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Legislative session was good for ag

Agriculture long has been at the heart of our state’s economic well-being. The state’s farms and those industries related to agriculture remain absolutely vital to the Hawkeye State’s continued prosperity. Whenever the Legislature convenes issues pertinent to agriculture get especially careful consideration. The 2019 session was no exception. Much that will position the farm economy to thrive in the years ahead was accomplished. Shortly after the Legislature adjourned, Mike Naig, who heads the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, expressed satisfaction with the ...

We are grateful for your sacrifice

We all likely know someone who has served in this nation’s military. After all, 16 million Americans served during the most horrific war in history — World War II. More than six million served in the Korean War. Almost nine million GIs were on active duty during the Vietnam War, from 1964 to 1973; 2,709,918 Americans actually served in Vietnam. That’s 9.7 percent of their generation. For nearly a decade, the Honor Flight program has made it possible for thousands of those veterans to visit the memorials to their personal sacrifices. Locally, Ron Newsum heads a ...

Iowa employers are mobilizing

Gov. Kim Reynolds has issued a call for Iowa’s employers to participate in the fifth annual Give Back Iowa Challenge. This important philanthropic undertaking got underway on April 1 and continues through May 31. The goal of this innovative endeavor is to engage our state’s residents in employer-supported volunteering. “Volunteering and giving back is an integral part of what it means to be an Iowan,” Reynolds said in launching this year’s Challenge. Charitable and service projects of various types are important to the success of every community in our state. Iowa has a ...

Helping students decide wisely

Going to college can be an expensive undertaking. One of the most important decisions prospective college students and their parents must confront is just how much debt they are willing to face when their studies are complete. Iowa’s two United States senators — Charles Grassley and Joni Ernst — have partnered with U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, of Minnesota, to introduce three complementary bills the enactment of which would provide college students and their families improved information about what their educational pursuits will cost both in the near future and long-term. The two ...

The Iowa tradition lives on

When the Missouri River recently surged out of its banks and turned southwest Iowa and parts of Nebraska into a giant pond, the true character of Iowans shined through once again. People across Iowa, even those with no connection to the flooded area, are pitching in to collect money, bottled water, hay for livestock and other supplies to be sent to those who are impacted by this disaster. And they’re not limiting their generosity to their fellow Iowans. Some of the material is going to flooded areas of Nebraska. People in the Fort Dodge area are part of this grassroots relief ...

Keep McCain’s memory alive

Some Americans, including members of Congress, are happy about the success of President Donald Trump’s policies, even as they wish fervently he would learn, well, to keep his mouth shut on certain topics. The late Sen. John McCain, of Arizona, is one of those subjects. McCain was, like Trump, a Republican. But the two clashed politically and very publicly. The senator refused to support a health-care initiative favored by the president. And, Trump said this week, McCain leaked a document intended to harm Trump in his 2016 bid for the White House. It was clear for some time ...