Oskaloosa.com--Columns http://www.oskaloosa.com en-us Copyright CNHI All Rights Reserved. 5 Fri, 11 May 2007 13:04:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_131130347.html COLUMN: Goodbye Oskaloosa and thank you http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_131130347.html By the time many of you read this column, my nearly two years with The Oskaloosa Herald will have ended. Mon, 07 May 2007 11:29:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_127113321.html COLUMN: Question of the Week: Are you tired of politics? http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_127113321.html We just completed the 2007 session of the Iowa Legislature in which the new Democratic governor and Democratic majority in both houses passed most of their agenda items. Mon, 30 Apr 2007 14:03:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_120140224.html COLUMN: Question of the Week: Are you satisfied with your state lawmakers? http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_120140224.html The Legislature has passed almost all of Democratic Gov. Chet Culver’s agenda items. The Legislature has passed items such as The Iowa Power Fund — a cornerstone of Culver’s agenda to promote alternative energy production. Mon, 30 Apr 2007 13:54:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_120135500.html COLUMN: Legislative session the highest spending period in Iowa history http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_120135500.html The 2007 legislative session is in its final hours as I write. While we have done some good things for Iowans, we have also done some things that I think we will find very troubling for Iowa’s future. Wed, 25 Apr 2007 11:20:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_115111735.html COLUMN: Vennard College incident is shameful http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_115111735.html As a Bible-believing, born-again, evangelical Christian, I look at the Vennard College incident and just shake my head. Wed, 25 Apr 2007 11:19:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_115111539.html COLUMN: Due to storm debris, there’s no spring cleanup http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_115111539.html Due to the massive branch pickup this spring from the ice storm in February, the City of Oskaloosa will not be conducting a spring cleanup this year. Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:55:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_113115617.html COLUMN: Question of the Week: Do you think our campuses are safe? http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_113115617.html Deranged student Cho Seung-Hui perpetrated the worst mass murder in American history Monday morning when he killed 32 people on the Virginia Tech University campus before killing himself. Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:54:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_113115326.html COLUMN: Legislative session a productive one http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_113115326.html With just one week left this session, there is a lot going on at the Statehouse. My colleagues and I have done a lot of work so far, but have a lot of work to go in the next week. Mon, 23 Apr 2007 11:47:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_113114935.html GUEST COLUMN: BPW celebrates Equal Pay Day http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_113114935.html Every year in April, Business and Professional Women across America team up with the National Committee on Pay Equity for a national day of action promoting fair pay — Equal Pay Day. Fri, 20 Apr 2007 11:29:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_110112920.html COLUMN: Education budget and access to high-quality preschool http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_110112920.html We took several important steps to improve our local schools in this busy week in the Senate. Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:49:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_106114944.html COLUMN: Protecting Iowa consumers a top priority http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_106114944.html Protecting Iowa consumers is a top priority for me as a legislator and as a businessman. All Iowans deserves to get what they pay for. Nothing frustrates me more than when I hear about scams and fraudulent business transactions, and it motivates me to do something about it. Mon, 16 Apr 2007 11:40:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_106114057.html COLUMN: Lawmakers craft the state budget http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_106114057.html Before the legislative session ends, we must craft a balanced state budget. In February Gov. Culver presented his budget recommendations to the General Assembly. Fri, 13 Apr 2007 11:17:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_103111603.html COLUMN: McKinley’s Memos: state revenue http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_103111603.html The Revenue Estimating Conference (REC) recently met to update their projections on how much revenue the state will collect in the future. Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:36:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_099134602.html COLUMN: Question of the Week: Tax time is near — have you done your taxes? http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_099134602.html April 15 may be the most dreaded day of the year — federal income taxes are due — and there’s less than a week left to do them. Mon, 09 Apr 2007 13:42:00 +0000 http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_099134342.html COLUMN: Young people hold promise for strong Iowa future http://www.oskaloosa.com/columns/local_story_099134342.html This building we call the “Golden Dome” is a curious place. An enigma if you will. Often, the moment I arrive at the capitol we are off and running.