Cedar Rapids, Linn County | featured news

State Democratic lawmakers plan to push forward a bipartisan proposal to reform Iowa’s election recount process in the wake of issues that arose in Iowa’s historically close U.S. House race, which still is being challenged in Congress.

Addressing Republican notions that Iowa’s public universities are liberal-leaning, more often promote Democratic views and recently have quashed conservative voices, lawmakers are pursuing a bill requiring the campuses to appoint a current employee to serve as a “director of public policy events.”

As parts of the Corridor endured their fourth day in a row of high temperatures at or below zero, the state’s largest utilities asked customers Monday to reduce their use of natural gas because of the added strain.

DES MOINES — Iowa health officials have modified a decision they made last week to withhold COVID-19 vaccines from some counties that were reported as not having used up to 80 percent of their allocation.

DES MOINES — Rep. Dustin Hite says he usually knows where he stands on a bill after reading it.

Union activist Terrence Wise recalls being laughed at when he began pushing for a national $15 per hour minimum wage almost a decade ago. Nearly a year into the pandemic, the idea isn’t so funny.

CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids school board Monday voted to appoint a new member to fill the seat left vacant by Gary Anhalt, who died unexpectedly this month.

Continuing fallout from an Iowa State University syllabus last fall barring students from choosing paper or project topics opposing things like gay marriage, abortion, and Black Lives Matter, lawmakers Monday advanced legislation requiring Iowa’s public universities publish all course syllabi online.

MARION — As Iowans face freezing temperatures this week, the Marion Chamber of Commerce is planning for the warmer months ahead.The Uptown Marion Market, held in the summer and fall, now is accepting vendor applications. The Marion Chamber is preparing to hold a pandemic-safe market during a busy Marion construction season.

DES MOINES — Majority Republicans in the Iowa Senate indicated Monday they would like to take another run at requiring Iowans who are receiving public assistance benefits to undergo more rigorous eligibility verification reviews to bolster program efficiency and weed out fraud and abuse.