By Amy B. Kretkowski, Iowa City On Oct. 18, four members of the City Council (Alter, Bergus, Harmsen and Weiner) approved the Recreation Facilities and Programs Master Plan — despite the absence of details, cost information, and a vision that is consistent with overwhelming public feedback in opposition to the proposed “repurposing” of the Robert […]
letters to the editor
Posted inLetters
Letter to the editor: Iowa officials must ensure long-term funding for 988 and mental health services
By David Leshtz, Iowa City COVID, the derecho, and financial stress continue to take a heavy toll on Iowans’ well-being. Governor Reynolds and other state officials have said that mental health services are needed more than ever, whether it be affordable and accessible counseling, psychiatric beds, or suicide prevention. There is a new, cost-efficient, and […]
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Letter from Joe Bolkcom: Reynolds isn’t really pro-life
Governor Reynolds continues to take victory laps for how she has managed the pandemic. She touts her efforts to be the first state to command kids back to school and to keep Iowa “open for business” as Iowans were filling hospital beds and clinging to life on ventilators. Iowa recently surpassed 10,000 COVID deaths. That […]
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Letter to the editor: Single-issue politics are bad for Iowa
By Paul Deaton, Solon Single-issue politics are bad for the community. In Iowa there is more to living in society than any single issue or election. Unlike members of the Congress, we aren’t in a constant state of campaigning. We view those with whom we interact as people first, which makes life more tolerable. There […]
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Letter to the editor: Finally, a water study in Solon
By Antonia Russo, Solon Finally … a water study. On May 26, 2022, Johnson County Supervisors approved the Joint Funding Agreement for Water Resource Investigations with U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey, Agreement No. 22NEJFA 138, in the amount of $310,700. Financial discussions for inclusion continue with Linn, Cedar, and Washington Counties. The […]
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Letter to the editor: Bohannan is the clear choice following the Iowa Press debate
By Trish Nelson, Iowa City In case you missed the debate between first district congressional candidates Democrat Christina Bohannan and Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks voters should know what their stated priorities are. When specifically asked by the moderator, Kay Henderson, what should be the first bill voted upon in January if their respective party wins control […]
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Letter to the editor: LWV’s forums are nonpartisan, but one party’s candidates refuse to participate
By Paula Vaughan and Miriam Timmer-Hackert, co-presidents, League of Women Voters of Johnson County For many years, the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, as well as Leagues across the nation, have held nonpartisan forums for the public and posted candidate questions and responses to our website VOTE411.org. The purpose of the forums and […]
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Letter to the editor: Democracy or autocracy — vote your values
By Carol Mertens, North Liberty It was November of 1956 and Eisenhower was running against Stevenson for his second presidential term. As a young farmer’s daughter, I vividly remember going to the local telephone office in the tiny hamlet of Chillicothe, Iowa so my parents could vote for Dwight D. Eisenhower. My father had served […]
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Letter to the editor: Grassley lacks the judgment we need
By Dave Bradley, West Liberty This election, Chuck Grassley seems much more interested in fooling some of the people all the time, or at least enough Iowans to get him elected. Grassley’s newest lie is that IRS agents armed with AR-15s will be coming after taxpayers. This whopper came shortly after his lie about voting […]
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Letter to the editor: Grassley and Miller-Meeks vote on the side of corporate profits
By Ellen Ballas, Iowa City Every Iowa Republican voted against the CHIPS Act which rightfully returns American semiconductor jobs to American workers. Senator Grassley told Radio Iowa it’s “corporate welfare.” Grassley habitually rewarded corporations with corporate welfare (tax breaks) for sending American jobs overseas. For example, Grassley voted NO in 2012 to the Bring Jobs […]
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Letter to the editor: Vote NO on Ballot Measure No. 1 to fight rising gun violence
By members of Johnson County’s Moms Demand Action It would be hard to find any reasonably informed Iowans who are unconcerned about the rising level of gun violence in our state. Most would agree that the last thing we need to be doing is tying our lawmakers’ hands if they attempt to enact commonsense gun […]
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Letter to the City of Iowa City: Data supports saving the Robert A. Lee pool
To the members of the Iowa City Parks & Recreation Commission and City Council, We are writing to express our support for keeping the downtown Robert A. Lee (RAL) pool open and for making necessary repairs. Having attended several meetings of the City Council and the Parks & Recreation Department, and after reviewing relevant information […]
