VP stumps for Zach Lahn in Iowa

Vice President JD Vance told Iowans Friday that President Donald Trump’s trade and tax policies have helped farmers and working-class families, as he worked to rally support for gubernatorial candidate Zach Lahn and other Iowa Republicans in the midterms.

Trump’s tariff policies have been a point of concern for Iowa farmers over the past year. Vance said the administration’s actions were necessary to reverse “bad trade policy, let’s be honest, from both Democrats and Republicans,” which he said “made it impossible for Iowa farmers to get their food to market.”

A Republican student group at Drake University is asking university administration to decry social media posts that it says celebrate the assassination of right-wing podcaster Charlie Kirk. The university states it cannot do so due to the anonymity of the posts.

Drake College Republicans stated in a news release published Thursday that Drake University officials are refusing to speak out against posts made on Yik Yak, an anonymous social media site based around college campuses, around the anniversary of Kirk’s shooting death at Utah Valley University.

Auditor: Employee salaries rose for governor’s and secretary of state’s offices

Employee salaries in the Iowa governor’s and secretary of state’s offices increased by double-digit percentages over the past decade, a report released Thursday by Iowa Auditor Rob Sand shows.

UNI receives regents’ approval to form center housing Grassley papers

The University of Northern Iowa is furthering its work into civic education and stewardship of historical government resources through two centers, one created from a directive by the Iowa Board of Regents and the other approved by it Thursday.

With McConnell back, Senate ag committee advances farm bill on party lines

Republican members of the Senate Agriculture Committee voted Wednesday to advance a farm bill, though Democrats on the committee voted against the package due to continued disagreements on a nutrition section of the bill.

Here’s what Reps. Nunn and Miller-Meeks said about their war powers vote

Two Iowa Republicans, U.S. Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn, broke party lines to vote in favor of a resolution to curb President Donald Trump’s military powers in Iran.

Iowa scientists push for more renewable energy to meet growing demands 

More than 180 Iowa scientists and sustainability scholars from universities and other organizations across the state have asked Iowans to advocate for the deployment of renewable energy systems to meet growing electricity demand. 

Misinformation, hesitancy could blunt impact of new cancer vaccines

Many doctors and researchers are concerned that vaccine misinformation — amplified by the Trump administration — and the resulting increase in vaccine hesitancy could blunt the impact of new cancer vaccines, Stateline reports.

Iowa Utilities Commission to decide on hearing dates for Summit pipeline changes

The Iowa Utilities Commission proposed hearing dates Monday for a permit on segments of a carbon sequestration pipeline project proposed in Iowa. 

Prison heat may have contributed to Iowa inmate’s July death, his sister says

On one of the hottest days of the summer, with temperatures in the 90s, Robert Buel, 57, died at the Anamosa State Penitentiary. 

Iowa public universities each seek $2M increases in state general education funds

Each of Iowa’s public universities are increasing their funding requests to the state for the first time in years as the institutions work to keep rising costs off students’ backs.

Iowa State University faculty-student team develops website for AI tools

Iowa State University faculty and students who have spent their time diving into the incredibly fast-paced world of artificial intelligence tools turned their efforts to keep up with the latest news into a website they hope helps others do the same.

USDA seeking information from farmers about fertilizer ‘cartel’ practices

U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden was in Iowa Friday, asking farmers from across the country to share their experiences dealing with consolidation and pricing issues in the fertilizer industry.

Frustrations, remorse and pain surface on 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 attacks

Powerful U.S. officials past and present faced families, survivors and first responders Friday at ceremonies to honor the 25th anniversary of the day 2,977 Americans died in terrorist attacks in Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania.

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