Whether people should be allowed to raise laying hens inside the city limits has turned into a matter for discussion in many communities in recent years, and that’s more the case since the bird flu has impacted egg prices so dramatically.

In fact, it’s becoming trendier for townsfolk to own hens, then eat and/or sell the eggs.

One of the ways you know if something is becoming trendy is through nomenclature.

Used to be, people called those hens town chickens.

Concerning answered prayer, have you ever found this to be true? We often create a target that we expect God to hit, and when He doesn’t jump through our hoops, we toss away our faith, saying, “This faith stuff doesn’t work for me!”

March marks Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a time to highlight the impact of colorectal cancer in our state and encourage screening to save lives. Colorectal cancer remains the third most common cancer diagnosed in Iowa and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with an estimated 1,650 new cases and 550 deaths expected in 2025 alone (Iowa Cancer Registry).

When does peaceful protest cross the line, or is there such a thing?

I would contend yes. Feel free to disagree.

Recently, Tesla has been the target of protests. It wasn’t too long ago some of the same protesters hailed the company as a green energy leader, but since owner and innovator Elon Musk jumped ship to head up DOGE ― appointed the cost-saving arm of the new administration.

Some of the headlines last week have read:

At the Storm Lake forum on Saturday, House File 572 was brought up multiple times.

I had heard very little about this bill prior to the forum. There are thousands of bills floating around the Capitol right now — House files, Senate files, House resolutions, Senate resolutions, joint resolutions, bill drafts … and the ideas. So many ideas.

Whether you garden on an acre or a balcony, there’s always room for peppers. Grow them in a vegetable garden, container or with your flowers. The colorful fruit of many varieties makes them a decorative addition to any garden.

Where would we be without the incomparable medical advice of Windy Wilson?

I timed ‘er just right t’other day. Strolled on into the Mule Barn when I knew Doc and the guys would be there. Oh we unfiltered the world events for a while, then … to take advantage of medical science when it’s sippin’ coffee, I rolls up my sleeve and shows Doc my elbow.

Then I said, “Doc, what do you reckermend for a elbow with a carbolic uncle on it like this here?”

“Novocaine” works on a simple premise. Man finds girl. Man loses girl. Man chases girl.

Oh yeah, I forgot. Afore mentioned man feels no pain.

And that’s an important tidbit, as the matter is not masked at all in the prerelease hype.

There’s nothing I love more than getting out of school for a week and sitting at home.

This year’s spring break snow has had a chilling effect on the mood, but it hasn’t stopped me from getting the full 2025 spring break experience! By that, I of course mean doing homework, practicing for speech and (of course) whining about how little free time I have. It’s great!

This week, we have debated quite a few good bills that will make Iowa a better state. The funnel was last week, and that excluded a lot of bills that have been out. If they didn’t make it through the funnel by being out of committee, the bill is effectively not eligible for debate anymore. However, as we say, nothing is ever dead in the Legislature, and so they always seem to have a way of coming back.

Prayer and the season of lent go hand in hand — along with repentance, worship, fasting and all the other “spiritual disciplines.” So, I want to take this opportunity to encourage you to pray this Lenten season.

Spring is in the air. The robins and killdeer have migrated back to the area, green blades of grass have started to pop up, and muddy paw prints have appeared on my kitchen floor. With the appearance of spring, it’s time to start planning for warm weather activities.

In my turtle analogy of adopting a defensive investment strategy, my turtle will stick his head out of his shell to see if everything is all clear, and his eyes will immediately fix on the acrimonious exchanges of tariffs. That will cause him to pull it back in and squeeze his eyes shut, hoping to avoid contact. President Donald Trump has called himself “Tariff Man” suggesting tariffs are the salvation of the U.S. economy and means to retain his perception of American greatness.

Rabbits are year-round and frequent visitors to gardens and landscapes. As children, we read about and adored these furry critters. This love of rabbits often faded as we grew older and experienced damage to our gardens and landscapes. Employing various management strategies allows us to co-exist with these cute yet voracious members of our community.

Just the facts ‘mam.

Joe Friday made the statement famous in the classic cop drama, “Dragnet.” I’m stealing the sentiment for today’s column which focuses on the state’s high rankings in recent surveys.

IOWA DRIVERS FACE HIGHEST ANIMAL-RELATED RISK IN NOVEMBER