If democracy is really backsliding, what takes its place? In this week's Civics 101 series, written by COURIER Newsroom's Ryan Pitkin and voiced by Iowa Starting Line's Amie Rivers, we explore the different flavors of oligarchy.
It's no secret that many industries lean on undocumented workers to meet their needs. In an era of mass deportations, wage theft is still occurring and some employers are counting on workers being too scared to come forward.
Bailouts aren't a solution for anyone but the biggest corporate agriculture operations. Farmers keep saying they want markets, not bailouts.
Iowa's GDP dropped 6.1% in Q1 2025—worse than almost every state. Farmers lost their biggest customer. John Deere laid off hundreds. Meatpacking plants can't find workers.
These are Iowa jobs, Iowa families, Iowa businesses.
We broke down what's actually happening—and why it matters heading into 2026.
Iowa farmers are feeling the pain. $1.5 billion in soybean sales lost - and the ripple effects are hitting families and communities across the state. Here’s how we got here.
Residents of Des Moines have a chance to give their public schools $265 million to fund free full-day preschool, career training programs, facility updates, and more. The bond is on the ballot on Nov. 4—are you voting?
Art Cullen has spent decades writing from Storm Lake about the forces reshaping rural life. On the latest episode of Cornhole Champions, Zach spoke with him about the corporate interests pulling Iowa's strings and how we can regain control.
Watch on our YouTube here: https://youtu.be/RSVyKzRqLhk?si=7HoNATJnKPJkWS_-
Healthcare is expensive even with subsidies. A coming change could make it unaffordable for many.
A recent report found that Iowa's economy is approaching a recession.
The Affordable Care Act faces sharp cost increases at the end of the year. Congressional Democrats asked the Republican majority to help stop price shock by extending enhanced tax credits, but the Republicans' refusal to come to the table led to a government shutdown. US Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa says Democrats' demands are "unreasonable."
