Over the last year, the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa Department of Human Services have evaluated the areas of overlap and duplication between the two state agencies. Following this evaluation, the departments announced that the plan is to remove silos between agencies by moving toward a one-agency structure.

In politics, having a “trifecta” in government is a good thing for a political party — until the trifecta’s inaction on some popular issue starts to haunt the party.

Iowa Republicans served up an example of the consequences of such inaction in the days leading up to Christmas. The example involves military veterans, a highly sought-after constituency that is part of any solid political movement.

Jan. 3rd marked the beginning of the 118th Congress, and our new Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Across our nation, more than 54 million Americans entrusted Republicans with their confidence and their vote. Now, they rightfully expect us to deliver conservative victories for our country and our communities.

Q: What are your committee assignments in the 118th Congress?

The idea of celebrating the New Year Holiday always made for a strange juxtaposition in my mind.

On the one hand, we're looking ahead to all the things we hope the next 365 days will bring, perhaps even the things we intend to bring about ourselves in that time. But on he other hand, we are still standing in a world that hasn't changed that much.

Just take a quick walk outside.

Few people like being told what they must do. Lorie Smith is one of them.

The suburban Denver, Colo., business owner, a devout Christian, builds websites for customers. She wants to expand her business and begin building websites for couples who are planning weddings.

But she is adamant that she does not want to be forced to build websites for same-sex couples. Doing so, she says, would violate her faith, which does not allow her to celebrate same-sex marriages.

There is a form of slavery taking place in Iowa right now. It’s called human trafficking, and it occurs when men, women or children are forced to perform labor services or sexual acts. This horrific crime affects thousands of people across the U.S., and it can happen to anyone. The state of Iowa is taking steps to raise awareness about human trafficking and put an end to this danger, but we need your help.

Q: Why are you calling on the Biden administration to make border security its New Year’s resolution?
 

She'd probably be the first to make a joke about it, but my year-end work this week was interrupted by some sad news.

Kari VanderWoude, who worked among our group of newspapers for many years and did so many different things it was hard to say exactly what her job title was, passed away Dec. 22.

By Wendong Zhang and Nathan Cook

One year after skyrocketing 29%, the average value of an acre of Iowa farmland jumped another 17%, or $1,660, to $11,411 per acre. The nominal value of an acre of farmland is again higher this year than at any point since Iowa State University began surveying values in 1941. When adjusting for inflation, the 2022 average value surpasses the previous inflation-adjusted record value set in 2013 for the first time.

The Revenue Estimating Conference, or REC met this week to give a better outlook of the state's budget.

By Clint Loveall - First Presbyterian Church of Spirit Lake

If I’m being honest, I’m not the biggest Christmas music fan. It’s not so much that I don’t like it, but it feels overdone to me and usually by Christmas I am worn pretty thin by even the favorites. I know for many, the music is one of their favorite parts of the season, and I’m happy they get so many chances to enjoy the songs, but I’m ok leaving most of them behind for another year.

For more than a decade now, we could count on a trio of excellent musicians to usher us into the Christmas holiday season with humor, warmth and fine music. We affectionately refer to it as the DD&R Show.

Damon Dotson, Dave Rowley and Ryan Sather began entertaining us during the holidays in 2010. (They have only missed the COVID year.)

I'm pretty Iowan.

I hardly think of dressings that aren't ranch.

I've avoiding hitting a deer with my car only to have the deer turn around and run headlong into my drivers side door.

And I enjoy a good snow until I'm the one that has to shovel it off my driveway.

It's that last one that's on most people's minds these day, of course.

Q: How is waste, fraud and abuse weakening Medicare for current and future generations?