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of the board was to provide a method for primarily minority people feeling oppressed by the police to seek redress, it makes sense for the board to consist primarily of the groups likely to use it. One of the problems leading to the board’s creation is the blind denial that anything untoward happened and the default stance of siding with the police among white people who mostly don’t deal with being targeted by police without cause. Filling the board with mostly people who don’t need to deal with the problems the board is meant to address could potentially completely undermine its purpose. —F.S.

But as a poor white person when I was young, the cops absolutely hassled us for various reasons as well. Poverty attracts crime, which attracts suspicion and harassment from the cops at times. Some of it is warranted...some of it quite literally was not in my case. Clearly

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this affects minorities more, but we (poor whites) also need a voice. The revised requirements seem like a good compromise. —R.A.

The anti-abortion bill set to pass in Iowa this week would go into effect immediately (July 10)

If Reynolds gets her wish, in Iowa, a corpse will have more rights than a female of childbearing age over her own body. How effed up is that? She has already made it so hard for women to get safe and legal abortions that they can’t go to their own OB-GYNs because of their fear of reprisals. It’s just dystopian and no business of the state’s.

—Nikole P.T.

The Iowa that I left behind 22 years ago was one of the more moderate states in the country. Now, after decades of exporting its youth to more prosperous and culturally active states, the aging population that has stayed behind, have turned it into one of the most far right in the country. It’s truly heartbreaking to behold. —Lance E.

I think the governor should be personally sued for the cost of the special session and security costs as well. The republican’s abortion ban was not an emergency that needed immediate action, it was a “choice.” —Randi B.

Magic the Gathering. Video Games. Warhammer. Warmachine. RPGs. Board Games. X-Wing. Dice. LotR. HeroClix. Miniatures. GoT. Blood Bowl. L5R. Pokemon. Yu-Gi-Oh. Kidrobot Vinyl. Retro toys. Pop vinyl & plushies. Gaming & collectible supplies.

Huge Magic singles inventory plus we buy/trade MtG cards. Weekly drafts, FNM, league play, and frequent tourneys.

Now buying/selling/trading video games & toys! Bring in your Nintendo Gameboy, NES, SNES, N64, Gamecube, Sega, WiiU, Xbox 360, PS1-2-3, & other used games, consoles, action figures, and toys for cash or trade credit!

Fun atmosphere and great customer service!

115 S. Linn Street (by the Public Library), Iowa City Tel: 319-333-1260; Email: chg@criticalhitgames.net www.criticalhitgames.net @criticalhitgamesiowacity

We won’t be able to attract a lot of talented people anymore if (when) this happens. —David R.

As the governor prepares to sign a new, fast-tracked abortion ban into law, ACLU of Iowa prepares its legal challenge

(July 12)

So much concern for fetuses, so

Momboy Lauren Haldeman

little concern for actual children in need. “We’re going to force you to give birth to a child, after that you and the baby are on your own.” —Edward

K.

The Gas Lamp goes out after 12 years serving the Des Moines music scene (July 13)

My favorite Des Moines bar. I’m so sad this has happened.

—Alan C.

Part of the continuing wasted opportunity of the “western gateway”. Interesting cultural spaces like this make the area desirable places to be and raise the land value, and then developers miss the point by turning it into luxury apartments or corporate headquarters no one wants. —M.G.

Iowa’s ‘chocolate milkshake’ water, expensive to filter and a menace downriver, comes courtesy of Big Ag and its allies in the statehouse (July 14)

“Since 1990, Iowa’s large animal feeding operations increased almost fivefold, from 789 to 3,936. These operations now house more than 22.7 million hogs” from EWG.org. The demand is largely from Japan, China, and Mexico. Iowa farmers are the ones responsible for making deals with these mega producers. DNR is responsible for not setting limits on # of CAFOs, not well-regulating use of hog waste on fields, and removing buffer restrictions that used to be in place for runoff filtration. These pigs eat corn and soy grown right here in Iowa. It’s a well oiled machine that would take a colossal effort to dismantle. —Belinda

B

Anyone in Iowa that has grown up here should be able to see what the lakes and rivers have turned into. The lake near me that I used to swim in as a kid is no longer in use. And it hasn’t been for years! —Sara W.