Newsletters
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My Minnesota friends worry about Iowa. I worry about them
Plus: Protests, rallies and more Share with a friend It’s Tuesday, July 15, 2025. Amie here. I had a refreshing week off visiting friends in Minnesota, some of whom are Iowa transplants. They tell me their first-world problems (oh no, they haven’t figured out how to get dispensaries up and running yet!). They ask me…
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🗞️ Please, we want to hear your opinion
Take our 90-second survey to share your thoughts. Dear Iowa Starting Line reader, We’re always looking to make this newsletter better. Whether it’s helping you plan your week, understand local issues, or simply feel more connected to Iowa, we want to know: What’s one thing you’d change about how you get news here? Take our…
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💜 Iowa legislator pens book on fleeing war as a child
Time for reader emails! Share with a friend It’s Friday, July 4, 2025. 🗣️ It’s Friday: Cool off on your day off with some hot takes. “One Big Beautiful Bill” takes: The House passed the Senate version of President Donald Trump’s budget bill yesterday, what the Economic Policy Institute calls a “staggering upward redistribution…
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ICE in Iowa: West Liberty man detained with no record
Share with a friend It’s Wednesday, July 2, 2025. It’s happening in Iowa. Pascual Leonardo Pedro-Pedro, 20, of West Liberty, went to a routine annual immigration check-in yesterday (Tuesday)—abiding by what the government is asking him to do as an immigrant—and was detained by ICE. Pedro-Pedro was brought to the US as…
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Rallies, protests, town halls, and Trump
Plus: A photo of a cute baby Share with a friend It’s Monday, June 30, 2025. Amie here. If you’ll indulge me (you have no choice), my brother and his wife are publicly sharing baby photos now, so here’s lil’ Nico! Tiny baby hands! OK, back to our regularly scheduled newsletter! Amie Rivers Newsletter Editor,…
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💜 School bus crash survivors thriving in Sioux City
Time for reader emails! Share with a friend It’s Friday, June 27, 2025. 🗣️ It’s Friday: Time for your takes! My “hot” take: It’s hot and humid out there. For outdoor workers, that combination can get downright dangerous. Starting Line intern Victor Robbins explains what the WBGT is, how to spot heat exhaustion…
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📈 Are you worried about higher food prices?
Share with a friend It’s Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Iowans are worried about food prices. But they’re especially worried that the policies of the Trump administration (namely, his tariffs on foreign goods) will cause prices to rise further. That’s not some left-leaning think tank study, by the way; that’s according to the latest…
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☀️ Your guide to summer fun in Iowa
Share with a friend It’s Tuesday, June 24, 2025. These Fourth of July fireworks shows in Iowa will have you “ooh-ing” and “ah-ing.” (Arthur Chauvineau/Unsplash) We just survived our first heat wave—must be officially summer in Iowa now! So here’s a quick guide of some of the best ways to enjoy it. Like:…
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Why are queer Iowans leaving the state?
Share with a friend It’s Monday, June 23, 2025. Amie here. I talk about loss and grief sometimes here (normalize it, right?), so I wanted to also take time to share my joy: Over the weekend, my brother and his wife had a child: my new nephew! The squishy newborn photo is my brother’s…
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💜 Fairfield photographer wins top prize
Share with a friend It’s Friday, June 20, 2025. 🗣️ It’s Friday; time for the takes! My take: Juneteenth was yesterday, the anniversary of when our country actually granted freedom to all. I’ll be celebrating at the 30th annual Waterloo Juneteenth this weekend (while trying to stay cool amid this heat wave). If…
