AFSCME and nearly two dozen state legislators have joined in a lawsuit against the governor and the state director of Health and Human Services. The suit is trying to compel Governor Branstad and Charles Palmer to reopen the mental health institutes at Clarinda and Mount Pleasant.… MORE
Polk County health officials are warning folks not to plan on doing a lot of outside activity today in central Iowa. Temperatures are expected to hit their highest levels so far this summer, with the mercury reaching 97 degrees by 5 this afternoon. The heat index could hit 110. Iowa could get more than 40…… MORE
A small number of contractors are getting the majority of the state’s work, according to new contract data. Fifteen companies have received more than half the 4-and-a-half billion dollars in contract work over the past five years. Iowa price trends for highway construction are up more than 16-and-a-half percent in the first half of this…… MORE
GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry has been making stops around the state the past few days and will end up in Des Moines later today. Perry talked to a group of 60 in Knoxville about his view of the Supreme Court and its recent decisions. Perry rival Jeb Bush will be the guest speaker tonight…… MORE
Seven Iowa Democrats from Iowa are heading to Israel tomorrow for a nine-day trip. Brad Anderson…former campaign manager for President Obama’s 2012 election…is leading the delegation. It’ll be an informational trip…with visits to historic sites and sessions on important issues to the area. GOP presidential candidate Lindsey Graham is the latest contender to join the…… MORE
Microsoft is taking on the state in court today, trying to get a district court judge to overturn a Department of Administrative Services decision to give a software contract to a competing firm. The tech giant is expected to argue that state officials won’t be able to comply with open records laws or keep data…… MORE
Iowa’s transportation director says the state needs to figure out which roads it wants to save. Paul Trombino says roads need to be assessed from an economic standpoint, with the streets to be maintained determined by what is being transported on them.… MORE
Congressman David Young wants to exercise his grip on the EPA’s purse strings. Young tells the Torch that Congress submitted a budget earlier this week…and is now working on funds for major government agencies like the EPA. Young says the Obama administration is rumored to reject each budget item The bird flu has had a…… MORE
Governor Branstad is suggesting bringing in an outsider reviewer to look at the state’s mental health services. The governor says he’ll continue to review a 4-year plan for redesigning how the state provides mental health care. He told IowaWatch.org he knows not everyone will be on board. Iowa’s DOT is expanding the Highway Helper program to…… MORE
The Des Moines City Council is taking the time to map out what the city could look like in the next 15 years. Among the items discussed in yesterday’s planning meetings was incentives that give residents more pride in their city. Councilman Chris Coleman says residents should have a special discount to city events.… MORE
