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Oasis Falafel expands grocery presence, rebrands retail products

IOWA CITY — As with many other businesses, Oasis Falafel has seen a dip in business during coronavirus. Yet co-owner Ofer Sivan said its hummus has been popular enough for it to be a dip in business instead of falling off a cliff.“People are like, ‘My kids won’t eat their lunch if it’s not in there,’” Sivan said.

 

Change in Iowa mental health funding progressing

DES MOINES — Senate Republicans pressed ahead Thursday with a plan for the state to take over the cost of mental-health services now covered by property taxes, as Democrats questioned the state’s reliability and a key House GOP leader expressed caution about taking on a new spending commitment.

 

Republicans Reynolds, Pate blast U.S. House review of Iowa’s 2nd District election

Iowa Republicans continued a GOP-pressure campaign Thursday, casting a U.S. House review of a contested congressional election in Iowa’s 2nd District as a partisan power grab to pad Democrats’ narrow 219-211 majority in the House.

 

Sen. Joni Ernst, Rep. Ashley Hinson push for federal dollars for child care

Sen. Joni Ernst and Rep. Ashley Hinson are teaming up to increase the availability of federal funds for child care development.Ernst on Thursday introduced the ACCESS Act — Affordable Child Care for Economic Strategies and Success — to provide grants to communities and public-private partnerships. to increase access to child care.

 

Cedar Rapids woman admits to abusing 15-year-old but blamed teen for her actions

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids woman admitted to police that she slapped, scratched, bit and used a hammer, extension cord and a remote to hit a 15-year-old girl in 2019, but she blamed the teen for being “bad” and needing the punishment.

 

Iowa Democrats, gun safety group ask Gov. Kim Reynolds to veto gun bill

DES MOINES — Democratic state lawmakers joined a national gun safety advocacy organization Thursday in calling on Gov. Kim Reynolds to veto legislation that would eliminate a requirement that Iowans obtain a permit to acquire or carry handguns.

 

Iowa House education bill could delay state income tax cuts

DES MOINES — The Iowa House approved a sweeping education policy bill Thursday that, if it becomes law, could have a $12 million impact and delay state income tax cuts previously adopted by lawmakers.

 

Wrong-way driver’s blood alcohol level was 0.16 the night of fatal I-380 crash

CEDAR RAPIDS — The night Tyler S. Lee drove the wrong way on Interstate 380, crashing into northbound sport utility vehicle, his blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit, according to a criminal complaint.

 

Jim Carlin, concerned with faith and freedom, seeks to climb political ladder

SIOUX CITY — State Sen. Jim Carlin began his transition to a staunch political conservative after going through a religious reawakening in the late 1980s. Raised in an Irish-Catholic family in the heavily Democratic state of Massachusetts, Carlin voted for home-state Gov. Michael Dukakis, the Democrat in the 1988 presidential election.

 

Iowa sees decline in unemployment claims for fourth consecutive week

Iowa Workforce Development reported a decrease in unemployment claims between March 14 and March 20, marking the fourth consecutive week with a decline in total claims.New claims fell from 5,750 to 5,498, and continuing claims dropped from 40,145 to 38,165. It’s the first time Iowa had fewer than 40,000 continuing claims since the week of Christmas.

 

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