"The Republican Governor candidate Lahn’s goals - government that prioritizes people, clean water, safe communities, excellent schools, and defeating the cancer crisis sound great. However, looking beyond the sound bite, we see more spending, more tax cuts, and no indication of how to pay for anything ..." more

"Vote, make sure this team stays intact. There are threats gnawing on the fabric ..." more

My first summer as a reporter, the editor of my hometown newspaper had me spend the morning of July 4 on a street corner asking random passersby, “What does Independence Day mean to you?” more

July 1, 1976: The Iowa City Development Board accepted Eldridge’s petition for the annexation of the land containing the Caterpillar plant in Mount Joy as an “exercise in procedure.” City attorney John Stonebraker met with representatives of the board to discuss the circumstances of the 10-year annexation moratorium between Eldridge and Davenport. Stonebraker said it was the first time in the board’s history that two cities have filed competing petitions, and the board was looking to the state Attorney General’s office for an opinion. more

"The city of Eldridge has reached a tipping point that it really needs to consider hiring paid personnel at least during normal Monday through Friday business hours ..." more

"Covering GLP-1s through Medicaid is not about paying for weight loss. Iowa already foots the bill for the results of obesity. It’s time to cover the drug that can prevent and treat it ..." more

"Public service is important, but family comes first. I thank Rita for her years of service to Scott County and pray for her strength and comfort in the days ahead ..." more

Imagine: A Montana winter in the 1930s, the Depression raging, the fire crackling. You watch the snow fall and think, I will not see another human being today. But you hope, hope against hope, that the mail will come, that you will glimpse the postman and open some letter dispatched from society to the endless frontier. more

June 25, 1986: Deborah Nier was named Eldridge’s new city administrator. She would replace Don Sandor. Nier had been employed as an associate planner with Bi-State Regional Commission for two years, and had previously served as city clerk in Riverdale. “I’m very excited about coming to Eldridge,” she said. “I believe that Eldridge presents a lot of opportunity for economic development, and I see a lot of potential for the city to grow and become a thriving community.” more

Twenty years ago, social media promised to bring us closer together. While we quickly embraced that technology, only later did we begin to understand its costs, especially for children. We now stand at a similar crossroads with artificial intelligence, but the stakes are even higher. more

"Throughout Princeton Mayor Travis Volrath's term, there has been a continuing effort to control and/or eliminate any opinions other than his own. The council has allowed him to do this, either because of laziness or fear ..." more

June 20, 2001: Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack declared Scott County a disaster area after a tornado swept through Blue Grass and high winds plagued other areas of the county, including Eldridge. Approximately 30 homes were damaged in Blue Grass, where the tornado came together with nearly no warning, to the point that officials were not even able to sound the tornado sirens in time to alert residents. The Blue Grass Fire Department, assisted by Walcott and Buffalo firefighters, patrolled the area in the aftermath, checking for downed power lines and natural gas leaks. Meanwhile, in Eldridge, the winds caused extensive damage, as downed trees damaged houses and vehicles. “Boy, Mother Nature sure was mad at us,” said Ron McGill, general manager of the utility company. “But, it could have been a lot worse.” more

Kim Reynolds vetoed a bipartisan eminent domain bill in 2025 after a private company tried to use eminent domain to take over private land in Iowa, leaving Republicans unable to agree on how to protect Iowa landowners from private corporations that stand to profit from the taking of private land. more

The very first bill passed by the Iowa House in the 2026 Legislative Session sent a clear message - private property rights must be protected from eminent domain abuse. No issue has generated more passionate feedback from my constituents than this one. The connection Iowans have to their land runs deep. more

"Do the residents of Eldridge want our city look like a farmyard or a modern city with a vision? Attend the next city council meeting and ask for the zoning to be changed to not allow any more pole buildings in the city ..." more

Readers of my other column, “Our Past,” may have noticed an interesting item in last week’s edition. In 1986, the Eldridge City Council was asked to consider a larger police station for the five-member department. more

For my money, you can find the best sandwich in Scott County on weeknights in Princeton. The Sports and Rec crew grills up a simple, unbeatable steak sandwich right by the dugout in Woomert Park. They get their meat from Baetke Custom Cuts in Long Grove. Last Tuesday I had mine with A1, and it was gone—despite its healthy size—in a few eager bites. more

June 11, 1986: After 76 years of business in Donahue, Harland Rohlk announced the Rohlk Lumber Center would close, effective Aug. 1. “It hurts. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do, and I didn’t want to do it now,” said Rohlk. He said the poor farm economy was a major factor in his decision to close. His father, Grover Rohlk, and William Goettsch opened the Rohlk & Goettsch Lumber, Grain, Coal and Livestock Company in Donahue in 1910. The pair built a small grain elevator in 1915 and also sold IH equipment and Model-Ts for a time. Harland entered the business in 1936. more

"The survey sent out to residents left out the rendering and square footage of the Public Works Facility. This is the most expensive part of the referendum. If the city wants this to pass, they need to scale back the Public Works Facility ..." more

"Every barrier placed in front of a future healthcare provider is a barrier placed between a patient and the care they may someday need ..." more