I’ve written about this before, but high school has changed a lot since my day. more

In honor of North Scott's graduation on Sunday, we present a favorite Impressions column of Bill Tubbs', originally published May 15, 1974. more

May 22, 1985: As several area communities made plans to mark Memorial Day, Elmer and Dorothy Gronewold of Donahue were remembering their son, Larry, who was killed in Vietnam in March of 1968. While the Gronewolds said they had always paid tribute to deceased family and friends on Memorial Day, the event became more poignant to them after they became a Gold Star family. The American Legion Post in Donahue was named after Larry. more

Almost two weeks after our scheduled finish, the legislative session officially concluded. It was a busy end to the session as we worked on several major issues and priorities to finish the year. more

"The Honor Flight of the Quad Cities doesn’t just take veterans on a trip—it brings them closure, honor, and the recognition they deserve ..." more

"The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Meals on Wheels are critical programs that alleviate food insecurity and improve mental health outcomes for low-income individuals ..." more

"... I want to remind everyone of the Maysville Fire Department block party on June 7, noon till 11 p.m. ..." more

May 14, 1975: Construction work halted at the site of the future North Scott Junior High after Local 111 of the Iron Workers Union went on strike. All other unions working on the project decided to honor the strike until the iron workers had a new contract with the Quad Cities Builders Association. District officials said they were concerned, because construction on the project was scheduled to be completed by the end of July or middle of August so students could begin the school year there. Superintendent Melvin Heiler was exploring several options, from delaying the start of school at all levels, postponing just seventh and eighth grade, starting the junior high students at the high school in extremely overcrowded conditions, or splitting shifts at the high school until the junior high could open. more

Rest assured, Iowa. Republicans in Des Moines have heard your concerns about high prices, and they’re doing something about it. more

"Just like Trump’s import taxes, sales taxes fall the hardest on those who can least afford them. Inflicting pain on the least fortunate while continuing to cut revenue is immoral ..." more

May 8, 1985: The North Scott School District was considering offering a district-run day care service. The Iowa legislature recently passed a bill encouraging school districts to offer this service. Superintendent Doug Otto had been exploring the possibility since February, and said he had two concerns. First, he wanted to know if families were interested in utilizing the service. He also said he didn’t want to go into direct competition with existing services. “Our intent isn’t to take kids already enrolled in a program, but to find a way to help the kids that aren’t enrolled someplace,” he said. more

House Republicans released their spending plans for Fiscal Year 2026 on Monday afternoon (April 28), once again committing to moving forward a responsible, conservative budget for Iowa.  The plan spends $9.453 billion starting on July 1.  This represents an increase of $505 million over the current year.   more

Did you know today is the targeted date to end the 2025 legislative session? In odd numbered years, legislators stop receiving per diem pay after 110 days, and May 2 (today) is day 110. We are allotted ten extra days in odd numbered years (per diem lasts 100 days in even years), but even with the extra ten days to get our work done in 2025 we’re still not finished. In a sporting event, the prospect of overtime can be thrilling. It means you’re watching a particularly close and entertaining game with evenly matched competitors and tense action. In the world of state politics, however, overtime indicates disarray and inaction, disagreement and delays. more

May 2 marked the final scheduled day of the 2025 legislative session, but lawmakers are heading into overtime to finalize budget agreements and address remaining issues. The Senate met Monday and Tuesday to advance key bills, either sending them to the governor’s desk for signature or to the House for consideration upon its return. more

"Facial recognition technology is now thoroughly embedded in our nation’s surveillance infrastructure and is poised to become even more invasive ..." more

"Not a word from Miller-Meeks acknowledging the undeniable fact that very few of her constituents will remain unaffected by the current state of affairs ..." more

"Support strong public schools, not a voucher. Balance the budget, or as predicted, property taxes will need to be increased to meet local budgets ..." more

"Our intelligence agencies now have to walk on eggshells, always worrying about angering the King. That could be our ultimate undoing ..." more

"I live with diabetes, and like millions of Americans, I rely on insulin to stay alive. Lately, though, it feels like surviving has become a luxury I can barely afford ..." more

So, upon first glance, “9 to 5: The Musical” may not be everybody’s plate of biscuits. Truth be told, I was pretty ambivalent about the choice when it was announced last May. I just kind of felt like Lancer Productions had already done the show, and I was more intrigued by the other shows, “Radium Girls” especially. more