Sioux City’s Mike Franken announced today on social media he is running for the Iowa U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Chuck Grassley. The Democratic candidate is a retired three-star vice admiral in the U.S. Navy. Franken is the fourth candidate in the Democratic primary. Franken ran in the Democratic Senate primary in 2020. The other Democratic candidates are former Congresswoman and state lawmaker Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids, farmer and former county supervisor Dave Muhlbauer

This week on The Exchange, we hear from the speaker at this year's Morningside University Waitt Lecturer, who reassess the federal government's response to the coronavirus pandemic. Also, a Sioux Falls journalist recenlty featured in the Washington Post, explains the trust industry in South Dakota that was exposed in Pandora Papers. And Siouxland Public Media's Sheila Brummer is at the Sioux City Conservatory of Music talking about a new benefit planned for this weekend at the Warrior Hotel.

The Iowa Department of Public Health added 94 additional deaths due to complications of COVID-19, including one more in Woodbury County. The deaths happened between late August and early October for a total of 6,748 since the start of the pandemic. The number of positive tests in the last seven days continues to fall, down 8% since Monday. Iowa’s test positivity rate dropped to 9.2%. However, the positivity rate in Woodbury County is 17% with most cases in younger people according to Siouxland

Friday, October 15th, is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day . An event planned for 7 p.m. at Sioux City's Miracle Field includes an opportunity for people and families to light a candle. Katie Kruse of Dakota Dunes, South Dakota, is the organizer and member of the non-profit No Foot Too Small . She shares her personal story and mission with Siouxland Public Media’s Sheila Brummer. To preregister for the event click here . No Foot Too Small was founded out of a desire to draw

The statewide COVID-19 infection rate continues to decline since its recent peak in mid-September, but the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports certain counties in rural Iowa — where vaccination rates lag behind the state average — have new daily cases comparable to their pandemic peak last year. Adams County has the largest number of infections per capita in the state, even though its rate of infection has dropped 21% in the past two weeks, according to New York Times data . Its two-week total of

The Iowa State Auditor’s office on Tuesday released a reaudit of the Sioux City Community School District that did not show any major wrongdoing. The report covers a period from June 30, 2017, to June 30, 2019, and recommends the school board approve and document pay raises. Dan Greenwell requested the reaudit through a petition drive before he joined the school board. He felt the district operated with weak financial controls and expressed concern Superintendent Paul Gausman handed out bonuses

Nebraska’s four Native American tribes took part in a special celebration at the state Capitol in Lincoln today for Indigenous Peoples Day. One of the speakers at the event was the Chairwoman of the Winnebago Tribe Victoria Kitcheyan . "We have an opportunity to educate our friends, neighbors, and relatives in the teaching of the Ho-Chunk People, The Ponca People, Omaha Nation, and Santee Sioux Tribe." Flags honoring Nebraska’s four Native American tribes were presented by tribal leaders for

Information from the Iowa Department of Public Health shows a continuing downward trend in new cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19. There were more than 8,300 new positive test results added in one week, down about 600 from the previous week. The statewide positivity rate is 9.5%, with people 18 and under making up about a quarter of the new cases. However, that age group makes up only 3% of hospitalizations in the state. The positivity rate in Woodbury County is 16%. There are 566

A federal judge Friday extended an order that will prevent state officials from enforcing a law that prohibits school districts from implementing mask requirements until a federal lawsuit challenging the law can be heard. Several parents and advocacy groups had sued to overturn the law, saying students who are at risk because of health conditions were not being protected against COVID-19. Judge Robert Pratt had earlier issued a temporary restraining order preventing Gov. Kim Reynolds and

New COVID-19 infections continued to fall last week in Woodbury County, hitting the lowest level in over a month.