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Opinion

Fairy Tales & Cultivating a Christian Imagination

Local Columns

As a father, I have come to truly love the old fairy tales: Cinderella, Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk… even the short, folksy tales like Three Little Pigs and Three Billy Goats Gruff. All of them are simple and memorable, yet profound. But why these stories? There was no great council or ...

Dengler Domain: Time to Fight for Rural Iowa

Local Columns

It is like a secret language, but when I am out in the wild – meaning, urban or suburban places – sometimes I come across those who grew up in rural Iowa. They might still live in rural areas, or they might not. This is always fascinating. As we start talking, we size each other up to ...

Brass Tacks from Rural Iowa: Investing in the ABCs

Editorials

It hasn’t been a good news cycle for Iowa’s public schools recently. The Waterloo Community School District announced budget cuts of over $10 million for their upcoming school year. Then I saw that the Cedar Rapids Community School District is facing a $12 million budget deficit and is ...

Thank You to Tama County!

Editorials

Last night (March 26), I attended the Tama County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. I attended on behalf of the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa (CEDI) to speak about the economic benefits of renewable energy projects. The Tama Clean Energy District (TCED) is a member of CEDI. I also ...

On the Record with Sheriff Schmidt: March 2025

Local Columns

It’s been great to see so many of you engaging with us on social media. I really believe in the power of communication, and social media is a great way to share information quickly. But over the last couple of months, I’ve started to notice the tone of some comments and the lack of respect ...

A Fair View

Local Columns

Well I took a week off. It is time to let Tama County citizen's know some facts. Three years ago, Tama County Against Turbines (TCAT) came to the Board of Supervisors and said they were petitioning us to stop the Winding Stairs Wind Project. The group told us that Salt Creek Wind was already ...

Resurrection Day!!

Local Columns

As Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem, the crowds were perfectly right to shout “Hosanna!” Hosanna is often thought of as a declaration of praise, similar to hallelujah, but it is actually a plea for salvation. Resurrection Day or Easter Sunday is all about salvation. The ...

Dengler Domain: Concert Tickets

Local Columns

While prohibitive costs and low commodity prices are due in part to the consolidation of the input providers and grain processors, the agricultural system is not the only consolidated industry negatively affecting citizens. Unfortunately, soaring prices throughout the economy are a symptom of ...

On Nature: Help for farmers and climate

Local Columns

Farmers today face many challenges from high overhead costs and low commodity prices to the threat of climate change that may limit yields in the coming decades. However, a new revenue source may be on the way. Vertical, two-sided solar panels are being tested in farm fields at several sites. ...