Here First

Both Republican and Democratic state lawmakers are planning on property tax relief in the next legislative session. The Iowa Board of Regents has a new president. And the projected investment for a data center in Cedar Rapids has gone up.

Groups supporting refugees are calling on lawmakers to create a path to permanent residency for Afghan nationals. Immigrant rights advocates are still accompanying immigrants to their check-in appointments in Cedar Rapids. And nurses in some central Iowa hospitals are getting ready to vote to unionize.

Some communities in northwest Iowa are still waiting for FEMA buyouts, a year and a half after devastating flooding. Iowa and several other states will be able to access a federal database to make sure non-citizens haven’t registered to vote. And the head of Iowa’s board of regents says she’s resigning this week.

An eastern Iowa county is starting a free Narcan distribution program. Public health experts are encouraging more Iowans to get the flu shot. And some areas in the state saw over a foot of snow this weekend.

Gov. Kim Reynolds says a property tax relief plan is still in the works. Several businesses in Iowa City had to close because of the building owners' debt. And two Iowa Congress members say they'll push to get a full Farm Bill passed next year.

Satanic Temple Iowa has been denied a request to host a holiday event at the state capitol. Republican candidates say they can't be apathetic going into the 2026 election. And how do bison help out with protecting grasslands?

An investigation into the Des Moines Public School board hiring former superintendent Ian Roberts has been released. Small business owners are feeling less confident going into the holidays. And Democratic candidates want to reverse state and federal Republican policies if they win elections.

The state department of education is revising a federal funding request after public feedback. Student homelessness is on the rise in central Iowa. And a pilot program allows EMS to conduct blood transfusions before patients arrive to the hospital.

A U.S. Assistant Attorney General is in Iowa to investigate competition in agriculture. A Republican state senator has ended his exploratory campaign for governor. And the federal farm bailout is still up in the air.

Both the Senate and House have passed a bill to release the Epstein files. A Minnesota-based newspaper company has about the Cedar Rapids Gazette. And Hinterland has announced its 2026 lineup.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take a vote on the release of the Epstein files. Another lawsuit has been filed against the state over new pharmacy benefit manager regulations. And it's been a record corn harvest year.

A third Iowa educator has sued a former employer for wrongful termination over comments related to Charlie Kirk's death. Iowa is holding off on privatizing its prison health care system. And a Democrat is exploring a run for Iowa's secretary of agriculture.

November SNAP benefits should be released to Iowa participants today. A public meeting about a nuclear power plant in eastern Iowa drew mixed reactions. And some in the agriculture industry are pushing to revise a visa work program.

The historic government shutdown has ended. The Center for Intellectual Freedom at the University of Iowa is starting to form. And an Independent is running in Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.

Iowa State University's next president has been named. A Democratic candidate for governor shares a plan to address water quality. And the University of Iowa College Republicans are leaving the CRNC.

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks was confronted by angry constituents at a town hall. Over 200 Iowa scientists are signing onto the 15th annual Iowa Climate Statement. And some states have used partisan messaging about SNAP delays.

Iowa Democrats criticize the deal the Senate passed to reopen the government. Refugees in Iowa are being told they are not eligible for SNAP benefits anymore. And the first local agency in Iowa has signed a 287(g) agreement with ICE.

The latest Republican to launch a campaign for Iowa governor says he'd work to address rising cancer rates. An eastern Iowa county passed a moratorium related to data centers. And how are younger generations in the Tai Dam community in Iowa staying close to their roots?

Iowa is asking for federal money to fund rural health care initiatives. The state has settled a wrongful termination lawsuit with a former public health spokesperson. And how are Iowans adjusting to higher health care costs?

The finalists for the next president of Iowa State University are visiting campus this week. Local residents in southwest Iowa are taking water quality into their own hands. And some school and county election results.

The Trump Administration will fund half of SNAP benefits this month. People can't apply for Section 8 housing vouchers in Des Moines right now. And President Trump has endorsed Iowa Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks for a fourth term in the U.S. House.

Funding for a federal heating assistance program is up in the air. The president of a central Iowa community college is hesitant on a proposal lawmakers are discussing. And how do farmers know when to apply fertilizer to corn and soybean fields in the Fall?

The state of Iowa will match cash donations to food banks up to a million dollars. Health insurance premiums through the ACA marketplace are expected to go up. And how are bats helpful to farmers?

Some Iowa Head Start programs will have to close Nov. 1 because of the federal government shutdown. The USDA is being sued because of withholding contingency funds for SNAP. Iowa business owners are telling federal lawmakers about their tariff concerns.

Republican Fourth District Congressman Randy Feenstra is officially running for governor. Democratic Senate candidate Josh Turek says President Trump’s tariff policies are causing a “farmageddon” in rural Iowa. And, Sen. Chuck Grassley says supply prices are squeezing farmers.