Living in Iowa
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Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds created a 14-member nuclear energy task force in January by executive order. They finished their initial work this week and now its recommendations will go to the governor, state lawmakers, and state agencies. In her Jan. 5, 2026 press release, Reynolds said, “With our strong foundation in manufacturing and energy innovation,… Read more
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The new by-district county supervisor election system mandated by the state is underway in Johnson County. Many candidates are running, and at least one incumbent will be ousted. With new people come new policies, including a proposal to adopt a county manager. This idea would have consequences. The shift to district-based elections is already a… Read more
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These are tough times for a lot of people I know. Hang in there, folks! The weird weather is causing the ice to melt and maybe some good will come of it. If not, spring is coming. “Nostalgia in reverse, the longing for yet another strange land, grew especially strong in spring.” —Vladimir Nabokov This… Read more
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I got restless the afternoon of New Year’s Eve. My spouse was away for the holiday so I called the shop about 1:10 p.m. and asked how late their oil change service lane would be open. I left immediately for the small city to our north. They were closing early because of the holiday yet… Read more
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2025 has been a crappy year in some ways and a good year in others. On the crappy side, our president is undoing much of the good that has been in place since World War II. He and his collaborators in Iowa are changing society in a way that will have long-term negative effects. On… Read more
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By late Sunday night, I was ready for the deathly weekend to end. An acquaintance my age, with whom I worked at a transportation and logistics firm, died unexpectedly of a heart attack. His obituary was in the Sunday newspaper. There were the shootings in the news: Brown University in Rhode Island, and Bondi Beach… Read more
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Dec. 15 is the deadline to sign up on the ACA marketplace for health insurance effective Jan 1, 2025. When I left the company and career of 25 years, securing health insurance was an issue. That was July 2009. There were no easy options, so I stayed on COBRA coverage. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation… Read more
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There was a time when I attended estate and farm auctions and bought things on the cheap for later projects. The years since then can be measured in decades. At a point in my life when I have to either do something with stuff, or otherwise dispose of it, I got out the top and… Read more
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The idea of a routine is anathema to my way of life. All the same, one of the most significant struggles during and after the coronavirus pandemic has been making my days productive. While economic concerns have not disappeared after retiring on Social Security, I don’t want to be locked into a routine. Personal preferences… Read more
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When we moved to Big Grove Township, I took out a map and compass and drew a circle to indicate where we wanted to live after beginning work on the southwest side of Cedar Rapids. Having lived in the city previously, returning there was not a positive option. We looked at potential homes within the… Read more
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