The city council in Iowa City has agreed to spend $10,000 to replace 14 benches in the Ped Mall. The action follows nearly two months of push back from people who’ve complained that the newly installed benches are “hostile” toward the homeless because they have center armrests – preventing people from laying down on the […]Powered by WPeMatico
State Auditor Rob Sand says energy usage will be flagged in every audit report his office issues for state and local government agencies, “to make sure that they know where they are starting, so they can measure their progress in energy efficiency.” Sand spoke briefly yesterday to a crowd at the capitol for “Energy Efficiency […]Powered by WPeMatico
The enrollment in the state’s 15 community colleges dropped slightly in 2018. Heather Doe of the Iowa Department of Education says the drop of 1,501 students mirrors what happened nationwide. Doe says it is due in part to a better economy and low unemployment in the state. “That’s been a trend that’s really happened since […]Powered by WPeMatico
An 18-year-old Burlington woman has been jailed on murder charges following a stabbing this afternoon. Authorities say Kaylee Jane Wilson has been arrested for second degree murder. Police were called to the 1300 block of Garfield Street in Burlington early this afternoon in response to a stabbing. They say a 23-year-old woman with a stab […]Powered by WPeMatico
Six Iowa schools in “high-poverty” districts will each get $50,000 state grants this summer for programs to boost the computer skills of elementary students. The application period for these “Computer Science Is Elementary” grants opened yesterday. Governor Kim Reynolds said the IT professionals of tomorrow are sitting in classrooms across the state today, so it’s […]Powered by WPeMatico
A district court judge has ruled Iowa’s so-called “fetal heartbeat” law is unconstitutional. Last May, Governor Kim Reynolds signed the law to ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat may be detected, which happens in about the sixth week of a pregnancy. Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa immediately […]Powered by WPeMatico
The leader of a House committee is promising to block any attempt to adjust the pension benefits awarded through the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System — commonly called IPERS. Republican Representative Bobby Kaufman of Wilton is chairman of the House State Government Committee, the panel that would consider any IPERS policy changes. “There is very simply […]Powered by WPeMatico
Senator Joni Ernst’s divorce decree was temporarily an open public document–revealing details about her 26-year marriage — which the senator describes as a “painful journey.” Senator Ernst, in her court filing, described a “dark and troubling time” in her marriage when she was serving as Montgomery County Auditor. Ernst accused her husband Gail of having […]Powered by WPeMatico
Governor Kim Reynolds has released the details of the constitutional amendment she’s proposing that would automatically restore voting rights to felons who’re no longer imprisoned. “Any time we’re going to amend the constitution it’s a very serious thing and so we want to make sure that we’re doing it right and that we’re getting the […]Powered by WPeMatico
