Iowa

Iowa, Scott County face eviction crisis

Published

2 years ago

October 2, 2024

Press Room

Iowa and Scott County are both in the midst of an ongoing eviction crisis.

Nick Smithberg, executive director of Iowa Legal Aid, says the agency has five eviction help desks in the state. The first one was established in Polk County about 3 1/2 years ago.

Now people headed to eviction court in Scott County can get help right outside the eviction courtroom in the Scott County Courthouse, where Iowa Legal Aid partners with other agencies to find resources for people about to be removed from their homes.

“Most of the cases we work on are non-payment cases. If you don’t get the rent paid, you’re not really going to solve the problem,” he said.

When clients face eviction, legal aid representatives gather details and accompany clients into the courtroom.

Ninety percent of the time, Smithberg says this can prevent or postpone an eviction. Many clients they see are facing eviction for the first time.

“Their situation is so precarious,” he said.

They’re part of a big percentage of Iowa residents. “Forty percent of the people in this state can’t afford their basic needs. That’s food, clothing, transportation, shelter. You have people who are what they call rent-burdened who are spending more than 30 percent of their income on rent. So, if anything goes wrong, there’s no cushion.”

It’s not unusual to see 30 to 40 people in eviction court on some days. The demographic is comprised of an over-representation of women, people with disabilities, and people of color.
Eviction means they will face even more challenges.

“People who are subjected to an eviction literally have a shorter life expectancy,” Smithberg said. “Hospitalization rates go up, people have issues with mental health, increased suicide. So the consequences of an eviction are very serious.”

They’re also pushed into undesirable housing. That might mean children in those situations will grow up in unsafe, unhealthy dwellings and neighborhoods: “The single greatest predictor of an eviction occurring in a household is the presence of a child,” he said.

Kelle Larned is The Salvation Army program and operations director. The Salvation Army is the lead agency for homeless prevention in Scott County.

“We’re seeing a lot of households with multiple children and they’re both working,” she said. “The issue in Scott County is the rent is too high.”

Often, parents in these working-poor families make $19 to 20 an hour. and they still get evicted.

“You are talking about hundreds of people in hotels every single night,” Larned said. “The working poor right now are falling through the cracks.”

“What surprises most people is the amount of families … people who are really trying and want to better their situation, but don’t know how,” she said.

Smithberg and Larned say it’s important for renters in danger of being evicted to talk to their landlords because landlords will often work with renters to prevent an eviction.

To contact Iowa Legal Aid, visit here.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF – OurQuadCities.com.

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Iowa

Reynolds orders flags lowered for funeral of Iowa Sen. Julian Garrett

Published

3 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Reynolds orders flags lowered for funeral of Iowa Sen. Julian Garrett

DES Moines, Iowa — Gov. Kim Reynolds has ordered all flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff Saturday in honor of state Sen. Julian Garrett, who died June 8 at the age of 85.

Flags will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset June 20, the day of Garrett’s funeral, on the Iowa Capitol Building and across the Capitol Complex. The order also applies to all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.

Garrett served 16 years in the Iowa Legislature, first representing House District 55 from 2011 to 2013 before serving in the Iowa Senate through the 2026 legislative session.

In addition to his legislative service, Garrett was a farmer, attorney and former employee of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

“Sen. Garrett was a friend who served our state with integrity — whether as a cattle producer, a Little League coach, an attorney in the executive branch, or a legislator,” Reynolds said in a statement. “For 15 years, we worked together to unleash opportunities for the Iowans we served, and his impact will be felt for generations to come.”

Reynolds is encouraging individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government entities to lower their flags to half-staff during the same time period as a sign of respect.

Garrett represented southwest Iowa in the Legislature and was known for his work on judiciary and agriculture-related issues during his tenure at the Statehouse.

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Iowa

Iowa man injured in 3-vehicle crash on I-35 near Albert Lea

Published

13 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Press Room

Iowa man injured in 3-vehicle crash on I-35 near Albert Lea

An Iowa man was injured Thursday afternoon after three vehicles traveling northbound on Interstate 35 collided near Albert Lea.

Thomas Gene Anderson, 34, of Winnebago, Iowa, was taken by Mayo Ambulance to Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea for non-life threatening injuries, according to the Minnesota State Patrol.

Anderson was listed as the driver of a 2019 Chevrolet Blazer.

The report states the Blazer and a 2020 Nissan Rogue, driven by Brenda Sue Bangs, 52, of Glenville, and a 2021 Chevrolet Blazer, driven by Lisa Ann Bettin, 64, of Altoona, Iowa, were all northbound on I-35 near milepost 10 when the vehicles collided at 3:49 p.m.

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Iowa

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

Published

23 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.