As waterfowl move through, avian flu again floats to the fore. Dr. James Roth, recently retired dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University, reminded us with a 2024 essay he …

Been there. Done that. That’s the way I look at the Artemis II moon orbit that the United States launched last week. Oh, it’s exciting for the astronauts on the 10-day lunar fly-by …

I’m tired of being held hostage. Aren’t you? This guy, bulldozing democracy with the same unconcern that he ravaged East Wing, says we have plenty of our own oil. In one breath, he says that we …

Growing up in the 30s, if you were a boy, meant owning a slingshot and hoping to soon own a .22 rifle. Making a slingshot was simple: Take the crotch of a tree branch of even a sapling that had …

In the movie version of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” attorney Atticus Finch’s young daughter Scout says to a schoolmate of hers at dinner, “What in the Sam Hill are you doing?” It’s the same …

While President Trump is playing 5D chess, his critics, detractors, and his enemies are struggling to get the drawer open that holds their checkers.  Jeff Myers, Newell   We …

It may be a surprise that last year’s biggest ag story — tariffs — was swept off today’s front pages by even bigger news: a Middle East war, its sharply higher fuel and fertilizer prices and …

We are in the final weeks of this year’s legislative session. While we continue debating bills, we are covering several topics brought to us by constituents, inspired by recent events in our state, …

Some of the best American-made liquid fuels are produced in Iowa: ethanol and biodiesel. This week, a House Ways and Means subcommittee advanced House File 2071, a bill I sponsored, and supported by …

President Trump took over the TV to tell the world that he intends to bomb Iran back into the Stone Age. God Bless America. And YABADABADOO! I had been thinking that I might be losing my …

Sunshine is good. It can power a solar array. It also can illuminate what goes on in the dark recesses of our government. The Cherokee County Board of Supervisors surprised the public with a 4-1 vote …

Lord knows I’m no fashion plate, but a recent trend really bugs me. It’s men wearing tailored suits with sneakers. I’ve seen it a lot in the last year or two, on TV and even at formal …

Let’s be honest. America is no longer the greatest nation in the world, and it certainly isn’t the happiest. It is usually considered the richest country by gross domestic product, but we all …

Noah Petersen and Priscilla Villarreal live 1,200 miles from each other, Petersen in Newton, Iowa; Villarreal in Laredo, Texas. They share a key connection despite that distance. Each has …

It’s pretty amazing how much progress the medical community has made in the past century or so. Some basics haven’t changed much, but new research, medications, treatments, surgeries and …

There’s a saying in business: “Where there’s mystery, there’s margin,” meaning complexity, confusion and a lack of transparency create profit opportunities for those at the top. Sounds a …

Often, I wonder what it will take for Iowans to wake up and pay attention to the State Auditor’s office. I pray it won’t take a massive scandal like what happened in Minnesota. What is the …

I haven’t written anything for a while.   For the last day or two I’ve been contemplating and questioning myself on what to write about.   Should I write about my knee replacement …

… you listened to Minnesota Twins baseball on 830 WCCO Minneapolis, 1040 WHO Des Moines, and 570 WNAX Yankton, S.D. The radio reception and sound quality from Storm Lake on each of them was not …

Enough is enough. For years, Iowa’s libraries have faced a steady stream of legislative attacks, which are often driven by special interests and advanced through processes that avoid full …