2021

In many ways, Iowa is a pioneer in renewables with wind turbines generating 60% of the state’s electricity last year and the state leading the nation in biofuel production. Electric vehicles could be another step Iowa could take in the renewables sector and leaders at multiple levels have said they want to explore it. “A…

At a regularly scheduled meeting of the Ankeny School Board, students showed up to voice their support for literature that represents diverse identities and viewpoints that have come under fire from conservative activists in recent months. The predominant topic was diverse literature and several students signed up to speak on it. The majority were in…

Six years after the effort began, Iowa has cleared its backlog of sexual assault kits. The backlog was at 4,275 kits when the Iowa Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) began in 2015 after being financed through two grants from the US Bureau of Justice Assistance that provided $3 million to the effort. Some kits were…

In recent days, Iowa Republican Reps. Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks have had to defend themselves against fellow conservatives who have criticized their support for a bill to improve the national immunization database. Critiques have come from conservative circles and actors such as Fox News host Laura Ingraham, Breitbart, and the politicians’ own voters over…

Iowa is known for its rich soil, and a group of Mormon researchers hope that same soil holds the secrets to a lost sacred city. The Heartland Research Group thinks it may have found the site of Zarahemla—a notable city in the Book of Mormon—outside of Montrose, a small southeast Iowa town located on the…

Puppy mills have been in the news for months as one Wayne County operator was fined, surrendered more than 500 dogs, had his business shut down, and his license suspended. Maple Hill Puppies was owned by Daniel Gingerich who was a licensed breeder through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). In response, Rep. Cindy Axne…

The wife of a defeated Boone City Council candidate is accused of assaulting three people—including one of whom she blamed for her husband’s loss—following Monday’s Boone Utility Commission meeting. According to a criminal complaint, Amy Rasmussen, 54, took exception to the way Boone resident April Burch—who is also her cousin—spoke about her husband, Todd Rasmussen,…

Earlier this month, Republican State Sen. Brad Zaun said he also supports charging teachers with felonies for having “obscene” books on school bookshelves and removing those books from schools. At an initial reconsideration committee meeting on Nov. 10 for Johnston Community School District, Zaun said he would work hard to create legislation to charge teachers…

In a special school board meeting held Monday, the Johnston Community School District removed the mask requirement for all ages and grade levels in a 4-3 vote. Among the four who voted to remove the requirement were new board members Deb Davis, Clint Evans and Derek Tidball. Board Vice President Alicia Clevenger also voted yes.…

Republican State Sen. Jake Chapman has vowed to create legislation to criminally penalize teachers and school staffers with felonies for distributing materials he considers “obscene.” Chapman, who is president of the Iowa Senate, says his definition of obscene is based on Iowa Code Chapter 728. The materials in question: Books penned by authors of color…