Iowa
Even conferring diplomas, I see how Iowa has shut the door on public education
My passion for public education has been, let’s say, exacerbated by the actions of our state legislators.
Recently I had the pleasure of handing diplomas to graduates. I did nothing to help these individuals reach this milestone. I was standing on a stage facing the students, who had surmounted myriad odds to achieve their place on the steps to the stage.
I was facing all the people to the left and right, sitting on bleachers, who had had to beg them to get out of bed to go to school. I was facing all the faculty, who screamed alternately with joy and frustration during the years that culminated in this one hour celebration. All the people in that gymnasium were living witnesses to determination and hope and expectations and sacrifice and silliness and confidence and doubt and, most importantly, to the existence of, the efficacy of, the accessibility of public education.
Fittingly, the faculty was sitting behind the students. Behind is fitting, because they have been behind these students, lifting them up, reigning them in, pushing them forward, through this challenging journey.
A few of us are born to thrive in academia; the rest of us wrestle our way through the accouterments of education: requirements, curriculum, technology, tuition, new personalities, old habits, textbooks, lectures, traditions and innovations.
This diploma represents the equivalent of Indiana Jones stepping into space in his quest for the holy grail.
This diploma has prepared our students for “what if?” What if I take a step and find solid footing? What if I take a step and fall into space? We know that the faculty has prepared them for welding, nursing, growing, teaching, cooking, and dozens of other careers, but our students are stepping out into the space of the real world, a world that is not even close to the predictable environment of public education.
This diploma is part of hundreds of individuals stories, as varied as the shoes they are wearing, as varied as their DNA.
This is the only time they’ll all look alike, in caps and gowns, not sure if that cap is going to stay on, sweating under the robe. They are sitting closer together than they ever have in this journey through libraries and classrooms and internships and coffeeshops.
They line up to climb the steps, hand their name card to the dean, who double-checks to make sure she pronounces their name correctly, and they walk a few feet to a person they don’t know who hands them this precious folder.
I am the person they don’t know. I have not shared a cup of coffee or a beer with any of them. I have never read a single word they have written. I did not help them choose a major, I did not help them find a book, I did not suggest they redo an assignment. I did not hand them tissues as they cried in my office. I did not celebrate with them when they outdid themselves. I did nothing to get them up on that stage.
But I represent everything that is amazing and noble about a folder from Eastern Iowa Community College, from any institution of public education. I serve on the Board of Trustees. How I got on this stage with the “dignitaries” is another journey, that started somewhere. Maybe it started in a one-room country school, one room, two paths, a big bell in the belfry and assorted students, K-8, sitting in that one room with one teacher. I had an eighth-grade education by the time I finished kindergarten.
Maybe it started in a Works Progress Administration-built high school whose architectural style required 40 granite steps between creaky wooden floors.
Maybe it started when I sampled and rejected and finally accepted a career in public education.
Regardless, my passion for public education has been, let’s say, exacerbated by the actions of our state legislators as they have stripped away not only the pillars, but the foundations of public education. They have turned public education, even in the public schools, into a cut-throat competition for — money. Not for students. Not for staff. Not for communities. For profit. We used to confine competition to the playing field, the gym, the court. Now public schools are being forced to compete for services — the services of book sellers, the services of social workers and counselors. Our elected officials have stripped away the kind of funding that probably supported their own educations.
So, I shook hands with public education. Four Madisons, three Rileys, six Michaels, one Brecken, a couple Brandons and dozens more hands of real people with real names with a real education. I shook hands with the future. I shook hands that will build, guide, give, teach, save, protect. I shook hands with what has been the pride of Iowa: public education.
Interestingly, there were no legislators on that stage. That is unusual and significant. You tell me why.
Dianne Prichard is on the Board of Trustees of Davenport-based Eastern Iowa Community College.
While most of the focus for the Iowa State Cyclones will be on the football program for the next couple of months, the basketball program will also be getting set soon for a new campaign. Coming off a strong season, expectations for them will be high.
The 2025-26 season will go down as a memorable one for the Cyclones. This was a team that exceeded most expectations and ended up being one of the best teams in the country.
Iowa State started out the campaign with a 16-0 record, and the group looked like a real contender. While there were some hiccups during a challenging conference schedule, the Cyclones were one of the best teams in the country.
In March Madness, Iowa State was a number two seed, proving to be one of the top eight teams in the country. As they get set for next season, their goal will undoubtedly be to be ranked highly again. However, they may have to prove themselves a bit.
Joe Lunardi of ESPN recently updated his very early bracketology report for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign for the Cyclones. After being a number two seed last year in the NCAA Tournament, he currently has them on the five line.
Iowa State Has Work To Do
While being a five seed in the NCAA Tournament would indicate a Top 25 season for the Cyclones, expectations for the program are higher than that at this point.
Iowa State has become one of the more consistent programs in the country over the last several years, and they will undoubtedly want to take a step forward this coming season.
Due to a lot of production leaving, it is understandable that how they are viewed now could be very different from how they are perceived come March. Due to all of the new players that are coming in, it is going to take time for them to gel.
The Cyclones have a few key returning players led by Killyan Toure, Jamarion Batemon, and Blake Buchanan. Both Toure and Buchanan were starters for the team last season, and that should remain the same this year. However, Batemon also played a significant role coming off the bench, and his scoring ability might put him next to Toure in the starting lineup this coming year.
Overall, while the team did lose a lot of production, they have a good amount of depth with the new players coming in and some key freshmen returning. If things go right and the team gels quickly, they should be better than a five seed.
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Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger on Tre Singleton player comparisons
Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger on Tre Singleton player comparisons
It didn’t take Tre Singleton long to learn the lesson that has dawned on so many Iowa State basketball transfers before him.
“There’s not much to do around Ames,” the Northwestern transplant said July 14, “besides get better and be good at basketball.”
Perhaps not a slogan the Ames Chamber of Commerce will be adopting any time soon, but a sentiment – and, maybe, self-fulfilling prophecy – that the Cyclones themselves have turned into something of a brand, going back to the early days of Fred Hoiberg’s Transfer U tenure.
Get in the lab. Get better. Get wins.
Repeat.
“Cut all the distractions,” Singleton said of the setup. “It helps you key in on the things you need to work on to get better at.
“It helps me come in here every day with the focus of being better.”
That’s a focus Iowa State and its fans hope they’ll be able to appreciate this winter when Singleton is expected to take on a significant role for a Cyclones team that will reconfigure itself after losing three starters off last year’s Sweet 16 squad.
Most notably, Singleton has the look and feel of a Joshua Jefferson approximation. At least in terms of style and role. Expecting a transfer coming off a promising, but certainly not elite freshman season to just slide into the spot previously occupied by an All-American and first-round NBA Draft pick would probably be … unwise.
“I think it’s best to stay away from any comparisons to other guys because Tre needs to be the best version of himself,” said Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger. “There’s differences between him and Joshua, even though I know there’s a natural inclination to draw that comparison.”
That natural inclination comes from their similar size (both 6-foot-8 though Jefferson has 30 pounds on 215-pound Singleton), versatility as playmaking power forwards, ability to rebound and high-IQ play.
I think the expectation for Singleton (and Iowa State fans) is to see if the sophomore can operate in that same Jefferson role, if not with the same sort of production and overall impact.
“We see him as somebody who can create advantages for us offensively to make plays,” Otzelberger said. “He’s a gifted passer. He takes a lot of pride in making the right play.”
I think the high-end hope would be that Singleton can approach that Jeffersonian impact in a year or two.
“Tre,” Otzelberger said, “is a very gifted player.”
Singleton’s bet on Iowa State’s development model and the Cyclones’ bet on Singleton to maximize it seems like the sort of transfer portal match that’s often overlooked amid doom-and-gloom bellyaching about player movement.
I’m sure the dozens (dozens!) of Northwestern hoops fans would disagree, but Singleton’s move from a middling Big Ten program with a sparse NBA track record to a Big 12 contender with a strong developmental program seems like not only an inoffensive use of the portal but one that rewards both ascendant players and programs.
We’ll see how it plays out, but Singleton and Iowa State feels like a win-win marriage of skillset, opportunity and culture.
“I chose Iowa State,” Singleton said, “because it fits me as a person. “
Besides, Evanston has the lakeshore and a world-class city 20 miles away. Which, sure, I’d call amenities, but aspiring NBA players might consider distractions.
You take your wins where you can get them, I suppose.
Iowa State columnist Travis Hines has covered the Cyclones for the Des Moines Register and Ames Tribune since 2012. Contact him at thines@amestrib.com or (515) 284-8000. Follow him on X at @TravisHines21.
See the unique cotton candy art at the Iowa State Fair
Cotton candy has been a popular treat at the State Fair for decades, but one family is pushing the fluffy limit on the sweet classic.
It’s all about the food at the Iowa State Fair, and a panel of judges has named their top new foods coming to the fair in 2026.
From an initial list of 84 entries, the field was narrowed to 11 contenders. Judges tasted each of the 11 new foods and voted for three finalists during a Facebook livestream event from the fairgrounds on Tuesday, July 14.
Those three will compete for fairgoers’ votes for the 2026 Best New Food at the Iowa State Fair.
Last year, Winn & Sara’s Kitchen’s bacon chicken ranch eggroll took home the top honor.
These three finalists will face off in public voting Aug. 13-19 at the Iowa State Fair. The winner will be announced Aug. 21.
What are the top three new foods at the 2026 Iowa State Fair?
All-American Scrambled Egg Roll
Winn & Sara’s Kitchen will try for its third-straight win with a breakfast offering. The All-American Scrambled Egg Roll is stuffed with bacon, sausage, hash browns, eggs and cheddar, finished with cheesy ranch.
- Cost: $15
- Vendor: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen
- Where: Next to the craft beer tent, west of the Jacobson Building
Porky Parm Gnocchi
The Pork Parm Gnocchi features gluten-free potato gnocchi with sausage, parmesan cream and pesto. It’s topped with an America 250 flag and a suvenir piggy pal.
- Cost: $14
- Vendor: Destination Grille
- Where: Between the Jacobson Building and the Craft Beer Tent
Ultimate Minneapple Pie
An offering from a Minnesota State Fair vendor making its first Iowa State Fair appearance, the Ultimate Minneapple Pie includes fried apple pie with ice cream and apple syrup.
- Cost: $14
- Vendor: Minneapple Pie
- Where: Near the Anne and Bill Riley Stage
More standout new foods at the 2026 fair
Here are the eight other items that rounded out the top 11:
- 1776 Dubai Strawberries from The Strawberry Station, $19. Fresh strawberries topped with milk chocolate, pistachio crème and crunchy kataifi. Find it at West Marketplace.
- Cajun Cluck ’N’ Chaos from Cluckin’ Coop, $14. Cajun chicken sloppy joe with slaw, spicy pickles, pickled egg and pickle cotton candy. This lunch-cafeteria special is served right across the street from the Animal Learning Center at Little Hands on the Farm.
- Crunchy Lamb Wrap from HoQ, $19. Deep‑fried naan stuffed with risotto, lamb and cheese. Located east of the Administration Building.
- Garlic Dill Pickle Cheese Curds from Brad and Harry’s Cheese Curds, $9. Garlic‑dill mashup curds. You can find Brad and Harry’s Cheese Curds west of the Jacobson Building.
- Star Spangled Swine from Whatcha Smokin’ BBQ, $15. Pork belly with apple‑chipotle rub and honey crystals. Located next to the Iowa craft beer tent, west of the Jacobson Building.
- Strawberry Bliss from Iowa Specialty Crop Growers Association, $8. Shortbread, strawberry, meringue and milk chocolate. Located in the Agriculture Building, under the southwest stairs.
- Stuffed Tater Kegs from Tater Todd and Hot Doug’s, $10. Loaded potato bites with breakfast or cheese options. Located in front of the Agriculture Building.
- Sweet Americana from Over the Top, $13. Strawberry shortcake, lemon bar and blueberry crisp ice creams. Over the Top’s stand is on Grand Avenue, just outside the Varied Industries Building.
Previous winners of Best New Foods at the Iowa State Fair
- 2013: Zag’s Po Boys — Shrimp Corn Dog
- 2014: Multiple vendors — Funnel Cake on a Stick
- 2015: The Rib Shack — Ultimate Bacon Brisket Bomb
- 2016: Iowa Turkey Federation — Not Your Mamma’s Taco
- 2017: Steer ‘N’ Stein — Pork Almighty
- 2018: Applishus — Apple Eggroll
- 2019: G Mig’s Wrap Stand — Georgie’s Roast with the Most Wrap
- 2020: No fair due to COVID-19
- 2021: Cluckin’ Coop by the Iowa Egg Council/Iowa Poultry Association — Chicken Egg Salad with Fry Bread
- 2022: The Rib Shack — The Finisher
- 2023: What’s Your Cheez — Deep-Fried Bacon Brisket Mac-n-Cheese Grilled Cheese
- 2024: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen — Bacon Cheeseburger Eggroll
- 2025: Winn & Sara’s Kitchen — Bacon chicken ranch Eggroll
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
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