When I was a child, I wandered the small pharmacy near the end of Second Street, formerly known as Wright Pharmacy. Now known as NuCara Pharmacy, most memories are of being with my grandma, Mildred, at the pharmacy after or before she picked me up from daycare. While this was over 25 years ago, ...
In response to Rep. Dean Fisher's 3/21/2025 editorial. Rep. Dean Fisher’s latest assault on Iowa’s libraries isn’t about protecting taxpayers or children – it’s about silencing viewpoints he dislikes and keeping voters scared, uninformed, and easy to control. His support for House ...
It hasn’t been a good news cycle for Iowa’s public schools recently. The Waterloo Community School District announced budget cuts of over $10 million for their upcoming school year. Then I saw that the Cedar Rapids Community School District is facing a $12 million budget deficit and is ...
It is like a secret language, but when I am out in the wild – meaning, urban or suburban places – sometimes I come across those who grew up in rural Iowa. They might still live in rural areas, or they might not. This is always fascinating. As we start talking, we size each other up to ...
It hasn’t been a good news cycle for Iowa’s public schools recently. The Waterloo Community School District announced budget cuts of over $10 million for their upcoming school year. Then I saw that the Cedar Rapids Community School District is facing a $12 million budget deficit and is ...
Last night (March 26), I attended the Tama County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting. I attended on behalf of the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa (CEDI) to speak about the economic benefits of renewable energy projects. The Tama Clean Energy District (TCED) is a member of CEDI. I also ...
It’s been great to see so many of you engaging with us on social media. I really believe in the power of communication, and social media is a great way to share information quickly. But over the last couple of months, I’ve started to notice the tone of some comments and the lack of respect ...
In a recent case study on the economic impact of wind energy in Howard County, I had the opportunity to work with the Center for Rural Affairs (CFRA). The full report is written by Alex Delworth, Senior Policy Associate, and is available on the CFRA’s website. To collect information for ...
While prohibitive costs and low commodity prices are due in part to the consolidation of the input providers and grain processors, the agricultural system is not the only consolidated industry negatively affecting citizens. Unfortunately, soaring prices throughout the economy are a symptom of ...
Farmers today face many challenges from high overhead costs and low commodity prices to the threat of climate change that may limit yields in the coming decades. However, a new revenue source may be on the way. Vertical, two-sided solar panels are being tested in farm fields at several sites. ...