🗣️ It’s Friday: Time for
Only in Iowa, Positively Iowa, this week’s pet photo, and
reader replies.

Okoboji is still holding its annual Winter Games this weekend, despite the below-zero temps.

You may be unaware of the true context of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Author Rachelle Chase breaks down the difference between how some people see the speech (as colorblindness) and what King really meant.

Bipartisanship isn’t dead, even in Iowa: Democrat Sen. Zach Wahls and Republican Sen. Dave Sires have jointly introduced a state constitutional amendment overturning Citizens United. “Iowa’s democracy should belong to Iowans, not to corporate dark money and not to anonymous political spenders,” Wahls said.

An Iowan has made a website that makes it easier to search for food inspection violations. It’s called Dirty Dish, and you can check it out here.

ICE strike: A general strike and mass protests are happening in Minnesota, particularly in and around Minneapolis, where ICE agents have flooded the city on a campaign of terror.

• Iowans have been discussing our northern neighbor’s ICE resistance on Reddit. Iowa-based bail groups are helping Minnesotans from afar.

• “ICE’s continued occupation, actions, and tactics are harming communities throughout Minnesota and making us all less safe,” said Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham. “They are indiscriminately targeting Minnesotans of color, regardless of citizenship or immigration status.”

• Their unconstitutional tactics are even inspiring like-minded nutjobs here in Iowa.
• Sign on to a petition demanding Congress hold ICE accountable.
• I went to the ICE protest on the University of Northern Iowa campus yesterday. Check out the video on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or Facebook.

Carrie Chapman Catt, celebrating her campaign’s victory. (Amir Abouelw / Shutterstock).

🐶 These two are Haylee and Frankie, both adopted from Retrieve a Golden of the Midwest, says reader Susie H.

Tongues-to-the-side photos are my fave!

Send me your pet photos here.

Readers are invited to add to the conversation by emailing responses@iowastartingline.com. Please include your first name and last initial. You may also want to include your city, but that’s up to you. I may edit your content for conciseness or to correct typos.

Remembering the early days of Starting Line on our 11th anniversary:

• “I live just outside Detroit and found my way to ISL back when I volunteered with Kimberly Graham’s campaign for Senate during the Democratic primary in 2020. I’ve been reading ISL ever since. Like Planet Detroit and Outlier here, ISL is committed to telling the stories people need, not the ones pushed by consultants and professional PR folks.

   

  The oldest ISL I’ve got saved is this guest post, which is still gut wrenching to read 5 1/2 years later.

   

  I feel grateful each time ISL arrives to my inbox, bringing news that never makes it here to Michigan or the national news—news that reminds me that we’re all in this together, no matter which state we’re in, especially with regards to workers, layoffs, and unions.

   

  As citizens, we have to put the effort in to stay informed about our world. Thanks for making it easy when it comes to Iowa.

  P.S. Just today re-added my monthly donation to ISL.” — Jeff S.

Wells Fargo’s rolling layoffs:

• “My uncle worked for Wells Fargo as a 1099 IT contractor and was fired. … Wells Fargo just will fire you for no reason. My uncle was unemployed for 3 years. Iowa companies are obsessed with making sure you can’t get unemployment. Wells Fargo also likes to abuse the 1099 contract system.”
  — Janet H. 

Mobile home slumlords:

• “You need to come out and do a story on the Cedar Village [Manufactured] Home [Park], with the new slumlord owner.

  The new owner has tore up and dug the ground, screwing with the septic system in pipes, causing a lot of us to have plumbing issues and plumbing to back up, and they are not taking responsibility for them causing it. They do not have regular maintenance for the park to take care of plumbing issues. They hire third-party companies who want $1,000 just to take a look before they even do anything, and they want that up front—charging us because the park doesn’t want to take responsibility that they caused.

  There are many of us that are on disability, [have] health issues, and low income or on a fixed income. Not a lot of us can afford $1,000 up front and then $1,000 after to get something fixed that they caused. We had a local plumber that was doing it for us and working payments with us, but he has [gotten] fed up with the park owner and doesn’t want to help.” — Cody R.

Did you participate in Tuesday’s walk-out?

• “Couldn’t. I’m recovering from hip surgery.” — Patricia S.

Which workers are protected?

• “I wanted to share a public notice from the City of West Liberty announcing that City Hall will be closed Friday due to weather, while essential outdoor services such as trash collection continue to operate.

  The closure has prompted questions from residents about consistency, employee safety standards, and transparency, especially since other public institutions remain open under similar conditions.

  I’m sharing this simply as a heads-up in case it’s something you want to look into or monitor.

  Here is the public link showing the City’s notice and resident responses. Thank you for your time.” — A Silenced Voice from West Liberty

What the Iowa Legislature should focus on in 2026:

• “Iowa’s Medicaid rules create a ‘work penalty’ for people with disabilities. When they earn more, they risk losing coverage and services.

  Senate Study Bill 1174, Work Without Worry, is a bipartisan reform that allows people to work without losing Medicaid. With added protections for affordability, services, and transparency, it is a policy that supports employment and fiscal responsibility.

  This is a practical reform Iowa should pass.” — Garret F.

An argument against raising the minimum wage:

• “The problem isn’t that we are not being paid enough—the problem is that the government has destroyed the purchasing power of the dollar. Please consider this video I created.”
  — Jim H.

Newsletter feedback:

• “I am originally from Wilton, but I currently live in San Diego, CA. Iowa Starting Line is my primary news source for staying informed about what is happening in my home state where much of my family still lives. I just wanted to express my appreciation and support for the entire Iowa Starting Line team. I look forward to another year of great journalism in 2026! I do have one question—is Cornhole Champions on a hiatus?” — Mitchell I. (NOTE: Our podcast has been retired, but Zachary Oren Smith continues to post videos and analysis about Iowa politics on all major social media platforms.)
  
  

Feedback on reader replies:

• “I salute you for publishing some of the comments of those who disagree with you, especially those who do so using foul language or flawed ‘reasoning’ or using MAGA ‘facts.’ I also hope that nasty comments roll off your back like water off a duck’s!

   

  Those expressing unquestioning support for ICE agents—or, for that matter, the angry and violent rantings and actions of this administration—only show that they are relying completely upon ‘information’ fed them by the far Right. They have acquired—actually, chosen—mental lenses that filter out anything that would question or disprove what they want to believe, and it is truly scary that there are so many of them out there.

   

  I also applaud your inserting truthful counter-facts when those attacking or challenging you make arguments based upon falsehoods or deliberate lies. While this may not (probably won’t) change their minds, it helps others who read your newsletter to recognize the ‘logic’ of such falsehoods.

   

  Your manner of writing—calm, factual, and reasonable—is itself a wonderful antidote to the envelope of lies being peddled by this administration and their enablers/supporters.” — Greg C.

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