Here First

U.S. Representative Zach Nunn broke with GOP party leaders on a vote for an ACA tax credit extension. Flu is surging in Iowa. And what would closing the so-called "hemp loophole" mean for growers and producers?

Iowa is part of a federal tax credit program that provides more support for private schools. U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon was in Iowa yesterday. And there's a petition in the Quad Cities to take down automated license plate readers.

A legislative panel met ahead of the 2026 legislative session to discuss subacute mental health access. The federal recommended child vaccine schedule has dropped shots for six diseases. And more lawsuits have been filed against a gymnastics studio in central Iowa.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has created a nuclear energy task force. The superintendent of Sioux City Public Schools has officially resigned. Democratic lawmakers in the Iowa House are proposing tax rebates for homeowners and renters.

The U.S. has captured Venezuela's president and his wife. Iowa's campaign ethics board wants deepfakes that are used in election ads to be disclosed. And a central Iowa food pantry will have culturally specific foods.

Democrats have retained a seat in the Iowa Senate after yesterday's special election in the Des Moines metro. Traffic fatalities in Iowa could end 2025 at a 100-year low. And the state is seeing high levels of flu activity.

Iowa will receive $209 million next year as part of the Rural Health Transformation Program authorized by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress. While Interstate 35 was closed for parts of Sunday and Monday because of blizzard conditions, motorists sought shelter in nearby communities. Citations instead of warnings will be issued for those violating Iowa's new hands free driving law starting Thursday, and a Polk County judge recently ordered the state to allow contractors reopen a resort in southern Iowa.

Beginning in the new year, some grocery items in Iowa will no longer be available to recipients of the federal food assistance program known as SNAP. Iowa's cattlemen are urging state lawmakers to include spending on bird flu vaccine development in next year's budget. And expanded gambling in Nebraska is cutting into casino profits in Council Bluffs.

The speaker of the Iowa House says he wants tougher penalties for people convicted of multiple crimes. A new survey has found the number of Iowans who identify as a caregiver is growing. And a change in state law may mean big changes for Johnson County's board of supervisors.

Iowa will participate in a federal summer food assistance program after two years of opting out. Some public schools are joining a campaign to push for more funding. And Democratic leaders share their thoughts on eminent domain ahead of the 2026 legislative session.

Congress members went home for the holidays without a health care deal. State Republicans are going to try again for property tax relief in the upcoming legislative session. And Iowa K-12 school enrollment is down.

Leaders in the Iowa legislature discuss a potential IPERS study. There's been another detection of measles in Iowa. And a researcher has been trying to make cotton seeds edible.

The remains of two Iowa National Guard members arrived in the U.S. yesterday. Iowans in the Sioux City area are worried about their medical care. And what was it like for new college graduates to search for a job this year?

Iowa's attorney general says Roblox is harming children and is suing the gaming company. Republican leaders in the Iowa legislature talk about eminent domain. And Democratic candidate for governor Rob Sand is using his Christian faith to connect with voters.

The names have been released of the two Iowa National Guard Soldiers who were killed in Syria over the weekend. House Republicans have released a health care plan. And the challenge of mental wellness after surviving cancer.

Two Iowa National Guard soldiers and a U.S. civilian interpreter were killed in Syria. Federal homelessness funding is in limbo. And tax credits for home solar expire at the end of the year.

Iowa's U.S. Senators voted for the health care plan that would provide health savings accounts instead of ACA tax credits. Iowa state leaders talk about the expected deficit for next year. And how are some states stepping up for animals that are losing federal protections?

Iowa's largest teacher union is voicing their principles. Four international students at the University of Iowa have had their statuses restored. And what does a study show about data privacy with automated license plate readers?

Public employees shouldn't see changes to Iowa's public pension system anytime soon. Iowa land values are slightly up from last year. And who won last night's special election for an Iowa House seat?

A farmer bailout has been announced. A Somali immigrant rights advocate is speaking out against President Trump's recent hateful comments about Somali immigrants. And Iowa Democrats want to be first or early in the nation for the 2028 presidential nominating process.

Conservative political commentators spoke at the inaugural event for the new Center for Intellectual Freedom. Some federal grants for museums and libraries were reinstated. And a power company has gotten approval for a project that would provide more power to new data centers in eastern Iowa.

Unionized Starbucks workers in Des Moines and Iowa City are striking. Retiring ISU President Wendy Wintersteen reflects on her career. And Republican Congresswoman Ashley Hinson wouldn't say if she supports extending ACA tax credits.

Both Republican and Democratic state lawmakers are planning on property tax relief in the next legislative session. The Iowa Board of Regents has a new president. And the projected investment for a data center in Cedar Rapids has gone up.

Groups supporting refugees are calling on lawmakers to create a path to permanent residency for Afghan nationals. Immigrant rights advocates are still accompanying immigrants to their check-in appointments in Cedar Rapids. And nurses in some central Iowa hospitals are getting ready to vote to unionize.

Some communities in northwest Iowa are still waiting for FEMA buyouts, a year and a half after devastating flooding. Iowa and several other states will be able to access a federal database to make sure non-citizens haven't registered to vote. And the head of Iowa's board of regents says she's resigning this week.

An eastern Iowa county is starting a free Narcan distribution program. Public health experts are encouraging more Iowans to get the flu shot. And some areas in the state saw over a foot of snow this weekend.

Gov. Kim Reynolds says a property tax relief plan is still in the works. Several businesses in Iowa City had to close because of the building owners' debt. And two Iowa Congress members say they'll push to get a full Farm Bill passed next year.

Satanic Temple Iowa has been denied a request to host a holiday event at the state capitol. Republican candidates say they can't be apathetic going into the 2026 election. And how do bison help out with protecting grasslands?

An investigation into the Des Moines Public School board hiring former superintendent Ian Roberts has been released. Small business owners are feeling less confident going into the holidays. And Democratic candidates want to reverse state and federal Republican policies if they win elections.

The state department of education is revising a federal funding request after public feedback. Student homelessness is on the rise in central Iowa. And a pilot program allows EMS to conduct blood transfusions before patients arrive to the hospital.

A U.S. Assistant Attorney General is in Iowa to investigate competition in agriculture. A Republican state senator has ended his exploratory campaign for governor. And the federal farm bailout is still up in the air.

Both the Senate and House have passed a bill to release the Epstein files. A Minnesota-based newspaper company has about the Cedar Rapids Gazette. And Hinterland has announced its 2026 lineup.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take a vote on the release of the Epstein files. Another lawsuit has been filed against the state over new pharmacy benefit manager regulations. And it's been a record corn harvest year.

A third Iowa educator has sued a former employer for wrongful termination over comments related to Charlie Kirk's death. Iowa is holding off on privatizing its prison health care system. And a Democrat is exploring a run for Iowa's secretary of agriculture.

November SNAP benefits should be released to Iowa participants today. A public meeting about a nuclear power plant in eastern Iowa drew mixed reactions. And some in the agriculture industry are pushing to revise a visa work program.

The historic government shutdown has ended. The Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa is starting to form. And an Independent is running in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.

Iowa State University's next president has been named. A Democratic candidate for governor shares a plan to address water quality. And the University of Iowa College Republicans are leaving the CRNC.

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks was confronted by angry constituents at a town hall. Over 200 Iowa scientists are signing onto the 15th annual Iowa Climate Statement. And some states have used partisan messaging about SNAP delays.

Iowa Democrats criticize the deal the Senate passed to reopen the government. Refugees in Iowa are being told they are not eligible for SNAP benefits anymore. And the first local agency in Iowa has signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE.

The latest Republican to launch a campaign for Iowa governor says he'd work to address rising cancer rates. An eastern Iowa county passed a moratorium related to data centers. And how are younger generations in the Tai Dam community in Iowa staying close to their roots?

Iowa is asking for federal money to fund rural health care initiatives. The state has settled a wrongful termination lawsuit with a former public health spokesperson. And how are Iowans adjusting to higher health care costs?

The finalists for the next president of Iowa State University are visiting campus this week. Local residents in southwest Iowa are taking water quality into their own hands. And some school and county election results.