Nikoel Hytrek

Broadband internet is one of the few issues that garner bipartisan support, which is good news for Iowa but also highlights the state’s struggles in that sector. Iowa has the second-slowest internet speeds in the country trailing only Alaska. The Hawkeye State also ranks as the 45th best-connected state. Despite fairly even broadband coverage in…

Almost 10 years after it was first passed, funding for environmental projects around Polk County will be on the ballot again in November. The new $65 million Polk County Water & Land Legacy bond will continue the work started by the $50 million Water & Land Legacy bond that began in 2012. In those nine…

Democrats in Congress are working to pass a bill that includes most of the party’s policies to strengthen the social safety net, including improvements and expansions in child care, education, and health care programs. The Build Back Better Act would expand Medicare coverage to include vision, hearing, and dental—all things Medicare either doesn’t cover at…

As Iowa communities have received federal money through the American Rescue Plan, possibilities have opened up for counties to pursue necessary development or repair projects to boost their cities and towns. The Rescue Plan was passed by congressional Democrats and signed into law by President Joe Biden in March to help Americans and US cities…

Recognizing the increased demand sparked by the pandemic, six Iowa trails are getting federal relief money for repairs, renovations, and some expansion. The COVID-19 Relief Recreational Trails Program was created to offset COVID’s effect on the funding for the State Recreational Trail program, according to Scott Flagg, the program manager for federal and state recreational…

Iowans seeking out emergency care are increasingly showing up at their local hospital only to be met with long waiting lines for open beds or a scramble to find an available ICU unit elsewhere. However, if you look at the state’s COVID data dashboard, you might come away thinking there is plenty of beds free…

Tuesday’s Council Bluffs School Board meeting devolved into yelling, a 15-minute recess, and a call to the police over the district’s decision to reimplement a mask requirement. From the beginning of the public comment session, the overwhelmingly anti-masking crowd shouted arguments against requiring students to wear masks and the situation escalated. Parents also complained about…

The Sioux City Community School District discussed reinstating a mask mandate for all Sioux City school buildings and activities at its Monday evening meeting. Board members showed strong support for doing so. Board Vice President Monique Scarlett moved to reimplement a mask mandate and board member Taylor Goodvin seconded it immediately. However, in order to…