Two thousand four hundred ninety-nine. That is the magic maximum number of hogs allowed to construct a new confined animal feeding operation (CAFO, or factory farm) in Iowa without notifying local or county officials or adhering to state government regulations. Only a cursory review and approval by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and filing a plan for manure management with the county auditor, are required. There are no minimum requirements for acreage or distance from residences, schools, parks and sources of water unless the CAFO contains 2,500 hogs or more.
Letters
Letters to the editor(s) are always welcome; we reserve the right to fact check and edit for length and clarity. Please send letters, comments or corrections to editor@littlevillagemag.com.
Posted inLetters
Letter to the editor: My first flotation tank experience
By Ron Wright With the help of his father and some friends, Patrick Krier has renovated a space in an office building into an otherworldly experience. The Iowa Recovery Room has been open since April 17 and has seen an increasing amount of interest in their floatation tank business. Also called sensory deprivation tanks, the […]
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Letter to the editor: The Iowa City Council is halting valuable housing projects because they don’t like tall buildings
The Core 4 of the Iowa City Council have indicated a potentially major shift for the future of development in Riverfront Crossings. There are processes and regulations in place to guide P&Z and the council when considering height bonuses. These are, and should be, totally separate from the rezoning process. While it was appropriate for the council to communicate concerns about height to the developer at this stage, there was no reason to not move forward with the rezoning.
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Letter to the editor: Iowa must flip flippable districts
It is appalling and shameful that the Iowa legislature and Governor Reynolds just passed the largest tax cut in state history, over $2.1 billion over the next six fiscal years. This huge tax cut will disallow adequate funding for education, health care, environmental protection and many other essential programs. It is a giveaway to wealthy individuals and large corporations and will provide minimal benefits and raise property taxes for working families, seniors and small businesses.
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Letter to the editor: Zach Wahls will lead Iowa out of ‘dark times’
Our family has worked closely with Zach and his family over the last several months. One of the greatest joys of this campaign has been getting to know Zach, the women who raised him and his sister. It’s easy to see where Zach gets his compassion, his work ethic and his strong moral compass. Zach is remarkable because he was raised by remarkable women.
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Letter to the editor: Mike Carberry puts policy over platitudes
I’m supporting Mike because he is the only candidate who supports the new County Land Use Map that promotes growth around cities and discourages the rezoning of agricultural land for residential subdivisions in rural areas where no infrastructure exists. He is committed to protecting farmland from development in the North Corridor.
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Letter to the editor: Mike Carberry will continue to move Johnson County forward
By Tom Carsner Mike Carberry made an immediate difference when he was elected to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors in 2014. His vote was decisive in passing a minimum wage ordinance, the Community ID and stopping urban sprawl in the North Corridor and preserving farm land. Mike has continued to make a difference by […]
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Letter to the editor: Cathy Glasson ‘gets it’
Cathy Glasson is the woman to lead Iowa into the next decade. Her bold, unapologetic stances are, to put it frankly, necessary. We are far past the time of nuance when talking about health care, equal rights and strong laws for workers. It is far past time to adopt bold policies in these areas which have been under direct assault for a long time. The way we fight back is to present a clear bold choice to Iowans. Iowans have been taken advantage of for decades by the establishment. It is time to take our state back.
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Letter to the editor: I support Mike Carberry for Johnson County supervisor
By Jim Jacobson, Iowa City I’m supporting Mike Carberry for Johnson County supervisor. He has a record that clearly demonstrates he cares about the working people of Johnson County. He is not one of those politicians who’s all about glad-handing with developers, bankers and other “haves.” He understands the struggles regular people face. He gets […]
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Letter to the editor: Johnson County needs Mike Carberry
I’ve known Mike Carberry for 15 years, since our days working together on the Howard Dean campaign, and now I’ve worked with him on the Board of Supervisors for a year and a half. I know him to be a passionate environmentalist, a studious worker and a caring person. Mike is a real fighter. He fights for social justice, for economic justice, for racial justice and for environmental justice.
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Letter to the editor: Zach Wahls just knocked on my door
A very personable, articulate and intelligent young man just knocked on my door. Zach Wahls is closing in on his 2,000th door! The admirable man he has become was evident as an eighth grader in my English class. He impressed me tremendously even then. After researching the Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman, he was incredulous that there was no monument to her in Washington. He said one day he would change that. I have no doubt he will.
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Letter to the editor: Always earnest, Zach Wahls works hard for Iowa
Today it may be easy to meet Zach Wahls and think, “Here is another tall, well-spoken, male politician.” But when I met Zach at Weber Elementary, he was the scrawny kid who was much too earnest to be cool. While some aim to appear effortless, Zach is always trying hard — and as a friend, it can be maddening to keep up.
