Here First

The Iowa Department of Transportation is reporting dangerous road conditions because of freezing temperatures and blowing snow across the state. Health care facilities and pharmacies are reporting shortages of antibiotic medication like amoxicillin. Plus, we listen back to a Harvest Public Media story about chestnut farms.

Wind chills are expected to drop as low as 40 below zero starting Thursday and continuing on through Saturday morning. The top Republicans in the Iowa Legislature say they want to wait for a pending court case to be resolved before taking more action to restrict abortion. Plus, an orchestra from Ukraine will be performing in Ames next year.

The Iowa Department of Transportation is preparing for a busy couple days of plowing snow and airport officials in Des Moines are advising travelers to watch for flight updates. The top Republican in the Iowa Senate says “everything’s on the table” when it comes to reducing property taxes in the upcoming legislative session. Plus, why some pediatric sickle cell doctors are concerned.

A major winter storm is projected to start moving through the state later this week. Gov. Kim Reynolds has signed a letter with 24 other Republican governors asking President Joe Biden to end the Federal Public Health Emergency. Plus, a company that makes a nasal spray that reverses opioid overdoses is pushing to expand access to the medication in Iowa.

The head of the Iowa Democratic Party plans to step down in the wake of a vote by the national party to kick the Iowa caucuses out of the early window of picking a presidential nominee. Meatpacking plant and farm workers who were exempted from COVID-19 lockdowns can apply for $600 in direct cash assistance. Plus, we learn what Iowans are doing to fight a public health crisis known as Missing and Murdered Indigenous women.

Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley says property tax relief will be a top priority for House Republicans in the upcoming legislative session. Iowa’s unemployment rate increased for the fourth consecutive month. Plus, most states allow bobcat hunting or trapping but despite the cat’s abundant numbers, some conservationists are pushing back on the open season.

Iowa will bring in a bit less state revenue this fiscal year than last year because of tax cuts. The Linn County Board of Supervisors is pressing pause on a pipeline regulation effort after a pipeline developer and anti-pipeline activists came out against it. Plus, a sixth Iowan has been convicted of taking part in storming the U.S. Capitol on January 6th.

Planned Parenthood says Iowa has seen an increase in out-of-state patients seeking abortions following the Dobbs decision last summer. The average value of Iowa farmland this year is more than $11,000 per acre. Plus, many people brought new pets into their houses during the early days of the pandemic, but the number of vets has not kept pace.

Local Republican committees in at least six Iowa counties have voted to censure U.S. Senator Joni Ernst for her vote to have the federal government recognize same-sex marriages. A Polk County District Court judge has denied Governor Kim Reynolds’ request to revive Iowa’s so-called fetal heartbeat abortion law. Plus, health providers are urging Iowans to take extra precautions as Iowa hospitals continue to see high numbers of children with respiratory virus infections.

Ankeny-based Casey's General Stores faces two lawsuits over wages paid to workers. Iowa Republican lawmakers and officials celebrated the ratification of a constitutional amendment that expands gun rights protections last week. Plus, The Waste Commission of Scott County is following early success with trash sorting robots by spending $15 million on three more machines.