We are all very focused on common-sense policies to help move our state forward and looking at more income tax cuts to help Iowa working families and small businesses. more

I’m writing to share why I have endorsed Nikki Haley in the Republican presidential primary, why I committed to serve as her statewide co-chair, and why I will be caucusing for her on Jan. 15. more

We are so blessed in Iowa to have the first in the nation caucus.  All the world will be watching Iowa on the evening of Monday, Jan. 15, 2024!  The person who wins the Iowa caucus gets a huge boost going into the New Hampshire primary.  The people in Scott County have an opportunity to influence what goes on in the world with their vote on caucus night. more

I’m looking forward to Iowa’s Jan. 15 caucus and not just for the temporary reprieve from negative political ads. Due to the presidential preference card changes, Democrats will be getting back to basics and expanding opportunities to participate in candidate selection. more

The Scott County Board of Supervisors is being called to task over the refusal of a majority on the board to accept the report of a 3-person recount board in a closely contested Pleasant Valley School Board race. more

2023 will be in the top 15 for driest years according to the state’s 151 years of records. Despite ongoing record drought – we’ll end the year with 182 consecutive weeks of at least moderate (D1) drought somewhere in the state - Iowa farmers harvested yet another strong, better-than-expected crop. It’s a testament to timely rains throughout the growing season and constant innovation in genetics, traits, technology, practices, and much more. more

City leaders in Davenport seem to have forgotten that city government there belongs to the people. It does not belong to the folks who were elected to city offices. more

ESG stands for environmental, social, governance. Large corporate directors and business investors, with indirect input from the federal government, designate these scores based on how well the person or small business or company adheres to a number of policies, such as green, climate change-inspired policies, opposition to the use of fossil fuels, opposition to production agriculture, opposition to gun manufacture, beliefs about racial equity informed by Critical Race Theory (CRT), including anti-racism, white privilege, etc., support for abortion on demand and/or adherence to LGBT ideology. more

A consistent goal of mine in the Iowa Senate has been to increase Iowa’s competitiveness and make our state the best in the United States to live, work and raise a family. Recent surveys put Iowa at 40th for property taxes, making us one of the worst states in the country. more

I believe American families are strong, resilient and extraordinary. But that doesn’t mean they can’t use some help. After all, raising a family is not always easy. more

It was years ago that I heard about a woman who spent 6 or 7 days a week driving around the Quad City area collecting soon-to-be expired food from grocery stores. Of course being a history buff, and a person who has spent a career trying to find and share inspirational stories, I had to know more. more

A federal judge’s recent ruling places responsibility on Congress to end 37 years of intransigence and pass immigration legislation that could be the first step in serving the best interests of this nation. Immigrants are vital to the functioning of our economy. More importantly, they are deserving of the dignity that all of us, as children of God, are entitled to. more

The river means something different to everyone. For many, it is a spiritual place for meditation and retreat. Others think of recreation and family outings (for me, it’s one of my favorite places to walk my new puppy, Bailey). At times, the river is a source of anxiety as flooding becomes a more regular concern. more

On Aug. 17,  2023, more than one hundred people gathered at the Beit Shalom Jewish Community building in Davenport, Iowa, to view in person, a physical artifact of the Holocaust: an authentic World War II rail car bound for permanent display at the Danville Station Museum in Danville, Iowa. more

Over the last several years, I have had the pleasure of watching the evolution of The Scott County Youth Justice & Rehabilitation Center, which has been a true testament of what authentic youth and family engagement should look like. more

Welcome to the 2023-24 School Year more

We were called into a special session by the governor to vote on the heartbeat bill on July 11. Such an exciting time to be a part of the legislation. more

Excerpts from North Scott Community Schools superintendent Joe Stutting’s school year-end report to the district board of directors. more

Gov. Kim Reynolds convened the General Assembly of Iowa on July 11 for the sole purpose of enacting legislation that addresses abortion and protects unborn lives. The bill that was passed was the same bill that was passed by the legislature in 2018. more

Eldridge council members heard actual usage statistics when Scott County Library board president Kristal Koberg Schaefer attended the June 19 meeting. At the time, council member Bruce Cheek suggested the Scott County Library System was presenting misinformation. more