Nikoel Hytrek is Iowa Starting Line’s longest-serving reporter. She covers LGBTQ issues, abortion rights and all topics of interest to Iowans. Her biggest goal is to help connect the dots between policy and people’s real lives. If you have story ideas or tips, send them over to nikoel@new.iowastartingline.com.
Nikoel Hytrek
Latest from Nikoel Hytrek
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Iowa is in its longest drought since the 1950s. Here’s why it’s ‘odd’
Iowa has seen some kind of drought conditions in the state for 174 weeks—just under three-and-a-half years—making this the longest drought Iowa has had since the 1950s. But Iowans haven’t seen widespread water restrictions or serious crop failures. So is there anything to worry about? “It depends on who you are and where you are,”…
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Johnston students want support, respect from the school board
A lot of school board election coverage gives weight to who the candidates are and what they stand for, but students want to know when people will listen to them. The Johnston School District held a candidate forum at Johnston High School last week, where all eight school board candidates answered questions about how they…
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Johnston parents worry about a Moms for Liberty takeover of the school board
Twenty years ago, Kaycee Schippers moved to Johnston for its schools. Her daughter, now 27, went through the district and now her 16-year-old son is in school at Johnston too. But during an interview this week, she said she wouldn’t move into the Johnston Community School District today. The school board, Schippers said, has gotten…
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Amy Tagliareni wants to focus on Ankeny students
When she first ran for Ankeny School Board four years ago, Amy Tagliareni wanted to make a change for students who didn’t have a good experience in the district. Now, Tagliareni is running again because she knows there’s more work to do there. “I want to see every student in our district succeed,” Tagliareni said.…
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Combating teacher burnout in Ankeny schools a priority for Shelly Northway
Shelly Northway sees exciting possibilities for the Ankeny Community School District, but she knows it needs strong, focused leadership to keep going on that path. That’s why Northway is running for one of the five available positions on the Ankeny School Board. She doesn’t think the current board has been transparent enough about its decision-making,…
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Stakes are high in Johnston School Board elections
With four of its seven seats up for election, this year’s Nov. 7 school board race in Johnston will determine the balance of the board and the district’s overall priorities until 2025. Most importantly, it will decide whether a group of right-wing officials establish full control of the district and continue the culture war push…
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How Jason Arnold would improve Johnston schools
Johnston School Board Candidate Jason Arnold is a father of two students in the district and wants the schools to work for them and all the students in them. He has plans for how to make that happen too. Arnold wants to hire a director for diversity, equity and, inclusion (DEI), conduct an audit of…
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25 of the best indie bookstores in Iowa, according to Iowans
The nights are getting longer, and the days chillier, and there’s never a better time to get lost in a new book (except maybe the dead of winter).
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Two New Sioux City Events This Fall Celebrate Diverse Cultures
Two new events are coming this month to Sioux City to build a space for and connect the different cultures, backgrounds, and people who have made the city home over the years.
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Advocates: Iowa’s ‘Vague Law’ Harms LGBTQ Youth, Schools
Representatives of two Iowa LGBTQ advocacy organizations said the start of the school year is going exactly as expected—and many predicted—after Republican lawmakers passed a slew of anti-LGBTQ legislation targeted at public schools and queer kids. Schools are scrambling to try and figure out how to implement the laws without additional guidance and LGBTQ students…
