For the third legislative session in a row, Gov. Kim Reynolds has introduced another version of her private school voucher bill, but the latest proposal is her boldest, biggest, and most expensive one to date. Reynolds was successfully reelected to another...

In 176 years, there had never been an Arab American serving in the Iowa Legislature until this week when Sami Scheetz was sworn in. The 26-year-old Cedar Rapids Democrat represents House District 78, which covers the southeast portion of his hometown and boasts a...

A few days after publicly announcing he won’t seek a second term as chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party, Ross Wilburn is at peace with the decision, although with a few caveats. First of all, contrary to how some outlets reported, he is not stepping down from the...

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Ross Wilburn will not be seeking a second term as head of the state party. Wilburn announced that decision this morning during the party’s State Central Committee (SCC) meeting in Ankeny. "As the leader of the party, I have worked to...

C. J. Petersen described his experience at the White House on Tuesday as a “full circle” moment. The Templeton, Iowa, resident and his husband, Luke, were in Washington, DC, to see President Joe Biden sign the Respect for Marriage Act today, a bipartisan bill that...

As 2022 comes to a close, there were more than a few stories the Starting Line team covered that collectively made us and readers go “WTF.” A lot of those stories revolved around attacks on public education, the LGBTQ community, and other marginalized groups. Some...

According to a decision by Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald, Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver is a legal resident of a Grimes apartment where there has been scarce water usage for months and where his family does not reside. Fitzgerald announced his...

Several key witnesses attended and spoke at a hearing to determine the validity of Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver's voter registration with one notable exception: Jack Whitver. A hearing was conducted at the Polk County Election Office in downtown Des...

Concerned parents hope to get the Spirit Lake School District to reconsider its plan to arm and provide firearms training to 10 non-classroom staff members—although new information indicates teachers are being trained as well—as a deterrent to school shootings. A...