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John Lewis Voting Rights Bill must pass

I believe that we are in the most important American political period since the Civil War. States have passed enough anti-democratic legislation to forever alter our country. Those things are already … more

By Rod Sullivan | 7/27/21 04:52 PM

Only in Washington, D.C. does the word “trillion” get thrown around so often

Only in Washington, D.C. does the word “trillion” get thrown around so often and so easily. Under the Biden Administration, there’s a lot of bad news coming out of Washington, … more

By Joni Ernst | 7/27/21 04:51 PM

Remembering a trip to Israel right before COVID

Recently I have been working on identifying and placing photos in a Blurb picture book on the trip that Helen and I took to Israel the first week of March 2020 just before the COVID-19 pandemic … more

By Ron Slechta | 7/27/21 04:50 PM

Iowa house addresses need for broadband

Iowa has among the slowest Internet speeds in the country, with some parts of the state having no meaningful service available at all. The pandemic has made us even more aware of the need for all … more

7/14/21 02:34 PM

Thank you to community leaders for organizing summer festivals and events

We want to thank those involved with all the local summer festivals and for working hard to make them a success. Olivia Kahler (chair of Kalona Days), Heather Trimple (chair of Wellman’s July 3 … more

By Ron Slechta | 7/14/21 11:38 AM

Forming and breaking bonds with animals

When I was 9 or 10, my parents decided I was physically able enough to manage the required operation of the rickety old iron pump located conveniently near the barnyard for livestock watering. I … more

7/14/21 11:36 AM

Conspiracy theories harm democracy

Whether you love or hate Donald Trump you must agree that he is a masterful user of the conspiracy theory to manipulate public opinion. Before the 2016 election he was chirping about voter fraud … more

6/29/21 02:15 PM

Thank you, Iowa DOT

With all the confusion and turmoil we experience in our land, we still have people who go above and beyond the call of duty. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) has done a tremendous job … more

6/29/21 02:14 PM

In Christ you are not alone

“None of us lives as his own master and none of us dies as his own master … both in life and in death we are the Lord’s,” St. Paul writes. He is implying our lives do … more

By Derick Cranston | 6/3/21 02:22 PM

Masking up for grass pollen this season

The masks are off. Yep, no question. If you are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, that is the guidance from federal officials, state officials, local officials. And if you are not vaccinated, … more

By Paul D. Bowker | 6/3/21 02:16 PM

Highland continues to build influential STEM programs, improve reading

I was able to do an in-person audit for the Highland Community School District on March 30. I must admit it was nice to return to Iowa for the first time in over a year. This is one of my concluding … more

By Mike Jorgensen | 6/3/21 02:15 PM

Communities need good, effective leaders to thrive

Leaders are the lifeblood of small towns and rural communities. The success or failure of community development efforts often rests with the degree of leadership local residents are willing to … more

By Jordan Feyerherm, Center for Rural Affairs | 6/3/21 02:13 PM

Libraries are back with summer reading programs

I was finally able to return to my local public library for the first time since before the pandemic, and it felt amazing. I’m an avid reader and spending more than a year away from browsing … more

By Molly Roberts | 6/3/21 02:09 PM

Federal election takeover should be rejected

Iowa has one of the best election systems in the country. We consistently rank among the top 10 states for voter registration and participation. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, we set turnout records … more

By Paul Pate | 5/19/21 01:04 PM

Preparing for the June 8 special election for Johnson County Supervisor

I looked around the Democratic Convention Wednesday night, May 12, and saw almost 300 people. Those 300 people took great care in choosing between four very different but very qualified candidates. … more

By Rod Sullivan | 5/19/21 01:01 PM

Writing about perspectives

I’m late again (sorry, in case you’ve been checking). I started a column last week, but then I was approached by a reader (I think it was a reader—or maybe it was just someone who … more

5/5/21 11:46 AM

Growing Solutions Act will help farmers

Carbon payment programs offer a financial opportunity for farmers implementing important conservation on their farms and while there has been growing excitement for these programs, standardization … more

By Kayla Bergman | 4/28/21 01:48 PM

Johnson Co. sees sudden Supervisor vacancy

Supervisor Vacancy As you may have heard, Supervisor Janelle Rettig resigned abruptly on Sunday, April 18 giving no notice. So, Johnson County now has four Supervisors. Taking on her work will … more

4/28/21 01:48 PM

Let’s step up support for crime victims

Services for Iowa crime victims have seen devastating cuts in recent years. Federal funding has been drastically reduced over the past year because of fewer federal prosecutions and convictions … more

By Kevin Kinney | 4/28/21 01:46 PM

There are still 24 hours in each day

Attention all you “oldsters”: Be aware there are exactly the same number of hours in every day as there were when we were children. But now more than ever we are drawn towards chopping … more

By Lois Eckhardt | 4/7/21 02:59 PM