Category Archives: Youth

What IS the Age of Maturity?

Posted on May 22, 2019 by Marty Ryan

A recent question in CityView, a Des Moines alternative newspaper, asked readers: “Should the minimum age to purchase tobacco products be raised to 21 in Iowa?”  All sorts of answers ensued.  One reader said tobacco should be outlawed and marijuana … Continue reading →

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“Thank you, sir”

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Marty & Stephanie

Vail is a small community in west-central Iowa. It’s also a ski resort in Colorado. But I grew up in the Iowa version. One thing both communities have in common is a swimming pool. However, Vail, Colorado has ten times … Continue reading →

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The Right to a Free Public Education in Iowa & Alabama

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Marty Ryan

Quite some time ago, when I was employed by the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, I noticed that the Iowa Constitution did not provide a right to a free public education to the children of Iowa.  I decided to conduct some … Continue reading →

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Invasion of the Judicial and Legislative Branches

Posted on July 26, 2012 by Marty Ryan

On Monday, July 16, Governor Terry Branstad issued a commutation to 38 of Iowa’s lifers.  That group of lifers consists of those felons who are serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for crimes they committed as … Continue reading →

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Education: The Next Generation

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Gregg Marxen

We should focus our attention on the methods being used to educate children. Continue reading →

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