Randy Evans

Evans: Libraries should be for all, not just for some

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There’s a big birthday coming up in Iowa in about a month.This place we call home — these 55,800 square miles of farm fields, wooded land, and clusters of housing and commerce — joined the Union 175 years ago on Dec. 28.This should be cause for a celebration. But it probably won’t be. We have difficulty agreeing on much of anything these days, it seems — including libraries.The spotlight was on them last week during a committee meeting in the Johnston School District. The topic was whether two novels for teens, “The Hate U Give” and “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” should be available in the Johnston High School library for students to read.

Evans: How you can still lose while winning in court

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Many years ago, during a conversation with an old lawyer, he made a comment I still remember: “You can sue the bishop of Boston for bastardy, but that doesn’t mean you are going to collect.”

It was Frank Karpan’s way of reminding a young editor that merely filing a lawsuit is not the most important occurrence in a dispute. The outcome is. My friend’s Frank-isms have been quoted in these columns before. My favorite is the rarely wrong observation, “I never had a client listen himself into trouble, but I’ve had plenty who talked themselves into trouble.”

Frank’s comment about the bishop occurred back when it was easier to figure out winners and losers in court fights. These days, however, someone can win in court but ultimately lose, because the cost of a skilled legal defense can be staggering.

Iowa government spending

Care About State Spending In Iowa? This Podcast Updates You On How The Legislature Is Handling That

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The Republican-led Iowa Senate came up with $31.9 million in spending cuts for this fiscal year, which ends June 30, bringing that legislative house closer to cuts the House and governor’s office find to be acceptable. This IowaWatch Connection podcast brings you up to date on how this Iowa General Assembly is handling spending.

Iowa Legislature

Tax Code Shakeup In Republicans’ 2017 Iowa Legislative Session Agenda

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When the Iowa Legislature gavels into session in January, Republicans will make up the majority in both the House and Senate. We talk with the Senate Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House to learn their plans in this IowaWatch Connection report and visit with Democrats the following week.