Iowa Democrats are calling for a special legislative session to override Governor Branstad’s last-minute vetoes of one-time education funding and funding for mental health institutes. Party members in both houses say they’ll join in the effort. Two-thirds of each chamber would have to sign a petition to convene a special session.… MORE
For the first time since its inception, the Iowa Black and Brown Presidential Forum (IBBF) is including the Republican Party of Iowa in its presidential forum activities this election season. Leaders from both parties, as well as honorary co-chairs Governor Branstad and Congressman Lobesack joined IBBF co-founders Wayne Ford and Mary Campos in announcing the…… MORE
The Iowa Black and Brown Forum, a minorities-focused presidential forum group, has announced two forum dates for the winter. For the first time in the history of the group, the Republican Party of Iowa will help organize a GOP event, which will be on December 3rd at Drake University. The traditional Democratic event will be…… MORE
Iowans are pretty split along party lines when it comes to some key issues, according to the latest Quinnipiac University poll. 70 percent of Republicans say the federal government should not pursue policies to reduce the income gap…but 91 percent of Democrats feel otherwise. 72 percent of Republicans want to send U-S ground troops to…… MORE
Sentencing starts over the next couple of months for the last of six Des Moines store owners busted for selling deadly synthetic marijuana and laundering the money. The bust was a major operation for the police department, and there’s been a dramatic drop in reports of the drug since.… MORE
A state environmental report shows more than 60 cities and towns in Iowa have been battling high nitrate levels in their drinking water supply over the past five years. In fact, DNR says about 30 percent of the state’s municipal water systems are highly susceptible to becoming contaminated by nitrates and pollutants.… MORE
There’s a fifth Democrat seeking the nomination for president. Former Virginia senator Jim Webb announced on his campaign website that he’s running for president…noting that he wants to bring focus to the election. Webb was last in Iowa on several stops last month…where he talked about his positive bipartisan track record while in Congress. Some…… MORE
Some state agencies have been spending tens of millions of dollars on information technology contractors…that’s the upshot of a state audit. They specifically looked at the Department of Corrections, the Department of Administrative services, and the Department of Revenue. The report found cost overruns, excessive use of contractors, large hourly payments and questionable relationships between…… MORE
In caucus news…potential presidential contender Scott Walker continues to lead the latest polls, but his lead is slipping in Iowa. According to today’s Quinnipiac University poll, Walker leads the pack with 18 percent of the Republican vote, with Donald Trump and Ben Carson behind at 10 percent. Recently-announced candidate Chris Christie brings up the rear…… MORE
Some central Iowa counties will be able to get state assistance for storm damage under the governor’s latest disaster proclamation. Polk, Dallas, Guthrie, Warren, Lucas and Marion counties are among 18 covered by the measure. USDA has more than 23-hundred workers helping Iowa farmers deal with the aftermath of the bird flu. There haven’t been…… MORE
