In a split vote, the Iowa Utilities Board declined to solicit more evidence before it decides whether to issue a pipeline permit to Summit Carbon Solutions, according to a Thursday board order. In recent months, the company has more than doubled the number of ethanol producers to which its system would connect and added 340 […] The post Regulators deny late requests to delay carbon dioxide pipeline decision appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

AMES — Presidents of the state’s public universities told the Iowa Board of Regents Thursday they are eliminating departments and positions related to diversity, equity and inclusion and looking to support students on a more individualized basis. Iowa State University, University of Iowa and University of Northern Iowa have been working since the fall to […] The post State universities eliminate, reorganize DEI offices to meet Regents directives appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday released a sweeping set of rules aimed at cutting air, water and land pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants. Environmental and clean energy groups celebrated the announcement as long overdue, particularly for coal-burning power plants, which have saddled hundreds of communities across the country with dirty air and hundreds of […] The post New EPA rules will force fossil fuel power plants to cut pollution appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

A judge has allowed the Iowa Freedom of Information Council to intervene in a case that pits the City of Davenport against a resident who is seeking access to municipal records. The ruling marks a setback for the City of Davenport, with the judge basing his decision on arguments articulated by the city’s own lawyers. […] The post Freedom of Information Council wins fight to intervene in Davenport case appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

WASHINGTON — U.S. House lawmakers will no longer be able to request earmarked funding for some nonprofits under a change in eligibility made by the Republican chairman of the Appropriations Committee on Thursday. The alteration is related to an uproar during last year’s annual government funding process, when House Republicans, who are in the majority, […] The post U.S. House GOP bars earmarks for certain non-profits, after controversy over LGBTQ projects appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court appeared skeptical Thursday of former President Donald Trump’s argument he is entirely immune from criminal charges that he tried to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. But conservatives who dominate the court appeared open to returning key questions to a trial court, possibly delaying Trump’s prosecution beyond the […] The post U.S. Supreme Court floats return to trial court for Trump in presidential immunity case appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

A home-health worker accused of falsifying records and taking hundreds of dollars from a client is not entitled to unemployment benefits, an Iowa judge has ruled. According to state records, Tara Frank was employed by the long-term company ABCM Corporation as a home-health personal care assistant from January 2022 until February 2024, when she was […] The post Home health aide accused of falsifying records, taking client funds appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

Another wet week helped lift parts of Iowa from drought, and the remaining dry conditions are predicted to continue to ease into the summer. More than an inch-and-a-half of rain fell, on average, across the state last week, according to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture report. That was about 74% more than is normally […] The post Iowa is wetter than it’s been in nearly a year appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

Republicans in the Iowa Legislature are determined to meddle in your kid’s classroom. The House and Senate passed a bill last week directing the state Department of Education to develop revised standards for the teaching of social studies in Iowa schools. But rather than allow the professionals to do the work unfettered by political influence, […] The post Iowa politicians are still trying to teach history to your children appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

The second round of an Iowa Board of Regents-led free speech survey saw higher percentages of students and employees saying they feel comfortable expressing their opinions on campus. Associate Chief Academic Officer Jason Pontius said the intent behind the first free speech survey was to establish benchmarks for how students and employees feel about offering […] The post State university students, employees report greater comfort expressing views appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

Starting next week, certain dairy cattle must be tested for avian influenza before they can be transported to a different state, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. The requirement is among several that will expand the testing, reporting and monitoring of the cattle to reduce the spread of bird flu among the animals. The […] The post Feds to require bird flu tests of dairy cattle before transport appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

Regents Sherry Bates and Greta Rouse were reelected to lead the Iowa Board of Regents Wednesday to the sounds of applause from board and university staff, faculty and leaders. The board unanimously reelected Bates as board president and Rouse as president pro tem at its April meeting, both regents having served in the roles since […] The post Bates, Rouse reelected to Iowa Board of Regents leadership appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson decried antisemitism and raised the possibility of calling in the National Guard to disperse student protesters during a trip to Columbia University in New York City on Wednesday. Students on that campus, as well as others throughout the country in recent days, have hosted large anti-war rallies calling on the […] The post U.S. House speaker confronts anti-war protesters at Columbia University appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

State, city and county food inspectors have cited Iowa restaurants and stores for hundreds of food-safety violations in recent weeks, including long-expired food, moldy vegetables and meat labeled “not for sale.” The findings are reported by the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, which handles food-establishment inspections at the state level. Listed below are […] The post Restaurant inspection update: Moldy eggplant, ‘not-for-sale’ meat appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

WASHINGTON — Cheered for his pro-union stance and promise to rework the tax code, President Joe Biden picked up a major endorsement Wednesday from North America’s Building Trades Unions, a massive labor organization now committing resources in the battleground states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. The Democratic leader received multiple standing ovations at the union’s […] The post Biden cracks jokes about Trump’s hair, acquires another major union endorsement appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

A man whose large fertilizer tank ruptured while he was driving in Burlington this week did not report the spill, drove away from it and initially refused to help clean a creek it contaminated, according to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Jeff Boyer, 65, of rural Oakville, was driving a truck and trailer near […] The post Eastern Iowa farmer accused of leaving fertilizer spill in Burlington appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced on Wednesday new rules that will put refunds quickly back into air travelers’ pockets for canceled or delayed flights. The agency estimated that the new regulations will save consumers over a half billion dollars every year in airline fees. Under the new rules, which will go into effect beginning […] The post Feds require airlines to automatically refund passengers for canceled or delayed flights appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

U.S. Supreme Court justices spent two hours Wednesday debating whether a federal law about emergency treatment encompasses abortion care even in states with strict abortion bans, with no clear indication of how they may ultimately rule. A decision could come as soon as the end of June to decide whether Idaho’s near-total abortion ban means […] The post Supreme Court justices appear split over whether to protect abortion care during emergencies appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan emergency spending law Wednesday to provide an additional $95 billion in aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, ending months of behind-the-scenes maneuvering and public pleas for Congress to approve the funding. The package also included a measure requiring the popular app TikTok be sold by its Chinese […] The post Biden signs $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan into law appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor Tuesday announced a final rule that means millions of salaried workers who are employed in the executive, administrative or professional industries will become eligible for overtime pay. The rule will affect roughly 4 million workers in the first year of implementation and will be broken into two checkpoints. […] The post Millions of salaried workers to become eligible for overtime under new Biden rule appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.