SULLIVAN'S SALVOS

April 26, 2026

Sullivan’s Salvos 4/30/26

In this edition:

*Dems Hall of Fame Event

*Shooting in Iowa City

*Real Response to Shooting

*Budget Games

*Did You Know?

*Dems Hall of Fame Event

The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of Fame Awards on Saturday, May 16 at 6:30 pm at the Holiday Inn in Coralville. 2026 marks the 16^th consecutive year that the Johnson County Democratic Party has held a separate Hall of Fame event.

Please join us for coffee, desserts, and plenty of old war stories! A cash bar will be available.

The Hall of Fame inductees for 2026 are: Terry and Laurie Dahms, Linda Yanney, Joan and Tom Cook, and Mike Owen. We hope you can join us in recognizing this remarkable group!

Tickets are available for a $50 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that amount should still feel welcome. Sponsorships are available.

*Shooting in Iowa City

Downtown Iowa City was home to a shooting early Sunday morning, with 5 people injured, including 3 UI students. Needless to say, this is absolutely tragic. Like everyone else, I am praying for the best possible outcome for all the victims.

I really do not spend much time looking, but I am truly disheartened by so much of the response I have seen. Legitimate news organizations like KCRG and KWWL that allow comments on news stories are filled with vile, hateful stuff. We simply must do better.

This type of tragedy always strikes me a little bit differently on a personal note. My cousin was shot and killed by his wife when I was in high school. It was in Kansas City, Missouri, and the story is so tragic it does not even seem real. Both Perry (my cousin) and his wife struggled with mental health and substance abuse issues. She shot and killed him while my aunt stood ten feet away, holding the couple’s two small children. Again, tragic.

I will never forget the shootings that occurred on the UI campus on November 1, 1991. Like everyone who lived here at the time, I remember exactly where I was when I heard about it. It really felt at the time – and still feels today – that Iowa City was forever changed that day. There really was an innocence lost.

There was a local gun violence prevention group that arose out of that tragedy – the November 1^st Coalition. My wife Melissa is a very active member of Moms Demand Action. The Moms folks would like to connect with anyone who was involved in the November 1^st Coalition. If you are one of those people or know someone who was, please email me.

There are direct victims of violence. There are also many indirect victims. We just noted Crime Victim’s Rights Week. I wish we had no need to do so.

*Real Response to Shooting

There are many people in Johnson County government working in response to the shooting. I appreciate all their work. What I do not appreciate is political grandstanding.

On Thursday, April 23 the Board discussed a proposal from Supervisor Fixmer Oraiz to create a committee to address the shooting. In their memo, they said they had “spoken to community members and leaders” who thought the committee would be a good thing.

Interestingly, between the time of the shooting and the time I got the memo from Supervisor Fixmer Oraiz (3 days), I spoke to:

Six of the seven IC Council members; 3 Christian clergy and a Rabbi; two leaders of the local African American community, and numerous other local folks. I spoke to the Sheriff and the County Attorney. I attended the vigil that was held, and literally sat and stood amongst about a dozen members of the local gun violence intervention group Moms Demand Action, including my wife. I spoke to Directors of two nonprofit organizations that both serve a lot of minority youth. I also spoke at some length with the two employees of our Community Violence Intervention Program (CVI) – a program Supervisor Fixmer Oraiz voted against.

I spoke to over 30 people, all of which have a very vested interest in this topic. And they all can name things that need to be done. But you know what none of them asked for? Another committee.

CVI already has an advisory committee. Moms meets monthly. Johnson County has a Juvenile Justice and Youth Development Committee that has met monthly for 30 years!

We need to support these folks in what they do. Each group would be happy to have a few more people show up. But creating a new committee at this point is just politics. And it has real consequences; it takes time and energy away from the people already doing the real work.

What do I mean when I say support them? I have a lifetime perfect record on gun issues as a candidate. I have voted to fund CVI, and have spent years recruiting members for JJYD. I attend every Moms Demand Action public event. Support happens places other than the Boardroom.

Not counting suicides, there have been 21 people shot in Johnson County since the day Supervisor Fixmer Oraiz took office. They never suggested a committee after any of the first 16 shootings. They voted *against* the CVI program. Suddenly, the topic needs a committee? It is all just a bit too convenient for my tastes.

*Budget Games

Supervisor Mandi Remington recently introduced a spending measure that the Board discussed on Wednesday, April 22. The proposal was in response to a last second letter from Escucha Mi Vos demanding that Johnson County change our budget and hand money over to them. Supervisor Remington’s plan would not necessarily change our budget per se, but it has significant budget ramifications.

I have to say, I found this action to be extremely reckless! Allow me to explain why.

Let’s start with some background on our budgeting process. Johnson County has been working on the FY27 budget (which begins July 1, 2026) since December of 2025. Supervisors have had approximately 150 days – almost half a year – to bring up any budget item they wanted. I brought up several. Yet Supervisor Remington waited to discuss this issue until the day before the budget vote. I find this to be remarkably irresponsible.

The Board had three budget “votes.” In that process, we go person by person on spending measures. If the measure gets at least three Supervisors to agree, it stays in the budget. We do that three times, at which point the question is asked, “Do we have a budget every Supervisor can support?” If anyone answers no, we continue to negotiate. That question was answered in the affirmative by each Supervisor on March 3 of this year. We could have kept talking, but every Supervisor agreed we had created a budget they could support. So we stopped negotiating, and let the Finance Department put on the finishing touches.

No one – including Supervisor Remington – gave any indication whatsoever that they wanted to discuss additional items. Had it come up, it would have been discussed. But it did not. It feels as though we were lied to.

Supervisor Remington has made the argument that this is not a budget issue. That is because she proposes spending from our projected financial reserves. Let me address this point.

Johnson County maintains a healthy reserve fund. I actually worked with former Supervisor Janelle Rettig, former Treasurer Tom Kriz, and a couple others to develop the policy. And it has served us well! We have endured floods, tornadoes, COVID – all instances where having ample reserves came in handy.

I am often criticized for referring to our history, but I think an awareness of our history allows us to better serve the public. I am sure Supervisor Remington is unaware of this, but we also had a large fire once. We suffered major losses in our Secondary Roads Department. Despite having good insurance coverage, our insurance did not completely cover replacement costs for buildings and vehicles. We went through a lot of extra reserves that year. The point is, you have reserves for a reason.

Supervisor Remington argues that she is proposing to spend additional money “above and beyond” our reserve policy. That is untrue. Our reserve policy is a minimum. We may not go below it. That does not mean we should never exceed it.

What’s more, we still have no idea what Governor Reynolds and the Republicans in the Iowa Legislature will do to us. Remember, they are still in session, with a commitment to cutting property taxes. All we hear, frankly, is cutting property taxes. What does that mean? No one knows for certain. All the more reason to have some extra money in reserves.

Most importantly, this distortion of our budget process is very problematic. Elected Officials and Department Heads had several items they asked to have funded, and they were told no. Then at the 11^th hour, a Supervisor proposes to vault something else past all their requests in importance. That does not build trust or good will. Departments Heads and Elected Officials feel undercut by this proposal. These folks are our most valuable resource, and Supervisor Remington just crapped on their efforts.

It is not simply the things we denied, either. We asked Department Heads and Elected Officials to be frugal in anticipation of a tight budget year. And they did as they were asked. That means there are important things that never even got requested. Supervisor Remington should know this. She and I were the liaisons in 2025 for our Social Services Department. In October, November, and December the Department Director told us there were things she might have requested otherwise, but that would not ask because of our directive to keep spending down. Our Social Services Director did EXACTLY as she was asked to do. She told us she was doing it. And in return, Supervisor Remington proposes funding something completely different in the Social Services area.

This subversion of our processes is a slap in the face to the Department Heads and Elected Officials who did what they were asked to do. I am certain that this damages the trust between them and the Board. Our people deserve more respect than this. They deserve an apology.

I have things I would like to spend money on as well. For example, we need $200,000 to institute a much-needed Mental Health Court. We are not fully funding Community Violence Intervention (CVI). All the Supervisors showed up when the cameras were running at the vigil following the recent shooting; will they show up with funding for CVI? We need more navigators to help folks access Social Security, Medicaid, SNAP, state childcare assistance, and other benefits. We desperately need more money for eviction diversion. People are losing their housing. All of our pantries need more food. Shelter House is in desperate need of funding. If we really have the extra Supervisor Remington thinks we have, we could just fund Shelter House.

But none of these things gets to be considered. The only thing we voted on was the proposal from the person who failed to follow the same processes as everyone else. How fair is that? None of the things I mentioned above got a vote, because I followed the rules.

I heard one person in the crowd say, “He cares more about process than people.” In fact, people – our most vulnerable people – are the ones who would suffer if we fail to follow processes. It is SEATS riders. Folks getting services at GuideLink. Ambulance patients. General Assistance recipients. Kids being seen in a WIC clinic. Folks who get services from Shelter House, CommUnity, and other social service providers.

Finally, and I know this is more history, but I would urge Supervisor Remington to learn a bit about Steven Kanner. I knew Steven pretty well. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2015 at the tender age of 55. Kanner served on the Iowa City Council from 2000-2003. Steven was very progressive. He was also probably one of the 3-4 least effective councilors in the last 50 years.

Kanner had a big heart. And every year, just before the vote on the budget, he proposed budget changes. And every year, supporters and opponents alike shared their frustration with his tactics. The staff hated him – not because he was unkind. They hated him because he never followed the procedures – including those he himself had introduced.

History can teach us a few things. I hope future Supervisors will respect the budget process, respect their fellow Supervisors, and respect our Elected Officials and Department Heads. They all deserve better than this.

Meanwhile, in voting to take this action, Supervisors Remington and Fixmer Oraiz have demonstrated that they are unfit to hold office.

Here is the link to the video. It starts at 1:23 and ends at 2:05 – 42 minutes total.

https://johnson-county.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=1&clip_id=3639

*DID YOU KNOW? 84% of Iowa’s land is used for agriculture.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

www.johnsoncountyiowa.gov.

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

---Rod

April 19, 2026

I am a huge supporter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. The big fundraiser for that organization is coming right up!

This year’s NAMI Walk is Saturday, May 2 at 9 am at Terry Trueblood Recreation Area in Iowa City.

I have attended every NAMI Walk since its inception. I think it is important to show up and support such events, especially when you are NOT running for office.

One of the most powerful events of the year is Monday, April 27 when the Iowa City Federation of Labor hosts Worker’s Memorial Day at noon at the Iowa City Public Library.

Every year, somewhere around 80 Iowans head out the door to go to work and never return. Often this is due to employers who put profits ahead of worker safety. Unfortunately, state government in Iowa has spent the last decade loosening worker protections of all types. The results are very personal on this day.

David Axelrod is speaking at Hancher Auditorium on Tuesday, April 28 at 7:30 pm. That announcement brought back a lot of great memories for some of us who were involved in the 2007-8 Obama campaign.

So we are going to get together and reminisce! Please join us at Joe's Place in Iowa City from 5-6 pm that evening. This is very informal - just a nice walk down memory lane, and a reminder of what we can accomplish.

The event is informal; no need to RSVP, no food, and buy your own drinks. Please spread the word and invite anyone who would like to revisit that wonderful time!

The recent news of former California Congressman Eric Swalwell’s alleged sexual assaults has some of my acquaintances talking. On more than one occasion, I have heard people say, “That is just what powerful men do.”

I think a more accurate statement would be, “That is just what men do.” Not all men, of course. But far, far too many. My point is just that men need not be powerful to sexually assault women.

I spent over a decade as a Batterer’s Education Program (BEP) facilitator. I saw men from all walks of life. Yes, there were bank vice presidents, business owners, athletes, and at least one University bigwig.

But more often than not, the men worked in fast food, retail, or construction. Some were unemployed, and others were retired. You need not have political power to use power in your relationship. Statistics back this up. Sexual violence cuts across all economic classes, races, ethnicities, religions, and more.

It is not a popular position to hold in Iowa, but I think we need to reimagine the way we do agriculture. And there are opportunities to act now that would be to the benefit of us all.

For starters, look at the ongoing droughts in the American west. Why divert millions of gallons of water to agriculture in the west when most of those crops could be grown right here? That would allow westerners to respond to the drought, while we use our great soil to produce more actual food.

According to experts at Iowa State, all of the following vegetables thrive in Iowa and could do so at scale: kale, spinach, Brussel sprouts, Swiss chard, beets, green onions, lettuce, arugula, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, peas, beans, and radishes! We can grow just about everything!

My guess is that farmers in the west would hate the idea of ending production. But how much are we willing to spend to keep them in business? They are being heavily subsidized either way. So why use up all the water? It would be cheaper and better for the planet to pay them NOT to grow anything.

Farmers in the Midwest would hate it, too. Why? 1) People dislike change. 2) Farmers would need some new equipment. 3) Growing the crops would be more labor intensive. 4) It would be viewed as Communist.

But, Midwest farmers may NEED to consider something different soon. Because we are quickly moving to electric vehicles. What does that mean for farmers in the Midwest? Well, 33% of all corn goes toward ethanol. That ethanol will not be needed in electric vehicles. The market for a third of our corn could disappear. Shifting that cropland to food production makes a lot of sense.

And, farmers can get on the solar train! Consider the following stats from Bill Nussey:

If you compare the energy utility of an acre of solar panels to an acre of corn, the acre of solar wins by a landslide.

Each year, one acre of corn produces 551 gallons of ethanol, which is the equivalent of 386 gallons of gas. Using the average miles per gallon of a US automobile, this equates to 9691 miles driven per acre of corn per year.

In Iowa, an acre of solar panels produces 198,870 kilowatt hours each year. A typical EV drives approximately 3.6 miles per kilowatt hour. So, each year, an acre of solar panels produces enough energy for an EV to drive 710,250 miles. This is over 70 times the distance the same acre producing corn could provide.

Unlike ethanol, an acre of solar can power anything attached to the grid. The same Iowa acre, for instance, could also be used to provide 18 average US homes with electricity for the year.

The financial utility of replacing corn with solar also promises huge gains for farmers. For example, it is not uncommon for a farmer to make two to three times more money per acre leasing to solar rather than planting corn. Solar also guarantees a steady stream of revenue, unlike corn which stands the risk of crop failure and price volatility.

Nussey doesn’t even talk about the environmental benefits of less nitrogen and phosphate in the water supply, and more of our precious soil remaining in place. And the red herrings that are constantly brought up about taking up farmland? What if we simply exchange the amount of land dedicated to ethanol for land dedicated to vegetables and solar? Plus solar panels are easy to remove. What a huge win!

It is well past time that we consider doing some things differently when it comes to agriculture. Let’s get ahead of the curve and put our land to work in a better way!

The choir at St. Andrew Presbyterian Church sang this today. There were many tears shed. I had never heard this lovely song before, but I thought I would share it with you here. It is called “Plowshare Prayer,” and is by Spencer LaJoye.

Dear blessed creator, dear mother, dear savior
Dear father, dear brother, dear holy other
Dear sibling, dear baby, dear patiently waiting
Dear sad & confused, dear stuck & abused
Dear end of your rope, dear worn out & broke
Dear go it alone, dear running from home
Dear righteously angry, forsaken by family
Dear jaded & quiet, dear tough & defiant
I pray that I'm heard
And I pray that this works
I pray if a prayer has been used as a sword
Against you & your heart
Against you & your word
I pray that this prayer is a plowshare of sorts
That it might break you open
It might help you grow
I pray that your body gets all that it needs
And if you don't want healing
I just pray for peace
I pray that your burden gets lighter each day
I pray the mean voice in your head goes away
I pray that you honor the grief as it comes
I pray you can feel all the life in your lungs
I pray that if you go all day being brave
That you can go home, go to bed
Feeling safe
I pray you're forgiven. I pray you forgive
I pray you set boundaries & openly live
I pray that you feel you are worth never leaving
I pray that you know I will always believe you
I pray that you're heard
And I pray that this works
Amen on behalf of the last & the least
On behalf of the anxious, depressed & unseen
Amen for the workers, the hungry, the houseless
Amen for the lonely & recently spouseless
Amen for the queers & their closeted peers
Amen for the bullied who hold in their tears
Amen for the mothers of little Black sons
Amen for the kids who grow up scared of guns
Amen for the addicts, ashamed & hungover
Amen for the calloused, the wisened, the sober
Amen for ones who want life to be over
Amen for the leaders who lose their composure
And amen for the parents who just lost their baby
Amen for chronically ill & disabled
Amen for the children down at the border
Amen for the victims of our law & order
I pray that you're heard
And I pray that this works
I pray if a prayer has been used as a sword
Against you & your heart
Against you & your word
I pray that this prayer is a plowshare of sorts

*DID YOU KNOW? Interesting statistics from the Iowa Department of Corrections (DOC): just under 50,000 Iowans have involvement with the DOC. About 8800 are in prison, about 2000 are in residential settings (like Hope House in Coralville), and about 39,000 are on probation or parole.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

The Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County (NCJC) is holding its 3^rd annual Spring Gala on Saturday, April 18 at 5:30 at the Universalist Unitarian church in Coralville.

There is great food and music, a silent auction, and lots of fun! Tickets are still available; you can buy them here: https://givebutter.com/c/ncjcgala2026

My kids went to the Broadway Neighborhood Center, and now I have grandkids at the Pheasant Ridge Center. Please support this important organization!

Some of you probably paid attention to the recent Democratic Party US Senate Primary in Texas. In that race, State Senator James Talarico of Austin defeated Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett of Dallas by about six percentage points to win the Democratic nomination.

Both candidates raised and spent a lot of money. Like most elections it was held on a Tuesday. Obviously, the race was relatively close. Supporters of both sides in this primary said and did some things they shouldn’t. But on Wednesday morning, just a few hours after the race was called for Talarico, Crockett conceded.

She not only conceded, but threw her full support behind Talarico and every other Democrat in Texas. That could not have been easy.

I do not know about you, but I think Crockett deserves tremendous praise for being such a great team player. I hope she gets another shot someday, and I hope folks remember her selflessness.

I am particularly hopeful that candidates in Iowa take note. Following the primaries, we are going to need everyone pulling in the same direction!

The University of Iowa has an annual budget of just under a billion dollars. About 25% of that comes from State appropriations, or around $230 million. As you might imagine, despite occasional year-by-year blips, the trend line continues to go down.

I am hoping Rob Sand as Governor will help to change this direction. But let’s imagine the dismal but very real scenario that Sand loses. What is the future of the UI? It is really disturbing to consider. In the event that should occur, here is my “modest proposal.”

What if the UI were to privatize? Obviously, this would be a momentous decision. It would result in significant increases in tuition and significant cuts in course offerings. We would likely see staff and faculty layoffs. Buildings might get closed. It would be painful.

But would it be worth it in the long run? Would the benefits of being free of the yoke of people like Taylor Collins outweigh a decade of horrible finances? I think it is worth considering.

There are examples – National Public Radio was getting about 12% of its funding from the Federal government when that was cut to zero. It is my understanding that they have gotten really close to replacing that lost revenue, and they are now free from the vagaries of the US Government.

There are also private universities in the Big Ten. Northwestern (a full member) is private, as is the University of Chicago (a member for academics only). So there is precedence.

My guess is the bulk of the current GOP would rather get their jollies “owning the libs” than save $230 million a year. But perhaps their constituents would feel differently.

The return on investment from investing in State Universities is huge, and always has been. But that does not keep Legislators from under-investing. The facts don’t really matter here – it is philosophical. So if they are truly philosophically opposed to the spending, perhaps we should create an off-ramp.

I hope we do not have to deal with this. I really truly believe that the State government owes it to the people of Iowa to provide and robustly support a high-quality State University system. But if a majority of Iowans vote to go a different direction? Then we should have a plan B.

(This ran in Salvos in July of 2025. But I am so impressed, I decided to run it again!)

I LOVE the Iowa City Ambassadors! In case you are unfamiliar, I took the following from their website:

“Launched in 2024, the Downtown Iowa City Ambassador Program is a collaborative effort between the City of Iowa City and the Iowa City Downtown District. The goal is to make downtown a vibrant, safe, and inviting place for everyone to shop, dine, play, and conduct business. To support enhanced experiences, a significant portion of the ICDD budget with support from the City of Iowa City parking and transportation services is dedicated to keeping the area clean, safe, and welcoming all year round.

Our team of 18 ambassadors work daily from 6:00 AM to evening, providing essential services such as trash removal, sidewalk cleaning, and pressure washing. In addition to keeping our streets clean, the ambassadors serve as helpful resources for both locals and visitors, offering information, assistance, vehicle help, and safety escorts, while reporting issues that need attention.

Not only does Iowa City look much better, the few Ambassadors with whom I have interacted have been exactly that – Ambassadors for Iowa City! I am really impressed with the results of this program!

In addition, while their unions did not separately endorse, I have been endorsed by the Presidents of:

Speaking of the campaign – I have written very little about it here, and that is purposeful. I figure that is not why you subscribe to Salvos, so I am certainly not going to focus on the topic.

That said, I do reserve the right to throw in a few things like the item above. I promise it will not be too much.

I did want to share an anecdote that I find amusing. There is a tendency for people to ask you, “How is the campaign going?” It is amusing because there is simply no way to know!

Every candidate has a few strong supporters and a few folks who do not care for them. More importantly, most eligible voters have *no idea* who the members of the Board of Supervisors are. In that environment, getting good feedback is pretty challenging. No polling exists at this level.

So if you ask me, “How is the campaign going?” I’m going to answer politely. But in truth I have no idea!

(This ran in Salvos on January 8 of this year. I certainly hope things are better now that Bondi is gone, but I fear they may actually get worse. We may have just replaced an incompetent evil person with a competent evil person. We shall see.)

There are so many things so deeply wrong with the Trump Administration, one might believe it is difficult to describe something as “worst.” In fact, I believe there is a “worst” in the Trump Administration that has affected literally everything else. In my opinion, the worst thing to happen during the Trump Administration has been the abdication of duty by the Justice Department.

If Attorney General Pam Bondi had taken her oath of office seriously, the US could be a very different place right now. In the recent past, the DOJ would never have allowed all the financial entanglements of Trump and his cabinet. The “gifted” Qatari jet. Tom Homan and a bag of cash. Kash Patel and Kristi Noem’s profligate spending of public money on personal things. Jared Kushner’s many dealings. All of it is illegal.

She has allowed the DOJ to be co-opted for political prosecutions of Trump’s enemies. She allowed Trump to extort money from businesses in the US and abroad, and allowed him to meddle in business mergers. All of it is illegal.

She has allowed the Administration to ignore court orders on immigration, the Epstein files, and more. Will she explain why Ghirline Maxwell has a cushy federal prison cell? No. Bondi has replaced attorneys who refuse to take illegal actions. All of it is illegal.

Bondi has pressured lower levels of government and private companies to back off DEI commitments. She has allowed illegal union busting. She has overseen the pardoning of all kinds of criminals, including those who killed police officers on January 6, 2021. She has enabled a system of buying pardons from the President. All of it is illegal.

We knew this was coming. Bondi dropped all Florida charges against Trump several years ago after he endorsed her reelection. He knew what he was buying.

We have different branches of government for a reason. It serves as a system of checks and balances. While the DOJ is under the Executive Branch, it, too, has long maintained an independence that served to protect the American people. No more.

There is much evil in the Trump Administration. They are the worst, most criminal Administration in American history. And other than Donald Trump, the person who sold out the American people to the greatest extent ever is Attorney General Pam Bondi.

*DID YOU KNOW? Over 10,000 workers in Johnson County are represented by a union.

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

These messages come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise mentioned.

If you do NOT want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type "unsubscribe" in the subject line.

If you know anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail me at rodsullivan29@gmail.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.

As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

April 12, 2026

My daughter Jordan turns 32 on April 8^th. Jordan works at a place very similar to Four Oaks (but much larger) called Youth Villages in Memphis, Tennessee. She has worked there ever since she graduated from college. She continues to get promoted, and is doing very well professionally.

In addition, she coaches area youth (little kids through high school) in basketball and track. Jordan was always a great athlete, and she is really having fun with the kids!

More importantly, Jordan is a really good person. Man, am I ever proud! Happy Birthday, Jordan! I love you!

Happy Birthday to local activist, Labor leader, journalist, Scrabble Club President, and general man-about-town Gary Sanders, who turns 79 on April 14. If you know Gary, please drop him a line and wish him a Happy Birthday!

Perhaps you saw the stories about Kristi Noem’s husband, and noted how Kristi Noem is now requesting privacy.

Here is the deal: I could care less what Bryon Noem does behind closed doors. As long as he is not hurting someone else, he should do whatever makes him happy.

But for Kristi Noem to request privacy? When her agents pulled people out of cars because of their appearance, did those folks get privacy? When her agents pulled children out of schools and daycares, did those folks get privacy? When her agency used their own “administrative” warrants to illegally search people, did those folks get privacy? When her agents broke down the doors to private homes, did those folks get privacy? When people (including kids) were housed in concentration camps with inadequate food, water, toilet, and medical services, did those folks get privacy? When her agents beat and in several cases murdered people, did those folks get privacy?

You all know that Johnson County has needed a better jail for better than three decades. The current structure is unsafe for inmates and staff alike, and we spend your tax dollars shipping inmates to other counties. The whole thing is a mess, and needs to be fixed.

Well, decision day is near! The Board has been pursuing locations for a new jail, and Supervisors will soon be taking a public vote on whether or not to support a new jail. Stay tuned!

20 years ago this week a huge tornado roared through Iowa City, changing lives forever. On April 13, 2006, a tornado rated F-2 by the National Weather Service (wind speeds over 150 mph) hit Iowa City on a Thursday evening.

In its 5-mile path, the tornado uprooted trees, overturned cars, semis, and a train. It severely damaged many businesses and homes and destroyed St. Patrick Catholic Church, which had been located at 228 E. Court St. for more than a century. While there were around 40 injuries reported in Johnson County, remarkably only one person died, and that was in a neighboring county.

Houses on Iowa Avenue, Rochester Avenue, Hotz Avenue, and the surrounding area took the brunt of the blow. The Dairy Queen on Riverside Drive, Wal Mart, Menards, Carousel Motors, and many other businesses took huge hits. The Alpha Chi Omega sorority was destroyed. The 100+ year old home that housed the Randy Larsen Law Offices was demolished. Streetlights were twisted like paper clips. A huge glass window fell out of one of the Moen Buildings downtown. And as I mentioned, Saint Patrick’s Church was completely destroyed.

First and most importantly, I was absent for the immediate clean up and recovery. As I noted, the tornado hit Thursday evening. I joined other Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Board members and huddled with Emergency Management Director Dave Wilson Friday morning, and he filled us in on the most critical next steps. Then late Friday morning my family got the call that Melissa’s mother might not make it through the night. We went to Des Moines Friday after school, and she passed on Saturday evening. We came back to Iowa City on Sunday afternoon, and a remarkable amount of recovery was already well underway. I loved my mother-in-law very much, and I always associate her passing with that dark day.

The Board of Supervisors was meeting that Thursday evening in the Boardroom at the Admin Building. Luckily, virtually no members of the public were present. We heard the sirens and recessed the meeting, and retreated to the bottom floor of the building, where the mechanical systems sat. You have probably heard folks say that a tornado sounds like being next to a train? It is true. I will never forget the looks on the faces of my colleagues as we heard the tornado pass. After about 3-4 minutes it got much quieter, and we stepped out the west doors. The trees at the Admin Building were full of insulation from the roofs of other buildings. A mattress from a distant store was laying in the yard. And as we looked east, we could see the tornado in the neighborhood of Hickory Hill Park.

We somehow maintained power in the building, so we ran upstairs and formally closed things out very quickly. And that is when I realized it was going to be almost impossible to drive home. For one, there were power lines down everywhere. In other cases, trees blocked the road. Our Ambulance Director shared with me a few days later how furious he was with the public – within an hour, Burlington Street was choked with cars full of gawkers. Ambulances were stuck in the street, lights and sirens on, but no way to get through. I finally managed to get home, and my phone continued to ring off the hook for hours with people sharing stories of the damage.

I lived for almost 24 years as backdoor neighbors to our good friends Dan and Beth Daly. The Daly family had a remarkable set of experiences on that evening. Dan is a lifelong member of St. Patrick’s Church, and a devout Catholic. He has attended services at St. Pat’s his whole life – he continues to go to the “new” St. Pat’s today. It just so happens that April 13, 2006 was Maundy Thursday, so Dan planned to attend services.

When he asked Beth about it, she noted that her and their daughter Megan were going to go to Wal Mart instead. As a longtime labor activist, Dan bristled at his family shopping at Wal Mart, so a brief argument ensued.

The tornado hit Wal Mart while Beth and Megan were there. They ended up pulling mattresses off shelves and helping others shelter underneath them. All sorts of debris cam down on them and the other shoppers, but thanks to their quick thinking, no one was badly hurt.

The tornado then got to St. Pat’s. Father Rudy Juarez was the Priest that evening, and he hustled all the worshippers out of St. Pat’s and into the basement of the rectory next door. He got them there just in time, as minutes later both buildings were destroyed.

Once the family reunited and knew they were all safe, Dan made a snide comment – “That shows you what God thinks of Wal Mart!” Beth wasted no time in replying, “Then what must he think of St. Pat’s?”

Thank God they were able to laugh after that night, because many folks were not. The tornado of 2006 did a great deal of lasting damage. On the bright side, the community really rallied around their neighbors who suffered losses. I will never forget that night – and I certainly hope I never have to relive it!

One final interesting note – Iowa City never received a Federal Disaster Declaration for the 2006 tornado. Many feel it was because our then-US Representative Jim Leach had angered the Bush Administration with his anti-Iraq War rhetoric. Not to mention the fact that Leach was making the request for an area where Bush had actually finished *third* twice behind Gore/Kerry and Nader. Leach would go on to lose his own election that fall to Dave Loebsack.

The Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County (NCJC) is holding its 3^rd annual Spring Gala on Saturday, April 18 from 5:30-8:30 pm at the Universalist Unitarian Society, 2355 Oakdale Rd, Coralville.

There is great food, a silent auction, and awards given to deserving community members. And all for a good cause!

My children went to NCJC when they were babies. And now I have grandchildren there. It is still doing magnificent work all those many years later.

The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of Fame Awards on Saturday, May 16 at 7pm at the Holiday Inn in Coralville. 2026 marks the 16^th consecutive year that the Johnson County Democratic Party has held a separate Hall of Fame event.

Please join us for coffee, desserts, and plenty of old war stories! A cash bar will be available.

The Hall of Fame inductees for 2026 are: Terry and Laurie Dahms, Linda Yanney, Joan and Tom Cook, and Mike Owen. We hope you can join us in recognizing this remarkable group!

Tickets are available for a $35 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that amount should still feel welcome. Sponsorships are available.

*DID YOU KNOW? Iowa averages about 50 tornadoes per year. (Source: National Weather Service.)

Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-

"Sullivan’s Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.

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As always, feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan29@gmail.com. I look forward to serving you!

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