Opinion

As the July 4 holiday approaches, let's take a moment to think about what makes our community special, and what it will take to keep it that way. The Iowa Great Lakes are known for family-friendly fun, spectacular natural beauty, high-quality dining and other amenities, and — most importantly — a population that truly cares for one another. ...

Just about every cabinet department has been corrupted during Trump's Administration but none as overtly and grossly as the Department of Justice under the direction of William Barr. His total disregard for his oath of office to support our Constitution, disdain for the DOJ institution and use of the DOJ to cover President Trump's personal prejudices and biases is a dangerous national disgrace. Actions such as:...

I take total exception to State Senator Zach Whiting's summation of HF2486 — that it assures safe, secure and reliable rules to follow for Iowans to vote. He states voter ID legislation must be enforced, that it sets checks and balances for the Secretary of State under emergency powers, that no more than 35% of polling places can be closed in an emergency and finally acceptable absentee applications must complete all information...

Not far from the Dickinson County Fairgrounds and St. Mary's Catholic Church, is a little section of unpaved gravel road. It's an odd spot — part city, part county — with agricultural fields and two old farm houses that have lined either side of the road for over 100 years...

As we prepare to enjoy Fourth of July week and upcoming celebrations in our beautiful Iowa Great Lakes region, we wish to remind you that Independence Day is founded on sacrifices, which includes a history of Americans giving up personal comforts to enhance wellbeing for all...

The bill signed into law by Governor Kim Reynolds on June 4, brought to the forefront a problem for the majority of the residents of Dickinson County. The new law required all members of county-appointed commissions to reside in rural (unincorporated) areas of the county. This action meant four commissioners (three on Planning and Zoning and one on the Board of Adjustment) were dismissed by noon the following day...

Iowa is one of the most heavily licensed states in the country. Nearly one out of every three workers in Iowa is required to maintain a license to work in their profession, while the national average is one out of every four workers. Licensing in many areas of the economy has a proper role. ...

Recently, there has been a lot of misinformation about two bills that the Iowa House passed this year on election law. The two bills are somehow, either purposefully or mistakenly, a part of a misinformation campaign where people are informed that Republicans passed bills that are voter suppression or eliminates absentee voting. ...

The legislature adjourned for the year on Sunday, June 14.  This year’s session was definitely different than previous years. While we didn't get to all the legislation we wanted, we were still able to accomplish a lot in the time we did have. Before we paused the session in March, the Senate passed legislation to lower barriers to some professions, and bring unemployed people back into our workforce and encourage them to build careers for themselves. ...

On Sunday, June 14, we concluded the 2020 legislative session. This session was unlike any we have experienced before. The session was suspended, abbreviated and hyphenated. My friend and colleage, Representative Jon Throup really summarized this session well: ...

On Friday, June 19, the nation honored an event that occurred 155 years ago. It is an event that has never received the nationwide attention that it deserves. But it is a day that all freedom-loving people in the United States should celebrate. And it is a day that I successfully worked to gain recognition for in Iowa as far back as 2002...

On Thursday, June 10, the Iowa House and the Iowa Senate made history by introducing a bill in both chambers, moving it through subcommittee and committee, then to the floor of both chambers, and passing it unanimously and sending it to the governor for signature. This bill, named "Justice Reform" by us but misnamed "Police Misconduct Reform" by newspapers was historic for several reasons and was much needed...

Earlier this week we released a budget plan for Fiscal Year 2021. We have to be careful about budgeting, now more than ever, because we have yet to see an end to the impacts of COVID-19. While the COVID pandemic has impacted the budget, I am optimistic that Iowa is in better shape than many states. ...

The Senate continued to debate a number of bills this week as we worked toward adjournment for the year. One of the bills we passed would expand the Empower Rural Iowa program and help increase access to broadband in areas of Iowa where it is still lacking. ...

  Iowans are amazing. The level of civic engagement among our citizens is unrivaled. We proved that once again when voters turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots in the June primary election. Despite an ongoing pandemic and civil unrest across the state, Iowans were determined to make their voices heard the best way possible: by voting...

The legislative session re-started this week, continuing the work from a couple months ago and with a few new challenges ahead. This session looks much different than it did when we paused. Now, committee meetings are held in the Senate chamber instead of committee rooms to allow for social distancing, and speakers on subcommittee bills will give comments from the Senate gallery instead of usually coming to the meeting tables. ...

This week marked the legislature's first week back in Des Moines since the session suspension due to COVID-19 concerns on March 17. While even though we have not been physically in the Capitol building, I have still had the opportunity to hear from many of you with questions and concerns as we push through this difficult time...

    A: The USDA will accept applications through Aug. 28, 2020, from farmers for pandemic-related financial assistance. The direct payments will help keep hard-hit farming operations afloat due to catastrophic disruptions in the marketing and distribution systems of the nation's food supply chain...

I wish I could still be mad at Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49er who took a knee during national anthems in 2016 and couldn't find a roster spot anywhere in 2017. I wanted the quarterback to find another form of peaceful protest to convey the messages of social injustice and police misconduct...

I have faith in humans and in Iowans in general because we tend to do the right thing, even in the face of adversity. This is called grit and in my mind and my 25 years of military service, grit can get you through so much in life. I chose to veer away from politics for my newsletter today, even though in less than a week the Legislature will be in full swing again, finishing up our business for the year...

Iowa continues to ease business restrictions over the next few weeks. Starting May 28, bars, wineries, breweries, and distilleries were able to reopen.  On June 1, casinos, bowling alleys, amusement parks, skating rinks, outdoor performance venues, and outdoor playgrounds were also able to reopen. ...

Since the community spread of COVID-19 officially hit Iowa in mid-March, we saw Iowans respond. Many Iowans started or expanded their reliance on internet connectivity for learning, working and socializing. This magnified, nearly overnight, the importance of a quality internet connection...

  While this pandemic has challenged all Iowans, as our state begins to take the first steps toward safely reopening, I'm continuing to push for support for our families in every stage of life — from new parents to our seniors. After local businesses needed to close down to adhere to social distancing and public health measures in order to keep folks safe, tragically so many Iowans, including parents, have been facing layoffs and pay cuts. At the same time, reports show increased diaper shortages right here in Iowa. ...

I'm familiar with a regional lawmaker who recently concluded an update to constituents with the following: "The media and many others continue to criticize the governor and the response taken by the state of Iowa," the update said. "The facts tell a story that Iowa is on the way to recovery."...