A former 15-year veteran of reporting local news for western Wisconsin TV and radio stations, Salina Heller also volunteers in community theater, helps organize the Chippewa Valley Air Show, and is kept busy by her daughter’s elementary school PTA meetings. She is a UW-Eau Claire alum.
Salina Heller
Latest from Salina Heller
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Iowa grandma worries about feeding her grandkids as cuts to SNAP loom
President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will serve up more barriers for families to enroll in school meal programs, like SNAP. Iowa school officials are bracing themselves—hoping they can help make sure their students will have full stomachs so they can learn.
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Why are there so many school bond referendums in Iowa?
There are 55 bond measures on the ballot for Iowa’s Nov. 4 election. Of those, 41 come from school districts that need improvements and renovations beyond what the state education budget can cover. It’s one of the largest bond cycles in state history—but what’s driving it?
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Critics warn of ‘money laundering’ as Iowa expands school voucher program
Iowans have a right to know how their taxpayer dollars are being used—but when it comes to the state’s private school voucher program, that’s not what’s happening. Iowa’s state auditor and others say the program has no oversight into how public funds are spent—and it was made that way on purpose. Fun summer days in…
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Iowa students will have to watch inaccurate video thanks to Republican lawmakers
Iowa lawmakers have passed a bill that will make students watch a medically inaccurate video on fetal development. A pregnancy education bill, Senate File 175 (SF175), has passed both houses of the Iowa Legislature and is awaiting Gov. Kim Reynolds’ signature. If signed, it will require students in grades 5-12 to view a fetal development…
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The floodgates are open to help the wealthiest Iowans pay for private school
Iowa Republican lawmakers have passed a bill to boost K-12 education funding by 2%—not nearly enough to keep pace with what’s needed for a once-thriving public school system. Meanwhile, Governor Kim Reynold’s budget includes a 44% increase for vouchers. “My kids go to one of these schools where we are going to see cuts.” Things…
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How Trump’s federal freeze on Title X is looming over Iowa like a storm cloud
The Trump administration’s sudden cuts to Title X funding could affect family planning services for low-income Iowans soon. “This funding really is important for a lot of Iowans.” On the Friday before Easter, Allison Smith, executive director of the Family Planning Council of Iowa, isn’t thinking about cooking a fancy dinner—she’s worried about her clients…
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Why this Iowa special ed teacher is worried for her students as the DOE is dismantled
Students across the country benefit from the Department of Education. A Des Moines special education teacher said her elementary kids are going to pay the price for the president’s latest executive order to defund its programs.
