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Voters approve constitutional amendment on gun rights
The constitutional amendment restricting infringement on gun ownership and use on Iowa voters’ ballots passed on Tuesday. The ballot question received 65.1% “yes” votes and 34.9% “no,” with 98% precincts reporting, according to unofficial results. The Associated Press projected just before 11 p.m. Tuesday that the amendment had been approved. Constitutional amendments need a simple […]
Feenstra wins reelection in Iowa’s 4th District
Rep. Randy Feenstra has won a second term in the U.S. House of Representatives with 67.4% of the vote over Democratic challenger Ryan Melton, based on unofficial results. With 99% of precincts reporting Wednesday, Melton had 30.4% of the vote and Liberty Caucus candidate Bryan Jack Holder had 2.2%. The Associated Press called the race […]
Iowa’s congressional candidates view health care as top policy issue
Health care remains a top issue for Iowa’s U.S. House and Senate candidates as the Nov. 8 election comes up, with most of them ranking the topic in their top five priorities. Here are the Republican and Democratic candidates’ positions on several health care issues. Expanding rural health care Mike Franken, Iowa’s Democratic candidate for […]
Enrollment drops but student diversity increases at Iowa’s public universities
The Iowa Board of Regents reported a drop in undergraduate enrollment at the three state universities during the 2022 fall semester. The 1.3% decline is nearly half of last year’s enrollment drop. The universities saw a 2.5% decrease, which represented more than 1,800 students, last fall. State university enrollments have been shrinking since fall 2017. Fall […]
Iowa auditors report lower absentee ballot requests, early voting numbers
Election officials from some of Iowa’s largest counties are seeing fewer absentee ballot requests and lower early voting counts. Monday marked the final day for Iowa voters to apply for an absentee ballot to be mailed to them following new laws for early voting passed in February 2021 by the Iowa Legislature. The window for […]
Barriers remain for felon voting rights in Iowa, advocates say
A year after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order restoring felon voting rights, advocates said there are still various barriers to Iowans looking to restore their right to vote. Betty Andrews, president of the Iowa-Nebraska NAACP, said in an interview with “Iowa Press” that formerly incarcerated individuals may be hesitant to deal with government […]
D.C. Dispatch: Iowa lawmakers push for aid to contract swine growers
This week in Washington, D.C., the members of the Iowa delegation penned a letter to get pandemic relief to contract swine growers. They also introduced amendments to the Senate’s budget blueprint and co-sponsored bills on telemedicine. Iowa Republican Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst joined Democratic Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith in a […]
Online education options see increased interest as COVID cases rise
As Iowa schools prepare for a third school year disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, distance learning options are multiplying and receiving strong support. Steven Hoff, the head of the Iowa Virtual Academy, said the pandemic has created an influx of registrations to his school, alongside more online options popping up across the country and state. […]
Hundreds attend event calling for Reynolds to reverse ban on mask mandates
A dozen days before the school year begins, hundreds of parents, educators, and doctors called on Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to rescind the ban on mask mandates. Iowans for Universal Masks gathered Wednesday on the West Capitol Terrace with signs and banners, pleading with Reynolds to take executive action and allow localities to mandate masks. […]
Iowa child care crisis continues despite legislative pushes
Iowa still has a child care crisis, advocates and lawmakers say, despite legislation approved this year aimed at easing the crunch. The Iowa Legislature passed three bills addressing child care this year, ranging from from changing tax credits to increasing the number of children in unregulated child care facilities. Rep. Tracy Ehlert, D-Cedar Rapids, said […]
Broadband grant applicants request nearly $300 million
The state has received nearly $300 million in grant applications for the $100 million the Iowa Legislature passed to expand broadband services. A total of 178 applicants requested more than $292 million from the Empower Rural Iowa Broadband Grant Program. Applications were submitted between July 1 and July 28. Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday that […]
Some Iowa animal shelters fill up as pet adoptions drop, surrenders increase
Animal shelters across the state are seeing fewer pet adoptions as Iowans return to in-person events and work. Animal adoptions skyrocketed in early 2020 across the country as Americans began working and learning from home, with one in five households acquiring a new pet between March 2020 and May 2021, according to a survey by […]