CEDAR FALLS — A series of public hearings will be held at Monday’s council meeting, including one related to the Creekside Business Park project.
As part of the project, the city plans to reconstruct a portion of West Ridgeway Avenue between Hudson Road and Chancellor Drive, adding roundabouts at the intersections of Ridgeway and Cyber Lane and Ridgeway and the yet-to-be-built Waterway Avenue.
The council will also consider two agreements for professional services related to the project, including a professional services agreement for construction survey with Snyder and Associates Inc., and an owner purchase agreement to acquire two temporary construction easements, a permanent easement and a fee title for right-of-way from two properties owned by Casey’s Marketing Co. Another hearing will be held on the 2025 sidewalk/trail infill and repair project. Proposed work would be done on West 20th Street from Merner Avenue to College Street and Prairie Lakes Trail. The cost of construction for the project is estimated at $323,704.
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Two hearings will be related to the reconstruction of West 23rd Street from Hudson Road to Campus Street. The project would include adding an 8-foot median between Hudson Road and the University of Northern Iowa Student Health parking lot.
Council members will consider a bid of $2.75 million from Peterson Contractors Inc. of Reinbeck for the city’s 2025 Street Construction Project. One other bid was received from Owen Contracting Inc. for $2.89 million. The engineer’s estimate for the project was $3.27 million.
The council is also expected to set public hearings for its April 7 meeting on the following topics:
- A proposed amendment to the Central Park cell tower lease.
- A proposed ordinance amending the boundaries for wards and precincts within Cedar Falls to incorporate recently annexed territory.
- Entering into a proposed development agreement with Cedar Falls Municipal Utilities relative to the South Cedar Falls Urban Renewal Area.
- A proposal to undertake a public improvement project for the Iowa Highway 57 and Union Road intersection and to authorize acquisition of private property for the project.
- The reconstruction of West 23rd Street from Hudson Road to Campus Street.
Unelected idiocy
Every day we hear about another government agency that is being slashed by Trump, Musk, and the so-called DOGE agency. On Feb. 27, it was NOAA and the National Weather Service. USDA, FDA, FAA, IRS, and SSA are also on the chopping block.
These are services that America needs to keep airplanes from crashing, to keep our food supply safe, to make sure we get the benefits we are entitled to. Why wouldn’t we want accurate weather forecasts and disaster warnings?
DOGE claims to be saving us money. But its claims don’t stand up to scrutiny. They’re often wildly misleading or wholly inaccurate. Programs are counted multiple times. DOGE takes credit for cuts made by previous administrations. Decimal points are misplaced, turning millions into billions.
Our elected officials are ceding power to unelected, unvetted, inexperienced ideologues who think all government regulation is bad. Don’t stand by and let this happen. Speak up about it.
Karen Impola, Cedar Falls
Legislative tragedy
Wow. Just wow.
Republicans wanted to allow discrimination against transgender people so badly that it was the first bill on Gov. Reynolds’ desk. There was no discussion, no debate, even when person after person came to the floor asking to be regarded as a person with rights.
The next hurdle from Reynolds’ efficiency toolbox is to further punish people who are poor by reducing their ability to make their own decisions about what they can purchase to eat.
Somehow this Legislature doesn’t understand personal choice, health care as a human right, public education as a treasured American value, (and so much more).
Tragic.
Shirley Whiteside,
Cedar Falls
Fact checking MAGA
MAGA is amplifying right-wing lies of fraud and abuse to justify deep cuts to USAID. In his last letter to the editor in The Courier, Larry Van Oort claimed that “USAID had paid millions to media organizations,” parroting talking points found on X and Truth Social that the media was being massively funded by USAID.
In fact, according to public records, that sum was not a grant, but rather years of subscriptions from across the government to Politico Pro, a publication that provides data and legislative analysis for lobbyists and government officials. People were paying for a service Politico provided. I believe that’s called capitalism, not fraud.
We need to fight against the lies and misinformation that is fueling such deep divisions in our country. Fact-checking websites are easy to find and if we are to be critical thinkers in search of the truth, we need to take full advantage of the tools that we have.
Julie Glade, Cedar Falls
World War III
Trump is rewriting history again. He must have slept through history class.
Today when he accused the Ukrainian president of starting World War III, he forgot that World War II was not started by the invaded countries (Poland, Belgium, France, Great Britain, etc.) but the invading country (Hitler’s Germany).
If anyone is starting World War III it is his buddy, Putin, when he invaded Ukraine, and Trump when he threatens to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, and taking control of Greenland and Panama. We are again sitting aside and letting this happen just as the U.S. did in the late 1930s when Hitler went from country to country in Europe. Our allies in Great Britain and France were facing massive bombings, etc, while we sat on our hands until Japan bombed Hawaii, getting our attention.
Ruth Tucker, Evansdale
Legislating hate
Two years ago I moved to Iowa and learned about “Iowa nice.” Last week the state Legislature showed us “Iowa Hate” as Republicans stripped basic civil rights from transgender people and hurried the bill to Gov. Reynolds to guarantee the cruelty and hate as she signed the legislation. So Iowa becomes the first in the nation to enact this ignorant and heartless abuse of its transgender citizens. Rather than education and understanding about difference, the Legislature and governor chose discrimination. What have Iowans become if we don’t chose justice and love for all our neighbors? Decent people seek understanding and acceptance of others, even appreciation of diversity. Let Iowa represent kindness and acceptance. Stand up, speak out, and vote.
Byron Plumley, Cedar Falls
Selling out allies
What price do you put on democracy and freedom? Our president has produced a dollar amount for Ukraine and wants them to pay up if they want these protected. How is this different from extortion? And if Ukraine’s freedom has a price, doesn’t this imply that the U.S. and any of its allies’ does as well? Will the U.S. now treat all our allies as if it is running a protection racket? At the same time, the president and Elon Musk are making changes to the federal government in the name of “efficiency” which also threaten to weaken our democracy. What basis are they using regarding efficiency, and is it not obvious that Musk has too many conflicts of interest to be involved? If democracy and freedom mean so little to this administration, how long will it be before our own democracy crumbles and disappears, or is sold off to the highest bidder? Our president needs to change his priorities right away, before we lose all our allies, empower our enemies even more, and completely destroy our democratic institutions, This president’s actions hardly seem to be a “conservative” way of doing things.
Brian McMillan, Traer
Protect local control
Alert! Iowa wants to take away local control on renewable energy.
If passed, Bill SF376, introduced by Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, will remove all local control for siting renewable energy. No county will be allowed to deny a commercial company a permit or limit the number of turbines or solar panels in that county, use CSR to protect fertile soil from becoming a turbine/solar field, or set a safe setback from your house or property line.
This bill goes directly against Iowa Code 352: “It is the intent of the general assembly to provide local citizens and local governments the means by which agricultural land may be protected from nonagricultural development pressures.”
If you value local control in your county, please help stop SF376. This bill was, no doubt in my mind, written by an energy company. If it passes, all counties will be overrun with turbines and solar panels. Farmland will become commercial land. Once that door is opened, it will be impossible to close.
Please write your local representatives and senators. Tell them to vote no on SF376.
You can read it here: legis.iowa.gov
For more information visit bucoa.org.
Bonnie Urban, Brandon
Traitorous Trump
If I heard 20 years ago that America would elect a president who was a convicted felon, tried to overthrow the government, and abandoned our allies, I wouldn’t have believed it. But here we are. I decided not to write any more letters about Trump until he was in office and did something stupid.
Since there is little daylight between Trump and idiocy, it wasn’t long. In addition to nominating unqualified sycophants and Russian assets to cabinet positions, Yankee imperialist stupidity concerning Greenland, Panama, and Canada, and starting trade wars, there is the disgusting and contemptuous betrayal of an ally: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
European allies stood with Zelenskyy on the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion, but Trump was AWOL. Trump instructed his UN ambassador not to vote for a resolution condemning Russia for starting the war. While Europe treats Zelenskyy as the dictator-fighting hero he is, Trump’s treatment of Zelenskyy at the White House was a reprehensible mugging.
The world now knows that Trump is at best an unreliable ally. At worst he’s Putin’s puppet, a traitorous tinpot jackass, and modern day Neville Chamberlain surrender monkey selling NATO down the river. Is this what 49.8% of America voted for?
Russell Broadway,
Waterloo
A safe space
Last week, Republicans in the Iowa Legislature removed civil rights protections for transgender people. It will soon be legal to discriminate against our trans neighbors by denying them housing, employment, health care, and other necessities.
Republicans justified this as necessary “to protect women and children.” That’s nonsense. There hasn’t been a single Iowa case in the last 18 years of a trans woman going into a bathroom, or any kind of women’s space, to harass women or girls.
Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republicans have launched an extreme attack against a tiny minority of Iowa citizens who pay taxes, have harmed no one, and who simply want to live like the rest of us. This assault demands a response, especially from religious leaders and persons of faith who strive to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Speak up and speak out.
We all deserve love and support. During this time of state and national strife, Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists, a church organization located at 3912 Cedar Heights Drive, Cedar Falls, invites you to a safe space where acceptance, support, love, and inspiration to action rule the day. Come visit our community, where trans people and others rejected and discriminated against are especially welcome.
Dennis Harbaugh,
Waterloo
The real agenda
I have a serious question, as I am obviously confused. On every conservative website less than three months ago, there were at least a hundred posts daily expressing utter outrage about gas and egg prices, as well as the horror of food prices. Suddenly, as gas prices rise, and egg and food prices skyrocket, these issues are no longer the fault of the folks who are in power, and hardly even merit a mention. It makes me think that maybe those who were constantly posting about those issues just might have been insincere. I am shocked and saddened that these fine folks might have had an agenda that had nothing to do with actually solving those problems, as I fail to understand how giving billionaires a $4.5 trillion tax cut solves any of those issues.
Ronald Orf, Triploli
Stripping away rights
Iowa’s legislators haven’t learned that taking away the rights of our citizens is wrong and driving people to leave Iowa. The Daily Iowan reports that more OB/GYN and family practice students are leaving Iowa for residency training. Few plan to return due to the laws restricting abortion, so we’re losing future doctors. Now, a bill to remove “gender identity” from the Iowa Civil Rights Act has been rushed through and signed into law, making it difficult for transgender people to seek help with claims of discrimination in employment, wages, public accommodations, housing, education, and credit practices. Iowa is the first state to remove gender identity, surely the worst kind of achievement. Legislators didn’t listen to those who opposed the bill. Despite ancient civilizations depicting a third sex, the Legislature proudly declares only two genders. I’ve never encountered a problem with gay or transgender individuals using a restroom or locker room. It’s straight males who harass, assault, rape, and molest women and girls. Now who will protect gay and transgender folks, who are our children, friends, and neighbors? What’s next—roll back votes for women? The League of Women Voters of Black Hawk-Bremer Counties condemns this bill.
Cherie Dargan, president LWVBHB
Thanks for nothing
Thank you, Trump, Vance, and Rubio for working together to embarrass President Zelenskyy because it reminded me to be kind to people.
Thank you for withdrawing aid to countries full of hungry and cold children because it reminded me a bad decision is one that starves people.
Thank you for not supporting American farmers. You did not know American farmers depend on Canadian fertilizers. Very disrespectful to farmers.
Thank you for being a man who does not respect women in his life, because it makes me feel blessed to be married to a man who honors me with his love.
Thank you especially, Mr. vice president, for making yourself look like a fool for the words that came out of your mouth, because you reminded me how a person’s words demonstrate a person’s intelligence.
Thank you especially, Mr. secretary of state for just sitting there because it reminded me of the press conference and the look on Dr. Deborah Birx’ face when Trump suggested people drink bleach to cure COVID.
Thank you for turning your back on our partnership with Ukraine and welcoming Putin with open arms, because it shows me the importance of taking personal insanity out of international relations.
Lynette Hartman,
La Porte City
It’s time to yell
I find it discouraging that long-serving members of our federal legislature are not committed enough to their beliefs that they cower to the bully in the room! Members like Grassley, McConnell, Schumer, Schiff, Graham and others have dedicated their lives to serving the public, and although I do not personally agree with some of their views I respect them for the dedication and passion they put into their public service. It is unfortunate that many of the programs and visions they have fought for during their careers will abruptly end without even a fight because none of them has the courage to stand up and call bull—— to the actions of the president and his minion in charge. Your legacy will be forever tarnished by your inaction against the executive orders, and illegal firings that are running rampant in our government currently. You should be more like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger in that they were committed to their beliefs even when they were certain it would probably end their political careers. Values matter! The only way to stop a bully is to be brave enough to confront them and yell bull——! It is time to yell!
Bill Jones, Dike
Social Security is efficient
I don’t get it. Maybe I’m just dumb. Trump and Musk want to end Social Security. The federal government does send out many millions of dollars to retirees every month. But what the government sends out is the money that employees and employers have contributed each month. The cost of administering the program is a federal expense, but it is the most efficient and fair way for employers and employees to distribute those funds.
Gene Yagla, Waterloo
Unelected idiocy
Every day we hear about another government agency that is being slashed by Trump, Musk, and the so-called DOGE agency. On Feb. 27, it was NOAA and the National Weather Service. USDA, FDA, FAA, IRS, and SSA are also on the chopping block.
These are services that America needs to keep airplanes from crashing, to keep our food supply safe, to make sure we get the benefits we are entitled to. Why wouldn’t we want accurate weather forecasts and disaster warnings?
DOGE claims to be saving us money. But its claims don’t stand up to scrutiny. They’re often wildly misleading or wholly inaccurate. Programs are counted multiple times. DOGE takes credit for cuts made by previous administrations. Decimal points are misplaced, turning millions into billions.
Our elected officials are ceding power to unelected, unvetted, inexperienced ideologues who think all government regulation is bad. Don’t stand by and let this happen. Speak up about it.
Karen Impola, Cedar Falls
Legislative tragedy
Wow. Just wow.
Republicans wanted to allow discrimination against transgender people so badly that it was the first bill on Gov. Reynolds’ desk. There was no discussion, no debate, even when person after person came to the floor asking to be regarded as a person with rights.
The next hurdle from Reynolds’ efficiency toolbox is to further punish people who are poor by reducing their ability to make their own decisions about what they can purchase to eat.
Somehow this Legislature doesn’t understand personal choice, health care as a human right, public education as a treasured American value, (and so much more).
Tragic.
Shirley Whiteside,
Cedar Falls
Fact checking MAGA
MAGA is amplifying right-wing lies of fraud and abuse to justify deep cuts to USAID. In his last letter to the editor in The Courier, Larry Van Oort claimed that “USAID had paid millions to media organizations,” parroting talking points found on X and Truth Social that the media was being massively funded by USAID.
In fact, according to public records, that sum was not a grant, but rather years of subscriptions from across the government to Politico Pro, a publication that provides data and legislative analysis for lobbyists and government officials. People were paying for a service Politico provided. I believe that’s called capitalism, not fraud.
We need to fight against the lies and misinformation that is fueling such deep divisions in our country. Fact-checking websites are easy to find and if we are to be critical thinkers in search of the truth, we need to take full advantage of the tools that we have.
Julie Glade, Cedar Falls
World War III
Trump is rewriting history again. He must have slept through history class.
Today when he accused the Ukrainian president of starting World War III, he forgot that World War II was not started by the invaded countries (Poland, Belgium, France, Great Britain, etc.) but the invading country (Hitler’s Germany).
If anyone is starting World War III it is his buddy, Putin, when he invaded Ukraine, and Trump when he threatens to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, and taking control of Greenland and Panama. We are again sitting aside and letting this happen just as the U.S. did in the late 1930s when Hitler went from country to country in Europe. Our allies in Great Britain and France were facing massive bombings, etc, while we sat on our hands until Japan bombed Hawaii, getting our attention.
Ruth Tucker, Evansdale
Legislating hate
Two years ago I moved to Iowa and learned about “Iowa nice.” Last week the state Legislature showed us “Iowa Hate” as Republicans stripped basic civil rights from transgender people and hurried the bill to Gov. Reynolds to guarantee the cruelty and hate as she signed the legislation. So Iowa becomes the first in the nation to enact this ignorant and heartless abuse of its transgender citizens. Rather than education and understanding about difference, the Legislature and governor chose discrimination. What have Iowans become if we don’t chose justice and love for all our neighbors? Decent people seek understanding and acceptance of others, even appreciation of diversity. Let Iowa represent kindness and acceptance. Stand up, speak out, and vote.
Byron Plumley, Cedar Falls
Selling out allies
What price do you put on democracy and freedom? Our president has produced a dollar amount for Ukraine and wants them to pay up if they want these protected. How is this different from extortion? And if Ukraine’s freedom has a price, doesn’t this imply that the U.S. and any of its allies’ does as well? Will the U.S. now treat all our allies as if it is running a protection racket? At the same time, the president and Elon Musk are making changes to the federal government in the name of “efficiency” which also threaten to weaken our democracy. What basis are they using regarding efficiency, and is it not obvious that Musk has too many conflicts of interest to be involved? If democracy and freedom mean so little to this administration, how long will it be before our own democracy crumbles and disappears, or is sold off to the highest bidder? Our president needs to change his priorities right away, before we lose all our allies, empower our enemies even more, and completely destroy our democratic institutions, This president’s actions hardly seem to be a “conservative” way of doing things.
Brian McMillan, Traer
Protect local control
Alert! Iowa wants to take away local control on renewable energy.
If passed, Bill SF376, introduced by Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, will remove all local control for siting renewable energy. No county will be allowed to deny a commercial company a permit or limit the number of turbines or solar panels in that county, use CSR to protect fertile soil from becoming a turbine/solar field, or set a safe setback from your house or property line.
This bill goes directly against Iowa Code 352: “It is the intent of the general assembly to provide local citizens and local governments the means by which agricultural land may be protected from nonagricultural development pressures.”
If you value local control in your county, please help stop SF376. This bill was, no doubt in my mind, written by an energy company. If it passes, all counties will be overrun with turbines and solar panels. Farmland will become commercial land. Once that door is opened, it will be impossible to close.
Please write your local representatives and senators. Tell them to vote no on SF376.
You can read it here: legis.iowa.gov
For more information visit bucoa.org.
Bonnie Urban, Brandon
Traitorous Trump
If I heard 20 years ago that America would elect a president who was a convicted felon, tried to overthrow the government, and abandoned our allies, I wouldn’t have believed it. But here we are. I decided not to write any more letters about Trump until he was in office and did something stupid.
Since there is little daylight between Trump and idiocy, it wasn’t long. In addition to nominating unqualified sycophants and Russian assets to cabinet positions, Yankee imperialist stupidity concerning Greenland, Panama, and Canada, and starting trade wars, there is the disgusting and contemptuous betrayal of an ally: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
European allies stood with Zelenskyy on the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion, but Trump was AWOL. Trump instructed his UN ambassador not to vote for a resolution condemning Russia for starting the war. While Europe treats Zelenskyy as the dictator-fighting hero he is, Trump’s treatment of Zelenskyy at the White House was a reprehensible mugging.
The world now knows that Trump is at best an unreliable ally. At worst he’s Putin’s puppet, a traitorous tinpot jackass, and modern day Neville Chamberlain surrender monkey selling NATO down the river. Is this what 49.8% of America voted for?
Russell Broadway,
Waterloo
A safe space
Last week, Republicans in the Iowa Legislature removed civil rights protections for transgender people. It will soon be legal to discriminate against our trans neighbors by denying them housing, employment, health care, and other necessities.
Republicans justified this as necessary “to protect women and children.” That’s nonsense. There hasn’t been a single Iowa case in the last 18 years of a trans woman going into a bathroom, or any kind of women’s space, to harass women or girls.
Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republicans have launched an extreme attack against a tiny minority of Iowa citizens who pay taxes, have harmed no one, and who simply want to live like the rest of us. This assault demands a response, especially from religious leaders and persons of faith who strive to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Speak up and speak out.
We all deserve love and support. During this time of state and national strife, Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists, a church organization located at 3912 Cedar Heights Drive, Cedar Falls, invites you to a safe space where acceptance, support, love, and inspiration to action rule the day. Come visit our community, where trans people and others rejected and discriminated against are especially welcome.
Dennis Harbaugh,
Waterloo
The real agenda
I have a serious question, as I am obviously confused. On every conservative website less than three months ago, there were at least a hundred posts daily expressing utter outrage about gas and egg prices, as well as the horror of food prices. Suddenly, as gas prices rise, and egg and food prices skyrocket, these issues are no longer the fault of the folks who are in power, and hardly even merit a mention. It makes me think that maybe those who were constantly posting about those issues just might have been insincere. I am shocked and saddened that these fine folks might have had an agenda that had nothing to do with actually solving those problems, as I fail to understand how giving billionaires a $4.5 trillion tax cut solves any of those issues.
Ronald Orf, Triploli
Stripping away rights
Iowa’s legislators haven’t learned that taking away the rights of our citizens is wrong and driving people to leave Iowa. The Daily Iowan reports that more OB/GYN and family practice students are leaving Iowa for residency training. Few plan to return due to the laws restricting abortion, so we’re losing future doctors. Now, a bill to remove “gender identity” from the Iowa Civil Rights Act has been rushed through and signed into law, making it difficult for transgender people to seek help with claims of discrimination in employment, wages, public accommodations, housing, education, and credit practices. Iowa is the first state to remove gender identity, surely the worst kind of achievement. Legislators didn’t listen to those who opposed the bill. Despite ancient civilizations depicting a third sex, the Legislature proudly declares only two genders. I’ve never encountered a problem with gay or transgender individuals using a restroom or locker room. It’s straight males who harass, assault, rape, and molest women and girls. Now who will protect gay and transgender folks, who are our children, friends, and neighbors? What’s next—roll back votes for women? The League of Women Voters of Black Hawk-Bremer Counties condemns this bill.
Cherie Dargan, president LWVBHB
Thanks for nothing
Thank you, Trump, Vance, and Rubio for working together to embarrass President Zelenskyy because it reminded me to be kind to people.
Thank you for withdrawing aid to countries full of hungry and cold children because it reminded me a bad decision is one that starves people.
Thank you for not supporting American farmers. You did not know American farmers depend on Canadian fertilizers. Very disrespectful to farmers.
Thank you for being a man who does not respect women in his life, because it makes me feel blessed to be married to a man who honors me with his love.
Thank you especially, Mr. vice president, for making yourself look like a fool for the words that came out of your mouth, because you reminded me how a person’s words demonstrate a person’s intelligence.
Thank you especially, Mr. secretary of state for just sitting there because it reminded me of the press conference and the look on Dr. Deborah Birx’ face when Trump suggested people drink bleach to cure COVID.
Thank you for turning your back on our partnership with Ukraine and welcoming Putin with open arms, because it shows me the importance of taking personal insanity out of international relations.
Lynette Hartman,
La Porte City
It’s time to yell
I find it discouraging that long-serving members of our federal legislature are not committed enough to their beliefs that they cower to the bully in the room! Members like Grassley, McConnell, Schumer, Schiff, Graham and others have dedicated their lives to serving the public, and although I do not personally agree with some of their views I respect them for the dedication and passion they put into their public service. It is unfortunate that many of the programs and visions they have fought for during their careers will abruptly end without even a fight because none of them has the courage to stand up and call bull—— to the actions of the president and his minion in charge. Your legacy will be forever tarnished by your inaction against the executive orders, and illegal firings that are running rampant in our government currently. You should be more like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger in that they were committed to their beliefs even when they were certain it would probably end their political careers. Values matter! The only way to stop a bully is to be brave enough to confront them and yell bull——! It is time to yell!
Bill Jones, Dike
Social Security is efficient
I don’t get it. Maybe I’m just dumb. Trump and Musk want to end Social Security. The federal government does send out many millions of dollars to retirees every month. But what the government sends out is the money that employees and employers have contributed each month. The cost of administering the program is a federal expense, but it is the most efficient and fair way for employers and employees to distribute those funds.
Gene Yagla, Waterloo
Waterloo and Cedar Falls speaks up: Letters to the editor for the week of Mar. 14, 2025
Our weekly round-up of letters published in the Courier.
Unelected idiocy
Every day we hear about another government agency that is being slashed by Trump, Musk, and the so-called DOGE agency. On Feb. 27, it was NOAA and the National Weather Service. USDA, FDA, FAA, IRS, and SSA are also on the chopping block.
These are services that America needs to keep airplanes from crashing, to keep our food supply safe, to make sure we get the benefits we are entitled to. Why wouldn’t we want accurate weather forecasts and disaster warnings?
DOGE claims to be saving us money. But its claims don’t stand up to scrutiny. They’re often wildly misleading or wholly inaccurate. Programs are counted multiple times. DOGE takes credit for cuts made by previous administrations. Decimal points are misplaced, turning millions into billions.
Our elected officials are ceding power to unelected, unvetted, inexperienced ideologues who think all government regulation is bad. Don’t stand by and let this happen. Speak up about it.
Karen Impola, Cedar Falls
Legislative tragedy
Wow. Just wow.
Republicans wanted to allow discrimination against transgender people so badly that it was the first bill on Gov. Reynolds’ desk. There was no discussion, no debate, even when person after person came to the floor asking to be regarded as a person with rights.
The next hurdle from Reynolds’ efficiency toolbox is to further punish people who are poor by reducing their ability to make their own decisions about what they can purchase to eat.
Somehow this Legislature doesn’t understand personal choice, health care as a human right, public education as a treasured American value, (and so much more).
Tragic.
Shirley Whiteside,
Cedar Falls
Fact checking MAGA
MAGA is amplifying right-wing lies of fraud and abuse to justify deep cuts to USAID. In his last letter to the editor in The Courier, Larry Van Oort claimed that “USAID had paid millions to media organizations,” parroting talking points found on X and Truth Social that the media was being massively funded by USAID.
In fact, according to public records, that sum was not a grant, but rather years of subscriptions from across the government to Politico Pro, a publication that provides data and legislative analysis for lobbyists and government officials. People were paying for a service Politico provided. I believe that’s called capitalism, not fraud.
We need to fight against the lies and misinformation that is fueling such deep divisions in our country. Fact-checking websites are easy to find and if we are to be critical thinkers in search of the truth, we need to take full advantage of the tools that we have.
Julie Glade, Cedar Falls
World War III
Trump is rewriting history again. He must have slept through history class.
Today when he accused the Ukrainian president of starting World War III, he forgot that World War II was not started by the invaded countries (Poland, Belgium, France, Great Britain, etc.) but the invading country (Hitler’s Germany).
If anyone is starting World War III it is his buddy, Putin, when he invaded Ukraine, and Trump when he threatens to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, and taking control of Greenland and Panama. We are again sitting aside and letting this happen just as the U.S. did in the late 1930s when Hitler went from country to country in Europe. Our allies in Great Britain and France were facing massive bombings, etc, while we sat on our hands until Japan bombed Hawaii, getting our attention.
Ruth Tucker, Evansdale
Legislating hate
Two years ago I moved to Iowa and learned about “Iowa nice.” Last week the state Legislature showed us “Iowa Hate” as Republicans stripped basic civil rights from transgender people and hurried the bill to Gov. Reynolds to guarantee the cruelty and hate as she signed the legislation. So Iowa becomes the first in the nation to enact this ignorant and heartless abuse of its transgender citizens. Rather than education and understanding about difference, the Legislature and governor chose discrimination. What have Iowans become if we don’t chose justice and love for all our neighbors? Decent people seek understanding and acceptance of others, even appreciation of diversity. Let Iowa represent kindness and acceptance. Stand up, speak out, and vote.
Byron Plumley, Cedar Falls
Selling out allies
What price do you put on democracy and freedom? Our president has produced a dollar amount for Ukraine and wants them to pay up if they want these protected. How is this different from extortion? And if Ukraine’s freedom has a price, doesn’t this imply that the U.S. and any of its allies’ does as well? Will the U.S. now treat all our allies as if it is running a protection racket? At the same time, the president and Elon Musk are making changes to the federal government in the name of “efficiency” which also threaten to weaken our democracy. What basis are they using regarding efficiency, and is it not obvious that Musk has too many conflicts of interest to be involved? If democracy and freedom mean so little to this administration, how long will it be before our own democracy crumbles and disappears, or is sold off to the highest bidder? Our president needs to change his priorities right away, before we lose all our allies, empower our enemies even more, and completely destroy our democratic institutions, This president’s actions hardly seem to be a “conservative” way of doing things.
Brian McMillan, Traer
Protect local control
Alert! Iowa wants to take away local control on renewable energy.
If passed, Bill SF376, introduced by Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, will remove all local control for siting renewable energy. No county will be allowed to deny a commercial company a permit or limit the number of turbines or solar panels in that county, use CSR to protect fertile soil from becoming a turbine/solar field, or set a safe setback from your house or property line.
This bill goes directly against Iowa Code 352: “It is the intent of the general assembly to provide local citizens and local governments the means by which agricultural land may be protected from nonagricultural development pressures.”
If you value local control in your county, please help stop SF376. This bill was, no doubt in my mind, written by an energy company. If it passes, all counties will be overrun with turbines and solar panels. Farmland will become commercial land. Once that door is opened, it will be impossible to close.
Please write your local representatives and senators. Tell them to vote no on SF376.
You can read it here: legis.iowa.gov
For more information visit bucoa.org.
Bonnie Urban, Brandon
Traitorous Trump
If I heard 20 years ago that America would elect a president who was a convicted felon, tried to overthrow the government, and abandoned our allies, I wouldn’t have believed it. But here we are. I decided not to write any more letters about Trump until he was in office and did something stupid.
Since there is little daylight between Trump and idiocy, it wasn’t long. In addition to nominating unqualified sycophants and Russian assets to cabinet positions, Yankee imperialist stupidity concerning Greenland, Panama, and Canada, and starting trade wars, there is the disgusting and contemptuous betrayal of an ally: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
European allies stood with Zelenskyy on the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion, but Trump was AWOL. Trump instructed his UN ambassador not to vote for a resolution condemning Russia for starting the war. While Europe treats Zelenskyy as the dictator-fighting hero he is, Trump’s treatment of Zelenskyy at the White House was a reprehensible mugging.
The world now knows that Trump is at best an unreliable ally. At worst he’s Putin’s puppet, a traitorous tinpot jackass, and modern day Neville Chamberlain surrender monkey selling NATO down the river. Is this what 49.8% of America voted for?
Russell Broadway,
Waterloo
A safe space
Last week, Republicans in the Iowa Legislature removed civil rights protections for transgender people. It will soon be legal to discriminate against our trans neighbors by denying them housing, employment, health care, and other necessities.
Republicans justified this as necessary “to protect women and children.” That’s nonsense. There hasn’t been a single Iowa case in the last 18 years of a trans woman going into a bathroom, or any kind of women’s space, to harass women or girls.
Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republicans have launched an extreme attack against a tiny minority of Iowa citizens who pay taxes, have harmed no one, and who simply want to live like the rest of us. This assault demands a response, especially from religious leaders and persons of faith who strive to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Speak up and speak out.
We all deserve love and support. During this time of state and national strife, Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists, a church organization located at 3912 Cedar Heights Drive, Cedar Falls, invites you to a safe space where acceptance, support, love, and inspiration to action rule the day. Come visit our community, where trans people and others rejected and discriminated against are especially welcome.
Dennis Harbaugh,
Waterloo
The real agenda
I have a serious question, as I am obviously confused. On every conservative website less than three months ago, there were at least a hundred posts daily expressing utter outrage about gas and egg prices, as well as the horror of food prices. Suddenly, as gas prices rise, and egg and food prices skyrocket, these issues are no longer the fault of the folks who are in power, and hardly even merit a mention. It makes me think that maybe those who were constantly posting about those issues just might have been insincere. I am shocked and saddened that these fine folks might have had an agenda that had nothing to do with actually solving those problems, as I fail to understand how giving billionaires a $4.5 trillion tax cut solves any of those issues.
Ronald Orf, Triploli
Stripping away rights
Iowa’s legislators haven’t learned that taking away the rights of our citizens is wrong and driving people to leave Iowa. The Daily Iowan reports that more OB/GYN and family practice students are leaving Iowa for residency training. Few plan to return due to the laws restricting abortion, so we’re losing future doctors. Now, a bill to remove “gender identity” from the Iowa Civil Rights Act has been rushed through and signed into law, making it difficult for transgender people to seek help with claims of discrimination in employment, wages, public accommodations, housing, education, and credit practices. Iowa is the first state to remove gender identity, surely the worst kind of achievement. Legislators didn’t listen to those who opposed the bill. Despite ancient civilizations depicting a third sex, the Legislature proudly declares only two genders. I’ve never encountered a problem with gay or transgender individuals using a restroom or locker room. It’s straight males who harass, assault, rape, and molest women and girls. Now who will protect gay and transgender folks, who are our children, friends, and neighbors? What’s next—roll back votes for women? The League of Women Voters of Black Hawk-Bremer Counties condemns this bill.
Cherie Dargan, president LWVBHB
Thanks for nothing
Thank you, Trump, Vance, and Rubio for working together to embarrass President Zelenskyy because it reminded me to be kind to people.
Thank you for withdrawing aid to countries full of hungry and cold children because it reminded me a bad decision is one that starves people.
Thank you for not supporting American farmers. You did not know American farmers depend on Canadian fertilizers. Very disrespectful to farmers.
Thank you for being a man who does not respect women in his life, because it makes me feel blessed to be married to a man who honors me with his love.
Thank you especially, Mr. vice president, for making yourself look like a fool for the words that came out of your mouth, because you reminded me how a person’s words demonstrate a person’s intelligence.
Thank you especially, Mr. secretary of state for just sitting there because it reminded me of the press conference and the look on Dr. Deborah Birx’ face when Trump suggested people drink bleach to cure COVID.
Thank you for turning your back on our partnership with Ukraine and welcoming Putin with open arms, because it shows me the importance of taking personal insanity out of international relations.
Lynette Hartman,
La Porte City
It’s time to yell
I find it discouraging that long-serving members of our federal legislature are not committed enough to their beliefs that they cower to the bully in the room! Members like Grassley, McConnell, Schumer, Schiff, Graham and others have dedicated their lives to serving the public, and although I do not personally agree with some of their views I respect them for the dedication and passion they put into their public service. It is unfortunate that many of the programs and visions they have fought for during their careers will abruptly end without even a fight because none of them has the courage to stand up and call bull—— to the actions of the president and his minion in charge. Your legacy will be forever tarnished by your inaction against the executive orders, and illegal firings that are running rampant in our government currently. You should be more like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger in that they were committed to their beliefs even when they were certain it would probably end their political careers. Values matter! The only way to stop a bully is to be brave enough to confront them and yell bull——! It is time to yell!
Bill Jones, Dike
Social Security is efficient
I don’t get it. Maybe I’m just dumb. Trump and Musk want to end Social Security. The federal government does send out many millions of dollars to retirees every month. But what the government sends out is the money that employees and employers have contributed each month. The cost of administering the program is a federal expense, but it is the most efficient and fair way for employers and employees to distribute those funds.
Gene Yagla, Waterloo
Unelected idiocy
Every day we hear about another government agency that is being slashed by Trump, Musk, and the so-called DOGE agency. On Feb. 27, it was NOAA and the National Weather Service. USDA, FDA, FAA, IRS, and SSA are also on the chopping block.
These are services that America needs to keep airplanes from crashing, to keep our food supply safe, to make sure we get the benefits we are entitled to. Why wouldn’t we want accurate weather forecasts and disaster warnings?
DOGE claims to be saving us money. But its claims don’t stand up to scrutiny. They’re often wildly misleading or wholly inaccurate. Programs are counted multiple times. DOGE takes credit for cuts made by previous administrations. Decimal points are misplaced, turning millions into billions.
Our elected officials are ceding power to unelected, unvetted, inexperienced ideologues who think all government regulation is bad. Don’t stand by and let this happen. Speak up about it.
Karen Impola, Cedar Falls
Legislative tragedy
Wow. Just wow.
Republicans wanted to allow discrimination against transgender people so badly that it was the first bill on Gov. Reynolds’ desk. There was no discussion, no debate, even when person after person came to the floor asking to be regarded as a person with rights.
The next hurdle from Reynolds’ efficiency toolbox is to further punish people who are poor by reducing their ability to make their own decisions about what they can purchase to eat.
Somehow this Legislature doesn’t understand personal choice, health care as a human right, public education as a treasured American value, (and so much more).
Tragic.
Shirley Whiteside,
Cedar Falls
Fact checking MAGA
MAGA is amplifying right-wing lies of fraud and abuse to justify deep cuts to USAID. In his last letter to the editor in The Courier, Larry Van Oort claimed that “USAID had paid millions to media organizations,” parroting talking points found on X and Truth Social that the media was being massively funded by USAID.
In fact, according to public records, that sum was not a grant, but rather years of subscriptions from across the government to Politico Pro, a publication that provides data and legislative analysis for lobbyists and government officials. People were paying for a service Politico provided. I believe that’s called capitalism, not fraud.
We need to fight against the lies and misinformation that is fueling such deep divisions in our country. Fact-checking websites are easy to find and if we are to be critical thinkers in search of the truth, we need to take full advantage of the tools that we have.
Julie Glade, Cedar Falls
World War III
Trump is rewriting history again. He must have slept through history class.
Today when he accused the Ukrainian president of starting World War III, he forgot that World War II was not started by the invaded countries (Poland, Belgium, France, Great Britain, etc.) but the invading country (Hitler’s Germany).
If anyone is starting World War III it is his buddy, Putin, when he invaded Ukraine, and Trump when he threatens to annex Canada as the 51st U.S. state, and taking control of Greenland and Panama. We are again sitting aside and letting this happen just as the U.S. did in the late 1930s when Hitler went from country to country in Europe. Our allies in Great Britain and France were facing massive bombings, etc, while we sat on our hands until Japan bombed Hawaii, getting our attention.
Ruth Tucker, Evansdale
Legislating hate
Two years ago I moved to Iowa and learned about “Iowa nice.” Last week the state Legislature showed us “Iowa Hate” as Republicans stripped basic civil rights from transgender people and hurried the bill to Gov. Reynolds to guarantee the cruelty and hate as she signed the legislation. So Iowa becomes the first in the nation to enact this ignorant and heartless abuse of its transgender citizens. Rather than education and understanding about difference, the Legislature and governor chose discrimination. What have Iowans become if we don’t chose justice and love for all our neighbors? Decent people seek understanding and acceptance of others, even appreciation of diversity. Let Iowa represent kindness and acceptance. Stand up, speak out, and vote.
Byron Plumley, Cedar Falls
Selling out allies
What price do you put on democracy and freedom? Our president has produced a dollar amount for Ukraine and wants them to pay up if they want these protected. How is this different from extortion? And if Ukraine’s freedom has a price, doesn’t this imply that the U.S. and any of its allies’ does as well? Will the U.S. now treat all our allies as if it is running a protection racket? At the same time, the president and Elon Musk are making changes to the federal government in the name of “efficiency” which also threaten to weaken our democracy. What basis are they using regarding efficiency, and is it not obvious that Musk has too many conflicts of interest to be involved? If democracy and freedom mean so little to this administration, how long will it be before our own democracy crumbles and disappears, or is sold off to the highest bidder? Our president needs to change his priorities right away, before we lose all our allies, empower our enemies even more, and completely destroy our democratic institutions, This president’s actions hardly seem to be a “conservative” way of doing things.
Brian McMillan, Traer
Protect local control
Alert! Iowa wants to take away local control on renewable energy.
If passed, Bill SF376, introduced by Sen. Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, will remove all local control for siting renewable energy. No county will be allowed to deny a commercial company a permit or limit the number of turbines or solar panels in that county, use CSR to protect fertile soil from becoming a turbine/solar field, or set a safe setback from your house or property line.
This bill goes directly against Iowa Code 352: “It is the intent of the general assembly to provide local citizens and local governments the means by which agricultural land may be protected from nonagricultural development pressures.”
If you value local control in your county, please help stop SF376. This bill was, no doubt in my mind, written by an energy company. If it passes, all counties will be overrun with turbines and solar panels. Farmland will become commercial land. Once that door is opened, it will be impossible to close.
Please write your local representatives and senators. Tell them to vote no on SF376.
You can read it here: legis.iowa.gov
For more information visit bucoa.org.
Bonnie Urban, Brandon
Traitorous Trump
If I heard 20 years ago that America would elect a president who was a convicted felon, tried to overthrow the government, and abandoned our allies, I wouldn’t have believed it. But here we are. I decided not to write any more letters about Trump until he was in office and did something stupid.
Since there is little daylight between Trump and idiocy, it wasn’t long. In addition to nominating unqualified sycophants and Russian assets to cabinet positions, Yankee imperialist stupidity concerning Greenland, Panama, and Canada, and starting trade wars, there is the disgusting and contemptuous betrayal of an ally: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy.
European allies stood with Zelenskyy on the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion, but Trump was AWOL. Trump instructed his UN ambassador not to vote for a resolution condemning Russia for starting the war. While Europe treats Zelenskyy as the dictator-fighting hero he is, Trump’s treatment of Zelenskyy at the White House was a reprehensible mugging.
The world now knows that Trump is at best an unreliable ally. At worst he’s Putin’s puppet, a traitorous tinpot jackass, and modern day Neville Chamberlain surrender monkey selling NATO down the river. Is this what 49.8% of America voted for?
Russell Broadway,
Waterloo
A safe space
Last week, Republicans in the Iowa Legislature removed civil rights protections for transgender people. It will soon be legal to discriminate against our trans neighbors by denying them housing, employment, health care, and other necessities.
Republicans justified this as necessary “to protect women and children.” That’s nonsense. There hasn’t been a single Iowa case in the last 18 years of a trans woman going into a bathroom, or any kind of women’s space, to harass women or girls.
Gov. Kim Reynolds and Republicans have launched an extreme attack against a tiny minority of Iowa citizens who pay taxes, have harmed no one, and who simply want to live like the rest of us. This assault demands a response, especially from religious leaders and persons of faith who strive to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Speak up and speak out.
We all deserve love and support. During this time of state and national strife, Cedar Valley Unitarian Universalists, a church organization located at 3912 Cedar Heights Drive, Cedar Falls, invites you to a safe space where acceptance, support, love, and inspiration to action rule the day. Come visit our community, where trans people and others rejected and discriminated against are especially welcome.
Dennis Harbaugh,
Waterloo
The real agenda
I have a serious question, as I am obviously confused. On every conservative website less than three months ago, there were at least a hundred posts daily expressing utter outrage about gas and egg prices, as well as the horror of food prices. Suddenly, as gas prices rise, and egg and food prices skyrocket, these issues are no longer the fault of the folks who are in power, and hardly even merit a mention. It makes me think that maybe those who were constantly posting about those issues just might have been insincere. I am shocked and saddened that these fine folks might have had an agenda that had nothing to do with actually solving those problems, as I fail to understand how giving billionaires a $4.5 trillion tax cut solves any of those issues.
Ronald Orf, Triploli
Stripping away rights
Iowa’s legislators haven’t learned that taking away the rights of our citizens is wrong and driving people to leave Iowa. The Daily Iowan reports that more OB/GYN and family practice students are leaving Iowa for residency training. Few plan to return due to the laws restricting abortion, so we’re losing future doctors. Now, a bill to remove “gender identity” from the Iowa Civil Rights Act has been rushed through and signed into law, making it difficult for transgender people to seek help with claims of discrimination in employment, wages, public accommodations, housing, education, and credit practices. Iowa is the first state to remove gender identity, surely the worst kind of achievement. Legislators didn’t listen to those who opposed the bill. Despite ancient civilizations depicting a third sex, the Legislature proudly declares only two genders. I’ve never encountered a problem with gay or transgender individuals using a restroom or locker room. It’s straight males who harass, assault, rape, and molest women and girls. Now who will protect gay and transgender folks, who are our children, friends, and neighbors? What’s next—roll back votes for women? The League of Women Voters of Black Hawk-Bremer Counties condemns this bill.
Cherie Dargan, president LWVBHB
Thanks for nothing
Thank you, Trump, Vance, and Rubio for working together to embarrass President Zelenskyy because it reminded me to be kind to people.
Thank you for withdrawing aid to countries full of hungry and cold children because it reminded me a bad decision is one that starves people.
Thank you for not supporting American farmers. You did not know American farmers depend on Canadian fertilizers. Very disrespectful to farmers.
Thank you for being a man who does not respect women in his life, because it makes me feel blessed to be married to a man who honors me with his love.
Thank you especially, Mr. vice president, for making yourself look like a fool for the words that came out of your mouth, because you reminded me how a person’s words demonstrate a person’s intelligence.
Thank you especially, Mr. secretary of state for just sitting there because it reminded me of the press conference and the look on Dr. Deborah Birx’ face when Trump suggested people drink bleach to cure COVID.
Thank you for turning your back on our partnership with Ukraine and welcoming Putin with open arms, because it shows me the importance of taking personal insanity out of international relations.
Lynette Hartman,
La Porte City
It’s time to yell
I find it discouraging that long-serving members of our federal legislature are not committed enough to their beliefs that they cower to the bully in the room! Members like Grassley, McConnell, Schumer, Schiff, Graham and others have dedicated their lives to serving the public, and although I do not personally agree with some of their views I respect them for the dedication and passion they put into their public service. It is unfortunate that many of the programs and visions they have fought for during their careers will abruptly end without even a fight because none of them has the courage to stand up and call bull—— to the actions of the president and his minion in charge. Your legacy will be forever tarnished by your inaction against the executive orders, and illegal firings that are running rampant in our government currently. You should be more like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger in that they were committed to their beliefs even when they were certain it would probably end their political careers. Values matter! The only way to stop a bully is to be brave enough to confront them and yell bull——! It is time to yell!
Bill Jones, Dike
Social Security is efficient
I don’t get it. Maybe I’m just dumb. Trump and Musk want to end Social Security. The federal government does send out many millions of dollars to retirees every month. But what the government sends out is the money that employees and employers have contributed each month. The cost of administering the program is a federal expense, but it is the most efficient and fair way for employers and employees to distribute those funds.
Gene Yagla, Waterloo
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