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Opinion

Magic Mike 6XL: The Cupcake and The Bush

Local Columns

My parents have been married for over forty years, which has spawned many stories. I would be neglectful in my narration if I didn’t mention the story of the cupcake and the bush. My father, the old one, is not a romantic type. Aniversaries, Valentines, and other days of note usually come ...

Just Jonathan: An incredible invasion

Local Columns

I don’t like mice. Never have, never will. While my experiences go way back to when I was a wee boy, not much has changed. I couldn’t have been more than ten years old when, after many years of hard work and service, we decided to replace our cherished four-slice toaster. It was on the ...

Trump and Grassley are senile

Letters to the Editor

Donald Trump on television instead of saying all the great things he has done Trump was bashing Biden. That is what you get when you elect old senile people like Trump and Grassley. When will republicans blame Biden for paying a porn star to keep her mouth shut? Whoops, that was Trump. The ...

An update on the county budget

Editorials

We have turned the page on another year at the Tama County Board of Supervisors. Mid-January means that it is time for budget hearings and discussions. When the new board took over last January, we promised transparency and made a commitment to the taxpayer to use sound budgeting principles. ...

Just Jonathan: The rollercoaster of life

Local Columns

I didn’t like rollercoasters when I was little. That feels like a strange thing to admit now, especially considering how much I enjoy them today, but for a long time I was perfectly content staying on the ground. I remember trips to Adventureland where my dad and sister would disappear into ...

On Nature: Cattle and Conservation

Local Columns

It is good at the start of a new year to look back for positive environmental stories. Especially noteworthy this year are two locally-led, cost-sharing projects that demonstrate the compatibility between cattle and conservation. They are Iowa’s Cattle and Conservation Working Lands Project, ...

Iowa can’t survive its current government

Letters to the Editor

Iowa cannot survive another government that we have been living with. Grassley still getting a paycheck for governing must be an easy job. Healthcare — let’s demand what they have! Those responsible for meeting once a month with the resident council at IVH did not meet once and denied ...

Just Jonathan: The Sister’s Significant Other Situation

Local Columns

I’ve shared many times that my sister and I have grown fairly close since I left high school a few years ago. I’ve had my own personal ups and downs, and she’s always been there for me. It’s been a rewarding experience as we both navigate new chapters of our lives, enjoying each ...

Magic Mike 6XL: Watering the weeds

Local Columns

It could be two in the afternoon or two in the morning, eight am, noon, six, ten, or 4:47 Christmas morning. The time doesn’t matter. Whatever time it is, someone will be in the bathroom. For almost thirty long years now, I have lived in the same house with the same three other people with ...

Heather’s Highlights: County Government and You, December 2025

Local Columns

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year’s! At least we got a break from all the snow we were getting in early December. I’m excited to have celebrated my 1-year anniversary since I took the oath of office as a County Supervisor. Thank you for the opportunity to ...