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Columnists

Politicians in Iowa also avoid tough questions

For the past couple of years, Republicans often accused Joe Biden of dodging the media — refusing to sit for extended interviews, declining to be questioned in regular White House press conferences, depriving the public of the opportunity to see how he thinks on his feet and articulates his ...

Only American citizens should be allowed to vote in American elections

The right to vote forms the bedrock of our democratic republic and gives an important voice to the people — of which, by which, and for which our country was established, and President Lincoln so eloquently put during his Gettysburg Address on Nov. 19, 1863. Men and women in uniform have ...

Show up! Be honest! Try hard!

This simple refrain, “Show Up-Be Honest-Try Hard” is a key to success for everyone. Here in Marshalltown, we have adopted this catchphrase to help court involved individuals who are also experiencing substance use and/or mental health issues change their lives. It should come as no ...

Timeout

Everybody needs a timeout. When I was a kid, “timeout” was just becoming fashionable, like when the hula hoop took the country by swirl. Instead of a spanking, a “timeout” might be awarded to a misbehaving child (like me), where I was assigned to go stand in a corner, or be sent off ...

A retired meteorologist’s reflection on a storm he won’t forget

For my first professional journalism job out of college, I landed the news editor role at my hometown newspaper, the Times-Republican in Marshalltown. On my ninth day, as I turned onto Main Street, I could see the soft morning sun shining on the courthouse’s spire above the trees. It was ...