Recent Stories

farmland

Disappearing Farmland: Despite Value, Little Protection Exists For Midwest Farmland

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America has lost millions of acres of farmland over the nearly three decades to urban and rural development. Despite conservation efforts by state and local governments and increased financial incentives for farmers, urban development and the expansion of rural residential real estate over the last 25 years has eliminated farmland across the country at levels not seen since the early 1970s.

urban sprawl

Disappearing Farmland: Small Towns Trade Farmland For Residential Development

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Driving along Route 47 in Kane County, Illinois, corn and soybean fields are dotted with signs advertising the amenities of burgeoning communities. For more than 20 years, Kane County has been a poster child for urban sprawl, the spreading of development of land on the edge of a metropolitan area.

Iowa History

Iowans Respond to 1892 Russian Famine

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“Burlington must not be less charitable and humane than other cities of the state…” Burlington Hawkeye

“The people of Iowa have been blessed with abundant harvest, and the appeal should be generously responded to.” Iowa City Citizen

“Davenport has raised enough Russian relief money to buy two cars of corn. Let us make a better record in Dubuque,” Dubuque Times

Iowa History, a weekly column, appears at IowaWatch on Saturdays. Cheryl Mullenbach is the author of non-fiction books for young people. Her work has been recognized by International Literacy Association, American Library Association, National Council for Social Studies, and FDR Presidential Library and Museum. Visit her website at: www.cherylmullenbachink.com

Across the state newspapers encouraged readers to contribute to famine relief efforts for Russia in 1892.

fuel emissions

Trump Tailpipe Emissions Plan Too Much of a Good Thing For Automakers Seeking Mileage Rollback

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It’s no shocker that environmental and consumer advocates are furious about the Trump administration proposal to throttle sweeping Obama era rules intended to dramatically reduce auto tailpipe emissions and boost fuel economy. But pushback also is coming from less likely sources: auto manufacturers and their suppliers, and even a major oil company.

opinion

Evans: Trust, Safety Don’t Come From Church Silence

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David prevailed over Goliath in the famous tale from long ago using an unconventional weapon, his sling and a few stones. These days, river rocks aren’t a potent weapon. Now, it might just be the spotlight. And the spotlight was shining brightly last week in Iowa when an Associated Press reporter cracked open 32 years of cover-up by the Roman Catholic Church’s Sioux City Diocese. Randy Evans
STRAY THOUGHTS
Randy Evans is the executive director of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.

Election 2018

Iowan Almost Missed First U.S. Vote, But Auditor Brought The Voter Back To Cast A Ballot

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A new Iowa City voter who recently passed a test to become a U.S. citizen but had not yet participated in a swearing-in ceremony almost lost a chance to vote Tuesday. But County Auditor Travis Weipert tracked the voter down so that the voter could return to the polling place and cast a ballot. “I’m one of those who, I want you to vote if you’re a U.S. citizen,” Weipert said Tuesday night. The voter, at the IC22 precinct at Shimek Elementary School in Johnson County, was questioned about being eligible to vote when registering at the precinct. One of the first questions when registering asks if the person registering is a U.S. citizen.

voting issues

Henry County, Iowa, Runs Out Of Ballots Early In the Day During Mid-Term

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Henry County, Iowa, ran out of ballots during the Tuesday mid-term elections. Auditor Shelly Barber told IowaWatch she only ordered enough ballots for 90 percent of the county’s registered voters, based off the turnout in the 2014 midterm election. SUPPORT NON-PROFIT JOURNALISM, DOUBLE YOUR DONATION WITH NEWSMATCH
But some precincts ran out by the end of Tuesday morning, she said. In lieu of ballots, voters across the county ended up using OpenElect Voting Interface (OVI) and OpenElect Voting Optical Scan (OVO) machines provided for blind or handicapped voters to cast their ballots. “People are a little testy if they have to wait,” Barber said.