Here First

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.

Google says it will buy electricity from the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power Plant near Cedar Rapids when it’s reopened in 2029. A Republican running for governor is the latest to call for a state takeover of the Des Moines school district. And, all five GOP candidates for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District seat made their pitches to conservative Christian voters in western Iowa Monday night.

The Sioux City City Council will have a majority of new members after next week's election. At least one Iowa-based bank is telling its customers that they can no longer get rolls or boxes of pennies, following an order from President Trump that the U.S. Treasury stop making pennies. A soybean disease has been found in Minnesota for the first time, and the 100th pheasant season in Iowa opened Saturday.

Immigrant rights advocates say a Des Moines high school student has been deported. Food pantries are preparing for higher need than normal. And beef producers are opposing President Trump's plan to lower beef prices.

A Democratic state lawmaker has requested an audit of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners' licensing procedures. A few eastern Iowa cities are asking voters to approve a sales tax. And a Republican candidate for an Iowa U.S. Senate seat says he wants to ban super PACs.

Gov. Kim Reynolds says IPERS is not going anywhere. Polk County and crowdfunding sources are trying to fund water sensors throughout the state. And what do we know about high E. coli levels in Iowa's waterways?

It's day 21 of the federal government shutdown. Des Moines' camping ban is stricter. And a federal court has blocked the Creston Community School District from firing a teacher for a social media post related to Charlie Kirk.

Iowans protested at No Kings rallies across the state. SNAP recipients might not get November food assistance benefits because of the government shutdown. And another Democrat is running for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District.

Iowa will rely more on reserve funds to fill a growing budget gap left by declining tax revenues. The chair of the Des Moines school board is out of the 2026 Senate race. And low levels on the Mississippi River could force farmers to pay higher prices for fertilizer.

A second city in Iowa has affirmed protections for LGBTQ residents. Some airports are refusing to play a video from U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. And domestic violence homicide has gone up in Iowa.

Cancer researchers say the tobacco tax needs to be higher in Iowa. The state auditor is going to look into Des Moines Public Schools' finances. And another Republican is trying for Iowa's 4th Congressional District.

A Republican has dropped out of the race for Iowa's 2nd Congressional District. The nation's largest book supplier has suddenly closed. And lawmakers are trying to address agricultural cyberattacks.

A Democrat from eastern Iowa is running for U.S. Senate. Newspaper company Lee Enterprises will stop printing on Mondays. And new kinship licensing requirements makes it easier for kinship caregivers to get financial assistance.

A southwest Iowa teacher facing termination for her social media comments about Charlie Kirk's death is suing her school district. There is a woman county sheriff for the first time in over 100 years in Iowa. And how are Iowa farmers feeling about dropping land prices?

Gov. Kim Reynolds signed an executive order that requires work authorization checks for new state employees. The Iowa Supreme Court is deciding if low-income Iowans should have to pay court fees if their case is dismissed. And methane from landfills in Dubuque is converted into natural gas to power homes.

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks says she will hold a town hall when "hell freezes over." Community members had mixed feelings at the Des Moines school board meeting last night. And a request for a fence around an immigration enforcement office in eastern Iowa has been approved.

The Department of Homeland Security says former Des Moines Superintendent Ian Roberts has several past criminal charges. Google wants to build a data center in eastern Iowa. And how are Midwest grape growers dealing with low wine sales?

Des Moines Public Schools is suing the search firm they used to hire former superintendent Ian Roberts. Some Iowa immigrants are struggling to pay increased federal application fees. And an Iowa Libertarian has announced a bid for U.S. Senate.

Community members attended a town hall for the former Des Moines Public Schools superintendent. The Johnson County Sheriff is now seeking a bond initiative to fund a new jail. And what can agricultural employers do to prepare for federal immigration officers showing up on U.S. farms?

Sen. Chuck Grassley says he isn't sold on President Trump's proposal to use tariff revenue for farmer aid. Early radon testing at Iowa public schools show some have high levels of the radioactive gas. And work-based learning is becoming more common in Iowa schools.

The Des Moines Public School Board has accepted Ian Robert's resignation from superintendent. DMPS students walked out of classes yesterday in connection with ICE detaining Roberts. And DMPS is now under investigation for what the Department of Justice is calling race-based employment.

The Des Moines School Board has placed Superintendent Ian Roberts on unpaid leave as he remains in federal detention, and the state has revoked his education license. Abortions provided by clinicians in Iowa dropped significantly in the first half of this year. And one of the Republicans running for Congress in northwest Iowa has dropped out of the race.

The Des Moines School Board voted over the weekend to place Superintendent Ian Roberts on paid administrative leave, following his arrest Friday by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. On Saturday, supporters for Roberts protested outside the Woodbury County Law Enforcement Center in Sioux City, where Roberts is currently being held. Farmers' soybeans may be stranded this harvest as China, the biggest buyer of soybeans on the international market, has yet to make a single purchase from the U.S. for the upcoming year.

Tax changes in President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” will reduce Iowa’s revenue by about $400 million this fiscal year. Iowa says its efforts to help a few dozen struggling public schools are showing encouraging results. And the University of Northern Iowa is set to kick off a year-long celebration for its 150th anniversary.

Gov. Kim Reynolds says Iowa school performance is progressing because of her administration's policies. New law enforcement technology is coming to an eastern Iowa town, despite residents' pushback. And UnityPoint nurses in central Iowa say the company is trying to stop union efforts.

A Mount Pleasant man is suing the Trump Administration over a new immigration policy. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand backs the Oskaloosa school board for firing a teacher over comments about Charlie Kirk's death. And a community land trust is coming to the Des Moines area.

More law enforcement agencies in the Midwest are working with ICE. The director of the state's largest agency has resigned. And an AmeriCorps program in Waterloo is back up and running.

The Oskaloosa art teacher who was fired over a social media post about Charlie Kirk's death is now suing the school district. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird talks free speech on college campuses. And Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was in Iowa over the weekend.

The council has been formed for the Center for Intellectual Freedom on University of Iowa's campus. Another Republican has announced a bid for Iowa's second congressional district. And how is the new Area Education Agency law impacting school districts?

An Oskaloosa teacher has lost his job after alleged social media posts that celebrate Charlie Kirk's death. Several Iowa university employees are on leave and being investigated for social media comments on Charlie Kirk's death. And more people want to buy locally-raised meat.

An Iowan is going to Rome to meet with the Pope. Some blind Iowans are concerned about changes to a state program. And Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver has stepped down.

Democrats will have a bit more power in the Iowa Senate when it comes to governor nominees for some state positions. There was a vigil last night for Charlie Kirk on University of Iowa's campus. And the Iowa DOGE Task Force had its final meeting.

U.S Republican Representative Ashley Hinson has formally launched her U.S. Senate campaign. Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen was in Iowa over the weekend. And the USDA is still making plans to reorganize its structure.

The Oskaloosa Community School District is investigating a teacher who allegedly posted comments that appeared to celebrate Charlie Kirk's death. The Iowa DNR is starting a new project to try to reduce E. coli in some Iowa water. And why are some Iowans concerned about Flock cameras?

People who accompany immigrants with immigration check in appointments say it's getting harder to do so. The Iowa Supreme Court is trying to decide if school administrators can be held individually responsible for discrimination in their schools. And what Trump policies could impact where Iowa gets its energy?

No charges will be filed against the Denison police officer who shot and killed a homeless migrant last month. A northern Iowa school district issued a shelter-in-place protocol yesterday after reports of immigration officials in town. And the state of Iowa has settled a sexual orientation and gender identify discrimination lawsuit.

An appointee from the Trump Administration is running for Iowa's second congressional seat. Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins was in Des Moines yesterday. And the recidivism rate in Iowa is the lowest it's been in ten years.

President Trump is backing Ashley Hinson for U.S. Senate. Another Republican is trying for Iowa's fourth congressional district seat. And Iowa business leaders say unresolved U.S. tariff policies is a concern.

A new study links air pollution and animal feeding operations. The Meskwaki Nation and Iowa's top law enforcement officials have reached a settlement on how tribal police pursue suspects. And a food bank program that supports local food will continue for another year.

Des Moines' public transit system is taking public input on reducing its services. Several environmental groups are pushing back against a wastewater permit requested for a coal plant in Ottumwa. And Linn County has finalized zoning regulations for nuclear energy production.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says she’s not seeking a third term – and fellow Republican Representative Ashley Hinson has quickly jumped into the already-crowded race for Senate. Also, the former Catholic bishop of Des Moines is calling for stronger gun laws following a shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis last week.

Des Moines’ bus system proposes reducing services by about 10 percent under a new plan aimed at avoiding a major budget shortfall. A Democrat who was running for the US House now says he’ll run for Senate instead. And health experts say this flu season could be a severe one – and they want more Iowans to get a flu shot.

Rep. Ashley Hinson says Iowa has a fair redistricting system, but other states should not be forced to copy it. Iowa officials are looking to expand exports for a predicted record corn crop. And immigrant workers in Ottumwa are struggling financially after the Trump administration revoked their legal statuses.

The Trump administration has told 40 states, including Iowa, that they must remove all references to gender identity in sex education. Former state lawmaker Dave Dawson is running for the Democratic nomination for Iowa's 4th Congressional district. And Harvest Public Media reports that planned solar projects across the country are being halted after the EPA announced it's terminating $7 billion in federal Solar for All funding.

The Republican supermajority in the Iowa Senate has been broken. Gov. Kim Reynolds spoke about teacher and medical professional shortages with other governors. And all of Polk County's ARPA funding has been allocated.