Choose your location
Iowa Capital Dispatch
Police: Therapist charged with sex abuse has a ‘long history of complaints’
A therapist charged with sexually abusing a 13-year-old patient allegedly has a “long history” of complaints related to his conduct, despite there being no public record of any licensing sanctions against him. On May 30, O’Brien County prosecutors charged therapist Martin W. Wallace, 75, of Sibley with two felonies: sexual abuse in the second degree, […] The post Police: Therapist charged with sex abuse has a ‘long history of complaints’ appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa scores in 50-state education rankings decline from years past
Iowa scored relatively well in education rankings among the states, but with declining test scores and on-time high school graduation rates decreasing, the state has fallen from its highs of previous years, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Sixty-seven percent of Iowa fourth-graders in 2022 were not proficient in reading, […] The post Iowa scores in 50-state education rankings decline from years past appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
US judge in Kentucky blocks Biden Title IX rules, says ‘sex,’ ‘gender identity’ not the same thing
A federal judge has blocked new Title IX rules, including those aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ students from discrimination in K-12 schools, and sided with Republican attorneys general in several states. Chief Judge Danny Reeves of the U.S. District Court in Eastern Kentucky on Monday issued a ruling siding with Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman of […] The post US judge in Kentucky blocks Biden Title IX rules, says ‘sex,’ ‘gender identity’ not the same thing appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Easing federal marijuana rules: There’s still a long way to go
Weeks after the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration proposed loosening a federal prohibition on marijuana, the next phases of policy fights over the drug’s status are starting to take shape. Public comments, which the DEA is accepting on the proposal until mid-July, will likely include an analysis of the economic impact of more lenient federal rules. […] The post Easing federal marijuana rules: There’s still a long way to go appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
States beg insurers not to drop climate-threatened homes
In the coming years, climate change could force Americans from their homes, not just by raising sea levels, worsening wildfires and causing floods — but also by putting insurance coverage out of reach. In places including California, Florida and Louisiana, some homeowners are finding it nearly impossible to find an insurance company that will cover […] The post States beg insurers not to drop climate-threatened homes appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
D.C. Dispatch: IVF, Merrick Garland and baseball
Iowa lawmakers this week voted to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt, sent the defense budget to the Senate and unveiled bills on contraceptive access. Some of those same lawmakers were also busy defeating Democrats in the yearly Congressional Baseball Game for the fourth year in a row. Here is the roundup of what […] The post D.C. Dispatch: IVF, Merrick Garland and baseball appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa Democrats at state convention pin 2024 hopes on abortion, education issues
Democratic elected officials at their party’s state convention emphasized Saturday that the issues of abortion and education could help the party regain ground from Republicans in the state. Iowa Democrats are facing steep challenges in Iowa. Following the 2022 midterm elections, the state’s congressional delegation is made up entirely of Republicans, and all statewide elected […] The post Iowa Democrats at state convention pin 2024 hopes on abortion, education issues appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Anti-abortion groups say Supreme Court’s mifepristone ruling won’t deter them
In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling Thursday to maintain current access to the abortion medication mifepristone, abortion-rights advocates and opponents vowed to continue their respective battles over the drug. Mifepristone is one of two drugs used to treat miscarriages and terminate a pregnancy during the first trimester, and is the most common method […] The post Anti-abortion groups say Supreme Court’s mifepristone ruling won’t deter them appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Two infants surrendered to Iowa DHHS in May under Safe Haven Law
Two babies were turned over to the state in May as part of the Safe Haven Law, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services reported. The two infants, a girl born May 15 and a boy born May 26, make a total of four babies that have been surrendered to the state in the […] The post Two infants surrendered to Iowa DHHS in May under Safe Haven Law appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Loras College president reflects on time at university ahead of retirement
James Collins will soon be marking the 40th anniversary of his graduation from Loras College, the end of his 20th year as president and the end of his five-year employment contract. As a former “finance guy,” he said it felt like all the numbers were aligning just right to announce his retirement. Collins will retire […] The post Loras College president reflects on time at university ahead of retirement appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
States struggle with unreliable federal funding for making sure elections are secure
WASHINGTON — The federal government has sought to bolster election security for years through a popular grant program, but the wildly fluctuating funding levels have made it difficult for state officials to plan their budgets and their projects. Rising misinformation and disinformation about elections, often fueled by conspiracy theories, as well as threats against election […] The post States struggle with unreliable federal funding for making sure elections are secure appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Industry, clean power groups breath a sigh of relief as Senate approves energy regulators
Three nominees by President Joe Biden to serve on the nation’s top energy regulatory panel, which had risked losing a quorum, were approved this week by the U.S. Senate. The vote to approve the new members — two Democrats and a Republican — for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission was cheered by industry, renewable power […] The post Industry, clean power groups breath a sigh of relief as Senate approves energy regulators appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Bird flu found in two more Iowa dairy herds
Avian flu was recently detected in cattle of two dairy herds in northwest Iowa, the state Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship reported Friday, which increases the total number of affected herds to five. The latest highly pathogenic avian influenza infections in cattle were discovered in a 3,000-cow herd in Plymouth County and a herd […] The post Bird flu found in two more Iowa dairy herds appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Wind turbine blade recycling is underway in Iowa
A subsidiary of Alliant Energy — a major wind energy producer in the state — seeks to succeed where other companies have failed: It wants to recycle old wind turbine blades that have sometimes languished in large piles in Iowa. The blades are often made of fiberglass and resin, which yield strong yet flexible blades […] The post Wind turbine blade recycling is underway in Iowa appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
U.S. Supreme Court overturns ban on bump stocks used in Las Vegas mass shooting
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday struck down a rule enacted following a 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas that defined a semiautomatic rifle equipped with a bump stock attachment as a machine gun, which is generally prohibited under federal law. The opinion, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, reduces the executive branch’s already-limited […] The post U.S. Supreme Court overturns ban on bump stocks used in Las Vegas mass shooting appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
New law could hinder the sale of struggling nursing homes
A court-appointed receiver for several Iowa nursing homes says a new state law has the potential to make it more difficult to sell financially struggling care facilities that are looking for buyers. In August 2022, an Iowa judge placed eight Iowa care facilities in receivership, citing the inability of their Chicago-based management company to pay […] The post New law could hinder the sale of struggling nursing homes appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Biden administration tries to address generations of USDA racism against Black farmers and others
I was at a meeting early last week organized by a private company for farmers to learn how to receive tax credits and other funding from the Biden administration’s “climate-smart” programs that encourage more environmentally friendly farming practices. Being a news guy, I asked someone from the company how many people were at the conference. […] The post Biden administration tries to address generations of USDA racism against Black farmers and others appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa Board of Regents approves tuition increases for fall 2024
With tuition and fees at Iowa’s public universities set to rise once again this fall after approval from the Iowa Board of Regents, members of university student governments are calling on the board and the statehouse to stop putting budget burdens on students. The board on Thursday unanimously approved tuition and fee rates for the […] The post Iowa Board of Regents approves tuition increases for fall 2024 appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP
WASHINGTON — In his first visit to Capitol Hill since leaving office in January 2021, former President Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, mapped campaign strategy with GOP lawmakers and projected party unity ahead of the November elections. Trump said the meetings brought “great unity.” Surrounded by Republican senators, including Iowa’s Chuck Grassley […] The post Trump claims ‘great unity’ after talks with congressional GOP appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa Capital Dispatch
6K+
Posts
75M+
Views
Iowa has long enjoyed a reputation for clean government. But what would happen if nobody was watching? The Iowa Capital Dispatch is a hard-hitting, independent news organization dedicated to connecting Iowans to their state government and its impact on their lives. The Capital Dispatch combines state government coverage with relentless investigative journalism, deep dives into the consequences of policy, political insight, and principled commentary. We deeply believe in sharing the stories of people outside the halls of power, connecting the actions of state leaders to their impacts on Iowans. We also believe that without strong community journalism, Iowans risk losing the government integrity and accountability they have long valued. The Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The Iowa Capital Dispatch retains editorial independence.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.