Opinion

Dear Benton County Supervisors and Cities in Benton County, I’m a past chair of the American Bar Association’s Animal Law Committee and a coauthor of the ABA Book, A Lawyer’s Guide to Dangerous Dog Issues.  Currently 2 Iowa towns and one North Dakota town are facing lawsuits in federal court because of their breed "specific" laws targeting "pit bulls".

Dear Editor, An elderly couple in Vinton took it upon themselves to clean up the landscaping area around the Vinton Library recently. They pulled every single weed by hand! I know this because it was my brother and sister-in-law, Lowell and Mary Ellen Mahr. They didn’t tell anyone they were planning to do this or they would’ve had helpers, like myself! Vinton has had a big, ugly, negative spotlight on them recently regarding our library but we can’t forget that our town is filled with amazing, generous, caring folks, like Lowell and Mary Ellen.

In Chapter 6 of the Vinton City Ordinances, under "Dangerous and Vicious Animals" number 1 on the list that is prohibited are animals like liions, tigers and bears (oh my) you also can't have jaguars, leopards, cougars, lynx, bobcats, wolves, coyotes, foxes, badgers, wolverines, weasels, skunk, mink, raccoons, monkeys, chimpanzees, alligators, crocodiles, scorpions, snakes that are venomous, or constrictors, Gila monsters (I had to google this one, it's a venomous lizard) or bats.

Dear Editor No one is going to suggest the economy is where we want it to be right now. But it's important to keep in mind that economy is not a domestic issue - it's a global issue impacted by global events. The American government can have some positive influence over the direction of the global economy, but only if it chooses to. What are the two largest factors affecting the global economy right now? Resurgence of COVID across the world, but particularly in China, where they've instituted region-wide lockdowns in major world ports.

Dear Editor: Where are we headed?  As we look for solutions to our Nation’s problems, it is important to know who we are and where we are headed. Our form of government, our ideals and our essential freedoms are made for moments like those before us.  They are not problems, but roadmaps to solutions only if we follow the right road.

I have to admit that watching the weather on Tuesday night did not give me a good feeling. That sinking feeling is getting to be almost too normal in our neck of the woods. While visiting with some friends we discussed if we had ever had weather like this when we were kids. If we did, were we just oblivious of it? Growing up in the "good ol' days," there wasn't instant access to all of the world around us.

Dear Editor,As we celebrate independence and freedom at this time of year, let's take a moment to remember all the positive things that have happened in the last 18 months.- A $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill was signed, and would not have been possible without bipartisan support. Among other things, this replaces every lead pipe in the country, a huge advance.

Dear Editor:If you have not read this for a while or perhaps you have never read the beginning of this Document - thus:"In Congress, July 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

Dear Editor: Greetings and salutations. It was an interesting discussion on the aspects of the SCOTUS decision on reversing ROE V WADE.  This was never law as some have stated as the Judiciary cannot make law but only make decisions on whether the law is constitutional or otherwise legal.  The Democrat Left has made it a hallmark that if they cannot attain their result by legislation (as it should be) they search for an “activist” judge to rule in their favor.

Dear Editor, So, what happened yesterday when the SCOTUS overturned Roe AND Casey?  The “AND” is important because THAT is what prompted a review of Roe.  The short answer for us here in Iowa is that . . . NOTHING happened . . . not a single solitary thing changed . . . nothing . . . zilch . . . nada . . .At a national level it’s more complicated.