Amie Rivers

While Iowans are increasingly flocking across the Mississippi River to obtain legal marijuana at Illinois dispensaries, Iowa’s legislative majority seems stuck in a “Reefer Madness” mindset when it comes to marijuana legalization. The growing disconnect between Iowa voters and their state government may put more pressure on Republican legislators over their anti-legalization stances, which is…

Iowa Democrats and Republicans lined up Monday and Tuesday to denounce or affirm a leaked ruling that would overturn a federal right to abortion. Those looking to represent Iowans in November sounded off after the release of a draft ruling by the US Supreme Court, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, that would overturn both Roe…

Another United Auto Workers (UAW) union strike is on. More than 1,000 unionized workers at CNH Industrial (CNHi) in Iowa and Wisconsin, where they manufacture Case and New Holland agricultural products, began striking at noon on Monday. The union failed to reach an agreement with the company on wages, retirement benefits, and better working conditions,…

Nine somber events were held around Iowa marking Workers’ Memorial Day this week. Labor unions around the state held events marking the 53rd anniversary of the establishment of OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and read the names of 71 Iowans who lost their lives on the job in 2020 and 2021. Mary Sand,…

Activists, union members, and a worker who says she is owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid overtime protested in front of an Iowa City burger restaurant Monday. Rita, who requested Starting Line not use her last name, said she worked for the past 13 years at Short’s Burger and Shine in downtown Iowa…

If your town, allegedly, had a mayor who abused his power, a city clerk who embezzled funds, and a corrupt police department—all at the same time—then you might be from Armstrong, Iowa. The town of around 875 people in Emmet County near the Minnesota border was rocked last February when Armstrong’s mayor, police chief, and…

US Sen. Chuck Grassley went on record in front of around 80 people in Waukon to say he does not support repealing a landmark healthcare reform law that brought coverage to more than 230,000 Iowa residents. During Monday night’s town hall, an audience member pressed Grassley about his previous opposition to the Affordable Care Act,…

Graphic novels featuring LGBTQ characters aren’t just the current punching bag for Republican politicians trying to regulate such books in school libraries—they’re a vital resource for kids, teens, and young adults looking to find their own identities in a visual way. That’s according to the University of Northern Iowa’s youth services librarian Katelyn Browne, who…