Breaking news: two new columnists and a major change to the Iowa Writers' Collaborative
...you're going to like it
This week, we add two new outstanding columnists who have established followings in other fields.
, Iowa’s Renaissance man jumped in strong. He’s a singer/songwriter/poet/artist/musician/ who lives in Jefferson, and as of earlier this month, his column is up and running to acclaim. Some will make you cry, and the one uploaded Saturday—about his singing debut in grade school—will make you laugh.
Also, joining us this week is
, a man who needs little introduction in the Des Moines metro area because of his helming of the microphone on KIOA and WHO radio and his starring role in community theater productions. Perhaps less known about Max is his passion for songwriting and performing. His subscribers will hear Max interview folks from around town and be exposed to his music and the backstory behind his written songs. Listen to his podcast interview with Kipper McGee.
The Sunday Roundup is too @$#! long!
“What?” you ask. “You’re adding more writers?! There are too many for me to get to now!”
True. So, here’s the big news. We are adding a second edition to the roundup and separating the political/issue commentary columns from the cultural features.
New: The Flipside Edition
The Flipside edition will include food and dining, arts and culture, travel, books, poetry, humor, and other content our writers choose to include. As we grow, we’ll add topics to both editions, including business, leadership, religion, and a new category, “Strictly Personal.”
The Sunday Roundup will continue to feature deep dives into the key issues shaping our state, from politics and business to climate and breaking news.
Dividing the roundup into two installments instead of packing everything in one long email will help the reader and highlight terrific writers whose posts can be lost in a long list of topics.
Do you like this new direction? See you on the flipside.
National Politics
: President-elect Donald Trump surprised Ford executive chair Bill Ford, making him hopeful. Here's why. at Along the Mississippi raises an intriguing question: Did Donald Trump violate Iowa's consumer fraud statute in Iowa last year? Also, Ed says we need to get loud about alarming cancer rates in the state. offers a personal story about Jimmy Carter and a lesson he learned. : Trump felony sentencing and justice.In his column from Washington, DC,
writes that there is a new Congress in town now and a new accountability “ticker” that will help you follow one of the biggest issues facing Iowans. Read more in his column, “Barry Piatt on Politics: Behind the Curtains.”: Why do we rank lowest in healthcare? also has a take on the healthcare issue, giving a personal example of how our for-profit healthcare system is broken. He uses his personal experience to help tell the story in "Fight for Our Healthcare; Protect our Care Iowa and Progress Iowa lead the way . . . "World Affairs
From
: Jimmy Carter's life spanned 40 percent of America's history, likely the most transformative 100 years in the history of the earth. Still, we seem destined to retrace some of the lessons that might have been learned.
Iowa Politics
The Iowa sheriff whose showdown with the nation's largest meatpacker made headlines during the COVID-19 pandemic has retired. He has also authored a book about mental health and the criminal justice system. Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson looks back on his career in a wide-ranging, candid, and insightful interview with
.: Cornhole Champions, a weekly podcast, is back for 2025! Hear from Iowa Senate candidate Mike Zimmer about the schools' "death by a million cuts." Host Zachary Oren Smith and guest Chase Seibert discuss Grassley's age, Nosferatu, and why we should feed the kids. Subscribe where fine podcasts are sold. reported on a missing piece in Senator Chuck Grassley's "oversight" work: the collapse of bribery allegations the senator had worked hard to publicize. and Spencer Dirks discussed the Iowans in the new Congress, a Republican rival's ad with a vulgar message about Senator Joni Ernst, the Iowa Democratic Party's leadership election, and Donald Trump's "viceroy" Mike Davis stepping down from a University of Iowa alumni advisory board.: Time to make some noise about cancer.: Iowa’s property tax debate should be a priority.Around Iowa
: Transforming Latino entrepreneurs.: The "Noteworthy Words, Language, Writing" column shares recent examples of terms we may know, understand . . . and use. According to Kurt, words matter! Who is behind the RAYGUN T-shirt empire? Julie Gammack had the founder on her podcast last week, and readers showed up for the call wearing their favorite shirts. On Monday, Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart joins Gammack at 4 p.m. (note the time change).
Climate & Environment
coined a new term: MAGA-splaining. : Demands for clean water. 
Media
: Radio’s challenges in the digital age. Read about and listen to his interview with Kipper McGee. 
Car Culture
: Ford reveals its latest track-ready, street-approved Mustang, which starts at $325,000. (Ford won't say how high the price tag can climb with extra features.)Dining
’s column will be featured in the Flipside edition of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative starting this week. Music
joins the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative with a prolific start. Start with his inaugural column, and enjoy subsequent posts he’s added this past week. He’s a storyteller through song and poetry, weaving both together in his new Substack column. Welcome, Chad, and thank you. The Quiet Heroism of Older Brothers
Strictly Personal
Starting this week, "Strictly Personal” will be a regular feature in the Flipside edition of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, which will be published mid week.
wrote about his ongoing battle with weight.
Our world is full of challenges, frustrations, and obstacles. The people around us can make us angry. But
decided that this year, he won't let the trolls get him down. It is time to live like we are dying.Religion
: Never put off what you might later regret.: Some words on Epiphany.Letters From Iowans
In Letters From Iowans, Gordie Felger "congratulates" Gov. Kim Reynolds on her tax cutting and has some questions for her. Other readers of the Collaborative are encouraged to send letters to be published.
Do you have an essay you’d like to have considered for publication? Use this form to submit:
Humor
What's with this barn floating down the highway in the left-hand lane? What does it have to do with run-away cows? Read
's Buggy Land.Poetry
is featured in the gallery book for Iowa artist b. Robert Moore’s groundbreaking 2024 art show Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. shares a poem inspired by news events this week in January.
The Flipside
Coming Wednesday, watch for the following columns appearing in the inaugural Flipside edition of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative:
Cheryl Tevis: A soil-searching conservation conversation (Iowa Politics)
Robert Leonard: A Democratic Rural Leader's View from Western Iowa (Iowa Politics)
Jeff Morrison: Iowa anniversaries for 2025 (Around Iowa)
Maxwell Schaefer: Crafting "The Yellow Line" (Music)
Kyle Munson: One small book on how to stay inspired (Books & Arts)
Phoebe Wall Howard: Wrong-way driver alert (Technology)
Phoebe Wall Howard: Honda owner's gift from Ford (Car Culture)
Winnie Moranville: Refined Heartiness in fine dining (Food & Dining)
Vicki Minor: A Clever Cleaning Plan for the New Year (Humor)
Taylor Decker: Forever Winter in Iowa (Weather and Environment)
Rachelle Chase: There’s more to Hannibal's history than Mark Twain (Books & Arts)
Alison McGaughey: Brooke Shields in Davenport (Books & Arts)
Marianne Fons: Foodie Fame in Winterset (Dining & Travel)
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roster
Please explore our growing roster, pick those you wish to follow, and become a paid subscriber. Your support sustains this group.
Good idea.
Wait - will the Flipside be the political or the not-political content? (I see a couple articles you listed coming up Wednesday, including Bob and Phoebe, that are on the political side).
Admittedly I get sort of lost in the land of Substack sometimes when looking at notes vs posts vs comments. Other times I find myself wandering down rabbit holes when discovering articles and related articles attracting my attention and keep going from one to another.
The Iowa Writers Collaborative becomes (IMO) exponentially more important on January 20.
Thank you, Julie.
🙏 Thank you, Julie!