Bailey Cichon

A Gazette reader wondered what the bomb shelter is used for today and whether government-supplied rations are still stored there.

Gazette Des Moines Bureau Chief Erin Murphy sat down with Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley on Oct. 8, 2025 for the first of a series of 1:1 interviews with political leaders in Iowa.

Cedar Rapids-based rapper Tone Da Boss and Des Moines-based singer Entre Luche teamed up to release the single “Momma We Made It” earlier this year. Now, the song has earned Grammy consideration in three categories: Song of the Year, Best Rap Song and Record of the Year.

This week on the podcast, we’ll discuss the Des Moines Superintendent situation, the federal government shutdown, and Mariannette Miller-Meeks talking town halls.

Burlington and Iowa City held the capital designation in Iowa before Des Moines. In this week’s Curious Iowa, The Gazette digs into why the capital moved to Des Moines, and which buildings served as temporary capitols for state lawmakers.

This week, we take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to listen in on the "Medicaid and Hospitals" session from the 2025 Iowa Ideas conference hosted by The Gazette.

A Cedar Rapids resident wondered how area hospitals are using artificial intelligence. The Gazette’s series Curious Iowa found that AI tools help with time-consuming tasks like note taking, summarizing charts, analyzing images and preparing bills.

Plus, the 2nd Congressional District Republican primary field is growing.

Plus, Republican Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver announces he will not seek re-election and will step down as leader and Iowa DOGE holds its final public meeting.

Iowa City-based aerialist Mimi Ke teaches and performs in the Corridor, encouraging everyday Iowans to look at life from a new perspective through her art form. Ke developed the aerial dance program at National Dance Academy in 2014.

How did Cedar Rapids’ Bever Park Zoo get started? And when and why did all of the exotic animals leave?

How does Joni Ernst’s decision to not seek reelection impact Iowa’s 2026 elections?

A reader from Tama County wondered about mowing Iowa roadsides. We look into why Iowa’s mowing law was put in place, what it aims to protect and the requirements for haying roadside grasses.

This week on the podcast: Catelin Drey wins Western Iowa special election. Plus, highlights from Ashley Hinson’s annual fundraiser and Bernie Sanders in the Quad Cities.

State of Mind gifts is Uptown Marion’s new destination for eclectic gifts, greeting cards and silly stuff, as owner Carissa Starleaf calls it. Of the 45 small brands the shop carries, 43 are women-owned.