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College admissions scandal has wide reach

The indictment of dozens of wealthy parents, including several Hollywood actresses and business leaders, along with the top college athletic coaches they allegedly bribed, tells a shocking story of corruption and deception in college admissions. If the charges are true, these privileged but desperate parents sought to ensure spots at elite schools for their children by pretending they were top flight athletes, helping them cheat on standardized tests, and paying off college officials, among other things. Well-known designer Mossimo Giannulli was among those charged, along with actress ...

Help celebrate National Ag Day

After an at-times trying winter, spring is about to arrive. As another growing season approaches, Thursday was set as National Ag Day by the Agriculture Council of America. The council designates the week within which it falls as National Ag Week. This important time to celebrate agriculture began Sunday. One goal of Ag Day is to recognize the contribution agriculture makes in the lives of all of us. The council sponsors and encourages programs during Ag Week that help Americans: • understand how food and fiber products are produced, • appreciate the role agriculture plays in ...

Iowa water quality affects us all

The latest Iowa Nutrient Reduction Annual Progress Report has just been released. This comprehensive review of the state’s multifaceted conservation efforts to reduce undesirable chemical runoff is a prepared jointly by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University. The latest update on this important conservation undertaking contains much good news. Substantial forward movement is being achieved. “We are committed to robust measuring and reporting around each of the steps necessary to reach our water ...

Grassley gets things done right

We’ve long known that U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley gets things done and done right in Washington, D.C. Now, an organization led by professors from Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia has recognized that fact and has announced it nationwide. The non-partisan Center for Effective Lawmaking has named Grassley the most effective lawmaker for the recently concluded 115th Congress. He rose to first place in the study, climbing up from fifth most effective lawmaker in the 114th Congress. This is the third time Grassley, a Republican, has scored first in the study. The ...

NK won’t get something for nothing this time

It may be time for North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un to try Plan B. His initial strategy in dealing with President Donald Trump ­—trying to get something for nothing — flopped badly. Trump and Kim held their second face-to-face meeting this week in Hanoi, Vietnam. But Trump departed earlier than scheduled, telling reporters Kim had simply asked too much of the United States and been willing to grant too little in return. Negotiations between Trump and Kim have shown a different side of the president than most Americans see on a day-to-day basis. Essentially, Trump is ...

A thank you for a job well done

During a big winter storm, lots of people like to stay inside, sipping their favorite hot beverage while they watch the white stuff pile up outside. But one group of people goes out in every storm, and the work of these unsung heroes makes it possible for everyone to travel in snowy conditions. They are the men and women who drive snowplows. They are employed by the Iowa Department of Transportation, counties and cities. Their mission requires them to maneuver big trucks and sometimes, motor graders, in the worst conditions an Iowa winter can produce. Getting the roads ready for ...