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 […]
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement
Posted inCommunity/News
Trump EPA rescinds Biden-era decision to expand Iowa’s impaired water list
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rescinded its previous decision to add seven segments to Iowa’s list of impaired waters due to their high nitrate concentrations. In November the agency decided the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ list of impaired waters only “partially” met the requirements of the Clean Water Act to identify waterways with identified pollutants […]
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Iowans protest bill to give pesticide manufacturers greater protection from cancer lawsuits
Iowans gathered in the State Capitol rotunda on Monday to remember family members who have died from cancer and protest a bill in the Iowa Senate that would create new protections against lawsuits for companies that produce pesticides. “What our legislators should be doing is working on bills that lower the risk for Iowans rather than […]
Posted inCommunity/News, COVID-19
‘I need him alive’: Eastern Iowa advocates, families call for the release of men detained by ICE in Linn County jail over concerns of COVID-19
Immigrant rights advocates in eastern Iowa are calling for the release of three Guatemalan men who were detained by immigration officials on March 4 in Cedar Rapids and Marion. During a press conference in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday afternoon, members of the Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) and the Iowa City Catholic Worker […]
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Iowa appeals federal judge’s ruling that its ‘ag gag’ law is unconstitutional
Iowa is appealing a federal district judge’s ruling that it’s “ag gag” law is unconstitutional. On Thursday, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller filed a notice of appeal and motion asking the district court to allow the law to remain in effect during the appeal. In his Jan. 9 decision striking down the law for violating […]
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Iowa workers and activists continue to fight for higher wages and support for unions
It has been two years since the Johnson County Board of Supervisors made state history by raising the minimum wage to $10.10. After this and other local measures to raise the minimum wage were crushed by the Republican-dominated state legislature, workers have vowed to keep fighting, and Iowa organizations are not waiting until the 2018 election season to take a stand. This Thursday, for example, the a Unite for Worker Justice rally will take over the Iowa City Ped Mall to highlight the ways local activists are striving to defend workers’ rights, as well as fighting for immigrant families.
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Preserving higher minimum wage a top priority this week for many in Johnson County
Iowa Policy Project: Facts & Alternatives Old Brick Church — Friday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. Protecting a higher minimum wage is taking center stage in Johnson County this week, with the Board of Supervisors set to pass a resolution carrying that message, and a legislative forum Friday evening that will outline “action steps” for […]
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Iowa’s Fight for $15 readies itself for an uphill battle
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] In a state that recently has been failing to live up to its progressive legacy, Iowans have joined the Fight for $15 movement, a national campaign launched by low-wage workers in New York City in 2012. The fight has a long history, including notable roots in Iowa, where workers at a Mason City McDonald’s […]
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School vouchers, wages, collective bargaining and other issues on the minds of Iowa legislators
As the Iowa Legislature opened for business on Monday, legislators talked about a number of issues they anticipate seeing move forward this session — for better or for worse. School Vouchers Although House Minority Leader Mark Smith (D-Marshalltown) praised Republicans’ promise to provide supplemental aid to Iowa public schools within the first 30 days of […]
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Fight for $15 an hour continues after Tuesday’s national day of disturbance
Thousands of workers marched in the streets of over 340 cities and 20 airports across the country on Tuesday demanding a living wage of $15 an hour and the right to a union during a national day of disturbance. In Iowa, that fight continues. Although a handful of counties have worked to increase the local […]
