reaches 90% of its adult size by age 7, and that these early years lay the foundation of learning and personality that will last the rest of their ...
Hello Friends. As we wrap up our fourth week of session, I wanted to brief you on what is happening here at the Capitol. Audits of the State Auditor’s Office Are Behind Schedule At the close of each fiscal year, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) releases the Annual ...
Beef. It’s what’s for dinner. Well, for some, Argentinian beef. On February 6, President Trump signed an executive order to permit “an additional 80,000 metric tons of lean beef trimmings per year from Argentina to be imported tariff-free in four quarterly tranches of 20,000 metric tons ...
The U.S. needs a great amount of new energy, mostly due to the massive data centers that power artificial intelligence. This electricity should be provided at the lowest cost, with the fewest environmental impacts, and as quickly as possible. The answer would seem to be a mix of electrical ...
January 2026 has come and gone and cold temperatures are here, per normal Iowa weather. The Supervisors had our organizational meeting to start off the year, and I will continue to serve as Vice-Chair. The Boards I will represent for Tama County are the following: Tama County Economic ...
When Democrats Controlled the Budget When Iowa House Democrats controlled the legislature from 2007–2010, fiscal responsibility took a back seat. During those four legislative sessions, Democrats: -Rapidly increased state spending -Used one-time federal bailout money to mask revenue ...
I don’t think I could’ve been happier seeing recent news that South Tama, Urbandale, and Cedar Falls school districts passed Public School Strong resolutions. Cedar Rapids was a week before, and they joined Albia, Belmond-Klemme, Decorah, Bennett, and Keokuk who passed resolutions late last ...