Crisis underscores how vital information is
News Desk We have all become acutely aware in the past few weeks why masks and face shields, respirators and ventilators are so important for hospital workers and their patients. The supply…
Stray Thoughts
There should not be a price tag to vote
Iowans take considerable pleasure in enumerating the various ways our state stands apart from the other 49 states — beyond our endangered first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses. For many years, we pointed…
Teachers deserve protection for protecting student rights
A bill now awaiting debate and a vote in the Iowa Senate is quite short. It adds a mere 10 lines to the Iowa Code. But those 10 lines are…
Public deserves to know what occurs in our schools
Forgive me, but I think some government officials forget they work for the people of Iowa, or maybe they just don’t want the public asking too many questions, especially if…
It’s time to overhaul, or end, the caucuses
For 40+ years, Iowa has been pulling the wool over the eyes of the free world every four years. It is time our state’s political leaders put aside their love…
Remember, our imperfections don’t define us
Every one of us probably has a moment of dread from our grade school days squirreled away in the dusty recesses of our memories. Or many such moments. For me,…
Something for Legislature’s ‘To Do’ list
There is a retired businessman in western Iowa who bristles every time he reads a newspaper article from somewhere in our state about government officials who have misused their government…
A teacher has a lesson from the ER for all of us
Schools across Iowa have been dark for more than a week because of winter vacation. But a Des Moines teacher still managed to teach a very important lesson during that…
There’s something special about simple charity
This is the time of the year when my psyche — after being worn down by the headaches, the hatred and the heartache around us — gets a much-needed pick-me-up…
The questions I would like to ask ‘Berk’
Whenever a friend or relative dies, it’s not unusual to find ourselves dwelling on the conversations we wish had occurred or the questions that never got asked. That certainly was…
A shame so many see compromise as bad
Down through the ages, a pretty comprehensive list of sins has been compiled to guide our daily lives. Some have been added over time as society’s norms have changed, and…
‘Professor’ Cady gave us a remarkable lesson
Mark Cady was right at home at the piano and was an occasional singer, too, maybe best known among family and friends for his rendition of “Easter Parade” each New…
Our legacy is more than our bank accounts
I was in Dubuque last week to toast a friend who was retiring after a long and distinguished career. There was a big community reception that was attended by scores…
There’s too little talk about corporate welfare
Here we go again. Many politicians and their followers are warning of the dangers of the United States drifting into socialism. If you listen to those sounding the alarm, the…
There’s more to being a good role model
I have been sputtering like an old pickup truck for the past three years over the sometimes outrageous, sometimes ill-informed, and often infuriating comments our president makes each day on…