I walked in the kitchen door. Mom’s gaze immediately fell to my knees. Two jagged holes were framed by dirt-encrusted blue fabric. Twisted, ragged threads drooped sadly around each gash. Mother’s pale-blue eyes quickly lifted to mine. “Are your knees scraped bad?” more

The thump of my boots echoed in the cold, dark hallway. A bare bulb high above cast shadows over the old steps, but I didn’t care, because when I got to the bottom of those steps and opened the door, an amazing world appeared. more

It was busy and productive this week at the Capitol with floor debate on many bills occurring in both chambers. Last week we reached our first self-imposed legislative deadline where bills that did not advance out of full committee are no longer eligible for debate (barring any procedural maneuvering). more

I stopped and stared. No! It couldn’t be. There on an endcap in the seasonal card section was a very elaborate, sparkly, red and pink castle. Not just a castle, it was a castle VALENTINE BOX! The drawbridge lowered into an opening for depositing cards. It was complete, pre-decorated, ready-to-take-home PLASTIC. more

On Feb. 2 the Iowa House passed our first bill of the legislative session, House File 2128, which is Governor Reynolds’ Biofuel Access bill. This piece of legislation supports Iowa’s renewable fuel industry and provides Iowan’s more choice when they fill up their vehicles at local gas stations. more

“This is a perfect night!” Delmer exclaimed as he slid the pasture gate open and let Rodney and Randy step through before pulling it shut behind them. more

Week 2 of the Iowa Legislature sees subcommittee work on proposed legislation hitting full stride. This first step of a bill’s life usually consists of a three person subcommittee, two of the … more

“The cousins are coming!” Almost always, that announcement invoked a sense of excitement in us kids, especially if the cousins were our same gender and close to us in age. Memories of ballgames and Anti-I-Over danced in our heads. We couldn’t wait! more

Iowa is the leading biofuels producing state in the nation but lags other states in biofuels market share. Ethanol sales can be improved by creating an E10 standard for most on-road fuel sold in … more

The 2022 session of the Iowa Legislature began on January 10. I’d like to describe what we find as we arrive and what we will be doing. It is the second session of the two-year General Assembly. 50 Senators and 100 Representatives will work from now until mid-April to move legislation, work with the governor and her departments, and communicate with constituents back home. All of this with the goal of making Iowa a better place to live, work, and raise a family. more

Do you ever find yourself in a real jam where you can’t make heads or tails of a nearby conversation? Modern-day jargon is a far cry from the way we used to talk. Once in a blue moon I will ask a grandchild just what a word or phrase means, but truth be told I don’t mind admitting I was born long before yesterday, and sometimes, ignorance is bliss. more