Robert Cramer was unanimously elected president of the Iowa Board of Regents by his fellow regents at a special meeting on Wednesday. Cramer was appointed to the board by Gov. Kim Reynolds two years ago. The special meeting was called after Sherry Bates, who had served president of the Board of Regents since February last […]
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Why do we live in a ‘shithole’? A new docuseries on Iowa’s 50-year decline seeks answers
“I keep asking, why is it we’re living in a shithole?” Art Cullen says in What’s Eating Iowa?, his new documentary series launched Tuesday. The first episode, “Water,” is now available on YouTube. It’s the damaged state of Iowa’s water, and the damage that water is doing, that prompts Cullen’s question. Cullen, the Pulitzer Prize-winning […]
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Iowa DNR’s wildlife action plan calls for more prairie, more public lands and protection for 800 species
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is seeking feedback on its 25-year wildlife action plan, which must be reviewed every 10 years per federal law. The action plan, according to DNR, is a strategy for how the department will conserve wildlife in the state. It was last updated and reviewed in 2015, but was initially […]
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Public defender sues state, claiming she was fired for comments about Charlie Kirk
The State of Iowa is being sued by an attorney who claims she was fired from the Office of the State Public Defender for online comments made in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder in September. Maria Ruhtenberg, an attorney for the State Public Defender, is suing the State of Iowa and State Public Defender […]
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Downtown Iowa City’s hotelVetro has closed, with Hotel Chauncey soon to follow
Hotel Chauncey will close on Sunday and hotelVetro has already closed. Like SpareMe Bowl & Arcade, which will close its doors for the final time on Wednesday night, the two downtown Iowa City hotels are owned by Hawkeye Hotels. The closure of the two hotels was first reported by Corridor Business Journal on Monday. Hawkeye […]
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SpareMe, beloved bowling and pinball destination in downtown Iowa City, is shutting down
SpareMe Bowl & Arcade is closing. The downtown Iowa City bowling alley will shut its door for the last time on Wednesday night, SpareMe announced Friday on social media. It will be open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. until then. Heather Soseman, SpareMe’s general manager, told Little Village she was told informally last […]
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‘We know enough’: Researchers call for Iowa ag regulations to protect public health
Researchers and public health advocates said Wednesday that water quality and land use continue to be modifiable elements impacting public health, and in particular cancer, in Iowa. The experts spoke to a crowded conference room in the Olmsted Center at Drake University during the 2025 Iowa Nature Summit that touched on policies, practices and programs […]
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Chris Jones, water quality advocate and author, considers run for Iowa Ag Secretary: ‘We need to rethink agriculture’
Chris Jones, author of The Swine Republic and one of Iowa’s leading water quality advocates, has created an exploratory committee as he considers a run for Secretary of Agriculture next year. “I think we need to rethink agriculture,” Jones told journalist Nina B. Elkadi. “Nobody’s happy. So why are we going to keep doing what […]
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After more than 140 years of local ownership, the Gazette is being sold to a Minnesota multimedia corporation
After 143 years as a locally owned, independent newspaper, the Gazette is being acquired by a Minnesota-based multimedia company. The Cedar Rapids paper broke the news on Tuesday morning of a purchase agreement between Folience, Inc. — formerly known as the Gazette Company — and Adams MultiMedia (AMM). According to the Gazette, the sale is […]
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Lefty’s Live Music is closing after 10 years in Des Moines
After a decade as a pillar of the music scene in Des Moines, Lefty’s Live Music is closing. “As our tenth year draws to a close and after much consideration, we’ve made the challenging decision to say goodbye before the new year,” co-owners Anne Mathey and Erik Brown said in a social media post on […]
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Iowa City is holding a food drive on Friday to support CommUnity’s food bank
The City of Iowa City is holding a food drive on Friday to support CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank. Donations to Neighbors Helping Neighbors Food Drive will be collected between 1 and 4 p.m. at the Fareway off Mormon Trek Boulevard (2530 Westwinds Dr), the North Dodge Hy-Vee (1125 N Dodge St) and the […]
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Seize the means of water testing with a free kit from Nitrate Watch
I wasn’t great at science in high school. Following a set of basic lab protocols was somehow harder for me than memorizing the entirety of “We Didn’t Start the Fire” by Billy Joel. I scored even worse on the science portion of the ACT than the math portion, which is saying something. That said, I love […]
