https://www.radioiowa.com/ Iowa's Radio News Network Thu, 07 May 2026 21:31:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://cdn.radioiowa.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/LEARFIELD_FAVICON-150x150.png https://www.radioiowa.com/ 32 32 https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/08/iowas-community-college-system-turns-60-this-year/ Fri, 08 May 2026 09:06:36 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180052 This year marks the 60th anniversary of the creation of Iowa’s community college system. Local Iowa school boards started creating junior colleges and vocational schools in the early 1900s. Northwest Iowa Community College president John Hartog says the roots of his college date back to 1964. “Some of the area high schools got together and in […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/07/hinson-bullish-senate-will-keep-save-our-bacon-act-in-farm-bill/ Thu, 07 May 2026 19:12:23 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180051 Congresswoman Ashley Hinson says she believes the Senate may accept a proposal that would override a California law that does not allow pork sold in California to come from hogs raised in tight spaces. In 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the law, which basically requires eggs, veal and pork to come from animals that […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/07/ceo-of-iowas-state-run-retirement-system-resigns-amid-misconduct-investigation/ Thu, 07 May 2026 18:55:54 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180049 The CEO of the state-run retirement system who’s been under investigation for alleged misconduct has resigned. Iowa Public Employees Retirement System CEO Greg Samorajski was placed on administrative leave a month ago. Governor Kim Reynolds has just announced she accepted his resignation on Friday of last week and it was effective immediately. A former risk […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/07/report-gives-iowa-low-rating-for-public-health-emergency-preparedness/ Thu, 07 May 2026 16:25:13 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180046 Iowa has fallen to the bottom rating on a national report gauging the preparedness of all 50 states for public health emergencies, from disease outbreaks to natural disasters. Dara Lieberman, director of government relations at the non-profit Trust for America’s Health, says Iowa’s ranking dropped from 2025.  “We use ten indicators of state preparedness to […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/07/an-iowa-county-adopts-artificial-intelligence-guidelines-for-employees/ Thu, 07 May 2026 15:21:35 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180044 Pottawattamie County officials are setting guardrails around how county employees should utilize artificial intelligence, particularly when handling sensitive information. David Bayer, the county’s chief information officer, said the discussions about a county policy on AI use by employees started last year. “AI is definitely influencing what we read and see every day,” Bayer said. “…It’s everywhere.” […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/07/pella-tulip-festival-opens-with-many-flowers-already-done-blooming/ Thu, 07 May 2026 15:15:16 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180042 The annual Pella Tulip Festival opens today and you’ll need to spend some time looking for the headliner flowers. JessiGalligan is the executive director of the Pella Historical Society. “I won’t lie to you. When you come to Pella and you look for tulips, you’re going to have to squint a little harder to find […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/07/man-sentenced-for-fatal-wrong-way-crash-during-iowa-blizzard/ Thu, 07 May 2026 14:35:38 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180040 A 29-year-old man has been sentenced to a decade in prison for a wreck that killed a northwest Iowa woman last year. A jury found Jorge Ardany Ortega-Ortega, formerly of Cherokee, guilty of homicide by vehicle for an accident that happened during a blizzard. Dash camera footage showed he drifted across the center line of […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/07/new-uni-programs-will-help-iowa-meet-the-need-for-more-nurses/ Thu, 07 May 2026 11:00:14 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180031 Registered nurses are in exceptionally high demand in Iowa, and the University of Northern Iowa’s new nursing programs will soon fill some of the need. Nancy Kertz, UNI’s chief academic nursing administrator, says the first graduates from the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program will graduate in the spring of 2027, with about 140 students […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/07/nema-urges-iowas-governor-to-reject-building-code-changes/ Thu, 07 May 2026 09:48:22 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180038 The National Electrical Manufacturers Association is calling on Governor Reynolds to item veto a proposal added to a budget bill that would change building codes for homes, duplexes and townhouses. Representative Jeff Cooling, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids who’s an electrician, said the building code currently requires electrical outlets to be at least three feet […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/06/unemployment-drops-slightly-in-march-with-little-fluctuation-in-iowa-job-market/ Wed, 06 May 2026 19:26:24 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180037 Iowa’s unemployment and labor force participation rates both were down one tenth of a percent in March Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says things have pretty much been steady so far this year. “There just hasn’t been enough fluctuation or trend information in the first three months to really be able to make any […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/06/iowa-farmers-feverishly-focus-on-planting-while-the-weather-cooperates/ Wed, 06 May 2026 18:02:11 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180034 After heavy rain, scattered snow, and widely varied temperatures during the past month, Iowa farmers are making up for lost time by getting a significant amount of planting done this week. Angie Rieck Hinz, a field agronomist with the Iowa State University Extension in north-central Iowa, says many producers in her region have struggled with […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/06/u-s-ag-secretary-in-iowa-touts-upcoming-e15-vote-in-u-s-house/ Wed, 06 May 2026 17:38:23 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180035 U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says promoting year-round sales of gasoline with a higher blend of ethanol is at “the top” of President Trump’s biofuels agenda. During a campaign rally in Iowa in January, President Trump announced he’d sign a bill to permanently override EPA rules that bar the sale of E-15 in the summer […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/06/us-senate-candidate-carlin-backs-return-to-gold-standard/ Wed, 06 May 2026 14:57:13 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180029 Republican Jim Carlin, a candidate for U.S. Senate, says there need to be major changes in U.S. monetary policy. “The Federal Reserve needs to be audited and I think you need to balance the budget or cap the money supply,” Carlin said. “And I think you need to look, you know, as crazy as this […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/06/vice-president-vance-campaigns-in-iowa-for-congressman-nunn/ Wed, 06 May 2026 14:31:00 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180027 Vice President J.D. Vance visited a Des Moines manufacturing company in a campaign appearance Tuesday for Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn. Vance says Nunn has been a great supporter of the Trump Administration policies to improve the lives of Americans.  “I think that you deserve to have a president of the United States and a Congressman […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/06/program-prompts-iowa-kids-to-pedal-stroll-or-roll-to-school/ Wed, 06 May 2026 11:00:24 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180018 At least 90 schools across Iowa with hundreds — likely thousands — of students are taking part in Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day, starting this morning. Matt Burkey, director of Iowa Safe Routes to School for the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, says that’s a record number of Iowa schools as the program builds momentum […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/06/red-oak-woman-dies-in-car-crash-with-semi/ Wed, 06 May 2026 10:02:42 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180025 One person was killed in a car-semi collision last night in the southwest Iowa town of Red Oak. The Iowa State Patrol says the car driven by 67-year-old Helen Louise Slavinski, of Red Oak, was traveling north on 4th Street, and a semi driven by 37-year-old Kyle Olive, of Corning, was traveling east on Highway […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/05/democrats-running-for-iowas-us-senate-in-first-debate-of-primary-season/ Wed, 06 May 2026 04:51:31 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180022 With four weeks left before the June 2 Primary, the two Iowa Democrats running for the U.S. Senate met at Iowa PBS tonight for their first televised debate. State Representative Josh Turek and State Senator Zach Wahls agree on many policies. Both oppose what they call “forever wars.” They support term limits, a retirement age […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/05/theyre-no-dummies-uni-nursing-students-learn-on-sophisticated-sims/ Tue, 05 May 2026 18:00:37 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180013 A two-and-a-half million dollar renovation project is complete and nursing students at the University of Northern Iowa are learning in a new, high-tech setting. Nancy Kertz, who heads UNI’s nursing program, says the Innovative Teaching and Technology Center offers students the opportunity to learn in modern clinical environments designed to reflect real healthcare facilities. The […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/05/u-s-senate-candidates-turek-and-wahls-debate-tonight/ Tue, 05 May 2026 16:40:34 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180021 The two Iowa Democrats running for the U.S. Senate will debate tonight, a month before the June 2 Primary. This is the first televised debate between State Representative Josh Turek of Council Bluffs and State Senator Zach Wahls of Coralville. It starts tonight at 7 p.m. on Iowa PBS. Iowa’s U.S. Senate race is seen […]]]> https://www.radioiowa.com/2026/05/05/central-iowa-water-utility-warns-of-likely-lawn-watering-ban/ Tue, 05 May 2026 15:51:29 +0000 https://www.radioiowa.com/?p=180020 Central Iowa Water Works leaders are already calling on users to voluntarily limit their water usage as summer approaches. The organization’s executive director Tami Madsen is says data indicates another lawn watering ban is likely this summer unless Iowans better conserve water now. “I want to be clear, we are not yet implementing the water […]]]>