A new year is upon us which means a new state legislative session and thanks to campaigns for governor along with Senate, House of Representatives, and even local elections you are going to hear a lot about property tax reform this session, so I wanted to bring a few items to light for you.   

As a father of four and former volunteer EMT for 15 years in my hometown of Hull, I know the vital importance of affordable and accessible healthcare for Iowa families, particularly our 
neighbors in rural Iowa. Traveling across our district, I’ve had countless conversations with Iowans about the skyrocketing cost of healthcare and declining access to care in rural 

It’s 2:00 AM, and there’s a knock on my door. Another knock. I bolt upright in my bed, wondering who might be awake at this unholy hour of the night. My door swings open, seemingly of its own accord, revealing… no one? As my door creaks at its hinges, I am shocked to see that no person has been knocking on, nor opening, my door.

A friend from childhood is a professional in Venezuela. He has participated in protests against the Nicolas Maduro regime. He’s hiding now because kidnapping Nicolas Maduro in a country of 30 million people still leaves options for the oppressors. It’s hard to judge the extent or efficiency of their police state.

One of the best things about being in County government (other than the people….employees & residents) themselves, is the amazing networks we have surrounding us.  From ISAC (Iowa State Association of Counties) to each individual affiliate (the separate departments like Auditor, Treasurer, Secondary Roads, etc) and beyond, we have so many opportunities to be involved and continue to learn through meetings & conferences.    

 It’s the end of the year. The days are short, nights long, and memories in full abundance. Looking back, I’ve got a lot to be thankful for this year.
 

Last night we sat cozy in the house listening to the blizzard outside. Karl and family were here. Having wisely decided to trust the government report about the approaching storm, they stayed an extra day. The weather may have been frightful but it gave us another day together.

\My eyes were open. Staring through the dark at the bunk above me, I wondered quite literally what in the world this next year would hold in store.
My eyes were closed. My mind raced laps around the same old track, recounting memories, just not in the form of dreams; then went off the beaten path, a trail filled with fantastic features of futures yet to come.

Boy, he really knows how to pick them. Now it’s war with Venezuela. A tiny trickle of dope comes through that country but they have valuable resources so let’s just pretend.
 

When I’m traveling across Iowa, I’ve had important conversations with Iowans from communities large and small about how we can make life more affordable for our families, 

farmers, workers, seniors, and small businesses. From health insurance to housing to grocery bills, I’m working with President Trump and my Republican colleagues to lower costs and 

For nearly a year, every evening of mine was spent cycling around Segamat, my hometown in Malaysia. From about 5:30 to 6:30 PM, I would bike for kilometers on end, sometimes taking paths well-worn, other times exploring my surroundings by going off the beaten path. No matter what roads I traced with my treadless tires, or which palm oil plantations I pedalled through, this was a daily routine of mine, and an immense joy.

Dawn’s concert is done and she seems to be taking it rather well. Gentle withdrawals.
 
It was titled “Silent Night, Holy Night”. Saturday’s snow was moved out of the way for the Sunday concert but it was cold. Traditional music events like this are not usually attended by young whippersnappers. Refined tastes bring fragile folks and stupid shoes so I had to offer an arm to Franklin County’s songbird over the ice patches.

Every year, Thanksgiving is a time to pause and reflect on God’s endless grace and blessings. I’m grateful for my loving wife of 32 years, my four wonderful kids, friends, and neighbors. I’m 

thankful that Iowans have placed their faith and trust in me to represent our communities in Congress with integrity, dignity, and professionalism. I’m grateful to be an Iowan and live in the 

 
Last week, I was reading more news about water only to come across another story which, in roundabout ways, is also about our state’s water quality. It was about the lawsuit filed against Farm Bureau Financial Services and several of their other subsidiaries.
 

Just before I headed home to Hampton for Thanksgiving break, I joked with a few friends at Grinnell that I would likely be returning with a black eye. Four days later, and that prophecy has become a reality. You see, this is what happens when five brothers are all home together with wrestling season in full swing: it’s an unavoidable consequence that we’ll each end up scraped and bruised from duking it out on the mat in the basement.