Halloween haunts around Iowa

October 27, 2026

Sign Up for the Iowa Starting Line Newsletter

Support our work

Amie here. It’s Halloween week and Black Cat Day! If you have a black cat, send me a photo—I’ll run them Friday!

You may recognize my perpetual cuddler/very helpful deskmate, Bear (who loves appearing in Starting Line videos).

In this issue:

Looking for info about judges on your ballot? Scroll down.
If you’re in the mood for scares, check out these 8 haunted places around Iowa,
Readers sound off on their favorite fall soups, their kid being kicked out of private school, and more.

Amie Rivers

Newsletter Editor, Iowa Starting Line

Email me

Your thoughts about voting could inspire someone else. Tell us what’s motivating you in a short, selfie-style video, and we may feature it in our newsletter or on social.*

(Sending us a quick video also enters you into a giveaway* for a chance to win $25!) Tell us why you’re voting →

Meet “The Lobe Rangers,” a group of young Central Iowa farmers who want their peers to take more responsibility for the water crisis.
What’s the latest issue with Iowa data centers? They’re filling up the landfills too fast.
Google says its own analysis of the Cedar River shows it has plenty of water for its proposed Palo data center. Well, I’m glad that’s settled!
Are those judges on your ballot any good? Iowa attorneys who have worked extensively with them weigh in here.

8 haunted places in Iowa, from the Villisca Axe Murder House to the Black Angel

Iowa has a supernatural side.

Some places are tied to real crimes or difficult chapters in history. Others have attracted tales of ghostly visitors, strange sounds, and unexplained happenings.

If you’re in the mood for spooky stories or paranormal activity, check out these haunted places in Iowa that warrant a deeper look.

The Villisca Axe Murder House is by far the most famous paranormal spot in Iowa. (Jennifer Kirkland/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Heart surgery has a way of realigning your priorities. For Mike Wilcox, that priority became decorating for Halloween.

Check out this video from the Des Moines Register to see how it’s grown into a neighborhood celebration.

Readers are invited to join the conversation. Please include your first name and last initial; your city is optional. Responses may be lightly edited for length, clarity, or typos.

✏️ Send me your takes

“I read your story and I have the same issue happen to me with a private school. My daughter was asked to leave because I asked the school to work a 504 plan for her….”

👀 Read more of your letters here →

Local news doesn’t fund itself.

National outlets can’t cover every story that matters in Iowa. That’s why everything you read in Iowa Starting Line is focused on our communities and the issues affecting the people who live here. Readers like you keep that reporting going.

Even a small monthly gift keeps ISL free for everyone in Iowa, no paywalls, ever.

Become a monthly supporter

📬 Was this forwarded to you?

📣 Want to see more from ISL?

Add us as a preferred news source on Google.

Would you recommend this newsletter to your friends and family?

Thanks for reading. This newsletter was written by Amie Rivers. It was edited by Paula Solis.

Iowa Starting Line is free for everyone. Your support makes our work possible.

Support local news

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. VOTING, REGISTERING TO VOTE, OR PROOF OF VOTING IS NOT REQUIRED. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. and D.C., 18+. Entry Period: 12:00 a.m. ET 10/19/26 – 11:59 p.m. ET 10/29/26. Void where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules. Sponsor: Courier Newsroom, Inc.