Monopoly in Iowa, State of our Union, City secrecy, IVF, sports, food, history...
...and let the music commence
Cheryl Tevis wants readers to know that unregulated monopolies endanger our economy and threaten our democracy, so we all have a stake in the outcome.
Robert Leonard takes on proposed legislation that would give more power to what he believes are some of the worst elected public officials in the state--our county supervisors--some of whom he believes don't have "the sense God gave a goose."
Ed Tibbetts writes at Along the Mississippi that the City of Davenport's audacity in the secret settlement case reaches new heights.
Laura Belin covered the Iowa House debate on a bill that would threaten IVF—and a Republican lawmaker's misleading defense of it. Earlier in the week, Laura and Dennis Hart covered a slew of other legislative stories on their KHOI Radio show, "Capitol Week":
And, It was a big week for legislation targeting education, writes Laura Belin.
So, the Iowa State Legislature wants to tell teachers what to teach. You’ll read what a teacher thinks about this. Daniel Finney nails it.
Extreme anti-abortion rulings create havoc for those seeking IVF treatment. Therapist and reproductive freedom advocate Mary Riche was a guest on Julie Gammack’s Potluck column to discuss the real impact. On Monday, her guest will be Wini Moranville, Wini’s Food Stories columnist.
The State of the Union
Our columnists reviewed the State of the Union address by President Joe Biden:
Arnold Garson offered his take within minutes of the end of the speech.
Ed Tibbets analyzes President Biden's feisty State of the Union address and asks: Why are Kim Reynolds' and Joni Ernst's endorsements of Donald Trump so weak?
In Dave Price's Perspective, Dave looks at "party first" endorsements and wonders what happened after the State of the Union.
Past to Present
Arnold Garson writes: Anti-Semitism has shifted: It now comes largely from pro-Islamic individuals and groups.
Chuck Offenburger: The Civil Rights Movement changed the world in the 1960s when many leaders were in their 30s. One of them, Andrew Young, now in his 90s, reflected on that during his recent visit to Des Moines. In conversations with Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger, Young also surprised him with a story about his brother, the late Tom Offenburger, who served back then as press secretary to Rev. Martin Luther King & his wife Coretta, Rev. Ralph Abernathy and Young, too.
Barry Piatt writes about an important lesson he learned the hard way from U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy as RFK moved toward entering the race for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination.
Black Iowa
Dana James, publisher of Black Iowa News, posted a video podcast with the director of the African American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids.
Nik Heftman is on a mission to tell stories about Black entrepreneurs. Today, he uses video to tell the story of an edgy, beautiful, and fun boutique.
Media News
No winner in a T.V. anchor discrimination suit, says Dave Busiek. Read the column and comments generated.
Health and the Environment
So-called forever chemicals are almost everywhere—and in almost everyone. As more is learned about the threats they cause to human health, those responsible for our drinking water supply are scrambling to eradicate them. Find out more in Tory Brecht’s Brecht’s Beat.
Larry Stone asks, what month is this? He’s confused - but argues that birds, flowers, and other people share his bewilderment at Iowa’s winter-spring weather extremes.
Around Iowa
Doug Burns remembers a teacher who touched his life and taught him how to think. Read his touching salute to Carroll High School’s Mr. Knott.
Nicole Baart has a fun prompt you’ll want to join in and play.
Art Cullen takes up correspondence with Katie Couric about how Storm Lake has changed since she visited six years ago — including a video of Couric’s tour of an immigrant town.
At the turn of the twentieth century, Ruth Suckow was a prominent national author who wrote about working people on the land—often drawing her characters and settings from Iowa. In Mary Swander’s Emerging Voices, James Calvin Schaap takes a trip to Ruth Suckow Park in celebration of the centenary of the author's first novel Country People.
Jeff Morrison finds delving into old newspapers fun and comes up with story angles about Iowa with twists you won’t find elsewhere.
Kurt Meyer took to the kitchen to celebrate International Women’s Day, having waited almost six decades to try out a recipe he’d encountered in the Betty Crocker cookbook.
Hear the music?
Kyle Munson attended Byron's fundraiser concert in Fort Dodge and came away thinking about what the soul of a struggling Deadhead bar in deep rural Iowa has to say about our state's cultural status quo.
Art Cullen says: You shoulda been there. A crowd filling the Historic Phillips Auditorium in Fort Dodge bore witness to history as a parade of Iowa’s most beloved musicians took the stage to raise money for the iconic Byron’s Bar in Pomeroy, a cultural oasis in rural Northwest Iowa. Art Cullen reports on the magnificent show and the progress to find a new home for this rare musical venue.
Pat Kinney reports about a different kind of music scene in Waterloo. A groundbreaking, racially unifying Waterloo music school is remembered by former students and families in the new “View from the Cedar Valley.”
Alison McGaughey updates us on a number of happenings around the Quad Cities, including an Oscars event downtown Davenport hosted by two Hollywood filmmakers.
Sports
At The Crossover, Jane Burns offers a primer to a sport growing in popularity for girls and women - wrestling, which is as quintessentially Iowan as eating a pork tenderloin the size of a Frisbee.
Iowa State star Audi Crooks calmly proves doubters wrong, writes Rob Gray.
Dining
Wini Moranville offers her thoughts on new legislation that allows teens to serve alcohol and work longer hours in restaurants.
(Personal) Not Confidential
Our columnist, publisher Steve Semken, appreciates words in imaginative ways. This week, he weaves a beautiful column, including an obituary about his father.
Words, emails, and texts do not equal communication and can lead to misunderstandings. Julie Gammack shared a personal ‘oops’ on the problem.
Humor
Our Relatively Minor columnist is at it again. Follow Vicki Minor’s Weekend adventure on the Great Western Trail from the Martensdale Trailhead.
Book Reviews
Our Midwest Creative Macey Shofroth reviewed two books this week. For her “Creative Nourishment” vertical, she explored why Blake Butler's memoir Molly lacked the integrity his wife’s story deserves.
Travel
John Naughton's recipe for a successful vacation includes fun events, cool attractions and great meals. He shares his dining in Memphis and Hot Springs in My Life, In Color.
Poetry
Macey Shofroth reviewed Des Moines-based poet Kelsey Bigelow’s new collection, Far From Broken.
Teresa Zilk remembers Ferguson.
Suzanna de Baca wraps up the roundup with her provocative piece. Check out our resident poet, who offers an Invocation for readers, reflecting on the theme of home.
Letters From Iowans
Letters from Iowans is a relatively new feature led by Jeff Morrison. Please support this effort, as curating and working with these submissions takes time.
Josiah Wearin submitted a thought-provoking piece about tuning into the activities of our local soil and water conservation boards. His letter prompted interesting reactions.
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Iowa Writers’ Collaborative
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I REALLY like the format, highlighting, and brief content comment for the articles! Super Authors! Wish I had time to read everything!!