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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
At the start of the year, it is good to reflect on the past year. While there were many environmental challenges during 2023, there were also some successes. Most notable were the outcomes from the COP23 climate summit. For the first time, the countries called for a transition away from fossil ...
Greetings! Week Three of the legislative session is now complete, and activities in the Capitol are in full swing. Every day is a whirlwind here, with subcommittee and committee meetings and organizations holding different events, such as firefighters from across the state who had a chili ...
Last week, Sports Illustrated laid off most of its staff according to various reports. While it is not surprising, considering the state of Sports Illustrated, it is sad. Growing up, there was a time when I looked forward to getting this magazine each Thursday. I did not read it all, but I ...
As we dive rapidly into week three of the 90th General Assembly 2024 legislative session in the Iowa House of Representatives, I am reminded that just a year ago, new members, new positions, and new committee assignments were just being sorted out at this time. This year is off to a much more ...