Iowa News & Current Events | Public News Service

Karst, or extremely loose and porous soil, is a well-known determinant in how much nitrate can leach into nearby ground and well water supplies, eventually making its way into drinking water. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, May 1, 2024

Iowa leaps state regulators, calls on EPA for emergency water help

The Iowa Environmental Council has petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency to invoke emergency powers to protect sensitive soil and groundwater…

The eclipse balloon, test-launched here by Iowa State students, is part of the University's High Altitude Balloon Experiments in Technology program. (Iowa State University)

Monday, April 29, 2024

IA eclipse research balloon pops, sends 'cool' data back to Earth

Environmental scientists in Iowa are starting to analyze data they collected with a research balloon during the recent solar eclipse. The mission was …

The Iowa Movement for Migrant Justice calls Senate File 2340 a

IA advocates for immigrants push back on Texas-style deportation bill

Advocates for immigrants are pushing back on a bill signed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds in the last few days of the legislative session, modeled on a …

Critical infrastructure, such as the I-74 bridge, will be at an increased risk of flooding, threatening connectivity across the region, according to new climate change modeling from the National Wildlife Federation and Prairie Rivers Network. (Adobe Stock)

Public contributes to climate change research

A new report from the National Wildlife Federation warns that the effects of climate change in the Quad Cities, along the Iowa-Illinois border…

In addition to consolidating the power of Iowa's nine Area Education Agencies at the state level, House Bill 2612 creates a new process for agency accreditation. (Adobe Stock)

IA cuts historical rural school groups

Educators and public school advocates are pushing back on a measure which would consolidate state-funded services that have been an important part of …

Fertilizer was responsible for 20% of a farmer's costs in 2022, according to data from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

FTC chair in Iowa to hear fertilizer antitrust concerns

The chair of the Federal Trade Commission will be in rural Iowa this weekend to hear from farmers and other residents about the proposed sale of Iowa …

In partnership with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, volunteers are discovering new bee species and working to fortify bumble bee habitat, in Iowa and across the country. (Xerces/Katie Lamke)

Iowans asked to get busy counting beeezzz, please

The state Department of Natural Resources and Iowa State University are looking for volunteers to help create a new Bumble Bee Atlas. Bees are an …

NEVI covers planning, acquisition, installation and operational costs of the EV unit. (Adobe Stock/serperm73)

IA joins nationwide network of EV charging stations

Iowa is accepting bids from people who want an EV charging station on their land. It's part of a nationwide network of infrastructure designed to …

Atrazine was the most widely used pesticide in Iowa, and applied to 69% of the state's planted acres. (Adobe Stock)

Common produce in IA tops 'Dirty Dozen' pesticide list

The Environmental Working Group has released a new list of produce items most and least affected by pesticides in Iowa and across the country…

White youths are put in juvenile crime diversion programs at far higher rates than comparable Black, Latino and Tribal youth, according to a new report by The Sentencing Project. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa focuses on 'restorative justice' for young offenders

A new report by national researchers says Iowa is making progress in reforming its juvenile justice system, and finding ways to steer kids away from …

Farmers apply fertilizer, including nitrogen, before spring planting so the seed and the growing plant have nutrients available throughout the season. (Adobe Stock)

Program for farmers lowers the risk of reducing nitrogen application

A farm group is helping Iowa agriculture producers find ways to reduce the amount of nitrogen they use on their crops. Excess nitrates can wind up …

Iowa State University Assistant Biochemistry Professor Walter Moss and graduate student Jake Peterson discuss a computer rendering of an RNA molecule. (Iowa State University)

Iowa State scientists target disease in RNA

Researchers at Iowa State University are taking the next step in genetic medicine by targeting diseases in a person's RNA. Most drugs target …

Iowa families can apply for up to $7,600 a year for private school costs. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa lawmakers dismiss private school voucher ethics complaint

An ethics committee in the Republican-led Iowa House has dismissed a complaint filed by a group of community activists against a state lawmaker for hi…

Trappist caskets await shipping on racks in the monastery's Peosta, Iowa, warehouse. (Ann Thomas/Arts Midwest)<br />

Iowa monks use natural resources to create wooden caskets

By Ann Thomas for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collaboration …

In 2022, 22% of adults in Iowa reported binge drinking, compared with 17% in the United States, ranking Iowa fourth in the nation for adult binge drinking, according to the 2024 Iowa Cancer Registry. (Adobe Stock)

Doctors link binge drinking to higher Iowa cancer rates

New research from the University of Iowa found cancer linked to binge drinking is up in the state. As part of the annual Iowa Cancer Registry…

Iowa lawmakers are considering legislation that would raise income and asset limits for people with disabilities who still need to qualify for Medicaid benefits. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates for Iowans with disabilities push for higher income limits

Iowa lawmakers are being asked to make changes to the income laws for people with disabilities. Disabilities advocates are hold an event at the …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates up to 15 million acres of soybeans have been damaged by dicamba drifting beyond where it was applied. (Adobe Stock)

Court bans popular but controversial pesticide

A federal court has banned the use of a highly controversial but popular pesticide in the Midwest. Advocates for sustainable agriculture said the …

California could buy tax credits from large-scale livestock producers in Iowa to offset California diesel emissions. The new regulations rate Iowa's livestock operations 'cleaner' than diesel. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa CAFOs could cash in on California emissions credits

Iowa factory farms could cash in on new proposed carbon emissions tax-credit rules in California. The new emissions standards would allow …

Organizations working for fair treatment of immigrants and refugees in Iowa are pushing back on state legislation they argued would discriminate against migrant communities. (Adobe Stock)

Groups push back on Iowa lawmakers' 'anti-immigrant' measures

Immigrants' rights advocates are pushing back on a flurry of bills in the Iowa Legislature they said would create discriminatory policies targeting mi…

The Center for Community News said a university investment model could be replicated elsewhere, saving struggling community papers that might otherwise be forced to shutter or sell. (Adobe Stock)

Two rural Iowa newspapers saved from extinction

The University of Iowa's daily newspaper has purchased two small-town papers as part of an attempt to keep local news alive in rural Iowa, while at …

Labor advocates argue SSB 3158 would unnecessarily burden Iowa's already overtaxed court system. (Adobe Stock)

Labor organizers push back on 'union-busting' bill

Labor organizers are pushing back on a measure in the Iowa Legislature they say is designed to undermine unions. It would create an additional step …

Iowa ramps up push to register young voters

Election officials in Iowa are upping their efforts to increase political participation among the state's youngest voters. A registration event has …

The Wildlife Disease Surveillance for Pandemic Prevention Act seeks to create a Wildlife Disease Surveillance Program though the Wildlife Health Office at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife disease measure could benefit IA ag industry

Wildlife advocates are asking Congress to pass bill that would help states track diseases killing wildlife across the country. In Iowa, the measure …

A bill to expand the Child Tax Credit to as many as 129,000 Iowa kids awaits action in the U.S. Senate. (Adobe Stock)

Expanded tax credit would benefit 129,000 Iowa kids

An advocacy group is calling on the U.S. Senate to pass a tax bill to expand the Child Tax Credit for more than 100,000 children in Iowa. It is part …

Practical Farmers of Iowa now has a full-time Spanish Engagement Outreach Coordinator to assist the growing number of Latino farmers in the state. (Adobe Stock)

High demand prompts IA farm group to increase Spanish-speaking services

A rural advocacy group has invested in reaching out to Spanish-speaking farmers in Iowa - a population that has grown dramatically. There has been …

Gift card scams have been the number one impostor scam in Iowa for nine consecutive years, according to AARP Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

Iowans lose millions in impostor scams

AARP Iowa is calling on lawmakers to help prevent gift-card scams during this year's legislative session. Impostor scams have been the number one …

IowaAtwork.com is an interactive map of 3,240 infrastructure projects totaling more than $13 million in federal investments in Iowa. (Progress Iowa)

IA group offers successful messaging as national blueprint

An Iowa advocacy group has won a high-profile award from the Analyst Institute, which measures how well a group's message reaches citizens. …

The Iowa Environmental Council is calling on the Department of Natural Resources to add better protections for the state's air, soil and groundwater quality in new regulations for concentrated animal feeding operations. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental advocates want tougher CAFO rules

After a two-and-a-half-year process, time is winding down for the public to comment on new rules for concentrated animal feeding operations in Iowa…

Using treatments derived from a person's blood stem cells, researchers are developing treatments that could end the need for bone marrow transplants. (Adobe Stock)

ISU stem-cell research aims to end bone-marrow transplants

Researchers at Iowa State University are using stem cells from a person's blood to treat certain types of cancer. Their work could mean the end of …

Bald eagles sit 3 to 3.5 feet tall and weigh eight to 15 pounds. Their eyes are five to six times more powerful than a human's. (Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources)

Iowa uses public's birds-eye view to monitor bald eagles, amphibians

Iowa wildlife officials are asking outdoor enthusiasts to cast a birds-eye view on bald eagle nests to help track their health, and are also on a …

People suffering from dementia face especially dangerous challenges in winter months, including slips and falls and extended exposure to the cold when

Iowa dementia sufferers at higher risk in winter

People who suffer from dementia face a host of increased risks in winter months and in Iowa, dangers include everything from falls to getting lost…

The Race for Results report groups child well-being indicators into four areas: early childhood, education and early work experiences, family resources and neighborhood context. (Annie E. Casey Foundation Race for Results report)

Report shows Iowa kids of color fare worse than white peers

A new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation found while children of color in Iowa fare slightly better than their white peers nationally…

While still too low for the aging population, the number of geriatric health-care providers was up 19% in Iowa, according to the latest report from the United Health Foundation. (Adobe stock)

Report: Drug deaths up in Iowa, but other signs encouraging

New data from the United Health Foundation show a handful of significant and chronic health conditions on the rise across the U.S., with colorectal …

Public policy shapes the health ecosystem and influences the accessibility of comprehensive health care, secure housing, nutritious food, quality education and jobs with livable wages, according to the National Institutes of Health. (Adobe Stock)

Physicians' group says voting benefits health, democracy

Voting is not only good for democracy - it's also good for your health, according to one of the nation's largest medical associations. The American …

Iowa has among the highest rates of cancer in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. Research shows people in rural Iowa die more frequently from cancer than their urban counterparts. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Iowans die from cancer at higher rate than urban counterparts

New research shows rural Iowans get cancer less often than their urban counterparts but die from it more frequently. Several factors are at play…

U.S. Bureau of Labor data show more than 38% of the disability community ages 16-64 were employed in November 2023, in contrast to 75% of adults without disabilities who were employed. (Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council)

Iowans with disabilities ask lawmakers to protect special-ed funding

The Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council has a wish list for the new legislative session. The group has just released its public-policy agenda…

The Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer's Association offers programs to help families better understand what to expect, including changes in communication and behaviors, discussing dementia as a family and planning ahead for future financial and legal considerations. (Adobe Stock)

Alzheimer's Association warns of 'wandering' adults during holidays

The Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer's Association is raising awareness of adults who get lost during the holidays. The group holds educational …

Planned Parenthood employees and the union representing them have been unable to reach a contract agreement despite dozens of bargaining sessions over more than a year. (Adobe Stock)

Planned Parenthood workers file complaint amid stalled negotiations

Planned Parenthood Workers in Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota have filed an Unfair Labor Practices complaint with the National Labor Relations Board as …

Connecting rural Iowans to the internet has been a critical part of federal investments in the state. (Progress Iowa)

Administration invests $7.8 billion in Iowa infrastructure

Progress Iowa has released new information showing how billions of dollars of federal infrastructure investments have made a crucial difference in the…

Rural advocates are pushing for more protection for independent producers in the next Farm Bill. (Adobe Stock)

Rural groups push for environmental protections in next Farm Bill

Even though the current Farm Bill has been extended for a year, rural advocates are speaking up about protecting independent and family farms when …

Iowa has warmed 0.5 to 1 degree in the last century, and floods are becoming more frequent. In the coming decades, the state will have more extremely hot days, which may harm public health in urban areas and corn harvests in rural areas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. (Adobe Stock)

State skips climate-change grants, Iowa cities reap $3 million instead

A handful of Iowa's biggest cities has been awarded $3 million to work on solutions to climate change at the local level. The climate pollution …

Poor mental health in adolescence is more than feeling blue. It can affect many areas of a teen's life. Youth with poor mental health may struggle with school and grades, decision-making and physical health, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)

Doctors increase mental health services to rural Iowa kids

Research shows two in 10 Iowa youth report they have considered suicide, and to confront the crisis, doctors and social scientists are using federal …

If the United States shifted 180,000 acres, or 0.2% of its corn acreage, of genetically modified corn to non-genetically modified, it would generate $7.75 million in additional revenue for U.S. farmers and successfully meet Mexico's shifting needs, according to Farm Action. (Adobe Stock)

Mexico's GM corn ban opens market for American farmers

Mexico has issued a ban on importing genetically modified corn from the U.S., potentially opening a new market for American farmers. Mexico is the …

Around 400 million acres of American farmland are projected to change hands this year in what amounts to the country's largest-ever generational land shift. (Practical Farmers of Iowa)

Young Iowa farmers struggle for a leg up

Today is the deadline for small farmers seeking financial assistance to apply for grants from a farm advocacy organization designed to help them get t…

The USDA says producers can increase their environmental stewardship activities through the department's Conservation Stewardship Program. (Adobe Stock)

Family farm advocates suspect profit motive behind some 'conservation' practices

Midwest family farm advocates have sent a letter to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, opposing recent additions to conservation practices they said …

Iowa has nearly 31 million acres of farmland. The average farm is about 360 acres, according to the USDA, and much of is monitored with high-tech equipment. (Iowa State University Extension Dept.)

Iowa farmers concerned with e-data use by corporations

New polling data show Iowa farmers are taking advantage of high-tech agriculture practices, and more plan to do so. But some say there's a downside …

Alliant Energy Corporation provides regulated energy service to 995,000 electric and 425,000 natural gas retail customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. (Adobe Stock)

Senior advocates push back on Alliant utility increase

The Iowa Utilities Board is taking public input this week on a proposed rate hike by one of the state's biggest gas and electric service providers…

Cedar Rapids, in eastern Iowa, had only 15.5 inches of rain in all of 2022, which is about half of what it would normally get by early October. (Adobe Stock)

IA implements first-ever drought plan

The State of Iowa has just put its first-ever drought plan to work to help it manage one of the longest and most severe dry periods in recent history…

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