Public News Service

Iowa seniors list the out-of-pocket costs for prescription medications as one of their main health-care concerns, according to AARP Iowa. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, September 16, 2024

Prescription costs soon to be capped for Iowa seniors

A new report from AARP Iowa predicts thousands of seniors on Medicare Part D in the state will save money on their prescriptions, thanks to a cap on …

Iowa's newly released Child Care Connect website displays child care providers with vacancies by geography or along a designated driving route. With the tool, people can identify child care providers close by between their home and office. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa releases real time online child care finder

Iowa has released an interactive website to help parents find real-time child care options for their kids. Iowa Child Care Connect, which the state …

A recent poll by the Save the Children Action Network shows 90% of swing-state voters want the government to help struggling families afford food, groceries and child care. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Address child hunger in next Farm Bill

Results of a poll by the Save the Children Action Network show voters of all backgrounds are struggling with the cost of living and want the governmen…

The Hechinger Report's Tuition Tracker allows students to calculate the likelihood of successfully completing their degree on time, a factor affecting affordability. (Adobe Stock)

'Tuition Tracker' helps Iowa's rural college-bound students

For Iowa students thinking about attending college in the fall, an interactive online "Tuition Tracker" can help them figure out some of the costs …

Created by a bipartisan act of Congress in 2022, what is now called the Sun Bucks program provides $120 in nutrition benefits nationally during summer months to households whose children who qualify for free and reduced-price school meals. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa advocates rally for kids' summertime food

Iowa is one of 13 states not participating in a federal summer food program for children. The Iowa Hunger Coalition has launched a petition drive to …

Family members often become caregivers overnight and are suddenly responsible for helping with medications, medical care, meals, bathing and dressing, chores, finances, grocery shopping and transportation. AARP is traveling the state of Iowa to help educate caregivers. (AARP Iowa)

AARP 'road trip' educates IA caregivers where they are

AARP Iowa is on a road trip, taking knowledge to family caregivers wherever they are and helping them learn more about the resources that may be …

Cover crops protect soil from erosion and also help with weed control. (Practical Farmers of Iowa)

Helping IA farmers get more cover crops into the ground

An Iowa nonprofit group helps ag-related businesses grow to serve more farmers and get more cover crops planted in the state. Cover crops like rye …

Corporations have raised retail pork prices by 20%, but the farmers supplying California with crate-free pork are only receiving about 5% more for their hogs, according to data from the USDA. (Adobe Stock)

California 'price gouging' ripples to Iowa

Farm advocates claim price gouging on meat and poultry in California is spreading across the country, including in Iowa, which is the nation's …

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are targeted to people with the greatest need: 92% go to households with incomes below the poverty line, and 54% to households at or below half of the poverty line, about $12,900 for a family of three in 2024, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Hunger Coalition pushes back on SNAP cuts in Farm Bill

One version of the Farm Bill being debated in Congress would cut billions of dollars in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits from agricu…

The Iowa Federation of Labor is remembering workers who died on the job over the last year, while fallen military veterans are honored nationwide. Iowa is home to nearly 160,000 veterans. (Adobe Stock)

On Memorial Day, IA labor leaders honor fallen workers

Memorial Day commemorates Americans who lost their lives while serving in the military. But the Iowa Federation of Labor takes the opportunity to …

Iowa will consider amending its state Constitution to require a flat state income tax. (FranciscoJavier/Adobe Stock)

Iowa lawmakers' $2 billion tax cuts put services 'at risk'

The latest state tax cuts are expected to cost Iowa more than $2 billion in revenue over the next two years. Advocates for tax fairness argued …

Iowa women call Social Security 'critical'

New research released by AARP Iowa shows how important Social Security benefits are to people who receive them - and the numbers reveal women are far …

Iowa lawmakers are considering legislation that would raise income and asset limits for people with disabilities who still need to qualify for Medicaid benefits. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates for Iowans with disabilities push for higher income limits

Iowa lawmakers are being asked to make changes to the income laws for people with disabilities. Disabilities advocates are hold an event at the …

Ben Grauer y su prometida, Danica Bird, con su perro Clark, planean casarse este oto�o. HF 2589 aumentar�a los l�mites de ingresos permitidos y activos generales para las personas con discapacidades y al mismo tiempo les permitir�a conservar los beneficios de Medicaid. (Ben Grauer)

Defensores de discapacitados en Iowa presionan por aumentar límites de ingresos

Se está pidiendo a los legisladores de Iowa que introduzcan cambios en las leyes de ingresos para las personas con discapacidades. Sus …

Labor advocates argue SSB 3158 would unnecessarily burden Iowa's already overtaxed court system. (Adobe Stock)

Labor organizers push back on 'union-busting' bill

Labor organizers are pushing back on a measure in the Iowa Legislature they say is designed to undermine unions. It would create an additional step …

A bill to expand the Child Tax Credit to as many as 129,000 Iowa kids awaits action in the U.S. Senate. (Adobe Stock)

Expanded tax credit would benefit 129,000 Iowa kids

An advocacy group is calling on the U.S. Senate to pass a tax bill to expand the Child Tax Credit for more than 100,000 children in Iowa. It is part …

Planned Parenthood employees and the union representing them have been unable to reach a contract agreement despite dozens of bargaining sessions over more than a year. (Adobe Stock)

Planned Parenthood workers file complaint amid stalled negotiations

Planned Parenthood Workers in Iowa, Nebraska and Minnesota have filed an Unfair Labor Practices complaint with the National Labor Relations Board as …

Connecting rural Iowans to the internet has been a critical part of federal investments in the state. (Progress Iowa)

Administration invests $7.8 billion in Iowa infrastructure

Progress Iowa has released new information showing how billions of dollars of federal infrastructure investments have made a crucial difference in the…

Around 400 million acres of American farmland are projected to change hands this year in what amounts to the country's largest-ever generational land shift. (Practical Farmers of Iowa)

Young Iowa farmers struggle for a leg up

Today is the deadline for small farmers seeking financial assistance to apply for grants from a farm advocacy organization designed to help them get t…

Alliant Energy Corporation provides regulated energy service to 995,000 electric and 425,000 natural gas retail customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. (Adobe Stock)

Senior advocates push back on Alliant utility increase

The Iowa Utilities Board is taking public input this week on a proposed rate hike by one of the state's biggest gas and electric service providers…

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz testified in March before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions regarding the company's labor practices. (U.S. Senate)

Iowa City Starbucks joins growing union movement

Staff at a Starbucks location in downtown Iowa City voted to unionize but so far, no contract talks are scheduled. The workers gathered last month …

Around 43.5 million Americans have some form of federal or private student loan debt, which is 13% of the population, according to the Federal Reserve's Consumer Credit report. (Adobe Stock)

Iowans could see student loan fees eliminated in SAVE program

The U.S. Department of Education says more than 4 million Americans have enrolled in the Biden administration's college loan repayment program…

Workers at Thombert produce polyurethane wheels for electric forklifts. The workers, represented by UAW local 997, are fighting for higher wages, more affordable healthcare, and a better work-life balance. (UAW 997)

Newton Wheel Assembly Plant Strike Enters Week Six

A strike at the Thombert Manufacturing facility in Newton is entering its sixth week. Workers and company management are trying to come to terms on a …

At the end of the 2021-2022 school year, roughly 31,000 students, or just .06% of the nation's 50 million public-school students, were participating in an ESA program, according to EdChoice. (Adobe Stock)

Private School Tuition Applications Double Expectations

Applications for the state's new private-tuition voucher program are double what lawmakers anticipated. Critics of the plan say it will divert even …

The U.S. Postal Service delivers more mail than any of its counterparts around the world, serving nearly 165 million addresses in the country, and covering every state, city and town. (Adobe Stock)

Staff Shortages Challenge U.S. Postal Service in Rural Iowa

The U.S. Postal Service marks National Postal Worker Day this Saturday, recognizing the effort it takes to deliver mail across the country through …

In its annual reports, the Annie E. Casey Foundation notes indicators of child well-being are derived from federal government statistical agencies and reflect the best available state and national data for tracking yearly changes. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Ranks High in Healthy Kids Report, but Advocates Seek Improvement

Compared to other states, Iowa ranks sixth nationally in overall child well-being, according to the 2023 Kids Count Data Book, released today by the …

More than 241,000 new apprentices entered the national apprenticeship system in 2021, and more than 593,000 are getting the skills they need to succeed while building financial security, according to the Department of Labor. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Awards $3.5M in Apprenticeship Money

Iowa Workforce Development is making millions of dollars available to train and retain employees in the state. It's one way officials are attempting …

In January 2019, the United States had a shortage of 7 million affordable homes for low-income renters, resulting in only 37 affordable rental homes for every 100 low-income renter households, according to the Center for American Progress. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates in Iowa Work to Make More Housing Available

Advocates are working to make 42,000 new homes available to Iowans by 2030, which is spearheading efforts to create more affordable living …

Members of the Iowa Council on Developmental Disabilities gather at the State Capitol in support of direct support health care providers. (ICDD/Brooke Lovelace).

Advocates Rally at Capitol for More Provider Pay

With key deadlines approaching at the Iowa statehouse, advocates are calling on lawmakers to provide better wages for direct service professionals…

Members of the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council gather at the Iowa Statehouse in Des Moines in support of House File 264. (Brooke Lovelace/IDDC)

Lawmakers Propose Eliminating Taxes for IA Disability Care Providers

Iowa lawmakers have advanced legislation that would eliminate the income tax for health-care workers who support people with disabilities. Advocates …

If you're eligible, you can purchase food using benefits that are issued to you monthly. You can use your SNAP benefits to buy a variety of foods for your household, including fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish and dairy products, according to USA.gov. (Adobe Stock)

IA on the Brink of Toughening SNAP Eligibility

House lawmakers have approved a bill to make it harder for low income Iowans to qualify for public assistance, and critics said the measure would …

Iowans Mark Affordable Health-Care Anniversary

Iowans are marking the 13th anniversary of the Affordable Care Act. Thanks to the health-care plan, Iowans have saved thousands of dollars in …

Some 37.3 million Americans, or about one in 10 people, have diabetes. About one in five don't know they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

Insulin Price Cap Doesn't Apply to All Iowans Who Need It

Drug-maker Sanofi has joined two other large manufacturers in capping monthly insulin prices at $35. In Iowa, advocates for more affordable health …

Iowa currently has a graduated individual income tax, with rates ranging from 4.40% to 6.00%, according to the Tax Foundation. But that will change under recently passed laws. (Adobe Stock)

IA Senate Panel Votes to Abolish State Income Tax

The Iowa Legislature's powerful Ways and Means Committee has advanced a measure to eliminate the state income tax. The move is the latest in a series …

The Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program provides unemployment benefits to eligible workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own, according to Benefits.gov. (Adobe Stock)

IA Lawmakers Advance Bill Restricting Unemployment Benefits

Iowa lawmakers have advanced a bill to tighten the rules for people who receive unemployment benefits. The Legislature already passed limits last …

Congress passed the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938, establishing a minimum age of 18 for nonfarm jobs considered to be hazardous or detrimental to a child's health. (Adobe Stock)

IA Lawmakers Consider Changing Child Labor Laws

Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill to allow teenagers to work in jobs which have historically excluded minors for safety reasons. Supporters …

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are regulated by federal, state and local agencies. (Adobe Stock)

Rural Ag Summit Advocates 'Food not Feed'

Progressive agricultural growers returning this week from the Food not Feed Summit in Washington, D.C., are asking their fellow farmers to consider a …

The National Labor Union was founded on Aug. 20, 1866, in Baltimore, Md., created to help defend workers facing issues such as low pay, unsafe or unsanitary working conditions and long hours. (Adobe Stock)<br />

NLRB Funding Can't Keep Pace with Unionizing Trend

In one of its final moves of 2022, Congress approved a $25 million funding increase for the National Labor Relations Board, an agency which has been …

Construction Manager, electrician and radiation technician are among the trade jobs most in demand, according to the website Trade-schools.net. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Invests in Training for Non-Degree Job Fields

Fewer students are enrolling in Iowa's state universities, and the State Board of Regents is meeting this week to discuss ways to change that…

Los legisladores federales dicen que hay demasiadas personas con discapacidades que quieren trabajar, pero viven en la pobreza porque no han tenido la oportunidad de tener �xito en un entorno laboral integrado. (Adobe Stock)

Subvención impulsará oportunidades laborales para personas con discapacidades

Octubre es el Mes Nacional de Concientización sobre el Empleo para Personas con Discapacidades, y 14 estados, incluido Iowa, han recibido …

The U.S. Postal Service has more than 650,000 employees nationwide. (Adobe Stock)

Postal Union Leaders Look Ahead to Holiday Crunch

The U.S. Postal Service is hiring 28,000 seasonal employees for the holidays. Union leaders in Iowa say they're mindful of the need for strong …

Roughly 50% of small-business owners in the United States offer health insurance, but some worry about being able to keep it if costs continue to rise. (Adobe Stock)

IA Small Businesses Get a Lifeline with ACA Credit Extension

Average Affordable Care Act premiums in Iowa would have been 72% higher this year without temporary subsidies from the federal government, and small-…

Iowa has joined the handful of states with the shortest time frame for most laid-off workers to collect unemployment benefits. (Adobe Stock)

Concerns Linger About IA's Unemployment Cuts

Summer construction season is in full swing, and labor leaders in Iowa worry how seasonal workers will be affected down the road by changes to the …

Last year, Iowa had more than 2,000 job openings that fall under the green-energy umbrella. (Adobe Stock)

Report: IA Has Strength in Green Jobs, Could Be Stronger

By Laura Aka for Working Nation.Broadcast version by Mike Moen reporting for the Iowa News Service Working Nation-Public News Service Collaboration "…

The Degrees When Due initiative has identified more than 39,000 Iowa students who earned college credits, but outside factors forced them to put their education on hold. (Adobe Stock)

'Degrees When Due' Helps IA College Students Get Back on Track

Iowa has seen a 5% increase in the number of college students who left school without a degree. But some campuses are making it a priority to help …

Farmers face pressure to reduce harmful runoff through conservation practices. But a new report warns that, as factory farmers eat up more cost-sharing funds, smaller producers will be reluctant to apply for aid. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Most Farmers Shut Out by Conservation Programs

By Bryce Oates Broadcast version by Mike Moen Reporting for the Daily Yonder-Iowa News Service Collaboration Many farmers who apply for federal fund…

While such issues as tax cuts are getting attention in the Iowa Legislature, some advocacy groups hope policymakers don't lose sight of programs they say would improve health outcomes. (Adobe Stock)

'Day of Action' to Highlight Health-Policy Priorities for IA

If Iowa wants to create healthier outcomes for its residents, advocates say there are steps policymakers can take right now to make it happen…

Health coverage enrollment under the Affordable Care Act usually runs through mid-December but has been extended to January 15th this year. (Adobe Stock)

ACA Enrollment Deadline and COVID Surge Collide

The deadline to enroll for health coverage under the Affordable Care Act is fast approaching. The latest COVID surge might be interrupting plans to …

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IA: Livable Wages/Working Families