Burns, 36, a fourth-generation Iowa journalist, writes a twice-weekly column - "Taking Note" - for the Daily Times Herald's editorial page. In addition Burns covers city hall, state and national politics, business and government and handles some general assignment and feature work.
After graduating from Carroll High School in 1987, Burns went to the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. He wrote for The Palm Beach Post in Florida, then covered energy policy for Inside Washington Publishers of Arlington, Va. He also worked for The Ames Tribune for two years. From 1995 to 1996, Burns served as the Washington, D.C., -based press secretary for U.S. Rep. Pat Danner of Missouri.
Burns has been back at his family's daily paper in Carroll since December 1996.
