Along the Mississippi

Testimony to a Midwesterner's love of the game and a team Open in app or onlineIt's Opening DayTestimony to a Midwesterner's love of the game and a teamEd TibbettsMar 30SaveListenPhoto: Ed TibbettsThe kid was 9 years old when he saw his first baseball game.Living in a rural northeast Missouri farmho

Politics the Iowa way Open in app or onlineIt's good to have friends.Politics the Iowa wayEd TibbettsMar 26SaveListenPhoto by Kelcy Gatson on UnsplashSometimes, watching the Iowa Legislature can tell you a lot about how this state works.Its not pretty sometimes, but it is instructive.Ill start at th

Ex-president overrates his record Open in app or onlineTrump may be betting too much on the farmEx-president overrates his recordEd TibbettsMar 15SaveListenPhoto by James Baltz on UnsplashSo, Donald Trump thinks playing the farm card is his ace in the hole in Iowa.He might want to rethink that hand.

Selecting supervisors by district.Open in app or onlineSenate bill would change Scott County electionsSelecting supervisors by district.Ed TibbettsMar 12SaveListenPhoto by Austin Goode on UnsplashIowa legislators arent reluctant to force their will on local governments these days.And now they may be

And why you shouldn't worry.Open in app or onlineThe woke war on your 401(k)And why you shouldn't worry.Ed TibbettsMar 5SaveListenPhoto by Oren Elbaz on UnsplashFirst, they came for your kids school.Now, its your retirement money.The woke mob, it seems, is everywhere.Luckily, Republicans are manning

Threat to marriage equality shouldn't be shrugged off.Open in app or onlineQC lawmakers seek same-sex marriage banThreat to marriage equality shouldn't be shrugged off.Ed TibbettsMar 1SaveListenPhoto by Antonio Uquiche on UnsplashTwo state legislators from the Iowa Quad-Cities are among a handful of

Vladimir Putin's threat to the world.Open in app or onlineWho will stand up for democracy.Vladimir Putin's threat to the world.Ed TibbettsFeb 23SaveListenPhoto by Max Kukurudziak on UnsplashSince the days of Ronald Reagan, weve been told Democrats are weak, that they arent willing to stand up to dic

This might not play well in Iowa.Open in app or onlineNikki Haley's testThis might not play well in Iowa.Ed TibbettsFeb 17SaveListenPhoto by Ajay Parthasarathy on UnsplashNikki Haley says that politicians over the age of 75 should have to take mandatory mental competency tests.And soon, shell be in

Will Iowa Republicans play her game.Open in app or onlineKari Lake's giftWill Iowa Republicans play her game.Ed TibbettsFeb 12SaveListenPhoto by Clay Banks on UnsplashIf Iowa Republicans listen to Kari Lake, theyll be giving Democrats a gift.Lake, the failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate, was in B

Don't let a vocal minority decide what your kids can read.Open in app or onlineTrampling your rightsDon't let a vocal minority decide what your kids can read.Ed TibbettsFeb 8SaveListenPhoto by Ishaq Robin on UnsplashTwo years ago, Iowa Gov.Kim Reynolds proposed private school subsidies for kids in a

Will Republicans push Medicaid work requirement.Open in app or onlineOn the horizonWill Republicans push Medicaid work requirement.Ed TibbettsFeb 5SaveListenPhoto by Austin Goode on UnsplashA few years ago, when Iowa Republicans pitched a plan to impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients, crit

Quad-Cities has a lot at stake Open in app or onlineAnalysis of proposed rail merger releasedQuad-Cities has a lot at stakeEd TibbettsJan 30SaveListenRailroad tracks running along Davenports riverfront (Photo: Ed Tibbetts)There was a dose of news over the past week in the ongoing saga over the Canad

Republicans are taking big risks with Iowa's future.Open in app or onlineOn a collision courseRepublicans are taking big risks with Iowa's future.Ed TibbettsJan 25SaveListenPhoto by Austin Goode on UnsplashSay what you want about Kim Reynolds, but she knows how to break the furniture.Over the past t

Kim Reynolds' bad education plan Open in app or onlineLousy choicesKim Reynolds' bad education planEd TibbettsJan 17SaveListenPhoto by Element5 Digital on UnsplashIowa Gov.Kim Reynolds says her plan to use taxpayer money to pay for private schooling gives people a choice to educate their kids where

Hiding Iowa's cheap education policy Open in app or onlineThe school spending conHiding Iowa's cheap education policyEd TibbettsJan 11SaveListenPhoto by Kimberly Farmer on UnsplashHey, Iowa: Youre making more money now than ever.The typical Iowa household earned $72,429 in 2021, according to the Fed

The people ought to choose who fills Scott County Board vacancy.Open in app or onlineDon't take away our voteThe people ought to choose who fills Scott County Board vacancy.Ed TibbettsJan 8SaveListenPhoto: Ed TibbettsMy wife says Im tilting at windmills.But since her claim is just a metaphor and no

Project is a small step forward Open in app or onlineFeds help Davenport flood planProject is a small step forwardEd TibbettsJan 4SaveListenMississippi River flooding in downtown Davenport in 2019 (Photo: Ed Tibbetts)Of the 7,200 earmarks in the mammoth federal omnibus budget, one in particular inte

We didn't have an independent J6 commission because Republicans didn't want one Open in app or onlineWhat could have beenWe didn't have an independent J6 commission because Republicans didn't want oneEd TibbettsDec 22SaveListenPhoto by little plant on UnsplashIt may have to wait until after Christma

Scott County election snafu needs independent inquiry Open in app or onlineWe need answersScott County election snafu needs independent inquiryEd TibbettsDec 15SaveListenPhoto by Arnaud Jaegers on UnsplashFive weeks after Election Day, the Scott County Board of Supervisors on Monday finally certifie

It's not the DNC giving Iowans the middle finger Open in app or onlineFight the right foeIt's not the DNC giving Iowans the middle fingerEd TibbettsDec 6SaveListenBernie Sanders campaigns in Iowa before the 2016 presidential caucuses.(Photo: Ed Tibbetts)President Biden and the Democratic National Co

Change in nomination calendar would upend five decades of tradition Open in app or onlineBiden's move to replace IowaChange in nomination calendar would upend five decades of traditionEd TibbettsDec 2SaveListenPhoto by Clay Banks on UnsplashBarring a miracle, Iowas first-in-the-nation status is over

Relatively few homes are being made lead-safe, despite years of efforts Open in app or onlineThe lead-poison threatRelatively few homes are being made lead-safe, despite years of effortsEd TibbettsDec 1SaveListenSome of the oldest housing stock in the country is in Iowa, including Davenport.(Photo:

We still need answers Open in app or onlineScott County's election snafuWe still need answersEd TibbettsNov 23SaveListenTodays newsletter leads off with an ultra-local item, but I think it has some lessons for how elections can and do hit snags.It took nearly two weeks, but the Scott County Board

Iowa GOP leaders should move party away from Trump Open in app or onlineA second chanceIowa GOP leaders should move party away from TrumpEd TibbettsNov 16SaveListenPhoto by Brendan Beale on UnsplashTo nobodys surprise, Donald Trump announced Tuesday hell run for president in 2024.The question now is

Republicans win big in Iowa and Scott County Open in app or onlineWaves and ripplesRepublicans win big in Iowa and Scott CountyEd TibbettsNov 9SaveListenPhoto by Clay Banks on UnsplashNationwide, Tuesdays election so far seems to have resulted in a Red Ripple, with pundits figuring Republicans will