Gov. Kim Reynolds says the federal funding she’s designating for cancer screening tests and treatment will be quickly distributed.

Two weeks ago, Iowa was awarded $209 million in federal funding to expand rural health care options. Reynolds announced during her Condition of the State message on Tuesday that $50 million of it will be designed for cancer-related care.

“We have 250 proposals that they’re going through right now,” Reynolds said. “We will be able to start awarding contracts the end of this month. I was on a phone call with Dr. Oz just this week and he thought it was just amazing that we’d be able to turn it around this quickly.”

Oz is the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that awarded the $209 million grant.

Reynolds’s staff began developing grant application guidelines when the state submitted its original request for the federal funding months ago. Part of the $50 million Reynolds has reserved to expand access to cancer screening and treatment will go toward equipping hospitals that are regional hubs for cancer patients.

The latest available data indicates Iowa has the second highest rate of new cancer cases in the U.S. and the only state where the cancer rate is rising.

As Arctic air descends into central Iowa Friday, a recently opened overnight warming shelter will activate in Ames to serve Story County residents.

The Warming Place is based out of the First United Methodist Church with support from the city and county, Mary Greeley Medical Center and several nonprofits.

Story County Emergency Management says the shelter will open overnight Friday night through Tuesday morning in response to several days of cold weather.

A southeast Iowa medical clinic will be closing its doors next month.

MercyOne says it will stop seeing patients at its Ottumwa facility on Feb. 27. In a letter to patients, MercyOne said it will inform them of a medical record transfer to its clinic in Centerville or another facility of the patients’ choice. MercyOne said it must “strengthen its ministry by expanding access where possible and consolidate or relocate services where barriers exist.”

In a Facebook post, a MercyOne health care provider said the news was a shock to staff as they were informed just hours before the public. MercyOne’s Ottumwa location is a 33,000 square-foot facility that opened in 2017.

The head of the Iowa National Guard honored two Guardsmen who were killed in Syria last month as part of his annual address to the legislature.

Major General Stephen Osborn said in his Condition of the Guard address the soldiers stood as “sentinels of freedom in a dangerous world.”

Osborne said the Guard’s involvement around the globe reflects the more active role it’s taken on in the past 30 years.

“These missions reflect the reality of the Iowa National Guard—not as a force held in reserve, but as a fully integrated operational component, delivering global reach, precision and endurance,” he said.

Osborne said more than 1,800 Iowa National Guard members are deployed across the Middle East and that 80 Guard members will be deployed to Poland this summer to help support NATO operations.

Read more.

Isabella Luu

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Iowa Public Radio

Former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts plans to make a deal with federal prosecutors.

Roberts was arrested by immigration enforcement agents in September and later charged with federal weapons violations for owning guns without having legal status in the U.S. 

Roberts’ trial was set for March, but other filings showed his attorneys were negotiating with prosecutors. Court filings do not disclose the terms of the plea deal.

A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22.

Natalie Krebs

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Iowa Public Radio

Water scientist and former University of Iowa professor Chris Jones announced Thursday that he’s running for Iowa secretary of agriculture.

Jones is a Democrat and the president and co-founder of the nonprofit Iowa Driftless Water Defenders, which focuses on water quality issues. He retired from the University of Iowa’s Institute of Hydraulic Research in 2023. 

Jones said the current food production system is harming the environment and farmers economically while benefiting multinational agribusinesses. 

“They're the ones that are making out. They're coming to Iowa, they're extracting the wealth, and they're leaving us with the pollution, and we are burdened with the responsibility for coping with this pollution,” he said.

Jones will face Democrat Wade Dooley in the June primary. Dooley is a farmer near Marshalltown who announced his run earlier this week. 

Current Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, a Republican, is seeking a third term. 

Read more.

Federal health officials reported an untold number of Iowans became sick after taking a diet supplement powder now the subject of a nationwide recall.

At least 45 people have come down with salmonella food poisoning in Iowa and 20 other states, according to reporting by the Associated Press. At least a dozen people had to be hospitalized, but there were no deaths reported.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention attribute the poisonings to the Super Greens brand of diet supplement powder. Superfoods Inc., which makes Live it Up-brand Super Greens powder, is recalling some of its products. That includes the original and wild berry flavors with expiration dates of August 2026 to January 2028.

Related illnesses are reported in 21 states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

Some Iowa business owners were on Capitol Hill in Washington Wednesday to tell U.S. senators about the difficulties facing the agricultural economy. 

Jay Funke is a farmer and sales manager at Del-Clay Farm Equipment in the small town of Edgewood in northeast Iowa. He’s also a member of the Iowa-Nebraska Equipment Dealers Association.

In a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Funke said low commodity prices are affecting sales in the region.

“The decrease in sales causes other problems,” Funke explained. “We have larger inventories than needed for the current sales volume, causing higher interest costs, which can lead dealers to dump inventory and take losses on equipment.” 

Funke said Congress needs to make it easier for farmers and the businesses that serve them to get loans and ensure fair and open markets with other countries. Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst is chair of the committee and led the hearing with Democratic Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts.  

Iowa’s 2nd District Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson is standing with ICE after an agent shot and killed Minneapolis resident Renee Macklin Good last week.

Local officials, including the mayor of Minneapolis and the governor of Minnesota, have called the killing unjust.

A federal investigation is currently underway, but many Republicans, including Hinson, have said the woman was trying to interfere with law enforcement efforts. 

“I’ve seen those videos, and it’s very, very clear this woman did not respond to law enforcement calls to get out of the way,” Hinson said. “And while it’s unfortunate she made that choice, I stand with our ICE agents and our law enforcement and their ability to do their jobs in our communities and do it safely for themselves every single day.” 

Six federal prosecutors quit after a push within the Justice Department to investigate Good’s widow, rather than the actions of the ICE agent. 

President Donald Trump has turned his attention outside of the U.S. toward issues in Venezuela, Greenland and Iran. But Iowa’s 2nd District Rep. Ashley Hinson said the president can focus on domestic issues at the same time. 

Since U.S. troops arrested Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, Trump has said he’s considering other interventions in Greenland and Iran. It’s led some people to question how much time he’s spending on domestic issues, like affordability. 

In her weekly press call, Hinson said it’s a good thing the president is so focused on foreign affairs. 

“I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time here,” she said. “We are the leader around the world. We’re the strongest country around the world, and people are looking to us for how we lead in this space. And thank goodness we have a president that is finally respected on the world stage.” 

Hinson said she thinks it’s important for the U.S. to have that posture, but her priority is to make sure everyday essentials are more affordable for American families. 

A federal judge ruled that a southern Iowa school district likely violated a teacher’s right to free speech by suspending her over comments she made about the killing of Charlie Kirk. It’s one of several lawsuits filed around the state based on retaliation to social media posts about the assassination. 

The Creston Community School District placed high school teacher Melisa Crook on leave over a Facebook post she made suggesting Kirk’s death was a “blessing.” 

The judge granted an order in Crook’s favor in part because she was sharing her personal views and never claimed to speak for the district. The ruling prevents Creston schools from firing Crook while the lawsuit goes forward, but it stops short of returning her to the classroom. 

The Linn County Board of Supervisors has approved NextEra Energy's plan to reopen the decommissioned Duane Arnold nuclear power plant. The company still needs approval from several state and federal authorities. But the plant is one step closer to NextEra’s goal of reopening in late 2028. 

Supervisors approved the rezoning request for nearly 400 acres in Palo for nuclear power production and storage. NextEra has agreed to supply Google with a majority of the power generated by the plant if it reopens. 

County Chair Kirsten Running-Marquardt said supervisors put the needs of the people of Linn County first. 

“Linn County does not have the authority to make the final approval or disapproval, nor do we have authority over nuclear waste. But through this rezoning, this gives Linn County residents a seat at the table,” she said.

The board approved an agreement last week requiring NextEra to pay the county for costs related to hosting the nuclear plant. The first payment will be $1.9 million, with a 5% increase each year the plant operates.  

Wade Dooley, a sixth-generation farmer from Marshalltown, is running for state secretary of agriculture.

The 43-year-old Democrat said he’s running to lead the Iowa Department of Agriculture because there’s a lot of talk about helping farmers, but not a lot of actual support at the state level for it.

“Farmers are on debt treadmills for the most part. They’re all trying to do what’s best for their family. They’re also trying to do what’s best for their land. They’re also trying to do what’s best for their community. But at the end of the day, they’ve got to make their bank payment,” Dooley said.

He said it’s time to end the blame game about Iowa’s water quality issues and for the department of agriculture to lead the effort to figure out a resolution. Dooley is a graduate of Iowa State University and has served as a board member of Practical Farmers of Iowa.

Chris Jones, another Democrat, indicated he’ll run for state ag secretary this year and is expected to launch a campaign this week. Jones is an author and retired University of Iowa researcher.

Republican Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig has been serving in the position since 2018 and is seeking reelection.

The legal battle surrounding an Iowa law that includes a ban on books with sexual content in school libraries continued Tuesday in a federal appeals court in St. Louis, MO.

The law passed in 2023 also prohibits lessons that have to do with gender identity and sexual orientation in kindergarten through sixth grade. A federal judge blocked most of the law that critics say is too vague and unconstitutional.

“I can tell you that we will never stop fighting for the rights of Iowa students and for the rights of Iowa teachers and for the rights of everybody to be subject to laws that have clear standards and not be subject to the arbitrary decision-making of elected officials,” said Thomas Story, an attorney with the ACLU of Iowa who argued against the law’s LGBTQ provisions.

A lawyer for the state says prior court rulings support the law, and parents have a right to know what their children are doing in school.

An appeals court ruling could take months.

Sen. Chuck Grassley said he wants to find out exactly why the Department of Justice is investigating Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

In a video message released Sunday, Powell said he has been threatened with indictment over his testimony before Congress regarding renovations of Federal Reserve buildings. Powell suggested the real reason behind the investigation is because he hasn’t lowered interest rates as much as President Donald Trump desires.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Grassley said the independence of the Fed from political pressure should be maintained.

“This investigation, I hope, is instituted at the Department of Justice and not through the White House, and that we wait till the investigation is over before I draw any conclusions,” Grassley said.

Some of Grassley’s Republican colleagues in the Senate have spoken out against the investigation, including Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

“If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” Tillis said in a statement.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski called the investigation “an attempt at coercion” in a social media post.

Cody Scanlan/The Register

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PDEM

Gov. Kim Reynolds will deliver the annual Condition of the State address Tuesday night before a joint session of the Iowa Legislature. Reynolds is expected to highlight accomplishments from 2025 and outline her legislative priorities for the year ahead.

State lawmakers returned to the Iowa Capitol Monday for the start of the 2026 legislative session. It’s the 10th year Republicans have had control of the Legislature.

At a GOP fundraiser Monday morning, Reynolds said she and her fellow Republicans are ready to tackle their top priorities.

“We’re back and we’re ready for what’s next: property tax relief, smaller government, smarter government, stronger and healthier Iowa communities,” she said. “And a whole lot of work that really matters for Iowa families.”

Reynolds, who is not seeking reelection in November, struck a theme of GOP unity for the ninth and final legislative session she’ll preside over.

“I don’t have to tell you what we’ve all done,” she said. “But the point is, we could only do it because we came together.”

The Condition of the State will be available to stream on ipr.org and on IPR News radio signals across the state at 6 p.m.

Many community members in the Cedar Rapids school district protested a proposed plan to close up to seven schools at a board meeting Monday night. District officials said the plan would cut costs as it faces a $12 million budget deficit in the upcoming fiscal year.  

John Swift is a parent at Pierce Elementary, one of the schools that could be shuttered under the proposed plan. 

“A long-term plan should come before deciding which schools to close, not after,” he said. “Without that plan, families are being asked to absorb a major disruption without clear vision for what comes next or how success will be measured.”

The school board is also considering cutting costs in staffing, leadership and consultant contracts. Board members opted to consider those other cost-saving measures more thoroughly at their next meeting. 

The West Des Moines school board has approved a plan to transition alternative education services away from a standalone high school. 

The district said it wants to shift to a more comprehensive alternative education program that serves K-12 students.

The initial plan was opposed by some parents, students and staff who don’t want the district to end its program at Walnut Creek Campus and move it into the district’s traditional high schools. 

The district said the education program could still be housed at Walnut Creek or could be moved into one of the district's traditional high schools.

A transition team will recommend the best location for alternative services and which staff positions to keep.

The Sioux City Community School District is considering plans to expand its dual-language program to serve a diverse student body.

About 40% of the Sioux City student body is Latino.

The school board heard a proposal Monday night to expand a Spanish language program across 11 more elementary schools and all three middle schools.

Currently, one elementary school is a dual-language school.

A Colombian immigrant who was violently detained by federal immigration enforcement officials in Iowa City has been released into house arrest.

Videos from September showed agents tackling Jorge González Ochoa inside a grocery store and putting him in an unmarked vehicle as part of what court documents call “targeted enforcement.”

González Ochoa was indicted on charges of documents fraud and kept in federal custody until a district court judge ruled he was entitled to a bond hearing before an immigration judge. Local organizers said that hearing never happened.

González Ochoa was released, but his immigration case is ongoing, with his next check-in set for February. In a statement, immigrant rights group Escucha Mi Voz called González Ochoa’s release “a huge victory” for the community.  

A federal appeals court will hear arguments Tuesday that could resolve the ongoing legal battles surrounding Iowa’s law that bans books with sexual content from school libraries. A federal ruling has prevented the state from enforcing that ban.

The law, passed in 2023, also prohibits lessons in kindergarten through sixth grade from including gender identity or sexual orientation. But much of that section of the law was blocked by a federal judge in May.

The state of Iowa is contesting those decisions.

A panel of judges with the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis will hear from the state and from advocates who oppose the ban, including the ACLU of Iowa and publisher Penguin Random House.

A ruling is expected to take a few months.

Growing hemp wasn’t legal until the 2018 Farm Bill removed the plant from the federal Controlled Substances Act. That made hemp and all its derivatives legal, so long as it contains less than 0.3% of delta-9 THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana, by dry weight.

Since then, it has become a big industry. Often referred to as the “hemp loophole,” the law change inadvertently legalized a host of intoxicating and non-intoxicating hemp-derived THC products and created a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Now, that industry is at risk.

Without legislative intervention, the vast majority of the products sold in Iowa and Nebraska will become illegal in November. That’s because the bill that ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history contained a provision to close the loophole.

If it takes effect as scheduled, it would redefine hemp to limit the amount of any THC – not just delta-9 THC – to 0.3%, and limit the total amount of THC to 0.4 milligrams per container. Currently in Iowa, THC is limited to 10 milligrams per container.

Read more from Harvest Public Media’s Molly Ashford.

Sen. Joni Ernst is publicly backing fellow Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson’s bid to succeed her in the U.S. Senate.

Ernst, who announced she would not run for reelection four months ago, joined Hinson on the campaign trail in Dallas County this weekend.

“Part of that decision on whether I would run again or not was knowing that we, as Iowans, would have somebody that could step into this campaign and ensure that we keep this seat,” Ernst said. “That woman is Ashley Hinson.”

At the event, Hinson cited the theme of Ernst’s 2014 campaign, when Ernst promised to “Make ’em squeal” in Washington, D.C.

“For the past almost 12 years now, the biggest, fattest cats have been running away squealing from you, and I can tell you this: not only will they not stop squealing,” Hinson said. “We’re going to make ’em squeal even louder.”

Hinson is currently in her third term in the U.S. House, representing Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District.

Rachel Cramer

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Iowa Public Radio

Central Iowa Water Works started running part of its nitrate removal facility last week due to elevated levels in its source water. The regional utility for the Des Moines metro said the last time the system was used during the month of January was in 2015.

Larry Weber, who directs Hydroscience & Engineering at the University of Iowa, said his team is seeing unseasonably high concentrations of nitrate throughout Iowa.

“In much of the state, short of a couple isolated areas, there's really no frost in the ground right now. So the agricultural tile lines continue to run, and with the tiles flowing, they're bringing higher nitrate concentrations to our streams,” Weber said.

Water sensors in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers have measured nitrate levels at or above the Environmental Protection Agency’s threshold of 10 milligrams per liter.

Central Iowa Water Works said drinking water produced by the utility continues to meet all state and federal drinking water standards. 

Read more.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently shared more details about how it will distribute $11 billion in economic aid through the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program. 

Payment rates for farmers are based on the number of acres they planted last year and estimated losses for specific crops. Chad Hart, an economist at Iowa State University, said many farmers are struggling.  

 “They're facing a lot of bills right now, especially, buying a lot of the inputs that they'll utilize over the coming growing season,” Hart said. “So, this is going to help cover those costs, allow these farmers to at least farm another year.”

Rice and cotton will receive the highest per-acre payments. But according to an analysis by the American Farm Bureau, corn, soybeans and wheat are expected to account for over three-quarters of the program dollars. 

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said farmers can expect the one-time payments by the end of February. 

Read more from Harvest Public Media’s Rachel Cramer.

State lawmakers are back in Des Moines Monday for the first day of Iowa’s 2026 legislative session. Senators and representatives will spend the next few months at the Iowa Capitol debating and passing new laws and deciding how to spend Iowans’ tax dollars.

They’re starting the year with some new leaders: new majority leaders in the House and Senate, and a new House minority leader. It’s also Gov. Kim Reynolds’ final legislative session.

GOP leaders say their top priorities include property tax relief and addressing concerns about eminent domain and carbon pipelines. New Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, said he’s also focused on economic development and attracting business to the state.

“Those are issues that I will be trying to steer my caucus in the direction so that we can set the table for Iowa’s future for years and generations to come,” Klimesh said.

Democratic leaders say they’re focused on affordability and lowering costs for Iowans.

Read more about what to expect from the 2026 session.

Iowa’s 2026 legislative session is officially underway. But unlike last year, Senate Republicans no longer hold a supermajority in their chamber. 
 
Senate Republicans say they’ll prioritize property tax reforms, strengthening agricultural markets and making the state more friendly to businesses. They also want to propose an eminent domain plan that includes taxing carbon dioxide carried by pipelines.  
 
Senate President Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, called on members to tone down divisive rhetoric and come together to help Iowans. 
 
“They want good jobs and affordable living,” Sinclair said. “They want lower taxes and less regulatory interference, and they want the freedom to flourish in the state that they love.” 
 
Senate Democrats say they want to focus on supporting public education, making child care more affordable and lowering health care costs.  
 
The Senate also swore in new state Sen. Renee Hardman, D-West Des Moines, on Monday. Hardman is the first Black woman to serve in the Iowa Senate.  

A theater company in northern Iowa was awarded an $18,000 grant to put on musicals celebrating American history this summer.  

Cedar Summerstock Theatre in Saint Ansgar will put on Disney's Newsies Jr., Grease, The Hormel Girls and Sister Act. Executive Artistic Director Nancy Nickerson Lee said the program will also produce a showcase featuring important figures and scenes from American history.  

“Musical theater has been a way to really tell a lot of the stories of our culture and our history, so connecting those two was really important,” she said. “This is a unique American art form.” 

The National Endowment for the Arts announced more than $16 million in grants last week as part of its initiative to support projects celebrating America’s 250th birthday. 

Read more.

A new report has found Iowa is one of 27 states that has no state program for paid parental leave for teachers. The National Council on Teacher Quality report found 16 states have required programs, and another seven states have optional programs. 

Heather Peske, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality, said without paid parental leave, teachers struggle to balance the demands of their job with their family, resulting in more turnover. 

“What this means is that teachers have to hoard their sick days or try to plan to have children in the summer because the state doesn't offer paid parental leave for teachers,” Peske said.

Last year, an Iowa law went into effect that offers state employees four weeks of paid leave if they are the birthing parent or adopting and one week of paid leave if they are the non-birthing parent. This does not include teachers, who are employees of their school district. 

Hundreds gathered in downtown Iowa City on Sunday to protest the recent killing of Minneapolis resident Renee Good by a federal immigration enforcement agent. It was one of many “ICE Out For Good” protests across the country, and included a silent march, followed by speeches from local leaders and community members. 

Iowa City City Council Member Mazahir Salih said accountability for Good’s death is non-negotiable. 

“What happened in Minneapolis does not stay in Minneapolis,” Salih said. “It reaches Iowa City, it reaches Johnson County, it reaches families who are afraid to leave their home, parents who are afraid to take their children into school, workers who are afraid to show up for their job." 

People at the protest said they were horrified, appalled and outraged after seeing videos of Good’s death online.

Members of the Trump administration said the ICE agent acted in self-defense out of fear that Good was trying to run him over. Local authorities dispute that characterization. 

The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a man who challenged the state for assessing court fees on charges that were dismissed.

In 2024, Ronald Pagliai faced four theft charges related to shoplifting. In a deal with prosecutors, he pled guilty to two of the charges and the court dismissed the other two. In addition to time served, Pagliai was ordered to pay victim restitution and court costs for all four cases.

The ACLU of Iowa argued in an amicus brief that states can constitutionally recoup the costs of an appointed defense attorney only when someone can repay without hardship. The organization said Iowa imposes some of the highest fees in the nation — affecting tens of thousands of people each year — and the state also charges poor people for their public defenders even if they are acquitted or the cases against them are dropped.

In a 5-2 ruling, the justices found no statute authorizes a district court to assess costs in a dismissed criminal case and sent Pagliai’s case back to district court.

Most Iowans likely haven’t started filling out their tax forms yet, but they might be more eager to do so this year due to higher projected refunds.

Stacy Engle, a spokeswoman for the Internal Revenue Service, said projections point to larger refunds ahead, thanks to increased standard deductions under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that Congress passed last July.

“When that change happened, most people did not make any changes to their withholding, and most employers did not adjust the withholding for the change,” Engle said. “That is going to increase the amount of standard deduction people get, which will increase the amount of overpayment they made based on withholding.”

It could be the biggest tax refund season in U.S. history, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent projecting refunds averaging between $1,000 and $2,000.

A new U.S. Department of Agriculture report shows there was a small increase in food insecurity in 2024. About 48 million people struggled to get enough food across the country.

Crystal FitzSimons, president of the Food Research and Action Center, said the food insecurity rate is similar to previous years, but 13.7% — or one in seven households — is still too high.

“There have been plenty of times during the last few decades when this report was put out, when the number of people living in food insecure households were significantly lower,” she said.

The USDA plans to scrap the annual hunger survey after this publication, saying it “failed to present anything more than subject, liberal fodder.” But experts say that the data shows how policy decisions impact people and it will be hard to know what is going on without it.

Read more from Harvest Public Media’s Anna Pope.

Madeleine Charis King

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Iowa Public Radio

Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is asking lawmakers to pass a bill he’s proposing to respond to business fraud. He wants the Iowa Legislature to make it easier for his office to dissolve fraudulent businesses.

Pate said some homeowners have found that fraudulent businesses used their address to register a company.

“Bottom line is, the bill we’re proposing is a starting point that would give us the authority and the ability to expedite dissolving that company, getting it off there so those poor homeowners aren’t getting besieged with these kind of creditor calls and things like that,” Pate said.

Pate plans to have conversations with business leaders to find more ways to crack down on business fraud. His office also oversees elections, but he said he’s not asking for any major election law changes after lawmakers transformed the state’s election and voting processes over the past several years.

Iowa’s 2026 legislative session begins Monday.

Iowa’s 3rd District Rep. Zach Nunn has joined a handful of Republicans to break with party leaders and pass a three-year extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits.

The proposal passed the U.S. House with support from Democrats and 17 GOP representatives.

Nunn said in a statement that Iowans who rely on the enhanced tax credits should not suffer because of what he called “bad prior policies.”

Iowa’s three other Republican House members voted against the extension.

Second District Rep. Ashley Hinson said in a statement that she would not support the “status quo.” But she said talks in the Senate about a temporary extension that would include income caps are encouraging.

Police in Manchester conducting an online sting have recently arrested and accused five men of grooming a minor for sex.

A 52-year-old central Iowa man was arrested Monday for attempting to meet with an undercover officer who he believed was a minor. Police reported that over the past few weeks, Michael Patrick Wiezorek groomed and sent messages to the undercover officer. Police said he traveled to Manchester from Nevada, rented a hotel room and then traveled to the meet-up location.

In November, four other men were arrested as part of the online predator sting. The Manchester Police Department said they’re still evaluating cases and working toward other arrests.

The department started its undercover operation in September, when an officer created social media profiles portraying a 15-year-old in an attempt to catch online predators.

Manchester’s police chief is hosting a forum at the city’s public library on Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. to advise parents about how to protect their children’s safety online.

Individuals and businesses claimed a record amount of unclaimed property through the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt in 2025.

Iowa financial institutions turn over things like the contents of safety deposit boxes or dormant bank accounts when they cannot find the owners. The state is currently holding $648 million worth of unclaimed property, all of it listed on the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt website.

During 2025, over 53,000 claims were made through the website, and State Treasurer Roby Smith said over $36.6 million in unclaimed property was distributed to its rightful owners. That surpassed the previous record set in 2024.

“We have all-time record amounts for the state of Iowa,” Smith said. “And I’m proud of it.”

Businesses turn over things like utility refunds or paychecks when they can’t find a forwarding address. Smith’s office estimates one out of seven Iowans would find unclaimed property if they search their name in the database.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is proposing the first-ever “Iowa Farm Act” that includes a wide range of proposals, from targeted tax relief to promotion of agritourism.

“It’s something that you can actually think of as being akin to a Farm Bill, like we would see at the national level. There are some other states across the country that have done similar things,” Naig said.

Naig’s legislation has not yet been released in bill form, but was outlined in a lengthy news release. He indicated the bill was developed after discussions with different groups about their priorities.

“We’ve got provisions in here that affect beekeepers and specialty crop producers, row crop producers, livestock and biosecurity and ag businesses, as well,” Naig said. “We bring together that diverse array of ag interests in the form of the Iowa Farm Act.”

Naig said the bill includes some “agricultural experience” definitions to boost agritourism.

“Meaning events being held on farms, maybe even being able to stay overnight in a cabin or something on a farm,” he said.

The Iowa Farm Act also includes a few tax proposals, like expanding the tax break for retired farmers and exempting honeybee purchases from the state sales tax.

A key Democrat in the Iowa House said Democrats will propose a constitutional amendment aimed at preserving the Iowa Public Employee’ Retirement System (IPERS). It comes after the governor’s Iowa DOGE Task Force recommended studying whether the state should offer new public employees the choice of a 401(k)-style retirement plan.

House Minority Whip Sean Bagniewski of Des Moines said letting new employees opt out of a pension would undermine the whole system. He said the proposed constitutional amendment would prevent changes to IPERS.

“We’re going to make Iowa Republicans put their money where their mouth is. That if they really want to preserve IPERS, then they’re going to have to do it,” Bagniewski said.

Republican leaders have said they’re not planning changes to IPERS this year. But Democrats say that leaves the door open to changes in future legislative sessions.

Bagniewski made his comments Thursday at a forum hosted by the Iowa Capitol Press Association.

Sen. Chuck Grassley is waiting until the FBI completes an investigation into Wednesday’s fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE agent in Minneapolis before passing judgement.

Officials in Minnesota, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Sen. Tina Smith, are calling on the federal government to withdraw ICE from the state. Grassley said immigration agents should be allowed to carry out the law.

“There is wrong done by law enforcement from time to time, but you can't stop a whole law enforcement activity in Minneapolis because of this one incident,” he said.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a news conference that the woman who was killed, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, had been stalking and impeding ICE agents before she was fatally shot.

Grassley said it’s illegal to prevent law enforcement officers from doing their jobs.

Polk County health officials are urging people to take extra precautions against the flu as the county’s emergency rooms are experiencing a surge in activity and long wait times. 

Addie Olson, public health communications officer for Polk County, said flu activity is significantly higher than what is typically seen at this time in the season, and it could be peaking early. 

“Or there's a possibility that this will really just be a rough flu season for us and providers are seeing flu activity really escalate pretty rapidly,” she said. 
 
Olson said individuals who are at high risk for severe illness or who are experiencing severe symptoms should go to the emergency room. Others should consider going to urgent care or seeing their doctor. 

Officials are encouraging Iowans to stay home when sick and get a flu shot to help curb the spread of the virus. According to state data, 28% of Iowans have received a shot so far this season. 

The Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association launched a series of free online courses Thursday designed to help families facing the disease or dementia.

Communications Director Lauren Livingston said the virtual classes will run most Thursday mornings through June 18. She said the courses aim to help families better understand what to expect so they can be prepared to meet the changes and challenges ahead.

“It’ll start with a five-part series called ‘The Empowered Caregiver,’ which teaches caregivers how to navigate the responsibilities of caregiving for someone living with the disease through the different stages — early, mid and later stages,” Livingston said. “Then we’ll get into some more topics for people who are interested in brain health and the basics of the disease.”

More than 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, including over 62,000 in Iowa. Nationwide, more than 11 million family members and friends serve as caregivers, including over 80,000 in Iowa.

Livingston said caregiving can be exceptionally difficult, and the courses can be a big help.

Sheila Brummer

Gov. Kim Reynolds has opted Iowa into a federal program to support school choice across the state that takes effect next year.    

Individuals who donate to nonprofits that offer scholarships to K-12 students can receive up to $1,700 in tax credits. Students of families who make up to 300% of the area median income are eligible for the scholarships.  

The program is part of the massive tax and spending bill, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law last year.  

During a visit to Iowa Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon praised Reynolds’ decision to participate in the program.  

“This is a momentous step to break away from top-down mandates and expand school choice,” McMahon said.

Iowa already has a similar program that lets an individual earn up to 75% of their donation back in tax credits.  

Flock Safety

A petition started in the Quad Cities calls for all automated license plate readers in the area to be taken down. The cameras detect a passing car’s license plate, make, model and color, regardless of whether a crime was committed. That information can be shared in a database that is accessible to law enforcement agencies around the country. 

David Stoner, who lives in Moline, Ill., started the petition last month. It has over 250 signatures. Stoner said most people he talked to in the Quad Cities did not support the cameras once they learned about them.

“There was a lot of talk about not wanting them there, but I didn’t feel like there was any sort of momentum of like, ‘Ok, let’s gather up this energy and direct it somewhere,’” he said.

The ACLU of Iowa has said the technology is “a surveillance tool that poses serious risks to Iowan’s privacy and civil liberties.” Many law enforcement officials say the technology is useful for solving crimes across multiple jurisdictions.

Sheila Brummer

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Iowa Public Radio

Iowa is the first state in the nation to receive a waiver from the Trump administration that gives more flexibility in how to spend federal education funding. U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon made the announcement Wednesday during a visit to an elementary school in Denison.

“We hope that, as we partner with congressional leaders to return education to the states, we can work with them to expand these opportunities for states and local leaders to run their education systems,” she said.

Iowa will receive about $9.5 million in the form of a block grant, according to McMahon.

The waiver allows Iowa to consolidate funding from four programs into one, including teacher training and support for English language learners. The initial proposal included 10 programs.

Gov. Kim Reynolds said the change will save millions of dollars in staff time previously needed to comply with federal regulations.

Read more.

Madeleine King

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Iowa Public Radio

The Linn County Board of Supervisors have signed an agreement aimed at covering costs that could come from restarting the Duane Arnold nuclear facility.

The Host Community Agreement requires NextEra Energy to make an annual payment for services related to hosting the nuclear plant. The first payment will be $1.9 million and will be made after the plant starts supplying electricity to the power grid, possibly as soon as 2028.

The amount will increase by 5% each year to keep up with inflation.

County Chair Kirsten Running-Marquardt said the agreement gives the people of Linn County a seat at the table, though final approval to restart the nuclear power plant sits with state and national regulators. 

Nicole Baxter

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Iowa Public Radio

A nonprofit that grew out of one woman’s basement in Des Moines rehabilitates thousands of wild birds every year. As it approaches capacity, the founder plans to build Iowa's first wild bird hospital and education center.

Jenni Boonjakuakul, founder and executive director of Iowa Bird Rehabilitation, said her team of mostly volunteers helps sick, injured and orphaned birds recover and then releases them back into the wild.

“Pretty much anything with feathers that flies through Iowa, we can admit,” she said.

While there are other rehabilitators in the state, Iowa Bird Rehabilitation is unique in having state and federal permits to care for avifauna ranging from humming birds that weigh less than a nickel to Trumpeter Swans, North America’s heaviest flying bird.

The center also stands out with its sheer numbers. In 2024, Iowa Bird Rehabilitation admitted nearly 3,200 birds, representing 117 species. Boonjakuakul expects the final numbers for 2025 to be similar, if not higher.

Dozens of volunteers help with rescues and transportation. They feed baby birds and provide medical care from Boonjakuakul’s home in a residential neighborhood. But the nonprofit is nearing capacity, even with additional outbuildings and other creative solutions.

Acquiring a larger property to build Iowa’s first wild bird hospital and education center is part of Boonjakuakul’s long-term vision.

Read more.

A legislative panel is examining how to expand access to intensive, recovery-oriented mental health services to Iowans outside of a hospital setting.

Rep. Gary Mohr, R-Bettendorf, is chairman of the temporary committee, which met Monday.

“Many of you are going to think, as a result of today, we’re going to come out with a grandiose, multi-million-dollar plan. Don’t plan on it. Some of you expect us to come out with virtually nothing and maybe one or two recommendations. Don’t count on it,” Mohr said. “We’re going to get as far as we can moving this issue forward.”

Mohr and other lawmakers heard testimony about the lack of “subacute” mental health care services and learned there are only 30 slots currently available in Iowa for adults who need those services after hospitalization for a mental health crisis.

Mary Neubauer of Clive told lawmakers her adopted son, Sergei, was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and PTSD after abuse he suffered as a child in Russia. Neubauer said after Sergei attempted suicide and was hospitalized a decade ago, she and her husband found the kind of programs he needed next in Arizona and California because there were none in Iowa. After Sergei committed suicide in 2017, Neubauer has been an advocate for action in Iowa.

Neubauer said there’s growing demand worldwide for high-quality, comprehensive mental health recovery services, and there’s a chance for Iowa to position itself as a go-to place for that kind of care.

Officials from two key agencies suggested there are some regulatory changes that may improve the business model for these intensive, sometimes months-long treatment programs. They said some insurance companies limit coverage for these services to just 10 days because of a reference in state law that could be changed, and there are professional requirements for employees that make it hard to fill all staff slots.

Three former gymnasts of an elite gymnastics studio in Iowa have filed lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by a former coach. They claim that when Sean Gardner was their coach at Chow’s Gymnastics in West Des Moines, he inappropriately touched and sexually harassed them. 

The lawsuits were brought on behalf of three minors and came after two other former gymnasts filed similar cases in December.   

Attorneys representing the gymnasts are also suing Chow’s, USA Gymnastics and the watchdog SafeSport for failing to address complaints and prevent abuse.  

Gardner is currently jailed in Mississippi, where he’s facing child pornography charges for secretly filming minors at another studio where he worked. 

Under a bill proposed by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, law enforcement agencies would collect DNA from people accused of an aggravated misdemeanor or felony.

Current state law allows DNA collection only when people are convicted of crimes. Bird said collecting DNA at the time of arrest will help police and cold case units identify suspects, solve crimes and prevent repeat offenses.

New Mexico was the first state to pass a law to collect DNA after felony arrests. Former New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez was at the Iowa Capitol Tuesday to push for what she calls Katie’s Law, named after a young woman who was raped and murdered in 2003.

“When we wait until conviction to collect the DNA, we give serial offenders a free pass between the time of their arrest and their final sentencing,” Martinez said. “We allow them to remain anonymous for periods of time and different crimes that they’ve already committed.”

Bird said more than 30 states have passed similar laws.

Unsplash

Iowa pediatricians are concerned recent changes to the federal childhood vaccine schedule could lead to a drop in those getting shots. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced this week it will no longer broadly recommend children get shots for six diseases, including the flu, rotavirus and hepatitis B. Instead, those shots are now recommended for high risk children or for those who determine with their physician that the shot is necessary. 

Nathan Boonstra, a general pediatrician in Des Moines, said the lack of transparency and scientific evidence behind the decision is concerning. 

“That can only lead to increased hesitancy, to decreased uptake of these vaccines, which would then lead to increased cases and outbreaks of these diseases, some of which are very dangerous,” Boonstra said.

According to federal officials, the U.S. vaccine schedule now better aligns with peer nations, and all vaccines will continue to be available and covered by insurance. 

Read more.

Sioux City Community School Dist

Sioux City Community School District's superintendent resigned after spending almost two months on administrative leave. Juan Córdova joined the public school district in July after serving as an administrator in Missouri.

The school board unanimously approved his resignation, effective March 31, during a special board meeting on Monday. The board president said the mutual decision to part ways followed a licensing issue and professional differences.

Former board member Dan Greenwell said hiring Cordova was a mistake.

“Not exactly like Des Moines’ superintendent, but I think we were bamboozled,” he said. “We hired the wrong guy. I was part of hiring the wrong guy; I admit it. But when you make a mistake, you recognize that mistake, and you take care of it quickly.”

Greenwell said the board should have accepted Córdova’s resignation months ago, which would have saved the district $150,000. Córdova's salary and benefits exceed $275,000 a year.

Read more.

(Brummer)

The Cedar Rapids school district is considering adopting many cost-saving measures after a $117 million bond measure failed to pass in November’s election. The district faces a $12 million deficit.

Recommended changes include breaking up the grades differently, with kindergarten through fourth grade at their own schools, followed by fifth and sixth, then seventh and eighth. 

“It is a new and different thing, but also this could take something that is hard and give us an opportunity to try some new things that we can be excited about,” said Stephanie Van Hemert, principal at Grant Elementary School. 

Other cost-saving recommendations from district staff include reductions in the workforce, consulting contracts and professional travel. The school board has not taken any concrete steps yet, but if it adopts all the recommendations, it could save the district over $10 million. 

Gov. Kim Reynolds has appointed a task force to advise state officials and lawmakers on nuclear energy technology and infrastructure.

Reynolds signaled this move during her Condition of the State address to the Legislature last January.

“As the world becomes more dependent on technology, and as AI becomes more prevalent, energy demand is dramatically increasing. For starters, we need to take a serious look at nuclear energy,” Reynolds said. “Its potential is amazing, but the investment is big and the horizon is long, so we need to get started.”

Reynolds indicated the task force will look at the process of granting construction and operating permits for nuclear facilities, along with the potential challenges of recruiting nuclear engineers.

Mark Nutt, director of Nuclear Energy Programs at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will lead the governor’s task force. Nutt is an Iowa native and holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in nuclear engineering from Iowa State University.

Executives from three energy companies — Alliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy and NextEra Energy — are also on the task force, along with the state’s top utility regulator and representatives from unions whose members would be involved in the construction and maintenance of a nuclear power plant.

Reynolds appointed several lawmakers, including Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh and state Rep. David Young, R-Van Meter, to the task force.

Madeleine Charis King

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Iowa Public Radio

State Auditor Rob Sand shared his top legislative priorities for the upcoming session, which begins on Jan. 12.

The list includes a proposed law that would send public employees or contractors to prison if they steal more than $10,000 and a law that would require cities, counties and school districts to fill out an efficient spending checklist created by his office. 

Sand also wants to reverse a 2023 law that he said makes it harder for his office to carry out its duties.

The law prevents the auditor from accessing certain private information, like medical and student records, unless it meets certain exceptions. It also blocks the state auditor from suing other state officials or agencies for refusing to release documents.  

Sand said the law has been used to block him from looking into the state’s education savings accounts and from accessing documents from the Board of Parole. 

“This has been used on multiple occasions to block our efforts. It's also been very effective as red tape and slowing our audits down,” he said.

Sand acknowledged his proposals may have slim chances of passing in the Republican-controlled Legislature.  

Sand is running for governor and is the only statewide elected Democrat.  

Read more.

Edith Renfrow Smith, the first Black woman to graduate from Grinnell College, died Friday at the age of 111.  
Renfrow Smith was a 21-year veteran of the Chicago school system, and after retirement, continued volunteer work well into her 90s.  

IPR spoke with Renfrow Smith in 2024 for the dedication of Renfrow Hall on Grinnell’s campus. She talked about how her mother influenced her staunch support for education.  

“You know what she tells us — you go to school every day, and you learn everything she tells you. Why do you think the Lord gave you a brain? That’s for you to use,”  Renfrow Smith recalled.

A children’s book about Renfrow Smith used her mother’s words for the title, No One is Better Than You.

At 108, a Northwestern University study designated her a “SuperAger” for her remarkable memory and longevity.  

The Linn County Board of Supervisors signaled its support for NextEra Energy to restart the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant. The board approved the first reading of NextEra’s application to rezone nearly 400 acres of land from agricultural zoning to a new designation for nuclear production and storage.  

Supervisor Kirsten Running-Marquardt said the county is doing everything it can to protect the community and its residents. 

“And that’s what this ordinance does. It gives us a seat at the table and makes sure that we’re being treated fairly and that people’s quality of life and their property taxes that they pay in, that those are all being considered,” Running-Marquardt said.

During a public hearing Monday on the plant’s potential restart, many people showed their support, including John Zakrasek, who worked at Duane Arnold for over a decade. 

“I’ve been around the people that worked out there, lots of really great people who had good jobs, well-paying jobs,” he said. “Our electricity demand is really going up right now, and to think about refurbishing and reusing that massive infrastructure out there to produce over 600 megawatts of power, 24 hours a day, is just fabulous to me.” 

County supervisors will consider NextEra’s rezoning application two more times. The project will need final approval from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and is waiting for permits from multiple state and federal agencies.  The company aims to have the plant open by late 2028 or early 2029. 

Iowa House Democrats are proposing a property tax plan that includes rebates for homeowners and renters and a freeze on senior’s property taxes.

The plan would also limit annual property tax increases to 4%, and it would triple the homestead tax credit to provide more relief for homeowners.

Rep. Dave Jacoby, D-Coralville, said Iowans would immediately feel the effects of this plan.

“This is a certainty we have not seen in years — certainty for homeowners, certainty for renters, certainty for our schools, cities and counties,” he said.

Jacoby said he’s still waiting for more information about how much the plan would cost. House Democrats are hoping the Republican majority will consider their ideas.

Property tax relief is expected to be a top priority in the legislative session that starts Jan. 12.

Horse owners are starting to lower their guard now that the spread of a potentially fatal virus appears to be slowing.

There have been more than 60 reports of equine herpes virus across eight states, including, Texas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Colorado and Louisiana, according to the Equine Disease Communication Center.

The outbreak began at a barrel racing event in Waco, Texas in early November and led to the cancellation of rodeos and holiday events across the country.

But there hasn’t been a new case reported for about two weeks. Horse owners like Chelsea Kaufman, a barrel racer from northeast Nebraska, feel safe to take their animals out again.
"I feel a little bit better about it now,” she said. “Now that everyone’s aware, I think everyone, for the remainder of the year and probably into summer, will probably take really big precautions."

If a horse may have been exposed to the virus, veterinarians recommend isolating them for 21 days and taking their temperature twice per day.

Read more from Harvest Public Media.

An annual report found employer-sponsored health insurance premiums dropped slightly for Iowans from 2023 to 2024, as premiums increased on the national level. However, many Iowans remain on high-deductible plans.

The State Health Access Data Assistance Center (SHADAC) at the University of Minnesota analyzed health insurance data.

Andrea Stewart, a research fellow at SHADAC, said that 52% of Iowans are on high-deductible plans, though that number has come down.

“Iowa has traditionally seen significantly higher enrollment in high deductible health plans,” Stewart said. “That number was 62% in 2023. It was an average of about 64% in 2022.”

She added that the average family deductible has been slowly increasing.

Stewart said Iowa was one of 33 states in 2024 where more than 50% of workers were enrolled in high-deductible employer plans.

Republicans representing Iowa in the U.S. House and Senate praised the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend, while top Iowa Democrats suggested the move may trigger “another endless war.”

Sen. Joni Ernst, along with Iowa’s four U.S. House representatives, said Maduro and his cartels have “illegally trafficked deadly drugs into our country” for years and President Donald Trump “took decisive action to hold him accountable.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley said the mission was not unprecedented, citing President George H.W. Bush’s order to “deploy a much larger ground force to capture” Panama’s president, Manuel Noriega, in 1990. Noriega, like Maduro, had been indicted for drug trafficking in the U.S.

Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart praised the soldiers who captured Maduro, but she said the U.S. “should not start a war for oil.”

People in central Iowa will soon have a food pantry with a wide range of culturally specific groceries.

The Polk County Northside Food Pantry in Des Moines will be converted into the Global Neighbors Multicultural Welcome Pantry. It will have foods for communities from Central and South America, Africa, Southeast Asia and other areas.

Mak Suceska is the manager of operations at Polk County’s Global Neighbors, one of the groups collaborating on the project. He said the pantry will be open to anyone, not just immigrants and refugees.

“This pantry will continue to have foods available that are currently represented and available at pantries. And of course, it's open to the broader public and community,” Suceska said.

Suceska said the pantry will be up and running by the beginning of February.

Several changes are in the works for Iowa’s casino industry in the new year, including a new casino and some moving to on-land locations.

Racing and Gaming Administrator Tina Eick said construction is moving forward for a December opening of a new casino in Cedar Rapids.

The Racing and Gaming Commission recently approved the purchase of the Catfish Bend Casino in Burlington by Elite Casino Resorts. The group also owns the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort in Riverside, the Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport and Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort in Larchwood. Elite Casino Resorts plans to rename Catfish Bend as the Great River Casino Resort.

The Casino Queen in Marquette was also purchased last year by Bally's, which plans to move Iowa’s smallest casino’s boat operations to a land-based facility. Eick said the construction for that move is on track to be completed by March.

Eick said the Ameristar Casino riverboat will also transition to a land site this year.

When casino gambling was first introduced in Iowa, casinos were only allowed on riverboats and dedicated racing tracks. However, riverboat casinos have slowly relocated after a 2007 state law changed to allow for land-based casino gambling.

Leaders in the Iowa House say they’re exploring whether there’s support to pass a bill that would shield pesticide companies from certain health-related lawsuits in the 2026 legislative session.

Bayer, the maker of Roundup weedkiller, sought a similar bill in 2025 that narrowly passed in the Iowa Senate but failed to advance in the House.

Bayer’s plant in Muscatine makes about 70% of the Roundup sold in North America. The company has suggested that the facility could close due to the financial burden of tens of thousands of U.S. lawsuits that allege Roundup causes cancer.

“We want to make sure that agricultural products are manufactured here,” said House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford. “And you’re looking at a lot of higher costs that we’re facing this upcoming spring season because we don’t have necessarily a supply chain for all of the inputs that we have, so I think we have to be very mindful of that when we’re making decisions.”

The bill would give liability protection from so-called “failure to warn” lawsuits as long as the label of a pesticide or herbicide follows EPA guidelines. The agency said there’s no risk to human health if Roundup is used according to label instructions.

House Minority Leader Brian Meyer, D-Des Moines, who is an attorney, said the bill is “a disservice to Iowans” who have been and could be harmed by the use of glyphosate, the main ingredient in Roundup.

Iowa’s campaign ethics board is asking lawmakers to pass a bill requiring disclosure of “deepfakes” used in campaign ads. Deepfakes are computer-generated images, sounds and videos that depict a false event, like showing a candidate doing something they didn’t do.

Erika Eckley, executive director of the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, said Iowa should require disclosure of deepfakes to help ensure election information is presented fairly.

“People think of this as something presented in a negative light, but it can also be something presented in a falsely positive light," Eckley said. "So it’s just letting the public know that this is something that did not actually occur, so they can make their own decision about the information.”

About half of U.S. states have passed laws regulating political deepfakes. Political ads that include deepfakes would have to include the phrase, “This content generated using synthetic media.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol will see a $170 billion cash infusion starting in 2026 to dramatically step up immigration enforcement and deportations.

The new federal funding might be a problem for agriculture, as around 70% of farm workers are foreign-born, and more than 40% are in the U.S. without legal status.

Zach Rutledge, an assistant professor studying the ag labor market at Michigan State University, said U.S. farms can't afford to lose those employees.
“There's been a crisis in farm labor for some time, and it certainly would be exacerbated by immigration enforcement. It certainly doesn't help,” he said.

Rutledge said the Trump administration is addressing the labor crunch by lowering the wages farmers are required to pay foreign guest workers. Farm workers' unions have sued to stop that change.

Read more from Harvest Public Media.

A new report found that Iowa has one of the most affordable housing markets in the country.

The report, by Common Sense Institute Iowa, ranked the state eighth in the country when factoring in property taxes. It ranked it 11th in the country for affordability relative to what its residents earn.

“There are states that are very affordable in absolute terms, but wages are very low and affordability doesn't help them as much. Whereas in Iowa, we have pretty good earnings relative to what housing costs,” said Ben Murrey, with the Common Sense Institute Iowa.

Murrey said the report also found that Iowa is on track to eliminate its housing shortage by the end of 2028.

According to the report, the average Iowan needs to work 38 hours a week to be able to afford a new mortgage payment for a single family home as of September, which is 14 hours a week less than the national average.

The Iowa DNR said almost all of its campsites in the state park system will be reservable this year.

Campers will be able to make reservations online or by phone. There are two exceptions: The rustic campgrounds at Preparation Canyon and Fort Defiance will remain walk-in only.

Also starting this year, campsite rates will increase by $1 to $3, depending on the site type and campground location.

Some will have higher rates during the three major summer holiday weekends of Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.

The Iowa DNR said rates will be updated on its reservation site in the early part of the year.

An exhibit at the African American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids explores the history of farming and activism by Black Iowans. “Rooted: Labor, Land, and Legacy” traces how agriculture has supported economic independence and cultural preservation.

Curator and Collections Manager Felicite Wolfe said the exhibit highlights Black farmers nationwide and in Iowa, including young farmers working today and families like the Westerns, who have farmed in Iowa for more than 150 years.

“I think that not a lot of people realize what a long history Black farmers have had here,” Wolfe said on IPR’s Talk of Iowa. “They've been here since the state was still a territory, so it's a long history and a very, very interesting one.”

The exhibit will remain open through Aug. 8, 2026.

Many farmers are entering 2026 in a tight spot. Producers across the Great Plains and Midwest are seeing record-high prices for beef while facing dismal crop prices.

Cortney Cowley, a senior economist at the Kansas City Federal Reserve, said the challenges for crops and livestock are opposites.

“On the livestock side, we don't have the supply to meet the demand, which is why we have such high prices,” Cowley said. “But on the crop side, we have too much supply and not enough demand where those markets become a lot more important.”

Farmers are also paying more for inputs, like fertilizer and machinery, which is cutting into their bottom lines.

A September outlook from the University of Missouri found farm income could fall by about $30 billion in 2026 because of lower crop prices and a decline in government payments.

Additionally, the U.S. is short on international buyers due to the ongoing trade war.

Luis Ribera, economics professor at Texas A&M University, said trade markets don’t know how to react to tariff unpredictability.

He said the U.S. is not the only player vying for other countries to buy agricultural products, and producers know once a market share is gone, it’s hard to gain it back.

Read more.

Democrats have retained a seat in the Iowa Senate after a special election in central Iowa.

Democrat Renee Hardman beat Republican Lucas Loftin by more than 40 percentage points. She is the first Black woman in Iowa history elected to the state senate.

Hardman’s win means Republicans are one seat short of a supermajority. They will need at least one vote from a Democrat to approve governor appointees.

Hardman said her win was a group effort and she thanked her supporters.

“We just decided as a collective that we're going to get this job done, and we are going to prevent the super majority, and that is what helped drive our motivation to get this job done,” she said.

Hardman will represent parts of West Des Moines, Clive and Windsor Heights in the seat formerly held by Democrat Claire Celsi, who died in October.

Hardman is a West Des Moines city councilwoman and leads the nonprofit Lutheran Services in Iowa. She said her past experience will help her work across the aisle.

Milk sales increased last year for the first time since 2009, according to the latest federal data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Growing demand for whole milk made up for continued declines in consumption of skim and reduced fat milk. Overall, milk sales increased by 358 million pounds, or just under 1 percentage point from the previous year to 43.2 billion pounds.

Karen Gefvert, with Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative, which represents farms in Wisconsin and Minnesota, said producers are being realistic about the increase.

"It was not significant and is likely just sort of a pause in the inevitable continuous decline," she said.

But Gefvert said whole milk may see a boost in the coming year because Congress recently passed legislation to add full-fat milk options back to school lunches.

Read more from Harvest Public Media.

State officials reported Iowa's flu activity is now at a high level, according to last week’s respiratory virus surveillance report, which also found COVID-19 and RSV levels remain low. 

Aneesa Afroze, an infectious disease specialist at MercyOne, said emergency room visits for the flu have increased considerably from last week, and Iowans should take precautions. 

“Protect yourself, that is the best thing. Vaccinate, protect, wear a mask in gatherings and especially be away from people who are sick. And if you are sick, stay home,” Afroze said.

Afroze said respiratory virus infections typically peak in January and February and said it’s not too late for Iowans to get a flu shot.

Federal officials announced Iowa will receive $209 million next year as part of a federal program aimed at boosting health care access in rural areas. The federal Rural Health Transformation Program was authorized by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress in July.

The program will allocate $50 billion to states over the next five years, with 50% being divided equally among all states. The other half will be distributed by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services based on a variety of factors. 
 
Iowa submitted its proposal in November for what it calls its Healthy Hometowns project, which aims to address rural health issues by expanding telehealth care, recruiting more health care providers and increasing cancer care through a hub and spoke model. 
 
The state asked for $1 billion over the next five years for its project. That breaks down to $200 million a year, meaning the state’s first year has been fully funded. 

A judge ruled the state of Iowa must honor its contract with the company that operates the Honey Creek Resort at Rathbun Lake in southern Iowa.

In late October, the state of Iowa abruptly forced the long-struggling Honey Creek Resort to shut down. State officials argued that Achieva Enterprises, the company running the resort, broke its contract when it fell behind on financial reports and an insurance requirement.
 
But Polk County Judge Jeffrey Farrell said it appears the state was actually reacting to a phone call where the contractor threatened to shut down the resort over the poor condition of the indoor water park. 

Farrell said since Achieva never acted on that threat, the state was not justified in canceling the contract. He ordered the state to reinstate its agreement with Achieva.

The state must allow the company to return to Honey Creek Resort so that it can reopen by mid-March. 

Interstate 35 between Ames and the Minnesota border fully reopened early Monday afternoon after a blizzard caused it to close on Sunday.

The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Iowa Department of Public Safety closed the northern section of I-35 — one of the busiest roadways in Iowa — on Sunday due to impassable conditions from ice, snow squalls and high winds.

Hardin County Emergency Management Coordinator McKenzie Burton said hotels in Iowa Falls and surrounding communities quickly filled up and had to turn away stranded travelers. But Burton coordinated with the Iowa Falls Fire Department to open an emergency shelter.   

“And our citizens really came together in the Iowa Falls-Alden area and were able to get Pack ‘n Plays, mattresses, pillows, snacks — everything that we needed,” she said.

Burton said roughly 30 people stayed the night at the Iowa Falls fire station. Most left in the morning, while a dozen continued to wait for road conditions to improve.

Iowa DOT said drivers should check Iowa 511 to stay up to date on roadway conditions.  

The federal government issued a regional emergency declaration that waives regulations for truckers carrying residential heating fuel in 10 states, including Iowa.

The declaration, made last week by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, supersedes one issued by Gov. Kim Reynolds on Dec. 4 and extends it until Jan. 15. Both declarations cited pipeline disruptions as the cause.

Truck drivers carrying propane, natural gas or heating oil are allowed to exceed the federal limits on driving hours until Jan. 15.

Lynne McNally, executive director of the Nebraska Propane Gas Association, said such waivers are common in the winter.

“It seems strange because the weather’s been very good, but because of the pipeline issues, an Hours of Service waiver was necessary to be issued,” McNally said.

The disruption occurred in Iowa and required trucks to collect propane from crowded terminals in Nebraska, according to McNally.

Read more.

The foods Iowans can purchase through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will change starting Jan. 1.

Specifically, taxable foods and beverages will not be SNAP eligible.

The list includes sugary beverages with less than 50% fruit or vegetable juice, candy and some prepared foods.

Garden seeds and plants that produce food are still allowed, even though they’re taxable in Iowa.

Paige Chickering, vice chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition, says education and outreach are key to preventing issues at the checkout, which could create more stigma around SNAP.

“Our biggest concern on that SNAP waiver is folks getting in line at the grocery store and not knowing that these rules have changed, and then having these really uncomfortable conversations with a checkout clerk,” said Chickering.

The changes come after the U.S. Department of Agriculture granted a waiver from Gov. Kim Reynolds earlier this year.

Chickering said the coalition believes families should be able to make the right food choices for themselves.

Read more.

More than 40 state parks and forests across the state are hosting “First Day Hikes” on Jan. 1.

Roughly half of the locations will provide guided hikes with Iowa Department of Natural Resources staff and volunteers leading the way. The other half are self-guided.

The DNR’s website provides descriptions of the hikes, which are typically 1-2 miles long. Some events include cocoa, light snacks and bonfires.

First Day Hikes began in Massachusetts over three decades ago and became a nationwide event in 2012.

Iowa West Foundation President and CEO Brenda Mainwaring says competition from a new casino in Omaha is cutting into profits at western Iowa casinos.

Ameristar, Harrah’s and the Horseshoe in Council Bluffs saw a decrease of around 14% in combined revenue last month compared to a year ago.

The Iowa West Foundation holds the gambling licenses for the facilities and gives out $15 to $20 million in grants per year.

“The impact from Nebraska is being felt at the city and county level because of reduced taxes,” Mainwaring said. “We, the Iowa West Foundation, are fortunate to have saved enough resources that we can continue to support the community, even with a temporary downturn.”

Mainwaring said those resources include an endowment of almost half a billion dollars.

The Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission reports revenues across the state have been up over last year since the new fiscal year started on July 1.

Michael Leland

/

Iowa Public Radio

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommended a 5% increase in hunting, fishing and trapping license fees to keep pace with inflation and increasing costs.

License fees go to the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund, which the DNR uses to manage fish and wildlife populations, enforce regulations and promote outdoor recreation.

The last time fees were increased was for 2019 licenses.

The Iowa Legislature’s Administrative Rules Review Committee will evaluate the DNR’s proposal to raise frees. If the Legislature gives the greenlight, the DNR will then take into consideration public comments it receives and provide a final rule for the Natural Resource Commission to vote on.

Any adjustments would not go into effect until December 2026.

Read more.

Experts are encouraging Iowans to get a flu shot as soon as possible, as flu vaccination rates are down this year compared to previous years.

According to state data, 26.7% of Iowans received a flu shot so far this year. In 2024, 35.6% of Iowans were vaccinated against the flu.

Jason Wilbur, president of the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages the vaccine for everyone 6 months of age or older. He said getting the shot protects not only individuals, but their friends and family — and the wider community.

“The more vaccination uptake you have in a community, the less likely you are to have big outbreaks in schools and shut schools down or have many people missing work,” he said.

Wilbur said the flu vaccination appears to be particularly effective this year. He encourages Iowans to get the shot now before cases are expected to peak in January and February.

Tyson Foods, the nation’s largest meat producer, will close a massive cattle processing plant in Lexington, Neb., in January. The company will also cut shifts at a plant in Amarillo, Texas.

The news comes as the U.S. struggles with the smallest cattle herd in nearly 70 years.

With high cattle prices and low inventory, meatpackers are operating below capacity and losing money, says David Anderson, a livestock economist at Texas A&M University.

He says Lexington and Amarillo will be left struggling after the closure and cutbacks.

“These big plants are out in rural areas, and they are a huge, major employer. And it's really bad on local… small, local rural economies,” said Anderson.

That's particularly true for Lexington, where the Tyson plan employs more than 3,000 people in a city of about 10,000.

Anderson says the production changes likely won’t impact beef or cattle prices.

The Dubuque Regional Airport will stop offering commercial flights to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago starting next year.

The flight was first funded in November 2024 with federal grant money, but those dollars expired. The airport then agreed to shoulder some of the costs afterward through a minimum revenue guarantee that it paid to the airline, Denver Air Connections.

Todd Dalsing, the director of the Dubuque Regional Airport, said the Chicago flights didn’t meet the airports’ goal for flights to be 80% full, so the minimum revenue guarantee funding ran out.

Travelers who booked flights for after Jan. 15 through the airport will receive refunds. Those who booked through airlines themselves should contact the airline directly.

A recent land auction in northwest Iowa brought the state’s highest price ever for farmland.

Long-time land appraiser Jim Rothermich said he was surprised when a parcel of more than 35 acres sold for $32,000 an acre, breaking the record of $30,000 also set in Sioux County in 2022. The state average is about $11,500 per acre.

“Most of the time, it's farmer buyers — farmers wanting to expand. But we're also seeing a lot of competition from investors with local ties,” he said.

Rothermich said despite higher interest rates and falling commodity prices, high-quality land still fetches a big price. Additionally, fewer tracts of farmland have been coming up for auction.

The most recent land survey by Iowa State University showed prices have held steady over the past year despite concerns about the ag economy.

House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said extending prison time for people convicted of multiple violent crimes will be a big priority for him in the legislative session that begins next month.

Grassley said it became a top issue for him after watching a video of a Ukrainian refugee being stabbed on a train in North Carolina over the summer. The man charged with the woman’s murder has a lengthy criminal history.

As a parent, Grassley wants to make sure repeat offenders are kept off the streets. He raised the issue with other House Republicans to see what they thought.
“It was overwhelming, the amount of folks that are parents, grandparents, that felt the same way, that they don’t want to have to live in a country, but more importantly, a state, in which that could be a threat to any of their children or grandchildren or anyone they care about,” he said.

Grassley said House Republicans plan to consider other “tough on crime” proposals as well.

A new law forcing Iowa’s three counties with a public university to elect their supervisors by district, rather than at large, is shaking things up in Johnson County. It requires all five sitting supervisors to run next year after the new maps are put in place. Some were just elected last year to what would normally be a four-year term. The supervisors will be staggered to two- and four-year terms after the election.

Supervisor Mandi Remington will have her term cut short by two years. She said she plans to move to an open district to be able to run next year.

“At any point in time, any resident in Johnson County had the option to go to the auditor’s office, get a petition, get signatures and have it put to the ballot to move us to districts,” Remington said. “That hasn’t been done, because the people of Johnson County like getting to vote for all five of their supervisors."

A lawsuit filed by Johnson County residents is challenging the constitutionality of the new law.

A survey by AARP Iowa found the number of caregivers is growing; 657,000 Iowans reported they are helping an adult in their lives with various tasks, like meal prep, financial planning and medical care.

Michael Wagler, state director of AARP Iowa, said caregiving can keep people out of costly nursing homes, but many caregivers take on financial strain. Wagler said 80% of caregivers are spending money out of their own pockets.

“About half the people that identify as a caregiver in our study report that they are taking on debt, they're draining their savings or they're struggling to afford basic food and medicine costs on their own life,” he said.

The survey found the average age of a caregiver in Iowa is 51, and that 60% are women.

A former central Iowa doctor who was convicted of sexually abusing his granddaughter will have a new trial. The Iowa Supreme Court threw out his conviction over the use of one-way video testimony. 

Lynn Lindaman appealed his conviction and 50-year sentence, claiming his granddaughter’s testimony was unconstitutional. She testified through one-way video to protect her from the emotional trauma of facing him in court. 

Lindaman’s attorneys argued that virtual testimony violates the Iowa Constitution’s guarantee that a person accused of a crime can confront witnesses against them. 
   
The Iowa Supreme Court sided with Lindaman in a 4-2 decision. The majority opinion said testimony must take place face-to-face, even when it may cause distress. 

The decision upholds a similar ruling from last year.  

The Iowa Legislature started the process of sending a constitutional amendment to voters that would allow some limits to face-to-face testimony. The soonest it could appear on the ballot is 2028. 

Iowa National Guard

The remains of two Iowa National Guard soldiers killed in Syria will return to Iowa on Christmas Eve.

Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar of Des Moines and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard of Marshalltown were ambushed during a terrorist attack on Dec. 13, according to officials.

The Iowa National Guard said the soldiers’ remains will arrive at the Des Moines International Airport Wednesday at 1 p.m.

Torres-Tovar and Howard were serving with the 1^st Squadron, 113^th Cavalry Regiment at Camp Dodge. Wednesday’s honorable transfer of remains is a private event for the soldiers’ families and is not open to the public.

The head of the Iowa Biodiesel Board is imploring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to finalize fuel blending mandates by the end of January.

Grant Kimberly, executive director of the biodiesel board and senior director of market development for the Iowa Soybean Association, said that by now, the EPA should have released the final Renewable Fuel Standard for the next two years.

As a result of the delay, he said Iowa’s small, independent biodiesel refiners are mostly idle right now.
“The industry's been built on the backs of farmers who were the ones to put their money where their mouth was,” Kimberly said. “And they made the initial investments on a lot of these plants in the early days, and they're the ones that are most at risk if we don't get this sorted out here very, very soon.”

Kimberly said he’s heard the final proposal is being held up by a dispute over Small Refinery Exemptions, which provide U.S. refineries temporary waivers from blending their products with biofuels by claiming it would cause "disproportionate economic hardship.”

Special quarters will be issued by the U.S. Mint next year as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of American independence. But Sen. Chuck Grassley said he’s “shocked” that the Treasury Department abandoned a plan to issue a commemorative coin honoring the women’s suffrage movement.

“In my view, this is a very big mistake,” Grassley said during a speech on the Senate floor. “The forthcoming anniversary is a perfect time to honor historical events that made America what it is today. The historic victory won by suffragettes after more than 140 years of fighting for the right to vote is as worthy as any.”

Designs dedicated to the abolition of slavery and the push to pass the 19^th Amendment have been replaced by designs depicting the Mayflower and the Gettysburg Address.

Grassley said the suffrage movement holds a special place in his heart because his mother, Ruth Corwin Grassley, was one of the first women in Iowa — and perhaps the country — to vote. His mother was among a group of Black Hawk County and Grundy County women who voted in a local election on Aug. 30, 1920 — just days after the 19th Amendment went into effect.

Grassley also noted that Iowan Carrie Chapman Catt was president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association for 10 years — including in 1919, the year women won the right to vote. 

“We take great pride in what it took to get the 19th Amendment adopted,” Grassley said. “So, I hope I can get some reconsideration on the part of the administration about honoring the suffragettes with a coin.”

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent approved the final designs for the commemorative dimes, nickels and quarters. The designs will only appear on coins minted in 2026, and the U.S. Mint will start circulating the coins in January. A commemorative penny and half dollar will be sold to collectors.

Iowa will participate in the federal SUN Bucks program, also known as Summer EBT, next year with some adjustments granted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).  

Eligible SUN Bucks families receive $40 each month per child on prepaid debit cards to use at grocery stores during the summer. It’s meant to help replace school meals that low-income kids would get for free or at a reduced price during the school year. 

Iowa did not participate in the SUN Bucks program in 2024 or 2025, and instead launched its own pilot program, called Healthy Kids Iowa, earlier this year. Food banks worked with pantries to distribute boxes of food during the summer at designated pick-up sites.  

Gov. Kim Reynolds said in a news release that the response to the pilot program was “overwhelmingly positive, but operating the program was challenging for some food banks and pantries.” 

The news release said the USDA approved Iowa’s request to change what foods and beverages are eligible with SUN Bucks to align with the state’s changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). 

Starting Jan. 1, SNAP in Iowa will no longer include certain taxable food items and beverages. This includes candy and pop, but also some prepared foods.  

While poinsettias have an undeserved reputation for being poisonous — as someone would have to eat a few hundred poinsettia leaves to get sick — an expert said two other traditional holiday plants are potentially toxic.

Janna Day, education and outreach manager at the Iowa Poison Control Center, said mistletoe can be dangerous if consumed by people or pets. She said the red berries in holly also should never be eaten.

“They can cause gastrointestinal symptoms and upset,” Day said. “We might see things like nausea, vomiting, cramping, diarrhea if somebody ingests those or if a child ingests those.”

Day, who is also a nurse, said those symptoms can show up quite rapidly and may last for 24 hours or more.

“If that does happen, we do recommend that you just go ahead and call us at the poison center,” she said. “Because then we can evaluate how many berries were potentially swallowed and help give you some recommendations on what we want you to do next.”

Mistletoe’s white berries can also be toxic, and while sprigs of the plant are often placed above doorways to promote kissing, Day said the entire plant should be avoided or kept out of reach of children or pets.

“The flower and the leaves … they tend to be a little bit more toxic than the berry itself, but we do get more calls about the berry,” Day said.

For questions or concerns, call the Sioux City-based Iowa Poison Control Center 24/7 at 1-800-222-1222.

Online shopping isn’t just more convenient — it’s becoming more popular than in-person shopping. As more people go online to get their holiday gifts, some small towns are becoming ever more creative to attract potential customers.

“People are coming for an experience with their family,” said Nina Gilliam, a business owner and village board trustee in Caledonia, Mo.

The small town of Caledonia — located 80 miles southwest of St. Louis — has a population of about 130 people, so getting people to visit is important to keeping its revenue going. Gilliam said that simply having cute in-person stores just isn’t enough anymore.

“People look online for an experience with their family,” she said. “If you don’t have it, they’re going to go somewhere else.”

Caledonia’s shop owners know they can’t compete against big box retailers and online giants —at least not alone. That’s why they’ve decided to work together to get customers coming out to shop with unique freebees and festive attractions.

Read more from Harvest Public Media’s Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval.

An Iowa advocacy group plans to put pressure on state lawmakers to approve a larger funding increase for public schools.

Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) started the initiative “Public School Strong” to push the state to boost public school funding and phase out education savings accounts (ESAs).

More than 40,000 students are using the state-funded ESAs to attend private schools this year.

Iowa CCI Special Projects Director Tim Glaza said properly funded public schools give all kids the same opportunity for a good education. He expects more school districts to face budget cuts next year and said that without action to end ESAs, students will suffer.

“It's definitely having an impact, because hundreds of millions of dollars of public money that should be going to public schools, but instead it's being diverted to private schools,” Glaza said.

Five school districts, including Albia, Belmond-Klemme, Bennett, Decorah and Keokuk, have passed resolutions supporting “Public School Strong.” Iowa CCI wants parents in other districts to consider bringing a resolution to their school boards for a vote.

Iowa’s 2nd District Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson called the House Republicans’ health care bill that passed last week a good step toward lowering health care costs. But one thing that she supports was left out: an expansion of health savings accounts (HSAs), which let people set untaxed dollars aside for certain medical expenses. 

Hinson said expanding HSAs will be a top priority for the new year. 

“I think there is more to do here, and that's exactly what we’re going to be doing in the House come 2026,” she said. “So, I’ll continue working on bipartisan solutions here that protect consumer choice, which is exactly what HSAs help to do." 

The Congressional Budget Office estimates 100,000 people will lose health insurance each year if the House GOP health care bill passes. The bill does not extend Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year.  

Gov. Kim Reynolds named two people to fill open seats on the Iowa Board of Regents. Her nominations of Steve Lacy and Pete Cownie are subject to confirmation by the Iowa Senate.

Lacy is the former CEO of Meredith Corporation in Des Moines and is part of the advisory council for the University of Iowa’s newly established Center for Intellectual Freedom. 

Cownie is a former Republican state lawmaker and executive director of the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation. 

If confirmed, Lacy and Cownie will take the places on the board left open by former Regents President Sherry Bates, who stepped down earlier this month, and David Barker, who resigned to join the Trump administration.  

The Iowa Board of Regents is made up of nine members who oversee the state’s three public universities. Members serve six-year terms.

Courtesy of the candidates

A special election is set for Dec. 30 in Senate District 16 to fill the seat once held by Democratic state Sen. Claire Celsi, who died in October.

The district covers parts of Clive, West Des Moines and Windsor Heights.

If Republicans flip the seat, the party can regain the supermajority they lost with the election of Democrat Catelin Drey in August. Republicans currently hold 33 seats in the senate, while Democrats hold 17. Regaining the supermajority means GOP senators can approve the governor's appointees without having to gain a vote from a Democratic senator, which requires 34 votes.

Three-term West Des Moines City Council member Renee Hardman is the Democratic candidate. She said her top priorities are making child care, health care and housing more affordable.  

Lucas Loftin from Clive is the Republican candidate. He said his priorities are lowering taxes for Iowans and reducing government spending.  

Read more about the candidates.

Republican leaders in the Iowa Legislature say property tax relief is their top priority for the second year in a row.

Gov. Kim Reynolds, Senate Republicans and House Republicans are each expected to release a plan for property tax relief. Then they’ll try to find agreement on a bill to pass.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh, R-Spillville, said local governments should work together to try to provide the same level of services at a lower cost. Klimesh said he favors changes to the property tax system as a whole, rather than changes for specific groups of taxpayers.

House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said the House GOP plans to prioritize certainty for taxpayers over certainty for local governments. Groups that advocate for tax cuts have pushed for strict limits on city and county spending growth.

House Minority Leader Brian Meyer, D-Des Moines, said Democrats will also be proposing property tax changes next month. Meyer said with the state’s revenue declining, lawmakers should reduce funding for things like education savings accounts for private school and use state funding for property tax relief.

Health policy experts said if the House Republicans' health care plan becomes law, the benefits could take a while to kick in. The GOP bill passed Wednesday comes as premiums are expected to rise for millions of Americans in the new year. 

The average premium price for Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace enrollees is expected to double, on average, if enhanced subsidies expire at the end of the year.

House Republicans said their plan, which does not include an extension of the subsidies, will lower costs by addressing the root causes of rising premiums. But Senior Policy Analyst Emma Wager, with the health policy think tank KFF, said it will be a while before Americans notice the impacts. 

“I think most of the provisions in this House bill are more long-term, systemic changes, and they aren’t necessarily going to impact things that are happening to people’s wallets in two weeks, when the new year comes around,” Wager said.

The future of the House bill is unclear, but it is unlikely the Senate will vote on health care again before the new year. 

The Congressional Budget Office estimates 4.2 million Americans will become uninsured due to the end of the enhanced premium subsidies.

The Republican leaders of the Iowa House and Senate said they’re not planning to change the state’s public employee pension system next legislative session.

The Iowa DOGE Task Force recommended a study into offering a choice between a pension and a 401(k)-style retirement plan. But House Speaker Pat Grassley said he’s not expecting the House to even move forward with a study during the session that begins Jan. 12.

Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner said the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) is very important for attracting and retaining public employees. She said she’ll be watching this issue very closely.

“The talking point that I’ve heard from our Republican colleagues is they don’t have the ‘appetite’ to deal with IPERS this session,” Weiner said. “I’m not exactly sure what that means. Would they have the ‘appetite’ next session, once it’s no longer an election year?”

Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh didn’t directly answer if there should be a study. However, he also said he doesn’t see any changes being made to IPERS next session.

Katarina Sostaric

/

Iowa Public Radio

Democrat Rob Sand has been trying to connect with Iowa voters through his Christian faith as he campaigns for governor. He has weaved religious references into his stump speech as he explains his positions and values.

Sand said he talks about his faith on the campaign trail because it’s “a tremendous motivator” in his life. At the same time, he said he believes in the separation of church and state.

“But I am not the state. I am a person,” Sand said. “And I want people to know who I am, and that requires a degree of openness. And so I share what motivates me and what I think about when I’m trying to make decisions, because I think that helps people understand where I’m coming from.”

That approach has resonated with some voters, but it has also drawn a strong reaction from some Republicans. Prominent GOP leaders like Jeff Kaufmann, chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, have specifically criticized Sand’s use of Bible verses.

At a banquet hosted by the conservative Christian political group, Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition, Kaufmann called Sand a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” and said he would “govern from the extreme left.”

“Rob Sand is cherry-picking Bible verses to open up his left-wing meetings,” Kaufmann said. “And we all know in here, you gotta do more than just cherry-pick verses. You need to absolutely lead by the content of those verses. This kid is bad news, people.”

Sand said his faith will continue to be part of how he tries to connect with voters as elections approach in 2026.

Read more.

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird said Iowa is part of a multistate settlement with the home improvement chain Menards.

The settlement resolved 2020 claims that the company incorrectly marketed its 11% rebate program, according to a statement from the attorney general. Menards agreed to clearly communicate the rebate limitations and to let customers have one year from the purchase of an item to apply for the rebate.

Menards also agreed to update its online rebate tracker information within 48 hours of the application and include updates on how returns will impact a rebate.

Iowa will receive nearly $447,000 from the settlement. The money will not go to consumers, but will go back into the Consumer Education and Litigation Fund, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota received part of the $4.25 million settlement.

Achieva Enterprises, the company that took on a struggling state-owned resort in southern Iowa, is suing the state for abruptly shutting it down and ending their contract.

According to the lawsuit, the state abruptly closed the Honey Creek Resort at Rathbun Lake in October by evicting guests, barricading entrances and sending home employees. Achieva also claims the state didn’t provide proper support for the resort to succeed. 

The state claims that during a phone call, the operators said they were going to shut down the resort, which would have freed the state from its contract. Additionally, the state said Achieva breached the contract by not having the required insurance coverage and not turning in required financial reports. 

Iowa Assistant Attorney General Nicholas Kilburg said the call is enough proof for the state to end the contract.  

“The termination was therefore contractually authorized and proper,” Kilburg said. “The contract doesn't have a ‘second thoughts clause.’ It doesn't have a ‘cooling off’ clause. It doesn't have a three-day ‘that's not what I meant’ clause.” 

An attorney for Achieva said the phone call was taken out of context and claimed the state damaged the company’s reputation.

Last month, a judge temporarily blocked the state from reopening the resort until there’s a further court ruling. 

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors voted down a resolution that would have affirmed Fourth Amendment protections for immigrants. The amendment prohibits “unreasonable searches and seizures” and requires a warrant for “probable cause.”

Although it was mostly symbolic, the resolution would have advised county employees to request warrants from federal immigration agents, including by putting signs on public entrances that state access to some work areas requires a judicial warrant. It would have also encouraged local businesses to protect immigrant workers with warrant-verification policies. 

The resolution was drafted after Jorge Gonzalez was violently detained by federal authorities at Bread Garden Market in Iowa City in September.

The vote came down to Board of Supervisors Chair Jon Green, who, after a long pause, voted against the resolution. Getsy Hernandez, an organizer with Escucha Mi Voz, the organization that pushed for the resolution, was not satisfied with how the board voted.

“It was very cowardly of them to vote no, especially Jon Green, given that he was standing with us, next to Laura and Eva, who are Jorge’s family, after his detainment," she said.

Green’s ‘no’ vote was followed by shouts and jeers from the audience, who called his decision hypocritical. 

The massive tax and spending bill — known as the One Big Beautiful Bill — that was signed into law in July, eliminated federal incentives for residential solar projects after 2025. The change forced many homeowners and installers to hurry to complete their solar projects before the end of the year to qualify for the credit.

The Residential Clean Energy Credit covers 30% of overall project costs for home solar, along with wind, geothermal, fuel cells and battery storage. Some version of a residential solar tax credit has been around for decades, with short-term extensions becoming the norm since President George W. Bush. But the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act under President Joe Biden kicked the deadline to 2032 for the full credit.

Even though Congress voted to end the federal tax credit early, industry experts predict solar will stick around. The price of solar power has fallen dramatically in the last 15 years, and benefits like insulating homeowners from future electricity rate hikes are still enticing.

Keep reading more from Harvest Public Media’s Rachel Cramer.

Top Republicans in the Iowa House and Senate plan to address concerns about the potential use of eminent domain for a carbon capture pipeline during the upcoming legislative session.

Last session, 12 Senate Republicans refused to vote on the state budget until they got to vote on a House bill limiting the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines. After it passed, Gov. Kim Reynolds vetoed the bill.

House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said he expects House Republicans to work on legislation that’s more narrowly tailored to addressing eminent domain.

“We’re hopeful we can find a level of resolution, but at the same time, know that that eminent domain piece of the conversation is extremely important,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh of Spillville said he’s working on a bill to give pipeline companies more flexibility to go around landowners who don’t want a pipeline on their land. He said that kind of legislation could remove the need for eminent domain in Iowa.

Courtesy of Tyler for Congress

Tyler Hegewald, a 27-year-old from Amana, is running as a Republican in the 1^st Congressional District. Hegewald, formerly a Democrat, said he’s focused on small government reforms and working-class Iowans.

Hegewald was born and raised in Amana, located just west of Iowa City. He’s currently a server at a local restaurant, but used to run the Prairie Soup Company in Cedar Rapids before it went out of business. 

He said his working-class background gives him a better understanding of how to serve the needs of Iowans. 

“Every single day, I have customers come in, and I ask them about policies and stuff,” he said. “And I listen to the customers and their concerns about how the government is being ran. And you know, that’s something that current politicians don’t do."  

Hegewald said he doesn't consider himself a “MAGA” Republican. His platform promotes fewer government regulations, along with issues that are typically supported by Democrats, such as greater access to reproductive care and legalizing marijuana.

He’s the second Republican, after David Pautsch, to launch a primary challenge to incumbent Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks.  

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Courtesy of Jensen for Congress

Douglas Jensen, a Republican from western Iowa, ended his campaign for the U.S. House.

The veteran from Silver City joined the 4^th District primary race in October, saying he wanted to be a problem solver in Congress.

Jensen said his decision to withdraw from the race “comes down to family.” His wife, who is active in the military, will be sent overseas, so he wants to focus on caring for their two children instead of managing a campaign.

Four other Republicans are still running for the House seat that’s currently held by Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra, who’s running for governor.

Madeleine Charis King

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Iowa Public Radio

Former Gov. Terry Branstad received Iowa's highest honor for citizens for his years of public service.
 
Branstad is the longest serving governor in U.S. history, having spent a total of 22 years in office. During his time as governor of Iowa, he led a reorganization of state government and pushed a pro-business agenda.
Later, he served as U.S. ambassador to China and as president of Des Moines University and the World Food Prize.  
At the award ceremony at the State Capitol on Thursday, Branstad thanked his parents, teachers and former constituents. 

“I want to thank you, the people of Iowa,” he said. “You are a wonderful, caring, thoughtful, friendly group of people, and it's an honor to serve.” 

Gov. Kim Reynolds, who served as Branstad’s lieutenant governor from 2010-2017, presented him with the award.

The Iowa Award was established nearly 80 years ago to recognize outstanding service of Iowans in fields like science, government and education. Previous recipients include Norman Borlaug, George Washington Carver and former Gov. Robert Ray.  

State leaders are going into the budgeting process for the next legislative session with about $900 million less coming into the state than they’re spending this year.

Iowa’s revenue forecasting panel estimated that state revenue will increase by 4% next fiscal year. But after major revenue declines due to state and federal tax cuts, that will still leave Iowa in the position of using reserves to cover a likely budget gap.

Kraig Paulsen, director of the Iowa Department of Management and chair of the Revenue Estimating Conference, said the state has saved nearly $6 billion to cover budget gaps. He said the governor and lawmakers should maintain spending discipline.

“That’s what’s got us in this position, this incredibly strong financial position, and just need to maintain that behavior to make sure we can meet the needs of Iowans for the long term.”

Democratic lawmakers criticized Republicans for creating a budget deficit, saying the majority party should focus on responsible budgeting and helping working families.

Iowa’s revenue forecasters said they’re seeing a lot of economic uncertainty, but recent agriculture policy changes could help the state’s economy.

Jennifer Acton, director of the Legislative Services Agency’s fiscal services division, is one of three members in the state’s Revenue Estimating Conference.

“While Iowa continues to face unique challenges in its agriculture and manufacturing sectors, there has been some good news recently,” she said. “China has begun purchasing American soybeans again after a pause, although exports are still not at the level of prior years.”

Acton said soybean and corn prices have also increased since mid-October, and the $12 billion farm aid package announced by the Trump administration could help Iowa’s economy.

She said there are also mixed signals when it comes to consumer spending. Tariffs and inflation are raising costs, and consumer confidence has dipped. But Acton thinks the U.S. could still see record holiday season spending, and sales tax revenue coming into the state has been higher than expected.

Iowa’s largest teachers’ union announced what it calls an Educator Bill of Rights. The group describes it as a list of requirements for upholding the dignity of people working in public education.

It includes the right to bargain for fair compensation and the right to a secure retirement through the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System, known as IPERS. It also includes the right to a safe work environment and access to curriculum that is credible and research based.  

Iowa State Education Association President Joshua Brown said the document outlines the ideas the teachers’ union wants to organize around at the local and state levels.  

“It is about saving public education in Iowa,” he said. “It is about demanding the foundation that needs to stop the exodus and deliver the quality education our heartland values deserve.” 

Brown added that years of underfunding and teacher shortages have left Iowa schools in crisis. According to the state’s website for education jobs, there are more than 600 classroom teacher positions that are currently vacant.  

Republican Wendy Larson will become the newest member of the Iowa House of Representatives after winning a special election in District 7 on Tuesday.

Larson easily beat Democrat Rachel Burns with 70% of the vote. House District 7 includes Calhoun, Pocahontas and Sac counties, as well as part of Webster County.

Larson will fill the seat left empty by former state Rep. Mike Sexton, R-Rockwell City, who was appointed to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Iowa office.

Larson said she plans to stick up for property owners to stop the use of eminent domain for private gain.

“I love rural Iowa,” Larson said. “I'm so grateful to have this chance to represent them and serve them and make a big difference.”

Unofficial results show more than 4,000 people — 42% of registered voters — cast their ballots in the race.

Republican leaders of Iowa’s public pension review committee said they don’t expect to make big changes to the state’s public pension systems, including the Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS), anytime soon.

Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) committee recommended a study to examine offering public employees the choice between a pension and a defined contribution plan in October. That led to a lot of pushback from public workers and their unions. 

State Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink, R-Fort Dodge, who co-chairs the pension review committee, said the state should study all options, but that doesn’t mean lawmakers will make big changes.

“People are — they kind of have a lot of anxiousness going on for no reason,” he said. “I think everyone here said that, and the governor also said that, really there’s no appetite to make any major changes to IPERS.”

IPERS officials said the system is 92% funded, putting it in the top 10 state-run systems across the country.

The University of Iowa held an inaugural summit over the weekend for the new Center for Intellectual Freedom.

The event was held over two days and attracted guests from across Iowa and the country to talk about their visions for the new center. It included panel discussions called, “What is wrong with universities?” and “How did we end up here?” It featured prominent conservative voices like political commentator Chris Rufo, who delivered the event’s keynote speech.

“Universities historically, in the United States, have been incredible institutions,” Rufo said. “But it requires good leadership, it requires thoughtful scholars and it requires a system of values that can actually be built upon, and that’s not how I would describe particularly many humanities and social science programs today."

Former Regent David Barker, who now serves in the U.S. Department of Education, said universities have created a monoculture of ideas, and there should be more intellectual diversity on college campuses.

“It is a subset of our universities that has gone off the rails, although that subset is making inroads in the rest of the university,” Barker said. “Reform of that subset won’t be easy, but it can be done, particularly in states like Iowa where the state government actually cares about making higher education great again."

The event was attended by people from the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, current and former members of the Trump administration, and Gov. Kim Reynolds. UI President Barbara Wilson was not at the event.

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