If growing corn is a religion among Midwestern farmers, its Vatican is somewhere in central Iowa. That fact was confirmed in late January when a Des Moines-based ag consulting firm released a …

As funnel week approaches, it is important that legislation begins moving forward, and we keep making progress on the issues Iowans have brought to us over the last several months. Last week the …

Rural Iowa schools are deeply committed to maintaining quality education, but they must continually navigate the fiscal pressures of shrinking enrollment and stagnant local tax bases. In some …

Kim Reynolds has occupied the spot as the most unpopular governor in America nearly as long as Terry Branstad wore a mustache in Terrace Hill. She ran up a whale of a deficit and is skedaddling after …

I used to read like a house on fire. Then cable TV appeared, and the banquet of classic movies lured me in. The internet continued to diminish my once-robust reading habit, and social media …

January ended with a notable week for federal courts because of the voices of its judges. Judges in Minnesota and Texas spoke with clarity in these troubled times. In between them, a longtime …

Laws and leaders that ban diversity, equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices of public institutions, and even try to extend the ban to the private sector, argue that DEI potentially discriminates …

The mostly for-profit nursing home industry, funded by untold billions of taxpayer dollars, has nearly once again succeeded in undermining the health, safety, welfare and rights of our Nation’s …

It’s been said that February is the longest shortest month of the year. If so, it might be because freezing, snowy January often feels like the longest long month of the year. That's true this …

Last Tuesday Iowa welcomed President Trump to the Horizon Events Center. During the event, President Trump highlighted federal efforts to advance legislation authorizing year-round, nationwide sales …

The Sac News shared on Facebook my column from last week lamenting our loss of freedom, which generated a lot of insight in the comments, like “Art Cullen sits down when he pees.” That …

Buena Vista University President Brian Lenzmeier, speaking on behalf of Iowa’s private colleges, last week tried to educate legislators on why it’s a bad idea for community colleges to offer …

Across much of the country, the weather has been harsh, bringing subzero temperatures to the upper Midwest and snow in the South and East, but the national temperature feels like everything is …

The 2025 college football season is in the history books. The season ended with last week’s national championship victory by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and his Indiana University …

Words matter. It’s why government agencies and private corporations pay big bucks to hire someone to tell their story. Call that person a communications director, or a …

I love Iowa. After growing up in Ottumwa and graduating from Indianola’s Simpson College, I worked in South Dakota at the start of my career. I enjoyed my years in the Mount Rushmore State, but …

The second week of session was short on days due to the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, but long on activity. We packed as many subcommittee meetings as was reasonable in the …

A word of caution: Do not get between reality and political forces in Congress when Republicans and Democrats agree to spend more money on farm programs rather than reform the very programs that are …

Since Jan. 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump has been working around the clock to put American Farmers First after inheriting one of the toughest farm economies our country has faced in decades. …

ICE is in Mason City. Breathless reports in Iowa City and West Liberty. Just saw the car in Spencer. Blow the whistles! When will the boot drop on Storm Lake or Denison? Chatter, chatter, …