The slowest dance on Capitol Hill, the writing of a new Farm Bill, gained tempo May 1 when both the House and Senate Ag committees released versions of their bills. The House bill was a broadly …

Prop 12 is proving to be costly for not only Iowa pig farmers but California consumers too. I am glad to see the U.S. House Ag Committee taking steps in the farm bill to protect producers from a …

Here is a tidbit from my years as a newspaper reporter and editor:   I never voted in a primary election, never attended the Iowa caucuses, never stuck a candidate’s sign in my yard, …

If I had studied Shakespeare, the Bible or Greek mythology I might be able to discern subtle truth through historical analogy from the trials of Donald Trump. The best philosopher I can summon …

On June 27, about five weeks from now, we’ll get to watch the first presidential debate for the 2024 election.    Or not.   The announced changes to the debate …

In today's digital age, we find ourselves engulfed in what seems like an endless sea of information. Our social media feeds overflow with memes, news articles, and posts from friends, family, …

Climate costs If you think climate change is a hoax, check with your insurance company. Insurers have lost money each of the last four years in Iowa, according to a New York Times analysis, and …

You don’t often hear anyone extol the benefits of the Covid pandemic. But I did few weeks ago — when I stood before the Storm Lake Kiwanis club and talked about government transparency in Iowa. …

Early in my first year at the Big U, a new friend from Chicago’s south side asked me what he thought was an innocent question. “You’re from southern Illinois,” began Vince, “so why don’t …

From Ackley to Zwingle, probably no Iowan knows more about Iowa than Randy Evans, executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council. Randy came to Storm Lake Monday to speak to the …

The story of our National Weather Service is one of catching up and staying ahead. For more than 200 years, meteorologists, both amateurs and professionals, have steadily employed new scientific …

I’m bleary and road-weary after a pioneering trek in an electric pickup truck to the Gulf of Mexico and back last week. We made it, no small feat. We being Tom Lentz of St. Paul, Mike …

Long before it became a cliché, there were many heroes who never wore capes. I met one: the rail-thin, then-86 year old Theodore W. Schultz, in his sun-filled, University of Chicago office on a …

We set out last week from Dubuque to follow the Mississippi River down to New Orleans. Adjacent river bottoms rich in fertilizer, freshly planted and exposed, were inundated from heavy spring …

This is the second op-ed of a 2-part series, focusing on presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump. The first op-ed examined five major issues confronting the candidates and voters: …

Iowa has a historic opportunity to expand access to affordable, reliable, high-speed internet to everyone in the state, no matter where they live or their circumstances. Access, however, depends …

Genetic fragments of the avian flu virus have been found in milk, federal authorities reported last week, suggesting that the disease is more widespread among dairy cattle than previously thought. …

Federal policymakers and their Big Ag friends have a problem: Their hope to make corn and soybeans the feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) hit a wall when the aviation industry ruled that …

Overruling a few outspoken ultraconservative Republican members, the U.S. House by wide margins last Saturday belatedly approved crucial aid for nations and peoples that desperately need it. The …

This is part 1 of a 2-part op-ed series, focused on America’s main stream presidential candidates Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Part one is a meta compare and contrast analysis of five major issues …