By now, I’m usually humming along every time I hear “Carol of the Bells” and looking forward to watching my favorite Christmas movie. No, it’s not “A Christmas Carol” or “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It’s Ice Cube’s “Friday After Next.” Yes, “Friday After Next” is ...
When I read the Christmas story, I always wonder: How was it that Mary came to give birth in a barn? The Gospels say simply: “There was no room in the inn.” But could it be that the real reason was there wasn’t enough room in people’s hearts? Ever since I was a boy participating ...
Drive around Iowa these days, and you're likely to see more evidence of solar power. Policy analysts say it gives the state's clean energy portfolio more strength. But along with the benefits comes a need for long-term planning. All of Iowa's 99 counties now have solar projects ...
There’s an unfortunate trend continuing in Iowa and across the nation that must be addressed: the negative behavior of some coaches, parents, and fans at high school athletic events. Far too often, we see yelling, harassment, disrespect, and even physical assault directed at high school ...
As political campaigning for the midterm elections is ramping up, millions of voters are considering how they should cast their ballots on Nov. 8, 2022. In addition to the traditional way of voting at their local precinct on Election Day, many have the option to vote earlier by mail. With the ...
A former colleague of mine was stabbed to death in his yard this month, apparently for writing something someone didn’t like. His name was Jeff German and he was a crackerjack reporter who spent a career covering crime and corruption in Las Vegas. We worked together at the Las Vegas Sun some ...
Storm Lake is 150 miles from the Iowa Capitol and 240 miles from the major leagues, and we have two electric vehicles. So this headline in The New York Times caught our attention: “You want an electric car with a 300-mile range? When was the last time you drove 300 miles?” Clearly, the ...
Food shouldn’t be an impossible choice. This is a bold statement, but very truthful. For the general population, we take it for granted that there will be something to eat when we get home from school, work, or play. And we will have a choice of what to eat. But in northeast Iowa, for over ...
Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) issued the following joint statement after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized a key rule allowing hearing aids to be sold over-the-counter, an effort they have worked on since 2017: "Five years after our bipartisan ...
The holiday season is upon us, and for many people that means making purchases for gift exchanges and planning the menu for family and work gatherings. But, for our nation’s small business owners, preparing for the biggest and busiest time of the year can take months of hard work, and ...