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Local News

National Weather Service warns of increased fire danger Saturday

...Elevated Fire Danger Today... Strong southwest winds gusting up to 30 MPH will combine with near record or record warmth, low humidity, and dried vegetation to produce an Elevated Fire Danger today. If a fire were to...Read More

Where bills on property tax, pipelines and more stand after second funnel

By:Robin Opsahl, Brooklyn Draisey and Cami Koons (Iowa Capital Dispatch) Following the second “funnel” deadline of the Iowa legislative session, lawmakers often aim to shift their focus from policy to budgeting. But as lawmakers hit week 10 of the 2026 session,...Read More

Caliendo reaches NCAA Finals and Iowa crowns four more All-Americans

UI Athletics news release CLEVELAND — University of Iowa wrestler Michael Caliendo (165) advanced to the finals and the Hawkeyes crowned four additional All-Americans during Session IV on Friday night at the 2026 NCAA Championships at Rocket Arena....Read More

Iowa City man pleads guilty to charges he used makeshift flame-thrower against ICPD officer

Lang 3/21/26 A man accused of using a makeshift flame-thrower against an Iowa City Police officer has reached a plea deal. Court records show earlier this week 51-year-old Christopher Gingerich pleaded guilty to charges of Assault on...Read More

Iowa City Fire Department extinguishes vegetation fire near church

Lang 3/21/26 Firefighters extinguished a vegetation fire near an Iowa City church Friday afternoon. Data from the PulsePoint app shows a controlled burn outside St. Andrew Presbyterian Church on Gathering Place Lane was reported to the Johnson...Read More

Iowa men’s basketball team moves to 2nd round of NCAA Tournament after 67-61 win over Clemson

Lang 3/20/26 The 9th-seeded Iowa men’s basketball team picked up its first NCAA Tournament victory since 2021, downing eighth-seeded Clemson, 67-61, on Friday night in Tampa, Fla. Iowa led by as many as 14 (54-40) with 7:32...Read More

Hawkeye men’s wrestlers send 3 to NCAA semifinals

UI Athletics news release CLEVELAND — Three University of Iowa wrestlers — Michael Caliendo (165), Patrick Kennedy (174) and Angelo Ferrari (184) — advanced to Friday night’s semifinals during Session III of the 2026 NCAA Championships at Rocket Arena. Six Hawkeyes remain alive on...Read More

Bison outlast Heartlanders in sprint to finish, 3-2

Iowa Heartlanders news release Bloomington, IL — Iowa Heartlanders forward Isaac Johnson scored with 57 seconds to go to make it a one-goal game, but Bloomington Bison goaltender Dryden McKay blocked 36 shots and 14 in the third...Read More

Iowa baseball drops series opener at MSU

UI Athletics news release EAST LANSING, Mich. – University of Iowa baseball lost the series opener to Michigan State, 2-0, at Jeff Ishbia Field at McLane Stadium on Friday afternoon. The Hawkeyes moved to 13-7 overall and 2-2...Read More

Hawkeye softball falls in home opener

UI Athletics news release IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa softball team fell to Minnesota, 2-0, in its home opener on Friday night at Pearl Field. HOW IT HAPPENED Minnesota scored its first run on a...Read More

Iowa House passes bill to raise premium tax on HMOs to fill Medicaid shortfall

By:Robin Opsahl (Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa House passed a bill Thursday retroactively bumping the premium tax rate for health maintenance organizations to make up for a Medicaid budget shortfall — a move Democrats and insurers said would...Read More

Louisa County man arrested after allegedly driving into pole inside downtown Iowa City parking ramp

Lang 3/20/26 Iowa City Police have arrested a Louisa County man they say crashed his car into a pole inside a downtown parking ramp. An officer reports seeing a 2017 Chrysler 300 driving southbound on Clinton Street...Read More

Johnson County supervisors vote down funding for Clear Creek Amana school resource officer

Lang 3/20/26 The Johnson County Board of Supervisors has voted 4-1 against funding a school resource officer for the Clear Creek Amana School District. The officer would have been a full-time deputy placed in the Clear Creek...Read More

National News

Nomination of Sen. Markwayne Mullin as Sec’y of Homeland Security advances after narrow committee vote

Sen. Markwayne Mullin is one step nearer to becoming the next head of the Department of Homeland Security after the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee narrowly approved his nomination on Thursday. The panel voted 8–7...Read More

Missing University of Alabama student on spring break in Barcelona is found dead

Update: Authorities announced on Thursday that University of Alabama student James “Jimmy” Gracey, 20, who was reported missing in Barcelona, Spain while on spring break, has been found dead. A representative from the Barcelona police said in...Read More

Trump Administration temporarily lifts shipping rules to tackle rising fuel costs

The Trump Administration has approved a 60-day suspension of the Jones Act, aiming to ease pressure on fuel prices and stabilize supply chains disrupted by escalating tensions involving Iran. The century-old law typically requires that goods transported...Read More