Guest Post

Hello, my name’s Keira O’Neill and I’m 14 years old. For the people on the opposing side of children getting education about queer people, you may be wondering why it’s important at all. I mean, adult LGBTQ+ only account for 7.2% of the U.S. population, right? And though that is true, 7.2% of  336 million…

I write today with an urgent call to action to protect our reproductive freedoms. Iowans overwhelmingly support the right to choose—yet the battle has reached a critical point. While last week’s ruling narrowly upheld our right to abortion, we must confront the reality that there are still individuals who seek to limit our autonomy. They…

“Foundation in Education” was the motto on the Iowa quarter issued in 2004. In my thirty-seven years serving in Iowa public schools as a teacher, principal, and superintendent, I was so proud to be an educator in a state that valued education as much as this one. Yet, despite what the Iowa quarter says, our…

State, city and county food inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations during the past four weeks, including insects in customers’ food and filthy kitchens. One fast-food restaurant in Des Moines agreed to close, for the second time in 13 months, after being cited for recurring violations related to unsanitary…

Ron DeSantis is in the race. For the last two decades, presidential campaigns have hinged on domestic concerns. But as a Marine veteran and member of Congress working on issues related to China and Russia, I hope and expect foreign affairs will play a bigger role this cycle. America can’t afford a president who’s tough…

Just as the vaccination roll-out was gaining steam in early 2021, Governor Kim Reynolds decided to quietly lift Covid-19 protocols meant to keep residents safe from the highly infectious disease. During a press conference announcing the change, Reynolds stated, “I trust Iowans to do the right thing.”  If only this logic applied in ways consistent…

In recent years, the state of Iowa has experienced a concerning phenomenon that I like to call the “Iowa Overreach.” Since taking full control of state government in 2017, the Republican Party led by Gov. Kim Reynolds has pursued a relentless agenda of stripping away local control, undermining public education, restricting rights, and promoting discrimination.…

An Open Letter to Governor Kim Reynolds: You recently signed legislation SF 496, which bans books from schools, limits education on gender identity and sexual orientation, and wants staff to “out” students whose preferred pronoun is different than their biological sex. You proudly signed this bill—privately. This had never been an Iowa concern, but a…

After a mild winter, there will likely be an uptick in ticks this year. Safeguarding yourself, and your pets, from ticks requires protecting yourself before, during, and after spending time outdoors. Mild winters could mean more ticks earlier than usual and a wider spread of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. Tick season generally stretches…

Memorial Day is usually seen as a day off from work or school, but it’s so much more than that. On Memorial Day, we mourn and honor the US military personnel who have died while serving in the US armed forces. It’s also a time for reflection and to intentionally connect with our community. If…