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Opinion

Q&A: Protecting kids online

Editorials

Q: What can be done to address the mental health crisis among America’s youth? A: Even before the pandemic led to school closures and months of isolation away from their classmates, warning signs flagged a mental health crisis among America’s adolescents. Study after study shows that ...

Our lawmakers are only buying time for biofuels

Editorials

Iowa’s congressional delegation mustered a goal-line defense for biofuel subsidies as the last holdouts to the House passing a debt ceiling bill that slashes government spending and sets up a showdown with President Joe Biden. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy got the four Iowa votes in the ...

Commentary on Teacher Appreciation Day and Week

Editorials

Who was your favorite teacher? It's a question we all can answer. Not only can we likely tell at least one story of how a teacher has made a difference in our lives, we can likely remember the teacher’s name, the grade, and the core memories of the moments that left an impression. Mention ...

From the Desk of Sen. Giddens: April 28 Edition

Editorials

As we enter the final stage of the 2023 legislative session, we have been making progress on budget bills, and it is likely that we will adjourn the session next week. As the ranking member of the Commerce Committee, which deals with financial services industry regulations, I am proud to ...

Dengler Domain: Volunteering

Local Columns

Whether it is giving money or donating my time to an organization, it is always worth it. Volunteering in the community is important. I saw it with my grandpa’s participation in the Lion’s Club which consisted of grandma and grandpa cutting up onions for their dinner, driving the truck ...

Smash Your Smartphone, Part 4: Drastic Measures

Local Columns

Admittedly, “Smash your smartphone” is a bit of a dramatic exaggeration, meant to shock you into paying attention. I didn’t smash my smartphone. It wasn’t until I dropped my smartphone in the toilet that I finally got rid of it. My wife still uses her iPhone 6 for a camera. My ...

From the Desk of Sen. Giddens: April 21 Edition

Editorials

It’s been a busy week at the Capitol! On Monday morning, I had the pleasure of joining a great group of 5th graders from Lincoln Elementary School in Cedar Falls for a tour of the Capitol. I enjoyed answering their questions and I appreciate their enthusiasm to learn more about state ...

District 53 Newsletter: April 20, 2023

Editorials

Week 15 of the session was a short week, we debated bills on Wednesday and Thursday in the House. Many of the bills we debated were bills that were amended in the Senate earlier in the week and sent back to the House for consideration. House File 317, a bill that I filed known as the ...

On Nature: Crops and Climate

Local Columns

If Iowa’s climate keeps changing as a result of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide from man’s activities, corn and soybean yields are predicted to decline by 39-68% and 86-92%, respectively, by 2050, according to an article in the journal Scientific Reports. Even worse, this is not the ...