I have lived in Johnson County for nearly 50 years, and I have seen how it has changed over the years. Our urban communities continue to grow, while our rural populations have dwindled. Small to medium-sized...

Buried words, like buried treasures, sometimes surprise and enrich. But buried landmines only create problems now, and later. Such is the case with a passage buried in a 71-page Iowa Supreme Court...

Experience – or learning from mistakes is a part of the education that we don't get in formal classrooms. Sometimes it takes more than one lesson for an idea to make itself clear or for us to recognize...

Many families turn to federal loans and private student loans to cover remaining college costs after savings, earnings and other financial aid. But the options for college financing can be confusing....

Before I was old enough to go to school, the Fourth of July was just that – a date on the calendar that hung just under the clock on the kitchen wall. I learned to tell time and memorized the days...

Q: How will Iowans benefit from year-round E15? A: For more than 15 years, I’ve championed homegrown ethanol in the U.S. Senate. In 2011, the Environmental Protection Agency approved the use of...

It has been a while since you heard a United States leader say, “The fault is mine alone.” If you visit Abilene, Kansas, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Museum offers countless artifacts...

I’ve been told that we do not remember scents and flavors but are only reminded of them. That may be true, for it is impossible to describe a smell or a taste without resorting to comparisons with...

Kim Reynolds vetoed a bipartisan eminent domain bill in 2025 after a private company tried to use eminent domain to take over private land in Iowa, leaving Republicans unable to agree on how to protect...

The very first bill passed by the Iowa House in the 2026 Legislative Session sent a clear message - private property rights must be protected from eminent domain abuse. No issue has generated more passionate...

Adult Education and Literacy programs have long provided a second chance for Iowans seeking a better future. Whether helping adults earn a high school equivalency diploma, improve reading and math skills,...

I was sorting through my haphazard accumulation of doo-dads and decorations and came across an old friend. Or rather, a set of three brass camel bells that had been a gift from her. When I first met...