We the people have some reflections about the informal meeting of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors on Thursday, Aug. 19 wherein Sheriff Brad Kunkel requested funds to purchase a Lenco BearCat. From this meeting, after being subjected to inappropriate remarks, we demand that Sup. Porter apologize and take steps to repair the harm her […]
Letters
Letter to the editor: What is the matter with the Iowa City school board?
By Carol deProsse and Caroline Dieterle, Iowa City What is the matter with the Iowa City Community School District board? If school boards in Texas and Florida are brave enough to defy their fanatically anti-mask governors Abbott and DeSantis, why can’t a school board in a community like Iowa City defy the destructively anti-mask insanity […]
Letter to the editor: The UI president and provost are already failing on COVID before the semester begins
By Caleb Klipowicz, Iowa City By siding with the Iowa Board of Regents against the safety and well-being of our community, incoming President Wilson and Provost Kregel have already failed at preventing outbreaks of COVID-19 this fall. Families, students, campus labor unions and academic departments across campus are begging for stricter policies to prevent outbreaks […]
Letter to the editor: Miller-Meeks should open more constituent offices
By Paul Deaton, Solon Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks appears to be dodging constituents in the Second Congressional District. According to her congressional website she has two constituent offices available: in the District of Columbia and in Ottumwa. That’s not enough. It’s time for the congresswoman to be more accessible by staffing offices where her constituents live. […]
Letter to the editor: Iowa Republicans and the socialism boogeyman
By Ellen Ballas, Iowa City Representatives Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks like the term “socialism,” especially when they fundraise. Hinson’s fundraising letter, “Line in the Sand,” accused Democrats of “socialism” twice. Miller-Meeks said it nearly 20 times in her last letter. They’re purposely blurring the facts. The facts don’t lie: The U.S. has practiced taxpayer-funded […]
In memoriam: John Rapson, 1953-2021
I’m tearing my house apart looking for a piece of paper. The hunt delays the grief. That paper led me to take all of Ira “John” Rapson’s classes and to gratefully leap when he called me back into his ensembles years after graduation, playing first in jazz vespers, then in Hot Tamale Louie and now […]
Letter to the editor: Iowa’s House Republicans say they care about clean water, but don’t vote for it
By Dave Bradley, West Liberty Over and over Marianette Miller-Meeks states that clean water is a priority. The House voted and sure enough her priority went down the drain along with the steady flow of contaminants, undetected. Voting against regulating dangerous chemicals in our food and drinking water in the “PFAS Action Act of 2021” […]
Letter to the editor: Taxes and animal abuse
By Lynn Gallagher, Solon It is very unfortunate that the Johnson County Board of Supervisors continues to provide taxpayer money to fund the Johnson County Fair even though it continues to include a kids’ rodeo. They call it a family rodeo, but it consists of children participating in events that include mutton busting, junior bull […]
Letter to the editor: A plea for Hickory Hill Park
By Carol deProsse and Caroline Dieterle, Iowa City There are several solid reasons why the City Council should unanimously vote no July 27 on the third reading of an ordinance to create housing on land adjacent to Hickory Hill Park. Among these reasons are: the planned development does not comply with the Iowa City Comprehensive […]
Letter to the editor: What kind of politician stifles voting? Rep. Miller-Meeks.
By Trish Nelson, Iowa City Why would any American politician choose to shorten the voting period in any state? Why would the Republican Party want a law limiting ballot drop boxes to one per county? Why prevent county auditors from mailing ballot requests to everyone? Why prevent your ballot being mailed to you until mid-October? […]
Letter to the editor: Rep. Miller-Meeks repeats right-wing exaggerations on Fox News
By Paul Deaton, Solon Mariannette Miller-Meeks sounds like she’s having trouble dealing with a narrow win in her 2020 election. On June 22, she wrote in a Fox News opinion piece, “Democrats want Americans to believe state election laws are broken so they can then sell their ‘Corrupt Politicians Act’ as a means to fix […]
Letter to the editor: Grassley and Ernst are working against constituents’ voting rights
By Dave Bradley, West Liberty Iowa Republican Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst voted to make it harder for Americans to vote. The procedural [test] vote, the S.1, “For the People Act,” would reform voting rights with the aim to make it easier and more accessible for Americans to vote. A few proposed features of […]

