Here First

The state Board of Regents voted unanimously on Thursday to give the board President the authority to make it easier for Regents institutions to implement COVID-19 vaccine mandates. For the fifth year in a row, enrollment numbers at Iowa’s public universities are shrinking. Plus, an Iowa refugee resettlement agency is planning a series of events to raise awareness about the large number of Afghan refugees it’s expecting to work with in the coming weeks.

Deere and Company says the second tentative agreement just rejected by union workers is its "best and final offer." IPR Health reporter Natalie Krebs details what Iowa parents need to do to get their kids, ages 5 to 11, vaccinated against COVID-19 since the CDC signed off on the shots. Plus, we remember former Iowa Congressman Neal Smith who died on Tuesday at 101.

The Cedar Rapids mayor’s race is headed to a runoff, voters in Linn County have passed a referendum allowing gambling in the community and a political newcomer has defeated an incumbent for the Des Moines City Council. Plus, most workers at Deere & Co. have rejected a contract offer that would have given them 10 percent raises. Tuesday’s union vote means workers will remain on strike in the hopes of securing a better deal.

Tuesday is Election Day in Iowa. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. for city and school board races across the state. Former Vice President Mike Pence was back in Iowa on Monday, apparently laying the groundwork for another potential run for office where he defended his actions on January 6. Plus, officials in Clinton are urging more property owners to apply for a free program that removes lead from homes.

Union workers at farm-equipment maker Deere & Co. would get wage increases of 10 percent if they ratify a tentative contract reached over the weekend. The mayor of Des Moines is at the global climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland this week where he’ll urge heads-of-state to make more ambitious commitments to address climate change. Plus, Linn County voters will get another chance in Tuesday's election to weigh in on whether there should be gambling in the community.

The Iowa Legislature voted almost unanimously to approve new boundaries for congressional and legislative districts. The Iowa House and Senate also passed a bill with bipartisan support that attempts to make it easier for employees to get exemptions from workplace COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Plus, the traditional Mexican holiday Day of the Dead is a time to honor lost loved ones and many have been lost due to COVID-19. IPR’s Kassidy Arena reports about one Iowa man making sure their memories live on.

The Iowa Legislature reconvenes on Thursday in a special session to vote on new maps that change the boundaries for Iowa congressional and legislative districts. University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics experts say young Iowa children could start getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as early as next Thursday. Plus, a look at the competitive Cedar Rapids race for mayor.

County election officials are urging Iowa voters to return their absentee ballots quickly because it’s too late to put them in the mail in some parts of the state. While voting is underway across Iowa to elect candidates to non-partisan offices like city council and school board, IPR’s Grant Gerlock explains some of the most partisan issues dividing the country are playing into campaigns. Plus, Iowans now have a new option for reproductive health.

Even as the Iowa Department of Natural Resources begins testing for “forever chemicals” in more than 50 public water systems across the state, the agency currently has no plans to test private wells. An Iowa organization will bring culturally-specific training for the first time to Latino service providers in the state. Plus, Iowans should book their year-end holiday travel plans as soon as possible.

Lawmakers return to the Iowa Capitol this week to consider new legislative and congressional district maps – and maybe action against workplace COVID vaccine mandates. A new report says the federal SNAP program is a bigger help to rural parts of the country than it is to people in cities. And an Iowan is getting ready to rocket into space early Halloween morning.