With winter approaching, the work on Salt Creek Wind Phase I is winding down. You may have noticed less activity in that area. I was notified that the last turbine in Phase I was raised last week. During our negotiations with NextEra Energy on Phase I, David Turner and I met with Kimberly ...
A couple weeks ago I was reading more news about water only to come across another story which, in roundabout ways, is also about our state’s water quality. It was about the lawsuit filed against Farm Bureau Financial Services and several of their other subsidiaries. Former special ...
Northwest headwinds buffet Iowa Republicans a year out from the 2026 midterm elections: Farmers are under stress, grocery prices are high, our rivers are fouled, and voters want better. The GOP controls the statehouse, the governor’s office and the entire congressional delegation. The ...
Thanksgiving Day took root in our nation’s history as a “day of public thanksgiving and prayer” when George Washington issued a proclamation in 1789, calling upon freshly minted Americans to celebrate ratification of the Constitution and coalesce around the bounty of hard-fought freedom. ...
This holiday season, will you shop at one of the 33.2 million small businesses that make up 99% of all businesses in the U.S? Up and down rural main streets in rural America, shopkeepers are readying their stores for the season. Business owners are stocking special gifts and rolls of wrapping ...
As we look ahead to Thanksgiving and the holiday season, I wanted to take a moment to share what I have been up to as summer transitioned into fall. The end of summer always brings one of my favorite local traditions, the Doggy Dip at the Falls Aquatic Center. This year was extra special ...
Events recently in Chicago and Washington and at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Davenport provide stark reminders that our nation’s leaders have seemingly forgotten a biblical command around for the ages. It is one Robert Ray followed during his tenure as Iowa governor, which ended some 42 years ...
Due to rising energy demand, the development of wind energy generation continues to present opportunities for rural counties and landowners alike. A key to taking advantage of these opportunities begins with open communication and collaboration between wind energy developers and local ...
It was maybe a happy coincidence last week that while I was following the news about Trump’s soybean deal with China that I also happened to tune into the Iowa Farmers Union (IFU) weekly “lunch and learn” on Facebook. Amid so much uncertainty, not just for farmers but all of us in rural ...
Challenging behaviors can be frustrating and exhausting, often leaving adults doubting their ability to manage the moment. Yet behind every power struggle, outburst, or meltdown lies a story — a skill not yet developed, a need unmet, or a stressor unrecognized. With the right mindset, tools, ...