Iowa

Inside Iowa Politics: Issues to watch in 2026

Published

6 months ago

December 26, 2025

Inside Iowa Politics: Issues to watch in 2026

DES MOINES, Iowa (Iowa State Capital Bureau) — Iowa legislators prepare for the calendar to change from December to January, they are determining their priorities for the next legislative session with the knowledge that the 2026 election year could put greater focus on what they do and do not choose to do.

Over the next several weeks, the Gray Media Iowa State Capital Bureau team will be conducting interviews with numerous Republican and Democratic legislative leaders, key industry leaders, and the Iowans who want policy changes in the year ahead.

Key Factors:

–The 2026 legislative session begins January 12, 2026.

–This will be the final session for Kim Reynolds, who plans to retire as governor when her term ends in January 2027. She has pledged to be more active with legislative leaders with property tax reform legislation.

–Governor Reynolds angered some members of her own party when she vetoed legislation earlier this year that could have made it more difficult for private companies to use eminent domain to force access on someone’s land.

Will there be any carryover from that, or will everyone involved “forgive and forget” and move on to 2026’s legislative business?

–Republicans will largely determine what gets debated since they hold nearly two out of three seats in the legislature.

–Republicans will have two new leaders: Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton takes over as Iowa House Majority Leader, and Mike Klimesh of Spillville has become the new Iowa Senate Majority Leader.

Democrats will have one, as well: Representative Brian Meyer of Des Moines is the new Iowa House Minority Leader.

There are always more issues than time, ideas, priorities, or political willpower for lawmakers to address each year.

Issues to watch in 2026:

Iowa’s Finances — State leaders expect to take in around $1 billion less in revenues than expected expenses in the year ahead. That could make any new spending initiatives very difficult to achieve.

State’s Economy — Agriculture, in particular, has been struggling for the past few years. That is likely to continue in 2026. That not only makes it difficult for farm families, but it also could cause financial strain for restaurants, local governments, retail shops, equipment suppliers, and auto dealers in rural communities.

Property Tax Reform — Lawmakers could not agree on significant property tax reform legislation in 2025, but they have pledged again to take on the issue. Local leaders have warned them that if state legislators confine them too much, they will not be able to deliver services like their residents expect.

How much, if any, will lawmakers further limit the ability of local leaders to determine their property taxes in the efforts to reduce proprty tax burdens on homeowners? What additional policies could lawmakers use to incent communities to share services to reduce future demand on expenses?

Eminent Domain Restrictions — Legislation to limit the use of eminent domain by private companies may have stressed the legislature in 2025 more than any other.

Lawmakers may not be able to agree in 2026 on legislation that retroactively bans the use of eminent domain for carbon sequestration pipelines (Reminder: The Iowa Utilities Commission already granted Ames-based Summit Carbon Solutions the authority to use eminent domain when landowners in the proposed pipeline’s path don’t voluntarily reach a financial agreement with the company for access).

But could lawmakers agree to give a company more flexibility in changing the pipeline’s path to go around someone’s property who doesn’t want to grant access to someone else who does? Discussions have already been underway for weeks in preparation for January’s start to the session.

Cancer Rates — Revelations that Iowa is one of the worst states in the country for new confirmed cancer diagnoses and the fastest rate of increase in cases have alarmed many people. In 2025, legislators approved $1 million for cancer research and $20,000 for radon kits (Iowa is among the worst states in the country for radon exposure).

But health officials want more focus on what is causing Iowans to get sick with cancer. What can be done to limit new cases? And are many of these new cases the result of exposure from decades ago?

Water Quality — Iowa has a decades-long struggle with balancing efforts to make its water supply as clean as possible with the prevalance of fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste in agriculture. Will future policy rely on voluntary measures, or will lawmakers mandate change to try to prevent some of this, especially nitrates, from entering lakes, rivers, and ponds?

Education — Republicans have used their legislative majorities to remove books from classrooms and school libraries that deal with topics like gender and sexual orientation that they deemed objectionable for children.

They have limited diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. They have also committed hundreds of millions in tax dollars to support families who want their children to attend private school.

They have significantly raised pay for many teachers. And they have changed policy to make sure that only biological girls can play girls’ sports.

Are there more changes related to funding, curriculum, or shared services that they will pursue in 2026?

Workforce — Iowa’s population has not produced the number of workers with the skills that some companies demand. Reducing immigrants who live in the state — those with or without legal status — could further stress staffing.

Can lawmakers do something to convince more potential workers to move to the state, more residents to acquire the skills that jobs demand, and more people who are not in the workforce to join it?

Source link

Click to comment

Iowa

Iowa High School Baseball Stats: Leaders On The Diamond This Summer

Published

9 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Iowa High School Baseball Stats: Leaders On The Diamond This Summer

As we work through the month of June, things are starting to heat up on the diamond around Iowa high school baseball.

With the start of postseason play just around the corner in July, teams are working to get prepared for the stretch run.

High School On SI Iowa has a Top 25 state power ranking while the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association releases weekly class-by-class rankings.

Here are leaders as of June 17, 2026 for several major hitting and pitching categories. Stats are from those uploaded to the Bound website.

Iowa High School Baseball Leaders

Home Runs

Tru McBride, Fort Dodge, 9
Colton Roemmich, West Des Moines Valley, 9
Brandon Bea, Davenport North, 8
Kamden Jorgensen, Saydel, 8
Gabe Blanshan, Urbandale, 7

Running Batted In

Callan Koch, Sioux City East, 38
West Cole, Mason City Newman Catholic, 37
Tru McBride, Fort Dodge, 36
Chance Georgius, Roland-Story, 34
Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, 34

Stolen Bases

Aiden Ferry, Roland-Story, 38
Tate Garman, Algona, 33
Titan Foster, Nodaway Valley, 32
Tate Moulton, Grand View Christian, 30
Cael Wishman, Baxter, 29

Runs Scored

Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, 45
Aiden Frey, Roland-Story, 43
Cal Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, 41
Kolton Schiltz, Fort Dodge, 40
Colton Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys, 39

Hits

Colton Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys, 39
Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, 38
Callan Koch, Sioux City East, 36
Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, 35
Lucas Kelley, Des Moines Roosevelt, 34

Doubles

Joe Nilles, Sioux City North, 13
Colton Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys, 13
Lucas Kelley, Des Moines Roosevelt, 12
Brett Harris, Western Dubuque, 12
Brooks Bond, Lewis Central, 11

Triples

Callan Koch, Sioux City East, 7
Will Nesler, Ankeny Centennial, 5
Jacob Pierro, Dubuque Wahlert Catholic, 5
Lucas Kelley, Des Moines Roosevelt, 5
Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, 4

Total Bases

Colton Wight, Martensdale-St. Marys, 68
Tru McBride, Fort Dodge, 68
Bryce Pauly, Davenport North, 67
Cal Jepsen, Sioux City East, 65
Ty Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayard, 62

Pitching Wins

Tyler Etten, Urbandale, 9
Chase White, Dyersville Beckman Catholic, 7
Colton Moffit, Baxter, 7
Connor Mullenbach, Saint Ansgar, 6
Aidan Nielsen, Don Bosco, 6

Earned Run Average (min. 18 innings pitched)

Connor Mullenbach, Saint Ansgar, 0.00
Luke Vestal, Pleasantville, 0.00
Ryan Stedman, West Des Moines Valley, 0.24
Will Litton, Iowa City Regina Catholic, 0.25
Judd Jirovsky, Grundy Center, 0.26

Strikeouts

Colton Moffit, Baxter, 85
Brody Wangsness, North Butler, 75
Lincoln Roethler, Denver, 71
Owen Klocksiem, Louisa-Muscatine, 67
Cooper Chizek, Emmetsburg, 65

Opponents Batting Average Against (min. 18 innings pitched)

Macklin Loftus, Logan-Magnolia, .017
Jack Wedemeier, Waverly-Shell Rock, .065
Teagan Brunk, Shenandoah, .069
Ryan Stedman, West Des Moines Valley, .072
Bronx Siebersma, MVAOCOU, .075

Saves

Beckham Simon, West Liberty, 4
Deacon Kucera, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 4
Graham Rima, Pleasant Valley, 4
Gavin de Jesus, Waukee, 4
Easton Goodwin, Waterloo Columbus Catholic, 3

Innings Pitched

Colton Moffit, Baxter, 43
Tyler Etten, Urbandale, 38.2
Owen Galvin, Denison-Schleswig, 38
Tallon Crandall, Carroll, 37.1
Austin Remster, Melcher-Dallas, 37.1

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Source link

Iowa

Rain brings second week of relief in Iowa drought monitor map

Published

19 hours ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Rain brings second week of relief in Iowa drought monitor map

Drought conditions in Iowa improved for a second consecutive week, though areas of moderate drought expanded in parts of the state.

The U.S. Drought Monitor offers a state-by-state tracking of drought conditions nationwide. New maps and forecasts are released each Thursday. What are the current drought conditions in Iowa?

U.S. Drought Monitor map: How much of Iowa is in a drought?

The latest Drought Monitor report, released on Thursday, June 18, showed about 46% of Iowa experiencing some form of drought. This continues the streak of conditions improving week to week in Iowa. The previous report, released on June 11, showed that 63% of the state was experiencing some form of drought.

The most recent report reflects conditions as of 8 a.m. June 16, right as storms were sweeping through Iowa, with parts of eastern Iowa seeing more than 2 inches of rainfall. Light rainfall on June 17 led to areas like Iowa City and Burlington reporting around an inch of rain.

Here is the breakdown of current drought conditions in Iowa:

61% of the state of Iowa is experiencing no drought conditions
39% of Iowa is experiencing abnormally dry conditions
7% of Iowa is experiencing moderate drought conditions
0% of Iowa is experiencing severe drought conditions

Even though drought conditions have improved overall in Iowa, the area experiencing moderate drought increased from the week of June 11, particularly in northern Iowa. Much of Cerro Gordo, Hancock and Kossuth counties are under D1 conditions, with nearby Palo Alto, Winnebago, Floyd and Mitchell also in moderate drought.

Pockets of moderate drought also persist along the northwest edge of Iowa in Lyon, Sioux and Plymouth counties. In eastern Iowa, Jackson, Clinton and Scott counties saw their moderate drought status ease week to week.

Most of the U.S. is facing drought conditions

About 73% of the U.S. is experiencing some level of drought, a 2-percentage-point improvement from the prior week. Some of the most intense drought conditions are in the southeast and the mountain west.

Iowa Drought Monitor tracks conditions weekly

The U.S. Drought Monitor offers a state-by-state tracking of drought conditions nationwide. New maps and forecasts are released each Thursday.

The intensity levels range from abnormally dry, or D0, to exceptional drought, or D4.

Typically with D0 conditions, corn can show drought stress. Pond levels start to decline under moderate drought conditions and soybeans abort pods, according to the Drought Monitor. The Drought Monitor also has a look-back chart that compares drought conditions from 3 months ago up to 1 year ago.

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.

Source link

Iowa

Tornadoes reported in Illinois, Iowa as severe weather roils Midwest

Published

1 day ago

June 18, 2026

Press Room

Tornadoes reported in Illinois, Iowa as severe weather roils Midwest

Confirmed tornadoes were reported in Illinois and Iowa Wednesday night as severe weather descended on a large swath of the Midwest.

According to the National Weather Service, a confirmed tornado was reported near the small northeast Iowa community of Harpers Ferry at 5:10 p.m., while a second confirmed tornado rolled through Charleston in central Illinois at about 6:40 p.m. local time.

Both tornadoes were flagged by the weather service as a “particularly dangerous situation,” a rare designation used by the weather service for environments in which “strong and violent tornadoes” are possible.

Photos and videos obtained by CBS News showed extensive damage in Charleston, with downed trees and power lines. Hail that measured 2.75 inches was also reported in the Charleston area, according to the weather service.

“There are a large number of trees blocking roadways throughout Charleston at this time,” Charleston police said in a Facebook post. “Unless it is an absolute emergency, do not drive or attempt to go anywhere.”

The city of Charleston later declared a local state of emergency.

Damage after a tornado struck Charleston, Illinois, on June 17, 2026.

Cameron Craig

One cell phone video captured the terrifying moments what appeared to be a large tornado tore through Effingham, Illinois, located about 40 miles southwest of Charleston.

Larry Thies, coordinator for the Effingham Emergency Management Agency, told CBS News that initial information indicated damaged buildings, trailers, and downed power lines and trees. He said officials were working to set up an emergency operations center, but were facing challenges because internet was down in the area.

The extent of the damage to region was still unclear. There was no immediate word of injuries or fatalities. CBS News senior meteorologist Rob Marciano said there were at least seven reported tornadoes during the weather event.

According to utility tracker PowerOutage.us, at least 55,000 customers were without power in Illinois.

Earlier Wednesday, Marciano reported that more than 125 million Americans were facing severe weather advisories, including the Gulf Coast states, which were under flood alerts due to Tropical Storm Arthur. Speaking on “CBS Evening News,” Marciano said such ripe tornado conditions were rare for June.

“This is unique for June, this is unusual to have such a strong jet stream just screaming across the country, then you’ve got the summertime tropical moisture coming in…and then some cold air coming in,” Marciano said. “And winds coming at different direction, at different levels, creating that spin. So what that equates to is really the high probability of seeing, not just tornadoes, but intense tornadoes of EF2 strength or higher on the ground for a long time. And also damaging winds at 75 mph or higher, and of course big time hail.”

Nikki Nolan

contributed to this report.