One of the hindrances to the development of alternative energy is the shortage of rare earth elements such as neodymium and dysprosium that are essential in the powerful magnets used in wind turbines and electric vehicle motors. Currently, domestic production of these critically needed elements ...

Last week the Iowa Senate passed Senate File 2369. A part of this bill would allow some public school students to use some of their per-pupil state funding allocation toward tuition or other educational expenses at a private school. This could hurt public schools and even more so, rural public ...

April Fools’ Day talks a big game, but nothing happens. Not one time has this day come and gone, and there was something which fooled me. I do not know any pranksters, but this day is all talk and no walk. Never once has a friend or family member started off a sentence with, “Oh, you know ...

The world’s climate is changing, caused by an atmosphere warmed by the increased amount of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. Atmospheric scientists have warned for many years that this warming would have serious consequences, and now, according to the book “A Global Warming ...

It is well known that the Arctic has warmed much faster than the rest of the world, but the reasons for this accelerated warming are less clear. Part of it is caused by changes in the Arctic’s albedo or reflectivity. Snow and ice reflect much of the sun’s light. However, as the Arctic ...

History is beautiful. Every little part of it. The best part is that is always around. Every day, a new piece of history can be unveiled. For example, driving through Pleasantville, Iowa, I came across an old school or Masonic Temple with gorgeous stained glass. While it did not look used for ...

Tama-Grundy Publishing is excited to welcome native Tama Countian David Voigts as its newest columnist. Voigts is a retired ecologist and the current Conservation Chair for the Prairie Rapids Audubon Society. Having grown up in rural Tama County, Voigts spent many youthful days hunting and ...

A public school district is the most important part of a rural community. It is the cultural, educational, and job center of the town and surrounding towns. A decent chance exists for it to be the highest employer in town and the surrounding communities. They are a vital fabric for the ...

I turn thirty on Sunday. The big 3-0, my golden birthday. A celebration I was always jealous of other kids in grade school. A lot of kids could celebrate it, but I have had to wait well past grade school to enjoy it. Thirty is a big day. While not a big achievement compared to others, it always ...

In celebration of my fantasy football championship which no one cares about but one should celebrate their wins, I want to do something special. Normally, I would make my wife give me a big champagne bath like you see when a sports team wins a championship, but this year is different. Due to ...