2021
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Thousands of Iowans Face Eviction Saturday as Moratorium Ends
More than 30,000 Iowans think they will be evicted within two months. The federal eviction moratorium, put in place to help renters who have struggled to make rent and utility payments, ends on Saturday. It was originally set to expire on June 30 but was extended one month. President Joe Biden asked Congress on Thursday…
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Thrane: Reynolds Wrong to Blame Immigrants
Some statements by Gov. Kim Reynolds make me question her level of knowledge about what happens on the US Southern Border. “Part of the problem is the Southern Border is open and we’ve got 88 countries that are coming across the border, and they don’t have vaccines so none of them are vaccinated, and they…
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How Miller-Meeks Seeks to Stop new Water Quality Regulations
A bill to improve water quality and monitor for harmful chemicals passed the US House of Representatives recently without the support of any Iowa Republicans. Instead, Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, alongside Sen. Joni Ernst, support a set of rules that prioritize local control over certain waterways and limit how much the federal government can regulate those…
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Sending Troopers to Texas Cost Iowans $300,000
Iowa taxpayers will foot the bill for a $300,000 14-day mission to the Southern US Border that included 28 Iowa State Patrol personnel. Gov. Kim Reynolds held a press conference Wednesday to give an update on the effort, which took place July 8-22. Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Baynes estimated expenditure to cost about $300,000. Of…
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Jensen Close to Plea Deal for Role in Captiol Riot
Doug Jensen, the Des Moines man who wore a Q-Anon t-shirt while storming the US Capitol Building on Jan. 6, is close to reaching a plea agreement with the federal government, according to an update from his attorney. This news name came out during a status hearing on Tuesday for Jensen, one of the more…
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Midwest Dreamers Want Citizenship, not More Uncertainty
Although the latest federal ruling on DACA does not affect enrolled recipients, many of them are still frustrated by the program’s instability. “Every time this program is challenged, we feel that they are playing with us,” said Juan Antonio Garcia. “I would like for this administration to give us a residency and a path to…
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Union Members, Supporters Call on Senators to Pass PRO Act
Proponents of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act had a message for Iowa’s two Republican US Senators during a Friday rally in downtown Sioux City to support the bill. “If Senator Grassley and Senator Ernst aren’t going to support us, we can replace them,” said Charlie Wishman, president of the Iowa Federation of…
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Iowa Democrats Criticize Reynolds for Public Health Vacancies
After two months without meetings to address the ongoing pandemic, Democratic leaders in Iowa criticized Gov. Kim Reynolds for vacant positions on the State Board of Health. Those vacancies mean a lack of quorum, which has prevented the board from meeting regularly to form public health policies for the state and to advise the governor…
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Iowa Parents Debate Return of In-Person School and COVID
Nicole Riggs, a mom of two in West Des Moines, really hoped her 8-year-old son’s school, Hillside Elementary, would offer virtual classes for this school year. They did last year and Riggs said it worked well. Her son wanted a virtual option too so he could protect his vulnerable family members, including his sister. “We…
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Meet Henny Ohr, an Advocate for Iowa’s Refugees
Henny Ohr has dedicated her life to empowering communities and showing what determination and caring for others can accomplish. She is the director and co-founder of Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center (EMBARC) in Des Moines. EMBARC is a nonprofit dedicated to helping Iowa’s refugee population through advocacy, education, and community development. Her…
