This Monday, our guest is Taylor Wettach, the Democratic candidate for Iowa state auditor.

Meet Taylor Wettach Zoom Link

Wettach is a seventh-generation Iowan who was born and raised in Muscatine. His mother was a preschool teacher, his father was a family physician, and his great-grandfather worked with the federal Farm Security Administration, helping rural Iowa families survive difficult economic times.

After graduating from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Wettach earned his law degree from New York University. He went on to practice international trade and national security law, working with major corporations, federal officials and complex financial and regulatory matters.

Wettach first attracted political attention when he resigned from the prestigious law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. The firm had reached an agreement to provide $125 million in free legal services supporting Trump administration priorities. Wettach said remaining at the firm would have required him to compromise his professional oath and personal values.

He initially entered the race for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District but later withdrew, saying his legal and financial background made the state auditor’s office a better fit.

Wettach is running to succeed Rob Sand, Iowa’s current state auditor and the Democratic nominee for governor. He says the auditor should serve as an independent watchdog—following the money, identifying waste, fraud and abuse, and holding public officials accountable regardless of their political party.

Among his priorities are restoring investigative powers removed from the auditor’s office by the Iowa Legislature, protecting whistleblowers and providing greater transparency around taxpayer-supported programs—including the hundreds of millions of public dollars now flowing to private schools through education savings accounts.

Wettach is an attorney, not an accountant or CPA. Today, we’ll ask how his experience has prepared him to manage Iowa’s auditing agency, how he would maintain independence from his own political party and what he believes Iowans deserve to know about the way their tax dollars are being spent.

Taylor Wettach, welcome to the podcast.

Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat is Few Weeks Away!

The agenda is set. The speakers are booked. And all but 10 seats for the Sixth Annual Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat are spoken for.

Yesterday, I unearthed a real find: a hidden gem of an old-school lakeside resort. I can secure a limited number of rooms there for new enrollees who choose the bundled package. Learn all day, listen to the lake lapping at the shore as you go to bed.

The bundled rate is $1,995 today and increases to $2,095 tomorrow. It includes retreat registration, lodging in a lakeshore suite with a kitchenette and two bedrooms, and all optional activities—including our sunset cruise, buffet dinners and concerts at Gull Point State Park on Monday and Tuesday nights.

Don’t need the convenience of the complete package? You may attend à la carte. Retreat registration is $995 today and increases to $1,095 on September 1.

We’ll have five literary agents, award-winning writers, editors, publishers, movie directors and producers—all ready to help you advance your work. And if music is your jam, our accomplished songwriters will help you strengthen your songs and share your voice.

But the real magic is the community: several hundred creative people gathering beside the lake to learn, exchange ideas and encourage one another.

If you’ve been thinking about joining us, this is the moment.

Only 10 seats remain.

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OWSR VI ENROLLMENT

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you see the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Sunday Roundup?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Flocked, Flanked, Forgotten, and US Senate Race Heating Up, DSM Soccer ‘No’

Our Politics Needs a Manure Digester Pronto…

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4 days ago · 20 likes

Leadership is on the ballot.

And leadership isn’t easy.

Most of my adult life, I was an employee. Today, I consider myself unemployable. The thought of having a boss again is not something I would subject myself to if it can be avoided. And I’ve had some great bosses.

I’m a woman of an age when leadership was not expected of us in much beyond child-rearing. We were sent to college to find a husband. I don’t remember feeling the burden of expectations to pursue a career path. In fact, my memory is one of parental benign neglect when it came to school, homework or having a career plan.

For years, I chafed at decisions bosses would make—or not make. I thought, If only I could run the joint, things would be much better.

Most employees huddling around the mythical water cooler have practiced some version of this:

If only he would do this.

If only she would do that.

Cue the nods of agreement from other disgruntled colleagues.

Then I became a Vistage chair.

I facilitated groups of 12 to 16 business leaders who met once a month. They paid a significant membership fee, but their biggest investment was being away from the office for an entire day.

We called it working on the business, not in the business.

And we chairs had to deliver every month if we expected them to come back.

The power of the group was the biggest value. I learned, the hard way, when I had to let go of a member who was disruptive, didn’t listen to constructive feedback, and took too much time during each meeting. Another member pulled me aside and said he was thinking of leaving the group as a result. He was right. Letting go of a customer was not easy. The group was relieved, and stronger.

I started by building a group of small-business owners in the Baltimore/Annapolis area, then graduated to working with leaders of larger companies in metropolitan Chicago.

Every month, expert speakers taught us about topics designed to increase our members’ effectiveness and enhance their lives.

I learned about key indicators, strategic thinking, hiring and firing, organizational culture and dozens of other subjects essential to running a business—things many leaders never have the opportunity to learn except the hard way.

Which brings me to elections.

Voters make choices about who they want their leaders to be.

What did those years around business leaders teach me about choosing one?

The best leaders make decisions with integrity. They gather data. They understand they don’t have all of the answers and seek input from others with experience. They are intentional about culture. They think years ahead rather than simply reacting to the moment.

They understand that diversity of thought is a strength.

They also understand that leadership requires decisiveness.

One of the toughest things a leader with a heart ever has to do is fire someone.

I watched small-company leaders struggle mightily with this, especially founders. The people who were right for an organization when it consisted of six people around a folding table may not be the people who can take it to the next level.

Sometimes the founder even has to look in the mirror and recognize that they need to step aside and bring in someone with the skills required for the next chapter.

An autopsy of a failed business often reveals decisions a leader knew needed to be made but couldn’t bring themselves to make.

They tolerated the toxic employee.

They tolerated the person who resisted every change.

Healthy organizations look different. Their employees are respected, treated fairly and listened to. People are given opportunities to develop personally and professionally.

Over those Vistage years, I collected maxims that have stayed with me:

You stand for what you tolerate.

Culture is the way we do things around here.

Don’t chase nickels while dollar bills fly away.

What brought you here won’t take you there.

There’s nothing more important than culture.

And this sailing metaphor:

The time to shorten sails is when you first think about it.

Another:

A problem named is a problem solved.

I think about those lessons when I look at a ballot.

Instead of beginning with the letter beside a candidate’s name, what if we evaluated our political leaders the way a good board of directors evaluates the person it is about to hire?

How do they make decisions?

How do they solve problems?

Are they honest?

Are they curious?

Do they love to learn? Listen? Meet with constituents?

Do they surround themselves with people who will challenge them—or only people who agree with them?

Can they admit when they are wrong?

Do they care more about community or personal enrichment?

Do they think about the next election—or the next generation?

My beloved state of Iowa faces enormous challenges.

Moving vans are heading out, not into the state.

Our waterways are polluted. Too often, we have accepted short-term economic gain for campaign contributors without accounting for what those decisions may cost future generations.

That is the very definition of chasing nickels while dollar bills fly away.

Our public schools deserve the same long-term thinking. Public education is an investment in the people who will determine what Iowa becomes 20, 30 and 50 years from now.

Some voters won’t consider a candidate who doesn’t have the preferred D or R after their name.

But resistance to change is one of the toughest barriers any organization faces.

What brought us here won’t necessarily take us there.

Cancer has stricken families across Iowa. Cancer doesn’t have a political affiliation. Neither does polluted water. Or disappearing topsoil.

A problem named is a problem we can begin to solve.

Climate change doesn’t check our voter registration cards, either. Its consequences show up in our weather, our agriculture, our communities and the cost and availability of insurance.

Diversity of thought is critical to solving complicated problems.

Culture matters.

Integrity matters.

Curiosity matters.

Courage matters.

And leadership matters.

So when I look at the names on my ballot this fall, I intend to think about what more than 20 years sitting beside business leaders taught me.

We aren’t merely choosing Republicans and Democrats.

We’re hiring leaders.

And perhaps the most important lesson of all is the simplest:

Look beyond the soundbites from TV ads, or direct mail pieces. Beware last minute dirty tricks, and do not reward those who employ such tactics.

Then look at every name on that ballot and ask:

Is this the kind of leader I would work for or hire?

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Are you registered?

In Iowa, you can check your voter registration online through the Iowa Secretary of State’s official voter-registration lookup. You’ll enter your name, ZIP code, house number and date of birth. It will tell you whether your registration is current and provide voting information.

Before you vote this fall, make sure your voter registration is current.

CHECK YOUR IOWA VOTER REGISTRATION

If the topic of leadership is of interest, please check out Suzanna de Baca:

Leadership Outside the Box

Leadership, resilience and the fear of candor

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2 months ago · 4 likes · 2 comments · Suzanna de Baca

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you see today’s Flipside edition of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Hawkeye Beer, USS Iowa Sailors Visit, An Iowa Musical Legend Returns...

Herb Strentz is a longtime Iowa journalism educator, writer and prominent advocate for open government. He included this note with his paid subscription to the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. Thank you…

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7 days ago · 8 likes · 1 comment

Okoboji

Hurry! If you wait to register for the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat until after September 1, it’ll cost you an extra $100. Do it today. Registration will close September 15, if not before.

Enroll Now

During the retreat there will be two optional dinner/concerts held at the Gull Point State Park Lodge. is pulling this together for us:

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Zoom with Chris Jones

Check out a few posts by my Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members if you do not know who this lightening rod of a candidate is:

Iowa politics with Laura Belin

"We deserve better": Why Chris Jones may run for secretary of agriculture

This original reporting and analysis first appeared at Bleeding Heartland and is shared here as part of the Iowa Writers Collaborative. For regular emails linking to all recent Bleeding Heartland articles and commentary, subscribe to the free Evening Heartland newsletter…

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10 months ago · 103 likes · 51 comments · Laura Belin

Chris Jones is the Democratic candidate for Iowa secretary of agriculture. A retired University of Iowa research engineer and longtime water-quality scientist, he previously worked for the Des Moines Water Works and the Iowa Soybean Association. He is also the author of The Swine Republic, which examines the relationship between agriculture, politics and Iowa’s water quality. Jones is challenging incumbent Republican Mike Naig in the November election, campaigning on clean water, stronger family farms and a more diverse agricultural economy. Iowa Public Radio

Join us at noon!

At 6:30 last night, Deb Engle and I gave a talk at Beaverdale Books about memoir and why we encourage folks to come to the Okoboji retreat and/or take Deb’s online memoir class. It is a joyous combustible reunion every time we meet.

By 8 p.m., I decided to cap off the day with a spinach salad, and a vodka tonic, and I snagged a remaining spot at Skips bar next to a younger couple. My two guys - Richard and Dudley - were waiting for me to return to Okoboji, and sent pics of themselves pining away in my absence.

After all, it was my birthday, a fact I had tried to keep unknown but Facebook has a way of letting the world in on the secret each year. Sweet Chip Albright appeared at Beaverdale Books before others arrived and presented me with a bouquet of bold-colored zinnias picked from his yard. Kris Verdeck brought a piece of cake.

Unexpected thoughtful surprises are such a treat. They ripple into the universe and can multiply. I still believe in the power of random acts of anonymous kindness.

Being alone, seated at a bar, might seem a rather pitiful way to spend a birthday, but I savored every minute, and scrolled through my phone, appreciating solitude and the feeling of not being ‘on.’

There is one benefit of aging - the odds of being hit on in such a situation are slim to none.

I hadn’t been eavesdropping on the couple to my left, and tried to block out a louder patron, until my invisible bubble was burst when Heather said she liked my earrings.

I took them off and handed them to her.

“They are now yours,” I said.

Stunned, but knowing I was serious, she put them on.

The three of us had a thrilling few minutes of stranger intimacy, touching on the difference between being spiritual or religious (I consider myself more in the first camp, they in the second). She had asked if I was religious - a question this granddaughter of an Episcopal priest has yet to figure out how to answer.

But we agreed our chance encounter had something to do with a higher power, and it wasn’t vodka.

I present to you Chad and Heather (wearing her new earrings).

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Okoboji

Ok, procrastinators. Here’s a cautionary tale. Last night I met a woman who had wanted to enroll in the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat last year but it was full by the time she got around to signing up.

We have 20 seats remaining, so just do it. Sign up. This will be the best one ever.

Here’s a flyer focusing on memoir. We have over 60 speakers on a variety of genres.

Come! Click on the image to enroll:

Did you see the midweek edition of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

One Last Stand for Rusty Martin, CR Native Billionaire in a Jam: Hlas has no Sympathy,

Welcome to our new subscribers…

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14 days ago · 11 likes

Today’s Julie Gammack & Guests podcast will take on a timely and increasingly important topic: Data Centers in Iowa.

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We’ll talk about what their rapid expansion could mean for Iowa—from energy and water use to tax incentives, economic development, government secrecy and transparency, and the enormous demands being created by artificial intelligence.

If you would like to join the conversation, we’d love to have you.

The call takes place today from noon to 1 p.m. Central Time, and all subscribers are welcome.

Julie Gammack & Guest Podcast

Have you been following the fine reporting by Iowa Writers’ Collaborative member Cheryl Tevis?

It’s a subject most of us probably didn’t give much thought to until recently. Yet the enormous facilities that store and process the data powering our increasingly digital—and increasingly AI-driven—world are raising important questions about electricity, water, tax incentives, land use, jobs, government transparency and who ultimately pays for the infrastructure they require.

Cheryl Tevis has done an outstanding job of following this issue for the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, digging into the details and asking questions that deserve much wider attention.

One of the most troubling parts of the story is the secrecy that can surround these projects. In some cases, residents may learn relatively little about the identity of a company, the scope of a proposed development, the incentives being discussed, or the long-term impact on local resources until decisions are already well underway.

That raises a fundamental question: When public money, public utilities and community resources are involved, how much secrecy is acceptable?

So we’re going to devote an upcoming Iowa Writers’ Collaborative podcast discussion to data centers in Iowa: what’s happening, why Iowa is attractive to these companies, and what Iowans should be asking before the next wave of projects is approved.

Among the questions I want us to explore:

• How much electricity and water do these massive facilities actually consume?

• Who pays for the new energy infrastructure needed to serve them?

• What tax incentives are Iowa communities and the state offering—and are taxpayers getting enough in return?

• How many permanent jobs do data centers actually create?

• Why are some negotiations and agreements conducted with so little public visibility?

• What information should taxpayers have before local governments commit public resources?

• What does the rapid growth of artificial intelligence mean for future demand?

• How much say do local residents have when a project is proposed?

• Are Iowa’s policies—and its transparency requirements—keeping pace with the extraordinary speed at which this industry is expanding?

This isn’t simply a technology story. It’s an energy story, an environmental story, a taxpayer story—and a government accountability story.

And it’s happening right here in Iowa.

Join us for what I expect will be a lively—and illuminating—conversation. Cheryl’s reporting gives us an excellent place to begin.

Okoboji -

It’s not too late to sign up for the amazing—and, for many, transformative—experience called the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat.

Come mix and mingle with creative givers, a few superstars who don’t act like it, and regular folks who simply want to soak up the lessons others have learned through years of creating, risking, failing, succeeding and trying again.

And please, please, please give up that inner conversation telling you that you don’t belong at a retreat like this.

If you’ve longed to come but there’s a little voice whispering that you’re not accomplished enough, published enough, talented enough or just plain “good enough,” pay attention instead to the part of you that wants to be here.

That’s the voice worth listening to.

As for the naysayer?

Tell it to STFU.

You belong in the room. Come join us in Okoboji.

Have you seen the agenda we announced last week?

Okoboji Writers' & Songwriters' Retreat News & Alum Essays

Agenda for OWSR VI - HOT OFF THE PRESS

Please understand — agenda is subject to change…

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a month ago · 15 likes · 7 comments · Julie Gammack

This image is a bit out of date. We have 20 seats available now. Click the image to learn more:

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you check out the latest roundup of columns by our members?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Data Center News, Zach Nunn, The Iowa State Fair, Lansing Bridge News, Where are Flock Cameras?

Welcome to our new subscribers! You are now part of a bold, independent roundup of news and commentary created for those who share an interest in Iowa…

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18 days ago · 24 likes · 2 comments

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Podcast with Larry Lehmer

Lehmer became best known nationally for two books:

• The Day the Music Died, a detailed account of the final tour of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. The book was nominated for the Gleason Music Book Award and led to appearances on documentaries produced by VH1, E! and the Discovery Channel.

• Bandstandland an in-depth history of Dick Clark, American Bandstand and the culture that emerged around the show.

More recently, he launched the Substack publication Life in the Slow Lane, where he writes about downsizing, family history, popular culture and memories from his years in journalism. In July 2026, he joined the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, noting that many of his former colleagues were already members.

Please welcome Larry to our podcast conversation today at noon, and to the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative.

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Life in the Slow Lane

Observations from a writer's life.

By Larry Lehmer

Did you see the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roundup on Sunday? It’s a doozy.

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

An Urgent Story You Likely Won't See Elsewhere, Polling News, The Odyssey

Every time the models run, the forecast gets more extreme. This should be leading every newscast. It isn't. Chris Gloninger, El Niño update—looking even more historic…

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24 days ago · 20 likes

Here’s a press release about one of our 60 speakers coming to the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NAZ PANKEY TO TEACH WRITERS HOW TO TAKE THEIR STORIES FROM PAGE TO SCREEN AT OKOBOJI RETREAT

Author and filmmaker will lead workshops on vertical screenwriting and adapting short stories for film

WEST OKOBOJI, Iowa — Author, screenwriter and filmmaker Nadira “Naz” Pankey will help writers see their stories through a new lens when she joins the faculty of the sixth annual Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, September 27–30, 2026.

Pankey will lead two workshops: “Vertical Screenwriting Essentials” and “From Short Story to Screen.”

Vertical storytelling—programming created specifically to be watched upright on a smartphone—is changing how audiences consume drama, romance, comedy and thrillers. Pankey’s workshop will introduce writers to the essentials of this emerging format, including how to capture viewers within the first few seconds, quickly establish emotional stakes and end short episodes with twists, revelations or cliffhangers.

Her second workshop will help writers identify the cinematic heart of a short story and begin transforming prose into a screenplay that can realistically be produced.

“Naz embodies what this retreat is all about,” said retreat founder Julie Gammack. “She has transformed difficult personal experiences into stories that connect with people. Just as important, she is eager to help other writers believe their stories are also worthy of being written, filmed and shared.”

Originally from the Bronx and now based in Atlanta, Pankey is a self-published author, produced screenwriter, director, producer and storyteller. Her work explores truth, resilience, transformation and the experiences of people whose stories are too often overlooked.

She is the author of the memoir “Evergreen Uprooted: Memoirs of a Secret,” which tells the story of a young girl struggling to survive while growing up in the South Bronx.

Pankey has written and produced a feature film, several short films, the short-form web series “The Super” and a vertical series. Her film “Gerald’s Hands” is available on Tubi.

“Naz understands the entire creative journey—from finding the courage to tell a deeply personal story to adapting it for the screen and getting it produced,” Gammack said. “That combination of lived experience and practical knowledge makes her an extraordinary resource for our participants.”

The Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat brings together writers, filmmakers, journalists, poets, playwrights, songwriters, editors, literary agents and other creative professionals from across the country. The retreat is designed for people at every stage of their creative development, from established professionals to those who are only beginning to consider themselves writers.

“No one should be intimidated by the caliber of talent coming to Okoboji,” Gammack said. “This retreat is for all skill levels. You do not need a published book, a produced screenplay or an impressive résumé. You only need a story you want to tell and a willingness to learn.”

The four-day retreat takes place along the shores of West Lake Okoboji at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory. Its program includes workshops, panel discussions, performances, conversations with literary agents and informal opportunities for participants to connect with faculty members and one another.

For information about the retreat, its speakers and enrollment, visit:

www.okobojiwritersretreat.com

ABOUT THE OKOBOJI WRITERS’ AND SONGWRITERS’ RETREAT

Founded by Iowa journalist and entrepreneur Julie Gammack, the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat is an annual gathering devoted to learning, creativity and community. The sixth annual retreat will be held September 27–30, 2026, at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory in West Okoboji, Iowa.

Our podcast guest today at noon central time is playwright, performer, author, teacher, and comedian Megan Gogerty. Join the conversation via the link above.

Megan is a sixth-generation Iowan who grew up in Des Moines and has built a national reputation as one of the state’s most original and accomplished storytellers. She serves on the faculty of the University of Iowa’s Department of Theatre Arts, where she teaches the next generation of writers and performers.

Her work blends humor, heartache, history, and a distinctly Midwestern perspective. Audiences know her from acclaimed productions such as Lady Macbeth and Her Pal, Megan, Save Me, Dolly Parton, and Fair State, her deeply personal exploration of family, identity, and Iowa’s complicated past.

Megan’s performances have taken her from Iowa City to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and to stages around the world, but Iowa remains at the center of her work. She has a gift for finding the extraordinary in ordinary lives and for reminding us that the stories we tell about ourselves shape the communities we build together.

We’re especially delighted that Megan will be joining us at this year’s Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, September 27-30.

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Did you catch the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roundup Last Week?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Data Centers, New Member of the Iowa Writers' Collaborative, Grassley Legacy 'Torched,' and Cullen Prods Sand

Please welcome longtime Iowa journalist and author…

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a month ago · 17 likes · 1 comment

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That summer, I adopted a mixed-breed puppy — collie, greyhound, German shepherd and beagle — from a farm near Spencer. I named him Krishna, inspired not by the deity, but by the soundtrack from Hair.

My roommate adopted another little fellow from the litter and named him Apollo, commemorating the first human moon landing in July 1969.

It was also the era of big bands playing supper clubs across the country, and I landed the best job on the planet, working at the premier entertainment destination in the state, the region and, as far as I was concerned, the world: the New Inn of Okoboji.

My job was to sit at a podium-like stand at the foot of the staircase in the lobby and collect a cover charge for that evening’s performance — somewhere between $5 and $20 a person, as I recall.

While my young colleagues were working furiously, taking orders, serving drinks, delivering trays of food and clearing tables late into the night, I was reading, playing Solitaire and sipping the occasional rum and Coke the downstairs bartender slipped my way. From my perch, I could hear boisterous patrons gathering around the piano in the sing-along bar on the main floor while the likes of Marilyn Maye and Dave Major and the Minors brought the house down in the sprawling dining room upstairs.

Both were considered major acts on the circuit, commanding the highest cover charges of the season. Dave Major, whose real name was Dave Perry, played multiple instruments. He not only knew how to blow a horn, he knew how to make an audience laugh and bring people to their feet.

During the day, Krishna and I skimmed across the lake in a fishing boat I rented for the entire season for $25. His first memories were the smells of the lake and swimming from the beach.

Blissful and lonely, all at the same time.

It was the summer after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The country was on edge, and relations between police departments and the communities they served were under intense scrutiny. King’s dream was not embraced by all, and his grisly death seemed to mock his pleas for nonviolence.

It was also the summer when my college-age male friends were dreading the possibility of being drafted into the war in Vietnam, and those of us who loved them could not bear the thought of their dying for a cause few of us fully understood. War is no longer an abstraction when the casualty count rises by the day, and every able-bodied young man faces the possibility of being called.

The nation was on the cusp of upheaval on multiple fronts, but you would hardly have known it from my perch in northwest Iowa.

Today, it is tempting to think we are witnessing the worst of times in American history. Maybe we are. But human incompetence, greed, arrogance, and hatred have been with us since the beginning of time.

Not so much, it seemed, in the bubble surrounding the Iowa Great Lakes.

I was corresponding recently with a newcomer to the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. She is a psychologist from North Carolina who grew up in the lakes area. As she contemplated returning to the place she once called home, she remembered going to the New Inn with her parents to see Dave Major and the Minors and wondered what had become of the star.

What she discovered shocked her. And shocked me. Since I found no record of the story running in Iowa at the time, perhaps this will be news to you, too.

According to accounts published years later, Perry became embroiled in a bitter family dispute. In 2000, the 57-year-old musician allegedly shot and killed his former mother-in-law and the husband of his former wife before being killed in a confrontation with police.

Today, the land where the relatively large resort conference center was located, now has two large, private residences. Zillow estimates of the property values being around $4-$5mm are probably low.

Many things have changed, of course, since those days.

But guess what?

The amazing Marilyn Maye is still coming back to wow her Okoboji fans. This time, she packs them into the Pearson Lakes Art Center Theater, a space befitting the grande dame of entertainment.

Tickets remain! Click here:

Marilyn Maye

And, it’s not too late to sign up for the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, either!

We are happy to welcome Northwest Bank as a sponsor of this year’s retreat. Watch their Facebook page and look for an email from them regarding a discounted enrollment fee. Thank you! Their support is an acknowledgment of their commitment to the arts, and their appreciation for the event.

Click the image below to learn more about the retreat:

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Today is the last Friday of the month, which means Bob Leonard will be leading a call for any paid subscriber of our columns. We are building a strong community around the state, and welcome you joining us.

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For details —

Julie Gammack & Guests

Today, we’ll feature two segments in our one-hour podcast.

First up at noon will be , Laura Belin, who will discuss her reporting on the Iowa lieutenant governor’s race and the legal and financial issues surrounding Republican candidate Derek Wulf.

Then, Connie Taylor will give us a preview of this year’s Iowa State Fair—including the foods, contests and festivities she’s most excited about. The fair runs August 13–23.

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Did you see the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Sunday Roundup?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

The Collaborative Turns Four—and Independent Reporting Matters More Than Ever

Today, we enter our fifth year of publishing the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Sunday Roundup…

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a month ago · 28 likes · 4 comments

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For more than four decades, Charlie Cook has been one of the country’s most trusted interpreters of American elections. He founded the nonpartisan Cook Political Report in 1984 and helped make its race ratings an essential resource for journalists, candidates, donors and political professionals. On August 1, 2021, Cook transferred ownership and leadership of the publication to longtime colleague Amy Walter, who became its owner, publisher and editor-in-chief. Cook remains a contributor to what is now called The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. The Cook Political Report

That history made his recent conversation with members of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative particularly newsworthy. Cook believes the 2026 election is developing according to the familiar midterm pattern: Democrats are highly motivated, Republicans are less energized, and independent voters are moving away from the president’s party. He did not predict an extraordinary Democratic wave. Instead, he explained why a favorable national climate can produce Democratic gains without automatically turning reliably Republican states blue.

And, he often gives his predictions plenty of wiggle room incase the results land elsewhere.

Iowa, however, may be behaving differently. Cook said the state is showing more signs of political movement than almost anywhere else. He predicted that Democrat Rob Sand would probably win the open governor’s race, while placing the chances of a Democratic victory in the U.S. Senate race at roughly one in four. His distinction is important: dissatisfied Republicans may cross party lines in a governor’s race, but in a federal contest they are more likely to stay home or skip the race than vote for a Democrat.

The conversation is worth hearing for much more than its predictions. Cook explains why most self-described independents are actually dependable partisans, why candidate quality still matters, why immigration may energize the bases without moving many swing voters, and why reputable polling is better than its current reputation. He also speaks candidly about the decline of Congress, the future of Iowa’s caucuses and the danger both parties face when their primaries produce candidates poorly suited to the voters they must win. At a time when political analysis is often reduced to cheering, outrage and wishful thinking, Cook offers something considerably more valuable: perspective.

His weekly column is available on Substack . Harkin is a regularly featured speaker in central Iowa through the Harkin Institute.

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Monday’s Podcast Guests

We’re splitting Monday’s podcast hour down the middle to bring you two topics readers of this column adore: Iowa politics and the Iowa State Fair.

First, the race for Iowa lieutenant governor. Laura Belin has broken story after story about the Republican candidate’s financial issues. She’ll join us to explain what she has uncovered—and why it matters.

Then we’ll turn to the Iowa State Fair. Connie Taylor has been steeped in every aspect of the annual extravaganza. We’ll hear what she’s most looking forward to this year and learn what goes into the fair’s many competitions—the contests that bring out rolling pins, treasured recipes and competitive bakers from river to river.

Subscribers receive the podcast Zoom link on Monday morning. Join the call. Ask questions. Engage.

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OKOBOJI RETREAT ADDS THREE NEW SPEAKERS

Dana Kennedy, Kaitlyn Busbee and Kelly Crull expand instruction in Substack, filmmaking and children’s publishing

OKOBOJI, Iowa — July 25, 2026 — The sixth annual Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat has added three speakers to its 2026 faculty: marketing and communications professional Dana Kennedy, award-winning filmmaker Kaitlyn T. Busbee and award-winning children’s book author Kelly Crull.

The additions broaden the retreat’s hands-on instruction in three areas of growing interest to writers: building an audience on Substack, moving stories from the page to the screen, and navigating the children’s publishing process. The retreat will be held September 27–30 in the Iowa Great Lakes region and is expected to bring together approximately 300 participants and more than 60 speakers from Iowa and across the country.

We look closely at the feedback participants submit before the retreat and determined there is a broader interest in the topics these speakers offer, and we were fortunate enough to add them to our list of over 60 speakers.

Dana Kennedy is a marketing and communications professional with more than 30 years of experience in brand messaging, copywriting and integrated campaigns. She manages Story Summit’s Substack publication, teaches beginner and intermediate Substack classes, facilitates its monthly Substack Forum and provides individual coaching. At Okoboji, Kennedy will help writers understand how Substack can support their creative and professional goals, build stronger connections with readers and create momentum for publications that have stalled.

Kaitlyn T. Busbee is a former Iowan, New York-trained and Chicago-based filmmaker whose character-driven work spans narrative and documentary film. A graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts, she received the Martin Scorsese Scholarship and the 2023 ARRI Volker Bahnemann Award for Outstanding Cinematography. Her forthcoming thesis film, Jarfly, is executive produced by Spike Lee. Busbee’s Okoboji session, “Following Curiosity: From Observation to Page to Screen,” will explore how lived experience, observation and creative constraints can become the foundation for compelling screenplays and visual storytelling. .kaitlynbusbee.com/about

Kelly Crull is a Des Moines children’s book author, photographer and educator whose seven books include titles published by National Geographic Kids and Lerner Publishing Group. His work has earned national honors and recognition from the American Library Association, National Council of Teachers of English, National Science Teaching Association, New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, Sierra Club and Science Friday. Crull will demystify how children’s books move from idea and manuscript to acquisition, design, publication and marketing, and will offer guidance on finding the right editors and agents.

https://kellycrull.com

Okoboji

For information about the retreat, faculty and registration, visit okobojiwritersretreat.com.

Who’s Coming? Check out our growing roster, then join us. We have participants joining us from all over the country.

Okoboji Writers' & Songwriters' Retreat News & Alum Essays

Roster of Who is Coming

OWSR VI — Who’s coming…

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2 months ago · 15 likes · Julie Gammack

The Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roundup

Sign up for a compilation of columns by this extraordinary roster of professional writers:

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Buttigieg, Johnson, Lahn and Grassley Take Center Stage as November Nears

This week’s public-affairs columns feature several prominent political figures and candidates, including Pete Buttigieg, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Iowa gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn, U.S. Sen. …

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a month ago · 24 likes · 1 comment

The discussion becomes a podcast distributed across all major platforms and viewed by thousands. There’s nothing quite like it yet in the Substack universe, so join us for this trailblazing opportunity. It’s free to subscribe.

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This is no toss up, or lean red or blue, it’s definitive, Charlie Cook will be joining us for our noon podcast call. Here is the link:

Julie & Guests Zoom

is one of the country’s most respected authorities on elections and political trends. In 1984, he founded the independent, nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which became indispensable reading for candidates, journalists and political professionals trying to understand which races were truly competitive—and why.

Charlie served as the publication’s editor and publisher for 37 years before turning its leadership over to Amy Walter in 2021. He remains a contributor to what is now The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter and writes a weekly column for National Journal. Over four decades, his careful analysis, institutional memory and refreshingly nonpartisan approach have made him one of Washington’s most trusted political observers.

Please welcome the founder of the Cook Political Report, .

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you see the IWC Roundup yesterday?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Buttigieg, Johnson, Lahn and Grassley Take Center Stage as November Nears

This week’s public-affairs columns feature several prominent political figures and candidates, including Pete Buttigieg, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Iowa gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn, U.S. Sen. …

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a month ago · 21 likes · 1 comment

Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat

Are you enrolled in the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat? Is your name on the roster? If your name is not listed, and you have enrolled, please fill out the pre-event survey which helps us know the topics of most interest. It is very helpful for our speakers to prepare for their workshop presentations and panels.

Okoboji Writers' & Songwriters' Retreat News & Alum Essays

Roster of Who is Coming

OWSR VI — Who’s coming…

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2 months ago · 15 likes · Julie Gammack

Link to the survey: OWSR VI Survey

Want to enroll? It’s not too late yet. We have about 30 spots remaining, however it is very likely to be a sell-out again. ENROLL

This is the stage where we start checking boxes.

Wait just a minute—where else can you join a one-hour conversation with debut authors and readers from across Iowa about a book that's sure to fascinate anyone interested in the hidden, sordid history of Des Moines?

If you enjoy conversations like this, consider becoming a paid subscriber. Your support helps fund merit-based scholarships that enable emerging writers to attend the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. See who is coming:

OWSR VI Roster (so far)

David and Rose Donovan

I interviewed David and Rose Donovan about their debut nonfiction book, The Nastiest Saloon in Iowa: Murder, Prostitution and Corruption in the Heartland. The conversation explored the remarkable family history and historical research that led to the book. We had a nice-sized group of subscribers on the call, too.

A family mystery became Iowa history

Rose Donovan is the great-granddaughter of Erastus Wallace Scott, the notorious saloon owner at the center of the story. What began as David Donovan’s genealogy hobby evolved into years of research uncovering a forgotten chapter of Des Moines history involving murder, prostitution, political corruption, land fraud, and organized crime.

Rose admitted she initially resisted learning more about her family’s past, but the story ultimately became less about her ancestors and more about revealing an overlooked period in Iowa history.

The murder that remains unsolved

The book includes the 1905 murder of farmer Edward Gresser, whose land was the target of a fraud scheme. Although no one was ever convicted, the Donovans believe the evidence strongly suggests Wallace Scott was involved in the conspiracy, if not the actual killing. The case remained unresolved despite years of investigation.

Two years of painstaking research

David described an exhaustive research pouring through newspaper archives, census records, Ancestry.com, court and property records, wills, and other historical archives.

He estimates reading hundreds of newspaper articles over a 20-year period, often searching every variation of names to uncover connections between the Scott family, the Carter gang, police officials, and politicians.

Des Moines’ forgotten red-light district

The authors explained that Scott’s saloon stood at East Court Avenue and First Street, just across the river from downtown Des Moines and only blocks from the State Capitol.

His research included stories from the turn of the twentieth century of a where now government buildings stand that contained brothels, gambling, violent crime, corrupt police officers, and political payoffs.

Corruption reached ‘respectable’ society

One of the book’s more surprising revelations is that prominent Des Moines business interests allegedly profited by renting properties used as brothels. Newspapers of the time reported that city leaders also relied on fines collected from prostitution to help finance municipal government.

Public health crisis

The discussion explored how widespread prostitution fueled a severe syphilis epidemic. According to newspaper accounts of the era, the disease became so pervasive that public pressure finally forced the city to dismantle the red-light district.

Rose believes her great-grandmother ultimately died from late-stage syphilis in the Clarinda State Hospital.

Writing together

David and Rose described an 18-month collaborative writing process:

They intentionally limited themselves to facts supported by documentary evidence and avoided inventing dialogue.

Artificial intelligence

David emphasized that they deliberately did not use AI for researching or writing the book. After publication, he experimented by asking AI about the story and found numerous factual errors, reinforcing his belief that historical research still requires primary sources and careful verification.

Looking ahead

The Donovans expressed excitement about attending the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat, where they hope to:

They also welcomed anyone with family photographs, letters, diaries, or information related to the Scott family or East Court Avenue to contact them: davedono@gmail.com

Overall, the interview revealed how one family’s hidden history became a richly documented account of early Des Moines—showing that beneath Iowa’s reputation for quiet respectability lay a surprisingly violent and corrupt past.

Or, remember the city slogan a few decades ago?

Des Moines, the surprising place.

Donovans on Tour

Join David and Rose Donovan, co-authors of The Nastiest Saloon in Iowa, as they discuss their fascinating new book and the remarkable family history behind it at one of these upcoming Iowa events:

Wednesday, July 16 — 5:00 p.m.
Plain Talk Books
602 E. Grand Ave.
Des Moines, Iowa

Thursday, July 17 — 6:30 p.m.
Beaverdale Books
2629 Beaver Ave.
Des Moines (Beaverdale)

Friday, July 18 — 11:00 a.m.
Three Bells Books
14 S. Commercial Alley
Mason City, Iowa

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you catch the most recent roundup of columns by members of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Proposed Library Cuts, Water Woes, Fouls on Caitlin Clark, Hinson, and Deere Negotiations

A reminder to a Supreme Court justice: Freedom of speech must include a freedom to hear, too — Randy Evans — READ…

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2 months ago · 21 likes · 1 comment

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Zoom Podcast Link

Our guests today are David and Rose Donovan, co-authors of The Nastiest Saloon in Iowa: Murder, Prostitution, and Corruption in the Heartland.

Both have deep Iowa roots. David grew up in western Iowa, graduated from Iowa State University, earned his law degree from Georgetown, and went on to a distinguished career as a partner at the international law firm WilmerHale, as well as General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer of the Washington Redskins. Rose is also an Iowa State graduate and the great-granddaughter of Wallace Scott, the notorious saloon owner at the center of this remarkable story. She was a journalism grad from ISU and had a 20 year career in newspapers in Washington DC, including the Washington Post.

Imagine beginning research into your family history only to discover your ancestor owned what many called the nastiest saloon in Iowa.

That discovery launched an extraordinary investigation. What began as Rose’s search for her family’s past became years of meticulous research through Iowa court records, newspaper archives, land records, and public documents. Together, David and Rose uncovered a forgotten chapter of Des Moines history filled with murder, prostitution, political corruption, and one of Iowa’s enduring unsolved mysteries.

Today, we’ll talk with them about the remarkable journey behind the book, the surprising Iowa connections they uncovered, and what this notorious saloon reveals about life in early Des Moines.

Please join me in welcoming David and Rose Donovan.

On a personal note, I first learned about this fascinating book shortly after David and Rose enrolled in the upcoming Okoboji Writers' and Songwriters' Retreat. I'm hoping we can persuade them to join a panel with our mutual friend to explore another dimension of this story—the way a search through family history can evolve into a compelling memoir or work of narrative nonfiction. Their journey is a wonderful reminder that some of the most extraordinary stories begin with a single question about our own ancestors.

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you catch the recent roundup of columns by our members?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Proposed Library Cuts, Water Woes, Fouls on Caitlin Clark, Hinson, and Deere Negotiations

A reminder to a Supreme Court justice: Freedom of speech must include a freedom to hear, too — Randy Evans — READ…

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2 months ago · 17 likes · 1 comment

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First, this is big news for those interested in coming to the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. Here is the press release going out today:

Former Paramount Pictures President and Disney Production Chief David Kirkpatrick to Headline 2026 Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa — For the first time in its history, the Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat will welcome a former president of a major Hollywood studio to its faculty.

David Paul Kirkpatrick, former President of Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Group, former Production Chief of Walt Disney Studios, and founder of the internationally respected Story Summit, will join the faculty of the sixth annual Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat, September 27–30, at Lakeside Laboratory on the shores of West Okoboji Lake.

Kirkpatrick’s Hollywood career spans more than four decades and includes leadership of some of the film industry’s most celebrated productions and franchises. During his tenure, he oversaw or helped shepherd more than 200 motion pictures, including Top Gun, Indiana Jones, Star Trek, Beverly Hills Cop, Witness, The Little Mermaid, Dead Poets Society, and Pretty Woman. He is widely recognized as one of Hollywood’s most influential champions of story and creative talent.

Today, Kirkpatrick is founder of Story Summit, a global storytelling organization that brings together bestselling authors, Academy Award-winning filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, literary agents, publishers, and emerging creatives from around the world. Through Story Summit, he has become a sought-after mentor whose mission is to help storytellers create work that is not only commercially successful, but also meaningful and transformative.

“David’s career is extraordinary, but what excites me most is who he is today,” said Julie Gammack, founder of the Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat. “He has dedicated his life to helping writers, filmmakers, and artists discover the deeper purpose of their stories. That commitment to lifting others is exactly what the Okoboji retreat is all about.”

Kirkpatrick will present keynote sessions on cinematic storytelling, story development, creativity, and the business of entertainment. Throughout the retreat, participants will also have opportunities to engage with him in workshops, conversations, and informal gatherings designed to encourage collaboration and lasting creative relationships.

Now entering its sixth year, the Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat has earned a national reputation for bringing together accomplished professionals and emerging creators in an intimate, collaborative setting. Writers, songwriters, filmmakers, journalists, podcasters, and artists travel from across the country to participate in workshops, receive personal mentoring, and build relationships that often lead to publishing contracts, film projects, musical collaborations, and lifelong friendships.

Kirkpatrick joins one of the retreat’s strongest faculties to date, alongside nationally recognized authors, literary agents, journalists, musicians, memoirists, filmmakers, and publishing professionals.

Registration remains open, with attendees already registered from numerous states across the country.

About David Paul Kirkpatrick

David Paul Kirkpatrick is the founder of Story Summit and former President of Paramount Pictures Motion Picture Group. Earlier in his career, he served as Production Chief for Walt Disney Studios, overseeing both Walt Disney Pictures and Touchstone Pictures. His Hollywood career includes executive leadership on more than 200 feature films and decades of mentoring storytellers around the world through Story Summit’s conferences, workshops, and educational initiatives.

About the Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat

Founded by journalist and author Julie Gammack, the Okoboji Writers’ & Songwriters’ Retreat is an immersive four-day gathering that brings nationally recognized authors, literary agents, filmmakers, journalists, musicians, and creative professionals together with writers and artists from across the United States. The retreat is built on the belief that courage is contagious, stories change lives, and meaningful relationships are among the most valuable outcomes of any creative endeavor.

About Story Summit

Story Summit is a year-round writing school and creative community for writers of fiction, screenplays, television, memoir, and nonfiction. Its digital and onsite classes are taught live—not by academics—but by working professionals: writers, producers, editors, showrunners, and publishing experts who are actively engaged in the fields they teach.

Story Summit’s speakers and instructors have included award-winning storytellers whose work has been recognized with Pulitzer Prizes, Emmy Awards, Academy Awards, and other major honors.

At its heart, Story Summit helps writers build craft, confidence, community, and a sustainable creative life. Learn more.

Okoboji Enrollment Info

Iowa Down Ballot

If you love nerdy, in-the-know conversations about Iowa politics and you haven’t yet discovered the Iowa Down Ballot podcast, you are in for a shot of nirvana.

Fellow members of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative, facilitated by veteran broadcast political reporter , plus , and Kathie Obradovich of Iowa Capital Dispatch, offer a 30-minute conversation available on most podcast streaming services, including Apple and Spotify. Or, you can subscribe and have it delivered to your email inbox, and either read the transcript or listen within the Substack newsletter platform.

This podcast requires a degree of production costs that paid subscriptions so far do not quite cover. To assist, Richard and I are hosting a thank-you gathering for Dave, Laura, and Kathie at our home on Tuesday from 4-6:00 p.m. for financial supporters of Iowa Down Ballot. If you would like to join us, become a paid subscriber of the podcast, and fill out the RSVP form (location details will be sent upon RSVP completion):

Down Ballot Thank You Party

Iowa Down Ballot

Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat

If you still have questions about whether or not the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat is right for you, head over to Beaverdale Books on Tuesday evening and learn more about the retreat from and . I’ll be buzzing over there, too, and bringing libations and munchies.

(Yes, you eagle-eyed copy editors, both the Iowa Down Ballot gathering and the Beaverdale Books info session are on Tuesday evening. One of the many nice things about living in Des Moines is a nearby destination is almost always under 10 minutes away from point A to point B).

Thanks, too, for being a part of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative community. Did you catch the Sunday Roundup?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

The 4th, the 250th, 2 Invitations, a Libertarian for US Senate...

Live music! Support our friends at Iowa Capital Dispatch…

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2 months ago · 21 likes · 1 comment

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Our conversation explores the changing media landscape, the decline of traditional news outlets, and how younger audiences increasingly discover news through social media rather than newspapers or television. We also discuss how Creator Corps recruits and trains local voices, the importance of authentic community storytellers, and the opportunities—and challenges—of building trust, combating misinformation, and reaching people where they already spend their time online.

Whether you’re a journalist, writer, content creator, or simply interested in the future of local news, this conversation offers an inside look at how one organization hopes to reshape civic engagement and storytelling in Iowa.

See also: Iowa Starting Line

Creator Corps

Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat - Early Bird Registration ends July 5

I am happy to announce that Pat Rynard and Liz Fleming will be joining us for the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat. You’ll learn how and why to use some of these social platforms for storytelling.

Learn more

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you catch the roundup of extraordinary columns posted last week?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Lahn's Iowa Residency, Autoworker Fired Over a Cookie, America at 250, and the Economics of Immigration

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2 months ago · 24 likes · 1 comment

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Veteran Kansas political reporter Tim Carpenter joined the Potluck to discuss what Iowa voters may want to know about Republican gubernatorial nominee Zach Lahn’s years in Kansas. Throughout the conversation, Carpenter was careful to distinguish between documented facts, his own observations, and areas where he believes additional reporting is needed.

Carpenter noted that Lahn spent much of his adult life in Kansas, particularly in the Wichita area, where he became involved in politics, nonprofit work, education, and business ventures. Carpenter said he first became aware of Lahn’s Kansas background shortly before Iowa’s primary election and wrote a story examining that connection.

One of Carpenter’s observations was that Lahn presents himself as a political outsider, despite having spent years working in politics and advocacy organizations, including Americans for Prosperity, a national conservative organization with ties to businessman Charles Koch. Carpenter suggested that voters may wish to consider how that experience aligns with Lahn’s outsider message.

The discussion also focused on Lahn’s connection to the Koch family. Carpenter noted that Lahn worked with the Wonder School, an innovative private school in Wichita, and later married Annie Koch, formerly married to Chase Koch, son of Charles Koch. Carpenter said these connections are part of Lahn’s public biography and may help explain some of the opportunities available to him during his time in Kansas. However, Carpenter emphasized that he has no direct evidence regarding the role, if any, that Koch family members or Koch-affiliated organizations are playing in Lahn’s Iowa campaign.

Several participants asked about the Wonder School. Carpenter described it as an unusual educational model that has attracted attention in Wichita. At the same time, he said he would like to learn more about the school’s operations, outcomes, and leadership structure. Carpenter characterized his own understanding of the school as incomplete and said further reporting would be valuable.

Carpenter also discussed Lahn’s campaign positions on issues such as water quality, agriculture, and corporate concentration. He observed that some of Lahn’s rhetoric differs from traditional Republican messaging, particularly his criticism of agricultural monopolies and concerns about water pollution. Carpenter said it remains to be seen how prominently those issues will feature in the general election campaign and whether Lahn’s positions evolve over time.

When asked directly about Lahn’s honesty or trustworthiness, Carpenter repeatedly declined to offer a personal judgment. He stressed that he has written only one story about Lahn, has never interviewed him, and has not spent enough time around him to assess his character. Carpenter contrasted that with politicians he has covered for decades, where long experience sometimes gives reporters insight into a public official’s credibility. In Lahn’s case, Carpenter said he simply does not know enough to reach such conclusions.

The issue of residency also arose during the discussion. Carpenter acknowledged that Lahn appears to satisfy the legal requirements to run for governor of Iowa. However, he said voters may reasonably ask questions about a candidate who spent much of his adult life outside the state before returning and seeking statewide office. Carpenter framed this as a political question for voters rather than a legal challenge.

Overall, Carpenter portrayed Lahn as an intriguing and unconventional candidate whose background warrants continued scrutiny by journalists and voters alike. Rather than drawing firm conclusions, Carpenter repeatedly encouraged further reporting and fact-checking. His central message was that Iowans still have much to learn about Zach Lahn’s years in Kansas, his business and educational ventures, his political evolution, and how those experiences may shape his candidacy for governor.

The Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat is Proud to Sponsor Julie Gammack’s Potluck

Learn more

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

Did you catch the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative Roundup on Wednesday?

Iowa Writers Collaborative Roundup

Vilsacks Attend Obama Center Opening, Jello Salad Memories, Personal Essays, Emerging Journalist Corp

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2 months ago · 17 likes

There is a wide-open race for Iowa governor that will be decided in November. Republican nominee Zach Lahn narrowly won his party’s primary, yet many Iowans still know very little about him.

To help us better understand one of the contenders for Iowa’s top job, I’ve invited veteran Kansas journalist Tim Carpenter to join us Monday at noon. Carpenter has …

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Our guest on Monday knew at a very young age that he wanted baseball to be part of his life. As fate would have it, that wasn’t going to happen as a player.

Some people seem born for their names. Judges judge. Farmers farm. Bakers bake. And then there’s Jared Diamond.

A diamond, of course, is the shape of a baseball field. Not every Diamond becomes a baseball writer, but if you’re going to spend your career covering America’s pastime for The Wall Street Journal, it doesn’t hurt to have a memorable surname.

My Potluck podcast guest this week was sports journalist Jared Diamond, the national baseball writer for The Wall Street Journal. Jared has covered Major League Baseball for more than a decade, including assignments following both the New York Mets and New York Yankees before taking on his current national role. He joined the Journal in 2011 after graduating from Syracuse University’s renowned S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Jared is also the author of the bestselling book Swing Kings: The Inside Story of Baseball’s Home Run Revolution, an inside look at the data, technology, and personalities that transformed modern baseball. His reporting has taken him deep into some of the sport’s biggest stories, from the Astros sign-stealing scandal to labor disputes, gambling controversies, and the changing economics of professional sports.

One of the most interesting parts of our conversation had nothing to do with baseball.

Jared believes artificial intelligence is already changing sports and journalism, but not in the way many people fear. While he uses AI regularly for research and reporting support, he doesn’t use it to write. Instead, he sees it as a tool that can make journalists more efficient. The real value, he argues, will shift toward original reporting because AI can only analyze information that is already public. It cannot uncover stories that haven’t yet been reported.

In Jared’s view, the ability to discover new information — the essence of reporting — is “AI-proof” and may become even more valuable in the years ahead.

We also had terrific audience participation from Iowa Writers’ Collaborative members Chuck Offenburger, Rob Gray, Bob Leonard and Barry Piatt, along with Potluck readers Tim Grover and Brice Oakley.

Chuck was first up with a question many of us were wondering: How in the world did a young sportswriter land one of the most coveted jobs in journalism?

The podcast actually begins with Jared’s answer. Due to pilot error (me), I neglected to restart the recording after our opening conversation.

As it turns out, Diamond joined The Wall Street Journal almost by accident. After graduating from Syracuse University and completing an internship at the Virginian-Pilot, he learned that a former mentor was launching a sports section at the Journal. A simple email led to a job, then a baseball assignment, and ultimately a 15-year career covering the sport.

Today he enjoys extraordinary freedom to pursue stories that interest him rather than chasing transactions and breaking news.

He described his role as looking for stories that reveal something larger about baseball, business, culture, or human nature. Unlike many national baseball reporters, Diamond isn’t interested in being first with trade rumors or contract signings. Instead, he searches for stories no one else is telling and that wouldn’t exist without original reporting.

Diamond credits much of his success to Syracuse University’s student newspaper, The Daily Orange, where editors painstakingly reviewed and improved his work. He also emphasized a lesson that applies far beyond sports: Writers don’t need to be experts in a subject to tell compelling stories. Curiosity, fresh eyes and an interest in people matter more than encyclopedic knowledge.

Another topic that generated discussion was sports gambling. Diamond expressed deep concern about its rapid growth, calling it “an incredible net negative for sports.” He worries that a generation of young people has grown up with betting apps such as FanDuel and believes the long-term consequences are only beginning to emerge. He suggested that sports leagues are just starting to understand the risks gambling poses to the games themselves.

Throughout the conversation, Diamond returned to a theme that would resonate with any writer: Whether covering baseball, politics, business or the Olympics, the best stories are ultimately about people.

Statistics, analytics and technology have transformed sports. Human stories remain at the center of why readers care.

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Okoboji

Tick tock. The Early Bird discount ends July 5.

If you’ve been thinking about joining us in Okoboji this fall, now is the time.

This retreat is going to be the best one yet. Five literary agents. New memoir coaches. Bestselling authors. Journalists. Songwriters. Filmmakers. A community of people who understand what it means to create something from nothing.

Whether you’re just beginning to imagine a project or arriving with a manuscript under your arm, you’ll find encouragement, practical advice and fellow travelers on the path.

All skill levels are welcome. The expert was once a novice.

Come. Our T-shirt theme this year: Courage is contagious.

Iowa Writers’ Collaborative

I am delighted to be a founding member of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative. On July 7, Richard and I will host a special gathering for paid subscribers of the Iowa Down Ballot podcast.

Dave Price, Kathie Obradovich and Laura Belin are among the sharpest political observers in Iowa. Together, they provide reporting, analysis and context that help make sense of an increasingly complicated political landscape.

Independent journalism doesn’t happen by accident. It requires readers who value it enough to support it. We are grateful to the paid subscribers who help make Iowa Down Ballot possible, and we look forward to thanking them in person for sustaining this important work.

If you can join us from 4-6:30 p.m. on July 7, please RSVP and we will get you the location information.

RSVP

Please subscribe to Iowa Down Ballot:

Iowa Down Ballot

Dave Price is joined by professional political analysts Kathie Obradovich and Laura Belin discussIowa politics through refreshing, in-depth conversations about politics in this state.

By Iowa Writers Collaborative