Stories written by Freelance Writer

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch September 6, 2024 Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress results for spring 2024 show that the state has reached or surpassed pre-pandemic proficiency levels in English language arts and mathematics, according to the Iowa Department of Education. The department released results Friday from the spring 2024 assessment that determined […]
Sep 7 2024 | Posted in
State News |
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by Rekha Basu, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 27, 2024 Last week, for the second time in recent years, a group of celebratory friends and free-press advocates gathered on my lawn to toast a victory after a wrongful detention by Des Moines police. Ted Nieters, a freelance photojournalist, who had covered Middle East wars and conflicts […]

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 26, 2024 Iowa voters can begin requesting absentee ballots for the Nov. 5 general election beginning Tuesday. While Iowans can begin requesting absentee ballots beginning Aug. 27, it will still be some time before absentee voting will kick off. County auditors will begin sending out requested ballots on […]

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 23, 2024 Iowa Republican congressional candidates and supporters are bumping up campaign advertising in races that Democratic officials have targeted as potential pick-ups in the 2024 general election. While Republican incumbents are favored to win in Iowa’s congressional races, leaders with groups like the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the […]
Aug 25 2024 | Posted in
State News |
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by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 21, 2024 The Iowa Department of Education announced Wednesday that some elementary schools will use an AI reading assistant to help with literacy tutoring programs. The department made a $3 million investment into Amira (EPS Learning) for the use of a program called EPS Reading Assistant, an online […]

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 20, 2024 As cases of COVID-19 have increased across the country, there have been more reported cases of the virus in Iowa in recent weeks, according to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Positive COVID-19 tests in the state were at 20.7% from the week of […]
Aug 22 2024 | Posted in
State News |
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by Jack O’Connor, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 16, 2024 Summit Carbon Solutions has purchased old land easement agreements from a former rival company to help speed up its carbon pipeline construction project, Summit officials confirm. Summit’s former rival, Navigator CO2, attempted its own carbon dioxide pipeline project before backing out in October 2023. With Navigator […]

by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 15, 2024 The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services submitted a waiver request for participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s summer food assistance program to implement a separate summer feeding project. Advocates focused on addressing food insecurity have repeatedly called for Iowa to join the USDA […]
Aug 16 2024 | Posted in
State News |
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by Jennifer Shutt, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 14, 2024 WASHINGTON — The 2024 battle for control of Congress centers on just a handful of Senate races and about two dozen House seats, putting considerable pressure on those candidates to win over voters as party leaders and super PACs funnel millions of dollars into their campaigns. […]
Aug 16 2024 | Posted in
National News |
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by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch August 10, 2024 While major changes have shaken the 2024 presidential race in recent weeks, Libertarian presidential candidate Chase Oliver said at the Iowa State Fair Saturday it was important for voters to show their opposition to the two-party system regardless of who tops the ticket. When the Libertarian […]