At the end of July, our national debt officially topped $35 trillion. This development comes just seven months after our country surpassed $34 trillion in debt and less than a year since our national debt eclipsed $33 trillion last September. As a father of four, I firmly believe that we have both a moral and financial obligation to our children and grandchildren to enact real reforms that begin to reduce our exploding national debt and restore fiscal sanity to Congress.

The International Overdose Awareness Day 2024 theme is ‘Together we can,’ focusing on every individual action. Drug overdose is a national health crisis fueled by the opioid epidemic. Every community across Iowa has been impacted in some way.  

I went to opening night of this week’s Okoboji Summer Theatre show knowing that I have always enjoyed the music of Frank Sinatra but learned a lot about just how large his influence was and still is in the music world. If you didn’t care that much about his music before the curtains opened, you were enjoyably enlightened by the time the curtains closed.

Politically, the last month has been historic, culminating in the selection by the Republican Party of Donald Trump to be their presidential nominee and the expected nomination by the Democratic Party of Kamala Harris. However, the historical landmark will undoubtedly be the July 24 speech by Joe Biden.

2024 Bikes-Brews-Bites celebration a big success

Q: What is the Congressional Budget Office (CBO)?

Before I voted for the Farm Bill – which passed out of the House Agriculture Committee in May – I held many town halls with farmers and producers as part of my 36 County Tour and Feenstra Agriculture Tour to ensure that the priorities of our agricultural community were included in this vital legislation.

Third edition of Tom Tourville's surf music series hits store shelves

Sun, Sand, Surf & Sidewalls is the newest book by local author Tom Tourville, delivering a breezy blast from the past for readers who look back fondly on the carefree days of summer music before British bands like The Beetles took America by storm and killed the surf genre.

By Jessica Amendt - Discovery House

As I write this, it was one month ago today when one of our communities, as we know it, completely changed. During that time, there have been thoughts and feelings that I told myself I didn't want to forget. Regardless of how much I say to myself that I could never forget something this important, the reality is that I will. Maybe not completely, but the memories and emotions will fade over time. Here is what I hope to never forget.

The right to vote forms the bedrock of our democratic republic and gives an important voice to the people — of which, by which, and for which our country was established, and President Lincoln so eloquently put during his Gettysburg Address on Nov. 19, 1863. Men and women in uniform have sacrificed their own lives to ensure that our nation could be free and that we all have the right to participate in our system of government.

Q: What are your thoughts about the assassination attempt on former President Trump’s life?

Last month, I traveled to Israel to meet with government officials about the ongoing war. We walked the Kibbutzes where innocent Israelis were murdered, raped, beheaded, and tortured by Hamas terrorists and learned more of the horrifying details about the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust. We saw firsthand the food, water, medical supplies, and other aid that Israel is actively delivering to civilians in Palestine despite unfounded outcry from Hamas apologists.

Q: What prompted your oversight of the Biden administration’s handling of unaccompanied children who have arrived at the border alone?

Many thanks go out to the Spirit Lake Community School staff for their quick and cheerful response in providing sandbags to our harbor neighborhood and to other area neighborhoods, I am certain as well.

Gary Puckett & the Union Gap returned to the Lakes Area to perform twice at the Pearson Lakes Art Center last week.

The first show was sold out and there were only three empty seats on the second night.