• Squalor and splendor, side by side
• Our representatives steer far away from the public’s will
• Greatest Generation made Olympic joy possible
• Carbon pipelines perpetrate and further abuses
• Tim Walz is out of touch, and here’s the proof
• More work for teens means worse performance at school

It’s Joe Biden who’s taking care of Iowans in need, but only when Kim Reynolds lets him

Gov. Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird are again taking false credit and covering for poor choices by Republicans in Congress. The money they are using to make up for budget reductions for VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) came from the American Rescue Plan Act, initiated, passed and signed by Congressional Democrats and President Joe Biden.

That credit was only faintly present their self-serving public announcements of using this money to make up the shortfall in Iowa. It’s too bad that Reynolds didn’t see the same “devastating reality” in child hunger that should have prompted her to provide meals for 240,000 food-insecure children in Iowa by accepting $29 million of federal money for that purpose, also made available by the efforts of Biden and congressional Democrats. Or turning down $89 million of assistance for those in need of housing.

Shelter and food. Two of the very basics of life. I’m glad they replaced the money for VOCA. I’m appalled at their incomprehensible inconsistency in aiding all vulnerable citizens of Iowa.

Phillip Thien, Des Moines

Squalor and splendor, side by side

Two headlines, both from the Aug. 5 Register Daily Briefing, gave me pause:

The glaring disparity highlighted by the juxtaposition of these headlines is both mind-blowing and a call to action. It should awaken us all to the unfairness and inequity most Iowans ignore on a daily basis. And, it should remind us of the need for an enlightened and compassionate government that serves all Iowans, not just a privileged few.

Where is Robin Hood when we need him?

Victoria Payseur, Johnston

Our representatives steer far away from the public’s will

Abortion bans are undeniably unpopular.

Consider Kansas, a state very similar to our own: In 2022, the people of Kansas overwhelmingly rejected a constitutional amendment that would have led to the banning of abortions in their state.

Iowa’s elected representatives should have taken the hint. Instead, the governor rushed ahead, convening a special legislative session in July 2023 to ban abortions before many Iowans knew what was happening. Fortunately, the ban remained dormant while the courts debated its legality. Unfortunately, Iowa’s Supreme Court ultimately allowed it to stand. As of July 29, 2024, almost all abortions are now illegal in Iowa.

Our representatives have been reckless with regards to our well-being, knocking our hands further and further from the steering wheel of our own lives. This is evident not just with the abortion ban but also with other laws, pertaining to school vouchers and Area Education Agencies, carbon pipelines, and books.

As we approach the Nov. 5 election, we need to keep in mind what our vote means. More than that: We need to take action. I urge you to volunteer with an organization committed to our civil liberties, such as the ACLU of Iowa, to help get out the vote. Let’s make sure our voices are heard loud and clear.

Pamela Klein, Adel

Greatest Generation made Olympic joy possible

Among the celebration of the performance of our American athletes at the Paris Olympics, I’d like Americans to reflect on the reason that we’re able to participate in these Olympics in France as a free nation.

That is thanks to the troops of the Greatest Generation who fought to liberate France from the Nazi stronghold it was held in since 1940. It was a costly endeavor in terms of young human lives. My aunt’s fiancé was killed in Gen. George Patton’s Third Army in August of 1944 while they were in the process of liberating Paris. A cross in the Normandy cemetery bears his name, the state he came from (Tennessee), his unit, and his date of death.

All this joyous 2024 celebration of the world’s countries coming together and competing in athletics in a spirit of global unity was made possible by the sacrifices of young men eight decades ago who, before being drafted or volunteering for service, may have been athletes themselves (like my father who joined the U.S. Navy and fought the Japanese.) They sacrificed their athletic careers to preserve democracy. I’m grateful that, because of their sacrifices, our current Olympics are NOT being held under a Nazi flag.

Lisa Boyes, Grinnell

Carbon pipelines perpetrate and further abuses

Every time I drive to Ames, I gently smile at the trailer moonlighting as a banner: “STOP EMINENT DOMAIN ABUSE,” it reads in blood red. For a state that’s proud to be one of agriculture, Iowa can no longer afford the cost of absurdity. The environmental cost of these pipelines is immense. These pipelines supply CO2 so further oil can be drilled, thereby worsening the climate crisis currently hurting Iowan communities, rural and urban.

Furthermore, eminent domain strips landowners of their property rights, forcing them to surrender their hard-earned farmland without just compensation. For our farmers, land is not just an asset but a vital part of their way of life. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have stood up to blatant corporate interests. As the famous protest chant goes, “We will remember, in November.”

Aravind Balaji, Grimes

Tim Walz is out of touch, and here’s the proof

If you add up all the shoreline of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes, it’s plain that Tim Walz is the biggest coastal liberal of all time! Math don’t lie.

John Zeller, Des Moines        

More work for teens means worse performance at school

I would like to add some relevant research information to the child labor controversy appearing recently in the Register. During my University of Iowa graduate school course work for becoming a high school counselor in Iowa, I studied scholarly research on adolescent vocational development.

This research showed a clear correlation between the number of hours a teenager worked at a part-time job and academic performance at school. At about 20 hours per week, part-time jobs for younger students begin to negatively impact school achievement. The controversy erupted when the Iowa Legislature recently enacted a law that allows younger children to work four hours a day on school days and 28 hours a week. Federal law allows working three hours per day, 18 hours per week

Based on this research, I am troubled that the Iowa Legislature, and especially the bill sponsors, thought it wise to allow Iowa youth ages 14 and 15 to work so much when school is in session — in clear violation of the legally superior federal child labor laws as well as well-founded child development and educational achievement research.

Let’s continue to keep school achievement the priority for Iowa’s younger teens.

Drew Cannon, Des Moines

The Iowa State Fair is known for unique fried foods and the biggest livestock competitions, but there are also a number of weird contests that bring out people from all over to show off their legs, beards, mullets and more.

The Iowa State Fair kicks off Aug. 8 and runs through Aug. 18. Across those 11 days there are a number of different contests to watch or take part in. Here are some of the quirkiest competitions that are must-see traditions at the Iowa State Fair.

Mr. Legs Contest

Grab your short shorts because you need to show off all the leg you can in the Iowa State Fair’s Mr. Legs competition. Categories range from the thinnest leg to the hairiest. Contestants get on stage to flex or strut their stuff in this body-positivity competition. Some even go as far as taking their pants off to strut around in their underwear.

The Mr. Legs Contest starts at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 10.

More: Iowa State Fair tickets, parking and more: Your guide to 11 days of fun

Best Pigtail, Ponytail, Braid, Mullets and Mohawk Contest

Don’t forget to make a stop at your local barber before coming to the Iowa State Fair because competition is stiff for the best Pigtail, Ponytail, Braid, Mullet and Mohawk Contest. Contestants of all ages are judged on who has the best hairdo. Each hairstyle has a different standard that contestants are judged on including length, creativity, and originality.

The first division of the competition will start at 4 p.m., Aug. 18.

Turkey Calling Contest

Leave your mouth calls at home because the Iowa State Fair does turkey calling the old-fashioned way. Contestants of all ages can show off their turkey calling skills and it is far more than your average gobble.

Many of the contestants competing hunt turkeys for recreation and use their experience to inspire their sounds. With the right throaty shrill, you might find yourself taking home the gold for the best gobble.

The Turkey Calling Contest will start at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 8.

Best Beards Contest

The best beard is exactly what it sounds like. Beard lengths go head to head to determine whose facial hair is the longest. Some contestants spend years growing out their beards for the Iowa State Fair.

Past winners have had beards that are more than 32 inches long going all the way to their belt line. Judges come by with a yardstick to determine who has the best beard.

The best beard contest is at 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 13.

Husband Calling Contest

Possibly the most memorably weird contest of them all at the Iowa State Fair is the Husband Calling Contest. Spouses line up one-by-one to release the pent-up anger they have against their husbands. Contestants belt their husband’s name at the top of their lungs.

During the 2023 Husband Calling Contest a 95-year-old wife took home the blue ribbon, but all of the contestants had unique holler worth hearing.

The Husband Calling contest will start at 10 a.m. Aug. 16.

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.