Rep. Matt Windschitl, former Iowa House majority leader, was the latest candidate to announce his congressional campaign suspension Friday. Fields are narrowing in races for federal offices in Iowa, as fundraising reports show some candidates pulling ahead of primary challengers. Windschitl, who began his bid for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District in July 2025, announced Friday […]
Community/News
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City students walk out of class to protest ICE
Students from Iowa City West High School gathered on the Pentacrest Thursday afternoon after walking out of classes to protest the actions of ICE and the Trump administration’s immigration policies. They were joined by students from City High and Southeast Middle School, as well as students from the University of Iowa and other supporters outraged […]
Posted inDear Kiki
Dear Kiki: My partner and I are demoting each other
My partner is my best friend. We are ethically nonmonogamous and are going to start scaling back our relationship to make ways for different primary partners. Any advice about how to handle this or bumps in the road to expect? —Meticulously Unweaving Congratulations! This is such a gift that you and your friend are giving […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa’s last adult movie theater attracted loners and swingers alike in Waterloo
When my friends and I turned 18 in the early aughts, we decided we were tired of our parents’ basements. We found our new hang on the north side of Cedar Rapids. Sure, Adult Shop North was the place where people in town picked up their lubricants, toys and triple-X movies, but it also had […]
Posted inCommunity/News
‘Reading is so important, but…’: Iowa House panel advances expanded ban on gender, sexuality materials in schools
The House Education Committee moved forward Wednesday with legislation that would prohibit instruction and materials on gender identity and sexual orientation for all K-12 students. HF 2121, approved 14-9, is an expansion of the 2023 ban on programs, material, instruction, surveys and questionnaires and “promotion” related to gender identity and sexual orientation for K-6 students. […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Hundreds turn out in Cedar Rapids to support immigrants at ICE check-ins; Ashley Hinson ‘disturbed’ by legal observer trainings
More than 400 people gathered outside the ICE field office in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday to observe and support seven immigrant families attending mandatory check-in appointments. The crowd of supporters shared coffee, hot chocolate, donuts, blankets, hand warmers, books, toys for kids of the families, as well as monetary donations. As each immigrant emerged from the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Two CBP agents identified in Alex Pretti shooting
This story was originally published by ProPublica. The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez. The records viewed by ProPublica list Ochoa, 43, and Gutierrez, 35, as the shooters during the deadly encounter […]
Posted inLetters
Thoughts on a terror campaign from an Iowan living in Minneapolis
I am no journalist, no reporter, and also not inclined to repackage the uncomplicated and readily evident facts of the last few weeks from my home here in Minneapolis, pretending there’s some fresh angle or hot take you haven’t been privy to. You can believe your eyes when you see the videos of ICE agents murdering […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa House panel narrows bill allowing four-year degrees at community colleges
Legislation allowing Iowa community colleges to offer four-year degrees in some subjects — an idea strongly opposed by Iowa private colleges — was narrowed Wednesday before passing out of an Iowa House committee. The Iowa House Higher Education Committee also passed a number of other bills Wednesday to change community college and public university operations, […]
Posted inStatewide
Damage from tariffs, Minneapolis killings go unmentioned as Trump complains to Iowans about ‘rigged elections,’ ‘paid insurrectionists’
Wind chills put temps in the single digits, but people began gathering on the street in front of the Horizon Event Center before 11 a.m. on Tuesday to protest Donald Trump. The president was in Clive, Iowa to deliver remarks on “energy and the economy,” according to the White House. Of course, Trump doesn’t really […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Democrat Taylor Wettach ends his run for Congress, will run for Iowa Auditor of State instead
Attorney Taylor Wettach announced on Monday he has quit the race for the Democratic nomination in Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, and is running for Iowa Auditor of State instead. “These past few weeks have been an incredible reminder of exactly why I decided to run for office,” Wettach said in a video announcing the change […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Democrat Jennifer Konfrst exits the race for Congress in IA-03; Republican Shannon Lundgren drops out in IA-02
State Rep. Jennifer Konfrst announced on Monday she is dropping out of the race in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District. Konfrst, who represents Windsor Heights in the Iowa House, launched her campaign for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House seat currently held by two-term Republican Rep. Zach Nunn in May last year. “I’m deeply proud […]
