It’s easy to focus on the grim at the moment with the new session of the legislature starting in Des Moines, a new (yet old) administration looming in Washington D.C. and the weather preparing to turn frigid again, but there are still good things happening in Iowa. The state has numerous nonprofits doing important work […]
Paul Brennan
Posted inCommunity/News
State plans to remove references to climate change and evolution from Iowa’s science education standards
The Iowa Department of Education (DOE) wants to remove references to climate change and biological evolution from the science education standards in the state’s middle and high schools. The state’s current science teaching standards were adopted in 2015, and closely follow the Next Generation Science Standards that are in use in 20 states and the […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Yearlong legal battle over Des Moines’ historic Greenwood Pond art installation ends with $900,000 settlement for artist
On Tuesday, the Des Moines Art Center and artist Mary Miss announced a settlement in their legal dispute over the fate of Greenwood Pond: Double Site, a land art installation Miss created for the center. It’s considered a major and pioneering work of American land art, and has been part of Des Moines’ Greenwood Park […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Peak Iowa: How two UI scientists bred the first sperm bank
In the mid-1970s, as his retirement from the University of Iowa College of Medicine approached, Dr. Raymond Bunge recalled how some people reacted to the biggest scientific breakthrough of his career. “I received many letters, some of them signed, asserting that I was a scientific monster, un-Christian, and a disgrace to medicine,” Bunge, a physician […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Three candidates are vying for Iowa City Council, prompting a Feb. 4 primary ahead of the special election
The ballot is now set for the special election to fill the vacancy on the Iowa City Council left by the resignation of Andrew Dunn, the councilmember for District C. Three residents of the district — Sharon DeGraw, Ross Nusser and Oliver Weilein — filed the necessary candidate paperwork for the election before the deadline […]
Posted inCommunity/News
The Wedge and its signature specialty pizzas are back in downtown Iowa City
After being gone for a decade, The Wedge Pizzeria has returned to downtown Iowa City. Known for its innovative specialty pizzas, The Wedge debuted in its new location at 113 Iowa Ave, next to Joe’s Place, on Wednesday. “The space is pretty cool,” Regina Miller, the pizzeria’s co-owner, told Little Village. “It’s got high-ceilings, we’ve […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Souper Bowl XXVIII will feature stock from 28 local restaurants to support DVIP & RVAP
Tickets are now on sale for the 2025 Souper Bowl, the annual event that lets you do good by enjoying good soup. Over the last 28 years, the Souper Bowl has grown into the biggest annual fundraiser for the Domestic Violence Intervention Program — now the Domestic Violence Intervention Program and Rape Victim Advocacy Program […]
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Rita Hart reelected Iowa Democratic Party Chair, says Dems have a ‘strong foundation’ despite massive losses in 2024
Rita Hart was reelected chair of the Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) by the party’s state central committee on Saturday. There were three other candidates for the position: Kim Callahan, IDP chair of the 3rd Congressional District; Alexandra Nickolas-Dermody, a community organizer in Davenport; and former chair of the Boone County Democratic Party, Tim Winter. Hart […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Sanctuary Pub has closed, with building’s owner seeking new tenant
Since its debut in 1972, Sanctuary Pub has become as much a part of Iowa City’s cultural fabric as the Ped Mall, est. 1979. At least among locals, Sanctuary is as well-known for its intimate performances and literary events as its pizza, burgers and wide selection of beer on tap. The venue’s familiar facade is […]
Posted inCommunity/News
More than 150 community groups make final plea to Gov. Reynolds: Don’t refuse federal aid for food-insecure Iowa kids
As 2024 draws to a close, the Iowa Hunger Coalition (IHC) is making one final push to persuade Gov. Kim Reynolds to participate in the USDA Summer EBT for Children program in 2025. That program, also known as SUN Bucks, provides $40 a month per child to a family’s SNAP benefit card during the three […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Alleging ‘fraud’ and ‘election interference,’ Trump sues the largest newspaper in Iowa, a state with no anti-SLAPP law
“I’m doing this not because I want to,” President-elect Donald Trump told reporters on Monday during his first news conference since the election. “I’m doing this because I feel I have an obligation.” Trump was talking about suing news organizations and others who published stories he considers unfair. The president-elect was responding to a reporter’s […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Peak Iowa: When a poll was right about a woman winning in Iowa
If you’re feeling burnt by the previously reliable Iowa Poll showing Harris winning Iowa by 3 points just days before Trump carried the state by the biggest margin since Nixon in 1972, you probably don’t want to talk about polls. But it’s still an election year, and worth acknowledging that modern election polling was born […]
