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Iowa politicians call for prayers for Trump’s safety
Iowa’s congressional and state politicians called on people to pray for the safety of former President Donald Trump on Saturday following an apparent assassination attempt. Shots rang out while Trump was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, after which Trump was seen with blood on his face, near his ear. Campaign officials have said […]
D.C. Dispatch: Biofuels, baby formula and noncitizens voting
Iowa lawmakers voiced concerns this week about noncitizens voting in federal elections as well as delays to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision on new biofuel standards. Members of Iowa’s delegation also introduced new bills aimed at eliminating potential political biases in the Office of Inspector General and increasing the production of baby formula. Here’s what […]
Cedar Rapids investors hope third time’s the charm with new casino proposal
An Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission vote on Feb. 6, 2025, will decide whether a proposed $250 million Cedar Rapids casino is approved or becomes the third in the line of failed casino proposals. The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission, which approves casino licenses, laid out the timeline for the casino application as well as […]
Bird files court brief defending Arkansas ban on school indoctrination
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has filed a brief in federal court on behalf of 14 states defending an Arkansas law that prevents “indoctrination in K-12 schools.” A federal district court ruled the state could not prevent two teachers from discussing the ideas of critical race theory – a primarily collegiate academic theory that asserts […]
Woodbury County wants to provide tax relief for families of fallen heroes
Woodbury County supervisors are seeking state approval of a new law that would provide tax relief to the families of fallen first responders and officers. The tax-relief proposal would eliminate property taxes for the surviving family members of police officers and first responders killed in the line of duty. Woodbury County Supervisors Jeremy Taylor and […]
Gaming regulators to discuss timeline of proposed Linn County casino
The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission will discuss the application timeline of a new casino in Cedar Rapids in a Friday morning meeting. The Linn County Gaming Association and its casino operator partner Peninsula Pacific Entertainment submitted an application shortly after Iowa’s two-year moratorium on new gaming licenses ended at the beginning of July. The […]
State Sen. Waylon Brown announces surprise resignation
North central Iowa State Sen. Waylon Brown resigned from office Monday, weeks after winning a close primary election. Brown, R-Osage, said his decision would be effective Wednesday via a statement released Monday morning but did not provide a reason for his decision. “I will forever be grateful to the people of my district who entrusted […]
D.C. Dispatch: Electric vehicles, drug trafficking and cybersecurity
New electric vehicle standards, veteran local health care access and cybersecurity concerns were all the subjects of letters sent to different government agencies by Iowa lawmakers this week. A new bill would require social media platforms to report instances of drug trafficking to authorities. Read about what Iowa’s congressional delegation has been up to below: […]
Where to celebrate Independence Day around Iowa
Food, music and fireworks will all be in abundance on Thursday across Iowa as part of July 4th celebrations. Notable events for the holiday include firework shows, parades and a three-day jazz festival. Due to flooding along the Mississippi River, many planned Fourth of July events near the river have been canceled or postponed like […]
Coalition sees future of Iowa agriculture in food diversity, not ethanol and animal feed
A new plan for Iowa agriculture seeks to increase the state’s production of food rather than ethanol and animal feed, the Iowa Food System Coalition announced at a Monday press conference. The plan, known as Setting the Table for All Iowans, outlines the coalition’s policy goals which include producing more locally grown food, getting more […]
D.C. Dispatch: Iowa lawmakers focus on bird flu, disaster aid, returning tribal land
Iowa lawmakers introduced bills this week to return tribal land to the Winnebago Tribe and provide greater tax relief to small businesses abiding by Paid Family and Medical Leave and victims of natural disasters. The entire Iowa congressional delegation also signed a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture asking it to better compensate farmers […]
Two more Iowa dairy herds reported with avian flu
Two more reports of avian flu in Sioux County dairy herds were announced on Thursday, marking the 13th report of bird flu in dairy cattle herds in Iowa for June. Sioux County’s problems with bird flu continue as these two recent reports leave the county with 12 reports of cattle herds and one chicken flock […]