The shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has not just been another political dispute happening in Washington—it is a direct threat to the safety and security of the American people at a time when our country is facing heightened threats to our national security.

There’s grass in the pasture and we are feeding hay because our ambitious fencing changes looked too challenging in the cold weather. I look out the window at a sound and it is a neighbor in a giant tractor with a giant field cultivator on his way to massacre more soil life. The rush of planting is exhilarating but routine, like a school schedule. With livestock there’s more uncertainty and last minute decision making.

With the weather warming and college finals approaching, the season is ripe for long nights, overstress, and a predominantly burdened existence for 19-year-olds, like myself, currently matriculating at undergraduate institutions all over the world.

From pigs we moved on to cattle as an excuse to stay home and a reason to get up in the morning. What’s left of capitalism has made this a country where people retire early and then go on to work some more just to stay busy. We tend the cattle but we worked the pigs. 
 

This week marks a victorious step forward for Northwest Iowa and our national security.

It’s the time in our primary election preparations in which we will be marking ballots and testing machines very soon!  This is just one thing that we do to ensure accurate elections here in Franklin County.  It is important to note that all Counties in Iowa go through a process like this before every single election!  

When a lot of talk in the neighborhood is about who will survive farming this year, it is natural to ask ”Why?” Abraham Lincoln started the USDA (United  States Department of Agriculture) to ‘help’ farmers in 1862. It’s been 164 years and the government has not found a way to satisfy farmers’ appetites for security.

During Week 14 of the legislative session, Iowa House members advanced key pieces of legislation and spent more time working on budget priorities – signs that session is moving closer to adjournment. This week focused on a range of issues from emerging technology regulations to energy incentives. 
Below are summaries of some key legislation considered this week: 

In a rather surprising turn of events, this week has been quite Iowan in nature for me, as opposed to my more typical, internationally-oriented escapades.

On April 15th, Americans will see the impacts of the Working Families Tax Cuts as they submit their tax filings for the year. For too long, many have seen Tax Day as a day of stress and uncertainty. But this year, Republicans are helping rewrite the course for millions of Americans, and many are already seeing real relief and real results.

41 days is all that remains until the 2026 Primary Election!  I thought I’d share some important facts about Primary Elections here in Iowa and other important things you need to keep in mind as we approach absentee voting and Election Day! 

Last night, at the time of my writing this, was Cultural Evening at Grinnell College. Overseen by the student-led International Student Organization (ISO), the tradition dates back decades, to the 1960s at least, and has likely gone through more changes in form and feel than even the U.S. music industry has in that same timeframe.

General Smedley Butler received two Medals of Honor, the Marine Corps Brevet Medal, and numerous other awards in his 34-year military career.
Smedley Darlington Butler served in the Philippine-American War, the Boxer Rebellion, World War I, and the Banana Wars. The Banana Wars had U.S. troops assisting in the confiscation of Central American land for fruit production. (Like in The Monroe Doctrine and Trump’s Venezuelan oil theft.)

The Iowa House took action during week 13 on a range of priorities including agriculture, workforce development, veterans services, and education. Several measures focused on supporting Iowa farmers, expanding opportunities for students, and improving services for those who have served our country.

Transparency isn’t just something I apply to my work as the State Auditor – it’s part of my core.
My faith instructs me to live in light; to be honest, to look for the good, to be charitable, to lead with integrity. I teach my children that when they make a mistake – because we all do – own it. Trying to cover it up creates more trouble.