News
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We read 50 days of Trump’s Truth Social posts so you didn’t have to
Trump posts on his Truth Social platform dozens of times a day and his messages there are becoming increasingly angry, violent, and dark, suggesting a second term in the White House could be even more extreme than his first.
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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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How many votes are needed for Speaker of the House?
It usually takes 218 votes—a simple majority of the 435 members of the House—to become House Speaker, but due to two vacancies, only 217 votes are currently needed. For more than two weeks though, Republicans have failed to agree on a new leader, leaving the federal government paralyzed.
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Johnston students’ well-being top issue for Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher
Soneeta Mangra-Dutcher still has work to do, which is why she is running for a second term on the Johnston School Board. The 50-year-old mother of three Johnston High School graduates ran unsuccessfully for a board position in 2017 before she won a seat in 2019. The landscape around school board and school board races…
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State’s largest vouchers, book ban backers endorse in Johnston School Board race
One of the most powerful social conservative lobbying groups in Iowa is getting involved in school board races, and the Johnston School District has emerged as one of its top targets. The Family Leader recently announced it endorsed conservative Johnston School Board candidates Josh Nelson, Lori Stiles, Charles Steele, and Michelle Veach. The organization plans…
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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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Pharmacies expand access to abortion pills under new Biden policy
A group of independent pharmacies in states across the country have begun dispensing the abortion pill mifepristone–an action made possible thanks to new rules implemented by the Biden administration earlier this year. The news, which was first reported by Politico, comes after President Joe Biden in January issued new rules allowing retail pharmacies to dispense…
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Six districts where right-wing candidates are bringing culture war to school board
National politics set the tone for a fair amount of school board races in Iowa two years ago, and this year promises more of the same. The 2023 Iowa Legislative session saw Iowa Republicans pass a number of measures aimed at undermining and defunding public schools. Now, many right-wing candidates are running for their local…
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Trump’s rhetoric grows more violent as he builds 2024 primary lead
Donald Trump continues to run away with the 2024 Republican presidential primary and appears to have a coin flip’s chance at winning the presidency again next November. That makes his increasingly violent rhetoric and reckless behavior all the more significant, revealing what a second Trump term might look like. Here are five recent examples of…
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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…
