Hot girls, cattle calls, Iowa's past, present and future
Hot girls, cattle calls, Iowa's past, present and future
...and for a touch of click-bait: Bruce Springsteen, Donald Trump, and Barack Obama
We believe in local news and supporting organizations that cover our communities and state. The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members serve to add local commentary to the mix as a complement, not a substitute for legacy media. On Monday morning at 5 a.m., The Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll will publish current GOP caucusgoers’ presidential choices. Please support your local news sources, as many as you can. Click here for more: IOWA POLL and pollster, J. Ann Selzer.
Pat Kinney sheds new light on one of the bigger Iowa stories of the Vietnam War era, while Steph Copley bids adieu to her ‘hot girl’ summer. Our newest columnist in Davenport, Alison McGaughey, introduces an Iowa-based musician she loves, and Jeff Morrison reports on how the Lincoln Highway is at a crossroads.
Dave Busiek’s media column tackles the conflict between print deadlines and immediacy.
Art Cullen takes us to a Bruce Springsteen concert in his irascible way, while Beth Hoffman tells us about a different kind of ‘back street’ exchange. She and our food writer, Wini Moranville, have cooked up a plan for something on September 8 that you’ll want in on. And Wini introduces readers to a French-style wine bar in our backyard. John Naughton combines three crowd-pleasers: the fair, butter sculptures, and sports. And Nik Heftman has a video piece on a barber school.
Kurt Meyer has a new report on the eminent domain fight in his town of St. Ansgar, while Bob Leonard advises the Iowa GOP on how they can ‘dump Trump.’
Doug Burns writes a lovely essay on why he appreciates his home state and country.
In our Politics category, Ed Tibbetts writes about the possibility of Kim Reynolds endorsing in the GOP caucus; Cheryl Tevis tells us about a visit by Robert Kennedy, Jr. to Iowa decades ago. Who knew? Cheryl, that’s who. It’s fascinating. And in another look in Iowa’s rearview mirror, Richard Gilbert, Julie Gammack’s husband, weighs in on his popular take on former governor Robert D. Ray.
Dave Price hangs out with Trump supporters at the Fair.
Our talented poet, Suzanna de Baca, is sensitive to family issues.
Laura Belin writes the Dems have a possible Iowa Senate pickup with the announcement of a new candidate, Matt Blake, facing incumbent Brad Zaun, and sums up the caucus cattle call at the fair. While Barry Piatt offers his take on the former president’s cancellation of a press conference.
Water quality is becoming a key issue, and Julie Gammack introduces subscribers to the director of Lakeside Labs, Dr. Mary Skopec.
Sports columnist Rob Gray writes about muscle training.
And Macey Spensely’s getting married!
POLITICS
LAURA BELIN
CHERYL TEVIS
SH*T RICHARD SAYS (IN JULIE GAMMACK’S POTLUCK)
ROBERT LEONARD
IOWA LIFE
DOUGLAS BURNS
JODY GIFFORD
STEPH COPLEY
JEFF MORRISON
PAT KINNEY
MARY SWANDER’S EMERGING VOICES
JULIE GAMMACK
MEDIA
NIK HEFTMAN
ENTERTAINMENT
ALISON MCGAUGHEY
WINI MORANVILLE
BETH HOFFMAN
ART CULLEN
DEB ENGLE
JOHN NAUGHTON
SPORTS
ROB GRAY
EMINENT DOMAIN UPDATE
KURT MEYER
POETRY
SUZANNA DE BACA
We, the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members, are grateful for your support of our work. Please consider becoming a paid subscriber to our individual columnists. They put great effort into providing content you won’t find elsewhere. If it is not possible, consider sharing this roundup with those you think might be interested in joining our subscriber base.
Some really good articles here, such as those from Art, Ed, Leonard, and some others. But am I a bad Iowan if I wish this year was the last year for the Iowa Caucuses? I think they've run their course and there's a better way of winnowing down the presidential candidate field.