“It’s horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment,” Ansel Adams once said. Later, Bill Moyers clarified the problem being that the power of money trumps the power of democracy, meaning that a democratic form of government inevitably bends to the will of the ...
It’s been a couple months since I’ve written one of these, and I appreciate everyone’s patience. Things have been busy, and while that’s not an excuse, I know how important it is to stay in touch with the people we serve. When I took office, I said I would keep the public in the loop, ...
As I mentioned last week, I recently took a trip to California. I was stationed in the Monterey Bay area, visiting my roommate and one of my closest friends, Chris. Longtime readers know Chris — he’s been a recurring figure in this column — and this time, he’s the catalyst for the ...
The term 'derecho' has been thrown out a few times this week. I don't know. I'm writing this at 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, so maybe that's all the noise I hear outside. Either way, I remember the first derecho, you know the one I'm talking about. It has become like the JFK assassination; ...
It’s summer and school-aged children are home for break. More meals eaten at home means food purchasing budgets are stretched. For eligible families, Healthy Kids Iowa (HKI), a summer feeding program, is Iowa’s answer to meeting those needs. The South Tama County Food Pantry located on ...
I am a full on adult now. The big 21, the last age that really matters in the grand scheme of things. None of this kid or child stuff now, just me and the world: A life of freedom, with unlimited potential and difficult decisions to make. Oh, did I mention I’m writing this as I sit in ...
One of the questions I get the most these days is: "What's your father up to?" The answer is, I don't know. The man usually leaves at the crack of dawn, and I don't see him again until he comes home in the evening. Your guess is as good as mine. The fact is, with The Old One, I think ...
Every once in a while, this column has to challenge your smarts and wits. It's some kind of rule that simply has to be adhered to. We do not want any faithful reader of my column to become lackadaisical, enervated, languorous or torpid during the dog days of summer. It's vital that every ...
Volunteer firefighters are the backbone of Iowa’s emergency response system, especially in rural areas. As the state faces a growing crisis in recruitment and retention, it’s time to take a closer look at the current state of Iowa’s volunteer fire service and why support is urgently ...
Let me preface this story by saying: I am no hater of animals. I love animals and generally live with a deep respect for all creatures. That being said, I do not take well to surprises, I can and will hold a grudge, and I like things in order. Now that I’ve made myself sound completely ...