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Iowa Capital Dispatch
Star witness in Trump trial tells of plot to conceal porn star hush money payments
WASHINGTON — Donald Trump’s former fixer took the stand in a Manhattan courtroom Monday and told jurors that Trump was well aware of a scheme to hide the repayment of money intended to silence porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Michael Cohen, the prosecution’s star witness, told the jury that he […] The post Star witness in Trump trial tells of plot to conceal porn star hush money payments appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
AG Brenna Bird travels to New York, joins Trump for hush money trial appearance
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird joined Donald Trump in New York on Monday as the former president’s criminal trial continued. Bird was not the only GOP politician in Trump’s courthouse entourage. U.S. Sens. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, and Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama, as well as U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-New York, joined the former president for the […] The post AG Brenna Bird travels to New York, joins Trump for hush money trial appearance appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa women’s basketball head coach Lisa Bluder announces retirement
Iowa women’s head basketball coach Lisa Bluder announced her retirement Monday after 24 years at the University of Iowa, with associate head coach Jan Jensen set to take the helm. Bluder said she felt a “range of emotions” sharing the news of her retirement in a letter to the Hawkeye community, but it came clear […] The post Iowa women’s basketball head coach Lisa Bluder announces retirement appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Chiropractor sued for malpractice now faces charges from licensing board
An eastern Iowa chiropractor who was sued for malpractice is now facing charges from the Iowa Board of Chiropractic. Allan Novak, who has owned and operated a Cedar Rapids chiropractic clinic known as Chirocare East, is charged by the board with failing to notify the board within 30 days of any court judgment or settlement […] The post Chiropractor sued for malpractice now faces charges from licensing board appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Some Iowa farmers were interrupted by solar storm
Some farmers who rely on satellite data to plant their fields were delayed in recent days by a geomagnetic storm, according to field agronomists who have been monitoring corn and soybean planting. The storm — caused by recent bursts of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona — developed on Friday and led to […] The post Some Iowa farmers were interrupted by solar storm appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Plastic surgeon denies allegations he defrauded taxpayers
A former plastic surgeon from Iowa is denying allegations that he defrauded taxpayers and falsely billed Medicare and Medicaid for procedures he never performed. Dr. Adam B. Smith, also known as “Adam Bryant,” is being sued by the United States and the State of Iowa, which allege that for five years Smith submitted false claims […] The post Plastic surgeon denies allegations he defrauded taxpayers appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa nurse pays $52,560 to settle million-dollar Medicare fraud case
In exchange for less than $53,000, federal officials have agreed to settle civil claims against a Des Moines nurse accused of participating in a million-dollar scheme to defraud Medicare. Ashley Brown, an advanced registered nurse practitioner, has paid $52,560 to the United States to resolve civil allegations that she violated federal law by signing hundreds […] The post Iowa nurse pays $52,560 to settle million-dollar Medicare fraud case appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Many Iowa rivers are brimming with nitrate
Nitrate contamination of Iowa’s rivers has surged in recent weeks amid heavy, widespread rainfall, according to data collected by the Iowa Water Quality Information System. Concentrations of nitrate in several large waterways — including the Boone, Cedar, Iowa and Turkey rivers — have recently reached four-year peaks, the data show. Further, many of the affected […] The post Many Iowa rivers are brimming with nitrate appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Their first baby came with medical debt. These Illinois parents won’t have another.
JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Heather Crivilare was a month from her due date when she was rushed to an operating room for an emergency cesarean section. The first-time mother, a high school teacher in rural Illinois, had developed high blood pressure, a sometimes life-threatening condition in pregnancy that prompted doctors to hospitalize her. Then Crivilare’s blood […] The post Their first baby came with medical debt. These Illinois parents won’t have another. appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa Board of Regents approve university residence system rates, hear tuition proposals
The Iowa Board of Regents received reports on proposed tuition and fee increases and approved residence system rates for state universities for the upcoming academic year at its Friday meeting. Residence system rates, which include housing and dining plans, were approved by the board through the consent agenda. Regent David Barker recused himself from the […] The post Iowa Board of Regents approve university residence system rates, hear tuition proposals appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
D.C. Dispatch: Support for Israel, rural access to health care
Iowa’s congressional delegation focused on Israel and Palestine this past week while also discussing multiple rural health care initiatives and pregnancy.gov, a website with resources for new mothers. Here’s a look at what the delegation was up to this week: Sens. Joni Ernst and Chuck Grassley, as well as Rep. Ashley Hinson, weighed in on […] The post D.C. Dispatch: Support for Israel, rural access to health care appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Judge questions state’s probe of sexual harassment at Iowa Veterans Home
In a ruling that takes the state to task for its investigation of alleged sexual harassment at the Iowa Veterans Home, a judge has awarded unemployment benefits to a former supervisor fired in response to “vague allegations” of misconduct. According to state records, Brett Schutt worked for the state-run Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown as […] The post Judge questions state’s probe of sexual harassment at Iowa Veterans Home appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Iowa school workers and health care professionals fired for alleged misconduct
An eastern Iowa school bus driver has been fired after twice dropping off a 5-year-old child at the wrong bus stop. State records indicate Tracy L. Fisher worked for the Mid-Prairie Community School District, located about 15 miles south of Iowa City, as a bus driver from 2008 through the first week of March 2024, […] The post Iowa school workers and health care professionals fired for alleged misconduct appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Even as interest in women’s college sports rises, report finds big gap in participation
WASHINGTON — A congressional watchdog in a new report called on the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to improve its enforcement of Title IX compliance in college athletics. The U.S. Government Accountability Office in the report issued Thursday appeared critical of the OCR’s oversight in expanding opportunities for women in college athletics, […] The post Even as interest in women’s college sports rises, report finds big gap in participation appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
U.S. Senate in FAA bill adds flights at Washington National, bucking local opponents
WASHINGTON — After hours of uncertainty Thursday, the U.S. Senate struck a deal to reauthorize several Federal Aviation Authority programs for the next five years, though Maryland and Virginia senators were vehemently opposed and lawmakers hoping to attach unrelated provisions lost out. The bill heads to the House next week for final approval. Lawmakers from […] The post U.S. Senate in FAA bill adds flights at Washington National, bucking local opponents appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Des Moines protest calls for ceasefire, end to U.S. support for Israeli military
More than 100 people gathered Thursday at Des Moines’ Neal Smith Federal Building to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza. The Catholic Peace Ministry and local chapter of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom organized the event, calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and for Iowa’s congressional delegation to no longer support […] The post Des Moines protest calls for ceasefire, end to U.S. support for Israeli military appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
State universities celebrate thousands of students earning degrees this spring
Iowa’s public universities are celebrating thousands of undergraduate, graduate and professional students earning their degrees this spring as commencement draws near. More than 11,000 students represent the spring 2024 graduating classes at the University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa and Iowa State University, and ceremonies honoring these accomplishments will take place this weekend and […] The post State universities celebrate thousands of students earning degrees this spring appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Asylum seekers with criminal records would be more quickly removed under Biden proposal
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration announced Thursday it’s proposing changes to the asylum system that would allow immigration officials to reject asylum seekers who have a criminal record that poses a threat to national security or public safety and quickly remove them. Those changes will occur during the initial screening stages, a senior U.S. Department […] The post Asylum seekers with criminal records would be more quickly removed under Biden proposal appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Ex-cop says newly imposed prison sentence has already set him straight
Less than a month after former police officer Walter Pacheco was sentenced to prison for his repeated harassment of a woman, he has asked a judge to rescind that punishment and give him probation instead, according to court records. “The court’s action of sentencing the defendant to prison has impressed upon him the importance of […] The post Ex-cop says newly imposed prison sentence has already set him straight appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Prosecutor with Auto-Brewery Syndrome departs; open-meetings lawsuit dropped
Palo Alto County’s decision to eliminate the job of a prosecutor whose license was suspended in 2023 has resulted in a severance agreement, a lawsuit alleging open-meetings violations, and a dispute over unemployment benefits. “It’s all kind of a mess and that is all that I am going to say about it,” said County Supervisor […] The post Prosecutor with Auto-Brewery Syndrome departs; open-meetings lawsuit dropped appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
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Iowa has long enjoyed a reputation for clean government. But what would happen if nobody was watching? The Iowa Capital Dispatch is a hard-hitting, independent news organization dedicated to connecting Iowans to their state government and its impact on their lives. The Capital Dispatch combines state government coverage with relentless investigative journalism, deep dives into the consequences of policy, political insight, and principled commentary. We deeply believe in sharing the stories of people outside the halls of power, connecting the actions of state leaders to their impacts on Iowans. We also believe that without strong community journalism, Iowans risk losing the government integrity and accountability they have long valued. The Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The Iowa Capital Dispatch retains editorial independence.
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