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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

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SD public defense duties shift from counties to state; SCOTUS appears skeptical of restricting government communications with social media companies; Trump lawyers say he can't make bond; new scholarships aim to connect class of 2024 to high-demand jobs.

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The SCOTUS weighs government influence on social media, and who groups like the NRA can do business with. Biden signs an executive order to advance women's health research and the White House tells Israel it's responsible for the Gaza humanitarian crisis.

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Midwest regenerative farmers are rethinking chicken production, Medicare Advantage is squeezing the finances of rural hospitals and California's extreme swing from floods to drought has some thinking it's time to turn rural farm parcels into floodplains.

IA: Consumer

Iowa families can apply for up to $7,600 a year for private school costs. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Iowa lawmakers dismiss private school voucher ethics complaint

An ethics committee in the Republican-led Iowa House has dismissed a complaint filed by a group of community activists against a state lawmaker for hi…

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Gift card scams have been the number one impostor scam in Iowa for nine consecutive years, according to AARP Iowa. (Adobe Stock)
Iowans lose millions in impostor scams

AARP Iowa is calling on lawmakers to help prevent gift-card scams during this year's legislative session. Impostor scams have been the number one …

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Public policy shapes the health ecosystem and influences the accessibility of comprehensive health care, secure housing, nutritious food, quality education and jobs with livable wages, according to the National Institutes of Health. (Adobe Stock)
Physicians' group says voting benefits health, democracy

Voting is not only good for democracy - it's also good for your health, according to one of the nation's largest medical associations. The American …

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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…

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Iowa has nearly 31 million acres of farmland. The average farm is about 360 acres, according to the USDA, and much of is monitored with high-tech equipment. (Iowa State University Extension Dept.)
Iowa farmers concerned with e-data use by corporations

New polling data show Iowa farmers are taking advantage of high-tech agriculture practices, and more plan to do so. But some say there's a downside …

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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…

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For the past 20 years, the U.S, President and Congress have declared the month of October as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a collaborative effort between government and industry to enhance online awareness. (Adobe Stock)
IA boosts cybersecurity precautions as elections, holidays near

As part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the State of Iowa is focusing on potential threats to the online integrity of upcoming elections. Given …

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Iowa's Beginning Farmer Loan Program assists new farmers in acquiring agricultural property by offering loans at reduced interest rates. (Adobe Stock)
Rural advocates push for more farmer credit

More than 90 rural organizations are urging members of Congress to support the Fair Credit for Farmers Act. The bill would help young and …

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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…

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Iowa has more than 30 million acres of farmed land, and boasts the nation's highest production of corn, soybeans, pork and eggs, according to Iowa Farm Facts. (Adobe Stock)
IA small farm advocates call for less corporate land control

Rural advocates are supporting the Farmland for Farmers Act in Congress. It would restrict the amount of Iowa farmland large corporations can own…

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Creation of the Rural Emergency Hospital designation comes in response to a high rate of rural hospital closures. Between January 2010, and August 2022, 139 rural hospitals closed, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. (Adobe Stock)
Rural Iowa declared 'ambulance desert'

People in rural America are five times as likely to live in so-called "ambulance deserts," areas far from an ambulance service or station, than those …

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Beef consumption in the United States reached a new high in 2021, when 30 billion pounds were consumed. It's an increase of about 8.7% compared to the previous year, according to Statista. (Adobe Stock)
Community Advocates Call for Support of Beef Labeling Act

Iowa farmers have sent hundreds of comments to their U.S. senators, urging them to support legislation to change the way beef is labeled in the …

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