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  1. Iowa is home to plenty of talented people who have made it into the record books with their special skills, interesting hobbies, and quirky collections.

    14 Guinness World Records Iowa holds

    From the largest pickleball paddle to the shortest bull to the biggest collection of pencils, discover the Guinness World Records Iowa and its residents hold.
  2. US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks opposes super PACs. They're also her largest source campaign money. (Tom Williams/Getty Images)

    Miller-Meeks campaign says payment was ‘mistakenly’ made to son

    A $3,500 payment from US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks’ campaign to her son was a mistake, her campaign says—money that should have come from her personal account, not from campaign donors. US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks paid her son $3,500 from her campaign account for “consulting,” according to the most recent quarter’s campaign finance report. Twenty-two days […]
  3. A map showing many of the No Kings protests planned in Iowa for Oct. 18, 2025. (Graphic by Iowa Starting Line)

    Iowa Worker’s Almanac: Layoffs and news, Oct. 16, 2025

    News about and for the Iowa working class. ‘No Kings’ is back: The Indivisible-organized protests against President Donald Trump’s authoritarianism, which first took place in June, are back this Saturday, Oct. 18—and there’s likely one near you. The federal government shutdown continues: As the shutdown, which began Oct. 1, drags on, furloughed federal workers can’t pay their bills, Trump […]
  4. Screenshot of Meghan Holloran, a recent Drake University graduate who's been looking for an entry-level job for 8 months and counting.

    AI has wiped out a third of entry-level jobs, affecting young Iowans

    Another young college graduate from Iowa can’t find any sort of entry-level job, she told me last week. And AI may be to blame. Meghan Holloran just graduated from Drake University this May with a multimedia journalism degree. She did a year-long apprenticeship with Better Homes and Gardens magazine, was on the school newspaper for […]
  5. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate, in this October 2018 photo, says his office found 2,022 people who might have illegally voted or registered to vote without being citizens. (Pat Rynard/Iowa Starting Line)

    Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate warns of texts impersonating officials, candidates

    by Robin Opsahl, Iowa Capital Dispatch October 15, 2025 Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate issued a warning for Iowans Wednesday about reported mass texts impersonating elected officials and candidates. The state elections official said fraudulent messages were reported in Franklin, Johnson, and Madison counties. According to a news release, the mass texts from “an […]
  6. Iowa Starting Line

    Davenport restaurant feeding federal workers for free amid government shutdown

    The only qualifier a federal employee has to meet to eat free at Flavors of India is to show a work badge to verify their employment. Flavors of India owner Apjeet Makkar wants federal employees to treat his restaurant like their home kitchen as they wait for the federal government shutdown to end. Makkar has […]
  7. Whether you live in Iowa or are just visiting, it’s good to know there are plenty of affordable, family-friendly activities to try.

    Your guide to 12 fun & frugal family outings in Iowa

    Uncover 12 budget-friendly family activities in Iowa, from historic sites to natural wonders. Have fun without spending a fortune!
  8. Iowa Starting Line

    Hey Iowa, did you know you can get a library card at any library in the state?

    Obtaining a library card in Iowa isn't restricted to a city of residence. Any Iowan can get a library card at any library in the state.
  9. Iowa Starting Line

    Lansing bridge — the only Mississippi River crossing for 60 miles — is closing permanently

    Lansing bridge, a transportation lifeline connecting Lansing in northeast Iowa to Wisconsin, is set to close in October.
  10. Iowa Starting Line

    Big harvest no comfort to Iowa farmers, who worry about another Farm Crisis

    President Donald Trump is expected to announce soon that his administration will send billions of dollars in assistance to farmers.
  11. Iowa Starting Line

    It’s election season in Iowa. What voters need to know for 2025 city and school elections

    Iowans will soon head to the polls to cast their votes in the 2025 city council and school board elections.
  12. Sen. Claire Celsi remembered for her passion and outspokenness

    Sen. Claire Celsi remembered for her passion and outspokenness

    The Democratic state senator from West Des Moines died on Oct. 6 after a bout with an undisclosed illness.  West Des Moines resident Al Womble will always remember the first time he met Iowa Sen. Claire Celsi. Womble, a union organizer by trade, was an active volunteer in the Iowa Democratic Party and its Polk […]
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  1. Iowa is home to plenty of talented people who have made it into the record books with their special skills, interesting hobbies, and quirky collections.

    14 Guinness World Records Iowa holds

    From the largest pickleball paddle to the shortest bull to the biggest collection of pencils, discover the Guinness World Records Iowa and its residents hold.
  2. Iowa Starting Line

    Davenport restaurant feeding federal workers for free amid government shutdown

    The only qualifier a federal employee has to meet to eat free at Flavors of India is to show a work badge to verify their employment. Flavors of India owner Apjeet Makkar wants federal employees to treat his restaurant like their home kitchen as they wait for the federal government shutdown to end. Makkar has […]
  3. Iowa Starting Line

    Hey Iowa, did you know you can get a library card at any library in the state?

    Obtaining a library card in Iowa isn't restricted to a city of residence. Any Iowan can get a library card at any library in the state.
  4. Iowa Starting Line

    Big harvest no comfort to Iowa farmers, who worry about another Farm Crisis

    President Donald Trump is expected to announce soon that his administration will send billions of dollars in assistance to farmers.
  5. New data from the National Library of Medicine show nitrates in Iowa's waterways reached toxic levels earlier than scientists first thought.

    Report: Nitrate levels toxic to Iowa water

    New data from the National Library of Medicine show nitrates in Iowa's waterways reached toxic levels earlier than scientists first thought.
  6. The property will likely appeal to creative individuals who appreciate the serenity and unusual style choices.

    This quirky Des Moines home up for sale features a working fire pole

    Built by a well-respected local architect as their personal residence, a quirky home for sale in the Lower Beaver neighborhood hides a very unusual design choice on its second floor.
  7. In July, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that it would stop issuing paper benefit payment checks on Sept. 30, 2025.

    The Social Security Administration is no longer issuing paper checks. Here’s what you need to know

    The Social Security Administration (SSA) has switched to electronic forms of payment. Here’s how you can set up your automatic payments with ease.

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