Erin Jordan

Red grape varieties developed to survive Iowa’s harsh winters have low levels of tannins, which help prevent oxidation. Aude Watrelot, an Iowa State University enologist, is studying native reds in Iowa to develop best practices for winemakers.

Tests of drinking water from six public water systems along the Mississippi River in Iowa show detectable levels of two types of industrial chemicals believed to harm human health, new results show.

After evicting park rangers from Iowa’s state parks, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources said it will continue to require live-in staff at fish hatcheries because they have a “live product.”

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ housing policy adopted in 2007 shows a shift in the agency’s perceived value of live-in park rangers and other staff at Iowa state parks.

An Iowa City man faces child endangerment charges after police allege he left a loaded gun unattended, allowing one child to shoot another child, causing serious injury.

Finding enough guests to stay at Honey Creek has always been a challenge because the resort is not near any major Iowa cities and doesn’t have a lot of other attractions nearby.

Iowa has more impaired waters now than two years ago, with bacteria and fish kills being the top reasons for listing, according to the state’s 2022 draft inventory.

The USDA reported just 72 Black farmers in Iowa in 2017, the most recent Census of Agriculture. That’s 0.05 percent of the 143,500 producers the USDA counted in the state.

Republicans who support a bill that seeks to limit public land buys say the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and county conservation boards shouldn’t be competing with farmers trying to buy timber for cattle grazing. Democrats say its more likely developers or other farmers snapping up land.

Senate Study Bill 3134 would limit the amount of money the state and counties may pay for land and, in some cases, removes tax benefits for land donors. Lawmakers who are farmers seem concerned about farmland converting to public land, but conservation groups said Iowa already has one of the lowest shares of public land in the nation.

The Iowa Environmental Protection Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to dismiss a petition seeking stricter rules for new animal feeding operations built in the karst terrain of northeast Iowa.

Future Ready Iowa’s Summer Youth Internship Project provided $1.61 million in grants last year to 26 companies or organizations providing high school internships. These internships included landscaping, custom meat processing, nursing, utility management and engineering, among other disciplines. Another round of funding is available now, with applications due March 2.

Teacher shortages across the state have caused Iowa lawmakers to consider changes in teacher preparation and certification. But one education leader warns the state not to reduce preparation or mentoring if you want to retain teachers.

The Iowa Senate Ethics Committee unanimously dismissed an ethics complaint alleging Sen. Dan Zumbach used his position to pressure state employees to approve a cattle feedlot owned by his son-in-law.

More than 20 people spoke out for and against House File 2309, which would require any Iowa schools that get public funding to designate sports programs as one of the following: open to biological females, open to biological males or coeducational.