Asked about protesters who attended a Thursday groundbreaking in Des Moines, demanding action on agricultural pollution and linking it to high cancer rates in the state, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds told reporters that “regulation is hardly ever the answer” and “is a killer in most instances — it takes out innovation.”
This week on the podcast, we recap President Donald Trump’s visit to Iowa and share updates on Iowa’s 2026 gubernatorial election.
U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, of Marion, said in a call with reporters Thursday that lack of a criminal record does not prevent people in the U.S. without legal status who are eligible for deportation from being deported.
From separate events Thursday, Gov. Kim Reynolds, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, and Tom Vilsack — the former Iowa governor and USDA secretary — all discussed how to manage farm labor amid the hard-line deportation policy of the Trump administration.
Also in the Capitol Notebook, Iowa is partnering with a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring and STEM education for high-achieving math students in the state.
A U.S. Department of Defense “deferred resignation program” has pushed the U.S. Army Cadet Command to cut its civilian workforce 12 percent — or 168 positions — shrinking its ROTC footprint through closures and reclassifications, including three in Iowa.
Iowa nonprofits that provide support and services to Iowans with complex mental health challenges say they are alarmed and concerned by plans to end a state program that provides holistic care coordination for children and adults with mental health conditions, with little notice given.
Marion residents were able to meet Wednesday evening with four candidates who the city has identified as candidates to fill the position of police chief, vacated by Chief Mike Kitsmiller when he retired in the spring. The candidate who is ultimately selected will lead the department of 48 sworn officers, 10 dispatchers and six civilian employees.
“While the encouragement and momentum have been phenomenal, the fundraising simply hasn’t reached the level necessary to run a competitive campaign at this time.”
Around a dozen community members showed up for public comment at the Coralville City Council meeting Tuesday night to share their concerns about resident privacy should the city begin using license plate reader cameras.
Iowa U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said Wednesday he is committed to investigating the members of the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation who served during the Biden administration over indictments against President Donald Trump.
Johnson County’s three most populous cities are moving forward with plans to put a 1 percent local-option sales tax on the ballot for the November general election in an effort to diversify revenue sources in light of property tax reform at the state level.
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