edited by: Art Smith,
Iowa Editor
Health
Care Reform Update: One Iowan's Musings on the Messy Senate Health Insurance Expansion BillDemocrat Linn County Auditor, Joel Miller has come under scrutiny recently over the firing of Deputy Commissioner of Elections, Sue Wold last week. Wold has served in the office for 31 years. However, as a political appointee, she serves at the pleasure of the auditor.
Miller [...]
From 1995 to 1999, Paul Pate served as Iowa’s Secretary of State. Pate chose not to seek a second term in 1998 and instead opted to run for governor when Terry Branstad announced that he would not be seeking another term. Now, ten years later, there is [...]
JOHNSON COUNTY, IA. -- Not ever having a reputation of being careful stewards of the public treasury, the all Democrat Board of Supervisors have spent money like drunken sailors. Spending over the last four years has skyrocketed 56%. The budget for fiscal year 2007 was $53.8 million; the budget for FY [...]
You didn't say boo over the last four years as the county increased its budget 56% (from $53+ million in 2007 to $84+ million in 2010), but are crying foul now about spending $75,000 on a special election with a fiscal conservative looking to take a seat on that liberal' [...]
Tara and I have often talked about the emotional pressures of being in the constant public spotlight after reading stories about Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, and the latest on Tiger Woods, who is apparently now enjoying Looney Tunes and golf in the dark.
Two years ago, Iowa Republicans struggled to find one candidate to challenge Congressman Leonard Boswell in the general election despite the fact that Boswell faced a primary challenge of his own. Now, as many as five candidates are vying for the Republican nomination in Iowa’s [...]
By Paul Chesser
Of all the faux-na and flora-children flitting through Copenhagen, Lord Christopher Monckton discovered the one activist -- from Greenpeace -- who was glad to hear that there's been no global warming for 15 years. All others think it's' [...]
Newton Independent
Skiff Medical Center honored 18 individuals with a combined 400 years of service to the city-owned hospital during the 2009 Employee Service Awards held Friday at the hospital.
Employees, physicians and board members were invited to attend the luncheon. Interim Administrator Brett Altman, also a service award recipient, emceed the [...]
State Fire Marshal Jim Kenkel said today he is retiring, effective March 12, after 23 years with the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
Kenkel has been state fire marshal since 2002, and previously worked in the State Fire Marshal Division as a fire inspector, investigator, and assistant state fire marshal.
There was [...]
By PETER HUSSMANN
The Newton City Council will meet at 5:30 p.m. tonight to get a budget status update from city administration officials as initial fiscal year 2010-2011 budget work continues.
City officials are expected to paint a somewhat brighter picture of the city's financial condition than in years past due to' [...]
URBANDALE, IA. -- This week, Gov. Chet Culver released a budget proposal designed to allegedly “save” more than one billion dollars in the next five years.
However, at least one especially troubling aspect of Culver’s plan sticks out.
At issue: Culver touts $50 million in “savings” that would raid Iowa’s Road [...]
After all, you lost $20K at the casino because you were being negative, a potential cooler.
In three years, minimal differences will be made, and Afghanistan will remain Afghanistan, and Iraq will condense into three segregated nation-states that will guarantee antagonism for decades to come. Note to Iraqis: the fact [...]
After two and a half years at the helm of The Iowa Independent, Friday is my last day. The site will continue, but I’m moving on.
Editing this site has been both rewarding and humbling. The Hawkeye State has seen its share of excitement since this site was founded in April [...]
Even though the U.S. economy is believed to have begun rebounding sometime in the third quarter of 2009, state finances are not expected to recover for at least two years, according to a report released Wednesday.
Research by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) found that nationally, state [...]
Eight child abuse call centers will be combined into a single office with one set of employees to handle complaints from around Iowa, and rejected complaints will be kept for three years instead of six months.
Watchdogs had called for both a centralized abuse reporting system and longer record keeping after [...]
John Lennon was shot dead 29 years ago today. Daily Kos user noweasels remembers him and that night.
I was born shortly before the Beatles broke up, but I remember loving their music even as a small child. My older siblings played [...]
I located a picture from a 1994 visit to Pearl Harbor and the Arizona Memorial.
A one billion dollar deficit.
Iowa did not even have a one billion dollar budget until 1976 but all of the out of control spending by Governor Culver and legislative Democrats during the last three years has put our state in a perilous fiscal predicament.
Governor Culver signed and [...]
If only Republicans had majorities in Congress and occupied the White House we might be able to “get this country under control.” One can only dream of such a day.
-mg
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