Who's to blame for a deadly plane crash? What one policy could wreck the US auto industry?
....yet, Iowa life goes on (for many)...amidst a paradox with a dash of love and hope
In a week filled with political turbulence and global reckoning,
dissects the administration’s attempt to scapegoat preferential hiring for a tragic plane crash. At the same time, unpacks the persistent spread of anti-Semitic rhetoric in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. meanwhile shifts the focus to Iowa’s packinghouses, where the absence of immigration raids signals the uneasy balance between economic necessity and enforcement realities. Together, their pieces highlight the complex and often contradictory forces shaping national policy and international discourse.And,
reports on a bright spot for Iowa Democrats.Beyond politics, this collection of 31 columns takes readers through Iowa’s cultural fabric and beyond. Chuck Offenburger revisits a once-thriving Des Moines neighborhood,
explores a striking Latino immigrant photo documentary, and connects Iowa to Hollywood’s latest historical films. brings sports fans behind the scenes of the Drake Relays, and launches a new music series examining the craft of songwriting. Whether tackling government decisions, Iowa’s deep connections to national events, or artistic expression, these writers offer perspectives that inform, challenge, and inspire. and bring fresh angles to the intersection of policy and everyday impact. Howard delivers an exclusive look at how President Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports could devastate Detroit’s auto industry, offering insight from a top Canadian official on the economic blowback. Tevis reflects on the symbolic power of the Lunar New Year, pondering whether it provides a "do-over" for 2025 after a rocky start. Yet she ultimately finds value in embracing the triumphs and challenges ahead. While Howard exposes the real-world consequences of political maneuvering, Tevis reminds readers that resilience and perspective may be just as vital as policy in shaping the year to come.As you peruse the list of columns below, ask yourself: Where else could I read such a solid collection of commentary other than in the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Sunday Roundup?
Nowhere, right?
National Politics
Art Cullen
Art Cullen observes that ICE isn’t raiding the packinghouse yet because they know we can’t afford to. It’s quiet so far in Denison, Storm Lake, Omaha, and Sioux City, too.
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Barry Piatt
Barry Piatt writes this week from Washington, DC, that watching Iowa’s congressional delegation these days is like watching a “self-demolition derby.” They apparently don’t realize it yet, but in the long run, their subservience to Trump isn’t going to end well for anybody, least of all them.
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Beth Hoffman
The Executive Order this week halting payments on all federal grants and loans created a lot of confusion. Beth Hoffman looks at how this has impacted groups here in Iowa and what the pausing of funds means to people across the country.
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Cheryl Tevis
In her column this week, Cheryl Tevis briefly wonders whether celebrating The Lunar New Year might provide a do-over for our first month of 2025. But she concludes we still may have reasons to celebrate the good, the bad, and the ugly of 2025 before it's over.
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Dave Busiek
Dave Busiek on Media looks at the appalling return of Trump to the White House press room, revealing his icy heart in the wake of tragedy.
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Dennis Goldford
Checks and balances work only if elected officials have the courage and integrity to check and balance. That appears to be a huge problem nowadays.
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Ed Tibbetts
Ed Tibbetts at Along the Mississippi fact-checks Joni Ernst's latest gimmick. And Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker shows Democrats how to stand up to Donald Trump.
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Phoebe Wall Howard
President Trump just announced a plan to impose 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada and Mexico. In an exclusive interview, a top Canadian official explained how the action would gut-punch the Detroit auto industry.
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Randy Evans
Randy Evans writes: Pastors need to make all of us, even presidents, feel uncomfortable at times, and it's not un-American to urge leaders to show mercy and compassion.
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Rekha Basu
The administration blamed preferential hiring for a tragic plane crash. What about Musk's business battle with the FAA director, which left it without a chief that fatal day?
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Robert Leonard
Late Friday afternoon, Bob Leonard went out for a beer and found a story in "A Drunk White Woman, Mexicans, a farmer, and Miller Lite..."
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Robert Leonard
On Thursday, Leonard and Russell responded to a lifting of the freeze with, "Trump Backs Off Freezing Federal Funds—Or Not. Keep up the pressure."
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Robert Leonard
On Tuesday, Bob Leonard and Matt Russell (who writes at Growing New Leaders: Perspectives from Coyote Run Farm) responded to the Trump freezing federal funds in “Ernst, Grassley, Miller-Meeks, Hinson, Feenstra, and Reynolds Own Trump’s Chaos Efforts to Save Money are Costing Americans Dearly."
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Douglas Burns
A tragic helicopter-plane crash over the Potomac River underscores the fragility of life, while former President Trump’s reckless speculation and blame-shifting in its immediate aftermath exemplifies the divisive, fact-free nature of modern political discourse.
Iowa Politics
Chris Jones
Chris Jones takes no prisoners in his analysis of the politics of water quality, cancer, and politics in "Cancer & the Agchurian Candidate."
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Laura Belin
On "KHOI's Capitol Week," Laura Belin and Spencer Dirks covered big fundraising numbers for the likely 2026 candidates for governor, lots of news from the Iowa legislature, and the end of the road for a long-running lawsuit involving former U.S. Representative Steve King.
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Laura Belin
Mike Zimmer became the first Democrat to flip a state legislative seat during the second Trump presidency. Laura Belin explores how he pulled off the upset in an Iowa Senate district that voted for Trump in November by a 21-point margin.
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Iowa Capital Dispatch
School Shooting Prevention Teams Lack Oversight: An investigation reveals minimal tracking and significant variability among teams tasked with preventing school shootings, raising concerns about their effectiveness.
Around Iowa
Chuck Offenburger
Iowa Boy Chuck Offenburger takes a stroll around the inner city neighborhood where he lived when he moved to Des Moines back in 1972. He recalls how it "was probably the hottest spot in the city for cool young people back then." He shares memories at So's Your Mother bar, Katz Drug, Uncle Sam's nightclub, Reed's Ice Cream, Smitty's Donuts, Mustard's Last Stand, and Boswell's Select Foods. And Miller's Hardware was (and still is) the hub of it all!
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Diversity in the Heartland
Hola Iowa
"Luchadores is a photo documentary project in which Miriam Alarcón Avila interviewed Latino immigrants in Iowa. It’s not just about protecting their identity; it’s also acknowledging and giving a platform to someone’s humanity."
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Tory Brecht
Determining who an American is and how to become one is hardly a new national conversation. This "throwback" story, written in 1999, illustrates how challenging the path to citizenship can be, even under the best of circumstances.
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The Iowa Angle (Local Connections to National/International Stories)
Jeff Morrison
Jeff Morrison's January grab bag looks at the end of the ISU women's basketball 3-point streak, Iowa connections to David Lynch, and the inauguration flag layout.
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Pat Kinney
A former federal prosecutor from Waterloo said the commutation of an aging and ailing Indigenous rights activist’s murder sentences in the 1975 deaths of two FBI agents is "tragic" but not unexpected. Rights groups and activists say it's long overdue.
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Hannah Breckbill
The author, newly arrived at Tent of Nations, learns that their role as an international volunteer goes beyond farm work, serving primarily as a protective presence against encroaching Israeli settlers who illegally build on Palestinian-owned land, with the ultimate goal of providing international accountability and solidarity with the Nassar family.
Weather and Environment
Chris Gloninger
The U.S. military is preparing for a trillion-dollar climate disaster that could cripple national security, with Admiral Mike Franken warning that rising sea levels, Arctic power struggles, and climate-driven migration are already reshaping global stability. While the Pentagon and industry leaders acknowledge the crisis, political inaction risks leaving the U.S. unprepared for the inevitable catastrophes ahead.
David Thoreson
Iowa is in the bullseye of climate-fueled storms causing billions in damage and sending insurance premiums skyrocketing.
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Julie Gammack
Thoreson was Julie’s podcast guest last Monday, and listeners got a sense of what it might be like to explore the Northwest Passage by boat. It was thrilling, scary, and full of lessons about our fragile planet.
Kurtis Meyer
Kurtis Meyer takes readers on a life-saving dogsled ride this week, marking the centennial of a remarkable journey in Alaska.
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Entertainment & Travel
John Naughton
While watching the Netflix movie "The Six Triple Eight," you may want to know that two of the film's main characters received training at Fort Des Moines. Characters in "The Tuskegee Airmen," "Devotion," and "The Right Stuff" also have Iowa ties.
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World Affairs
Arnold Garson
The lies that fuel anti-Semitism, which continues to grow in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.
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Books & Art
Steve Semken
"The Power of Words, Part 3: Once less good book in this world."
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Music
Dartanyan L. Brown
Dartanyan introduces a new section to "My Integrated Life" called Music Makers, in which he explores the songwriting process, philosophy, craft discussions, and vocal and instrumental techniques.
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Sports
Maxwell Schaefer
Go behind the scenes of the Drake Relays with Director Blake Boldon! Explore the history, excitement, and future of Iowa’s most iconic track and field event.
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Religion
Dan Henderson
"Is Christianity Fading? Statistically, one might think so . . . but not so fast, my friend. Something else may be going on. Let’s explore this question today."
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Agriculture
Nina Elkadi
Nina Elkadi covers two new USDA studies which show that 81% of evaluated poultry workers were found to be at high risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders.
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Poetry
Suzanna de Baca – Suzanna offers a new poem called "Moment of Impact," written in response to several moments of impact this week and over the past few months—including the American Eagle flight that crashed into the Potomac and several tragic deaths. Read here.
The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roster
If you can, pick five to support by becoming a paid subscriber. This matters.
Des Moines Metro
Chip Albright (Des Moines)
Rekha Basu (Des Moines)
Laura Belin (Windsor Heights)
Dartanyan L. Brown (Des Moines)
Jane Burns (Des Moines)
Dave Busiek (Des Moines)
Christina Fernández-Morrow (Des Moines)
Daniel P. Finney (Des Moines)
Dennis Goldford (Clive)
Rob Gray (Ankeny)
Julie Gammack (Des Moines and Okoboji)
Kyle Munson (Des Moines)
Jane Nguyen (West Des Moines)
John Naughton (Des Moines)
Dave Price (Des Moines)
Maxwell Schaeffer (Ankeny)
Teresa Zilk (Des Moines)
Macey Shofroth (Norwalk)
Randy Evans (Des Moines via Bloomfield)
Wini Moranville (Des Moines)
Northwest Iowa
Nicole Baart (Sioux Center)
Douglas Burns (Carroll)
Art Cullen (Storm Lake)
David Thoreson (Okoboji)
Joan Zwagerman (Storm Lake)
Darcy Maulsby (Calhoun County)
Arnold Garson (Okoboji and Sioux Falls, SD)
Taylor Decker (Sioux City)
Southwest Iowa
Debra Engle (Madison County)
Marianne Fons (Winterset)
Vicki Minor (Winterset)
Jason Walsmith (Earlham)
North Central Iowa
Chad Elliott (Jefferson)
Chuck Offenburger (Jefferson and Des Moines)
Cheryl Tevis (Boone County)
Suzanna de Baca (Huxley)
Fern Kupfer and Joe Geha, Ames
South Central Iowa
Beth Hoffman (Lovilia)
Robert Leonard (Bussey)
Northeast Iowa
Nina Elkadi (Iowa City)
Chris Jones (Iowa City)
Ty Rushing (Iowa City)
Zachary Oren Smith (Iowa City)
Steve Semken (North Liberty)
Larry Stone (Elkader)
Carol Montag (Cedar Rapids)
Jeff Morrison (Cedar Rapids)
Pat Kinney (Waterloo)
Kurtis Meyer (St. Ansgar)
Kali White VanBaale (Bondurant)
Hanah Breckenhill (Decorah)
Southeast Iowa
Rachelle Chase (Ottumwa)
Daniel Henderson (Washington)
Barry Piatt (Washington, D.C.)
Mary Swander (Kalona)
Mary Swander's Emerging Voices (Kalona)
Avery Gregurich (Marengo)
Quad Cities (Davenport and Surrounding Area)
Tory Brecht (Quad Cities)
Alison McGaughey (Davenport)
Ed Tibbetts (Davenport)
Other/Iowa-Wide Writers
Nik Heftman (Iowa)
Dana James (Black Iowa News, Iowa)
Hola Iowa (Iowa)
Letters From Iowans (Iowa)
Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup
Iowa Podcasters' Collaborative
Iowa Capital Dispatch (Alliance with IWC)
Out-of-State Writers
Romen Borsellino (Hollywood, CA)
Phoebe Wall Howard (Detroit, MI)
Barry Piatt (Washington, D.C.)
Chris Gloninger (U.S.)
Did you catch the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Flipside edition last Wednesday? Find
, , , and much more!