Evans: State government may be harming Iowa population challenges

I stumbled across a statistical tidbit the other day that probably will surprise many people. U.S. Census Bureau figures show that between 1900 and 2000, the state that grew the least in population, on a percentage basis, was Iowa. Read that again. No state had smaller population growth between 1900 and 2000, as a percentage, than Iowa. Not North Dakota.

Non-English speakers get support understanding details of COVID vaccine

The Midwest is home to tens of thousands of immigrants — including refugees from countries like Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Iraq. It has been a challenge to provide information about COVID-19 and vaccines to those who don’t speak English. 

The Johnson County Public Health Department in eastern Iowa has COVID-19 information available in about a half dozen languages. But Samuel Jarvis, who works for the department, said getting this translated information out during the pandemic can be really hard. “Because the information changes quickly. And really, it’s just — it has to be at a faster pace,” said Jarvis.

Short On Financial Knowledge, Some School Districts Get Bad Deals On Bonds

School district administrators and school boards typically turn to outside advisers and underwriters when issuing bonds. But relying on outsiders puts districts in a vulnerable position, one in which they sometimes get bad deals with high interest rates and fees.

excel icon

Ames Woman’s Ordeal Leads to Child Sex Abuse Bill

The last time Nikki Russell hugged her grandpa, she felt disgusted.  She wanted to get as far away from him as possible. His embrace triggered too many disturbing memories from her childhood.
Nikki Russell, 28, of Ames, Iowa, is a victim of child sexual abuse. For years Russell suffered from severe depression, but could not point to what caused her anxiety and suicidal thoughts. After she embraced her grandpa at her aunt’s funeral though, she began putting pieces of her childhood together.