I read somewhere that a large, mature soft maple tree produces as many as seven million leaves in a season. That seems an impossible number, but I tend to believe it. The house that was my family's home...

The nation’s founders got right to the point when they laid out how to treat the First Amendment freedoms of religion, speech, the press and the rights of people to assemble and to petition the government....

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In 2025, Johnson County law enforcement agencies have already responded to over 1,000 domestic violence related calls, many involving children. These incidents...

Q: What is Arctic Frost? A: Under the Biden administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) opened an investigation in April 2022 codenamed Arctic Frost. I started my congressional oversight...

The deck across the back of our house provides an intimate view of the lives of most of the critters we share our timber, pond and meadow with. Whether we are on the deck enjoying summer shade and cooling...

The lesson of the hot stove emerged again recently. That is the lesson toddlers learn early and smart ones retain for a lifetime. Touch something hot and you know not to touch it again. Educator Ian...

Q: Why did you write U.S. tech companies about their employment practices? A: I chair the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over federal immigration laws, including temporary visa programs...

“The reason most people feed the birds is because they enjoy watching them,” the wildlife lecturer assured us. “There is plenty of food available in Iowa, even in winter, and our usual wintering...

Q: Why did you convene a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about soft-on-crime policies? A: I’ve worked on Capitol Hill since 1975 when I was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives...

It's odd how a simple arbitrary policy can affect someone's life. Take a school practice, for example; In junior high when all the new sixth grade students from both our town's elementary schools were...

Q: What red flags are catching your attention in the U.S. farm economy? A: As a lifelong family farmer, I understand Iowa farm families weather the storms of cyclical markets and natural disasters....

Mr. Ryan had blue eyes, black hair and bulging biceps. On Homecoming Day when everyone dressed like Dogpatch characters, he made a perfect Li'l Abner in his bib overalls and ragged straw hat. He was...