I started my career in rural Iowa in 1974 as an English, speech and reading teacher. Our students were top performers and the state’s education system was the gold standard. Educators and public schools in general were revered and respected by their communities. We didn’t have a lot of ...
So often in our lives, we settle for surface-level interactions. We nod, we smile, we move on. We keep things pleasant. We keep things easy. We keep things safe. But lately, I’ve been thinking about what happens when we don’t. In my life as of late, various situations (some I’ll ...
Well, I suppose it had to happen some day. I wasn't looking for it but now it's been thrust upon me and there's not much I can do about it. It's a heavy burden, I know, but I have broad shoulders, (plus about everything else being broad also), and it will be dealt with in a mature, sensible ...
This week the House introduced House Study Bill 696 dealing with welfare reform. This bill aims to protect the integrity and sustainability of Iowa’s public assistance programs so it can provide proper care for the Iowans who really need it. It does this by empowering disabled Iowans. It ...
Tama County Public Health & Home Care is more than a department—we are a lifeline for our community. Today, some people are asking whether Home Health should continue in Tama County due to our budget. But they have not talked with us, learned what we do, what revenue we bring into the ...
January 2026 has come and gone and cold temperatures are here, per normal Iowa weather. The Supervisors had our organizational meeting to start off the year, and I will continue to serve as Vice-Chair. The Boards I will represent for Tama County are the following: Tama County Economic ...
One of the issues I’ve heard about a lot from constituents has to do with perceived, and real, concerns about weather engineering. House File 2173 is a bill that I’ve allowed to run through the Environmental Protection committee that I chair that deals with the real part of this ...
December 18, 2025, is a day that will live in infamy in the history of the Tama-Toledo News Chronicle. What began as a chilly winter morning quickly unraveled into a series of events that shaped a beautiful, timeless tale we now call Of Mice and Reporters. That morning, I realized I ...
So, Jonny, AKA the kid, was back over Christmas. A delightful time where we both made ample use of our shared office. Then it happened on Dec. 18. Strangely, I woke up before noon on this Thursday. When I did, I texted the kid regarding the rent being due. I had my half and was willing to ...
Folks, I know it's just the beginning of February but once we make it through the next 28 days, we'll be "springing" into March and will finally be able to say we survived the winter of 25/26. Or at least we can at least see the end of winter, can't we? All we have to do is get through ...