It’s Friday, May 17, 2024.

🐶 If you have the time and space, the Animal Rescue League is seeing a puppy surge (130+ more than this time last year), and they’re in need of folks who can foster or adopt them. (Little Village)

My dog Phoenix is an ARL rescue. And, once years ago, I fostered a tiny little Labrador/pit mix pup, Annie (and then followed her progress until she found her forever home!).

Have you ever fostered an animal?

🪿 What about keeping the ones we’ve got? A Chariton woman is hoping the city lets her keep her emotional-support goose, Blue, whom she credits with keeping her sober. (KCCI)

Amie Rivers

Community Editor, Iowa Starting Line

Email me

It’s summertime, which means it’s summer camp time!

Did you attend summer camp in Iowa? Any fun/crazy stories? Tell us on Facebook.

Iowa Republicans decry “socialism,”

take millions in government farm subsidies

Left to right: Sen. Mark Costello, Sen. Dan Zumbach, House Speaker Pat Grassley, Sen. Annette Sweeney, and Rep. Ken Carlson. (Iowa Starting Line graphic)

Nearly a fourth of the Iowa Legislature benefits from farm subsidies, some to the tune of millions of dollars.

As the Iowa Senate debated earlier this year a bill to ban local governments from providing direct financial assistance to residents, Sen. Tony Bisignano called out the hypocrisy on display by many of his Republican colleagues who supported the legislation even as they receive direct payments from the federal government.

Starting Line’s Ty Rushing dug into the data, and Bisignano is correct: About a fourth of the 150-person Iowa Legislature benefits from some form of farm subsidies.

Read his investigation and find out who’s getting millions.

What started this? Republicans banned basic income on the grounds it was “socialism.” But it turns out the basic income pilot in central Iowa is helping the working poor in a variety of ways, participants said this week.

Grants for Iowa LGBTQ+ businesses now open; here’s how to apply

Princeton study confirms Iowa voucher program led to tuition increases

Basic income pilot UpLift actually helped Iowans. Here’s how

He tried to scam her. He didn’t know her husband was a journalist

Iowa AG still sitting on funds to help sexual assault victims

We are listening

Your inbox space is precious, and we want to make sure we’re delivering the stories and information that truly matter to you.

Please, share your point of view in this short survey that will take less than 3 minutes.

It’s been more than a year, and Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is still withholding payments for sexual assault survivors’ emergency contraception. Iowa nurses, whose hospitals are right now eating the cost of such contraception, are worried about what happens if payments don’t come back. Reporter Nikoel Hytrek explains in this video.

Nino was found as a stray who had clearly spent time outside, but now that he’s in the shelter he’s calmed down and he’s ready to find his forever home. He gets along well with other cats, but he still might be better off as an only cat in the house. You can check him out at the Cedar Valley Humane Society.

Sage is ready to settle down. For a while, she lived with a truck driver so she’s good at traveling, but now she’s ready for a new adventure in one place. She’s sweet, easygoing, and she can’t get enough cuddling. Sage also gets along well with other dogs and just needs a patient family who can help house train her. You can find her at the Cedar Valley Humane Society.

On Iowa Republicans banning basic income:

“How can anyone vote for these Republicans who still believe in giving to the rich so they can decide who gets the ‘trickle-down?’ Of course, the joke is there is no trickle down—the rich want it all!” ~Don P. of Letts

On how Iowa teachers want to be supported:

“I’d love schools to determine a reasonable budget and the state to fund it.” ~Lisa T.

On what you want to see more of in the newsletter:

“Love your news! Iowa GOP legislators burn my behind, RBG rocks my world, and I am an Iowa grad who loves to watch Iowa football and women’s basketball when my heart allows me that.” ~Patty E.Z.
“I’d like to see more coverage of Iowa’s four congressional races.” ~Randy D.

Former Cedar Rapids Community Schools Superintendent Dave Markward (and newsletter subscriber) has just published a book, “From Dubuque to Selma and Beyond: My Journey to Understand Racism in America.” Check out this Dubuque Telegraph-Herald article to learn more.

Iowa State Extension program director Jacqueline Comito (and newsletter subscriber) has a new podcast, “Curious Planet,” which “explores the captivating kinship of our experiences in nature, stories, emotions, sense of place and desire to belong, and how this might invigorate us to save the home we live in and rely on.”

And Loree M. sent me some more gorgeous flowers! (These are “bouquet tulips,” apparently.)