Linn County Archives » Page 2 of 3

03Apr 2017 by Lynda Waddington

Atheist, humanist invocations planned at Iowa Statehouse

Gazette Column

This month the Iowa Statehouse moves closer to its “people’s house” nickname when first an atheist, and then a humanist, offer invocations from the well of the House chamber. The General Assembly has a long-standing tradition of invocations, which are brief meditations or prayers. It’s become routine for lawmakers to invite people from around the state to offer these morning speeches, marking a solemn beginning to the legislative work day. Throughout the years, a variety of religious and community leaders have spoken. Christian denominations hold the lion’s share of these appearances, but legislators also have heard from Jewish rabbis, Muslim imams, and one Wiccan priestess. And now two secularists will join their ranks. This Wednesday, Manchester native and atheist Justin Scott will lead the ceremony. Then on April 17, Roxanne…

20Mar 2017 by Lynda Waddington

‘AMP’ing up possibilities for success after lockup

Gazette Column

Third in a series on Linn County-based Fresh Start Ministries Communities have a good reason to invest and engage in the jail transition process: The majority of those in our jails are residents of the local community who will soon return home. Yet many in Linn County, as well as counties throughout the state, view jails and inmates solely as the purview of the criminal justice system and not an issue the larger community need address. Too many times the past is held against those who have paid for their crimes, creating additional struggles for those who hope to re-enter neighborhoods and move forward. Volunteers trained as mentors through a program under the umbrella of Linn County-based Fresh Start Ministries are aiming to turn the tide by offering themselves and…

16Mar 2017 by Lynda Waddington

GOP lawmakers create Saturday conflict

Gazette Blog

Some Eastern Iowans hoping to hear from both of their state legislators this Saturday will need to figure out how to be in two places at once. For decades the nonpartisan Linn County League of Women Voters has set aside one Saturday morning each month while the General Assembly is in session for a legislative forum. All area lawmakers are invited to come together, provide individual updates and answer questions from the public. That tradition will be broken this Saturday. Linn County’s Republican lawmakers — Rep. Ken Rizer, Rep. Ashley Hinson, Rep. Louis Zumbach and Sen. Dan Zumbach — have partnered with Farm Bureau to schedule a separate forum at the same date and time as the long-standing — and I cannot stress this enough — nonpartisan League forum. [caption…

06Mar 2017 by Lynda Waddington

Former inmates ‘rise’ with program’s help

Gazette Column

Second in a series on Linn County-based Fresh Start Ministries Maridee Duggar won’t like that I started this column with her name. Yet there’s no other logical way to launch a discussion about Linn County’s RISE program. The Reintegration Initiative for Safety and Empowerment program largely was born from Duggar’s two decades of volunteerism at the Linn County Correctional Facility on behalf of Fresh Start Ministries. She understood that if former jail inmates were going to transition successfully into communities — and if communities were going to reap the benefits of the successful transitions — those communities would need to offer guidance and support. With that understanding, she began to plan. “I was just one person who had some insight based on experiences with the chaplaincy program. Many of us…

20Feb 2017 by Lynda Waddington

First in a series: Weighing the benefit of a ‘Fresh Start’

Featured, Gazette Column

45-year-old Linn County ministry is only of its kind in the state Hundreds of people quietly working behind the scenes on behalf of Fresh Start Ministries can’t be easily labeled. Then again, neither can those who serve as the face of the organization, or those who rely on its services. To be sure volunteers include local pastors and church members. But there are also social justice advocates and social workers. Some business leaders are part of the mix, as are elderly and other shut-ins throughout the area. Past and current members of law enforcement are present too. A few who were once recipients of the program’s outreach have come full circle and now work to help others. Many, but not all, are Christians. I first became aware of the organization…

14Nov 2016 by Lynda Waddington

Still a lot of work to do

Gazette Column

Throughout the community one question seems to dominate personal interaction: “How are you feeling?” I’ve been asked by people I see each day and those I only have occasional opportunity to speak with. Convenience store clerks, local members of the clergy, co-workers, neighbors, transit riders and drivers and community activists of all stripes are curious, some perhaps morbidly so, on my and their other neighbors’ state of mind. So, how are you feeling in these first post-election days? I am, of course, disappointed that the nation has not finally elected a woman to its highest office. I’m especially concerned by the years of misinformation and sexism that led to undeserved backlash against Hillary Clinton, and a campaign with an overall anti-women tone. More than shock at Donald Trump’s public disrespect…

06Nov 2016 by Lynda Waddington

Let’s just leave ‘rape’ out of it

Gazette Column

A not-so-funny thing happened in the wake of the latest politically-charged dust-up between Linn County Auditor Joel Miller and his former primary opponent Joe Stutler. My colleague, Todd Dorman, offered a concise rundown of the controversy, which features Miller ordering the Cedar Rapids Police Department to arrest Stutler. Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden, who supported Stutler in the primary, called out Miller’s actions as a “deplorable abuse of the legal and political process.” For anyone who has followed Linn County politics over the past few years, this is merely par for the course. Who said what, who did what and the reason behind it is shuffled around and lost in a landscape that’s too politically charged, and too focused on past transgressions and opportunities for one-upmanship. Most residents, I…

03Oct 2016 by Lynda Waddington

Aim higher for Iowa’s gun safety training

Featured, Gazette Column

For the past five years, Iowa law has required citizens wanting a weapons permit to pay for a “safety” class that has no minimum standards. And, based on conversations with the crop of this year’s legislative candidates, no changes are on the horizon. In 2011, when Iowa became a “shall issue” state, removing nearly all discretion in weapons permitting from local law enforcement, the law required most applicants to attend safety classes. The Legislature, however, did not specify the content or curriculum of those classes or give such authority to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. [caption id="attachment_147" align="alignright" width="300"] A display of 7-round .45 caliber handguns are seen at Coliseum Gun Traders Ltd. in Uniondale, New York January 16, 2013. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)[/caption] The result is a patchwork — a…

26Sep 2016 by Lynda Waddington

Trading expectations for reality in Linn County supervisor race

Gazette Column

Seems like everyone is excited about the number of women up and down the ballot. But there is one hotly contested Linn County office where no female names appear. The Gazette’s Editorial Board has been busy with candidate interviews, which are one part of our endorsement process. To date, we’ve sat down with candidates involved in nearly every contested regional race as well as the statewide races that will appear on local ballots, and have more scheduled in the coming days. These are similar meetings to those we hold throughout the year with elected officials, advocacy groups and others except that they tend to be more diverse in their scope. We aren’t gathered to discuss a single issue or learn about a specific concern. There are some things that the…

08Aug 2016 by Lynda Waddington

Let’s celebrate equality in Linn County

Gazette Column

Less than 100 years ago, those who fought for women’s equality were derided as inferior, lazy, oversexed, masculine, childlike and unworthy of consideration. Even now, when a female combat veteran is the first woman to represent Iowa in Congress, and a major political party nominated its first woman for president, it is easy to forget that American women battled for 80 years to earn the right to vote. The 19th Amendment, which took a lifetime to accomplish, is now a lifetime in the past. Yet stereotypes of women as sex objects or puppets to biological and emotional whims persist. It was only four years ago, during the 2012 presidential campaign, that a national news organization announced “something may raise the chances for both presidential candidates that’s totally out of their…