On Wednesday, it became official: Sen. Chuck Grassley will be third in the line of succession to the presidency starting in January. The 85-year-old Iowan will become President Pro Tempore of the Senate, which means he will be the presiding officer of the Senate when Vice President Pence isn’t present.
Top Story
Posted inCommunity/News
‘Birds of a feather’: Steve King embraces Kim Reynolds, as the governor finally tries to separate herself from King
A week after the general election, Gov. Kim Reynolds took a tentative step towards distancing herself from Rep. Steve King. “I think that Steve King needs to make a decision if he wants to represent the people and the values of the 4th district or do something else.” Reynolds said at a press conference in […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Author Eoin Colfer and producer Steve Peters talk new musical ‘Noël’
There are holiday shows that are family traditions. Noël, produced by Ames-based Venuworks Theatricals, stands ready to become a new holiday tradition for Eastern Iowa families.
Posted inCommunity/News
Protesters call for protection of Mueller investigation, as Trump appoints a former Hawkeye with potential conflicts of interest as acting attorney general
The street lights switched on just before Sara Miller started addressing the protesters gathered on the UI Pentacrest Thursday evening. The protest was one of hundreds across the country organized by MoveOn.org to express support for Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating issues related to collusion between Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russian agents, […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Susan Craig retiring as Iowa City Public Library director after 25 years
As I entered Susan Craig’s office to chat about her career with the Iowa City Public Library and her impending retirement, I encountered a familiar sight: Susan at her conference table, calmly working through a ream of budget and statistical sheets.
Posted inCommunity/News
Reynolds wins and Republicans keep control of the legislature despite record turnout in Johnson County
Gov. Kim Reynolds won a hotly contested race against Democrat Fred Hubbell in Tuesday’s general election. It was the first gubernatorial victory for the incumbent, who became governor in 2017 when Terry Branstad was appointed ambassador to China. Hubbell won five of the state’s six most populous counties, losing only Woodbury County in western Iowa. […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Election Day FAQ: Where to go and what you need to vote on Tuesday
When are polls open? Where do I vote? Do I need ID? Can I take a selfie with my ballot? Can I register on Election Day? What if I am a person with a disability — are polling places accessible? Answer your most pertinent questions ahead of the midterms.
Posted inCommunity/News
White nationalist flyers placed on cars in Iowa City parking ramp
Drivers who parked in the Dubuque Street Parking Ramp have been finding flyers with a white nationalist message stuck on their windshields, according to the Iowa City Police Department. “Officers responded to the Dubuque Street Parking Ramp, 220 S. Dubuque St., on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018,” ICPD said in a statement on Friday. “There they […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Reynolds keeps Steve King as campaign co-chair, even as national Republicans drop him because of white nationalist statements
Kim Reynolds’ continued embrace of Steve King has become an issue in the governor’s race one week before the general election. On Tuesday, Rep. Steve Stivers the head of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) condemned the eight-term Iowa congressman’s “recent comments, actions, and retweets.” The Ohio Republican tweeted, “We must stand up against white […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Steve King’s white nationalist and anti-Semitic rhetoric are on full display as U.S. reckons with hate crimes
Steve King, the longest-serving current member of Iowa’s U.S. House of Representatives delegation, became a focus of attention for the national media and on social media following the mass murder at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday morning. The killer, a right-wing extremist, appears to have been fueled by anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, especially ones […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Notes on Kim Reynolds’ nine-minute ‘rally’ at Hamburg Inn
Gov. Kim Reynolds’ first campaign rally in Iowa City was scheduled to last an hour. It didn’t. Only nine minutes ticked by between the time she stepped into Hamburg Inn No. 2 on Linn Street and when she walked out the door at 12:04 p.m. A lot of people said online they would show up to protest. They didn’t. About half a dozen dedicated people milled about in protest outside Hamburg. Inside there was one woman with a protest sign about the size of ping-pong paddle.
Posted inCommunity/News
Democrat Deidre DeJear wants to expand voting opportunities as Iowa Secretary of State
The race for Iowa Secretary of State is normally pretty sedate, but this year is an exception, as the enthusiastic crowd that packed Old Brick on Tuesday afternoon loudly demonstrated. That’s because the office controls voting in the state, and voting in the November general election is critical to bringing change to the state and […]
