E-15 is the ethanol gas blend that the EPA approved on (another) emergency waiver to increase fuel supply and reduce costs. Now special interests are fighting to make it officially year round.  It is not supposed to be used during the summer due to volatility that causes smog, but the EPA has been allowing it since 2022 through emergency waivers. You know. It’s the cheap one. more

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

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

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

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

We, of the 82nd Indivisible, chose to start our rallies with a prayer and a moment of silence. In West Branch, it was the Quaker pastor Chris Humrichhouse who helped us bow our heads and Dick Paul did this for us in Tipton.  We believe in the separation of church and state, but we also recognize the need for a healing moment in the midst of chaos and division. more

I am a retired educator, a Wilton resident since the fall of 2021, and a volunteer with the Wilton football program. more

The Cedar County Board of Supervisors has set the public hearing for their proposed budget on Tuesday, March 24th at 8:15am when most working people are… at work. This is NOT an accident. more

Democrats knew when Iowa DNR Director Kayla Lyons was appointed by Governor Reynolds in 2024, that she was Kim’s willing puppet, a dairy farm lobbyist who would do as she was told.  She fought the Biden era US EPA addition of seven iowa river segments to the impaired list saying that the standards were too high, that local water plants could make the water safe for consumption regardless of the nitrate levels and that there was no proof that the waters were impaired even though—as Kami Koons reported in her January 2025 article for Iowa Capital Dispatch—the EPA was using data that the DNR themselves provided and from the Des Moines Waterworks data which was public record. These segments include parts of the Cedar, Iowa, Des Moines and Raccoon rivers. more

Don’t want to talk about child abuse? That’s fine, unless you are the Chair of the Senate Government Oversight Committee in the Iowa Legislature. This week Senator Bisignano asked Senator Gruenhagen to explain why the Child Welfare Task Force has not met for two years. Bisignano had submitted a formal request for this information 90 days ago. more

It’s not too late in America to have respectful disagreement among neighbors. Unfortunately, State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann and Sen. Kerry Gruenhagen don’t believe that. This is why many of us are boycotting their listening posts this year. more

Walking into a food pantry for the first time takes courage. For many, it isn't just about needing groceries; it's about facing the stigma, the fear of judgment, and the heavy feeling of "how did I get here?" But the strongest bridge for overcoming that hurdle isn't a flyer or a Facebook post – it’s friendship. more

When the GOP tells you not to worry that the 2026 budget is only $1.3 billion dollars short, maybe you should.  The difference is coming out of the state reserve and the taxpayer relief fund. more

This week, in the largest act of deregulation in American history, Trump struck down the Endangerment Finding. The Endangerment Finding stated that climate change is dangerous to human health. It was at the heart of the Clean Air Act and has made possible the setting of emission standards for motor vehicles and power plants as well as encouraged the use of clean energy through grants and tax exemptions. more

On Feb. 18, we begin the journey to the empty tomb with Ash Wednesday.  more

The bill that the Iowa Legislature should be looking at is sitting on GOP Sen. Amy Sinclair's desk. Introduced by Sen. Charles McClintock (R-Alburnett) last month, the bill would require private schools receiving public money through vouchers to adhere to the same data reporting, auditing and other accountability and transparency requirements as public schools. But they are too busy dismantling our public school system. You know, the one that 91% of our kids go to. more

It is February in Iowa, and the bitterly cold wind doesn't just bite – it costs. As temperatures drop, the "Heat or Eat" dilemma becomes a daily reality for many of our neighbors facing heavy winter bills. more

Recent discussion surrounding the City of West Liberty’s decision to close City Hall due to extreme cold has revealed more than a disagreement over weather safety. It has exposed long-standing concerns among residents about transparency, consistency, and accountability in City decision-making. more