Iowa Board Regents Approve Tuition Hike
(Ames, IA) — Tuition is going up again at Iowa’s three state universities. The Board of Regents approved a three-percent increase for the next school year during a meeting Thursday in Ames. That means a yearly increase of 287 dollars at the University of Iowa, 286 dollars at Iowa State University, and 262 dollars at Northern Iowa. The Board of Regents also raised tuition in 2025 by three-percent for the current school year.
USDA To Establish It’s Largest Office Nationwide In Iowa
(Washington, D.C.) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to establish a new National Food Safety Center in Central Iowa. The USDA says it will repurpose its existing space in Urbandale to house administrative, technical and support operations. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says having the Food Safety Center in Iowa will ensure it is positioned where it can best support American agriculture and protect public health. The Center will become the agency’s largest office in the U-S, with about 200 employees.
Rain from Recent Storms Eases Drought in Parts of Iowa
(Undated) — Rain from recent strong thunderstorms is helping ease drought conditions in parts of Iowa. The new National Drought Monitor map shows pockets of moderate drought in southeast and southwest Iowa are gone, leaving behind small areas considered abnormally dry. There’s still drought in the northwest corner of the state, with newly-formed areas of severe drought in Lyon and Plymouth counties. The new map shows 87-percent of Iowa is drought-free.
Former Iowa Gymnastics Coach To Plead Guilty To Sexual Exploitation Charges In Mississippi
(Des Moines, IA) — A former Iowa Gymnastics coach accused of sexually exploiting young girls is expected to plead guilty in Mississippi. Sean Gardner was arrested in 2025, accused of hiding cameras to record underage girls at a gym in Purvis, Mississippi. He’s expected to plead guilty to three counts of production of child pornography. Gardner worked at Chow’s Gymnastics in West Des Moines from 2018 to 2022, and now faces five lawsuits from former students who say he groomed them and touched them inappropriately. His plea hearing is set for April 28.
Voting Starts Today To Decide Top 4 In 2026 Coolest Thing Made In Iowa Contest
(Des Moines, IA) — Competition is heating up in the 2026 Coolest Thing Made in Iowa contest. Voting opens tomorrow for a bracket-style contest to narrow to the top eight to four finalists. Voting for this round will end Wednesday, April 24. A popular vote will decide the winner out of four finalists. Products in the final eight include a walk-in cooler and freezer, a local pastry, a tornado shelter and gun safe, and more. Voting is available on CoolestThingIA-dot-com
