Good morning from Iowa Capital Dispatch.
“This is already the legal standard across the rest of the country, and it’s only common sense that we adopted here in Iowa, because this isn’t just about being punitive. This is about cracking down on intentional, willful and malicious infliction of pain or prolonged death on innocent animals — horrible acts of violence that are evil in their own right and also certainly linked to the violent crimes against people.” — Gov. Kim Reynolds on signing legislation to make animal torture a felony in Iowa.
Gov. Kim Reynolds was joined by Ember, a dog that was rescued from animal torture as a puppy, as she signed into law a measure making torture of companion animals a felony on first offense at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa center in Des Moines May 11, 2026. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Torturing a companion animal will be charged as a felony in Iowa under a measure signed into law Monday by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Reynolds, joined by lawmakers and advocates, signed House File 2348 into law at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa shelter in Des Moines.
Mason City’s Heritage Care and Rehabilitation Center. (Photo via Google Earth)
An Iowa nursing home worker who was criminally charged with repeatedly ignoring her colleagues’ requests to check on a resident and with falsifying records about the incident is now facing the temporary suspension of her nursing license.
Licensed practical nurse Asteria Nganyange, also known as Asteria Montgomery, of Mason City, was criminally charged in November 2024 with dependent adult abuse through neglect and tampering with, or falsifying, records.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is being taken to court over its efforts to deport an Iowa man back to his home country of Vietnam.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren argued Monday in Iowa that Democrats would be able to reverse some of the Medicaid funding cuts made by Republicans in 2025 if Democrats are able to win a majority in the U.S. Senate.
Des Moines Area Community College is gearing up to open a new facility on its flagship campus for industry-partnered and community-supported programs, helped in part by federal dollars.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday extended a highly anticipated stay blocking an appellate court’s pause on telehealth abortion access until May 14.
President Donald Trump on Monday nominated Cameron Hamilton to run the Federal Emergency Management Agency, a former acting chief who was fired in 2025 shortly after he told a congressional panel FEMA should continue to exist.
The man who allegedly attacked the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last month pleaded not guilty Monday in federal court to four criminal charges, including attempting to assassinate the president of the United States.
COMMENTARY
“When should the torch be passed on or just taken away from an older generation unwilling to ride off into the sunset,” guest columnist Dave Nagle writes.
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