It’s Friday, January 9, 2026.

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

ICE and Venezuela protests: After a woman was shot and killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis this week (donate to a Go Fund Me for her family here), anger at unaccountable ICE and DHS agents—plus anger at President Donald Trump’s kidnapping of the Venezuelan president last weekend—is spreading across the country.

“The ICE killing of a legal observer in Minneapolis is the direct result of the authoritarian agenda driven by Donald Trump and enabled by Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks,” Escucha Mi Voz Iowa president Maria Ayala said in a release. “Their actions unleashed ICE to terrorize communities with impunity, making this death the predictable outcome of a violent deportation system they deliberately expanded and defended. We refuse to accept this violence as normal.”

Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Decorah, Des Moines, and Iowa City held rallies this week, but there’s more you can head to this weekend:

• Ames: Democracy Every Day is hosting a “Get the U.S. out of Venezuela!” rally on Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon at Bandshell Park.
• Cedar Falls: Indivisible Iowa Black Hawk County is hosting an “emergency visibility brigade to publicly call out the unlawful actions of Donald Trump as a war criminal and ICE as murderers” today beginning at 3:30 p.m. until dark at the Mayor’s Pedestrian Bridge.

Nitrate levels routinely exceed levels considered safe by the Environmental Protection Agency in the Des Moines River, the major source of drinking water for Iowa’s capital city. (Adobe Stock)

🐶 This is Thena, adopted 11 years ago from a shelter, says reader Kevin,

who noted she was “out for a walk, trying to blend in with nature” when this was taken.

I bet she blends in better when there’s snow!

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.

What gives us hope in 2026:

• “That we can sustain the positive momentum of Iowa’s caring politicians in 2026 to block the actions of the ultra wealthy and start looking at what we should do for ordinary Iowans and then DO it.” — Clare L.

• “Articles like this. Despite all efforts to stop medical advancements, scientists are still doing the damn thing. Vaccines against cancer, better treatments, and possible cures for sickle cell and HIV. As Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jurassic Park) said: Life finds a way.” — Sara C.

• “For 2026, what gives me hope is the further knitting together in communities I’ve witnessed and worked towards. Part of that community has helped my wife, helped us as she proceeds along her Frontal Temporal Dementia path. I feel so much gratitude. Looking farther outward, the same gratitude applies. 2025 was a year mostly spent uplifting the people of Palestine enduring genocide. Here in our community, which is overwhelmingly Jewish, I helped organize protests, community events, [and] library cultural evenings to humanize those who so many have strived to dehumanize. What gives me hope is another year of stepping off as much as possible from the consumer carousel, reading more, and looking ahead to almost 2 full months camping along the shores of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior, watching my wife swim in her favorite waters.” — Jeff S.

What we’re still mad about from 2025:

• “Shame on all four of Iowa’s Congressional Representatives for voting to defund National Public Radio.” — Dave G., Moline, Ill.

Have you caught the ‘super flu’?

• “I got it starting on 12/20. It turned into pneumonia by 12/26. I’m better now but still recovering. I’m constantly short of breath and tired after any activity.” — Rich S.

• “74-year-old female. Caught bug 12/24, went to doctor, had Florida trip planned four days in future, doctor said OK to go if no fever. No fever but had cough and fatigue. Enjoyed sunshine in FL. Home one day and severe swollen glands—this is day three of that. This flu sucks. Yes, I had the flu shot.” — JoAnn M., Ames

• “Yes, I had a crappy respiratory bug for three weeks in November, got over it, and two weeks later my wife caught a bad cold. And as she was getting over it, I got a terrible sore throat and head cold which lasted about a week.” — Jim H.

• “My husband and I both started feeling sick on Christmas Eve. By Christmas Day we were really sick. We were tested on the 26th and positive for influenza A. We went in again yesterday. We both got another round of prednisone and I got an antibiotic for bronchitis. Two weeks in, I’m at around 70%. He’s probably 80%. I’m 68 and he’s 69, and we both had the flu shot.” — Sue F.

• “Caught the super flu on Dec 23 and still dealing with cough and congestion.” — Randy L.

• “I just wanted to caution against the information being spread about ‘superflu’ subclade K. I’m a graduate student studying genetics at ISU and wanted to shed a little light on the vaccine coverage.

   

  Yes, this exact variant is not 100% covered by the shot currently, but it is still a variant of H3N2, which is covered by the shot. There was a significant genetic drift between the H3N2 covered by the shot and the ‘superflu’ subclade K variant, but they still share commonality. The shot will not provide full immunity, but is still better protection than no shot. I thought the original language in the email bulletin might mislead people that the shot is not useful at the moment, but it still is!” — Jessie D. (NOTE: Thank you for the clarification!)

Allegiant pilots may strike:

• “This ‘deal’ with Allegiant is just like with Amazon and their workers affiliation with the Teamsters. It’s a strong union, but the basic ‘profit over people’ philosophy is in the Allegiant mindset just like it is with Amazon. This a ‘sickness’ in the mindset of almost every corporation in America these days.

  I am SO grateful that my son works for a natural foods, community-owned grocery chain. They care about their workers and are driven more by good service and great products than by ‘corporate greed.’ 

  I was also blessed to work for a public university for many years that gave their professional staff the same benefits, negotiated with the clerical union on campus, as clerical staff: great wages, health care, and other job perks. It started ‘going to the dogs’ just before I retired, but I still have a lovely supplemental insurance plan as a retiree like I had when I was employed there.” — Clare L.

What the Iowa Legislature should focus on in 2026:

• “Why don’t Democrats actually TALK to young voters and LISTEN? 

   

  Quit assuming you old people (Congress needs to get younger!) have any idea about their needs. Ditto for us old people—I do NOT want my property taxes lowered, and the levy rate limited, at the expense of harming education, police force, child care subsidies, etc. I believe most elderly who are OK financially agree with me! I DO want term limits for elected officials. CONGRESS, STOP ASSUMING YOU KNOW what your constituents want!”
  — JoAnn M., Ames

• “I am a human rights commissioner in Cedar Falls. I want the state legislature to guarantee civil rights for ALL Iowans and stop playing games with people’s rights. Rights are not political.” — T.W. I.

• “I didn’t see anything about promoting enough clean water, [or] more regulations on farming.” — Carolyn W. 

General feedback:

• “Should have been at Starbucks in Cedar Falls last Friday; 22 cars in line and no one to protest against Starbucks. And you never said anything about the six brave people that voted to reopen the government; not much of a news reporter, are you?”
  — Kenneth W. (NOTE: The Cedar Falls Starbucks is so far not unionized.)

On living with grief:

• “I enjoyed reading your column today—my husband died in September and as you wrote, it hurts. My cat, family, friends, and a grief support group are helping me through it all. And being as active as I can in the community supporting those in need—’acts of care’—and protesting what we know is wrong in Iowa. Thank you for writing.” — Deb S.

• “Thank you for your hard work and the newsletters.  I really appreciate getting them every week. I also send you sincere condolences for your loss. I am sure it was, and still is, devastating. (I lost a son to depression in 2022 and know such losses make a hole that never fully heals.) This time of year accentuates the people who are gone. At the same time, we appreciate everything you are doing to make the world better. I get hope from the beauty in the world. I enjoy getting to go out, see, and take pictures of this beauty.” — Marc W.

• “Being vulnerable and open as you have chosen to be in the pages of ISL has set an example I’ve shared with people local to me who have been unable to climb out of the ball they’re crying in. I’m grateful for you and the team’s reporting, what you choose to share of your personal lives, and the glimpse of journalism we need so much more of.” — Jeff S.

• “I am sorry that tragedy has happened in your life this year. … It’s been a terrible year politically. It is hard to see tragedy in laws enacted to hurt people locally, statewide, and internationally. What is especially infuriating is Iowans who have this blind faith in a cult-like political party that spews racial and gender hatred while professing Christian faith and militant nationalism, intentionally hurting marginalized populations and those with the least stabilizing support systems. So troubling.

   

  But cracks are forming. Thank you for your advocacy and showing truth to power. For highlighting unions forming and fighting for better working conditions for baristas, nurses, and a strained skilled workforce. Organizing and advocating for more equitable and forgiving working conditions.

   

  We all need kindness and compassion. I hope that you receive an extra dose of that today and throughout 2026.” — Bill S.

• “I have appreciated your emails, but the one from 12/30 was particularly moving. Grief is very had to talk about—I’m awful at it, dealing with the much less tragic loss of my mother in 2024—and your courage and honesty is healing, in addition to all the other work you do to build community in these darkening times. Thank you for all you give.” — Matt M.

• “I think the stories are usually similar. The pain is intense and can go on for years. Twenty years after my wife MaryAnn passed from cancer, I still think of her almost every day. And that’s even after having re-married another wonderful woman whom I treasure dearly.

   

  My story starts a lot like yours—lots of pain and emptiness, which I sought to fill as best I could. But after 20 years, MaryAnn is still an everyday stop-off in my mind. The best thing that has come along is that, when I thank God every day for giving me such a wonderful woman, with such wonderful attributes—and I list them in my mind— somehow, it feels better.

  I was given a miraculous gift, and that is to be treasured and remembered—sort of like pulling a valued keepsake out of the closet, admiring it, and putting it gently back. This way, the wonderful blessing and honor that was given to me to have her, though it was for just what seemed like a moment, is still a blessing. And that’s what I can focus on.

   

  Prayers and best wishes for you as you live through your loss.” — Bob K.

Letter of the Week:

On hypocrisy and Christianity

“Misusing free speech to lie and get power, then abusing that power to stifle any speech about truth—this is the height of hypocrisy.

Cheating contractors and workers for decades, then claiming to care about them just to gain their votes—another height. Or, a new low.

We’ve got a leaker of military battle plans getting off scot-free when the foot soldiers he thusly endangered would get imprisoned for it. We’ve got a recovering heroin addict de-funding our life-saving opioid addiction rescue efforts. We’ve got a chameleon taking whatever position lends him a quick advantage, who even keeps changing his very name. And more, all selected and directed by a convicted multiple felon weaseling out of legal penalties playing ‘I’m Tough on Crime.’

The list is long, the players many; Hypocrisy permeates our leadership. Polling data shows a whole lot of Christians contributed to this situation in a big way. None of the Christian Bible’s many references to hypocrisy describe it as a good thing. Mainly, they’re pretty dire warnings against consorting with it or being fooled and led astray.

Hypocrisy is insidious, seeping in and polluting every good thing there is. Believing with all their might they’re doing right, hypocrisy has good-hearted, honest people supporting and enabling heinous things.

Jesus’s feelings about hypocrisy are best described throughout Matthew 23: He detests hypocrisy, loathes it beyond any other human behavior. Especially among the leadership and lawmakers. …

A particularly salient passage for our situation today: “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.” (First Book of Timothy, Chapter Four, Verses One and Two; New International Version). …

Follow his example:  reject hypocrisy in government and endeavor to stamp it out. That doesn’t mean to just stop voting for ’em—that would indeed be a baby step in the right direction—but you must also actively try to depose them, oppose any candidate riding their coattails, free your friends and loved ones from hypocrisy’s treacherous trap by asking them to help, and spread the word. …

Here’s a truth about hypocrites the Bible doesn’t tell: they’ll cast you aside like a worn-out glove the moment they’re through with you.“

— Dixon S.

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