Amie here. The Iowa Legislature started up for the year on Monday. We’ve still got the Republican trifecta we’ve had for years now, but thanks to special elections going Democrats’ way, there’s only a GOP supermajority in the House—meaning Senate Republicans need at least one Dem vote to confirm department head appointments.

 

In this issue: Protests and rallies, news you can use, and this week’s viral post.

 

🖊️ Petition against AI cameras: A petition against automated license plate readers—which has been shared with immigration agencies, and the ACLU Iowa says is akin to “Big Brother-style government surveillance”—has been signed by 271 Iowans and counting. At least 29 cities in Iowa have contracts with companies like Flock, which make the cameras. Add your name here.

 

🍕 No more Marco’s Pizza: The pizza chain closed its last remaining Iowa locations on Jan. 5. Iowa City subreddit users had thoughts.

 

💻 Sharing and shaming: A Norwalk veteran is documenting her elected officials’ replies to her letters on social media, inspiring others to write their own.

 

⛰️ Defacing Trump: For years, National Park Service annual passes have pictured photos of nature. But with President Donald Trump deciding his face needs to be on the passes this year, a movement has sprung up to sticker over them (which is making him super mad).

Meet a candidate:

 

US Senate candidate Josh Turek:

• 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Johnston Area Democrats Meeting, 8385 Birchwood Ct., Johnston

US Senate candidate Zach Wahls:

• 3 p.m. Saturday, Tama

US House of Representatives 1st District candidate Taylor Wettach: 

• 10 a.m. Saturday, Pleasantville
• 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Knoxville
• 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oskaloosa

Secretary of Agriculture candidate Chris Jones:

• 7 p.m. Thursday, Des Moines

Protests and rallies:

 

Huddle on the Hill: 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Iowa State Capitol

 

ICE Out of Iowa/No War on Venezuela: 5 p.m. Tuesday, Iowa State Capitol

 

SURJ Circle Meeting Iowa City: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Iowa City

 

4 Corners Weekly Peaceful Protest: 4:30 p.m. Thursdays, near the Casey’s/Methodist Church in Panora

 

Socialist Night School: What is Imperialism?: 6 p.m. Thursday, Des Moines

 

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom with speaker Aaron Lehman: 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Central Senior Center, 2008 Forest Ave., Des Moines

 

Vigil for Immigrant Rights: noon-12:30 p.m. Fridays, Waterloo Post Office

Weekly Jefferson Protest: noon-1 p.m. Fridays, Jefferson Square, Jefferson

 

FED UP Fridays: 2-4 p.m. Fridays, Des Moines

 

Veterans for Peace rally: 3:30 p.m. Fridays, east entrance of Pentacrest, Iowa City

 

Community Rally for Democracy: 10 a.m. Saturdays, NE corner of Hickman and Alice’s Road, Waukee

 

Grieving for Gaza: 11 a.m. Saturdays, Decorah

 

Love as Action: Resisting Authoritarianism: 11 a.m. Saturday, Des Moines

 

ICE Watch Community Defense Training, March to Jorge, Rally for Renee: noon Saturday, Iowa City

 

Weekly Rally in the Wayside Park: noon Saturdays, Decorah

 

Weekly Perry Protest: noon-1 p.m. Saturdays, First and Willis by the bicycle sculpture, Perry

 

Good Will Change the World Rally and March: 12:30 p.m. Saturday, South Sioux City, Neb., to Sioux City

 

PSL Info Session and Banner Build: 1 p.m. Saturday, Davenport

 

Weekly Peaceful Protest: 1 p.m. Saturdays, corner of Mamie Eisenhower Avenue and Story Street, Boone

 

Save Our Parks: 10 a.m. Sundays, Effigy Mounds National Monument, Harper’s Ferry

 

Henry County First Amendment Rally: noon-1 p.m. Sundays, front of the courthouse, Mount Pleasant

 

MLK Day Banner Drop: noon and 1 p.m. Monday, West Branch

 

Cancer in Polk County meeting/conversation: 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, Des Moines and on Zoom

 

Events are sourced from mobilize.us, around the web, and emailed submissions; submit an event here.

More people are moving out of Iowa than moving in.

 

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