Costs and returns for farmers paint a dire picture right now. Oversupply and inflation are wolves at the door for anyone who doesn’t have family money as a backup. Oversupply was created by lobbies for crop insurance (federal welfare) and alternative fuel mandates or subsidies. Lack of profitability is intensified by habitual tillage and soil destruction.

I know what you’re saying….preparing for the Primary Election already?! Well, that’s how things work in our office! Believe it or not, it’s been 64 days since the  City-School Election was held in November and we’re slowly starting the process all 

over again because the Primary Election is just 146 days away and while that may seem like a long time, we truly must start this far in advance for several different 

When I was in Delhi for a day in transit to Malaysia, I met up with my internship mentor from this past summer, Aparna. Frankly, I met up with as many coworkers as possible, stopping by the Sehgal Foundation for a whole two hours and greeting everyone I could before I had to take the metro back to the airport and catch my next flight.

 The river looks a little murky most of the time. But it’s beautifully clear in a drought. Before the plow all of them were clear.
 
We have a lake nearby called Beed’s Lake. There is an association dedicated to cleaning it up. Geese are partly to blame for the E. coli contamination that keeps people out of it. Farmers are special so their role is excused.
 

A new year is upon us which means a new state legislative session and thanks to campaigns for governor along with Senate, House of Representatives, and even local elections you are going to hear a lot about property tax reform this session, so I wanted to bring a few items to light for you.   

As a father of four and former volunteer EMT for 15 years in my hometown of Hull, I know the vital importance of affordable and accessible healthcare for Iowa families, particularly our 
neighbors in rural Iowa. Traveling across our district, I’ve had countless conversations with Iowans about the skyrocketing cost of healthcare and declining access to care in rural 

It’s 2:00 AM, and there’s a knock on my door. Another knock. I bolt upright in my bed, wondering who might be awake at this unholy hour of the night. My door swings open, seemingly of its own accord, revealing… no one? As my door creaks at its hinges, I am shocked to see that no person has been knocking on, nor opening, my door.

A friend from childhood is a professional in Venezuela. He has participated in protests against the Nicolas Maduro regime. He’s hiding now because kidnapping Nicolas Maduro in a country of 30 million people still leaves options for the oppressors. It’s hard to judge the extent or efficiency of their police state.

One of the best things about being in County government (other than the people….employees & residents) themselves, is the amazing networks we have surrounding us.  From ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) to each individual affiliate (the separate departments like Auditor, Treasurer, Secondary Roads, etc) and beyond, we have so many opportunities to be involved and continue to learn through meetings & conferences.    

 It’s the end of the year. The days are short, nights long, and memories in full abundance. Looking back, I’ve got a lot to be thankful for this year.
 

Last night we sat cozy in the house listening to the blizzard outside. Karl and family were here. Having wisely decided to trust the government report about the approaching storm, they stayed an extra day. The weather may have been frightful but it gave us another day together.

\My eyes were open. Staring through the dark at the bunk above me, I wondered quite literally what in the world this next year would hold in store.
My eyes were closed. My mind raced laps around the same old track, recounting memories, just not in the form of dreams; then went off the beaten path, a trail filled with fantastic features of futures yet to come.

Boy, he really knows how to pick them. Now it’s war with Venezuela. A tiny trickle of dope comes through that country but they have valuable resources so let’s just pretend.
 

When I’m traveling across Iowa, I’ve had important conversations with Iowans from communities large and small about how we can make life more affordable for our families, 

farmers, workers, seniors, and small businesses. From health insurance to housing to grocery bills, I’m working with President Trump and my Republican colleagues to lower costs and 

For nearly a year, every evening of mine was spent cycling around Segamat, my hometown in Malaysia. From about 5:30 to 6:30 PM, I would bike for kilometers on end, sometimes taking paths well-worn, other times exploring my surroundings by going off the beaten path. No matter what roads I traced with my treadless tires, or which palm oil plantations I pedalled through, this was a daily routine of mine, and an immense joy.