Letters & Interactions

LV encourages community members, including candidates for office, to submit letters to Editor@LittleVillageMag.com. To be considered for print publication, letters should be under 500 words. Preference is given to letters that have not been published elsewhere.

Under Bird, the Iowa AG office has stopped covering emergency contraception for sexual assault survivors (April 8)

What’s not appropriate use of public funds? These are rape victims. Have we sunk this low? —Dennis J.

I’m pretty sure the conclusion of her “careful evaluation” will be to punish rape victims further and deny them contraception. —Mary

Beth M.

This constituent thinks it’s absolutely an appropriate use of public funds. I mean, aren’t they trying to limit abortions anyway!? What a moron. —Krystal

L.E.

So tired of the pseudochristians using their political positions to force others to live under their beliefs. —Ricky

W.

Workers behind the scenes of Iowa’s biggest productions seek ‘voice, power and protection’ through unions (April 10)

There’s no good reason to keep stage employees (IATSE) and music artists (AGMA) separated. If they work in literally the same building for the same employer, they have the same interests. Siloing them off into their own separate labor organizations only weakens the power of organized labor. One big union y’all.

—Rickey W.

These people are huge reason our community is as great as it is - happy to see them working towards getting the pay and benefits they deserve. —B.W.G.

Sharon Malheiro, attorney who helped win marriage equality for Iowans, has died (April 11)

What a loss. We’re so fortunate that she worked so tirelessly as an advocate and as an attorney for LGBT people in this state. We need One Iowa more than ever with our current legislature and governor. Her legacy lives on through it. —L.N.

Sharon is the primary reason Iowa won marriage equality, especially as early as we did. —Kate

I was an admin assistant at the same firm, and worked down the hall from her. I vividly remember the day the Iowa Supreme Court decided on marriage equality. She was so happy! She will be missed. —A.N.C.

I’ve known her more than half my life and I just feel like this huge vacuum suddenly took her place in my life. —Rivkah

May her memory be a blessing. —L.J Y.

Iowa Supreme Court rejects Gov. Reynolds’ attempt to have open records

Editor’s note: Ally Frame, cover artist for the April issue, was not credited in the magazine. Little Village regrets this error.

/LittleVillage READER POLL:

A Utah-based company is purchasing Kum & Go. If they decide to rebrand, what should the new name be?

Kum Don’t Kum

lawsuit thrown out (April 18)

It should be telling, and a red flag for ALL, when someone fights against oversight. It’s also incredibly odd that she has made a habit of turning down federal fundsmillions, if not more, of federal funds that would be life changing for some Iowans. Why, when she is cutting funding across the board and making getting funds much harder for those already struggling, would she then turn away millions of dollars?!

—Nicole P.

Iowa Legislature OKs Reynolds’ remaining education restrictions (April 24)

“An exemption for the Bible and other religious texts that contain descriptions of sex acts was added.” Hypocrites all.

—Ben S.

Iowa also passed a Bill at 4 am that legalized Child Labor. 14-year-old children can serve alcohol if passed. That’s why banning books and closing libraries make sense. No need for education since children must work adult jobs so Republicans can have a minority rule autocracy. —Sheila S.

Iowa Senate Republicans maintain status quo spending on state parks, water quality improvements (April 26)

“Maintaining the status quo for spending” i.e. All state funded parks and water quality improvement programs just got a budget reduction due to inflation. —P.S.

And the maintenance backlog due to prior years’ underfunding just got longer. —C.F.