Erin Jordan

A second worker injured in a 2022 explosion at a Marengo plant is suing the company, C6-Zero, and other defendants, including a politically-connected consulting firm that vouched for the company with state regulators.

Here’s an update on 12 bills that remain open for passage by the Iowa Legislature -- and two that did not survive -- after the first funnel deadline.

The Eastern Iowa Airport has abandoned plans to use geothermal heating and cooling for its new expansion after failing to get a permit to dig a new well field because of regulators’ concerns about “forever chemicals” at the site.

More than 200 vehicles struck cable barriers on Interstate 80 medians during back-to-back snow storms in January -- which is a lot considering the state usually has about 900 strikes for the whole winter on all interstates.

The Iowa City Council will consider rezoning 6.8 acres from neighborhood public to general industrial so P&G can complete its planned $6.4 million purchase of the property from Kirkwood Community College. Neighbors say it’s not just to allow more industrial in an area with a larger share of low-income and minority residents.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is soliciting bids for a contractor to build 18 stone weirs along the shore of the river as it flows through Wapsipinicon State Park south of Anamosa. The weirs, made of 3.5-foot boulders, would extend 90 feet from the shore, or about one-quarter of the way across the river, said Mike Dufoe, a facilities engineer for the DNR.

Ag experts optimistic about increase in young farmers.

The State Hygienic Lab now can test wastewater for influenza, which gives public health officials advance warning of a spike in their community before positive flu tests show up at doctors’ offices.

Most Eastern Iowa trees need 800 or more “chill hours” between 32 and 45 degrees to break dormancy. Days when the temperature is below 32 degrees, like it was in early January, don’t count toward the total. Neither do days when nighttime temperatures are above 45 degrees.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Director Kayla Lyon told an appropriations subcommittee Monday the EPA and the DNR are “making progress” to cleaning up the C6-Zero site, where a Dec. 8, 2022, explosion and fire injured nine employees, caused an evacuation of nearby houses and polluted soil and water.

Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered flags lowered to half-staff Monday to honor Bill Northey, former Iowa agriculture secretary and a U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary, who died at age 64.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations this week released the names of eight additional student-athletes and former student-athletes charged last year as part of a sports betting investigation.

After

An Iowa House subcommittee unanimously approved a bill to allow the Iowa Legislature to intervene in a permitting process of a pipeline or other energy project seeking to use eminent domain.

Because POET’s Iowa plants were not on Summit’s original route, they won’t be part of Summit’s permit application now under review by the Iowa Utilities Board.