Mastodawn

Just posted Brooklyn Draisey's story on a new report that found the five most common cancers in Iowa — breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, and skin melanoma — have connections to environmental risk factors.
https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2026/03/28/researchers-connect-environmental-issues-with-iowa-cancer-rates/

Researchers connect environmental issues with Iowa cancer rates

Brooklyn Draisey: The five most common cancers in Iowa have connections to the environmental risk factors detailed in the new report.

Bleeding Heartland

LauraRBelin 1d ago

With everything else going on today, forgot to share the latest Iowa Down Ballot podcast! Dave, Kathie and I spent almost the whole show on the Eddie Andrews ballot access saga.

A terrible week for Adam Steen and a great one for Randy Feenstra.

https://iowawriterscollaborative.substack.com/p/iowa-down-ballot-with-dave-price-dbc?utm_source=podcast-email&publication_id=1005518&post_id=192366962&utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&utm_content=watch_now_button&r=1n5ch0&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

Iowa Down Ballot with Dave Price 3/28/26

Laura Belin of Bleeding Heartland and Kathie Obradovich of Iowa Capital Dispatch are back this week to break down the week in Iowa politics.

Iowa Down Ballot

LauraRBelin 1d ago

I'm still gathering crowd estimates from #NoKings rallies around Iowa. Looking like at least 25,000 people, more likely around 30,000.
Impressed by turnout in some very red areas:
-35 in Sidney
-65 in Spencer
-70 in Lamoni
-100 in Algona
-175 in Oskaloosa
-250 in Spirit Lake
Keep them coming!

LauraRBelin 2d ago

New post by Randy Evans: Des Moines' costly badge of secrecy
"City leaders in Des Moines are making it difficult to understand why they selected the current police chief, considering how they have imposed a code of silence about their recent $975,000 payout to one of the candidates who did not get the job."

https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2026/03/27/des-moines-costly-badge-of-secrecy/

Des Moines' costly badge of secrecy

Randy Evans: The city’s code of silence is shielding the facts from taxpayers who are paying $975,000 to Maj. Lillie Parker (now retired).

Bleeding Heartland

LauraRBelin 2d ago

Clinton, Iowa (population around 24K) will lose labor/delivery services.
"Company officials cites rising health care costs, staffing shortages, issues with government funding and policy changes to Medicaid and Medicare as reasons for the changes." #IA01
https://www.wqad.com/article/news/local/mercyone-clinton-medical-center-ending-labor-delivery/526-f7772e25-3807-441a-aa53-af8f8ac26acf

WQAD News 8

WQAD (Quad Cities) is your source for breaking news, weather, traffic, and live coverage in the Quad Cities and surrounding communities. Get the latest updates from the WQAD team — from major local headlines and investigations to severe weather, community stories, and the moments everyone’s talking about. Watch live newscasts, stream breaking coverage, and catch up on the top stories shaping Davenport, Rock Island, Moline, Bettendorf, and nearby areas. Subscribe for: • Quad Cities breaking news + live updates • Weather forecasts and severe weather alerts • Investigations and accountability reporting • Community stories across the region • Major events, sports, and local explainers WQAD — Quad Cities news and weather, live and on demand. 🔗 More: https://www.wqad.com

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LauraRBelin 2d ago

New post: Linn County Supervisor Sami Scheetz wrote about the county's new data center ordinance and the process that went into drafting it.
https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2026/03/27/why-linn-county-passed-a-data-center-ordinance/

Why Linn County passed a data center ordinance

Sami Scheetz: Linn County leaders held public hearings and amended the data center ordinance based on what we heard.

Bleeding Heartland

LauraRBelin 3d ago

"There are now fewer students in Iowa public schools than any time in the modern era"
A must-read post by Jeff Morrison about Iowa's public school enrollment decline, and how it's related to Education Savings Accounts (school vouchers).
https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2026/03/26/downward-trend-in-school-enrollment-obscures-effect-of-esas/

"Downward trend" in school enrollment obscures effect of ESAs

Jeff Morrison: Iowa public school enrollment dropped by more in the past two years than during any two-year period in the last four decades.

Bleeding Heartland

LauraRBelin 4d ago

New post by Bruce Lear: Classrooms are four walls with dreams inside. We need to protect those dreams from being second-guessed to death.

https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2026/03/26/teachers-are-second-guessed-too-often/

Teachers are second-guessed too often

Bruce Lear: Classrooms are four walls with dreams inside. We need to protect those dreams from being second-guessed to death.

Bleeding Heartland

LauraRBelin 4d ago

Always worth listening to points of personal privilege!

Grateful to State Sen Cindy Winckler for putting this on my radar: Gov Kim Reynolds is refusing to fill vacancies on the Early Childhood Iowa board, which will give state officials more control over what’s supposed to be a citizen-led board.

LauraRBelin 4d ago

Governor Kim Reynolds held a press conference today where she answered some questions related to property tax reform and the tax increase on health insurance, which her office urged the House and Senate to pass.
Full video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtBnjYzq29E

Iowa governor's press conference (March 25, 2026)

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