Opinion
From the Desk of Senator Giddens: What’s Your Top Priority in 2024?
Editorials
In the early weeks of the legislative session we’ve seen lots of bills on a variety of divisive topics, many of which I disagree with outright or at the very least think should not be top priorities for the legislature. These bills do not offer more opportunity, freedom, or accountability ...
District 53 Newsletter: Feb. 8, 2024 Edition
Editorials
The legislature is quickly approaching the “funnel” date of February 16 where individually filed bills need to be through the committee process in order to be eligible for floor debate. This week I floor managed through a subcommittee meeting and the full committee meeting HSB 636, that ...
Winter storm demonstrates importance of diverse energy sources
Editorials
Significant snow, wind, and brutally cold temperatures impacted Nebraska and much of the Midwest in January. Given the frequency of extreme weather events experienced across the U.S. during the past several years, preparing for emergencies is an important consideration for utilities and ...
Dengler Domain: Beginning farmer
Agriculture
To be a beginning farmer today if one does not have access to land and machinery from family or an older farmer is not wise. This is not good for rural Iowa. Rural Iowa succeeded when more farmers were on the land. As Iowa heads down this current path, there is not an effective way out. Schools ...
Letter to the Editor: Governor’s AEA proposals are wrong for Iowa
Letters to the Editor
Fifty years ago, AEAs were created with the help of Senator Chuck Grassley to create equal opportunities for all students, so that regardless of where you lived, all children and educators had equal access and support to ensure Iowa students could achieve to the fullest. Through the AEA, I was ...
Wulf’s Weekly Roundup: Listen…Clarify…Debate…Decide…Execute. Charting a path to good legislation.
Editorials
Last week, Iowa House Republicans held a subcommittee on the Governor’s AEA proposal. In the end, the subcommittee decided not to advance the bill to the full committee, citing the need for more conversations on the matter. After hearing from constituents, superintendents, teachers, school ...
From the Desk of Senator Giddens: Update from a Busy Week in the Iowa Capitol
Editorials
Greetings from Des Moines! This week was very busy with lots of committee and subcommittee meetings. Here is a list of bills I voted on this week and how I voted on each bill: Transportation Committee: -SSB 3034 - Reporting requirements of the DOT. My vote: Yes -SSB 3088 - Maximum weight of ...
Pastor’s Column: Gender and Sexual Minorities in the Church
Local Columns
Several years back, a band I was part of was scheduled to play a small coffee shop in San Pedro, California, where the lead singer got her start. When we got there, we found out the venue had accidentally double booked us with an open mic. As the locals drifted in and started to engage, we came ...
Dengler Domain: The ball don’t lie
Local Columns
In Governor Kim Reynolds 2022 campaign ad, it ends with the words “Here in Iowa…America Still Works.” Does it? What version of American is Kim Reynolds envisioning? Her vision appears increasingly to be one where people at the bottom of the economic totem pole are stiffed while the top ...