×

Local Columns

Opposes dropping vaccine requirements for students

Thanks to everyone who came out to Eggs and Issues on Jan. 31. We had a good turnout and great conversations. Our first legislative funnel is in two weeks, Feb. 20. This means that any legislation that originated in the House needs to pass a full committee by this date or it dies. This ...

Disagreement isn’t the problem

Disagreement gets a bad reputation. We tend to treat it as something to avoid or smooth over as quickly as possible. But disagreement itself isn’t the problem. How we handle it is. In community work, disagreement is unavoidable. People come to the table with different experiences, ...

Growth continues for UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge surgical services

Throughout 2025, we saw tremendous growth in our surgical services at UnityPoint Health — Fort Dodge. We are also making strong progress on the surgery renovation and expansion project. Much of the exterior work is now complete, and construction teams are focused on interior work to prepare ...

Putting students first in higher education policy

At Iowa Central Community College, our purpose is simple and student-centered: we want students to finish their degrees or certifications in the shortest time possible, with the least amount of student loan debt, so they can have a better life. This purpose helps us fulfill our mission by ...

Eminent domain, human services bills addressed in House

Last week, the House passed HF 2104, a bill that will prohibit the use of eminent domain for a carbon dioxide pipeline. I supported this bill. The House has been working on this issue for four years. It’s early in the session, and I’m optimistic we can finally come to a resolution this ...