Here’s a version of the Christmas story you’ve probably never heard before: “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then ...

Here’s an experiment. An object lesson. Think about the last 20 people you met. Picture their faces in your mind. Think about their lives, their dreams. Think about the people they matter to, and the people who matter to them. If statistics hold, over the next few months one of these ...

As the calendar turns from November to December, it is wild to think how fast 2023 flew by. As a child, the passing of a year felt like a long time. It took so many years to be able to ride in the front seat. Then it was so many years until I could drive the car. I could not wait for the next ...

Many ways of combating climate change have been proposed. One seemingly common-sense method is to put a fee on the carbon dioxide emitted by industry and give this money to each American as a cashback payment that would offset any increased costs of these products. Since all payments would be ...

The annual August roadside survey of pheasants found Iowa’s statewide pheasant population to be nearly 23 birds per survey route; a 15 percent increase over 2022. The biggest increases were in the southwest, northwest and northeast regions. Our pheasant population is the highest it’s been ...

In a state full of Hawkeyes, Cyclones, and a few Panthers and Bulldogs, some of the other schools get lost in the fray. These smaller colleges and universities also deserve their time in the limelight. This is not about the academics at the school, it is about the mascots. More importantly, it ...

On October 7, the terrorist organization Hamas launched a series of surprise attacks from their stronghold in Gaza into Israeli territory, killing more than 1,400 people and taking 239 hostages. The world was shocked to see the brutal murder of innocent women, children, and the elderly. In ...

Modern day reality television has only been around for the last 30 years or so, but it feels like it has taken over society in this time span. Survivor was the first modern day hit with people dropped into a remote land while figuring out how to survive and win the competition. While it ...

Forty-nine years ago a three-year-old bull moose weighing about 1,500 pounds and having an antler spread greater than three feet across was poached in Tama County. That moose is now back and once again calls Tama County home. Anyone old enough who resided here nearly 50 years ago should ...

As you read this there are combines in the fields or soon will be. Harvest will be well underway. The leaves on the trees will no longer be green but brilliant, reds, oranges or yellows. We may find that in the mornings a coat or sweat shirt may feel quiet comfortable. Yet there is ...