Reader letters for July 21, 2026:
Should ICE be going after workers, or those who employ them?
“ICE should NOT” — Pamela A.
“Always go for the owners first and then the bosses second. They love bragging that their success is by their efforts only.” — Bill R., Iowa City
“Those who hire ‘undocumented’ workers should help them get the documentation they need to continue working.” — Clare L.
Are they listening?
“[Sent this to] Sen. [Chuck] Grassley, Rep. [Ashley] Hinson and Sen. [Joni] Ernst: ‘River Hills Community Health Center provides medical, dental and mental healthcare for the Centerville Community. On May 11th, without notice, HR and Administrative Leadership told staff the clinic would be closing. … I believe these clinic closures relate in part to the Big Beautiful Bill (which I know you supported) and the federal government’s passing benefits along to already wealthy people, while ordinary folks in small towns in Iowa increasingly have no place to access healthcare. What can you do now … to remedy this?’
Here’s the response I got from Sen. Grassley: [NOTE: I do not have room for his full letter.]
‘If it is helpful to you, you can find other health centers located near you by using this “Find a Health Center” tool on the Department of Health and Human Services website at this address: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/. Also, you can find a local rural health clinic near you by searching through the Iowa Association of Rural Health Clinic’s directory at this address: https://iarhc.org/i-want-to/find-a-clinic. … You may also be interested to know that on July 4, 2025, President Trump signed the WFTCA into law. The WFTCA delivered historic funding to expand access to care in rural communities and improve health outcomes while also rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in government-funded health care programs. The WFTCA established the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund (RHTF) and it is the largest investment in rural health in U.S. history…. On December 29, 2025, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Iowa would receive $209 million in 2026. … The RHTF is supporting health care initiatives in over two-thirds of all Iowa counties so far.’
So good to know Sen. Grassley is doing so much to work for Iowans. There is way too much to unpack here! Thank you for all you do to keep hope alive.” — Shirley W.
Feedback:
“STOP! I NEVER ‘SUBSCRIBED’ TO THIS AT ANY TIME!” — gwamma6 [NOTE: You may unsubscribe at the bottom of any email.]
“I didn’t ask for this” — Jim M.
“Again I marvel at how many people whom I presume regard themselves as ‘good Christians’ resort to using the most vile language and images, and express such harmful wishes to you and your colleagues! ‘Tis amazing!
Now I recognize that such people have always been among us, but they used to be more careful about their language and their revulsion towards ‘others.’
It seems that the growing ugliness of our language—used much less in dialogue than in hurled, harmful monologues—reflects the growing ugliness of our politics. Why be surprised when Trump uglifies the White House and the reflecting pool? Why be surprised when Congress continues to fund war and arms build-up but cuts health care and nutritional programs? Why be surprised when the State of Iowa—which when I had the privilege of serving with truly good people—is leaning into the cultural wars against gay, trans, and people of color?
Surprised, no! Sad and heartbroken, yes!
And so we must continue to consistently affirm that all human beings are sacred, all belong, and all are really a deserving—and contributing—part of ‘us!’
Peace and cleansing to you!” — Greg C.
Hinson and Iowa’s water quality:
“I wanted to bring your full attention to a seemingly overlooked detail about Rep. Ashley Hinson’s voting record in the Iowa State House of Representatives.
The eroding conditions of our state’s polluted 700 waterways, and lax voluntary stewardship laws are due to the combined Iowa’s Right To Farm Act, the Voluntary Nutrient Reduction Strategy (VNRS) Act and the Water Quality Infrastructure Fund (SF 512).
The Iowa State Legislative bodies in 2018 allowed for the codified law of VNRS which showed deference to out-of-state, international corporations establishing the agricultural factory CAFO model. Hinson was in the House at that time (District 67). The SF512 was the legal vehicle to codify VNRS.
The farmer owns only the facilies and is responsible for the waste that is generated by the corporation’s owned pigs. The farmer inadvertently becomes overwhelmed by the manure volume, and over fertilization without any buffer zones allows for the poisoning of our 700 waterways through the nonpoint source pollution category given to CAFOs.
The corporations profit from the sale of the hogs and livestock with impunity while the farmer is stuck with the waste that passes on its nitrate (in the ammonia molecule) and phosphate by way of the waterways to Iowans.
High nitrates in the water are causing cancer, while destroying the trout populations and its ecosystem. This is important because not only are Iowans within HER very own district suffering, but the ‘Driftless’ karst terrain that is comprised of limestone deposits is at risk of collapsing.
Specific brown trout species spawn in the headwaters of these fragile District 2 headwaters, and yet Hinson continues to push voluntary compliance.
It was Hinson’s vote in 2018 to support this gutting of Iowa’s waterways, its people and its fragile ecosystem that has led to this state’s predicament.” — William S.
My ongoing screwworm argument with Stan:
“Grassley was talking to the secretary of AGRICULTURE, not the CDC. Agriculture deals with animals and injections are a way to treat animals for screwworm.” — Stan H.
“Not sure it matters who he was asking about it. He was still asking about a vaccine.” — me
“And cattle have been and can be vaccinated for it! What part of that don’t you get? Rollins apparently didn’t know that either. Don’t reply, no point in it.” — Stan H. [NOTE: Yes, there is an injectable treatment for screwworm in cattle, but that is not a vaccine, which is a preventative and what Grassley was asking about.]
What’s in a name:
“Nice last name. I wonder if we may have some way back family ties.” — Rick R. [NOTE: If we do, they’d be from my wife’s side, as it’s her name I took.]
