public health

Starting Jan. 1, taxable foods and beverages in Iowa will no longer be eligible under SNAP. This includes candy, soda and sugary beverages with less than 50% fruit or vegetable juice – but also dried fruit leathers, flourless granola bars and some prepared items.

Iowa has some of the highest radon levels in the nation. By July of 2027, every public school building in Iowa must have tested for naturally occurring, cancer-causing radon gas. They're also required to post the results of that testing on their websites. With two years to go, fewer than half of school districts have met that requirement. We look at why many schools aren’t testing for radon — and how the Iowa Department of Education has responded to an investigation by 'The Midwest Newsroom.' (This episode was originally produced Oct. 14, 2025.)

Polk County health officials confirmed the state's ninth case of measles in an infant who is too young to be vaccinated.

When bird flu spilled over into dairy cattle last year, researchers discovered high concentrations of the H5N1 virus in the raw milk and udders of infected cows. A new study shows the mammary glands of other livestock and humans could also be suitable hosts for the virus.

How the COVID-19 pandemic affected the personal and professional lives of Iowans.

A clinician who works with a range of patients with autism helps us understand autism spectrum disorder, and Iowans in the autism community share their thoughts and experiences.

State and federal leaders want to grow nuclear energy. Supporters are excited about the job opportunities this could bring, while others are concerned about potential health and environmental effects.

Iowa has some of the nation’s highest radon levels. We look at why many schools still haven’t been tested for the radioactive gas — and what’s at stake.

Alzheimer experts give an inside look at the first Iowa Heartland Cognitive Care Collective Summit.

A law to protect students and school employees from the radioactive gas has an approaching deadline. The Midwest Newsroom has found that progress is uneven across Iowa's school districts. Private schools are exempt from the testing requirement.