How are you voting this year?
“I can’t vote on Election Day, because I’m a precinct election official, so I’ll be voting early this weekend—most likely at the Iowa City Public Library. My daughter, who is in college out of state, will also come home this weekend to vote. I don’t really trust the mail-in system this year.” — Sharon F.
“What are the voting hours at Bettendorf library? Thank you.” — Lori O. [NOTE: Here are the early voting locations and hours in Scott County.]
“We’ll be voting in Polk City on November 3rd!” — Jim and Carol M.
“We always vote early—NO LINES! This year especially I do NOT trust the mail service. I’ve had too many delays with 1st class mail in general anymore so I’m telling everyone to VOTE EARLY IN PERSON.” — Sue B.
“Since I’m working the polls on Election Day, I will early vote this Wednesday at the Polk County Election Office.” — Clare L.
“I [voted] in person on the 14th at the Johnson County offices.” — Bradford E.
“I have been voting since 1976, and every time I have walked into the polls to vote in person. I plan on keeping that tradition going as I enjoy the feeling of civic activism and power this gives me. Keep up the good work.” — Nick W., West Des Moines
How scary are your Halloween decorations?
“I’m gonna call my Halloween decorations a five on the scale of n(one) to scary.” — Heidi L.
What’s your favorite fall activity?
“My favorite fall activity is NOT getting all the political texts, emails and ads on the television.” — Rick H.
“My favorite Fall activity is putting the garden to bed. It has given us so much. Gourds, acorn and butternut squash, tomatoes, peppers, green beans, broccoli and cabbage to die for! It’s time for her to rest and for us to be thankful. Thanks to YOU too, for your hard work on what matters!” — Bob F.
“Making a big pot of chili or any hearty soup on a blustery fall Sunday afternoon when the outdoor chores are done!” — Thomas G.
Don’t forget about Northwest Iowa:
“We just moved to Iowa from the East Coast and settled near Sioux City. If you could do some stories about the region, I would love to learn more about our new hometown.” — Jim K. [NOTE: I’ll start you with this one!]
“I’m reaching out with a suggestion for Iowa Starting Line. I live in Northwest Iowa—rural Graettinger, specifically—and my kids attend Emmetsburg Community Schools. I lovingly refer to our area as the ‘armpit of Iowa.’ …
I’m writing because I frequently see your ‘Things to Do This Weekend’ posts, and I’m often disappointed to see how little of Western and Northwest Iowa is represented. Maybe it’s because there truly isn’t much happening out here—but I also wonder if some of it is simply because these communities are easy to overlook. …
One idea might be a recurring ‘Worth the Drive’ feature. Highlight something happening in a community that might be a little farther away but is worth making the trip for. That could be a festival in Northwest Iowa, an event in Ames, a small-town community celebration, a unique restaurant, an outdoor activity, a local business, or something else people might not otherwise know about. …
I’m choosing to write this as a lifelong Northwest Iowan who is tired of seeing rural communities overlooked because of our population size—as though smaller communities matter less. And honestly, this goes beyond Iowa Starting Line. We’ve watched services and resources for rural Iowans disappear or become harder to access, and there can sometimes be a larger pattern of assuming that what happens in the population centers represents the entire state. …
If Iowa Starting Line is reporting on Iowa and sharing ‘Things to Do,’ perhaps there could be a conscious effort to broaden that coverage to all corners of the state—and maybe even encourage people to venture outside their usual 30-mile radius. Thanks for listening!” — Deena L., Graettinger
Cornell’s response inappropriate:
“I am a Cornell College alumni / Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Victim Advocate in Texas. I find the recent response from Cornell College on the matter of confusing them for Cornell University very poor in taste, as Cornell College is in no way innocent, as are many other colleges operating under Title IX. … Title IX works against victims of sexual assault on college campuses, [but] these can be improved to hold accountability and uplift survivors on campus.” — Hannah K.
Accessibility help:
“I am following up regarding two accessibility issues that I personally deal with: making public parks and playgrounds truly accessible for children and adults with disabilities, and expanding automatic push-button doors at businesses and public buildings.
I would appreciate Representative [Ashley] Hinson’s help in exploring what can be done at the federal level, such as legislation, grants, tax incentives, or partnering with relevant agencies. The goal is to find practical solutions that improve access without creating unreasonable burdens for small businesses.” — Rob F.
Feedback:
“Thank you Amie for the information/reminder! Thanks for writing the newsletter!” — Greg V.
“I opened a thing to read, and then something else popped up and it said something about purchasing. I got confused. I don’t wanna purchase anything. I thought this was a place I can just read and things are going around Iowa.” — Susan H. [NOTE: It is definitely that place! Welcome.]
“I just wanted you to know that Barts Farm in Cedar Rapids are rabid MAGA’s! They also just hosted [Rep.] Ashley Hinson’s event. There are plenty of other corn mazes in the area.” — Barb F.
“This should not be a political website please. We get enough of it on TV.” — Mary Jo
“Thank you have a glorious day” — Amy H.
“Thank for all you do to shine the light upon Republican hypocrisy and shamelessness. I don’t know if we will ever live to see the day where some level of government accountability will be held. But we have to keep trying.
It’s certainly clear that between Newt Gingrich’s Tea Party movement till now, we’ve slumped to the lowest levels of government corruption.
Here are photos of a bald eagle who found a squirrel to consume right across the street from our house in Des Moines, on Kingman Blvd. Enjoy!” — Bill and Ruth S., Des Moines
