Iowa

Iowa lawmakers say eminent domain reform more likely to pass next session

Published

1 year ago

September 13, 2024

Iowa lawmakers say eminent domain reform more likely to pass next session

CHARLES CITY, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – While lawsuits from Republican lawmakers work its way through the courts over eminent domain, things could also be changing in the legislature.

Iowa landowners who don’t think private companies should be allowed access to their land found hope with legislators in the Iowa house who tried to ban it. But those property owners were frustrated with the Republican senate leadership who blocked the bills.

The proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline would run through one of Pat Mennenga’s fields in Clarkesville. “We have 120 acres that the pipeline has been proposed to go through from north to south,” she said.

Mennenga doesn’t want it. “We want to preserve our land the way it was given to us and we want to keep it that way. We’re not in favor of a pipeline,” she said.

This week, a group of nearly 40 republican lawmakers filed lawsuits in state and federal court aiming to stop the pipeline.

State Rep. Helena Hayes said, “Our group initially started with 19 legislators but has since doubled in size reflecting the growing concern among senators and representatives here in Iowa.”

The lawsuits are the newest way to try and stop the pipeline. Lawmakers in the Iowa House voted to reign in the use of eminent domain, but Republican leaders in the Senate never brought the bills up for a vote.

State Sen. Kevin Alons said, “The way that politics, the rules are established and the way the hierarchy works in the Senate and both chambers, leadership has quite a bit of control over what advances and what doesn’t.”

State Rep. Charley Thomson of Charles City says he sees changes on the horizon.

Thomson says many of the new Republican candidates running for the state Senate are opposed to the project. “There’s not a lot of support for this outside of people who are financially interested. There are a few rather muted supporters in the legislature but I think that’s disappearing,” he said.

Thomson says public opinion is on their side and growing. “As more public opinion shifts in to our favor, it’s going to be harder and harder for the Senate to not act on this. I think the Senate’s going to be compelled to at some point,” Thomson said.

Mennenga says she now has hope regardless of what happens with the lawsuits. “I’ve become very hopeful in the last six months. Just listening to some of our representatives and some of the other landowners and I know a lot of ‘em have ideas of how they are going to stop it,” she said.

Summit contends that by lowering carbon emissions, it makes ethanol production more sustainable and can increase demand.

“Summit Carbon Solutions in confident in the Iowa Utilities Commission’s thorough review process. Our project represents a significant opportunity for farmers and ethanol producers to access new markets, such as sustainable aviation fuel, by lowering ethanol’s carbon intensity score. With current economic challenges, including corn prices falling below production costs, this pipeline will help grow markets and support the long-term viability of our farmers and rural communities, contributing to economic growth and American energy independence.”

Summit also says they’ve signed voluntary agreements with around 75% of affected landowners.

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Conner Hendricks covers state government and politics for Gray Media-owned stations in Iowa. Email him at conner.hendricks@gray.tv; and follow him on Facebook at Conner Hendricks TV or on X/Twitter @ConnerReports.

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Iowa

Here’s how D.O.G.E. Task Force would change Iowa

Published

2 hours ago

October 22, 2025

Press Room

Here’s how D.O.G.E. Task Force would change Iowa

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — It is 136 pages long, took seven months to put together, and looks to modernize, streamline, and reshape state and local governments in Iowa. It also already has opposition before any of the new ideas have been put into implementation.

On Tuesday, Governor Kim Reynolds, a Republican, released the Iowa D.O.G.E. (Department of Government Efficiency) Task Force’s report that the 15-member volunteer group submitted to her last month.

Reynolds said while discussing the task force’s 45 recommendations, “It is important that we never settle, that we continue to look for ways to be more effective, efficient and accountable to the taxpayers of Iowa.”.

Read the task force recommendations here.

Task force members called for changing Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) but not eliminating it. The report suggested keeping IPERS available for current state employeees but giving new employees the option of using IPERS or joining a defined contribution plan.

Members also suggested studying benefits that state workers receive and whether they contribute enough to their health care costs.

The task force called for incentives for teachers based on performance, a focus on expanding the number of instructors in high demand fields, and introducing work-based learning experiences to freshmen and sophomore high school students.

Utilizing technology so that artificial intelligence could take over some tasks in state government and freeing up workers to concentrate on other areas was also a suggestion. So was digitizing government forms.

The task force recommended sharing services whenever possible in local government, which could be part of an overall strategy of lessening expenses in local government to reduce property taxes.

House Minority Leader Brian Meyer, a Des Moines Democrat, criticized the overall set of proposals.

“This Governor’s DOGE task force report is deeply disturbing, coming from individuals who’ve never worked a day in their lives. They’re attacking the very people who keep our communities strong, teachers, public safety officers, and other dedicated public servants,” Meyer said in a statement.

Other than stressing that she would preserve IPERS, Reynolds did not take positions on the list of recommendations. She could announce some of them as part of her 2026 legislative priorities when she delivers the annual Condition of the State Address in January.

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Iowa

Is it legal to sell margarine as butter in Iowa?

Published

21 hours ago

October 21, 2025

Press Room

Is it legal to sell margarine as butter in Iowa?

Iowa was once known as one of the top butter producers in America.

According to “The Annals of Iowa,” the Hawkeye State was second in America in dairy production in 1943. Iowa even reportedly produced one third of all butter made in the United States.

Iowa loves butter so much, the Iowa State Fair features a sculpture of a cow made mostly out of butter.

But did you know there are state laws about butter?

What’s the Iowa state law regarding butter?

According to Iowa state law, it is illegal to sell margarine as butter.

The state law says oleo, oleomargarine, or margarine must be labeled as such and the packaging should include a full and accurate statement of all ingredients it contains.

The state law also says that margarine or similar margarine products may not be advertised or represented in any form as a dairy product for purchase.

Misrepresentation of other dairy products such as renovated butter, imitation cheese, and nonfat dry milk is also illegal.

What’s the penalty for breaking this state law?

Under Iowa law, misrepresenting margarine as butter is a simple misdemeanor.

The penalty for a simple misdemeanor is a fine of at least of at least $105 and no more than $855. The court may also order a prison sentence of up to 30 days. The prison sentence may be ordered in place of the fine or in addition to the fine.

For restaurants and other eating establishments, violating this law could also result in the suspension of state-issued licenses for a year.

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Iowa

USA TODAY Sports College Football Re-Rank sees Iowa Hawkeyes climbing to new heights

Published

2 days ago

October 20, 2025

Press Room

USA TODAY Sports College Football Re-Rank sees Iowa Hawkeyes climbing to new heights

It may be slow and steady, but that is how the Iowa Hawkeyes have operated so successfully for so long. They just find ways to win games and did so again last weekend in a thrilling 25-24 comeback win over Penn State to move to 5-2 on the year.

The win sees Iowa also jump to 3-1 in Big Ten play and suddenly within striking distance of some of the top teams in America. The win also sees Iowa climb up the rankings in the latest USA TODAY College Football Re-Rank and into position for a late-season stretch run, something that has become a sort of staple under head coach Kirk Ferentz.

Like the US LBM Coaches Poll, which sees Iowa just on the outside looking in, this week’s re-rank sees Iowa closing in on the top 25. The Hawkeyes climbed four spots up to No. 29 and have a shot to continue their ascent this weekend.

The next one for the Iowa Hawkeyes is a big one. It is a protected rivalry game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers for the Floyd of Rosedale. Minnesota, coming off an upset of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, matches Iowa with a 5-2 overall record and 3-1 Big Ten mark as well. The Golden Gophers come in at No. 36 in the re-rank, a five-spot jump from last week after their win.

Iowa and Minnesota are set to kick off at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 25, from Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, and will be airing on CBS.

Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7

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