Iowa
Put resources behind the rhetoric about Iowa history | Opinion
The national anniversary is an opportune time to explore what a commitment to history, particularly local history, does and doesn’t look like.
The history of Iowa: From Native Lands to statehood
What we know as Iowa was once home to several Native American tribes. Here’s how the state got its name and when it joined the union.
As the United States reaches 250 years, many Iowans’ thoughts on the next four months, when, for the first time, in two decades, they’ll elect a governor who hasn’t already been governor.
The gubernatorial campaign’s contours are taking shape in television ads, on social media and in meetings around the state. In those forums, some narratives about Republican Zach Lahn and Democrat Rob Sand are emerging — and are easily rebutted.
One idea worth a closer look, though, comes from one of Lahn’s consistent refrains: that Iowans are not properly sharing our state’s story or its history with each other and with our children. The national anniversary is an opportune time to explore what a commitment to history, particularly local history, does and doesn’t look like.
“I believe we are losing our culture as Iowans,” Lahn said at the Republican State Convention June 13. “I believe the history and the heritage of our people truly matter. I believe the stories of our history matter.”
While the editorial board believes our history matters, what he appears to define as our culture and our heritage also matters. And it also matters how we, as a state and nation, preserve the teaching of our history.
We can talk about history outside of the culture-war context
Lahn ties this plank to accusations, essentially, that Democrats want to suppress broader American history because they want children to hate their country. After the soaring quote about what matters, Lahn went on to say that “the left” knows that “the shortest way to destroy a culture is to destroy their stories ― make sure that they are ashamed of where they came from.”
That isn’t close to this editorial board’s view. Lahn is misrepresenting the majority of left-of-center Americans. Understanding this state and this country’s history, both the glorious and shameful parts, are key to telling our stories.
But let’s try our best to set aside this culture-war land mine for today and instead zero in on how we can best conserve the tapestry of Iowa’s past.
This December will mark 180 years since Iowa’s statehood ― more than two-thirds of the United States’ existence. The state’s government should reinvigorate its commitment to conveying and preserving Iowa history. That includes how and when history is taught in public schools, as well as the work of the State Historical Society and related units, which depend on state support.
That’s easy enough to say. But both pieces involve some zero-sum games.
Make some room for Iowa history in high school curriculum
Teachers are in front of students for only so many hours in a year, and state lawmakers and other regulators are constantly stuffing more curriculum requirements into that time. Just this year Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law new minimum requirements for time spent in physical activity. That was one of the better parts of the mixed-bag “Iowa MAHA” bill, but Iowa can’t stuff 1,500 hours of worthy coursework into the 1,080 hours of each school year.
Also this year, the state Board of Education approved new social studies standards for use in kindergarten through 12th grade. The 219-page document is filled with Iowa connections to social sciences, national politics and world history to enrich lessons in those subjects. But specific focus on Iowa’s past is limited mostly to first and second grades. That’s too little.
Nothing in the standards’ high school curriculum screams that it’s dispensable, to be fair. But U.S. history classes could make some room to expose high school minds for a few weeks to Iowa’s story, from before European exploration to territory days and early statehood and the constant transformation since.
Restore funding for Annals of Iowa and other history initiatives
Meanwhile, relentless belt-tightening has threatened the work of historians to investigate and answer questions about Iowa’s past. The State Historical Society and other agencies were once combined in the state Department of Cultural Affairs; the 2023 state government reorganization closed that department and shunted pieces of the history apparatus to the Department of Administrative Services and the Economic Development Authority.
More concretely, much consternation greeted the 2025 announcement that the Iowa City branch of the Historical Society would be closed, leaving the only physical facilities in Des Moines. Experts said it would stunt research work in eastern Iowa and could lead to the permanent loss of some documents and artifacts, to say nothing of cutting off the possibility of locals deciding to try more casual research.
The state also announced plans last year to step back from editing the history journal Annals of Iowa, a change attributed to “increasingly lean staff.” Historians have called it a singular outlet for scholarship on Iowa topics. Subscribers covered most of the printing cost. No new publisher has been announced.
If history is as important as Lahn says, the next governor and Legislature should resist the temptation to see it as an easy place to save a few bucks compared with, say, taking state troopers off the roads or compromising public health services. The state budget will speak more loudly than rhetoric. And if it truly comes down to history vs. state troopers, Iowa might need to figure out ways to increase government revenue.
History should elicit wonder, regret and pride
A few of Iowa’s stories are widely known, especially to longtime residents. The Iowa Supreme Court’s first ruling, in 1839, In Re Ralph, declaring a Missouri man was free and not bound to his former slave owner in Missouri. The seed genetic innovations that Henry Wallace used to transform the agriculture profession. The Day the Music Died. The despair of the 1980s farm crisis.
But few Iowans could say very much about the periods before statehood and before European exploration. And even the above 19th-century-and-beyond bullet points barely scratch the surface of the wonder, regret and pride to be found in our collective pasts between the Missouri and Mississippi.
When Lahn visited the Register editorial board before the Republican primary election, he gave the right answer to a question about his divisive framing about teaching history. “People that have challenged me on this, they go back to talking about the horrid past of America, the harms that we’ve done to other groups and things like that. And I don’t want to ignore those things,” he said. “I think there’s truth behind things that that we have done wrong as a country. But I think what defines America is how we’ve tried to set the path right. And I just want to make sure that that’s the story we’re telling our young kids is that, yes, we’ve had these pieces in our history that were really tough, that were bad, but look at what we did to make things better, not just for us, but for the entire world.”
The campaign for governor will be better off if Lahn and other candidates stick to that more holistic and more unifying message. All Iowans running for office ought to be able to agree on that philosophy ― and then work to back it up with resources. That would give students and adults a better chance to understand, and continue to discover more about, where we’ve come from.
Lucas Grundmeier, on behalf of the Register’s editorial board
This editorial is the opinion of the Des Moines Register’s editorial board: Rachel Stassen-Berger, executive editor; Lucas Grundmeier, opinion editor; and Richard Doak and Rox Laird, editorial board members.
IOWA CITY, Iowa. — Fans at Kinnick Stadium for Savannah Bananas game are encouraged to take cover as storm hits Iowa City.
University of Iowa Police confirmed at least three children have been reported missing in the crowds below the concourse. One missing child is a two-year-old girl.
A lightning delay was issued at 5:45pm where announcements were made over the loud speaker and the video board provided instructions as to were instructed to exit the stands.
Stadium operations projected a map of shelter locations including the Indoor Track, Field House, Carver Hawkeye Arena and the Dental Building.
The hallways leading to the concourse are packed with fans trying to stay out of the rain, leaving little to no room to move around.
Security has paused entrance to the stadium, as hundreds of fans are outside in the rain.
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The game may not resume until 30 minutes following the last lighting strike.
INDIANOLA, Iowa (ICD) – After being convicted last year of 10 felonies including theft and dependent adult abuse, a central Iowa nurse is facing sanctions from the state’s Board of Nursing.
Registered nurse Holly Renee Carlson of Indianola is charged by the board with being convicted of a criminal offense that directly relates to the duties and responsibilities of the nursing profession, and failure to notify the board of a criminal conviction within 30 days. A hearing on the charges is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2026.
Court records indicate that in December 2025, a Warren County jury found Carlson guilty of one count of ongoing criminal conduct, six counts of first-degree theft against an older individual, one count of second-degree theft against an older individual, and two counts of dependent adult abuse.
According to prosecutors’ court filings, The Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Indianola Police Department launched an investigation into Carlson in 2024.
Prosecutors alleged Carlson financially exploited her parents while also working as a “legal nurse consultant and case manager” for her own company, Carlson & Associates. Prior to 2019, prosecutors said, she had worked as a case manager for the Des Moines office of the Veterans Administration.
According to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Carlson was granted power of attorney over the affairs of her mother and father in 2016. In 2019, her father entered Vintage Hills, an Indianola senior living facility, due to issues with dementia.
In December of that year, Carlson allegedly submitted a change-of-beneficiary form to John Hancock Insurance, switching the beneficiary of her mother’s life insurance policy from her father to herself. When her mother passed away a few weeks later, Carlson submitted a claim for her mother’s life insurance and was paid $251,027.70, prosecutors alleged.
According to MFCU investigators, Carlson also transferred the family farm, and all of its land, out of her mother’s name, preventing Vintage Hills from placing a lien on the property to collect money owed from the mother’s stay at the facility, and deposited loan proceeds into her own bank account rather than using the money to improve the farm.
Investigators also alleged Carlson regularly withdrew money from her father’s bank account, and also sold two of his vehicles, without paying the bills for his care at Vintage Hills. “ln the end, after reviewing all of the bank records and various other records, it was determined that Carlson had financially exploited (her parents) for $456,829.09,” a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigator told prosecutors in a sworn affidavit.
Court records show that after her conviction, Carlson was sentenced to three years of probation tied to a 25-year suspended prison sentence.
Carlson referred the Iowa Capital Dispatch to her attorney, Trent Nelson, who declined to comment other than to say the criminal convictions are being appealed and the allegations against Carlson had nothing to do with her practice as a nurse.
Other Iowa-licensed nurses facing charges recently disclosed by the board include:
— Susan Louise Peden of Bondurant, an advanced registered nurse practitioner who is charged by the board with professional incompetence including a lack of knowledge, skill or ability to discharge her professional obligations; deviation from the standards of learning, education, or skill ordinarily possessed by a nurse; committing acts that might adversely affect a patient’s welfare; prescribing or distributing drugs in an unsafe manner, and prescribing or distributing drugs without assessing or evaluating the patient. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2026.
According to the board, Peden, also known as Susan Louise Deo, has been an advanced registered nurse practitioner since May 2018. State records indicate the investigation into her conduct was initiated in 2024, the same year Peden founded Bondurant Dermatology.
Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to reach Peden for comment.
— Nicolette Rae Lovitt of Coon Rapids, a registered nurse who is charged by the board with deviating from the standards of learning, education or skill ordinarily possessed by nurses; engaging in behavior that constitutes unethical conduct or practice harmful to the profession; and engaging in unethical conduct or practice harmful or detrimental to the public by violating professional boundaries. A hearing on the charges is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2026.
Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to reach Lovitt for comment.
— Jaci M. Moore of Preston, a licensed practical nurse who is charged by the board with misappropriating or attempting to misappropriate medications or supplies of a patient or clinic; committing an act that might adversely affect a patient’s welfare; and failing to assess or evaluate a patient or client. A hearing on the charges is scheduled for Oct. 16, 2026.
Iowa Capital Dispatch was unable to reach Moore for comment.
Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
Copyright 2026 KWQC. All rights reserved.
See how Iowa DNR conducts beach monitoring tests at Iowa’s lakes
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources conducts weekly tests to monitor beach water quality at 39 state-owned beaches.
High temperatures over the Fourth of July weekend might have you looking to take a dip in one of Iowa’s lakes. But, you’ll want to be sure the water is safe for swimming before getting into the water.
A total of 11 state beaches are not recommended for swimming ahead of the holiday, up from 10 beaches last week.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources provides weekly updates on which state beaches are experiencing high levels of E. coli or algae that can be dangerous to swimmers. You can check the latest reports on the DNR website or by calling (515) 725-3434.
The DNR collects weekly samples at 41 state-owned swimming beaches to determine the public’s risk of coming in contact with waterborne diseases. Testing starts a week before Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day.
What Iowa DNR beaches are not recommended for swimming?
Backbone Beach
- Beach classification: Vulnerable
- Last test date: July 1
- Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit and five-sample Geomean standard for E. coli
Beeds Lake Beach
- Beach classification: Vulnerable
- Last test date: June 30
- Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli
Big Creek Beach
- Beach classification: Less vulnerable
- Last test date: June 30
- Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit for E. coli
Black Hawk Beach
- Beach classification: Less vulnerable
- Last test date: June 30
- Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit and five-sample Geomean standard for E. coli
Emerson Bay Beach
- Beach classification: Vulnerable
- Last test date: July 1
- Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit and five-sample Geomean standard for E. coli
Lake Darling Beach
- Beach classification: Vulnerable
- Last test date: June 30
- Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit and five-sample Geomean standard for E. coli
Lake of Three Fires Beach
- Beach classification: Less vulnerable
- Last test date: July 1
- Test results: Exceeded algal toxin action level
Nine Eagles Beach
- Beach classification: Vulnerable
- Last test date: July 1
- Test results: Exceeded five-sample Geomean standard for E. coli
North Twin Lake West Beach
- Beach classification: Less vulnerable
- Last test date: June 30
- Test results: Exceeded five-sample Geomean standard for E. coli
Pine Lake South Beach
- Beach classification: Vulnerable
- Last test date: June 30
- Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit and five-sample Geomean standard for E. coli
Prairie Rose Beach
- Beach classification: Vulnerable
- Last test date: June 30
- Test results: Exceeded single-sample limit and five-sample Geomean standard for E. coli
Which Iowa beaches have improved to ‘OK for swimming’?
Two beaches have made it back onto the OK for swimming list since June 26:
- North Twin Lake East Beach
- Pleasant Creek Beach
Which Iowa beaches have special statuses?
- Blue Lake Beach: Monitoring by DNR is currently suspended due to low lake water conditions and the closure of Lewis and Clark State Park.
- Lake Keomah: Monitoring by DNR is currently suspended due to low lake water conditions. The DNR drained the lake in July 2024 for a major renovation and water quality improvement project that was set to last through spring 2026. The DNR warns people to stay out of the lake bed, which might look dry, but is soft and could quickly entrap people.
How does the Iowa DNR classify Iowa’s beaches based on their water quality?
DNR officials classify state park beaches into one of three categories annually based on their history of bacteria results in recent years:
- Vulnerable: Beaches are considered vulnerable when the geometric mean standard is exceeded in three or more of the five most recent sampling seasons.
- Transitional: The beach’s geometric mean standard is exceeded in two or fewer sampling seasons of the five most recent years of monitoring and was listed as “vulnerable” in the past monitoring seasons.
- Less vulnerable: The beach’s geometric mean standard is exceeded in two or fewer sampling seasons of the five most recent years of monitoring and was listed as “transitional” or “less vulnerable” in past monitoring seasons.
Brian Smith is a senior editor and audience strategist at the Des Moines Register. Contact him at bsmith@dmreg.com.
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