But so long as state government denies forms of health care and casts suspicions on members of certain demographics, efforts to sell Iowa will have a ceiling.

Iowa doesn’t have enough people. Job openings are too hard to fill, particularly ones for medical professionals. Child care options are scarce enough that some people who would like to work or work more choose not to.

Gov. Kim Reynolds and her Republican colleagues in the Legislature note those problems accurately. On Tuesday, the governor proposed a few innovative investments and policies to attack them. But the state’s GOP leaders aren’t articulating the entire picture of why there’s a shortage of people who want to live and work here. Specifically, they aren’t looking in the mirror.

It was no surprise that the governor’s sales pitch for the state focused on tax reductions and national rankings while omitting mention of laws that make people feel unwelcome or even endangered in Iowa — people who fear whether they can find adequate care during pregnancy in light of a strict ban on abortions. People who could face scrutiny based on their appearance under harsh immigration laws. People who see the state formally labeling information about their or their family members’ sexual orientations and gender identities inappropriate for schoolchildren.

It is indisputable that the state’s aggressive income tax reductions make living here more attractive. Pumping money into rural recruitment problems and chipping away at preschool and child care burdens would make a positive difference, too.

But so long as state government denies forms of health care, casts suspicions on members of certain demographics, and refuses to take meaningful action to protect the state’s soil and water, those efforts to sell Iowa will have a ceiling.

More: Gov. Kim Reynolds peels back plans for DOGE, budget cuts, Medicaid in 1-on-1 interview

Policy ideas range from terrible to adequate

Many of Reynolds’ policy proposals during her annual address to lawmakers were less sweeping than the “flat tax” or “school choice” unveilings of previous years, but their potential impact on the state is still great. A few highlights, and lowlights, deserve notice:

• MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS: Reynolds insists that now is the time to try again on a bad and tired idea: requiring some prospective Medicaid recipients to work in order to receive health care coverage. Or, to put it another way, putting obstacles between health insurance and a small, small slice of low-income Medicaid recipients (those who are not children or retired or disabled or already working). Or, to put it another way, creating a costly new apparatus of bureaucratic red tape using money that could instead pay for needed care for Iowans. This popular Republican idea has progressed furthest in Arkansas and Georgia, and neither state’s experience is in the least encouraging. Georgia’s rules have not led to increased employment, which is, you know, the point.
• NUCLEAR ENERGY: Reynolds said she’d set up a task force to explore bringing nuclear power generation back to Iowa. A robust debate on this topic over a decade ago ended with MidAmerican Energy declining to pursue the idea beyond a study. Reynolds is correct that the massive electrical demands of data centers, especially for artificial intelligence, counsels an open-minded look at the state’s energy mix.
• CANCER RESEARCH: Iowa’s cancer statistics are among the nation’s worst, and Reynolds says she wants to spend $1 million to launch a new research team to better understand what’s happening. That’s a start, to be sure. Almost no investment would be too much, and the task force should have freedom to investigate and deliver, if necessary, unpleasant answers or hypotheses about what contributes to cancer in Iowa.
• GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY: Nobody is against government efficiency. Reynolds’ remarks about copying the Trump administration’s new Department of Government Efficiency weren’t particularly amusing to people like Democratic state Sen. Zach Wahls, who sarcastically and correctly wrote on X about Reynolds “inventing” … the office of state auditor, the real-life version of which the Legislature keeps kneecapping.
• ATTRACTING MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, IMPROVING CHILD CARE: Reynolds’ overall state budget proposal would increase spending 5.4% over the current year, with tax revenue continuing to fall. Large chunks of new money will go to educating savings accounts for private school students and to cover a projected $174 Medicaid shortfall. Reynolds also says Iowa should put millions of dollars into projects to bring more physicians and nurses to rural Iowa and to fill gaps parents face in managing preschool and child care. Those are solid proposals, though a bigger and better swing would be expanding state-paid universal preschool to full days for 4-year-olds and at least some subsidy for 3-year-olds.

More: We analyzed Gov. Kim Reynold’s Condition of the State speech. Here’s what words stood out.

Iowa has reasons to be proud and to stay, and reasons to run away

Reynolds opened her address by taking a deserved victory lap for state and local government success in 2024: responding meaningfully to natural disasters and providing for recovery and implementing her far-reaching state government reorganization. Iowa does have plenty to be proud of, plenty of reasons to stay, plenty of reasons to come. The governor and the Legislature need to realize that they have also given people reasons to flee. Until that changes, they aren’t doing all they can to solve Iowa’s worker shortages.

Lucas Grundmeier, on behalf of the Register’s editorial board

This editorial is the opinion of the Des Moines Register’s editorial board: Lucas Grundmeier, opinion editor; and Richard Doak and Rox Laird, editorial board members.

Want more opinions? Read other perspectives with our free newsletter or visit us at DesMoinesRegister.com/opinion. Respond to any opinion by submitting a Letter to the Editor at DesMoinesRegister.com/letters.

The Iowa State women’s basketball team is back in the Big 12 Conference race after a three-game winning streak.

The Cyclones will try to stay hot when they take on No. 20 West Virginia at noon Sunday in Morgantown, West Virginia.

It’s a huge game for the Cyclones (13-6 overall, 4-2 Big 12), who after a slow start to the Big 12 season suddenly find themselves back in the hunt for the conference crown.

Iowa State has rattled off consecutive victories over Arizona State, Arizona and Texas Tech. The Cyclones will face a tough West Virginia (14-3, 4-2) team that has won four of its last five games.

Watch Iowa State vs. West Virginia on Fubo (free trial)

What channel is West Virginia vs Iowa State women’s basketball on today?

TV channel: FOX

Livestream: Fubo (free trial)

When does West Virginia vs Iowa State start?

Date: Sunday, Jan. 19

Start time: Noon CT, at WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, West Virginia.

West Virginia 2024-25 schedule

• Record: 14-3, 4-2 Big 12
• Nov. 5: Towson, W, 85-41
• Nov. 9: Niagara, W, 110-41
• Nov. 12: Pitt, W, 82-54
• Nov. 15: Texas A&M, W, 83-62
• Nov. 19: Bowling Green, W, 78-47
• Nov. 22: Lafayette, W, 98-28
• Nov. 29: High Point, W, 89-54
• Nov. 30: Boise State, W, 82-47
• Dec. 1: Texas, L, 78-73
• Dec. 6: East Tennessee State, W, 85-40
• Dec. 15: Temple, W, 68-46
• Dec. 21: Colorado, L, 65-60
• Jan. 1: UCF, W, 80-58
• Jan. 4: BYU, W, 66-53
• Jan. 8: Texas Tech, W, 89-53
• Jan. 11: Oklahoma State, L, 64-57
• Jan. 15: Colorado, W, 73-46

Iowa State 2024-25 schedule

• Record 13-6, 4-2 Big 12
• Nov. 4: Chicago State, W, 95-65
• Nov. 7: Indiana State, W, 64-42
• Nov. 10: Southern, W, 84-56
• Nov. 14: St. Thomas, W, 80-47
• Nov. 20: Northern Iowa, L, 87-75
• Nov. 24: Drake, W, 80-78
• Nov. 28: South Carolina, L, 76-36
• Nov. 30: Middle Tennessee, W, 75-59
• Dec. 3: USC Upstate, W, 92-35
• Dec. 8: Central Michigan, W, 82-56
• Dec. 11: Iowa, L, 75-69
• Dec. 15: Eastern Illinois, W, 87-55
• Dec. 17: UConn, L, 101-68
• Dec. 21: Oklahoma State, L, 81-75
• Jan. 1: Kansas, W, 78-64
• Jan. 5: Utah, L, 75-67
• Jan. 8: Arizona State, W, 90-83
• Jan 11: Arizona, W, 79-58
• Jan. 14: Texas Tech, W, 71-58

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Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020 and 2023 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468

The night was a mixture of triumph and tragedy for the Utah Red Rocks gymnastics team, as their victory over Iowa State was overshadowed by the devastating injury to freshman Avery Neff. While the team delivered a season-high score of 197.300 and showcased remarkable growth, the loss of Neff, the No. 1 recruit, left an emotional void.

The atmosphere in the Huntsman Center shifted dramatically when Neff’s final tumbling pass on floor ended in disaster. A routine that had already demonstrated her exceptional talent turned into heartbreak when her ankle gave out, and she fell face-first onto the mat. Her left leg bent awkwardly, and she immediately clutched her ankle in pain. Medical personnel and coaches rushed to her aid, and the usually electric crowd fell silent. Teammates cried openly on the sidelines, their emotions mirroring the collective concern of the Red Rocks family.

Neff had been a standout performer throughout the night, earning high scores on vault (9.900), bars (9.850), and beam (9.925). Her contributions exemplified why she had been ranked so highly coming into the season, and her injury was a significant blow to the team’s momentum. Head coach Carly Dockendorf expressed the team’s mixed emotions, emphasizing the difficulty of balancing a strong performance with the sadness of losing a key member.

“What an amazing three quarters of our meet there, and was just feeling so good about everything we had done,” Dockendorf said. “This is the tough part about sports anywhere on any team, and it’s just — it’s hard to watch. It definitely kind of changed the emotional feeling of the meet at the end, but this is why we’re a team.”

Utah Athletics to take over NIL management from collective ahead of house settlement

Despite the emotional impact, the team showed incredible resilience, finishing the meet with poise. Veteran Jaylene Gilstrap, tasked with following Neff on floor, delivered a beautiful routine that earned a 9.90, helping the team maintain focus. Grace McCallum followed suit, closing out the floor rotation with another 9.90. Dockendorf praised her gymnasts for their ability to stay composed, acknowledging their determination to finish strong.

The meet itself was a testament to the Red Rocks’ improvement. They opened with a season-best 49.300 on vault, led by Neff’s 9.900 and Camie Winger’s 9.875. McCallum’s return to competition with a Yurchenko 1.5 vault marked a significant milestone, even though her landing was slightly off. On bars, McCallum dazzled with a 9.975, earning that score for the second consecutive meet. The beam rotation was equally impressive, with Neff contributing a near-perfect 9.925 and Winger adding a 9.900.

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While Utah dominated Iowa State, whose best apparatus score was a 49.000 on floor, the victory felt hollow. The Cyclones struggled throughout the meet, particularly on bars, where they were forced to count multiple low scores. Utah’s win showcased their depth and talent, but the team’s joy was tempered by Neff’s uncertain status.

As the night ended, the team gathered around their injured teammate, embodying the unity and support that define the Red Rocks program. Neff’s injury served as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of sports and the strength required to overcome adversity. For the Red Rocks, the final score may have been a victory on paper, but the real story was the resilience of a team rallying around one of their own in a moment of profound loss. At the end of the night, Neff took time to post on her Instagram story. Her caption was simple with “God’s Plan >>>”. Neff’s only words to keep Utah fans guessing about the status of the star freshman.