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Iowa legislators who say they're concerned about the state's worker shortage are trying to pass a new law restricting unemployment benefits in a move both seasonal workers and union officials say would force more workers to leave the state. House File 2355 would...
On March 23, 2021, two workers were killed and one taken hostage on the job at an Eastern Iowa prison. One year later, an Iowa labor union says more legislation is needed for corrections employees and their families. Robert McFarland, a 46-year-old corrections officer...
Iowa teachers are being taxed on their $1,000 “thank you” bonuses from Gov. Kim Reynolds. “Those are subject to state and federal tax withholding,” confirmed Tim Bloom, Newton Community School District director of business services. Bloom said this was based on...
Marshall County was among several in Iowa to receive millions in American Rescue Plan funding. Specifically, the funding went to UnityPoint Health-Marshalltown and Mid-Iowa Community Action (MICA), both based in Marshalltown, to help them meet community needs and...
In 1900, something special started to grow in Southeast Iowa and it developed into a paradise for Black Americans. For 27 years Buxton, Iowa, served as a racial utopia where segregation was not officially or socially enforced. Black citizens had the same opportunities...
Wapello County was among several in Iowa to receive millions in American Rescue Plan funding. Specifically, the funding went to the River Hills Health Center and the Southern Iowa Economic Development Association (SIEDA), both based in Ottumwa, to help them meet...
Four Iowa Democrats introduced a bill to phase out Native American mascots in Iowa public and private schools by 2024, which one Indigenous organization said is long overdue. HF 2224 was introduced by Molly Donahue (D-Cedar Rapids), Brian Meyer (D-Des Moines), Art...
Mental health providers willing to practice in Iowa could have part of their student loans paid off. Senate Study Bill 3003 is an attempt to expand mental health care in rural Iowa. The bill would create a program for mental health professionals who agree to practice...
A seventh Iowan was charged for taking part in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. According to the Sioux City Journal, Kenneth Rader, 53, of Sioux City was arrested Thursday and was charged in the US District Court for the District of...
A leader of the Fairfield Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee was just as shocked as outsiders by councilperson Judy Ham’s conspiracy-theory-laden tangent at a January city council meeting that equated an equity statement with pedophilia and sex...
A joint guest column from Iowa leaders on the looming infrastructure vote. To the Iowa Congressional Delegation: We write in support of the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act under consideration in Congress. As leading voices for Iowa’s employers,...
Iowans seeking out emergency care are increasingly showing up at their local hospital only to be met with long waiting lines for open beds or a scramble to find an available ICU unit elsewhere. However, if you look at the state's COVID data dashboard, you might come...
Across Iowa, schools are seeing and reporting rising cases of COVID-19 among their populations. How—and whether—schools notify parents about positive cases is left up to school districts to decide. So far, many are providing those notifications, but most are only...
Six Iowans—including a mother and son—have been charged, so far, with federal crimes for their roles in the Capitol insurrection on Jan 6. Daryl Johnson of St. Ansgar was the latest Iowan charged when he was arrested on June 11. His charges include entering and...
A bill that passed the US House of Representatives on Wednesday aims to track dangerous chemicals impacting water quality. The PFAS Action Act passed 241-183 and US Rep. Cindy Axne was the only Iowan to vote in favor. The Democrat, who represents Iowa's Third...
There were 4,058 abortions performed in Iowa in 2020, a trend that’s increased over the last three years. In 2018, there were 2,849 abortions, followed by 3,566 abortions in 2019, according to state data. The data came from the Iowa Department of Public Health and was...
Thousands of miles of water run through Iowa, and every year an outpouring of hundreds of volunteers fan out to take care of them. One of those efforts is Iowa Project AWARE (A Watershed Awareness River Expedition), an annual volunteer effort to remove trash from a...
Two weeks after state Sen. Rob Hogg announced his upcoming retirement from the Iowa Senate, the field of Democrats looking to fill his seat in the chamber is getting a shake-up. State Rep. Liz Bennett announced last night that she is officially running for the Senate...
Though the money has been going out since May, Iowa has yet to request American Rescue Plan money for the state’s small towns. According to the Treasury Department, the total allocation would be $221,737,821, with the first half delivered this year. Only 11 other...
Iowa Democrats are eager to set their sights on the future following yet another poor election showing in 2020, one that saw the party again fail to win the top statewide race on the ballot. To get that effort moving, they'll need candidates to take on Gov. Kim...
To help the country rebound from the economic and human devastation caused by COVID-19, President Joe Biden and Congress have allocated significant funding support from the federal government. The American Rescue Plan includes money for states and local governments to...
Iowa legislative Democrats have criticized Gov. Kim Reynolds’ pandemic response since the early days of COVID-19 in the state, so the Governor’s Thursday night admission on national television that she returned $95 million in federal dollars meant for surveillance...
Nearly every day since late January, when Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law a bill that required Iowa School districts to offer 100% in-person learning options amid concerns of COVID-19, Cedar Rapids Sen. Rob Hogg has been updating his social media accounts with...
Iowa House Democrats put up a long but unsuccessful fight last week over Republican efforts to establish public funding for privately-run charter schools—a years-long attempt that Democrats have been working hard this session to stop. Democrats spent over five hours...
A bill advanced in the Iowa Senate on Monday that would prohibit cities and counties from regulating natural gas or propane sales triggered a debate on how Republicans value local control this Legislative session. Passed 29-16 along party lines, the bill will bar...
During a press conference on Wednesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds addressed lengthy wait times for vaccines in parts of Iowa. All Iowa residents are set to be eligible to receive the vaccine starting April 5. COVID-19 vaccine supply in the state has been challenging to...
When Republicans retained full control of Iowa government in the 2020 elections, Democrats knew full well they would face another challenging legislative session. But GOP legislators have pushed the boundaries of hot-button Iowa partisan issues during the first month...
Another fast-tracked education bill that will short Iowa’s public schools is vindictive amid ongoing COVID-19 challenges, Democrats say. Introduced by Senate Republicans less than a week ago, the education plan that suggests a 2.2% funding increase — well below...
As a very, very long 2020 winds down to a close, I thought it would be good to take a look back at what Iowa Starting Line accomplished in our most successful year yet. One thing I don't always do a good job of is publicly touting our successes — I'm always cautious...
During an Iowa Caucus season packed with multi-candidate forums, Rep. Abby Finkenauer's labor-focused Fish Fry in Cedar Rapids was easily overshadowed in the national press by the state party's flashy Liberty and Justice mega-event held the day previous. But last...
