Iowa

Iowa Tied for Sixth at Fighting Irish Classic

Published

1 year ago

October 7, 2024

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – The University of Iowa men’s golf team finished two rounds of play at the Fighting Irish Classic on Sunday. The Hawkeyes currently sit in sixth place out of 15 teams.

Sophomore Noah Kent and junior Gage Messingham are both leading the Hawkeyes, tied for 8th place overall. Kent shot 1-over (71) in the first round and 1-under (69) in the second round, finishing with a total score of 140. Messingham join Kent as the only other Hawkeye to go under-par today in a round.

Sophomore Max Tjoa is tied for 37th place, shooting rounds of 74 and 72, with a total score of 146. Senior Chance Rinkol posted scores of 71 and 77 in the first and second rounds, respectively, and sits tied for 51st place with a score of 148. Senior Josh Lundmark recorded rounds of 79 and 71, finishing tied for 64th place with a total score of 150.

HAWKEYE SCORECARD

6/15	Team	+5	+3	148
T8	Gage Messingham	-1	+1	140
T8	Noah Kent	+1	-1	140
T37	Max Tjoa	+4	+2	146
T51	Chance Rinkol	+1	+7	148
T64	Josh Lundmark	+9	+1	150

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH TYLER STITH
“Today was a very strong team performance with Noah and Gage leading the way. We showed a lot of grit all day but especially down the stretch. We’re in a great position heading into the final round.”

UP NEXT
The final round of the Fighting Irish Classic is set to tee off on Monday morning.

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Iowa

Iowa law enforcement issues thousands of citations under hands-free driving law

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1 hour ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

Iowa law enforcement issues thousands of citations under hands-free driving law

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Law enforcement has issued thousands of citations since Iowa’s hands-free driving law went into effect, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The law went into effect in July 2025, prohibiting using phones while driving unless in hands-free mode. Citations started on January 1.

Since then, officers have issued over 2,400 citations and over 1,900 warnings.

The violation is a moving violation in Iowa, with a fine of $170.

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Iowa

See which Iowa lawmakers voted to hike private health insurance taxes

Published

13 hours ago

March 25, 2026

Press Room

See which Iowa lawmakers voted to hike private health insurance taxes

Some Iowa health insurance plans will see a tax hike under a bill headed to Gov. Kim Reynolds to be signed into law.

House File 2739 raises taxes on health insurance providers known as health maintenance organizations, or HMOs, to bring in millions of dollars to fill a shortfall in the state’s Medicaid budget.

That group includes companies that offer some of the state’s largest private insurance plans, like Wellmark, Sanford, Wellpoint and Aetna.

Fourteen Republicans across both chambers broke from their party to join Democrats and oppose the proposal, which put the GOP majority in the rare position of being at odds with business groups lobbying against tax hikes. But Republicans in each chamber had enough votes to pass the measure.

How much will health insurance taxes increase?

The taxes will increase from the current rate of 0.925% up to 3.5% between Jan. 1 and Sept. 30, 2026. Beginning Oct. 1, 2026, the tax would drop to 0.95%.

The tax increase would allow the state to access federal matching funds and is expected to bring in $123 million to shore up Iowa’s growing Medicaid budget deficit, which is expected to climb to $167.6 million in fiscal year 2027.

The bill also appropriates $89 million to cover the state’s current-year Medicaid budget deficit of $90.6 million.

Democrats warned Iowans will face higher insurance costs as a result of the bill.

Scott Sundstrom, a lobbyist for Wellmark, said at a March 18 public hearing that Wellmark estimates that its customers who are covered by the company’s plan will see a $115 tax increase per person. The company expects to pay $24.2 million more in taxes this year because of the increase.

Why are Iowa Republicans raising taxes?

Republicans have pointed to insurance companies’ profit margins and said health insurers — who have been highly critical of the bill — do not need to raise premiums to cover the cost of the tax increase.

GOP legislative leaders have said there’s a limited window to bring in matching federal funds because of Republicans’ sprawling tax and spending package dubbed the “One Big, Beautiful Bill.”

“This bill will bring investments that benefit our neighbors on Medicaid and those providing the services to them,” said Sen. Mark Costello, R-Imogene.

Here’s how every Iowa lawmaker voted.

How every Iowa House lawmaker voted on health care tax increase

The Iowa House voted 53-40 to pass the measure on March 19.

Ten Republicans joined every Democrat in voting against the bill: Reps. David Blom, R-Marshalltown; Mark Cisneros, R-Muscatine; Bill Gustoff, R-Des Moines; Thomas Jeneary, R-Le Mars; Judd Lawler, R-Oxford; Norlin Mommsen, R-De Witt; Jennifer Smith, R-Dubuque; Ray Sorensen, R-Greenfield; Ryan Weldon, R-Ankeny; and David Young, R-Van Meter.

Representatives voting yes

Andrews (R), Barker (R), Behn (R), Bergan (R), Bloomingdale (R), Boden (R), Bossman (R), Bradley (R), Collins (R), Determann (R), Dunwell (R), Fett (R), Fisher (R), Gearhart (R), Gehlbach (R), Grassley (R), Harris (R), Hayes (R), Henderson (R), Hermanson (R), Holt (R), Hora (R), Ingels (R), Johnson, C. (R), Jones (R), Kaufmann (R), Kniff McCulla (R), Larson (R), Latham (R), Lohse (R), Lundgren (R), Meggers (R), Meyer, A. (R), Mohr, G. (R), Moore, T. (R), Nordman (R), Rinker (R), Shipley, (R) Sieck (R), Siegrist (R), Sitzmann (R), Stone, (R), Thompson, M. (R), Thomson, C. (R), Vondran (R), Watkins (R), Wengryn (R), Wheeler (R), Williams (R), Wills, J. (R) , Wilz, H. (R), Wood (R), Wulf (R)

Representatives voting no

Baeth (D), Bagniewski (D), Blom (R), Brown-Powers (D), Cisneros (R), Cooling (D), Croken (D), Ehlert (D), Gjerde (D), Gosa (D), Gustoff (R), Jacoby (D), James (D), Jeneary (R), Johnson, R. (D), Judge (D), Konfrst (D), Kressig (D), Kurth (D), Lawler (R), Levin (D), Madison (D), Matson (D), McBurney (D), Meyer, B. (D), Mommsen (R), Nielsen (D), Olson (D), Ramirez (D), Scholten (D), Smith (R), Sorensen (R), Srinivas (D), Turek (D), Weldon (R), Wichtendahl (D), Wilburn (D), Wilson (D), Young (R), Zabner (D)

Representatives absent or not voting

Amos Jr. (D), Dieken (R), Gaines (D), Gerhold (R), Golding (R), Wessel-Kroeschell (D), Windschitl (R)

How every Iowa Senate lawmaker voted on health care tax increase

The Iowa Senate voted 26-19 to pass the bill on Tuesday, March 24, sending it to Reynolds.

Four Republican senators joined Democrats in voting against the bill: Sens. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny; Doug Campbell, R-Mason City; Charlie McClintock, R-Alburnett; and David Sires, R-Cedar Falls.

Senators voting yes

Alons (R), Gruenhagen (R), Costello (R), Dawson (R), Dickey (R), Driscoll (R), Evans (R), Green (R), Guth (R), Klimesh (R), Koelker (R), Kraayenbrink (R), Pike (R), Reichman (R), Rozenboom (R), Salmon (R), Schultz (R), Shipley (R), Sinclair (R), Sweeney (R), Taylor (R), Warme (R), Webster (R), Westrich (R), Whitver (R), Zumbach (R)

Senators voting no

Bennett (D), Bisignano (D), Blake (D), Bousselot (R), Campbell (R), Donahue (D), Dotzler (D), Drey (D), Hardman (D), Knox (D), McClintock (R), Petersen (D), Sires (R), Staed (D), Townsend (D), Quirmbach (D), Weiner (D), Winckler (D), Zimmer (D)

Senators absent or not voting

Garrett (R), Lofgren (R), Rowley (R), Trone Garriott (D), Wahls (D)

Marissa Payne covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. Reach her by email at mjpayne@registermedia.com. Follow her on X at @marissajpayne.

Tim Webber is a data visualization specialist for the Register. Reach him at twebber@registermedia.com and on Twitter at @HelloTimWebber.

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