Rick Smith

In this deeply divided and partisan political universe, it may come as a surprise there is strong bipartisan agreement on solving climate challenges with a tax on carbon emissions. There is wide agreement the climate action clock is ticking and we must reduce carbon emissions. The general consensus is we must reach net zero carbon…

Worldwide climate reporting is literally heating up with frightening news. Global temperatures continue to spike as July was the hottest month ever recorded since records began in 1880. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the sizzling July record follows the hottest June ever recorded in the last 140 years. Anchorage, Alaska hit 90…

Any discussion about restricting the sale or possession of assault rifles must include input from trauma surgeons working to repair the monstrous wounds these military weapons create. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump have promised a discussion on gun safety when Congress returns to Washington, D.C., next month after its August recess.…

The beach and new outdoor waterpark at the $60 million Honey Creek Resort are closed this week, as well as two other beaches on Rathbun Lake. The closures came after dangerous blue-green algae blooms were detected at several spots around the lake. Swimming warnings are in place at all three beaches and the public was…

The issue of climate change temporarily has fallen off the news radar as the public responds to the horrific shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio. As a result, much of the public likely missed last week’s latest warning from the United Nations about threats to worldwide food supplies due to climate change.   The…

An editorial opinion piece written July 15 by Carol Hunter in the Des Moines Register is the latest warning about the Iowa newspaper’s declining subscription base. Hunter, the Register’s executive editor explains “Why we’re asking you to buy a subscription.”   It’s a signal that the Register needs the public’s help and financial support if Iowans…

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is engaged in a peculiar debate. Since April, there has been a growing grassroots crusade by such groups as the Sunrise Movement, 350.org, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Credo Action demanding the DNC sponsor a presidential debate focused exclusively on climate change. The DNC leadership has pushed back, pointing…

The battle to overturn portions of the Republicans’ 2017 voter ID law raged on in a Polk County District Court trial several weeks ago. The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Iowa State University student Taylor Blair are challenging several key portions of the law. If LULAC and Blair are successful, the worst…