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Government-politics
Top Story
CAPITOL NOTEBOOK
Iowa House OKs increasing speed limit from 55 mph to 60 mph on 2-lane highways
Lee-Gazette Des Moines Bureau
Iowa’s 55 mph speed limit for two-way highways would be increased to 60 mph under legislation passed by Iowa House lawmakers Wednesday.
House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said constituents, especially in rural areas, have been urging lawmakers to increase the speed limit for years.
“It may be just as the perfect storm at this point in time to see just that slight increase and allowing jurisdictions to be able to go up to 60,” Grassley told reporters after debate.
Rep. Austin Baeth, D-Des Moines, opposed the legislation, arguing that increases in speed limits result in more traffic fatalities.
“It's estimated that by this change here on our particular roads, by increasing the speed limit from 55 to 60, it's estimated that approximately six more Iowans per year will die in a car crash,” Baeth said. “These are six Iowans. This is a kid who won't make it to his graduation. This is a father who won't make it home to dinner, a sister who had her whole life ahead of her.”
The bill passed 76-16. It passed the Senate in 2025, but will return before heading to the governor after the House amended it.
Education
Council Bluffs Fire Department donates engine to Iowa Western Community College
Hailey Peck
Council Bluffs Nonpareil
Iowa Western Community College's fire sciences program was gifted a fire engine Wednesday afternoon from the Council Bluffs Fire Department.
The vehicle is a 2000 Pierce Fire Engine with a 750 gallon water tank and 1,500 gallon per minute pump. The engine was in service at the Council Bluffs Fire Department headquarters from 2000 to 2015, when it was transitioned to a standby unit until 2025.
During its tenure in full service, the engine went to every fire in the city and carried the Council Bluffs Fire Department’s extrication equipment.
“On behalf of Iowa Western we’re grateful to the chief, to the mayor, to the city for making this donation to the Iowa Western Community College,” said Dan Kinney, president of Iowa Western Community College.
Representatives from Iowa Western Community College and the
Council Bluffs Fire Department pose for photos standing in front of
a fire engine the department donated to the college's fire
sciences program on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
JOE SHEARER, THE NONPAREIL
Levi Kinnison, program lead of the fire sciences program at Iowa Western, said that having the engine will allow students to do activities such as simulating call outs, practicing getting on the truck, putting their gear on, and pumping water from the truck.
Iowa Western hopes the donation will help grow the program, which currently has 21 students. The state and nation need more firefighters.
“It’s going to be a rolling billboard every Friday morning when we’re taking it to the training ground from here to station five,” Kinnison said.
Representatives from Iowa Western Community College and the
Council Bluffs Fire Department pose for photos standing in front of
a fire engine the department donated to the college's fire
sciences program on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
JOE SHEARER, THE NONPAREIL
Iowa Western Community College President Dan Kinney, center,
chats with members of the Council Bluffs Fire Department next to a
fire engine the department donated to the college's fire
sciences program on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
JOE SHEARER, THE NONPAREIL
From left, Iowa Western Community College Dean of Health Jessica
Pauley, President Dan Kinney and Program Lead Levi Kinnison check
out a fire engine the Council Bluffs Fire Department donated to the
college's fire sciences program on Wednesday, April 1,
2026.
The Council Bluffs Fire Department donated a fire engine to the Iowa Western Community College Fire Sciences program on April 1, 2026. Here, I…
State-regional
CAPITOL NOTEBOOK
Iowa officials announce $500,000 boost to Choose Iowa fund
Lee-Gazette Des Moines Bureau
Iowa officials announced $500,000 in Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants on Monday to help farmers and small businesses expand production, reach new markets and add value to the products they grow and raise.
The funding will support investments such as commercial kitchen equipment, refrigerated transportation, cold storage, on-farm retail spaces and specialized processing systems.
The cost-share grants — up to $25,000 per project — are designed to expand processing capacity, improve distribution and create new market opportunities for Iowa-grown and Iowa-made products.
The 30 funded projects will leverage more than $1.7 million in total investment, reflecting strong demand for the program, which received 130 applications requesting $2.27 million.
State officials said the investments will help meet growing consumer demand for local food while strengthening rural economies and supply chains.
“These Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants help farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses grow their operations, expand processing capacity, and bring more customer-ready Iowa products to market,” Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said in a statement.
Among the projects awarded grants:
Cedar Rapids: Batige’s Transparency Project Farm, installing a farm cooler to support production of culturally relevant foods, $5,482 grant, $10,964 total cost; Afro-Iowa Unity Farm, purchasing a refrigerated van to expand delivery and customer base outside of Cedar Rapids, $20,000 grant, $40,000 total cost.
Davenport: InConvenience Inc., creating a refrigerated “Iowa Grown” section in a convenience store to feature locally made products, $9,190 grant, $18,379 total cost.
Decorah: Iowa Food Hub, purchasing a larger delivery truck to expand distribution routes and serve more customers, $25,000 grant, $70,000 total cost.
Fairfield: Jefferson County Ciderworks, installing a six-head canning line to increase production capacity, $25,000 grant, $84,125 total cost; Mundo Lindo Farm, converting a grain bin into a farm store with refrigerated retail space to sell products from the farm and other area growers and producers, $25,000 grant, $70,054 total cost; Pickle Creek Herbs, building a washing and packing facility with cold storage and adding a freeze dryer to preserve herbs and berries, creating shelf-stable ingredients that can be used in its herb-infused oils, vinegars and body care products, $20,216 grant, $45,233 total cost.
Lone Tree: Yoder Family Farms Pork, building a central farm store hub to sell its Duroc pork alongside products from other local producers, while also creating an interactive, educational experience for visitors, $25,000 grant, $138,152 total cost.
Marengo: Fireside Winery, installing canning equipment to produce wine in aluminum cans, $12,500 grant, $43,898 total cost.
Riverside: Golden Hills Apiary, adding automated honey extraction and bottling equipment to scale production from a small-scale artisanal apiary into a high-capacity production facility capable of supplying regional grocery stores, wholesalers and specialized markets, $5,759 grant, $11,517 total cost.
Solon: Local Harvest CSA, purchasing a blast chiller and vacuum sealer to reduce waste and expand product offerings sold directly to consumers and wholesale to restaurants and institutions, $8,617 grant, $17,234 total cost; Wilson’s Orchard, buying a refrigerated truck to expand distribution of apple-based products, $20,000 grant, $45,000 total cost.
The Choose Iowa program, launched in 2022, has awarded over $2.14 million to 130 projects, helping generate more than $7.3 million in total investment statewide, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
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Iowa Western Community College President Dan Kinney on CBFD engine donation to the Fire Sciences program
