Iowa
USDA criticizes Iowa’s planned summer feeding program, raising doubts over waiver approval
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has criticized Iowa’s proposal to launch its own summer feeding program with federal money, saying it shows the state believes it “knows better than its own families do about what their needs are” and raising questions about whether the state’s plan will be approved.
Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Thursday that Iowa will seek a waiver from the 2025 Summer EBT program. The EBT program would provide Iowa families with pre-loaded electronic benefits transfer cards that could be used to buy groceries. Instead, Iowa is seeking to use the same money it would get through the Summer EBT program — about $29 million — to set up a summer feeding program that would distribute boxes of food to families at existing sites at nonprofits, food banks, churches and other organizations around the state.
Iowa’s waiver application needs approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the Summer EBT program. A USDA spokesperson issued a statement Thursday afternoon defending the benefits of the Summer EBT approach and criticizing Iowa’s proposal.
“USDA’s Summer EBT program is designed to tackle one objective: feeding kids at a time when we know hunger goes up,” the statement says. “It is backed by a decade of demonstration projects and rigorous evaluation showing that it works to reduce child hunger and support healthier diets. It also provides families with the freedom to make their own decisions on what food is best for their unique needs.”
More: Kim Reynolds seeks waiver from Summer EBT food program, says state can serve more kids
“Through this waiver request, the governor is asserting that the State knows better than its own families do about what their needs are,” the statement continues. “The evidence-based Summer EBT program is successfully being run in more than three dozen states, territories, and tribes helping 21 million children across the U.S. USDA stands ready to support additional states, including Iowa, in offering Summer EBT to even more kids.”
Department of Agriculture officials said they will review Iowa’s waiver request just like they do with other requests. They also said pilot projects must demonstrate a plan to research and measure their effectiveness before they will be approved.
Reynolds and state officials said Thursday they believe their proposal will provide a healthier alternative to Summer EBT, and said the state pilot would make about 300,000 children eligible, compared to 245,000 under Summer EBT.
But some anti-hunger advocates raised questions about whether picking up a box of food each month will be as accessible or offer as much choice as using an EBT card at a grocery store.
“One concern is that the current proposal will limit extensive choice for families,” said Michelle Book, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Iowa. “With the summer EBT card, it’s loaded onto their card. They go to the grocery store and they choose whatever in the grocery store would be of most benefit to their family.”
Luke Elzinga, chair of the Iowa Hunger Coalition, said he’s worried “some folks could fall through the gaps” of the program, even despite the state’s plans for a food box delivery option.
“By providing that card that’s going straight to those 245,000 kids and their families, we know that it’s getting to them,” Elzinga said. “I’m not sure that we’ll see all 300,000 Iowans or children in Iowa that would be eligible actually be able to participate in the program.”
Iowa’s waiver application says the state will offer food box deliveries to families with transportation challenges, something it says is an advantage over Summer EBT, also known as SUN Bucks.
“Three monthly boxes with healthy, nutritious foods will be available at food distribution sites during the summer months,” Kelly Garcia, director of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, wrote in a letter Thursday to U.S. Department of Agriculture officials. “Iowa recognizes that for some families, transportation may be a barrier to access. For that reason, food box delivery options will be available for families with transportation challenges, ensuring food is delivered right to their door. The SUN Bucks (Summer EBT) program does not offer this convenience, even though transportation is also necessary to utilize an EBT card at a grocery store.”
Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.
Iowa
Iowa makes a splash with an All-SEC guard out of the transfer portal
IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Iowa women’s basketball was facing just six returning players for the upcoming season, but on Saturday they landed a big transfer.
Georgia’s Dani Carnegie is heading to Iowa City, she announced on social media. Carnegie was a First Team All-SEC guard with the Georgia Bulldogs.
She averaged 17.8 points per game at UGA. She was also a teammate with Chit-Chat Wright at Georgia Tech in their freshman seasons.
She’ll have two years of eligibility remaining with Iowa.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa
Killyan Toure Makes Decision on Iowa State Basketball Future
The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team is going to look a lot different during the 2026-27 season than it did at the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Gone are the five seniors who were on the roster: Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Nate Heise, Dominick Nelson and Eric Mulder. Cade Kelderman, a junior guard, entered his name into the transfer portal along with Mason Williams.
Milan Momcilovic currently has his name in the 2026 NBA Draft, putting his future up in the air for a few more weeks. However, head coach T.J. Otzelberger can rest a little easier knowing some of his core rotation is coming back. Included in that group now is Killyan Toure.
As shared by François Nyam via Jonathan Givony of Draft Express on X, the talented guard will be returning to Ames for his sophomore season.
Will Killyan Toure return to Iowa State for sophomore season?
Toure was a surprise member of the starting five for the duration of his freshman season with the Cyclones. Many people predicted that spot would go to Jamarion Batemon, the highest-rated recruit the program landed in the Class of 2025, but it was Toure who earned the trust of the coaching staff.
It was easy to see why this was the case early on. He was a ready-made high-level defender right out of the gate. His tenacious effort on that end of the court enabled Iowa State to deploy Lipsey in a more rovering role at times, playing the passing lanes and creating turnovers.
The senior was very impressed with what Toure brought to the court, giving him a ton of praise for his efforts on the defensive end.
A high-floor player because of his ability on defense, the Frenchman could truly breakout as a sophomore if he can find a rhythm offensively. His confidence seemed to wane during the season, as he hit the proverbial freshman wall.
NEWS: Killyan Touré will return to Iowa State for his sophomore season, François Nyam tells DraftExpress.
The 6’3, 19-year-old French guard started 37 games for the Cyclones, playing an important role in their 29-8 record and Sweet 16 appearance with his stifling defense. pic.twitter.com/XdS1L9XL9z
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 11, 2026
Toure shot only 38.7% from the field overall during Big 12 play and 23.8% from 3-point range, leading to his minutes being scaled back slightly as Otzelberger sought more offense for the lineup.
However, that confidence on offense did start to come back during the Big 12 tournament and in the NCAA tournament.
Over the final four games of his freshman campaign, Toure averaged 14 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. He shot an impressive 55% from the field and 50% from 3-point range, knocking down 5-of-10 attempts.
Securing his return is a big win for Iowa State basketball. He has an incredibly high ceiling and is built to take the torch from Lipsey as the tone setter on the court.
Iowa
Iowa State basketball lands Northern Iowa transfer Leon Bond III
Iowa State basketball: T.J. Otzelberger on importance of HS recruiting
The transfer portal is an important piece in building a team, but high school recruiting and development is still big at Iowa State.
The name’s Bond — Leon Bond III — and he’s Iowa State men’s basketball’s first transfer portal commit of the 2026 cycle.
Bond was one of several reported to be visiting Ames this weekend, and he announced his commitment on Friday, April 10. He will have one year of eligibility remaining.
Bond, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard from Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, spent the last two seasons at Northern Iowa, after originally starting his collegiate career at Virginia.
Bond is coming off of a career-best year with the Panthers. He averaged 11.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists, while shooting 47.3% overall, 36.2% from 3-point range and 75% from the free-throw line. He earned All-Defensive Team honors in the Missouri Valley Conference and was one of the key players in helping Northern Iowa win the conference tournament and make its first NCAA Tournament appearance in a decade.
Across his two seasons in Cedar Falls with the Panthers, he appeared in 59 games with 57 starts and averaged 11 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. Before that, he played one season for former coach Tony Bennett at Virginia in 2023-24, where he played 24 games off the bench, averaging 4.1 points over 12.3 minutes per game.
Offensively, he’s a solid athlete capable of getting to the basket and making plays above the rim, while showing an improved perimeter jumper that he’s worked on over the years. Defensively, he provides versatility and an ability to guard multiple positions. His length, athleticism and motor bode well for him as he transitions into Iowa State’s system.
As the first transfer commit for Iowa State, Bond is helping replenish the Cyclones’ roster after the graduations of Tamin Lipsey, Joshua Jefferson, Nate Heise, Dominick Nelson and Eric Mulder.
They also saw Mason Williams and Cade Kelderman enter the portal since it first opened on April 7. College basketball players will have until April 21 to decide if they are staying with their current schools or entering the transfer portal.
Eugene Rapay covers Iowa State athletics for the Des Moines Register. Contact Eugene at erapay@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @erapay5.
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