Eastern Iowa

Hundreds gathered in downtown Iowa City over the weekend to mourn the death of Alex Pretti, the second Minnesota resident shot and killed by federal immigration enforcement officials this year. Many said they were horrified, disgusted and angered by what they saw in videos of the shooting.

The Cedar Rapids school board is working toward reducing next year’s budget by nearly $13 million through salary and spending freezes, staffing reductions, and some school consolidations. Leaders are trying to right-size the district as it faces declining enrollment.

The Linn County Board of Supervisors has approved rezoning that supports NextEra Energy's effort to recommission the Duane Arnold nuclear power plant in Palo. The project still needs approval from multiple state and federal authorities, but county supervisors say the rezoning gives Linn County residents a seat at the table.

A 27-year-old from Amana jumped into the 1st Congressional District race as a Republican. Tyler Hegewald said he wants to address the housing crisis, increase abortion access and reduce college tuition.

KFMW Rock 108 has been transparent from the start about their use of an AI DJ to introduce eastern Iowa to new rock 'n' roll music.

The brand-new, two-day music festival will bring artists like Pieta Brown and Frankie and the Witch Fingers to Iowa City in April 2026.

A 24-year-old man who grew up in Mount Pleasant was deported to Mexico. After he was charged with marijuana possession in June, Noel Lopez De La Cruz was handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. People close to him said the system failed him.

Democrats running in the 2nd Congressional District are messaging on affordability and saying they hope to reverse the effects of policies enacted by the Trump administration.

Several Haitian immigrants left the country after losing their jobs at a JBS meatpacking plant in Ottumwa. The company notified over 200 employees it had been made aware of changes to their work authorization statuses under the Trump administration.

NextEra Energy’s proposed reopening of the Duane Arnold nuclear plant in eastern Iowa is drawing mixed reactions. Local leaders laud the potential economic boost associated with the development, while environmentalists and some residents warn of concerns related to nuclear waste storage and water supply.