As Iowa's Area Education Agencies (AEAs) approach their 50th anniversary of services to Iowans, they do so in the midst of significant change brought about by decisions made during the 2024 legislative session. These changes, most notably a reduction in nearly $75 million in funding, will have ...
We reached the end of the 2024 Legislative Session in the early hours of Saturday, April 20. We were in session for 103 days, including 37 days of voting on the House Floor. We passed 295 bills in the House, and 85% of these bills, 252, were non-partisan votes. I want to share with you what I ...
Let’s start with the price: $7,170. That’s the insurance quote I got this week from the only company that will insure us. The only company. Apparently “agritourism” – having tourists on your farm for classes or pizza night or to pet goat kids — is a no-no in Iowa now. And ...
In the heart of Iowa, Tama County is on the brink of a pivotal change. Lucas Dvorak, a name synonymous with dedication, expertise, and community involvement, has announced his candidacy for the position of Tama County Sheriff. With nearly 15 years of commendable service within the Sheriff's ...
We are in week 15 of the session with the intention of finishing up the budget and policy work yet this week, possibly working through till Saturday. As I finish this newsletter at 7:30 Thursday evening, we are preparing to debate five of these budget bills this evening. The first budget we ...
It’s time to be honest with you. You’re the problem. Every year about this time we warn you, the motoring public, that highway work is beginning across the country. State Police, State Departments of Transportation, workers, Unions, OSHA, and more; we produce public service ...
The fourteenth week of the legislative session is nearing the end. We’re working on finishing the 2024 Legislative Session, so we continue to debate many bills that better Iowa. Public Safety Bills Head to the Governor’s Desk As the session moves towards its completion, more policy ...
We have finished week 14 of the session and are quickly approaching our 100 day milestone, which is Tuesday, April 16, when the clerks are excused, and our per diem for travel expenses ends. We don’t anticipate having the budget fully passed by Tuesday, but we should be in the midst of those ...
Is local news readily available in your town? Do reporters still cover your school board and other municipal meetings? The State of Local News Project at Northwestern University documents the changing local news landscape across the country. Our latest report shows that where you live and ...
The thirteenth week of the legislative session is nearing the end. We’re working on finishing the 2024 Legislative Session, so we continue to debate many bills that better Iowa. This newsletter covers a recent bill that the Iowa House passed that received major pushback from our liberal ...