"Bad Bunny’s performance attracted an audience of 130 million viewers. He has sold over 5 million albums in the United States ..." more

"We the friends of the Dixon Legion are happy to announce that, after a weeklong transition, we are reopening the Dixon Legion ..." more

"Here are some similar words written by a famous author ..." more

Noah and I headed off to Des Moines last week for the Iowa Newspaper Association convention. I’ve been fortunate enough to attend for the last few years, and I enjoy going because the organizers try to come up with a slate of interesting panels to attend. And as you all know, I’m a big fan of learning. more

There’s a headline I keep seeing: kids these days don’t want to have fun. more

Feb. 11, 1976: The City of Eldridge filed a $50 million lawsuit against Caterpillar and the City of Davenport over the company’s request to annex into Davenport. The suit alleged that Caterpillar conspired with Davenport to deprive Eldridge of the exclusive jurisdiction to annex land where the plant was located in Mount Joy. The suit also said that Caterpillar undermined the 10-year moratorium agreement between the cities on annexation, and that a sewer agreement between Davenport and the company in 1966 “provided unfair inducements for the plant to annex to Davenport.” more

As we wrap up Week Four of the 2026 legislative session, it's clear that the pace of activity has been brisk. With numerous bills under discussion and meeting with constituents, this week has gone by quickly. I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone in the 94th district for your ongoing communication and invaluable insights. Your perspectives not only inform my decisions but also strengthen our collective voice in the legislature. Together, we can navigate the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, making progress that truly reflects our community's needs and aspirations more

This week at the Capitol, the House continued to work on legislation focused on affordability, workforce development, public safety, and consumer protection. Below is an update on several bills and issues discussed this week. more

"I wish every day it could be mentioned, up front to the nation, that we have a mentally unwell president. Instead of treating him like he's normal. That just normalizes insanity ..." more

"The Bobby Kaufmann that I’ve come to know through his comments and the policies he promotes has been neither common sense nor practical. He and his party have done very little to solve the contamination in our lakes, streams, and groundwater.  They have done little to solve the rise in cancer rates in the state, or deal with the shortage of adequate housing for low income families ..." more

"Trump has admitted that presidents usually do not gain seats during midterm elections. In a Reuters interview, he talked about possibly canceling the election, saying Republicans had done so well that 'when you think of it, we shouldn’t even have an election' ..." more

" An NSP opinion dismissed solar as taking too much land out of production. Solar land remains in production without needing fertilizers, pesticides, or other annual inputs. It takes about 31 acres of corn to generate the same amount of electricity as one acre of solar. The land is producing energy either way ..." more

Several exchanges from the Scott County legislators’ forum Jan. 23 did not make it out of my notes and into last week’s North Scott Press. A busy week and a full paper. It felt like property taxes and energy needs, top of mind for many readers, deserved the column-inches. more

Feb. 5, 1986: Eldridge city administrator Don Sandor announced he would resign to take a similar position in Waverly. Sandor had served as administrator since 1982, and his announcement came as a surprise to members of the city council. He said it was a very hard decision to make. “Things are going well here, and no one was pushing me to leave. Waverly offers me experience I couldn’t get here, although the experience I acquired in Eldridge will go a long way to ensure a successful career in city management.” more

The 2026 Legislative Session is officially underway.  The Legislature meets in two-year increments and this year is the second and final year. This session will be different for me than any other year because I have now been elected Majority Leader of the Iowa House of Representatives.  Each caucus (House Republicans, House Democrats, Senate Republicans, and Senate Democrats) chooses a leader. My colleagues bestowed this honor on me, but I do not consider the office of Majority Leader to be my office… I consider it to be the office of the citizens of Cedar, Muscatine, and Scott Counties.  I will aggressively push for legislation that is good for our district and reject legislation that is not. more

I wish this newsletter could begin on a positive note, but I cannot remain silent after viewing the multiple killing video recordings of our Minnesota neighbors Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Iowan servicemen Sgts. Nate Howard and Edgar Torres-Tovar sacrificed their lives protecting the U.S. Constitution, which includes the 1st Amendment right to protest, 2nd Amendment right to bear arms, and the 14th Amendment for the due process of law, all of which have been under attack by the current immigration enforcement policy. Regardless of the immigration narrative that one subscribes to, no stance should support the killing of Americans exercising their Constitutional rights by our own Government. This policy approach has to stop NOW! more

As Week Three wraps up in the Iowa legislature, I want to take a moment to share with you the important actions we've made in enhancing public safety. I have the honor of serving as chair of the Public Safety Committee, where we introduced three significant bills aimed at strengthening our community and state safety. more

This week at the Capitol, the House worked on several pieces of legislation focused on public safety, affordability, and protecting Iowans. Below is an update on the bills and policy issues discussed this week. more

"What happened to ..." more

"I swore an oath to the constitution which ensures the rights of the people to peacefully assemble ..." more