Viral Iowa restaurants worthy of their rep

April 24, 2026

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🗣️ It’s Friday!

Today I learned George Foreman’s family buried him in Iowa, despite him not having much connection to the state. Here’s why.
We have a new website as of yesterday, and I’m reporting as many issues as I can to our tech team. If you spot one, please let me know! (They promised us this site would load MUCH faster, so I’m glad for that.)
What do you think about this Iowa bill awaiting the governor’s signature that would up speed limits on two-lanes to 60 miles per hour? (aka 70 mph, let’s be honest.) Reply and tell me.
I’ve been judging a high school journalism contest this week and have been very impressed with our future journalists and writers! I wanted to spotlight one of those articles—a well-researched piece on AI from student journalists at Iowa City West—that actually gives me hope for the future.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments Monday about whether Monsanto can stop lawsuits against Roundup and other chemicals.
Drop off your old meds at participating pharmacies for the biennial National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday.

Amie Rivers

Newsletter Editor, Iowa Starting Line

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9 social media-famous food joints to try in Iowa

(Louis Hansel/Unsplash)

Several beloved Iowa restaurants have appeared on national TV shows like “Man v. Food” and “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.”

So we rounded up all the famous ones for this list. (You’ll probably recognize a few!)

See what’s worth the hype ->

🌼 This photo of daffodils was taken on April 9 by reader Marc W. (Too bad the hail storm decimated mine early!)

“At least something can be cheerful,” Marc wrote. The small joys!

Send me your photos!

🦅 Babies are hatching: The popular Decorah Eagle Cam (above) is even more popular these days now that two eaglets have hatched. (They’re so fluffy!)

🦋 Monarchs coming back: Monarch butterfly numbers at overwintering spots in Mexico have increased for the second year in a row, according to the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium at Iowa State University.

🚴 A bicycle built for three: Johnson County is the latest to start up a chapter of Cycling Without Age, which uses a trishaw to provide free rides to community members—including those using wheelchairs. Learn more in this Little Village article.