Good morning from Iowa Capital Dispatch.
“Climate change, this is happening. We can’t ignore it. We can’t pretend it doesn’t exist. More and more evidence is pointing to the need to actually do something.” — Steve Guyer, Iowa Environmental Council’s senior energy policy counsel and an author of the organization’s annual report on Iowa’s electric generation.
Wind energy continues to dominate Iowa’s electricity generation. Pictured are wind turbines near U.S. 80. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Iowa Environmental Council’s annual “condition of the state” report on Iowa’s electric generation shows that while wind continues to dominate Iowa’s electricity generation sources, there has been a “reversal” in the state’s progress to meet energy demand with renewable sources.
For the first time in several years, according to the report, the share of energy generated by coal increased in 2025.
Steve Kruse’s Stonehenge Kennels in West Point, Iowa, has been repeatedly cited for failure to provide adequate veterinary care. The two dogs pictured here were suffering from bleeding foot injuries and an eye disorder, according to federal inspectors. (Aerial photo courtesy of Bailing Out Benji. Inset photos taken by USDA inspectors courtesy of Bailing Out Benji.)
An animal-welfare organization that is suing the federal government over an alleged failure to enforce regulations against dog breeders in Iowa and elsewhere is now seeking to expand its lawsuit.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals filed its original lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture in September 2024, challenging the USDA’s decision to license three Iowa dog breeders — Steve Kruse, Brian Lichirie and Wuanita Swedlund.
The University of Northern Iowa will use state funding to expand the capabilities of its foundry center.
Des Moines University is working with a Texas institution to bring students interested in furthering their healthcare education to Iowa to complete their advanced degrees.
A federal judge in Maryland Wednesday blocked President Donald Trump’s second attempt to redefine birthright citizenship.
Cuts to the nation’s largest food assistance program will likely spill over into schools, causing students to lose access to free breakfast and lunch, Stateline reports.
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