by Clark Kauffman, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 30, 2024 A Cedar Rapids city employee is seeking workers’ compensation benefits for injuries he attributes to the city’s repeated promotion of the COVID-19 vaccine. State and court records indicate that in April 2021, the City of Cedar Rapids began hosting vaccine clinics and sending out emails and […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 29, 2024 Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed on to a letter Monday alongside 47 other state governors, as well as five territories and commonwealths, opposing the Biden administration’s move to incorporate Air National Guard service members into the Space Force. The letter from the National Governors’ Association, addressed […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 23, 2024 In their final days of the 2024 legislative session, Iowa lawmakers approved $8.9 billion in state spending for the upcoming year, financing the state government and public services. Most of those decisions now await a thumbs up or down from the governor. Appropriations bills included funding […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 21, 2024 As Iowa lawmakers ended the 2024 legislative session, Republican leaders said they passed their priorities, including changes to Iowa’s Area Education Agencies, many K-12 education initiatives and income tax cuts. “Iowa has set a course for transformation, and it was the driving force of the 2024 […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 20, 2024 The Iowa Legislature adjourned the 2024 legislative session in the early hours Saturday, passing most of the Republican trifecta’s legislative priorities for the year. The Senate ended the year at 3:26 a.m., with the House following suit at 4:23 a.m. In the final hours, lawmakers passed […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 15, 2024 A bill regulating — but not banning — traffic camera use by local law enforcement was sent to Gov. Kim Reynolds by the Senate with bipartisan support Monday. House File 2681 passed 46-1 Monday, with Sen. Lynn Evans, R-Aurelia, voting against he measure. The bill gives […]
by Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 11, 2024 Warm soil temperatures and favorable weather have allowed farmers across Iowa to start planting corn and soybeans this week, according to several field agronomists. Wednesday was the earliest planting date for corn to be eligible for federal crop insurance replanting payments, which cover farmers if their […]
by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 10, 2024 Iowa school districts and communities will be able to apply for grants through the state Department of Education to provide additional meals and food to children over the summer, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Wednesday. The new state-directed Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant will provide $900,000 in […]
by Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch April 10, 2024 At least 12 community drinking water supplies in Iowa are unacceptably contaminated with enduring chemicals linked to various health ailments, under new restrictions announced Wednesday by federal regulators. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implemented a new drinking water standard that limits certain perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances […]
“Don’t talk about it, be about it…” by Robert Leonard Apr 11, 2024 Violet the Dog and I spent yesterday morning observing a controlled burn at Cedar Bluffs Natural Area. Chris Clingan, Director of Mahaska County Conservation asked me to to tag along if I wanted to—and I was delighted. After a recent excellent volunteer […]
