By Ed Flaherty, Iowa City The U.S. Congress is preparing to give Israel unprecedented privileges via the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Section 219 of the draft NDAA directs the Secretary of Defense to expand integration of the U.S. and Israeli military sectors. If Section 219 becomes law, U.S. and Israeli militaries will be […]
Letters
Letter to the editor: Where were the candidates at Iowa City Pride?
By Kate Carroll de Gutes and Laura Julier, Iowa City We’re writing to express our disappointment and, frankly, outrage that Christina Bohannan, Josh Turek, and Rob Sand failed to show up for the Iowa City Pride parade on Saturday, June 20. The Johnson County Democrats and part of each candidate’s team were there waving signs. They even […]
Letter to the editor: Local voices matter in the conversation over nuclear power
By Paul Deaton, Solon On June 18, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reported the Iowa nuclear task force wrapped up its work, saying, “Task force members reiterated the importance of community education on the topic, noting that residents and lawmakers often have misperceptions about nuclear energy.” But what if community members are already well informed and […]
Letter to the editor: WRAC, an important resource on the UI campus, is being restructured. We’ve seen this playbook before.
By Nicole Yeager, Iowa City We’ve seen this before. Fast yet slow, the dismantling of the Women’s, Resource, and Action Center (WRAC) appears imminent. In 2024, staff at the Rape, Victim, and Advocacy Center (RVAP) began to sound the alarms as university officials assured the public that they were simply “assessing” and making “strategic decisions,” […]
Letter from District 3 candidate Marco Battaglia: Abolishing ICE is the conservative position
By Marco Battaglia, candidate for U.S. House Iowa District 3 Representative Abolish ICE. If you don’t hold this position, do not claim to be a constitutional or fiscal conservative. For starters ICE costs taxpayers tens of billions of dollars annually, and for some, it costs them their liberties, their inherent rights, and for others, their […]
Letter to the editor: Rob Sand and Josh Turek are dead wrong about trans athletes
Running statewide in Iowa is a heavy lift for Josh Turek and Rob Sand. I’m sure that they’ve arrived at their position on trans women in sports based on careful study of public opinion, or perhaps sold to them by highly paid political consultants. That’s cool, except for one thing.
Letter to the editor: V Fixmer-Oraiz is a forward-looking candidate for District 4
By Aaron Silander, Iowa City I wholeheartedly support V Fixmer-Oraiz in the Democratic primary for County Supervisor in District 4. I see V as a forward-looking candidate with the ability to bring about positive change with thoughtfulness, clarity and creativity. Indeed, they are already doing so. With education and experience in community and environmental planning, they’re a tremendous […]
Letter to the editor: Mandi Remington understands the challenges facing UIHC workers
Submitted on behalf of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) at UIHC SEIU at UIHC is proud to unanimously endorse Mandi. Admittedly, we did not find her opponent’s platform to have any serious problems. However, what made Mandi a clear choice for us was that we wish to retain a strong ally as a county […]
Letter to the editor: Mandi Remington is a Johnson County leader for our time
By Nick and Laura Bergus, Iowa City Mandi Remington is a Johnson County leader for our time. During her first term as County Supervisor, Mandi has consistently reached into the community to bring more voices into critical decisions. Mandi uses her background in community organizing to take a holistic approach to governing. Mandi understands that […]
Letter to the editor: The jail bond proposal is about fixing a problem, not reforming a system
By Lauren Whitehead, Solon City Council member from 2017-2026 I appreciate that V Fixmer-Oraiz is being open about their opposition to the proposed 120-bed jail (not 240, as often cited). If you are going to oppose a project, do it honestly and directly. I have tremendous respect for V as a community leader and influential […]
Letter to the editor: There’s a clear choice for District 4 Supervisor
By Gary Sanders, Iowa City If you are undecided who to vote for between Supervisors Rod Sullivan and V Fixmer-Oraiz in the June 2 Johnson County Democratic Party primary for the new District 4 Supervisor seat, I have two suggestions: 1) Watch the 45-minute YouTube recording of the April 18 Johnson County League of Women […]
Letter to the editor: Vote to keep Jon Green as a Johnson County Supervisor
By Jutta Rubright, Solon County Supervisor Jon Green has been quietly leading the Board of Supervisors and other officials for the past two years toward a plan for a new jail and bond proposal. In fact, the other Supervisors trust Green as they elected Jon to be Chair of the Board for a second consecutive […]

