Iowa
LeBaron Hall’s $39 million makeover has kicked off at Iowa State
Watch: Demolition work on Iowa State University’s LeBaron Hall has started
Demolition of Iowa State University’s 66-year-old LeBaron Hall kicked off on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Iowa State University/Special to the Ames Tribune
A substantial makeover is underway for Iowa State University’s 66-year-old LeBaron Hall.
Demolition started Thursday, Sept. 5 to make way for the new home of Iowa State’s College of Human Sciences.
Bundled with additional renovations of McKay Hall and the Human Nutritional Science Building, the estimated $51.5 million project will replace LeBaron Hall, complete with a three-story building with classrooms, a multipurpose courtyard and renovated lobbies.
LeBaron Hall’s demolition and replacement will cost $39 million. The entire project was made possible through private donations, including a $15.5 million lead gift, and university funds.
More: ISU, Alliant Energy solar farm caretakers showcase agrivoltaics results
A groundbreaking moment
The groundbreaking for LeBaron Hall’s makeover took place on April 18.
Iowa State College of Human Sciences Dean Laura Dunn Jolly said the university is excited to see the project get underway.
“This has been something we’ve been working on for several years, and it’s really exciting to see it come to life,” Jolly said. “Students are just thrilled; they’ve been walking by, taking videos of the building coming down. There’s a lot of buzz about this new building coming to fruition.”
Construction is expected to be finished by the fall of 2026.
More: End of a spooky era: Ames Haunted Forest permanently closes after over 20 years of scares
A new, modern LeBaron Hall
The new LeBaron Hall will be located on the northwest corner of the Iowa State campus at 626 Morrill Road. The original building, built in 1958, will be expanded to 30,000 square feet, complete with two additional above-ground floors.
The new facility will include a 100-seat university classroom, studios for the college’s nationally ranked apparel program, experiential learning space for the event management program, and a historic textiles and clothing lab.
“(There will be) a lot of what I would call multi-purpose, experiential learning space,” Jolly said. “That’s been our goal, this welcoming and student-centric space that serves as a hub for student engagement.”
McKay Hall will eventually be connected to LeBaron Hall, LeBaron Auditorium and the Human Nutrition and Science Building. Once complete, Jolly said it will be a “very integrated complex” with improved wayfinding.
“We expect other renovations to follow pretty quickly after the initial building renovation,” Jolly said. “That will set the stage for moving forward with the other projects.”
More: Ames’ $4 million Schainker Plaza expected to open in October despite skating rink issues
Where will classes be held during construction?
Classes and laboratories that are typically held at LeBaron Hall have been moved to the Student Innovation Center, McKay Hall and Bessey Hall.
Jolly said Iowa State is considering what the future use of those spaces will be when classes return to LeBaron Hall.
Since the new facility will have no faculty offices, LeBaron Hall’s faculty has been relocated to other permanent locations.
More: Ames eyes $1.4 million, six-charger electric vehicle charging station south of Hwy. 30
Celia Brocker is a government, crime, political and education reporter for the Ames Tribune. She can be reached at CBrocker@gannett.com.
Iowa
Iowa Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 Midday results for May 8, 2026
The Iowa Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big with rewards ranging from $1,000 to millions. The most an Iowan has ever won from playing the lottery was $343 million in 2018 off the Powerball.
Don’t miss out on the winnings. Here’s a look at Friday, May 8, 2026, winning numbers for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 8 drawing
37-47-49-51-58, Mega Ball: 16
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-3 numbers from May 8 drawing
Midday: 0-5-8
Evening: 9-9-2
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick-4 numbers from May 8 drawing
Midday: 0-2-7-3
Evening: 0-7-0-6
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 8 drawing
14-16-21-43-51, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Iowa Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 3 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Day): 12:20 p.m. CT daily.
- Pick 4 (Evening): 10:00 p.m. CT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Iowa editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Iowa
Iowa SNAP restrictions raise concerns over confusion, impact on summer food aid
IOWA — Iowa’s new restrictions on SNAP benefits are drawing concern from advocates who say the changes could make it harder for families to buy food and could put future summer assistance for children at risk.
The state’s SNAP waiver took effect January 1, 2026, limiting what items can be purchased based on Iowa’s taxable food list. While that includes widely discussed restrictions on soda and candy, the policy also affects certain prepared foods, creating confusion for shoppers.
“Something as small as whether or not a utensil is included in a food item actually impacts whether or not you can continue to purchase that item using your SNAP benefits,” Paige Chickering, Iowa State Manager for the Save the Children Action Network, said.
Advocates say the rules can be difficult to navigate, especially for people relying on quick meals. Items like prepackaged salads or sandwiches may or may not qualify depending on how they are packaged.
At the same time, new legislation slated for the next session at the statehouse could make those restrictions more permanent by requiring Iowa to continue seeking federal approval for the waiver.
That’s raising additional concerns about the future of Summer EBT, also known as “Sun Bucks,” which provides food assistance to children when school is out.
“This makes that food assistance dependent on a decision made in Washington, D.C. that is just arbitrary and not really dependent on the needs of Iowans and Iowa children,” Chickering said.
The program is expected to help around 220,000 children in Iowa during the summer months. Advocates worry leaving it up to federal approval of the waiver could jeopardize that support if policies change. They also point out that SNAP plays a major role in addressing hunger compared to other resources.
“We know that for every one meal provided by an emergency feeding organization, SNAP provides nine,” Chickering said.
Advocates say they support improving nutrition but argue there are more effective, evidence based ways to do that without limiting food choices.
For now, organizations across Iowa are working to help families understand the new rules, while also pushing lawmakers to reconsider how the policy could impact food access moving forward.
Iowa
Harkin backs Turek for Iowa Senate
Scoop: Iowa Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek snagged a major endorsement for his Senate bid from former Sen. Tom Harkin.
Harkin, who retired in 2015, was the last Democrat to represent Iowa in the Senate. Turek is locked in a competitive primary with state Sen. Zach Wahls in a race that has divided major factions of the Democratic Party.
“I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to win an election, and then to faithfully represent all Iowans, not just those who voted for you,” Harkin said in his endorsement. “That’s why I’m supporting Josh Turek.”
Harkin served in the Senate for 30 years and is the author of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Turek, who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, was 11 when the ADA was enacted.
Harkin is a widely sought after endorsement in the Hawkeye State. His decision to wade into the race is notable because Harkin also has a relationship with Wahls.
Wahls called Harkin “one of my closest political mentors,” and said the former senator officiated his wedding in 2021.
Iowa’s Senate primaries are June 2.
-
Movie Reviews11 minutes ago1986 Movie Reviews – Dangerously Close, Fire with Fire, Last Resort, and Short Circuit | The Nerdy
-
World23 minutes agoTop 50 English-language news sites in the world in April: Just three newsbrands grow traffic in past month
-
News29 minutes agoThe New Harvard Trend? Getting Punched in the Face.
-
Politics35 minutes agoWhich Trump Tariffs Are in Place, in the Works or Ruled Illegal
-
Business41 minutes agoChina’s Exports and Imports Set Records in April Amid High Energy Costs
-
Science47 minutes agoVideo: Pentagon Releases U.F.O. Files
-
Health53 minutes agoHantavirus Vaccines and Treatments Are in the Pipeline
-
Culture1 hour agoBook Review: ‘Selling Opportunity,’ by Mary Lisa Gavenas