Iowa News & Current Events | Public News Service

Iowa factory farms dump approximately 109 billion pounds of manure each year, much of which winds up in nearby groundwater, according to Food and Water Watch. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 27, 2025

Iowa's cancer rate is an 'outlier,' but why?

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration In …

There are close to 19,000 federal workers in Iowa, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many have been laid off as part of an aggressive effort by the Trump administration to downsize the government. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 24, 2025

Iowa town halls find 'empty chairs'

Overflow crowds are showing up at town hall meetings in Iowa, which had been planned to allow people to ask questions of their congressional …

Engelbrecht Farm in Waverly, Iowa, uses insects to keep pests at bay, improve soil health and increase pollination. (Engelbrecht Farm)

Iowa farmers 'plant good insects' to fight pests

The organization Practical Farmers of Iowa is helping urban crop growers use beneficial insects to control pests, boost soil health and increase …

The national Beef Checkoff program generates an estimated $3.3 billion for the beef industry annually, according to the Cattleman's Beef Board. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa farmers push back on agriculture checkoff cuts

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration …

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have recently come under scrutiny for not doing more to enforce factory farm manure discharge permits. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa slaughterhouse faces water pollution lawsuit

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration In …

Labor unions represent 93,000 workers in Iowa, or about 6.4% of the state's workforce, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa lawmakers advance $1 billion cut to unemployment program

The Iowa Legislature has advanced a bill to provide a $1 billion tax cut to companies covering unemployment benefits for out-of-work Iowans. Iowa …

Iowa 'dance fighter' Chuy Renteria interprets his world through performance art. (Chuy Renteria)

Iowa 'dance fighter' interprets his world through artform

By Frankie (Amy) Felegy for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Coll…

The recent avian flu outbreak has resulted in the death of at least 30 million birds in Iowa, mostly culled because of exposure to the disease, according to the CDC. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Egg producers 'exploit avian flu outbreak' for profit

A new report by the group Food and Water Watch says egg companies are exploiting the bird flu outbreak for profit in Iowa. Data show egg prices in …

Protesters rallied at the Iowa State Capitol on Feb. 28 before Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a measure removing gender identity protections from the state's civil rights code. (Anne Discher/Common Good Iowa)

Iowans react to nation's first law removing gender identity protections

Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a measure that removes gender identity protections for LGBTQ+ people from Iowa's civil rights code. Opponents call it …

Iowa has long been a popular destination for immigrants seeking jobs in the meatpacking industry. Some estimates say as much as 25% of the workforce in meatpacking plants are migrants. (Adobe Stock)

Court ban latest chapter in Iowa's quest to tighten immigration laws

It's been about a month since a federal judge upheld a court ruling that blocks an Iowa immigration bill from taking effect. It's the latest action …

Iowa farmers raised about 3.5 million head of cattle in 2024, making the state the ninth-largest beef producer in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa farmers push for country of origin beef labeling

Iowa farmers and their advocates want Congress to approve a measure to require beef raised and produced in the United States to be labeled as such…

Young farmers face financial barriers and limited access to farmland. Older farmers are now considering who they will pass their land on to when they retire. (Adobe Stock)

Veteran Iowa farmers teach 'up and comers'

An agriculture program in Iowa is helping new and up and coming farmers learn from more experienced ones - and its organizers have uncovered another o…

Lack of exposure to sunlight is believed to be one cause of seasonal affective disorder, most prevalent in winter. It tends to affect women more than men, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

Mental health professionals help Iowans overcome winter doldrums

With wintertime cold still gripping much of the nation, health experts are offering ways to overcome seasonal depression, which can accompany bitter …

Health officials are concerned venison donated to Iowa's food banks could create health problems for people who consume the meat, especially children, if it contains fragments of lead from deer hunting. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa food banks worry donated venison contains lead

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration …

Iowa City poet Caleb Rainey had a banner year in 2024, saying many of his 'wildest dreams came true.' (Arts Midwest)

Iowa poet stays 'centered' after 'wildest dreams' come true

By Brianne Sanchez for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collabora…

As of 2024, there were nearly 9,800 federal employees in Iowa, according to the Congressional Research Service. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa labor advocates push back on anti-worker efforts

A recent round of employee cuts at the Environmental Protection Agency and other efforts by President Donald Trump's administration to follow through …

As of January 2025, the average hourly pay for a home-based child care provider in Iowa is $12.48, according to the job site ZipRecruiter. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa invests $14 million to expand child care services

Iowa is making $14 million available to take on the critical lack of child care in the state. Many families said both parents want to work and would…

Iowa farmers use at least 54 million pounds of pesticides annually, among the highest amounts in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

Organizers rally against cancer 'Gag Act'

Groups working to protect Iowa's air and water rally at the State Capitol this afternoon, against a bill they say would protect pesticide companies …

Adverse childhood experiences may cause an increase in gun crimes by when children reach adulthood. In 2022, Iowa reported 367 gun deaths, including 65 homicides and 288 suicides. (Adobe Stock)

Traumatized Iowa kids commit more gun crimes as adults

New research by social scientists showed children who suffer traumatic experiences growing up are more likely to use firearms defensively as adults…

Iowa is home to more than 25 million pigs, making it the largest pork producer in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Watchdog group asks lawmakers for more Iowa CAFO oversight

Environmental advocates in Iowa want state lawmakers to tighten regulations on large livestock feeding facilities, which they say will help protect …

Rural Iowans face more challenges than urban residents when it comes to diagnosis of dementia, medical and long term care as well as support services for caregivers, according to the Alzheimer's Association. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Iowa 'critically short' of dementia services

Families of rural Iowans with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia face a crucial lack of mental health services and advocates are meeting …

Two Open Book participants embrace after an Open Book event held to connect their respective churches in Des Moines. (Arts Midwest) <br />

Social impact group works to open conversations between Iowans

By Brianne Sanchez for Arts Midwest.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Arts Midwest-Public News Service Collabora…

Iowa produces around 2.5 billion bushels of corn annually, making it the nation's top corn-producing state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa farmers on board with corn-based jet fuel

A company working to create sustainable energy sources is investing in corn to make jet fuel, which it said burns far cleaner than the traditional…

A new report by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families said proposed cuts in Medicaid funding would cripple Iowa's rural health centers, where many children rely on the program for health insurance. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Threatened Medicaid cuts would hurt rural Iowa kids most

Advocates for young Iowans worry proposed federal cuts could affect families who rely on Medicaid for their health care. A new national report …

Accessory Dwelling Units are seen as a solution to affordable housing shortages in many places across the country. In Iowa, permitting for such units is often mired in bureaucracy, an impediment a bill supported by AARP Iowa seeks to eliminate. (Adobe Stock)

AARP Iowa focuses on housing options for seniors

Increasing housing options for the state's seniors is at the top of AARP Iowa's priority list for the new legislative session and the group is pushing…

Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack is the nation's second-longest serving U.S. Agriculture Secretary. The first was James

'Revolving door' politics could threaten Iowa's small farmers

By Seth Millstein for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration The…

The top cancers diagnosed in Iowa in 2023 were breast, lung, colon and rectal, and skin melanoma, according to research by the University of Iowa's Cancer Registry Report. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates call on Iowa lawmakers to defeat 'Cancer Gag Act'

Advocates for small communities in Iowa are calling on state lawmakers not to pass the so-called "Cancer Gag Act," which they said would give pesticid…

Struggling to meet the pressures imposed by a dwindling population, Iowa is looking at ways to allow minors to work more hours and fill companies' employment needs. (Adobe Stock)

Concerns voiced as IA lawmakers could slash child labor law fines

Iowa lawmakers are considering reducing fines companies pay for breaking child labor laws. The state has said it's trying to find safe and creative …

President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has been controversial because of Kennedy's positions on vaccinations and questions over medical research and development. (Adobe Stock)

IA progressive advocates warn of 'dangerous' Trump appointments

Progressive advocates are expressing concerns over President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Secretary of the U.S…

Iowa is the nation's number one hog producer, which is a huge economic driver for the state, but the industry also produces more than 100 billion pounds of manure every year. (Adobe Stock)

Cancer rates in Iowa mirror rising rate of manure pollution

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration A …

Brady Werger lived at the Glenwood Iowa Resource Center from 2011 to 2018. He has since moved to a group home for people with disabilities in the southwest Iowa town of Glenwood. (Brady Werger)

Historic Iowa gravesites at risk of being forgotten

By Tony Leys for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service Collabora…

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources requires livestock producers to file a manure management plan for the livestock waste they apply to their fields as fertilizer. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa trains CAFO operators on manure application

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is training operators of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations on the safest ways to apply manure to their f…

Despite strong federal regulations governing child labor, some states, such as Iowa, have weakened protections in order to compensate for what industries say is a labor shortage. (Creative Commons)

Worker shortage pushes Iowa employers to hire children for dangerous jobs

A conflict between federal child labor regulations and those passed by the Iowa Legislature has increased the number of businesses fined for hiring ch…

Iowa is the nation's top hog producer, with a population of 23.4 million pigs. This means that for every Iowan, there are 7.3 pigs. Hogs are routinely raised in large confinements, which are known to pollute air and groundwater. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa livestock producers increase antibiotic use

Livestock being raised with antibiotics is on the rise in Iowa, the nation's number one hog producer. Doctors say the trend increases the risk of …

The Blanding's turtle lives in the water but does spend time on dry land, where females nest. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa's 'Kung Fu Panda' turtle facing endangered status

A small turtle made popular in the "Kung Fu Panda" movies could soon be added to the endangered species list. Iowa wildlife advocates are working to …

Stem cells are the building blocks for all of the body's organs and tissues. Scientists estimate that a human has between 300 million and 1 billion at birth. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa researchers advance lethal blood disorder treatment with stem cells

A team of scientists at Iowa State University has discovered new ways to use stem cells to treat blood disorders. This advancement in what's known …

Iowa has an estimated 507,254 children ages 0-12 but has only 177,053 operational child-care slots registered or licensed with the state, according to a report by the Common Sense Iowa Institute. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa adds hundreds of higher-wage child care providers

A new report says Iowa has created more than 200 new child-care providers in the state, which is among the nation's leaders in working parents who …

A monarch butterfly can travel between 50 to 100 miles a day during its migration. (Thomas Bresson/ Wikimedia Commons)

Government to decide if monarchs are 'threatened'

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to decide soon whether to list the monarch butterfly as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act…

Research shows kids tend to get along with School Resource Officers regardless of the student's ethnic background, according to Iowa State University's Monic Behnken. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa researcher: 'Hardening' schools doesn't stop classroom violence

Researchers say increasing the police presence in schools isn't the best way to address classroom violence. One expert in Iowa says educators would …

The nonprofit FracTracker Alliance has created an online map that shows the proximity of CO2 pipelines in Great Plains states to ecologically vulnerable areas and Indigenous lands. (Adobe Stock)

'FracTracker' maps pipeline effects on Indigenous land

A nonprofit group that tracks oil and gas development has created an interactive map to show how close CO2 pipelines in Great Plains states come to en…

More than 40% of caregivers for people with dementia have household incomes of $50,000 or less, according to the Alzheimer's Association. (Adobe Stock)

Expanding outreach to Iowa caregivers during Alzheimer's Awareness Month

The Iowa Alzheimer's Association chapter is making new resources available to caregivers during November, a month set aside to educate and help …

A growing number of Iowa farmers are shunning the use of gestation crates where sows are held until they give birth. (Adobe Stock)

More Iowa farmers support gestation crate ban

By Nina Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Iowa News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboration When B…

Goats on the Go clear brush and other unwanted vegetation, including poison ivy, often to restore native grasses to Iowa farm and grass lands. (Matt Vermeersch)

Hungry goats help restore native Iowa habitat

Some Iowa farmers are putting a new spin on an age-old animal behavior. They're using goats to remove weeds, overgrown brush, and non-native …

More than one-third of Iowa voters live in rural areas. Research shows them highly engaged in this year's election. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa's rural voters show historic engagement, passion

Poll results indicate Iowa's rural voters say the economy, jobs, and inflation top the list of critical issues for them in tomorrow's election…

One in six Iowa children faces hunger. The Save Our Children Action Network said it wants to see candidates in the upcoming election support increases in SNAP benefits. (Adobe Stock)

Critical Iowa kids' issues hang in election balance

The Save the Children Action Network is asking Iowans to support candidates in the upcoming election who invest time and political muscle in solving c…

Federal law has capped out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs at $2,000 for the 660,000 Iowans on Medicare who have

Experts advise Iowans to check options during open enrollment

People can enroll in Medicare or make changes to their supplemental and prescription drug coverage between now and December 7. In Iowa, experts are …

Officials in small Iowa towns held a listening session with federal officials to better understand the process for accessing federal funding. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Iowa towns face barriers to accessing federal money

Leaders in Iowa's small towns sometimes express frustration when trying to get help from the federal government. Local and federal officials met …

Alex Watters works at Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa. He says he's had to turn down promotions and other opportunities to keep his income below the threshold that allows him to receive benefits as a quadriplegic. (Alex Watters/IDDC)

Iowans with disabilities see employment gains but challenges remain

State data show more Iowans with disabilities are employed. And advocates with the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council point out that - during …

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