Iowa News & Current Events | Public News Service

From February 2020 to November 2021, the number of workers in nursing homes and other care facilities dropped by 410,000 nationally, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Adobe Stock)

Friday, January 27, 2023

Critical Number of Rural IA Nursing Homes Close

Health-care professionals say low pay and a worker shortage have led a dramatic number of nursing homes in rural Iowa to close their doors. They hope …

About 400 fatal crashes happen each year as a direct result of texting and driving nationally, according to Sensiblemotive. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, January 26, 2023

Iowa Lawmakers Push for Drivers' Hands-Free Cellphone Use

Iowa lawmakers are considering a bill which would dramatically reduce the use of cellphones in vehicles. Right now, it is illegal in Iowa to send or …

More than 58 million chickens in 47 states have been affected by the most recent avian flu outbreak, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

Farm Group Asks FTC to Investigate Egg 'Price Collusion'

A national farmers' advocacy group is asking the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the possibility of price collusion between major egg producer…

In 2021, the total cost of the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was around $113 billion. The significant increase from the previous year's total of $79 billion was in large part the result of extra pandemic-related benefits. (Adobe Stock)

IA Lawmakers Propose Severe Restrictions for Food Assistance

A Republican-backed bill in the Iowa Legislature seeks to put strict new limits on which foods people could buy at the grocery store using public-assi…

There are about 3.2 million public school teachers in the United States. Some 74.3% are female, while 25.7% are male. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Poll: Voters Reject Tuition Vouchers, Voice Public School Support

A new poll commissioned by the American Federation of Teachers finds most voters strongly oppose private school vouchers, which allow families to …

U.S. solar power capacity stands at an estimated 97.2 gigawatts. This is enough to power the equivalent of 18 million average American homes, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Asking IA Lawmakers to Prioritize Water Quality, Renewable Energy

The Center for Rural Affairs wants the Iowa Legislature to prioritize water quality and renewable energy in the new session. One priority is more …

There are 1,168 businesses designated as Tractors and Agricultural Machinery Manufacturing businesses in the U.S. as of 2023, a slight increase over last year. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Farm Mechanics Win 'Right to Repair'

Tractor maker Deere and Company has reached a deal with the American Farm Bureau Federation to allow independent mechanics to work on John Deere brand…

Half of U.S. parents (52 percent) considered finding a new or different school for at least one of their children within the past year or are currently considering finding a new or different school for at least one of their children. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Governor Makes "School Choice" a Top Priority

Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds has proposed a measure that would allow Iowa parents to send their kids to private schools and make state money …

Agriculture makes up 38% of Iowa's total greenhouse gas emissions, according to the nonprofit Food and Water Watch. (Adobe Stock)

Fewer Cases Filed Against Industrial Polluters By EPA

The Environmental Protection Agency's enforcement of federal pollution rules has plummeted. Last year, the agency referred 88 cases to the Justice …

Iowa Takes Aim at Human Trafficking

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month and Iowa is working to address the problem by educating businesses about the potential signs and dangers…

Four out of five students (81%) say they would be more likely to intervene in instances of cyberbullying if they could do it anonymously. (Adobe Stock)">

Iowa Works to Make Reporting Cyberbullying Easier

It can be challenging for parents and caregivers to shield their children from bigotry and hatred online. In Iowa, the numbers are startling…

More than 10 million households headed by someone over 65 spend <a href=

more than one-third of their income on housing. Half of these pay more than 50%, according to a Harvard University study. (Adobe Stock).">

More Affordable Housing for Seniors: An AARP Iowa Priority

As housing prices continue to rise, AARP Iowa is asking cities and towns to change their rules to allow more livable space on a home site. The group …

The drug-overdose epidemic killed <a href=

more than 107,000 people in the United States between January 2021 and January 2022, according to the American Medical Association. (Adobe Stock)">

Report: Drug Overdoses More Deadly in Iowa, Nationwide

More Iowa communities are struggling with fatal drug overdoses, according to the latest America's Health Rankings report. State data show Iowa's …

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 …

College enrollment totaled 15.85 million undergraduate students nationwide in Fall 2020, a 4.31% decline, according to the Education Data Initiative. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Rural Colleges Cut, Consolidate Classes

Students choosing a college next semester are faced with new challenges and difficult choices. The current economic climate is forcing many higher-…

According to the Sierra Club, one pig excretes three times as much nitrogen and five times as much phosphorus as a human, and 3.5 times as much solid waste. (Adobe Stock)

Farmers Appeal to IA Senators to Stop Mega Merger

An Iowa farm advocacy group wants the state's U.S. senators to oppose a deal to allow one of the world's largest pork processors to buy large parts …

Some 50 years after passage of the Clean Water Act, half of America's waterways remain polluted, according to a report by the Environmental Integrity Project. (Adobe Stock)

IA Sierra Club Chapter Sues State, Cattle Producer

A state judge will soon hear arguments in a waterway pollution case brought by the Sierra Club's Iowa Chapter. The group is suing the Iowa …

Generalized Anxiety Disorder affects 6.8 million adults or 3.1% of the U.S. population, yet only 43.2% are receiving treatment. (Adobe Stock)

Depression High Among IA's LGBTQ Population

The Census Bureau has released a report that shows LGBTQ people suffered higher rates of depression, anxiety and other mental hurdles than did the …

Developmental disabilities are a group of conditions due to an impairment in physical, learning, language, or behavior areas. About one in six children in the U.S. have one or more developmental disabilities or other developmental delays, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

A Call for Greater Accessibility for Iowans with Disabilities

Iowans with disabilities said the state could be doing more to make public places more accessible and inclusive. In the new legislative session…

Soil erosion by water occurs when bare-sloped soil surface is exposed to rainfall, and the rainfall intensity exceeds the rate of soil intake, or infiltration rate, leading to soil-surface runoff. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Watershed Watchers Want Action on Climate Change

The Iowa Watershed Planning Advisory Council just released its annual report and said the Iowa Water Plan needs an update. The report showed climate …

A caucus is not an election; it's a political party gathering in which party members choose candidates for an election. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Iowa Challenges Democratic Caucus 'Demotion'

For the first time in almost 50 years, Iowa will not hold the first-in-the-nation presidential caucuses for Democrats. The national party has ousted …

According to the Brennan Center, at least one bill with a provision restricting access to voting was introduced in the legislature of every state except Vermont in 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Group Wants Rollbacks of Some IA Voting Restrictions

The Iowa League of Women Voters plans to ask the Iowa Legislature to rethink the voting restrictions put in place prior to last month's midterm electi…

The gold dome on the Iowa Capitol has been gilded five times. The gold leaf covering the dome is 250,000th of an inch thick and is 23.75 karats. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa’s Governor Part of Historic Trend

2022 was a banner year for women elected as governor. Nearly one-third of America's governors will be women next year, which is a record. Iowa …

The deer population in Iowa is estimated to number at least 445,000. (Adobe Stock)

Chronic Wasting Disease Threatens IA Deer

Wildlife biologists are warning Iowa hunters to have their deer tested for a deadly condition known to attack the animal's brain. Chronic Wasting …

According to the Alzheimer's Association, 6.5 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's in 2022. Around 73% are age 75 or older. (Adobe Stock)

Alzheimer's Treatments on Near Horizon for Iowans

National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month is drawing to a close at the same time the hope of progress on understanding and treating the disease is …

Nearly 1 million people participate in Thanksgiving Day road races every year. (Rip Roar Events)

Thousands Race in Iowa's Biggest Thanksgiving Day Event

While many Iowa families gather through this weekend to celebrate Thanksgiving in traditional ways with food and family, thousands of people take to …

Life expectancy at birth in the United States declined nearly a year from 2020 to 2021, from 77.0 to 76.1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

HHS Exec Encourages Iowans to Check Health Insurance Options

The federal Health and Human Services director who oversees Iowa wants residents to take advantage of lower health care costs through the Affordable C…

According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, a wild turkey can see about seven times better than humans and hear about 10 times better. (Roger Hill/Iowa DNR)

Iowa's Wild Turkeys: A Success Story for Endangered Species

CORRECTION: Wild turkeys were not on the Endangered Species List, as it had not been created at the time they were hunted to near-extinction…

Google launched its tracking software in 2005 as part of Google Analytics. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa to Collect $6 Million Over Google Location-Tracking Practices

Iowa will collect more than $6 million from Google over the internet giant's location-tracking practices. The settlement is part of a multi-state…

Social justice issues date back to efforts aimed at promoting equity during the Industrial Revolution. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Iowans Voice Strong Support for Progressive Ideals

Despite a heavily conservative shift in voter turnout at the ballot box in Iowa, results of a new post-midterm poll showed Iowans strongly support …

More than 85% of Iowa's land is farmland. (Stock/Adobe Stock)

Iowa Farmers' Priorities Released for 2023 Farm Bill

Rural advocacy groups in Iowa have released their priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill, which is already being discussed in Washington, D.C. The Center …

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, overall cattle inventory is down 2% in the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Small Iowa Livestock Producers Benefit from Federal Grants

Thirteen livestock producers in Iowa are getting grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to keep meat and money closer to home. The dollars …

Adoption has been officially legal in the United states since the 1850s. (Adobe Stock)

Adoption Day: New "Forever" Homes for More Iowa Kids

It's National Adoption Month, a chance to raise awareness about the need for permanent homes and families for kids in foster care in Iowa. In Polk …

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…

According to the Environmental Working Group, Iowa loses an estimated 5.2 million tons of soil per acre, per year, to erosion. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Utilities Look to Slow Soil Erosion, Improve Water Quality

A cattle operation in Grinnell has been fined for stockpiling manure on its property that had been washing into a nearby creek. It's the latest in a …

In Johnson County, Iowa, 13% of adults describe themselves as being in

IA County Studies Why Residents Don't Get the Healthcare They Need

Johnson County, Iowa, is on a fact-finding mission - to determine what its residents need most for a good community health program. The county is …

Food banks are now spread across the globe as a way to address nutritional needs and poverty. The first one in the United States was established in Arizona in 1967. (Adobe Stock)

Iowa Food Bank Gears Up for Record Demand with $2 Million Donation

The Food Bank of Iowa has received a $2 million gift from a prominent Des Moines family, to better serve the 300,000 Iowans who are food insecure…

Voting groups in Iowa say because the state now has a shorter window for early voting, there might be a busier scene at county auditor offices. They say that's why you should set aside enough time to cast your ballot. (Adobe Stock)

Early Voting Under Way in Iowa

The window for early voting in Iowa has been open for several days, and some are using this week to remind registered voters across the state to take …

So far in 2022, there have been 558 mass shooting incidents in the United States, including two in Iowa, according to the Gun Violence Archive. They are categorized as

Second Iowa School District Allows Staff to Carry Guns

Though its campuses have not experienced serious gun violence to date, the Cherokee Community School Board is now the second in Iowa to allow school …

Federal lawmakers say there are too many people with disabilities who want to work but are living in poverty because they haven't had a chance to succeed in an integrated job environment. (Adobe Stock)

IA Nabs Grant to Boost Job Opportunities for Those With Disabilities

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, and 14 states, including Iowa, have received large federal grants to try to link workers …

While some Medicare-related provisions under the Inflation Reduction Act are now in play, others are a couple of years off, including caps on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs. (Adobe Stock)

New Tips This Year for Medicare Enrollment in IA

Inflation continues to adversely affect the budgets of many older Iowans, and with Medicare enrollment now open, experts stressed it is a crucial …

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, as dry as this September was in Iowa, it was only the 19th-driest September in the last 128 years. (Adobe Stock)

IA Farmers Opt for Federal Assistance to Weather Drought

New data from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows all of Iowa's 99 counties are abnormally dry, with a handful experiencing extreme drought conditions…

Local government planning experts say while the decommissioning of solar farms isn't as difficult as taking a power plant offline, it still requires things such as an environmental review in bringing the land back to its original state. (Adobe Stock)

Solar Power Grows In IA: Taking the Long View

Drive around Iowa these days, and you're likely to see more evidence of solar power. Policy analysts say it gives the state's clean energy …

The Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence notes that guns are the leading cause of death for women murdered by an intimate partner. (Adobe Stock)

Domestic Violence Concerns Ahead of Vote on IA Gun Measure

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and advocates in Iowa are especially alarmed about what comes up in a few weeks: a proposed gun rights …

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 …

Researchers say long-term exposure to pesticides can result in a range of chronic health issues, including cancer. (Adobe Stock)

Will Pesticide Enforcement Get Caught Up in Trade Talks?

The U.S. is talking with several nations as part of an emerging framework for trade policy, and in the Midwest, there are concerns about the ripple …

Agriculture experts say improving soil health on farmland is one of several components to reducing emissions from conventional farming. (Adobe Stock)

IA Gets Big Chunk of 'Climate-Smart' Farming Pie

Agriculture researchers say if the U.S. wants more farmers to adopt climate-friendly practices, they will need to be offered some proven incentives…

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-…

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