Here First

The Democrat running to be Iowa secretary of agriculture says ethanol is an economic dead end. Scientists are worried the closure of a USDA research facility could hurt food safety. And September was the 4th wettest on record in Iowa.

People in eastern Iowa are calling for the release of a hospital worker who was detained by ICE last week. The candidates for Iowa governor both held rallies in Polk County last night. And what can local governments do about data center development?

A new report about Iowa's high cancer rates looks at behavioral and demographic risk factors. Dubuque is partnering with a research center to revive an underserved neighborhood. And the candidates for Iowa secretary of agriculture have different ideas about addressing water quality.

Just ahead of the midterm elections, President Trump has announced a steel plant investment in Iowa. Local health department's budgets could be tighter under a state plan to reorganize public health. And the latest on the effort to try to keep a historical research center open.

A possible new steel plant may bring lawmakers back to Des Moines for a special session. After losing half of its executive committee, the Center for Intellectual Freedom has four finalists to take the helm. U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Ashley Hinson says she supports increasing cancer research funding.

A proposed change to Waterloo's human rights department is dividing the city's leadership. A business group is questioning why Alliant Energy wants to build three new power plants. And Dubuque's Marshallese community celebrates its heritage this weekend.

President Trump's lawsuit against pollster J. Ann Selzer has been dismissed. A traveling exhibit is in Des Moines that features the Epstein files that have been released. And Dolly the mastodon is returning to southern Iowa.

Linn County is looking at the quality of its groundwater. Library hours are being reduced in Des Moines because of city budget cuts. And how has data from Flock Safety cameras been misused?

Prosecutors will retry a man accused in the cold-case killing of a Native American woman in Sioux City. The Dubuque City Council voted Monday to adopt a goal to zero out its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. A Johnson County judge ruled against the state's decision to close a State Historical Society of Iowa facility, and the Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club is disappointed by the EPA's decision to repeal rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.

Vice President JD Vance and Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy are among the high-profile Republicans who've visited Iowa recently to rally GOP support ahead of the midterm elections. A nonprofit that supports low-income Iowans predicts more requests for help paying heating bills this winter. And hemp sellers are bracing for a ban on most of their products expected to go into effect in December.

The Democratic candidate for governor supports legalizing recreational marijuana. Republicans are urging support for a constitutional amendment. And how are voters feeling about Iowa's open U.S. Senate seat race?

Two Iowa representatives have voted to limit President Trump's war powers in Iran. Private well owners in certain counties are eligible for a free arsenic testing kit. And a county park in eastern Iowa is conserving the blue spotted salamander.

This year's Iowa Climate Statement calls for investing in renewable energy to meet electricity demands. Minden and Greenfield are receiving money from the USDA two years after devastating tornadoes. And Des Moines Public Schools has a new superintendent.

The city of Des Moines has approved an initial recommendation to cuts to its 2028 budget. The state attorney general's office has announced how it'll use some Meta settlement funds. And the latest on two proposed carbon pipelines.

The Department of Homeland Security secretary was in Iowa over the weekend. Child labor violations are disproportionately higher in Iowa. And a rare and federally endangered bumblebee species was spotted in eastern Iowa.

Iowans will remember the 9/11 anniversary today with observances. One former Iowan will return to the Pentagon for today's commemoration. Republicans will go first in the 2028 presidential nominating process. And UNI is the only one of Iowa's three public universities with an enrollment increase this year.

Iowans vote this fall on whether to make it tougher for lawmakers to raise income taxes. Iowa's agriculture secretary is promoting a science-based approach to addressing the state's water quality programs. And Waterloo is considering creating a city manager position.

University of Iowa marching band member Derek Phillips has died after collapsing from the heat in Iowa City Saturday. Waterloo passed a temporary ban on new data centers at its council meeting Tuesday, and the U.S. Department of Energy will loan NextEra up to $1.9 billion to restart the Duane Arnold nuclear plant near Cedar Rapids. American farmers will likely feel the squeeze of higher tariffs exchanged with Canada, impacting products including dairy and ag equipment.

The candidates for governor share their thoughts on automated license plate readers. Johnson County officials are trying to figure out an AI policy. And what happened to the Monarch Highway?

Iowa is trying to bring back nuclear energy. Farmers across the country are losing access to federal workers to help with soil and water conservation. And how could proposed federal regulations to Head Start impact Iowa programs?

Many public schools in Iowa are trying to navigate rising costs and low enrollment. Iowa has been burning more coal to produce electricity than in the past. And data center opposition is growing in the Midwest.

The U.S. secretary of agriculture is in Iowa this week. Synthetic Kratom fatal overdoses are higher than last year. And a central Iowa town wants to add a local option sales tax.

A new data analysis suggests there are more heat-related deaths than what's reported by the CDC. Candidates for Iowa's First Congressional District share their plans for addressing Iowa's high cancer rate. And the Center for Intellectual Freedom at UI is trying to find a director.

Republicans and Democrats held big rallies in central Iowa over the weekend, with Election Day just about two months away. The price of ground beef has passed $7 a pound, and an economist is not confident it will come down soon. And the DNR has been looking into a strange smell people have complained about in far eastern Iowa.

Black Hills Energy is facing scrutiny from Iowa utility regulators. Libertarian candidates for governor and in the 3rd Congressional District have lost a legal challenge aimed at putting their names on the November ballot. Forecasters say we've moved into what could become one of the strongest El Niños in recorded history, and the Midwest Newsroom and Harvest Public Media report that higher grocery prices are especially hard on older adults on fixed incomes.

Iowa stands to get more than 125 million dollars from the settlement between tech giant Meta and 47 states. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek says water quality issues need to be addressed to help lower the state's cancer rates. And the centerpiece of Dubuque's parks system is getting money to help restore several buildings.

The Democrat running for state auditor shares his thoughts on how transparent private school budgets should be. Some 8th graders will be allowed to play varsity sports this school year. And how is the eastern Iowa community of Lansing doing as its iconic steel bridge is closed?

There measles outbreak in southern Iowa is growing. Unionized John Deere workers have said no to a proposed contract. And Iowa Public Radio has announced a new CEO.

U.S. cattle producers aren't pleased with President Trump's plan to lower beef prices. The Democrat candidate for Iowa secretary of agriculture shares his clean water plan. And a judge will decide this week if some Libertarian candidates can be on the Nov. ballot.

Several Trump cabinet officials have visited Iowa recently. A western Iowa community is dealing with the environmental fallout of a Cold War missile site over 60 years after it was deactivated. And how are international students feeling about stricter visa rules?

Some cities have turned off their automated license plate readers. Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig makes his case to be reelected. And state Attorney General Brenna Bird says wants to continue protecting the second amendment if reelected.

Republican candidate for governor Zach Lahn says he supports a tobacco tax. The candidates for secretary of state talked to voters at the state fair. And Iowa is starting a foster care diversion program next year.

State officials have confirmed a measles outbreak in southern Iowa. The U.S. health secretary was in Iowa to talk about the new presidential fitness test. And Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ashley Hinson says she wants to address health care costs.

The Iowa Democratic Party's Caucuses are not in the early 2028 presidential primary calendar. Candidates for Governor Zach Lahn and Rob Sand spoke at the state fair. And why are researchers looking into purple corn?

The Satanic Temple is suing the state of Iowa. Dubuque County learned how much water data centers in Iowa use each year. And why has the cotton industry been stagnant in the U.S.?

The Iowa Libertarian Party has selected new candidates for the General Election. Johnson County may find a way to protect trans residents in city code. And a city council meeting about a data center in western Iowa was postponed.

County auditors are recruiting poll workers for the General Election. A new grassroots effort in Clinton is trying to get involved in data center regulations. And an Iowa lawmaker tried to ban a toxic weedkiller tied to Parkinson's disease this year.

The City of Des Moines is getting suggestions on what to do about its budget. Jury selection starts today in the trial of a man accused of killing a Native American woman over 40 years ago. And what do the candidates for governor think about privatized Medicaid?

Fertilizer runoff is one reason nutrient pollution went up in U.S. waterways. Federal money will help expand flood monitoring in Iowa. And the Iowa Libertarian Party will nominate two new candidates this week to replace the ones who were kicked off the General Election ballot.

A new poll shows Democrat Rob Sand ahead of Republican Zach Lahn for Iowa governor. Johnson County voters are being asked a fourth time to pass a bond for a new jail. And how has a difficult agriculture economy affected farm successions?

There's a new tool for small Iowan towns to use to think about data centers. A dispute over a data center in a northwest Iowa town is now going to court. And an Iowa lawmaker wants to lower childcare costs.

Iowa is implementing a new Pell grant program for short term career training. Iowa Libertarians will pick a new candidate for the 3rd Congressional District. And a new survey shows public awareness could lead to more conservation efforts for prairies.