The Iowa State Fair hit a record attendance rate this year. The fair this year drew in more than a million-117-thousand people, breaking the 2008 record of a million-80-thousand. Great weather, visiting politicians, high-profile music acts and the change in the school start date are all credited for the increase.… MORE
School has begun for dozens of central Iowa school districts, now that the state fair has ended. Marshalltown schools open tomorrow, Des Moines and Ankeny schools will be back in session on Wednesday, and Boone will return to class on Thursday. Iowa’s public schools may soon get a new computerized testing program. The state’s board…… MORE
The state utilities board has approved a plan from MidAmerican Energy to build a 900-million dollar wind energy project. The deal spells out how much the utility can charge customers for the Wind X plan, to reduce risk for consumers.… MORE
Texas Senator Ted Cruz has an ambitious list of things he would like to get accomplished day one of his presidency, if elected. During his soapbox speech at the Iowa State Fair today, the Republican presidential candidate began his laundry list of things to do once he steps foot in the Oval Office with a…… MORE
The four companies picked to run Iowa’s Medicaid program are promising to create hundreds of jobs to help do it. United Healthcare is projecting the addition of 250 workers, Amerihealth Caritas plans to open three community wellness centers, Wellcare pledged to open several offices, and Amerigroup has found space in West Des Moines for a…… MORE
Iowa is getting its first female speaker of the House. Linda Upmeyer was voted in to the position, one that her dad held a few decades back. Upmeyer has served as House Majority Leader for the past five years. She’ll replace Kraig Paulsen in January, when he steps down.… MORE
Though many in the Republican-controlled Iowa state House say it is no surprise Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer was chosen to be the new Speaker of the House, Upmeyer herself was surprised and honored by the decision. “This has been an emotional day for me and my family,” said Upmeyer on Thursday morning. Upmeyer’s late father,…… MORE
Des Moines’ tax abatement program expires at the end of the year, and city officials wanted to get residents’ and developers’ take on extending it. The city is recommending using a declining scale system in some cases, and eliminating it altogether for multi-family units outside the target area. Developers at a public meeting last night…… MORE
Poultry producers in Iowa are pushing for vaccine protection for their birds this fall. Both the state and the feds have held back on recommending anti-bird-flu shots, because of potential repercussions from importers. But farmers are afraid that without the vaccine, any money they spend restocking their flocks could be wasted.… MORE
Being the former governor of a state that borders Mexico, one of the messages Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry conveys to crowds and reporters is that he wants to fix the illegal immigration problem by securing the border. While addressing the Iowa State Fair audience on the soapbox stage on Wednesday,the former governor of Texas again…… MORE
