Kate Payne
ReporterKate Payne was an Iowa City-based reporter and served as a co-host of Iowa Public Radio's podcast Caucus Land. Kate has won Regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her feature reporting and her sound editing. Her political reporting has been featured on Morning Edition, All Things Considered and The NPR Politics Podcast. She's been a guest on MSNBC, CBSN, KQED, WGBH, CapRadio, WYPR and New Hampshire Public Radio.
Before coming to IPR, Kate was a reporter and fill-in host at WFSU in Tallahasse, FL. She is a proud North Florida native and a dyed-in-the-wool hand talker.
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Hundreds of people gathered in Fairfield on Friday to honor Nohema Graber, a Spanish teacher who investigators believe was killed by two students. The 66-year-old mother of three is being remembered as a loving friend and an inspiring educator.
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There are concerning levels of contamination in public water systems across Iowa, according to an environmental group that sets its own health standards. More than 700 hundred utilities in Iowa had levels of certain contaminants above health guidelines set by the Environmental Working Group, which are not legally enforceable.
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Two high school students in Fairfield have been arrested for allegedly killing a Spanish teacher. The two 16 year olds face a first degree murder charge in the killing of Nohema Graber, who taught at Fairfield High School, where the boys were students. The teens have been charged as adults because of the circumstances of the crime.
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Waterloo will soon have a majority Black city council for the first time ever, following Tuesday’s elections. The historic outcome follows divisive debates over race and policing in the community, which is about 16 percent Black.
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The Cedar Rapids mayor’s race is headed to a runoff between businesswoman Amara Andrews and former TV anchor Tiffany O’Donnell. The city’s incumbent mayor Brad Hart fell short of qualifying for the runoff by a mere 24 votes.
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Former Vice President Mike Pence gave a speech in Iowa City Monday, apparently testing the political waters for a potential run for president. Speaking to a crowd at the University of Iowa, he largely avoided talking directly about the 2020 election, but when asked about his actions on Jan. 6, Pence said he did his duty.
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Linn County voters will get another chance on Tuesday to weigh in on whether there should be gambling in the community. What they decide could affect communities and nonprofits across the state that depend on revenues from their own casinos.
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Ottumwa Pride leaders say they won't be deterred by anti-LGBTQ comments from city council candidatesOrganizers with Ottumwa Pride say they won’t be deterred by anti-LGBTQ statements made by candidates running for the city council. During a public forum last week, two candidates voiced opposition for city support of LGBTQ Pride activities, with one asking if ‘pedophiles’ also deserved ‘special’ treatment.
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UAW worker killed in a vehicle accident while walking to a John Deere picket line in Milan, IllinoisA 56-year-old union member and John Deere employee was struck in a traffic accident and killed while walking to the picket line in Milan, Illinois Wednesday, according to the UAW. The worker was employed at the Milan John Deere Parts Distribution Center and was a member of UAW Local 79.
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Even as the Iowa Department of the Natural Resources begins testing for “forever chemicals” in more than 50 public water systems across the state, the agency currently has no plans to test private wells. An estimated 10 percent of Iowans get their water from private wells, which are largely unregulated.