I was not alive during the Vietnam War. My historical context is mostly from what I was taught in school and through culture. My first exposure to this war was through the television show "That '70s Show." It came in the form of a joke where Fez, the foreign exchange student, learns about the ...
Welcome back to Dining with Donaldson, the place where I try recipes so you don’t have to! This week I decided to change things up again, because what brings more joy in life than unpredictability? This morning as I was working on some food prep items in my kitchen, I started thinking ...
If Iowans want a glimpse of their future, they might just look to the south. To Missouri. Republicans there are asking people to approve a constitutional amendment next month to eliminate the state income tax and authorize an expansion of the sales tax to make up for the lost revenue. This ...
My small vegetable garden is where an old tree used to stand before my wife and I bought this place. The garden is framed by what used to be a wooden base to the tree. Unfortunately, the soil is nothing compared to the famed northern Tama County soil. While no longer farming, the process of ...
Chris Jones and his boss at the water works used to ask as they gathered daily to discuss the roiling river’s polluted water: “Where’s the outrage?” Iowans are freaking out over our leading cancer rates, chemical companies are held harmless by the Supreme Court, and it turns out Trump ...
Welcome back to Dining with Donaldson, the place where I try recipes so you don’t have to! This week I decided to give you all a break from my recipes and try something new! With the Iowa heat finally showing its face, I knew I didn’t want to turn on the oven unless absolutely necessary. ...
I hope everyone had a great 4th of July and celebrated America’s 250th Birthday! I want to thank everyone who voted for me in the June Primary Election. I was unopposed and will now be on the November 2026 General Election ballot. I appreciate everyone’s continued support and your trust ...
A little more than a year ago, egg prices were through the roof. Cartons of eggs were missing, and the avian bird flu was in full force. This had been an ongoing problem since 2022. After March 2025, egg prices dropped to lower prices, though still higher than pre-pandemic levels. Maybe the ...
Welcome back to Dining with Donaldson, the place where I try recipes so you don’t have to! I wanted to share a crowd favorite that I have been making for...well...let’s just say a long time. Picture it: You’re in a house covered in patriotic decor, it’s hot outside, so you decide to ...
The Declaration of Independence, with its block of cursive letters scrawled onto parchment, looks like a relic from the distant past. Likewise, you might think the 27 grievances against King George III, his government and the British people listed in the body of the document would have little ...