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Editorials

Why I’m voting yes on the East Marshall bond issue

I am a 5th generation graduate of what is now the East Marshall School District. I returned to my hometown after college and teaching out of state for several years and have been paying taxes in the district for 35+ years. This letter is written as an alum, a current district taxpayer, a ...

Brass Tacks from Rural Iowa: The worst of the worst?

Leading up to last year’s election, then candidate Donald Trump campaigned heavily on deporting immigrants on a massive scale. It’s something he’s followed through on, regularly claiming that his Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency would target “the worst of the worst.” ...

Grassley Awarded for Biofuels Leadership

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, accepted Growth Energy’s 2025 “Fueling Growth Award” for his efforts to support biofuel production. “Homegrown biofuels are good, good, good. They’re good for lowering prices, good ...

Iowa Outdoors

Iowa’s statewide pheasant population is at a 20-year high, and state wildlife experts are forecasting a banner year for hunters. “The mild winter really put us over the top this year,” said Todd Bogenschutz, upland wildlife research biologist for the Iowa Department of Natural ...

A resentment as old as America itself

Many rural Coloradans, especially in agricultural communities, feel looked down on by their urban counterparts. One cattle rancher I spoke to put it plainly. “It’s an attitude … we are the idiots … we are the dumb farmers … we don’t really matter.” The sentiment is also ...

It’s a mixed bag

It’s summer and school-aged children are home for break. More meals eaten at home means food purchasing budgets are stretched. For eligible families, Healthy Kids Iowa (HKI), a summer feeding program, is Iowa’s answer to meeting those needs. The South Tama County Food Pantry located on ...

Holding the line: The urgent need to support Iowa’s volunteer firefighters

Volunteer firefighters are the backbone of Iowa’s emergency response system, especially in rural areas. As the state faces a growing crisis in recruitment and retention, it’s time to take a closer look at the current state of Iowa’s volunteer fire service and why support is urgently ...

A photo of my father

This is a photo of my father. He was born in Tama. He is standing before Mount Suribachi during World War II. If you don’t recognize this place, then you may not fully grasp the weight of history — or the immense cost of freedom. Take note: there is no flag on the peak. A Major in the ...

District 53 Newsletter: May 22, 2025

The 2025 legislative session is over, we adjourned “Sine Die” in the early morning hours of Thursday, May 15, after a 22 hour marathon session. This has been another historic session, there is so much to write about, but so little space in these newsletters. I will touch on a few key pieces ...