Give Gov. Hughes credit for news conferences

As surviving members of the staff of Iowa Gov. Harold E. Hughes in the 1960s, we have read with interest recent newspaper articles about Gov. Kim Reynolds discontinuing regular weekly news conferences. In those articles, the late Gov. Robert D. Ray is credited with having started the practice of holding regular weekly news conferences.

Based on our involvement, we would like to expand the record to include Gov. Ray's predecessor. From the time he took office in 1963, Gov. Hughes met with the statehouse press corps in his office around 9 a.m. every day when he was in town.

As we recall, except when he was on the road, he continued his regular meetings with the press until he left for the United States Senate six years later.

Dwight Jensen, Iowa City

Bill Hedlund, Des Moines

Martin Jensen, Haymarket, Va.