Zachary Oren Smith
Eastern Iowa ReporterZachary Oren Smith is a reporter covering Eastern Iowa for IPR. A Mississippi transplant to Middle America, he came to IPR as a Talk Show Producer in 2021 after reporting on Iowa City politics for the Iowa City Press-Citizen and Des Moines Register.
You can contact Zach at zsmith@iowapublicradio.org and on Twitter @ZacharyOS.
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After 181 years in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa Wesleyan University will close at the end of May. Local residents are mourning the loss and considering an uncertain future.
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Indie heavy-hitters like Sudan Archives, Snail Mail and Kevin Morby packed The Englert; The Riverside Theatre offered a sit-down experience for intimate performances and experimental acts; the line to see Mars Hojilla, Karen Meat and Friko at Trumpet Blossom Cafe wrapped around the block; and Gabe's is where heads banged the night away to everything from hip-hop, punk and Latino dream pop, to whatever TEKE::TEKE does.
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Towns along the Mississippi River are no strangers to severe storms and flooding. But 2019 flooding took Davenport by surprise. Cars floated. People were evacuated. Is it ready for the next flood?
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C6-Zero continues to fight the public release of a list of chemicals present during the December explosion at its Marengo facility. The company claims the Iowa AG has the list.
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Johnson County and Iowa City are putting American Rescue Plan dollars to work on the child care crisis by paying workers more.
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There are many reasons that friends drift apart. What does it take to reconnect?
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The Department of Justice wrote a letter this week saying it continues to have concerns about the impact more railroads in fewer hands has on competition in the industry.
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A labor organizing effort by UFCW Local 431 is underway at Tyson Foods’ 1,400-employee plant in Columbus Junction. And the meatpacking giant is already facing allegations of unfair labor practices.
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The Iowa attorney general is taking on an asphalt tile "re-manufacturer" after an explosion last month injured workers, caused an evacuation and polluted runoff water. She says the suit seeks to prevent an "imminent threat to public health and the environment."
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It turns out a lot of what we believe about generational identity and differences is more myth than fact.