IPR News

Jerry Burns has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Cedar Rapids high schooler Michelle Martinko, bringing closure to a case that remained unsolved for decades, until the advent of forensic DNA technology.

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden released his agenda for the Latino community this week. Some of Iowa’s top Latino leaders gathered virtually to discuss how his plans will affect Hispanic people in the state.

The University of Iowa undergraduate and graduate student governments are asking the school to go primarily remote this fall, due to the risk of the coronavirus.

School districts across the state are making their final decisions about how to start the year. Some are choosing to go against state guidelines, which Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says would be against the law. A handful of districts have said they plan to ignore that and do it anyway.

The City of Dubuque has passed its own face covering mandate, under legal guidance from the city attorney that the order is enforceable, despite the governor's opinion that such local measures are moot.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a mandate on face coverings, which the county attorney has said will be enforceable, unlike a previous resolution.

University of Iowa Health Care is looking for diverse participants for its COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial. Two hundred-fifty participants are needed for phase one.

Mayors in Linn County are joining with the county's board of supervisors and board of health in urging Gov. Kim Reynolds to let them issue local mask mandates.

The U.S. Census will stop surveying door-to-door on Sept. 30 instead of the previously planned Oct. 31. The largest minority group in Iowa is concerned this change will affect the count of their community.

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order Wednesday restoring voting rights to tens of thousands of Iowans with past felony convictions ahead of the November election.