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Iowa Capital Dispatch
Calm, conservative, confident: What GOP senators want in Trump’s vice presidential pick
WASHINGTON — Republican members of the U.S. Senate striving for a takeover of their chamber in the November elections have a wish list for what they’d like to see in Donald Trump’s running mate. A “little calmer” than Trump. Confident. Conservative. Military experience. Good relationships with senators. Ready to take over as chief executive if […] The post Calm, conservative, confident: What GOP senators want in Trump’s vice presidential pick appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
The Dobbs effect today: Abortion ballot initiatives, expected higher mortality, more litigation
In Arizona, the state’s highest court upheld a Civil War-era abortion ban. Florida and South Carolina moved to restrict abortion to six weeks — before many people know they are pregnant. The Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are “children,” temporarily throwing fertility treatments, such as IVF, into uncertainty and igniting a national debate. […] The post The Dobbs effect today: Abortion ballot initiatives, expected higher mortality, more litigation appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa Supreme Court decision awaited as advocates reflect on Dobbs anniversary
On the second anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned, Iowa Democrats, reproductive health care providers and advocates said Monday they are preparing for an Iowa Supreme Court decision on the state’s six-week abortion ban — and preparing to campaign on those issues for the 2024 general election. Planned Parenthood North Central States hosted a […] The post Iowa Supreme Court decision awaited as advocates reflect on Dobbs anniversary appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Simpson College president recovering at home after car accident
Simpson College President Jay Byers is recovering at home after a car accident last week. Byers wrote in a Facebook post that he was released from the hospital Thursday with a few injuries to still take care of, but he feels “fortunate overall” as he takes time to rest and recover. “Though it’s been a […] The post Simpson College president recovering at home after car accident appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Inspectors: Medication errors linked to woman’s acute kidney injury
A Council Bluffs nursing home is facing a potential fine for medication errors that may have resulted in serious injury to the resident. State inspectors allege the staff at Prairie Gate, a 32-resident nursing home in Council Bluffs, recently committed a series of “significant” medication errors in its treatment of a female resident. According to […] The post Inspectors: Medication errors linked to woman’s acute kidney injury appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Bird flu infects another Sioux County dairy herd
State officials announced over the weekend that another case of avian flu was found in a Sioux County dairy herd, marking June’s 11th case of bird flu in Iowa cattle. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship’s report on Saturday of pathogenic avian influenza in a dairy herd of 5,000 is the ninth report […] The post Bird flu infects another Sioux County dairy herd appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Court reinstates license of attorney whose drinking delayed client’s trial
The Iowa Supreme Court has reinstated the license of an attorney who showed up at the courthouse intoxicated, was convicted of vandalizing a vehicle and committed other ethical violations. Court records indicate that in June 2023, Jennifer Jo Weaver of Marshalltown, then known as Jennifer Jo Frese, was representing Cesar Ventura in a Tama County […] The post Court reinstates license of attorney whose drinking delayed client’s trial appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
For both sides, abortion policy two years after Dobbs decision hinges on November
WASHINGTON — Exactly two years after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, the battles rage among both advocates and lawmakers over the future of reproductive rights at the state and federal levels. Anti-abortion groups that have achieved considerable success in deep-red parts of the country are working to sway voters […] The post For both sides, abortion policy two years after Dobbs decision hinges on November appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Governor requests federal aid after severe flooding in northwest Iowa
Gov. Kim Reynolds said Sunday she has submitted a request for an expedited presidential major disaster declaration as northwestern Iowa communities continue to face floods and storm damages. The governor requested aid for 22 counties through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Public Assistance Program. She also requested aid through FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program and disaster […] The post Governor requests federal aid after severe flooding in northwest Iowa appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
After an abortion for fetal anomalies, she hoped IVF would build her family. Now that’s in doubt.
Anne Angus has been ready to start growing her family for years now. She got pregnant on her first try and felt lucky to escape the morning sickness and extreme fatigue that often comes with the first trimester of pregnancy. She quit her job in anticipation of being a full-time mom. “It was so exciting, […] The post After an abortion for fetal anomalies, she hoped IVF would build her family. Now that’s in doubt. appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Backlash against DEI spreads to more states
SALT LAKE CITY — Shortly after taking office in 2023, Republican state Rep. Katy Hall heard from constituents complaining about how their adult children were required to write diversity, equity and inclusion statements while applying for medical and dental schools and other graduate programs in Utah. “It doesn’t seem right,” Hall said. “It doesn’t seem […] The post Backlash against DEI spreads to more states appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa’s water needs protection from aquifer raiders
Bubbling up beneath the surface of the Iowa Utility Board’s pending decision whether Summit Carbon Solution’s proposed pipeline is justified by “public convenience and necessity” is the equally critical question of whether granting permits allowing Summit to siphon significant amounts of public water resources meets the state’s legal standard of being “put to beneficial use […] The post Iowa’s water needs protection from aquifer raiders appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Don’t give up on the FAFSA, advocates for student financial aid urge
WASHINGTON — Though the new version of the form to apply for federal financial student aid has had its fair share of highly publicized hiccups, U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal says the department has made a lot of progress in the past couple of months. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known […] The post Don’t give up on the FAFSA, advocates for student financial aid urge appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa-licensed attorney sanctioned for sex offense, stalking a child
The state of Iowa has suspended for three years the law license of an attorney recently convicted of a sex offense and stalking an 11-year-old child. Adam Kehrwald, an Iowa-licensed attorney who also practices in South Dakota, was first sanctioned by the state of Iowa in March 2020 when he was given a private admonishment […] The post Iowa-licensed attorney sanctioned for sex offense, stalking a child appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Bird flu infects two more Sioux County dairies
State officials have detected avian flu in cattle of two more Sioux County dairy farms for a total of eight in the past two weeks. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced the new highly pathogenic avian influenza detections Friday. One of the affected herds has about 500 cattle and the other has […] The post Bird flu infects two more Sioux County dairies appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Supreme Court upholds $4.75 million verdict for dairy affected by ‘stray voltage’
The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday backed a jury’s $4.75 million award to a northeast Iowa dairy that for years suffered from stray electrical current in the ground from a nearby natural gas pipeline. The justices unanimously rejected an appeal by the Northern Natural Gas Company, but they disagreed about how similar lawsuits should be […] The post Supreme Court upholds $4.75 million verdict for dairy affected by ‘stray voltage’ appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa justices uphold guilty plea in abuse case but set aside sentence
The Iowa Supreme Court on Friday refused to set aside a woman’s guilty plea in a dependent adult abuse case despite finding several defects in the plea-agreement process and the sentencing. The case stems from Shannon Hightower’s 2020 arrest in Black Hawk County on felony charges of dependent adult abuse and theft in the second […] The post Iowa justices uphold guilty plea in abuse case but set aside sentence appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Exclusive: DNC moves ahead on all-virtual roll call for Biden presidential nomination
WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee has taken a significant step toward formally designating Joe Biden as the party’s presidential nominee before the Democratic convention in August — a move that’s necessary to place him on the Ohio ballot for November’s election, States Newsroom has been told. DNC members finalized their vote Thursday to move […] The post Exclusive: DNC moves ahead on all-virtual roll call for Biden presidential nomination appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
D.C. Dispatch: Social Security, Boeing and lawmaker expense repayments
Iowa lawmakers this week introduced a bill that would factor inflation into Social Security and called for more investigations into Boeing’s safety record. Also this week, new data from the U.S. House of Representatives shows how much food and travel expenses were claimed by members of Iowa’s delegation in 2023. Read all about it in […] The post D.C. Dispatch: Social Security, Boeing and lawmaker expense repayments appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
ISU students, instructors chase storms across Tornado Alley
Always make sure you have an escape route. Stay on paved roads when you can. Don’t get too close. Iowa State University students and instructors chasing storms this spring knew those rules well, remembering their own experiences and having lessons on storm chasing drilled in over the past eight weeks. Looking back at their observation […] The post ISU students, instructors chase storms across Tornado Alley appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
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