LATEST HEADLINES
Biden cancels student loan debt for 2,690 more Iowans
Friday’s announcement is just the latest round of student debt cancellation enacted by the Biden administration, which has approved relief for more than 4.3 million people so far, including 31,130 people in Iowa.
Attorney tells Iowa Supreme Court abortion ban should stay blocked
The Iowa Supreme Court Thursday heard arguments concerning the injunction on the near-total abortion ban passed is a special session last summer....
Opinion: Johnson County wrong to halt affordable housing project
The following is an open letter from Escucha Mi Voz leaders to the Johnson County Board of Supervisors. Read a Johnson County supervisor's response...
The Republican war on Medicare raises the stakes in 2024
Republicans have been trying to cut and/or privatize Medicare for decades. Their latest plan could lead to thousands of dollars in additional out-of-pocket costs for Iowa seniors.
Abortion supporters rally before Iowa Supreme Court arguments
Abortion saved her life seven years ago and Leah Vanden Bosch is more grateful for it now than ever. Vanden Bosch, who serves as the development and...
Iowa Senate passes bill to arm school staff, give legal immunity in shootings
Sen. Molly Donahue, a teacher, has more than a few ideas on how to make schools safer without arming teachers or other school staff. She shared them...
New VA program to help more than 40,000 veterans stay in their homes
The program is an attempt to prevent foreclosure actions against former military members still experiencing financial hardship post-pandemic.
Kim Reynolds finally decides to help feed some kids, but there’s a big catch
Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Wednesday that Iowa will start a competitive $900,000 grant program to feed Iowa children over the summer—this comes...
Here’s everything you need to know about this month’s Mercury retrograde
Mercury retrograde is happening through April 25 and this may have an impact on your life. Here’s what you need to know about mercury retrograde.
In bloom: When & where to see tulips in Iowa
If you’re wondering when and where to see tulips in Iowa, look no further. Here are several festivals and farms to check out this spring.
VIDEO: Rural Iowa fertilizer spill kills 749,000 fish
A liquid nitrogen fertilizer spill killed nearly all the fish in a 50-mile stretch of a rural Iowa river. As clean-up efforts continue, let Starting...
Hail Mary: Iowa has two women’s tackle football teams you can see this summer
Do you like football? Do you like women's sports? Have we got great news for you this summer! Women's tackle football has been around Iowa for the last two decades, and teams (and leagues) have come and gone in that time. (Diehards will remember the Iowa Crush, which...
Rob Sand: Iowans must stand with sexual assault victims
Lots of topics get swept under the rug because they’re not comfortable for us to confront. Sometimes we’d rather pretend the problems don’t exist or couldn’t happen in a place like Iowa. But they do, and it can happen anywhere—even in our great state. It is our...
VIDEOS: Iowa Senate debates teacher armament bill
During an Iowa Senate floor debate on the teacher armament bill, HF 2586, Sen. Janice Weiner (D-Iowa City) clarified that the goal of gun safety is not to take guns away, but to systemize safe practices and comprehensive support services so gun violence can be...
VIDEOS: Konfrst details how Republicans use abortion to play politics with Iowans’ lives
While Iowans await the Iowa Supreme Court's decision on one of the strictest abortion bans in the country, House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst (D-Windsor Heights) detailed the ways Republican politicians use these bans to play politics with peoples' lives and...
As Iowa City and Linn-Mar prepare for drastic cuts, vouchers draw millions from state
The Iowa City and Linn-Mar school districts face a combined $10 million budget shortfall as the state continues to underfund public schools and funnel millions toward private school tuition. According to data from the Iowa Department of Education, 471 students who...
VIDEOS
Follow Us On Instagram
OUR IOWA
Iowa Life
12 Iowa winter bucket list items to try before the snow melts
You could cozy up and wait out the next few months indoors… or you could make some fun memories.
Looking for a cozy adventure? Try one of these nostalgic train rides
If you’re looking for some family fun this holiday season, check out these options for a nostalgic train ride adventure.
Christmas tree farms and holiday light displays to visit in Iowa
Make merry memories at these 17 holiday light shows and Christmas tree farms across Iowa.
Tell us your favorite bakery in Iowa
From Sioux City to Burlington and everywhere in between, Iowa has some fantastic bakeries. Whether you’re going for cakes or cookies, breads or brownies, we want to know: What’s the best Iowa bakery? Tell us in the form below, and we’ll announce the top choices soon!...
Celebrate Las Posadas at these Iowa events
Las Posadas, Spanish for "inn" or "lodging," celebrates (and sometimes recreates) the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem taken by Mary and Joseph, and their search for shelter, as described in the Christian Bible. It's celebrated during the nine days leading up to...
Get in the Christmas spirit with these 10 Iowa light displays
As the holiday season commences, so do the festivities! Light shows are a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit, spend time with your community, and appreciate local attractions. From the largest amusement park in the state to a family farm, here are 10 of the...
Group to give away banned books in Sergeant Bluff, Sioux City this weekend
Annie’s Foundation, a nonprofit group started by Iowans to spread the word about book banning and give those books away, is hitting the road—and coming to Western Iowa for the first time.
8 Diwali celebrations across Iowa to check out this month
Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is a huge celebration in India and among Indian folks around the world. That includes Iowans of Indian...
As Iowa housing costs soar, Biden wants to turn empty offices into housing
In Sept. 2020, the median home sale price in Iowa was $188,500. As of Sept. 2023, that figure had risen to $229,600, a 21% increase, according to Redfin. Renters are also paying more in Iowa. They paid an average of $947.54 between January and March 2020. Now, they’re paying $1,085.55, a $138.01 increase.
13 of Iowa’s Scariest Haunted Houses and Creepy Attractions of 2023
By Katie Mills Giorgio, Starting Line contributor Spooky season is officially here, and if you’re the type of Iowan who likes a good scare, we’ve...
It’s Banned Books Week. Iowans told us their forbidden faves
In honor of National Banned Books Week, which takes on even more importance this year in Iowa, we asked you for your favorite banned books. Starting Line readers put 48+ books on this list. But a few rose to the top of the pile.
QUIZZES
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
LOCAL STORIES
Hawkeye, ISU marching bands among Top 5 in Metallica contest
Grammy-winning, Hall-of-Fame thrash metal rockers Metallica are making marching band competitions cool for a whole new crowd. In April, the band announced a marching band competition, "For Whom the Band Tolls," offering instruments and equipment music programs at high...
Celebrate Las Posadas at these Iowa events
Las Posadas, Spanish for "inn" or "lodging," celebrates (and sometimes recreates) the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem taken by Mary and Joseph, and their search for shelter, as described in the Christian Bible. It's celebrated during the nine days leading up to...
Find the perfect Christmas tree at these 24 Iowa farms
Iowa farmers only plant corn and beans, you say? Tell that to the 100+ Christmas tree farms dotted across Iowa's snowy landscape this time of year, where you can pick out the perfect Scotch pine, white pine, Canaan fir, Douglas fir, Frasier fir, Colorado blue spruce,...
Get in the Christmas spirit with these 10 Iowa light displays
As the holiday season commences, so do the festivities! Light shows are a perfect way to get into the holiday spirit, spend time with your community, and appreciate local attractions. From the largest amusement park in the state to a family farm, here are 10 of the...
Shop your values: Get holiday gifts made at these Iowa small businesses
Looking for a special Iowa-made gift? We're here with inspiration from fellow Iowans, who told us their favorite local places to shop at the holidays. As a bonus, we've added the causes those businesses support—so you can see how your gift goes further than anything...
QUIZZES
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.
LOCAL VIDEOS
Local Videos
No Results Found
The page you requested could not be found. Try refining your search, or use the navigation above to locate the post.