If you drive past the Durant Iowa Food Pantry in July, you might see stacks of cardboard, rows of canned goods, and carts loaded with fresh produce. From the outside, it looks like "food distribution." But the real story happens at a local kitchen table a few days later. more

The Supreme Court has eliminated the Voting Rights Act’s protections against lawmakers drawing maps that dilute the political power of minority voters. Now, if a state has a minority majority district, it can be split into pieces that are added to other districts to prevent the people from electing someone who will represent them. If that results in the loss of a minority representative, they have to prove not only a racist result, but a racist intent. more

In a concession to the current “literary scene,” I bought a copy of the novel Transcription by Ben Lerner in Iowa City last weekend. I read enough of what’s new at work that I try to keep to what’s old when I read for pleasure. But here was a novel about an interview gone awry. Just the thing, I thought. And it was short enough—130 pages, hardly a novel—that I could put it down in an afternoon, like a carafe of iced tea.  more

Iowa students aren’t sitting on the sidelines, waiting their turn – they are already building our future. more

For as much as I try to ignore and refuse it, AI continues to be an almost daily presence in my life. You constantly either hear about how hundreds of other people are using it, or you’re forcibly exposed to AI generated videos and pictures on social media, regardless of how little interaction you give these posts. more

This week we made significant progress on three of my top priorities in the world of healthcare. more

Catelin Drey’s top issues as an Iowa senator are fully funded public schools, affordable childcare, housing, healthcare and reproductive rights. Yet she won in Steve King country, District One, Woodbury County. more

I have my plants in the ground for the season, which is a kind of feat when you consider that I live on the second floor of an apartment building. I have limited myself to mint, parsley and thyme; I have also repotted rosemary that just survived the end of last summer and was slowly nursed back to health, indoors, last winter. All four are now enjoying springtime on my back porch. more

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about the nature of collecting. How our collections start, why we do it, the joys and frustrations, and even the dangers that can come when we start to focus too much on collecting. more

This week I was excited to both bring a bill up for a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives and cast my vote of support to the efforts of bolstering rural healthcare and fighting cancer. more

Last year Iowa was first in the nation to cut civil rights by removing gender identity as a protected category against discrimination as listed in the Iowa Civil Rights Act, a protection that had been in place for 18 years. The new law erases transgender out of existence as an official term. more

I drove from Eldridge out to West Liberty several weeks ago for a serious look at the Liberty Press. I had stood in its doorway with several mesmerized children for a letterpress printing demonstration at Christmastime. A few months later and I thought a sustained look backwards at little lead characters might prove a tonic for weeks spent slouching towards artificial this and digital that. more

If you steal from taxpayers, you should go to prison. It’s as simple as that. more

Iowa has proven something many states are still struggling to figure out: you don’t have to choose between public safety, accountability, and rehabilitation. You can have all three. more

Sometimes you have your week all planned out. And then other things get in the way. more

The house continued debate on multiple senate files this week along with house files with an appropriation attached. Meetings of the appropriations committee will also continue to pick up as we get closer to the end of session. more

Walmart is transitioning to automated pricing by the end of this year. Instead of stickering each item or placing a tag on the shelf, the prices will be electronic, easily changed remotely with a few clicks on a computer or phone. According to them, this will increase efficiency, reduce food waste and even lower prices for customers when they need to offload overripe bananas. more

At the Durant Food Pantry, we are very passionate about our summer meal kit program for kids. Every year, as school doors close, we step in to help ensure the families of our local students continue to have access to the nutritious, easy-to-prepare meals needed to grow and play. more

The Durant Museum appreciated the recent Durant Chronicles article Royce Richman wrote about the museum. We happened to be there and tried to answer and share information for the questions he asked. There was way more information than he could include in his article. more

This week was the twelfth week of session, meaning we are nearing the end of session. The remainder of session will consist of debating any remaining legislation, particularly bills coming back to us from the House after amendments, and bills coming from the Appropriations and Ways and Means committees. more