Q: What is Real ID?

A: Two decades ago, the 9/11 Commission issued recommendations to enhance ID verification systems following the horrific attacks in 2001 that killed thousands of Americans on U.S. soil. Its report underscored why Congress beefed up national standards, “For terrorists, travel documents are as important as weapons.”

At the end of this year, significant portions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which was signed into law in December of 2017, officially expires. That means that — absent congressional action — taxes for Iowa families, farmers and businesses will increase.

Recently, my son-in-law was hit by a car. He and my daughter had just finished supper on New Year's Eve and began to walk across a protected cross walk up at the Lakes when a driver accelerated through it and tossed him 50 feet through the air. He landed on his head and sustained a serious injury.

He and my daughter had been very careful to not be behind the wheel that night because of crazy drivers on New Year’s Eve. They never expected to be hit while on foot.

President-elect Donald Trump has been throwing out ideas for the territorial expansion of the U.S. The Panama Canal now connects the Gulf of America to the Pacific oceans, according to newly named Trump nomenclature. He says that we need to reacquire the Panama Canal by force, if necessary, purchase Greenland and add Canada to our list of states as being a strategic necessity for us.

This month we bring birth defects awareness month as our topic. Thanks to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for this information.

LANGUAGE MATTERS

While "birth defect" is a medical term, it does not mean that an individual is "defective." It refers to health conditions that develop in a baby before birth. In an attempt to be accurate and sensitive, we try to use the specific name of the condition present at birth when possible.

She was everyone's friend.

Whether you knew her as a school nurse, a mother or saw her at the Clay County Fair with her father — even if you had never met her — she was everyone's friend.

Over the weekend, after a two-year battle, where a rotation of bad news was followed by good news and back again, Sara Schmidt received her heavenly reward, making a host of new friends and reuniting with her parents family and all those who left before her.

My heart hurts.

For many, the new year brings about change. For high school students, the end of the semester is what shifts our world.

At most schools, these happen at around the same time. That is, the semester wraps up right before winter break, and students come back to school for a new semester in the new year.

Maria Reppas' guest commentary articulated my thoughts exactly. Thank you, Maria. “Make Iowa a national remote work hub” says what I've often thought. I lived in Minneapolis and worked downtown Minneapolis for 19 years, then lived in Phoenix for 18 years working there. I lived in the city limits both times, not a suburb.

Now is the time when many of us are busy ordering seeds. We often end up with many seeds, some new ones we needed or wanted and perhaps a few duplicates of those we have left from past seasons. It is easy to overlook some of these as the indoor and outdoor planting season begins.

It might have been the winter doldrums that did it. You can never be sure of these things. It’s just that … well, Doc is one of those guys who can’t stand to see anyone bored. He claims it’s bad for their inner chemistry, and since he has more initials after his name than anyone else in town, we tend to listen to him.

It may not feel like it yet, but spring, and with it, high school graduation time, is not that far away. As our graduating 4-H members begin to think about their future, we always encourage them to check out the scholarship opportunities available to them as 4-H'ers. There are local, state and national scholarships to apply for as a graduating 4-H member. If you are a senior, or know a senior, be sure to check these out!

CLAY COUNTY 4-H SCHOLARSHIP

Based on the life of pro boxer Claressa Shields, writer and co-producer Barry Jenkins and director Rachel Morrison tell the story of the Flint, Michigan, native. They share the story of her troubled childhood as a poor teen to her rise as a two-time Olympic medalists and multitime title career.

Every time we enter into a New Year we renew our focus on the future. As I look out my window, I ponder all the future choices that lie ahead. An old Latin phrase puts it this way, “Quo Vadis?” which means, “Which Way?” Some choices in our future will be made for us — by God and our circumstances. They will dictate the direction of our life. Other choices will be made by us. Either way, we consider how our future will unfold “Quo Vadis?”

It's time for our annual review of the Year in Jokes!

JANUARY

The Border Patrol were reported Friday to be catching drug smugglers who disguise themselves as missionaries. In the '70s I knew a coke dealer in West Hollywood who posed as a Jehovah’s Witness as he was making his rounds. The cops arrested him after they noticed everybody was letting him inside.

I do not see another sector of our economy which is more at risk to looming trade and immigration issues in 2025 than ours, the agriculture sector. The agriculture economy is weak and grain producers continue to work with negative margins. Interest rates are unlikely to decline further and farmers are borrowing more money to subsidize the gap between incomes and expenses.