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Opinion

Brass Tacks from Rural Iowa: A roundup of concerns…

Editorials

On February 10, I made it over to the state capitol in Des Moines to check out the “Defeat the Cancer Gag Act” day of action hosted by CCI Action, Food & Water Watch, and others. Bayer seems to be spearheading the effort behind Senate File 394 that, if passed, would make it harder for ...

Dengler Domain: Microcosm

Local Columns

What I love about rural America is how it is a microcosm of society. Everything is done on a smaller scale, and it shows how society works. When these small towns dot the landscape, they are each unique and self-reliant communities. While they lack chain stores, restaurants, and other ...

Dengler Domain: The System

Local Columns

Senate Study Bill 1051 has entered the state legislature. Proponents for this bill say it prevents litigators from bringing frivolous lawsuits which have racked up millions of dollars to cancer patient lawsuits. Opponents say the bill makes it harder to bring these lawsuits, thus helping shield ...

The Underfunding of Iowa’s Public Schools Continues

Editorials

Last week, over the objections of Senate Democrats and school districts around the state, Senate Republicans advanced a school funding bill that will continue to leave our public schools underfunded and force our students to do more with less. Senate Republicans, in concert with Gov. ...

Q&A: Tax Season Underway

Editorials

Q: What should taxpayers keep in mind during tax season? A: The IRS officially kicked off tax season and started accepting and processing federal individual tax returns for the 2024 tax year. The federal tax-collecting agency this year expects more than 140 million individual tax returns. ...

Baby It’s Cold Outside

Local Columns

With the sub arctic temperatures and the wicked winds from the west it feels like Winter has finally shown its ugly head. Many people are asking how long until spring shows up and when can I put my snow blower away for good. Unfortunately, I cannot answer that question and I don’t believe ...

Dengler Domain: Small Businesses

Local Columns

The United States was built on the back of small businesses, be it farmers or small merchants. When financial and political power is spread between many, this makes a healthier democracy. As Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis said, “We must make our choice. We may have democracy, or we ...

On Nature: Climate change warnings

Local Columns

In 1979, when Jimmy Carter was President, the National Academy of Sciences convened a panel to look into recent studies that indicated that emissions of carbon dioxide could warm the planet. They concluded, “If (atmospheric) carbon dioxide continues to increase, … climate change will result ...

District 53 Newsletter: Feb. 6, 2025

Editorials

Week 4 of the session was marked with sorrow and reflection as we mourned the loss of one of our House colleagues, Rep. Martin Graber. Rep. Graber was not only a beloved husband and father, but also a 32 year veteran of the Iowa National Guard, retiring as a Brigadier General. He was elected ...

Addressing Iowa’s Childcare Crisis

Editorials

Last week, in an effort to tackle an ongoing crisis that affects Iowa’s children, families, and workers alike, Senate Democrats are turning our attention toward one of Iowa’s most persistent issues: childcare. Childcare is one of the single-largest expenses in the monthly budget for any ...